Abstract:
The disclosure is directed to a sanitary collapsible pet waste retrieval and storage device that is simple and easy to operate. The device includes a bag and a pair of panels attached to opposing sides of the bag. The panels and bag are sized and configured such that rotating and moving scraping edges of the panels together scoops waste into the bag and positions the scraping edges within the bag.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This disclosure relates to retrieval and disposal devices for pet feces. In particular, the disclosure is directed to modified bags that can be conveniently used to sanitarily pick up and store pet feces until ultimate disposal.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Studies have shown that pet waste that is not picked up and properly disposed of presents environmental and health and safety problems. To combat these problems, many municipalities have introduced ordinances requiring that pet owners retrieve and properly dispose of the their pet&#39;s feces. Such ordinances have motivated the development of devices for individuals to conveniently satisfy this obligation.  
         [0003]     Ordinary plastic bags have been widely used to pick up and temporarily store pet feces. One common method of using standard plastic bags to accomplish this task while avoiding direct physical contact between one&#39;s hand and the feces is to place the bag over one&#39;s hand, grab the feces such that the bag is positioned between one&#39;s hand and the feces, and invert the bag so that the feces are contained within the bag. A disadvantage of using an ordinary plastic bag in the above-described manner is that even thought the feces never directly contact the user&#39;s hand, the waste must nonetheless be grasped with the fingers, which is highly distasteful for many individuals. In addition, if the waste is soft, it can be difficult to completely remove all the waste from the grass and other ground surfaces. Therefore, there is a need for improved pet waste retrieval and storage devices that provide a unique method of retrieval that takes into consideration the challenges of environmental and health concerns that pet feces retrieval and disposal presents.  
         [0004]     Unfortunately, many of the known devices developed for this purpose include complicated and cumbersome structural features that make them difficult to carry when walking a pet and thus are not widely used. Other devices leave offensive material exposed on external surfaces of the device after the removal operation is performed. Still other devices include non-disposable contaminated portions that require unpleasant cleaning to minimize the health and safety risk associated with the use and storage of feces contaminated devices.  
         [0005]     Accordingly, there is a need for a device that is convenient to carry before and after use while walking one&#39;s pet, that is simple to use and easy to manufacture, which would insulate the user from contact with the feces and/or any parts of the device that could have contacted the feces.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     The disclosure is directed at a device for collecting and storing pet feces that includes: a bag constructed of a flexible sheet material that includes an open end and a closed end; and a pair of opposed panels connected to the bag at the open end, wherein the panels have a width equaling less than or equal to half of the length of the periphery edge and are configured such that they can conveniently be used to scrape the bag against the contaminated surface thereby scooping feces into the bag. The present disclosure is also directed at manufacturing the same and features of enclosing the contamination edges within the bag for handling and transport. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the several views:  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pet waste retrieval and storage bag shown in an open state;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the pet waste retrieval and storage bag of  FIG. 1  shown in a closed state;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the pet waste retrieval and storage bag of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the pet waste retrieval and storage bag of  FIG. 1  during one phase of the manufacturing process;  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a pet waste retrieval and storage bag shown in an open state;  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of the pet waste retrieval and storage bag of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the pet waste retrieval and storage bag of  FIG. 6  shown in a closed state; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a pet waste retrieval and storage bag  1  configured according to the present invention. The pet waste retrieval and storage bag  1  includes a bag  10  and a pair of panels  30  and  40  attached thereto. In the embodiment shown, the bag is constructed of a flexible plastic and the panels  30  and  40  are constructed of corrugated cardboard. It should be understood that many alternative materials can be employed, some of which will be discussed in more detail below.  
         [0018]     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , the bag  10  includes a first major side surface  20  and a second major side surface  18  that are connected together. The bag  10  also includes a closed end  12  and an open end  14 . The side walls at the opening are folded over to form two flaps  22  and  24  and a peripheral edge  16  that defines the opening into the inner cavity of the bag. The flaps  24  and  22  are shown as turned up portions of the bag  10  that are adhered to lower portions  31  and  41  of the panels  30  and  40 , respectively. More specific details regarding the interface between the panels  30  and  40  and the bag  10  are discussed in greater detail below.  
         [0019]     The panels  30  and  40  include inside surfaces  33  and  43  and outside surfaces  35  and  45 , respectively. The panels  30 ,  40  include first end portions  31  and  41  (also referred to as lower portions), second end portions  32  and  42  (also referred to as upper portions), and locking mechanisms  34  and  44  disposed at the second end portions  32  and  42 . The inside and outside surfaces  33 ,  35  of the panel  30  at the first end portion  31  are attached to the first major surface  20  of the bag  10 . Likewise, the inside and outside surfaces  43 ,  45  of the panel  40  at the first end portion  41  are adhered to the first major surface  18  of the bag  10 . The panels  30  and  40  have a width Wp that is less than or equal to half of the length Lp of the peripheral edge  16  (see  FIG. 4 ). In the embodiment shown, the length Lp of the periphery edge  16  is equal to twice the width Wb of the primary surface  20  of the bag  10 . In the embodiment shown, the difference between the width Wb of the primary surface  20  or  18  and the width Wp of the panel  30  or  40  is approximately the width Wo of the opening at the open end  16  of the bag  10 .  
