Litter box with handle and blank therefor

• US 4,782,788 A
• Filed: 10/30/1987
• Issued: 11/08/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Domtar Incorporated 395 de Maisonneuve Boulevard West Montreal Canada
• Original Assignee: Domta Incorporated
• Inventors: Arcand, Marcel
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/115,629
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 119/1, 206/204, 229/139, 229/52 B
• US Class Current: 119/168
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0125 Foldable or collapsible litter boxes

Abstract

A blank and box therefrom forming a shallow disposable litter box. The box has four wall panels extending into bottom panels fastened to form a bottom. The wall panels extend remote from the bottom panels into four top panels for forming a top sealing the box. Two opposite top panels have an aperture and handle cooperating to releasably lock the four top panels in a closed position and enable the box to be carried horizontally with one hand. One of the top panels, other than the two cooperating top panels, when in an open position preferably provides an opening for an entry and exit way for different-sized pets.

Claims

1. A disposable litter box having four wall panels foldably connected and defining opposed end walls and opposed side walls,

each of said wall panels having a given height and extending several times said height into a foldably connected bottom panel, means of fastening each of said bottom panel to define a bottom for said box, whereby said wall panels and said bottom define a shallow container for receiving a litter or mat,

each of said side walls extending several times said height away from said bottom panel, via a first fold line, into a foldably connected outer top panel, each said outer top panel having opposite end edges,

each of said end walls extending several times said height away from said bottom panel via a second fold line into an inner top panel, each said inner top panel having opposite side edges, each of said side edges being adjacent one of said end edges, said each of said side edges intersecting said second fold line at a corner,

said each of said side edges foldably connected to said adjacent one of said end edges to define a substantially rectangular open-top box,

in each of said inner top panel, originating from each of said corner, an oblique fold line subtending a substantially 45°

angle with said second fold line and dividing each of said inner top panel into a substantially triangular panel with its base defined as said second fold line, said substantially triangular panel via each said oblique fold line being foldably connected to two wing panels,

a first of said outer top panel having a cutout portion defining an elongated aperture,

a second of said outer top panel, about an edge remote from said first fold line, having a foldable flap whereby upon inwardly folding each said outer top panel, said second of said outer top panel slides under said first of said outer top panel and said foldable flap is inserted into said elongated aperture to releaseably lock said first and said second of said outer top panel into a top for sealing said box and define a handle for easily horizontally carrying said box with one hand without touching said wall panels and said bottom.

2. The box as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said oblique fold line is discontinuous and stops short of a means to releasably lock said substantially triangular panel and said wing panels in upstanding position to define said open-top box.

3. The box as defined in claim 2 wherein said means to releasably lock in upstanding position is at least one substantially semi-circular tab extending from each of said wing panels about a discontinuous area of said discontinuous fold line and toward said substantially triangular panel, said substantially triangular panel having corresponding substantially semi-circular cutout portions enabling each of said substantially semi-circular tab to slide snugly and thereby releasably lock within said semi-circular cutout portions, and wherein the ratio of the diameter of said semi-circular tab to the length of said oblique fold line is in the range of about 1:

3 to 1;

5, to enable said tab'"'"'s rigidity for multiple use.

4. The box as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said inner top panel has a cutout portion, said cutout portion being wide about an edge remote from said second fold line and narrowing to a point in said one of said inner top panel, thereby defining an entry and exit way for different-sized pets to use said litter box.

5. The box as defined in claim 4 wherein said cutout portion narrows to a point below the horizontal center of said one of said inner top panel.

6. The box as defined in claim 4 wherein said cutout portion narrows to a point spaced from said second fold line by about said height of said wall panels.

7. The box as defined in claim 1 wherein a pair of adjacent bottom panels, at their farthest remote edge having a substantially triangular glue flap, the remaining pair of said bottom panel each being trapezoidal, whereby each said bottom panel on overlapping to make said bottom, each said glue flap is fastened to a juxtaposed bottom panel to form a fastened bottom, and enabling said fastened bottom to fold inwardly and said box to lay flat and compact.

8. A blank for forming a disposable litter box, said blank having a first wall panel, said first wall panel extending into a foldably connected second and third wall panels remote from each other, said third wall panel extending away from said first wall panel into a foldably connected fourth wall panel, each of said wall panels having a given height, a means to fasten said first and fourth wall panels to define a rectangular box with opposed end walls and opposed side walls,

each of said wall panels extending several times said height into a foldably connected bottom panel, means of fastening each of said bottom panel to define a bottom for said rectangular box, whereby said wall panels and said bottom define a shallow container for receiving a litter or mat,

each of said side walls extending several times said height away from said bottom panel, via a first fold line, into a foldably connected outer top panel, each said outer top panel having opposite end edges,

each of said end walls extending several times said height away from said bottom panel via a second fold line into an inner top panel, each said inner top panel having opposite side edges, each of said side edges intersecting said second fold line at a corner,

each of said side edges foldably connected to one of said end edges to define a substantially rectangular open-top box,

in each of said inner top panel, originating from each of said corner, an oblique fold line subtending a substantially 45°

angle with said second fold line and dividing each of said inner top panel into a substantially triangular panel with its base defined as said second fold line, said substantially triangular panel via each said oblique fold line being foldably connected to two wing panels,

a first of said outer top panel having a cutout portion defining an elongated aperture,

a second of said outer top panel, about an edge remote from said first fold line, having a foldable flap whereby upon inwardly folding each said outer top panel, said second of said outer top panel slides under said first of said outer top panel and said foldable flap is inserted into said elongated aperture to releasably lock said first and said second of said outer top panel into a top for sealing said box and define a handle for easily horizontally carrying said box with one hand without touching said wall panels and said bottom.