Abstract:
A pet feeder for feeding pets that provides an enclosure that the pet accesses through an entryway having dimensions under the control of the pet owner. The owner sizes the entryway to exclude a pet with allowing a relatively smaller pet to enter.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 61/119,958 filed Dec. 4, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The technical field relates to pet feeders and more particularly to a feeder that allows feeding of one pet but not another pet. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Pet owners may have more than one pet. Pets typically receive food from a bowl that the pet owner periodically refills. The pets sometimes compete for the food or eat food intended for other pets. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A pet feeder is provided that allows an owner to selectively feed one pet and exclude another pet. The feeder provides a cover over a food bowl that allows a smaller pet to access the food while excluding a larger pet. The cover can not be dislodged by the larger animal. The feeder has an entryway that can be sized by the pet owner, e.g., by sliding a door across an access opening. These and other embodiments are described herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is an assembly view of a pet feeder. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the assembly of  FIG. 2 , with the entryway being a different size after movement of the door; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of detail  4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view that depicts a pet using the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a cover; 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of a cover; 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view of an embodiment of a pet feeder entryway; 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a pet feeder; 
           [0014]      FIG. 10A  is an alternative pet feeder with the cover and base shown as an assembly; 
           [0015]      FIG. 10B  is an elevated view of the door of  FIG. 10A ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 11A  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 11B  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 11A ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the base of  FIG. 1 , with fasteners disposed thereon; 
           [0019]      FIG. 13A  is a perspective view of a covering for a feeder; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 13B  is a perspective view of the cover of  FIG. 13A  in place over a feeder. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  depicts assembly for pet feeder  100  having cover  102 , door  104 , and base  106 . Cover  102  has handle  108 , access opening  110 , door control slot  112 , skirt  113 , flange  114 , interior space  116  defined by shell  118 . Access opening  110  has rounded corner  120  and right angle corner  122 . Shell  118  has exterior side  117  and interior side  119 . Door  104  has knob  124 , exterior side  126 , interior side  128 , lip  129 , right angle corner  130 , and arcuate portion  132  at corner  134 . Base  106  has interior side  136 , exterior side  138 , and lip  140 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  depicts pet feeder  100  assembled, with door  104  blocking access opening  110  and with knob  124  protruding through door control slot  112 . Arrow A indicates motion of door  104  within access opening  110 . Entryway  142  allows access to interior space  116  and is an opening between door  104  and shell  118 .  FIG. 3  depicts the pet feeder  100  with door  104  further blocking access opening  110  with entryway  142  being relatively smaller that as depicted in  FIG. 2 . Knob  124  is also moved relative to its position in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0023]    The base defines a bottom, with the feeder resting on the base during normal intended use. A vertical axis from the center of the base defines up and down directions, with the base being the bottom and beneath the cover. A lateral access thus refers to an access from the sides of the base as opposed to the top of the feeder. A pet would enter the lateral opening. A vertical opening in the top may further be provided, e.g., for a user to reach into the feeder interior to replace food; such an opening may be further equipped with a reversibly removable lid. Alternatively, a lid attached to the container may be used that is reversibly openable, with an open position allowing access and a closed position covering the opening; e.g., a lid attached to the shell via a living hinge and snap-fitting into place to cover the vertical opening. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of detail  4  of  FIG. 3 . Shell skirt  113  has flange  114  that includes tongue  144  that is received by groove  146 . Groove  146  is in lip  140  that is part of base  106 . 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , an assembler fits door  104  into cover  102 , with lip  129  cooperating with a rim or other structure (not shown) on cover interior side  119 . Knob  124  may be pushed through slot  112  or alternatively knob  124  may be reversibly fastenable to door  104  and attached to door  104  after it is fit into the cover  102 . The term knob is broad and includes, e.g., a handle, knurl, or post. The cover  102  is then pressed onto base  106 , with flange  114  and lip  140  fitting together so that pets (with the term pet being a broad term) can not readily separate cover  102  from base  106 . As in  FIG. 4 , flange  114  may have tongue  144  that is received by groove  146  in lip  140 . The flange and/or lip and/or rim flexes as the cover and base are joined and form an interlocking structure. 
         [0026]    The user adjusts door  104  to create an entryway  142  of a desired size. In general, the entryway  142  is sized to allow a smaller pet to enter or put its head into interior space  116  to access food therein while excluding access by a relatively larger animal. In use, as at  FIG. 5 , a pet  150  enters through entryway  142  to access food and/or water or other pet items. Other relatively larger animals are excluded. 
         [0027]    The interior may be made to accommodate any of a variety of pets. Accordingly, embodiments include various sizes, with an exemplary range being from 0.5 to 10 cubic feet; artisans will immediately appreciate that all the ranges and values within the explicitly stated ranges are contemplated, e.g., 1 cubic foot, 2 cubic feet, or from 1-5 cubic feet. 
