초록 ▼

A pet sustenance device (30, 96) provided includes an upright container (32, 98) which holds a supply of pet sustenance, together with an underlying dish (34, 102). The dish (34, 102) is pivotally coupled to the associated container (32, 98) via connection structure (36, 104) permitting the dish (34

A pet sustenance device (30, 96) provided includes an upright container (32, 98) which holds a supply of pet sustenance, together with an underlying dish (34, 102). The dish (34, 102) is pivotally coupled to the associated container (32, 98) via connection structure (36, 104) permitting the dish (34, 102) to be selectively moved between a retracted position beneath the container (32, 98) and a pet-access position wherein the dish (34, 102) is pivoted away from the container (32, 98) and presents a sustenance cavity (90, 174). When the dish (34, 102) is in the swung-away pet-access position, the sustenance within the container (32, 98) flows under the influence of gravity into the dish (34, 102). The dish (34, 102) and container (32, 98) are configured to prevent communication therebetween when the dish (34, 102) is in the retracted position thereof.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A device for providing sustenance to a pet, said pet sustenance device comprising: an upright sustenance container presenting a sustenance storage chamber and a lower outlet opening communicating with the chamber; and a pet dish moveably coupled with said container, said dish

What is claimed is: 1. A device for providing sustenance to a pet, said pet sustenance device comprising: an upright sustenance container presenting a sustenance storage chamber and a lower outlet opening communicating with the chamber; and a pet dish moveably coupled with said container, said dish being movable relative to the container between a retracted position where the dish is below the container and communication between the container outlet opening and the dish is prevented, and a pet-access position where the dish is moved outwardly relative to the container to establish communication between the container and dish and permit gravity-induced flow of sustenance from the container outlet opening and into the dish, said container adapted for holding water, with the container and dish cooperatively providing a water-tight seal therebetween when the dish is in the retracted position, said container including an upper compartment portion and an intermediate sealing device removably secured to the compartment portion, said compartment portion defining the sustenance storage chamber, said intermediate sealing device defining the lower outlet opening and cooperating with the dish to control communication between the storage chamber and dish, said dish and said intermediate sealing device being threadably interconnected, wherein the intermediate sealing device moves away from the dish as the dish moves from the retracted position to the pet-access position so as to permit communication between the storage chamber and the dish. 2. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 1, said intermediate sealing device defining a plurality of outlet openings. 3. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 1, said upper compartment portion being sloped adjacent said outlet opening. 4. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 1, said dish having a cavity offset from said outlet opening, said dish configured to facilitate flow of sustenance from the outlet opening into the cavity. 5. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 1, there being resilient seal structure carried by at least one of said container and dish for establishing the water-tight seal. 6. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 5, each of said container and dish carrying respective resilient seal structure. 7. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 1, said compartment portion and said intermediate sealing device being threadably interconnected. 8. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 7, said respective threaded interconnections being opposite in direction. 9. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 1, said dish having a base, said dish supporting said container with the dish base serving as a bottom of the device. 10. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 1, said container and dish each including upstanding external sidewalls, said container and dish sidewalls being in a mating relationship and cooperatively presenting a generally flush outer side surface when the dish is in the retracted position thereof. 11. A device for providing sustenance to a pet, said pet sustenance device comprising: an upright sustenance container presenting a sustenance storage chamber and a lower outlet opening communicating with the chamber; and a pet dish moveably coupled with said container and having a base, said dish being moveable relative to the container between a retracted position where the dish is beneath the container and a pet-access position where the dish is moved outwardly relative to the container to permit a pet to consume the sustenance within the dish, said dish supporting said container in both the retracted and pet-feeding positions, with said dish base serving as a bottom of the device, said dish base presenting a lowermost support surface, said container including an upper compartment portion and an upstanding leg, said upper compartment portion defining the sustenance storage chamber, said leg projecting downwardly from the upper compartment portion alongside the dish and terminating in vertical alignment with the support surface of the dish base to cooperate with the dish base in supporting the upper compartment portion, said container and dish each including upstanding external sidewalls, said container sidewall defining the upstanding leg. 12. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 11, said leg being spaced from the dish base when the dish is in the pet-access position. 13. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 11, said container and dish sidewalls being in mating relationship and cooperatively presenting a generally flush outer side surface when the when the dish is in the retracted position thereof. 14. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 11, said container having wall structure defining the outlet opening, said dish having tipper wall structure, said wall structures of the container and dish serving to close communication between the container outlet and the dish when the dish is in the retracted position and permit gravity-induced flow of sustenance from the container outlet and into the dish when the dish is in the pet-access position. 15. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 11, said container and dish having mating rotatably interfitted elements such that the dish swings relative to the container when moving between the retracted and pet-access positions. 16. A device for providing sustenance to a pet, said pet sustenance device comprising: an upright sustenance container presenting a sustenance storage chamber and a lower outlet opening communicating with the chamber, said container including a circumscribing external sidewall; and a pet dish swingably coupled with the container and including an external sidewall, said dish being swingable relative to the container between a retracted position where the dish is beneath the container and a pet-access position where the dish is swung outwardly relative to the container to permit a pet to consume the sustenance within the dish, said container sidewall mating with the dish sidewall and cooperatively presenting a generally flush outer side surface when the dish is in the retracted position thereof, said dish and container sidewalls presenting substantially vertically aligned portions when the dish is in the retracted position thereof, said dish and container sidewalls presenting overlapping portions that extend alongside one another and are vertically offset relative to one another. 17. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 16, said dish presenting a lowermost support surface, said container including an upper compartment portion and an upstanding leg, said upper compartment portion defining the sustenance storage chamber, said leg projecting downwardly from the upper compartment portion alongside the dish and terminating in vertical alignment with the support surface to cooperate with the dish in supporting the upper compartment portion. 18. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 17, said leg being spaced from the dish base when the dish is in the pet-access position. 19. A device for providing sustenance to a pet, said pet sustenance device comprising: an upright sustenance container presenting a sustenance storage chamber and a lower outlet opening communicating with the chamber, said container including a circumscribing external sidewall; and a pet dish swingably coupled with the container and including an external sidewall, said dish being swingable relative to the container between a retracted position where the dish is beneath the container and a pet-access position where the dish is swung outwardly relative to the container to permit a pet to consume the sustenance within the dish, said container sidewall mating with the dish sidewall and cooperatively presenting a generally flush outer side surface when the dish is in the retracted position thereof, said dish presenting a lowermost support surface, said container including an upper compartment portion and an upstanding leg, said upper compartment portion defining the sustenance storage chamber, said leg projecting downwardly from the upper compartment portion alongside the dish and terminating in vertical alignment with the support surface to cooperate with the dish in supporting the upper compartment portion, said container sidewall defining the upstanding leg. 20. The pet sustenance device as claimed in claim 19, said container having wall structure defining the outlet opening, said dish having upper wall structure, said wall structures of the container and dish serving to close communication between the container outlet and the dish when the dish is in the retracted position and permit gravity-induced flow of sustenance from the container outlet and into the dish when the dish is in the pet-access position.