Animal husbandry – Watering or liquid feed device
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-03
2001-03-20
Swiatek, Robert P. (Department: 3643)
Animal husbandry
Watering or liquid feed device
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202594
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for watering a pet, such as a dog, and, more specifically, to such a device which utilizes a source of water under pressure to direct water in a general outward direction at a convenient height for allowing access thereto by the pet when the pet is sensed in the general outward direction from the device.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
While there is a need for providing water to pets, such as dogs, it is not uncommon for owners to simply provide a water dish or the like from which the pet is able to drink water as desired. The owner typically tries to maintain a sufficient quantity of water in the bowl for the pet over an extended period of time. However, the water in such bowls can become contaminated and not truly fit for drinking by the pet. In any case, it is also not uncommon for the owner to sometimes fail to provide the water needed and thus cause the pet to be deprived of the desired amount of water. Additionally, if the owner has a number of pets having access to the bowl or bowls, such problems would be compounded. The failure to provide a sufficient quantity of water over an extended amount of time would be more significant if the pet or pets are being kept outside of the house where the temperature and conditions would be more critical if water is not available.
While some pet stores offer feeding dishes that include complicated means for metering out controlled amounts of food for pets over an extended period of time, the automatic supply of water has been a different matter and continues to be of concern. For pets which primarily remain within a house, the owner is at least periodically able to observe the water dish and much more likely to determine if more water is needed in the dish. However, with some pets, such as larger dogs, it is not uncommon for them to be kept outside of the house and thus outside of the frequent observation of the owner. When a water dish is used for pets that are kept outside of the house, the owner may not be in a position to frequently or accurately monitor the amount of water in the dish.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,221 disclosed a livestock waterer which is relatively complicated and expensive to provide. The device includes a bowl that must be mounted in a fixed location to provide a bottom drain system. The drain area includes a water supply line and has a drain valve which is capable of being automatically closed to collect the water and opened to release the water from the bow. While the draining of the water would tend to prevent the contamination of the water, as discussed above, it is apparent that the device would by necessity be relatively complicated. The device includes one embodiment that employs an infrared sensor and an infrared detector to sense an object therebetween at the bowl and another embodiment employs a passive infrared detector to sense the presence of an animated body at the bowl. The device is intended to automatically supply water to the bowl when in use and to cause the water to drain from the bowl when not in use. While such a device to provide water to livestock at a outside location could be used for pets, the expense and difficulty of providing such a device tends to make its use for pets highly unlikely.
Accordingly, there remains a need for conveniently and reliably providing water to pets, preferably at an outside location, where the need for water by the pets might be greater and more difficult to provide and monitor by owners.
On the other hand, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,192, an animal deterrent apparatus is intended to be installed in a field, yard or garden to selectively activate a pulse type sprinkler connected to a garden hose or the like to produce noise and direct a jet spray of water toward a selected area. The objective is to detect the presence of an animal by an infrared sensor physically separated from the sprinkler but directed toward the area to frighten the animal away. The apparatus can include a plurality of such sensors and sprinklers and is expected to cover an area extending approximately 50 feet. When the presence of an animal is detected in the area by one of the sensors, the sprinklers are turned on by providing power to open a solenoid valve which remains activated until the animal leaves the area and, perhaps, for a few additional seconds by the use of a time delay feature.
There are presently available numerous devices for automatically supplying water to people for washing hands at a sinks, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,039 (and Reexamination Certificate No. B1 4,839,039 related thereto); U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,872,485; 4,941,219; 5,074,520; and 5,074,520. In fact, U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,485 even includes an embodiment which is configured to turn on the water of a water fountain when the presence of a person is sensed at the fountain. Nevertheless, while these devices appear to work for the particular purpose as intended, it is clear that they are relatively complicated and expensive to provide and not configured to simple provide water to pets in a convenient or reliable manner and would therefore not be appropriate for such use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pet watering device for automatically providing water to a pet, such as a dog, from a source of water under pressure.
It is another object to provide such a pet watering device which is capable of sensing the presence of the pet to automatically supply the water when the pet moves near to the device.
It is still another object to provide such a pet watering device which can be conveniently mounted on the ground and is configured to direct the water in a general outward direction at a convenient height to allow easy access thereto by the pet.
It is a further object to provide such a pet watering device with a configuration which will facilitate the flow of water therethrough at a flow rate to allow the pet to drink the water without being frightened thereby.
It is yet another object to provide such a pet watering device that can be easily installed at selected locations that are remote from the source of the water.
These and other objects of the invention are provided in a preferred embodiment thereof including a pet watering device for automatically providing water to a pet, such as a dog, from a source of water under pressure. The pet watering device includes a water supply conduit having a first end for being operably connected to the source of water and a second end for allowing a discharge of the water therefrom. A valve is in the water supply conduit for being opened to allow the water to flow though the water supply conduit and closed to prevent the flow of the water therethrough. The water supply conduit includes a mounting element for mounting the second end at a selected position for allowing the pet to drink the water therefrom. A sensor is for sensing the presence of the pet near the second end of the water supply conduit. The sensor is operably connected to the valve to be capable of causing the valve to be opened after the pet is sensed near the second end and to be closed after the pet is no longer sensed near the second end. The water supply conduit and the second end thereof are configured to facilitate the flow of water therethrough at a flow rate which will allow the pet to drink the water without being frightened thereby.
In the preferred pet watering device, the source of water includes a faucet and the pet watering device is for being used with a hose. The water supply conduit includes a major portion independent of the valve. The major portion includes the second end and an input hose connection opposite of the second end. The valve includes the first end and an output hose connection opposite the first end. The first end is connected to the faucet. The output hose connection and the input hose connection are capable of being joined by the hose to allow the second end to be located remote from the faucet.
In one configuration, the preferred
Sherman James L.
Swiatek Robert P.
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