Abstract:
A pet toy that projects a moving light beam in various directions to entertain a pet is provided. The pet toy comprises a hollow housing having an upper opening and a lower opening. A domed cover is pivotally attached to the housing and capable of closing the upper opening. The domed cover has a reflective material on an underside thereof. A light source is operatively received within the housing and capable of producing a beam of light directed upward through the upper opening. An electric motor is operatively received within the housing and capable of moving the light source. A power source is operatively received within the housing for powering the light source and the electric motor. A switch is located on the housing and movable to an on position allowing the power source to power the light source and/or the electric motor and an off position for preventing the power source from powering the light source and/or the electric motor. In a preferred form, the switch is generally biased toward the on position but is forced to and maintained in the off position when the domed cover is closed against the housing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of and hereby expressly incorporates by reference U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/189,663, filed on Mar. 15, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a pet toy and, more particularly, to a new and improved automated pet toy that projects a moving light beam in various directions to entertain a pet. The present invention finds particular application as a timer-controlled, switch-activated automated moving light beam and is described herein with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present invention is also amenable to other applications. 
     It is well known that domestic pets enjoy chasing moving objects. For example, cats are known to chase a piece of moving string and dogs are known to chase a ball. Similarly, cats and dogs are known chase the projected red dot of a laser pointer when the red dot projected by the laser pointer is moved across a room or area by a person. Although such an activity may entertain pets for a lengthy period of time, heretofore, a person was required to continuously move the laser pointer around the room or area to keep the red dot moving. 
     The present invention provides a new and improved automated moving light beam for entertaining pets that only requires a person to initially actuate the device. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, a light toy is provided that projects a moving light beam in various directions for entertainment. The light toy comprises a hollow housing having an upper opening and a lower opening. A domed cover is pivotally attached to the housing and capable of closing the upper opening. The domed cover has a reflective material on an underside thereof. A light source is operatively received within the housing and capable of producing a beam of light directed upward through the upper opening. An electric motor is operatively received within the housing and capable of moving the light source. A power source is operatively received within the housing for powering the light source and the electric motor. A switch is located on the housing and movable to an on position, allowing the power source to power the light source and/or the electric motor and an off position for preventing the power source from powering the light source and/or the electric motor. In a preferred form, the switch is generally biased toward the on position but is forced to and maintained in the off position when the domed cover is closed against the housing. 
     A main advantage of the present invention resides in the provision of a pet toy that projects a moving light beam in various directions without manual assistance. 
     Another primary advantage of the present invention is the provision of a pet toy that entertains pets while only requiring a human to initially actuate the device. 
     A further advantage of the present invention is the provision of a pet toy that automatically shuts-off to prevent drainage of a power source used to power the device. 
     Still other advantages and benefits of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention may take form in various components and arrangements of components, and in various steps and arrangements of steps. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a pet toy in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the pet toy of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an assembly view of the pet toy of FIG. 1 showing a domed cover, a housing, and a bottom cover; and 
     FIG. 4 is an assembly view of a light source, an electric motor, a power source, and mechanical connections therebetween received within the housing of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a pet toy  10  comprises a tapered cylindrical housing  12  and a domed cover  14 . Both the housing  12  and the cover  14  are constructed of plastic in the preferred embodiment. Of course, any suitable material and method of manufacture can be used. The frustoconically shaped and hollow cylindrical housing  12  comprises a top wall  16 , a bottom wall  18 , and a body wall  20  extending therebetween. 
     The top wall  16  includes a counterbored circular opening  22  that leads into a cavity located inside the housing  12  and defined by the walls  16 ,  18 ,  20  of the housing  12 . A round instrument glass piece  26  is positioned snugly on the counterbored edge  28  of the counterbored opening  22 . A plurality of thumb indentations  24  (FIG. 1) and finger indentations  25 . (FIG. 2) are positioned on the body wall  20  for ease of carrying the pet toy  10 . Additionally, the top wall  16  includes a switch recess  30 . 
     A peripheral edge  32  is defined by the intersection of the top wall  16  and the body wall  20 . A concave thumb notch  34  is cut into the top wall  16  and the body wall  20  along the peripheral edge  32  at a front portion thereof. A connector notch  36  is cut into the top wall  16  and the body wall  20  along the peripheral edge  32  at a rear portion thereof and opposite the thumb notch  34 . On both sides of the connector notch  36 , a pair of opposing pin recesses  38  are disposed. 
