Patent Abstract:
The protective device for a food bowl ( 1 ) with a depression ( 5 ) which is surrounded by an edge bead ( 3 ) comprises a hold-down device with at least one adjustable hold-down element ( 13 ) for holding a cover means ( 15 ) in the form of a flexible sheet material within the depression ( 5 ), said hold-down element extending into the depression region. The cover means can additionally be held on the food bowl ( 1 ) with a peripheral retaining device in the region of the edge bead ( 3 ). The cover means ( 15 ) can be stored as a detachable section of a rolled-up band in a dispenser ( 19 ). The cover means comprises at least one receiving portion ( 17 ) on the bottom side thereof for the at least one hold-down element ( 13 ).

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure generally relates to a protective device for a feeding bowl, and more particularly to a protective device which comprises a cover held in the depression of a feeding bowl by a hold-down device. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The problem with traditional feeding bowls is that dried residue, which is difficult to remove, often remains in the bowl after feeding. For reasons of hygiene, animal feeding bowls should be cleaned regularly. Cleaning, however, is time-consuming and costly, and is often neglected. Protective devices for feeding bowls do exist. They usually come in the form of inserts which are preformed to fit the shape of the feeding bowl. Inserts that are not preformed are also available, but in most cases they do not fit securely in the feeding bowl. They have a tendency to move around and can be pulled out by the animal 
         [0003]    An object of the present disclosure is therefore to provide a protective device for a feeding bowl that avoids the disadvantages of known devices. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    An improved protective device for a feeding bowl, incorporating a protective cover for the bowl, is provided as in the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the protective device are provided in the dependent claims. The device incorporates a secure, disposable cover sheet to protect the feeding bowl and thus make it easy and quick to keep clean. 
         [0005]    The protective device includes a hold-down device with one or more adjustable hold-down elements that reach into the depressed section of the feeding bowl. The one or more hold-down elements can be pivoted into a loading position. Subsequently, the depression in the feeding bowl is covered with a protective film, or other cover in the form of a flexible sheet material. The bottom side of the cover comprises one or more pocket-like or tube-like receiving portions into which one or more of the hold-down elements can be inserted. After the hold-down elements have been pivoted back down into working position, they press the cover flat against the inside of the depression and secure it in this position. 
         [0006]    The peripheral region of the cover is folded over the edge bead which surrounds the depression in the feeding bowl. A continuous annular groove runs around the circumference of the edge bead. The cover is pressed into the annular groove by a retaining ring. The cross sections of the retaining ring and the annular groove are constructed in such a way as to allow the retaining ring to be held securely in place in an interlocking and/or force-fitting manner. The annular groove allows the retaining ring to be connected and released easily. The peripheral region of the cover is clamped securely into position on the feeding bowl and protects it from contamination. 
         [0007]    After the food has been eaten, the cover, which can be used once or several times, can be separated from the feeding bowl and disposed of by following the covering procedure in reverse. The dispenser will hold an abundant supply of covers. In a first embodiment of the invention the dispenser may be an independent component that is connected to and released from the feeding bowl. A continuous supply roll of several cover sheets separated by perforations, and thus detachable, may be used. Alternatively, the dispenser may contain a stack of individual covers. 
