Adjustable food scoop

An adjustable measuring device that contains an elongated scoop, a handle, and a cup and a moveable member configured to adjust a position of the cup, with the scoop forming an open cylinder and the cup being slidable inside of the elongated scoop, and with the handle being elongated in a direction away from the scoop, and having a gauge display.

FIELD OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The field of the embodiments relate to a scoop for measuring and gathering a specific amount of food as measured by weight, volume, and calorie count, specifically for pets, based on the pets' size and activity level.

BACKGROUND OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Today's pets, just like many of their owners, struggle with being overweight and even obesity. An animal's weight can significantly decrease the animal's activity level, which begins a downward spiral of gaining even more weight and becoming even less active. It's a dangerous cycle. For this reason, owners have been trying figure out an easy way limit the amount of food their beloved companions eat and their caloric intake. A need clearly exists for an easy way of collecting food and making sure that it is the right amount. Adjustable measuring cups have been around for a while, however, all of the prior art is poorly adapted to measuring, and serving a proper amount of animal food. Specifically the prior art does provide a way to carefully measure out an amount based on a dogs activity level. The prior art also does not provide a convenient way of serving the food after it has been collected Examples of related art are described below.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,103,708 pertains to a moveable structure of an adjustable measuring device such as a spoon or scoop having a structure molded of a single material with thin flexible curved edges which fit into the internal walls of the housing to provide increased surface. The moveable dam being molded in a single step of a single thermoplastic material to give the device a tapered cross-sectional shape with the inner portion thicker than the outer edges.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,717 pertains to a measuring device having a bowl. The bowl's capacity being adjusted by a dam structure located within the bowl and attaching to a cover structure slidably mounted on the bowl. The slidable cover extends beyond the bowl for use as a handle. The handle has a downwardly directed extension which is used to support and stabilize the device when the device rests on a flat surface. The handle also having a rounded indentation at the junction between the extension and the handle, so as to reinforce the junction and provide for easily gripping the device. The sides of the bowl structure being flexible so that they can be squeezed together to release the cover so that the device can easily be disassembled and reassembled for cleaning. A detent structure is provided to locate the sliding dam at pre-marked measurement locations. The detent structure is centrally located to permit strengthening of the sliding attachment and reduce wear.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,086,282 pertains to an adjustable measuring scoop including a movable partition that adjustably rotates on a rotating means such as an axle so as to result in a scoop size that can be selectively determined between a maximum and a minimum by ready manual manipulation of the scoop. The movable partition and rotating means being preferably configured so that the movable partition moves toward and away from the scoop's opening, permitting, e.g., a symmetric frontal contour that may be more effective in scooping from a container. Adjustment of the movable partition may also optionally be effected by means including a manual slide that has a linear and/or relatively short range of motion.

None of the art described above addresses all of the issues that the embodiments of the present invention do. A need still exists for providing a user, an adjustable measuring device which enables one to scoop a specific amount of food, and serve it to a pet. The present application provides an adjustable measuring device with an elongated scoop, a handle, and a cup and a moveable member configured to adjust a position of said cup, with the scoop forming a cylinder with a small front wall, allowing food to be secured momentarily and released easily when served, and the scoop having a gauge display, for easier and more precise adjustment of the scoop volume.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention include an adjustable measuring device comprising: an elongated scoop, a handle, a cup and a moveable member configured to adjust a position of said cup. The scoop may be rounded and form a cylinder having an open section. The cup may be mounted inside the elongated scoop and be slidable inside of the elongated scoop. The cup may further have cup side walls, a cup bottom wall, and a cup back wall, and having a generally round shape. The handle of the present invention may further be elongated in a direction away from the scoop, and have a gauge display.

It is another object of the embodiment of the present invention to have the moveable member comprising a round dial connected to a gear system, said gear system connected a shaft connected to the cup back wall. The gear system can be a worm gear.

It is yet another object of the embodiment of the present invention to have the cup engaged with the scoop by a track on an inner surface of the scoop and have the gear system engaged to the cup through an aperture in the rear wall of the scoop.

It is yet another object of the embodiment of the present invention to have the moveable member be configured to slide along the elongated direction of the handle. The moveable member can be integrally connected to the cup back wall with an elongated connection member.

It is yet another object of the embodiment of the present invention to have the elongated connection member comprise a cutout, with the cutout being capable of housing a portion of the gauge. The gauge can be a magnifying glass, and can preferably be prism shaped. The gauge can also be digital.

