Abstract:
A combination liquid container and pet drinking bowl in which the bowl is formed of a plastic sheet secured to the container. The sheet may be flexed into two distinct positions. In a first stored position, the sheet is form-retaining and lies against a portion of the container. In a second operative position, the sheet provides a form-retaining bowl extending longitudinally from the container and may be filled with liquid from said container.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       SEQUENCE LISTING, ETC. ON CD 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    This invention generally relates to watering devices for dogs or other pets. More particularly, this invention relates to a device which incorporates a water container or reservoir having a pet drinking bowl or trough attached to the container and moveable between one inoperative or stored position encompassing at least a portion of the container and a second operative position extending from the container and defining a trough or reservoir into which water from the container may flow, and from which the dog or other pet may drink. 
         [0006]    In its stored or inoperative position, the device may be easily carried by the pet owner who can then readily move the bowl and the container between their operative and inoperative positions. 
         [0007]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0008]    A number of patents have been granted on the concept of combining a pet drinking bowl with a water container, which allows the pet owner to transfer water from the container into the bowl when the dog or other pet needs to drink from the bowl. The products disclosed in some of these patents are available for purchase by the pet owner, and in some instances incorporate a pivot connection between the bowl and the container. This permits the bowl and container to be moved between a folded inoperative position for carrying the bowl to an unfolded operative position wherein water from the container may be transferred into the bowl. Such pivotal movement is typically effected by the use of a pivot pin connecting one end of a longitudinally extending preformed bowl having a generally semi-circular cross-section to an end portion of a generally cylindrical water container. Such end portion may contain a valve so that water may flow into the container when the bowl is in its operative position with its longitudinal axis extending away from the longitudinal axis of the container. In its inoperative or folded position, the inner bowl surface is complementary to and overlies a generally semi-cylindrical portion of the container. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a pivotal connection is made between the bowl and the container without the use of a conventional pivot pin. Instead, the bowl is formed of flexible material and is provided with an integral portion which may be connected to a container adjacent the discharge end thereof for movement between the operative and inoperative positions of the bowl and container. Notwithstanding the flexible characteristics of the bowl, the material forming the bowl is form retaining in two different positions. The first position is when one surface of the bowl member may receive and hold water disbursed from the container and is of trough-like configuration, permitting a pet to drink from the same. The second position is that when the bowl member is manually deformed about its longitudinal axis so that the said one surface of the bowl effectively becomes the outer surface of the member, and upon rotation of said member about a transverse axis, said one surface will retain its trough-like configuration, but will be in adjacent or nesting relationship to the container. 
         [0010]    In each position of the bowl member, the member is form retaining to either provide a watering trough for the pet, or a semi-enclosure for the container which adds only the thickness of the bowl material to the overall size of the combined container and bowl. 
         [0011]    It should be noted that the water retaining inner surface of the bowl member, which may be engaged by the tongue of the pet in lapping up water in the trough formed by such member, becomes the outer exposed surface of the parts in their folded or inoperative position. Accordingly, such inner surface and any bacteria on the same will be exposed to the atmosphere rather than disposed between the closely adjacent surfaces of the container and bowl. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the parts in their folded or closed inoperative position with a strap for carrying the device. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1 , with the bowl portion as it is moving between its operative and inoperative positions, partially rotated about a transverse axis, but prior to its rotation about a central longitudinal axis. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view with the parts in their unfolded operative positions, i.e., with the longitudinal axes of the container and the bowl being generally aligned. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , but from a slightly different perspective showing the valve mechanism for transferring water or other liquid from the container into the trough in its closed condition. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 4 , but showing the valve mechanism in its open condition. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    In broad terms, the device of the present invention generally includes a container  12  for holding a quantity of water or other liquid, a bowl member  14  from which a pet may drink, and a carrying strap  16  by means of which the device may be easily carried by the pet owner as his or her dog or other pet is being walked. As previously explained or suggested, the bowl member  14  in its folded or inoperative position nestles with and its length is substantially coextensive with the length of the container  12  as shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  illustrates the relative inoperative portions of the parts when the device is stored or is being carried by the pet owner. 
         [0021]    Container  12  is of generally conventional design having substantially cylindrical side walls  18 , a bottom wall  20 , an inwardly tapered wall portion  22  near the upper open end of the container, a short cylindrical neck portion  24 , followed by an externally threaded portion  26  immediately adjacent the open end of the container. 
