Abstract:
A pet toy includes an internal skeletal member having an inner surface and an outer surface. The internal skeletal member is configured to deform upon compression such that opposing sides of the internal surface come into contact with each other. An outer covering surrounds the skeletal member. A sound-emitting squeaker device is located within an internal space of the internal skeletal member. The sound-emitting squeaker device remains free to move throughout the internal space of the internal skeletal member.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Non-consumable chewable pet toys provide a variety of beneficial functions for the pet carnivore. Chewing on such toys provides the carnivore with masticatory exercise, as well as dental prophylaxis. Irregular shapes impart erratic movements to the toy when rolled or bounced, thereby providing exercise for the animal. Such toys often provide a training function, teaching the carnivore to chew on the toy, rather than on furniture or other valuable items. 
         [0002]    To enhance the attractiveness of the toy to the carnivore, sensory attractants are incorporated into the toy. One attractant commonly employed in chewable pet toys is a noise-producing device that emits a squeak or other attractant sound due to air flowing through the device when the carnivore chews on the toy. Such a noise-producing device is commonly called a “squeaker.” 
         [0003]    The squeaker is mounted to an internal surface of the toy so that compression of a squeaker chamber within the toy, such as by chewing, forces air through the passage to emit a sound. Upon relaxation of the squeaker chamber, the chamber returns to its relaxed, or inflated, state, drawing air through the squeaker passage and again emitting a sound. In some cases, the squeaker chamber is integral with the toy, although in other cases the squeaker device includes its own chamber. In either case, the squeaker chamber is closed so that the squeaker passage forms the only passage for air into and out of the chamber. 
         [0004]    Because the squeaker is mounted to the toy, most carnivorous animals are attracted to the sound from the squeaker to chew on the chew toy at the region of the squeaker device to satisfy their animal instinct to defeat it. Consequently, most animals tend to chew at only the location of the squeaker in the toy, eventually tearing or rupturing the toy at that location. When the toy tears or ruptures at the region of the squeaker, a risk exists that the animal will dislodge the rigid squeaker housing from the toy and will swallow the squeaker, possibly injuring the animal. In addition, if the non-consumable pet toy is a plush toy, stuffing will fall out, causing a mess. 
         [0005]    The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Under one embodiment, a pet toy includes an internal skeletal member having an inner surface and an outer surface. The internal skeletal member is configured to deform upon compression such that opposing sides of the internal surface come into contact with each other. An outer covering surrounds the skeletal member. A sound-emitting squeaker device is located within an internal space of the internal skeletal member. The sound-emitting squeaker device remains free to move throughout the internal space of the internal skeletal member. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, the outer covering includes at least two fabric pieces that are secured together by stitching. The fabric pieces are secured together around a periphery of the internal skeletal member with a machine stitch and are secured together around a remaining portion of the periphery adjacent to an access opening in the skeletal member. 
         [0008]    This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in the background. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates a back perspective view of a pet toy under one embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates a front perspective view of a skeletal member of the pet toy illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates a front plan view of the skeletal member illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  illustrates a back plan view of the skeletal member illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  illustrates a side plan view of the skeletal member illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  illustrates a front perspective view of the skeletal member illustrated in  FIG. 2  including a squeaker. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  illustrates a top plan view of the pet toy illustrated in  FIG. 1  showing the skeletal member positioned within the outer covering and including the squeaker. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  illustrates a front perspective view of the toy illustrated in  FIG. 1  showing the skeletal member positioned within the outer covering and including the squeaker. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  illustrates a sectional view of the  FIG. 8 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  illustrates a front plan view of a pet toy under another embodiment. 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  illustrates a front plan view of a pet toy under yet another embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    Embodiments described herein include a sound attractant non-consumable pet toy having characteristics of a plush toy without the need for filling. In particular, the non-consumable pet toy includes an outer fabric covering surrounding an interior skeletal member for housing an unfixed squeaker device. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a back perspective view of a pet toy  100  under one embodiment. Pet toy  100  includes an outer covering  102 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , outer covering  102  is made of polyester fabric resembling sheepskin, but outer covering  102  can be made of any type of man-made or natural fabric. Examples include wool, cotton, nylon, animal fur, animal hide, courdura. blends or knits and the like. Outer covering  102  includes at least two fabric pieces  104  and  106 . However, any number of pieces of fabric can be used to form outer covering  102 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , fabric piece  104  is secured to fabric piece  106  by for example stitching. In one embodiment, fabric pieces  104  and  106  are secured together around a portion of the periphery of internal skeletal member  112  with a machine stitch  108  and are secured together around a remaining portion of the periphery of the internal skeletal member  112  by a hand stitch  110 . 
