One-piece disposable cat litter box

• US 5,129,364 A
• Filed: 11/13/1990
• Issued: 07/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Randall Pirkle
• Original Assignee: Randall Pirkle
• Inventors: Pirkle, Randall
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Manahan, Todd E.
• Application Number:
  US07/612,354
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 119/167, 119/168, 119/165, 119/169, 119/170, 229/101, 229/103, 229/122
• US Class Current: 119/167
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0125 Foldable or collapsible litter boxes

Abstract

A disposable cat litter box is provided which is made entirely of a single piece of cardboard. The litter box has a lower portion to hold cat litter and an expandable upper portion which completely encloses the cat litter except for providing an opening for ingress and egress of the cat. A removable mesh-type litter bag is provided which can be simply removed and thrown away when the litter box is full to renew the same for additional use. A charcoal filter can be provided to control odors.

Claims

1. A disposable cat litter box of a one-piece construction having a fixed lower portion to hold cat litter, and an expandable upper portion including a rear panel extension connected, when assembled, to a right sidewall extension and a left sidewall extension, thus forming an enclosure for two sides and the rear of said cat litter box, said enclosure foldable about a rear edge of said fixed lower portion of said cat litter box by pivoting of said rear panel extension, said enclosure in combination with a front extension panel and a top extension panel, when assembled, completely enclosing the cat litter except for an opening for ingress and egress, and including at least one removable mesh-type bag lining said lower portion to receive cat feces, said mesh-type bag being of a coarseness to remove said cat feces, but not said litter, when said bag is removed from said litter box.

2. A disposable cat litter box of a one-piece construction having a fixed lower portion to hold cat litter, and an expandable upper portion which, when assembled, completely encloses the cat litter except for an opening for ingress and egress, wherein said one-piece construction includes

(a) a bottom panel, and

(b) sufficient rear panels, front panels, right side panels and left side panels, all depending from said bottom panel, which, when assembled, forms said lower portion and said upper expandable portion of said disposable litter box wherein said sufficient front panels include, depending seriatim from the front of said bottom panel,

(a) a front sidewall panel having flaps at each extremity thereof,

(b) a front edge panel,

(c) a front panel extension having notches at each corner thereof, and

(d) a front top extension panel having notches in the upper corners thereof.

3. The litter box defined in claim 2, and including at least one removable mesh-type bag lining said lower portion to receive cat feces, said mesh-type bag being of a coarseness to remove said feces, but not said litter when said bag is removed from said litter box.

4. The litter box defined in claim 3, wherein said removable mesh-type bag has a draw string bag attached about the upper periphery thereof.

5. The litter box defined in claim 4, wherein said draw string bag is attached to said cat litter box by adhesive means.

6. The litter box defined in claim 2, wherein said sufficient rear panels include, depending seriatim from the rear of said bottom panel,

(a) a rear sidewall panel having flaps at each extremity thereof,

(b) a rear edge panel,

(c) a rear panel extension having a flap at each extremity thereof, and

(d) a rear top extension panel.

7. The litter box defined in claim 6, wherein said sufficient right side panels include:

(a) a right sidewall panel having flaps at each extremity thereof,

(b) a right sidewall edge panel, and

(c) a right sidewall extension panel having elongated notches in the bottom and side thereof, a diagonal crease line, and a flap provided along the top extremity thereof.

8. The litter box defined in claim 7, wherein said sufficient left side panels include:

(a) a left sidewall panel having flaps at each extremity thereof,

(b) a left sidewall edge panel, and

(c) a left side extension panel having elongated notches in the bottom and side thereof, a diagonal fold line, and a flap provided along the top extremity thereof.

9. The litter box defined in claim 8, wherein said front extension panel has an opening provided therein for ingress and egress.

10. The litter box defined in claim 9, wherein said rear top extension panel has a hole centrally located therein.

11. The litter box defined in claim 9, wherein said front sidewall panel has a pair of handle openings therein which, when said disposable cat litter box is assembled, will mate with said opening in said rear top extension panel when said cat litter box is in its collapsed position.

12. The litter box defined in claim 11, wherein said flaps provided on said right sidewall extension panel and said left sidewall extension panel will engage the said rear panel extension when said disposable cat litter box is in its assembled position.

13. The litter box defined in claim 12, wherein said notches in said front panel extension and said front top extension panel will engage other than the elongated notches of said right sidewall extension panel and said left sidewall extension panel when said disposable cat litter box is in its assembled condition.

14. The litter box defined in claim 13, wherein said front top extension panel will engage said rear top extension panel when said disposable cat litter box is in its assembled condition.

15. The litter box defined in claim 14, and having a charcoal filter mounted to the inside of said front top extension panel to control odors.

16. The litter box defined in claim 2, and having a charcoal filter mounted in said expandable upper portion to control cat ordors.