Retractable pet toy
View Patent ↗The present invention generally relates to a pet toy and, more specifically, to a pet toy that is removably secured to a home fixture such that a retraction mechanism delivers an opposing force that reels the toy inward, thus interactively challenging the pet. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
1. A dynamic pet toy comprising an attractive toy connected to retraction mechanism, said retraction mechanism comprising a reel that winds about a spool connected to an axis; said attractive toy connects to said reel by means of a quick disconnect, said reel winds inward by means of said retraction mechanism to pull said attractive toy towards it;
wherein said axis connects to a housing of said retraction mechanism by means of a rounded depression having a slightly smaller circumference than that of said axis, wherein an interference fit secures said axis to said housing and wherein said retraction mechanism comprises a means to secure it to a stationary object.
2. The pet toy of claim 1 , wherein said attractive toy is simulated, cloth mouse comprising a sound chip that emits a prerecorded sound in response to its engagement.
3. The pet toy of claim 2 , wherein said mouse emits a sound that more closely replicates the vocalizations of mice.
4. The pet toy of claim 3 , wherein said disconnect mechanism comprises:
a pair of threads that mate with corresponding threads on said attractive toy;
a hook-and-loop fastener combination; and,
a loop and a tie combination.
5. The pet toy of claim 1 , wherein said means to secure said retraction mechanism to a stationary object is a through loop wrapped about said stationary object, said stationary object is furniture or a home fixture.
6. The pet toy of claim 1 , wherein alternate start and stop switches are placed on an exterior of said retraction mechanism, said switches are used to activate internal components of said retraction mechanism.
7. The pet toy of claim 6 , wherein said switches are friction switches that slide between a housing of said retraction mechanism and said reel.
8. The pet toy of claim 1 , wherein an opposing distal end of said axis is supported to an opposing surface of said interior housing of said retraction mechanism.
9. The pet toy of claim 1 , further comprising a torsion spring formed about said axis, wherein an inter-spiral end of said spring connects to said axis and an opposite end of said spring connects to an interior housing of said retraction mechanism.
10. The pet toy of claim 1 , further comprising locking notches that are comprised about a circumference of said spool.
11. The pet toy of claim 10 , wherein a level switch fits within a slot formed in said housing of said retraction mechanism, said level switch slides linearly upwards and downwards to positively engage a given notch of said spool.