Animal Chew Having Exposed Regions Of Different Hardness

• US 20100224138A1
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T F H Publications Incorporated
• Original Assignee: T F H Publications Incorporated
• Inventors: GAJRIA, Ajay, AXELROD, Glen S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,363,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/710
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/025 Toys specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/026 Chewable toys, e.g. for dental care of pets
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/20 from material of animal origin obtained by microbiological or biochemical processes A23K10/10
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/163 Sugars; Polysaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 40/20 by moulding, e.g. making cakes or briquettes
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/42 Dry feed

Abstract

The present invention relates to an animal chew toy comprising a first material including a body portion and one or more exposed regions comprising a second material, the material of the exposed regions at least partially occupying one or more blind holes in the body portion wherein the one or more blind holes may include an undercut or die locked condition to aid in retaining the second material. The chew may be formed via a number of molding methods including those utilizing injection molding or extrusion techniques. The first and second materials may comprise edible compositions.

Claims

1. An animal chew having exposed regions comprising:

a body portion of a first material having a first hardness;

said body portion including one or more exposed regions of a second material having a second hardness;

the exposed regions at least partially occupying one or more blind holes in said body portion.

2. The animal chew of claim 1 wherein said body portion may include bulbous ends.

3. The animal chew of claim 2 wherein said body portion, said ends and/or said exposed regions may include one or more protrusions.

4. The animal chew of claim 1 wherein at least one of said blind holes has a cross-sectional dimension at some location above the bottom of said hole that is less than the cross-sectional dimension at the bottom of the hole.

5. The animal chew of claim 1 wherein said first material comprises a polyamide and said second material comprises a polyurethane.

6. The animal chew of claim 1 wherein the first material and/or the second material is an edible composition.

7. The animal chew of claim 6 wherein said first material comprises a starch composition and said second material comprises a beef composition.

8. The animal chew of claim 1 wherein said first material and/or second material may be transparent, translucent, fluorescent, luminescent or phosphorescent.

9. An animal chew having comprising:

a body portion of a first material having a first property;

said body portion including one or more exposed regions of a second material having a second property;

the exposed regions at least partially occupying one or more blind holes in said body portion, wherein at least one of said blind holes has a cross-sectional dimension at some location above the bottom of said hole that is less than the cross-sectional dimension at the bottom of the hole.

10. A method of manufacturing an animal chew comprising;

providing a first material;

molding said first material into the shape of a body portion, said body portion including one or more blind holes;

providing a second material;

molding said second material into said one or more blind holes such that a portion of said second material remains exposed.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said second material forms a hollow shape at least partially surrounding a portion of said first material.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein at least one of said blind holes has a cross-sectional dimension at some location above the bottom of said hole that is less than the cross-sectional dimension at the bottom of the hole.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said first material comprises a polyamide and said second material comprises a polyurethane.

14. A method of manufacturing an animal chew comprising;

providing a second material;

molding said second material into one or more shapes having at least one protrusion of uniform or tapered cross-section;

locating said one or more shapes in a mold for a body portion;

providing a first material;

molding said first material around at least a portion of said one or more shapes, such that a portion of said second material remains exposed.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said at least one protrusion includes an end and said at least one protrusion has a cross-sectional dimension at some location spaced a distance from the end that is less than the cross-sectional dimension at the end of the protrusion.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said first material comprises a polyamide and said second material comprises a polyurethane.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said second material forms a hollow shape at least partially surrounding a portion of said first material.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein one or more of said shapes may comprise a third material.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein first material has a volumetric shrinkage that is greater than said second material.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein said protrusion has a cross-section which is round, elliptical, square, triangular, rectangular or hexagonal.