Animal husbandry – Exercise or amusement device – Toy – lure – fetch – or related device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-06
2001-09-04
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Animal husbandry
Exercise or amusement device
Toy, lure, fetch, or related device
C119S709000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283063
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to toys for pets and, more particularly, is concerned with a refreezable and reusable chewable pet toy and a method of preparing and using the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pets, such as dogs, have been known to chew on, tear and play with a variety of articles, such as rags, wash cloths and various garments. Dogs particularly enjoy chewing on and tearing such articles when they are wet. The bulkier and wetter the articles, the more dogs appear to enjoy this activity. While wet rags, wash cloths and many garments can soak up water, they do not adequately retain wetness and are frequently shredded and destroyed by the activity. Also, dogs particularly seem to like to chew on ice and ice cubes.
Various devices have been developed over the years for use as chewable toys for pets. Representative examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,265,926 to Ludlam, U.S. Pat. No. 1,149,170 to Allis, U.S. Pat. No. 2,185,547 to Fowler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,733 to Axelrod, U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,632 to Gordon, U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,436 to Axelrod, U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,838 to Reich, U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,431 to Peterson. While these prior art chewable pet toys may be satisfactory in use for the specific purposes for which they were designed, none would seem to provide an article which adequately retains wetness and is indestructible while being chewed on by a dog.
Consequently, a need still exists for a device which provides a solution to the aforementioned problem in the prior art without introducing any new problems in place thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a refreezable and reusable chewable pet toy designed to satisfy the aforementioned need. The chewable pet toy can soak up water and be frozen in being prepared for use and then can gradually melt but retain its wetness over an extended period as the pet chews on it during use. In a repeatable manner, the toy is resoaked and refrozen and then reused. The toy includes an outer sheath of liquid permeable, but relatively tear resistant, material and an inner sponge capable of soaking up a liquid such as water being disposed within the outer sheath. Water may pass into and from the inner sponge through the outer sheath and while in the inner sponge may freeze and melt. The outer sheath and inner sponge of the toy remain wet during and after melting and while the toy is being chewed on by a dog. The toy may be repeatedly soaked and refrozen for continued reuse.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a chewable pet toy which comprises: (a) an outer sheath defining an interior cavity and made of a flexible liquid permeable material; and (b) an inner body made of a material capable of soaking up a liquid and being disposed within the interior cavity of the outer sheath such that the inner body is captured within the outer sheath and the liquid may pass into and from the inner body through the outer sheath and such that the liquid soaked up by the inner body may become frozen and melt so that the outer sheath and the inner body will remain wet while and after the liquid melts and while the toy is being chewed on by a pet.
More particularly, the tear resistant material of the outer sheath is a fabric comprised substantially of cotton, canvas or a plastic. Also, the outer sheath has an outer surface and a plurality of dimples spaced apart from one another and extending outwardly from the outer surface and being open to the interior cavity of the outer sheath. The outer sheath also has a plurality of holes each defined through one of the dimples thereof allowing for passage of the liquid therethrough. The inner body is a material capable of assuming a semi-rigid and semi-flexible condition when the liquid therein becomes frozen and a substantially flexible condition when the liquid therein is melted. Each of the outer sheath and the inner body has a substantially bow-tie shape resembling a dog bone. The inner body may repeatedly be resoaked with the liquid and then refrozen for continued reuse.
The present invention is also directed to a pet toy package comprising the above-described chewable pet toy in combination with a resealable bag made of liquid impermeable material.
The present invention is further directed to a method of preparing and using the chewable pet toy. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing the above-described chewable pet toy; (b) soaking the toy with a liquid; (c) freezing the liquid soaked toy; and (d) giving the frozen toy to a pet to chew on until the frozen liquid in the toy has melted and the wetness of the toy has substantially diminished. The soaking step includes placing the toy in a liquid such that the toy soaks up and retains the liquid. The method further comprises, after the soaking step and before the freezing step, placing the toy soaked with the liquid in a resealable bag of a liquid impermeable material and sealing the bag such that no liquid may pass out of the bag. The freezing step includes freezing the liquid soaked toy while in the bag such that the toy is in a semi-rigid and semi-flexible condition when frozen. The method further comprises after the freezing step and before the giving step, removing the frozen toy from the bag. The method still further comprises the steps of repeatedly soaking and freezing the toy and giving the frozen toy to the pet for continued reuse.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1149170 (1915-08-01), Allis
patent: 1265926 (1918-05-01), Ludlam
patent: 2185547 (1940-01-01), Fowler
patent: 3283758 (1966-11-01), Killebrew
patent: 4771733 (1988-09-01), Axelrod
patent: 4928632 (1990-05-01), Gordon
patent: 5263436 (1993-11-01), Axelrod
patent: 5447532 (1995-09-01), Furuya
patent: 5467741 (1995-11-01), O'Rourke
patent: 5560320 (1996-10-01), Plunk
patent: 5673653 (1997-10-01), Sherrill
patent: 5682838 (1997-11-01), Reich
patent: 5857431 (1999-01-01), Peterson
patent: 5947061 (1999-09-01), Markham et al.
Flanagan John R.
Jordan Charles T.
Shaw Elizabeth
Swartz Michael R.
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