Tri-tronics, Inc.

Gregory J Farkas

Gerald J Gonda

A resistive electrode structure for an electronic stimulus collar includes a base attached to a connecting element of the electronic stimulus collar. An electrode of the resistive electrode structure includes a tip adapted to supply electrical stimulus to the skin of an animal. A resistive material is electrically connected between a conductor for electrical connection to an output of the electronic stimulus collar and the electrode. An insulative housing encloses the resistive material and supports the electrode and the conductor. Various such resistive electrode structures having various resistances can be interchangeably connected to the electronic stimulus collar to vary the level of stimulus applied to the skin of the animal.

Animal training electrode structure including integral resistive element

A bark trainer which allows a dog by its own barking behavior to control a level of electroshock stimulus. Circuitry in a collar-mounted electrical shock device detects the onset of barking and initially produces only a single low stimulus electrical shock pulse that gets the dog's attention, but does not produce a highly unpleasant level of stimulation. If the dog continues barking, the stimulation level of the electrical shock pulses are increased at the onset of each barking episode in a stepwise fashion until the stimulus becomes so unpleasant that the dog stops barking for at least a predetermined time, e.g., one minute. After that minute elapses, the circuitry resets itself to its lowest initial stimultion level and remains inactive until barking begins again, and then repeats the process, beginning with the lowest level of stimulation and increasing the stimulus level if barking continues. In one embodiment, a certain duration, i.e., 30 seconds, of 'watchdog barking' is permitted before the initial stimulus pulse is applied to get the dog's attention, after which continued 'nuisance barking' results in gradual increasing in the intensity of the adverse stimulus up to a maximum level until barking stops for at leasts one minute.

Barking control device and method

A remote animal training apparatus includes a portable transmitter with controls for selecting various degrees of electrical stimulation applied by means of a pair of electrodes protruding from a collar-mounted receiver-stimulator unit to the skin of an animal. The described receiver unit includes three oscillatory circuits for producing a low, medium and high number of pulses per second of the electrical stimulation in response to low, medium, and high frequency selection signals from the remote transmitter. The receiver-stimulator unit includes an output transformer having a secondary winding with terminals connected to the electrodes and primary windings driven by a switching circuit that drives predetermined current pulses through the primary winding at the selected number of pulses per second. The open circuit voltage produced across the electrodes remains at a high predetermined level regardless of the degree of electrical stimulation selected, thereby ensuring adequate coupling of electrical current to the animal's skin despite any variations in electrode positioning relative to the skin of the animal as it moves about.

Method and apparatus for remote control of animal training stimulus

A short, resonant top-loaded helical coil antenna having a flexible lower section is attached to one side of the housing of a receiver unit. The antenna is approximately eight inches in length, and extends outwardly from the receiver unit at an angle of about 30.degree. from vertical, so as to maintain a minimum spacing from the dog's neck.

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Gregory J Farkas