Wearable bi-directional water dispensing device for a pet
View Patent ↗An article that is wearable by a pet that is fitted to the pet in a secure manner including a bladder bag that is adapted to hold a fluid (e.g., water) and including a series of flexible tubing extending from the bladder bag through a series of valves and a pump and to a fluid dispensing receptacle connected to the flexible tubing. Selectively setting the valves to a first position allows for fluid to be pumped from the bladder bag to the fluid dispensing receptacle, and setting the valve to a second position allows for any remaining fluid to be pumped from the fluid dispensing receptable back to the bladder bag.
1 . A fluid pumping system adapted to be worn by an animal via a harness, the system comprising:
a bladder bag supported by the harness and adapted to be filled with a fluid;
a valving system supported by the harness and including:
a first reversable one-way valve;
a pump;
a second reversable one-way valve;
a first flexible tubing connected at one end to the bladder bag and at another end to a first end of said valving system;
a second flexible tubing connected at one end to a second end of said valving system and at another end to a bowl affixed to the second flexible tubing;
wherein when said pump is actuated, fluid flows from the bladder bag through said valving system and to said fluid dispensing receptacle.
2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first one-way valve and the second one-way valve are each selectable to a first position and a second position,
wherein when the first and second one-way valves are in the first position, actuation of the pump will cause fluid to be transferred from the bladder bag to the bowl,
wherein when the first and second one-way valves are in the second position, actuation of the pump will cause fluid to be transferred from the bowl to the bladder bag.
3 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein the first one-way valve and the second one-way valve each comprise a handle that is rotatable between the first position and the second position.
4 . The system according to claim 3 , wherein the first one-way valve and the second one-way valve each comprise a ball valve with a one-way valve positioned within each ball valve.
5 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
said valving system further comprises:
a third one-way valve;
a fourth one-way valve;
said pump is partitioned into a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is coupled to said first and second one-way valves and the second section is coupled to said third and fourth one-way valves;
wherein when the first section of the pump is actuated, fluid flows from the bladder bag through said valving system and to said bowl; and
wherein when the second section of the pump is actuated, fluid flows from the bowl through said valving system and to said bladder bag.
6 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the harness comprises a detachable vest comprising at least one pocket for holding the bladder bag.
7 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein the vest comprises neoprene.
8 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein the bladder bag is detachably insertable into the pocket.
9 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein the pocket has an opening provided therein allowing the first flexible tubing to pass therethrough.
10 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the bowl is collapsible.
11 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the bowl comprises silicon.
12 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the bowl is attachable to an underside of the harness.
13 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises a manually actuated bulb pump.
14 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein the pump comprises a biasing mechanism such that when the pump is collapsed, the biasing mechanism functions to return the bulb pump to its original shape prior to being collapsed such that a negative pressure is created inside the bulb pump to draw fluid into the bulb pump.
15 . The system according to claim 14 , wherein the biasing mechanism is caused by the material forming the pump such that when the pump is collapsed, the pump will act to return to its original shape.
16 . A method of transferring a fluid in a fluid transfer system maintained in a harness attached to an animal and supporting a bladder bag filled with the fluid comprising the steps of:
detaching a bowl from the harness, the fluid dispensing receptacle connected to a valving system via a second flexible tubing;
switching a first one-way valve associated with the valving system to a first position;
switching a second one-way valve associated with the valving system to a first position;
actuating a pump to cause fluid to transfer from the bladder bag through a first flexible tubing and through the first and second one-way valves via and into the bowl;
switching the first one-way valve to a second position;
switching the second one-way valve to a second position; and
actuating the pump to cause fluid to transfer from the bowl into the bladder bag.
17 . A method of transferring a fluid in a fluid transfer system maintained in a harness attached to an animal and supporting a bladder bag filled with the fluid comprising the steps of:
detaching a bowl from the harness, the bowl connected to a valving system via a second flexible tubing;
actuating a first section of a pump to cause fluid to transfer from the bladder bag through a first flexible tubing, through a first and second one-way valve, through the second flexible tubing, and into the bowl; and
actuating a second section of the pump to cause fluid to transfer from the bowl through a fourth flexible tubing, through a third and fourth one-way valve, through a third flexible tubing, and into the bladder bag.
18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the pump comprises a manually actuated bulb pump and the first section is internally portioned from the second section.