Abstract:
A liquid receptacle and water reservoir in combination with a pet collar is provided by the present invention. The water reservoir is comprised of: a tubular shaped water reservoir provided with a first orifice for filling said reservoir with fluid and a second orifice for dispensing the fluid from said reservoir, a plurality of reflective strips applied to the surface of said water reservoir, a standard choke and harness attachment provided for attaching said water reservoir with the body of an animal, a spigot-type dispensing member provided from said second orifice for assisting the dispensing of the fluid from said water reservoir, and a receptacle connecting the reservoir to said dispensing device.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable 
       FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       MICROFICHE 
       [0003]    Not applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    (1) Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    The present invention relates generally to pet collars, and, more particularly, to a petcollar that is specifically designed to hold drinking water for the pet. 
         [0006]    (2) Background of the Invention 
         [0007]    It is believed that dogs were the first animal to be domesticated by man. Dogs have many useful purposes. For instance, dogs have been and continue to be used for hunting, herding, guiding, and guarding. However, most dogs today serve primarily as companions or as pets. Consequently, dogs are frequently referred to as “man&#39;s best friend.” 
         [0008]    Dogs are especially prone to overheat in warm weather because they can&#39;t sweat through most of their skin like humans do. Furthermore, their fur traps heat. Instead, dogs cool themselves by panting, the excess heat being carried away by water evaporating from their airway and mouth. Short-nosed dogs are most prone to overheat, because their shorter airways are less effective at cooling. The water lost to evaporation then needs to be replaced, and, even in the cooler months, active dogs need water to replenish losses due to the low humidity. 
         [0009]    It is common for dogs to accompany their owners while engaging in such activities as walking, biking, or jogging. Dogs offer both companionship and protection during these activities. In warm seasons, the dogs may become thirsty while accompanying their owner. Depending upon the location, there may not be a readily available source of clean drinking water for the dog. Even if a source of water were available, such as a water fountain in a park, there may not be a suitable container present to put drinking water in for the dog. In the past, harnesses have been devised to allow animals to carry food and/or beverages. 
         [0010]    Various hydration devices for dogs or other companion animals have been proposed, including a variety of water bottles with attached bowls, hydration collars, and backpacks wearable by dogs, such as U.S Pat. No. 5,184,762 to Nevitt Bryant D, U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,619 to Swearingen David W. U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,748 to Heather Jackson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,881 to Antoinette Marie Starratt, U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,637 to Furneaux Lloyd, U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,811 to Simon Schillaci U.S. Pat. No. 8,708,194 to Amanda R. Pascatore, U.S Patent Application No. 20040250778 to Bennis Jacqueline A., Susan Skramstad, 20110061607 of Marley&#39;s Mates, LLC, 20070213794 to Lauver Diana L. and 20130298838 to Cesar Belmonte and Eduardo Talbert. However, it is found from prior searches that water bottles lack storage for other supplies, such as treats, keys, and badges required by many localities. Usually clipped to a belt, these bottles must be unclipped and unfolded to provide water to the animal. Hydration collars and backpacks may pose difficulty for small dogs that can&#39;t carry as much, so transporting water on the dog may not be a practical option for smaller breeds. Therefore, there exists a need for a convenient means for carrying and providing water for dogs that combines storage and hydration functions, and is suitable for use with both large and small breeds. 
         [0011]    Accordingly, there continues to be a need for a device that allows dogs to carry their own drinking water and that provides a suitable container from which the dog can drink. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention solves some of the aforementioned problems by providing a liquid receptacle and water reservoir combined with a pet collar, which is specifically designed to be worn around the neck of a pet, to hold drinking water for an animal, such as a dog. The reservoir would include a cup attached to a spigot or retractable straw, which, in turn, would be connected to the reservoir. The tubular reservoir includes a fluid compartment that can be tilled with drinking water for the animal. The band includes suitable fasteners at one end to secure the band around the pat&#39;s neck. 
         [0013]    In another aspect of the present invention, the reservoir, without any additional attachments, would be capable of being worn by the dog. Alternatively, the reservoir could be removably attached to a dog collar having an identification tag used to identify the dog. The water reservoir would generally aid in the reduction of risk of dehydration from heat when water would not be readily available from other sources. Additionally, the present invention would eliminate the inconvenience of carrying or storing bulky water bottles. The reservoir can easily be detached from the dog collar, allowing for use as a traditional dog collar complete with an identification tag. Alternatively, the water reservoir can be attached to the dog through the use of a harness. 
         [0014]    The present invention not only provides a source of clean drinking water for the pet, but also provides a suitable container from which the pet can drink. Since the pet carries its own water, its owner is not burdened. Moreover, the collar is more convenient to use than harnesses, which have been devised in the past. Furthermore, dogs and other pets are already accustomed to wearing a collar. 
         [0015]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a device that will be economical to manufacture and easy to implement. 
