Abstract:
A one handed squeezable water bottle for pets with an attached water bowl on top. The invention can be used for one hand dispensing of water for a pet. The bowl is adapted to contain a remaining volume of water for the pet to drink when the user releases pressure from the reservoir carrying the water.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/181,287, filed Jun. 18, 2015 the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates pet care items, and more particularly to a water dispensing apparatus for pets. 
         [0003]    Currently, there are various watering apparatus for providing water to pets while the pet owner is on the go without finding a place to set down a bowl. These various other watering bottles leak, break and waste water. Some of these pet watering devices require the pet owner to apply a pressure to the water vessel in order for water to be retained in the bowl. 
         [0004]    As can be seen, there is a need for a pet hydrating apparatus can be used with one hand and also permits hands free retention of a remaining volume of hydrating fluid for the pet to consume. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In one aspect of the present invention, a pet hydrating apparatus, includes: a liquid containment reservoir having a throat portion at a top end of the reservoir; a bowl having top portion with an upwardly formed diverging sidewall and an arcuate bottom wall adapted to contain a remaining volume of hydrating fluid therein, a bottom portion adapted for sealing engagement with the throat portion; and a spout defined in the arcuate bottom wall, in fluid communication with a bottom portion of the reservoir via a straw. The hydrating apparatus may also include a valve adapted for cooperative engagement with the spout and operable between a closed liquid containing position and an open liquid conveying position. 
         [0006]    The valve may have an outer body, an interior cavity; and a plurality of slots extending from the interior cavity and the outer body, the slots defined by a plurality of tabs extending downwardly from the outer body. The interior cavity of the valve may be carried on a post extending upwardly from a central portion of the spout. The tabs may have a lip configured for cooperative engagement with a bottom surface of the spout to retain the valve in a closed position. The spout has an annular rim defined in an interior surface of the spout cooperative engagement with the valve lip to retain the valve in an open position within the spout. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments, an upper opening of the spout is elevated with respect to an upper surface of the arcuate bottom wall within the bowl. The reservoir is formed of a resilient material. 
         [0008]    Other aspects of the present invention include a pet hydration method, which includes the steps of: 
         [0009]    Providing a pet hydrating apparatus, having a liquid containment reservoir having a throat portion at a top end of the reservoir; a bowl having top portion with an upwardly formed diverging sidewall and an arcuate bottom wall adapted to contain a remaining volume of hydrating fluid therein, a bottom portion adapted for sealing engagement with the throat portion; and a spout defined in the arcuate bottom wall that is in fluid communication with a bottom portion of the reservoir via a straw. The method includes the step of filling the reservoir with a hydration fluid. 
         [0010]    When desired to hydrate the pet, the method includes squeezing to apply a pressure to the reservoir to at least partially fill the bowl with the hydration fluid. The method may also include presenting the bowl to the pet to drink. In other aspects of the method, the user may release the pressure applied to the reservoir, such that the remaining volume of hydrating fluid is available for the pet to drink. 
         [0011]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the pet drinking apparatus, shown in use. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the pet drinking apparatus. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the pet drinking apparatus. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a section view of the pet drinking apparatus, taken along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a detail section view of the pet drinking apparatus, with valve  14  in the closed position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a detail section view of the pet drinking apparatus, with valve  14  in the open position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a section view of the pet drinking apparatus, illustrating bottle  10  filled with water  36 , with valve  14  in the closed position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a section view of the invention, with valve  14  in the open position, illustrating the squeezing of bottle  10  to send water  36  through straw  18 , spout  20 , and valve  14  into bowl  12 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0021]    Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a self-contained pet hydration apparatus having a bottle shaped reservoir portion to contain a volume of hydration fluid and a bowl shaped top portion from which the pet can drink a volume of hydration fluid conveyed to the bowl shaped portion. 
         [0022]    In reference to  FIG. 1 , the pet water apparatus of the present invention is shown carried by a single hand  38  of a user to water their pet  30 . The pet hydration apparatus includes a lower reservoir  10  for the containment of a hydrating liquid  36 , such as water, for refreshing a pet  30 . The hydrating liquid  36  is dispensed from the reservoir  10  via a bowl  12  coupled to the reservoir  10 . The reservoir  10  may be formed of a resilient or flexible plastic material to permit the pet owner to squeeze the reservoir  10  so that the hydration fluid  36  is conveyed from the reservoir  10  to the bowl  12 . 
         [0023]    In reference to  FIG. 2 , the bowl  12  has top portion having an upwardly formed diverging sidewall and an arcuate bottom wall to contain a volume of hydrating fluid  36  therein for the pet to drink from. The sidewall may have a substantially conic or hemispherical section shape. The interior sidewall is provided with a plurality of volume markers  22  formed along an interior surface of the sidewall to provide the pet owner an indication of the volume of hydrating liquid  36  that is conveyed to the bowl  12 . The plurality of volume markers  22  provide the pet owner the ability to determine an initial volume of hydrating fluid for the pet  30  to consume and a final volume indication  22  after the pet  30  has consumed the hydrating fluid  36  so that the pet owner can determine the actual volume of fluid  36  consumed by the pet  30  during one or more pet hydration events. 
