Abstract:
A litter box assembly has a two piece litter box, each piece having an open end and a support frame in which the open ends are pivotally mounted to each other and to the support frame. Elevating support legs are affixed to the support frame and depend therefrom, the legs being held in fixed rigid position by spacers and braces. The supporting legs form an assembly having an open front, a rear, and two sides, with the open front allowing insertion and withdrawal of a waste or trash container.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to copending U.S. provisional application Serial No. 60/683,820, filed May 23, 2005, by Mary Ann Lynch, the present inventor, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to litter boxes for receiving animal waste, and to methods of cleaning such boxes.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     In general, litter boxes for use by, for example, cats, comprise an open box like structure which is filled with a litter of granular material. Cats instinctively use such boxes to relieve themselves of their waste, which, over a period of time, becomes odoriferous. Such litter boxes are generally placed within the house or other building and, as a consequence, require periodic cleaning, to abate the odor. Some makers of the litter material incorporate a deodorant therein, which, at least to some extent, retards odor emissions. However, the animal waste must be removed periodically and clean litter material added.  
         [0004]     There are numerous ways in which the litter box is cleaned and the litter replenished, the gamut thereof extending from a simple scoop to extremely complex mechanism such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,461B1 of Thaler, U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,661B1 of Emery, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,369B2 of Carlisi, as well as numerous others. These complex arrangements are not only apparently too expensive for the ordinary homeowner, but apparently can only be justified where there are large numbers of cats to be accommodated. As a consequence, effort has been directed toward simplification of the litter box cleaning or emptying mechanism. Such mechanisms are generally directed to dumping the contents of the litter box into a waste receptacle while avoiding any contact with the operator&#39;s hands, in other words, a reasonably simple and clean method of emptying the litter box is achieved. Such arraignments are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,394B1 of Sexton and U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,137B1 of Ricke. The Sexton patent is a special interest for its simplicity and ease of use. In the Sexton patent, the litter box sits atop a waste receiving box having a trash bag contained therein. When the litter box is lifted up, the floor thereof, which comprises first and second opposed trap doors, is opened and the waste litter drops into the trash bag. The assembly comprises an outer shell which contains the trash bag and an inner shell which contains the litter and which fits snugly within the outer shell, thereby holding the hinged trap doors of the floor of the inner shell closed. When the inner shell is lifted up from the outer shell, the trap doors have room in which to swing open, and then the litter drops into the trash bag, which is then removed and replaced by a fresh bag. The inner shell is then reinserted into the outer shell, which action closes the trap doors, and fresh litter is then introduced into the inner shell.  
         [0005]     In most, if not all of the apparatuses, thus far discussed, one very important consideration appears to have been virtually ignored. In general, the boxes rest upon the floor, thus making it difficult for elderly people or people confined to wheel chairs or otherwise handicapped in such a way that stooping and lifting are difficult and often very painful. In the Ricke patent, the apparatus comprises a cabinet having a litter pan on the top thereof and pivotally mounted at one end to the cabinet. When the end opposite the pivoted end is lifted, an open slot is formed adjacent the pivoted end and the litter is dumped into a trash receptacle in the bottom of the cabinet. Thus, the litter box can be emptied by a person without requiring him or her to stoop or squat in order to clean the box. Because the litter in the Ricke arrangement has some distance to drop, it is necessary to have some sort of guiding arrangement. Further, a certain amount of dirty litter is likely, over time, to fall into the cabinet. The cabinet itself is a piece of furniture and apparently is unusually heavy. Further, the floor of the litter box adjacent its pivot end fits snugly against the inner wall of the cabinet. Thus a certain amount of precision is required to prevent a small gap from spilling litter. On the other hand, the Ricke patent has an elevated litter box, which enables those people having various handicaps, as pointed out before, to empty the litter box without having to bend over, stoop, or lift a heavy box.  
         [0006]     What is apparently missing in the prior art is a lightweight, simple but efficient elevated litter box structure, that can be moved to different locations, and that can be broken into component parts when not needed and readily re-assembled when subsequently needed, and wherein the litter box itself is supported by a lightweight structure.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention is a lightweight litter box assembly wherein the litter box itself is elevated to a height that is convenient for virtually all users whether handicapped or not.  
