What is claimed is:
1. A treat dispensing device for training animals, comprising:
a housing;
a dispenser wheel rotatably connected to said housing, said dispenser wheel and housing cooperating together to define a plurality of compartments for holding individual treats;
an opening defined in said housing through which individual treats can be loaded into said plurality of compartments and from which said individual treats can be dispensed; and
a clicking mechanism arranged to provide a clicking noise to signal and reward an animal each time said dispenser wheel is rotated to dispense a treat.
2. The treat dispensing device according to claim 1, further comprising a belt clip secured to a rear side of said housing for attaching said device to a user’s belt.
3. The treat dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein said housing has a generally donut-shaped interior defined by an inner cylindrical wall, an outer cylindrical wall, and a rear wall extending between said inner and outer walls, and said housing has an open front side opposing said rear wall.
4. The treat dispensing device according to claim 3, wherein said dispenser wheel has a first structure received in the interior of said housing, said first structure having a fluted inner surface that cooperates with said clicking mechanism to provide said clicking noise, said first structure further comprising an outer surface defined by a plurality of fins extending radially outwardly from said first structure which provide partitions between said compartments.
5. The treat dispensing device according to claim 4, wherein said dispenser wheel further comprises a second structure secured to said first structure and extending across the open front side of said housing, said second structure having a plurality of projections extending outwardly from an outer periphery thereof, said projections being engageable by a user’s fingers to rotate the dispenser wheel to activate said clicking mechanism and dispense a treat from the device, said second structure further comprising at least one open port formed therein that allows clicking noises produced by said clicking mechanism to pass freely therethrough.
6. The treat dispensing device according to claim 5, wherein said housing has a protective flange extending outwardly from a front edge of said outer wall and a protective lip extending in an axial direction from said flange, said flange and lip being arranged to partially conceal and protect a first part of said projections extending from said dispenser wheel and to expose a second part of said projections.
7. The treat dispensing device according to claim 6, wherein a first discontinuity in said protective flange and said protective lip is provided to expose projections for a right-handed user, and a second discontinuity in said protective flange and said protective lip is provided to expose projections for a left-handed user.
8. The treat dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein said clicking mechanism comprises a modulator structure which is resiliently biased into engagement with a fluted inner surface of said dispenser wheel, whereby said modulator structure clicks against said fluted inner surface to provide said clicking noise upon rotation of said dispenser wheel.
9. The treat dispensing device according to claim 8, wherein said fluted inner surface comprises a plurality of grooves which are engaged by said modulator structure, said plurality of grooves corresponding in number to said plurality of compartments, whereby said clicking noise is provided each time the dispenser wheel is rotated to expose another compartment to said opening defined in said housing.
10. The treat dispensing device according to claim 9, wherein said modulator structure comprises a first arm having a first end secured to said housing and a second end biased into engagement with one of the grooves in said fluted inner surface of the dispenser wheel.
11. The treat dispensing device according to claim 10, wherein said modulator structure comprises a second arm positioned diametrically opposed to said first arm, said second arm having a first end secured to said housing and a second end biased into engagement with another one of the grooves in said fluted inner surface of the dispenser wheel so as to oppose a force applied by said first arm on said dispenser wheel.
12. The treat dispensing device according to claim 11, wherein said first and second arms are integrally formed with said housing, and said second ends of said first and second arms have a rounded engaging surface that clicks against the fluted inner surface of the dispenser wheel to cause the clicking noise produced by the device.
13. The treat dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein a snap-fit coupling is provided to rotatably secure said dispenser wheel to said housing.
14. The treat dispensing device according to claim 10, wherein said snap-fit coupling comprises a receptacle formed in one of said housing and said dispenser wheel, and a barbed projection extending from the other of said housing and said dispenser wheel, said barbed projection being snap-fitted into said receptacle to rotatably secure said dispenser wheel to said housing.
15. The treat dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein said housing and said dispenser wheel are formed by injection molding.
16. A treat dispensing device for training animals, comprising:
a housing;
a dispenser wheel rotatably coupled to said housing, said dispenser wheel and housing cooperating together to define a plurality of compartments for holding individual treats;
an opening defined in said housing through which individual treats can be loaded into said plurality of compartments and from which said individual treats can be dispensed; and
a clicking mechanism comprising a modulating structure which is resiliently biased into engagement with a surface containing a plurality of undulations, whereby said modulating structure clicks against said surface to provide a clicking noise each time the dispenser wheel is rotated to dispense a treat.
17. The treat dispensing device according to claim 16, wherein said surface containing a plurality of undulations is a fluted inner surface of the dispenser wheel which comprises a plurality of grooves which are engaged by said modulating structure, said plurality of grooves corresponding in number to said plurality of compartments.
18. The treat dispensing device according to claim 17, wherein said modulating structure is supported by a free end of a resilient arm secured to said housing, said resilient arm being arranged to bias said modulating structure radially outwardly into engagement with the fluted inner surface of the dispenser wheel.
19. The treat dispensing device according to claim 16, further comprising a means for supporting the device in an upright position during use such that said dispenser wheel rotates about a generally horizontal axis, and said opening defined in the housing is located at a bottom of the device, whereby the dispensed treats fall through the opening by gravitational force.
