# US 5,346,710 A · Animal feeding system and method therefor

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- Number: US 5,346,710 A
- Document ID: US5346710A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/070,047
- Filed: 1993-06-01
- Granted: 1994-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 1990-06-22
- Assignees: Contagious Concepts
- Inventors: Linda Geitner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5346710A

## CPC

- A01K 5/0121: {Disposable pet feeders}
- B65D 65/463: {Edible packaging materials}
- B65D 81/36: adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
- Y10S 426/805: Pet food for dog, cat, bird, or fish
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

An animal feeding system includes a self-supporting bowl made from edible material having a bottom, a top and a side providing in combination a container for holding animal food, the bowl being of selected size and configuration to contain a desired quantity of food depending on animal size and dietary requirements. There is further provided an animal feeding system and related method wherein an edible bowl is provided in combination with a water bowl to provide a self-contained meal package for an animal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pre-packaged non-human animal feeding system for feeding non-human animals, comprising:
a self-supporting food bowl made from an edible material for non-human animal consumption, said bowl having a closed bottom, a side and a top rim located opposite said bottom, said closed bottom, side and top rim defining a bowl interior;
a quantity of non-human animal food contained within the bowl interior, said non-human animal food being specifically selected for non-human animal consumption;
a beverage bowl having a closed bottom, a top rim located opposite said closed bottom and a side extending between the top rim and the bottom, said top rim of the beverage bowl defining an open top of the beverage bowl, said food bowl containing said animal food being nested within the beverage bowl with the top rim of the beverage bowl located proximate the bottom of the food bowl, the bottom of the beverage bowl covering the top rim of the food bowl and the side of the beverage bowl covering the side of the food bowl so that the beverage bowl serves as a partial enclosure for both the food bowl and the animal food, said beverage bowl being separable from the food bowl to also serve as a receptacle for an animal beverage; and
a removable cover attached to the top rim of the beverage bowl to close the open top of the beverage bowl and seal both the food bowl and the animal food from contact with outside air.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The animal feeding system of claim 1, including rib support members extending along the side of the beverage bowl for increasing rigidity.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The animal feeding system of claim 1, wherein said food bowl is made of a bake-hardened substance.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The animal feeding system of claim 1, wherein said food bowl is made of a dog food preparation.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The animal feeding system of claim 1, wherein said food bowl is made of a cat food preparation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The animal feeding system of claim 1, wherein said quantity of animal food is a food substance having a particular flavor, and said food bowl includes means for identifying the particular flavor of the animal food contained in the edible food bowl, said means for identifying including said food bowl being color coded to the particular flavor of the animal food contained in the food bowl.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The animal feeding system of claim 1, wherein said beverage bowl and said cover are formed from transparent food packaging material.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The animal feeding system of claim 1, wherein said water bowl and water bowl cover are formed from biodegradable material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The animal feeding system of claim 1, wherein said food bowl has side and bottom thicknesses selected in proportion to the volumetric capacity of said food bowl and the quantity of food contained therein to provide a selected ratio of contained animal food and edible material in accordance with animal size and dietary requirements.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The animal feeding system of claim 1, further including an animal chew material disposed in the bowl interior of the food bowl, said animal chew material being different from the non-human animal food.

### Claim 11

A method of producing a pre-packaged animal meal for non-human animal consumption, comprising:
providing a food bowl which is made from edible animal food material specifically selected for non-human animal consumption, said food bowl having a closed bottom, a side and a top rim located opposite said bottom, said top rim, closed bottom and side defining a bowl interior;
placing animal food specifically selected for non-human animal consumption in the bowl interior of the edible food bowl;
nesting said edible food bowl containing said animal food within a beverage bowl having a closed bottom, a top rim located opposite said closed bottom and a side extending between the top rim and the bottom, said top rim of the beverage bowl defining an open top of the beverage bowl, said food bowl being nested within the beverage bowl with the top rim of the beverage bowl located proximate the bottom of the food bowl, the bottom of the beverage bowl covering the top rim of the food bowl and the side of the beverage bowl covering the side of the food bowl, so that said beverage bowl serves as a partial enclosure for both the food bowl and the animal food when the food bowl is nested within the beverage bowl, said beverage bowl being separable from the food bowl so that the beverage bowl also serves as a receptacle for an animal beverage; and
attaching a removable cover to the top rim of the beverage bowl to close the open top of the beverage bowl and seal both the food bowl and the animal food from contact with outside air, said cover being removable from the beverage bowl so that the beverage bowl is usable as a receptacle for receiving animal beverage once the beverage bowl has been separated from the food bowl.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of placing said animal food in the bowl interior of the edible food bowl includes placing animal food in the bowl interior wherein said animal food has a particular flavor, and including the step of identifying the particular flavor of the animal food in the bowl interior of the edible food bowl by forming the edible food bowl to have a color that is color coded to the particular flavor of the animal food in the bowl interior.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, including additionally placing an animal chew material in the bowl interior of the edible food bowl that is different from the animal food.