Pet toy treat dispenser

• US 8,904,967 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Kong Company LLC
• Original Assignee: The Kong Company LLC
• Inventors: Reiss, Steve R., Costello, Chuck
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRINH T
• Application Number:
  US13/801,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20140261195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 119/702, 119/707, 119/708, 119/709, 119/710, 119/711, 119/51.01, 446/73, 446/76, 446/75, 446/125, 446/475
• US Class Current: 119/710
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/025 Toys specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0114 Pet food dispensers; Pet food trays time-controlled A01K5/0291

Abstract

A treat dispenser is provided for an animal to dispense treats by moving the dispenser. The dispenser includes a central spherical body, and a plurality of peripherally spaced spheres or balls connected to the body by respective branches. Each of the balls has a treat dispensing opening. The body has an opening for charging or loading treats. The device is substantially hollow. As an animal plays with the device, treats are dispensed through the openings. The openings are located at different positions on each of the balls so that treats are likely to be dispensed when the device is placed at various orientations.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing treats, said dispenser comprising:

a body having a central cavity and a top central opening for loading treats in said central cavity and for dispensing treats from said central cavity;

a plurality of branches each having a length and first and second ends, each first end connected to said body;

a plurality of ball shaped elements spaced from said body, and each connected to said body by a corresponding second end of a branch of said plurality of branches, said ball shaped elements each including a treat dispensing opening that communicates with said central cavity, said top central opening being spaced from and not connected to said branches, and

wherein said branches each have internal passageways, and each passageway has a first end that communicates with said central cavity and an opposite end of said passageway that communicates with an internal chamber of a corresponding ball shaped element; and

a plurality of edible treats placed within said body for dispensing by movement of said dispenser wherein the treats are dispensed through said treat dispensing openings and said top central opening.

2. A dispenser, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said body is spherical shaped.

3. A dispenser, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said ball shaped elements are spaced from one another peripherally around said body.

4. A dispenser, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said treat dispensing openings communicate with respective chambers.

5. A dispenser, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said body includes an upper half section and a lower half section, said upper and lower half sections being connected to one another along a joint that substantially bisects said body and said ball shaped elements.

6. A dispenser, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said treat dispensing openings among said plurality of ball shaped elements include a top opening, an annular opening, and a bottom opening.

7. A dispenser, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said treat dispensing openings each include a flange that extends inward towards an internal chamber of the corresponding ball shaped element.

8. In combination, a dispenser for dispensing a plurality of treats within said dispenser, said combination comprising:

a body having a central cavity;

a plurality of interconnecting branches extending from said body, each having a length and first and second ends, each first end being connected to said body;

a plurality of ball shaped elements spaced from said body by said interconnecting branches and connected to respective second ends of said branches, said ball shaped elements each including a treat dispensing opening that communicates with said central cavity;

a top central opening formed in said body and spaced from said plurality of interconnecting branches, said top central opening communicating with said central cavity; and

a plurality of edible treats placed within said body for dispensing by movement of said dispenser wherein the treats are dispensed through said treat dispensing openings and said top central opening.

9. The combination, as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said ball shaped elements are spaced from one another peripherally around said body.

10. The combination, as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

each of said ball shaped elements has an internal chamber, and said treat dispensing openings communicating with said chambers.

11. The combination, as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said branches each have internal passageways, wherein each passageway has a first end that communicates with said central cavity, and an opposite end of said passageway that communicates with a chamber of a corresponding ball shaped element.

12. A dispenser for dispensing treats, said dispenser comprising:

a spherical body having a hollow interior;

a plurality of bulbous elements extending from said spherical body, each of said plurality of bulbous elements having an internal chamber and a treat dispensing opening, said treat dispensing opening communicating with said hollow interior of said spherical body through the internal chamber, said treat dispensing opening spaced from said spherical body and not in contact with said spherical body, wherein said treat dispensing opening of each bulbous element is located on a different side of each of said plurality of bulbous elements, and

wherein said plurality of bulbous elements are connected to said spherical body by a plurality of corresponding interconnecting necks each having a length; and

a plurality of edible treats placed within said body for dispensing by movement of said dispenser wherein the treats are dispensed through said treat dispensing openings and said top central opening.

13. The dispenser, as claimed in claim 12, wherein a size of each of said interconnecting necks is selected for a dispense rate of said treats.

14. The dispenser, as claimed in claim 12, further comprising structures formed on an interior surface of said internal chambers of each of said plurality of bulbous elements, wherein said structures restrict a flow of said treats from said treat dispensing openings.

15. The dispenser, as claimed in claim 12, wherein said treat dispensing openings each include a flange that extends inward towards said internal chamber of the corresponding bulbous element, wherein said flange directs a direction of a flow of said treats from said internal chamber.

16. The dispenser, as claimed in claim 12, wherein said dispenser includes an upper half section and a lower half section, said upper and lower half sections being connected to one another along a joint that substantially bisects said spherical body and said plurality of bulbous elements, wherein said upper half section is separated from said lower half section to clean an interior of said dispenser.

17. The dispenser, as claimed in claim 16, wherein said dispenser has a substantially uniform thickness along said joint.

18. The dispenser, as claimed in claim 12, wherein said treat dispensing openings collectively include a top opening a bottom opening, and an annular opening.