Edible Pet Chew with Malleable Sheet and Composite Structure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing edible pet chews, particularly those made from synthetic materials and rawhide, pose health risks and lack nutritional value, flavor, and structural integrity, leading to high costs and waste, while alternatives struggle to replicate the natural incentives and durability of rawhide chews.
Innovation Solution
A composite edible pet chew is created using a hardened, malleable outer layer made from plant or meat-based materials, free from rawhide and animal hides, with a chewy inner layer and knotted ends to provide structural integrity and flavor, allowing for a rawhide-free, digestible, and economically viable option that mimics the appearance and durability of bone-like treats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rawhide or animal hides are used to provide structural rigidity and durability, then the chew toy gains structural integrity and chewability, but it loses inherent flavor and nutritional value, and poses health risks from contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by using plant-based materials (wheat, oats, barley, rice) instead of animal hides, while adjusting the physical and chemical properties through extrusion, molding, and drying processes to achieve the desired structural rigidity and chewability without the harmful contaminants associated with rawhide
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite materials by combining plant-based ingredients (wheat, oats, barley, rice) with binders and flavorings to formulate an edible composite that replicates the structural properties of rawhide while providing nutritional value and eliminating contamination risks
2Duration of action of stationary object
If synthetic materials like plastic, nylon or rubber are used to provide long lasting chew toy, then the durability is improved, but the toy becomes indigestible and poses health risks if swallowed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition from synthetic polymers to edible plant-based materials, while adjusting processing parameters (extrusion temperature, drying time, moisture content) to achieve durability comparable to synthetic materials without the indigestibility problem
3Strength
If rawhide is used to provide structural rigidity and ductility, then the chewability is improved, but the lack of inherent flavor causes the dog to lose interest after short chew time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by incorporating flavorings and nutritional ingredients into the plant-based composite material, creating regions of enhanced taste and aroma throughout the chew toy that maintain the dog's interest during extended chewing while preserving the structural ductility needed for chewability
4Object-affected harmful factors
If plant based materials are used to create edible chew treat, then the health safety and digestibility are improved, but the structural integrity and cohesiveness are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates composite materials by combining plant-based ingredients with appropriate binders and structural agents, formulating a composite that maintains health safety and digestibility while achieving the structural integrity and cohesiveness needed for a durable chew toy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes processing parameters including extrusion temperature, pressure, drying time, and moisture content to enhance the structural properties of plant-based materials, transforming them from fragile to structurally sound while maintaining their edible and digestible characteristics
Data Source
AI summary
An edible pet chew has an initially malleable sheet of a hardened chewable material dimensioned large enough and thin enough to be initially malleable for flexing, folding or rolling into a final shape. The sheet is shaped into a final shape by flexing, folding or rolling and then hardened.