Abstrict A cat litter screening device which includes two planar bottom
panels of a mesh material with foramen sized to pass the litter
but which traps substantially all fecal matter. The bottom panels
are pivoted together along a central axis and lift means are attached
to the sides for moving the panels up and down through the litter.
The lift means include handles and side panels which are also of
a mesh material. In one embodiment the handles are rigid. In another
embodiment lock means is provided by which the handles can be moved
to a first position down and away from the sides of the litter box
and to a second position where they are locked for applying force
to move the bottom panels up and down through the litter.
Claims What is claimed is:
1. A device for removing fecal matter from cat litter contained
in a litter box, comprising the combination of at least two planar
bottom panels, each panel having a pair of spaced-apart side edges
and a pair of spaced-apart end edges which extend orthogonal to
said side edges to form a generally rectangular configuration, means
forming a plurality of screen-like foramen in each panel, said foramen
being sized to permit passage therethrough of the litter while occluding
passage of a substantial portion of the fecal matter, said bottom
panels being positioned in side-by-side relationship with a side
edge of one bottom panel being adjacent to a side edge of the other
bottom panel, hinge means for connecting said adjacent side edges
of the panels together for pivotal movement about a central axis,
lift means attached to each panel at the side edges thereof remote
from the central axis for moving the panels down through the litter
toward the bottom of the box, for lifting the panels up through
the litter and away from the box while carrying fecal matter trapped
by the foramen and for disposing of fecal matter carried by the
panels, said end edges being coextensive with the plane of their
respective bottom panel whereby when the device is tipped to move
either of the end edges downwardly the discharge of fecal matter
from the bottom panels over the end edges is unrestricted.
2. A device as in claim 1 in which the lift means includes planar
side panels and means forming a plurality of screen-like foramen
in each side panel, said foramen of the side panels being sized
to permit passage therethrough of the litter while occluding passage
of a substantial portion of the fecal matter.
3. A device as in claim 2 in which the lift means includes handles
attached to and extending distally from respective side panels.
4. A device as in claim 3 in which each handle comprises an elongate
grip portion extending between a pair of support rods, said support
rods extending outwardly from respective ends of the side panels.
5. A device as in claim 4 in which each support rod includes pivot
means for selectively pivoting the distal end of the grip portion
to a first position down and away from the respective side panel
when the device is disposed within the litter box and to a second
position in which the distal end of the grip portion is above the
respective side panel for moving the device toward and away from
the box.
6. A device as in claim 5 in which said pivot means includes means
for locking each grip portion relative to a respective side panel
in the second position.
7. A device as in claim 1 which includes pivot means for connecting
each lift means to the outer edge of a respective bottom panel for
pivotal movement about axes parallel to the central axis.
8. A device as in claim 7 in which said lift means includes planar
side panels and means forming a plurality of screen-like foramen
in each side panel, said foramen of the side panels being sized
to permit passage therethrough of the litter while occluding passage
of a substantial portion of the fecal matter.
9. A device as in claim 8 in which said lift means includes handles
attached to and extending distally from respective side panels.
10. A device as in claim 9 in which each handle comprises an elongate
grip portion extending between a pair of support rods, said support
rods extending outwardly from respective ends of the side panels.
11. A device as in claim 10 in which said pivot means selectively
pivots the distal end of the grip portion to a first position down
and away from the respective side panel when the device is disposed
within the litter box and to a second position in which the distal
end of the grip portion is above the respective side panel for moving
the device toward and away from the box.
12. A device as in claim 11 in which said pivot means includes
means for locking each grip portion relative to a respective side
panel in the second position.
Description This invention relates in general to cat litter boxes and in particular
to the screening and disposal of fecal matter from cat litter.
Households having indoor cats as pets are faced with the problem
of periodically cleaning the litter in cat litter boxes. Among the
devices conventionally used for this purpose are spoons, trowels
and small shovels. Special devices sold in pet stores include plastic
shovels or sieves formed with narrow slots which collect the fecal
matter as the shovel blade is pushed through the litter. These conventional
spoons, trowels, shovels and other devices have a number of disadvantages
and drawbacks. Thus, many pet owners, especially the elderly, find
it difficult to use the spoons, trowels and shovels to pick up fecal
matter from the litter box. The soiled spoons, trowels and shovels
are also unsightly when stored near the litter box. Oftentimes the
use of these conventional devices results in some of the fecal matter
being inadvertently left in the litter. This problem in turn increases
the risk of infection from toxoplasmosis to pregnant women, a disease
which is known to be prevalent where cat fecal matter is not properly
disposed of.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
new and improved cat litter screening device which obviates many
of the disadvantages and drawbacks of present screening devices.
