Abstract:
A cover device that houses, protects and safely and economically dispenses a roll shaped product, such as a rolled rawhide or holder roll. The cover device substantially encases a roll-shaped product and effectively prevents the pet from accessing the ends of the product. Relatively small access windows provide chewing access to the roll product. The cover body has a hollow cavity and openings allowing access to the roll product. The roll product can be prevented from rotating within the cavity by one or more pin or tab projections extending within the hollow cavity.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/720,860, filed Dec. 19, 2012, which claimed the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/577,497, filed Dec. 19, 2011, each application being incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to animal chew toys. More particularly, it relates to a cover which houses and dispenses a roll-shaped product, such as an edible rawhide roll or roll-shaped holder with consumable attachments. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Pets play with objects of all kinds, including toys they chew and consume in part or entirely. Artificial bones and other teething toys for exciting the animal&#39;s interest and chewing instincts are well known in the art. Dogs, in particular, like to chew on household objects or manufactured pet toys. 
         [0004]    Chewable objects perform a number of useful functions for pets. They provide exercise for the pets&#39; jaw muscles, they massage the pets&#39; gums and thus clean the pets&#39; teeth and they provide relief during periods of tooth eruption when animals, specifically puppies, are teething. Chewable objects also provide entertainment for occupying the pets&#39; attention. It is often the case that dogs instinctively consume, in part or in whole, objects that are not beneficial to the health of the animal. Even certain pet products for dogs can be detrimental to the dog when larger pieces are torn apart and consumed. 
         [0005]    Chewable pet toys have been available for many years. Many are impregnated with odors or flavoring materials which are attractive to the pet. These toys are made of various materials, such as rawhide, rubber and plastic. One shortcoming of these products is that after a short period of time the flavor diminishes and the animal loses interest in the toy. 
         [0006]    A variety of chew toys and chew products have been manufactured for the entertainment of pets. These chew toys and chew products are made from a variety of materials. For example, rawhide, woven fabrics, plastic or rope have been used but they are subject to breakdown from continued chewing and may also cause digestive problems if large or sharp pieces are swallowed. Softer chew toys and chew products may not be used while the pet is unattended for extended periods since, by instinct, pets will consume the pieces. More stable materials, such as rubber or plastic have also been used for such chewable objects but frequently these materials have undesirable tastes and quickly lose the attention of the pet. A variety of methods have been developed to impregnate chewable objects with odor or flavor extracts or animal meals. These products have limited success in exciting the pet into chewing a chew toy manufactured with undesirable materials. 
         [0007]    A significant limitation of rawhide roll toys for pets includes the tendency of the pet to unwrap and quickly consume large portions of the rawhide roll. Such quick consumption of rawhide rolls is uneconomical and can even lead to severe digestive problems. It has been observed that free access to the exposed ends of the rawhide roll allows the pet to chew and quickly consume the rawhide roll. Another significant limitation of known rawhide rolls is the staining of furniture, carpet, clothing, etc. that come into contact with a saliva-wetted roll. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention overcomes the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art by providing a non-edible cover that houses, protects and safely and economically dispenses edible products, such as a rolled rawhide, or pet-engageable products, such as rope, dental nubs, or brush attachments secured to a holder inserted into the cover. 
         [0009]    A cover device of the present invention substantially encases a rawhide roll or similar shaped holder. Relatively small access windows are provided upon the device for chewing access to the rawhide roll or attachments secured to the holder. In one embodiment, small scent windows are provided adjacent the ends of the rawhide roll to further enhance the smell of the rawhide roll. The device of the present invention thus protects and extends the life of the rawhide roll as compared to traditional unprotected rawhide rolls. In addition to extending the life of a rawhide roll, the cover device of the present invention tends to prevent or minimize staining and damage to surfaces caused by contact with saliva-wetted rawhide rolls. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, the cover device is generally bone-shaped having an elongated body member with a bulbous portion at each end to cover and protect the ends of the rawhide roll or holder. The body member has a hollow cavity along its axis and a pair of openings allowing access to the rolled rawhide or attachments secured to the holder. A chewable rawhide roll or similar product, which has a cross-section that corresponds to the shape of the hollow cavity, is held within the cover device. 
         [0011]    The rolled rawhide or holder is prevented from exiting the hollow cavity by end portions of the cover device. In one embodiment, the rolled rawhide or holder is prevented from rotating within the cavity by one or more pin projections within the hollow cavity. 
         [0012]    The rawhide roll or holder may be sized to be held within a generally cylindrical hollow cavity of the cover device, e.g. the diameter and length of the roll is approximately the same size as the diameter and length of the hollow cavity. Preferably, the rawhide roll or holder is slightly larger than the hollow cavity of the cover device so that the resilient body of the cover device tends to maintain the rawhide roll or holder within the hollow cavity. 
         [0013]    The rawhide roll or attachments to the holder may be accessible to the pet via a pair of access windows defined in the cover device. The access windows may be on opposite sides of the cover device. The access windows may be surrounded by a plurality of pet teeth engaging or gum stimulating structures. The access windows are preferably positioned away from the ends of the rawhide roll or holder. 
