Abstract:
The litter box enclosure minimizes transfer of litter, dust, waste, and odor from the litter pan into nearby areas. The litter box enclosure preferably includes a cardboard construction with a removable cover and floor. The floor is preferably wax-coated to provide moisture resistance. The enclosure and the entry are preferably sized to provide the cat with a healthy environment while preventing small children and medium to large dogs from accessing the litter pan. The enclosure preferably includes a doormat near the entry to provide a comfortable, safe area for cats to rest and clean their paws of any stray litter, waste, or dust before leaving the enclosure. The enclosure also preferably has at least one odor absorption unit to minimize odor in the enclosure.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention pertains to the field of litter boxes. More particularly, the invention pertains to a container to contain litter pans. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Cat litter pans are known in the art. Cat litter pans are unsightly, smelly, and dirty. Litter pans allow litter, dust, waste, and odor to spread into nearby areas, posing potential health risks to humans. Litter pans also expose other pets, such as dogs, and children to the dirty litter, thereby posing further health risks. 
         [0005]    Enclosures for cat litter pans are also known in the art. These enclosures are typically made of plastic. These enclosures reduce, but do not eliminate, litter, dust, waste, and odor transfer into nearby areas. They are also small, cramped, and unhealthy for cats, and they make cleaning the litter pan more difficult for the owner. 
         [0006]    There is a need in the art for a cat litter pan enclosure that provides a healthy, safe environment for cats, other pets, and humans. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The litter box enclosure minimizes transfer of litter, dust, waste, and odor from the litter pan into nearby areas. The litter box enclosure preferably includes a cardboard construction with a removable cover and floor. The floor is preferably wax-coated to provide moisture resistance. The enclosure and the entry are preferably sized to provide the cat with a healthy environment while preventing small children and medium to large dogs from accessing the litter pan. The enclosure preferably includes a doormat near the entry to provide a comfortable, safe area for cats to rest and clean their paws of any stray litter, waste, or dust before leaving the enclosure. The enclosure also preferably has at least one odor absorption unit to minimize odor in the enclosure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows an outside view of a litter box enclosure in an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of the litter box enclosure of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows a top view of footprints of litter pans in a litter box enclosure of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  shows an outside view of a litter box enclosure with a litter pan in an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of the litter pan and litter box enclosure of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    A litter box enclosure of the present invention contains and conceals a litter pan. The litter box enclosure includes a large structure, including a floor, sides, and a cover, sized to completely enclose any typical litter pan. The structure is preferably made of cardboard, but may be made of any durable, inexpensive, and disposable material. The enclosure keeps the litter pan out of sight and prevents litter, dust, and odor from escaping onto the floor and into the air and other surrounding areas. The interior space of the enclosure is preferably sized to allow cats to extend their tails when using the litter pan, thereby reducing the likelihood of arthritis and infections in the cats, which are commonly-known problems associated with small plastic enclosed litter boxes. 
         [0014]    The enclosure contains an entry hole to allow cats to enter the interior space. The entry hole preferably has an arched top and a straight bottom and is preferably sized to prevent medium and large dogs from entering. The entry hole is preferably about seven inches wide and about nine inches high at the peak of the arch. This prevents dogs in the household from making a mess with the litter. The size of the entry hole also preferably prevents infants and toddlers from being exposed to fecal matter and reduces pregnant women&#39;s exposure to litter dust, which can cause health problems. The bottom of the entry hole is preferably raised above the level of the interior floor of the enclosure such that kittens cannot crawl over the lip of the entry hole, thereby making the enclosure an ideal location to birth kittens, since the interior space is dark and protected. Because the enclosure is disposable and inexpensive, the enclosure, or even just the floor unit of the enclosure, can be easily disposed of and replaced after it is used to deliver kittens. 
         [0015]    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the enclosure includes several features to improve the environment around the litter pan. A carpet strip, for example a kitty carpet or other litter box carpet, across the entry area aids in absorption of odor and dust and provides a doormat for cats to wipe their paws prior to exiting the enclosure and entering the household. Other materials for the doormat include, but are not limited to, foam, carpet padding, or any other surface having static cling to draw litter dust from a cat&#39;s paws such that the doormat reduces the amount of litter leaving the enclosure on the cats&#39; paws. The doormat preferably covers substantially the entire width of the floor. The doormat is preferably about a foot wide to provide a sufficient width for a cat to lie on the doormat. Two pieces of charcoal, placed under the corners of the litter pan, aid in odor absorption, thereby providing a more pleasant environment in and near the enclosure. Alternatively, baking soda or any other odor or moisture absorption material may be used in place of the charcoal. 
