WO2015013308A1

WO2015013308A1 - Pet toy configurable as a training aid and/or pet treatment device

Info

Publication number: WO2015013308A1
Application number: PCT/US2014/047665
Authority: WO
Inventors: John M. Lipscomb
Original assignee: Pioneer Pet Products, Llc
Priority date: 2013-07-22
Filing date: 2014-07-22
Publication date: 2015-01-29

Abstract

A pet toy with a rigid segment holding a rigid product and a soft segment holding a soft product that can be granular and/or fibrous. The rigid product may define a clumped arrangement or mass having irregular surface characteristics and may include discrete starch- containing pellets bound to each other by a carbohydrate polymer binder. The carbohydrate polymer may include dextrin and be water soluble. The soft and rigid products may be received in a common cavity or be held separately in discrete soft and rigid segments of the body. A releasable material may be held in the body which may include a releasable attractant material and/or a releasable treatment material as a stand-alone material or incorporated at least partially into the soft and/or hard product. This may allow the pet toy to be configured as an entertainment toy, training aid, and/or treatment device.

Description

PET TOY CONFIGURABLE AS A TRAINING AID

AND/OR PET TREATMENT DEVICE

CROSS REFERENCE

[0001] This international application claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/857,102, filed July 22, 2013 and in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.

61/857,187, filed July 22, 2013, the entirety of each of which is hereby expressly

incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

[0002] The present invention is directed to pet toys and, more particularly, to flexible pouchlike toys for pets, such as dogs, cats, and other types of pets, made of a flexible material that can be cloth or fabric which can be porous producing a toy that can also be used as a pet or animal training aid and/or pet or animal treatment device.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Bean bag toys for pets are known. Such bean bag toys include particles in bead form and/or stuffing in a single non-segmented pouch that can be of entirely plush construction. The beads or other stuffing tends to move everywhere within the non-segmented pouch during use causing them to thin out in certain places and bunch together in other places of the non-segmented pouch, which can cause the pouch to lose its shape or form.

[0004] Some bean bag toys made for cats include catnip. Bean bag toys with catnip typically include relatively large amounts of catnip which increases the cost of making the toy. During use, the catnip also tends to move all over the place within the non-segmented pouch from which the cat toy is formed which can make it difficult for catnip to be dispensed from the toy during interaction with the toy by a cat.

SUMMARY

[0005] The present invention is directed to a pet toy such as a pet toy having a body that may define a pouch-like body forming at least one cavity in which various ones of a rigid product, a soft product, and a releasable material, which may include a releasable attractant material and/or a releasable treatment material, is received. This may allow the pet toy to be configured as an entertainment toy, training aid, and/or treatment device.

[0006] One preferred releasable material is an attractant material at least partially releasing during interaction of the pet toy by a pet. The attractant material may release a scent or an enhanced or stronger scent upon physical manipulation such that interaction of the pet toy by the pet physically engaging the pouch-like body releases scent from the attractant material. The scent-producing attractant material may produce a scent attractive to pets such as cats and dogs, including various scents provided by cat food and/or treats and dog food and/or treats. Such attractant materials and their corresponding scents may include or replicate odors of scents of bone marrow and meat such as chicken, beef, pork, lamb, and fish.

[0007] One preferred attractant material for a pet toy configured as a cat toy provides catnip scent or fragrance/odor. This may be provided by an attractant material including catnip or particles of catnip and/or expressed catnip oil.

[0008] One preferred attractant material for a pet toy configured as a dog training aid provides a scent or fragrance/odor helpful for training hunting dogs or other working dogs. This may be provided by an attractant material(s) providing scent(s) or fragrance(s)/odor(s) of or associated with various game animals, including waterfowl, field game birds, and others for training hunting dogs as well as attractant material(s) providing scent(s) or fragrance(s)/odor(s) of or associated with various substances found by enforcement or other working dogs, including those associated with various illicit substance, e.g., illegal drugs or narcotics, cadavers, and explosive substances.

[0009] One preferred releasable material is a treatment material that provides nutritional and/or pharmacological benefits to the pet. This may be provided with a treatment material that is formulated to deliver at least one of a nutrient, one or more vitamins and/or minerals, a medicament, a pharmacological substance, and a medication.

[0010] One preferred body may define a delineated body with rigid segments and soft segments providing different tactile and/or sound characteristics while being chewed, clawed, batted, tossed, or otherwise engaged by an animal playing with the toy. [0011] The rigid segment of the toy body may hold a rigid product therein and the soft segment may hold a soft product therein. The rigid and soft segments may be spaced from each other and enclosed by a common cover. A boundary may be defined between the soft and rigid segments for maintaining separation between the rigid and soft products. The rigid product may define a clumped arrangement or mass having irregular surface characteristics. The clumped mass may include discrete pellets such as starch-containing pellets bound to each other by a carbohydrate polymer binder. The carbohydrate polymer may be water soluble. The carbohydrate polymer binder may include dextrin. The pellets may be bound to each other with a binder having an acrylic material. Pellets may be bound to each other with a non-acrylic binder which may have a water-activated component. The clumped mass may include a cellulosic material such as hay. The clumped mass may include at least one cereal grain that may be corn-based. The corn-based cereal grain may include at least one of corn grits, corn meal, corn flour, and corn starch.

[0012] The boundary may be defined by an articulation segment arranged between the rigid and soft segments. The articulation segment may include at least one seam arranged between the rigid and soft segments. The seam is sewn or defined by a line of adhesion. The soft product may include a pet or animal attractant in the form of a granular material, a fibrous material, a foamed material, a gel, liquid-filled, gas-filled, or gel-filled capsules including microcapsules, powder, pellets, and/or another type of attractant material. The body may define a torso and a head. The rigid segment may be defined at one of the torso and the head of the body, and the soft segment may be defined at the other one of the torso and the head of the body. The body may define multiple appendages extending from the torso, and at least one rigid segment may be defined by at least one of the multiple appendages. The body may define a torso, and multiple appendages extending from the torso and multiple rigid segments may be defined at the multiple appendages.

[0013] Where a cavity or a compartment of the flexible outer shell-like body from which such a pet toy is made contains such animal attractant, e.g., catnip, along with one or more pieces of rigid product, the pieces of rigid product occupy a significant volume within the cavity or compartment that is at least 30% of the total volume of the cavity or compartment thereby reducing the amount of more expensive animal or pet attractant included in the same cavity or compartment thereby reducing the cost to make the pet toy. The use of one or more pieces of rigid product in the same cavity as animal attractant also helps position the animal attractant closer to the flexible material from which the body of the toy is made thereby helping to increase dispensation of the attractant from the toy, particularly during animal interaction with the toy. The use of one or more pieces of rigid products within the same cavity or compartment that contains animal attractant helps abrade, grind, or otherwise express attractant from the toy during animal interaction with the toy (as well as during toy movement, toy deflection, toy compression, and/or other toy displacement) producing an attractant-dispensing toy that more efficiently dispenses attractant from the porous outer body of the toy.

[0014] Such a toy can be made of fabric, cloth, or another type of porous material that can be woven, cut, sewn, shaped, extruded, thermoformed, molded, or otherwise formed into a perforate pouch-like body that can be configured with a plurality of cavities or compartments with one or more of them containing one or more rigid products that provide body, three- dimensional contour, and form to the toy that can help enable the toy to be formed into something that looks like prey and/or food for the animal helping to entice the animal into interaction. One or more of the cavities or compartments can contain a filler that can be of an animal attractant composition that can emit a gas, oil, and/or other substance detectible by an animal interacting with the toy that can pass through the fabric or cloth forming the body of the toy. Where a particular compartment or cavity contains rigid product and an animal attractant, the volume occupied by the rigid product can help reduce the amount of attractant in the cavity or compartment reducing the cost to make the toy. Where a particular compartment or cavity contains rigid product and an animal attractant, engagement between the rigid product and animal attractant can help facilitate dispensation of gas, oil, and/or another substance(s) emitted by the animal attractant thereby facilitating dispensation of the attractant during animal interaction with the toy. Such a toy can have multiple compartments or cavities each containing at least one rigid product and at least one animal attractant with the animal attractant selected to produce an animal toy that is also an animal or pet training device.

