Abstract:
A pet debris trap catches items that result from traffic to a pet usage area, such as a cat litter box, or from a pet habitat such as a birdcage. In situations such as this, debris in the form of cat litter, feces, food particles, replaced feathers, etc., are deposited around the litter box or habitat. This presents a condition that requires constant attention by the pet owner. As a solution to this problem the present invention is a trap that includes a substratum that supports an adhesive, preferably a pressure sensitive adhesive, which is supported by, and positioned up away from, a base. This accessible adhesive catches litter that clings to the paws of a cat or droppings from a bird that would otherwise soil the bottom pan of the cage or bounce out of the cage and land on the floor nearby. The adhesive covered substratum can come in individual sheets or on a continuous roll, which can then be discarded when soiled and replaced with a clean sheet or section of the roll.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention generally relates to household pet devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device intended to prevent soiling of the area near a litter box or pet habitat.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The problems associated with household pets are encountered by all pet owners at some time. Many such problems are associated with the fecal contaminants and associated odor of housecats. Technology in cat litter has enabled a greatly reduced odor problem. Unfortunately the litter itself presents another problem. The very nature of cat litter is extensive and rapid absorption. These absorption properties are enhanced by providing a high surface area of the absorbing material. Inherently, this means small granular particles that the cat must step into every time the litter box is used. The soft paws of the animal pick up this material and deposit it in the general vicinity of the litter box. Every owner of an indoor cat has dealt with the constant sweeping of the litter box area to keep it clean. With every use by the cat, the area is again soiled.  
           [0003]    A similar problem exists with indoor birds. Birds do not use a litter box. Instead they freely defecate at will to the obvious detriment of anything lying there below. In addition, not only are birds less than sanitary with their fecal waste, but the food they partially eat and drop or drop prior to eating typically lands in the pan, or bottom of the cage. Old newspaper is typically used to line the bottom of the cage in an attempt to catch the falling debris. For some items this works but for hard objects, such as nuts and shells, an elastic collision between the object and the bottom of the cage pan results in a projectile that eventually lands on the floor around the cage. The result of both the litter box and the birdcage, is an untidy floor littered with debris.  
           [0004]    A few attempts have been made to address these problems, but most involve a screen with a second pad that then also needs to be emptied. The structures of such devices are usually costly. In many cases these attempted “traps” will be avoided by the animal. An inexpensive and potentially retrofitable product that works with the existing litter box or other habitat is desirable.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    In one aspect, the invention features a substantially rigid base and a substratum with an adhesive, preferably a pressure sensitive adhesive, on a first side and a second side positioned on the base. The substratum is releasably fastened to the base so that the adhesive on the first side of the substratum would capture debris from a pet, such as cat litter, bird food and fecal waste.  
           [0006]    The pet debris trap may also include a base that is manufactured of a substantially flat paperboard material, such as a cardboard sheet. The base may be comprised of a formed structure and include a substratum clamp. The formed structure can be manufactured from metal, plastic, wood or any other similar material. This formed structure can take the form of the pan of a birdcage or a cat litter box ramp. The structure may include one or more sidewalls that may be releasably secured to the formed structure.  
           [0007]    The substratum, which supports the adhesive, of the trap may include a plurality of stacked sheets that are releasably fastened to the base at one end of the stack with a gum adhesive. These sheets may include a release liner on each sheet, when the release liner is removed access to the adhesive is provided.  
           [0008]    In another form the substratum may be comprised of a roll of pliable material with the first side (adhesive side) being the medial portion of each layer of the roll. The base may also include a roll support that is capable of receiving the substratum roll. A cutter may also be included to enable separation of a portion of the substratum from the roll.  
