SANITARY PET FEEDING SYSTEM

• US 20180020637A1
• Filed: 10/03/2017
• Published: 01/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MacNeil IP LLC
• Original Assignee: MacNeil IP LLC
• Inventors: MACNEIL, David F., MASANEK, JR., Frederick W.
• Application Number:
  US15/723,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20180020637A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0135 with means for preventing or catching spillage
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 7/005 Drinking bowls with anti-splash or anti-spilling features

Abstract

A top surface of an elevating stand of a pet feeding system defines bowl receptacles into which respective food and water bowls may be removably installed. A first zone of the top surface of the stand includes an upwardly convex ring that laterally surrounds a respective bowl receptacle. A second zone of the top surface of the stand laterally surrounds the first zone, except as interrupted by a finger notch. Each bowl has a peripheral lip with a lower surface formed as a downwardly concave ring that is spaced over the upwardly convex ring of the stand. An edge of the bowl rests on the second zone at a location below the upper limit of the convex ring, thereby supporting the entire weight of the bowl and its contents on the stand. A base of the stand cooperates with upstanding ribs in an elastomeric mat to prevent lateral movement of the stand and to prevent rotation of the stand around the stand center. Compositions and shapes of the stand, bowls and mat are chosen to make them easy to clean and to reduce bacterial and fungal contamination.

Claims

1. A pet feeding system comprising:

a stand having a front, a back opposed to the front, first and second sides joining the front to the back, and a top connecting the front, back and first and second sides, at least one sidewall of the stand extending downwardly from the top and terminating in at least one stand base;

at least one bowl receptacle formed in the top, formed around a vertical axis and having a periphery;

a top surface of the top having first and second zones, the first zone disposed to be adjacent to the periphery of said at least one bowl receptacle, the first zone having an upwardly convex ring that laterally surrounds the periphery of the at least one bowl receptacle, the upwardly convex ring having an upper limit, the second zone disposed to adjoin and extend radially outwardly from the first zone, the second zone being disposed below the upper limit of the convex ring; and

at least one bowl adapted to be installed into and removed from the at least one bowl receptacle by a user of the system and having a peripheral lip, a lower surface of the peripheral lip formed as a concave ring that fits over the convex ring of the at least one bowl receptacle.

2. The pet feeding system of claim 1, wherein a radius of the lower surface of the peripheral lip is at least 0.200 in.

3. The pet feeding system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral lip of the at least one bowl terminates in an edge, the edge of the at least one bowl contacting the second zone of the top surface of the stand when the at least one bowl is installed in the at least one bowl receptacle, the upper limit of the convex ring of the first zone being above the edge of the at least one bowl when the at least one bowl is installed in the at least one bowl receptacle.

4. The pet feeding system of claim 1, wherein the entire weight of the at least one bowl is supported by the bowl edge when the at least one bowl is installed in the at least one bowl receptacle.

5. The pet feeding system of claim 2, wherein the second zone of the top surface of the stand is flat and perpendicular to the vertical axis.

6. The pet feeding system of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the top of the stand further includes a third zone extending laterally outwardly from the second zone, all of the third zone being downwardly sloped, all of the top surface of the top of the stand that is laterally outward from the first zone being horizontal or downwardly and outwardly sloped relative to the axis.

7. The pet feeding system of claim 1, wherein the at least one bowl receptacle includes an opening through the top of the stand.

8. The pet feeding system of claim 1, wherein the at least one bowl receptacle is one of first and second bowl receptacles formed in the top of the stand, the at least one bowl being one of first and second bowls adapted to be respectively received in the first and second bowl receptacles.

9. A pet feeding system comprising:

a mat having an upper surface;

a central pier integrally molded with the mat, a sidewall of the pier upwardly extending from the upper surface of the mat to a top surface of the pier;

at least one bowl receptacle formed in the top surface of the pier and on a vertical axis, a first zone of the top surface of the pier disposed adjacent to the at least one bowl receptacle, the first zone including an upwardly convex ring laterally surrounding the at least one bowl receptacle, a second zone of the top surface of the pier formed to adjoin the first zone and to radially outwardly extend from the first zone, the second zone of the top surface of the pier being either flat or radially outwardly and downwardly sloped, a third zone of the top surface of the pier laterally surrounding the second zone, all points on the third zone of the top surface of the pier being radially outwardly and downwardly sloped; and

at least one bowl adapted to be received in the at least one bowl receptacle, a lower surface of a peripheral lip of the bowl forming a downwardly concave ring fitting over the upwardly convex ring of the at least one bowl receptacle.

10. The pet feeding system of claim 9, wherein the peripheral lip of the at least one bowl has an outer edge, the outer edge resting on the second zone of the top surface of the pier when the bowl is installed in the at least one bowl receptacle.

11. The pet feeding system of claim 9, wherein the mat has a lower surface, the at least one bowl receptacle being closed and forming no opening through the top of the pier to the lower surface of the mat.

12. The pet feeding system of claim 9, wherein the at least one bowl receptacle is one of first and second laterally spaced apart bowl receptacles, second zones respectively surrounding the first and second bowl receptacles and being spaced apart by a third zone of the pier top surface, the at least one bowl being one of first and second bowls adaptable to be respectively installed into and removed from the first and second bowl receptacles.

13. A pet feeding system comprising:

a stand having a top and being positioned on a vertical center, a left leg of the stand downwardly extending from the top and spaced leftward from the vertical center, the left leg of the stand terminating in a left stand foot, a right leg of the stand spaced rightward from the left leg of the stand and from the vertical center, the right leg downwardly extending from the top and terminating in a right stand foot, at least one bowl receptacle formed in the top of the stand;

at least one bowl removably received in the at least one bowl receptacle; and

a mat being positioned on the vertical center and having a general upper surface, the stand being removably installed on the mat, a left rib of the mat upwardly extending from the general upper surface and being spaced from the vertical center in a leftward direction, the left rib having an outer surface remote from the vertical center, a right rib of the mat upwardly extending from the general upper surface and being spaced from the vertical center in a rightward direction, the right rib having an outer surface remote from the vertical center;

an inner surface of the left stand foot facing the vertical center, an inner surface of the right stand foot facing the vertical center, the inner surface of the left stand foot coming into mating engagement with the left rib of the mat and the inner surface of the right stand foot coming into mating engagement with the right rib of the mat when the stand is assembled to the mat, the ribs of the mat being disposed closer to the vertical center than the feet of the stand, such that the ribs of the mat are shielded from stray food and water particles by the top of the stand and the at least one bowl.

14. The pet feeding system of claim 13, wherein the stand has a front wall downwardly extending from the top, a rear wall downwardly extending from the top, the left leg joining the front wall to the rear wall, the right leg joining the front wall to the rear wall, a plurality of reinforcing ribs formed to downwardly extend from the stand top, the reinforcing ribs disposed interior to the left leg, front wall, rear wall and right leg such that the ribs are inaccessible to a tongue of the pet when the stand is installed on the mat.

15. The pet feeding system of claim 13, wherein the a vaulted surface of the mat upwardly extends from the general surface of the mat, the vaulted surface extending from the left rib across the vertical center of the mat to the right rib, the mat having a front and a rear, the vaulted surface being convex in a front to rear direction such that food and water particles will tend to be shed in either a frontward or a rearward direction off of the vaulted surface.

16. The pet feeding system of claim 13, wherein the stand is formed from a polymer compound which includes an antimicrobial additive.

17. The pet feeding system of claim 13, wherein the mat is formed from a polymer compound which includes an antimicrobial additive and an antifungal additive.