         [0008]     The assembly comprises a support frame of open rectangular shape and composed of, for example, hollow aluminum members, each of rectangular shape which are joined at their ends to form the open rectangular support structure. The litter box itself is formed by two members, preferably of rigid plastic material, each configured to form one half of a box and having overlapping open ends which are pivotally mounted to an inner wall of the support structure. When so mounted, the two members form an open litter box which fits into the open support structure and are prevented from falling therethrough by flanges extending along their upper edges which rest upon the upper surface of the support structure.  
         [0009]     The support structure itself is elevated and supported by support legs affixed at each corner thereof. The support legs are made from a lightweight material such as a rigid plastic or aluminum. In order to ensure rigidity to the entire assembly, the support legs are maintained in fixed spaced relationship by spacer members affixed to the lower ends of the support legs. Further rigidity is added to the structure by diagonal bracing straps affixed to the front pair of support legs at their lower ends and to the rear pair of support legs at their upper ends. In addition, the rear pair of support legs are cross-braced by a pair of bracing straps, one of which is affixed to the lower end of a first rear support leg and extends to and is affixed to the upper end of the second rear support leg. In like manner, a bracing strap extends from and is affixed to said second rear support leg at the lower end thereof and extends to and is affixed to the upper end of the fist rear support leg. The two straps are affixed to each other at their crossing point. First and second rail members extend from the front spacer member to the rear spacer member and are affixed thereto. The said rail members function as supports for a waste receptacle which can be slid into and out of the structure along the rail members.  
         [0010]     The complete assembly as described in the foregoing can be, and preferably is, made of a rigid plastic material or lightweight metal, such as aluminum. The assembly can be readily put together from the several component parts inasmuch as bolts and nuts are preferably used to affix the parts to each other and all such parts have holes therein for receiving the bolts. The resultant assembly constitutes a lightweight rigid, elevated litter box which withstands a cat jumping into the box without any movement thereof which might frighten the cat. Further, the litter box can be easily emptied by merely lifting the ends of the two litter box members and thus forming a gap therebetween through which the litter to be replaced falls down into the receptacle. The assembled parts may be easily disassembled for re-location or shipment and can, if desired, form a kit for assembly by the owner or user. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the litter box of the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the litter box of the invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the litter box of the invention in its waste removal configuration;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a detail of the configuration shown in  FIG. 4 ; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]     In  FIG. 1  there is shown, in perspective, a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which comprises an elevated litter box assembly  11 .  
         [0019]     Litter box assembly  11  comprises a support frame  12 , having front  13 , side  14 , and rear  16  (not shown) members of, for example, hollow rectangular aluminum tubing joined at the four corners by suitable means to form an open rectangular support frame. The material of the support frame may be, instead of aluminum, made of a rigid hollow rectangular plastic tubing, or even a light wood. The primary consideration being that support frame  12  be both light in weight and strong enough to support a loaded litter box  17 , which will be described more fully hereinafter.  
         [0020]     Affixed to support frame  12  at the four corners are support legs  18 ,  19 ,  21 , and  22 , which may be of suitable length such as seventeen to twenty inches, for example, to support frame  12  in an elevated position. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the legs preferably are made from L-angled aluminum rods, which facilitates affixing the legs to the support frame and other locating and bracing members. It is to be understood that the specified aluminum material is only one of several possible rigid, lightweight materials such as plastic, or even, light wood. For convenience of description, legs  18  and  19  form an open front of the assembly while legs  21  and  22  form the rear of the assembly and legs  18  and  22  are held in fixed spaced relationship by spacer members  23  and  24 , respectively, which are affixed to the bottom or distal ends of the support legs, as shown. In like manner, legs  18  and  22  and legs  19  and  21  are held in fixed spaced relationship by spacer members  26  and  27 , respectively. Spacer members  23 ,  24 ,  26 , and  27  are preferably made of the same L-shaped material as legs  18 ,  19 ,  21 , and  22 , i.e., lightweight aluminum, however, other rigid and lightweight materials may be used, as pointed out heretofore. One of the advantages of lightweight aluminum is that the several components may be affixed to each other by bolts and nuts, as shown, although not otherwise described. A nut-bolt arrangement permits relatively easy assembly and disassembly, which facilitates moving or transporting the litter box arrangement. From a commercial standpoint, the entire litter box arrangement can be produced and contained in a disassembled state, and sold in kit form for assembly by the purchaser.  