[0015] A preferred rigid product is formed from plant material that is safe for an animal playing with the toy to ingest. One such preferred rigid product is formed of a natural material that can be organic as well as biodegradable. One preferred rigid product is made by way of a process having wetting, forming, drying, and producing or finishing procedures utilizing various pellets as constituents. A preferred rigid product is formed of a plurality of clumped and bound pellets comprised of at least one cereal grain, such as corn or maize, rice, wheat, triticale, amaranth, and/or sorghum, which preferably is ground such as into meal, grits, flour, and/or starch that can be extruded under pressure into particles comprising the pellets. The pellets can be wetted, such as with a liquid wetting agent, that flows between pellets and which can even be absorbed into some of the pellets in clumping the pellets together into a clumped mass that forms a substantially solid rigid product after the pellets dry.

[0016] In one preferred rigid product, the pellets include a binder formed of a carbohydrate polymer that can be or otherwise include dextrin that goes into solution into the liquid wetting agent when the wetting agent is applied to clump the pellets. The carbohydrate polymer binder can be produced during extrusion of the pellets producing a self-clumping clumped arrangement or mass when the wetting agent is added and allowed to dry. Once dried, the clumped mass of pellets becomes solid producing a relatively hard rigid product that is relatively lightweight and well suited to provide something hard for an animal interacting with the toy to chew on. Such a relatively hard rigid product also advantageously acts as a grinding stone or grinder when it engages animal attractant in the same

compartment or cavity of the toy in which the rigid product is located thereby providing surface-to-surface engagement or direct rubbing of the rigid product and the attractant material against each other helping dispense the attractant during animal interaction with the toy that moves the toy, flexes or bends the toy, twists the toy, bites the toy, paws at or bats the toy, crushes the toy, etc. In another implementation, the rigid product and attractant material are spaced from each other in the pouch- like body, whereby the rigid product and attractant material do not interact with each other without interaction of the pet toy by the pet. The pouch-like body is configured by providing the rigid product and attractant material in different portions of the body that can be moved against each other during interaction of the pet toy by the pet. In this way, the interaction of the pet toy by the pet flexes the pouchlike body moving the rigid product and attractant material in proximity with respect to each other allowing grinding engagement therebetween, which may include material of the cover intervening between direct surface-to-surface contact of the rigid product and attractant material.

[0017] If desired, the wetting agent can include a binder or adhesive that clumps the pellets to form the clumping arrangement or mass that produces the rigid product when setting and/or any curing occurs, such as during drying of the clumped pellets. One such binder or adhesive is a water-soluble adhesive such as, preferably, an acrylic-based adhesive such as an adhesive comprised of polyvinyl acetate as this binder or adhesive that is non-toxic to humans and animals alike. Another such binder is a protein-based binder, such as a binder or adhesive comprised of casein. Such a wetting agent that includes such a pellet clumping adhesive or binder can advantageously be used with such pellets the same as or like that disclosed above that are not self-clumping because they lack any adhesive or binder. Where such a wetting agent includes such a pellet-clumping adhesive or binder and is used to wet pellets of self-clumping composition, the synergistic effects of all of the non-toxic adhesives or binders present produce a clumped mass of pellets that produces a relatively hard and substantially unbreakable rigid product that is also well suited for use in one or more compartments or cavities of a pet toy constructed in accordance with the present invention.

[0018] The pellets from which rigid product is produced can include animal attractant material, such as bone marrow, parts of chickens, parts of ducks, parts of other water fowl, parts of game, chicken scent, duck scent, other water fowl scent, or game scent that is included in the mixture from which the pellets are made. Where extruded, such material and/or scent can be added to the wet and/or dry cereal grain mixture, including during extrusion, which is extruded from a commercially available single screw or twin screw extruder operating at a horsepower of at least 25 horsepower and, preferably, at least 40 horsepower producing pellets that dispense animal attractant during animal interaction with the toy. Where the toy is configured as a cat toy, catnip can be added to the wet and/or dry cereal grain mixture that is extruded from a commercially available single screw or twin screw extruder operating at a horsepower of at least 25 horsepower and, preferably, at least 40 horsepower, including during extrusion, producing pellets that dispense particles of catnip, express catnip oil, and/or emit catnip fragrance/odor from the toy during animal interaction with the toy.

[0019] The pellets can also be formulated with one or more nutrients, such as

phytonutrient(s), one or more vitamins and/or minerals, a medicament, a pharmacological substance, medication, and/or a treatment that can be dispensed from or by the rigid product formed of the pellets through the flexible outer skin or covering of the toy. They can be formulated to dispense over time, such as by evaporating from the rigid product, be expressed to the exterior of the rigid product, and/or be dispensed by movement,

engagement, and/or abrasion caused by an animal interacting with the toy containing such a rigid product. The pellets can also be formulated with an abrasive material, such as silica, bentonite, or another abrasive material, that can be of inorganic or organic construction, to produce a rigid product that helps clean the teeth of an animal, such as a dog or cat, when they chew on a compartment containing the teeth-cleaning rigid product.

DRAWING DESCRIPTION

[0020] Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the

accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout, and in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a schematic representation of a pet toy constructed in accordance with the present invention;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a variant of the pet toy of FIG. 1 ;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of another variant of the pet toy of FIG. 1;

[0024] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of another variant of the pet toy of FIG. 1 ;

[0025] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of another variant of the pet toy of FIG. 1;

[0026] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of another variant of the pet toy of FIG. 1; [0027] FIG. 7 is a pictorial view of a rigid product used with a pet toy in accordance with the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 8 is a photograph of a rigid product used with a pet toy in accordance with the present invention; and

[0029] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a method of making a rigid product in accordance with the present invention.

[0030] Before explaining one or more embodiments 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 the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments, which can be practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate exemplary embodiments of pet toys shown as dog or cat toys 20 but which can be configured as toys for other pets, if desired. Although described as being suitable as a toy for pet entertainment, toy 20 is configurable as a pet, including working animal, training aids, and/or pet treatment device, as described in greater detail elsewhere herein.

[0032] Each toy 20 includes a pouch-like body 25 having a cover 30 made from a flexible material such as a cloth, fabric, woven material, or other textile and defining an exterior surface of the toy 20. The flexible material of cover 30 and therefore the body can be porous producing a toy 20 that allows transport of particles, substances, liquids, oils, and gases therethrough to facilitate use of the toy 20 as a device for pet entertainment, training aid, and/or treatment vehicle. The body 25 forms at least one cavity 35 that receives at least a plurality of a soft product 40, a substantially hard or rigid product 45, and/or a releasable material 50 which may include a releasable-attractant material and/or a releasable treatment material is received, explained in greater detail elsewhere herein. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one cavity 35 formed in the body 25 of the toy 20 receives at least a plurality of pairs, i.e. at least three, of the soft product 40, rigid product 45 and/or releasable material 50. [0033] In a preferred embodiment, each cavity 25 formed in the body 35 defines a container 26 that holds at least a plurality of the soft product 40, rigid product 45 and/or releasable material 50. In one such preferred embodiment, each cavity 25 is formed in the cover 30 by sewing, bonding, welding, sealing or the like thereby defining a corresponding container 26 that holds at least a plurality of the soft product 40, rigid product 45 and/or releasable material 50. In one such preferred embodiment, each cavity 25 formed in the body 35 defines a container 26 that holds at least a plurality of pairs of the soft product 40, rigid product 45 and/or releasable material 50. In such preferred embodiments, each cavity 25 is formed in the cover 30 by sewing, bonding, welding, sealing or the like thereby defining a corresponding container 26 holding the soft product 40, rigid product 45 and/or releasable material 50.

[0034] Referring now to FIG. 1, one preferred body 25 defines a cavity 35 receiving the soft and rigid products 40, 45 and releasable material 50 in a common space. This permits direct surface-to-surface grinding engagement of various ones of the soft and rigid products 40, 45 and/or releasable material 50. Where the substantially hard or rigid product 45 is received in the same cavity 35 as either or both of the soft product 40 and/or releasable material 50, grinding engagement with or of the substantially hard or rigid product 45 by an animal or pet interacting with the toy 20 preferably abrades at least some of the substantially hard or rigid product 45 forming one or more of chunks, granules, or particles thereof that can remain within the cavity 35 and/or which can pass through the body 25 and be released from the toy 20 to the animal or pet as discussed in more detail herein.

[0035] FIGS. 2-6 illustrate other preferred embodiments of toys 20 constructed in accordance with the present invention having bodies 25 that are delineated and/or segmented so as to form a plurality of cavities 35 with each cavity 35 defining a container 26 in which soft product 40, rigid product 45 and/or releasably material 50 is received. Where such toys 20 are constructed with bodies 25 having a plurality of cavities 35, each separate cavity 35 preferably is formed by sewing, bonding, welding, sealing or the like. Where the body 25 is formed of an outer cover 30 made of cloth, fabric, woven material, another textile or other suitable material, each one of the multiple cavities 35 of the body are preferably formed by sewing, bonding, welding, sealing or the like of the cover 30.

