Package and article carriers – Carried by animate bearer – Article held by receiver
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-09
2001-03-13
Vidovich, Gregory M. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Carried by animate bearer
Article held by receiver
C224S236000, C224S249000, C224S579000, C224S681000, C150S108000, C150S117000, C190S102000, C190S109000, C190S111000, C383S038000, C383S040000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199737
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to animal waste collection and more particularly provides an improved sanitary animal waste collection pouch which is compartmentalized, expandable yet adjustably closable and sealable, capable of temporarily storing sealed containers holding pet waste, of holding and dispensing a supply of fresh plastic litter bags suitable for holding retrieved pet waste, of safely storing the personal effects of the pet owner user and can be carried by the pet owner, the pet leash or by the pet and, particularly, includes an easily accessable hand-sanitizer dispenser for use by the pet owner.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The art has long sought sanitary means for retrieving and collecting animal waste matter, particularly fecal material deposited by domestic animals pets, such as dogs, traveling with their owner along the public ways, such as in city side-walks, park trails, public and private lawns, school yards and public and private urban and country areas. Many states, cities and municipalities have enacted laws requiring domestic animal owners to restrain the pet animals by having them coupled to a leash while traveling along the public way, and, further, to enforce the retrieval of their fecal deposits. Simply put, the pet owners are required to “clean-up” after their dogs to prevent others from stepping in or on the waste and/or to inhibit the health risk associated with the presence of such waste.
The prior art has provided an array of apparatus for use in aiding pet owners with the odious and generally unpleasant task involved in collecting dog feces left by their pets. So-called “pooper scoopers”, a newspaper, tissue and plastic litter bags have become a necessary accompaniment to the dog owner walking his or her dog. Not only are the tasks difficult, odious, etc.,the apparatus available for such use often have been ungainly to carry and to use.
Some of these proposed devices provide containers which are box-like with detachable lids so that the feces deposit is scooped manually from its drop site and placed in such container. Containers of such type often have been ungainly to carry and to use.
After “cleaning up” after their dogs, the dog owners have experienced direct “hands on” risk of getting their hands, and possibly, their clothing, fouled when scooping-up the deposit from its location and/or transporting and delivering the retrieved deposit to a sanitary depository facility. The implements used to retrieve the deposit, as well as the holding container, are not easily cleaned after use. In addition, carrying the retrieved deposit until a suitable depositary, such as a refuse or garbage container is reached can be a serious problem. Further, pet owners often must carry a box carrying a supply of fresh plastic bags from which to select a fresh bag for performing their duty. The pet owner uses the selected bag to lift the fecal deposit from its site of deposit and tie or otherwise secure the loaded bag against leakage or breakage. In the course of such steps, their person or belongings can be soiled.
In other instances, pet owners have been forced to carry along a newspaper from which to tear off a portion for retrieving the fecal deposit and carry the deposit wrapped in such paper portion to an available refuse container which may comprise an open topped wire refuse container. Such container may be located some distance from the pick-up site. As can be anticipated, notwithstanding nuisance abating statutes and the health risk associated with the presence of such fecal deposits, dog excrement deposits are left unattended on public walkways, parks, side-walks and other urban areas.
Often, the dog owner is required to couple a dog to a leash when exercising the dog. When the dog owner takes his or her dog for a walk along a street or in a park to fulfill his obligation to enable the dog to exercise as well as to perform its eliminatory duty exterior of the dog's living quarters, after the walk has proceeded, discovery is made that the dog owner has failed to take along any convenient means required to retrieve and clean-up any fecal deposit made in the course of such outdoor exercise.
Such event creates an unwelcome problem for the dog owner in complying with the legal obligation and forces his or her return to the start location, pick-up the necessary disposal bags, pads, waste collecting and storage means and return to the site of the deposit, leaving the site soiled until he returns thereto. After collecting and temporarily storing the deposit, the adequate disposal station must be reached.
Many of the available prior art animal waste collection and storage means have been bulky, ungainly to carry and not easily employed without a risk of getting the fecal matter on his or her hands or apparal. One prior device incorporates a collapsible frame operative for supporting a bag in open condition and further includes a paddle or like means to engage the deposit and transfer the deposit into the bag. However, although the paddle must be cleaned immediately after use, there is usually no provision for the cleaning task on site since means for effecting the cleaning task often does not accompany the device. Even greater import is directed to the task of sanitizing the hands of the dog owner immediately after he or she has completed the task of “clean-up”. If a cleaning cloth is supplied, it must be carried by the pet owner and discarded with any fecal material not removed therefrom, amplifying the risk of getting his or her hands soiled in the course of the clean-up activity. In addition, hand sanitizing means have been absent as a part of the available waste retrieval and storage means in view of the general bulk of containers for holding and dispensing a sanitizer composition as a part of the available animal retrieval and storage means. Available hand sanitation means must be carried separately as additional objects by the pet owner.
Kits have been provided which include a relatively large box whose content, in addition to providing a sealable area for holding the retrieved fecal material in sealed bags, include an absorbent material, a scoop, paddle or scraper for lifting the fecal matter from the surface upon which the fecal matter is deposited, a supply of fresh plastic bags, means for tying off these bags and a closable compartment for receiving and temporarily storing the loaded bags. Such kits often are cumbersome to use and transport. Use of such kits also may require gloves, towels, handiwipes and the like to be stored and periodically replaced, increasing the cost of the kit.
Even where provided, a paddle or scoop may not be efficient for picking up the fecal deposit or guiding the retrieved deposit into the plastic (or paper) bag in challenging deposits made in irregular terrain or in deep grass, for example. This can be frustrating to the pet owner, occassionally causing the user simply to leave the deposit site without picking up the fecal deposit. There remains an unanswered absence of adequate carrier means which provide for efficient temporary storage of the fecal matter and transport to a disposal facility subsequent to collection thereof. Another problem for which an adequate solution may not have been provided involves the prevention of leakage from the waste collecting means or temporary holder into which the retrieved fecal matter (and/or containers therefor) is deposited.
Of the prior patented art dealing with the problem concerned here, several patents of interest are considered as indicating the state of the art as to efforts to facilitate the handling of the collection of pet waste by pet owners. Of these patents, the following are of interest:
Patentee
U.S., Pat. No.
Date
Roe
5,363,809
11-15-94
Hess
5,560,,321
10-01-96
Knudson
5,713,616
02-03-98
Conboy
5,727,500
03-17-98
The Hess patent discloses a pouch-like dog waste carrier and plastic bag dispenser arrangement comprising a pair of pockets on either side of a dog harness to be worn by the dog. One pocket carries a dispenser box holding folded
Fox Sidney N.
Vidovich Gregory M.
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