GB2575963A

GB2575963A - Dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2575963A
Application number: GB1809262.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cooper Felicity
Original assignee: Tatty Head Ltd
Current assignee: Tatty Head Ltd
Priority date: 2018-06-06
Filing date: 2018-06-06
Publication date: 2020-02-05
Anticipated expiration: 2038-06-06
Also published as: GB201809262D0; GB2575963B

Abstract

A dispenser for holding food items (e.g. pet food/treats) and selectively individually dispensing said food items comprising an open-ended container 12 for receiving and collectively holding food items and a removable open-ended lid 14, configured to be retained at its open end over the open end of the container. At least one of the container and lid comprises a tubular neck 16 at its open end having an aperture 18 dimensioned to enable a food item to fit therethrough. The container and the lid has an aperture 22 dimensioned to enable a food item to fit therethrough and is configured to be removably mounted on the tubular neck so as to be selectively manually movable relative thereto between a first configuration in which the apertures are aligned to allow a food item to be dispensed and a second configuration in which the apertures are not aligned and the container and lid form a closed receptacle. A dog treat dispenser shaped like a bone is also provided.

Description

DISPENSER

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a dispenser for storing, transporting and selectively dispensing individual snacks or treats and, more particularly, to a portable such dispenser for animal snacks, such as dog treats.

Background of the Invention

It is well known that animals, and especially dogs, have memory and the ability to react to certain stimuli on a consistent basis. For this reason, it is common to use rewards, such as edible treats, to encourage and reward desired behaviours or actions. For example, this type of reward technique can be used to encourage a dog to sit or lie down by offering a treat every time they perform the desired action, and tempting them with a treat when that action is required of them (usually whilst issuing a consistent visual and/or verbal command).

Dog treats are usually sold in cardboard boxes or large bags, that are difficult to carry and equally difficult to dispense treats in a controlled manner from, and there is a risk of spillage or dispensing too many treats at a time. If a pet owner wants to use treats during a walk or other outing, they can either try to carry and use the bulky original container, or (more usually) take a few treats and carry them in their pocket or a small bag. Clearly, neither of these options is ideal. Carrying a large, bulky container may be inconvenient, and dispensing single treats from the container may be made even more difficult if the user’s hands are cold and/or wet due to inclement weather. Indeed, in wet weather, a cardboard treat container may become damaged. If they have a small number of treats about their person, there is still no easy way to dispense them, other than to pick them out of a pocket or small bag, by hand, which may again be difficult if their hands are cold and/or wet, and results in any coating or residue on the treats being transferred to their hands. In environments where there are no hand washing facilities, this may be highly undesirable.

It is an objects of aspects of the present invention, to address at least some of these issues and provide a dispensing container for food items, such as dog treats, that obviates at least some of these issues.

Statements of Invention

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dispenser for holding a plurality of food items and selectively individually dispensing said food items therefrom, the dispenser comprising an open-ended container for receiving and collectively holding a plurality of individual food items, and an openended lid configured to be removably retained, at its open end, over the open end of the container; wherein at least one of the container and lit comprises a generally tubular circumferential neck at its open end, the neck having an aperture therein which is dimensioned to enable a food item to fit therethrough, and wherein the other of the container and the lid has an aperture therein dimensioned to enable a food item to fit therethrough, and is configured to be removably mounted on the tubular neck so as to be selectively manually movable relative thereto between a first configuration, in which the apertures are aligned to allow a food item to be dispensed therethrough from the container, and a second configuration, in which the apertures are not aligned and the container and lid form a closed receptacle.

In an exemplary embodiment, the lid and the container may be configured to be releasably connected together, at said generally tubular circumferential neck, such that they are manually slidably movable relative to each other, about the outer circumference of the tubular neck, between said first and second configurations.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the container may comprise the circumferential tubular neck at its open end; and the lid may comprise, at its open end, a generally tubular receiving portion for removably receiving, and slidably retaining, said generally tubular neck.

