Abstract:
A touchless disposable pet feces device is a clamshell-type device that provides a simple, civilized way to pick up animal feces—thus meeting a basic need for improved sanitation in populated areas. The touchless disposable pet feces device eliminates the unpleasant tactile feel of picking up pet feces by hand. With a pair of handles on one end and a plurality of curved tines on the other end with a hinge powered by a spring or rubber band in the middle, the user can squeeze the handles together to open up the curved tines, center the curved tines over pet feces, and release the pressure on the handles allowing the spring or rubber band to close the curved tines around the feces. Because the touchless disposable pet feces device is designed and made of low cost materials it can then be disposed of after a single use.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/145,872 filed on Apr. 10, 2015 and titled “Touchless Disposable Pet Feces Device” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all that is taught and disclosed therein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     Disposal of pet feces, particularly dog feces, is a growing concern in communities across the country and around the world. This disclosure describes a unique and safe way to pick up and dispose of dog and other pet feces. 
     SUMMARY 
     This Summary is provided to introduce in a simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     The detailed description below describes a touchless disposable pet feces device. The solution described below enables the use of a touchless disposable pet feces device. 
     As used herein, “at least one,” “one or more,” and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together. When each one of A, B, and C in the above expressions refers to an element, such as X, Y, and Z, or class of elements, such as X1-Xm, Y1-Yn, and Z1-Zo, the phrase is intended to refer to a single element selected from X, Y, and Z, a combination of elements selected from the same class (e.g., X1 and X2) as well as a combination of elements selected from two or more classes (e.g., Y1 and Z3). 
     It is to be noted that the term “a entity” or “an entity” refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more,” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” can be used interchangeably. 
     The term “means” as used herein shall be given its broadest possible interpretation in accordance with 35 U.S.C., Section 112, Paragraph 6. Accordingly, a claim incorporating the term “means” shall cover all structures, materials, or acts set forth herein, and all of the equivalents thereof. Further, the structures, materials or acts and the equivalents thereof, shall include all those described in the summary of the invention, brief description of the drawings, detailed description, abstract, and claims themselves. 
     The United States has an estimated dog population of over 83 million, and large U.S. cities have dog populations in the hundreds of thousands. New York City, for example, is estimated to have over 500,000 dogs. Similar situations exist in many countries around the world. 
     Like human feces, dog feces can cause sickness in humans when not disposed of properly. Dog feces contain parasites, bacteria, and viruses. When feces are left to decompose and are not picked up, they wash off into runoff water in cities and contaminate nearby bodies of water. According to the US Environmental Protections Agency, just 100 dogs can contribute enough bacteria, nitrogen, and phosphorus to close 20 miles of a bay-watershed to swimming and shell fishing. 
     Many dog owners do not pick up their pet&#39;s feces. While these reasons have been studied, the distasteful nature of this task likely contributes to owner&#39;s reluctance to pick up their pet&#39;s feces. What is needed in the art is a device that eliminates the distastefulness and improves the ease and frequency with which owners pick up their pet&#39;s waste. The touchless disposable pet feces device eliminates this barrier to cleanup of pet waste by eliminating the distasteful tactile sensation associated with picking up pet feces by hand. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  shows a front view of the female half in an embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  shows a side view of the female half in an embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1C  shows a perspective view of the female half in an embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1D  shows a front view of the male half in an embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1E  shows a side view of the male half in an embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1F  shows a perspective view of the male half in an embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1G  shows a front view of an assembled female half and male half in an embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1H  shows a side view of an assembled female half and male half in an embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1I  shows a perspective view of an assembled female half and male half in an embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  shows a perspective view of an assembled female half and male half showing a spring and the male and female halves in the closed position in an embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  shows a perspective view of an assembled female half and male half showing a spring and the male and female halves in the open position in an embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3A  shows two assembled devices side-by-side prior to nesting in an embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3B  shows two assembled devices nested together in an embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 4A through 4D  show a method of using the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 5A through 5F  show an alternate method of using the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  show another embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  shows another embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  shows another embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     To assist in the understanding of the present disclosure the following list of components and associated numbering found in the drawings is provided herein: 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Table of Components 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Component 
                 # 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 female half 
                     2/2′ 
               
               
                   
                 male half 
                     4/4′ 
               
               
                   
                 curved tines 
                 6A/6B 
               
               
                   
                 hinge portion tabs 
                 8A/8B 
               
               
                   
                   
                 8A′/8B′ 
               
               
                   
                 spring 
                 10 
               
               
                   
                 handle portions 
                 12A/12B 
               
               
                   
