# US 10,117,419 B2 · Pet exercise and entertainment device

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,117,419 B2
- Document ID: US10117419B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/163,164
- Filed: 2016-05-24
- Published: 2016-09-15
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-05
- Assignees: iFetch, LLC
- Applicants: iFetch, LLC
- Inventors: Dennis W. Hamill; Deborah Lynn Hamill; Lee Elizabeth Hamill; Grant Patrick Hamill; Katie Marcella Hamill; Lucy Rejahl Hamill
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10117419B2

## CPC

- A01K 15/025: {Toys specially adapted for animals}
- A01K 15/0252: {Fetching toys or devices to throw toys}
- A01K 15/027: {Exercising equipment, e.g. tread mills, carousels}
- A63B 69/406: {with rotating discs, wheels or pulleys gripping and propelling the balls or bodies by friction}
- A63B 2208/14: specially adapted for animals
- A63B 2220/801: Contact switches
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)

## Abstract

Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems, apparatuses, and methods for exercising and entertaining a pet. In one implementation, a pet exercise and entertainment device includes a launch funnel for launching projectiles for a pet to retrieve. The launch funnel has a feeder and a chute. The feeder is configured to receive a projectile and transport the projectile to an intake end of the chute. A sensor is configured to sense the projectile in the intake end of the chute and to command one or more motors to power up in response to sensing the projectile. An actuator is configured to release the projectile from the intake end of the chute into the launch end of the chute after a pre-determined time has elapsed. One or more wheels, rotated by the one or more motors, are configured to launch the projectile from the launch end of the chute.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for providing interactive fetching of a projectile for a pet, the method comprising:
receiving the projectile from the pet in a feeder disposed in a housing opening;
directing the projectile from the feeder into an interior of the housing through an opening defined by an intake end of a chute;
sensing the projectile within the interior of the housing using at least one sensor;
automatically transporting the projectile from the intake end of the chute to a launch end of the chute after a predetermined time has elapsed from when the at least one sensor sensed the projectile within the interior; and
automatically launching the projectile from the launch end of the chute through a launch opening in the housing for the pet to retrieve.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the projectile is automatically transported from the intake end of the chute to the launch end of the chute using gravity.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the intake end of the chute is connected to the launch end of the chute.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the projectile is launched using at least one wheel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a launch distance of the projectile is preset.

### Claim 6

A method for providing interactive fetching of a projectile for a pet, the method comprising:
setting a preset launch distance for the projectile;
receiving the projectile from the pet in a feeder disposed in a housing opening;
directing the projectile from the feeder into an interior of the housing through an opening defined by an intake end of a chute;
sensing the projectile within the interior of the housing using at least one sensor;
automatically transporting the projectile from the intake end of the chute to a launch end of the chute;
automatically powering up at least one motor in response to sensing the projectile within the interior of the housing;
automatically activating an arm in response to sensing the projectile within the interior of the housing; and
automatically launching the projectile the preset launch distance from the launch end of the chute through a launch opening in the housing for the pet to retrieve following the activation of the arm and the powering up of the at least one motor.