         [0014]    The rawhide roll or holder may include one or more cavities for engaging a pin or tab of the cover device. One or more pins or tabs engage the cavities of the rawhide roll or holder and prevent the roll or holder from being unwound or rotated by the pet. The pins or tabs may be molded into the chew toy or may be separate components positioned during assembly. In one embodiment, one cavity is aligned with the end edge of the roll. 
         [0015]    Therefore, the principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved chew toy and chew product dispensing system. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved chew toy and chew product dispensing system that occupies the pet for extended periods of time and will allow it to remain with the pet for any length of time unattended without fear of the pet eating the whole chew product causing harm to the pet or spoiling their appetite by consuming too much of the chew product. And finally, although carpets and other floor surfaces are not protected entirely by the present device, the degree of staining is reduced. 
         [0016]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    In the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification and wherein like numerals and letters refer to like parts wherever they occur: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cover device of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the cover device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the cover device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is another perspective view of the cover device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the cover device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the cover device of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the cover device of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a rolled product suitable for use with the cover device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the rolled product of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the rolled product of  FIG. 9  taken along lines  10 - 10 . 
           [0028]      FIGS. 11A ,  11 B,  11 C and  11 D depict insertion of the rolled product of  FIG. 8  into the cover device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 12  is a top view of a second embodiment of the cover device of the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIGS. 13 through 15  are perspective views of the holder and attachments of the cover device of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0031]      FIG. 16  is a side view of an attachment of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0032]      FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional view of the cover of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0033]      FIG. 18  is a cross sectional view of the cover and holder and attachments of  FIG. 12 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0034]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the basic structure of the present invention is shown. The roll product dispensing device includes an elongated cover body  10  having two bulbous knobs  12  and  14  at opposite ends for covering and protecting ends of a rawhide roll  16 . Small portions of the rolled rawhide or similar shaped product extend from a cavity within the cover body  10  through a pair of access openings  20 . Rawhide roll  16  may be a dried rolled rawhide product that is intended to be consumed by the pet. In another embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 12-18 , rawhide roll  16  may be replaced with a generally cylindrical-shaped holder  116  having removable attachments  118  that are secured to the holder  116 . The attachments  118  are accessible to the pet and are intended to be replaced as needed. 
         [0035]      FIG. 2  illustrates the cover body  10  removed from the rawhide roll  16 . The outside surface of cover body  10  includes ridges, bumps and valleys and other protrusions to provide surface elements  22  which are stimulating to the mouth of the pet. In use, surface elements  22  provide a gentle massaging of the pet&#39;s gums. 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a side perspective of the present invention of  FIG. 1  is shown. Rawhide roll  16  (not shown) resides within the hollow cavity  24  within the main body  10  of the present invention. Pins  26 ,  28  are located near the center of the body  10  and each project inwardly toward each other. In one embodiment, the rawhide roll includes a pair of bores  30  which are engaged by pins  26 ,  28 . Pins  26 ,  28  can be integrated into body  10  or may be separate components secured to body  10  during assembly. Pins  26 ,  28  may be metal, plastic, rubber, etc. 
         [0037]      FIG. 4  is another perspective view of body  10 . 
         [0038]      FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7  are cross-sectional views of body  10 . As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the body  10  includes a pair of small openings  29  at opposite ends of the body. These small openings  29  allow the pet to smell the ends of the rawhide rolls  16  and tend to maintain or improve the pet&#39;s interest in playing with the product. 
         [0039]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the rawhide roll  16 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rawhide roll  16  is a generally cylindrical roll of rawhide material. 
         [0040]      FIG. 8  also shows an alternative means to prevent the rawhide roll from rotating within the body  10 . A simple notch  32  may be positioned on the roll  16  with a corresponding structure of the body  10  (such as a shoulder, flat, etc.) adapted to engage the notch and prevent the roll  16  from rotating. The notch  32  may be positioned at an end of the roll  16  or at some intermediate location. In a preferred embodiment, the notch  32  is positioned directly upon the seam or end edge of the roll  16 . By so positioning the notch  32 , the seam or end edge can be automatically aligned away from the access windows upon inserting into the body  10 , thus preventing the pet from grasping and unraveling the rawhide roll  16 . In alternative embodiments, the notch  32  may be positioned at the circular end face of the rawhide roll  16 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 9  is another perspective view of the rawhide roll  16 . The bore  30  is preferably aligned with an end edge of the rawhide roll so as to limit the degree to which the roll can be unwound by pet chewing activity. 
         [0042]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the rawhide roll  16  taken through lines  10 - 10  in  FIG. 9 . The pair of bores  30  are shown to extend inwardly toward a roll center. A diameter of bores  30  is sized to approximate a diameter of the pins  26 ,  28  of body  10 . 
