Patent ID: 6880484

Claim:
A device for delivering controlled amounts of water to a pet, comprising: a bowl having a bottom wall, an upstanding side wall mounted about the bottom wall and projecting upwardly therefrom, a top wall, and a central aperture formed in said top wall; said bottom wall, side wall, and top wall defining a water-holding space; a container for holding water adapted to be disposed in inverted relation to said bowl, said container having a neck and a mouth, said neck adapted to extend through said central aperture when said container is supported in said inverted relation by said bowl; said central aperture adapted to seal around said neck of said container so that water flows out of said container into said bowl until water in said bowl attains a depth that closes said mouth and prevents further water from flowing into said bowl; a tray adapted to hold water secured to an exterior wall of said bowl; a seeping chamber secured to an exterior wall of said bowl, said seeping chamber having a hollow interior and being contained within said tray and at least one opening formed in said seeping tray so that water seeping from said hollow interior of said seeping chamber through said at least one opening flows into said tray; a first opening formed in said exterior wall of said bowl and a second opening formed in said exterior wall of said bowl in diametrically opposed relation to said first opening; said second opening being in fluid communication with said hollow interior of said seeping chamber; a flow control valve means having a control knob positioned on an exterior side of said side wall of said bowl; said flow control valve means having an elongate tapered stem secured to said control knob for conjoint rotation therewith, said elongate tapered stem extending through said first opening and said second opening and into said hollow seeping chamber; whereby full rotation of said control knob in a first direction seals said first and second openings and so that rotation of said control knob in a second direction opposite to said first direction maintains said first opening in a sealed condition but opens said second opening so that water in said reservoir flows into said hollow interior of said hollow seeping chamber; whereby liquid fluid in said liquid fluid-holding reservoir is introduced into said hollow seeping chamber when said control knob is rotated in said second direction; whereby the flow rate of liquid fluid into said hollow seeping chamber is controllable by said flow control valve; and whereby the rate of flow of liquid fluid from said at least one opening formed in said seeping chamber into said liquid fluid-holding space is controllable by adjustment of said flow control valve.