[0036] With continued reference to FIGS. 2-6, other preferred bodies 25 define delineated and/or segmented bodies that each have at least one cavity 35 and preferably have more than one cavity 35, and can be formed or made to have a as multiple, including a plurality of pairs of cavities 35. Each of these bodies 25 defines at least one compressible or soft segment 55 and at least one rigid segment 60 that is spaced from the at least one soft segment 55. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2-4, the soft segments 55 are arranged at intermediate portions of the bodies 25, and the rigid segments 60 are arranged outwardly of the soft segments 55. It is understood that the rigid segments 60 may be arranged at intermediate portions of the bodies 25, and the soft segments 55 may be arranged outwardly of the rigid segments 60. Each of the soft segments 55 receives and holds the soft product 40 arranged in the interior of the body 25 below the cover 30 within the cavity 35 of the respective soft segment 55. Each of the rigid segments 60 receives and holds the rigid product 45 arranged in the interior of the body 25 below the cover 30 within the cavity 35 of the respective rigid segment 60. A boundary 65 is defined between adjacent soft and rigid segments 55, 60 for maintaining separation between the rigid and soft products 40, 45. Each boundary 65 may be defined by at least one seam 70. The seams 70 may be sewn or defined by lines of adhesion forming the boundaries 65 as barriers between the cavities 35 of the soft and rigid segments 55, 60. The boundaries 65 are defined within articulation segments 75 arranged between respective soft and rigid segments 55, 60. The articulation segments 75 may be defined by layered segments of material of the cover 30 and seams 70 and may define lines of folding at the seams 70 about which the soft and rigid segments 55, 60 may readily flex and pivot to provide substantial floppiness between the soft and rigid segments 55, 60 through the articulation segments 75. This allows the soft and rigid segments 55, 60 to be doubled over against each other, permitting grinding of the contents of the soft and rigid segments 55, 60 such as the soft and rigid products 40, 45 against each other, which may be separated from direct contact by intervening material of the cover 30. As explained in greater detail elsewhere herein, such grinding action may facilitate release of attractant and/or treatment material from the releasable material 50 through the material of cover 30 of some preferred bodies 25.

[0037] Referring now to FIG. 2, one preferred toy 20 has a body 25 that resembles a novelty item such as a vegetable or fruit, shown here with a banana shape, and includes rigid segments 60 at opposing ends between which the soft segment 55 extends. The rigid segments 60 and the rigid products 45 within the rigid segments 60 are readily movable with respect to the soft segment 55 by way of the articulation segments 75. This allows the soft and rigid segments 55, 60 to be doubled over against each other, permitting grinding of the contents of the soft and rigid segments 55, 60 such as the soft and rigid products 40, 45 relative to or against each other.

[0038] Referring now to FIG. 3, one preferred toy 20, the toy 5, is a body 25 that has substantially geometrically recognizable shape, shown here with a generally circular perimeter shape. One of the rigid segments 60, shown toward the top of the body 25, projects outwardly from the remainder of the body 25. Other rigid segments 60 are defined generally within an outer periphery of a main portion of the body 25. The soft segment 55 defines a generally triangular perimeter shape that is surrounded by the rigid segments 60, which are readily movable with respect to soft segment 55 by way of the articulation segments 75. This allows the rigid segments 60 to be folded against the soft segment 55, doubling over the soft and rigid segments 55, 60 against each other which permits grinding of the contents of the soft and rigid segments 55, 60 such as the soft and rigid products 40, 45 relative to or against each other.

[0039] Referring now to FIGS. 4-5, other preferred toys 20 have bodies 25 that resemble animal-like shapes. Each body 25 defines a torso 80 and a head 85 and appendages 90 extending from the torso 80. The torso 80 is defined at the soft segment 55. The head and appendages 85, 90 are defined at the rigid segments 60 and are readily movable with respect to soft segment(s) 55 by way of the intermediary articulation segments 75. This allows the rigid segments 60 of the head and appendages 85, 90 to be folded against the soft segment 55, doubling over the soft and rigid segments 55, 60 against each other which permits grinding of the contents of the soft and rigid segments 55, 60 such as the soft and rigid products 40, 45 relative to or against each other.

[0040] One preferred body 25 includes a closure 95 defining a selectively opening and closing passage permitting access to the interior space of the one or more cavity 35 of the body 25 or its various portions or segments. The closures 95 may include various closing mechanisms such as zippers, buttons, hook and loop fasteners, and/or overlapping flaps of material. By manipulating closure 95 interior, contents of the body 25 can be replenished, such as by removal of used, worn, matted, size-reduced, or other relatively less effective ones of the soft and rigid products 40, 45 and/or releasable material 50.

[0041] Regardless of the particular configuration or shape of the body 25, the soft product 40 within the one or more cavities 35 may provide a non-rigid feel to the portion of the body 25 in which the soft product 40 is received and held. One preferred soft product 40 is made of a soft material such as a highly conformable material. The highly conformable soft material of the soft product 40 may include a bead-like or stuffing material or other soft fibrous material to provide a plush feel and easy compressibility to the soft segments 55. Where such beadlike material is used, it can be made of plastic, another synthetic material, wood, or another suitable material. Where stuffing and/or fibrous material is used, it can be made of a natural and/or biodegradable material like cotton, wool, cellulose, down, feathers, hulls, husks, and/or another natural and/or biodegradable material, it can also be made of a synthetic material such as polyester fiber or fill, rayon, nylon or another suitable synthetic material.

[0042] Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, the substantially hard and rigid product 45 is made from a material that is less compliant and more durable than the soft product 40 so as to provide different tactile and/or sound characteristics at the soft and rigid segments 55, 60 during interaction of the toy 20 by a pet, such as by being chewed, clawed, or otherwise physically engaged by the pet. One preferred substantially hard or rigid product 45 is formed of at least one clumped arrangement or clumped mass 100 that can have irregular outer surface characteristics, such as depicted in FIG. 7. In other words, the exterior or outer surface of the rigid product 45 can be irregular, such as by being porous, rough, uneven, or the like. If desired, its outer surface can also be smooth. [0043] The clumped mass 100 is formed from a base material that includes granular constituents, such as discrete starch-containing or other pellets, shown in FIG. 7 as pellets 105, which are bound or adhered to each other by a binder 110 which may include an adhesive. The binder 110 can and preferably does define a continuous phase of material in which the pellets 105 are embedded. The binder 110 can be and preferably is formed at least in part of a carbohydrate polymer binder. The carbohydrate polymer binder may be water soluble and may include dextrin. In a preferred embodiment, carbohydrate binder used to form a clumped mass 100 that defines a substantially hard or rigid product 45 is water soluble. In one such preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate binder used to form the clumped mass 100 that defines a substantially hard or rigid product 45 is water soluble and formed substantially of dextrin. The clumped mass 100 may include a cellulosic material, e.g. cellulose containing material, such as alfalfa or other hay, wood fiber, rice husks, paper, beet pulp, or the like having at least 25% cellulose by dry weight as a component of the pellets 105 or as an ancillary fibrous constituent. The clumped mass 100 may include at least one cereal grain that may be corn-based. The corn-based cereal grain may include at least one of a ground corn, corn grits, corn meal, corn flour, and/or corn starch.

[0044] Other suitable materials from which each clumped mass 100 can be formed include one or more other cereal grains such as rice, wheat, triticale, amaranth, and/or sorghum. Where rice is used, the rice, preferably, is a form of ground rice that can be rice grits, rice meal, rice flour, and/or rice starch. Where wheat is used, the wheat, preferably, is a form of ground wheat that can be wheat grits, wheat meal, wheat flour, and/or wheat starch. Where triticale is used, the triticale, preferably, is a form of ground triticale that can be triticale grits, triticale meal, triticale flour, and/or triticale starch. Where amaranth is used, the amaranth, preferably, is a form of ground amaranth that can be amaranth grits, amaranth meal, amaranth flour, and/or amaranth starch. Where sorghum is used, the sorghum, preferably, is a form of ground sorghum that can be sorghum grits, sorghum meal, sorghum flour, and/or sorghum starch. Each clumped mass 100 can be made of a single ground cereal grain, a plurality of the aforementioned ground cereal grains, or even a plurality of pairs, i.e., at least three, of the above-identified ground cereal grains. [0045] Still referring to FIGS. FIGS. 7 and 8, the base material of the clumped mass 100 may be formed into the rigid product 45 as represented by the process 200 depicted in FIG. 9. This may include forming a rigid product 45 by way of a process having wetting, forming, drying, and producing or finishing procedures utilizing various pellets as constituents. Still referring to FIG. 9, as represented at block 205, the base material is supported, for example, by way of receiving and retaining a volume of the base material in a container which may define a mold that forms the clumped 100 into a corresponding desired shape of the desired end-use rigid product 45. Where a mold is used, the mold has a mold cavity in which a volume of the base material is filled and held during a clumping and binding step of the process 200. Where the size and/or shape of the rigid product 19 is not critical, base material may be formed into a clumped mass 100 in the same manner discussed below that is also applicable to when a mold is employed.

