Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C67/00—Shaping techniques not covered by groups B29C39/00 - B29C65/00, B29C70/00 or B29C73/00
  • B29C67/24—Shaping techniques not covered by groups B29C39/00 - B29C65/00, B29C70/00 or B29C73/00 characterised by the choice of material
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
  • A01K15/00—Devices for taming animals, e.g. nose-rings or hobbles; Devices for overturning animals in general; Training or exercising equipment; Covering boxes
  • A01K15/02—Training or exercising equipment, e.g. mazes or labyrinths for animals ; Electric shock devices ; Toys specially adapted for animals
  • A01K15/025—Toys specially adapted for animals
  • A01K15/026—Chewable toys, e.g. for dental care of pets
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C35/00—Heating, cooling or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanising; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C35/02—Heating or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanizing during moulding, e.g. in a mould
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C71/00—After-treatment of articles without altering their shape; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C71/0009—After-treatment of articles without altering their shape; Apparatus therefor using liquids, e.g. solvents, swelling agents
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08C—TREATMENT OR CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF RUBBERS
  • C08C1/00—Treatment of rubber latex
  • C08C1/14—Coagulation
  • C08C1/15—Coagulation characterised by the coagulants used
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L21/00—Compositions of unspecified rubbers
  • C08L21/02—Latex
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L7/00—Compositions of natural rubber
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L7/00—Compositions of natural rubber
  • C08L7/02—Latex
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C71/00—After-treatment of articles without altering their shape; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C71/0009—After-treatment of articles without altering their shape; Apparatus therefor using liquids, e.g. solvents, swelling agents
  • B29C2071/0045—Washing using non-reactive liquids
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
  • B29K2007/00—Use of natural rubber as moulding material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
  • B29K2105/00—Condition, form or state of moulded material or of the material to be shaped
  • B29K2105/0058—Liquid or visquous
  • B29K2105/0064—Latex, emulsion or dispersion
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
  • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
  • B29L2031/52—Sports equipment ; Games; Articles for amusement; Toys

Definitions

• the present invention relates to animal
• the Kong Airdog Squeakair Ball is a ball having a tennis ball design but made specifically for pet use, utilizing improved, non-abrasive materials and incorporating a noise maker or "squeaker” to induce interaction and play.
• fetch/chew toys that are formed of a compacted aggregate surface that provides an irregular textured surface such as to provide both a unique aesthetic as well as a unique texture .
• an animal toy is provided preferably constructed from a latex or natural rubber material and formed into a ball.
• the ball is formed of an aggregate of particulate material that are bound together to form a substantially non-hollow
• the ball may be different sizes such as, for example, golf ball, baseball, or softball size, depending on the size of the animal, typically a dog, that is to use toy.
• pieces of latex are joined together to form balls.
• the balls may be constructed by hand or, alternatively, pressed into molds. By constructing the balls by hand, no two balls, even balls of similar size, are identical. Also, because the balls are made by hand, each ball has irregular outer surface that can form a variety of resilient protuberances that can provide beneficial oral hygiene effects when chewed or rubbed against the teeth.
• FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an animal toy according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention ;
• FIG. 2 is a left side elevational thereof
• FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view thereof
• FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view
• FIG. 5 is a top plan view thereof
• FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view thereof
• FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line XII-XII of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for manufacturing the ball of FIG. 1 through FIG. 6;
• FIG. 9 is a photograph showing an otherwise conventional tennis ball 150 according to the PRIOR ART, depicted in a damaged condition as the result of animal interaction .
• an animal toy generally noted as 100
• the animal toy 100 is preferably constructed from a latex or natural rubber material and formed into a ball 102.
• the ball 102 may be formed of an aggregate of particulate material 104 that are bound together to form a
• a portion of the center of the ball may form a cavity 110 (as shown in FIG. 7) .
• such an alternate configuration is envisioned as being formed to facilitate an alternate manufacturing method, such as rotational molding or the like, but in any configuration it is desired that the ball 102 have a substantially filled internal section 106 that is substantially greater than any cavity 110.
• an internal cavity 110 having a diameter of Dl which should be no greater than half the overall diameter D2 of the entire ball 102.
• the ball 102 may be different sizes such as, for example, golf ball, baseball, or softball size, depending on the size of the animal, typically a dog, that is to use toy.
• the ballsl02 are formed to accommodate various sized dogs, including small dogs (1-20 pound) that has an approximate general diameter D2 of 1.5 inches, medium dogs (21-60 pounds) that has an approximate general diameter D2 of 2.35 inches, or large dogs (61-200
• a conventional standard tennis ball 150 as shown in FIG. 9 has an outer diameter of 2.7 inches.
• the toy 100 may be of various colors through the addition of pigment or dye or through the use of pre- colored rubber aggregate 104.
• a flowchart 200 is providing depicting an exemplary method for manufacturing the animal toy 100.
• step 202 a solution of calcium nitrate or other suitable salt and water in a ratio of about 30 lbs (about 13.6 kg) of water to about 1 lb (about 0.45 kg) of calcium nitrate is formed.
• step 204 liquid latex and/or natural rubber is placed into the solution.
• step 201 it is desired that, prior to adding the calcium nitrate to the water, the water is filtered through a water
• step 206 the pieces of latex are joined together to form balls 102.
• the balls 102 can be constructed by hand or, alternatively, pressed into molds. By constructing the balls 102 by hand, no two balls 102, even balls 102 of similar size, are identical. Also, because the balls 102 are made by hand, each ball has irregular surfaces 103.
• step 208 the newly formed balls 102 are leached in tanks with water at a temperature of between about 85 degrees and about 100 degrees Celsius for about two hours.
• step 209 the balls 102 are then removed from the tank and placed on a mesh support at room temperature of about 72 degrees Fahrenheit (about 23 degrees Celsius) for at least 48 hours to remove
• balls 102 are cured in an oven or dryer at a temperature of at least 200 degrees Fahrenheit (about 93 degrees Celsius) for about 2 hours, or until the internal temperature of balls 102 reaches about 180 degrees Fahrenheit (about 83 degrees Celsius) , at which temperature the latex bonds solidify balls 102.
• the balls 102 can be packed and shipped.
• the balls 102 can be used as an animal chew toy and can clean the animal's teeth. Also, because of its latex/rubber nature, balls 102 can bounce and, because of their irregular surfaces 103, when the balls 102 bounce, the balls 102 do so erratically, allowing the animal to chase the balls 102 in different directions, allowing ball 100 to be treated as a fetch toy .
• the toy 100 has an application as an animal fetch/chew toy. Used as an alternative to an otherwise conventional tennis ball 150 as shown in conjunction with FIG. 9, the toy 100 is more durable and, in the event that particulates are released they would be of a size, shape and consistency that is nonhazardous to an animal. This is in contrast to a conventional tennis ball 150, in which the narrow sidewall 152 can tear and degrade into larger, irregularly shaped shards 154 that can be a choking hazard to a pet.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Dentistry (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Animal Husbandry (AREA)
• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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• 2017
  • 2017-07-18 EP EP17831682.4A patent/EP3512680A4/de not_active Withdrawn

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