Patent Publication Number: US-8123266-B1

Title: Pet feces collection device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various types of animal waste collection and disposal devices are known in the prior art. However, what is needed is a pet feces collection device for placement beneath a pet&#39;s derriere during the defecation process including an annular support member at the end of a telescopic handle, the support member having a liner bag with an elasticized upper end removably engaging a groove in the support member thereby supporting the liner bag within a support member aperture and a disposal bag removably disposed within the liner bag, the disposal bag having an elasticized top end which also engages the groove. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to animal waste collection and disposal devices, and, more particularly, to a pet feces collection device for placement beneath a pet&#39;s derriere during the defecation process which utilizes an annular support member at the end of a telescopic handle as well as a liner bag that removably attaches to the support member and a disposal bag removably disposed within the liner bag, each of the liner bag and the disposal bag having an upper end and top end, respectively, that removably engage a support member groove. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the present pet feces collection device, described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a pet feces collection device which has many novel features that result in a pet feces collection device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by prior art, either alone or in combination thereof. 
     To accomplish this, the present pet feces collection device is designed for the collection and disposal of an amount of pet feces before the feces is released onto a ground surface. The pet feces collection device includes a substantially annular support member having top and bottom sections with a horizontal groove continuously disposed therebetween and an aperture through an inner wall of the support member. A telescopic handle is attached to the bottom section. The handle may be hingedly attached to the bottom section to permit the handle to fold over the support member for convenient transport and storage. A grip member disposed on the handle permits a user to maintain a firm, but comfortable, grip on the handle during use of the device to collect feces. At least one liner bag and one disposal bag are included. The liner bag has an open elasticized upper that removably engages the groove to permit replacement of the liner bag as needed. The disposal bag removably engages the liner bag. The liner bag provides added support to the disposal bag to prevent the disposal bag from tearing during the direct collection feces into the disposal bag during the pet&#39;s defecation process. Because the disposal bag is removable from the liner bag, the disposal bag may be separately disposed into a garbage receptacle and replaced, making the device re-usable. A first magnet disposed within a front side of the support member top section and a second magnet disposed within the upper section of the handle proximal to the bottom edge of the upper section releasably engage each other, thus releasably attaching the handle to the support member top section. 
     The annular shape of the support member accommodates the releasable engagement of the elasticized upper end of the liner bag and the elasticized top end of the disposal bag to the groove. The telescopic feature of the handle allows a user to extend the handle to accommodate the size of the pet as well as to place device beneath the derriere of the pet from a distance which, in turn, reduces the risk of making contact with the pet&#39;s feces and reduces other unpleasantries typically associated with a pet&#39;s defecation. Because the feces is collected directly from the pet into the disposal bag during the defecation process, no feces clean up is required. The present device is lightweight and durable, is virtually maintenance-free, and is reusuable. 
     The device is designed to capture the pet&#39;s defecate before the defecate hits the ground. The device promotes health by reducing the risk of making contact with the pet&#39;s feces and also reduces a user&#39;s encounter with unpleasantries typically associated with a pet&#39;s defecation. The present device avoids residual defecate discharge on the ground or pavement where anyone could step into the pet&#39;s defecate or an unsuspecting child might come into contact with the pet&#39;s defecate. 
     Thus has been broadly outlined the more important features of the present pet feces collection device so that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
     Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present pet feces collection device will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, examples of the present pet feces collection device when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current examples of the present pet feces collection device in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustration. The invention is capable of other examples and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the pet feces collection device. It is therefore important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Objects of the present pet feces collection device, along with various novel features that characterize the invention are particularly pointed out in the claims forming a part of this disclosure. For better understanding of the pet feces collection device, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, refer to the accompanying drawings and description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded isometric view. 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevation view. 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of an alternate embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is an in-use isometric view. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular  FIGS. 1 through 5  thereof, example of the instant pet feces collection device employing the principles and concepts of the present pet feces collection device and generally designated by the reference number  10  will be described. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 5  a preferred embodiment of the present pet feces collection device  10  is illustrated. The pet feces collection device  10  is designed for the direct collection and disposal of an amount of pet  94  feces during the pet&#39;s  94  defecation process. The pet feces collection device  10  includes a substantially annular support member  20  having an inner wall  22 , an opposite outer wall  24 , and an aperture  26  disposed within the entire inner wall  22 . The support member includes a top section  28 , a bottom section  30  opposite the top section  28 , and a horizontal groove  32  continuously disposed between the top section  28  and the bottom section  30 . The support member  20  is sized to fit beneath the derriere  95  of a pet  94  and between the rear legs  96  of the pet  94   
     The instant device  10  also includes a telescopic handle  35 . The handle  35  includes a cylindrical lower section  37  having a proximal end  39  and an uppermost end  40 . The proximal end  39  attaches to a portion of the outer wall  24  on the bottom section  30  of the support member  20 . The handle  35  further includes a cylindrical middle section  42  having a first cavity  44  longitudinally disposed therethrough. The first cavity  44  slidingly engages the lower section  37 . The middle section  42  has a diameter slightly greater than a diameter of the lower section  37 . The handle  35  also has a cylindrical upper section  46  having bottom edge  48  and an opposite distal end  50  as well as a second cavity  52  longitudinally disposed therethrough. The second cavity  52  slidingly engages the middle section  42 . The upper section  46  has a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the middle section  42 . 
