Abstrict A portable cat litter box and travel case wherein the portable
box is comprised of two separate side compartments. One of the side
compartments defines the litter box, and the second side defines
a compartment within which various items necessary for proper pet
care may be stored. The litter box has a substantially air tight
sealing member removably secured to the top sidewall around its
perimeter. Folding flanges are used to prevent a cat from inadvertently
removing litter from the box upon exiting the litter box. Items
which may be stored in the travel case include things such as extra
food, spare liners for the litter box, a feeding bowl, etc.
Claims What is claimed is:
1. A portable litter box and travel case comprising:
a compartment comprised of a bottom wall;
a compartment perimeter wall extending substantially perpendicular
to the bottom wall around a perimeter of the bottom wall;
a planar sealing member detachably secured to a top of the compartment
perimeter wall and being in sealing engagement with a top of the
perimeter wall in a first position and removed from the litter box
in a second position to provide an animal with access to the compartment
and at least one flange member secured over the perimeter wall,
wherein at least a substantial majority of said flange member is
entirely above the planar sealing member when the planar sealing
member is in the first position and wherein the flange member is
above the perimeter wall when the planar sealing member is removed
from tee litter box and further wherein the flange member defines
an opening which provides an animal with access to the compartment
when the planar sealing member is removed, said flange member extending
the perimeter wall away from the bottom wall.
2. The portable litter box of claim 1 wherein the compartment
perimeter wall is comprised of two sets of opposite substantially
parallel walls forming a substantially rectangular compartment.
3. The portable litter box of claim 1 further comprising a second
side compartment comprised of a second side compartment bottom wall
and a second side compartment perimeter wall substantially perpendicular
to the second side compartment bottom wall.
4. The portable litter box of claim 3 further comprising at least
one strap attached to the second side compartment for securing a
feeding bowl.
5. The portable litter box and travel case of claim 1 further
comprising:
at least two folding flanges attached to the top of the compartment
perimeter wall each of said folding flanges having a base which
folds over the sealing member; and
a plurality of detachable latches affixed between the compartment
and a second side compartment for connecting the compartment to
the second side compartment.
6. The portable litter box of claim 4 wherein the compartment
perimeter wall is comprised of two sets of opposite substantially
parallel walls forming a substantially rectangular compartment.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of cat litter
boxes and, more particularly, the present invention relates to an
improved portable cat litter box and travel case.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cat litter boxes which are used as a depository for cat excrement
are generally known in the art. Conventional cat litter boxes typically
are comprised of a rectangular plastic box having an open top that
exposes a defined region containing the cat litter. A cat thus has
easy access to the litter and the cat can thus use the litter to
bury its excrement. The cat litter may comprise, for example, a
mixture of fluid absorbent material such as clay chips and the like.
A cat litter box is a necessity for maintaining a cat in ones home.
The problem with conventional cat litter boxes is that they are
typically not very portable. The movement of a conventional litter
box from one location to another is often difficult and potentially
a very messy undertaking. Conventional litter boxes are generally
formed of plastic and are comprised of four side walls and a bottom.
They generally do not have a top. The conventional design of litter
boxes thus provides no mechanism for securing the litter within
the box and preventing undesirable odors from escaping. This is
a problem particularly when a cat owner wishes to travel from one
location to another. If the pet owner wishes to bring the cat along
to this second location, for any significant period of time, even
for more than a few hours, it is necessary that the cat owner bring
along the litter box.
This is a significant problem for conventional boxes which do not
provide a mechanism for covering the litter. An uncovered cat litter
box is potentially very messy for travel because the fitter may
easily spill out of the top and disperse on floors and the like.
This is especially true if one is traveling in a car, where sudden
stops may cause the litter to shift and easily spill out of a conventional
litter box. Because the litter is made of granulated clay chips,
spills of litter are also difficult to clean up. Additionally, because
a conventional litter box remains uncovered, a is more likely that
the litter will emit undesirable odors. Although litter is typically
deodorized, the litter nevertheless often generates unpleasant odors.
Conventional litter boxes are also embarrassing to carry around
because the general public knows what is contained in the box and
people generally frown on the thought of one carrying around such
an item. Thus, there is thus also a need for a portable cat litter
box which is readily transportable, and which has a lid that seals
to prevent the escape of undesirable odors. In any such design,
it is desirable that the general public not readily recognize the
item as being a litter box.
While others have proposed designs for portable litter boxes to
solve the above-identified problems in the art, none of the existing
solutions provide a portable litter box which provides satisfactory
solutions to all of the known problems associated with portable
litter boxes. One such portable litter container is disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 5134974 issued to Raymond J. Houser. The Houser
patent addresses some of the problems in the art, however, this
design has numerous disadvantages.
