Abstract:
An improved pet food bowl for resisting the infestation of crawling insects such as ants having a modular stand with a leg member supporting an inverted cup element, the two components being removable and replaceable, that cooperate to support a food bowl. The improved pet food bowl incorporates a repellant material and specially designed stem that prevents ants from ascending the stand to the bowl.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a stand or support device for deterring crawling insects such as ants from infesting another object, such as a pet food bowl, food storage reservoir, planter, or the like, and more particularly to a stand having a leg comprising a repellant to deter ants from ascending the legs. 
         [0002]    Insect infestations are a common problem to many households and restaurants. Once insects such as ants infiltrate a space it can be most difficult to get rid of the ants once and for all, particularly where food is stored. For restaurants, food is typically stored in the same place making it easy for insects to return. In domestic locations, food is also normally stored in pantry that ants can enter and bring back food for its queen. Other sources of food include pet bowls that are placed on the ground, sometimes outside or in the kitchen area, which attracts ants and bring the ants to other sources of food. Plants, particularly those with sweet flowers, can attract ants that then spread to neighboring areas. 
         [0003]    Numerous attempts have been made to help prevent ants from infesting food storage containers and, in particular, pet food dishes. One such approach is shown in the Anderson patent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,531. This device provides a container resting on a frame, which has support legs. Each of the support legs has a moat cup. A fluid is placed in the moat cup and provides a barrier to the passage of crawling insects. The filling of the moat cups would be a tedious step and in the event the frame is knocked over, the cups would become empty and require refilling. 
         [0004]    Another approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,626 to Haake, Sr. This device is an insect barrier. It utilizes a spongy member disposed under a protective cover or under a peripheral ring surrounding a dish. This device requires a specially made dish to support a center post or the peripheral ring. 
         [0005]    The Byer patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,749 shows a dish supported off a floor by a plurality of pillars. Each pillar has a down-sloping hemispherical shaped collar, which is said to prevent the passage of ants. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,506 to Sanders utilizes an annular moat containing a sticky substance for trapping insects. The Walker patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,952 shows an animal feeder, which utilizes a moat with a liquid or a cartridge or pad containing an insect repellent. Once again, a specially formed dish is required. The Frank patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,428 shows a pet dish with an insect barrier. The barrier is a recess near the bottom of the dish and includes a surrounding strip containing an insecticide. Once again, a specially formed dish is required. 
         [0007]    The present inventor developed a unique solution to the shortcomings of the above-identified offerings, as described in U.S. Patent No. 6,735,901, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. Entitled Ant Repellant Stand, the apparatus comprised a stand for affixing to and supporting a container or structure that enclosed substances that attract ants. The stand had an inverted cup with a base having an upwardly facing attachment surface that could be used to couple the stand to the associated container, and a downwardly depending peripheral side wall forming a cavity. A support post is affixed to the base and extends downwardly past the lower edge of the side wall. An ant repellant ring or treated fibrous material is supported within the cavity above the lower edge of the peripheral side wall. The ants climb up the support post, but are deterred by the repellant ring or fibrous material and thus they are repelled or exposed to the insecticide. 
         [0008]    The present inventor has developed some additional improvements to the ant repellant stand that are incorporated into the present invention. The present invention is a pet food bowl stand, or mounting device, that can repel the insurgence of ants or crawling insects on low lying open containers, bowls, or trays. The stand or mounting device has an inverted cup structure and includes a peg that quickly snaps into the base of the bowl at a fitted hole, and the cup itself has a hole that receives the mating peg of a leg member. The inner surface of the cup, or the peg (or both), is coated with an ant repellant, forcing an insect to have to traverse the peg and cup across the repellant in order to climb up the bowl. The modular system with plug-in pegs allows for easy replacement and quick installation, so the stands can be exchanged when they lose their effectiveness if any, and further allows handling of the stands via the outer surface of the cup. The modular system allows the stand to be removed completely so that the container/bowl/tray can be cleaned such as in a dishwasher. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an elevated, perspective view, partially cut away, of a pet bowl of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged, perspective view of the leg and cup assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the leg and cup assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged, exploded view partially in cross-section of the leg and cup assembly of the bowl of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the leg and cup assembly with an adhesive member. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    For a better understanding of the present invention together with other and further objects, advantages and capabilities thereof, reference is made to the following disclosure and appended claims in connection with the above described drawings. 