     The instant device  10  also provides a substantially cylindrical grip member  55  having a third cavity  57  longitudinally disposed therein. The third cavity  57  engages the distal end  50  of the handle  35  upper section  46 . The grip member  55  permits a user to maintain a firm, but comfortable, grip on the handle  35  during use of the device  10  to collect feces. 
     At least one liner bag  60  is included in the present pet feces collection device  10 . The liner bag  60  has an open elasticized upper end  62 , an opposite closed lower end  64 , a continuous outside wall  66  disposed between the upper end  62  and the lower end  64 , and a first opening  68  disposed within the entire outside wall  66 . The liner bag  60  upper end  62  removably stretches over the support member  20  top section  28  and releasably engages the support member  20  groove  32 . Because the liner bag  60  is removably attached to the support member  20 , the liner bag  60  may be replaced as needed. 
     The present device  10  also includes at least one disposal bag  70 . The disposal bag  70  has an open elasticized top end  72 , an opposite closed bottom end  74 , a continuous external wall  76  disposed between the top end  72  and the bottom end  74 , and a second opening  78  disposed within the entire external wall  76 . The disposal bag  70  is removably disposed within the liner bag  60 . The disposal bag  70  top end  72  removably stretches over the liner bag  60  upper end  62  and removably engages the groove  32 . The liner bag  60  provides added support to the disposal bag  70  to prevent the disposal bag  70  from tearing during direct collection of pet feces into the disposal bag  70  during the pet&#39;s  94  defecation process. Because the disposal bag  70  is removable from the liner bag  60 , the disposal bag  70  may be separately disposed into a garbage receptacle and also replaced, making the device  10  re-usable. 
     The present pet feces collection device further includes a first magnet  80  disposed within a front side  82  of the support member  20  top section  28  and a second magnet  84  disposed within the second cavity  52  of the handle  35  upper section  46  proximal to the bottom edge  48  of the upper section  40 . Thus, the handle  35  folds over the support member  20 . Also, the second magnet  84  releasably engages the first magnet  80  whereby the handle  35  releasably attaches to the top section  28  of the support member  20 . 
     A two-pieced hinge  86  having a first segment  88  and a second segment  90  is also included. The first segment  88  is attached to the support member  20  bottom section  30  while the second segment  90  is attached to the proximal end  39  of the handle  35  lower section  37 . The hinge  86  hingedly attaches the handle  35  to the support member  20  to permit the handle to fold over the support member  20  thus promoting easier transport and storage of the device  10 , thereby encouraging use of the device  10  for cleaning up a pet&#39;s  94  defecate. 
     The support member  20  is annular, rather than other shapes including a parallelepiped shape, in order to properly accommodate the releasable engagement of the elasticized upper end  62  of the liner bag  60  and the elasticized top end  72  of the disposal bag  70 . The telescopic feature of the handle  35  allows a user to extend the handle to accommodate the size of the pet as well as to place device  10  beneath the derriere  95  of the pet  94  from a distance which, in turn, reduces the risk of making contact with the pet&#39;s  94  feces and reduces other unpleasantries typically associated with a pet&#39;s  94  defecation. 
     Use: 
     To use the present pet feces collection device  10 , a user stretches the uppermost end  40  of one of the liner bags  60  over the top section  28  of the support member  20  and engages the uppermost end  40  into the groove  32  between the top section  28  and the bottom section  30  of the support member  20  and places the liner bag in an open position within the aperture  26  of the support member  20  and extending beneath the support member  20 . The user also places a disposal bag  70  into the liner bag  60  with the top end stretched over the uppermost end  40  of the liner bag and engaged into the groove  32 . The user then extends the telescopic handle  35  and places the support member  20  underneath the pet&#39;s  94  derriere  95  and between the pet&#39;s rear legs  96  to collect the pet&#39;s  94  feces into the disposal bag  70  during the pet&#39;s  94  defecation process and before the pet&#39;s  44  feces hits ground or pavement. Upon completion of the pet&#39;s  94  defecation, the user removes the device  10  from beneath the pet&#39;s  94  derriere  95  and lifts the disposal bag  70  out of the liner bag  60 . The user then disposes of the disposal bag  70  containing the pet&#39;s  94  feces. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the present pet feces collection device to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and the manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     The term “pet” includes small household animals including, but not limited to, various sizes of dogs. Directional terms such as “front”, “back”, “in”, “out”, “downward”, “upper”, “lower”, and the like may have been used in the description. These terms are applicable to the examples shown and described in conjunction with the drawings. These terms are merely used for the purpose of description in connection with the drawings and do not necessarily apply to the position in which the present invention may be used. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.