         [0021]     As thus far described, the arrangement constitutes a litter box  17  supported in an elevated position by a rigid framework of support legs and spacer members. Such a structure produces a stable supporting platform for the litter box, however, if a cat jumps into the litter box and the assembly is thereby caused to rock or otherwise move, it will frighten the cat and, in all probability, it will thereafter avoid the litter box. In order that such movement of the litter box be avoided, further bracing for the support structure of  FIG. 1  is included therein. Such bracing may include rigid strap members  28  and  29  of suitable material such as aluminum, plastic or other rigid but lightweight material. Straps  28  and  29  are affixed, as by bolts, to the upper ends of legs  22  and  21 , respectively, and to the lower ends of legs  18  and  19 , respective. In addition, a strap member  31  is affixed to spacer member  24  at the end thereof adjacent the distal end of the leg  21  and to the upper end of leg  22 , and a second strap member  32  is affixed to the end of spacer member  24  adjacent the distal end of leg  22  and to the upper end of leg  21 . Thus, the straps  31  and  32  form diagonal bracing members which cross each other as shown in  FIG. 1  For added rigidity of the structure, straps  31  and  32  are affixed to each other at the crossing point, as shown.  
         [0022]     The assembly  11  also includes spaced support rails  33  and  34  which extend from spacer member  23  to spacer member  24  and are affixed thereto. The support rails form a platform for a waste receptacle, shown in dash-dot outline, which can be inserted through the open front of the assembly or, when full, removed therefrom. Although the support rails are shown as flat straps extending across the bottom of the assembly, they may be elevated by suitable means, not shown, to place the top of the waste receptacle, which may contain a trash bag, closer to the underside of litter box  17 .  
         [0023]     It is to be understood that the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1 , although preferred, especially for its ease of assembly and disassembly, is only one of a number of embodiments which may be constructed with observance of the principles of the invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  depicts the litter box  17  mounted in the support frame  12 , the litter box comprising first and second half members  36  and  37  which are pivotally mounted to frame  12  by pivot pins  38 , only one of which is shown. The upper edge of the member  36  has extending therefrom a flange  39 , and the upper edge of the member  37  has extending therefrom a flange  41 . When the two halves  36  and  37  are joined at the pivot points, the flanges  39  and  41  function to support the litter box  17  in the support frame  12 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the two halves  36  and  37  of liter box  17  as joined together. It can be seen that the floor  42 , shown in dashed lines of box half  36  extend beyond the pivot point  38  and under the floor  43  of box half  37  to form a support therefor. In use, with the litter box  17  assembled and resting on support frame  12 , this extension of the floor  42  of member  36  prevents the two halves  36  and  37  from an inadvertent pivoting about pivot point  38 . On the other hand, when the ends  44  and  46  of flanges  39  and  41 , respectively, are lifted in the direction of the arrows in  FIG. 3 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , a gap  47  is formed as indicated in the detail of  FIG. 5  through which the waste litter material passes as indicated by the arrows into the waste receptacle. Thus a mere lifting of the two ends  44  and  46  is all that is required.  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention wherein the several bracing and spacing members of  FIG. 1  are replaced by a plurality of stiff but light weight panels  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  as shown, and a rear panel (not shown). The panels which may be of rigid plastic or light weight plywood for example, form substantially the same spacing and bracing functions as the members shown in  FIG. 1 . In addition, further bracing can be supplied by a floor  56  which bears the waste receptacle shown in  FIG. 1 . The panels are mounted in the same manner as the several members in  FIG. 1  by bolts and nuts, or screws where appropriate. As is the case with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the assembly may be quickly and easily disassembled for storage or transporting.  
         [0027]     As pointed out in the foregoing, the litter box assembly may be disassembled and subsequently re-assembled.  
         [0028]     Re-assembly comprises attaching the supporting legs to the support frame, affixing the spacers and braces (or the panels) in place, inserting the two pieces of the litter box into the opening in the support frame, and pivoting the two pieces together adjacent their open ends and also pivoting them to the support member, all in such manner that the floors of the two pieces overlap each other at their open ends.  
         [0029]     It is to be understood that the foregoing has been for purposes of illustrating the principles and features of the present invention. It is possible and to be expected that variations or modifications to the embodiments herein shown without departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention.