Abstrict A disposable cat litter holding device such as a box or the like
including a horizontally extending bottom preferably rectangular
and attached along the ends thereof to upwardly extending end walls
and attached at the sides thereof to upwardly extending side walls.
An upper side member is secured to each side wall and extends inwardly
therefrom horizontally over and parallel to the bottom. Similarly,
upper end members extend horizontally inwardly from the upper edge
of the end walls horizontally extending over the bottom. Flap means
are secured to the sides of the side walls and are adapted to interlock
with one another preferably by an interlocking tab and slot device.
The end flaps are adapted to be interlocked inside of the end walls
such that when the end walls are folded upwardly and the upper ends
are folded inwardly a downward bias will be exerted on the interlocked
end flaps to cause them to be secured in position and retain the
overall structure of the disposable cat litter holding device. The
upper end members include upper tabs thereon adapted to interlock
with slots in the upper side members to form an upper interlocking
device for holding the upper end member extending inwardly horizontally
over the bottom and to further bias the end flap means into a vertically
extending position to cause overall rigidity of the completed device.
The interlocking of the upper tabs into the upper slots defined
in the upper side members serves to give significantly additional
strength to the sidewall structure. Preferably the material of which
the holding device is made is a paperboard with the interior sides
thereof coated to be waterproof or a waterproof laminate material.
Claims I claim:
1. A disposable cat litter holding means comprising:
(a) a one-piece bottom means extending horizontally to define an
upper bottom surface thereof for the holding of cat litter thereabove,
said bottom means defining lateral edges at opposing lateral sides
thereof and longitudinal edges at opposite longitudinal sides thereof;
(b) an end wall means secured with respect to said longitudinal
edges of said bottom means and adapted to extend upwardly therefrom
to define end surfaces facing inwardly therefrom;
(c) a side wall means secured with respect to said lateral edges
of said bottom means and adapted to extend upwardly therefrom to
define side surfaces facing inwardly therefrom;
(d) end flap means extending from each lateral end of each side
wall means and adapted to extend inwardly perpendicular to said
side wall means, parallel to said end wall means, each end flap
means further including an end interlocking means adapted to selectively
secure together end flap means of adjacent side wall means;
(e) an upper side means secured to the uppermost edge of each side
wall means and adapted to extend inwardly perpendicular therefrom
horizontally parallel with respect to said bottom means and disposed
upwardly therefrom, said upper side means defining an upper slot
means therein;
(f) an upper end means secured to the uppermost edge of said end
wall means and adapted to extend horizontally perpendicularly inward
therefrom parallel with respect to said bottom means and disposed
upwardly therefrom, said upper end means further including upper
tab means which in cooperation with said upper slot means forms
an upper interlocking means to retain said upper end means extending
horizontally inward from said end wall means and to retain said
sidewall means vertically and to retain said end wall means and
said end flap means vertically perpendicular to said bottom means.
2. The means as defined in claim 1 wherein said end interlocking
means includes an end slot means and an end tab means adapted to
interlock with respect to one another to selectively secure together
said end flap means of adjacent side wall means.
3. The means as defined in claim 1 wherein said bottom means is
rectangular.
4. The means as defined in claim 1 wherein said holding means is
made of paperboard.
5. The means as defined in claim 4 wherein said bottom means is
rectangular and the grain of the paperboard is oriented longitudinally
therealong.
6. The means as defined in claim 1 including a waterproof coating
on at least a portion of the paperboard.
7. The means as defined in claim 1 wherein said holding means is
made of plastic.
8. The means as defined in claim 1 wherein said bottom means, said
side wall means and said upper side means are integrally formed
with respect to one another.
9. The means as defined in claim 1 wherein said bottom means, said
end wall means and said upper end means are integrally formed with
respect to one another.
10. The means as defined in claim 1 wherein said bottom means and
said end flaps are integrally formed with respect to one another.