The Houser reference discloses a portable cat litter box which
is embodied in the form of a typical brief case. The litter box
is formed in one half or side of the brief case. A top of the case
that is mounted on hinges folds down to cover the litter box. The
top thus covers the litter and prevents it from inadvertently spilling.
One can thus easily transport the litter box without worrying about
the litter accidently spilling from the box. The litter box is embodied
as a typical brief case so it is not embarrassing to travel with
the litter box because people will not readily recognize what contained
in the case. While the Houser reference addresses some of the known
problems in the art, there are numerous disadvantages to this design.
In the Houser design, when the case is opened, a liner extends
upward on two of the side walls and outward on the top which forms
a wall on the back of the litter box. The liner simply folds over
to contain the cat litter which is located within the case when
one closes the case. Because the liner simply folds over, it is
more susceptible to allowing the escape of unpleasant odors from
the cat litter. Additionally, the litter may easily be removed accidentally
by a cat that has used the box, upon exiting the litter box. It
is known that the litter may temporarily cling to the cat's paws
while leaving the box and become dislodged later away from the box.
The cat may also inadvertently kick litter from the case while attempting
to bury its excrement. This reference provides no mechanism for
limiting the amount of litter that may be inadvertently removed
from the case by the cat. Furthermore, this design is particularly
susceptible to the inadvertent removal of litter due to the low
profile of the walls which define the litter box. Also, because
the side walls are so low, a cat may kick the litter out of the
box.
Another problem with this reference is that it does not provide
an adequate space for containing additional items which are required
by the pet owner for travel with a cat. These items include such
things as additional food for the cat, a bowl or dish for food and
water and additional liners for the cat litter box. Additional travel
items include such things as a litter scoop, and litter box deodorant,
for example. The Houser reference discloses only a small storage
area located between the top of the brief case and the litter box.
The pet owner must therefore bring an additional bag or case to
carry these items.
Thus there remains a need in the art for an improved portable cat
litter box which is capable of conveniently transporting the litter
box along with additional materials that are necessary for the travel
with the cat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The improved portable cat litter box of the present invention is
comprised of a carrying case having two sides. Each of the sides
define separate generally rectangular spaces. The two sides of the
carrying case are temporarily secured to one another with detachable
latch members that may be advantageously disengaged to allow the
two case halves to be separated from one another. This is particularly
useful for the pet owner upon arrival at the final destination because
the travel case portion of the litter box need not be located with
the litter box. The pet owner can thus store the additional pet
paraphernalia at a location that is different than that of the litter
box.
One of the sides of the carrying case defines the litter box which
has a substantially air tight Rubbermaid or Tupperware type seal
surrounding the top perimeter of this compartment. This seal keeps
the litter within this compartment while traveling and prevents
the escape of undesirable odors from the litter box. Folding flanges
fold over and surround the air tight rubbermaid seal. The flanges
are secured to the litter box with a thin plastic member that may
be formed during the molding process as is known in the art. The
flanges fold down so that the air tight seal may be removed in order
to provide access to the litter once the owner arrives at a desired
location. The flanges then fold up to define a guard which surrounds
the top of the litter box to prevent the cat from inadvertently
removing litter from the box when the cat leaves the box or when
the cat is burying its excrement. When the owner wishes to travel
again, the owner simply folds back the flanges and secures the air
tight top. The flanges then fold up over the seal in order to allow
the two case halves to mate with one another.
The other side of the carrying case defines a compartment within
which various pet paraphernalia may be stored. The second compartment
provides adequate space for securing various items which an owner
may need for travelling with a cat. These items include such things
as a bowl, extra food, spare litter box liners etc. The pet owner
is able to remove the storage compartment side of the case from
the litter box to separately store the remaining cat items at the
final destination. Detachable latches temporarily secure the two
case halves to one another to allow detachment of one half from
the other. This is particularly advantageous because the litter
box is thus able to stand alone in the new location without having
the additional pet items hanging above the litter box. A handle
is attached to a side of the portable litter box and travel case
so that the pet owner may easily carry the portable litter box and
travel kit.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are
described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description
of the presently preferred embodiments and from the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention
wherein the two sides of the litter box are secured to one another
to form the travel case;
FIG. 2 illustrates the preferred embodiment of the present invention
wherein the case is opened to show the separate litter box and travel
case compartment;
FIG. 3 illustrates the litter box side of the portable litter box
and travel case of the present invention opened and separated from
the travel case;
FIG. 4 illustrates one of the latches which are used to temporarily
secure the two sides of the portable litter box and travel case
of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 illustrates the improved portable litter box and travel
case of the present invention which is shown generally at 10. The
carrying case has a first side compartment 12 and a second side
compartment 14. Each of the respective side compartments are mated
to one another and are secured with detachable latches.