           [0009]    In another aspect, the invention includes a method of capturing pet debris including providing a device in accordance with that as previously disclosed, positioning the device in a pet area with the first side of the substratum, and associated adhesive, accessible to the debris and then allowing the adhesive to capture the debris. The method may also include removing the substratum when it is soiled and replacing it with an unsoiled substratum and associated adhesive. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    The foregoing and other objects of this invention, the various features thereof, as well as the invention itself, may be more fully understood from the following description, when read together with the accompanying drawings, described:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a pet debris trap with an adhesive applied substratum in the form of a multiple sheet tablet with release liners, the device produced in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a multiple sheet tablet, as in FIG. 1, positioned as it would typically be used with a housed litter box, the device produced in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is an isometric view of roll of a pet debris trap with an adhesive applied substratum in the form of a roll shown in a typical application lining the bottom pan of a birdcage, the device produced in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is an isometric, exploded view of a pet debris trap with an adhesive applied substratum in the form of a roll, the device including a litter box ramp with a substratum clamp and a cutter near the roll, the device shown next to a cat litter box.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is an isometric, assembled view of a pet debris trap with an adhesive applied substratum in the form of a roll, the device including a litter box ramp with a cutter positioned near the end of the ramp.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a side, shortened view of an assembled pet debris trap with an adhesive applied substratum in the form of a roll, the device including a litter box ramp with a cutter positioned near the substratum roll and a clamp near the end of the ramp.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a side, shortened view of an assembled pet debris trap with an adhesive applied substratum in the form of a roll, the device including a litter box ramp with a cutter positioned near the end of the ramp.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a pet debris trap with an adhesive applied substratum in the form of a roll, the device including a litter box ramp with a side wall releasably secured thereto, the device shown as it would typically be used with a cat litter box. 
     
    
       [0019]    For the most part, and as will be apparent when referring to the figures, when an item is used unchanged in more than one figure, it is identified by the same alphanumeric reference indicator in all figures.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    The present invention is pet debris trap that is intended to reduce or eliminate traditional cleanup around a high pet traffic object such as a litter box of a cat or animal habitat such as a birdcage. One form of the disclosed invention is shown in FIG. 1. Here the substratum  10  includes an adhesive layer on this, the upper side. A release liner  12  is placed over the substratum  10 , covering the adhesive until such time as the release liner  12  is pealed away, exposing the adhesive. The combination of the substratum  10  and the liner  12  can be in the form of a sheet  14 , as shown here. These sheets  14  can be stacked into a pad  16  and supported by a base  18 . The base gives the pad  16  a reasonable amount of rigidity that enables the “sticky” surface of the adhesive lined substratum  10  to stay in place when the adhesive on the substratum is contacted and released. The base  18  can take any number of forms and is preferably a paper material such as a flat cardboard sheet. Cardboard is inexpensive and more environmentally friendly than plastics or metals, though both could function in this regard.  
         [0021]    In the preferred embodiment, the substratum  10 , or in this case sheets  14  are attached to the base  18  at only one end. That is the shown here to be by use of gum adhesive  20 , located on one edge of the pad  16 . This allows the release liners  12  of each sheet  14  and each individual sheet  14  to be removed from the pad  16  at the discretion of the user. This is desirable when a substratum is soiled and replacement is desired.  
         [0022]    Though many of the specifics of the substratum  10  are not critical to the function of the invention, the preferred embodiment, as determined by the inventors, has revealed some specifications. The substratum  10  is preferably an 80# tan or buff paper (approximately 0.005-0.007 inches thick) with a pressure sensitive adhesive on one side. The adhesive is preferably of an acrylic or rubber base and must be sticky to the touch but not “stringy” in that it must remain on the substratum  10  when contacted and released.  
         [0023]    The release liner is a coated paper of similar thickness or thinner (approximately 0.004-0.007 inches thick) than the substratum  10 . A score line  22  is used to facilitate removal of the release liner  12  from the substratum  10 . The score line  22  is shown here to be a 45-degree cut through the release liner  12  near the free edges of each sheet  14 . This is found to be optimal but not critical to the function of the invention. An infinite number of variations in the number and positions of the score lines are possible without altering the intended function of the invention.  
