Tear-resistant dog chew toy and method of making the same
A tear-resistant chew toy for dogs and a method of making the toy. The toy includes a first and second similarly constructed panel assemblies, each of which includes a quilted fabric panel surrounded by a chew guard in the form of a webbing of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fabric. Overlapping portions of the chew guard are secured to the panel by a zig-zagging stitch pattern formed of UHMWPE thread. The individual stitches of the pattern extend at an acute angle to a radius of the fabric panel and generally parallel to the direction that dogs use their back molar teeth to gnaw on a chew guard. The panel assemblies are secured together by a stitch line also formed of UHMWPE thread to form an internal chamber in which a soft resilient stuffing and an audible squeaker are located.
1 . A tear-resistant chew toy for a dog having back molar teeth, said tear-resistant chew toy comprising:
a first panel assembly comprising:
a first panel of a predetermined shape having a peripheral edge and a radius extending to said peripheral edge, said first panel being formed of a high-tenacity woven nylon or polyester bag fabric;
a first chew guard comprising a webbing of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fabric, wrapped about the peripheral edge of said first panel so that an outer portion of said first chew guard is located over an outer surface of said first panel contiguous with the peripheral edge, and an inner portion of said first chew guard is located under an inner surface of said first panel contiguous with the peripheral edge, said first chew guard having a pair of end portions which overlap each other in a first overlap zone;
a first line of stitches extending through said first chew guard and said first panel to secure said first chew guard to said first panel, said first line of stitches line extending generally parallel said peripheral edge of said first panel;
a second line of stitches extending through said first chew guard and said first panel in the region encompassing said first overlap zone and to portions of said webbing contiguous with said first overlap zone, said second line of stitches comprising a double zig-zag pattern having individual stitches each extending at an acute angle to said radius and generally parallel to the direction that dogs use their back molar teeth to gnaw on said first chew guard webbing, whereupon said double zig-zag pattern of said second line of stitches runs parallel to a chewing motion of the dog's back molar teeth on the tear-resistant chew toy to result in a low coefficient of friction therebetween to provide cut and abrasion resistance to said first chew guard webbing at said first overlap zone;
a second panel assembly of a corresponding shape and size to said first panel assembly, and secured to said first panel assembly by a third line of stitches extending generally parallel to said peripheral edge; and
a soft and resilient stuffing material located in a space between said first panel assembly and said second panel assembly.
2 . The tear-resistant chew toy of claim 1 , wherein said first panel is a quilted panel comprising a first pair of sheets of a high-tenacity woven nylon or polyester bag fabric, each of said first pair of sheets being same size and shape as the other and being secured to each other by intersecting lines of stitches.
3 . The tear-resistant chew toy of claim 1 , wherein said second panel assembly has a predetermined shape having a peripheral edge and a radius extending to said peripheral edge, said second panel assembly being of a same size and shape as said first panel assembly and comprising:
a second panel including a second pair of sheets of a high-tenacity woven nylon or polyester bag fabric, each of which is the same size and shape as the other and being secured to each other by intersecting lines of stitches, whereupon said second panel is quilted;
a second chew guard comprises a webbing of UHMWPE fabric, wrapped about the peripheral edge of said second panel so that an outer portion of said second chew guard is located over an outer surface of said second panel contiguous with the peripheral edge of said second panel, and an inner portion of said second chew guard is located under an inner surface of said second panel contiguous with the peripheral edge of said second panel, said second chew guard having a pair of end portions which overlap each other in a second overlap zone; and
a fourth line of stitches extending through said second chew guard and said second panel to secure said second chew guard to said second panel, said fourth line of stitches line extending generally parallel said peripheral edge of said second panel; and
a fifth line of stitches extending through said second chew guard and said second panel in the region encompassing said second overlap zone and to portions of said second chew guard contiguous with said second overlap zone, said fifth line of stitches comprising a double zig-zag pattern having individual stitches extending at an acute angle to the radius and generally parallel to the direction that dogs use their back molar teeth to gnaw on said second chew guard, whereupon said double zig-zag pattern of said fifth line of stitches runs parallel to the chewing motion of the dog's back molar teeth to result in a low coefficient of friction therebetween to provide cut and abrasion resistance to said second chew guard at said second overlap zone.
4 . The tear-resistant chew toy of claim 1 , wherein said second line of stitches and said third line of stitches each comprise a thread formed of UHMWPE.
5 . The tear-resistant chew toy of claim 4 , wherein said fifth line of stitches comprises a thread formed of UHMWPE.
6 . The tear-resistant chew toy of claim 1 , wherein said first panel comprises 1000 denier high-tenacity woven nylon or polyester bag fabric.