         [0043]    In the illustrated embodiments, the generally cylindrical external shape of the rawhide roll  16  lies within cavity  24  within the main body  10 . While the preferred embodiment has a cylindrical cavity which corresponds with a cylindrical food product, other non-circular cross-section shapes may be employed. Preferably, the food product fits closely enough within the cavity so that rotation of the food product with respect to the body of the invention is prevented or at least limited. While the preferred embodiment depicts the direct engagement between the pins and the bores of the food product, alternative means can be utilized to minimize unraveling of the rawhide roll. 
         [0044]      FIG. 11  illustrates one method of inserting the rawhide roll  16  into the protective cover body  10 . In  FIG. 11A , roll  16  is inserted into cover body  10  as depicted by the arrow.  FIG. 11B  depicts bending back an upper portion of flexible body  10  while further inserting roll  16  into the cover body  10  as depicted by the arrow.  FIG. 11C  depicts pulling, lifting and covering the upper portion of roll  16  with the upper portion of the cover body  10  as depicted by the arrow.  FIG. 11D  depicts manipulating the cover body  10  relative to the roll  16  in order to seat the cover pins  26 ,  28  into the bore holes  30  of roll  16 . 
         [0045]    In use, the device is given to the dog to chew on with a chew product inserted. Either due to the natural playfulness of a particular dog, or due to the scent and taste of the chew product, or due to the dog&#39;s inability to break up the device and chew on the rest of the chew product, dogs tend to spend considerable time and effort chewing and gnawing on the device. The abstract bone-shaped configuration of the device is believed to contribute to its attraction to a dog. In addition, the contained chew product by its texture, odor, taste and relative softness substantially increases the device&#39;s attraction to the dog. As the device is chewed upon, the device is contacted on many different angles and in many different orientations. This causes the many parts of the body  11  to come in contact with most if not all surfaces of the dogs teeth. The dog thereby, in effect, cleans his own teeth to prevent tooth decay, while enjoying playing with the toy and masticating the chew product. One important aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention is that the ends of roll  16  are covered by cover body  10  to protect against direct chewing by the pet. 
         [0046]    While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, another type of rolled food product may be used for roll  16 . Furthermore, a variety of materials may be used for the body so long as the pet chew is soft enough to be chewable, yet resist tearing and destruction by the pet. The term “roll” as used herein is not limited to a “rolled” product. For example, in alternative embodiments roll  16  may be of a molded or formed material and not necessarily a rolled product. Roll product  16  is thus not limited to a sheet material, such as hide material, which is rolled upon itself Roll  16  may assume a variety of cross-sections and not necessarily circular. Roll  16  may be cylinder-shaped or may assume a different form. In alternative embodiments, the roll  16  may comprise rolled beef or pork products. For example, roll  16  may comprise a beef jerky material. Roll  16  may also comprise a chew treat molded from ground beef, turkey, pork, chicken, fish, etc. Roll  16  may also comprise a hard biscuit material or “dental chew” material. In another embodiment, roll  16  comprises a yogurt stick or dried sausage or yak cheese materials. A variety pack of rolls  16  may include different meats or other materials. 
         [0047]    The cover body  10  may comprise any plastic or rubber suitable for safe interaction with an animal. Preferably, the cover body comprises a resilient elastomeric material which may provide the durability required for longevity. Cover body  10  is preferably non-edible and is intended to be used over time with a plurality of edible roll products  16 . 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIG. 12 , a second embodiment of the roll product dispensing device of the present invention is designated as numeral  100 . Device  100  includes a cover body  110  having two bulbous knobs  112  and  114  at opposite ends for covering and protecting ends of a roll-shaped holder  116 . Attachments  118  are secured to the holder  116  with the attachments  118  extending through access openings  120  of holder  116 . 
         [0049]    The cover body  110 , like the cover body  10  of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-11 , has an outside surface which includes ridges, bumps and valleys and other protrusions to provide surface elements  22  which are stimulating to the mouth of the pet. In use, these surface elements provide a gentle massaging of the pet&#39;s gums. 
         [0050]      FIGS. 13 through 15  illustrates holder  116  and attachments  118  secured to holder  116 . Attachments  118  secured to holder  116  via threads. Holder  116  includes threaded end openings  122  which can be used to secure additional attachments to holder  116 . Attachments  118  can be replaced after wear or deterioration. 
         [0051]      FIG. 16  is a side view of attachment  118 . Dental nubs  160  are provided on an external surface of attachment  118 . An opening  162  in attachment  118  allows a rope or other structure to be attached. 
         [0052]      FIG. 17  is a cross-section of cover body  110 . A tab  170  extends from a surface of body  110  and is adapted to engage a notch  172  in holder  116  (notch shown in  FIG. 13 ) to prevent rotation of holder  116  within cover body  110 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 18  is a cross-section of cover body  110  and holder  116 . Attachments  118  are secured via threads  180  in holder  116 . Attachments  118  can include a variety of structures such as brushes, bone segments, tails, ropes, etc. Attachments  118  are designed to be replaced after a period of use and wear. Attachments  118  can include a small container for an edible treat. 
         [0054]    Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.