Food dispensing interlocking animal toy system

Abstract

An animal toy features the ability to connect two or more separate toys of varying shape, size, color, and/or texture, together to create larger and more complex toy systems. The animal toy allows an almost endless variety of toy systems to capture the interest as well as challenge and develop the animal's problem solving skills. The animal toy is either solid or include internal chambers for holding and ultimately dispensing food. When two or more toys with the internal chambers are combined the food may flow from the chamber of one toy into another toy several times before exiting the toy system. The increased problem of extracting the food challenges and develops the animal's skills. Moreover, by combining solid and food dispensing toys in random combinations further increases the problem solving skills required to completely extract the food from the toy system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An animal toy, comprising:
 a body, wherein the body comprises a chamber and a bottom hole, wherein the bottom hole comprises an opening having retention flaps, and   a top hole, wherein the top hole comprises a rim, and wherein the rim and the body are separated by a passageway,   wherein the bottom hole is directly opposite the top hole on the body,   wherein the bottom hole is configured to receive a second toy, wherein the bottom hole is configured to interlock with a second toy when the second toy is inserted into the bottom hole;   wherein the rim of the top hole is configured to be inserted into a second toy, wherein when the rim is configured to interlock with the second toy when the rim is inserted into the second toy; and   wherein the chamber is configured to hold food for the animal, and wherein the top hole and the bottom hole are configured to dispense the food.   
     
     
         2 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the retention flaps are deformable. 
     
     
         3 . The toy of  claim 1 , comprising one or more side hole. 
     
     
         4 . The toy of  claim 3 , wherein the side hole comprises retention flaps. 
     
     
         5 . The toy of  claim 1 , further comprising a nozzle leading from the chamber to the top hole. 
     
     
         6 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the rim comprises at least one annular rib. 
     
     
         7 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom hole comprises at least one annular groove. 
     
     
         8 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber has a generally spherical shape. 
     
     
         9 . An animal toy, comprising:
 a body having a generally spherical shape,
 wherein the body comprises a chamber and a bottom hole, 
 wherein the bottom hole comprises an opening having deformable retention flaps, and 
 wherein the bottom hole comprises at least one annular groove; and 
   a top hole,
 wherein the top hole comprises a rim, 
 wherein the rim and the body are separated by a passageway, and 
 wherein the rim comprises at least one annular rib; 
   wherein the bottom hole is configured to receive a second toy, wherein the bottom hole is configured to interlock with a second toy when the second toy is inserted into the bottom hole;   wherein the rim of the top hole is configured to be inserted into a second toy, wherein when the rim is configured to interlock with the second toy when the rim is inserted into the second toy; and   wherein the chamber is configured to hold food for the animal, and wherein the top hole the at least one side hole are configured to dispense the food.   
     
     
         10 . The toy of  claim 9 , comprising one or more side hole. 
     
     
         11 . The toy of  claim 10 , wherein the side hole comprises retention flaps. 
     
     
         12 . The toy of  claim 9 , further comprising a nozzle leading from the chamber to the top hole. 
     
     
         13 . An animal toy, comprising:
 a body, wherein the body comprises a chamber, and   a top hole, wherein the top hole comprises a flared rim,   a side hole, wherein the side hole comprises a slotted opening having retention flaps,   a bottom hole, wherein the bottom hole comprises a slotted opening having retention flaps,   wherein the bottom hole is directly opposite the top hole on the body,   wherein the diameter of the flared rim of the top hole at a first point is greater than the diameter of the top hole at a second point, wherein the second point is more proximal to the chamber than the first point; and   wherein the side hole and the bottom hole are each independently configured to receive a second toy, wherein the bottom hole is configured to interlock with a second toy when the second toy is inserted into the side hole or the bottom hole; and   wherein the chamber is configured to hold food for the animal, and wherein the top hole, the bottom hole, and the side hole are each independently configured to dispense the food.   
     
     
         14 . The toy of  claim 13 , wherein the diameter of the at least one side hole is smaller than the diameter of the flared rim at the first point. 
     
     
         15 . The toy of  claim 13 , wherein the retention flaps are deformable. 
     
     
         16 . The toy of  claim 13 , wherein the flared rim and the body are separated by a passageway. 
     
     
         17 . The toy of  claim 13 , further comprising a nozzle leading from the chamber to the top hole. 
     
     
         18 . The toy of  claim 13 , wherein the toy comprises more than one side hole.