         [0024]    The arcuate bottom wall  27  extends with a generally convex upward curvature from its juncture with the interior sidewall of the bowl  12  to a centrally located spout  20 . The spout  20  is formed as a generally tubular shape and extends upwardly from the arcuate bottom wall  27  of the bowl  12 . The arcuate bottom wall  27  and the elevation of the spout  20  above the bottom surface of the bowl  12  ensures that a volume of hydrating fluid  36  is retained in the bowl  12  when the pet owner releases pressure from the reservoir  10 . As such, the pet  30  may still be able to drink from the remaining hydrating fluid  36 , regardless of whether the pet owner has pressure applied to the reservoir  10 . The spout  20  and its elevation from the arcuate bottom surface of the bowl  12  may also be selected such that the bowl  12  may contain a desired volume of hydrating fluid  36  regardless of whether the pet owner is applying pressure to the reservoir  10 . 
         [0025]    The bowl  12  is also provided with a valve  14  that is received within the spout  20  and operable by the user to control the flow of hydrating fluid  36  between the reservoir  10  and the bowl  12 . As shown, the valve  14  has an outer body, an interior cavity and a slot  15  in communication with the interior cavity and an outer surface of the valve  14 . The slots  15  are defined between a plurality of tabs  17  and a lip  19  is formed on the tab  17  for retention of the valve within the spout. With the valve  14 , the bowl  12  may be filled with a desired volume of hydrating fluid  36  and the valve  14  closed to prevent the fluid  36  above the spout  20  from being drawn back into the reservoir  10  when the pet owner releases pressure on the reservoir  10 . As seen in reference to  FIG. 3  the valve  14  is shown removed in order to illustrate details of the valve  14  and the spout  20  formed in an elevated position relative to the arcuate bottom wall  27  of the bowl  10 . 
         [0026]    An exterior surface of the bowl  12  may also be provided with a plurality of grips  24  formed around the periphery of the bowl  12  at a base portion thereof to enable the pet owner to conveniently grip the bowl  12  while holding the watering apparatus for the pet or to remove the bowl  12  from the reservoir  10 . 
         [0027]    A bottom exterior surface of the bowl  12  is provided an interior annular ring  21  generally coaxial with the spout  20 , as seen in reference to  FIG. 4 . The annular ring  21  is adapted to receive an upper portion of a reducer  16  for coupling the spout  20  with the fluid in the reservoir  10 . A bottom portion of the reducer  16  is dimensioned to receive a top end of a straw  18  that extends to a bottom portion of the reservoir  10  in order to convey the hydrating fluid  36  carried in the reservoir  10  to the bowl  12 . 
         [0028]    The top portion of the reservoir  10  includes a threaded throat portion  11  adapted to engage with a corresponding threaded portion  25  formed on an internal sidewall of a bottom portion of the bowl  12 . The threaded throat portion  11  is surrounded by a shoulder  13  having a diameter that is slightly smaller than a top portion of the reservoir  10 . The shoulder  13  is adapted for cooperative sealing engagement with a bottom annular rim  26  of the bowl  12 . 
         [0029]    As may be seen in reference to the detailed views of  FIGS. 5 and 6 , showing the operation of the valve  14  and relative to the spout  20 , the valve  14  is selectively moveable between a closed position illustrated in reference to  FIG. 5  and an open position shown in reference to  FIG. 6 . The interior cavity of the valve is carried on a central post  29  of the spout  20 . In the closed position, the lips  19  of the tabs  17  engage with a bottom surface of the spout  20  to retain the valve in the closed position. When the valve  14  is pulled to the open position, the slots  15  are exposed above a top end of the spout  20  such that fluid  36  may flow through apertures  23  formed in the spout  20  and post  29  and be conveyed into the bowl  12 . 
         [0030]    Operation of the pet watering apparatus of the present invention is illustrated in reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 . As may be seen in  FIG. 7 , the reservoir  10  is filled to carry a desired volume of hydrating fluid  36 . The valve  14  is placed in the closed position to sealingly retain the hydrating fluid  36  in the reservoir  10  to facilitate carriage of the watering apparatus without spillage or leaking of the liquid contents  36 . As seen in  FIG. 8 , the valve  14  is moved to the open position. The reservoir  10  may then be squeezed to apply pressure to the hydrating fluid  36  carried within the reservoir  10 , as indicated by the inwardly facing arrows. The hydrating fluid  36  is then conveyed to the bowl  12  via the straw  18 , reducer  16  through the apertures  23  and slots  15  to fill the bowl  12 . The valve  14  may then be closed to contain the hydrating fluid  36  within the bowl  12 . Alternatively, the pet owner may squeeze the reservoir  10  to partially fill the bowl  12 , release the pressure applied to the reservoir  10  and permit their pet to drink the remaining portion of the hydrating fluid  36  that is contained below the opening of the spout  20 . 
         [0031]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.