PET TOY
A pet toy includes an outer covering and an inner core. The inner core has an outer surface formed with a non-linear groove. The outer covering has a first section and a second section. The first section is fixed to a first area of the outer surface of the inner core and the second section is disposed at least partially within the groove.
1 . A pet toy comprising:
an inner core having an outer surface formed with a non-linear groove; and
an outer covering having a first section and a second section, the first section being fixed to a first area of the outer surface of the inner core and the second section being disposed at least partially within the groove.
2 . The pet toy according to claim 1 , wherein
the inner core is formed from a copolymer.
3 . The pet toy according to claim 1 , wherein
the outer surface of the inner core has an overall spherical shape with the non-linear groove formed therein.
4 . The pet toy according to claim 1 , wherein
the groove has a serpentine-like shape.
5 . The pet toy according to claim 1 , wherein
a first portion of the groove has a first width and a second portion of the groove has a second width that is greater than the first width.
6 . The pet toy according to claim 5 , wherein
the second width is greater than twice the first width.
7 . The pet toy according to claim 1 , wherein
the first section includes a first part and a second part, the first part being fixed to a first portion of the first area of the outer surface of the inner core and the second part of the first section being fixed to a second portion of the first area of the outer surface of the inner core.
8 . The pet toy according to claim 8 , wherein
each of the first part and the second part of the first section has a barbell-like shape.
9 . The pet toy according to claim 7 , wherein
the second section extends along an entire length of the groove and completely lines and covers the groove.
10 . The pet toy according to claim 7 , wherein
the groove and the second section separate the first part and the second part of the first section.
11 . The pet toy according to claim 7 , wherein
the second section has opposing peripheral edges extending the entire length of the groove, a first of the opposing peripheral edges overlaps with an edge portion of the first part of the first section and a second of the opposing peripheral edges overlaps with an edge portion of the second part of the first section.
12 . The pet toy according to claim 11 , wherein
the first of the opposing peripheral edges of the second section defines a first recess that extends along the edge portion of the first part of the first section and the second of the opposing peripheral edges of the second section defines a second recess that extends along the edge portion of the first part of the first section.
13 . The pet toy according to claim 12 , wherein
a first portion of the groove has a first width, a second portion of the groove has a second width that is greater than the first width, and, the first and second recesses have a third width that is less than 30% of the first width.
14 . A method of manufacturing a pet toy, comprising
forming a copolymer material into a spherical-shaped inner core with an elongated non-linear groove extending along an outer surface thereof;
forming a first section of an outer covering;
forming a second section of the outer covering, the second section being formed with an elongated groove;
installing the first section of the outer covering to a first area of the outer surface of the inner core;
installing the second section to a second area of the outer surface of the inner core such that at least a portion of the second section extends into the groove; and
heating the pet toy thereby vulcanizing the inner core, the first section and the second section of the outer covering to one another.
15 . The method of manufacturing a pet toy according to claim 14 , wherein
the forming of the spherical-shaped inner core includes molding the copolymer material into the spherical-shaped inner core with the groove.
16 . The method of manufacturing a pet toy according to claim 14 , wherein
the forming of the first section of the outer covering includes rolling the first section into a thin layer.
17 . The method of manufacturing a pet toy according to claim 14 , wherein
the installing of the second section to the outer core includes peripheral edges of the second section overlapping with peripheral edges of the first section.
18 . The method of manufacturing a pet toy according to claim 14 , wherein
the heating of the pet toy includes putting the pet toy in a mold with non-linear shaped mold element being inserted into corresponding portions of the groove.