US-20260123602-A1 - Animal Feeding Device

Abstract

An animal feeding device may comprise a feed containing portion having a bottom surface defining a first single plain, the bottom surface having a curved edge and a straight edge opposite the curved edge; a front wall having a curved shape directly connected to the curved edge; a rear wall having aa first portion having a flat surface and defining a second single plane, the first portion directly connected to the bottom surface; a plurality of protrusions located on the inside of the rear wall, at least one of the protrusions providing an abrupt change from the flat surface of the first portion; a first side wall connecting a first side of the front wall to a first side of the rear wall; and a second side wall connecting a second side of the front wall to a second side of the rear wall.

Inventors

• Gary Ratliff
• Rosalinda Ratliff

Assignees

• Gary Ratliff
• Rosalinda Ratliff

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251228

Claims (13)

1. 1 . An animal feeding device comprising: a) a feed containing portion having a bottom surface defining a first single plain, the bottom surface having a curved edge and a straight edge opposite the curved edge; b) a front wall having a curved shape directly connected to the curved edge; c) a rear wall having a first portion having a flat surface and defining a single second plane, the first portion directly connected to the bottom surface; d) a plurality of protrusions located on the inside of the rear wall, at least one of the protrusions providing an abrupt change from the flat surface of the first portion; e) a first side wall connecting a first side of the front wall to a first side of the rear wall; and f) a second side wall connecting a second side of the front wall to a second side of the rear wall.
2. 2 . The animal feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the front wall forms a semicircle.
3. 3 . The animal feeder according to claim 1 , wherein a slope angle between the first portion and the bottom surface is in a range of 120 to 150 degrees.
4. 4 . The animal feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusions comprise a plurality of ridges that span the first side of the rear wall to the second side of the rear wall.
5. 5 . The animal feeder according to claim 4 , wherein each of the ridges comprises a round shape with a radius in a range of 0.04 to 1 inches.
6. 6 . The animal feeder according to claim 4 , wherein a low distance between the bottom surface and a lowest of the ridges along the inside of the rear wall is in a range of 1 to 2 inches.
7. 7 . The animal feeder according to claim 4 , wherein a gap distance between a first of the ridges and a second of the ridges is in a range of 1 to 1.5 inches.
8. 8 . The animal feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the first side wall comprises a first top edge having a convex shape.
9. 9 . The animal feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the second side wall comprises a second top edge having a convex shape.
10. 10 . The animal feeder according to claim 1 , configured to contain a volume of food in a range of 1 cup to 4 quarts.
11. 11 . The animal feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the rear wall comprises a rear height in a range of 4.5 to 6.5 inches.
12. 12 . The animal feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the front wall comprises a front height in a range of 1.25 to 2.25 inches.
13. 13 . The animal feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the front wall comprises a front height and the rear wall comprises a rear height, the rear height higher than the front height.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/676,389, filed Feb. 21, 2022, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.: 63/152,265, filed Feb. 22, 2021, which are all hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND Many domestic animals, pets, and/or livestock may strain one or more parts of their bodies while eating out of conventional animal feeders. Many domestic animals, pets, and/or livestock may cause conventional animal feeders to move and/or spin while eating. Many domestic animals, pets, and/or livestock may cause food to spill out of conventional animal feeders while eating. Accordingly, given the shortcomings of conventional feeders, a need exists for improved animal feeders. This Background is provided to introduce a brief context for the Detailed Description that follows. This Background is not intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter nor be viewed as limiting the claimed subject matter to implementations that solve any or all of the shortcomings or problems presented above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. In the drawings: FIG. 1 is an illustration of a perspective view of an example animal feeder, consistent with disclosed embodiments. FIG. 2 is an illustration of a front view of an example animal feeder, consistent with disclosed embodiments. FIG. 3 is an illustration of a rear view of an example animal feeder, consistent with disclosed embodiments. FIG. 4 is an illustration of a right side view of an example animal feeder, consistent with disclosed embodiments. FIG. 5 is an illustration of a left side view of an example animal feeder, consistent with disclosed embodiments. FIG. 6 is an illustration of a top view of an example animal feeder, consistent with disclosed embodiments. FIG. 7 is an illustration of a bottom view of an example animal feeder, consistent with disclosed embodiments. FIG. 8 is an illustration of a right side cross-sectional view of an example animal feeder, consistent with disclosed embodiments. FIG. 9 is an illustration of a first example animal feeder, consistent with disclosed embodiments. FIG. 10 is an illustration of a second example animal feeder, consistent with disclosed embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Consistent with disclosed embodiments, animal feeders are disclosed. The disclosed animal feeders may provide a more ergonomic eating position to at least some domestic animals, pets, and/or livestock over what is provided by conventional animal feeders. A more ergonomic eating position may enable domestic animals, pets, and/or livestock to relax while eating. This is in contrast to the often awkward, anxious, and/or aggressive manner of eating that many domestic animals, pets, and/or livestock exhibit while eating from conventional animal feeders. To accomplish a more ergonomic eating position, the disclosed animal feeders may be configured to guide the face, mouth, tongue, jaw, and/or teeth of domestic animals, pets, and/or livestock to food located in the animal feeder. The disclosed animal feeders may be configured to remain stationary, or at least experience less movement, during eating as compared to conventional animal feeders. Many domestic animals, pets, and/or livestock may not be able to easily reach all of the food located in conventional animal feeders. This may cause many domestic animals, pets, and/or livestock to push conventional animal feeders while trying to eat. To reduce movement during eating, the disclosed animal feeders may be configured to remain against a wall, cabinet, door, and/or other fixed vertical surface(s) while domestic animals, pets, and/or livestock are eating. This is contrast to many conventional animal feeders shaped as bowls that experience movement and/or spinning during eating even when pushed up against a wall, cabinet, door, and/or other fixed vertical surface(s). For example, some animals may have physical characteristics that cause them to experience more difficulty when eating. Such animals may include, but are not limited to, flat-faced dog breeds such as Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, Bulldog, Bullmastiff, Chinese Shar-Pei, Dogue de Bordeaux, English Toy Spaniel, French Bulldog, Japanese Chin, Pekingese, Pug, Shih Tzu, and any combination thereof, as well as mixed breeds including at least one of the aforementioned breeds. Other such animals may include flat-faced cat breeds such as British Shorthair, Burmilla, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Munchkin Cat, Persian, Scottish Fold, Selkirk Rex, and any combination thereof, as well as mixed breeds including at least one of the aforementioned breeds. In an additional example, some anim