Abstract:
A pet waste vacuum and bagging device is described. The device is equipped with a canister, collection receptacle, collection chute, vacuum motor, and a bag sealer. The device eliminates the need for an individual to come into any contact with pet waste, including the temperature and the smell conventionally known to emanate from pet waste. The device employs the vacuum motor to collect pet waste within the collection receptacle via the collection chute. The collection receptacle is lined with a plastic bag, which is sealed and released from the collection receptacle within the canister upon activation of a dispose button by the user. The device is powered by rechargeable batteries, and may be equipped with a charging cradle to maintain a fully battery charge.

Description:
CONTINUITY 
       [0001]    This application is a non-provisional application of provisional patent application No. 61/962,092, filed on Oct. 31, 2013, and priority is claimed thereto. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to maintenance and cleaning products, and more specifically, those products designed to facilitate the cleaning and removal of animal fecal matter from an unwanted location on land or flooring. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0003]    In modern times, pet owners are well aware that pet ownership comes with certain responsibilities. Standard care practices of feeding, providing water, nurturing, and veterinary services are well known. Additionally, disposal of the pet&#39;s waste, especially the waste of dogs, is a chore of most pet owners. If the pet owner lives in a city or similar urban or suburban environment where large amounts of private land are uncommon, it is frequently required by law for pet owners to manually dispose of his or her pet&#39;s waste, especially if the pet defecates on public or government land. 
         [0004]    Manually disposing of the pet&#39;s waste is unfortunate for the pet owner, as it requires additional labor to clean up, and the pet owner is potentially subject to contaminated fecal matter. Currently, there are two primary means of collecting pet waste for disposal—namely, a scoop, such as a conventional “PooperScooper,” or simply a plastic bag in the hand of the pet owner. 
         [0005]    Frequently, bag dispensers are sold to facilitate the release of a bag and to minimize the space occupied by the bags during the walk. Unfortunately, nearly all of the bag dispensers or bag set-ups still require the pet owner to physically pick up the pet&#39;s waste with his or her hand, the only protection on the hand being the bag. Many pet owners find the warmth of pet waste one of the larger drawbacks to collecting pet waste in this fashion. A claw or “PooperScooper” type of product can help to eliminate this, however it would require frequent cleaning, and the user is still required to remove the excrement from the claw, and place it into a bag. This process may cause the user to spill the bag, exacerbating the process, and potentially soiling the hands of the user. 
         [0006]    Thus, there is a need for a device which can automatically pick up pet waste into a sealed bag without the pet owner coming into remote contact with the pet waste. 
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention is an animal waste vacuum disposal and bagging device. The present invention is configured to provide the user, preferably a pet owner or pet care provider, a practical, convenient, and sanitary means of collecting pet waste such as feces. Via the present invention, it is envisioned that the user need not ever come into contact with pet waste. The present invention is configured to be convenient to carry along during a walk, and is preferably recharged between walks in order to keep the battery at full capacity. 
         [0008]    The preferred embodiment of the present invention is equipped with a vacuum motor, collection receptacle, and a canister. The vacuum motor of the present invention is preferably activated via a power button which is pressed by the user at his or her will. The vacuum motor of the present invention is preferably housed within the canister, and provides suction to the collection receptacle housing at least one bag. Upon activation of the vacuum motor of the present invention, the pet waste is suctioned into the canister, and is caught within the collection receptacle. 
         [0009]    When the pet waste arrives within the collection receptacle, it is suctioned into a plastic bag, preferably of a proprietary design, and is then promptly sealed to eliminate the potential for odor or leakage from the bag. After collection of the pet waste is completed, the user deactivates the present invention with the power button. The user is now free to continue the walk with his or her pet. Upon arrival at a garbage can, the user preferably presses a dispose button. The dispose button is preferably located next to the power button. Upon activation of the dispose button, the collection receptacle releases the full, sealed bag containing the pet waste into the garbage can. 
         [0010]    A pet owner using the present invention would never be required to come into contact with fecal matter, and the pet owner could simultaneously rest assured that the pet waste had been properly disposed of, preventing health threats to members of the community, as well as other animals. The present invention is designed to be ideal for use by pet owners who reside in cities where city statures and laws require pet owners to remove of all pet waste created by pets. Use of the present invention by pet owners makes the process of pet waste disposal less embarrassing, safer, and easier. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  shows the present invention as viewed from the side. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0012]    The present invention is an adjustable and adaptive vacuum and bagging device that facilitates the secure collection and transport of pet waste. The present invention facilitates the process of collecting and disposing of pet waste varying in size. The present invention is preferably equipped with a canister ( 10 ), a collection receptacle ( 20 ) such as a bag, a battery ( 30 ), a battery compartment ( 40 ), a handle ( 50 ), a power button ( 60 ), a dispose button ( 70 ), and a vacuum motor ( 80 ). The battery ( 30 ) of the present invention is preferably rechargeable, and is preferably recharged within the battery compartment ( 40 ) via an external, conventional AC/DC adapter. The handle ( 50 ) of the present invention is preferably equipped with a contoured grip. Some embodiments of the present invention may be quipped with a soft grip material or padding on the handle ( 50 ). The power button ( 60 ) is preferably disposed within reach of the handle ( 50 ), and is preferably configured to slide, and may be integrated with the dispose button ( 70 ). 
