Self-contained, disposable, sanitary toilet facility for pets

• US 4,807,563 A
• Filed: 07/15/1987
• Issued: 02/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Berry Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: Berry Products Corporation
• Inventors: Berry, Ronald L., Scholes-Witty, Linda J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swiatek, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Britt, J. Marie
• Application Number:
  US07/073,465
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 119/1, 229/101, 229/169, 229/172, 229/174, 229/178, 229/195
• US Class Current: 119/168
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0125 Foldable or collapsible litter boxes

Abstract

A pet litter box, including a device for locking the box after it has been used and re-closed, is formed from a single foldable blank. When the box is closed or re-closed it has inter-laying first and second halves, each having bottom and sidewall portions. The halves are connected to one another by a joining portion, and joining sidewalls. Each of the sidewalls of the first half carries a tab. The sidewall portions of the second half each define a diagonal crease, and the pair of joining side-wall portions each define a diagonal crease and a pair of vertical creases. When the box is fully open its first, second and joining portions define an open tray. After the system has been used the box can be re-closed and locked. During re-closing the joining sidewall portions and the two sidewalls of the second half all fold inwardly at their creases, thereby forming a pair of slots between the pairs of creases on each side. Then, by inserting the tabs carried by the first half sidewalls into the slots which are formed between the creases, re-closing and locking of the box is completed. The box blank may include a flap for securing the box closed before it is utilized, and a handle, and may also include all items which are necessary for pet toiletry, such as a bag of litter, and a liner sized to fit over the open tray.

Claims

1. In a combined disposable box and sanitary station tray for pets, wherein said combination is formed from a single sheet of foldable material, said disposable box having a first half and a second half, each half having a bottom portion, an endwall and, a pair of sidewall portions bracketing its said respective endwall, and a connecting portion having a connecting bottom portion and pair of connecting sidewall portions there-in-between said first half land said second half, there being creases to facilitate folding between said connecting bottom portion and said pair of connecting sidewall portions and each said adjacent bottom portion and each said adjacent sidewall portion of said first and second halves, respectively;

said box initially defining a closed container with said sidewall portions and said endwall of said second half inter-laid within said sidewall portions and said endwall of said first half when said first and second halves are folded together to form a box; and

forming a flat open sanitary station tray for pets with continuous surrounding upright side walls and end walls when said first and second halves of said box are folded open with their respective bottom portions and said connecting bottom portion in substantially co-planar relationship to one another, wherein the improvement comprises;

each of said sidewalls of said first half having a tab extending from it, said tab for use in securing and locking said box;

each of said connecting sidewall portions having a single inwardly folding diagonal crease extending from its top edge to its bottom edge and a pair of vertical creases extending from its top edge to its bottom edge, each said vertical crease being adjacent to one of said sidewalls of said first half or said second half, said vertical crease which is adjacent to said first half being outwardly folding, and said vertical crease which is adjacent to said second half being inwardly folding; and

each of said sidewall portions of said second half having an inwardly folding diagonal crease extending from its top edge to its bottom edge;

whereby after said box is opened to form a tray, and then re-closed to form a box with said second half inter-laying within said first half, said connecting sidewall portions and said two sidewalls of said second half all fold inwardly at their said respective inwardly folding diagonal creases and inwardly folding vertical creases to allow such inter-laying;

nesting; and

whereby further, a pair of slots is simultaneously formed on each side between each said inwardly folding diagonal sidewall crease of said second half and each said inwardly folding vertical crease between said second half sidewall and said connecting sidewall portion, thus allowing said tabs carried by said first half sidewalls to be inserted into said slots so formed between said creases and said second half sidewalls to thereby secure said tabs and lock said box closed, whereby said box is then ready for disposal or carrying.

2. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 1, wherein said diagonal creases carried by each of said connecting sidewall portions are slanted towards said diagonal creases carried by said sidewall portions of said second half, and wherein further said diagonal creases carried by said sidewall portions of said second half are slanted towards said diagonal creases carried by said connecting sidewall portions.

3. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 2, wherein said diagonal creases carried by each of said connecting sidewall portions are slanted towards said diagonal creases carried by said sidewall portion of said second half at about a 45°

angle.

4. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 2, wherein said diagonal creases carried by said sidewall portions of said second half are slanted towards said diagonal creases carried by said connecting sidewall portions at about a 45°

angle.

5. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 3, wherein said diagonal creases carried by said sidewall portions of said second half are slanted towards said diagonal creases carried by said connecting sidewall portions at about a 45°

angle.

6. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 5, wherein each said tab has a pair of side edges, one side edge of each said tab being tapered at an angle of about 45°

and therefore have a tapered variable width dimension, and wherein further the distance between said creases on each side which form said slot is tapered on one side at an angle of about 45° and

said slot has a width which is continuously variable and slightly greater than the width of said tab when it is fully inserted in said slot.

7. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 6, wherein each said sidewall of said first half has a top edge and a bottom edge, and wherein said tabs are connected to said top edges of said sidewalls.

8. The combined diposable box and sanitary station of claim 1, wherein said tabs have a width dimension and wherein the distance between said creases on each side which form each slot are slightly greater than the width of said tab when it is fully inserted in said slot.

9. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 1, wherein each said sidewall of said first half has a top edge and a bottom edge, and wherein said tabs are connected to said top edges of said sidewalls.

10. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 1, wherein, during the re-closing of said tray to form a box, said tabs are initially bent up and out of said box to allow said tabs to be inserting into said slots.

11. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 1, wherein a quantity of litter material is packaged within said box, which litter is intended to be spread over said tray when said box is in its open position to form a tray.

12. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 11, wherein a liner sized to fit within said open tray when said box is in its open position to form a tray is packaged within said box, and wherein further said litter material is packaged within a separate container.

13. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 1, wherein a liner sized to fit within said open tray when said box is in its open position to form a tray is packaged within said box.

14. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 1, wherein a carrying handle is present on said box.

15. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 14, wherein said carrying handle is present and centered on said endwall of said first half.

16. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 1, wherein said single sheet of foldable material includes integral therewith a flap, said flap being so located as to provide means for initially locking said box in a closed position at the time that said box is first formed.

17. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 16, wherein said endwall of said first half has a bottom edge adjacent said bottom portion of said first half, and a top edge, and wherein said flap is extended from said top edge of said endwall of said first half.

18. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 17, wherein said bottom portion of said second half has an inside surface and an outside surface, and wherein said flap is connected to said outside surface of said bottom portion of said second half in order to initially hold said box in a closed position at the time that said box is first formed.

19. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 18, wherein said flap is connected to said bottom portion of said second half by the use of an adhesive in order to initially hold said box in a closed position at the time that said box is first formed.

20. The combined disposable box and sanitary station of claim 19, wherein said flap contains a tear strip for disconnecting said bottom portion of said second half from said first half in order to allow said box to be opened.

21. In a combined disposable box and sanitary station tray for pets, wherein said combination is formed from a single sheet of foldable material, said disposable box having a first half and a second half, each half having a bottom portion, an endwall and, a pair of sidewall portions bracketing its said respective endwall, wherein each said sidewall has a top edge and a bottom edge, wherein further each said endwall has a top edge and a bottom edge, and wherein further each said bottom portion has an inside surface and an outside surface, and also having a connecting portion having a connecting bottom portion and pair of connecting sidewall portions thereinbetween said first half and said second half, there being creases to facilitate folding between said connecting bottom portion and said pair of connecting sidewall portions and each said adjacent bottom portion and each said adjacent sidewall portion of said first and second halves, respectively;

said box initially defining a closed container with said sidewall portions and said endwall of said second half nested within said sidewall portions and said endwall of said first half when said first and second halves are folded together to form a box; and

forming a flat open sanitary station tray for pets with continuous surrounding upright side walls and end walls when said first and second halves of said box are folded open with their respective bottom portions and said connecting bottom portion in substantially coplanar relationship to one another, wherein the improvement comprises;

a quantity of litter material packaged within a separate container is within said box, and wherein further a liner sized to fit within said open tray when said box is in its open position to form a tray is packaged within said box, whereby said liner is intended to be removed from said box and opened and fit within said tray, and said litter is intended to be removed from its container and then spread over said liner in said tray when said box is in its open position to form a tray;

a carrying handle, said carrying handle being centered on said endwall of said first half;

each of said sidewalls of said first half having a tab extending from and connected to said top edges of said sidewalls, said tabs having a pair of edges, one edge of each said tab being tapered at an angle of about 45°