         [0015]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention is an improved ant repellant bowl  10  and modular stand  20  as depicted in  FIG. 1 . The bowl  10  (of which only a half is shown half to better illustrate the features of the invention) has a cylindrical shell portion  30  forming the bowl&#39;s food enclosing area, and an upper lip  40  that forms the rim of the bowl. It is to be understood that the particular shape of the bowl does not play a role in the invention, as it could also take the form of a tray or other container. The base  60  of the bowl  10  is formed in a first embodiment with bosses  50  that may be cylindrical as shown projecting downward from the lower surface of the bowl  10 . The bosses  50  preferably have a diameter that corresponds to a diameter of the modular stand  20  as shown in  FIG. 2 , and have a hole  75  adapted to receive a peg  85  from the stand  20  to couple the bowl  10  and stand  20 . It is to be understood that the peg and hole could be reversed on the stand and the bowl and still fall within the scope of the invention. 
         [0016]    The modular stand  20  is comprised of two interconnecting components, and leg component  70  and a cup component  80  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The cup component  80  is inverted and has an upwardly projecting peg  85  that mates with and snaps into the hole  75  on the downwardly projecting boss  50  of the bowl  10 , providing a releasable connection between the stand and the bowl. The cup component  80  may have radially extending ribs  90  therein as best shown in  FIG. 4  for structural purposes. The leg component  70  has a peg  95  that is received by a mating hole  100  on the cup component  80  that allows the leg  70  to releasably snap into the cup  80 . This mating of the leg and cup allows for modularity of the components and permits quick and easy replacement of the cup components or the leg components. As with the stand and bowl, the cup component  80  and leg  70  could have the hole and peg switched without loss of functionality of the invention. 
         [0017]    The leg component  70  may include an upper platform  105  that contacts and supports the lower surface  110  of the cup  80 . The leg component  70  may then narrow along its length to a foot  120 , providing less surface area for ants to ascend at this narrowing portion while providing a sufficient surface area to support the bowl. For larger food reservoirs, it is normally preferred to have at least three stands arranged in a triangular fashion, and more preferably four or more stands to prevent the food reservoir from tipping or rocking. The shape of the cup component  80  can help to protect and shield the leg component  70  against handling, rain, and so forth where the leg component  70  is coated with insect repellant. 
         [0018]    Another embodiment is shown in  FIG. 5  showing a two-sided adhesive pad  200  adhered to the bowl  10  and the cup  80 . The pad  200  serves as the mating component in place of the peg and hole arrangement in the previous embodiment. The pad  200  may be a two sided adhesive tape, adhesive pad, or other adhesive member that secures the stand  20  to the bowl  10 . 
         [0019]    When arranged as in the Figures, a pet food bowl  10  is completely off the ground and inaccessible to crawling ants or other insects except via the modular stand  20 . To resist crawling insects such as ants from ascending the leg component  70  to the bowl, a coating of repellant is formed on the inner surface of the cup component  80  or the leg component  70 . The repellant and the shape of the legs inhibit the ants, etc. from getting to the shell portion of the device. Various repellant materials may be used to coat the cup component  80  or the leg component  70  to prevent the ants from ascending to the bowl. If the repellant loses its effectiveness, the cup components  80  can be removed and replaced from the modular stand by removing the leg and then replacing the cup  80 , and then reinserting the leg into the newly replaced cup component  80 . The leg component  70  may also be replaced in this fashion for similar reasons. This is a significant improvement over previous stands and is more cost effective and prevents waste. 
         [0020]    The invention thus offers a vastly improved resistance to ants and provides a device for overcoming the shortcomings in the art. Furthermore, although the illustrated application is shown supporting a pet food bowl, the present invention can be used with many other applications and should not be interpreted as being limited to any single application. That is, while the above description and drawings are intended to the illustrative of the present invention, nothing in the foregoing description should not be interpreted to be limiting. Rather, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate many alterations and substitutions to the embodiments described above, and the invention should be construed to include such alterations and substitutions. According, the invention&#39;s breadth should be measured by the words of the appended claims, read in light of the specification without importing unnecessary limitations therein.