Toy for animals

Abstract

A toy for animals, especially for dogs, is provided. The toy has a body having optional recesses on an outer surface thereof. The body comprises a hollow core of a first, hard polymeric material, and a covering of a second, soft polymeric thermosetting material which is thermally and chemically bonded to the first polymeric material

I claim:  
     
         1 . A toy for animals, comprising: 
 a hollow core of a first polymeric material;    a covering of a second thermosetting polymeric material;    wherein said first polymeric material is harder than said second polymeric material; and    wherein said covering is disposed outwardly over said and on at least portions of said core.    
     
     
         2 . A toy according to  claim 1 , wherein said first polymeric material comprises a thermoplastic.  
     
     
         3 . A toy according to  claim 2 , wherein said thermoplastic is comprises a thermoplastic material or mixed material selected from the group consisting of PA, PPE, PP, PS, ABS, POM, PC, PET, PBT, PVC, and modifications thereof.  
     
     
         4 . A toy according to  claim 1  wherein said second thermosetting polymeric material comprises a thermosetting material or mixed material selected from at least one member of the group consisting of NR, IR, SBR, EPDM, NBR, HNBR, XNBR, PU, FPM, MVQ, FMVQ, and modifications thereof.  
     
     
         5 . A toy according to  claim 1 , wherein said second thermosetting polymeric material comprises a hardness of between approximately 20 and approximately 80 Shore A.  
     
     
         6 . A toy according to  claim 5 , wherein said second thermosetting polymeric material comprises a hardness of between approximately 30 and approximately 70 Shore A.  
     
     
         7 . A toy according to  claim 6 , wherein said second thermosetting polymeric material comprises a hardness of between approximately 45 and approximately 65 Shore A.  
     
     
         8 . A toy according to  claim 1 , wherein said second thermosetting polymeric material of said covering is chemically bonded to said first polymeric material by a thermally derived bond.  
     
     
         9 . A toy according to  claim 1  wherein said first polymeric material comprises a tensile strength of at least approximately 1500 N/m 2 .  
     
     
         10 . A toy according to  claim 9  wherein said first polymeric material comprises a tensile of at least approximately 2700 N/m 2 .  
     
     
         11 . A toy according to  claim 1  wherein said first polymeric material comprises a hardness of at least 50 Shore A.  
     
     
         12 . A toy according to  claim 11  wherein said first polymeric material comprises a hardness of between approximately 55 and approximately 90 Shore A.  
     
     
         13 . A toy according to  claim 1 , wherein said toy has the shape of a bone, comprising: 
 at least two end portions;    at least one central portion;    wherein said end portions are interconnected by said at least one central portion; and    wherein said end portions comprise a greater circumference than said central portion.    
     
     
         14 . A toy according to  claim 1 , wherein said toy is axially symmetrical, or mirror symmetrical, or non-symmetrical.  
     
     
         15 . A toy according to  claim 1  wherein said first polymeric material and said second polymeric material comprise different colors.  
     
     
         16 . A toy according to  claim 15  additionally comprising at least one additional layer of said first polymeric material or said second polymeric material wherein said additional layer comprises a different color from at least one of said first polymeric material or said second polymeric material.  
     
     
         17 . A toy according to  claim 15  wherein said first polymeric material is visible from either partial coverage or cuts in said second polymeric material.  
     
     
         18 . A toy according to  claim 16  wherein at least one of said first polymeric material, said second polymeric material or said at least one additional layer of said first or second polymeric material are visible from either partial coverage or cuts in at least one of said second polymeric material or said at least one additional layer of said first or said second polymeric material.  
     
     
         19 . A toy according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said end portions has a maximum diameter that is slightly greater than a maximum diameter of at least one other of said end portions.  
     
     
         20 . A toy according to  claim 1 , wherein said core is tubular.  
     
     
         21 . A toy according to  claim 20 , wherein said tubular core is open at at least one end face thereof.  
     
     
         22 . A toy according to  claim 1 , wherein said toy is spherical.  
     
     
         23 . A toy according to  claim 1 , wherein an electronic device is disposed within said hollow core.  
     
     
         24 . A toy according to  claim 23 , wherein said electronic device can produce an effect selected from the group consisting of acoustical effects, olfactory effects, and visual effects.  
     
     
         25 . A toy according to  claim 23 , additionally comprising a sealing capsule, wherein said electronic device is disposed within an interior of said sealing capsule, and wherein said sealing capsule is disposed within said hollow core.  
     
     
         26 . A toy according to  claim 25 , wherein said sealing capsule is disposed within said core providing a spacing between said sealing capsule and an outer surface of said toy such that said spacing is greater than an average length of the longest teeth of an animal for which said toy is provided.  
     
     
         27 . A toy according to  claim 25 , wherein said core is tubular and open at at least one end face thereof, and wherein an end face of said capsule rests against an abutment in said core, and wherein at an oppositely disposed end face an adjoining outer surface of said capsule is provided with a protrusion.  
     
     
         28 . A toy according to  claim 25 , wherein said capsule is cylindrical.  
     
     
         29 . A toy according to  claim 25 , wherein said covering is guided about end faces of said tubular core to an inner surface thereof, and wherein ends of said capsule rest against the material of said covering.  
     
     
         30 . A toy according to  claim 1 , wherein indentation/extension combinations are provided on at least a portion of an outer surface of said covering.  
     
     
         31 . A toy according to  claim 1 , wherein said covering is provided with at least one hole that communicates with said hollow interior of said toy.  
     
     
         32 . A toy according to  claim 28 , wherein said covering is provided with at least one retaining element that projects into said hole to retain a treat therein.  
     
     
         33 . A toy according to  claim 31 , wherein said covering is provided with at least one hole that communicates with said hollow interior of said toy and serves as an emergency breathing hole.