An animal feeding device

Abstract

An animal feeding device comprising a body 10 arranged to support a receiving portion 21 for food and drink, with the body arranging to elevate the receiving portion from a surface. The receiving port

Description

The present invention relates to an easy-clean animal feeding device, in particular a device for providing food and / or drink to an animal such as a pet dog or cat, or small animals such as reptiles, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits. Background Many people enjoy looking after animals, in particular pets such as dogs and cats, and increasingly these animals live indoors or in inhabited areas in many societies. When a pet is living in such an area feeding can be problematic, for example being messy, and creating localised detritus of food. Furthermore the dishes or bowls used to feed or water the pet may create problems when a carer or user is required to maintain the dishes or bowls clean and / or hygienic. Many such users will wish to wash the bowls or dishes, however if left to drip dry the bowls or dishes are liable to accumulate or pool water, given the inherent shapes of bowls and dishes, which are liable to include concave parts in more than one orientation. This can be a particular problem when using a dishwasher, as when opened dirty water is liable to pool in the dish. Most people put most things in the dishwasher, and the dirty dishwasher water cannot easily drain away to leave a shiny clean hygienic bowl. This is problematic not only to an owner or user, but also possibly problematic to their pets, leading to E. coli, MRSA and salmonella potentially. With the increasing demands put on loving pet owners within the household they are always looking for time saving devices and one of them is by placing their pet bowls in the dishwasher. However, dual concave pet bowls do not allow for drainage of dishwasher water, as in a first, usage, orientation the bowl is liable to fill with dirty water and in an opposed second orientation the reverse of the bowl is liable to accumulate dirty water. Any intermediate positions or orientations may also be liable to provide some accumulation problems. Prior Art CN 214 387 044 (CHEN) discloses a dish and tableware capable of collecting food residues generated in the dining process, comprises adish with a perforated bottom, so as to allow fluids through the dish to a collection area. JP 2000 139 660 (TAKEMOTO) discloses a wooden rice bowl having drain holes in a supporting base wall, so as to leave the bowl intact, and allow water to drain from the supporting base after washing of the bowl. US 4 886 016 (ATCHLEY) discloses a dish for holding substances that are to be consumed by an animal has a central portion forming a bowl and a peripheral region which slopes downwardly and outwardly from the rim of the bowl, and an annular depression extends about the peripheral region to capture and retain food and the like which may escape the bowl portion due to the animal feeding; being an annular depression or moat extends about the peripheral region to capture and retain food and the like which may escape the bowl portion due to the animal feeding. Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided an animal feeding device comprising a body arranged to bound and support a receiving portion for receiving food and drink, the body arranged to elevate the receiving portion from a surface and maintain the food and drink stable on the surface, the receiving portion providing a concave bowl when the device is oriented in a first orientation, the body being perforated with one or more perforations so as to allow liquid to pass through the body when the device is oriented in a second orientation opposite to the first orientation. Ideally the perforations are arranged such that they are dispersed about the body so as to allow dispersal of water from the body when the device is in intermediate orientations, such as standing on a side. In some embodiments of the device the device body comprises sloped side walls. It may be envisaged that the device comprises moulded plastic material such as a mixture of polyethylene, silicone, and paraffin to form a hydrophobic, non-stick surface to facilitate cleaning. In this way the device perforations act as drainage holes, which drainage holes allow water to easily disperse freely away through the body, such that the user ends up with a clean hygienic bowl, the device being arranged such that dirty water drains through the perforations in the second orientation. It may be envisaged that the dish is dimensioned with a low aspect ratio to resist tipping, tilting, and upset and may include ground-engaging to resist lateral motion of the device during feeding. In some embodiments of the device the body comprises a top edge comprising the perforations. Such top edge may be wide, flat and / or inclined so as to promote tidiness or limit the food being dispersed locally. It may be envisaged that the body may comprise wide spreading side faces so as to spread the effective area of the body whilst allowing the animal to reach the food. In some embodiments of the device the body is arranged with an internal surface facing upwards in the second orientation and an external surface facing upwards in the first orientation. In some embodiments of the device the perforation provided so as to provide a low point on the inner surface when the device is oriented in the second orientation. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a plurality of concave bowls. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a plurality of legs. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises resiliently deformable feet, which may be envisaged to prevent the device moving during usage. In some embodiments of the device is formed in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic or other similar moulded plastic material, so as to form a smooth outer surface. It may be also envisaged that the device may comprise a polished, painted or coated surface, such as stainless steel or powder coated aluminium. In some embodiments of the device the perforation(s) are oblong so as to extend along an elongated shape. In others they may be circular or other aesthetic or appealing form, such as a heart shape. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which: Brief Description of Figures Figure 1 shows an isometric view of a first embodiment of the device according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an exploded isometric view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a reverse exploded isometric view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1; Figures 5 show isometric views of a second embodiment of the device shown according to the present invention; Figures 6 show isometric views of a third embodiment of the device shown according to the present invention; Figures 1 show isometric views of a fourth embodiment of the device shown according to the present invention; And Figures 8 show isometric views of a fifth embodiment of the device shown according to the present invention. Detailed Description of Figures With reference to Figure 1 the first pictured embodiment 99 of the animal feeding device generally comprises a body 10 arranged to bound and support a receiving portion 21 for receiving food and drink, the body arranged to elevate the receiving portion from a surface and maintain the food and drink stable on the surface, the receiving portion providing a concave bowl when the device is oriented in a first orientation, the body comprising a moulded material and the material being perforated with a plurality of perforations 2 so as to allow liquid to pass through at least some of the body when the device is oriented in a second orientation opposite to the first orientation. In particular reference to the embodiment shown in Figure 1 the embodiment comprises two concave bowls in an oblong body. The embodiment thereby provides a useful pet feeding device, whereby the pet is enabled to have a water bowl and a food bowl side by side. The body comprises sloped sides, which incline outwards from the bowls. The body is a monolithic part, formed in an injection or blow moulding process in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The whole of the body is finished with a glossy finish, so as to limit accumulation of dirt or bacteria, and / or provide an easy to clean surface finish. The body has a flat top 4 with the two bowls indented in it, and a chamfered joint 3 between the top and the sloped sides. The sloped sides terminate in feet 6 such that the sides are substantially spaced from the ground below them, so as to better accommodate uneven ground, wherein the feet are longer sections of the sides, so as to provide raised indentations 5. The bottom edge of the sides thereby provides a means of picking up the embodiment without dirtying hands, by gripping the indentations. The feet further comprise pads 7 of silicone or similar resilient material, which extend sideways along a section of the feet, so as to provide a friction resistance for the embodiment. With reference to the second embodiment 199 as shown in Figures 5, the embodiment 299 further comprises a plurality of larger perforations 23 in the side faces 20 of the embodiment, which perforations are heart shaped. The embodiment is circular with a single bowl 21, and a concentric body with a rounded top 24. The top has four small perforations 22 that are heart shaped in the top at the highest point of the top, such that they will be the lowest point when the embodiment is upside down. With reference to the embodiment 299 shown in Figures 6 the embodiment is a square body 30 with rounded corners. The sides of the embodiment are tapered outwards from a flat top 34. Four heart shaped perforations 22 in the top are located in the corners of the top. Two sides of the body are indented with indentations 35 so as to provide a means of picking up the embodiment without dirtying hands. The corners of the body further comprise resiliently deformable feet 37 at the bottom edge, which edge 36 comprises a band of thicker material so as to provide a stronger side. With reference to the embodiment 399 shown in Figures 7 the embodiment comprises a circular body 40 with a single bowl 41 and a rounded top edge 44 leading to a small chamfer on the inner edge of the bowl. The perforations 42 are circular are in the top seam between the chamfer and the rounded edge with the side. The sides are substantially vertical, with indentations 45 in the bottom edge 46, providing two grip areas to provide a means of picking up the embodiment without dirtying hands. 5 Four small feet 47 are spaced to either side of indentations in the bottom edge, so as to provide a friction to limit the embodiment slipping. With reference to the embodiment 499 shown in Figures 8 the embodiment is a single circular bowl with a semi spherical concave form 51 with a small flat top 54 having 10 chamfered edges. The continuous side 50 splays out regularly around the top 54. The bottom edge of the side includes two oblong indentations 55. 15 The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of protection as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. An animal feeding device comprising a body arranged to bound and support a receiving portion for receiving food and drink, the body arranged to elevate the receiving portion from a surface and maintain the food and drink stable on the surface, the receiving portion providing a concave bowl when the device is oriented in a first orientation, the body being perforated with one or more perforations so as to allow liquid to pass through the body when the device is oriented in a second orientation opposite to the first orientation.

2. An animal feeding device according to claim 1 wherein the body comprises a moulded material with sloped side walls.

3. An animal feeding device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the body comprises a top edge comprising the perforations.

4. An animal feeding device according to any preceding claim the body is arranged with an internal surface facing upwards in the second orientation and an external surface facing upwards in the first orientation.

5. An animal feeding device according to any preceding claim wherein the perforation is provided so as to provide a low point on the inner surface when the device is oriented in the second orientation.

6. An animal feeding device according to any preceding claim comprising a plurality of concave bowls.

7. An animal feeding device according to any preceding claim comprising a plurality of legs.

8. An animal feeding device according to any preceding claim comprising resiliently deformable feet.

9. An animal feeding device according to any preceding claim formed in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

10. An animal feeding device according to any preceding claim comprising an oblong perforation.

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