CA2510222C - Food lifter - Google Patents

Abstract

A lifter for pet food car water bowls, consists in a channel through which slides a riser lifting a hook onto which is hooked either a platform or a bowl or any such container. A handle allows the user to raise the hook to any desired height at which point it is automatically locked to that given height. By actuating a lever, the hook can be lowered.

Description

Food Llfter BAMMUND OF THE INY-ENTION

Field of the invention :

The invention relates generally to household accessories but more particularly to a lifter for pet food or water bowls.

Background of the invention :

For practical as well as health reasons, devices aimed at raising and lowering the food or water bowls of pets have been developed. Indeed, some pet owners have various conditions that do not allow them to bend easily so any device aimed at avoiding that is welcome.

There are of course several inventions aimed at performing that specific function but there is always a need for a simple and practical way of achieving that.

$4MMARY OF THEINI/ENTIO~V

The invention consists in a channel through which slides a riser lifting a hook onto which is hooked either a platform or a bowl or any such container_ A handle allows the

2 user to raise the hook to any desired height at which point it is automatically locked to that given height_ By actuating a lever, the hook can be lowered.

There has thus been outfined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated, There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following desciiption or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and catried out in varPous ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as Iimiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which thls disclosure Is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent oonstructions insofar as they do not depart from the present invention.

3 These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention. are pointed out with particularity in the daims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specfic objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is iiiustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

~11'EDESCRIPTI N f71F TIiE PRE1=F$RED EMBdDIMENT
Fig. I Perspective view of the food lifter In the down positon.
Fig. 2 Perspective view of the food lifter in a semi raised positon.
Fig. 3 Exploded perspective view of the food lifter.

Figs. 4abc Top front and side views respec6vely of the food lifter.
Filg. 5 Side view of the ratchet means.

Fig. B Top view of the bowl assembly.
Fig, 7 Perspective view of the platform.

DETrA1LED DESCRIPTIQN OF THE PREFERRED iEKBODIMENT

A food lifter (10) has a channel frame (12) having a main channel (13) configured and sized for receiving a riser (14) slindingly engaging the main channel (13).
The riser (14) has a hook (16) at its lower end extending therefronrr and used for hooking a bowl assembly (17) or a shelf or platPorrn (40) as per FIG. 7 for supporting a generic bowl (not shown) or any other suitable objeck_ The nser (14) has a handle (18) along most of the iength of the riser (14) with several points of attachment (21) to the riser (14)

4 which allows the user to raise or lower the riser (14) from a wide range of location so that no matter the position of the handle (18) or the height of the user, the handle (18) is aNvays within reach. According to the height or preference of the user, once the bowl assembly (17) has reached a certain height, a ratchet means (15) situated atop the channel frame (12) actuated by a lever (19) stops the riser (14) from moving downward by using a set of teeth (20) positioned along the length of the riser (14) on the side opposite that of the handle (18) with all teeth (20) extending from the riser (14). The teeth (20) interaet with a pawl (22) and its biasing means (24) so that the pawl (22) is always biased against the teeth (20) exoept when the user pulls on it with the lever (19) such as when lowering of the riser (14). Once the platform (16) is raised and set at a preferred height, the user can interact with it. The teeth (20) and pawl representing the main component of the ratchet means (15), one understands what orientation the teeth (20) should have if an upward pull allows for free sliding of the riser (14) within the channel frame (12) while a pull on the pawl (22) is required for lowering the riser (14). The channel frame (12) has a pair of side channeis (52) running parallel to the main channel (13) and into which slide guides (50) found on the bowl assembly (17) or the platform (40)_ The bowl assembly (17) is a custom made twin bowl unit having an opening (30) through which engages the hook (16) which will raise the bowi assembly (17) as the riser (14) is risen. The configuration of the bowl assembly (17) can of course differ from that illustrated but a twin bowl is preferred as it can hold water In one bowl and food in the other. As discussed earlier, a platform (40) can repiace the bowl assembly (17) as long as it has an opening (30) that fits the hook (16). To allow some room for the ratchet means (15) as well as alearing baseboards (not shown) spacer blocks (34) set a distance between a surface (36) such as a wall and the channel frame (12).

As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description.
Accordingly, no further discussion reiating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.
With respect to the above desaription then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the inventiQn, to indude variations in size, materials, shape, form, func#ion and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and descrbed in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrativa only of the principles of the invention, Further, since numerous modifications and changes wili readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact r.nnstn,ntir,n and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, failing within the mope of the invention_

Claims (7)

CLAIMS:

1. A food lifter comprising:

a channel frame having a main channel through which slides a riser, said riser lifting a hook situated at the lower end of said riser and extending therefrom;
at least one handle to allow a user to raise or lower said riser;

a ratchet means situated atop said channel frame for stopping said riser from moving downward by using a set of teeth positioned along the length of said riser on the side opposite that of said handle and which interact with a pawl having a biasing means;
said hook hooks a platform or a bowl assembly;

said handle extends generally along the length of said riser.

2. A food lifter as in claim 1 wherein:

said handle is fixedly attached to said riser at a plurality of locations.

3. A food lifter as in claim 1 wherein:

said bowl assembly has an opening through which engages said hook.

4. A food lifter as in claim 1 wherein:

said bowl assembly being adapted for use with said food lifter.

A food lifter as in claim 1 wherein:

said channel frame has a pair of side channels running parallel to said main channel.

6. A food lifter as in claim 5 wherein.

said bowl assembly and said platform have guides sliding into said side channels.

7. A food lifter as in claim 1 wherein:

spacer blocks set some distance between a surface such as a wall and said channel frame.