Treat-Dispensing Pet Toy With Curved Rolling Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pet toys that deliver treats often result in messes on undesired surfaces, and there is a need for a configuration that keeps the toy in a preferred location while dispensing treats.
Innovation Solution
A pet toy with a cavity and radially extending holes, combined with a plunger, allows treats to be dispensed radially or axially through these holes, and the toy's design encourages it to roll in a curved trajectory, maintaining its position on a desired surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the treat is dispensed from the internal compartment of the toy, then the dog's desire to interact with the toy is enhanced, but the treat may inadvertently make a mess on carpet or undesired surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a removable treat container as an intermediary component between the toy's internal compartment and the dog. The container holds the treat and can be detached and transferred to a different location for dispensing, thereby mediating the treat delivery process to prevent messes on undesired surfaces while maintaining the treat delivery function
2Ease of operation
If the toy is designed to deliver treats from its internal volume, then pet interaction is enhanced, but the toy may roll onto surfaces that are difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The removable container serves as a mediator that separates the treat dispensing function from the toy's location. The container can be taken to a suitable location (such as a tile floor) for treat dispensing, preventing the toy itself from needing to be on difficult-to-clean surfaces while maintaining ease of pet interaction
3Device complexity
If the treat is dispensed irrespective of the dog's playing location, then the treat delivery mechanism is simple, but the result is a mess in carpet or undesired areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the treat delivery system into two separate components: the toy's internal compartment and a removable treat container. This segmentation allows the container to be detached and moved to a different location for treat dispensing, enabling location-specific treat delivery without significantly increasing the complexity of the dispensing mechanism itself
Data Source
AI summary
A pet toy has a unique configuration that is able to dispense a pet treat from the body thereof. The body has holes that extend axially through the body and are in communication with a center cavity. When a pet treat is disposed within the cavity, a syringe-style plunger can be used to expel the pet treat through the holes out of the cavity. Further, the pet toy can also have two enlarged end members that have different diameters that cause the pet toy to move in a curved trajectory as the pet toy rotates about its longitudinal axis.