Animal husbandry – Waste toilet or related device – Walled receptacle; e.g. – litter box – etc. – containing...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-04
2001-12-25
Price, Thomas (Department: 3643)
Animal husbandry
Waste toilet or related device
Walled receptacle; e.g., litter box, etc., containing...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332429
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This application relates to an improved container for holding pet litter. The invention prevents clumps of pet litter from sticking to the walls of the container.
BACKGROUND
Cleaning pet litter boxes is an unpleasant and potentially unsanitary chore. Consequently various“self-cleaning” litter containers are known in the prior art to facilitate removal of animal waste and reuse of the container. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,465, which issued to Page on May 19, 1998, relates to a pet litter holding device which includes a stationary base, a rotatable drum and a sieving panel which isolates solid and clumped litter during rotation of the drum. The waste material is directed to an exit spout adapted to hold a disposable plastic bag. The following United States patents disclose other similar devices for filtering and disposing animal waste:
U.S. Pat. No.
Issue Date
Title
Inventor(s)
5,507,252
April 16, 1996
Waste Separating Cat
Ebert
Litter Box
5,749,318
May 12, 1988
Self-filtering Litter
Barbot et al.
Box for Animals
5,752,466
May 19, 1998
Clumping Litter Liner-
Lundeen et al.
Sieve System
5,799,610
Sept. 1, 1998
Self-Filtering Litter
Poulos
Box for Pets
Although many reusable pet litter containers facilitate filtering and removal of waste material, they do not eliminate the need for pet owners to periodically clean the walls or sides of the container. Adherence of clumping-type pet litter to container walls is a problem which is common to both conventional and self-cleaning devices. Most cats tend to urinate on or near the end walls or in the corners of litter containers, which are usually rectangular-shaped. Typically it is necessary to use a litter scoop or some other instrument as a scraper to dislodge clumps of pet litter from the container walls. This is an unpleasant job and often results in pet litter plugging the sifter holes of the litter scoop. Moreover, a thin layer of wet litter remains on the container walls which retains odour and is unsanitary. Cleaning is particularly difficult if the container has a litter containment hood which cannot be easily removed.
The need has therefore arisen for a pet litter container which is specifically designed to prevent litter from sticking to the walls of the container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, an improved pet litter container is disclosed. The container includes an enclosure for holding pet litter, the enclosure having a bottom surface and an outer wall extending upwardly from the bottom surface. The container also includes an inner wall coupled to the outer wall, wherein the inner wall is supported in an upright position within the enclosure at a location above the bottom surface.
In a first embodiment of the invention, the inner wall is subdivided into a plurality of separate inner wall sections each of which is pivotably coupled to a portion of the outer wall for movement between the upright position and a folded position. In the folded position the inner wall sections are preferably positioned outwardly of the enclosure.
The inner wall sections may also be removably coupled to the outer wall for quick removal and ease of cleaning. Optionally the height of the inner wall above the bottom surface is selectively adjustable.
In a second embodiment of the invention the inner wall is formed in one piece. In this embodiment the uppermost portion of the inner wall flares upwardly and outwardly at an angle and then extends horizontally to form a rim which is removably seated on the upper edge of the outer wall.
The container may also optionally include a hood for covering the enclosure. The hood is removably connectable to either the outer wall in the first embodiment of the invention or the unitary inner wall in the second embodiment of the invention. The hood includes an opening in a side portion thereof to provide access to the interior of the container.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2741223 (1956-04-01), Winborn, Jr.
patent: 3310031 (1967-03-01), Lowe, Jr.
patent: 3990396 (1976-11-01), Turk
patent: 3990397 (1976-11-01), Lowe, Jr.
patent: 4027625 (1977-06-01), Wheeler
patent: 4271544 (1981-06-01), Hammond
patent: 4649578 (1987-03-01), Vargo
patent: 4766845 (1988-08-01), Bavas
patent: 4967692 (1990-11-01), Mills
patent: 5042430 (1991-08-01), Casmira
patent: 5184574 (1993-02-01), Kirk et al.
patent: 5454349 (1995-10-01), Bondurant
patent: 5507252 (1996-04-01), Ebert
patent: 5655478 (1997-08-01), Kiera
patent: 5749318 (1998-05-01), Barbot et al.
patent: 5752465 (1998-05-01), Page
patent: 5752466 (1998-05-01), Lundeen et al.
patent: 5785001 (1998-07-01), Robinson
patent: 5799610 (1998-09-01), Poulos
patent: 5832869 (1998-11-01), Franczak et al.
patent: 5988108 (1999-11-01), Silver
Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala
Price Thomas
Theodore International Corporation
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