The first side 12 is comprised of a rectangular compartment which
defines the litter box. The second side 14 is comprised of a compartment
within which there is ample space for storage of travel items for
the pet. Each side compartment has a bottom and a surrounding side
wall. The sidewall of each compartment is actually comprised of
two sets of opposed side walls that define a substantial rectangular
space. These sets of side walls form a perimeter side wall which
defines the respective compartments. A handle 18 is centrally attached
to the side of the portable litter box and travel case formed by
the junction of the first and second sides 12 and 14. The handle
may be either attached to a single side compartment alone or the
junction of sides 12 and 14. Alternatively the handle may slidably
engage the connection between the first and second sides 12 and
14 respectively as shown. The handle is attached with attachment
members 22 and 24. In the preferred embodiment the entire case including
the handle is molded from plastic. The handle 18 may be molded into
one of the sides 12 or 14.
Four latch members, only two of which are shown, 26 and 28 secure
the first and second sides 12 14 of the portable litter box and
travel case to one another. Two additional latches which are not
shown are located opposite the locations of latches 26 and 28. The
latches 26 and 28 provide for temporarily securing first and second
side compartments 12 and 14 to each other. When the latches 20
28 are disengaged, the two sides may be separated and the travel
case portion therefore need not be located with the litter box side.
FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view of the improved portable litter
box and travel kit in an unfolded or open condition shown generally
at 30. A removable substantially air tight seal is secured to the
upper perimeter side wall of the litter box side 12 of the improved
portable litter box and travel kit of the present invention. The
substantially air tight seal member 31 may be similar to those manufactured
by Rubbermaid, Inc. or Tupperware. The air tight seal member 31
secures the litter within the rectangular compartment defined by
wall members of the first side of the portable litter box 12. Additionally,
the substantially air tight seal member 31 also prevents the escape
of unpleasant odors from the cat litter.
FIG. 2 illustrates the substantially air tight seal member 31 in
a partially opened or detached condition. Folding flanges 33 34
35 and 36 fold up to cover the air tight seal member 31 and fold
down to allow access and removal or replacement of the air tight
seal member 31. The flanges are attached to the litter box compartment
with a thin plastic member which may be formed during the molding
process. This thin plastic member allows each of the flanges to
fold up and down but yet remain attached to the litter box. Once
the seal member 31 is removed from the top of the litter box, folding
flanges 33 34 35 and 36 are folded up again to provide a barrier
which substantially reduces the amount of litter which may be inadvertently
removed by a cat from the litter box. The flanges snap fit together
as is known in the art.
The second side 14 of the portable litter box and travel kit defines
a rectangular compartment within which various items for care of
a cat while traveling may be stored. These items include such things
as additional litter box liners 41 deodorant 42 litter scope 43
additional food 45 and a feeding bowl 44.
FIG. 2 also illustrates means for securing the various additional
items into the travel case portion of the portable litter and travel
case of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment plastic
straps with snaps or Velcro are used to secure the items within
the travel case. For example strap 42a secures the deodorant 42
straps 43a and 43b secure the litter scoop 43 strap 44a secures
the feeding bowl and a separate enclosure 45a secures the additional
food containers.
FIG. 3 illustrates a view of the first side 12 of the portable
litter box in a detached condition from the storage compartment
14. In this illustration, it is apparent that the substantially
air tight seal member 31 is removed from the upper perimeter of
the litter box so that a cat may have access to litter which is
contained within the rectangular compartment defined by the first
half of the carrying case 12. The flanges 33 34 35 and 36 are
shown in a upwardly folded snap-fit condition. The flanges 33 34
35 and 36 are angled inward and aid in preventing inadvertent removal
of the cat litter from the litter box 12.
FIG. 4 illustrates the detachable latch mechanism 26 used to connect
the first and second sides 12 and 14 of the improved portable litter
box and travel case of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment,
the detachable latch member 26 is comprised of a hook member 51
which is molded into a side of the portable case. The hook member
is desirably formed in the shape of a one-quarter circle. The hook
member 51 mates with a locking ring member 53. The locking ring
member 53 is mounted on hinge member 54 which is rotatably mounted
to the side of the case opposite the side to which the hook is attached.
This detachable latch member 26 will be recognized by those skilled
in the art as a latch which is widely used. It is easily recognized
that any alternate design for the detachable latch will operate
equally as well. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention
the entire portable litter box and travel case of the present invention
is formed from molded plastic.
In a preferred embodiment the sidewalls of the carrying case and
litter box may be decorated with colorful designs which disguise
the carrying case so that it is not recognized as being a litter
box Alternatively the designs may decorate the travel case with
pictures of cats and the like.
The present invention is subject to many variations modifications
and changes in detail. It is intended that all matter described
throughout the specification an shown in the accompanying drawings
be considered illustrative only. Accordingly, it is intended that
the invention be limied only by the spirit scope of the appended
claims. |