U.S. patent number RE40,872 [Application Number 10/171,323] was granted by the patent office on 2009-08-18 for animal toy with floatation device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Kong Company, LLC. Invention is credited to Joseph P. Markham.
United States Patent |
RE40,872 |
Markham |
August 18, 2009 |
Animal toy with floatation device
Abstract
A floatable pet toy including a hollow deformable body with a
buoyant material, such as a closed cell foam, inside of the body.
The buoyant material increases the pet toy's buoyancy and
resistance to deformation for durability. A rope may be attached to
the body. In a second embodiment, the body may be elongated, made
from elastomeric material, and substantially filled with a closed
cell foam insert. This insert has a rope running longitudinally
through its center and through an opening in a second end of the
body. In a further embodiment, the body may be made from a flexible
material, such as canvas or plastic. In a still further embodiment,
the buoyant material may be injected into a sealed hollow
deformable body for increased buoyancy and durability.
Inventors: |
Markham; Joseph P. (Arvada,
CO) |
Assignee: |
The Kong Company, LLC (Golden,
CO)
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Family
ID: |
25356998 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/171,323 |
Filed: |
June 11, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
08871236 |
Jun 9, 1997 |
05904118 |
May 18, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
119/707 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01K
15/025 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A01K
29/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;119/702,707-711,174
;472/67 ;446/153-155 ;114/220 ;43/2,3 ;441/88 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
Closed Cell Foam; http://www.foamorder.com/closedcell.html; Feb.
13, 2004. cited by examiner .
Scott's Dog Supply 1991/1992 Catalog, p. 14. cited by
other.
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Primary Examiner: Price; Thomas
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sheridan Ross P.C.
Parent Case Text
.Iadd.CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED REISSUE APPLICATIONS
Reissue application Ser. No. 09/432,848 filed on Nov. 2, 1999 was a
reissue application of Ser. No. 08/871,236 filed on Jun. 9, 1997,
(U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,118), and the reissue application Ser. No.
09/432,848 was expressly abandoned on Mar. 20, 2002. The present
reissue application Ser. No. 10/171,323 filed on Jun. 11, 2002 is a
reissue of the application of Ser. No. 08/871,236 filed on Jun. 9,
1997(U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,118)..Iaddend.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A floatable pet toy for animals to play with in water, said pet
toy comprising: a hollow deformable .Iadd.elastomeric .Iaddend.body
having an outer surface, an inner surface forming a cavity, a first
.[.open.]. end and a second end.Iadd., and openings formed in said
first and second ends.Iaddend.; .[.and.]. a buoyant material
.Iadd.placed .Iaddend.in said cavity .Iadd.through said first end
.Iaddend.which resists deformation of said deformable
.Iadd.elastomeric .Iaddend.body.Iadd.; and a length of rope having
a knot, said knot being placed in said cavity and said rope
extending through said opening of said second end.Iaddend..
.[.2. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said
hollow deformable body is an elastomeric material..].
.[.3. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said
hollow deformable body is a flexible material..].
4. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said
buoyant material is a closed cell foam.
5. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 4, wherein: said closed
cell foam is shaped to substantially conform to the shape of said
cavity, and said closed cell foam substantially fills said
cavity.
.[.6. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 1, further
including: a length of rope fastened to said second end..].
7. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said hollow
deformable .Iadd.elastomeric .Iaddend.body is elongated .[.and made
from elastomeric material,.]. and said buoyant material is an
elongated closed cell foam insert that substantially fills said
cavity, and has first and second ends.
8. A floatable pet toy for animals to play with in water, said pet
toy comprising: an elongated hollow deformable body having an outer
surface, an inner surface forming a cavity, a first open end and a
second end and an opening formed in said second end; an elongated
buoyant material in said cavity which is a closed cell foam insert
that substantially fills said cavity, has first and second ends,
and resists deformation of said hollow deformable body, and has a
longitudinal slot extending from said first end to said second end;
a length of rope in said longitudinal slot extending the length of
and beyond said first and second ends of said elongated closed cell
foam; and a knot in said length of rope beyond said first end of
said elongated closed cell foam insert, said rope extending through
said opening in said second end of said elongated hollow deformable
body.
.[.9. A floatable pet toy for animals to play with in water, said
pet toy comprising: a hollow deformable buoyant body having an
outer surface, an inner surface forming a cavity, a first open end
and a second end; means within said cavity for resisting
deformation of said hollow deformable buoyant body..].
.[.10. A pet toy, as claimed in claim 9, wherein: said resisting
means is a closed cell foam for providing additional
buoyancy..].
.[.11. A pet toy, as claimed in claim 10, wherein: said closed cell
foam is shaped to substantially fill said cavity..].
.[.12. A pet toy, as claimed in claim 9, further including: means
in said second end of said deformable buoyant body for fastening a
length of rope..].