Optionally, the container and the lid may be formed of a substantially rigid plastic material, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) which is considered to be superior to other plastics in terms of its hardness, gloss and toughness.

In an exemplary embodiment, and depending on the method of manufacture, the generally tubular neck may be integrally formed at the open end of said container.

In an exemplary embodiment, the generally tubular neck is provided at the open end of the container, the lid comprises, at its open end, a generally tubular receiving portion, the tubular neck comprises a pair of diametrically opposing locking tabs at its distal end, and the tubular receiving portion comprises a pair of diametrically opposing locking recesses, channels or apertures for releasably receiving said locking tabs when the dispenser is in its assembled configuration with the tubular neck fully received within the tubular neck receiving portion.

Optionally, the locking recess, channel or aperture is configured to allow the lid to be twisted circumferentially about the tubular neck portion between said first and second configurations.

Optionally, the lid can be twisted back and forth about said tubular neck through substantially 180 degrees between said first and second configurations.

In an exemplary embodiment, the lid may have first and second outward facing walls, and wherein said aperture is provided generally centrally in one of said walls.

In an exemplary embodiment of the dispenser, the closed receptacle is generally bone-shaped, the container comprising an elongate, generally tubular section adjacent its open end, and a first closed bulbous section, the lid comprises a second closed bulbous section substantially similar to said first closed bulbous section, the second closed bulbous section having opposing first and second walls, and said aperture being provided in one of said walls, the container comprises a generally tubular circumferential neck about its open end, the tubular neck having an aperture therein substantially similar to the aperture in said wall of said lid, the lid being releasably mounted over said open end of said container via said tubular neck and being slidably relative thereto, circumferentially about said tubular neck, so as to selectively align said apertures to dispense a food item contained in said container and misalign the apertures to form a said closed receptacle.

The dispenser may include a collar portion, releasably mountable about said container or said lid, and including a mounting member for receiving an attachment device for attaching said dispenser to a dog lead assembly. The collar may be formed of a resiliently flexible rubber or rubber-like material, such as neoprene.

In an exemplary embodiment, the lid may be injection moulded of plastic material and formed in two halves configured to snap-fit together to form said second closed bulbous section.

Optionally, the container and the generally tubular neck may be integrally formed and blow or injection moulded of plastic material.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dog treat dispenser comprising a closed receptacle of generally bone-shaped configuration, the receptacle comprising an open-ended container comprising an elongate, generally tubular section adjacent its open end, and a first closed bulbous section, and a lid comprising a second closed bulbous section substantially similar to said first closed bulbous section, the second closed bulbous section having opposing first and second walls, and a first aperture being provided in one of said walls, the container comprising a generally tubular circumferential neck about its open end, the tubular neck having, in its circumferential wall, a second aperture substantially similar to the first aperture, the lid being releasably mounted over said open end of said container via said tubular neck and being slidably relative thereto, circumferentially about said tubular neck, so as to selectively align said apertures to dispense a food item contained in said receptacle and misalign the apertures to form a said closed receptacle.

Optionally, the lid and the container may be releasably mounted together in a snapfit configuration. In an exemplary embodiment, the second closed bulbous section defined by the lid is advantageously substantially hollow (and formed, for example, by injection moulding) with one or more strengthening ribs therein, simply to give the hollow structure some additional toughness. In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the distal end of the tubular neck is provided with at least one, and beneficially two resiliently flexible locking tabs which is/are substantially aligned with the outer circumference of the tubular neck. The or each locking tab beneficially comprises a protruding portion adjacent the distal end of the tubular neck, the protruding portion extending laterally beyond the circumference of the tubular neck. The second closed bulbous section defined by the lid beneficially comprises a circular channel or recess adjacent the closed, bulbous end thereof. The lid beneficially comprises a tubular open end having a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tubular neck and into which the tubular neck of the container can be inserted to separably couple the container and lid together, wherein, the resiliently flexible locking tabs are beneficially manually depressable radially inwardly relative to the tubular neck, to enable the tubular neck to be inserted into the tubular open end of the lid and, when the tubular neck is fully inserted into the tubular open end of the lid, the one or more protruding portions of the locking tabs are located within the circular recess of the lid, thereby to couple the container and lid together and allow the lid to be manually twisted about the circumference of the tubular neck to selectively align and misalign the above-mentioned apertures.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a dog treat dispenser according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic exploded view of a dog treat dispenser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the dispenser of Figure 2;

