Pet toy treat dispenser

• US 9,301,496 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2014
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• 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:
  US14/330,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20140318462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 119/702, 119/707, 119/708, 119/709, 119/710, 119/711, 119/51.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 method of dispensing treats from a treat dispensing device, said method comprising:

providing a treat dispensing device including a body having a central cavity, an opening in the body communicating with said central cavity, and at least two ball shaped elements spaced from and connected to, said body, said elements each including a treat dispensing opening that communicates with said central cavity;

loading, through said opening in said body, the central cavity with selected treats; and

moving said device so that treats are dispensed from the central cavity through said treat dispensing openings and said body opening.

2. The method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the treat dispensing device includes three ball shaped elements and a first element includes a top treat dispensing opening, a second element includes an annular treat dispensing opening, and a third element includes a bottom treat dispensing opening.

3. The method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein one or more of said treat dispensing openings has a larger size thereby increasing a rate of dispense of the treats.

4. The method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body opening is spaced from the ball shaped elements.

5. The method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said treat dispensing device further includes at least two branches each having a length, internal passageways, and first and second ends, each first end connected to said body, wherein each of the ball shaped elements are connected to said body by a corresponding second end of a branch of the at least two branches, and wherein each internal passageway communicates with said central cavity and an internal chamber of a corresponding ball shaped element.

6. The method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said ball shaped elements has an internal chamber, wherein said treat dispensing openings each include a flange that extends inward towards said internal chamber, and wherein said flange directs a direction of a flow of said treats from said internal chamber.