13. A method for constructing a floatable pet toy with increased
buoyancy and durability, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a hollow deformable .Iadd.elastomeric .Iaddend.body with
an outer surface, and an inner surface forming a cavity; .[.and.].
filling the cavity with a material that resists deformation.Iadd.;
and wherein the cavity is sealed, and the material is closed cell
foam that is injected by a hypodermic needle into the
cavity.Iaddend..
14. A method, as claimed in claim 13, wherein: .[.the material is
a.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.closed cell foam .[.adding.]. .Iadd.adds
.Iaddend.buoyancy to said floatable toy.
15. A method, as claimed in claim 14, wherein: the closed cell foam
is inserted into the cavity through an opening in the hollow
deformable body.
.[.16. A method, as claimed in claim 13, wherein: the cavity is
sealed, and the closed cell foam is injected by a hypodermic needle
into the cavity..].
.[.17. A floatable pet toy for animals to play with in water, said
pet toy comprising: a hollow deformable body having an a side wall
with outer surface, an inner surface forming a cavity, a first open
end and a second end; and a buoyant material in said cavity which
resists deformation of said side wall..].
.[.18. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 17, wherein: said
hollow deformable body is an elastomeric material..].
.[.19. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 17, wherein: said
hollow deformable body is a flexible material..].
.[.20. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 17, wherein: said
buoyant material is a closed cell foam shaped to substantially
conform to the shape of said cavity, and said closed cell foam
substantially fills said cavity..].
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a pet toy, and more specifically a pet
toy that floats high in the water. This increased buoyancy allows
for better visibility when animals play with the pet toy in
water.
BACKGROUND ART
Floatable pet toys are desirable for pets, such as some dogs, who
enjoy playing and swimming in water. They are also desirable for
training of dogs to retrieve birds which have been shot over open
water. However, if a pet toy is made sufficiently buoyant for this
purpose, it lacks the structural integrity needed to keep it from
being quickly destroyed by a dog gripping it in its teeth during
retrieval.
Smith U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,296 discloses a tubular canvas pet toy
that is closed on both ends and filled with weighted parts, such as
tennis balls. The weighted parts have the ability to move within
the tube and will tend to move away from where the animal is
holding the toy.
Garrison U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,202 discloses a cylindrical body which
may be made of hardwood and has a central bore through which a cord
extends the length of the body. The cord extends beyond the body on
both ends and has mobility through the central bore. The cord acts
as a pull toy and offers resistance when the animal tries to pull
it to one end.
Edwards U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,219 discloses a polyurethane toy shaped
as a bone. The polyurethane may be impregnated with air bubbles to
make the toy lighter than water to allow the toy to float. The air
bubbles weaken the polyurethane and the toy is more easily
destroyed by chewing.
The present invention is an improvement on applicant's Cool
Kong.TM. pet toy which floats in water. The Cool Kong.TM. consists
of a hollow body with an opening in one end, and a diaphragm or
plug that covers the opening trapping air within the body. The body
is made from an elastomeric material that provides some buoyancy
and the trapped air provides additional buoyancy. Although the Cool
Kong.TM. satisfies the purposes for which it was designed, it does
not provide the degree of buoyancy and durability of the present
invention.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a floatable pet toy including a body made
of relatively dense elastomeric material, having an outer surface
and an inner surface forming a cavity. A buoyant material is placed
inside the cavity which causes the pet toy to float high in the
water and provides increased durability due to resistance to
deformation of the body. A "buoyant material" as used herein
includes any material having a specific gravity of less than 1.0.
An example of such material is a flexible closed cell foam. Other
examples include single or multiple cell bladders filled with a gas
or light weight packing material such as packing "peanuts."
In one embodiment, the cavity is filled with a buoyant material,
such as a closed cell foam thereby increasing both the buoyancy and
resistance to deformation of the body of the pet toy. The buoyant
material may be any shape, including a cylindrical shape, and is
moderately flexible and resilient. The buoyant material is inserted
through the opening in a first end and substantially fills the
cavity thereby increasing the resiliency of the pet toy. The
resiliency of the buoyant material makes the body of the toy less
deformable and therefore more resistant to puncture or damage from
chewing. A length of rope may be attached to the body at a second
end which allows the pet toy to be tossed more easily and allows
the pet toy to be used as a tug toy with the pet owner.
In a second embodiment, the body shape is elongated. The body is
made from an elastomeric material with an outer surface, and an
inner surface forming a cavity. The body's buoyancy and resistance
to deformation are enhanced by an insert made of a buoyant
material, such as a closed cell foam, that substantially fills the
cavity. The insert is longitudinally slotted for insertion of rope.
The rope is threaded through the center of the insert and knotted
at the first end of the insert. The other end of the rope extends
through an opening in the second end of the body. This embodiment
is used as a training device to teach animals how to retrieve
objects, such as birds, from a body of water. The rope runs the
length of the insert to allow the toy to be thrown greater
distances with increased durability for extensive training
regimes.
In a third embodiment of the invention, the body is made from a
flexible material such as canvas or plastic sheeting. The cavity is
filled with a buoyant material, such as a closed cell foam, which
also resists the deformation of the body when the toy is chewed. A
rope may be attached to the body.
