Animal husbandry – Exercise or amusement device – Toy – lure – fetch – or related device
Reexamination Certificate
2003-04-04
2004-02-10
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3643)
Animal husbandry
Exercise or amusement device
Toy, lure, fetch, or related device
C711S118000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06688258
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus concerning pet toys and training devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are numerous pet toys in the prior art for the amusement, exercise, training and stimulation of the user. Unfortunately, the majority of them provide only a limited amount of sensory stimulation and therefore, the pet grows tired of the toy quickly and it loses its appeal. This problem was acknowledged and addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,671, in which Herrenbuck stated, “There are a number of amusement devices and toys in the prior art for entertaining and stimulating their users, often pets or children. Some toys are designed to stimulate the user, be that user a pet or a child, by emitting sounds. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,839 discloses an impact sensitive talking ball that emits a message when the ball is hit or bounced. Other toys are designed to dispense desired objects, such as pet treats. U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,571 provides an example of such a device. The device disclosed in that patent provides an inner housing that is movable within an outer housing. As the device is motioned by a pet, the device delivers treats placed in the inner housing through openings associated with the outer housing. These devices in the prior art, however, provide only limited stimulation. A device might provide an audio-based stimulation that is designed to engage a user's attention. Another device may attract a user's attention by delivering treats when the device is used. Such limited stimulation reduces the likelihood that a user, such as a pet, will be sufficiently interested in the toy to use it as intended.” It is for this reason, as well as others which I will address later, that I agree with Herrenbuck that pet toys must utilize a multi-sensory approach if they are to maintain the pet's interest for an extended period of time. Ideally, a toy should appeal to all five of the pet's senses, the senses of hearing, seeing, smelling, feeling, and tasting. However, U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,671 has faults itself. For example, like U.S. Pat No. 6,158,391, another treat dispensing pet toy, the pet is limited in the way it can interact with the toy. Neither comprises a handle or rope by which the pet can manipulate or carry the toy from one place to another. Aside from dispensing treats, they virtually are of little use or serve little purpose to the pet because of this limitation. When the last treat has been dispensed, it is unlikely the toy will remain of interest to the pet much longer. In addition, the lack of a handle or rope limits the toy's use as an interactive toy that can be used by the pet with its owner for play, training, or exercise. For example, if the owner wants to play tugging games with the pet, there is no place for either of them to latch or grab on to. Tugging games are a favorite among pets, especially dogs. They provide exercise, interaction with their owner, competition, and an opportunity for an owner to train a pet to release the item on which it is tugging with a command such as “release” or “leave it”. Another example of this would be if the owner wanted to interact with the pet through playing or exercising his pet with a game of fetch, or to train the pet to retrieve the toy and return it to him. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, because there is no handle or rope by which the pet can easily move these toys, it would be difficult at best to use either of those toys for such purposes.
Providing treats to a pet for desired behavior during play or training is a powerful means of positive reinforcement. Ideally, a treat dispensing toy, when utilized for training purposes, would house the treats that could be removed easily and quickly by the owner and given to the pet as a reward immediately after the behavior is exhibited. It is well known that a positive reward must be given to a pet within a few seconds of performing a desired command or trick in order to perpetuate this behavior. A common means of storing treats is in a pants pocket so that they are close at hand and out of the pet's reach. This method tends to be very messy because crumbs from the treats remain in the pocket. It is also difficult to remove the treats quickly from a pocket, especially if the owner is playing in a seated position. Although treat bags on the market, such as the “Treat Tote” by Canine Hardware Inc. have tried to remedy this problem, they have not fully succeeded. This is because most treat bags must be connected to a belt. If the owner did not want to wear a belt or could not wear with the apparel he was wearing, for example, a pair of sweat pants or shorts, he would be prohibited from making proper use of this tote and would not receive the intended benefit of the product. This could also happen if the owner was wearing a piece of outerwear that covered the treat bag. It can also be a burden to carry around extra bags of this nature. U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,403 discloses a disposable treat pocket that secures to a person's clothing by adhesive. However, even though this is an improvement over the above mentioned tote, it still requires an owner to bear an extra bag of sorts that can impede movement or be easily knocked off of the body, or the contents accidentally emptied out during play with the pet. Additionally, when a pet or group of pets, such as you would find at a dog park, smells treats from such a tote or pocket, they can pester the owner for treats and become fixated on the treat storage device instead of the toy, training device or the owner. Therefore, the most beneficial option for training is for the toy to actually serve as the treat container. Unfortunately, even if there was a limited way in which the treat dispensing ball toys disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,671 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,391 could be used for interactive play or training purposes, removal of the treats from within the toy by the owner is difficult at best because the treats within must pass through a plurality of barriers or housing in order to exit the toy.
Another key element to training a pet is the pet's belief that a reward will be given. If the pet actually sees the reward, specifically a treat, he will be more likely to comply with a command given by the owner. Again, because of the plurality of barriers and housings that comprise the above referenced treat dispensing toys, the pet will not readily see the treats contained in them. U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,571 discloses a treat dispensing toy that addresses the need for pet and the pet owner to more easily see the contents. It is claimed that the inner housing of this pet toy is translucent or transparent. However, this toy again, like the prior art mentioned above, does not contain a rope or handle by which the pet can maneuver the toy. Also mentioned in that patent is a need for improved pet toys that do not require regular and constant actuation by, or the presence of, the pet owner, which toys are based on an efficient and simplified self-regulating mechanical delivery system. This brings us to U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,570, which discloses a retrievable animal toy which has a two-part body at least one part of which has at least one hollow portion for holding an item, an animal food item or items and which is not accessible by an animal until released therefrom. One embodiment has a transparent portion, or body so the animal can see the item within the toy. The problem with this toy is that it is designed to prevent the animal from having access to the food items until a person opens the body or releases the item from a holding device. Therefore, the toy can not be used as a treat dispensing toy without interaction from the owner. In addition, it too lacks a rope or handle by which the pet can maneuver the toy.
There are many treat-dispensing rubber chew toys on the market. U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,366 discloses a non-consumable animal toy comprising a three-dimensional body formed of substantially solid resilient material into which a small quantity of animal f
Nelson Judith A.
Tencza Jr. Walter J.
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