Patent Publication Number: US-2006000416-A1

Title: Animal training device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
      This invention relates to a device for animal training. More specifically the invention provides a device for animal training using positive reinforcement.  
     BACKGROUND ART  
      Animal training is a popular past time for animal owners. This activity, in addition to providing a hobby for animal owners also provides an opportunity to shape the behavior of the animal to accommodate the owner&#39;s needs. Two common techniques for animal training are positive reinforcement and punishment based training. Punishment training uses punishment to shape behavior. This technique can lead to animal aggression and may cause an animal to fear training or the trainer. In contrast, positive reinforcement rewards desired behavior. The animal, upon receiving the reward, associates the desired behavior with the positive reinforcing reward. This increases the probability that the behavior will be repeated. Such behaviors can then be associated with a command (such as sit, stay or down for dog training) allowing the behavior to be recalled on a cue.  
      One common method of reward-based training is “click and reward”. In click and reward training a distinctive sound (such as a metallic click) made by a toy clicker is used as a signal to shape behavior. The instant a desired behavior is observed the click is sounded rapidly followed by giving a reward (usually a small food reward) to the animal. The clicking sound serves as a marker to indicate immediately to the animal that the animal&#39;s behavior is the desired behavior and also serves as a “bridge” between the desired behavior and the reward. Under this click and reward system the food serves as a primary reward with the click or other sound serving as a secondary reinforcer for the desired behavior.  
      The current method of click and reward training requires the trainer to have a sound producing device (such as a clicker) in one hand and a reward (such as a food treat) in the other hand. This allows the trainer to give the animal the food treat shortly after clicking the clicker to indicate to the animal that the correct behavior has been performed. This requires use of both the trainer&#39;s hands. This may be awkward if the animal is on a leash or if one of the trainer&#39;s hands is otherwise occupied. In animal training, a hand signal may be used in place of or in addition to a spoken command. Such hand signals are required if the animal is deaf. If hand signals are used, keeping one hand free is required. Presently, a number of small, inexpensive clicker devices are sold. In addition, some prior sound producing small item dispensers are known. For example. U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,639 to Menow et al. discloses an elongate candy dispenser having a decorative moving display and a sound emitting element. The candy is dispensed into one of the user&#39;s hands while the other hand holds the dispenser.  
      It is an object of the invention to provide a training device that allows a trainer with one hand to both generate a sound and to provide a reward accessible to an animal being trained.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The above objects are achieved using a hand held device for training animals. The device includes a housing including an internal compartment for retaining a store of treats. The store of treats may be discreet small individual treats (e.g. dog kibble or other pellet-style rewards) or could be an elongate section of treats or a aerosol dispensed food canister. Also within the housing is a sound producing element such as a clicker. Extending from the housing is a tray. This tray is smaller than the housing but sufficiently large such that it can catch and hold a treat dispensed from the housing. The tray is not covered to allow an animal to able to access the treat once it is dispensed. A button also extends from the housing. When a user depresses the button this causes the sound producing element to make a sound and also dispenses a treat from the treat retaining compartment onto the tray. By using this device the primary reward may be dispensed onto the tray while the secondary indicator is simultaneously activated. This reduces the time between the giving of the bridge signal indicating to an animal that a correct behavior has been performed and the subsequent providing of the reward to the animal.  
      The treat retaining compartment may include a device for positioning the treats with the compartment. A spring biased backing could ensure that the treats are properly dispensed. The device may also include a blade within the housing such that pressing the button also moves the blade against an elongate treat section such that a small segment of the treat section is sliced off and dispensed from the housing onto the treat retaining tray. In this way an elongate soft treat such as an elongate cylinder of string cheese or other similar treat may be used with the device. Alternatively the housing could contain an propellant dispersed treat dispenser such as a propellant dispelled cheese or meat product. The button of the device would press against a nozzle or button of the aerosol treat dispenser. Dispensing a small amount of treat from the aerosol container. The device may also have the tray retracted so that when not in use it has more compact storage. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a cross section of a first embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a cross section of  FIG. 1  after a treat has been dispensed.  
       FIG. 3  is a cross section of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the treat is a sliceable elongate section.  
       FIG. 4  is the cross section of  FIG. 3  after a segment has been sliced off of the treat section.  
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment showing an alternate way for treats to be dispensed.  
       FIG. 6  is a cross section of  FIG. 5  after a treat has been retained within the treat dispensing device.  
       FIG. 7  is a cross section of  FIG. 5  showing the treat moving to the dispensing tray.  
       FIG. 8  is a cross section of another alternative embodiment in which a propellant dispensed treat holding container is used.  
       FIG. 9  is the cross section of  FIG. 8  as a treat is dispensed.  
       FIG. 10  is a cross section of another alternate embodiment.  
       FIG. 11  is the cross section of  FIG. 10  as a treat is dispensed.  
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION  
      With reference to  FIG. 1  an exterior housing  16  encloses an interior space for holding treats  12 . Treats  12  are a roughly uniformed sized animal treat reward (such as dog kibble or other food treat item). A track  11  positioned the food treats within a treat retaining compartment  4 . A backing  18  or housing  16  may be removed allowing additional treats to be added to treat retaining compartment  4 . Extending from the front of housing  16  is treat holding tray  1 . Tray  1  may be attached on a pin  9  to housing  16  such that the tray may rotate behind the housing. The housing, as used herein, is defined a palm sized or smaller casing having an interior space. The housing and button may be made of a variety of materials, including molded plastic. The housing may have a generally rectangular shape.  
