AU2008295459A1

AU2008295459A1 - Pet feeding bowl

Info

Publication number: AU2008295459A1
Application number: AU2008295459A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Peter Gilson; Stephanie Gilson
Original assignee: SPECIALISED K9 PRODUCTS Pty Ltd
Current assignee: K9 Group Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2007-09-05
Filing date: 2008-09-05
Publication date: 2009-03-12
Also published as: WO2009029999A1

Description

WO 2009/029999 PCT/AU2008/001327 Pet Feeding Bowl Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pet feeding bowl, particularly suitable for dogs. Background of the Invention 5 The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application Pets, such as dogs, suffer from intestinal problems if they eat their food too 10 quickly from a bowl. Typically, a dog will eat its recommended food dosage in a bowl in about 40 seconds to 1 minute. It is desirable to lengthen the dog's feeding time (reduce the dog's feeding rate) to be between about 4 minutes to 7 minutes to substantially prevent such intestinal and digestive problems. 15 Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a feeding bowl for an animal, the bowl comprising a base and a side wall extending from the base, the base and side wall defining a food holding space therewithin, the bowl having obstruction formations extending from the base into the food holding space, the obstruction formations comprising a 20 first set of formations having a first height and a second set of formations having a second height smaller than the first height. Preferably, the formations are protrusions extending from the base.

WO 2009/029999 PCT/AU2008/001327 -2 Preferably, the interior surface of the side wall is substantially perpendicular to the base. Preferably, the first set of formations include at least three protrusions substantially equally spaced from each other. The first set of formations is 5 preferably substantially centred within the food holding space of the bowl. Preferably, the second set of formations includes at least three protrusions substantially evenly spaced from each other. The second set of formations is preferably centred within the food holding space of the bowl. The second set of formations is preferably located further away from the centre of 10 the bowl than the first set of formations. The first set of formations is preferably of a height substantially the same as that of the side wall of the bowl. The second set of formations is preferably of a height of about one quarter to one half of the height of the first set. .The bowl preferably includes means for detachably attaching the bowl to the floor, 15 such as suction cups. Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred forms of the present invention will be described by way of examples only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a feeding bowl according to a 20 preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a top view of the bowl of Figure 1.

WO 2009/029999 PCT/AU2008/001327 -3- Best Mode(s) for Carrying Out the Invention Figures 1 and 2 show a bowl 10 for feeding a pet, such as a dog, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The bowl 10 includes a flat circular base 12 and a side wall 14 extending upwardly from the periphery of the 5 base 10. An interior surface 16 of the side wall 14 is substantially perpendicular to the base 12. The base 12 and the side wall 14 together form a food receiving space 18 therewithin. Extending into the food receiving space 18 are a first set 20 of protrusions 21 and a second set 22 of protrusions 23. Each protrusion 21 of the first set 20 10 comprises a cylindrical portion 26 extending upwardly from the base 12 and a domed top 27. The first set 20 of protrusions 21 are substantially equally spaced from each other-and arranged in a triangular formation as shown in Figure 2. The first protrusions 21 are also equally spaced from a centre 30 of the bowl 10. The protrusions 21 of the first set 20 extend to a height substantially the same or 15 slightly lower than the height of the side wall 14 of the bowl 10. The protrusions 23 of the second set 22 are similar to that of the first set in that the protrusions 23 also include a cylindrical portion 26 extending from the base and a domed top 27. The protrusions 23 however have a smaller diameter than the protrusions 21, and only extend to a height which is around one quarter to one 20 half of the protrusions 21' of the first set 20. The protrusions 23 of the second set 22 are also substantially evenly spaced from each other and arranged in a triangular formation as shown in Figure 2. The protrusions 23 are also evenly spaced from the centre 30 of the bowl 20, but are located further away from the centre 30 than the protrusions 21 of the first set 20. 25 As shown in Figure 2, the protrusions 23 of the second set 22 are arranged to be substantially in between two of the protrusions 21 of the first set 20. The protrusions 21 of the first set 20 are thus angularly offset about the centre 30 relative to the protrusions 23 of the second set 22.

WO 2009/029999 PCT/AU2008/001327 -4 Preferably, the bowl 10 has a diameter of 260 mm and a height of 90 mm. The base 12 of the bowl 10 is preferably flat. Each protrusion 21 of the first set 20 preferably has a diameter of 50 mm and a height of 90 mm. Each protrusion 23 of the second set 22 preferably has a diameter of 35 mm and a height of 30- mm. 5 The bowl 10 can be made from plastics material and made by extrusion moulding or from metal material by stamping. In use, dog food is placed in the bowl space 18 and then distributed substantially evenly on the base 12. The first set 20 and second set 22 of protrusions together assists in substantially preventing a dog from easily pushing food into open areas 10 of the bowl space 18, such as at the centre 30 or adjacent the interior corners 32 of the bowl 10 between the base 12 and interior surface 16. This slows down the dog's rate of eating. The interior surface 16 being substantially perpendicular to the base 12 also assists in reducing the dog's eating rate. The present invention thus provides a bowl which reduces the feeding rate of a dog. 15 Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, it will be apparent to skilled persons that modifications can be made to the embodiment shown or that the invention can be embodied in other forms. For example, the bowl can be bigger or smaller and can include more or less protrusions. The bowl can also include a further set of protrusions having a height 20 between the first and second sets. In addition, the protrusions may be other than cylindrical in shape. For example, the protrusions may be triangular or square in shape or a variation of shapes. Also, the interior corners 32 of the bowl 10 can be slightly curved or tapered rather than having a sharp comer as shown. Also, the bowl can include means for detachably attaching same to. the floor such as 25 suction cups. Throughout the specification and claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Claims

1. A feeding bowl for an animal, the bowl comprising a base and a side wall extending from the base, the base and side wall defining a food holding space therewithin, the bowl having obstruction formations extending from the base' 5 into the food holding space, the obstruction formations comprising a first set of formations having a first height and a second set of formations having a second height smaller than the first height.

2. A feeding bowl according to claim 1 wherein the first set of formations includes at least three protrusions. 10

3. A feeding bowl according to claim 2 wherein the formations are substantially equally spaced from each other.

4. A feeding bowl according to claim I or 2 wherein the second set of formations includes at least three protrusions.

5. A feeding bowl according to claim 4 wherein the formations are substantially 15 evenly spaced from each other.

6. A feeding bowl according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second set of formations are centred within the food holding space of the bowl.

7. A feeding bowl according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second set of formations are located further away from the centre of the bowl 20 than the first set of formations.

8. A feeding bowl according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first set of formations are of a height substantially the same as that of the side wall of the bowl. WO 2009/029999 PCT/AU2008/001327 -6

9. A feeding bowl according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second get of formations is of a height of about one quarter to one half of the height of the first set of formations.

1 0.A feeding bowl according to claim 1 wherein the interior surface of the side wall 5 is substantially perpendicular to the base. II.A feeding bowl according to claim 1 as herein before described with reference to the example.