[0046] Still referring to FIG. 9, as represented at block 210, the base material is wetted by a liquid wetting agent during a wetting step of the process causing at least some of the base material to clump together during a clumping step that can occur substantially

simultaneously with the wetting step and/or immediately following the wetting step and which can continue for a period of time after the wetting step is completed. In a preferred implementation of process 200, wetting agent is applied to a base material formed of at least a plurality of pairs, i.e., at least three, of pellets at least partially formed of one or more of the aforementioned ground cereal grains wetting at least a plurality of pairs of the pellets causing at least a plurality of the pellets to clump together in forming a clumped mass 100 that becomes a rigid product 19 when setting occurs.

[0047] During the wetting step, the liquid wetting agent flows in and around the plurality of pairs of pellets causing a carbohydrate polymer binder formed during the production of the base material, e.g., during extrusion of pellets of the base material, to at least partially dissolve and/or flow with the wetting agent between a plurality of pairs of the pellets of the base material causing them to clump together. In a preferred implementation of the process, clumping occurs by at least a plurality of the pellets of the base material sticking together such as by adhesive forces, e.g., atomic and/or subatomic, e.g., Van Der Waals, ionic, or another form of adhesion, causing the plurality of pairs of pellets to form a clump that is the clumped mass 100.

[0048] Setting occurs immediately after clump formation and can begin during clump formation when clumping of at least a plurality of the pellets of the base material that forms the clumped mass 100 occurs. Setting occurs as the clumped mass 100 dries causing it to harden into the rigid product 45. During the setting step, at least the carbohydrate polymer binder hardens binding and/or fixing the plurality of pairs of pellets of the base material clumped together into a solid mass forming the rigid product 45. When setting and/or drying of the clumped mass 100 is completed, the resultant substantially hard and rigid product 45 formed is a substantially solid mass that cannot be easily broken, is biodegradable, is chewable, and even can be safely consumed by an animal chewing on the rigid product 45, the flexible pouch-like body of a toy 20 containing the substantially hard and rigid product 45 inside it, and/or the outer cover 30 of the toy 20 in which the substantially hard and rigid product is received.

[0049] In another preferred implementation of the process 200, the wetting agent contains an adhesive that preferably is a water-soluble adhesive that flows between at least a plurality of pellets of the base material during the wetting step causing the pellets to clump together forming the clumped mass 45. During the drying or setting step, the clumped pellets of the clumped mass 45 become glued or fixed to one another producing a solid mass that is the rigid product 45.

[0050] One preferred wetting agent is a water-soluble acrylic resin-based adhesive that, preferably, is comprised of polyvinyl acetate that can be in the form of an emulsion of polyvinyl acetate, such as wood glue, carpenter's glue, school glue, ELMERS GLUE, or the like. In a preferred wetting agent where an adhesive formed of an emulsion of polyvinyl acetate is used, such a wetting agent, preferably, is water-based containing no more than 20% polyvinyl acetate by weight of the wetting agent and, preferably, contains between 0.5% and 10% polyvinyl acetate. In another such preferred wetting agent, the wetting agent has between about 1% and 7% polyvinyl acetate by weight with the rest of the wetting agent formed of water or at least 50% water where the wetting agent includes other additional additives or constituents. Where polyvinyl acetate is used, it can be added in the form of an emulsion and/or mixed with water in the wetting agent to form an emulsion if an emulsion is desired.

[0051] Another preferred wetting agent is a protein-based adhesive, such as a casein-based and/or casein adhesive, which can be added in the form of an emulsion and/or mixed with water in the wetting agent to form an emulsion, if desired. In a preferred wetting agent containing a protein-based adhesive, e.g., a casein-based and/or casein adhesive, the wetting agent preferably contains no more than 20% protein-based adhesive by weight of the wetting agent and preferably contains between 0.5% and 10% protein-based adhesive. In another such preferred wetting agent, the wetting agent has between about 1% and 7% protein-based adhesive by weight with the rest of the wetting agent formed of water or at least 50% water where the wetting agent includes other additional additives or constituents.

[0052] Where the wetting agent includes an adhesive or binder, the base material need not include any carbohydrate polymer binder but preferably is pelletized. A plurality of pairs of pellets, i.e., at least three pellets, and preferably more than 10 pellets, are wetted during the wetting step with an adhesive containing liquid wetting agent, such as a water-based wetting agent composed or configured in accordance with that disclosed herein. The more than 10 pellets (base material) can be received and retained in a cavity of a mold during the wetting step or can be located in contact with one another, such as by being in a pile or mound, such as on a surface that can be a flat surface, or disposed in a container, such as a bag, bucket, cup, etc. During the wetting step, adhesive in the wetting agent flows in between the outer surfaces of the pellets wetting them and coating them. Where the pellets are porous, at least some of the wetting agent, including at least some adhesive contained in the wetting agent, is absorbed into at least a plurality of the pellets.

[0053] In another preferred rigid product embodiment and implementation of process 200, the base material has at least 10 pellets with at least a plurality of pairs of the pellets, i.e., at least three, containing an adhesive and/or binder that can be formed during pellet production and/or which can be added to the pellets during and/or after pellet production (such as during a coating, dusting, plating, mixing, and/or agglomerating step(s) where the adhesive and/or binder is added to the pellets post production). In one embodiment, each pellet is manufactured in a manner that forms at least some adhesive and/or binder at least some of which is exteriorly disposed and/or forms part of the outer surface of each pellet. During the wetting step, the wetting agent solubilizes at least some of the adhesive and/or binder present in and/or on each pellet of at least a plurality of pellets of the at least 10 pellets (base material) causing the solubilized adhesive to flow in between a plurality of pairs of the pellets of the at least 10 pellets causing at least those pellets to clump together forming the clumped mass 100 that ultimately holds together the at least 10 pellets throughout the setting step producing a rigid product 45 having at least 10 pellets substantially permanently fixed together by the adhesive.

[0054] Still referring to FIG. 9, as outer surfaces of at least a plurality of the pellets of the at least 10 pellets (base material) become wetted with the wetting agent and, preferably, at least partially coated with adhesive during wetting, clumping begins to occur. During the clumping step, at least a plurality of pairs, i.e., at least three, of the pellets of the at least 10 pellets (base material) begin to adhere or stick to one another when wetted during the wetting step causing them to clump together. When the clumping step is completed, at least a plurality of pairs of the pellets of the at least 10 pellets (base material) clump together forming a clumped mass 100 that includes or holds together the at least 10 pellets (base material) thereby forming a substantially hard and rigid product 45 that is substantially dry that is formed of at least 10 pellets when the setting step is completed.

[0055] Still referring to FIG. 9, as represented at block 215, the base material is dried so as to set the adhesive or binder for bonding pellets of the base material to each other during the setting step. As represented at block 220, forming may be done by shaping the base material while in a wetted state and/or dried state. Where such shaping or forming of the base material is done, it preferably is done before the setting step is completed. The forming may include compressing or molding the base material, or otherwise mechanically shaping the base material so as to form the substantially hard and rigid product 45 into a desired shape or form, represented in a finished state at block 225. [0056] One preferred rigid product is made by way of a process having wetting, forming, drying, and producing or finishing procedures utilizing various pellets as constituents formed of an admixture of granular constituents or granular embodiments, which may include discrete starch-containing extruded pellets that can be bound or adhered to each other by a binder formed in the extruded pellets during extrusion and/or by extrusion. One preferred form of the pellets is made by pellet extrusion or extrusion cooking using a single screw or twin screw extruder that can be an extruder operating at a horsepower of at least 25 horsepower and, preferably, at least 40 horsepower to produce the extruded pellets. In one preferred method, the extruder is operated at an extrusion pressure of at least about 800 PSI and preferably at least about 1,000 PSI at an extrusion temperature of at least 130° C and preferably at least about 140° C producing starch containing pellets or granules in which water soluble binder is formed during or by extrusion. The extruder can force the admixture material through bores in an orifice plate or die plate of the extruder with a cutter disposed at an outlet end of the orifice or die plate that cuts the extruded material, the extrudate, into pieces defining the pellets. This can form the pellets into various shapes including round, oval, oblong, cup-shaped, or the like, having sizes that can be about 1 cm x 1 cm or smaller such as about 6 mm x 6 mm or preferably no greater than about 3 mm x 3 mm and various ones of height, width, and length dimensions. In one preferred embodiment, pellets having a width or diameter no greater than about 1 mm are formed that preferably also have a length no greater than 1 mm that can be cylindrical, oblong, spherical, round, half-moon shaped, cup-shaped, convexly shaped, concavely shaped or which have another suitable shaped.