                   
                 12A′/12B′ 
               
               
                   
                   
                 12A″/12B″ 
               
               
                   
                 feces 
                 14 
               
               
                   
                 stops 
                 16A/16B 
               
               
                   
                   
                 16A′/16B′ 
               
               
                   
                 short distance 
                 18 
               
               
                   
                 side bars 
                 20A/20B 
               
               
                   
                 middle curved tines 
                 22A/22B 
               
               
                   
                 nibs 
                 24A/24B 
               
               
                   
                 hole 
                 26 
               
               
                   
                 nub 
                 28 
               
               
                   
                 voids 
                 30 
               
               
                   
                 bag 
                 32 
               
               
                   
                 levered spring 
                 34 
               
               
                   
                 rod 
                 36 
               
               
                   
                 first arm 
                 38 
               
               
                   
                 second arm 
                 40 
               
               
                   
                 rubber band 
                 42 
               
               
                   
                 L-prongs 
                 44A/44B 
               
               
                   
                 bags 
                 46A/46B 
               
               
                   
                 device 
                 100  
               
               
                   
                   
                 100′  
               
               
                   
                   
                 100″ 
               
               
                   
                   
                     100′″ 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The touchless disposable pet feces device is a clamshell-type device which is made of a minimal amount of inexpensive materials to allow for disposal after a single use. Alternately, the device can be made of a stronger material with thicker dimensions to allow for large volume collection and cleaning for reuse by feces collection systems. Materials that may be utilized in the manufacture of the device include plastics, recycled plastics, corn-based and other sustainable or degradable materials, including pulp-based materials. The device may be manufactured utilizing a standard injection molding process. One or two small plastic bags may be attached to the clamshell-type device to increase the storage capacity of the touchless disposable pet feces device. 
     Referring now to the Figures, like reference numerals and names refer to structurally and/or functionally similar elements thereof, and if objects depicted in the figures that are covered by another object, as well as the tag line for the element number thereto, may be shown in dashed lines.  FIGS. 1A-1I  show various views of a touchless disposable pet feces device. Referring now to  FIGS. 1A-1I , the touchless disposable pet feces device  100  consists of two halves, a female half  2  shown in  FIGS. 1A-1C , and a male half  4  shown in  FIGS. 1D-1F . The two halves  2 / 4  are fashioned roughly as clamshells facing each other, with a plurality of curved tines  6 A/ 6 B. The two halves  2 / 4  are connected together at a movable hinge portion tabs  8 A/ 8 B. A spring  10  holds the two halves  2 / 4  in the closed position as shown in  FIG. 2A . The spring  10  is not shown in  FIGS. 1A-1I  for clarity in viewing the structure of the two halves  2 / 4 . 
       FIGS. 1G-1I  show the two halves  2 / 4  assembled together. Each of the two halves  2 / 4  have a handle portion  12 A/ 12 B on the other side of the hinge portion tabs  8 A/ 8 B from the clamshells which are used to open and close the device  100 . The user squeezes the two handles  12 A/ 12 B toward each other, which opens the clamshells on the opposite side of the hinge portion tabs  8 A/ 8 B as shown in  FIG. 2B . The user opens the clamshells with the two handles  12 A/ 12 B and positions the separated curved tines  6 A/ 6 B over the pet feces  14  (as shown in  FIG. 4A ) and then lightens their grip on the two handles  12 A/ 12 B, allowing the spring  10  to close the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B around the pet feces  14  (as shown in  FIGS. 4B-4D ), capturing the feces  14  within the device  100 . The curvature of the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B forming the clamshells of the device  100  allow for an adequately sized enclosed volume to retain the dog feces  14 . In addition, the device  100  can be manufactured in different overall sizes (length, width, and height) to accommodate small dog feces, medium size dog feces, and large dog feces. The device can also be used to pick up feces for other animals besides dogs. 
     Each female half  2  and male half  4  have a pair of stops  16 A/ 16 B on their interior sides that come in contact and abut with each other in the closed position. These stops  16 A/ 16 B prevent the clamshells from closing completely and thus eliminating the desired enclosed volume. In another embodiment, each female half  2  and male half  4  have only one stop that come in contact with and abut each other. As best seen in  FIGS. 1I, 2A, 4C, and 4D , in the closed position the tips of the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B overlap each other a short distance  18  ensuring that the feces  14  cannot fall out. 