     With additional reference to FIG. 3, the bottom wall  18  includes a counterbored bottom opening  42  that connects to the cavity of the housing  12 . A base cover  44  fits snugly within a counterbored edge (not shown) of the bottom opening  42 . The bottom cover  44  includes a latch  48  disposed near a peripheral edge  50  of the base cover  44 . The latch  48  is L-shaped having a bottom latch portion  52  extending upwardly from the base cover  44  and upper latch portion  54  normal to the bottom latch portion  52  and extending radially outwardly from the bottom latch portion  52 . A spring lock  56  is disposed along the peripheral edge  50  of the base cover  44  and is positioned one-hundred and eighty degrees opposite from the latch  48 . The spring lock  56  includes a detent  58  that is selectively movable between a resting position wherein the detent  58  protrudes radially outwardly relative to the peripheral edge  50  of the base cover  44  and a compressed position wherein the detent  58  does not protrude beyond the peripheral edge  50  of the base cover  44 . Together, the latch  48  and the spring lock  56  allow the base cover  44  to be removably secured to the bottom wall  18  of the housing  12  closing the bottom opening  42 . 
     Alternatively, the bottom wall  18  may include only a battery compartment cover that slides or pivots open to allow for replacement of batteries used to power the toy  10  such as found on conventional battery powered devices. In this arrangement, there would not be a need for the base cover  44 . 
     The domed cover  14  includes a rounded top side  60  and a substantially flat underside  62 . A rounded mirror  64  is received in a counterbored opening  66  located on the flat underside  62  of the domed cover  14 . The domed cover  14  connects to the cylindrical housing  12  by a hinged connection comprising a pin receptor  68  and a pin  70 . The pin receptor  68  is an elongated tubular structure that connects at or near a peripheral edge  32  of the domed cover  14 . The pin  70  is positioned within the pin receptor  68  and engages the pin recesses  38  of the housing  12  to pivotally secure the domed cover  14  to the housing  12 . 
     With additional reference to FIG. 4, a light source  74  is received within the cavity of the housing  12 . In the preferred embodiment, the light source  74  is an LED light. However, the light source  74  may be any other suitable lighting such as a laser light or the like. The light source  74  comprises a regulating circuit board  76  for creating a light beam, an adjustable top  78  for adjusting the width of the light beam, and a pair of leads  80 , 82  for powering the light source  74 . 
     The light source  74  is supported on a rotating disc platform  84  and surrounding by a cylindrical support collar  86 . The leads  80 , 82  pass through a port  88  located in a side of the supporting collar  86  and connect to terminals  90 , 92  on a top side of the rotating disc platform  84 . The rotating disc platform  84  includes a groove  94  along a radial edge  96  thereon for receiving a rubber ring (not shown). On an underside of the rotating disc platform  84 , a cylindrical extension member  100  extends downward and holds a pair of lead contact rings  102 , 104  thereon. 
     A hole  106  extends through an axial center of the rotating disc platform  84  from the top side to the underside and through the extension member  100 . The hole  106  receives a pin member  108  for rotatably connecting the rotating disc platform  84  to a base plate  110 . A pin recess  112  is disposed on an upper surface of the base plate  110  for receiving the pin member  108 . 
     The base plate  110  also includes a terminal recess  114  on the upper face thereof. A bolt screw  116  connects a contact terminal  118  to the base plate  110  by screwing into the terminal recess  114 . The contact terminal  118  includes positive and negative leads  120 , 122  separated by an insulator  124 . The position of the terminal recess  114  relative to the pin recess  112  allows for contact between the terminal leads  120 , 122  and corresponding lead contact rings  102 , 104  of the rotating disc platform  84  while causing minimal frictional drag on the extended member  100  of the rotating disc platform  84 . 
     The base plate  110  includes a mounting hole  126  for securing the disc platform  84  to an electric motor  128 . More specifically, a pulley member  130  fastens securely onto a shaft  132  of the motor  128  and sandwiches the base plate  110  securely therebetween. The pulley member  130  securely carries a friction ring  134  in a channel  136  thereon. The pin recess  112  is positioned relative to the mounting hole  126  such that the friction ring  134  is in frictional engagement with the rubber ring of the rotating disc platform  84 . Thus, if the pulley member  130  and its frictional ring  134  rotate, the frictional contact between the friction ring  134  and the rubber ring will cause the rotating disc platform  84  to rotate. 
