Separable chew toy having an internal cavity accessible via a clutch mechanism

1. A chew toy, as assembled, comprising:

a first end member and a second end member;

an intermediate member having an intermediate member cavity accessible through a first end opening and/or a second end opening;

a connecting rod which connects to the first end member and the second end member;

wherein access to the intermediate member cavity through the first end opening is inhibited by the first end member and/or access to the intermediate cavity through the second end opening is inhibited by the second end member;

wherein the connecting rod extends through the intermediate member cavity;

wherein the connecting rod comprises at least two sections which are connected by a disconnectable mechanical connection providing positive mechanical engagement;

wherein the connecting rod includes a clutch mechanism which is engageable and disengageable;

wherein, when the clutch mechanism is disengaged, the first end member and the second end member are rotatable around the longitudinal axis without changing the positive mechanical engagement of the mechanical connection; and

wherein, when the clutch mechanism is engaged, the disconnectable mechanical connection is disconnectable such that the first end member is movable away from the first end opening by which the intermediate member cavity is accessible through the first end opening and/or the second end member is movable away from the second end opening by which the intermediate member cavity is accessible through the second end opening.

2. The chew toy of claim 1 , wherein:

when the clutch mechanism is engaged, the positive mechanical engagement of the disconnectable mechanical connection is increasable by moving the first end member towards the second end member along the longitudinal axis and/or by moving the second end member towards the first end member along the longitudinal axis; and

when the clutch mechanism is engaged, the positive mechanical engagement of the disconnectable mechanical connection is decreasable by moving the first end member away from the second end member along the longitudinal axis and/or by moving the second end member away from the first end member along the longitudinal axis.

3. The chew toy of claim 2 , wherein:

the first end member is movable towards the second end member along the longitudinal axis by rotation of the first end member in a first end member first rotation direction around the longitudinal axis and/or the second end member is movable towards the first end member by rotation of the second end member in a second end member first rotation direction around the longitudinal axis; and

the first end member is movable away from the second end member along the longitudinal axis by rotation of the first end member in a first end member second rotation direction opposite the first end member first rotation direction around the longitudinal axis and/or the second end member is movable away from the first end member by rotation of the second end member in a second end member second rotation direction opposite the second end member first rotation direction around the longitudinal axis.

4. The chew toy of claim 1 , wherein:

the intermediate member cavity is accessible through the first end opening and the second end opening;

access to the intermediate member cavity through the first end opening is inhibited by the first end member and access to the intermediate cavity through the second end opening is inhibited by the second end member; and

when the clutch mechanism is engaged, the disconnectable mechanical connection is disconnectable such that the first end member is movable away from the first end opening by which the intermediate member cavity is accessible through the first end opening and/or the second end member is movable away from the second end opening by which the intermediate member cavity is accessible through the second end opening.

5. The chew toy of claim 1 , wherein:

the first end member has a first end member cavity; and

the connecting rod extends within the first end member cavity.

6. The chew toy of claim 5 , wherein:

the intermediate member has a first end portion disposed in the first end member cavity.

7. The chew toy of claim 1 , wherein:

the second end member has a second end member cavity; and

the connecting rod extends within the second end member cavity.

8. The chew toy of claim 7 , wherein:

the intermediate member has a second end portion disposed in the second end member cavity.

9. The chew toy of claim 1 , wherein:

the at least two sections of the connecting rod further comprise a connecting rod first section, a connecting rod second section, and a connecting rod intermediate section which mechanically connects to the connecting rod first section and the connecting rod second section.

10. The chew toy of claim 9 , wherein:

when the clutch mechanism is engaged, the connecting rod second section and the connecting rod intermediate section engage such that a rotation of the second end member and the connecting rod second section around the longitudinal axis in a first direction rotates the connecting rod intermediate section in the first direction, wherein rotation of the connecting rod intermediate section in the first direction mechanically connects the connecting rod intermediate section and the connecting rod first section; and

when the clutch mechanism is engaged, the connecting rod second section and the connecting rod intermediate section engage such that a rotation of the second end member and the connecting rod second section around the longitudinal axis in a second direction oppose the first direction rotates the connecting rod intermediate section in the second direction, wherein rotation of the connecting rod intermediate section in the second direction mechanically disconnects the connecting rod intermediate section and the connecting rod first section.

11. The chew toy of claim 9 , wherein:

the connecting rod first section mechanically connects to the first end member and the connecting rod intermediate section;

the connecting rod first section and the first end member are fixedly coupled to one another to rotate simultaneously around the longitudinal axis;

the connecting rod second section mechanically connects to the second end member and the connecting rod intermediate section; and

the connecting rod second section and the second end member are fixedly coupled to one another to rotate simultaneously around the longitudinal axis.

12. The chew toy of claim 11 , wherein:

the connecting rod first section and the connecting rod intermediate section are connected by the disconnectable mechanical connection; and

the disconnectable mechanical connection comprises a threaded connection.

13. The chew toy of claim 12 , wherein:

the threaded connection comprises internally threaded connector and an externally threaded connector;

the connecting rod first section comprises the internally threaded connector; and

the connecting rod intermediate section comprises the externally threaded connector.

14. The chew toy of claim 9 , wherein:

the connecting rod intermediate section and the connecting rod second section form the clutch mechanism.

15. The chew toy of claim 14 , wherein:

the clutch mechanism has a clutch mechanism engaged position and a clutch mechanism disengaged position;

the connecting rod intermediate section comprises a connecting rod intermediate section end face having a plurality of connecting rod intermediate section clutch teeth;

the connecting rod second section comprises a connecting rod second section end face having a plurality of connecting rod second section clutch teeth;

when the clutch mechanism is in the clutch mechanism engaged position, the plurality of connecting rod intermediate section clutch teeth and the plurality of connecting rod second section clutch teeth are engaged; and

when the clutch mechanism is in the clutch mechanism disengaged position, the plurality of connecting rod intermediate section clutch teeth and the plurality of connecting rod second section clutch teeth are disengaged.

16. The chew toy of claim 14 , wherein:

the connecting rod intermediate section and the connecting rod second section are slidably movable relative to one another along the longitudinal axis between a clutch mechanism engaged position and a clutch mechanism disengaged position.

17. The chew toy of claim 16 , wherein:

the connecting rod intermediate section comprises an annular recess disposed between annular rings;

the connecting rod second section comprises a cylindrical recess having at least one protrusion disposed on a face of the cylindrical recess;

the annular recess and the annular rings of the connecting rod intermediate section are disposed in the cylindrical recess of the connecting rod second section, with the at least one protrusion disposed on the face of the cylindrical recess of the connecting rod second section disposed in the in the annular recess of the connecting rod intermediate section between the annular rings; and

the at least one protrusion disposed on the face of the cylindrical recess of the connecting rod second section is slidably movable along the longitudinal axis in the annular recess of the connecting rod intermediate section between the annular rings.

18. The chew toy of claim 17 , wherein:

the clutch mechanism has a clutch mechanism engaged position and a clutch mechanism disengaged position;

the connecting rod intermediate section comprises a connecting rod intermediate section end face having a plurality of connecting rod intermediate section clutch teeth;

the connecting rod second section comprises a connecting rod second section end face having a plurality of connecting rod second section clutch teeth;

when the clutch mechanism is in the clutch mechanism engaged position, the plurality of connecting rod intermediate section clutch teeth and the plurality of connecting rod second section clutch teeth are engaged; and

when the clutch mechanism is in the clutch mechanism disengaged position, the plurality of connecting rod intermediate section clutch teeth and the plurality of connecting rod second section clutch teeth are disengaged.