Animal toy with floatation device

Abstract

A floatable pet toy including a hollow deformable body with a buoyant material, such as a closed cell foam, inside of the body. The buoyant material increases the pet toy's buoyancy and resistance to deformation for durability. A rope may be attached to the body. In a second embodiment, the body may be elongated, made from elastomeric material, and substantially filled with a closed cell foam insert. This insert has a rope running longitudinally through its center and through an opening in a second end of the body. In a further embodiment, the body may be made from a flexible material, such as canvas or plastic. In a still further embodiment, the buoyant material may be injected into a sealed hollow deformable body for increased buoyancy and durability.

Description

, has a hollow deformable body 8, which forms a side wall with first end 10 and second end 12. The body 8 has an outer surface 14, and an inner surface 16 which forms a cavity 18. The first end 10 has an opening 20, formed by an inwardly projecting annular lip 21, through which buoyant resilient material may be inserted into the cavity 18. This buoyant material may be a closed cell foam 22 which provides increased buoyancy and resistance to deformation of the side wall of body 8. The closed cell foam 22 is flexible for durability when animal D plays with pet toy T and is shaped to substantially fill cavity 18 for increased durability of pet toy T by resisting deformation of the side wall of body 8 when an animal chews on it. As shown in FIG. 3, the diameter of opening 20 is less than the diameter of cavity 18 so that enclosed cell foam 22 is deformed to be inserted through opening 20 and expands within cavity 18 to substantially fill it. A rope 26 is inserted through an opening 28 in the second end 12. The rope 26 is fastened by a knot 30 inside the body 8.

The second embodiment is shown in FIG. 6. The pet toy T′, includes a deformable body 32 having a side wall with an outer surface 34, and an inner surface 36 forming a cavity 38. The body 32 is an elongated shape that has a first end 40 and a second end 42. The first end has an opening 44. The cavity 38 is substantially filled by a buoyant material, such as a closed cell foam insert 46. The closed cell foam insert 46 has a longitudinal slot 48 for insertion of rope 50. The rope 50 runs longitudinally through the center of the closed cell foam insert 46 and is fastened at the first end 40 by a knot 52. The rope 50 extends through a second opening 54 in the second end 42 of the body 32.

The third embodiment is shown in FIG. 7. The pet toy T″ includes a body 56 made from a flexible material, such as canvas or plastic, with a side wall having an outer surface 58, and an inner surface 60 forming a cavity 62. The cavity 62 is filled with a closed cell foam 66 which provides improved durability of the body 56. A rope 68 is attached to body 56 through an opening 64, such as an eyelet, in the body 56. The rope 68 is fastened by a knot 70 inside of the body 56.

The fourth embodiment is shown in FIG. 8. The pet toy T′″ includes a body 72 with a side wall having an outer surface 74, and an inner surface 76 forming a cavity 78. A buoyant material, such as a closed cell foam 80, is injected by a suitable injection device, such as a hypodermic needle 82, into the body 72. The buoyant material may be injected through a membrane 84 that seals the body 72 or directly through the end wall 86 if the end wall 86 is sufficiently thin.

The advantages of the pet toy are readily apparent. The buoyant material provides both additional buoyancy and resistance to deformation to the body of the pet toy. The pet toy floats high in the water which increases its visibility. Moreover, the added resistance to deformation of the closed cell foam provides increased durability of the body for long lasting use of the pet toy.

Although this invention has been described with respect to use with dogs. It is understood that it can be used with other animals such as land and sea animals, fish and reptiles.

This invention has been described in detail with reference to particular embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that various other modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A floatable pet toy for animals to play with in water, said pet toy comprising:

a hollow deformable elastomeric body having an outer surface, an inner surface forming a cavity, a first open end and a second end, and openings formed in said first and second ends; and

a buoyant material placed in said cavity through said first end which resists deformation of said deformable elastomeric body; and

a length of rope having a knot, said knot being placed in said cavity and said rope extending through said opening of said second end.

2. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said hollow deformable body is an elastomeric material.

3. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said hollow deformable body is a flexible material.

4. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said buoyant material is a closed cell foam.

5. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

said closed cell foam is shaped to substantially conform to the shape of said cavity, and said closed cell foam substantially fills said cavity.

6. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 1, further including:

a length of rope fastened to said second end.

7. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said hollow deformable elastomeric body is elongated and made from elastomeric material, and said buoyant material is an elongated closed cell foam insert that substantially fills said cavity, and has first and second ends.

8. A floatable pet toy for animals to play with in water, said pet toy comprising:

an elongated hollow deformable body having an outer surface, an inner surface forming a cavity, a first open end and a second end and an opening formed in said second end;

an elongated buoyant material in said cavity which is a closed cell foam insert that substantially fills said cavity, has first and second ends, and resists deformation of said hollow deformable body, and has a longitudinal slot extending from said first end to said second end;

a length of rope in said longitudinal slot extending the length of and beyond said first and second ends of said elongated closed cell foam; and

a knot in said length of rope beyond said first end of said elongated closed cell foam insert, said rope extending through said opening in said second end of said elongated hollow deformable body.

9. A floatable pet toy for animals to play with in water, said pet toy comprising:

a hollow deformable buoyant body having an outer surface, an inner surface forming a cavity, a first open end and a second end;

means within said cavity for resisting deformation of said hollow deformable buoyant body.

10. A pet toy, as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said resisting means is a closed cell foam for providing additional buoyancy.

11. A pet toy, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said closed cell foam is shaped to substantially fill said cavity.

12. A pet toy, as claimed in claim 9, further including:

means in said second end of said deformable buoyant body for fastening a length of rope.

13. A method for constructing a floatable pet toy with increased buoyancy and durability, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a hollow deformable elastomeric body with an outer surface, and an inner surface forming a cavity; and

filling the cavity with a material that resists deformation; and

wherein the cavity is sealed, and the material is closed cell foam that is injected by a hypodermic needle into the cavity.

14. A method, as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the material is a said closed cell foam adding adds buoyancy to said floatable toy.

15. A method, as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

the closed cell foam is inserted into the cavity through an opening in the hollow deformable body.

16. A method, as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the cavity is sealed, and the closed cell foam is injected by a hypodermic needle into the cavity.

17. A floatable pet toy for animals to play with in water, said pet toy comprising:

a hollow deformable body having an a side wall with outer surface, an inner surface forming a cavity, a first open end and a second end; and

a buoyant material in said cavity which resists deformation of said side wall.

18. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said hollow deformable body is an elastomeric material.

19. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said hollow deformable body is a flexible material.

20. A floatable pet toy, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said buoyant material is a closed cell foam shaped to substantially conform to the shape of said cavity, and said closed cell foam substantially fills said cavity.