Abstract:
An edible pet chew has a single sheet of a hardened chewable material dimensioned large enough and thin enough to be initially malleable for flexing, folding or rolling into a final shape. The single sheet is shaped into a final shape by flexing, folding or rolling and then hardened.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The field of this invention relates to an edible pet chew. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    A single visit to a pet supermarket makes it readily apparent that there is a wide selection of rawhide and other synthetic chew toys manufactured and shaped for dogs and other carnivorous pets to chew on. Pet owners believe chew toys are desirable for cleaning the teeth of dogs and other pets, providing for dental hygiene and resulting in better breath. The chew toys also distract the pet from chewing on other objects such as shoes or furniture. 
         [0003]    Many of these chew toys have been made from synthetic materials such as plastic, for example, nylon or even rubber to provide a long lasting chew toy. These synthetic chew toys are indigestible and may pose a health risk if the dog bites off a portion and swallows it. Secondly, these toys may lose a dog&#39;s interest because the toy typically has no flavor or other chew incentive. 
         [0004]    Other chew toys are made from rawhide. Rawhide also has no inherent flavor and thus may lose a dog&#39;s interest after only a short chew time. To overcome the lack of flavor and taste of rawhide, many manufacturers have attempted to add flavor to the pet chew by adding jerky, natural flavors or even pig hide in addition to the rawhide. Flavors may also be injected into the rawhide, marinated into the rawhide, wrapped in the rawhide or impregnated into the rawhide. 
         [0005]    Many people are concerned that the manufacture of rawhide is a relatively unregulated industry. The origins of the rawhide may be unknown and the degree of contamination of the rawhide with antibiotics, insecticides or other detrimental elements for example, lead, may also be unknown. Furthermore, rawhide provides no nutritional benefits and is only slowly digestible if at all. These concerns, whether they all be true or unfounded, initiate a desire for dog and other pet owners to seek alternative ways to provide a chew treat for a pet without the use of rawhide. 
         [0006]    One such pet chew recently placed on the market is a product made from a solid molded wheat based material with glycerin, gelatin, monoglycerides of edible fatty acid, and natural flavor. It also contains chlorophyll which is marketed to improve the dog&#39;s breath. This molded plant material composite is molded into an elongated shape with one end shaped like a toothbrush head and an opposite end shaped like an epiphysis i.e. end of a long bone. 
         [0007]    It is also known to make a jerky-like material both in texture and taste from soy protein isolate and wheat starch formed into elongated strips. It is also known to provide an extruded composite for dry diets formed from emulsified meat and grain meal byproducts. 
         [0008]    It is also popular to have a treat made from a layer of rawhide or composite with rawhide and a layer or sheet of jerky laid onto the rawhide layer, the layers are then wrapped together and knotted to provide a bone like appearance. However, these multiple layer and knotted pet chews are relatively expensive. The whole sheets of rawhide are prone to produce waste and the sheets of jerky are expensive. The assembly of the multiple sheets of rawhide and jerky is also difficult to automate and thus is relatively expensive. 
         [0009]    What is needed is an improved edible pet chew that has a single sheet of hardened and chewable plant based material that is initially malleable for folding, rolling or flexing into a final shape. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0010]    In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an edible pet chew has a single sheet of hardened chewable material dimensioned large enough and thin enough to be initially malleable for flexing, folding or rolling into a final shape. The single sheet is shaped by flexing, folding or rolling before hardening into the final shape. Preferably, the single sheet is a hardened chewable substantially plant based material. 
         [0011]    In one embodiment, the single sheet of plant based material is a substantially starch composition. In one embodiment, the single sheet has chunks of the cured or dried animal flesh material embedded therein. Preferably, the plant based material is extruded to form the single sheet. The single sheet is preferably rolled and knotted at each end to form the final shape of the pet chew. 
         [0012]    In one embodiment, the single sheet is rolled to form a cylindrical roll and has a first edge section having a different appearance or flavor from a mid-section of the single sheet. The first edge section is positioned at an outer edge of the cylindrical roll. 
