BALLE DISTRIBUTRICE DE GATERIE POUR ANIMAL DOMESTIQUE

PET TREAT DISPENSING BALL

Abrégé français

Distributrice de gâterie pour animal domestique comprenant une balle sphérique creuse munie de parois élastomériques. La balle comprend au moins une petite ouverture qui traverse la paroi, capable de distribuer une petite quantité de nourriture solide à partir de l'intérieur lorsque la balle est roulée et secouée. Un tube à extrémités ouvertes est fixé de niveau à l'extérieur des parois à l'ouverture de la balle. L'autre extrémité du tube se prolonge au moins un quart de la distance à l'intérieur de la balle. Une petite quantité de nourriture solide peut être introduite à l'intérieur du tube creux par l'animal qui roule et secoue la balle jusqu'à ce que la particule de nourriture pénètre dans le tube et soit distribuée par l'action continue que l'animal exerce sur la balle.

Abrégé anglais

A pet treat dispensing means comprises a hollow spherical ball
having elastomeric walls. The ball has at least one small
opening through its walls capable of dispensing a small bit of
solid food from its interior when the ball is rolled and shaken.
A tube having open ends therein is attached flush to the outside
of the walls at the opening in the ball and has its other end
extending at least a quarter of the way into the interior of
the ball. A bit of the solid food particle can be made to pass
through the interior of the hollow tube by the action of the
pet rolling and shaking the ball about until the particle of
food enters the tube and is dispensed therefrom by the
continual action of the pet on the ball.

Revendications

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS
1. A pet food dispensing means comprising a hollow spherical
ball having thin outer elastomeric walls and a hollow interior
adapted to hold small irregular shaped bits of solid food;
a tube member having open ends thereon with one of said ends
attached to an opening in the walls of said ball and with the
other of said ends extending into the interior of said hollow
ball; said ball being of a size capable of being rolled by a dog
and wherein said tube is hollow throughout and adapted to receive
and dispense through the opening in the ball a bit of said food
when said pet-dog rolls the ball as in play.
2. The pet food dispensing means of claim 1 wherin said tube is flat
flared outwardly at its inner end within the interior of said
ball to allow a food bit to be caught therin when the ball is
tossed and rolled about by the pet-dog during play.

Description

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PET TREAT DISPENSING BALL
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to toys and devices made for house
pets that are designed to amuse them and their owners when played
with by the pet. In particular the invention herein relates to
devices that are designed to measure a ~uantity of food to the pet
when he performs a specific function or act. Pets have strong senses
of smell and can discern a favourite food even when it is contained
in a confined space. The object herein is to provide a toy-like
device that can contain a food which can be discerned by a pet and
which will provide amusement to him and his owner while the pet
dislodaes the food from the container.
The invention contemplates the provision of a hollow ball having
outer elastomeric walls that have an interior capable of holding
small bits of solid food and has anopening therein through which
the food can pass from the interior to the outside of the ball
when the ball is shaken such as by a pet during play. To insure
that the device poses an adeauate challenge to the pet tube
means having open ends thereto is attached to the opening and
extends inwardly of the ball interior where the rolling movement
of the ball during play by the pet, causes a bit of the food to
enter the inner opening of the tube and slide down and out of the
tube and ball interior to the pets' grasp where it can be eaten.

2 1 ~
PRIOR ART
It is known in laboratory environments to have feeding apparatus
for small animals and the like, that have trigger means that feed
a quantity of food or water to the animal when the animal actuates
a switch either by its mouth of feet. The animal soon learns by
random experiment to actuate the trigger that supplies his food.
THe present invention has not been Xnown to the art and being under
the playful control of the pet has not been anticipated by the
apparatus used by laboratories.
OBJECTS of the INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing ball
that can give a small ~uantity of solid food to a pet through an
opening in the ball while the pet plays with the ball and attempts
to dislodge the food from within the ball
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A pet treatdispensing means comprises a hollow spherical ball member
having elastomeric walls and a hollow interior. The ball has a
small opening in the walls through which a small bit of solid food
is capable of passing when the ball is shaken. To provide more
amusement to the person watching the pets' play and to provide a
greater challenge to the pet to dispense and dislodge the bit of
food a hollow tube having open ends thereto is attached to the

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opening in the walls with one end of the tube attached flush
with the walls and the other end extending inwardly of the ball
a distance of at least a quarter of the inside diameter of the
ball. The tube is only wide enough in its inner diameter to allow
a single bit of the solid food to pass through.
IN THE DRAWINGS
With the foregoing objects in view and such advantages or novel
features as may become apparent from a reading of the disclosure
the present invention has the concept embraced by the construction
and arrangement of parts or any new use of the same here shown by
an embodiment of the concept; reference being had to the following
drawings where the same reference numerals refer to the same parts:
Fig.l is a view of the ball of the invention showing the opening
into its interior from which the pet dispenses the food bits.
Fig.2 is a cross section of the ball taken through its diameter
and through the middle of the tube and opening.
THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
In the drawings numeral 10 designates the ball of the invention
and numerals 13,1~ designate ~he walls of the ball it being
understood that the ball is hollow. The walls 13,1~ are ~lexible
and can be made of rubber or other elastomeric material thereby
to enhance the p lay of a pet but the toy will operate with rigid
walls. In Fig. 1 the numeral 12 designates an opening in the

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walls 13,1~ through which the solid food bits can be shal~en
by the pet playing with the ball 10. In the cross-sectional
view of the ball shown in Fig.2 the opening 12 is shown with
the tube 15 attached flush with the outer wall of the ball and
the tube 15 is open at both ends 16,17 as indicated. The end 17
can be flared as shown to allow the food bits, 18,19,20 a better
chance of being caught by the tube and dispensed from the ball 10
by the action of rolling the ball by the pet.

Dessin représentatif