     Further, the pair of side bars  20 A/ 20 B on each outer end of the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B of the two halves  2 / 4  provide a crisscross barrier to prevent the feces  14  from falling out of either end of the device  100  when the device  100  is in the closed position. In different embodiments, there may be fewer than two or more than two side bars on each outer end of the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B. The side bars  20 A/ 20 B are not shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  for clarity in observing opening and closing action and the spring  10 . The device  100 , with the feces  14  contained inside, is disposed into the nearest pet waste container, trash can, dumpster, etc. 
     On each male half  2  and female half  4 , a middle curved tine  22 A/ 22 B has a pair of nibs  24 A/ 24 B located on either side of the middle curved tine  22 A/ 22 B. A first looped end of the spring  10  is placed between the nibs  24 A and the handle portion  12 A of the middle curved tine  22 A, and a second looped end of the spring  10  is placed between the nibs  24 B and the handle portion  12 B of the middle curved tine  22 B. These nibs  24 A/ 24 B keep the spring  10  in the proper position to effectuate opening and closing of the two halves  2 / 4 . The design of the nibs  24 A/ 24 B on the two middle curved tines  22 A/ 22 B allow for ease of assembly while providing a secure attachment mechanism for the spring  10 . The spring  10  used for closing the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B of the device  100  are designed with sufficient force to be able to move through grass and dirt and to lift and capture the feces  14  inside the enclosed volume of the device  100 . 
     The design of the hinge portion tabs  8 A/ 8 B facilitates easy assembly. The female half  2  has a pair of hinge portion tabs  8 A separated from each other by a short distance, with each hinge portion tab  8 A having a hole  26  therein symmetrical to each other, a mirror image of each other. In one embodiment, a tapered slot leads from the front edge to the holes. The male half  4  has a pair of hinge portion tabs  8 B separated from each other by a shorter distance than the hinge portion tabs  8 A on the female half  2 . Each of the hinge portion tabs  8 B have a protruding nub  28  on their outward faces, a mirror image of each other, that mate and align with the two holes  26  on the hinge portion tabs  8 A of the female half  2 . The two halves  2 / 4  snap together when the hinge portion tabs  8 B of the male half  4  are pushed in between the hinge portion tabs  8 A of the female half  2 . The two nubs  28  on the hinge portion tabs  8 B of the male half  4  cause the hinge portion tabs  8 A on the female half  2  to open up due to the elasticity of the material from which the two halves  2 / 4  are made. When the two nubs  28  align with the two holes  26 , the hinge portion tabs  8 A of the female half  2  and the hinge portion tabs  8 B of the male half  4  snap back to their unstressed positions and lock the two halves  2 / 4  together. 
     The handle portions  12 A/ 12 B of the two halves  2 / 4  have a void pattern to minimize the amount of material needed to form the device  100 . This helps reduce the cost of manufacture. The voids  30  are also designed to allow the devices  100  to be overlapping and clip onto one another in a nesting fashion. The packaging to ship and sell the devices  100  can thus be smaller since the nested devices take up less space, which also reduces costs.  FIG. 3A  shows two devices  100  side by side before they are overlapped and nested together.  FIG. 3B  shows the two devices  100  overlapped and nested together. The curved tines  6 A/ 6 B of the device  100  on the right fit through the voids  30  in the two handle portions  12 A/ 12 B of the device  100  on the left, with the two handle portions  12 A/ 12 B of the device  100  on the left nested inside the enclosed volume of the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B of the device  100  on the right. A next device  100  can be attached to the second device  100  on the right, forming a three-device  100  nested group. Additional devices  100  can be attached further to the right up to the desired number of devices  100  for a particular package. For example, the devices  100  may be sold in packs of two, three, four, five, six, etc. up to an upper limit that may be based upon considerations of shipping costs and packaging costs. 
       FIGS. 4A through 4D  show a method of using the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. The method begins in  FIG. 4A  where the user squeezes the handle portions  12 A/ 12 B together which opens up the device  100  and positions the opening over the feces  14 . In  FIG. 4B  the user begins to loosen the grip on the handles which begins to close the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B around the feces  14 . In  FIG. 4C  the user has fully loosened the grip on the handle portions  12 A/ 12 B which closes the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B around the feces  14 , capturing the feces  14  in the enclosed volume. In  FIG. 4D , the user has lifted the device  100  off of the ground and can dispose of the device  100  and the feces  14  in the nearest waste container. 