11. The means as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper end means
extends horizontally inwardly from said end wall means to downwardly
bias said end flap means into a fixed vertically extending position.
12. A disposable waterproof-coated paperboard cat litter holding
means comprising:
(a) a one-piece bottom means being rectangular and extending horizontally
to define an upper bottom surface thereof for the holding of cat
litter thereabove, said bottom means defining lateral edges at opposing
lateral sides thereof and longitudinal edges at opposing longitudinal
sides thereof, the grain of the paperboard being oriented longitudinally
with respect to said rectangular bottom means;
(b) an end wall means secured with respect to said longitudinal
edges of said bottom means and integral therewith, said end wall
means being adapted to extend upwardly therefrom to define end surfaces
facing inwardly therefrom;
(c) a side wall means secured with respect to said lateral edges
of said bottom means and integral therewith, said side wall means
being adapted to extend upwardly therefrom to define side surfaces
facing inwardly therefrom;
(d) end flap means extending from such lateral end of each side
wall means and being integral therewith, said end flap means being
adapted to extend inwardly perpendicular to said side wall means
parallel to said end wall means, each end flap means further including
an end interlocking means adapted to selectively secure together
end flap means of adjacent side wall means, said end interlocking
means including an end slot means and an end tab means adapted to
interlock with respect to one another to selectively secure together
said end flap means of adjacent side wall means;
(e) an upper side means secured to the uppermost edge of each side
wall means and integral therewith, said upper side means being adapted
to extend inwardly perpendicular therefrom horizontally parallel
with respect to said bottom means and disposed upwardly therefrom,
said upper side means defining an upper slot means therein,
(f) an upper end means secured to the uppermost edge of said end
wall means and being integral therewith, said upper end means being
adapted to extend horizontally perpendicularly inward therefrom
parallel with respect to said bottom means and disposed upwardly
therefrom, said upper end means further including upper tab means
which in coooperation with said upper slot means forms an upper
interlocking means to retain said upper end means extending horizontally
inward from said end wall means and to retain said side wall means
vertically and to retain said end wall means and said end flap means
vertically perpendicular to said bottom means, said upper end means
extending horizontally inwardly from said end wall means to downwardly
bias said end flap means into a fixed vertically extending orientation.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the field of cat litter boxes
or other types of holding devices. It is conventional for the owner
of cat house pets to have a location set aside for the cat including
a housing with a granular type litter therein. In this manner it
is not necessary to let a cat go outside and cats have been found
to be easily domesticated to being completely indoors in this fashion.
For this reason the business of providing cat litter and cat litter
holding devices has grown greatly over recent years.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many devices have been designed to retain cat litter in a novel
fashion such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3886901; 3684155;
3639937; 4164314. None of these designs shows the unique characteristics
of the present invention.
The main designs currently utilized include hard plastic litter
boxes wherein the litter is directly poured and perhaps sprayed
with a deodorizing powder or liquid. After usage for approximately
one week it is necessary to discard the litter and then clean the
litter box. This is quite obviously a very messy and unpleasant
duty and as such many attempts have been made to create superior
systems.