         [0024]    The base  18 , as noted, can easily take a variety of forms in that the only function is to support the substratum  10 . In the preferred embodiment, the base  18  is comprised of an uncoated paperboard approximately 0.025-0.050 inches thick.  
         [0025]    The combined pad  16  has been determined to function optimally in this form with a size of 20 inches in width (width of the gum adhesive) by 26 inches in length. It is understood that an infinite variety of dimensions can be used and this is not intended to be limiting to the scope of the invention.  
         [0026]    A typical use of the pad  16  is shown in FIG. 2. A cat litter box pan  24  with litter  26  located therein is depicted positioned adjacent to the pad  16 . In this depiction, the release liner of the top sheet will have been removed revealing the substratum with the adhesive covering. The edge of the pad  16  is placed under the forward edge of the litter box pan  24 . The gum adhesive  20  on the far end of the pad  16  keeps the edges of the substratum  10  in place when the adhesive surface is contacted and released. The weight of the litter box pan  24  keeps the free end from moving under similar circumstances. It is not necessary that the pad  16  be placed in this orientation, but it has been found to be preferred.  
         [0027]    As the cat leaves the litter box pan  24 , granules of litter  26  stick to the soft paws of the animal. The animal typically then tracks this debris out onto the floor until it eventually falls off. With the invention positioned such that the animal must step on the pad  16  upon leaving the litter box pan  24 , the adhesive on the substratum  10  works in two ways. First the adhesive directly pulls much of this free debris off the paws of the animal each time a paw contacts the adhesive. Secondly, the sticky “feel” of the adhesive causes the animal to pull the paw up off the substratum  10  and shake each paw with each step, further dislodging the debris. This debris then falls onto the substratum and is caught by the adhesive.  
         [0028]    There are a number of ways to insure the animal steps on the pad  16  upon leaving the litter box pan  24 . One way is by using a litter pan hood or house  28 . This has other advantages in reducing odor, but is useful with regard to the disclosed invention in that the door  30  provides a limited direction exit from the litter  26 . This ensures the animal must step on the pad  16  when leaving the litter box pan  24  with litter  26  on the animal&#39;s paws. Any other form of position with obstacles can be used. By placing the litter box pan  24  in a corner of a room, and blocking off a side exit, the animal is assured of a “paw cleaning”. The user may also use a room corner and place a second pad  16  on the remaining open side. This also assures their paws are cleaned upon leaving the litter  26 . As the animal&#39;s paws are pulled off of the “sticky” surface, a small vertical force is seen in the substratum  10 . Since it is economical for the substratum to be thin and pliable, this small load is transferred through to the base  18 , which maintains the generally rigid from of the pad  16 .  
         [0029]    The adhesive on the substratum  10  catches the debris of the tracked out litter  26  and the adhesive holds it on the surface of the substratum  10 . When the substratum  10  of the invention becomes soiled through repeated use of the animal, the top sheet can be removed as you would a sheet of paper from a notebook. The user then removes the release liner of the new sheet, revealing the adhesive covering the new substratum.  
         [0030]    A variation in the form of the invention is shown in FIG. 3. Here the base of the invention is in the form of a structure modified to accept the substratum, which is now a roll  32 . The modified base is shown here, as an example, to be the bottom pan  34  of a cage, such as a birdcage  35 . Much of the bars of the cage have been removed for illustrative purposes, to better show the invention. In this form, the substratum roll  32  does not require a release liner in that the adhesive is on the inside of each turn of the roll and therefore not accessible until the substratum  32  is unrolled.  
