Pet Toy Maze Interior for Treat Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pet toys with hollow interior spaces do not effectively prolong pet enjoyment as treats or foodstuff can be easily accessed and removed, leading to reduced engagement.
Innovation Solution
A pet toy design featuring a hollow body with varying diameters and separation arms between openings, creating a maze-like interior space that makes it difficult for treats or foodstuff to exit, thereby prolonging pet interest and enjoyment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If treats or foodstuff are placed inside a hollow pet toy, then pet enjoyment is prolonged, but the treats can be easily accessed and removed
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow body is divided into multiple sections with separation arms creating distinct compartments. These segments obstruct the direct path to treats, requiring pets to navigate through obstacles to access food, thereby prolonging engagement while maintaining accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The separation arms extend into the interior space from the interior surface, adding a third dimension of obstruction. This creates a maze-like structure where pets must maneuver around obstacles rather than simply reaching through openings, increasing interaction time without blocking access entirely.
2Ease of manufacture
If the hollow body has uniform diameter, then manufacturing is simple, but pet engagement is reduced due to easy treat removal
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow body features varying diameters at different sections rather than uniform diameter. This local variation creates natural obstacles and narrow passages that challenge pets, increasing engagement duration while remaining compatible with standard molding processes through multi-cavity or two-shot molding techniques.
3Duration of action of moving object
If separation arms are added to the interior space, then treat removal difficulty increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separation arms serve multiple functions: they obstruct treat access, create engaging pathways for pets, and can be designed to flex or move in response to pet interaction. This multi-functionality justifies the added structural complexity by delivering enhanced engagement without requiring additional separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The separation arms are positioned within the hollow body's interior space, nesting the obstruction structure within the existing toy form factor. This allows complex engagement features to be integrated without significantly increasing overall toy size or requiring additional external components.
Data Source
AI summary
A pet toy includes a hollow body defining an interior space with an interior surface and including a first portion having a first diameter, a second portion having a second diameter, a first opening in the first portion, a second opening in the second portion and a separation arm extending from the interior surface in the interior space and being disposed between the first and second openings.