         [0028]    The interior may be sized to provide for a pet to enter completely into the feeder. This arrangement has the advantage that food and/or water can be placed far away enough from the entrance so that the larger animals cannot reach in to access the food. Alternatively, the feeder may be sized to allow only partial access of the pet. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  depicts an alternative cover  202  with vertical opening  204  and access opening  206 , and a plurality of flanges  208 . Flanges  208  cooperate with lips (not shown) in a base so that a user may place the cover  202  on the base and twist it so that the flanges cooperate with the lips to secure the base and the cover. Other fasteners may be used to secure a cover and a base. Reversibly joinable fasteners may be used. Examples of fasteners are friction fit, tongue-and-groove, mortise and tenon, latches, cam locks, and buckles. A cam lock is a type of latch having a latch base and a cam. The latch base is where a key or tool is used to rotate the cam, which is what does the latching. Opening  204  provides for a user to reach in and out of the feeder assembly, for instance, to attend to changing food or water. 
         [0030]    The cover may be of any convenient shape, e.g., cuboidal, domed, semispherical, igloo-shaped, or oval ( FIG. 7 ).  FIG. 7  is a plan view of cover  300  having an oval shape, two openings  304 , and fastening flanges  302 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 8  depicts alternative assembly  400 , with cover  402 , door  404 , and base  406 . Door  404  has handle  408 . Entryway  410  has an arcuate side  412  defined by cover  402  and a straight side  414  defined by door  408 . The cover and door form a right-angled opening  416 . In contrast, the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5  depict an entryway  142  that has two arcuate sides. 
         [0032]    In fact, the arcuate sides of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5  are mirror-images of each other. In these embodiments, an axis of symmetry (reflection axis) exists that is vertical and in the plane of the entryway: the curved corners  120 ,  132  are on either side of the axis of symmetry and are mirror images, i.e., they have reflection symmetry across the reflection axis. The entryway, as depicted, has a straight bottom side (at the base) and a straight top side (opposing the bottom side) that are connected by substantially parallel vertical sides that join the top side via curved corners. The symmetry is preserved through all of the positions of the door. 
         [0033]      FIG. 9  depicts an alternative embodiment with a doorway that closes the entryway from top-to-bottom. Feeder  500  has cover  502 , base  504 , and door  506 . Door  506  has a plurality of hinges  508  that bend as door  506  is moved. In use, a user grasps door  506  and moves it up or down as indicated at arrow B, with door  506  sliding in tracks  510  to increase or decrease the size of entryway  512 . Cover  502  has access opening  514  that is blocked or left unblocked by door  506 . Corners  516  and  518  are not curved but are instead right angles. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  depict feeder  600 , with base  601 , door  602 , and cover  604 . Base  602  has a plurality of sides  608  and a lateral access opening  610  provided by way of a cut-out from one of the sides. Opening  610  includes arcuate portion  611 . Door  602  has vertical sides  612 , bottom side  614 , and top side  616 , with right-angle corners  618  and corner  620  having arcuate portion  622 . Door  602  is attached to base  601 , e.g., by placement in a slot or with interlocking grooves (not shown), with knob  624  projecting through door access slot  626 . Accordingly, the base is the bottom, the cover is at the top, and the sides of the base are located laterally. The door moves side-to-side. A user moves door  602  as indicated at arrow C to control dimensions of entryway  630  that is the portion of access opening  610  that is not blocked by door  602 . As the door is moved over the access opening, the entryway has reflection symmetry across a vertical reflection axis in all of the blocking positions. Arcuate portions  611  and  622  provide curved corners. Placement of the cover  604  on the base  601  prevents entry except through the entryway. A fastener, e.g., a reversible fastener may be used to secure the cover to the base, e.g., by snapping, friction fit, mortise-and-tenon, by latches. 
         [0035]    In other embodiments, the symmetry may be broken while preserving the roundness of the top corners of the entryway. The base and cover may be any of a variety of shapes. In some embodiments, the base and cover are unitary or permanently attached to each other. 
         [0036]    Accordingly, an embodiment of a pet feeder is a feeder with a pet entryway defined by an access opening or an access opening partially blocked by a door. The entryway is the hole or other passage the pet goes through. If there is nothing blocking the access opening, then the entryway is an identity with the access opening. If the door is partially blocking the access opening, then the entryway is the remaining space. The feeder has a base that defines a bottom and a cover that fit together (preferably reversibly) to create an interior. The access opening can be in the cover, e.g., as a hole or a cut-out. Alternatively, the base could have the opening, with the cover being a lid. Or the access opening could be defined by the combination of the base and the cover together, e.g., with both of them having a cut-out that mate to form the access opening with assembled. 
         [0037]    The pet feeder may have a variably positionable door movable to a plurality of blocking positions that at least partially block the access opening to thereby control the dimensions of the entryway. Block is a term used herein that means to actually control the size of the entryway. For instance, patio doors that slide open and closed are familiar to most persons and control the dimensions of an entryway for the patio and a house. On the other hand, a swinging door is only blocking when it is effectively closed. The swinging door is otherwise an obstruction to someone passing through the door but the door does not perform a blocking function as that term is used herein. Embodiments have been presenting herein wherein an access opening for a pet feeder is slidingly blocked by a door. Further embodiments would be a rotating or pivoting door that can be moved over the access space, or a sphincter that can be closed-up or opened-up to control the door dimensions. 
         [0038]    The door may have a plurality of blocking positions. These may range from 0% to 100%; artisans will immediately appreciate that all the ranges and values within the explicitly stated ranges are contemplated. For instance, the door may provide for a continuous range of blocking, with the positions comprising between 5% and 80% blocking. Or the door could be completely closable. 
         [0039]    The door may be variably positionable by fixing it at various predetermined points (e.g., a plurality of stops or snap-fittings) or continuously variable, i.e., can be infinitely adjusted within its predetermined range. 
         [0040]    One embodiment is a door that is attachable to the cover and/or the base in any of a variety of predetermined positions, e.g., the door has one or more prongs that fit into any of a plurality of holes. In use, the assembler snaps the door into the holes. 