It is yet another object of the embodiment of the present invention to have the gauge coupled with a rod that can have an outer surface comprising at least 6 sides, and a maximum of 12 sides. Each of the sides can be connected to a unique sliding rod, wherein each of the unique sliding rods can be connected to the cup back wall through an aperture in the rear wall.

It is yet another object of the embodiment of the present invention to have a diagonal edge of the cup flush with a diagonal edge of the scoop, and wherein the second position places the cup back wall in contact with the scoop rear wall. The rear wall can be approximately 80 to 95 percent higher than the front wall. The top wall should be between 30 and 70 percent as long as the bottom wall, leaving a portion of the bottom wall exposed and the inside of the scoop open.

It is yet another object of the embodiment of the present invention that the scoop can be made of plastics, resins, composites, metals, rubbers, wood, or any combination thereof. The plastics specifically include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), high-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), high impact polystyrene (HIPS) and polycarbonate (PC), or any combination thereof.

It is yet another object of the embodiment of the present invention that the handle can have a first scale on a first side and a second scale on a second side, wherein the moveable member is connected to a sliding knob, the knob positioned in a slot adjacent to the first scale or the second scale, configured to adjust the cup.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1displays an adjustable measuring device1. The device1can haven an elongated scoop2, a handle3, a cup5, and a moveable member4configured to adjust a position of said cup5. The scoop2being rounded forming a cylinder, with an open section. The cup5can be mounted inside the elongated scoop2and can be slidably engaged inside of the elongated scoop2. The cup5can have cup side walls11, a cup bottom wall12, and a cup back wall13, and can have a generally round shape. The handle3of the present invention can be elongated and have a gauge display14that allows a user to select and see what size pet the scoop is being used for, what activity level the animal might have, how many calories is expected to be scooped up, or how much volume is held in the scoop2.

FIG. 2shows a cut away view of one embodiment of the invention, wherein the moveable4member can have a round dial15connected to a gear system16, and the gear system16can be connected a shaft17which can in turn be connected to the cup back wall13. As shown inFIG. 1, the gear system16can be a worm gear. When the dial15is turned, the gauge shows how much food the scoop2and cup5combination can take in, the amount of food can be shown in calories, volume and can have a guide for how much food needs to be scooped up for an animal with various size and activity level characteristics. As the worm gear16is turned the cup5is moved back and forth by the shaft17which is coupled to the worm gear16.

Further, as can be seen inFIG. 2, the cup5can be engaged with the scoop by a track18on an inner surface of the scoop2. The track18helps keep the cup5in line and supported. The track18can be at the bottom or the top of the scoop. Conversely a track can be placed on each of the side walls for the cup5to engage with.

Also seen inFIG. 2, is a sliding member23can be configured to slide along the elongated direction of the handle3. The sliding member23can be integrally connected to the cup back wall13via the elongated connection member17. By pushing and pulling the sliding member23the user can also increase or decrease of they want the volume contained in the scoop2by moving the cup5back and forth. The cup5can be connected to the sliding member23through a shaft17which enters the scoop through an aperture19at the rear of the scoop2. The sliding member23can comprise a sliding member, or knob, on each side of the handle3. The sliding members3can be connected with a U-shaped connector that can go around the internal components of the handle3.

As can be seen inFIGS. 1 and 3, it is yet another feature of the present invention to have the elongated connection member23, or shaft contain a cutout. The cutout allows a portion of the gauge14to sit inside the shaft. This allows the mechanism to be more compact, and also gives the gauge14more support and structure. The gauge14can include magnifying glass to improve viewing, which can preferably be prism shaped. The gauge14can also be digital.

As can be seen inFIG. 1, the gauge14can have multiple faces. A gauge14with at least six faces, and a maximum of twelve faces is preferred. Each of the faces can be connected to a unique sliding rod, wherein each of the unique sliding rods can be connected to the cup back wall through an aperture in the rear wall. When a gauge side is selected by the user, the face is associated with a rod of particular length. Each rod is then used individually to push the cup forward and backwards.

As can be seen inFIG. 1, the cup slides back and forth from a position wherein the front edge of the cup5is flush with a diagonal edge of the scoop, and as can be seen inFIG. 1, wherein the second position places the cup5back wall13in contact with the scoop rear wall8. The rear wall8can be approximately 80 to 95 percent higher than the front wall7. The top wall9should be between 30 and percent as long as the bottom wall10, leaving a portion of the bottom wall exposed and the inside of the scoop open.

The scoop2and other portions of the device can be made of plastics, resins, composites, metals, rubbers, wood, or any combination thereof. The plastics specifically include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), high-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), high impact polystyrene (HIPS) and polycarbonate (PC), or any combination thereof.