Abstract:
Dog toys, some of a type including a rope and others not including a rope, include a biting object with a hollow interior cavity within a bounceable shell made of a tough resilient material, the biting object having at least one squeaker device within the cavity. The squeaker device within the cavity is either flush-mounted at the outer surface of the biting object or is entirely enclosed therein. Some embodiments are tug toys in which the rope extends into the cavity through a single rope opening in the shell and terminates within the cavity. The shell of the biting object preferably has a outer surface with a felt-like cover and most preferably forms a sphere.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/955,848, filed on Sep. 29, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, and which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/507,198, filed Sep. 29, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/507,199, filed Sep. 29, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates in general to toys for pets and, more particularly, to dog toys of the type having squeaking devices and to dog tug toys of the type having a rope attached to a ball.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Dog toys provide a means for enjoyment and exercise for dogs (and other pets). As is well known, balls and other pet toys which can bounce and be pounced on and grabbed and pulled by pets mouth are very popular. Dogs love chasing and retrieving such bouncing toys and tugging against the opposite pulling of their owners. While conventional toys of this type are enjoyed by dogs, after a period of play time dogs may lose interest in a toy before their owners do; many dog owners have experienced a sudden abandonment of interest by their dogs in such situations.  
         [0004]     Dog toys which include squeaking devices provide a different or additional source of attraction for dogs. Currently, there are variety of toys which are or include squeaking devices. That is, they are or have attached thereto air-containing resilient compressible bladders which have orifices that produce squeaking sounds when air is rapidly emitted upon compression of the resilient compressible air-containing bladders. The air-containing bladders in some cases are themselves balls which may be thrown by dog owners and retrieved by dogs. However, these balls and other such squeaking toys have problems which limit their usefulness. A principal problem is that such squeaking devices are very delicate and are easily punctured by dogs&#39; teeth when bitten, and thus quickly destroyed. Another problem is that squeaking dog toys do not provide the advantage of allowing a tugging action between dog and owner.  
         [0005]     Accordingly, there is a need in an improved dog toy which maintains a dog&#39;s interest over an extended play period, which can be bitten or chewed by a dog for many days and months without being damaged and destroyed, and which provides a combination of tugging and squeaking entertainment for dogs and their owners. The present invention is a result of research and development concerning the above problems and ways to overcome such problems.  
         [0006]     Currently, the balls of dog tug toys are attached to their pulling ropes in one of two ways. Either the rope passes through holes on opposite sides of the ball and is held by a knot outside the ball or the rope is actually looped through the ball and tied. Either way, a number of problems occur.  
         [0007]     First, the knot outside the ball of a dog tug toy has a tendency to cause a dog to gag—because the knot extends too far into the dog&#39;s mouth. This problem, recognized by dogs, prompts them to bite the ball in a sideways fashion. This can be a frustration both for dogs and for their owners during play with dog tug toys. Second, in some cases, particularly with dog tug toys that have a knot on one side of the ball and do not include a loop, the rope is not well enough secured to the ball and detaches from it when pulled hard. Third, dogs have strong jaws and an instinct to pull upon and chew their toys; therefore, many balls with insufficient strength and inadequate rope-ball attachment suffer extensive damage from dogs and are easily destroyed.  
         [0008]     In the field of pet toys, there is a need for a gag-free dog tug toy with strong rope-ball attachment, particularly using tough balls such as tennis balls, which are highly preferred by dogs. The present invention is a result of research efforts concerning these problems and development efforts on products to overcome such problems.  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     It is an object of the invention to provide improved dog toys overcoming problems and shortcomings of the prior dog toys, including those referred to above.  
         [0010]     Another object of the invention is to provide a dog toy that extends the period of a dog&#39;s interest during play times.  
         [0011]     Another object of the invention is to provide improved squeaking dog toys.  
         [0012]     Another object of this invention is to provide squeaking dog toys which are highly resistant to damage from biting by dogs.  