         [0041]      FIGS. 11A-11B  depict an embodiment, with feeder  700  having a container  702  that defines an interior space with lateral access opening  704  and (optionally) vertical opening  706  that is substantially perpendicular to opening  704 . A plurality of recesses  710  accept prongs  712  on door  714 . As depicted, the prongs are on the face of the door that is the interior face of the door; the other face of the door is the exterior face. Door  714  is mounted on container  702  to at least partially block lateral access opening  704  by pressing prongs  714  into recesses  710 . Entryway  720  is thus sized by a user to be a percentage of the available access opening dimension. Lid  722  is reversibly fit into opening  706 . Other fasteners may be used as alternatives to the fasteners depicted. This embodiment uses a door with two arcuate projections  724  that provide a match to curve  726  in container  702  so that the entryway may be provided with refection symmetry. In this embodiment, there is symmetry over a horizontal axis and also a vertical axis, with the two axes being perpendicular to each other. The vertical opening  706  is defined as the top of the container since it would typically be on top during normal intended use. 
         [0042]    The entryway may be made to be free of sharp corners, e.g., with all of the corners rounded. Or the corners at the top of the entryway may be rounded without regard to the other corners, if any. The pets may tend to brush against the upper corners so that preferentially rounding them is an embodiment. A curved corner refers to a corner that is not an intersection of two straight edges. 
         [0043]    Access openings may be sized as desired for the intended pet. Examples of sizes are from 25 square inches to 400 square inches; artisans will immediately appreciate that all the ranges and values within the explicitly stated ranges are contemplated. The entryway may be controlled to provide a range of sizes ranging from 0% to 100% of the access opening; artisans will immediately appreciate that all the ranges and values within the explicitly stated ranges are contemplated. Embodiments therefore include an access opening of about 49 square inches (e.g., a substantially square hole that is 7 inches by 7 inches) and an entryway that blocks the access to provide between 10% and 100% of the area, i.e., from 4.9 to 49 square inches. Alternatively, the relationship can be expressed in terms of percentage blocking, e.g., an opening of 100 square inches that is blocked between 5% and 80%, i.e., 5 square inches or up to 80 square inches are blocked-off to leave an entryway of between 95 and 20 square inches. All of these sizes and percentages may be freely mixed-and-matched. Further, the access opening may be sized to accommodate access for a typical food bowl and/or water dish to be passed through the access opening. 
         [0044]    One aspect of the entryway is that it may be symmetrical regardless of which blocking position a doorway is in. The door and access opening may cooperate to define an entryway that has reflection symmetry across a reflection axis in all of the blocking positions, with the entryway comprising a first rounded corner on one side of the reflection axis and a second rounded corner on the other side of the reflection axis. The door can be equipped with a projection of other portion that provides a curved corner to the entryway. The cover may be configured to provide the entryway with a rounded corner. 
         [0045]    The door may be mounted in a wide variety of manners. In one embodiment, there is a track in the base and the door slides in the track. If the base is curved, the door may also have a curvoplanar shape, i.e., is substantially planar but has a curvature that allows it to be moved adjacent the cover. Accordingly, an embodiment is a cover that comprises a curved shell and a curved door disposable next to the curved shell and is movable relative to, and adjacent to, the curved shell. The door may also, or alternatively, have a rim to cooperate with a flange or slot in the shell, with the door being supported or at least guided thereby. 
         [0046]    The cover may further comprise a door control slot. A door control slot is an opening that allows access to the door without reaching through the entryway. For instance, a knob on the door that passes through the slot. The knob may be graspable by a user to control movement of the door through the blocking positions. 
         [0047]    There should be enough space to accommodate a typical amount of food, as would be normal for feeding the intended pet. Domestic pets are generally contemplated to the exclusion of farm animals such as cows, pigs and the like. Accordingly, at least about 1 cubic foot that accommodates food for the pet may be provided, or various sized, e.g. between 0.5 to 10 cubic feet; artisans will immediately appreciate that all the ranges and values within the explicitly stated ranges are contemplated. 
         [0048]    The cover itself may take a variety of shapes, e.g., including a dome. The base and the cover may be reversibly fastenable to each other. Alternatively, or additionally, the cover may have a vertical opening that a user can reach through. 
         [0049]      FIG. 12  depicts base  106  with fasteners  802  that receive bowl assembly  804 . Bowl assembly  804  has bowl  806  attached to base  808  that is received by fasteners  802 . A user slides the assembly  804  in or out of fasteners  802 , which are depicted as flanges that cooperate to receive base  808 . The user may take the bowl in and out of the feeder as desired. Various reversible fasteners may be used, e.g., mortise-and-tenon, pegs-and-holes, snapping fasteners, or flanges on assembly  804  received by slots in the base. 
         [0050]    The feeder may further be provided with a cover. The cover may have weights at its edges so the cover will stay in place and be easily removed.  FIG. 13A  depicts cover  850  with a circular shape having hem  852  and weights  854  secured inside the hem. In use, the cover is placed over a feeder, e.g., as at  FIG. 13B  wherein cover  854  is placed over feeder  100 . The cover may have various shapes, e.g., circular, square, scalloped. The cover may be made of a flexible material, e.g., cloth, denim, nylon. The cover may substantially cover-up the entire feeder or partially cover the same. The cover may have an opening that is proportioned to the entryway of the feeder. The opening may be reversibly covered by a flap. 
       ADDITIONAL DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0051]    1. A pet feeder with a pet entryway defined by an access opening or an access opening partially blocked by a door, the feeder having a base that defines a bottom, the feeder comprising a base and a cover that define an interior (e.g., of at least 1 cubic foot), with the cover and/or base having an access opening, and a variably positionable door movable to a plurality of blocking positions that at least partially block the access opening to thereby control the dimensions of the entryway.
 