[0057] One preferred form of the pellets defines pellets or granules made from a starch-based or starch-containing admixture that can be formed of at least one cereal grain and/or a water insoluble fiber that is gelatinized by the extruder and extruded from the extruder as an extrudate at a sufficiently high extrusion rate that produces at least a plurality of pairs, i.e., at least three, pellets or granules such as pellets from the extrudate per second when the extrudate discharged from the extruder is cut by a rotary knife or cutter of the extruder. Each extruded pellet or granule can be round or spherical, such as the generally round or substantially spherical granule, cupped or concave, or half-moon or crescent shaped. [0058] One preferred admixture for forming the pellets has a relatively high starch content of at least 30% by total admixture weight and a low moisture content of no more than about 24% and preferably between 7% and 23% and more preferably between 8% and 21% or no more that about 18% and preferably no more than about 15% by total admixture weight including the moisture content and/or water in the dry admixture as well as any water added to the admixture. Extruding such a low moisture content high starch containing admixture produces pellets or granules having at least 23% starch by pellet or granule weight that preferably have at least 25% starch by pellet or granule weight dextrinizing starch in the admixture during extrusion producing pellets or granules having at least 1% dextrin by pellet or granule weight that preferably have at least 5% dextrin by pellet or granule weight. In a preferred embodiment, extruding such a low moisture content high starch containing admixture produces pellets or granules that form the base material from which clumps 100 are formed in the manner described hereinabove where the as-extruded pellets or granules have at least 25% starch by pellet or granule weight that preferably have at least 40% starch by pellet or granule weight dextrinizing starch in the admixture during extrusion producing pellets or granules having at least 8% dextrin by pellet or granule weight that preferably have at least 10% dextrin by pellet or granule weight. In still another preferred embodiment, extruding such a low moisture content high starch containing admixture produces pellets or granules used as base material where the pellets or granules have at least 35% starch by pellet or granule weight that preferably have at least 45% starch by pellet or granule weight dextrinizing starch in the admixture during extrusion producing pellets or granules having at least 12% dextrin by pellet or granule weight that preferably have at least 15% dextrin by pellet or granule weight. In a further preferred embodiment, extruding such a low moisture content high starch containing admixture produces pellets or granules used as base material with the pellets or granules having at least 40% starch by pellet or granule weight that preferably have at least 50% starch by pellet or granule weight dextrinizing starch in the admixture during extrusion producing pellets or granules having at least 18% dextrin by pellet or granule weight that preferably have at least 25% dextrin by pellet or granule weight. In a still further preferred embodiment, extruding such a low moisture content high starch containing admixture produces pellets or granules used as base material with the pellets or granules having at least 40% starch by pellet or granule weight that preferably have at least 50% starch by pellet or granule weight dextrinizing starch in the admixture during extrusion producing pellets or granules having at least 25% dextrin by pellet or granule weight that preferably have at least 35% dextrin by pellet or granule weight. In yet another preferred embodiment, extruding such a low moisture content high starch containing admixture produces pellets or granules used as base material where the extruded pellets or granules have at least 40% starch by pellet or granule weight that preferably have at least 50% starch by pellet or granule weight dextrinizing starch in the admixture during extrusion producing pellets or granules having at least 30% dextrin by pellet or granule weight that preferably have at least 40% dextrin by pellet or granule weight.

[0059] One preferred admixture includes starch-containing corn that can be and preferably is mixed together with at least five percent fiber by total dry admixture weight. The corn can be in the form of whole grain corn and/or degermed corn that can be provided in a ground or comminuted form as corn grits, corn meal, corn flour and/or cornstarch. Where such an admixture includes fiber, the fiber can be wood fiber, rice fiber, oat fiber, wheat fiber and/or another type of fiber that contains at least ten percent insoluble fiber by total dry fiber weight of the fiber added to the admixture. Such a fiber containing admixture advantageously produces granules or pellets that facilitate adhering the granules or pellets tougher, making them more resilient, and more able to withstand impact, shear, and wetting of the granules or pellets during manipulation by a pet or other animal of the finished product such as the toy.

[0060] One preferred corn-based admixture is formed of at least 65% by admixture weight of corn that can be ground or otherwise comminuted corn with the remainder being formed of fiber and/or cellulose and/or water added as needed to produce an admixture having a total moisture content of between 7% and 28% by total admixture weight. Another preferred corn- based admixture is formed of at least 70% of such corn with the remainder of the admixture formed of fiber and/or cellulose and/or water added as needed to produce an admixture having a total moisture content of between 7% and 25% by total admixture weight. Still another preferred corn-based admixture is formed of at least 74% of such corn with the remainder of the admixture formed of fiber and/or cellulose and/or water added as needed to produce an admixture having a total moisture content of between 7% and 24% by total admixture weight. One preferred admixture contains between 25-45% of a cornmeal that can be degermed and between 30-60% of another cornmeal that is not degermed. One such preferred admixture also includes between 0-25% fiber such as in the form of rice flour, oat flour, wood fiber or the like. If water is needed, between 0-15% water is added to produce an admixture having a total moisture content less than 30% and preferably less than 25%.

[0061] A further another preferred corn-based admixture is formed of at least 85% of such corn with the remainder of the admixture formed of fiber and/or cellulose and/or water added as needed to produce an admixture having a total moisture content of between 7% and 24% by total admixture weight. Still another preferred corn-based admixture is formed of at least 90% of such corn with the remainder of the admixture formed of fiber and/or cellulose and/or water added as needed to produce an admixture having a total moisture content of between 7% and 24% by total admixture weight. Still another preferred corn-based admixture is formed of at least 95% of such corn with the remainder of the admixture formed of fiber and/or cellulose and/or water added as needed to produce an admixture having a total moisture content of between 7% and 24% by total admixture weight. Still another preferred corn-based admixture is formed of at least 98% of such corn with the remainder of the admixture formed of fiber and/or cellulose and/or water added as needed to produce an admixture having a total moisture content of between 7% and 24% by total admixture weight. In one preferred cord-based admixture, the admixture includes 200 pounds of Bunge CCM cornmeal (±35%), 260 pounds of Didion coarse cornmeal (±45%), 100 pounds of Sunopta Rice/Oat flour fiber (±100%), and about 52 pounds of water (±100%) forming an admixture having a total admixture moisture content of no greater than 30% of total admixture weight and preferably between 7.5% and 23% total admixture weight. Such a corn based admixture is extruded in accordance with any of the extrusion methods, extruder pressures and/or extruder temperature disclosed herein into pellets or granules having an average size of between 2 millimeters and 4 millimeters having a bulk density on the order, magnitude or range of the low density pellets/granules bulk density and/or bulk density ranges disclosed above. In one preferred corn based method of extruding pellets, the pellets or granules having an average size between 2-3 mm are extruded forming pellets or granules with a bulk density of between 4-8 pounds per cubic foot and preferably between 5-7 pounds per cubic foot. In another preferred corn based method of extruding pellets, the pellets or granules having an average size between 3-4 mm are extruded forming pellets or granules with a bulk density of between 5-8 pounds per cubic foot and preferably between 6-7.5 pounds per cubic foot.

[0062] Another preferred clumped mass formed from extrudate produced from an admixture includes starch-containing sorghum that can also include at least five percent fiber by total dry admixture weight. The sorghum can be red and/or white sorghum in the form of whole grain sorghum and/or degermed sorghum that can be provided as the admixture and/or added to the admixture in a ground or comminuted sorghum meal, sorghum grits, sorghum flour and/or sorghum starch form. Tannins and/or phenolic acid(s) in such a sorghum-containing admixture form a tannin and/or phenolic acid(s) containing extrudate that is formed into tannin-containing and/or phenolic acid(s)-containing granules or pellets advantageously provide the granules or pellets with increased resistance to bacterial growth, fungal growth, yeast growth, and/or virus growth when wetted with liquid. Where such a sorghum- containing admixture also includes fiber, the fiber can be wood fiber, rice fiber, oat fiber, wheat fiber or another type of fiber that contains at least ten percent insoluble fiber by total dry fiber weight of the fiber added to the admixture.