7 . The tear-resistant chew toy of claim 2 , wherein each of said pair of sheets of said first panel comprises 1000 denier high-tenacity woven nylon or polyester bag fabric.
8 . The tear-resistant chew toy of claim 3 , wherein each of said pair of sheets of said first panel and said second panel comprises 1000 denier high-tenacity woven nylon or polyester bag fabric.
9 . The tear-resistant chew toy of claim 1 , wherein said soft and resilient stuffing material comprises polyester fiberfill.
10 . The tear-resistant chew toy of claim 1 , additionally comprising a squeaker device located within said space between said first panel and said second panel.
11 . The tear-resistant chew toy of claim 9 , additionally comprising a squeaker device located within said space between said first panel and said second panel.
12 . The tear-resistant chew toy of claim 3 , wherein with said second and fifth line of stitches are located diametrically opposed to each other.
13 . The tear-resistant chew toy of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined shape is circular.
14 . A method of making a tear-resistant chew toy, comprising:
providing a first panel assembly comprising:
a first panel of a predetermined shape having a peripheral edge and a radius extending to said peripheral edge, said first panel being formed of a high-tenacity woven nylon or polyester bag fabric;
a first chew guard comprising a webbing of UHMWPE fabric wrapped about the peripheral edge of said first panel so that an outer portion of said first chew guard is located over an outer surface of said first panel contiguous with the peripheral edge, and an inner portion of said first chew guard is located under an inner surface of said first panel contiguous with the peripheral edge, said first chew guard having a pair of end portions which overlap each other in a first overlap zone;
securing said first chew guard webbing to said first panel by a first line of stitches line extending generally parallel said peripheral edge of said first panel;
providing a second line of stitches extending through said first chew guard webbing and said first panel in the region encompassing said first overlap zone and to portions of said webbing contiguous with said first overlap zone, said second line of stitches comprising a double zig-zag pattern having individual stitches each extending at an acute angle to said radius and generally parallel to the direction that dogs use their back molar teeth to gnaw on said first chew guard webbing, whereupon said double zig-zag pattern of said second line of stitches runs parallel to a chewing motion of the dog's back molar teeth on the tear-resistant chew toy to result in a low coefficient of friction therebetween to provide cut and abrasion resistance to said first chew guard webbing at said first overlap zone;
providing a second panel assembly of a corresponding shape and size to said first panel assembly;
securing said second panel assembly to said first panel assembly by third line of stitches extending generally parallel to said peripheral edge; and
inserting a soft and resilient stuffing material located in a space between said first panel and said second panel.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said first panel is a quilted panel comprising a first pair of sheets of a high-tenacity woven nylon or polyester bag fabric, each of said first pair of sheets being same size and shape as the other and being secured to each other by intersecting lines of stitches.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said second panel assembly is of said predetermined shape and size of said first panel assembly and comprises:
a second panel having a peripheral edge and a radius extending to said peripheral edge, said second panel being formed of a high-tenacity woven nylon or polyester bag fabric;
a second chew guard comprising a webbing of UHMWPE fabric wrapped about the peripheral edge of said second panel so that an outer portion of said second chew guard is located over an outer surface of said second panel contiguous with the peripheral edge of said second panel, and an inner portion of said second chew guard is located under an inner surface of said second panel contiguous with the peripheral edge of said second panel, said second chew guard having a pair of end portions which overlap each other in a second overlap zone;
securing said second chew guard webbing to said second panel by a fourth line of stitches line extending generally parallel said peripheral edge of said second panel; and
providing a fifth line of stitches extending through said second chew guard and said second panel in the region encompassing said overlap zone and to portions of said second chew guard contiguous with said second overlap zone, said fifth line of stitches comprising a double zig-zag pattern having individual stitches each extending at an acute angle to said radius and generally parallel to the direction that dogs use their back molar teeth to gnaw on said second chew guard, whereupon said double zig-zag pattern of said fifth line of stitches runs parallel to the chewing motion of the dog's back molar teeth to result in a low coefficient of friction therebetween to provide cut and abrasion resistance to said second chew guard at said first overlap zone.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein said second panel is a quilted panel comprising a first pair of sheets of a high-tenacity woven nylon or polyester bag fabric, each of said first pair of sheets being same size and shape as the other and being secured to each other by intersecting lines of stitches.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said second line of stitches and said third line of stitches each comprise a thread formed of UHMWPE.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said fifth line of stitches comprises a thread formed of UHMWPE.
20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said sheets of said first panel and said second panel comprise 1000 denier high-tenacity woven nylon or polyester bag fabric.