GB2410409A

GB2410409A - Pet drinking bowl

Info

Publication number: GB2410409A
Application number: GB0401828A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Quinten John Harold Mccauley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-01-28
Filing date: 2004-01-28
Publication date: 2005-08-03
Also published as: GB0401828D0

Abstract

The bowl has at least one member 18 projecting upwardly above a water containing chamber of the bowl to a height greater than the height of a rim 14 of the bowl. The member or members are arranged such that they physically prevent an infant placing its head in water contained in the chamber of the bowl. The member(s) may be integral with the base of the bowl or may be formed seperately and fixed to the base.

Description

1 2410409 An Improved Drinking Bowl For A Pet The present invention

relates to an improved drinking bowl for a pet such as a dog and particularly to an improved drinking bowl that prevents infants from placing their heads into drinking water contained within the interior of the bowl.

Infants, particularly those aged between eight months to two years, are curious without having a developed sense of danger. Such infants have usually gained a degree of mobility through walking or at least crawling. At this stage of their development, it is common for such infants to be carefully observed by their caters in order to prevent them from hurting themselves or placing themselves in peril. However, there are many potential hazards in the home which are not recognised as such by caters which are accessible to infants crawling, for example, on the floor. Also, an infant can come to harm during a surprisingly short period of nonobservation by a cater as is apparent from publicly recorded statistics for accidents involving infants. It has been established that an infant can drown in as little as three centimetres of water.

Pet drinking bowls, particularly drinking bowls for dogs, are commonly filled with water to a depth greater than three centimetres. It is not uncommon for such bowls to be located within the home on floors accessible to infants. An infant's natural curiosity may lead it to follow a dog, for example, to its drinking bowl and to mimic the dog by placing its face into the interior of the bowl.

Notwithstanding the potential for the infant to become infected from placing its face into the dog's drinking water, there is a danger that the infant may drown.

This risk is greatest with infants who have just learned to crawl since such infants may not yet have sufficient neck strength to be able to lift their head from inside the bowl.

The present invention provides an improved drinking bowl for a pet such as a dog which obviates or mitigates problems associated with known pet drinking bowls.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a bowl having a base, a side wall extending upwardly from the base, said base and side wall defining a liquid containing chamber, and at least one member projecting above the chamber to a height greater than a height of a rim of the bowl to deter an infant from placing its head into the chamber.

Preferably, the distance between an upper end of the projecting member and the rim or another such member is chosen such that it physically prevents an infant from placing its head in the chamber.

Preferably also, the upper end of the projecting member is formed to be generally flat or gently curving.

The upper end of the projecting member may be covered in a protective 1 5 material.

The protective material may comprise an elastomeric coating or an elastomeric cap secured to the upper end of the projecting member.

The bowl may include a plurality of projecting members arranged such that the distance between any two members or any member and a rim of the bowl is such that it physically prevents an infant from placing its head in the chamber.

The projecting member may be formed to be integral with the base of the bowl.

Alternatively, the projecting member may be formed as a separate component to the bowl and affixed to the base thereof by any suitable means.

The projecting member may be formed as a separate member to the bowl and carried on a frame that snap fits within the bowl.

The foregoing and further features of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following description of preferred embodiments, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a side sectional view of a bowl in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention: Figure 2 is a plan view of the bowl in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention depicted by figure 1; Figure 3 is a side sectional view of a bowl in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention: Figure 4 is a side sectional view of a bowl in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention: Figure 5 is a plan view of a bowl in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention: Figure 6 is a side sectional view of a bowl in accordance with a fish embodiment of the invention: Figure 7 is a side sectional view of a bowl in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the invention: and Figure 8 is a plan view of the bowl in accordance with the sixth embodiment of the invention depicted in figure 7.

Referring to figures 1 and 2, there is provided a bowl 10 comprising a base 12 and side walls 14(a, b, c, d). The base 12 and side walls 14(a to d) define a chamber 16 which, in use, contains a liquid such as water 22 where the bowl is used as a pet drinking bowl.

The bowl 10 includes a plurality of members 18 which project upwardly from the base 12 to a height extending at least above a height of a rim 20 of the bowl 10. Consequently, the members 18 project above a height of water 22 contained within the chamber 16. In use, the members 18 visibly deter an infant from attempting to place its head into the chamber 16 of the bowl 10.

Preferably, however, the distances denoted by "x", "y" and "z" in figure 2 between respective members 18 and another such member or the rim 20 are chosen such that it is not physically possible for an infant to press its head between the members such that its face can access the water 22 contained in the bowl 10 even where the level of water 22 is co-incident with the rim 20 of the bowl 10. However, the distances "x", "y" and "z" are also chosen such that a pet, such as a dog, can still drink from the bowl 10. Dogs use their tongues to lap up water when drinking. Therefore, it is possible to position the members sufficiently closely so as to act as a physical barrier preventing an infant from placing its head within the chamber 16 of the bowl 10 whilst still affording access to the drinking water 22 contained therein for a dog or similar pet. It will be appreciated that the number of members 18 required is dependent on a combination of the width of the bowl 10 and the width of the members. It may therefore only be necessary to provide one member 18 located generally centrally of the bowl 10.

In the first embodiment depicted by figures 1 and 2, the members 18 project upwardly from the base 12 of the bowl 10. The members 18 may be formed separately from the bowl 10 and secured to the base 12 thereof by any suitable means such as fixing by adhesive, welding or snap-fitting to fixtures (not shown) formed in the base 12. The members 18 may be formed to be wider at their bases 1 8a than their upper ends 18b (as illustrated in figure 1) so as to be resilient to knocks and the like. The members 18 are formed to be generally flat or gently curved at their upper end 18b in order to prevent injury to an infant whose head comes into contact with the members 18.

