Abstract:
An all-in one functional, hygienic, user/pet/environment secure (no contact with pet waste), highly user and pet adaptable pet waste catch, carry, and dispose tool kit with several unique features including its compact size for portability, ease of use for any size or physically limited user, adaptable to pet size and habits, usable with any kind of plastic bag, economically built with minimal parts and assembly, and hands free carrying of the tool, soiled plastic bags, and small items such as keys, gate keys, unused plastic bags, and treats in a multipurpose carry bag that can attach to leashes, belts, clothing, backpacks, purses, and wrists.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    Provisional Application No. 61/572983 Filing date Jul. 26, 2011 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention pertains to an all inclusive, functional, handy all in one combination pet waste catch tool and carry bag that provides unique enhancements of use, conscious motivation to pet owners of their pet and environment responsibility and greater convenience through its multiple options for usability, hands free carrying (especially used bags), its discreetness, a multipurpose carry bag, adaptability to individual and pet needs and preferences, economy, its hygienic safety factors and ease of use. 
       BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART OF PET WASTE TOOLS 
       [0003]    As a pet owner, the protection of my pet&#39;s health and well being as well as my community environment is a constant effort with the increase of pet population, contaminated environment and pet diseases. Despite civic efforts, community incentives such as bag dispensers and other services, many pet owners are reluctant to pick up after their pets. This reluctance is usually related to comfort, convenience, and cost factors. Understanding these underlying reasons and providing as many options as possible while reducing the stigma of contending with pet waste to a new perspective of social responsibility and a positive means to increase pet and environment safety, my invention can give pet owners, their pets, their community, and environment a new positive choice. 
         [0004]    Prior art relating to pet tools that catch animal waste into a bag before it touches any surface, have hands-free capability, have a carry bag, use cord stops or have an adjustable catch include U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,508; U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,575; U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,050; U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,129; U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,370; U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,533; U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,349; U.S. Pat. No. 7,090,268 B2; 2008/0017121 A1; 2009/0079211 A1; U.S. Pat. No. 7,950,707; 
         [0005]    My invention is a significant improvement over the prior art in: 
         [0006]    Its innovative all-in-one approach to pet waste collection whereby all necessary elements to pet waste collection can be carried hands free in one unit, through its unique sleek, compact size, its ease of use, its multipurpose carry bag, its versatility, its sensitivity to owner and pet habits, raising social awareness, and its convenience in its multiple functions. 
         [0007]    Shifting and maximizing social responsibility and legal directives of pet ownership in a positive, fun way as the invention is used. 
         [0008]    Its practical usability in simply and quickly adjusting to an owner&#39;s size, habits, and comfort with its sliding telescopic stick and its movable catch that can be easily angled as well as its use of most commercial plastic bags. 
         [0009]    Its facility to easily adjust to pet sizes, comfort, and habits such as when a pet moves during excreting especially to difficult terrain areas. 
         [0010]    Its compact size for easy portability and its ease of use promotes its usage which enhances environmental safety, social responsibility, and hygienic practices to safeguard against the spread of disease. 
         [0011]    Its simple construction of a telescopic stick and catch attached by a fastener such as a grommet making it both extremely economical to manufacture and to purchase while providing less breakability and longer use. 
         [0012]    Its distinctive triangle shaped catch helps better hold plastic bags in place and for transferring urine or stool samples for medical testing into lab cups; 
         [0013]    Its multiple hands free options provides more portability with its carry bag which can be attached to most leashes, clothing, or backpack and other attachable items or worn on the wrist or slipped into shirt, jacket, pant pocket or any clothing pocket. 
