Treat holder
A holder for rigid and semi-rigid pet treats, to protect the pet from choking on the treat and other hazards, keep the treat in one location, and provide a base around the treat that makes it more conducive for pet enjoyment. The pet treat holder includes inner clamps, an outer clamp and a handle having a bolt for moving the clamps, to secure the treat within a transverse mouth opening of the holder.
1. A pet treat holder, comprising:
a housing having a transverse mouth opening therethrough and a hollow interior;
a body lock, at least a first portion of which is sized and shaped to engage one end of the housing;
a bolt having a threaded shaft, a bolt head, and an annular recess extending between the threaded shaft and the bolt head, the bolt head having a through-hole for receiving a locking pin therethrough, wherein the threaded shaft defines a longitudinal axis A;
a handle sized and shaped so as to receive the bolt head and the locking pin therein, and sized and shaped to align with at least a second portion of the body lock,
a first clamp sheet having a first mouth opening, a first shaft opening continuous with the first mouth opening, and a first arcuate dent proximate an end of the first shaft opening and distal the first mouth opening;
a second clamp sheet having a second mouth opening, a second shaft opening continuous with the second mouth opening, and a second arcuate dent proximate an end of the second shaft opening and distal the second mouth opening;
wherein the first and second mouth openings are sized and shaped to align with one another and the transverse mouth opening;
wherein the first and second shaft openings are sized and shaped to align with one another and to receive therein the threaded shaft of the bolt; and
wherein the arcuate dents are sized and shaped to cooperate with one another to form an opening, the opening being sized and shaped to rotatably receive the annular recess of the bolt therethrough;
an outer clamp having a hollow interior, the outer clamp being sized and shaped to insertably engage the hollow interior of the housing;
a first inner clamp having a first arcuate trough along an axis thereof, the first arcuate trough defining a first socket opening therein;
a second inner clamp having a second arcuate trough along an axis thereof, the second arcuate trough defining a second socket opening therein;
wherein the first and second inner clamps are sized and shaped to cooperate with one another to hold the clamp sheets and the bolt therebetween;
wherein the first and second arcuate troughs cooperate to form an open shaft that is sized and shaped to receive therethrough the threaded shaft of the bolt; and
wherein the hollow interior of the outer clamp is sized and shaped to receive the first and second inner clamps therein; and
an internally threaded sleeve sized and shaped to threadably engage the threaded shaft of the bolt, and positioned between the first and second socket openings;
wherein the outer clamp is movable between a retracted position, in which the outer clamp is positioned proximate the handle and one end of the housing and distal the transverse mouth opening, and a fully extended position, in which the outer clamp is positioned distal the handle and one end of the housing, and at least partially within the transverse mouth opening,
whereby rotation of the handle rotates the bolt about the axis A to longitudinally move the sleeve within the open shaft, move the inner clamps therewith, and move the outer clamp between its retracted position and its fully extended position.
2. The pet treat holder of claim 1 , wherein the outer clamp and the transverse mouth opening cooperate to secure a pet treat therebetween when the outer clamp is in its fully extended position.
3. The pet treat holder of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the a body lock is a cap portion which is sized and shaped to insertably engage one end of the housing.
4. The pet treat holder of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the body lock is a cover portion, and the cover portion includes a centered opening for receiving the threaded shaft of the bolt therethrough.
5. The pet treat holder of claim 1 , further including a strap, the strap being attached to the housing via a strap opening provided in the housing.
6. The pet treat holder of claim 1 , wherein the housing is made of nylon.
7. The pet treat holder of claim 1 , wherein the bolt, the clamp sheets, the sleeve, and the inner treat clamps are each made of stainless steel.
8. The pet treat holder of claim 1 , wherein the housing has an oval shape.