         [0022]    Instead of filling pet toy  100  with filling fabric such that a pet can compress the toy with their jaw, pet toy  100  includes an internal skeletal member  112 .  FIG. 2  is a front perspective view,  FIG. 3  is a front view,  FIG. 4  is a back view and  FIG. 5  is a side view of the skeletal member  112  that is positioned internal to outer covering  102  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Skeletal member  112  is a single, unitary member made of a compressible fabric, such as a compressible or pliable rubber. Skeletal member  112  includes an outer surface  114  and an inner surface  116 . Skeletal member  112  includes an access opening  118 . Access opening  118  extends from inner surface  116  to outer surface  118  and allows one to insert an object into the internal space of the skeletal member. 
         [0023]    Skeletal member  112  also includes a plurality of apertures  120  extending from outer surface  114  to inner surface  116  and having of a variety of different geometries. Although apertures  120  are predominantly of a rectangular geometry, any type of geometry is possible. In  FIG. 2 , the rectangular apertures form a repetitive pattern of criss-crossing to resemble a lattice frame structure. When skeletal member  112  is positioned within outer covering  102  ( FIG. 1 ), skeletal member  112  provides support for outer covering  102  to maintain a desirable shape. In addition, when applying opposing forces to pet toy  100 , such as squeezing or clamping on either side of the pet toy, skeletal member  112  is compressible such that the inner surface  116  of one side of the skeletal member can be compressed to touch or come into contact with the inner surface  116  of the other side of the skeletal member. After the forces on the toy are released, skeletal member  112  reverts to its original form or shape and thereby returns outer covering  102  to its uncompressed state. 
         [0024]      FIG. 6  illustrates a front perspective view of skeletal member  112  including a squeaker device  122 . Squeaker device  122  comprises a housing  124  having an air passage  126  therein. A reed or other noise-making device (not shown) is placed in passage  124  so that air passing through passage  124  vibrates the reed or otherwise causes device  122  to emit a sound or noise. 
         [0025]    Squeaker device  122  is inserted through access opening  118  and is left to be retained within the inner surface  116  of skeletal member  112 . Squeaker device  122  is free to move within the internal space of skeletal member  112  and remains unfixed. As previously discussed, carnivorous pets will chew on the same location of a pet toy and specifically at the location of a squeaker. However, because squeaker device  122  is free to move about the internal space of skeletal member  112 , the carnivorous pet will not attempt to repeatedly chew on the toy in the same location thereby tearing or rupturing a particular region of the toy. 
         [0026]      FIG. 7  illustrates a top plan view,  FIG. 8  illustrates a front perspective view and  FIG. 9  illustrates a sectional view of pet toy  100  showing skeletal member  112  positioned within the outer fabric covering  102  and including the squeaker device  122 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , three pieces of fabric  104 ,  105  and  107  are shown, however, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS.  1  and  7 - 9 , pet toy  100  actually includes four pieces of fabric  1104 ,  105 ,  106  and  107 , one of which is hidden from view in  FIG. 7  and opposes fabric piece  104 . 
         [0027]    As illustrated, fabric piece  104  is secured to fabric piece  106 , fabric piece  105  is secured to fabric pieces  104  and  106  and fabric piece  107  is secured to fabric pieces  104  and  106  by, for example, stitching. In one embodiment, fabric pieces  104 ,  106 ,  105  and  107  are secured together around a portion of the periphery of internal skeletal member  112  with a machine stitch  108 . While an opening in fabric piece  107  is secured together around a remaining portion of the periphery of the internal skeletal member  112  by a hand stitch  110 . As illustrated, machine stitch  110  is located adjacent access opening  118 . A machine stitch is a much stronger mechanism for attaching fabric together. This way, a carnivorous pet will have more difficulty in reaching the access opening by chewing when the fabric pieces are sewn together at the access opening with a machine stitch. 
         [0028]      FIG. 10  illustrates a front plan view of a pet toy  200  under another embodiment and  FIG. 11  illustrates a front plan view of a pet toy  300  under yet another embodiment. As illustrated, internal skeletal members  212  and  312  includes different shapes than internal skeletal member  112  illustrated in the first embodiment. Otherwise, internal skeletal members  212  and  312  include the same components of internal skeletal member  112 . For example, internal skeletal members  212  and  312  include outer surfaces  214  and  314 , inner surfaces  216  and  316 , access openings (hidden from view), sound-emitting squeaker devices  222  and  322  and a plurality of apertures  222  and  322 . 
         [0029]    In both of the embodiments illustrated in  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 , internal skeletal members  212  and  312  are located in the main bodies  230  and  330  of the pet toys  200  and  300  and not in appendages (e.g.,  232 ,  332 ) of the pet toy. In addition, fabric pieces are secured to other fabric pieces by, for example, stitching. In one embodiment, fabric pieces are secured together around a portion of the periphery of internal skeletal member  212  and  312  with a machine stitch  208 ,  308  and are secured together around a remaining portion of the periphery of the internal skeletal member  212  and  312  by a hand stitch  210 ,  310 . In particular, machine stitch  210  and  310  is located adjacent an access opening in internal frame members  212  and  312 . 
         [0030]    Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.