         [0014]    Its added social conscious raising factor will not only encourage pet responsibility of owners through the carry bag social statements (“Clean and Green”) but will help pet owners overcome the stigma of pet waste to a more positive image of social consciousness and public safety thereby increasing its usage. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    FIG.  1 —is a view of the elongated telescopic stick  4  with the catch  6  opened and the carry bag  22  attached to the tassel  16  of the pet waste tool and showing its general features of the handle  12  of the telescopic stick with its social awareness expression  14 ; the cord stops  20  &amp;  20 . 1 ; the carry bag pocket  26 ; the carry bag social awareness expression  28 ; and the carry bag drawstring cord  24   
           [0016]    FIG.  2 —is a view of the collapsed telescopic stick  4  and folded catch  6  showing its compactness and social awareness expression  14  on the handle  16   
           [0017]    FIG.  3 —is a side view of the catch  6  showing details of its hardware to attach the catch  6  to the telescopic stick  4   
           [0018]    FIG.  4 —is a view of the catch  6  with its exploded hardware of washer  10  and fastener  8   
           [0019]    FIG.  5 —is a view of the catch  6  with a plastic bag  18  attached showing how the plastic bag  18  covers the entire catch  6  protecting it from any pet waste 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a view of the carry bag  22  attached to a retractable leash  30  with plastic bags  18  held by its cord stops  20  &amp;  20 . 1  showing plastic bags attached to the carry bag  22   
           [0021]    FIG.  7 —is a view of the method of attaching the cord stops  20  &amp;  20 . 1  to a retractable leash  30  whereby cord stop  20 . 1  pulls the carry bag&#39;s  22  draw string cord  28  through the retractable leash handle  30 . As the cord stop  20 . 1  and drawstring cord  28  come through the retractable leash handle  30  it is threaded in between the two drawstring cords  28  forming a loop. The cord stop  20 . 1  then is tightened by pushing it taut against the handle of the retractable leash  30  and thereby securing the carry bag  22  to the retractable leash  30 . 
           [0022]    FIG.  8 —is a view of the cord stop  20  in locked position 
           [0023]    FIG.  9 —is a view of the cord stop  20  in unlocked position 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    The invention is a resourceful, multi-tasking, sleek and compact, simply constructed, new and enhanced pet waste collection tool and disposal approach. These qualities and more will assure its use by pet owners as will its very functional hands free, all-in-one feature for everything necessary for fast and easy pet waste pick up and disposal. In  FIG. 1  the telescopic stick  4  is fully extended and can include one or more segments that are configured to extend into an elongated stick of 28″ to 36″. The telescopic stick&#39;s variable length can quickly and easily adjust to owners&#39; and the pets&#39; particular height, comfort, habits, and needs by simply pulling on each segment to extend or retract it. The adjustable triangle shaped catch  6  will give further length and flexibility to both the owner&#39;s and pet&#39;s needs and is detailed below in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 . The telescopic stick  4  is made of lightweight aluminum or similar light weight material and can have either a regular or ergonomic handle  12  (Handle  12  is detailed further below in  FIG. 2 ). The handle  12  has a tassel  16  affixed to its tip. The tassel  16  can be made with various materials such as plastic, leather or cloth; in this embodiment the tassel  16  is a nylon draw string cord and can be 5/32″ to 7/32″ in diameter. The tassel  16  can be put on the wrist as well as attached to the carry bag  22  through its cord stops  20  and  20 . 1  as shown in  FIG. 1  and detailed in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0025]    Attributes of pocket sized compactness and portability are key factors in enhancing usability by pet owners shown in  FIG. 2  with the view of the pet waste catch tool folded into its pocket-sized portability of the collapsed telescopic stick  4  and the folded catch  6 . The folded pet waste catch tool can be put on the wrist through its tassel  16  as an option for quick hands free operation. The handle  12  can be made of different substances such as plastic or rubber. An alternative embodiment could have the handle be ergonomic to provide greater comfort. The handle  12  has a social expression matching the social statement on the carry bag  22  and can alternatively have other social expressions or name of the pet or charity organization. In an alternative embodiment the handle can also match the fabric color and pattern of the carry bag  22  to further enhance the fun and usability of the invention. 