     The electric motor  128  is secured in place by a supporting collar  138 . The supporting collar  138  is secured to the housing  12  via screws  140 . The supporting collar  138  includes a connector port  142  through which a pair of motor leads (not shown) connected to motor terminals  148 , 150  pass. When the electric motor  128  is powered, the motor shaft  132  will rotate and, in turn, the pulley member  130  will rotate and cause rotation of the rotating disc platform  84  as described above. 
     Power for the motor  128  and the light source  74  derives from a conventional battery  152 . Of course, other power sources could be used such as conventional AC power or other battery arrangements. The battery  152  is removably secured within a portion of the cavity by means of a conventional battery mounting bracket (not shown). The battery  152  is accessible, for replacement, by removing the base cover  44  from the housing  12 . A battery terminal connector  154  connects a pair of battery leads  156 , 158  from the battery  152  to a printed circuit board (not shown) with a microswitch  162  connected therebetween. The microswitch  162  toggles between an off position where power is prevented from reaching the circuit board and an on position where power freely passes to the circuit board. 
     The printed circuit board can include a fixed voltage regulator chip for reducing the voltage produced by the battery  152  to a suitable voltage when necessary. The circuit board also includes a timer circuit comprising a timer chip, a resistor, and an electrolytic capacitor. The timer chip is in electrical communication with the leads  120 , 122  of the contact terminal  118 , thus, providing power to the light source  74 . 
     The circuit board further includes magnetic reed relay energized by the timer chip for supplying power to an oscillator chip. The oscillator chip is connected to a resistor and capacitor for determining a frequency thereof. The oscillator chip drives a miniature relay for supplying current pulses to the electric motor  128  via the motor terminals  148 , 150  and thereby moving the rotational position of the light source  74 . All of the relay inputs are filtered by a pair of miniature capacitors and a switching diode combination to absorb any voltage spikes generated by collapsing magnetic fields of relay coils. 
     To operate the pet toy  10 , a user opens the domed cover  14  allowing the microswitch  162  to move to the on position. More particularly, the microswitch  162  is normally bias toward the on position. However, when the domed cover  14  is closed against the housing  12 , the domed cover  14  acts on the microswitch  162  and causes the microswitch  162  to move to and remain in the off position. When the domed cover  14  is open, the microswitch  162  is free to move to the on position. 
     With the microswitch  162  in the on position, power from the battery  152  flows to the circuit board. The timer circuit permits voltage to flow continuously therethrough for a predefined period of time, such as fifteen minutes. Of course, the predefined period of time may vary depending upon the precise components of the timer circuit and arrangement thereof. 
     If the microswitch  162  remains in the on position for the predefined period of time, the timer circuit acts to disrupt the flow of electricity to the light source  74  and the electric motor  128 . The timer circuit will not allow electricity to pass until the microswitch  162  is reset, i.e., moved to the off position. Moving the microswitch  162  to the off position may be accomplished manually or by closing the domed cover  14 . In the off position, the microswitch  162  prevents electricity from flowing to the timer circuit allowing it to reset for the next time the microswitch  162  is moved to the on position. 
     When the microswitch  162  is in the on position and the timer circuit allows electricity to pass therethrough, the light source  74  is actuated. Further, current pulses are generated and sent to the electric motor  128  via the oscillator chip and associated relays to intermittently drive the motor  128  thereby moving the light source  74 . In a preferred form, the motor  128  rotates the lights source  74  and, at random intervals, the motor  128  stops and pauses before resuming rotation of the light source  74 . In this manner, the light beam generated by the light source  74  rotates in a radially outward direction from the pet toy  10  while periodically making random stops. Thus, a pet is entertained by the rotating light beam generated by the pet toy  10  that varies its pattern of rotating and stopping. 
     In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the domed cover  14  includes a locking pivotal connector that secures the domed cover  14  to the housing  12 . The locking pivotal connector replaces the pin  70  and pin receptor  68  connection. The locking pivotal connector is configured to allow the domed cover  14  to remain open at various angles or degrees without human assistance. The locking pivotal connector permits the pet toy  10  to project the light beam at various angles depending upon user preference. For example, the locking pin connector may be used to only allow the domed cover  14  to remain open at a fixed number of predefined angles. The predefined angles may be designed to direct the light beam specific distances along a floor and/or at a wall surface. Additionally, a controller may be integrated into the circuit board that only allows the light source  74  to function when the domed cover  14  is secured at these predefined angles. A delay circuit may be added providing a user sufficient time to set the angle of the domed cover  14  and place the pet toy  10  in a desired location before allowing actuation of the light source  74 . 
     The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.