Patent Publication Number: US-2018044869-A1

Title: Vacuum assisted animal feces collector

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is related to and claims priority from prior provisional application Ser. No. 62/372,622, filed Aug. 9, 2016 which application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR 1.71(d). 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. 
     1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of animal feces collection devices and more specifically relates to a vacuum assisted animal feces collector. 
     2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Dog droppings are one of the leading sources of  E. coli  (fecal coliforms) bacterial pollution,  Toxocara canis  and  Neospora caninum  helminth parasite pollution. One gram of dog feces contains over 20,000,000  E. coli  cells. While an individual animal&#39;s deposit of feces will not measurably affect the environment, the cumulative effect of thousands of dogs and cats in a metropolitan area can create serious problems due to contamination of soil and water supplies. The runoff from neglected pet waste contaminates water, creating health hazards for people, fish, ducks, etc. 
     Picking up dog feces is quite unpleasant. A dog owner can use a poop scoop device to pick up the dog feces and put in a bag, but even so, the owner has to tie the bag and in doing so comes in close contact with the dog feces. Dog owners come in even closer contact when they use a bag put over the hand to pick up the feces and then turn it inside out to tie the bag and carry it to a proper disposal area. The plastic bags often have small perforations that allow  E. coli  to pass through and contact the hand. A solution is needed. 
     Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pub. No. 2015/0114433 to Oluyinka C. Rivadeneira; U.S. Pat. No. 7,404,230 to Mary Ellen Phillips; and U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0186037 to Tory Reynolds et al. This prior art is representative of animal feces collection devices. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed. 
     Ideally, a animal feces collection device should provide clean and effortless pickup, and yet, would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable vacuum assisted animal feces collector to avoid the above-mentioned problems. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known animal feces collection devices art, the present invention provides a novel vacuum assisted animal feces collector. The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a vacuum assisted animal feces collector. 
     A vacuum assisted animal feces collector preferably comprises a main body including an elongated tube portion having a proximal end with an opening therethrough, a middle section having a bag member removal aperture therethrough, and a bag member removal hatch pivotally attached thereto that is adapted to removably cover the bag removal aperture. The elongated tube portion has a distal end with a handle portion connected thereto and a bag member formed from a flexible material that is adapted to be inserted into and releasably connected to the elongated tube portion for use in capturing animal feces therein. 
     The bag member is formed from plastic and adapted to be disconnected from the elongated tube portion and removed through the bag member removal aperture after use. A vacuum motor is located within the middle section of the main body and is adapted to suck air and animal feces into the elongated tube portion and the bag liner. A power source may be located within the middle section of the main body that is electrically connected to and provides electric power to the vacuum motor and a control switch is connected to the handle portion that is electrically connected between the power source and the vacuum motor and is adapted to turn on and off the vacuum motor. The power source may also be located within the handle portion and is formed as a battery member that is removable and rechargeable. 
     The bag member includes an edge portion around the opening thereof adapted to remain outside of the opening of the proximal end of the main body and make contact with the outer surface of the main body. A light member is also connected to the outer surface of the tube portion that is electrically connected to the power source and is adapted to shine light in front and around the proximal end of the elongated tube portion of the main body. A bag member removal hatch release button is connected to the handle portion and is mechanically connected to the bag member removal hatch and adapted to release the bag member removal hatch to allow it to pivot to an open position to remove the bag member. A bag member removal hatch light member is connected to the outer surface of the tube portion, is electrically connected to the power source, and is adapted to light when the bag member removal hatch is pivoted to the open position. A power source light member is also connected to the outer surface of the tube portion which is electrically connected to the power source and is adapted to light when the power source is providing power to the vacuum motor. 
     A vacuum trigger member is connected to the handle portion that is mechanically connected to the vacuum member and adapted to activate the vacuum member when depressed. At least one tube extension member is adapted to be releasably connected to the proximal end of the elongated tube portion and adapted to extend the overall length of the vacuum assisted animal feces collector. The main body further includes a vent member in proximity to the motor member that is adapted to allow air to exit from the elongated tube portion. The main body is preferably formed from a plastic material. 