         [0008]    The following detailed description is intended merely to exemplify the invention and to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a first arrangement of a feeding bowl with a protective device. The dispenser, from which portions of a rolled-up band of covers are extracted, is connected to the bowl. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a cross section of the arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a cross section of a detail of the arrangement with the retaining ring inserted in the edge bead. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a cross section of a detail of an arrangement with a different retaining ring inserted in the edge bead. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a section of a first band with detachable cover in plan view and in cross-section. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a section of a different band with detachable cover in bottom-view and in cross-section. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a section of a third type of band with detachable cover in plan view and in cross section. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a wide hold-down element connected non-rotatably to a shaft. 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a section of a different band with a detachable cover in bottom-view and in cross-section. 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a cross-section of an arrangement with a retaining ring pivotally mounted on the edge bead. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]      FIG. 1  shows a plan view of a feeding bowl  1  with components of the protective device in a first embodiment. The feeding bowl  1  has a depression  5  surrounded by an edge bead  3 . The depression  5  is embedded within pairs of parallel-aligned straight edge bead segments  3   a,    3   b,    3   c,    3   d,  which are connected by rounded corner sections. The edge bead  3  has a trapezoidal cross section and is bounded laterally by an inner wall  7   a  and an outer wall  7   b  and bounded on top by an annular edge  7   c.  The lower edge of the outer wall  7   b  is also the base edge of the feeding bowl  1 . The lower edge of the inner wall  7   a  may be slightly higher than the lower edge of the outer wall  7   b  and abuts the bottom  5   a  of the depression  5 . The area of the edge bead  3  between the inner wall  7   a,  the outer wall  7   b,  and the edge  7   c  is preferably formed as a hollow space; alternatively, it can be formed partially or completely as a solid body. 
         [0021]    In the lower part of the edge bead  3  a shaft  9  is mounted parallel to the front edge bead section  3   d  and pivots about axis A on the edge bead  3 . On at least one side the end of the shaft  9  projects laterally from the edge bead  3  and is mounted for co-rotation with an operating lever  11  respectively with a pivoted lever. Inside the edge bead  3  or in a recess  4  ( FIG. 11 ) of the edge bead  3 , two rod-like flat tongues which form the hold-down elements  13  are connected to the shaft  9  for co-rotation and protrude parallel to the adjacent edge bead segments  3   a,    3   c  into the depression  5  with the same orientation. 
         [0022]    By pivoting the operating lever  11  the hold-down elements  13  can be lowered or raised between a working position and a loading position. In the side view ( FIG. 2 ), the reference numerals  11 ′ and  13 ′ indicate the loading positions of the operating lever and hold-down elements respectively; reference numerals  11  and  13  indicate their working positions. The double arrows P 1  and P 2  illustrate the pivoting of the operating lever  11  and the hold-down elements  13 . In the working position the pivot angle is limited because the hold-down elements  13  touch the bottom  5   a  of the depression or receiving grooves (not shown) at the bottom  5   a  of the depression; and limited in the loading position because the hold-down elements  13  touch the upper edge of the recess  4  on the inside of the edge bead  3 . 
         [0023]    It is particularly advantageous if the hold-down device can be locked in the working position and/or the loading position by means of a releasable locking mechanism such as spring-loaded latching elements (not shown). In the working position the hold-down elements  13  push against the bottom  5   a  of the depression respectively against receiving grooves set therein. They can be held in place against the bottom  5   a  of the depression by the torque of a spring (not shown) or by their own weight and/or be secured by means of a releasable locking mechanism. This allows a portion of a cover  15  in the form of a flexible sheet material to be held in place by the hold-down elements  13 , which clamp it to the bottom  5   a  of the depression. 
         [0024]    The bottom  5   a  of the depression, or the receiving grooves, may be flat or curved. The shape and size of the hold-down elements is adapted to the shape and size of the bottom  5   a  of the depression or the receiving grooves within it. 
         [0025]    The cover  15  is a plastic film with a receiving portion  17  on its bottom side into which the hold-down elements can be introduced, or which can be looped around the hold-down elements  13  when they are in the loading position. The cover  15  may, for example, be in the form of a rolled-up band of detachable sections which are stored in a dispenser  19 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the dispenser  19  may be a separate component that can be connected to and disconnected from the edge bead  3 , or, alternatively, a permanent fixture built on to the edge bead itself. It may include a flip (double arrow P 3 ) cover  21  for inserting and removing rolls of film. The protective device does not necessarily need to have a dispenser  19 . Therefore, the feeding bowl  1  may be formed with or without a device for attaching a dispenser  19 . 