Figure 3A is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the dispenser of Figure 2, illustrating the engagement between the distal end of the tubular neck and the recess at the inner end of the tubular neck-receiving portion of the dispenser lid; and

Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a dispenser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and its manner of attachment to a dog lead assembly.

Detailed Description

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, a dog treat dispenser 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a container portion 12 and a lid portion 14. The container portion 12 comprises an open-ended receptacle 12a, the outer surface of which is shaped and profiled to resemble a middle portion and one end of a classic ‘bone’ shape. Thus, the receptacle 12a has a bulbous closed first end 12b and a narrower waisted portion 12c at its open end, the waisted portion 12c being of generally oval cross section. The open end of the waisted portion 12c has a radially extending flange 12d which defines a generally central circular opening 12e. The container portion 12 further comprises, extending longitudinally from the circular opening 12e defined at the open end of the receptacle 12a, a generally tubular neck 16 of circular cross-section (having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the circular opening 12e defined at the open end of the receptacle 12a. The neck 16 has a generally circular through-hole or aperture 18 in its circumferential side wall. A pair of diametrically opposed flexible tabs 20 extend along a portion of the neck 16, from its distal end, substantially parallel to its longitudinal axis. Each of the flexible tabs 20 is substantially aligned along its length with the adjacent circumference of the tubular neck 16, and each has a protruding portion 20a formed or otherwise provided adjacent the distal end of the tubular neck 16, each protruding portion extending laterally beyond the circumference of the tubular neck 16.

The lid portion 14 has an outer surface that is shaped and profiled to resemble the opposite end of a classic ‘bone’ shape and has a tubular neck receiving portion 22 at its open end. The diameter of the tubular neck-receiving portion 22 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tubular neck 16 such that the neck 16 can be inserted into the neck-receiving portion 22, and be snugly received therein, in order to separably couple the container and lid portions 12, 14 together to form the dog treat dispenser 10.

Referring additionally to Figure 3A of the drawings, the lid portion 14 is substantially hollow, with one or more strengthening ribs 14a therein, simply to give it some additional hardness. Adjacent the bulbous closed portion of the lid 14, there is a circular recess or channel 24. The neck-receiving portion 22 is substantially equal in length to the tubular neck 16 from the open end of the receptacle 14a (at the circular opening 12e defined at its open end) to the nearest edges of the protruding portions 20a. In order to connect the container and lid together, a user manually depresses the flexible locking tabs 20, by squeezing them between their thumb and forefinger for example, to push the protruding portions 20a radially inwardly relative to the tubular neck 16, thereby enabling the distal end of the tubular neck 16 to be inserted into the neck-receiving portion 22. The neck 16 can be slid further into the neckreceiving portion 22 by manual longitudinal force, until the protruding portions 20a (which were released when the user placed the end of the neck 16 into the neckreceiving portion 22) hit the edge of the circular recess or channel 24. An additional longitudinal manual force is required to force the protruding portions 20a over the edge of, and into, the circular recess or channel 24 such that the container 12 and lid 14 are separably connected together in a snap-fit configuration as the protruding portions 20a engage with the edge of the circular recess or channel 24 to prevent the container 12 and lid 14 from being separated unless a sufficient pulling force to pull the protruding portions 20a back over the edge of the circular recess or channel 24 is applied. The configuration of the circular recess or channel 24 in the lid 24, within which the protruding members 20a are received when the dog treat dispenser is fully assembled, enables the lid portion 14 to be twisted relative to the container portion 12, about the tubular neck 16.

As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the container portion 12 (including the tubular neck 16) can be integrally formed as a single component by means of, for example, blow or injection moulding. It is beneficially formed of a hard, tough plastic material (which may be translucent or transparent), such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). the lid portion 14 may be formed in two halves of, for example, the same ABS, by means of, for example, injection moulding. The two halves of the lid portion 14 may be substantially identical and fit together to form two opposing Outward facing’ surfaces of the bulbous second end of the bone-like device. One of the ‘surfaces’ of the lid portion 14 has an aperture or through-hole 26 therein, which is of substantially the same size and shape as the aperture 18 in the tubular neck 16 of the container portion 12. The locations of the through-hole or aperture 26 in the lid and the through-hole or aperture 16 in the tubular neck 16 are such that, when the dog treat dispenser is fully assembled and the protruding portions 20a are received within the circular recess or channel 24 in the lid portion 14, they can be selectively aligned to define a dispensing opening from the inside of the receptacle 12a, to enable one or more dog treats 30 therein to be dispensed, simply by orienting the device so the dispensing opening faces generally downwardly and (if necessary) gently tapping or shaking the device to move a dog treat 30 to the opening to allow it to drop out.

In order to close the receptacle 12a, a user simply twists the lid portion 14 relative to the container portion 12 (about the tubular neck 16 - see arrow 33 in Figure 1) to move the apertures 18, 26 out of alignment and thereby close the dispensing opening.

The dispenser described above facilitates controlled dispensing of treats. Another io advantage is that the dispenser can be made of a (plastic) material that means that the treats in the dispenser rattle when it is shaken, allowing a dog to build an association between that noise and a reward, which is advantageous for recall.

A neoprene (or other resiliently flexible) collar 28 may be removably mounted about the central ‘waisted’ potion of the bone-like dispenser 10. Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings, the collar 28 may incorporate a loop 32 for receiving an attachment clip 34 for attaching the dispenser 10 to a dog lead assembly 36, for example.

It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art, from the foregoing description, that modifications and variations can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A dispenser for holding a plurality of food items and selectively individually dispensing said food items therefrom, the dispenser comprising an openended container for receiving and collectively holding a plurality of individual food items, and an open-ended lid configured to be removably retained, at its open end, over the open end of the container; wherein at least one of the container and lit comprises a generally tubular circumferential neck at its open end, the neck having an aperture therein which is dimensioned to enable a food item to fit therethrough, and wherein the other of the container and the lid has an aperture therein dimensioned to enable a food item to fit therethrough, and is configured to be removably mounted on the tubular neck so as to be selectively manually movable relative thereto between a first configuration, in which the apertures are aligned to allow a food item to be dispensed therethrough from the container, and a second configuration, in which the apertures are not aligned and the container and lid form a closed receptacle.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said lid and said container are configured to be releasably connected together, at said generally tubular circumferential neck, such that they are manually slidably movable relative to each other, about the outer circumference of the tubular neck, between said first and second configurations.

3. A dispenser according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said container comprises said circumferential tubular neck at its open end.

4. A dispenser according to claim 3, wherein said lid comprises, at its open end, a generally tubular receiving portion for removably receiving, and slidably retaining, said generally tubular neck.

5. A dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the container and the lid are formed of a substantially rigid plastic material.

6. A dispenser according to claim 5, wherein said plastic material comprises acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

7. A dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said generally tubular neck is integrally formed at the open end of said container.

8. A dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said generally tubular neck is provided at the open end of the container, said lid comprises, at its open end, a generally tubular receiving portion, the tubular neck comprises a pair of diametrically opposing locking tabs at its distal end, and the tubular receiving portion comprises a locking recess, channel or aperture for releasably receiving said locking tabs when the dispenser is in its assembled configuration with the tubular neck fully received within the tubular neck receiving portion.

9. A dispenser according to claim 9, wherein each said locking recess, channel or aperture is configured to receive said locking tabs in a snap-fit connection and allow the lid to be twisted circumferentially about the tubular neck portion between said first and second configurations.