     The present invention holds significant improvements and serves as a vacuum assisted animal feces collector. For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, vacuum assisted animal feces collector constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view illustrating a vacuum assisted animal feces collector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the vacuum assisted animal feces collector according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating the vacuum assisted animal feces collector according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to an animal feces collection device and more particularly to a vacuum assisted animal feces collector as used to improve the clean and effortless pickup. 
     Generally speaking, a vacuum assisted animal feces collector is a hand held vacuum device for automatically vacuuming animal waste into an attached waste bag to be discarded. A bag release button uncouples the bag from the device. The device also has indicator lights for presence of power and disconnected waste bag. The vacuum assisted animal feces collector eliminates handling or contact with the waste. 
     Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference there is shown in  FIG. 1 , a perspective view illustrating vacuum assisted animal feces collector  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Vacuum assisted animal feces collector  100  preferably comprises main body  105  including elongated tube portion  110  having proximal end  111  with opening  112  therethrough, middle section  115  having bag member removal aperture  120  therethrough, and bag member removal hatch  125  pivotally attached thereto that is adapted to removably cover bag member removal aperture  120 . Elongated tube portion  110  has distal end  113  with handle portion  130  connected thereto and bag member  135  formed from a flexible material that is adapted to be inserted into and releasably connected to elongated tube portion  110  for use in capturing animal feces therein. 
     Bag member  135  is formed from plastic and adapted to be disconnected from elongated tube portion  110  and removed through bag member removal aperture  120  after use. Vacuum motor  140  is located within middle section  115  of main body  105  and is adapted to suck air and animal feces into elongated tube portion  110  and bag member  135 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , is a perspective view illustrating vacuum assisted animal feces collector  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
     Power source  145  may be located within middle section  115  of main body  105  that is electrically connected to and provides electric power to vacuum motor  140  and control switch  150  is connected to handle portion  130  that is electrically connected between power source  145  and vacuum motor  140  and is adapted to turn on and off vacuum motor  140 . Power source  145  may also be located within handle portion  130  and is formed as battery member  146  that is removable and rechargeable. 
     Bag member  135  includes edge portion  136  around opening  112  thereof adapted to remain outside of opening  112  of proximal end  111  of main body  105  and make contact with outer surface  114  of main body  105 . Light member  155  is also connected to outer surface  114  of elongated tube portion  110  that is electrically connected to power source  145  and is adapted to shine light in front and around proximal end  111  of elongated tube portion  110  of main body  105 . Bag member removal hatch release button  160  is connected to t handle portion  130  and is mechanically connected to bag member removal hatch  125  and adapted to release bag member removal hatch  125  to allow it to pivot to an open position to remove bag member  135 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , is a perspective view illustrating vacuum assisted animal feces collector  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
     Bag member removal hatch  125  light member  155  is connected to outer surface  114  of elongated tube portion  110 , is electrically connected to power source  145 , and is adapted to light when bag member removal hatch  125  is pivoted to the open position. Power source  145  light member  155  is also connected to outer surface  114  of elongated tube portion  110  which is electrically connected to power source  145  and is adapted to light when power source  145  is providing power to vacuum motor  140 . 
     Vacuum trigger member  141  is connected to handle portion  130  that is mechanically connected to vacuum assisted animal feces collector  100  and adapted to activate vacuum assisted animal feces collector  100  when depressed. At least one tube extension member  165  is adapted to be releasably connected to proximal end  111  of elongated tube portion  110  and adapted to extend the overall length of vacuum assisted animal feces collector  100 . Main body  105  further includes vent member  142  in proximity to vacuum motor  140  that is adapted to allow air to exit from elongated tube portion  110 . Main body  105  is preferably formed from a plastic material. 
     Vacuum assisted animal feces collector  100  may be manufactured and provided for sale in a wide variety of sizes and shapes for a wide assortment of applications. Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other kit contents or arrangements such as, for example, including more or less components, customized parts, different color combinations, parts may be sold separately, etc., may be sufficient. 
     Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods of use arrangements such as, for example, different orders within above-mentioned list, elimination or addition of certain steps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps, etc., may be sufficient. 
     The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.