GB2373494A

GB2373494A - Feeding tray

Info

Publication number: GB2373494A
Application number: GB0106995A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lisbeth Gunilla Thilly; Lennart Thilly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-03-21
Filing date: 2001-03-21
Publication date: 2002-09-25
Also published as: GB0106995D0

Abstract

A feeding tray for pet cats or dogs is formed from a flat blank of sheet material and comprises a flat base (10), an upstanding rear wall (12) and a pair of opposite, upstanding side walls (14,16), the tray being open at its front. Preferably the tray is formed of inexpensive sheet material and is disposable once too soiled for re-use.

Description

FEEDING TRAY

The present invention relates to a feeding tray for pet animals, particularly cats or dogs.

Typically feeding bowls for pet cats or dogs are placed on the floor in the kitchen or other room of the home: some of the food is commonly spilt onto the floor and must then be cleared up from the floor.

I have now devised a simple and inexpensive tray on which the feeding bowls or other containers may be placed, to minimise the risk of spillage onto the floor.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a tray which is formed from a flat blank of sheet material, the tray comprising a flat base, an upstanding rear wall and a pair of opposite, upstanding side walls, the tray being open at its front.

In use, one or more feeding bowls or other containers are placed on the base of the tray. The pet able to approach these bowls from the front of the tray, the side and rear walls preventing easy access otherwise. Any food which is spilt will remain on the tray, from which it can be removed when desired: preferably the tray is formed from an inexpensive sheet material, such as cardboard, and may be disposed of when it becomes too soiled to be re-used.

Preferably the side and rear walls interengage in order to hold each other in upright position. For this purpose, preferably a flap extends from each end edge of the rear wall, the flap being formed with a slot for the insertion of a tab extending from the rear edge of the adjacent side wall: instead, the flap may be provided as an extension of the rear edge of the side wall and the tab as an extension of the end edge of the rear wall.

Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a flat blank of sheet material, from which a feeding tray may be formed, the blank comprising a base panel, a rear wall panel extending from a rear edge of the base panel, and

opposite side wall panels extending from opposite side edges of the base panel, the rear wall and side wall panels being foldable to upright positions relative to the base panel.

Preferably the base panel is formed with a free front edge, opposite its rear edge.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a tray in accordance with the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a blank of sheet material from which the tray shown in Figure 1 is formed; and FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of the tray, showing the manner in which each side wall is coupled to the back wall in order to form the tray from the blank.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a tray which comprises a flat, rectangular base 10, an upstanding rear wall 12 and opposite side walls 14,16. The front of the tray is entirely open, i. e. devoid of any front wall, and each of the side walls tapers from the rear to the front (being the same height at the rear, as the rear wall and of zero height at the front).

In use, the tray is laid on the floor and one or more bowls or other containers of pet food or drinking water are placed on the tray. The cat or dog approach the tray from the front, to gain access to the food or water in the bowls etc.

Any food or water spilt from the bowls will fall onto the base 10 of the tray: from time-to-time, the bowls can be removed and the spilt matter tipped away. Preferably the tray is formed of inexpensive sheet material and can be disposed of.

The tray is formed of sheet material, a blank for forming the tray being shown in Figure 2. The blank comprises a rectangular panel 10 to form the base of the tray, a rectangular panel 12 extending from one longitudinal edge of the base panel 10, to form the rear wall of the tray, and

tapering panels 14, 16 extending from opposite side edges of the base panel 10, to form the side walls of the tray. Flaps 12a, 12b extend from the opposite end edges of the rear wall panel 12. Tabs 14a, 16a extend from the rear edges of the side wall panels and corresponding slots Si, S2 are formed in the flaps 12a, 12b, adjacent their junction with the rear wall panel 12. The blank is formed from a single piece of sheet material and fold or score lines L are formed along the junctions of panels 12,14, 16 with panel 10, along the junctions of flaps 12a, 12b with panel 12 and along the junctions of tabs 14a, 16a with panels 14,16.

In order to form the tray from the flat blank of Figure 2, the rear wall 12 is folded up to a vertical position, as shown in Figure 3 and the flaps 12a, 12b are folded towards the front: then each side wall e. g. 14 is folded up to a vertical position, and its tab e. g. 14a folded and inserted through the slot e. g. Sl in the corresponding flap e. g. 12a.

It will be appreciated that the blank for the tray can be purchased and stored in flat condition: it is easy and quick to form the tray from the blank; the tray may be formed of inexpensive material and disposed of when it becomes too dirty for re-use.

Claims

Claims 1) A feeding tray which is formed from a flat blank of sheet material, the tray comprising a flat base, an upstanding rear wall and a pair of opposite, upstanding side walls, the tray being open at its front.
2) A tray as claimed in Claim 1, in which the side and rear walls interengage to hold each other upright.
3) A tray as claimed in Claim 2, in which a flap extends from each end edge of the rear wall, said flap being formed with a slot for the insertion of a tab extending from the rear edge of the adjacent side wall.
4) A tray as claimed in Claim 2, in which a flap extends from the rear edge of each side wall, said flap being formed with a slot for the insertion of a tab extending from the adjacent end edge of the rear wall.
5) A tray as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said base is formed with a free front edge.
6) A feeding tray substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
7) A flat blank of sheet material, from which a feeding tray may be formed, the blank comprising a base panel, a rear wall panel extending from a rear edge of the base panel, and opposite side wall panels extending from opposite side edges of the base panel, the rear wall panel and side wall panels being foldable to upright positions relative to the base panel.
8) A flat blank substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.