IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,149,457
Granted Patent B2
US 10,149,457 · App. 15/643,830 · Granted Dec 11, 2018

Interactive outdoor feed-dispensing container and methods of manufacture and use

Inventor: John Cullen Vance (Houston, TX)
A01K5/02A01K5/01A01K15/025B29C41/042B29K2023/06B29K2105/251B29L2022/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,149,457
App. No.
15/643,830
Granted
Dec 11, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A large animal feed dispensing container and method of manufacturing the container and method of using the device for delivering a controlled amount of feed to large animals in an outdoor. The housing unit and transecting plate may be molded as a single fused piece. The housing unit includes small openings intended for dispensation in the first chamber that contains feed. The housing unit contains a container for ballast material keep the feed-dispensing container to stabilize the feed-dispensing container in one location.

Claims (42)

1. A feed dispensing container, comprising:

a housing unit fused to and transected by

a plate, such that the housing unit is divided by the plate to form

a first chamber and

a second chamber; wherein

a first aperture exists in the housing unit for access to the first chamber, and

a first removable plug exists to seal the first aperture, and

a portion of the housing unit covering the first chamber has a plurality of small openings, wherein each of the plurality of openings contains a strengthening reinforcement; and

a second aperture exists in the housing unit for access to the second chamber, and

a second removable plug exists to seal the second aperture in the second chamber;

such that a volume of a ballast material poured into the second chamber through the second aperture and sealed in by the second plug;

and a volume of a feed poured into the first chamber through the first aperture and sealed in by a first plug;

such that when the ballast material is inside the second chamber, the container rests in a stable position; yet upon forceful agitation of the container, feed is dispensed from the plurality of openings; and after forceful agitation ceases, the container returns to the stable position wherein no feed is dispensed.

2. The container of claim 1 , wherein:

the container is rotationally molded such that the housing unit and plate are fused together.

3. The container of claim 1 , wherein:

there exists a means for attaching one or more auxiliary devices to the container;

wherein the auxiliary devices may be attached or removed from the device by an animal handler, but not upon animal agitation of the container.

4. The container of claim 1 , wherein:

the housing unit is formed from a photoluminescent material;

wherein the luminescent property of the photoluminescent material increases visual distinguishability.

5. A method of manufacturing an embodiment of the feed dispensing container of claim 1 , the method comprising rotationally molding a polyethylene housing unit that is transected by a plate by using a clamping apparatus to clamp a plate between a first chamber-forming mold and a second chamber-forming mold to create a combined mold, wherein each chamber-forming mold contains a volume of polyethylene powder to form the housing unit.

6. The method of claim 5 , the method further comprising:

(a) preparing the first chamber mold with an interior side and an exterior side by assembling a first socket-forming part at a base of a dome-forming part, and then placing one or more curved parts at a top of the dome-forming part, such that the first chamber mold forms a hollow dome;

(b) inserting one or more opening-forming assemblies into the first-chamber forming mold;

(c) pouring a first volume of a polyethylene powder in the first chamber;

(d) placing the plate on top of the first chamber;

(e) pouring a second volume of the polyethylene powder on top of the plate;

(f) assembling the second chamber mold on top of the plate so that it surrounds the second volume of polyethylene powder on top of the plate;

(g) placing a second socket-forming part on the second chamber mold;

(h) clamping together the chamber-forming molds to form the combined mold;

(i) placing the combined mold on a rotational molding machine for heated rotational molding to melt the polyethylene powders to a liquid polyethylene resin, so that the liquid polyethylene resin contacts and covers the plate to securely fuse the plate into the feed dispensing container;

(j) allowing the polyethylene liquid resin to cool while continuing to rotate the combined mold, and stopping rotation once the liquid polyethylene resin solidifies;

(k) unclamping and then disassembling the combined mold, then removing the opening-forming assemblies, and then removing the first chamber-forming mold and the second chamber-forming mold so that a spherical feed dispensing container is released from the combined mold;

(l) creating a first aperture and a second aperture in the feed dispensing container;

(m) fitting a first plug upon the first aperture in a first chamber of the feed dispensing container; and

(n) fitting a second plug upon the second aperture in a second chamber of the feed dispensing container.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:

step (b) of inserting opening molds into the first chamber-forming mold comprises inserting in at least one opening of the first-chamber forming mold a strengthening metal pipe, and securing it in place by placing a bolt with a head and a shaft through the opening so that the head protrudes from the exterior side of the chamber-forming mold and the shaft passes through the opening to the interior side of the chamber-forming mold, where it is secured with a washer and a nut.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein:

steps (c) and (e) of pouring the polyethylene powder is calibrated so that the polyethylene powder will form a layer that is at most as thick in width as the depth of the plate.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein creating the second aperture comprises rotationally molding a threaded cylindrical unit into the feed dispensing container.

Continuity (2)
Continuation 62360312 · Jul 8, 2016
Related Publication 20180242554A1 · Aug 30, 2018
Cited By (2)
US 1,099,434 US 12,471,568