Abstract:
A treat-filled and disposable pet toy is formed in an attractive and identifiable shape. The toy includes a hook and loop material strip attached to a slit in the doll, which is attached by an attachment material, such as stitching. When the slit is opened, it reveals a cavity that is filled with pet treats. Pets are attracted to the toy because of its smell and appearance. Pets may chew the doll apart, or if the temperament of the dog is milder, the doll may be refilled with treats until worn out.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/121,487 entitled APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR TREAT-FILLED DOLLS FOR PETS, and filed on Dec. 10, 2008 for Juhani C. DeFazio and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/162,267 entitled APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR TREAT-FILLED DOLLS FOR PETS, and filed on Mar. 21, 2009 for Juhani C. DeFazio, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    This invention relates to pet toys, and more especially to treat-filled dolls for pets. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Dogs, cats, and other domestic pets often play with toys such as balls, ropes, stuffed animals, and other non-edible objects. Such behavior is natural to animals, and can help keep a pet psychologically healthy, as well as physically healthy. Pets need exercise and play for a healthy lifestyle. When there are no toys available for the pets, they may become aggressive with items such as furniture, walls, shoes, or clothing. Having a toy for a pet to chew on may keep an owner&#39;s home in better condition, reducing the wear and tear that pets have been known to cause. 
         [0006]    Some pet toys, such as rawhide chews, bones, pull ropes, plastic and rubber toys have been introduced to the market and used by pet owners. There have been some chew toys introduced with enhanced features, intended to attract the dog or pet, and to keep it occupied with something other than the owner&#39;s items. These toys may have a treat hidden inside, or be flavored with an attractive smell. There are toys made of all kinds of materials, both soft and hard. There are toys in different shapes, whether it be in the shape of a bone, a ball, or another animal. Although these are useful improvements to previous pet toys, many dogs are still unsatisfied with the toys chosen by their owners. 
         [0007]    Many of the toys introduced to the market with treats hidden inside are disliked by dogs, sometimes because they are hard or unattractive. Dogs are often attracted to rolled up socks or children&#39;s stuffed animals because of the plush appearance and the soft texture of the toy. The plastic and vinyl toys hold less appeal for many dogs, and thus may not solve the problem of chewing the owners&#39; own items. 
         [0008]    Additionally, many of the toys introduced to the market with treats inside are intended to be permanent toys for the pets, and priced as such. These toys often become tattered and broken, no longer capable of housing a treat, as was intended upon purchase of the toy. Many of the toys lose their ability to hide a treat, and are no longer useful for their original purpose. These refillable toys are more expensive than disposable ones, while the dog who doesn&#39;t know the difference, treats them as if they were disposable. The toys intended to be permanent toys are not actually permanent, and tend to be thrown away after being purchased for a higher price than a disposable toy. 
         [0009]    Also, many of the toys introduced to the market are visually unattractive. They have no shape or design that would differentiate them from any other toy, especially children&#39;s toys, found around the house. Sometimes the pet will not notice anything different between the chew toy and the owner&#39;s favorite shoes or a child&#39;s favorite stuffed animal. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus, system, and method that provide a treat-filled and disposable pet toy in an attractive and recognizable shape. Beneficially, such an apparatus would be filled with a treat for attraction, be soft to the touch, be visually distinguishable from regular balls and chew toys, and be intended for disposal after one or two uses, depending on the temperament and mannerisms of the pet. 
         [0011]    The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available instruction methods. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide an apparatus for the satisfaction of a pet&#39;s needs for chew toys that are distinguishable and attractive, while disposable and inexpensive. 
         [0012]    The apparatus, in one embodiment, is configured to be a soft doll with an enclosure means attached to a slit in the doll. The slit may be opened to find a cavity, which cavity is filled with pet treats. 
         [0013]    Under one embodiment, the doll is shaped like an animal with a Mexican theme, comprising a head, a sombrero, four legs, a tail, eyes, floppy ears, a smile with a protruding tongue, and a nose. 