         [0013]    Preferably, the single sheet has first and second co-extruded areas with a different appearance or flavor from each other. 
         [0014]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an edible pet chew has a co-extruded single sheet of hardened chewable material dimensioned large enough and thin enough to be initially malleable for flexing, folding or rolling into a final shape. A first section of the co-extruded single sheet has a first appearance or first flavor. A second section of the co-extruded sheet has a second appearance or second flavor. The single sheet is shaped by flexing, folding or rolling before hardening into its final shape. In one embodiment, the first and second sections are respective first and second layers of the co-extruded single sheet. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    Reference now is made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a single sheet of a plant based starch material forming an edible pet chew in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the edible pet chew using the single sheet shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is another embodiment having two knotted ends to simulate the epiphyses of a bone with a diaphysis in the middle using the single sheet shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a single co-extruded sheet of a plant based starch material forming an edible pet chew in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the edible pet chew using the single sheet shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is another embodiment having two knotted ends to simulate the epiphyses of a bone with a diaphysis in the middle using the single sheet shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing a single sheet of a plant based starch material with embedded chunks of meat interspersed throughout forming an edible pet chew in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the edible pet chew using the single sheet shown in  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is another embodiment having two knotted ends to simulate the epiphyses of a bone with a diaphysis in the middle using the single sheet shown in  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0025]      FIG. 1  illustrates a single sheet  10  of a plant based composition, for example a wheat starch mixed with a gelatin or other binder for example glycerin. The single sheet  10  can be formed by extrusion, rolling, pressing or other process so that it is flat and thin. Its thickness preferably ranges from 2 mm to 5 mm. The sheet has width and length dimensions preferably ranging from 10 cm to 20 cm each. The term “plant based” means material having substantially over 50% of plant material. The gelatin may be a small percentage by weight, for example 5%, to provide sufficient malleability, moldability, extrudability, and formability as set forth in further detail below. Other plant materials may be substituted for the above mentioned materials as long as the material is a cohesive material that can be rolled and formed in a malleable state and eventually hardened by heat or drying into a hard but chewable matter for use by a carnivorous pet. 
         [0026]    The single sheet  10  has a first edge section  12  and a second edge section  14  that may have a visually distinctive appearance, for example, a different color or texture from the remaining mid-section  13  of the sheet  10 . In addition or alternatively, the edges  12 ,  14  may have a different flavor from the remaining mid-section  13 . In one embodiment, the edge sections  12 ,  14  may be colored red to simulate a beef jerky. The edge sections  12 ,  14  may also have a meat or other attractive scent or flavor infused or otherwise added to them. The flavor additive may be either artificial or real. 
         [0027]    The single sheet  10  as shown in  FIG. 1  is then rolled up as shown in  FIG. 2  to form a cylinder roll shaped edible pet chew  16 . The pet chew  16  has end sections  25  that appear from an end view to have a spiral shape  18 . The edge section  14  is near the center or interior of the pet chew  16 . The edge section  12  of single sheet  10  is positioned at the exterior side of pet chew  16  and provides an illusion that a piece of beef jerky extends out of a roll. The cylinder shaped pet chew  16  is then allowed to dry to harden the composition forming the single sheet  10 . 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , an alternate shaped pet chew  116  can be formed to more closely simulate an elongated bone with an elongated middle section  115  also referred to as a diaphysis and opposite simulated epiphyses  117  formed by knots  132  tied at each end section  25  of the cylinder shaped assembly  16  as shown in  FIG. 2  before it&#39;s hardened. The alternately shaped edible pet chew  116  still has the same flavored or colored edge section  12 , positioned at an outer portion of the epiphyses  117  as well as at the exterior side of the elongated middle section  115  to stimulate a beef jerky strip extending out of the bone. Edge section  14  is positioned to the interior of the pet chew  116  but can be detected by the dog&#39;s keen sense of smell to maintain the dog&#39;s interest in the pet chew. 