For a more aesthetic product, the bowl 10 may be formed as a one-piece device from ceramics or the like.

Referring now to figure 3, this illustrates a second embodiment of the invention. In the description of this embodiment, like numerals to those employed in the description of the first embodiment but preceded by a "1" will be employed to denote like parts.

The bowl 110 of this embodiment has generally the same form as that of the first embodiment with the exception that it is formed as a one-piece device from a plastics moulding process. The members 118 are formed to be integral with the base 112 and are hollow. This form of the bowl 110 in accordance with the invention constitutes a low cost version of the device.

Figure 4 illustrates a third embodiment of the drinking bowl in accordance with the invention. In the description of this embodiment, like numerals to those employed in the description of the first embodiment but preceded by a "2" will be employed to denote like parts.

The bowl 210 of this embodiment is also of a similar construction to that of the first embodiment with the exception that the members 218 are formed to be hollow. The members 218 are formed with lower ports 224 and at least one upper port 226. The lower ports are in liquid communication with the chamber 216 such that the members 218 do not, in use, displace much of the volume of water 222 that can be accommodated within the chamber 216. The upper ports 226 allow venting of air from the interiors of the members 218 when water 222 is added to the chamber 216 of the bowl 210.

Figure 5 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the drinking bowl in accordance with the invention. In the description of this embodiment, like numerals to those employed in the description of the first embodiment but preceded by a "3" will be employed to denote like parts.

The bowl 310 of this embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment in that the bowl 310 is circular in plan. As such, the bowl 310 has a single side wall 314 that surrounds the base 312 to define the chamber 316. The members 318 are arranged such that a single central member 318' is surrounded by a ring of other such members 318" arranged concentrically with respect to the central member 318'. The distances denoted by "q", "r" and "s" in the figure are chosen as before to ensure that an infant cannot place its head into the chamber 316 of the bowl 310 but that a pet such as a dog can still drink water contained in said chamber 316.

Figure 6 illustrates a fish embodiment of the drinking bowl in accordance with the invention. In the description of this embodiment, like numerals to those employed in the description of the first embodiment but preceded by a "4" will be employed to denote like parts.

In this embodiment, the drinking bowl 410 has members 418 which have a stick-like form topped by a spherical element 428. The spherical members 428 of the projecting members 418 perform the same function as the upper ends 18b of the bowl 10 in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a sixth embodiment of the drinking bowl in accordance with the invention. In the description of this embodiment, like numerals to those employed in the description of the first embodiment but preceded by a "5" will be employed to denote like parts.

Figure 7 is a side sectional view and figure 8 a plan view of the drinking bowl 510 in accordance with the sixth embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the projecting members 518 are carried on a frame 530 that snap fits into fixtures 532 located on the insides of the side walls 514(a to d) of the bowl 510. The arrangement of the members 518 on the frame 530 and the frame itself are such that the members 518 prevent an infant from placing its head into the chamber 516 of the bowl 510. The frame 530 has a lattice form that is arranged such that a dog can still drink water 522 from the chamber 516 of the bowl 510. The frame 530 can be removed for easier cleaning of the bowl 510. The snap fit fixtures 532 are such that an infant could not detach the frame 530 from said fixtures 532. The snap fit fixtures 532 may be located at any depth within the chamber 516 of the bowl 510.

In this embodiment, the upper ends 518b of the members 518 are provided with caps 534 of a soft material secured thereto that will act to prevent an infant injuring itself should its face come into contact with the members 518.

The caps may be formed from a soft rubber compound such as an elastomeric material. However, it ill be appreciated that the caps 534 may be formed of any suitable soft material. Alternatively, the upper ends 518b of the members 518 may be coated with a layer of a suitable soft material. It will be appreciated that this feature of the invention can be applied to any embodiment thereof.

In summary, the present invention provides an improved pet drinking bowl. The bowl has at least one member projecting upwardly above a water containing chamber of the bowl. The member projects to a height above said chamber that is greater than the height of a rim of said bowl. The member or members are arranged such that they physically prevent an infant placing its head in water contained in the chamber of the bowl.

Claims

Claims.

1. A bowl having a base, a side wall extending upwardly from the base, said base and side wall defining a liquid containing chamber, and at least one member projecting above the chamber to a height greater than a height of a rim of the bowl to deter an infant from placing its head into the chamber.

2. A bowl as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance between an upper end of the projecting member and the rim or another such member is chosen such that it physically prevents an infant from placing its head in the chamber.

3. A bowl as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the upper end of the projecting member is formed to be generally flat or gently curving.

4. A bowl as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the upper end of the projecting member is covered in a soft protective material.

5. A bowl as claimed in claim 4, wherein the protective material comprises an elastomeric coating or an elastomeric cap secured to the upper end of the projecting member.

6. A bowl as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bowl includes a plurality of projecting members arranged such that the distance between any two members or any member and a rim of the bowl is such that it physically prevents an infant from placing its head in the chamber.

7. A bowl as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the projecting member is formed to be integral with the base of the bowl.

8. A bowl as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the projecting member is formed as a separate component to the bowl and affixed to the base thereof by any suitable means.

9. A bowl as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the projecting member is formed as a separate member to the bowl and carried on a frame that snap fits within the bowl.

10. A bowl as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bowl is a drinking bowl for a pet.

11. A bowl substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

12. A bowl substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to figure 3 of the drawings.

13. A bowl substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to figure 4 of the drawings.

14. A bowl substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to figure 5 of the drawings.

15. A bowl substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to figure 6 of the drawings.

16. A bowl substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to figures 7 and 8 of the drawings.