         [0013]    The vacuum motor ( 80 ) of the present invention is housed within the canister ( 10 ). Power is supplied to the vacuum motor ( 80 ) via at least one wire ( 90 ) from the battery ( 30 ) when the power button ( 60 ) is activated by a user. The vacuum motor ( 80 ) is ideally rated to provide enough suction to lift several kilograms from a variety of surfaces, including but not limited to lawns, pavement, wood flooring, carpeting, soil, and other similar environments. The canister ( 10 ) is preferably equipped with a small vent to provide an exhaust avenue for the suction of the vacuum motor ( 80 ). The vent may have a triangular shape. The canister ( 10 ) of the present invention is preferably water-proof, in order to ensure lasting durability of the present invention. The canister ( 10 ) is preferably rectangular or cylindrical in shape. It is envisioned that the present invention may come in a variety of sizes, however it is hoped that one size of canister ( 10 ) is sized appropriately to handle most jobs. 
         [0014]    Additionally, the canister ( 10 ) of the present invention is equipped with a handle ( 50 ) to facilitate use and transport of the present invention. The handle ( 50 ) preferably includes a flash light ( 110 ) integrated into the body of the handle ( 50 ). Some embodiments of the present invention may position the flash light ( 110 ) as integrated into the canister ( 10 ) itself. Additionally, the canister ( 10 ) is preferably equipped with at least one exhaust port in order to provide a route for the vacuumed air to escape when it is pumped through the present invention via the vacuum motor ( 80 ). The front of the canister ( 10 ) is preferably equipped with a collection chute ( 100 ) which is capable of swiveling, and is potentially flexible. The collection chute ( 100 ) has a rim ( 130 ) that is rough or equipped with at least one triangle-shaped gap configured to provide an avenue through which air can travel in the event that the rim ( 130 ) is pressed firmly on a flat surface such as carpet or flooring, infringing the flow of air into the collection chute ( 100 ). 
         [0015]    Prior to use of the present invention, a bag or bag cartridge system is affixed to the rim of the canister ( 10 ) near the tip of the collection chute ( 100 ) via a clamp or locking mechanism. Alternate embodiments of the present invention may employ a temporary adhesive to keep the bag 
         [0016]    During use of the present invention, the user, namely a pet owner or pet care provider, locates the pet waste, potentially with the use of the flash light ( 90 ), and positions the collection chute ( 100 ) above the pet waste. Next, the user activates the device with the power button ( 60 ), activating the vacuum motor ( 80 ) of the present invention. Alternate embodiments of the present invention may be automatically activated when the canister ( 10 ) is pressed against the floor or a surface containing the waste to be picked up. The vacuum motor ( 80 ) directs suction at the pet waste, causing the pet waste to be sucked into the collection receptacle ( 20 ). The collection receptacle ( 20 ) is lined with a plastic bag. The plastic bag is preferably equipped with a self-sealing hole, designed to permit suction to flow through the bag, and to be sealed prior to removal of the bag from the collection receptacle ( 20 ) at a later point via the dispose button ( 70 ). The plastic bag may also be uni-directionally porous, per conventional vacuum seal bags. After the pet waste is housed within the bag within the collection receptacle ( 20 ), the user preferably twists the canister ( 10 ), or a portion of the canister ( 10 ), causing the plastic bag to be twisted and sealed closed for disposal. Some embodiments of the present invention may be configured to deactivate the suction after the canister ( 10 ) has been twisted and the bag has been sealed, allowing the sealed bag to fall from the device. The user then preferably locates a garbage receptacle, such as a public trash can, or a trash can at the home of the user. With the device over the garbage receptacle, the user activates the dispose button ( 70 ), releasing the plastic bag containing the pet waste from the collection receptacle ( 20 ), and into the garbage receptacle. 
         [0017]    Some embodiments of the present invention depict a canister that pops open during the disposal process, after activation of the dispose button ( 70 ) by the user. However, the preferred embodiment of the present invention employs the existing collection chute ( 100 ) to release the collection receptacle ( 20 ), otherwise known as the bag including the pet waste from the canister ( 10 ) of the present invention upon location of a trash container or dumpster. Similarly, some embodiments of the present invention may be equipped to employ a cartridge system housing multiple plastic bags for use within or as the collection receptacle ( 20 ), whereas other embodiments of the present invention are configured to house a single plastic bag per use. 
         [0018]    The canister ( 10 ) may be equipped with a door in some embodiments of the present invention, wherein the door automatically opens when the power button ( 60 ) is activated, and seals shut when the power button ( 60 ) is deactivated. Such a door would preferably also open upon activation of the dispose button ( 70 ), and seal again after the full bag has been disposed of within a garbage receptacle. 
         [0019]    Some embodiments of the present invention are configured with an external charging cradle to facilitate the charging of the battery ( 30 ) when the present invention is not in use. An external charging cradle is envisioned to be affixed to a wall or placed on a table near a door, potentially with the leash of the pet, in order to facilitate the process of ‘walking the dog.’ Additionally, some embodiments may include variations on the type of switch employed as a power button ( 60 ) and dispose button ( 70 ). For example, a neutral, off position of a slider-type switch may be employed as seen in  FIG. 1 , displaying an off switch ( 120 ). 
         [0020]    Other alternate embodiments of the present invention are envisioned to have a narrow canister ( 10 ) and rim ( 130 ), while having a wider collection chute ( 100 ) in order to facilitate a more direct placement via suction of the waste into the collection receptacle ( 20 ). 
         [0021]    Having illustrated the present invention, it should be understood that various adjustments and versions might be implemented without venturing away from the essence of the present invention. Further, it should be understood that the present invention is not solely limited to the invention as described in the embodiments above, but further comprises any and all embodiments within the scope of this application. Similarly, it should be understood that the depiction of the present invention in  FIG. 1  embodies an example of a configuration of the essential elements of the present invention. 
         [0022]    The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.