GB2484984A

GB2484984A - Non tip animal feeding bowl

Info

Publication number: GB2484984A
Application number: GB201018350A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nicholas John Evans; Andrew Hine
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-11-01
Filing date: 2010-11-01
Publication date: 2012-05-02
Also published as: GB201018350D0

Abstract

An animal feeding bowl of generally polygonal shape has a substantially vertical peripheral wall 1 with at least one stabilising projection 3 at each vertex. Each projection extends in a direction away from an opposite side of the bowl. The projections may be in the form of arms extending in the "star" shape shown, or in the form of feet. The projections may be tapered. The projections prevent the bowl tipping over during use.

Description

ANIMAL FEEDING BOWL

Background to the Invention

[0001] This invention relates to an animal feeding bowl.

[0002] A known type of horse feeding bowl has a substantially vertical peripheral wall. When the bowl is placed on the gourd a horse approaches to feed the horse's muzzle often collides with this wall and can cause the bowl to pivot about a point on the base of the bowl and diametrically opposite the location of the muzzle. The bowl can tip over in a direction away from the horse, potentially discharging its contents.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to alleviate this disadvantage, the present invention provides an animal feeding bowl of generally polygonal shape, having a substantially vertical peripheral wall with a plurality of vertices and at least one projection at each vertex, each projection extending in a direction away from an opposite side of the bowl.

[0004] There may be one projection at each vertex and the projections may all extend in the same circumferential direction.

[0005] In one embodiment of the invention, the projections comprise arms formed as extensions of sides of the wall. The arms may have a lower horizontal edge and an upper edge that tapers from an uppermost part of the substantially vertical wall down to the lower edge at an angle, for example between 25 and 50 degrees to the horizontal. The projections or arms may each have a length of 20% to 45%, e.g. approximately 30%, of the external dimension of the bowl considered without arms, in the direction in which the arms extend.

[0006] The substantially vertical wall may be hollow and formed in an inverted U-shape as viewed in cross section. Where the projections are formed as arms they may also have an inverted U-shape.

[0007] When a horse's muzzle contacts the vertical wall of a bowl according to the invention, there will always be at least one projection on the side of the bowl facing away from the horse, which projection by its contact with the ground prevents the bowl from tipping in a direction away from the muzzle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] A particular embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0009] Figure 1 is a plan view of a feeding bowl according to the invention; and [0010] Figure 2 is a side elevation of the feeding bowl of Figure 1.

Detailed Description of Particular Embodiments

[0011] The drawings show a generally square feed bowl having a substantially vertical peripheral wall 1 and a flat base 2. In this example the bowl is integrally moulded from plastics material, the wall having a cross-section of inverted U-shape.

[0012] A known bowl is similar to the bowl of Figure 1 but has an exactly square shape and, when placed on the ground, is subject to the tipping problem mentioned above. The inventive bowl of Figure 1 is provided with four arms 3, one arm at each corner. Each arm is formed at as a continuation of one side of the wall 1 and each arm 3 extends in the same circumferential direction, providing the "star" shape shown in Figure 1.

[0013] Viewed in elevation, the arms 3 have the shape of a right-angled triangle as shown in Figure 2. They each have an upper edge that tapers from an uppermost part of the peripheral wall 1 down to the ground at an angle a to the horizontal. In this example a is 35 degrees.

[0014] In this example, the arms 3 have the same inverted U-shape cross-section as the wall 1.

[0015] The arms 3 have a length, viewed in plan, approximately 30% of the width of the bowl considered without arms. In a particular example this external width is 550 mm, the length of the arms 190 mm, the height of the bowl 145 mm and the thickness of the wall 1 and the arms 3 is 60 mm at the base and 40 mm at the top.

Other dimensions are of course possible.

[0016] It will be appreciated that when a horse's muzzle contacts any of the sides of the bowl, the arm 3 extending away from the opposite side prevents the bowl from tipping in that direction. The arms depicted in the drawing are robust and

stable.

[0017] The bowl of the invention can be used for water or other liquid as well as solid food.

[0018] Modifications to the specific embodiment described above, which do not depart from the scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims, will occur to those skilled in the art. Thus whilst the embodiment shown in the drawings has projections in the form of arms 3, the projections could alternatively be provided in the form of feet, for example of circular or square shape. These could be generally planar in form and coplanar with the base of the bowl. They could extend either in directions similar to those shown for the arms 3 in Figure 3 or they could extend radially from each corner of the bowl.

[0019] The bowl could have a shape other than square and more than one projection could be provided at each vertex of the bowl.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An animal feeding bowl of generally polygonal shape, having a substantially vertical peripheral wall with a plurality of vertices and at least one projection at each vertex, each projection extending in a direction away from an opposite side of the bowl.
2. An animal feeding bowl according to claim 1, comprising one projection at each vertex.
3. An animal feeding bowl according to claim I or 2, wherein the projections all extend in the same circumferential direction.
4. An animal feeding bowl according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the projections comprise arms formed as extensions of sides of the wall.
5. An animal feeding bowl according to claim 4, wherein the arms have a lower horizontal edge and an upper edge that tapers from an uppermost part of the substantially vertical wall down to the lower edge at an angle to the horizontal.
6. An animal feeding bowl according to claim 5, wherein the angle is between 25 and 50 degrees, e.g. 35 degrees, to the horizontal.
7. An animal feeding bowl according to claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein the arms have an inverted U-shape as viewed in cross section.
8. An animal feeding bowl according to any preceding claim1 wherein each projection extends a distance of 20% to 45%, e.g. approximately 30%, of the external dimension of the bowl considered without projections, in the direction in which the projection extends.
9. An animal feeding bowl according to any preceding claim, wherein the substantially vertical wall is hollow and formed in an inverted U-shape as viewed in cross section.
10. An animal feeding bowl, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.