         [0022]    An internally threaded closure or cap  28  may be screwed on portion  26  to retain liquid previously poured into the container. When the pet wants a drink, and the bowl  14  is in its operative position as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , it would be possible to unscrew cap  28  and permit water to flow from the container  12  into the bowl, possibly facilitated by squeezing container  12  as indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 6 . A better control of water flow is accomplished by providing a valve  30  at the top of the cap. The valve may comprise a short tube  32  extending through the cap. A plug  33  slides in the tube  32  and is provided with one or more side discharge apertures adjacent its distal end. A manually engageable flap  31  is attached to plug  33  for pulling the same outwardly from tube  32  and providing flow communication between the contents of the container and the bowl, for filling the same with water. Tilting the combined container and bowl may also assist in the flow of water into the bowl when the valve is in its open position. 
         [0023]    Cap  28  includes a cylindrical internally threaded flange  38  portion for selectively opening and closing the container. The outer surface of such flange portion may be roughened or provided with ribs to facilitate manual rotation of the cap. The cap is also provided with a pair of pivotally attached diametrically spaced ears  40  whose distal ends are slotted for receiving the strap  16 . The strap may be used when the parts are in their operative or inoperative positions. However, under most circumstances the unit would be carried by the strap when the parts are in their folded or inoperative positions. 
         [0024]    With reference to bowl  14 , it is preferably made of an integral sheet of plastic material, flexible, yet capable of being form retaining in at least two positions. While PVC has the general desired qualities, it is believed that ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) is the preferred plastic, particularly since it is disposable. EV  260  is the plastic used in creating models embodying the present invention. The sheet in one of its form-retaining positions is illustrated in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  6 , wherein it defines a generally semi-cylindrical bowl extending outwardly from the closed end of container  12  and with its axis generally longitudinally coaxial with the axis of the cylindrical container. Bowl  14 , as shown, has a ribbed inner surface  44  defining a bottom wall  46 , side walls  48 , and a semi-circular distal end wall  50  disposed generally perpendicular to side walls  48 . The proximal end portion of the sheet is provided with an integral collar  52  which may be forcibly positioned over the neck portion  24  of the container  18 . Collar  52  is of generally cylindrical configuration and will remain in locked position on the container during subsequent movement of the bowl sheet, which will be presently described. Collar  52  serves as the anchor for the pivoting or deforming of the sheet during movement between its two major fixed positions. 
         [0025]    Side walls  48  have upper edges  49  which extend slightly above the horizontal plane including the longitudinal axis of the bowl. 
         [0026]    In its operative extended position shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  6 , a user can pick up container  12  with one hand and the bowl  14  is supported in a cantilever fashion by collar  52  with the bowl facing upwardly. As previously explained, the user may then open the discharge valve in the cap member by pulling valve tube  32  outwardly and permitting water to freely flow from the container to a proximal portion of bowl  14 , squeezing the flexible walls of the container to expedite the flow of liquid through the valve. 
         [0027]    After the pet has completed drinking the water or other liquid from the bowl, any excess water may be poured out of the bowl. The sheet forming the bowl is then ready for flexing into its second, or folded inoperative position. It is the relative movement of the bowl relative to the container, or more specifically the flexing of the sheet which puts the bowl into its two fixed positions. 
         [0028]    Assuming the bowl is in its operative position shown in  FIG. 3 , the user may hold the container  12  in his or her hand and push the bowl  14  in a generally clockwise direction. Collar  52  will remain stationary on the container  12 , and as the bowl sheet continues its movement, the outer surface  51  of side walls  48  will commence engaging the outer surface of container  12  as generally indicated in  FIG. 2 . Continued movement of the bowl member causes further portions of said side walls to come into contact with the outer surface of container  12 . The end portions of the bowl side walls, together with end wall  50  are then flexed about a transverse axis causing the entire outer surface  51  of the bowl, including the outer surface of end wall  50  to fold into place around slightly more than half the diameter of the container and its bottom or end wall  20 , all as shown in FIG.  1  of the drawings. The so-called inner surface  44  of the bowl now becomes exposed and becomes the outer surface for the folded container and bowl combination as shown in  FIG. 1 . This will permit germs or bacteria formed on the drinking or lapping surface and exposed for cleaning, such as by holding the same under a faucet or hose. In the folded position, it is easy for the user to remove cap  28  for discharging any stale water in the container or for rinsing and refilling the container with fresh water. 
         [0029]    While the preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed and described in the drawings and in the specification, it should be understood that various modifications and embodiments may be made within the scope of the following claims.