      Contained within housing  16  is a sound producing element  5 . Sound producing element  5  may be any element which produces a distinctive sound loud enough for an animal to hear and distinguish the sound. A dimpled metal sheet secured at one end to a fixed mount is one inexpensive and easily manufactured sound producing element. A number of alternatives including electronic sound producing devices may be used.  
      A button  3  extends from housing  16 . An interior compartment  22  within button  3  has an entrance opening  26  and a exit opening  24 . When button  3  is depressed two actions are carried out. First, a treat  12  within interior space  22  on button  3  moves through opening  24  and out housing  16  through opening  2  into tray  1 . This is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . At the same time a corner of button  3  presses down upon sound producing element  5 . When sound producing element  5  is bent a clicking sound is made. When button is released, spring  15  returns button  3  to its original position. In this position treat  12  may enter compartment  22  through opening  26 .  
      An alternative embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Again a housing  16  includes an interior compartment  4 . At the rear of interior compartment  4  is a replaceable cover  18  allowing access to interior compartment  4 . A slideable backing  34  is spring-biased against the end of the compartment by a spring  32 . Backing  34  presses against a treat section  30 . A treat section  30  may be a elongate cylinder of a relatively soft treat such as a section of cheese or soft compressed meat product. Also within housing  16  is a sound producing element  5 . This is held by end brace  37  which is secured onto the sides of housing  16 . Extending from the end of sound producing element  5  is a blade  38 . In this embodiment button  3  includes a pin  36  extending from the bottom of button  3 . As shown in  FIG. 4  when button  3  is depressed the sound producing element  5  is bent producing a sound. This also causes blade  38  on sound producing element  5  to slice through a section of the elongate treat section  30  cleaving off a individual treat segment  31 . The pin  36  extending from the bottom of button  3  holds treat section  30 , allowing an individual treat segment to be sliced off. This treat section then leaves housing  16  through opening  2  and falls onto tray  1 .  
      The placement of the blade allows for cutting th treat section. The knife could be on button  3 , or could be on housing  16 , extending from below the treat section. In this configuration, the button would press the treat into the knife.  
       FIGS. 5, 6 , and  7  show another embodiment of the present invention. Again housing  16  defines an interior cavity  4  holding discreet units of food  12 . A removable cap  18  at the end of the housing  16  allows additional food to be added into food containers  4 . The device is activated by pressing button  3 . This causes sound producing element  5  to make a sound and raises end  14  allowing treat  12  to move within a dispensing location  70 . Sound producing element  5  may be a section of housing  16  that produces a sound when bent. This is shown in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 7  shows the release of button  3  where end  14  lowers an treat  12  is then able to move into tray  1 .  
       FIGS. 8 and 9  are cross section of another alternative embodiment. Again, housing  16  has an internal compartment  4  having an end cap  18  which is removable allowing access to internal compartment  4 . In this case within internal compartment  4  is a propellant dispensed treat container  8 . The front of treat container  8  is retained by flanges  45 ,  47  extending from housing  16 . Cap  18  is sealed to enclose container  8  in compartment  4 . Container  8  may hold a spreadable meat or a cheese product. Such products are generally dispensed by bending the dispense nozzle  42  of the treat container  8 . In this embodiment mounted on housing  16  is button  3  mounted on sound producing element  5 . Extending from the front of button  3  is tooth  40 . When button  3  is pressed sound producing element  5  is bent producing a sound. In addition protrusion  40  contacts nozzle  42  causing the discreet treat  2  to be dispensed into tray  1 , as shown in  FIG. 9 .  
      Another alternate embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . As before, a housing  16  contains animal treats  12  held on track  11  in a compartment  4 . A button  3  extends from housing  16 . Secured to housing  16  is a sound producing element  5  that presses against button  3 .  
      Tooth  50  extends from button  3 . Tooth  50  presses against tooth  52  on cylinder  54 . Cylinder  54  is mounted on hub  56  secured to housing  16  such that cylinder  54  can rotate. When button  3  is pressed, as shown in  FIG. 11 , tooth  50  pushes down on tooth  52 , causing cylinder  54  to rotate on hub  56 . Treat  12  held in a cavity  57  is rotated to a location where the treat can move onto tray  1  through opening  2 . At the same time button  3  bends sound producing element  5 , producing a sound.  
      When button  3  is released, element  5  returns the button to its original position. Cylinder  54  may either be spring biased or mechanically joined to button  3  such that cylinder  54  returns to the position shown in  FIG. 10  and another treat fills cavity  57  from track  11 .  
      In any of the embodiments, the tray is defined as a surface able to hold a dispensed treat. The tray is also defined as a surface from which an animal could take a treat as soon as the treat is dispensed. Tray  1  extends from the housing and is not covered.  
      In any of the embodiments, some rearrangements of the elements is possible. For example, button  3  may be spring biased or could be otherwise mounted on housing  16 . A flange of tapered shape of button  3  could be used to retain button  3  in a hole in housing  16 . Alternatively button  3  could be an electronic switch and both the noise generator and treat dispenser could be electronic.  
      In any of the embodiments, the housing is sufficiently small to be held in one hand. As the button is pressed in response to an animal performing a desired behavior, a sound will be immediately produced and the treat will be dispersed into the tray. The tray may then be brought to where the animal can reach it with the animal&#39;s mouth.