One example of a superior system is the usage of a hard litter
box of metal, wood, plastic or any such desirable material in combination
with a plastic liner. The litter is placed in the liner which defines
a retainer by being placed in the rigid holding device and then
only the plastic liner is discarded. Difficulties have arisen with
the breaking of such plastic bags and the obvious unpleasant circumstance
created thereby. This difficulty is particularly apparent with usage
with multiple cats or a single cat over a longer period of time
wherein the weight of the litter as it absorbs the liquids becomes
significantly greater than originally and this increase in weight
has a great tendency to rip the plastic bag when withdrawn from
the box. Also the scratching and clawing by cats which is usually
associated with usage of the litter box has a tendency to rip the
plastic liner over the floor of the litter box resulting in loss
of litter or a complete ripping of the plastic liner when removal
from the box is attempted. This clawing or just the weight of the
cat or the litter tends sometimes to pull the plastic liner off
the retaining sidewalls of the litter box. The present invention
provides a means for overcoming these prior art difficulties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a disposable cat litter holding
means formed of paperboard which is preferably waterproof coated
or of a waterproof laminate material to be waterproof. The holding
means itself includes a bottom means which is preferably rectangular
and extends horizontally to define an upper bottom surface for holding
cat litter therein. The bottom surface being rectangular has lateral
edges which provide a crease in the paperboard end means will also
include an upper tab means which is adapted in cooperation with
the upper slot means to form an upper interlocking means to retain
and hold the upper end means extending horizontally inward. This
upper end means will thereby exert a downward bias on the interconnected
end flaps therebelow to hold them in a vertical orientation and
insure the overall stability of the paperboard holding means. This
upper interlocking means will also and equally importantly retain
the sidewalls in the vertical position even during heavy litter
loads or during rough usage by a cat. In this manner the interlocking
means performs a dual purpose of holding both the endwalls and sidewalls
in a vertical orientation with only a single interlocking configuration.
Also note that with the use of such paperboard it is preferable
to have the grain oriented longitudinally with the bottom means
if the bottom means is rectangular. It is also preferable to have
the inside surface of the paperboard be coated such as to be waterproof
in order to prevent wetting of the paperboard itself.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable
device for holding cat litter.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable
cat litter box being made of paperboard which is waterproof coated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable
cat litter holding means including horizontally extending inwardly
upper lips to prevent the loss of litter during usage.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable
cat litter holding means which is of minimal expense and as such
can be feasibly used in a completely disposable fashion.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable
cat litter holding means which is simple and convenient to construct
from the paperboard blank.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable
cat litter holding means which can be made of paperboard and still
retain structural strength even under the weight of extremely wet
cat litter.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable
cat litter holding means which minimizes the amount of litter necessary
to use in each setup due to the extensive cost of cat litter.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable
cat litter holding means which is designed to be a 100% replacement
for non-disposable cat boxes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable
cat litter holding means which is not specifically designed to merchandise
cat litter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly
claimed in the concluding portions herein, a preferred embodiment
is set forth in the following detailed description which may be
best understood when read in connection with the accompanying drawings,
in which:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of a blank for the disposable
cat litter holding means of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1
folded into the operating condition;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1
in the semi-assembled condition; and
FIG. 4 is an illustration of an embodiment of the upper interlocking
means showing in detail the upper tab means and the upper slot means.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention provides a disposable cat litter holding
means 10 which is usable for the holding of cat litter therein for
use by domestic house pets preferably cats. The holding means 10
includes a bottom means 12 which is preferably rectangular and includes
lateral edges 16 along the longer sides and longitudinal edges 18
along the shorter sides. End wall means 20 are secured to and extend
upwardly from the longitudinal edges 18 and side wall means 24 are
secured to the lateral edges 16 and extend upwardly therefrom. The
bottom means 12 includes an upper bottom surface 14. The end wall
means 20 includes an inwardly facing end surface 22 and a side wall
means 24 include inwardly extending side surfaces 26. In this manner
the upper bottom surface 14 the end surfaces 22 and the side surfaces
26 define a chamber for retaining cat litter therein.
Preferably, the holding means 10 is made of a paperboard material
including a coated interior surface to thereby make it waterproof.
In this manner there will be no soaking of the paperboard material
and no leakage of fluids thereout. It is also preferable when forming
the holding means 10 of paperboard material to have the paperboard
grain run longitudinally with respect to the bottom surface 12 whenever
it is rectangular in order to facilitate folding along the longer
lateral edges 16 and specifically along creases 50 and 52.
Each side wall means 24 will include an end flap means 28 extending
outwardly from each lateral side thereof. The end flap means will
be adapted to extend inwardly perpendicular to the side surface
such as to be placed adjacent or in an interlocking fashion with
the end flap means of the opposing side wall adjacent thereto. The
end flap means 28 will preferably also include an end interlocking
means 30 such as end slot means 32 and end tab means 34 to facilitate
holding of the side wall means 24 vertically by interlocking of
the end flap means 28.