In a fourth embodiment, a buoyant material, such as a closed cell
foam, is injected into a sealed hollow elastomeric body to improve
the buoyancy and resistance to deformation of the body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an animal, such as a dog, playing
with the present invention in the water;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pet toy shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section, taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2,
showing closed cell foam filling the cavity of the body and showing
an exploded view of the insert;
FIG. 4 is a horizontal section, taken along line 4--4, showing
interior cross section of the toy and cavity filled with closed
cell foam;
FIG. 5 is a horizontal section, taken along line 5--5, showing
interior cross section of the toy and opening where rope is
inserted;
FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a second embodiment with parts broken
away for clarity of illustration;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment with parts
broken away for clarity of illustration; and
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of this
invention showing injection of the buoyant substance.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTIONS
In accordance with the present invention, an animal, such as a dog
D, is shown in FIG. 1 playing with the first embodiment shown as
the pet toy T, in the water. Water has a specific gravity of 1.00.
Thus to float, the elastomeric material or other component of the
pet toy T must have a specific gravity of less than 1.00. The lower
the specific gravity of the elastomeric material, the higher the
pet toy floats in water. However, when the specific gravity is less
than 0.96, the elastomeric material is significantly less durable
when it is chewed by the animal. In the present invention, the
addition of a buoyant material, such as a closed cell foam,
increases the resistance to deformation of a body with a specific
gravity of less than 0.96. This enhanced resistance to deformation
increases the durability of the pet toy when chewed by the animal
despite the relatively low specific gravity value. Moreover, a
buoyant material, such as a closed cell foam, will add buoyancy and
durability to an elastomeric pet toy with a specific gravity of
greater than 0.96.
As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pet toy T.[.,.]. has a hollow
deformable body 8, which forms a side wall with first end 10 and
second end 12. The body 8 has an outer surface 14.[.,.]. and an
inner surface 16 which forms a cavity 18. The first end 10 has an
opening 20.Iadd., formed by an inwardly projecting annular lip 21,
.Iaddend.through which buoyant resilient material may be inserted
into the cavity 18. This buoyant material may be a closed cell foam
22 which provides increased buoyancy and resistance to deformation
of the side wall of body 8. The closed cell foam 22 is flexible for
durability when animal D plays with pet toy T and is shaped to
substantially fill cavity 18 for increased durability of pet toy T
by resisting deformation of the side wall of body 8 when an animal
chews on it. .Iadd.As shown in FIG. 3, the diameter of opening 20
is less than the diameter of cavity 18 so that enclosed cell foam
22 is deformed to be inserted through opening 20 and expands within
cavity 18 to substantially fill it. .Iaddend.A rope 26 is inserted
through an opening 28 in the second end 12. The rope 26 is fastened
by a knot 30 inside the body 8.
The second embodiment is shown in FIG. 6. The pet toy T', includes
a deformable body 32 having a side wall with an outer surface 34,
and an inner surface 36 forming a cavity 38. The body 32 is an
elongated shape that has a first end 40 and a second end 42. The
first end has an opening 44. The cavity 38 is substantially filled
by a buoyant material, such as a closed cell foam insert 46. The
closed cell foam insert 46 has a longitudinal slot 48 for insertion
of rope 50. The rope 50 runs longitudinally through the center of
the closed cell foam insert 46 and is fastened at the first end 40
by a knot 52. The rope 50 extends through a second opening 54 in
the second end 42 of the body 32.
The third embodiment is shown in FIG. 7. The pet toy T'' includes a
body 56 made from a flexible material, such as canvas or plastic,
with a side wall having an outer surface 58, and an inner surface
60 forming a cavity 62. The cavity 62 is filled with a closed cell
foam 66 which provides improved durability of the body 56. A rope
68 is attached to body 56 through an opening 64, such as an eyelet,
in the body 56. The rope 68 is fastened by a knot 70 inside of the
body 56.
The fourth embodiment is shown in FIG. 8. The pet toy T''' includes
a body 72 with a side wall having an outer surface 74, and an inner
surface 76 forming a cavity 78. A buoyant material, such as a
closed cell foam 80, is injected by a suitable injection device,
such as a hypodermic needle 82, into the body 72. The buoyant
material may be injected through a membrane 84 that seals the body
72 or directly through the end wall 86 if the end wall 86 is
sufficiently thin.
The advantages of the pet toy are readily apparent. The buoyant
material provides both additional buoyancy and resistance to
deformation to the body of the pet toy. The pet toy floats high in
the water which increases its visibility. Moreover, the added
resistance to deformation of the closed cell foam provides
increased durability of the body for long lasting use of the pet
toy.
Although this invention has been described with respect to use with
dogs. It is understood that it can be used with other animals such
as land and sea animals, fish and reptiles.
This invention has been described in detail with reference to
particular embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that
various other modifications can be effected within the spirit and
scope of this invention.
* * * * *
References