Another object is to provide a screening device of the type described
which is embedded in situ beneath the surface of the litter in the
box for use by the cat and in which the fecal matter is collected
and disposed of by lifting the device clear of the litter.
Another object is to provide a cat litter screening device of the
type described which is more easy to use than conventional devices,
which does not present an unsightly appearance when in use, which
is reusable, which stirs up the gravel more completely for more
effective urine absorption and which more completely cleans the
litter of fecal matter to thereby minimize the risk of infection
from diseases such as toxoplasmosis.
The invention in summary comprises at least two planar bottom panels
having screen-like foramen which are of a size permitting passage
of litter while occluding passage of a substantial portion of the
fecal matter. The bottom panels are hinged together along a central
axis and lift means are attached to the sides of each panel. For
cleaning the litter box the pet owner pulls up on the lift means
which causes the panels to move up through the litter while folding
together to trap fecal matter which is then carried by the device
for disposal in a trash can or other suitable receptable.
The foregoing and additional objects and features of the invention
will appear from the following specification in which the several
embodiments have been set forth in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the screening device incorporating
one embodiment of the invention shown disposed above a cat litter
box.
FIG. 2 is a lateral cross-section view of the screening device
of FIG. 1 shown embedded in the litter of the box.
FIG. 3 is a cross-section view similar to FIG. 2 showing the device
at a position lifted above the litter.
FIG. 4 is a partial elevational view to an enlarged scale of another
embodiment providing a lockable lift means showing the handle locked
in the upright position.
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the handle unlocked
and pivoted to its lower position.
In the drawings FIGS. 1-3 illustrate generally at 10 a cat litter
screening device according to one preferred embodiment of the invention
for use with a litter box 58 of the type typically employed in households
having indoor cats as pets. Device 10 is comprised of at least two
planar bottom panels 12 14 which are of generally rectangular configuration.
Each of the panels has a large plurality of foramen 16 of a square,
circular or oval shape and with a mean diameter of a size which
permits the cat litter to pass through the foramen while occluding
passage of a substantial portion of the fecal matter. Preferably
the mean diameter of the foramen is on the order of 1/2". The
bottom panels advantageously can be formed of a metal screen or
other mesh material in which reticulated cross wires form rectangular
or square foramen, as illustrated in the preferred embodiment shown
in FIG. 1. The bottom panels are connected together for pivotal
movement about a central axis by suitable hinge means 18. A piano
wire-type hinge or other suitable pivot connection can be employed
for hinge means 18.
At the sides of each bottom panel remote from the central axis
lift means 20 22 are provided for use in manually pressing the
bottom panels down into the litter and for lifting the panels outwardly
and away from the box. Each lift means comprises planar side panels
24 26 which are pivotally connected to the side edges of the bottom
panels by a suitable pivot connection 28 30 which can be piano
wire-type hinges. Each of the lift means further includes handles
32 34 which are attached to and extend distally from the side panels.
Each handle comprises an elongate grip portion 36 38 which extends
between and is joined integrally with support rods 40 40', and
42 42' through bight portions 44 and 46. The proximal ends of the
support rods form the sides of panels 24 and 26. Each side panel
is formed with a plurality of screen-like foramen 48 50 of a mean
diameter size comparable to the size of bottom panel foramen 16.
Grip coverings 52 54 are mounted along the midspan of each of
the handles for the pet owner to grasp while using the device. Preferably
the grip coverings are formed of a suitable smooth, hard surface
plastics material which is sanitary and resists soiling.
In the operation and use of screening device 10 the first step
is to embed the device down beneath the surface of the litter 56
in the box 58. To accomplish this the pet owner grasps and separates
the two handles 32 35 to spread the bottom panels 12 and 14 open
into a generally flat configuration as illustrated in FIG. 1. Holding
the device over the box the bottom panels are forced down through
the litter by pressing down on the handles until the panels move
closely adjacent to the inside bottom of the box at the position
shown in FIG. 2. After the box is used by the cat the pet owner
pulls upwardly on the handles to move the panels up through the
litter and away from the box. Fecal matter 60 in the litter is trapped
by the foramen and carried upwardly with the panels. During the
same upward motion the handles can be moved toward each other permitting
the bottom panels to fold together for constraining the trapped
fecal matter in the manner shown in FIG. 3. The device is then carried
to the trash can or other suitable receptable where the handles
are tipped toward one end so that the bottom panels form a trough
for pouring the fecal matter into the receptacle. The screening
device is then taken back to the litter box and re-embedded down
into the litter for the next cycle of use.
FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate another embodiment of the invention which
incorporates two-position lockable lift means 64. In this embodiment
the bottom and side panels can be constructed in accordance with
the embodiment of FIG. 1 with lockable lift means on each side panel.
The two lift means are of mirror-image construction and it will
suffice to describe the lift means 64 on only one of the sides.
The lockable lift means is comprised of a handle 66 having an elongate
grip portion, not shown, similar to the grip portion of the embodiment
of FIG. 1 and which extends between and is carried by a pair of
support rods, one of which is shown at 68 in FIGS. 4 and 5. The
lower end of support rod 68 terminates in an enlarged portion 70
which projects at an acute angle with respect to the upper portion
72 of the rod. The distal end of a rod 74 which extends upwardly
from the side panel is positioned adjacent the enlarged portion
70 at the respective end of the handle. A pair of rivets 76 78
having enlarged heads are mounted in vertically spaced positions
and extend horizontally outwardly from one side of each rod 74.
Axially aligned slots 80 82 are formed in enlarged portion 70 with
the lower slot 82 sized to slidably fit about the shank of lower
river 78. Upper slot 80 is of a longer length and is sized to slidably
fit about the shank of the upper rivet 76. At the mid-portion of
the upper slot a side opening 84 is formed of a size which permits
through movement of the shank of the upper rivet.
In the operation of the lockable lift means 64 handle 66 is moved
to the second or locked position as shown in FIG. 4 when it is desired
to either move the screening device down into or lift it from the
litter. In the locked position lower rivet 78 is located at the
upper end of slot 82 while upper rivet 76 is at the upper end of
slot 80 thereby preventing the handle from pivoting in either direction.
In this locked position a downward force on the handle carries through
the lift means and transfers to rod ends 74 for forcing the bottom
panels down through the litter. When the bottom panels reach the
desired positions below the litter the handles are pulled upwardly
a short distance until side openings 84 are aligned with the upper
rivets. The handles are then pivoted outwardly about the lower rivets
with the shanks of the upper rivets clearing the opening to unlock
the handles. The handles continue to pivot downwardly to the unlocked
first position lying over the upper edge of litter box 58 as shown
in FIG. 5. The handles thereby lie at positions clear of the box
to permit free access by the animal. The handles can easily be relocked
for screening the litter by pivoting both handles upwardly to positions
where the upper rivets are again within the upper slots. Upward
force is then applied to the handles which are moved upwardly to
positions where the upper and lower rivets are disposed adjacent
the lower ends of the respective slots. In this position the handles
are locked rigid against pivotal movement permitting continued upward
force to move the bottom panels up and clear from the litter.
The operation of the cat litter screening device of the present
embodiments permits the cat owner to screen the litter faster than
by shoveling with a trowel or other hand-operated sieve. This is
because the fecal matter can be screened and removed from the litter
by the single step of merely pulling the handles upwardly from the
box and then pouring the trapped fecal matter into the receptable.
The device can then be rapidly embedded in the litter box by using
the handles to push the panels down through the litter in one motion.
Both steps of removal and replacement of the device also function
to stir up the litter to promote more effective urine absorption.
The screening device of the invention is reusable and can be easily
cleaned by periodically spraying with water from a hose. The device
of the invention also does not present an unsightly appearance when
in use because all portions except the handles are concealed by
the litter. Because the size of the combined bottom panels is commensurate
with the size of the litter box substantially all of the fecal matter
is screened out by one removal step. The result is that the litter
stays fresher for a longer period of time, which is more economical
for the pet owner. Because the present invention makes it possible
to keep the litter box cleaner another important result is that
the risk of toxoplasmosis infection is minimized, which in turn
means that the invention is relatively safer for those especially
susceptible to the infection such as pregnant women.
While the foregoing embodiments are at present considered to be
preferred it is understood that numerous variations and modifications
may be made therein by those skilled in the art and it is intended
to cover in the appended claims all such variations and modifications
as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. |