2. A method of using a pet feeder comprising attaching a base to a cover, the base and the cover together defining an interior (e.g., of at least 1 cubic foot), with the feeder having a lateral access opening and a variably positionable door movable to a plurality of blocking positions that at least partially block the access opening to thereby control the dimensions of the entryway.
 
3. A pet feeder kit for assembly of a pet feeder that includes a pet entryway defined by an access opening or an access opening partially blocked by a door, the feeder having a base that defines a bottom, the kit comprising
 
         [0052]    a base and a cover that define an interior (e.g., of at least 1 cubic foot), with the cover and/or base having an access opening, and 
         [0053]    a variably positionable door movable to a plurality of blocking positions that at least partially block the access opening to thereby control the dimensions of the entryway. 
         [0000]    4. As at any of 1-3 wherein the door provides for a continuous range of blocking, with the positions comprising between 5% and 80% blocking.
 
5. As at any of 14 wherein the positions further comprise a 100% blocking position.
 
6. As at any of 1-5 wherein the door is slidable relative to the cover to achieve the blocking positions.
 
7. As at any of 1-6 wherein the door and access opening cooperate to define an entryway that has reflection symmetry across a reflection axis in all of the blocking positions, with the entryway comprising a first rounded corner on one side of the reflection axis and a second rounded corner on the other side of the reflection axis.
 
8. As at any of 1-7 wherein the door comprises an arcuate projection that provides the entryway with the first rounded corner when the door is in a blocking position.
 
9. As at any of 1-8 wherein the cover provides the entryway with the second rounded corner.
 
10. As at any of 1-9 wherein the cover further comprises a door control slot, with a knob on the door passing through the slot and the knob being graspable by a user to control movement of the door through the blocking positions.
 
11. As at any of 1-10 wherein the cover comprises a dome.
 
12. As at any of 1-11 wherein the base and the cover are reversibly fastenable to each other.
 
13. As at any of 1-12 wherein the cover comprises the access opening.
 
14. As at any of 1-13 wherein the base comprises a slot for receiving the door.
 
15. As at any of 1-14 further comprising a vertical opening.
 
16. As at any of 1-15 further comprising sliding the door over the entryway to reduce the dimensions of the entryway without fully blocking the access opening.