Abstract:
A pet treat dispensing system comprising a non-edible, interactive pet toy and means therein for removably mounting an edible pet treat in an exposed position for easy access by a pet, wherein the treat is kept at a distance from stainable surfaces when the toy is in the upright position. A method for dispensing a pet treat is also disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to pet treats and especially to means for dispensing edible pet treats in a manner to be attractive to dogs and other domestic pets.  
         [0003]     2. Problem Presented  
         [0004]     Edible pet treats made from rawhide, natural bone, or various other hard materials such as jerky, nylon, polyurethane, plastic and other synthetic materials are commonly used to satisfy a dog&#39;s instinctive urge to chew, reduce plaque build-up and massage gums. Additionally dogs, cats, and other domestic pets often play with non-edible toys. Examples of such toys are balls, ropes for throw and fetch, and plastic and plush toys with noise-making devices inside them which grunt or squeak when squeezed.  
         [0005]     The problem presented by these toys is that pets have a desire and tendency to chew on items they come in contact with, which means a relatively short life span for any soft pet toy, such as plush or plastic toys with squeakers in them.  
         [0006]     It would be desirable to extend the life of a pet plush toy by combining it with an attractive, edible pet treat that the pet would chew on and consume rather than pulling and chewing on the plush toy. Accordingly, there is a need for a toy which appeals to pets, is long-lasting, satisfies a pet&#39;s need to chew, and at the same time cleans the pet&#39;s teeth.  
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention sets forth a pet treat dispensing system incorporating a non-edible, interactive pet toy and means in the non-edible pet toy for removably mounting or attaching an edible pet treat to place the edible treat in an exposed position so that it will be attractive to the pet and will be the pet&#39;s first choice for chewing. The attaching means allow for replacement of the edible pet treat to allow for a variety of treats and/or to extend the life of the toy by replacing the pet treat when it becomes worn or consumed, and, therefore less attractive for chewing than the toy would be.  
         [0008]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pet toy which has a means for mounting an edible pet treat in an exposed position to provide easy access for chewing by a pet.  
         [0009]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a plush toy having a sound means or other pet attracting means which can be combined with an edible pet treat to provide a composite item for a pet, such as a dog or a cat, which will be attractive to the pet visually, for play purposes and from a consumption point of view.  
         [0010]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a plush toy which is configured to hold large pieces of rawhide which can be used and consumed by a dog in preference to pulling, gnawing or chewing on the plush toy.  
         [0011]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a plush toy and pet treat wherein the plush toy has means for removably mounting the pet treat.  
         [0012]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a plush toy for pets configured to removably hold a rawhide retriever roll to be consumed by a dog.  
         [0013]     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a relatively durable and long-lasting toy which satisfies a dog&#39;s chewing urges and has play value for the dog.  
         [0014]     A further object of the invention is to provide a fun pet treat dispenser which is relatively inexpensive, non-toxic, and which can accommodate a wide variety of pet treats that can be held and dispensed.  
         [0015]     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a pet treat dispenser which has play value, is attractive, and which enables the pet owner to easily dispense pet treats.  
         [0016]     A further object of the present invention is to provide a pet treat dispenser which retains a pet treat in a plush toy so as to reduce the contact of the edible treat with stainable surfaces in the home, such as rugs, carpets, or furniture.  
         [0017]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a pet treat dispenser plush toy which can be used as a toy when there is no treat to dispense.  
         [0018]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a plush toy which dispenses pet treats and which is durable and longer lasting than ordinary plush toys for pets.  
         [0019]     A still further object of the invention is to provide a method for dispensing a pet treat by placing the treat in retainer means mounted to a plush toy.  
         [0020]     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method of dispensing pet treats in such a way that the treat is kept elevated and off the floor or furniture, by being securely held in a plush toy.  
         [0021]     A further object of the invention is to provide a method of removably mounting an edible treat on a plush toy, which treat may be easily removed or replaced.  
         [0022]     These and other objects are accomplished by providing a pet treat dispenser which is improved as compared to commercially available dispensers and pet toys, as it comprises a plush toy having fastening means for removably retaining a pet treat. In another aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a method of dispensing a pet treat by placing a treat in a plush toy having fastening means for removably retaining said pet treat.  
         [0023]     These, and various other and further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example the principles of the invention.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a pet treat dispenser according to the invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2  is a back view of the pet treat dispenser of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the pet treat dispenser of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the pet treat dispenser of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is a right side view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is a left side view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is a front view of a second embodiment of a pet treat dispenser according to the invention.  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  is a back view of the pet treat dispenser of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the pet treat dispenser of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 10  is a bottom view of the pet treat dispenser of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 11  is a right side view of the dispenser of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 12  is a left side view of the dispenser of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 13  is a back view of the pet treat dispenser of  FIG. 7  showing alternate means for removably attaching a pet treat.  
