Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PORTABLE ANIMAL FEED AND WATER DISPENSER
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.
60/819,224 filed July 6, 2006 entitled ANIMAL WATER DISPENSER.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a portable device for selectively
dispensing feed material to animals, and more particularly to a device which
is
useful for dispensing water, potable liquids, granulated solids and other
flowable
consumables from a reservoir into apooling region for consumption thereofwhile
being hand-held.
A wide variety of water dispensing devices are currently available on the
market for providing portable means for watering a dog or other pet, for
example,
when away from home. However, the need still exists for a simple and effective
product that can be carried in a state in which it is assembled to a bottled
supply
of water, and which could serve as a receptacle for holding and presenting, to
an
animal, water or other flowable feed transferred from the bottle, and which
could
be advantageously adapted to use with a wide variety of exiting bottle types.
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It would therefore be desirable to provide a dispenser from which an
animal could be fed water or flowable solids, and which would be
advantageously
adaptable to use with a wide range of differently sized reservoirs (for
example,
bottles of various shapes and sizes, including conventional bottles used to
contain
soda or water).
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a feed dispenser for
animals which allows dispensing of water, potable liquids, granulated solids
and
other flowable consumables for consumption thereof, which overcomes the
drawbacks of the prior art.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a dispenser capable of
administering liquids for consumption, which is portable, and which is
versatilely
adapted to use with a wide range of bottle sizes and shapes.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide the dispenser in a
form which is simple, compact, easy to operate and which may be produced
economically.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with these and other objects of the invention, there is
provided a device which, when used in conjunction with a reservoir,
conveniently
provided, for example, in the form of a bottle, functions as an easily
transportable
dispenser for water and other flowable materials for consumption by a dog or
other animal.
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The device, a dispensing portion of which is advantageously of one-piece
construction, includes an open-trough structure defining a pooling space in
which
contents from the bottle or other reservoir can be selectively transferred. A
structural feature is provided allowing mountable engagement of the device to
the
bottle such that when mounted, the device at least partially overlays a
portion of
the bottle at, and adjacent to, an opening thereof. To this end, the device
advantageously includes a cap portion having internal threads adapted to
threadably engage corresponding threads provided on the bottle and, when
threadably received thereto, effectively seals the bottle opening. The cap
portion
is advantageously provided in a position of the device such that the open-
trough
structural portion (concavity) thereof is oriented facing the bottle when
mounted
thereto, whereby a more compact travel/storage envelope can be attained by
virtue of an at least partial mutual nesting of device and bottle.
Advantageously,
the device is dimensioned to overlay only a portion of a longitudinal extent
of the
bottle proximate the bottle opening, such that a portion of the bottle distant
the
bottle opening extends outwardly ofthe device. More advantageously, the device
is configured such that when mounted to the reservoir, the boundary of the
upper
walls defming the open-trough structure present a profile arranged generally
on
a bias relative to a longitudinal bottle axis, whereby the device overlays a
greater
longitudinal extent of the bottle on one side thereof than the other.
In accordance with an advantageous embodiment, the device, described
in general terms above, further includes a feed transfer portion adapted to
engage
the bottle in a second relative positioning from the first described position
in
which it is mounted and sealed for travel/storage. When so mounted in this
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second position, an opening of the bottle is directed to an interior of the
open-
trough of the device, such that transfer of an at least partial contents of
the bottle
to the pooling space can be effected, while attached, for presentation to an
animal
for consumption thereof by appropriate tilting, squeezing, etc. of the bottle.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the feed transfer portion
includes a nozzle structure, conveniently formed simply in a form including a
restrictive orifice provided within a region circumscribed by a second
intemally
threaded portion which matches the threads of the bottle, which is provided on
a side opposite the threaded cap portion, such that when the bottle is
threaded to
the second threaded portion, contents from the bottle can be selectively
transferred through the restrictive orifice in the nozzle, in a controlled
manner,
for example by squeezing the bottle, directly into the pooling space located
on the
opposite side of the device from the second threaded portion.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from the following description read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view from a direction of the top of a feeding device,
when in use, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 is another perspective view of the device according to the
embodiment shown in Fig. 1 from a direction of a forward end the open trough
formed by the feeding device, when in use;
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Fig. 3 is side elevational view shown in partial cross-section depicting the
embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 assembled to an upright bottle in a first position
corresponding to a travel/storage orientation;
Fig. 4 is side elevational view shown in partial cross-section depicting the
5 embodiment of Figs. 1-3 re-assembled to the bottle in a second position
corresponding to an active feeding orientation; and
Fig. 5 is a side elevational view shown in partial cross-section depicting
a simplified alternative embodiment in accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the figures, a feeding device is shown, generally at
numeral 10. It is to be understood that feeding device 10 of the present
example
incorporates many optional features not necessarily incorporated in all
versions
of feeder embodiments made in practice, in accordance with of the invention,
as
contemplated in its broadest sense. Therefore, in connection with the
following
description of the depicted embodiment of Figs. 1-4, when a feature is
indicated
as being advantageously, conveniently, preferablyor optionally provided (or
other
words to that effect), it is to be understood that such feature or features,
while
desirable, need not be included as essential to practice of the invention as
contemplated.
In the preferred example depicted in Figs. 1-4, device 10 includes a
structure providing an open-trough structure 1 defining a pooling space in
which
flowable material from a reservoir, conveniently in the form of a bottle 6,
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transferred thereto (such as water 2), can be consumed by an animal (see Fig.
4).
Device 10 includes structure for permitting detachable mounting of device 10
to
bottle 6. In the depicted example, this is advantageously provided in the form
of
a cap portion 3 having intetnal threads 4 adapted to threadably engage
corresponding threads 5 provided on the bottle 6.
