Patent ID: 8322308

Claim:
An animal toy comprising (a) a housing comprising a hollow air filled compartment, and a resilient exterior wall substantially completely circumscribing said hollow compartment, said outer wall having at least two operative positions (i) a first normal uncompressed operative position, and (ii) a second resiliently deformed compressed operative position produced by generating a compressive force on said outer wall, said wall returning from said second operative position to said first operative position when said compressive force is released; and (b) a unitary squeaker assembly removably mounted in said exterior wall and extending through said outer wall into said hollow to permit air to flow therebetween and having at least two operative configurations, (i) a first operative configuration that allows air to flow through said squeaker assembly both from said hollow outwardly through said squeaker assembly, and outside said hollow inwardly through said squeaker assembly into said hollow, (ii) a second operative configuration that prevents air from flowing through said squeaker assembly either from said hollow outwardly through said squeaker assembly, and outside said hollow inwardly through said squeaker assembly into said hollow, said squeaker assembly including (iii) a first housing member including an inset fixed contact surface, a first aperture extending through a portion of said housing member, at least one supplemental aperture extending through said contact surface and in fluid communication with said first aperture, and an inset control member mounted on said contact surface and including at least one control aperture formed therethrough, (iv) a squeaker housing removably mounted in said first aperture, and (v) a reed mounted in said squeaker housing to vibrate and produce sound when air moves over said reed while traveling into and out of said hollow, said control member movably mounted in said housing member such that substantially the entire control member is movable over said fixed contact surface and manually adjustable between a primary operative position in which said control aperture is out of registration with said first aperture and air is prevented from flowing through said squeaker unit and over said reed into and out of said hollow, and a secondary operative position in which said control aperture is in registration with said first aperture and air is permitted to flow through said squeaker unit said control aperture, and said first aperture and over said reed into and out of said hollow.