         [0031]    The base  34  includes a pair of spool mounts  38  that support the spool  40 , that in turn supports the substratum roll  32  through the center thereof. This allows rotational movement of the roll  32  about the spool  40 , enabling the free end  42  of the roll  32  to be displaced from the roll  32 . The base includes a first slot  44  and a second slot  46  through which the free end  42  can freely pass. Near the second slot  46  is a cutter  48  that enables the substratum to be cut, thereby creating a new free end  42 . The first slot  44  and the second slot  46  are shown to be positioned near the inside bottom surface  50  of the base  34 . This allows the structural integrity of the base  34  to support any debris that is placed on the extended substratum  52 . With the adhesive on the inside of the substratum roll  32 , unrolling the substratum roll  32  from the bottom, as shown, positions the adhesive side up on the portion which is the extended substratum  52 . Functionally this is very similar to that as previously disclosed other than the replacement of a “sheet” of the substratum. In this case, when the substratum becomes soiled from dropped food, waste and other debris, the user grasps the free end  42 , pulling the soiled section of extended substratum  52  through the second slot  46  and unrolling the substratum roll  32  at the same time. When a clean portion section of the extended substratum  52  is visible through the second slot  46 , the user parts the substratum  52  with the cutter  48 , providing a new free end  42 .  
         [0032]    Dropped seed shells and other debris will drop and stick to the exposed adhesive, rather than bounce out onto the floor nearby. In addition the cage can be cleaned in a few seconds without opening the door to the cage. This enables a user that is not comfortable with the animal to still clean the cage because there is no chance of contact between the user and the animal.  
         [0033]    It should be understood that the invention in the form as shown and described in FIG. 1 could also be used in an application such as this, inside a standard cage without the need for slot openings in the base and spool hangers. Also the substratum roll  32  could have the adhesive on the outside of the roll and unroll from the top to position the adhesive facing up. Though the device would be functional in that form, as disclosed, with the adhesive on the inside and the unrolling from the bottom is preferable.  
         [0034]    A similar form of the invention to that previously described is shown in FIG. 4, as it would be used as a cat litter box ramp with a cat litter box  54 . The substratum is again in the form of a substratum roll  32  with a free end  42  that unrolls from underneath, this the adhesive is on the inside. The spool  40  is shown here to be rigidly mounted to the base  56  and, when assembled, the substratum roll  32  is contained within the roll housing  58  on the spool  40  and enclosed by the door  60 . The cutter  48  is positioned on the front end of the roll housing, thus enabling the substratum to be parted, providing a free end  42 . There is a gap between the bottom surface  50  of base  56  and the cutting edge of the cutter  48 . This gap is where the free end  42  of the substratum roll  32  is guided through. The free end  42  is pulled through this gap and over the bottom portion  50  of the base  56 . At the free end  42  is then secured to the base by rotation of the substratum clamp  62  located on the far end of the base  56 . The clamp  62  secures the substratum to the base  56  so that it does not move when force is applied to the substratum by way of the adhesive. To enter and exit the litter box  54 , the cat or other animal would walk on the adhesive on the substratum, which is supported by the bottom portion  50  of the base  56 . As before the adhesive would catch the debris from the animal&#39;s paws upon leaving the litter box  54 .  
         [0035]    In all forms of the invention, the substratum can be clear or colored. In the form as in the current figure, it is in some cases desirable to have the substratum clear or a light color. In this way product identification, such as a logo, can be painted, formed or molded into the bottom portion  50  of the base  56 . Then, when the substratum is covering the bottom portion  50 , the logo would still be visible.  
         [0036]    In this form of the invention, the base  56  also includes sidewalls  64 . These add structural rigidity to the product and can be formed in any height or shape that is determined advantageous to the user. A difference between this version of the invention and that of the previous figure lies in the position of the cutter  48 . The cutter  48  can be any place associated with the base  56  and in some instances it may be desirable to position it near the roll  32  so that the soiled substratum does not contact the cutter  48  (as in this figure), or at the end of the base  56  so that a substratum clamp  62  is not needed (as in the previous figure).  
