Abstract:
A two-piece pet paw cleaning device is provided which is comprised of first and second identical tray members which may be connected together to form a spill-resistant container but which may be separated from one another so that one of the tray members may be used to clean a paw of a pet with the other tray member being used to dry the clean paw of the pet.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to a device for cleaning the paws of a pet such as a dog or the like when the dog is brought inside from the outdoors. Even more particularly, the instant invention relates to a dog paw cleaning device which is comprised of two identical tray members which may be selectively secured together for storage and/or transport. Even more particularly, the instant invention relates to a two-piece dog paw cleaning device wherein a paw of the dog may be placed into the first tray member which contains water so that the paw may be cleaned with the paw of the dog then being placed into the second tray member which includes a towel positioned therein to dry the paw of the dog. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    When pet owners, such as dog owners, bring their dog indoors from the outside, it is necessary to clean the paws of the dog of mud, snow, water, etc. to prevent the dog from tracking the same into the house or RV. In some cases, the dog owner attempts to clean the paws of the dog with a towel, either wet or dry. It is difficult to clean the paws of the dog due to the fact that debris is often located between the pads of the dog&#39;s paw. Further, if the dog owner attempts to clean the paws of the dog by placing the paw or paws of the dog into a pan of water, water is sometimes splashed from the pan. Additionally, even if the dog owner is successful in cleaning the paws of the dog in a pan of water, it is difficult to dry the paws of the dog. An additional problem in using a pan filled with water is that the pan is not easily transported from one location to another. Many elaborate pet cleaners or washers have been previously provided but they suffer from certain disadvantages. First, they may be quite expensive. Second, they may be very large making the same difficult to store, move or transport. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
         [0006]    A device is disclosed for cleaning and drying the paws of a pet such as a dog or the like. In a first embodiment of the invention, the device comprises identical first and second tray members. The first tray member includes a bottom wall having first and second end walls and first and second side walls extending upwardly therefrom and which have upper edges with the end and side walls having inner and outer surfaces. A first latch member extends upwardly from the first end wall of the first tray member and a second latch member is positioned on the outer side of the second end wall of the first tray member. The second tray member includes a bottom wall having first and second end walls and first and second side walls extending upwardly therefrom which have upper edges with the end and side walls having inner and outer sides. A first latch member extends upwardly from the first end wall of the second tray member and a second latch member is positioned on the outer side of the second end wall of the second tray member. The first and second tray members are identical so as to be interchangeable with one another. 
         [0007]    The first and second tray members are normally disconnected from one another in use so that the first tray member may have water placed therein for cleaning the paw of the pet when the paw is placed therein and so that the clean paw, after being removed from the first tray member, may be placed in the second tray member for drying. The second tray member is positionable on the first tray member, when inverted and rotated 180°, so that the first latch member of the second tray member may be latched to the second latch member of the first tray member and so that the first latch member of the first tray member may be latched to the second latch member of the second tray member to secure the first and second tray members together in a closed spill-resistant manner. 
         [0008]    In the first embodiment, the bottom walls of the first and second tray members have a plurality of spaced-apart projections extending upwardly therefrom with the projections being hollow with a closed upper end. In the first embodiment, the device further includes a drying member such as a towel placed in the second tray member. In the first embodiment, the first and second tray members are comprised of a plastic material. 
         [0009]    In a second embodiment of the invention, the first and second end walls and the first and second side walls extend upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall so that the first and second tray members may be positioned in a nested relationship with respect to one another for shipping, storage and transport thereof. In the second embodiment, the first and second tray members are secured together in a different manner than in the first embodiment. 
         [0010]    It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved device for cleaning the paws of a pet such as a dog or the like. 
         [0011]    A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which is comprised of identical first and second tray members which may be connected together to form a spill-resistant container and which may be separated so that a paw of a pet may be first cleaned in the first tray member and then dried in the second tray member. 
         [0012]    A further object of the invention is to provide a device for cleaning and drying the paws of a pet such as a dog or the like which is easy to use and which is transportable. 
         [0013]    A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which is durable in use, refined in appearance and economical of manufacture. 
         [0014]    These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the device of this invention with the tray members being secured together to form a spill-resistant container or enclosure; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the device of this invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is an upper perspective view of the first tray member; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the first and second tray members being separated with the paw of a pet being placed in the first tray member to clean the same; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the modified first tray member of this invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the second tray member of the modified form of the invention with the second tray member being identical to the first tray member of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating the first and second tray members of the second embodiment being secured together in a spill-resistant manner; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the second embodiment with the first and second tray members being in a closed position. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0024]    Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
         [0025]    In the drawings, the numeral  10  refers to the device of this invention for cleaning and drying the paws of a pet such as a dog or the like. Device  10  includes identical tray members  12  and  12 ′ adapted to be selectively secured together as seen in  FIG. 1  for storage and/or transport. Inasmuch as tray members  12  and  12 ′ are identical, only tray member  12  will be described in detail with “′” indicating identical structure on tray member  12 ′. 