, said tab therefore having a tapered variable width dimension;

each of said connecting sidewall portions having a single inwardly folding diagonal crease extending from its top edge to its bottom edge at about a 45°

angle and a pair of vertical creases extending from its top edge to its bottom edge, each said vertical crease being adjacent to one of said sidewalls of said first half or said second half, said vertical crease which is adjacent to said first half being outwardly folding, and said vertical crease which is adjacent to said second half being inwardly folding; and

each of said sidewall portions of said second half having an inwardly folding diagonal crease extending from its top edge to its bottom edge at about a 45°

angle, and wherein said diagonal creases carried by each of said connecting sidewall portions are slanted towards said diagonal creases carried by said sidewall portions of said second half, and wherein further said diagonal creases carried by said sidewall portions of said second half are slanted towards said diagonal creases carried by said connecting sidewall portions;

said single sheet of foldable material including integral therewith a flap, said flap extending from said top edge of said first endwall so as to provide means for initially locking said box in a closed position by the use of an adhesive material to connect said flap to said outside surface of said bottom portion of said second half at the time that said box is first formed, and wherein said flap also includes a tear strip for disconnecting said bottom portion of said second half from said first half in order to allow said box to be opened;

whereby said flap is connected to said outside surface of said bottom portion of said second half in order to initially hold said box in a closed position at the time that said box is first formed, and after said tear strip is removed and the box is opened to form a tray, and then re-closed to form a box with said second half nesting within said first half, said connecting side-wall portions and said two sidewalls of said second half all fold inwardly at their said respective inwardly folding diagonal creases and inwardly folding vertical creases to allow such nesting; and

wherein further a pair of slots is simultaneously formed, one on each side between each said inwardly folding diagonal sidewall crease of said second half and each said inwardly folding vertical crease between said second half sidewall and said connecting sidewall portion, wherein the distance between said creases on each side which form said slot are slightly greater than the width of said tabs, thus allowing said tabs carried by said first half sidewalls to be inserted into said slots so formed between said creases to thereby secure said tabs and hold said box closed, whereby said box is then ready for disposal.

22. In a combined box and tray, wherein said combination is formed from a single sheet of foldable material, said box having a first half and a second half, each half having a bottom portion, an endwall and, a pair of sidewall portions bracketing its said respective endwall, and a connecting portion having a connecting bottom portion and pair of connecting sidewall portions thereinbetween said first half and said second half, there being creases to facilitate folding between said connecting bottom portion and said pair of connecting sidewall portions and each said adjacent bottom portion and each said adjacent sidewall portion of said first and second halves, respectively;

said box initially defining a closed container with said sidewall portions and said endwall of said second half nested within said sidewall portions and said endwall of said first half when said first and second halves are folded together to form a box; and

forming a flat open tray with continuous surrounding upright side walls and end walls when said first and second halves of said box are folded open with their respective bottom portions and said connecting bottom portion in substantially coplanar relationship to one another, wherein the improvement comprises;

each of said sidewalls of said first half having a tab extending from it;

each of said connecting sidewall portions having a single inwardly folding diagonal crease extending from its top edge to its bottom edge and a pair of vertical creases extending from its top edge to its bottom edge, each said vertical crease being adjacent to one of said sidewalls of said first half or said second half, said vertical crease which is adjacent to said first half being outwardly folding, and said vertical crease which is adjacent to said second half being inwardly folding; and

each of said sidewall portions of said second half having an inwardly folding diagonal crease extending from its top edge to its bottom edge;

whereby after said box is opened to form a tray, and then re-closed to form a box with said second half nesting within said first half, said connecting sidewall portions and said two sidewalls of said second half all fold inwardly at their said respective inwardly folding diagonal creases and inwardly folding vertical creases to allow such nesting; and

wherein further a pair of slots is simultaneously formed on each side between each said inwardly folding diagonal sidewall crease of said second half and each said inwardly folding vertical crease between said second half sidewall and said connecting sidewall portion, thus allowing said tabs carried by said first half sidewalls to be inserted into said slots so formed between said creases to thereby secure said tabs and hold said box closed.