As shown in the figures, device 10, which provides the feeding function
when atteched to the bottle 6, is advantageously of one-piece construction,
for
ease of manufacture and foolproof reliability. When mounted to the bottle 6,
device 10 at least partially overlays a portion of the bottle 6 at, and
adjacent to,
an opening 6a thereof. When screwed onto bottle 6, cap potion 3 effectively
seals bottle opening 6a. As shown, cap portion 3 is advantageously located in
a
position of device 10 such that the open-trough structural portion (concavity)
1
thereof is oriented facing bottle 6 when mounted thereto, such that a
maximized
compact travel/storage envelope can be attained by an at least partial mutual
nesting of device 10 and bottle 6. Advantageously, device 10 is dimensioned to
overlay only a portion of a longitudinal extent of bottle 6 proximate bottle
opening 6a, and such that a portion of bottle 6 distant the bottle opening 6a
extends outwardly (i.e., downwardly, when bottle 6 is upright) of the device
10.
Optionally, and advantageously, device 10 further includes a feed transfer
portion 8 adapted to engage the bottle 6 in a second relative positioning from
the
first described position wherein the bottle 6 is mounted to device 10 via the
cap
portion 3 for travel/storage and sealed, such that when so mounted in this
second
position (Fig. 4), the bottle 6 and device 10 collectively form a fully
attached
feeder in which an opening of the bottle 6 is directed to an interior of the
open-
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trough 1 of device 10, allowing transfer of an at least partial contents of
the bottle
6 to the pooling space to be effected for presentation to an animal for
consumption thereof by appropriate tilting, squeezing, etc., of the bottle 6.
In the
preferred example depicted, the feed transfer portion 8 advantageously
includes
a nozzle structure, conveniently formed simply in a form including a
restrictive
orifice 9, provided within a region circumscribed by a second intemally
threaded
portion 11, which matches the threads 4 of bottle 6, oriented to face in a
direction
of a side opposite the threaded cap portion 3. When bottle 6 is threaded to
the
second threaded portion 11, contents from the bottle 6 can be selectively
transferred through the restrictive orifice 9 in the nozzle portion, in a
controlled
manner, for example by squeezing the bottle 6, directly into the pooling space
of
the open-trough 1, located on the opposite side of the device 6 from the
second
threaded portion 11. Orifice 9 is advantageously provided as a tube 12, since
the
greater axial distance of the orifice restricts uncontrolled flow by creating
an
increase in capillary resistance over that present simply by forming a hole in
the
ordinarily-existing area wall thickness.
Advantageously, particularly in connection with the option allowing
remounting in the second position for feeding, device 10 is configured such
that
when mounted to the reservoir (bottle 6) in the closed position of Fig. 3, the
boundary 7 of the upper walls defining the open-trough structure 1 present a
profile arranged on a bias relative to a longitudinal bottle axis L, whereby
the
device 10 overlays a greater longitudinal extent of the bottle on one side
thereof
than the other. By virtue of such structure, when reoriented to the active
feeding
position shown in Fig. 4 (i.e., the second mounted position), a comfortable
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feeding angle for the animal (i.e., an obtuse angle less than 180 ) can be
maintained between the bottle axis L and the device 10, while the boundary 7
is
maintained at a generally level orientation to prevent loss of water 2 pooled
therein. It is noted that the pooling space in the open-trough 1 is
advantageously
configured to receive a desired volume of water 2 (or other feed) without
spillage
over the edges of the device 10, for example by sufficient curvature (as in
Fig. 4)
or other measures, such as, for example, forming the device in a flattened box-
shape, etc.
Referring to Fig. 3, it will be understood that since the bottle 6 extends
from the device 10 (downwardly extending when the bottle 6 is upright, as
shown), and dismounting is accomplished simply by unscrewing the bottle 6 from
the device 10, the device 10 can accommodate various bottles of any shape,
size
and length, limited only by a maximum bottle diameter which contacts any part
of the boundary 7 when screwed into device 10 to the closed position of Fig. 3
(the bottle 6 shown therein illustrating such maximum permissible diameter).
It
is therefore contemplated that commercially, the device 10 alone could be
offered
for sale, and the device 10 being configured with appropriate size threading
to
allow the device 10 to be used with commercially bottled water or recycled
soda
and beverage bottles in a range of sizes up to a maximum size for which the
device 10 is designed.
To facilitate transport of the device 10 and bottle 6 combination when
filled with water, a hang cord or strap 14 is optionally provided, received
through
holes 13. Another hole or holes can of course be provided altexnatively on
other
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locations for providing the same hanging function by the hang cord or strap
14or
other suitable means, for example, a belt or toggle clip, etc. (not shown).
As noted above, while this embodiment represents a preferred example,
much simpler embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the invention.
For example, Fig. 5 depicts a device 20 which is maintained to a bottle 6' by
a cap
portion 23 provided as a cap part separate from device 20, instead of being
integral therewith, as in the previous embodiment. In the present embodiment,
the device 20 includes an open trough form providing a pooling space 21, and
has
an appropriately positioned hole 20a through which the neck of bottle 6'
extends
when in the storage position of Fig. 5. Cap portion 23 threads onto the bottle
6,
and prevents separation of the device 20 from the bottle 6'. For use, the cap
portion 23 is removed, and the device 20 can then be separated from the bottle
6'.
The user simply cups the device 20 in a hand and pours water into it from the
bottle 6' for consumption by the pet.
Optionally, while not illustrated, a handle can be formed on the device 20,
and the device 20 then held by such handle during a feeding operation. After
use,
the device 20 is returned to the bottle 6' and the cap 23 screwed onto the
bottle 6'
to secure the device to the bottle 6' for travel/storage.
Having described preferred embodiments of the invention with reference
to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not
limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and
modifications
may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the
scope
or spirit of the invention.