         [0026]    To secure or hold the cover  15  on to the periphery of the feeding bowl  1  an annular groove  23  running around on the top of the edge bead  3  may be provided. The cover  15 , which is held inside the depression  5  by one or more hold-down elements  13 , overlaps the edge bead  3  and may be clamped there, in the annular groove  23 , by a retaining ring  25 . The double arrow P 4  illustrates the insertion and removal of the retaining ring  25  in the annular groove  23 . Preferably, the annular groove  23  and the retaining ring  25  comprise at least in segments complementary retaining structures or profiles which enable a releasable latching connection of the retaining ring  25  and the annular groove  23  with the cover  15  clamped in between (not shown). 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  shows a detail of an arrangement with a simple retaining ring  25  inserted in the annular groove  23 .  FIG. 5  shows a detail of a different arrangement in which the retaining ring  25  has a domed outwardly projecting deck leg  27  which overlaps the outer perimeter of the bead edge  3 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 11  shows yet another possible arrangement, in which the retaining ring  25  pivots on the upper part of the edge bead  3 . The retaining ring  25  is shown in two different pivot positions. As with the hold-down element  13  in  FIG. 2 , reference numeral  25 ′ indicates the loading position and reference numeral  25  indicates the working position of the retaining ring  25 . 
         [0029]      FIGS. 6 through 8  illustrate embodiments of a band of film with a top sheet that is welded, glued, or otherwise connected to a bottom sheet or a partial bottom sheet by welds  29  in a way that creates pocket-shaped or tube-shaped receiving portions  17  which can be slipped over the hold-down elements  13 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6 , two narrow receiving portions  17  are formed for two hold-down elements  13  which are arranged near the edge of the bottom  5   a  of the depression. At the front receiving opening  18  of the receiving portions  17  a flap  20  is formed by a length L 1  of the cover  15  without receiving portions  17 . This flap  20  can be placed over the front edge bead section  3   d  after the cover material has been slipped over the hold-down elements  13 . A line of perforations  31  runs across the band of cover material, parallel to a weld seam and close to the rear of the receiving portions  17 , allowing easy separation from the next portion of cover material  15 ′. 
         [0030]    In the embodiment in  FIG. 7 , instead of having another film that extends across the entire width of the cover  15 , two strip-shaped film sections, welded along their longitudinal edges to the upper film, extend along the entire length L of the cover  15 . In this embodiment the receiving openings  18  are in the form of holes in the film strips, into which the rod-shaped hold-down elements  13  are inserted.  FIG. 8  shows another embodiment of the cover  15  comprising only one receiving portion  17  which is adapted to receive one wide hold-down element only  13  with the width B, as shown in  FIG. 9 . The width B is preferably slightly smaller than the width of the bottom  5   a  of the bowl. A one-piece hold down device may also be used in alternative embodiments of the protective device. 
         [0031]    The protective device includes embodiments with or without the shaft  9 , with or without an operating lever  11  attached to it. 
         [0032]      FIG. 10  shows a section of another band with cover  15 , from below. Here, two strip-shaped film sections are welded as receiving portions  17  along their longitudinal edges on the bottom side of the cover film. The length L 2  of these film sections provides a flap  20  of the length L 1  on both sides, between the receiving openings  18  and the adjacent perforation edges  31 . This flap  20  is folded over the edge bead segments  3   b  and  3   d  of the feeding bowl  1 . In the same way, there is also sufficient film on the longitudinal sides of the strips for them to be folded over the lateral edge bead segments  3   a,    3   c.    
         [0033]    Of course, the protective device may also be adapted for use in feeding bowls  1  with differently shaped depressions. Likewise, the cover  15  may have a different form and be adapted to differently shaped bowls. 
         [0034]    While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed or illustrated here. On the contrary, the invention is intended to accommodate numerous modifications, substitutions, variations and broad equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0