Animal chew toy with flossing ribs/projections
View Patent ↗An edible animal chew toy which provides a dental benefit when chewed. The chewing action of the animal causes ribs and/or protrusions on the chew toy, in close proximity to the area being chewed, to floss the sides of the animal's teeth and gums.
1. A method for producing an edible animal chew comprising a molded body portion having a length and an end portion, wherein said chew includes a plurality of outwardly projecting ribs sized to locate between and contact between an animal's teeth when chewed comprising:
(a) supplying an edible resin with a selected water content;
(b) supplying a mold for molding said resin wherein said mold includes a mold cavity that forms a molded body portion of said edible animal chew having a length and an end portion, and wherein said mold includes a plurality of cavities for forming said plurality of outwardly projecting ribs;
(c) selecting a size for said cavities to provide a projection dimension and/or width dimension for said plurality of ribs which projection and/or width dimension is greater than the projection and/or width dimension of the rib desired for said edible animal chew;
(d) molding said resin into said animal chew containing a plurality of outwardly projecting ribs; and
(e) removing a quantity of said water in said resin such that the amount of dehydration in said body portion is less than the amount of dehydration in said plurality of ribs and reducing the projection dimension and/or width dimension of said plurality of ribs forming said animal chew, wherein said molded body portion and said projecting ribs each have a thickness and said thickness of said body portion is greater than said thickness of said projecting ribs and said plurality of ribs are relatively more rigid than said body portion.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said ribs extend substantially parallel with said body portion length, said ribs also located on said end portion wherein said ribs on said end portion are arranged in a semi-circular configuration.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said body portion, end portion, and ribs are of unitary construction.
4. The method of claim 1 further including at least one outwardly projecting rib extending substantially parallel with said body portion length and extending into said end portion wherein at said end portion said rib deviates from said parallel configuration.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said ribs comprise a top section and a base section, said base section attached to said body portion wherein said top section is of a hemispheric configuration.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chew comprises a first plurality of ribs and a second plurality of ribs, the first plurality of ribs perpendicular to the second plurality of ribs.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the reduced projection and/or width dimension of said ribs that are sized to locate between and contact between the animal's teeth when chewed include a portion of ribs of a reduced projection and/or width dimension to locate between and contact between the front incisors, canines and molars of said animal.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein subsequent to removing a quantity of said water in said resin and reducing the projection dimension and/or width dimension of said plurality of ribs forming said animal chew, said ribs have a projection dimension of up to about 0.50 inches.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein subsequent to removing a quantity of said water in said resin and reducing the projection dimension and/or width dimension of said plurality of ribs forming said animal chew, said ribs have a width dimension of up to about 0.25 inches.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said edible animal chew is formed from beef by-products wherein said beef by-product is present at a level of at least about 50% by weight.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein said edible animal chew is formed from beef by-products, wherein said beef by-product is present at a level of at least about 75% by weight.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein said edible animal chew is formed from beef by-product at a level of about 70–75% by weight, the remainder of the composition comprising protein colloid in an amount of about 1–10% by weight, casein in an amount of about 1–10% by weight, pork by-products in an amount of about 1–5% by weight, flavoring in an amount of 0.5–5.0% by weight, parsley in an amount of about 0.1–1.0% by weight, chlorophyll in an amount of about 0.1–1% by weight and water in an amount of 5–20% by weight.
13. A method for producing an edible animal chew comprising a molded body portion having a length and an end portion, wherein said chew includes a plurality of outwardly projecting ribs sized to locate between and contact between an animal's teeth when chewed comprising:
(a) supplying an edible resin with a selected water content;
(b) supplying a mold for molding said resin wherein said mold includes a mold cavity that forms a molded body portion of said edible animal chew having a length and an end portion, and wherein said mold includes a plurality of cavities for forming said plurality of outwardly projecting ribs;
(c) selecting a size for said cavities to provide a projection dimension and/or width dimension for said plurality of ribs which projection and/or width dimension is greater than the projection and/or width dimension of the rib desired for said edible animal chew;
(d) molding said resin into said animal chew containing a plurality of outwardly projecting ribs; and
(e) removing a quantity of said water in said resin and reducing the projection dimension and/or width dimension of said plurality of ribs forming said animal chew; and
(f) removing a quantity of water from said molded body portion wherein the amount of dehydration in the molded body portion is less than the amount of dehydration in said ribs, wherein said molded body portion and said projecting ribs each have a thickness and said thickness of said body portion is greater than said thickness of said projecting ribs and said plurality of ribs are relatively more rigid than said body portion.
14. An edible animal chew, comprising a molded body portion formed from beef by-products having a length and an end portion, said chew including a plurality of outwardly projecting ribs and/or projections, said ribs and/or projections sized to locate between and contact between an animal's teeth when chewed, wherein said molded body portion and said projecting ribs each have a thickness and said thickness of said body portion is greater than said thickness of said projecting ribs and said plurality of ribs are relatively more rigid than said body portion.
15. The animal chew of claim 14 wherein said ribs extend substantially parallel with said body portion length, said ribs also located on said end portion wherein said ribs on said end portion are arranged in a semi-circular configuration.
16. The animal chew of claim 14 wherein said body portion, end portion, ribs and/or projections are of unitary construction.
17. The animal chew of claim 14 further including at least one outwardly projecting rib extending substantially parallel with said body portion length and extending into said end portion wherein at said end portion said rib deviates from said parallel configuration.
18. The animal chew of claim 14 wherein said ribs comprise a top section and a base section, said base section attached to said body portion wherein said top section is of a hemispheric configuration.
19. The animal chew of claim 14 , wherein the chew toy comprises a first plurality of ribs and a second plurality of ribs, the first plurality of ribs perpendicular to the second plurality of ribs.
20. The animal chew of claim 14 wherein said ribs and/or projections sized to locate between and contact between the animal's teeth when chewed include a portion of ribs or projections sized to locate between and contact between the front incisors, canines and molars of said animal.
21. The animal chew of claim 14 wherein said ribs have a projection dimension of up to about 0.50 inches.
22. The animal chew of claim 14 wherein said ribs have a width dimension of up to about 0.25 inches.
23. The animal chew of claim 14 wherein said animal chew is formed from beef by-products wherein said beef by-product is present at a level of at least about 50% by weight.
24. The animal chew of claim 14 wherein said animal chew is formed from beef by-products, wherein said beef by-product is present at a level of at least about 75% by weight.
25. The animal chew of claim 14 wherein said animal chew is formed from beef by-product at a level of about 70–75% by weight, the remainder of the composition comprising protein colloid in an amount of about 1–10% by weight, casein in an amount of about 1–10% by weight, pork by-products in an amount of about 1–5% by weight, flavoring in an amount of 0.5–5.0% by weight, parsley in an amount of about 0.1–1.0% by weight, chlorophyll in an amount of about 0.1–1% by weight and water in an amount of 5–20% by weight.