       FIGS. 5A through 5F  show an alternate method of using the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. The method begins in  FIG. 5A  where the user has placed a first hand inside of a bag  32  and then grasps the handle portions  12 A/ 12 B of the device  100  with the fingers of the first hand that is inside of the bag  32 . In  FIG. 5B  the user squeezes the handle portions  12 A/ 12 B together which opens up the device  100  and positions the opening over the feces  14 . In  FIG. 5C  the user has fully loosened the grip on the handle portions  12 A/ 12 B which closes the device  100  around the feces  14 , capturing the feces  14  in the enclosed volume. The user has also inserted a second hand inside the bag  32 . In  FIG. 5D , the user has lifted the device  100  off of the ground and begins to slide the bag with the second hand down towards the first hand and the device  100 . In  FIG. 5E , the user with the second hand gathers up the open edges of the bag  32  together. In  FIG. 5F , the user has removed the first hand and holds the bag with the second hand. The device  100  is contained within the bag  32  and the user can dispose of the bag  32  with the device  100  and the feces  14  inside in the nearest waste container. This approach would likely be preferred when the user knows that no waste containers will likely be nearby, such as when walking a dog in a park or nature trail, or on residential neighborhood streets. 
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  show another embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. Referring now to  FIG. 6A , a top view of the device  100 ′ is shown with a levered spring  34  located in a different position compared to device  100 . Instead of being internal within the enclosed volume, the levered spring  34  is located just above the enclosed volume and below the handle portions  12 A′/ 12 B′.  FIG. 6B  shows an enlarged view of the levered spring  34  and the mounting features. The female half  2 ′ and the male half  4 ′ have hinge portion tabs  8 A′/ 8 B′ that mate with each other and have a space between them. A small rod  36  passes through the hinge portion tabs  8 A′/ 8 B′. The levered spring  34  is placed into the space and the rod  36  passes through the center of the levered spring  34 . The levered spring  34  has a first arm  38  and second arm  40 , each arm  38 / 40  resting against one of the handle portions  12 A′/ 12 B′. The rod  36  within the hinge portion tabs  8 A′/ 8 B′ allows for rotation about rod  36 . Squeezing the handle portions  12 A′/ 12 B′ together against the force of the levered spring  34  opens up the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B. By releasing pressure on the handle portions  12 A′/ 12 B′ the force of the levered spring  34  will cause the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B to close. The method of using this embodiment of the invention is the same as described above in  FIGS. 4A through 4D  and  FIGS. 5A through 5F . 
       FIG. 7  shows another embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a perspective view of the device  100 ″ in an open position is shown that uses a rubber band  42  instead of spring  10  or levered spring  34  of devices  100 / 100 ′. The rubber band  42  is located internally just above the enclosed volume and below the handle portions  12 A″/ 12 B″. The female half  2 ″ and the male half  4 ″ have hinge portion tabs  8 A/ 8 B like that shown in  FIGS. 1A-1I  that mate with each other. Female half  2 ″ has two L-prongs  44 A and male half  4 ″ also has two L-prongs  44 B located on a lower portion of the handle portions  12 A″/ 12 B″. The rubber band  42  is positioned around each of the L-prongs  44 A/ 44 B. Stops  16 A′/ 16 B′ are located in a slightly different position than those shown in device  100  but serve the same purpose. Squeezing the handle portions  12 A″/ 12 B″ together against the force of the rubber band  42  opens up the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B. By releasing pressure on the handle portions  12 A″/ 12 B″ the force of the rubber band  42  will cause the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B to close. The method of using this embodiment of the invention is the same as described above in  FIGS. 4A through 4D  and  FIGS. 5A through 5F . 
       FIG. 8  shows another embodiment of the touchless disposable pet feces device of the present invention. Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a perspective view of the device  100 ″′ in an open position is shown. In this embodiment, a portion of the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B on the outermost side have been removed, creating an opening through the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B. Bags  46 A/ 46 B each have an opening that is mated to the opening in the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B. The opening of bags  46 A/ 46 B are sealed to the opening in curved tines  6 A/ 6 B. This is accomplished with a hot glue gun or an adhesive that adheres the bags  46 A/ 46 B to the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B. The volume created by each of the bags  46 A/ 46 B is comparable to the volume contained between the curved tines  6 A/ 6 B. Feces  14  are picked up as described above, and device  100 ″′ can be tilted or shaken side-to-side to cause the feces  14  to fall into the bags  46 A/ 46 B. Bag  46 A can be filled with feces  14 , then bag  46 B can be filled with feces  14 , and finally the open volume within device  100 ″′ can be filled with feces  14 . Thus, nearly three times as much feces  14  can be collected with one device  100 ″′ as compared to devices  100 / 100 ′/ 100 ″. 
     Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the disclosed subject matter.