         [0029]    Another alternate embodiment of the sheet for making a pet chew is shown in  FIGS. 4-6  which show a single co-extruded sheet  210 . The coextruded sheet has two layers, one layer  212  has a different flavor or a visually distinctive appearance for example, a different color or texture from the other layer  214  of single sheet  210 . In one embodiment, the layer  112  may be colored red to simulate a beef jerky and infused with a meat flavor. The flavor additive may again be either artificial or real. The co-extruded sheet can be a square or rectangular shape with edges  220 ,  222 ,  224  and  226 . 
         [0030]    The single sheet  210  as shown in  FIG. 4  is then rolled up as shown in  FIG. 5  to form a cylinder shaped edible pet chew  216 . The pet chew  116  has end sections  225  that appear from an end view to have a spiral shape  218 . The sheet  210  is rolled such that the layer  214  is considered the inner layer. The layer  212  of sheet  210  is positioned at the exterior side of the rolled pet chew  216 . Edges  220 ,  222 ,  224 , and  226  of layer  214  are visible after the rolled pet chew  216  is formed. The edges  220 ,  222 ,  224 , and  226  of layer  214  form the illusion of beef jerky rolled into in the rolled pet chew  216 . The cylinder shaped pet chew  216  is then allowed to dry to harden the composition forming the single sheet  210 . 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , an alternate shaped pet chew  316  can be formed to more closely simulate an elongated bone with an elongated middle section  315  also referred to as a diaphysis and opposite simulated epiphyses  317  formed by knots  332  tied at each end section  225  of the cylinder shaped assembly  216  as shown in  FIG. 5  before it&#39;s hardened. The alternately shaped edible pet chew  316  has the flavored, textured or colored layer  214  with the edge  224  of layer  214  exposed at the epiphyses  317  as well as at the elongated middle section  315 . 
         [0032]    Another alternate embodiment of a single sheet  410  for making a pet chew is shown in  FIGS. 7-9  which shows a single extruded sheet  410  with flavor chunks  411  of dried meat or other flavored food stuff embedded therein. The chunks  411  are preferably visible from either side of the single sheet  410 . The single sheet  410  as shown in  FIG. 7  is then rolled up as shown in  FIG. 8  to form a cylinder shaped edible pet chew  416 . The pet chew  416  has rolled end sections  225  that appear from an end view to have a spiral shape  418 . The cylinder shaped pet chew  416  is then allowed to dry to harden the composition forming the single sheet  410 . 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 9 , an alternate shaped pet chew  516  can be formed to more closely simulate an elongated bone with an elongated middle section  515  also referred to as a diaphysis and opposite simulated epiphyses  517  formed by knots  532  tied at each end  425  of the cylinder shaped assembly  416  as shown in  FIG. 8  before it&#39;s hardened. The alternately shaped edible pet chew  516  has the chunks  411  embedded in the sheet  410  and visible at an outer portion of the epiphyses  517  as well as therebetween at the exterior side of the elongated middle section  515 . Depending on the desired size of the chunks  411 , the chunks  411  may either be extruded with the plant based composition or rolled into the plant based composition after the plant based composition is extruded. 
         [0034]    In this fashion, by providing an edible pet chew with a hardened and chewable or casing made from a plant based material instead of rawhide, one avoids all the concerns, whether real or perceived, regarding the use of rawhide. Secondly, the plant based material has inherent nutrition and may be easily provided with added nutritional ingredients such as vitamins and minerals if desired. While a plant based starch is preferred it is foreseen that a plant based protein also may be used as a major component of the single sheet. 
         [0035]    Furthermore, the second sheet edge section or coextruded second layer of the single sheet can be infused with flavor to provide a taste incentive for the pet to continue to chew and not lose interest in the pet chew after only a short period of time. 
         [0036]    Other variations and modifications are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.