         [0016]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments, and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description, and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0017]    These, together with other objectives of the invention and with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and the specific objectives attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter, in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The invention will be better understood, and objectives other than those set forth above will become apparent, when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings, wherein: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the combination dog collar and water reservoir worn by a dog; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the combination dog collar and water reservoir in the closed position; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the combination pet dog collar and water reservoir in the open position; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a side view showing an expandable cup attached to the water reservoir; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a cutaway view of the expandable cup. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that the embodiments may be combined, or that other embodiments may be utilized, and that structural, logical, and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 
         [0025]    Referring now to the drawings, the combination water reservoir and pet collar  10  with a dispensing cup  26  is shown. The collar  10  is comprised of a tubular water reservoir made of a waterproof material. The tubular reservoir includes fluid compartments  20  that can be filled with drinking water for the animal. A cup  26  would be attached to one end of the dispensing member  24  through the use of a tether  38 . The interior of the reservoir  12  is filled with a fluid, such as water, through one or more orifices  40  provided on the surface of the reservoir. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 1-5  illustrate the combination pet collar and water reservoir  10  in more detail. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the combination pet collar and water reservoir  10  includes a water reservoir  12  that is secured to the neck of the dog. The water reservoir  12  is generally tubular in shape, and is formed from a plastic waterproof lining into which water or other types of fluids are introduced. The exterior of the water reservoir  12  can be formed from nylon or any other type of weather resistant and/or water resistant fabrics. A plurality of reflective strips  16  can be applied to the surface of the water reservoir  12 . The purpose of these strips would be to provide additional safety for the dog or other pet, as well as the pet&#39;s owner. The reflective strips  16  can be affixed to the exterior of the water reservoir  12  in virtually any manner, such as reflective paint (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), or be removable from the water reservoir  12  through the use of Velcro®-type strips (see  FIG. 1 ). The water reservoir  12  is removably attached to a standard choke and harness type pet collar  14  through various attachment devices, such as Velcro®-type strips, provided both on the surface of the pet collar  14  as well as the surface of the water reservoir  12  (not shown). As can be appreciated, the water reservoir  12  and the pet collar  14  can come in various lengths and widths to accommodate differently sized dogs. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  illustrates the combination dog collar and water reservoir with the reservoir  12  filled with a fluid either just prior to the combination pet collar water reservoir being secured to the animal or just subsequent to the combination pet collar and reservoir  10  being removed from around the animal&#39;s neck. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the reservoir  12  is secured to the pet collar  14  utilizing any state-of-the-art fastening devices in a manner allowing the reservoir  12  to be removed from the pet collar  14 . The pet collar  14  would include a plastic or leather strap  18  that has a buckle  22  at one end and a plurality of holes  20  at the opposite end, allowing the pet collar itself or in combination with the water reservoir  12  to be secured around the neck of the animal. An identification tag  36  is affixed in various manners to various portions of the strap  18  of the pet collar  14 . A spigot-type dispensing member, such as a straw  24 , would extend from one end  25  of the water reservoir  12 . A cup  26  would be attached to one end of the dispensing member  24  through the use of a tether  38 . The interior of the reservoir  12  is filled with a fluid, such as water, through one or more orifices  40  provided on the surface of the reservoir  12 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , a single orifice is provided at the end  41  of the water reservoir  12 . A removable cap  42  that has a screw-like projection  44  will cooperate with screw threads  46  to open and close the water reservoir  12 . A tether could be provided between the interior of the end  41  in the cap  42  to prevent the toss of the cap  42  when it is removed from the reservoir  12 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the dispensing device  24 , as well as the cup  26 , are in the closed position. At this point, the combined water reservoir and dog collar can be secured to the dog&#39;s neck, as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  shows the combination pet collar and water reservoir  10  in a position for dispensing water or other liquid from the interior of the reservoir  12 . The dispensing device  24  could be an immovable straw that extends from the interior of the reservoir  12  in a manner that allows water to be dispensed into the cup  26 . In this embodiment, a portion of the straw would initially extend into the interior of the reservoir  12 . When in the dispensing mode, the cup  26 , containing telescoping sections  28 ,  29  and  30  (see  FIG. 4 ), would be removed from the dispensing device  24  in a manner that allows water or other fluid to be forced from the interior of the reservoir  12 , through the dispensing device  24 , and into the bottom  32  of the cup  26 . 
         [0029]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show various views of the dispensing device  24  and the cup  26 . As shown therein, a small knob  34  is affixed to the bottom of the cup  32 . When the combination pet collar and water reservoir is in the closed position, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the distal end  46  of the dispensing device  24  would be forced in the direction of the arrow included in  FIG. 5  around the knob  34 , thereby preventing water or other fluids from being dispensed from the device when the dispensing device is in the closed position. Based on the construction of the combination pet collar and reservoir  10 , an animal can be easily and quickly hydrated during a long walk or hike. After the fluid has been introduced into the reservoir  12  through the top  40 , the top  40  is closed, and the combination pet collar and water reservoir is secured around the neck of the dog, as shown in  FIG. 1 , with the combination put collar/water reservoir in the closed position, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Thereafter, at the appropriate time, the pet owner would pull the cup  26  away from the dispensing device  24  and extend the cup  26  to the position shown in  FIG. 3 . At this point if the dispensing device  24  is an extendable straw, the straw would be extended, and the owner would squeeze the reservoir  12 , directing fluid therein to flow through the dispensing device  24  and into the cup  26 . Obviously, if the dispensing device  24  is not extendable, once the cup is in the position shown in  FIG. 4 , the owner would squeeze the water reservoir, thereby directing fluid to flow from the reservoir through the dispensing device  24  and into the cup  26 . At this point, the dog could easily lap the water provided within the cup  26 . In this manner, the dog would become hydrated very quickly and without the necessity of removing the combination pet collar and water reservoir from around the neck of the dog. In addition, since the combination pet collar/water reservoir is provided with its own drinking cup or bowl, it would not be necessary to have the owner carry a separate water bowl during the long walk or hike. 
         [0030]    As previously indicated, the water reservoir  12  is removable from the pet collar  14 . Therefore, when it is not necessary to hydrate the dog, the pet collar  14  would be worn by the dog in the usual manner, without the water reservoir  12  being connected to the pet collar  14 . 
         [0031]    It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-discussed embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. 
         [0032]    The benefits and advantages that may be provided by the present invention have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. These benefits and advantages, and any elements or limitations that may cause them to occur or to become more pronounced, are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features of any or all of the embodiments. 
         [0033]    While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it should be understood that the embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the invention is not limited to these embodiments. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements to the embodiments described above are possible, it is contemplated that these variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the invention.