         [0038]      FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view through lines  14 - 14  of  FIG. 13 .  
         [0039]      FIG. 15  is a partial view showing another alternate means for removably attaching a pet treat; 
     
    
       [0040]     Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the figures.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0041]     As shown in the  FIGS. 1 through 15 , a pet treat dispenser, indicated generally by reference number  100 , is made of a plush material, preferably in the shape of an animal. The figure is formed of a flexible, plush fabric outer covering that is stuffed with a resilient, densely packed stuffing or padding material. While not critical to the invention, it is clear that the pet treat dispenser may be made of suitable materials other than plush fabric, for instance, of rubber or plastic or combinations thereof, and may be shaped to any desired appearance and configuration to appeal to pets. For example, the dispenser may be in the configuration of balls, bones, rings, rolls, retrieving objects, twists, or any other actual, novelty, or abstract shape which will pique a pet&#39;s interest.  
         [0042]     The drawings show a pet treat dispenser, indicated generally by reference numeral  100 , which comprises a plush toy  110  such as a panda bear shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , or a monkey  120 , shown in  FIGS. 7-14 . Referring now to  FIGS. 1-6 , the panda  110  has articulated arms  114 , on which is fastened retainer means  116 . It is contemplated that the retaining means  116  may be formed of any suitable material, such as elastic bands, rubber bands, nylon stickers or other elastic material, or adhesive means such as VELCRO®. All such materials must be flexible and soft enough not to damage the pet&#39;s teeth, and have no hard components which may detach or break into sharp fragments which the pet may ingest while playing or chewing on the treat.  
         [0043]     The retaining means  116  is of sufficient length to encircle the pet treat at least once, and preferably is long enough to wrap around a pet treat two or more times to secure the pet treat in the arms of the plush toy treat dispenser. The retaining means are adjustable to fit virtually any size pet treat.  
         [0044]     As shown in  FIGS. 1-12 , the elastic retaining means  116  form loops fastened to each hand, preferably on the palm side, or to other parts of the pet treat dispenser, so as to hold one, two, or more separate pet treats, for instance, to hold a pet treat in both hands, or to hold two pet treats, one in each hand. Retaining means  116  may also be formed to connect both arms  114  of the plush toy, not shown, so as to hold a pet treat in both arms.  
         [0045]     The first and second ends of the elastic retaining means are fixedly attached either to the same anchor point on an appendage of the plush toy or to different anchor points. In use, the user stretches the elastic band to loop it around the pet chew so as to retain it in position.  
         [0046]     One or multiple elastic loops may be attached to each palm of the toy. Providing multiple retaining means enhances the stability of the plush toy. As shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , one arm of the plush toy animal may be raised with respect to the second arm in a resting position, so that the elastic loops secured to the arms of the toy engage the pet treat to hold it in an upright position. The treat has a reclining orientation in the upright use position, with the treat disposed at an angle across the body of the toy figure. One end of the pet treat leans against one leg of the toy figure to stabilize the toy figure in the use position and to assist in supporting the toy in an upright position.  
         [0047]     The pet treat is preferably a rolled rawhide pet chew treat  130  for dogs, or other animals. The pet treat is, of course, not limited to rawhide pet chews, but may comprise other types, configurations, and compositions. The pet treat  130  need not be a cylindrical retriever roll but may comprise a wide variety of treats as long as they are capable of being held within the retaining means  116  connected to the pet treat dispenser  100 . As the arms  114  of the plush pet treat dispenser  100  are articulated, the arms  114  may be moved up, down, and sideways; or the arms  114  may be raised or lowered above and below the head or feet of the plush toy. The arms  114  of the plush toy  110  may assume different positions, thus enabling the pet treat  130  to be retained in different positions with the pet treat  130  exposed for easy access by the pet.  
         [0048]     The pet treat, generally indicated at  130 , preferably consists of a roll of rawhide which is preferably sized and dimensioned to be compatible with the size of the plush toy  110 ,  120 , so that it can be, in effect, grasped or hugged by the toy  110 ,  120 , so as to stabilize the pet treat  130  and, at the same time, still provide access to the pet for consumption. The pet can easily grab, chomp or gnaw, or pull and tug at the edible treat. Pet treats of different sizes and configurations may be placed and removably retained in the pet treat dispenser  100  by varying the length, width, and thickness of the retaining means  116 , so as to hold pet treats  130  of varying sizes and shapes which are suitable for pets of different breeds and sizes. The pet treat  130  is ideally designed so that the pet can easily hold it in its mouth, but cannot easily swallow it whole.  