         [0037]    Another example of the invention in the form of a cat litter box ramp is shown in FIG. 5. Similar to the previous figure, the substratum is in a roll  32 , which is placed on the spool  40  within the roll housing  58 . The door  60  providing access thereto. The roll  32  is shown with an unrolled extended substratum  52  and a free end  42  that passes through the slot  46 . As before, a new free end  42  can be made by use of the cutter  48  at the end of the base  56 . To aid in the unrolling of the roll  32  and proper placement of the substratum when positioned as the extended substratum  52 , a roller  66  is used. This roller  66  is positioned near the slot  44  at the base of the roll housing  58 . This roller  66  is rotatably mounted to the base  56 , being preferably located within the roll housing  58 .  
         [0038]    Details of each form of the invention, with the cutter near the roll and at the end of the base, are shown in a shortened side view in FIGS. 6 and 7 respectively. First, in FIG. 6, a version as detailed in FIG. 4 is shown. The roll  32  is rotatably mounted on the spool  40  and the extended substratum  52  extends between the cutter  48  and the clamp  62  with the free end  42  extending past the clamp  62 . In any form of the invention, which uses the roll and a built in cutter, it is desirable to include a contact surface  68  where the adhesive on the substratum can cling to when the cut is made. This then provides a free end  42  that is more easily accessible by the user. This is usually best accomplished by providing a substantially flat surface on the roll side of the cutter  58 . In this way when the substratum is raised to engage the cutter  48 , the adhesive contacts the contact surface  68 .  
         [0039]    The function of the clamp  62  is also shown here to be pivotally mounted to the base  56  with a flat arm  70  that pushes the substratum into the base  56 . It is shown here to include a handle  72  to facilitate rotation of the arm  70 , but this and even the rotation action is not critical to the novelty of the invention. A slide mounted clamp or a removable clamp would also function in this application.  
         [0040]    The general function of the invention as is shown and described in FIG. 6 is also applicable to FIG. 7. This form of the invention is more similar to that as shown in FIG. 5. Here the roller  66  is mounted to the base  56  and positioned near the roll  32 . The cutter  48  is positioned near the end of the base  56 , away from the roll  32 . The contact surface  68  is positioned near the cutter  48  is shown to be part of the structure which supports the cutter  48 . Functionally, it is similar to that as previously noted where the vertical movement of the substratum  52  to cut it on the cutter  48 , causes the adhesive to contact the contact surface  68  and releasably secure it thereto. Numerous other forms of this aspect of the invention are considered inherently inclusive with this disclosure.  
         [0041]    The present invention, in the form of a cat litter box ramp, is further shown in FIG. 8. The upper lip  74  of the litter pan  24  of the litter box  54  is shown to allow receipt of the roll housing  58  of the base  56  of the invention. This, though not necessary, provides a simple interlocking of the invention and the litter box  54 . As noted previously, the substratum roll  32  includes an extended substratum  52  through to the end of the base  56 . The adhesive on the substratum  52  positioned up away from the base  56 , thus providing a “sticky ramp” to and from the litter box  54 . To insure the animal uses the ramp, attaching extension walls  76  that can be permanently or releasably mounted to the existing sidewalls  64  can extend the sidewalls  64 . The sidewalls  64  of the invention can be made in this higher form as a standard, if a wall is present on one side the higher wall is redundant. This adds unnecessary expense to the product. The increased physical size of permanently high sidewalls on a fully assembled product would increase the storage and shipping size, also needlessly ultimately increasing the cost to the consumer.  
         [0042]    An infinite number of fastening methods can be used to attach the extension walls  76  to the invention. For example, pins  78  can be molded or fixed to the sides of the invention. These pins are received by holes  80  in the extension walls  76 . Other more traditional forms of attachment such as threaded fasteners, and hook and loop fasteners are also possible variations to mounting these extension walls  76  to some portion of the base  56  of the invention.  
         [0043]    It is to be understood that all of the enclosed information as presented is as the preferred embodiment in some form, as seen by the inventor. An infinite number of variations and modifications can be made including the sizing and positioning of various elements of the device, including the specific shape and form of the base.