         [0020]     In use, the bag  10  is positioned by grasping the panels  30 ,  40  such that the open end  14  of the bag  10  is centered over the waste  50  and end portions  32 ,  42  of the panels  30 ,  40  are positioned towards the closed end  12  of the bag. The scraping edges  36  and  46  as shown in  FIG. 1  of the lower portions  31  and  41  of the bag  10  can be used to press the bag  10  against the contaminated surface S such that simultaneously rotating and moving together the first panel  30  and the second panel  40  in the direction shown by arrows  3  and  4  moves the edges  37  and  47  towards one another so as to engage and lift the waste  50  into the open end  14  of the bag  10 . Alternatively, one panel can be held stationary while the other is moved towards the stationary panel to scrape feces into the inner cavity of the bag  10 .  
         [0021]     Once the waste  50  is in the bag  10 , the pet waste retrieval and storage bag  1  can be flipped over as shown in  FIG. 2 . Flipping bag  10  from the position shown in  FIG. 1  to the position shown in  FIG. 2  causes the waste  50  to move from the open end  14  of the bag  10  to the closed end  12  of the bag  10 . In the flipping process the user can continue to rotate the panels  30 ,  40  until they are engaged, thus closing the open end of the bag  10 . Once closed, the lower portions  31 ,  41  of the panels  30 ,  40  are disposed within the bag.  
         [0022]     Now referring to  FIG. 2 , a pet waste retrieval and storage bag  1  containing a piece of waste  50  is shown in a closed state. In the closed state, the first panel  30  is shown positioned adjacent the second panel  40  such that the outside surface  35  of the first panel  30  and the outside surface  45  of the second panel  40  are adjacent each other. The second ends  32 ,  42  of the first and second panels  30 ,  40  are disposed away from the bag  10  and, as discussed above, the first ends or lower ends  31  and  41  are disposed within the bag  10 . The orientation described above where the second ends  32  and  42  are internal to the pet waste retrieve and storage bag  1  is preferred because the portions of the bag  10  located at the lower ends  31  and  41  of the panels  30  and  40  are likely to be contaminated by the waste  50  as a result of direct contact with the waste  50  during the scraping and scooping process described above.  
         [0023]     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the locking mechanism  38  is shown engaged. In the embodiment shown, the locking mechanism  38  is shown as tabs  34  and  44  that are partially cut portions located on the second end portions  32  and  42  of the panels  30  and  40 . The tabs  34  and  44  can be bent to one side or another in such a way that they engage and interlock to aid in keeping the open end  14  of the bag  10  closed.  
         [0024]     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the manufacturing process of the above-described pet waste retrieval and storage bag  1  is described in greater detail. Since the manufacturing process applicable for both sides of the pet waste retrieval and storage bag  1  is identical, the manufacturing step of only one side is described herein.  
         [0025]     In the embodiment shown, a score line  26  is made in the bag  10  to aid in folding. The open end  14  of the bag  10  is cut along the edges  17  and  19  up to the score line  26  to form the flap  24 . A panel  30  having a width Wp that is less than the width Wb of the bag  10  is positioned with its scraping edge  36  along the score line  26 . The portion of the inside surface  33  near the first end portion  31  is glued or fused to the bag  10 . The flap  24  is then folded towards the panel  30  and glued or fused to the portion of the outside surface  35  near the first end portion  31  of the panel  30 . The same process is repeated for the second side  18  of the bag  10  using the panel  40  to complete the assembly process resulting in the pet waste retrieval and storage bag  1  shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0026]     With respect to the material used to construct the pet waste retrieval and storage bag  1 , it should be appreciated that various different materials other than plastic can be used in the construction of the bag  10 . For example, the bag  10  could be constructed of paper, paper with a wax treatment, or a cloth material lined or coated with a plastic material. In addition, the bag  10  shown is a flat bag, however, it should be appreciated that the bag may include gussets. Similarly, it should be understood that many other materials other than corrugated cardboard can be used in the construction of the panels  30  and  40 . For example, the panels can include plastic, wood, or other composite constructions. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6-9 , the panels  65 ,  67  are shown constructed of plastic. The bag  70  shown in  FIGS. 6-8  also includes slits  60 . The slits  60  enable the corners  64  of the bag  70  to fold in toward each other when the bag  70  is in the closed position as shown in  FIGS. 8-9 .  
         [0027]     In addition, it should be understood that though in the embodiment shown the bag  10  includes only two major surfaces  20  and  18 , which are connected at their periphery edges, other embodiments may include additional intermediate side surfaces used to connect the first and second major side surfaces  20 ,  18  together.  
         [0028]     Moreover, it should be understood that in some embodiments, pet waste retrieval and storage bag  1  does not include flap portions  22 ,  24 . In these embodiments, the panels  30  and  40  are connected to the bag  10  only at their first major surfaces  33  and  43 . In addition, it should be understood that the panels  30  and  40  are not necessarily connected to the bag  10  with adhesives such as glue. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6-9 , the bag is fused or melted to the plastic panels  30 ,  40  along fuse line  62 . In other embodiments, the panels  30  and  40  can be, for example, stapled, taped, sewn, heat sealed, or clipped to the bag  10 . Numerous additional means to attach the bag  10  to the panels  30 ,  40  are possible.  
         [0029]     In some embodiments the device is sized to be conveniently carried in ones purse or pockets. In such embodiments, the bag can be folded over the panels such that the overall length and width dimensions of the device are substantially the same as the length and width dimensions of the panels. In some preferred embodiments each panel has a surface area of less than 100 square inches and more preferably each panel has a surface area of less than 36 square inches.  
         [0030]     The above specification, examples, and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.