Multi-function cat toy

• US 10,034,459 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2017
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Equipt4 LLC
• Original Assignee: Equipt4 LLC
• Inventors: Scanlan, Holly Beth, Steagall, Scott Lawson
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Trinh T
• Application Number:
  US15/419,837
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 119702, 119707, 119708, 119709, 119710, 119711, 119706
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/025 Toys specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

A multi-function cat toy is disclosed. The toy has a physical cat-attracting toy such as a feather clump, a light pointer and a sound chip for producing cat interest-piquing sounds. The toy may include batteries rechargeable through connecting the toy to a USB-powered connector.

Claims

1. A multi-function pet toy comprising:

a hand-holdable body including finger grip contours;

a multi-section mast extending from the body in a first direction along an axis;

a pet attracting object attached to the mast distal from the body;

a sound generator disposed in the body configured to generate sounds attracting the interest of the pet;

a light pointer disposed in the body configured to direct a visually perceptible point beam of light along the axis in a direction opposite the first direction;

a rechargeable battery disposed in the body for providing power to the sound generator and to the light pointer;

a USB-style port disposed on the body for recharging the battery when a powered-USB cable is attached thereto;

a switch disposed in the body configured to actuate the sound generator; and

a switch disposed in the body configured to actuate the light pointer.

2. A multi-function pet toy comprising:

a hand-holdable body;

a boom extending from the body;

a pet attracting object attached to the boom distal from the body;

a sound generator disposed in the body configured to generate a sound attracting the interest of the pet;

a light pointer disposed in the body configured to direct a visually perceptible point beam of light;

a rechargeable battery disposed in the body for providing power to the sound generator and to the light pointer;

a USB-style port disposed on the body for recharging the battery when a powered-USB cable is attached thereto;

at least one switch disposed in the body configured to actuate the sound generator, the light pointer, or both.

3. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, wherein the hand-holdable body comprises a threaded socket and the boom comprises a threaded shank, the shank and socket permitting a user to attach or detach the boom from the body with a screwing motion.

4. The multi-function pet toy of claim 3, wherein the boom comprises a proximal section threadably connectable to a distal section.

5. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, wherein the pet attracting object is a clump of feathers.

6. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, wherein the pet attracting object is attached to the distal end of the boom by a line.

7. The multi-function pet toy of claim 6, wherein the end of the line distal to the boom includes a catch assembly configured to permit attachment and detachment of the pet attracting object.

8. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, wherein the light pointer comprises a laser module.

9. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, wherein the light pointer comprises an LED module.

10. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, wherein the boom is flexible.

11. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, wherein the boom comprises a safety cap at the distal end.

12. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, wherein the sounds include sounds of birds.

13. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, wherein the at least one switch is a press-and-hold switch.

14. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, wherein the at least one switch is a click-on, click-off switch.

15. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, further comprising a charged indicator disposed on the body configured to indicate when the battery is adequately charged.

16. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, wherein the boom is a length-variable telescoping boom.

17. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, wherein the light pointer is disposed to direct a beam of light substantially in the same direction as the boom.

18. The multi-function pet toy of claim 2, wherein the light pointer is disposed to direct a beam of light substantially in the opposite direction as the boom.