         [0014]    An enclosure means may be attached to a slit in the doll is found on the upper back of the animal, or the top of the animal. Under one embodiment, The enclosure means is attached to the slit in the doll by stitching, or sewing. The slit may be opened to reveal a cavity without soft stuffing, and with space for an object. The cavity may be filled with flavored pet treats. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment of the method of the present invention, the user pulls on both sides of the opening with the enclosure means attached, and upon finding a hollow cavity, inserts additional pet treats into the opening. The user then closes the opening, by fastening the enclosure means. 
         [0016]    Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0017]    Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention. 
         [0018]    These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not, therefore, to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a side view illustrating one embodiment of a treat-filled doll for pets; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a side view illustrating one embodiment of a treat-filled doll for pets, with the slit opened to show the treats inside; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a side view illustrating one embodiment of a treat-filled doll for pets, showing the treats inside the doll; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a top view illustrating one embodiment of a treat-filled doll for pets; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a top view illustrating one embodiment of a treat-filled doll for pets with the slit for treats opened; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method of refilling the cavity of the doll. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0027]    Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of programming, software modules, user selections, network transactions, database queries, database structures, hardware modules, hardware circuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  depicts a system  100  in accordance with the present invention. The depicted system  100  includes a doll  102  with a hollow cavity  114  and an enclosure means  104  attached to a slit  106  by an attachment material  108 . 
         [0029]    The doll  102  may consist of any shape, including but not limited to a dog, another animal, a ball, a fire hydrant, or a bone. The preferred embodiment comprises a doll  102  in the shape of a dog that is wearing a sombrero, has two eyes, two ears, a smile with a protruding tongue, a prominent nose, a tail, and four legs. 
         [0030]    The doll  102  may be made of plush, foam, cotton fabric, wool fabric, linens, fleece, felt, denim, canvas, latex, nylon, neoprene, vinyl, leathers, or terry cloth. The doll  102  may be a variety of sizes from three inches (3″) long and three inches (3″) high and three inches (3″) wide to twelve inches (12″) long and twelve inches (12″) high and twelve inches (12″) wide. 
         [0031]    The doll  102  may contain additional supports, including but not limited to, extra material in the legs, arms, neck, or other area of the doll, in order to force it to sit in an upright position, or to stand in an upright position. In this embodiment, the doll  102  is void of additional support, and is limp. 
         [0032]    The doll  102  may have additional attractions to an animal, including but not limited to a long tail, a skirt, a large hat, a protruding tongue, long ears, or other feature. The doll  102  may be made from plastic, rubber, rawhide, cardboard, or rope. The hollow cavity  114  may include of the inner walls of the doll  102 , without a sack or any additional container. 
         [0033]    In one embodiment given by way of example, the slit  106  has dimensions of between three quarters of an inch (¾″) and five inches (5″) in length. The slit  106  maybe between three quarters of an inch (¾″) and six inches (6″) in width, when the slit  106  is opened to its capacity. The slit  106  may be found in various locations, including on the back of the doll  102 , underneath the doll  102 , on the side of the doll  102 , or on the front of the doll  102 . 
         [0034]    The slit  106  may be a hole in the doll  102  and may not be closed by an enclosure means  104 , but may remain open. 
         [0035]    In one embodiment, the enclosure means  104  comprises a hook and loop material fastening strip. The hook and loop material strip may be between three quarters of an inch (¾″) and five inches (5″) in length. The Hook and loop material strip  104  may be attached on the inner walls of the doll, inside the hollow cavity  114 . The hook and loop material strip may be attached on both sides of the slit  106 . 
         [0036]    The enclosure means  104  may comprise a button, magnets, stitches, or folded fabric. 
         [0037]    The attachment material  108  used to attach the enclosure means  104  to the slit  106 , may include, but not be limited to, stitching, glue, adhesive strips, or tape. 
