摘要 |
A water and drinking device for pets which includes a water container, a flexible valve assembly removably secured to the outlet end of the container and a lapping pan. The water container is pivotally secured to the lapping pan by the valve assembly thereon such that the water container can be moved from a folded storage position wherein the container is partially encased within the pan to a serving position wherein the container is disposed in an inverted inclination above the pan. The valve assembly comprises a flexible valve member, an actuating arm projecting from the valve member and a water outlet slit disposed in a concave end wall of the valve member which is aligned perpendicularly with respect to the actuating arm. When the water container is moved to the serving position, the actuating arm on the valve member abuts the stop member in the lapping pan and flexes the valve member so as to slightly open the water outlet slit so as to allow air flow therethrough and provide pressure equalization within the container. The slit is sized so as to cooperate with the atmospheric pressure and surface tension of the water within the container interiorly of the slit so as to prevent water flow therethrough when the valve member is both in a flexed and unflexed disposition. Upon squeezing the container, water is forced from the container through the slit and into the lapping pan for consumption by the pet. Cessation of the squeezing action, however, causes a cessation of the water flow thereby providing a precise metering of the flow into the lapping pan and preventing leakage. |