         [0013]     Another object of this invention is to provide a dog tug toy which, in addition to providing the entertainment of tugging, provides the added attraction of squeaking.  
         [0014]     How these and other objects are accomplished will become apparent from the following descriptions and the drawings.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     This invention, which will be described in detail below, is an improvement in dog toys of the type having a ball or other biting object for dogs to bite. The present invention overcomes the problems described above.  
         [0016]     One aspect of this invention is a dog tug toy including a biting object having a hollow interior cavity and a tough outer surface defining at least one rope opening into the cavity; at least one squeaker device within the cavity; and a rope having a first end portion extending into the cavity through the rope opening. In some cases, the squeaker device is entirely enclosed within the cavity. In some preferred embodiments, there are two squeaker devices inside the cavity. The biting object preferably has a tennis-ball-like outer surface, and is most preferably a tennis ball. Throughout this summary section and elsewhere in this specification, this invention will refer to the biting object as a “ball” or “tennis ball”; however, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in scope by the exact nature of the biting object.  
         [0017]     In certain preferred embodiments of the type including a rope attached to the ball or other biting object, the rope includes a second end portion that forms a handle in the form of a loop. In certain embodiments of this type, an additional ball is secured on the loop of the handle. In some cases that include a loop for a handle, the rope has a mid-portion between the first and second end portions and the mid-portion has an additional ball secured thereto. In highly preferred embodiments of this type, there is at least one squeaker device in each of the additional balls.  
         [0018]     Another aspect of the invention is a dog toy including a tennis-ball-like ball, preferably a tennis ball, having a hollow interior cavity and a tough outer surface, and at least one squeaker device within the cavity. In some cases, the squeaker device includes or is a squeaker tube having a distal end substantially flush with the outer surface of the ball, while in other cases the squeaker device is entirely enclosed within the cavity. In certain preferred embodiments, the ball has two squeaker devices inside the cavity.  
         [0019]     Yet another aspect of this invention involves a resilient body having a hollow interior cavity and a tough outer tennis-ball-like surface, and at least one squeaker device within the cavity.  
         [0020]     As used herein, the term “tennis-ball-like ball” includes not only tennis balls, but any hollow ball or bounceable body that is made of a tough rubber or rubber-like material having an felt or felt-like cover. Such balls and bodies are known to be able to withstand repetitive biting by dogs without incurring significant damage. Likewise, the term “tennis-ball-like” refers to the nature of such material. In addition to its toughness, such material is both compressible and resilient; i.e., it quickly returns to its original shape when no longer in the grip of a dog&#39;s mouth. Such toys can function months or longer despite considerable abuse by dogs.  
         [0021]     As used herein, the term “tough outer surface” means that the material forming the ball or other biting object has a toughness character sufficient such that repetitive frequent biting by a typical dog over an extended period (a month or more) will not puncture the ball or other biting object. Toughness typical of a tennis ball more than satisfies this requirement. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a dog tug toy in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the  FIG. 1  with the ball in section, including a squeaker device in the ball along with an interior double knot, which has been formed in a particular way as described herein.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, this one including two rope openings into the ball with the rope passing through the ball and an exterior knot.  
         [0025]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the embodiment  FIG. 2  with the ball in section, showing two squeaker devices in the ball.  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a top view of a tennis-ball-like dog ball toy in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention including a squeaker tube flush with the outer surface of the ball.  
         [0027]      FIG. 3A  is a front sectional view of the dog tug toy of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a squeaker tube of the device of  FIGS. 3 and 3 A.  
         [0029]      FIG. 4A  is a top view of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a squeaker device with its tube portion shown not in section.  
         [0031]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of squeaker device of  FIG. 5  in squeezed folded form.  
         [0032]      FIG. 6  is a sectional front view of a tennis-ball-like dog ball toy having a squeaker device entirely enclosed within the ball and shown not in section.  
         [0033]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the squeaker dog tug toy of this invention having a second ball attached to a second end of the rope.  