         [0049]     The plush toy  110 ,  120 , can be moved and manipulated with respect to the pet treat  130  so that the pet treat  130  is, in effect, held at a distance from any stainable surface when the plush toy  100  is placed in its normal resting position, therefore reducing the likelihood that the pet treat  130  will stain any nearby surface.  
         [0050]     The pet treat  130  is readily detachable from the arm  114  for independent use by the pet, yet easily re-attachable for use with the toy  100 .  
         [0051]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the weight of the pet treat secured to the toy figure assists in maintaining the toy stationary and stable.  
         [0052]      FIGS. 7-12  show a second embodiment of the pet treat dispenser  100  of the invention. In this case, a plush toy in the shape of a monkey  120  is shown, in which each of the arms  122  is articulated. In this embodiment, each arm  122  has separate resilient, elastic retainer means  124  to hold the pet treat and to enable the hands  126  at the end of the arms  122  to wrap around and hold the pet treat  130 . In this embodiment, the retaining means  124  comprises two elastic bands on each hand  126  to retain the pet treat  130 .  
         [0053]     Again, in this embodiment the pet treat  130  is shown as a cylindrical roll of rawhide chew. Needless to say, various other types of plush toys can be used as long as they are capable of attaching the pet treat  130  to the toy  120  and positioning the pet treat  130  so that it is retained at a distance from any stainable surface that the toy pet treat dispenser  100  is placed upon.  
         [0054]     When consuming the pet treat, the dog sinks its teeth into the rawhide chew and rubs the chew against its gums while savoring the latent flavor. This exercises the dog&#39;s teeth, jaws and gums, and also clean the dog&#39;s teeth by the abrasive wiping, chewing, and gnawing action of the rawhide pet treat  130  against the surface of the teeth and gums. Tarter or plaque on the pet&#39;s teeth is reduced by the action of chewing and rubbing of the chew against the teeth. The dog has a sustained interest in the pet treat and its toy dispenser, resulting in a prolonged chewing time with a beneficial increase in the abrasive effect on the dog&#39;s teeth surfaces. This helps control plaque and tartar build-up which can lead to gum disease and bad breath. Also, as the pet treat dispenser of the invention attracts and retains the pet&#39;s attention, it reduces a pet&#39;s destructive chewing.  
         [0055]     Referring to  FIGS. 13 through 15 , the retaining means may comprise a hook and loop type fastener, such as that sold under the trademark Velcro® or some other such type fastener, having a hook component  142  and a loop  144  component which forms a reattachable connection. A hook and loop type fastener may be used to attach/detach pet treats to the toy or to attach/detach several surfaces of the same article to the toy. The hook component  142  consists of a fabric backing  145  which contains a plurality of tiny, resilient, upstanding hook-shaped elements  150 . The loop component  144  of the Velcro® type fastener comprises a fabric backing  145  containing a plurality of upstanding loops  148  on its surface. When the hook component  142  and the loop component  144  are pressed together to close the fastener, the hooks  150  entangle the loops  148  and interlock, thus retaining the pet treat  130  in position. The hooks  150  and loops  148  may be disengaged by gradually peeling the components apart, so that the hooks release the loops, detaching the pet treat  130 .  
         [0056]     Referring to  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the toy&#39;s right and left hands  126  have strips of mating Velcro® type hook and loop fabric on its palm side. The hook and loop fastener strips are attached by adhesive or stitching. The dimensions of the hook and loop fastener strip will vary depending on the size of the pet chew and the size of the animal. Referring to  FIG. 14 , the retaining means may comprise one hand with two portions of hook and loop fasteners on it. Alternatively, the retaining means may instead fasten, as shown in  FIG. 15 , using one long strip of hook and loop fastener attached to the arm of the toy, the fastener having hook components  150  on both sides of the fabric backing  146  so as to wrap around the pet chew at least once to hold it in place. When the hook and loop type fabric strip is folded over onto itself, it forms an interior surface covered with Velcro so that it can be removably attached to itself. Each strip may be folded over on itself to any desired degree depending on how tight or lose the user wants to secure the pet treat.  
         [0057]     To provide additional stimulation for the pet, the pet treat dispenser may include a sound means, such as a squeaker or rattle, or other pet attracting means, not shown, which may be located at a location  112  inside the head or body of the plush toy. The sound means preferably emits a sound which is attractive to the pet. In combination with the edible pet treat, the plush toy including sound means provides an attractive pet treat dispenser which is attractive to the pet visually, and which has sustained play value.  
         [0058]     It will be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, the plush toy may take the form of various configurations and sizes, and may represent stuffed animals, or other objects. Rather, the invention as claimed extends to many possible variations not specifically detailed. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included in the scope of the invention as described herein.