Prepackaged, disposable, cat litter box

• US 4,976,218 A
• Filed: 12/26/1989
• Issued: 12/11/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Salvatore Cirami
• Original Assignee: Salvatore Cirami
• Inventors: Cirami, Salvatore
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRICE JR, RICHARD THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US07/456,356
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 119/1, 220/401, 220/408, 220/449
• US Class Current: 119/168
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0125 Foldable or collapsible litter boxes

Abstract

An open top, waterproof, cardboard box has an elongated rectangular bottom bordered by side and end panels which extend the length and width, respectively, of the bottom and are joined to form closed corners. Each side panel has a pair of wing portions between which a central portion of the side panel extends, the wing portions being defined by a pair of diagonal fold lines each of which intersects with a corner of the box. The end panels are folded so that they lie nearest the bottom of the box and the side panels are folded over and lie flat against the end panels, the wing portions being folded first with the end panels and then with the side panels whereby the wing portions are finally folded under the central portion of the side panels. The wing portions thereby acquire a fold bias that causes the central portion of each side panel to lean outwardly when the side and end panels are unfolded, allowing the box to have a minimum width at its bottom and still provide adequate lateral clearance for a cat to move about within the box. In preferred embodiment the side and end panels fold to form a box having depth sufficient for containment of and includes cat litter material, the end panels fully cover same and the side panels are fastened to the end panels with purchaser-rupturable adhesive or tap which seals the box.

Claims

1. A normally folded disposable cat litter box that when unfolded for use has a central portion of its side panels leaning outwardly and thereby provides adequate clearance for a cat to move about within the box although the bottom of the box has minimum width;

comprising;

a cardboard box at least an interior surface of which is waterproof, having

a rectangular bottom having a length greater than its width,

first and second side panels extending the length of and permanently joined to said bottom on opposed longitudinally extending borders thereof,

first and second end panels extending the width of and permanently joined to said bottom on opposed laterally extending borders thereof;

said side and end panels rising upwardly from said bottom to respective given heights and each having a free edge,

each side panel having a pair of diagonal fold lines formed thereon which divide the side panel into two wing portions between which a central portion of the side panel extends, said bottom and thereby each side panel having a length great enough that its wing portions are separated so that its central portion has a free edge, and,

the wing portions of opposed side panels permanently joined to the nearest end panel so that an open-top box is formed having closed corners;

said box being normally in folded condition as recited below and unfolded only during its period of use;

said end panels being folded inwardly toward each other, over, parallel and lying nearest to said bottom, the end panels being folded on mutually parallel lateral fold lines which are also parallel to said bottom;

said side panels being folded inwardly toward each other, over, and lying flat against the folded end panels, the side panels being folded on mutually parallel longitudinal fold lines which are also parallel to said bottom;

the longitudinal and lateral fold lines being located in a common plane and intersecting at said corners;

each wing portion being folded simultaneously (i) on a vertical fold line that corresponds to one corner of the box and allows said one corner to be folded outside inward and (ii) on its diagonal fold line, each diagonal fold line having its origin at the intersection of a corner'"'"'s vertical fold line with a longitudinal fold line and bisecting the angle defined by said intersection;

the wing portions of each side panel being folded under the central portion of the side panel so that the wing portions are pressed between the central portion and the folded end panels, the wing portions thereby acquiring a fold bias that causes the central portion of each side panel to lean outwardly when all the panels are unfolded.

2. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the height of the side and end panels as measured when unfolded is such that, when folded, the end panels fully cover said bottom with the free edges of the end panels located intermediate the length and extending across the width of said bottom, and, the free edge of one side panel'"'"'s central portion meets the free edge of the other side panel'"'"'s central portion intermediate the width of said bottom so that the central portions together cover the free edges of the end panels, and, accordingly, there is a difference in height between the unfolded end panels and at least the central portion of the unfolded side panels.

3. A combination as recited in claim 2, including, at each corner of said box, a tab that spans said difference in height, is permanently secured between and extends from the free edge of the end panel to the wing portion at that corner such that the unfolded box has each corner continued upwardly without interruption to the free edge of the end panel;

wherein;

in the folded condition of said box, the tab at each corner is folded together with the connected wing portion under the central portion of the side panel with which the wing portion is contiguous, each tab being folded on a continuation of the corner'"'"'s vertical fold line.

4. A combination as in claim 3 wherein said common plane is spaced above said bottom and the longitudinal and lateral fold lines located in said common plane divide the side and end panels into an upper portion that is normally folded and unfolds as above recited and a lower portion that permanently extends upwardly perpendicularly from said bottom so that the folded box has interior depth.

5. A combination as in claim 4 including cat litter material contained in the folded box and purchaser-rupturable means securing the folded side panels to the folded end panels.