[0063] One preferred clumped mass is composed of at least 10% water soluble binder by weight. Other preferred clumped masses are composed of at least 15% water soluble binder, at least 20% water soluble binder, at least 25% water soluble binder, at least 30% water soluble binder, and at least about 35% water soluble binder. In one clumped mass, the water soluble binder is distributed substantially uniformly throughout by weight. Liquid that has been absorbed into the clumped mass during forming can solubilize the binder within the clumped mass forming a flowable adhesive gel that can flow through, from, and out the clumped mass to hold it together as a cohesive mass. [0064] One preferred clumped mass 100 is made from pellets extruded as described hereinabove having water a soluble binder in each extruded pellet or granule formed by or during extrusion with the water soluble binder including at least some dextrin present on or in each extruded pellet or granule that facilitates formation of the clumped mass 100 when the granules or pellets are wetted. One such preferred extruded pellet or granule has a starch content of at least 20%, a dextrin content of at least 5%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 10% by pellet or granule weight after extrusion with the pellets or granules having a moisture content of no greater than 12% at the time when used as base material to form clumps 100. In a preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 20%, a dextrin content of at least 8%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 10% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 12% when used as base material to form clumps 100. In another preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 20%, a dextrin content of at least 10%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 15% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15% when used as base material to form clumps 100. In still another preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 30%, a dextrin content of at least 15%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 20% by pellet or granule weight where the extruded pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15% when used as base material to form clumps 100. In yet another preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 35%, a dextrin content of at least 20%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 25% by pellet or granule weight where the extruded pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15% when used as base material to form clumps 100. In a further preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 40%, a dextrin content of at least 25%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 30% by pellet or granule weight where the extruded pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15% when used as base material to form clumps 100. In a still further preferred starch- containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 45%, a dextrin content of at least 30%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 35% by pellet or granule weight where the extruded pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15% when used as base material to form clumps 100. In yet another preferred starch- containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 45%, a dextrin content of at least 35%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 40% by pellet or granule weight where the extruded pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15% when used as base material to form clumps 100.

[0065] In one such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules used as base material to form clumped masses 100 have a starch content of at least 20%, a dextrin content of at least 8%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 12% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 12%. In another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 20%, a dextrin content of at least 10%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 14% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 12%. In still another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 20%, a dextrin content of at least 15%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 20% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 12%.

[0066] In another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules used as base material have a starch content of at least 20%, a dextrin content of at least 15%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 20% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%. In another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 20%, a dextrin content of at least 20%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 25% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%. In still another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 20%, a dextrin content of at least 25%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 30% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%.

[0067] In still another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule

embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules used as base material have a starch content of at least 30%, a dextrin content of at least 12%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 18% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15% when used as based material and formed into a clumped mass 100 by wetting. In another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 30%, a dextrin content of at least 18%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 22% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%. In still another such preferred starch- containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 30%, a dextrin content of at least 25%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 35% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%.

[0068] In a further such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules used as at least substantially all of the base material to form clumped masses 100 have a starch content of at least 40%, a dextrin content of at least 10%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 20% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15% at the time when wetted to form a clumped mass 100. In another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 40%, a dextrin content of at least 20%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 30% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%. In still another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 50%, a dextrin content of at least 35%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 45% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%.

[0069] In yet another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule

embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules used in the base material have a starch content of at least 50%, a dextrin content of at least 15%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 20% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%. In another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 50%, a dextrin content of at least 15%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 25% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%. In still another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 50%, a dextrin content of at least 20%, and a water soluble content of at least 30% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%.

[0070] In yet still another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules used to form at least 50% of the base material, by formed clumped mass weight, have a starch content of at least 55%, a dextrin content of at least 12%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 20% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 12% right before being wetted to form a clumped mass 100. In another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 55%, a dextrin content of at least 15%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 25% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 12%. In still another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 55%, a dextrin content of at least 18%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 25% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 12%.

[0071] In a still further such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule

embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules used to form at least 75% of the base material, by formed clump mass weight, have a starch content of at least 60%, a dextrin content of at least 14%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 28% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15% right before being wetted form a clumped mass 100. In another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 60%, a dextrin content of at least 14%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 28% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%. In still another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule

embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 60%, a dextrin content of at least 18%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 28% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%. In yet another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 60%, a dextrin content of at least 20%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 32% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 1 %. In still yet another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 60%, a dextrin content of at least 25%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 35% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%.

[0072] In yet still a further such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules used in the base material have a starch content of at least 65%, a dextrin content of at least 15%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 30% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15% when used in the base material and wetted to form a clumped mass 100. In another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 65%, a dextrin content of at least 25%, and a water soluble binder content of at least 30% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%. In still another such preferred starch-containing extruded pellet or granule embodiment, the extruded pellets or granules have a starch content of at least 65%, a dextrin content of at least 30%, and a water soluble content of at least 40% by pellet or granule weight where the pellets or granules have a moisture content no greater than 15%.

[0073] Regardless of the particular constituents and/or the relative amounts of the

constituents, one preferred clumped mass has a crush resistance or compressive strength of at least 40 PSI. Another embodiment of the clumped mass has a compressive strength of at least 50 PSI and preferably at least 60 PSI. Yet another preferred clumped mass has a compressive strength of at least 100 PSI, preferably at least 120 PSI.

[0074] Referring now to FIGS. 1, 3, and 7, in some preferred embodiments, releasable material 50 is provided within one or more of the at least one cavities 35 of the body 25. Releasable material 50 may be provided separately within the at least one cavity 35 with respect to the soft or rigid products 40, 45 and/or the releasable material 50 may be incorporated into or entirely define the soft or rigid products 40, 45. The releasable material 50 may be a releasable-attractant material desirable by the pet and/or a releasable treatment material that can be beneficial from a health/wellness standpoint when consumed by the pet.

[0075] In one preferred embodiment, the releasable material 50 includes an attractant that produces a food-type scent attractive to pets such as cats and dogs. Such scents provided by the attractant-releasable material 50 includes various scents provided by cat food and/or treats and dog food and/or treats. Such attractant materials and their corresponding scents may include or replicate odors of scents of bone marrow, meat such as chicken, beef, pork, lamb, and fish. In a preferred embodiment in which the toy 20 is configured as a cat toy, the releasable material 50 is an attractant material such as catnip which may be included within or define the entire volume of the soft product 40. In a preferred embodiment in which the toy 20 is configured as a dog training aid, the releasable material 50 is an attractant material that provides a scent or fragrance/odor helpful for training hunting dogs or other working dogs. This may be provided by the attractant material 0 providing scent(s) or

fragrance(s)/odor(s) of or associated with various game animals, including waterfowl, field game birds, and others for training hunting dogs as well as attractant material(s) providing scent(s) or fragrance(s)/odor(s) of or associated with various substances found by enforcement or other working dogs, including those associated with various illicit substance, e.g., illegal drugs or narcotics, cadavers, and explosive substances.

[0076] In one preferred embodiment, the releasable material 50 includes a treatment material providing health/wellness benefits to pets such as cats and dogs. One preferred embodiment of the releasable material 50, including a treatment material, includes a material beneficial to teeth cleaning or oral health benefits to the pet.