         [0034]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of another embodiment having a second ball secured on the rope between the first ball and a handle loop.  
         [0035]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of another embodiment having a second ball on a handle loop.  
         [0036]      FIGS. 10A-10H  illustrate a method for manufacture of the inventive squeaking dog tug toy of  FIG. 1 , including the formation of a complex knot within the ball cavity.  
         [0037]      FIGS. 11A-11D  illustrate another method for manufacture of the inventive squeaking dog tug toy of  FIG. 1 , including the formation of a complex of knots within the ball cavity. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0038]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 1 A, a unique dog tug toy  10  is illustrated. Dog tug toy  10  includes a tennis ball  20  and a rope  30 . Tennis ball  20  has a hollow interior cavity  22  and a tough felt outer surface  24  defining a rope opening  26 . Rope  30  has a first end portion  32  by which it is attached to ball  20 , as hereafter described, and a second end portion  34  which forms a loop  37  by tying of loop-forming knot  38 . A squeaker device  40  is inserted into hollow interior cavity  22  of ball  20 , and a complex of knots, which can be in a form of a double knot  35  or a complex of knots  39 , formed in cavity  22  in first end portion  32  of rope  30  to hold rope  30  and ball  20  in reliable connection to each other.  
         [0039]     Dog tug toy  10  is manufactured by a unique method which allows a complex of knots of substantial size to be formed inside ball  20 . That manufacturing method is preferably as follows: After rope opening  26  is drilled in ball  20  (see  FIG. 10A ) and squeaker device  40  is inserted into cavity  22  (see  FIG. 10B ), several knot-forming and stuffing steps are taken to create double knot  35  inside cavity  22  of ball  20 . These steps are as follows: A first single knot  35 A is tied in the entirety of rope  30  in first end portion  32  of rope  30  at a position approximately 6 inches from the end  32 E of rope  30  (see  FIG. 10C ). (As used herein, the term “entirety of the rope” refers to whole cross-section of the rope, with all its strands together.) First single knot  35 A is then pushed into interior cavity  22  through rope opening  26  leaving the remaining end of first end portion  32  outside ball  20  (see  FIGS. 10D-10F ). Then both free portions of rope  30  protruding from ball  20  are tied in their entirety into a second single knot  35 B very close to outer surface  24  of ball  20  at rope opening  26  (see  FIG. 10G ). Next, both second single knot  35 B and first end  32 E of rope  30  are pushed into cavity  22  through rope opening  26 .  
         [0040]     The rope-ball attachment is then completed to form complex knot  35  within cavity  22  in the following manner: The single length of rope now protruding from ball  20  is manually pulled in a direction away from ball  20  while the puller grips ball  20  about rope opening  26  to prevent the not-yet-joined first and second single knots  35 A and  35 B from exiting the ball through rope opening  26 . This causes the single knots to come together into double knot  35  (see  FIG. 10H ), which is significantly larger than either single knot and, in fact, is large enough such that it cannot, for all practical purposes, be pulled out of ball  20 . Thus, a rope-ball connection is formed which is highly strong and reliable and yet does not have an external knot of the sort which can cause dogs to gag when biting the ball.  
         [0041]     In an alternative embodiment of the method of manufacture of dog tug toy  10 , rope  30  is formed by at least two strands  36 , and a preliminary step is separating strands  36  in first end portion  32  of rope  30 . The knots are tied in individual strands  36 , such knots being positioned (in the tying thereof) substantially equidistant from end  32 E of first end portion  32  of rope  30  (see  FIG. 11A ). The knot-forming and stuffing steps for this alternative embodiment are as follows: A first single knot  39 A is tied in separated strand  36 A. First single knot  39 A is then pushed into interior cavity  22  through rope opening  26 , along with the end of such strand, leaving separated strands  36 B and  36 C outside ball  20  (see  FIG. 11B ). A second single knot  39 B is tied in separated strand  36 B, which is outside ball  20 , and pushed into ball  20  though rope opening  26 . In the same way, a third single knot  39  C is tied in strand  36 C and pushed into ball  20  thought rope opening  26 . After single knots  39 B and  39 C pushed into ball  20  along with the respected strand ends, such single knots are adjacent to one another to form a complex of knots  39  inside ball  20  (see  FIG. 11C-11D ). Complex of knots  39  is of sufficient size such that rope  30  remains secured to ball  20 , despite tugging force.  