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the catch  6  showings its attachment to the telescopic stick. In  FIG. 4  the detailed hardware parts include a plastic washer  10  and aluminum fastener  8  which hold the catch on either side of the telescopic stick. Alternatively in another embodiment the catch  6  can be attached to the telescopic stick  4  with other types of washers and fasteners such as steel washers or grommets. The catch  6  is made of aluminum coated with plastic, either 3½″ or 5″ wide, and can easily be adjusted to any angle from its folded position over the telescopic stick  4  as displayed in  FIG. 2  to a complete rotation back to a folded position over the opposite side of the telescopic stick  4  thereby giving it a large range of adjustment. The catch&#39;s triangle shape can angle to accommodate various different sizes and habits of pets such as their ‘squat’ or motion during excreting. In terrain such as low bushes the angled catch can be especially useful in adjusting to both the pet and environment. In an alternative embodiment the catch  6  can be made of different materials including plastic, resin, or polyurethane. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows the catch  6  with a plastic bag  18  attached. Any kind of plastic bag can be used, but biodegradable bags are encouraged as part of the social consciousness of the invention. The triangle shape of the catch  6  helps keep the plastic bag  18  in place without added ties or snaps with the weight of the stools pulling the plastic bag  18  out of the catch  6 . The plastic bag  18  is draped over so as not to soil any part of the catch  6  and as it drops out of the catch  6  the unsoiled outer part of the plastic bag  18  envelopes the inner soiled part of the plastic bag  18 . 
         [0028]    In  FIG. 6  the carry bag  22  is attached to a retractable leash  30  by its drawstring cord  28  and is a convenient way to have hands free and also have both unused and used plastic bags  18  held by its cord stops  20  &amp;  20 . 1 . The cord stops  20  &amp;  20 . 1  operate as the attaching mechanism and provide the carry bag&#39;s  22  ability to attach to various articles further detailed in  FIG. 7 . The carry bag  22  can be made of any kind of fabric such as nylon, cotton or rayon. The current embodiment of the carry bag  22  is a cotton fabric with the social expression  24 , “Clean and Green”, displayed on both the carry bag  22  and the handle  12  of the telescopic stick  4 . Alternative embodiments of other environmental or charity related mottos may be utilized to empower the spirit of the social consciousness through responsible pet ownership. The carry bag  22  comfortably holds the pet waste catch tool with room for unused plastic bags  18 , keys, and other small items and can measure 7″ to 9″ in length and 4″ to 6″ in width. The carry bag  22  has a pocket  26  which can also carry small personal items for easy access and convenience. In an alternative embodiment the pocket  26  can have a clear plastic slot to slip in a photo of the pet or other photos. 
         [0029]    The main element to attaching the carry bag  22  to various articles such as the retractable leash  30  in  FIG. 7  are two cord stops  20  &amp;  20 . 1  which are connected to the carry bag  22  by the carry bag drawstring cord  28 . One of the cord stops  20 . 1  pulls the carry bag&#39;s  22  draw string cord  28  through the retractable leash handle  30  as shown in  FIG. 7 . As the cord stop  20 . 1  and drawstring cord  28  come through the retractable leash handle  30  it is threaded in between the two drawstring cords  28  forming a loop. The cord stop  20 . 1  then is tightened by pushing it taut against the handle of the retractable leash  30  and thereby securing the carry bag  22  to the retractable leash  30 . Used plastic bags  18  can easily be held in the same manner by placing the used plastic bag  18  between the cord stop  20 . 1  and retractable leash or if particularly weighted from a large volume of pet waste can be safely secured by putting the knotted top of the plastic bag  18  between the drawstring cords and then drawing the cord stop  20  tautly against it opposite the cord stop  20 . 1 . 
         [0030]    The cord stops  20  &amp;  20 . 1  as shown in  FIG. 8  in a locked position and  FIG. 9  in an open position are made of a connected to the carry bag  22  by the carry bag&#39;s drawstring cords  28  and are the attachment mechanisms for attaching the carry bag  22  to various objects described above. The method of attaching as explained above can be used in attaching the carry bag  22  to the telescopic stick tassel  16  as well as most leashes, bags, clothing, and other attachable objects.