Abstract:
An apparatus is provided that prevents a pet from tipping over a food dish. The dish is placed in an open framework having a lid that covers only a portion of the dish, allowing a pet to access the dish for feeding. The apparatus includes spikes to anchor the framework into the ground. Additionally, the apparatus includes extensions, to adjust the height of the dish above the ground.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a holder for a pet dish. More particularly, the present invention relates to a holder for a pet dish that allows a pet to access a bowl of food or water, while preventing the pet from tipping over or moving the bowl. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Pet owners, and particularly owners of large pets, such as large dogs, often face the common problem of the pet tipping over and spilling its food and/or water bowls. Such is undesirable, especially when the pet is kept outdoors for an extended period of time, requiring adequate supplies of food and water. Additionally, outdoor feeding leads to increased difficulties with sanitation and bugs. 
     Several pet bowls have been developed to prevent a pet from tipping over the bowl and spilling its food. Each of these bowls has been designed specifically to include spikes that can be set in the ground to hold the bowl in position without tipping over. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,202,131, issued to Jones, discloses the use of retractable spikes attached to a bowl to allow the bowl to be anchored to the ground. This bowl requires the pet owner to remove the spikes from the ground whenever the bowl is to be removed for cleaning and refilling of food/water. Such is inconvenient for the pet owner and may become even more taxing during periods of dry weather when hard ground conditions make repetitive removal and replacement of the spikes difficult. U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,276, issued to Raposa, also discloses a bowl that utilizes a spike to anchor the bowl to the ground. The bowl of Raposa has been specially designed with a cylindrical post in the middle to accept the spike. While the bowl of Raposa can be removed from the spike for cleaning and refilling, only the specially designed bowl can be held in position by the spike. 
     In addition to the pet dishes discussed above, several pet dish holders have also been developed in an attempt to address the needs of pet owners. An example of a pet dish holder that has been designed to anchor into the ground is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,773, issued to Richardson. Richardson discloses a solid frame dish holder that is anchored to the ground by a screw. A specially designed dish fits into the solid frame. The pet dish holder of Richardson has several disadvantages that are undesirable to many pet owners. The primary disadvantage is that the solid, closed framework of Richardson is specifically designed to retain a trough of water to isolate the dish from the ground and from crawling insects. In addition to retaining water, this solid framework will tend to retain food particles and other debris, requiring removal of the dish holder from the ground for proper cleaning. Insufficient cleansing of the dish performed by the pet owner will result in unsanitary conditions, creating a health hazard for the pet. As many pet owners do not have time to constantly remove the dish holder from the ground, it is desirable to develop a dish holder that does not require active cleaning by the pet owner. Another disadvantage of the dish holder of Richardson is the fact that it is designed only to hold a dish that has been specially designed for the holder. This holder does not allow pet owners the flexibility to easily substitute or replace dishes. 
     It is desirable to design a sanitary pet dish holder that will prevent spillage of food and water that also allows for interchangeability of bowls of various shapes and sizes. It is also desirable to design a pet dish holder that does not require a pet owner to actively clean the holder. Additionally, owners of large pets often desire elevated dish holders to improve their pet&#39;s posture during feeding. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A principle object of the present invention is to provide a pet dish holder that will prevent spillage of food and water. This is accomplished through a framework designed to hold a bowl in position. Projecting from the framework are several spikes designed to anchor the holder to the ground. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a pet dish holder that allows for interchangeability of bowls of various shapes and sizes. This object is attained through the inclusion of a partial lid attached to the framework. The lid is adapted to provide access to the bowl and simultaneously to prevent extraction of the dish from the frame while the lid is in a closed position. The lid can be attached to the frame by a hinge or latch mechanism, or by a combination of both a hinge and a latch. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pet dish holder that requires no active cleaning by the pet owner. This object is achieved through the use of an open framework that allows food particles and other debris to fall through the framework away from the dish holder. 
     Another object of the instant invention is to provide a pet dish holder that is elevated to improve a large pet&#39;s posture while feeding. This is accomplished through the use of extensions between the spikes and the frame. In addition to improving posture, the extensions also improve the passive cleaning properties of the dish holder by raising the holder off the ground away from fallen food particles and debris. 
     The foregoing and other objects are intended to be illustrative of the invention and are not meant in a limiting sense. Many possible embodiments of the invention may be made and will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and accompanying drawings comprising a part thereof. Various features and subcombinations of invention may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A Preferred embodiment of the invention illustrative of the best mode in which the applicant has contemplated applying the principles, is set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dish holder of the present invention showing the lid in an open position. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the invention of FIG. 1 showing the lid in an open position. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the invention of FIG. 1 showing the lid in a closed position for proper feeding. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of the invention placed in an open position for insertion and removal of a bowl is provided. Dish  100  is shown in phantom as it is being inserted into pet dish holder  10 . Lid  40  is in a raised position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to allow for the insertion and removal of dish  100  into holder  10 . 