         [0038]      FIG. 2  depicts a system  100  in accordance with the present invention. The system  200  includes a doll  102  with an enclosure means  104  attached to a slit  106  in the doll  102  by an attachment material  108 . The slit  106  in the doll  102  reveals a hollow cavity  210 . 
         [0039]    The cavity  210  in the doll  102  may include a sack-like container  214  into which an object may be placed. The cavity  210  may be stuffed, apart from the pouch. The cavity  210  may be empty, with the treat or edible substance packaged separately. 
         [0040]    The stuffing  216  may include cotton, cotton fabric, wool fabric, linens, fleece, felt, denim, canvas, latex, nylon, neoprene, vinyl, leathers, or terry cloth. 
         [0041]    The sack-like container  214  may comprise a cloth or hard material. The sack-like container  214  may comprise cloth, including but not limited to cotton fabric, wool fabric, linens, fleece, felt, denim, canvas, latex, nylon, neoprene, vinyl, leathers, or terry cloth. 
         [0042]    The sack-like container  214  may comprise a hard material, including but not limited to plastic or rubber. In one embodiment, the sack-like container  214  includes one opening, which is attached by the attachment material  108  to either side and around the slit  106 , so as to form a pouch in the cavity  210  of the doll  102  when the enclosure means  104  is separated and the slit  106  opened. 
         [0043]      FIG. 3  depicts a system  100  in accordance with the present invention. The system  300  includes a doll  102  with an enclosure means  104  attached to a slit  106  by an attachment material  108  such as stitching. The opening is shown closed. The cavity  210  of the doll  102  is depicted as filled with treats  312 . 
         [0044]    The treats  312  may include wet or dry items. The system  300  may contain treats  312  from a quarter of one ounce (0.25 oz.) to eight ounces (8 oz.). 
         [0045]    The treats  312  may be dog treats, vitamins, D.A.P., mood altering pheromones, supplements, medicines, or other orally ingestible substances. In the preferred embodiment, the treats are dog treats with jerky-flavoring and bacon flavoring. 
         [0046]      FIG. 4  depicts a system  100  in accordance with the present invention, as seen from a top view. The system  400  includes a doll  102  with an enclosure means  104  attached to a slit  106  by an attachment material  108  such as stitching. The slit  106  is shown as it would be if it were closed. 
         [0047]      FIG. 5  depicts a system  100  in accordance with the present invention, as seen from a top view. The system  500  includes a doll  102  with an enclosure means  104  attached to a slit  106  by an attachment material  108  such as stitching. The slit  106  is shown as it would be if it were open. Inside the opening  106 , there is a hollow cavity  210 , which is filled with treats  312 . 
         [0048]    The schematic flow chart diagrams that follow are generally set forth as logical flow chart diagrams. As such, the depicted order and labeled steps are indicative of one embodiment of the presented method. Other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect to one or more steps, or portions thereof, of the illustrated method. Additionally, the format and symbols employed are provided to explain the logical steps of the method and are understood not to limit the scope of the method. Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in the flow chart diagrams, they are understood not to limit the scope of the corresponding method. Indeed, some arrows or other connectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of the method. For instance, an arrow may indicate a waiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration between enumerated steps of the depicted method. Additionally, the order in which a particular method occurs may or may not strictly adhere to the order of the corresponding steps shown. 
         [0049]      FIG. 6  is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method for refilling the doll with treats. The user checks the slit  106  to ascertain whether the slit  106  is open or closed. If the slit  106  is open, the user inserts more treats  312 . If the slit  106  is closed, the user pulls opposite sides of the slit  106  to release the enclosure means  104 . The user then inserts the treats  312 . After the treats  312  are inserted, the user squeezes together the opposite sides of the slit  106  to fasten the enclosure means  104 . The user then gives the doll  102  back to the pet for continued use. 
         [0050]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive.