CA2258374A1 - Animal waste collection and disposal system - Google Patents
Animal waste collection and disposal system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2258374A1 CA2258374A1 CA 2258374 CA2258374A CA2258374A1 CA 2258374 A1 CA2258374 A1 CA 2258374A1 CA 2258374 CA2258374 CA 2258374 CA 2258374 A CA2258374 A CA 2258374A CA 2258374 A1 CA2258374 A1 CA 2258374A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- lining
- litter
- containment
- particulate
- animal
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 239000010828 animal waste Substances 0.000 title claims description 14
- 241001465754 Metazoa Species 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000002699 waste material Substances 0.000 abstract description 18
- 238000001914 filtration Methods 0.000 abstract description 4
- 241000282326 Felis catus Species 0.000 description 6
- 210000003608 fece Anatomy 0.000 description 5
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 5
- 239000004927 clay Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000010813 municipal solid waste Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000004698 Polyethylene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002781 deodorant agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004744 fabric Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002657 fibrous material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 244000005700 microbiome Species 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000013618 particulate matter Substances 0.000 description 1
- -1 polyethylene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000573 polyethylene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002910 solid waste Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
- 210000002700 urine Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 239000002023 wood Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A01K1/00—Housing animals; Equipment therefor
- A01K1/01—Removal of dung or urine, e.g. from stables
- A01K1/0107—Cat trays; Dog urinals; Toilets for pets
- A01K1/0114—Litter boxes with screens for separating excrement from litter
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Zoology (AREA)
- Animal Husbandry (AREA)
- Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
- Housing For Livestock And Birds (AREA)
Abstract
The invention is directed to providing an animal litter containment, collection and disposal system. The said system provides a flexible, disposable liner system that gives the animal owner a quick, convenient, hygienic means of filtering particulate animal litter and then disposing of waste material while retaining unused litter to minimize waste.
Description
Technical Field The present invention relates to a system and method of pet waste collection and disposal that provides the pet owner with an effective and efficient means of containing, collecting and disposing of pet waste that minimizes the consumption of pet litter and obviates the need for physical contact with the waste material.
Background of the Invention Urban pet owners have many unique concerns relating to the care and maintenance of their pets. Important amongst these is the constant challenge of collecting and disposing their pet's waste products. Owners of house-bound pets like cats have developed and now predominantly use "cat litter" and a "litter box" to collect and later dispose of waste products.
The most commonly used cat litters are comprised of combinations of a clay based particulate matter, sand or gravel mixtures, sawdust or wood chips. Deodorants or scents can be added to these to mask unpleasant odours. So called "scoopable" litter has recently been introduce to the market. These scoopable litters typically are comprised of a clay based particulate, deodorizers and a hydrophilic material that reacts with the water in the urine and fecal matter to coalesce and produce clumps of litter where the animal has urinated or defecated. These clumps are then periodically scooped from the litter box and disposed of along with any solid feces. Many pet owners simply throw the waste in the garbage while some flush the used litter or clumped fecal matter into their toilet.
Depending upon the method and systems used to remove the waste, this can be an obnoxious and potentially unhealthy exercise. In the case of cats, a protozoan microorganism "Taxoplasmosis Gondii" can be transmitted through direct or indirect handling of feces. There are many devices on the market that seek to minimize both the necessary handling of waste materials and the consumption of particulate litter.
Particulate litter is too expensive for the average pet owner to discard the entire contents of the litter box whenever it needs cleaning. For the most part, a slotted or perforated spoon or scoop is used to sift the particulate litter and filter out the waste material. This method is both time consuming, potentially unpleasant and only partially effective.
The prior art also reveals a variety of automated and other filtering systems that either work poorly or are expensive to manufacture and use. Therefor, despite a great need no system has been devised that efficiently and inexpensively both reduces the risk of handling animal litter and minimizes waste of particulate litter.
Summary of the Invention It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved means of filtering animal waste from particulate litter while minimizing human handling of animal waste products It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved means of filtering animal waste from particulate litter while minimizing consumption of particulate litter.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a litter disposal system comprising components that are biodegradable to allow for environmentally sensitive options for ultimate disposal of the waste products.
In accordance with the present invention, a method and system is provided comprising a means of containing particulate animal litter wherein said means has a bottom, sides and an open top, and one or more flexible and removable means of lining the inside surface of said containment means, said lining means possessing a plurality of perforations of a dimension sufficient to allow particulate litter to pass through while restricting the passage of animal waste, and said lining sufficiently large to completely line the bottom and sides of said containment means.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method and system is provided comprising a means of containing particulate animal litter wherein said means has a bottom, sides and an open top, and one or more flexible and removable means of lining the inside surface of said containment means, said lining means possessing a plurality of perforations of a dimension sufficient to allow particulate litter to pass through while restricting the passage of animal waste, and said lining sufficiently large to completely line the bottom and sides of said containment means and a water proof and air tight pouch attached to each lining means, said pouch of sufficient dimensions to easily accommodate one used lining and a reasonable quantity of animal waste.
Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the containment means of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lining means of one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a detailed view of the perforations in one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lining means of the present invention installed in the containment means with particulate litter on top.
Figure 5 is a detailed, cross sectional view of a multiplicity of lining means stacked within the containment means of the present invention.
Figure 6 is an top view of another embodiment of the lining means of the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Figure one is a perspective view of the containment means 10 of the present invention.
Containment means 10 is comprised of front wall 11, side walls 12, back wall 13, and bottom 14 and is most usually constructed of a rigid, water proof or water resistant substance like plastic. For the purposes of this description, the preferred embodiment will be illustrated using the example of a cat litter box, but one skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention is not limited in this regard.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lining means 20 of one embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention the lining means is constructed of a film, extruded polyethylene similar in look and feel to a common garbage bag. One skilled in the art will appreciate that lining means 20 may be constructed of a variety of flexible materials or fabrics including any number of rip-stop polymers, woven, fiber materials, or paper products.
Lining means 20, is generally rectangular in shape but may vary in dimension depending upon the application or the size and shape of the containment means 10. In one embodiment of the preferred invention, lining means 20 is supplied with tabs 21 made of similar or identical materials as lining means 20. Tabs 21 are sufficiently long to extend beyond the walls of the box and offer the pet owner a secure grasping surface.
Lining means 20 contains a plurality perforations 22 made throughout its surface. Perforations 22 illustrated in Figure 3, are of a size sufficient to allow particulate litter to pass through but insufficient size to allow the passage of clumped litter, solid feces or other larger foreign objects.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, perforations 22 are alternating horizontal cuts or slits 24 between 6mm and l2mm (or 1/4 to 1/2 an inch) and circular perforations 23 measuring between 6mm and l2mm (or 1/4 to 1/2 an inch) in diameter. The perforations 22 cover virtually the entire surface 25 of lining means 20, with the exception of a relatively narrow border 26 that surrounds the perforated surface 25. Perforations 22 must be sufficiently spaces apart to ensure that lining means 20 will not tear or rip when used to filter out animal waste.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lining means of the present invention installed in the containment means and covered with the particulate litter 41. A plurality of lining means are stacked within the containment means to allow for repeated use. The number of liners 20 installed at any one time is at the discretion of the pet owner and depends upon the frequency with which they wish to remove their pet's waste. Ideally, lining means 20 is of sufficient dimension to cover the entire inside surface of containment means 10 such that at least the border 26 is visible.
After use by the cat the pet owner may remove the waste material daily or whenever it is convenient. To remove the waste material the pet owner grasps and lifts the tabs 21 in any sequence. The particulate litter 41 is thereby sifted through the lining means' perforations 22 such that unsoiled particulate litter falls back into the litter box and clumped, soiled litter and solid waste remain in the lining means which may then be discarded.
Figure 5 is a detailed, cross sectional view of a multiplicity of lining means 20 stacked within the containment means 10 of the present invention. After each liner 20 is removed, sifted, unsoiled particulate litter covers the remaining liners within the containment means 10.
Referring to Figure 6, the lining means of the present invention may be complemented by the attachment of a pouch 60. Because lining means 20 is perforated, it is preferable to enclose the collected waste in an unperforated pouch or bag. Pouch 60 should be water proof and air tight.
After lining means 20 is lifted from the containment means 10, and animal waste has been removed from the particulate litter 41, pouch 60 can then by used to contain the collected waste and the used lining means 20.
The above guidelines are intended to provide an indication as to normal operation of the system and not to limit the scope of the invention.
Background of the Invention Urban pet owners have many unique concerns relating to the care and maintenance of their pets. Important amongst these is the constant challenge of collecting and disposing their pet's waste products. Owners of house-bound pets like cats have developed and now predominantly use "cat litter" and a "litter box" to collect and later dispose of waste products.