Each side wall means 24 will include an upper side means 36 extending
from the upper edge thereof inwardly horizontally over the bottom
means 12 but disposed upwardly therefrom. Each upper side means
will also preferably define two upper slot means 44 therein.
Each end wall means 20 will also include in a similar fashion an
upper end means 40 extending from the uppermost edge thereof horizontally
inwardly over the bottom means 12. In this manner the upper end
means 40 and the upper side means 36 will provide a rim around the
upper surface of the holding means 10 which will provide increased
stability to the overall design in consideration of it being made
of paperboard and will also provide a protection against the loss
of litter during usage. To facilitate interlocking of the upper
side means 36 and the upper end means 40 into position an upper
tab means 42 will be preferably integrally connected to the upper
end means 40 and be adapted to extend into the upper slot means
44 defined by the upper side means 36. In this manner the end wall
means 20 will be secured in the upper position and the upper end
means 40 will be secured in the horizontally extending inward position.
Also, the upper end means will thereby exert a downward bias against
the interlocked end flap means 28. This downward bias will hold
the end flap means 28 secure with respect to one another and will
exert stability on the overall total configuration. Furthermore,
the securement between upper tab means 42 and upper slot means 44
will cause the upper side means 36 to be drawn inwardly on both
sides of the litter box 10. In this manner the sidewall means 24
will be held into a vertically or nearly vertically extending orientation
even if the box 10 is filled with litter and even if it is in use.
The upper tab means 42 and the upper slot means 44 together will
define the upper interlocking means 38.
Preferably the end tab means 34 will include end tab ears 48 and
the upper tab means 42 will include upper tab ears 46. With both
configurations the ears will be adapted to be folded inwardly to
allow the tab to extend through the respective slot and once this
operation has been achieved the ears can be folded outwardly to
interlock the tab with respect to the slots. This interlocking action
is shown both for the upper interlocking means 38 and for the end
interlocking means 30.
In operation the blank of the disposable cat litter holding means
10 will be provided in a flat orientation. It will then be necessary
for the user to fold the sidewall means 24 upwardly with respect
to the bottom means 12 by folding along crease 50. Then it will
be necessary to fold along crease 58 such that the end flap means
28 will be extending inwardly perpendicular to the sidewall means
24 and with respect to the bottom means 12. With this folding the
end slot means 32 and the end tab means 34 will be positioned adjacent
one another such that the end interlocking means 30 can be actuated
to thereby hold the end flap means 28 in engagement with respect
to one another and maintain the sidewall means 24 in an approximately
vertical position.
Thereafter the end wall means 20 will be folded upwardly to be
perpendicular with respect to the bottom means 12 by folding along
creases 54. The upper end means 40 will then be folded inwardly
to extend horizontally over the bottom means 12 by folding along
creases 56. At this point it will be necessary to fold the upper
side means 36 inwardly to extend horizontally over the bottom means
12 by folding along creases 52. This will bring the upper tab means
42 and the upper slot means 44 adjacent to one another to allow
interlocking of the upper interlocking means 38. In this manner
the upper end means 40 will exert a downward bias on the interlocked
end flap means 28 to provide overall rigidity for all four walls
of the disposable cat litter holding means 10 as well as for the
inwardly extending rim formed by the combination of the upper side
means 36 and the upper end means 40. The device will now be in an
orientation to receive cat litter and can easily be disposed of
after usage or after a desired period of time.
While particular embodiments of this invention have been shown
in the drawings and described above, it will apparent that many
changes may be made in the form, arrangement and positioning of
the various elements of the combination. In consideration thereof
it should be understood that preferred embodiments of this invention
disclosed herein are intended to be illustrative only and not intended
to limit the scope of the invention. |