Litter box system

• US 5,564,366 A
• Filed: 12/22/1994
• Issued: 10/15/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael T. Hancock
• Original Assignee: Michael T. Hancock
• Inventors: Hancock, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Manahan, Todd E.
• Application Number:
  US08/362,251
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 119/166, 119/167, 119/169, 119/168, 119/165
• US Class Current: 119/167
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0107 Cat trays; Dog urinals; Toilets for pets
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0114 Litter boxes with screens for separating excrement from litter

Abstract

A litter box system and method for containing and separating animal waste from litter includes a first box and a second box forming a container which houses the litter, a floor card, and a cover sheet for absorbing odors. The litter box system also includes an additional floor card for use during the cleaning process, which includes installation of the additional floor card, a clean cover sheet, and a filter bag. The litter box system is inverted, depositing the litter into the filter bag for filtering litter through apertures in the filter bag, while retaining animal waste within the filter bag for disposal. Each of the boxes is substantially identical having an opening for passage of animal waste into the litter box system. A flange surrounds the opening for helping to retain the litter within the litter box system during use by an animal. The cover sheet may be coated with a protective material, such as wax, for substantially preventing the passage of liquid animal waste therethrough. Handles attached to the first and second boxes, floor cards, and filter bag enable a person to grasp the handles for manipulation of the boxes, floor cards, and filter bag. An alternative embodiment of the litter box system, which utilizes a plurality of cover sheets or a plurality of cover sheets and filter bags positioned alternately together within one of the boxes, does not need to be inverted to remove the soiled cover sheets.

Claims

1. A litter box system for containment and separation of litter and animal waste, comprising:

a first box having a closed end with an opening, an open end, and a plurality of walls extending therebetween;

a second box having a closed end with an opening, an open end, and a plurality of walls extending therebetween, said first box and said second box being sized and adapted to be fit together for containment of said litter and animal waste;

litter disposed within at least one of said first and second boxes for deodorizing said animal waste;

a first floor card disposed within one of said first and second boxes and covering said opening of said closed end;

at least one cover sheet disposed within one of said first and second boxes between said first floor card and said litter for absorbing liquid animal waste; and

a filter bag, having a plurality of apertures, positioned within at least one of said first and second boxes, during cleaning of said litter box system, said apertures sized to filter substantially clean litter therethrough while retaining contaminated litter and animal waste within said filter bag.

2. The litter box system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second floor card disposed within the other of said first and second boxes and covering said opening of said closed end; and

a second cover sheet disposed within the other of said first and second boxes between said closed end and said second floor card for providing a clean cover sheet within said litter box system.

3. The litter box system according to claim 1, wherein said floor card has at least one handle for enabling a person to grasp said handle for manipulation of said floor card.

4. The litter box system according to claim 1, wherein said cover sheet has a side including a protective material for substantially preventing flow of liquid therethrough.

5. The litter box system according to claim 1, wherein said filter bag has at least one handle attached to said filter bag for enabling a person to grasp said handle for manipulation of said filter bag.

6. A method for disposal of animal waste, comprising the steps of:

providing a litter box system including a first box, a second box, a first cover sheet and first floor card positioned within said first box, and litter disposed on said first cover sheet;

removing said second box from said first box with said first box positioned on a supporting surface;

positioning a filter bag over said first box after deposition of animal waste onto said litter, with an open end of said filter bag confronting said litter;

positioning a second cover sheet adjacent to a second floor card;

positioning said second cover sheet and said second floor card adjacent to said filter bag with said second cover sheet between said filter bag and said second floor card;

interfitting together said second box and said first box having said second box contact said second floor card;

inverting said boxes and disposing said second box on the supporting surface, allowing said litter to fall into said filter bag;

separating said first and second boxes;

removing said first floor card while allowing said first cover sheet to fall into said filter bag and onto said litter;

removing said filter bag from said second box to filter clean litter through apertures in said filter bag and onto said second cover sheet, while retaining animal waste in said filter bag; and

interfitting together said first box and said second box for continued operation of said litter box system.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of positioning said second cover sheet adjacent to said second floor card includes bending a first flap and a second flap of said second cover sheet around said second floor card, said flaps being locked into position under said second floor card by said litter positioned on said second cover sheet within said second box.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the steps of separating said first and said second boxes, and removing said first floor card and said filter bag include grasping a handle attached to said first and second boxes, said first floor card, and said filter bag.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of removing said first cover sheet includes grasping a tab and pulling one cover sheet from a cover sheet pad having a plurality of cover sheets attached together.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of positioning said second cover sheet adjacent said second floor card includes positioning a side of said second cover sheet including a protective material adjacent to said second floor card for substantially preventing flow of liquid therethrough.