         [0042]      FIGS. 2 and 2 A illustrate another embodiment of the squeaking dog tug toy of this invention, dog tug toy  12 . In dog tug toy  12 , rope  30  extends into cavity  22  of ball  20  through a first rope opening  26 A and exits from the cavity  22  through a second rope opening  26 B and is secured outside the ball  20  by a knot  38 A. Two squeaker devices  40  are inserted into hollow interior cavity  22  of ball  20 .  
         [0043]     A squeaker device  40 , known the prior art, is illustrated on  FIGS. 5 and 5 A. It includes a resilient air-containing bladder  46  which has an air tube  42  attached to it through which air is emitted when ball  20  is sufficiently squeezed in a dog&#39;s mouth to cause compression of bladder  46 . Emission of air through air tube  42  causes a squeaking noise (whistle) which occurs inside ball  20  but is emitted through rope opening  26  in the ball. Release of the dog&#39;s grip allows resilient bladder to return to its non-compressed shape, ready for further squeezing and squeaking.  
         [0044]      FIGS. 3 and 3 A illustrate a unique dog ball toy  14  in accordance with this invention and  FIG. 6  illustrates another dog ball toy  15  in accordance with this invention. Dog ball toys  14  and  15  each include a tennis ball  20  and include squeaker devices  41  and  40 , respectively. In each case, tennis ball  20  has a hollow interior cavity  22  and a tough felt outer surface  24 , and defines an opening  27 . Squeaker device  41  of dog ball toy  14  is an air tube  42  the distal end  43  of which is flush with the outer surface  24  of ball  20 . Squeaker device  40  of dog ball toy  15  is entirely within cavity  22  of the ball, and includes a resilient air-containing bladder  46  having a tube  42  attached thereto. Squeaker device  40  of dog ball toy  15  operates in the same manner as squeaker device  40  of dog tug toys  10  and  12 , described above.  
         [0045]     Squeaker tube  41 , known the prior art, is illustrated more specifically in  FIGS. 4 and 4 A. It includes distal end  43  for flush mounting with the outer surface of ball and a proximal end  45  for location inside the ball.  
         [0046]      FIGS. 7-9  illustrate other embodiments of the squeaking dog tug toy of this invention, each including at least one rope-ball connection which is of the type described above. Each such embodiment includes a second ball. These embodiments are designed to suit the preferences of dog owners with respect to the particular form of a dog tug toy.  
         [0047]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , a second ball  50  is attached to the end of second end portion  34  of rope  30  in the same attachment manner as used for first ball  20  in dog tug toy  10 . The mid-portion  33  of rope  30 , between first end portion  32  and second end portion  34 , is tied into a loop  37 A to form a handle.  
         [0048]     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a second ball  50 A is secured on mid-portion  33  of rope  30  between ball  20  (on first end portion  32 ) and a handle loop formed in second end portion  34 . Mid-portion  33  of rope  30  passes through two opposed rope openings in second ball  50 A. A knot  33 A is tied in mid-portion  33  of rope  30  to maintain second ball  50 A in place.  
         [0049]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a secondary ball  50 B is secured on handle loop  37 , by portion of such loop passing through two opposed rope openings in ball  50 B.  
         [0050]     Many other variations within the scope of the invention are possible. Many choices will be available to those skilled in the art who are made aware of the nature of this invention.  
         [0051]     While the principles of the invention have been shown and described in connection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that such embodiments are by way of example and are not limiting.