Animal husbandry – Exercise or amusement device – Toy – lure – fetch – or related device
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-05
2003-10-21
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Animal husbandry
Exercise or amusement device
Toy, lure, fetch, or related device
Reexamination Certificate
active
06634318
ABSTRACT:
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
NONE
Sequence Listing
NONE
BACKGROUND
Field of Invention
This invention relates to pet toys that are designed to contain food, and in particular to the closure which seals the food in the toy.
BACKGROUND
Prior Art—
FIG. 1
When left alone, animals frequently become discontented and bored. This is cruel to the animals and leads to behavior problems such as barking, digging, and destructive activities on the part of canines and different problems with other animals. To alleviate this problem, Hamilton, in U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 5,894,815 (1999) has provided an apparatus which presents challenges to animals when they are fed, for example, by burying their food in brushes, dipsticks, and the like. This apparatus is feasible and useful, but is not especially suitable for canines. Training can help alleviate this problem in canines, but it is generally inadequate in the long term.
Another approach to the problem is to provide the dog with an activity that is fun, rewarding, and long-lasting. This is the purpose of toys sold under the trademarks Kong by Kong, Inc. of Golden, Colo., USA, and Rhino by Nylabone, a division of T.F.H. Publications of Neptune City, N.J., USA. Such a toy is also shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,947,061 (1999) and 6,129,053 (2000) to Markham et al. This toy has various recesses in its outer surface, as well as a hollow interior. Food treats are deposited in the recesses and interior. Various levels of difficulty in removing the treats are achieved, depending upon the location, density, solubility, adhesion, and so forth, of the food treats and the shape of toy.
A cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the Kong toy is shown in FIG.
1
. The body of toy
100
is made of a rugged, semi-elastic material such as rubber. It is hollow with a first hole
105
at one end (bottom end in drawing) and a second hole
110
at the other end (top end in drawing). The hardness of the rubber comprising toy
100
is about 100 durometer units. A dog's bite can slightly deform toy
100
, but not flatten it. Toy
100
is available in various sizes suitable for dogs of different sizes. A typical size is 14 cm long and 8 cm in diameter, at the widest point. The wall thickness is typically 1.5 cm. The diameter of hole
105
at the bottom of toy
100
is typically 1 cm, while the diameter of hole
110
at the top is typically 3.2 cm.
Food
130
of various kinds is stuffed into cavity
140
of toy
100
. Food
130
can be dry or wet dog food, fruits, cheese, meat, eggs, peanut butter, and the like. It can be hot, cold, or frozen.
A “tantalizer” food piece
150
(shaped like a medicine capsule) may be placed in hole
105
to attract the dog. Hole
105
is generally too small to permit entry of the dog's tongue or dispensing of any contents.
Hole
110
is the primary entrance and exit for food
130
. An “appetizer” tidbit
160
(shaped like a bone) projects from hole
110
to entice the dog to begin eating the contents of toy
100
.
While the above prior-art design is useful when toy
100
is filled and then carefully handed to a dog, it suffers from several deficiencies. If appetizer tidbit
160
does not completely occlude hole
110
, food
130
can spill out, especially if one or more components are liquid or semi-liquid. If toy
100
is thrown some distance, appetizer
160
can dislodge and food
130
can spill out and be lost as toy
100
flies and lands. When chewed by the dog, appetizer
160
is likely to be sheared at plane
170
at the entrance to hole
110
. After being sheared, the remainder of appetizer
160
can adhere to food
130
inside toy
100
and prevent the dog from reaching food
130
. The dog can also force the wide end of appetizer
160
into orifice
110
, thereby occluding it and preventing the dog from reaching food
130
.
Various inedible closures, such as bottle corks and jar lids, have been used throughout history to seal containers. None has been used as a closure for a food-filled pet toy, and there would be no advantage in doing so. If an inedible closure were extracted in whole or in part, it may be swallowed by the animal and cause choking or digestive distress. Inedible closures made of hard materials, such as metal, ceramic or plastic would likely damage a dog's teeth when extracted. Inedible closures made of soft materials, such as cork or soft wood, would likely fragment under a dog's bite and increase the likelihood that the dog would swallow the inedible material in the act of extraction.
BACKGROUND
Objects and Advantages
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the invention are to provide an improved amusing and challenging pet toy, to provide such a toy especially suitable for canines, which has a hole and a closure which cannot be sheared and fall inside the toy or get stuck in the opening. Other objects are to provide an improved plug for such a toy, to provide an edible plug which seals the large orifice in the toy, prevents spillage of the contents, is not apt to fall out prematurely, is readily dislodged by the dog, will not injure the dog when chewed or swallowed, and which will not block the orifice if sheared or fractured. The result is a closure that is effective, yet can be dislodged by the dog at the proper time.
Further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and the accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY
In accordance with the invention, an edible seal plug is provided which is a conic or cylindrical section with radial cuts. It securely closes the entrance to the toy, preventing spillage of its contents. In addition, the novel seal plug's construction is such it does not block the main orifice in the toy when it is sheared or fractured at the toy's entrance.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5947061 (1999-09-01), Markham et al.
patent: 6073588 (2000-06-01), McClung et al.
patent: 6129053 (2000-10-01), Markham et al.
patent: 6186096 (2001-02-01), Miller
patent: 6439166 (2002-08-01), Markham
patent: 6470830 (2002-10-01), Mann
patent: 6484671 (2002-11-01), Herrenbruck
Website printout of “Fluffy Puppy Cone”, www.petcelebrations.com.*
Kong Company, Recipe for the Perfect Dog, Year2000, Golden Colorado, USA.
Jordan Charles T.
Smith Kimberly S.
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