20. A treat dispensing device for training animals, comprising:
a dispenser mechanism for dispensing individual treats; and
a clicking mechanism associated with said dispenser mechanism for providing a clicking noise to signal an animal each time the dispenser mechanism is operated to dispense a treat.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A hoseless driving tool comprising:
an output section which is configured by a cylinder, a piston that is movably disposed in said cylinder, and a driver blade that is attached to said piston, said piston and driver blade being driven by compressed air that is supplied into said cylinder;
a handle section which is disposed substantially perpendicularly to said output section; and an air tank which stores compressed air at a pressure that is higher than a pressure at which said output section is operable; and
a pressure reducing valve which supplies the compressed air in said air tank to said output section with reducing the pressure of the compressed air to the pressure at which said output section is operable;
wherein said air tank is disposed behind said handle section, whereby a center of gravity of a whole of said tool is positioned in a vicinity of a gripping portion of said handle section.
2. A hoseless driving tool comprising:
an output section which is configured by a cylinder, a piston that is movably disposed in said cylinder, and a driver blade that is attached to said piston, said piston and driver blade being driven by compressed air that is supplied into said cylinder;
a handle section which is disposed substantially perpendicularly to said output section;
an air tank which stores compressed air at a pressure that is higher than a pressure at which said output section is operable; and
a pressure reducing valve which supplies the compressed air in said air tank to said output section with reducing the pressure of the compressed air to the pressure at which said output section is operable;
wherein said air tank and said pressure reducing valve are positioned so that, with respect to two regions which are separated from each other by a plane including axes of said handle section and said output section, a moment of gravity of a member(s) which is on a side of the axis of said handle section is substantially equal to a moment of gravity of a member(s) which is on another side of the axis, whereby a center of gravity of a whole of said tool is positioned in a vicinity of the plane.
3. A hoseless driving tool according to claim 1, wherein a width of said air tank is larger than a width of said handle section, and said air tank is configured by a vertical portion which extends vertically downward, and a horizontal portion which extends from a lower part of said vertical portion toward said output section in substantially parallel with said handle section.
4. A driving tool comprising:
a first accumulator chamber which is disposed in a tool body;
a second accumulator chamber in which compressed air can be accumulated, a pressure of the compressed air being higher than a pressure at which said tool body is operable;
an air intake which is connectable with an air compressor via an air hose or the like;
a communication control valve which controls communication between said second accumulator chamber and said air intake; and
a pressure reducing valve through which the compressed air in said second accumulator chamber is supplied to said first accumulator chamber with reducing the pressure of the compressed air, a piston which is disposed in a cylinder to be vertically movable being driven by the compressed air in said first accumulator chamber, a fastener being driven by a drive bit attached to said piston;
wherein a nozzle having an opening through which the compressed air is to be discharged, an air passage through which said nozzle communicates with said first accumulator chamber or said second accumulator chamber, and a discharge valve which controls discharging of the compressed air from said nozzle are operably disposed.
5. A driving tool according to claim 4, wherein a member having said second accumulator chamber, said air intake, said communication control valve, and said pressure reducing valve is disposed independently from said tool body, said member being detachable with respect to said tool body.
6. A driving tool according to claim 4, wherein said pressure reducing valve is disposed in said tool body, and a member having said second accumulator chamber, said air intake, and said communication control valve is disposed independently from said tool body, said member being detachable with respect to said tool body.
7. A driving tool according to claim 4, wherein said communication control valve is a check valve which functions to prevent the compressed air in said second accumulator chamber from flowing out through said air intake.
8. A driving tool comprising:
a first accumulator chamber which is disposed in a tool body;
a second accumulator chamber in which compressed air can be accumulated, a pressure of the compressed air being higher than a pressure at which said tool body is operable;
an air intake which is connectable with an air compressor via an air hose or the like;
a communication control valve which controls communication between said second accumulator chamber and said air intake; and
a pressure reducing valve through which the compressed air in said second accumulator chamber is supplied to said first accumulator chamber with reducing the pressure of the compressed air, a piston which is disposed in a cylinder to be vertically movable being driven by the compressed air in said first accumulator chamber, a fastener being driven by a drive bit attached to said piston;
wherein a pressure gauge which measures the pressure of said second accumulator chamber is disposed.
9. A driving tool according to claim 8, wherein a member having said second accumulator chamber, said air intake, said communication control valve, and said pressure reducing valve is disposed independently from said tool body, said member being detachable with respect to said tool body.
10. A driving tool according to claim 8, wherein said pressure reducing valve is disposed in said tool body, and a member having said second accumulator chamber, said air intake, and said communication control valve is disposed independently from said tool body, said member being detachable with respect to said tool body.
11. A driving tool according to claim 8, wherein said pressure reducing valve, said air intake, and said communication control valve are disposed in said tool body, and said second accumulator chamber is disposed independently from said tool body, said second accumulator chamber being detachable with respect to said tool body.
12. A driving tool according to claim 8, wherein said communication control valve is a check valve which functions to prevent the compressed air in said second accumulator chamber from flowing out through said air intake.
13. A driving tool according to claim 8, wherein said pressure gauge is configured by a gauge piston, and elastic means for urging said gauge piston, and measures a pressure by causing a side of said gauge piston opposite to said elastic means to communicate with said second accumulator chamber, and to stop said gauge piston at a position where an urging force due to said elastic means balances with an urging force due to the compressed air in said second accumulator chamber.