[0077] One embodiment of the releasable material 50 may be incorporated into the rigid product 45 as a teeth cleaning aid. Such releasable material 50 as a treatment product may be incorporated into the rigid product 45 to configure the rigid product 45 as having mildly abrasive characteristics in a manner that helps clean the teeth of an animal or pet interacting with a toy 20 formed of the body 25 having at least one cavity 35 in it containing at least one rigid product 45. Such a rigid product 45 can be formulated with abrasive silica in it that helps clean the animal's or pet's teeth. If desired, silica can be included in the base material used to make the rigid product 45, such as by including it with the material extruded to form the pellets of the base material. Other materials, such as particles of bones, silica, etc., can be mixed with the pellets after extrusion to produce a rigid product 45 with animal or pet teeth- cleaning properties. Other abrasive materials that can be incorporated into the rigid product 45 for teeth-cleaning benefits include an abrasive material, such as other silica containing compounds, bentonite, or other abrasive material(s) that can be of inorganic or organic construction, to produce a rigid product that helps clean the teeth of an animal, such as a dog or cat, when they chew on a compartment containing the teeth-cleaning rigid product

[0078] One preferred releasable material 50 is configured to provide nutritional and/or pharmacological benefits for the pet or animal by releasing substances, particles, or materials through the cover 30 for consumption by the pet or animal. The releasable material 50 can be formulated to deliver at least one of a nutrient, one or more vitamins and or one or more minerals as a nutritional supplement. The releasable material 50 can also be formulated to deliver at least one of a medicament, a pharmacological substance, and a medication to the animal or pet during interaction with the toy 20. [0079] Delivery of the releasable material 50 for enjoyment or consumption by the pet can be done in a variety of ways, depending on how the releasable material 50 is provided with respect to the other constituents of the toy 20, such as the soft and rigid products 40, 45. During use of one preferred toy 20 in which a pouch-like body 25 that forms at least one cavity 35 in which at least one rigid product 45 is received, the cavity 35 also includes another material, such as a granular material, like catnip as a releasable material 50, movement of the toy 20, such as during interaction with an animal, such as a cat, can cause the rigid product 45 to grind the other material. Where the other material is a granular material like catnip has the releasable material 50, the grinding action can grind the catnip into smaller particles that can pass through openings and/or pores in the body 25 so as to be able to come into direct contact with the animal interacting with the toy 20. If desired, the soft material of the soft product 40 can be made of a different composition, such as one attractive to dogs that produces a scent, such as the scent of a waterfowl, wild game, an illicit substance, e.g., illegal drugs or narcotics, a cadaver, an explosive substance and/or another material or substance used to train dogs. The grinding action can also cause oil(s) and/or fragrances to be released which can be of a type detectible to the animal that can also help further encourage interaction with the toy 5, give pleasure to the animal, excite the animal, and/or train the animal.

[0080] Where the cavity 35 holding at least one rigid product 45 also holds catnip, the grinding action of a cat playing with the toy 20 not only causes smaller particles of catnip to be produced, including a plurality of particles small enough to pass through the porous toy body 25, it also causes oil(s) and/or fragrance(s), including nepetalactone, to be released, any and all of which can be smelled and/or tasted by a cat interacting with the toy 20 thereby stimulating, exciting, and/or rewarding the cat (including into further play with the toy 5). If desired, a toy 20, constructed in accordance with the present invention, can have a plurality of such cavities with at least one containing at least one rigid product 45 therein that can also include other matter that can include catnip or the like. In one embodiment of a toy 20 configured for interaction with a cat, the toy 20 is formed of a flexible fabric or cloth body 25 of porous construction having at least a plurality of pairs, i.e., at least three, cavities in which at least one cavity holds catnip and where at least a plurality of cavities each contains at least one rigid product 45.

[0081] Where the cavity 35 holding at least one rigid product 45 also holds a substance attractive to a dog, the grinding action of a dog interacting with the toy 20, such as by grabbing the toy 20 in their mouth, playing with the toy 20, and/or the toy 20 impacting against something when jostled and/or thrown by a trainer not only causes smaller particles of dog attractant substance to be produced, including a plurality of particles small enough to pass through the porous toy body 25, it also causes oil(s) and/or fragrance(s) to be released any and all of which can be smelled and/or tasted by a dog interacting with the toy 20 thereby stimulating, exciting, and/or rewarding the dog (including into further play with the toy 20). Such a toy 20 therefore is not only well suited for a dog to play with, it is also well suited as a dog training aid where the substance that produces a scent, such as that of a waterfowl, wild game, an illicit substance, e.g., illegal drugs or narcotics, a cadaver, an explosive substance and/or another material or substance used to train dogs. If desired, a toy 20 constructed in accordance with the present invention can have a plurality of such cavities with at least one containing at least one rigid product 45 therein that can also include other matter that can include one or more such dog-attractant substances or the like. In one embodiment of a toy 20 configured for interaction with a dog, the toy 20 is formed of a flexible fabric or cloth body 25 of porous construction having at least a plurality of pairs, i.e., at least three, cavities 35 in which at least one cavity 35 holds a dog-attractant substance as a releasable material 50 and where at least a plurality of cavities 35 each contains at least one rigid product 45.

[0082] During pet interaction, the pet or other animal can bite, claw, bat, twist, pull, and/or engage the portion of the toy body 25 that forms any one of the plurality of pairs of the cavities with each cavity containing a rigid product 45 providing tactile, smell, and/or taste feedback different than a cavity not containing any rigid product 45, such as a cavity 35 containing only dog or cat attractant. Where a cavity 35 contains both a rigid product 45 and a dog or cat attractant as a releasable material 50, pet interaction can cause at least some of the attractant to be released as a result of the grinding action of the rigid product 45 engaging with the attractant-releasable material 50 during animal interaction grinding the attractant and/or releasing oil(s) and/or gas(es) from the attractant. The oil(s) and/or gas(es) may be provided as the attractant material itself or the oil(s) may be provided in a carrier as a constituent of the attractant material. Suitable carriers include polymeric microcapsules and/or other carriers holding the oil(s) and/or gas(es) inside of thin-walled microcapsules or that can fracture, or a foamed material that can deform during interaction such as physical engagement including biting and pawing by the pet to release the oil(s) and/or gas(es). Other carriers include the oil(s) and/or gas(es) impregnated or absorbed into the soft product 40 or some other soft material that can be loosely dispersed within the soft product 40 or provided as a stand-alone mass of soft material impregnated with the oil(s) and/or gas(es) to define the attractant material.

[0083] The attractant material 50 may be incorporated in the rigid product 45 itself as a constituent of the rigid product 45. Accordingly, if desired, the base material, e.g., pellets, used to form the rigid product 45, can include a dog or cat attractant in an amount or weight percentage sufficient to release at least some of the attractant during animal interaction with a toy 20 containing at least one cavity that holds at least one rigid product 45 but no attractant apart from what the rigid product 45 contains. In one such embodiment of a rigid product 45 configured with attractant, pellets forming the base material contain at least 3% attractant by weight to produce a rigid product having at least 1% attractant by weight. In another such embodiment of a rigid product 45 configured with dog or cat attractant, pellets forming the base material contain at least 5% dog or cat attractant in an attractant material 50 by weight to produce a rigid product having at least 3% dog or cat attractant by weight. In still another such embodiment of a rigid product 45 configured with dog or cat attractant, pellets forming the base material contain at least 10% dog or cat attractant by weight to produce a rigid product having at least 5% dog or cat attractant by weight.

[0084] During use of the preferred toy 20 with releasable material 50 formulated to provide nutritional or pharmacological benefit, deliver one or more vitamins and/or minerals, a medicament, a pharmacological substance, medication, and/or a treatment whether or not it is configured to clean teeth. A toy 20 formed of a body 25 having at least one cavity 35 containing at least one such rigid product 45 can release one or more nutrients, one or more vitamins and/or minerals, a medicament, a pharmacological substance, medication, and/or a treatment when an animal, such as a dog or cat, licks part of the toy 20 containing such a rigid product 45, bites a cavity containing such a rigid product 45, and/or interacts with the toy 20 in a manner causing release and/or delivery of one or more nutrients, one or more vitamins and/or minerals, a medicament, a pharmacological substance, medication, and/or a treatment during animal interaction with the toy 20.

[0085] Various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention. It is also to be understood that, although the foregoing description and drawings describe and illustrate in detail one or more preferred embodiments of the present invention, to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates, the present disclosure will suggest many modifications and constructions, as well as widely differing embodiments and applications without thereby departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The various contemplated alternatives are not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein, but the claims should be understood to include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements and/or features of different embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A pet toy comprising:

a body defining a rigid segment holding a rigid product therein and a soft segment holding a soft product therein and spaced from the rigid segment.

2. The pet toy of claim 1, wherein a boundary is defined between the soft and rigid segments for maintaining separation between the rigid and soft products.

3. The pet toy of claim 2 wherein the rigid product defines a clumped mass having irregular surface characteristics.

4. The pet toy of claim 3 wherein the clumped mass includes discrete starch- containing pellets bound to each other by a carbohydrate polymer binder.

5. The pet toy of claim 4 wherein the carbohydrate polymer is water soluble.

6. The pet toy of claim 5 wherein the carbohydrate polymer binder includes dextrin.

7. The pet toy of claim 3 wherein the clumped mass includes at least one cereal grain.

8. The pet toy of claim 7 wherein the at least one cereal grain is corn-based.

9. The pet toy of claim 8 wherein the corn-based at least one cereal grain is comprised of at least one of corn grits, corn meal, corn flour, and corn starch.