         [0026]    Tray member  12  includes a bottom wall  14  with walls  16 ,  18 ,  20  and  22  extending upwardly therefrom. Walls  16  and  22  of tray member  12  will be referred to as end walls while walls  18  and  20  will be referred to as side walls. Bottom wall  14  has a plurality of spaced-apart nubs or projections  24  extending upwardly therefrom which define channels or spaces  26  therebetween. Although it is preferred that the projections  24  have a square or cross section, the projections  24  could possibly take other shapes. The projections  24  are hollow and have closed upper ends. 
         [0027]    A pair of horizontally spaced-apart guide rails  28  and  30  are integrally formed with end wall  16  at the inner surface thereof and have tapered upper ends  32  and  34  respectively. A latch member  36  is integrally formed with end wall  16  between rails  28  and  30  and is laterally outwardly offset from end wall  16 . The upper inner side of latch member  36  has a tapered recess  38  formed therein above a horizontally extending latch bar  40  which protrudes inwardly therefrom. A pair of gussets  42  and  44  are provided at the ends of latch bar  40 . The upper outer surface of end wall  22  has an outwardly projecting and horizontally extending latch bar  46  which has gussets  46  and  48  provided at the opposite ends thereof. 
         [0028]    For purposes of description, the numeral  52  refers generally to the leg of the pet such as a dog or the like with the numeral  54  referring to a paw of the pet. The numeral  56  refers to a drying member such as a towel or the like which is placed within the tray member  12 ′ as will be described in more detail hereinafter. In the drawings, the numeral  58  refers to water or a cleaning solution which is placed in the tray member  12 . 
         [0029]    In use, the tray numbers  12  and  12 ′ will be disconnected from each other and placed on a supporting surface such as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Water  58  is placed in the tray member  12  and preferably a towel  56  is placed in the tray member  12 ′. A paw of the pet is then placed in the tray member  12  with the upwardly extending projections  24  serving to separate the pads of the pet so that debris positioned between the pads of the paw  54  may be loosened and removed therefrom. The debris falling from the paw  54  will fall between the projections  24  so that the “clean” paw will not be in contact with debris. When the paw  54  has been cleaned, the leg of the pet is raised so that the paw  54  may then placed on the drying towel  56  in tray member  12 . After the paw  54  has been dried with the towel  56 , the other paws of the animal will be cleaned and dried as previously described. 
         [0030]    When it is desired to transport the device  10  from one location to another, or stored, tray member  12 ′ is inverted and rotated 180° from the position of  FIG. 4  so that tray member  12 ′ rests on the upper edges of the walls of tray member  12  as seen in  FIG. 2 . Latch bar  40  of latch member  36  of tray member  12  is latched to the latch bar  46  as illustrated in  FIG. 2  and the latch bar  40 ′ of tray member  12  is latched to the latch bar  46  of tray member  12  as also illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0031]    During the connection process of tray member  12 ′ to the tray member  12 , the tapered surfaces of the upper ends of the guide rails  28 ,  28 ′,  30  and  30 ′ serve to properly position the upper tray member  12 ′ with respect to the lower tray member  12 . Inasmuch as the device  10  is spill-resistant when in the position of  FIG. 2 , there is no need for the water to be removed from the tray member  12 . 
         [0032]      FIGS. 5-8  illustrate a second embodiment of the invention. In  FIGS. 5-8 , the numeral  10 ′ refers to the second embodiment which includes tray members  12 A and  12 B which are essentially identical to tray members  12  and  12 ′ except that the side and end walls thereof extend upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall to enable the tray members  12 A and  12 B to be nested together for storage and transport. The other difference between the embodiment of  FIGS. 5-8  and that of  FIGS. 1-4  is that the upstanding latch member  36 ′ does not have an inwardly protruding projection but has an elongated opening O formed therein and that the second latch member L includes an outwardly projecting member L′ which is adapted to be received in the opening O of the latch member  36 ′. 
         [0033]    As seen in  FIG. 8 , when tray member  12 B is placed upon tray member  12 A, the outwardly projecting member L′ of tray member  12 B is received in the opening O of tray member  12 A and the outwardly projecting portion L 1  of tray member  12 A is received in the opening O of tray member  12 B. As also seen in  FIG. 5 , each of the tray members has a pair of spaced-apart guide members G extending upwardly from the tray member on opposite sides of the latch L. 
         [0034]    The tray members  12 A and  12 B perform the same functions as tray members  12  and  12 ′ except that the tray members  12 A and  12 B may be nested and the means for connecting the tray members  12 A and  12 B is somewhat different than the way tray members  12  and  12 ′ are connected together. 
         [0035]    Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives. 
         [0036]    Although the invention has been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.