         [0016]    The floor is preferably constructed of moisture-resistant cardboard to prevent errant sprays from compromising the integrity of the enclosure. The moisture resistance is preferably in the form of a wax coating, but any treatment to make the cardboard moisture-resistant may be used within the spirit of the present invention. The sides and cover are also preferably constructed of cardboard. The sides may be wax-coated for some applications, but generally a wax coating is not necessary for the sides or the cover. The cardboard construction makes the enclosure inexpensive and regularly replaceable once the odor absorption or other features have lessened in utility. The materials forming the floor, sides, and cover are preferably interlocking in the assembled state. The cardboard construction also allows the enclosure to be disposed of easily without exposing the owner to germs in the enclosure, thereby preventing infections. In one embodiment, the exterior of the enclosure is white on the outside in order to match any decor and may be adorned with paint, markers, decals, fabrics, wallpaper, or other decorative touches to personalize the unit, or in order to match the decor of the room in which it is placed. Alternatively, the exterior of the enclosure may come with a decorative design to provide the enclosure with a more appealing appearance. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  shows an external view of the enclosure  10  in an embodiment of the present invention. A middle section  11 , which is preferably cardboard, defines the interior space of the enclosure. The interior space is preferably substantially rectangular. In one embodiment, the dimensions of the enclosure are approximately 18″ wide×28″ long×18″ high. The enclosure completely encloses any typical litter pan. A small entry  12 , which is preferably arched at the top, allows cats to access the interior space. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the entry is preferably near a corner on one of the long sides of the enclosure. The entry may, however, be alternatively located elsewhere along the sides of the enclosure. A removable cover  14  with a lip  16 , which is preferably made of cardboard, conceals the litter pan inside the enclosure, covers the interior space, and allows the owner to access and clean the interior space of the enclosure. The enclosure  10  also includes a floor  20 , which is not visible in  FIG. 1  but is located at the bottom of the middle section. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of the enclosure of  FIG. 1 . The floor  20  of the enclosure is preferably wax-coated cardboard and has a lip  22  to contain any litter, urine, or feces not in the litter pan (not shown in  FIG. 2 ). The wax coating is preferably on at least the top surface of the floor  20  and the inward-facing surfaces of the lip  22 . The wax coating prevents litter, dust and odor from escaping the enclosure and onto the surrounding floor and other areas. The floor  20  is preferably separable from the middle section  11  of the enclosure, so that it may be replaced without replacing the cardboard sides  24 , since the floor becomes dirty more quickly than the sides  24 . Preferably, the middle section  11  has an open top for the cover and an open bottom for the floor  20  to be inserted. Alternatively, the floor  20  may sit on top of a bottom surface integral with the sides  24  of the enclosure. Although the lip  22  may be placed outside the sides  24  in the assembled enclosure, the lip  22  is preferably located inside the sides  24  with minimal clearance to minimize materials going between the lip  22  and the sides  24 . 
         [0019]    A doormat  26  is preferably placed on the floor  20  of the enclosure near where the entry  12  is located in the assembled enclosure. In a preferred embodiment, the doormat  26  is a carpet strip. Odor absorption units  28  to aid in the absorption of odors are preferably placed away from the entry in the area near or under where the litter pan is to be located. Although the odor absorption units  28  are located on the floor  20  in  FIG. 2 , they may be placed anywhere near the litter pan in the enclosure, as long as they are not accessible to the cats, within the spirit of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the odor absorptions units  28  are in the form of two briquettes of charcoal. 
         [0020]    The enclosure is preferably sized to fit a range of litter pans already commercially available on the market.  FIG. 3  shows the footprints of three different sizes of commercially available litter pans  32 ,  34 ,  36  on the floor  30  of the enclosure in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the floor  30  has dimensions of 18″×28″. The small-sized litter pan  32  has dimensions of 10.4″×14.1″. The medium-sized litter pan  34  has dimensions of 12″×16″. The large-sized litter pan  36  has dimensions of 15.3″×18.5″.  FIG. 4  shows an external view of a litter pan  40  in an assembled enclosure  42  of the present invention. 
         [0021]      FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of an enclosure in an embodiment of the present invention with a litter pan  50 . The enclosure is easily assembled and may be provided in pieces as a kit. The enclosure may be sold with or without the litter pan  50 . The sides  64  are preferably flattened when packaged to reduce packing size. The entry  52  is preferably pre-cut to size and may be available in different sizes for different-sized cats. To assemble the unit, the user unflattens the sides  64  to form the rectangular shape of the enclosure. The cover  54  and the floor  60  may come flattened or with the lips  56 ,  62 , respectively, pre-formed. Although the doormat  66  and odor absorption units  68  may come permanently affixed to the floor  60  or reversibly attachable to the floor by Velcro® strips or other reversible means, the doormat  66  and odor absorption units are preferably shipped loose and placed on the assembled floor unit by the user. This allows the user to replace the floor unit, the doormat, or the odor absorption units separately and independently as necessary when each loses its effectiveness. The user places the sides  64  over the lips  62  of the assembled floor unit. The user then places the litter pan  50  filled with litter on the floor  60  near or on the odor absorption units  68 . Finally, the user places the lips  56  of the assembled cover unit over the top edges of the sides  64  to complete assembly of the enclosure. Additional floor units, doormats, or odor absorption units may be provided with the original enclosure unit or sold separately, so that the user can replace the floor  60  without replacing the entire enclosure. 
         [0022]    Although the present invention has been described primarily in terms of embodiments for general use by cats, the design may be modified for other uses within the spirit of the present invention. The layout, design, dimensions, and features of the enclosure may be modified for use by other litter-using animals, including, but not limited to, rabbits and ferrets. The enclosure may also be modified specifically for use as a birthing place for litters. 
         [0023]    Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as essential to the invention.