10. The pet toy of claim 2 wherein the boundary is defined by an articulation segment arranged between the rigid and soft segments.

11. The pet toy of claim 10 wherein the articulation segment includes at least one seam arranged between the rigid and soft segments.

12. The pet toy of claim 11 wherein the seam is sewn.

13 The pet toy of claim 12 wherein the seam is defined by a line of adhesion.

14 The pet toy of claim 10 wherein the soft product comprises a dog or cat attractant.

15 The pet toy of claim 2 wherein the body defines a torso and a head and the rigid segment is defined at one of the torso and the head of the body, and the soft segment is defined at the other one of the torso and the head of the body.

16 The pet toy of claim 16 wherein the body defines multiple appendages extending from the torso, and wherein at least one rigid segment is defined at at least one of the multiple appendages.

17 The pet toy of claim 2 wherein the body defines a torso and multiple appendages extending from the torso, and wherein multiple rigid segments are defined at the multiple appendages.

18 The pet toy of claim 17 wherein the soft segment is defined at the torso.

19 The toy of claim 18 wherein the soft product comprises catnip.

20 The pet toy of claim 18 wherein the soft product comprises dog attractant.

21 The pet toy of claim 20 wherein the dog attractant comprises a material that produces a scent attractive to a dog.

22 The pet toy of claim 20 wherein the dog attractant comprises a material that produces a scent attractive to a dog used to train the dog to detect one of a waterfowl, wild game, an illicit drug, or an explosive material used in making a bomb.

23. A pet toy comprising:

a pouch-like body that forms at least one cavity in which at least one rigid product is received and a releasable material at least partially releasing relative to the pouch-like body during interaction of the pet toy by a pet.

24. The pet toy of claim 23 wherein the releasable material comprises an attractant material releasing a scent upon physical manipulation such that interaction of the pet toy by the pet physically engaging the pouch-like body releases scent from the attractant material.

25. The pet toy of claim 24 wherein the attractant material is incorporated into the at least one rigid product as a constituent of the rigid product.

26. The pet toy of claim 24 wherein the attractant material engages the at least one rigid product during interaction of the pet toy by the pet and correspondingly reduces sizes of particles comprising the attractant material as attractant material particles to relatively smaller sizes permitting at least some of the attractant material particles to pass through openings or pores of the pouch-like body.

27. The pet toy of claim 24 wherein the attractant material and the at least one rigid product are provided in the pouch-like body relative to each other so that during interaction of the pet toy by the pet, the at least one rigid product and the attractant material grind relative to each other releasing a scent from the attractant material,

28. The pet toy of claim 27 wherein the attractant material and the at least one rigid product are spaced from each other in the pouch-like body without interaction of the pet toy by the pet, the pouch-like body configured such that the interaction of the pet toy by the pet flexes the pouch-like body moving the at least one rigid product and attractant material in proximity with respect to each other allowing grinding therebetween.

29. The pet toy of claim 23 wherein the releasable material comprises a treatment material at least partially releasing from the pouch-like body by interaction of the pet toy while the pet physically engages the pouch-like body.

30. The pet toy of claim 29 wherein the treatment material is formulated to deliver at least one of a nutrient, one or more vitamins and/or minerals, a medicament, a

pharmacological substance, and a medication.

31. The pet toy of claim 30 wherein the pouch-like body comprises at least one closure at a segment of the pouch-like body holding the treatment material and configured to selectively open and close permitting access to an interior space of the segment of the pouchlike body holding the treatment material for replenishing the treatment material.

32. The pet toy of claim 30 wherein the treatment material is incorporated into the at least one rigid product as a constituent of the rigid product.

33. The pet toy of claim 30 wherein the treatment material engages the at least one rigid product during interaction of the pet toy by the pet and correspondingly reduces sizes of particles comprising the treatment material as treatment material particles to relatively smaller sizes permitting at least some of the treatment material particles to pass through openings or pores of the pouch-like body.

34. The pet toy of claim 30 wherein the treatment material and the at least one rigid product are provided in the pouch-like body relative to each other so that during interaction of the pet toy by the pet, the at least one rigid product and the treatment material grind relative to each other releasing the treatment material from the pouch-like body.

35. A pet toy comprising:

a pouch-like body that forms at least one cavity characterized in that a rigid product is received in the at least one cavity.

36. The pet toy of claim 35 further characterized that the rigid product defines a clumped mass having irregular surface characteristics.

37. The pet toy of either one of claims 35 and 36 further characterized in that the rigid product includes discrete starch-containing pellets bound to each other by a

carbohydrate polymer binder.

38. The pet toy of any of claims 35 to 37 further characterized in that the rigid product includes a carbohydrate polymer that is water soluble.

39. The pet toy of any of claims 35 to 38 further characterized in that the rigid product includes a carbohydrate polymer binder that includes dextrin.

40. The pet toy of any of claims 35 to 39 further characterized in that the rigid product includes at least one cereal grain.

41. The pet toy of any of claims 35 to 40 further characterized in that the rigid product includes at least one cereal grain that is corn-based.

42. The pet toy of any of claims 35 to 41 further characterized in that the rigid product includes at least one cereal grain that is comprised of at least one of corn grits, corn meal, corn flour, and corn starch.

43. The pet toy of any of claims 35 to 41 further characterized in the pouch-like body includes a rigid segment holding the rigid product therein and a soft segment holding a soft product therein.

44. The pet toy of any of claims 35 to 43 further characterized in that a releasable material is held in the pouch-like body and at least partially releases relative to the pouchlike body during interaction of the pet toy by a pet.

45. The pet toy of claim 44 further characterized in that the releasable material comprises an attractant material releasing a scent upon physical manipulation such that interaction of the pet toy by the pet physically engaging the pouch-like body releases scent from the attractant material.

46. The pet toy of claim 45 further characterized in that the attractant material is incorporated into the rigid product as a constituent of the rigid product.

47. The pet toy of either of claims 45 and 46 further characterized in that the attractant material is incorporated into the at least one rigid product as a constituent of the rigid product.

48. The pet toy of any of claims 45 to 47 further characterized in that the attractant material engages the at least one rigid product during interaction of the pet toy by the pet and correspondingly reduces sizes of particles comprising the attractant material as attractant material particles to relatively smaller sizes permitting at least some of the attractant material particles to pass through openings or pores of the pouch-like body.

49. The pet toy of either of claims 45 to 48 further characterized in that the attractant material and the at least one rigid product are provided in the pouch-like body relative to each other so that during interaction of the pet toy by the pet, the at least one rigid product and the attractant material grind relative to each other releasing a scent from the attractant material.

50. The pet toy of either of claims 45 to 49 further characterized in that the attractant material and the at least one rigid product are spaced from each other in the pouchlike body without interaction of the pet toy by the pet, the pouch-like body configured such that the interaction of the pet toy by the pet flexes the pouch-like body moving the at least one rigid product and attractant material in proximity with respect to each other allowing grinding therebetween.

51. The pet toy of claim 44 further characterized in that the releasable material comprises a treatment material at least partially releasing from the pouch-like body by interaction of the pet toy while the pet physically engages the pouch-like body.

52. The pet toy of claim 51 further characterized in that the treatment material is formulated to deliver at least one of a nutrient, one or more vitamins and/or minerals, a medicament, a pharmacological substance, and a medication.

53. The pet toy of either of claims 51 and 52 further characterized in that the pouch-like body comprises at least one closure at a segment of the pouch-like body holding the treatment material and configured to selectively open and close permitting access to an interior space of the segment of the pouch-like body holding the treatment material for replenishing the treatment material.

54. The pet toy of either any of claims 51 to 53 further characterized in that the treatment material is incorporated into the at least one rigid product as a constituent of the rigid product.

55. The pet toy of either any of claims 51 to 54 further characterized in that the treatment material engages the at least one rigid product during interaction of the pet toy by the pet and correspondingly reduces sizes of particles comprising the treatment material as treatment material particles to relatively smaller sizes permitting at least some of the treatment material particles to pass through openings or pores of the pouch-like body.

56. The pet toy of either any of claims 51 to 55 further characterized in that the treatment material and the at least one rigid product are provided in the pouch-like body relative to each other so that during interaction of the pet toy by the pet, the at least one rigid product and the treatment material grind relative to each other releasing the treatment material from the pouch-like body.