Decorative cat litter box cover

• US 6,062,169 A
• Filed: 10/01/1998
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary N. Wade, Margaret P. Wade
• Original Assignee: Gary N. Wade, Margaret P. Wade
• Inventors: Wade, Gary N., Wade, Margaret P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABBOTT, YVONNE RENEE
• Application Number:
  US09/164,652
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 119/165, 119/470, 119/497, 119/469, 119/453, D30/161, 150/105, 150/158, 150/164, 150/165
• US Class Current: 119/165
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0107 Cat trays; Dog urinals; Toilets for pets

Abstract

A cat litter box cover system is provided including a rigid litter box. Also included is a flexible cover with a cut out formed on a top face thereof for passing a handle of the litter box and an opening for alignment with an entrance of the litter box.

Claims

1. A cat litter box cover system comprising, in combination:

a rigid litter box including a base having a bottom face and a side wall integrally coupled to the bottom face and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom to terminate with an upper peripheral lip having an inverted U-shaped configuration, the litter box further including a lid with a top face and a peripheral wall integrally coupled to the top face and depending outwardly downwardly therefrom to define a bottom peripheral edge adapted for engaging the upper peripheral lip of the base thereby defining an interior space, wherein the lid has a rectangular entrance formed on the peripheral wall thereof and a handle fixedly mounted on a central extent of the top face of the lid;

a flexible cover constructed from a fabric material including a rectangular top face with an X-shaped cut out formed in a central extent thereof which is defined by a pair of intersecting linear slots which remain in parallel with an edge of the top face, a pair of wide side faces and a pair of thin side faces all integrally coupled to the top face of the cover and depending downwardly therefrom for defining an interior space and a lower peripheral edge, and an opening formed in one of the thin side faces adjacent to the lower peripheral edge of the cover, the opening including a linear bottom edge, an arcuate top edge, and a pair of linear side edges, wherein the opening has a height approximately 3/4 that of the thin side face in which it is formed, wherein the cover is placed over the lid of the litter box such that the handle extends through the cut out and the opening of the cover is aligned with the entrance of the lid of the litter box;

a decorative assembly including a valance depending from the top edge of the opening of the cover a distance about 1/3 a height of the opening, the decorative assembly further including a pair of curtains depending from the top edge of the opening and lining an entire length of the side edges of the opening of the cover;

a thin elastic band mounted along an entire perimeter of the lower peripheral edge of the cover for conforming to the side wall of the base of the litter box below the upper peripheral lip thereof, the elastic band having a height of about 1/4 that of the base of the litter box, thereby maintaining the cover in place; and

lace mounted along the entire perimeter of the lower peripheral edge of the cover exterior of and separate from the elastic band, the lace having a height which is greater than that of the base of the litter box.

2. A cat litter box cover for covering a rigid litter box with a rigid litter box cover having a carrying handle for permitting lifting of the litter box, comprising:

a flexible cover with an opening for alignment with an entrance of the litter box;

the flexible cover being comprised of a substantially rectangular top panel portion for resting on a top of the litter box cover, the top panel portion having a perimeter with substantially parallel sides and substantially parallel ends, a plurality of side panel portions coupled to the side and ends of the perimeter of the top panel portion for depending from the top panel portion when the cover is placed on the litter box cover; and

wherein the top panel portion has a cut out substantially centrally located therein for receiving the carrying handle of the litter box such that the handle may be accessed when the flexible cover is in place on the litter box, the cut out having a cross shape defined by a pair of intersecting linear slots, one of the intersecting linear slots being adapted to receive a handle oriented parallel to the sides of the perimeter of the top panel portion and the other one of the intersecting linear slots being adapted to receive a handle oriented parallel to the ends of the perimeter of the top panel portion.

3. The cat litter box cover system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the cover is formed of a fabric material.

4. The cat litter box cover system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the opening includes a decorative assembly.

5. The cat litter box cover system as set forth in claim 4 wherein the decorative assembly includes a valance.

6. The cat litter box cover system as set forth in claim 4 wherein the decorative assembly includes a pair of curtains.

7. The cat litter box cover system as set forth in claim 2 wherein an elastic band is mounted along a lower peripheral edge of the cover for conforming to the litter box.

8. The cat litter box cover system as set forth in claim 2 wherein a strip of lace is mounted along a lower peripheral edge of the cover.

9. A cat litter box cover system comprising, in combination:

a litter box including a base having a bottom face and a side wall integrally coupled to the bottom face and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom to terminate with an upper peripheral lip, the litter box further including a lid with a top face and a peripheral wall integrally coupled to the top face and depending outwardly downwardly therefrom to define a bottom peripheral edge adapted for engaging the upper peripheral lip of the base thereby defining an interior space wherein the lid has an entrance formed on the peripheral wall thereof and a handle fixedly mounted on the top face of the lid;

a flexible cover including a top face with an X-shaped cut out formed in a central extent thereof which is defined by a pair of intersecting linear slots which remain in parallel with an edge of the top face, a pair of wide side faces and a pair of thin side faces all integrally coupled to the top face of the cover and depending downwardly therefrom for defining an interior space and a lower peripheral edge, and an opening formed in one of the thin side faces adjacent to the lower peripheral edge of the cover, the opening including a bottom edge, a top edge, and a pair of side edges, wherein the opening is formed in one of the thin side faces, wherein the cover is placed over the lid of the litter box such that the handle extends through the cut out and the opening of the cover is aligned with the entrance of the lid of the litter box;

a decorative assembly including a valance depending from the top edge of the opening of the cover, the decorative assembly further including a pair of curtains depending from the top edge of the opening and lining a length of the side edges of the opening of the cover;

an elastic band mounted along a perimeter of the lower peripheral edge of the cover for conforming to the side wall of the base of the litter box below the upper peripheral lip thereof, thereby maintaining the cover in place; and

lace mounted along the perimeter of the lower peripheral edge of the cover exterior of and separate from the elastic band, the lace having a height which is greater than that of the base of the litter box.