10. A dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the lid can be twisted back and forth about said tubular neck through substantially 180 degrees between said first and second configurations.

11. A dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said lid has first and second outward facing walls, and wherein said aperture is provided generally centrally in one of said walls.

12. A dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the closed receptacle is generally bone-shaped, the container comprising an elongate, generally tubular section adjacent its open end, and a first closed bulbous section, the lid comprising a second closed bulbous section substantially similar to said first closed bulbous section, the second closed bulbous section having opposing first and second walls, and said aperture being provided in one of said walls, the container comprising a generally tubular circumferential neck about its open end, the tubular neck having an aperture therein substantially similar to the aperture in said wall of said lid, the lid being releasably mounted over said open end of said container via said tubular neck and being slidably relative thereto, circumferentially about said tubular neck, so as to selectively align said apertures to dispense a food item contained in said container and misalign the apertures to form a said closed receptacle.

13. A dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, including a collar portion, releasably or removably mountable about said container or said lid, and including a mounting member for receiving an attachment device for attaching said dispenser to a dog lead assembly.

14. A dispenser according to claim 12, including a collar portion, releasably or removably mounted over the generally tubular section of the container, and including a mounting member for receiving an attachment device for attaching said dispenser to a dog lead assembly.

15. A dispenser according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein said collar is formed of a resiliently flexible rubber or rubber-like material.

16. A dispenser according to claim 15, wherein said collar is formed of neoprene.

17. A dispenser according to claim 12, wherein said lid is injection moulded of plastic material and formed in two halves configured to fit together to form said second closed bulbous section.

18. A dispenser according to claim 12 or claim 17, wherein said container and said generally tubular neck are integrally formed and blow or injection moulded of plastic material.

19. A dog treat dispenser comprising a closed receptacle of generally boneshaped configuration, the receptacle comprising an open-ended container comprising an elongate, generally tubular section adjacent its open end, and a first closed bulbous section, and a lid comprising a second closed bulbous section substantially similar to said first closed bulbous section, the second closed bulbous section having opposing first and second walls, and a first aperture being provided in one of said walls, the container comprising a generally tubular circumferential neck about its open end, the tubular neck having, in its circumferential wall, a second aperture substantially similar to the first aperture, the lid being releasably mounted over said open end of said container via said tubular neck and being slidably relative thereto, circumferentially about said tubular neck, so as to selectively align said apertures to dispense a food item contained in said receptacle and misalign the apertures to form a said closed receptacle.

20. A dog treat dispenser according to claim 19, wherein said lid and said container are releasably mounted together in a snap-fit configuration.

21 .A dog treat dispenser according to claim 19 or claim 20, wherein the second closed bulbous section defined by the lid is substantially hollow with one or more strengthening ribs therein.

22. A dog treat dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the distal end of the tubular neck is provided with at least one resiliently flexible locking tab which is substantially aligned with the outer circumference of the tubular neck.

23. A dog treat dispenser according to claim 22, wherein the at least one locking tab comprises a protruding portion adjacent the distal end of the tubular neck, the protruding portion extending laterally beyond the circumference of the tubular neck.

24. A dog treat dispenser according to claim 23, wherein the second closed bulbous section defined by the lid comprises a circular channel or recess adjacent the closed, bulbous end thereof.

25. A dog treat dispenser according tom claim 24, wherein the lid comprises a tubular open end having a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tubular neck and into which the tubular neck of the container can be inserted for use, to separably couple the container and lid together, wherein, the at least one resiliently flexible locking tab is manually depressable, radially inwardly relative to the tubular neck, to enable the tubular neck to be inserted into the tubular open end of the lid and, when the tubular neck is fully inserted into the tubular open end of the lid, the one or more protruding portions of the 5 locking tabs are located within the circular recess of the lid, thereby to couple the container and lid together and allow the lid to be manually twisted about the circumference of the tubular neck to selectively align and misalign the above-mentioned apertures.