     Pet dish holder  10  is constructed as an open framework to prevent collection of food particles and other debris within holder  10 . Dish  100  rests within holder  10  on bottom cross-member supports  65  and  66 . Bottom cross-member supports  65  and  66 , lower-front wall member  61 , and lower-rear wall member  62  are connected to lower side-wall members  60  and  64  to form the bottom side of dish holder  10 . The bottom side of dish holder  10  is connected to the top side of dish holder  10  via corner cross-members  86 ,  87 ,  88  and  89  and via central cross-members  80 ,  81 ,  82  and  84 . Central cross-members  80 ,  81 ,  82  and  84  prevent insertion and removal of a dish through the vertical walls (i.e. side-walls, front wall and rear wall) of holder  10 . The top side of dish holder  10  is formed by the connection of upper side-wall members  70  and  74  to upper-front wall member  71  and upper-rear wall member  72 . 
     Lid  40  is constructed as an open framework by connecting side-lid members  42  and  46  to front-lid member  48  and rear-lid member  44 . Lid  40  has the same dimensions as the top side of the dish holder formed from members  70 ,  71 ,  72  and  74 . As can be seen from FIG. 2, lid  40  is attached to the top side of dish holder  10  via hinges  30 . 
     As is shown in FIG. 3, lid  40  includes diagonal cross-members  52 ,  54 ,  56  and  58 . Diagonal cross-member  52  is positioned at a forty-five degree angle with respect to side-lid member  42  and front-lid member  48 . Diagonal cross-member  54  is positioned at a forty-five degree angle with respect to side-lid member  42  and rear-lid member  44 . Diagonal cross-member  56  is positioned at a forty-five degree angle with respect to rear-lid member  44  and side-lid member  46 . Diagonal cross-member  58  is positioned at a forty-five degree angle with respect to side-lid member  46  and front-lid member  48 . 
     Pet dish holder  10  includes extensions  26 ,  27 ,  28  and  29  projecting from the bottom side of corner cross-members  86 ,  87 ,  88  and  89 , respectively. Extensions  26 ,  27 ,  28  and  29  include pointed spikes  21 ,  22 ,  23  and  24  respectively, for anchoring holder  10  to the ground. 
     Pet dish holder  10  can include a latch attached to lid  40  and upper-front wall member  71 . As the pet dish holder can be constructed of various materials such as plastic or metal, a latch may be unnecessary, depending upon the material used to construct dish holder  10 . For example, in a preferred embodiment, dish holder  10  is constructed of wrought iron; constructing the holder of such a material results in sufficient lid weight to prevent most pets from improperly raising lid  40  and removing dish  100 . 
     In operation, pet dish holder  10  is placed outside and anchored to the ground using spikes  21 ,  22 ,  23  and  24 . The ground penetration depth of extensions  26 ,  27 ,  28  and  29  can be adjusted by the pet owner to adjust the feeding height to accommodate the size of the specific animal. An increased ground penetration, reducing the height of bowl  100  above the ground, can be used for shorter pets. Alternatively, a decreased ground penetration, increasing the height of bowl  100  above the ground, can be used for larger pets. 
     Once dish holder  10  has been anchored, a pet owner can raise lid  40  to place bowl  100  in dish holder  10 , as shown in FIG.  1 . The pet owner will then close the lid over the bowl. Once the lid is closed, latch  90  can be used to secure the lid in position. As is shown in FIG. 3, diagonal cross-members  52 ,  54 ,  56  and  58  are positioned in such a way as to prevent removal of bowl  100  from dish holder  10 , while at the same time allowing a pet to access the food or water contained in the bowl. Each diagonal cross-member will cover a section of the rim of the bowl to prevent removal; leaving the majority of the concave portion of bowl  100  open for feeding. 
     As a pet feeds from a dish contained in holder  10 , virtually all dropped food particles will fall through the open framework to the ground; requiring little or no active cleaning by the pet owner. The pet owner can easily brush any particles that do not fall away from the holder off of the open framework. 
     In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described. 
     Certain changes may be made in embodying the above invention, and in the construction thereof, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not meant in a limiting sense. 
     Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the inventive pet dish holder is constructed and used, the characteristics of the construction, and advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, are set forth in the appended claims. 
     It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.