The most commonly used cat litters are comprised of combinations of a clay based particulate matter, sand or gravel mixtures, sawdust or wood chips. Deodorants or scents can be added to these to mask unpleasant odours. So called "scoopable" litter has recently been introduce to the market. These scoopable litters typically are comprised of a clay based particulate, deodorizers and a hydrophilic material that reacts with the water in the urine and fecal matter to coalesce and produce clumps of litter where the animal has urinated or defecated. These clumps are then periodically scooped from the litter box and disposed of along with any solid feces. Many pet owners simply throw the waste in the garbage while some flush the used litter or clumped fecal matter into their toilet.
Depending upon the method and systems used to remove the waste, this can be an obnoxious and potentially unhealthy exercise. In the case of cats, a protozoan microorganism "Taxoplasmosis Gondii" can be transmitted through direct or indirect handling of feces. There are many devices on the market that seek to minimize both the necessary handling of waste materials and the consumption of particulate litter.
Particulate litter is too expensive for the average pet owner to discard the entire contents of the litter box whenever it needs cleaning. For the most part, a slotted or perforated spoon or scoop is used to sift the particulate litter and filter out the waste material. This method is both time consuming, potentially unpleasant and only partially effective.
The prior art also reveals a variety of automated and other filtering systems that either work poorly or are expensive to manufacture and use. Therefor, despite a great need no system has been devised that efficiently and inexpensively both reduces the risk of handling animal litter and minimizes waste of particulate litter.
Summary of the Invention It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved means of filtering animal waste from particulate litter while minimizing human handling of animal waste products It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved means of filtering animal waste from particulate litter while minimizing consumption of particulate litter.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a litter disposal system comprising components that are biodegradable to allow for environmentally sensitive options for ultimate disposal of the waste products.
In accordance with the present invention, a method and system is provided comprising a means of containing particulate animal litter wherein said means has a bottom, sides and an open top, and one or more flexible and removable means of lining the inside surface of said containment means, said lining means possessing a plurality of perforations of a dimension sufficient to allow particulate litter to pass through while restricting the passage of animal waste, and said lining sufficiently large to completely line the bottom and sides of said containment means.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method and system is provided comprising a means of containing particulate animal litter wherein said means has a bottom, sides and an open top, and one or more flexible and removable means of lining the inside surface of said containment means, said lining means possessing a plurality of perforations of a dimension sufficient to allow particulate litter to pass through while restricting the passage of animal waste, and said lining sufficiently large to completely line the bottom and sides of said containment means and a water proof and air tight pouch attached to each lining means, said pouch of sufficient dimensions to easily accommodate one used lining and a reasonable quantity of animal waste.
Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the containment means of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lining means of one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a detailed view of the perforations in one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lining means of the present invention installed in the containment means with particulate litter on top.
Figure 5 is a detailed, cross sectional view of a multiplicity of lining means stacked within the containment means of the present invention.
Figure 6 is an top view of another embodiment of the lining means of the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Figure one is a perspective view of the containment means 10 of the present invention.
Containment means 10 is comprised of front wall 11, side walls 12, back wall 13, and bottom 14 and is most usually constructed of a rigid, water proof or water resistant substance like plastic. For the purposes of this description, the preferred embodiment will be illustrated using the example of a cat litter box, but one skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention is not limited in this regard.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lining means 20 of one embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention the lining means is constructed of a film, extruded polyethylene similar in look and feel to a common garbage bag. One skilled in the art will appreciate that lining means 20 may be constructed of a variety of flexible materials or fabrics including any number of rip-stop polymers, woven, fiber materials, or paper products.
Lining means 20, is generally rectangular in shape but may vary in dimension depending upon the application or the size and shape of the containment means 10. In one embodiment of the preferred invention, lining means 20 is supplied with tabs 21 made of similar or identical materials as lining means 20. Tabs 21 are sufficiently long to extend beyond the walls of the box and offer the pet owner a secure grasping surface.
Lining means 20 contains a plurality perforations 22 made throughout its surface. Perforations 22 illustrated in Figure 3, are of a size sufficient to allow particulate litter to pass through but insufficient size to allow the passage of clumped litter, solid feces or other larger foreign objects.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, perforations 22 are alternating horizontal cuts or slits 24 between 6mm and l2mm (or 1/4 to 1/2 an inch) and circular perforations 23 measuring between 6mm and l2mm (or 1/4 to 1/2 an inch) in diameter. The perforations 22 cover virtually the entire surface 25 of lining means 20, with the exception of a relatively narrow border 26 that surrounds the perforated surface 25. Perforations 22 must be sufficiently spaces apart to ensure that lining means 20 will not tear or rip when used to filter out animal waste.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lining means of the present invention installed in the containment means and covered with the particulate litter 41. A plurality of lining means are stacked within the containment means to allow for repeated use. The number of liners 20 installed at any one time is at the discretion of the pet owner and depends upon the frequency with which they wish to remove their pet's waste. Ideally, lining means 20 is of sufficient dimension to cover the entire inside surface of containment means 10 such that at least the border 26 is visible.
After use by the cat the pet owner may remove the waste material daily or whenever it is convenient. To remove the waste material the pet owner grasps and lifts the tabs 21 in any sequence. The particulate litter 41 is thereby sifted through the lining means' perforations 22 such that unsoiled particulate litter falls back into the litter box and clumped, soiled litter and solid waste remain in the lining means which may then be discarded.
Figure 5 is a detailed, cross sectional view of a multiplicity of lining means 20 stacked within the containment means 10 of the present invention. After each liner 20 is removed, sifted, unsoiled particulate litter covers the remaining liners within the containment means 10.
Referring to Figure 6, the lining means of the present invention may be complemented by the attachment of a pouch 60. Because lining means 20 is perforated, it is preferable to enclose the collected waste in an unperforated pouch or bag. Pouch 60 should be water proof and air tight.
After lining means 20 is lifted from the containment means 10, and animal waste has been removed from the particulate litter 41, pouch 60 can then by used to contain the collected waste and the used lining means 20.
The above guidelines are intended to provide an indication as to normal operation of the system and not to limit the scope of the invention.
Claims (9)
1. An animal waste disposal system comprising:
a) a means of containing particulate animal litter wherein said means has a bottom, sides and an open top, and;
b) one or more flexible and removable means of lining the inside surface of said containment means, said lining means possessing a plurality of perforations of a dimension sufficient to allow particulate litter to pass through while restricting the passage of animal waste, and said lining sufficiently large to completely line the bottom and sides of said containment means.
a) a means of containing particulate animal litter wherein said means has a bottom, sides and an open top, and;
b) one or more flexible and removable means of lining the inside surface of said containment means, said lining means possessing a plurality of perforations of a dimension sufficient to allow particulate litter to pass through while restricting the passage of animal waste, and said lining sufficiently large to completely line the bottom and sides of said containment means.
2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said means of lining has attached a means of grasping and removing said lining means from the inside of the containment means while said containment means is filled with a normal amount of particulate animal litter.
3. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said means of lining is manufactured from a film plastic.
4. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said means of lining is made of a paper based or otherwise biodegradable material.
5. An animal waste disposal system comprising:
a) a means of containing particulate animal litter wherein said means has a bottom, sides and an open top, and;
b) one or more flexible and removable means of lining the inside surface of said containment means, said lining means possessing a plurality of perforations of a dimension sufficient to allow particulate litter to pass through while restricting the passage of animal waste, said lining sufficiently large to completely line the bottom and sides of said containment means, and;
c) a water proof and air tight pouch attached to each lining means, said pouch of sufficient dimensions to easily accommodate one used lining and a reasonable quantity of animal waste.
a) a means of containing particulate animal litter wherein said means has a bottom, sides and an open top, and;
b) one or more flexible and removable means of lining the inside surface of said containment means, said lining means possessing a plurality of perforations of a dimension sufficient to allow particulate litter to pass through while restricting the passage of animal waste, said lining sufficiently large to completely line the bottom and sides of said containment means, and;
c) a water proof and air tight pouch attached to each lining means, said pouch of sufficient dimensions to easily accommodate one used lining and a reasonable quantity of animal waste.
6. A system as defined in claim 5, wherein said means of lining has attached a means of grasping and removing said lining means from the inside of the containment means while said containment means is filled with a normal amount of particulate animal litter.
7. A system as defined in claim 5, wherein said means of lining is manufactured from a film plastic.
8. A system as defined in claim 5, wherein said means of lining is made of a paper based or otherwise biodegradable material.
9
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2258374 CA2258374A1 (en) | 1999-01-08 | 1999-01-08 | Animal waste collection and disposal system |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2258374 CA2258374A1 (en) | 1999-01-08 | 1999-01-08 | Animal waste collection and disposal system |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2258374A1 true CA2258374A1 (en) | 2000-07-08 |
Family
ID=29554936
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2258374 Abandoned CA2258374A1 (en) | 1999-01-08 | 1999-01-08 | Animal waste collection and disposal system |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2258374A1 (en) |
-
1999
- 1999-01-08 CA CA 2258374 patent/CA2258374A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |