Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Kitty litter box
The invention relates to a kitty litter box,
comprising an assembly of a housing and a lining co-
operating with the housing, wherein the housing is formed
as a first box comprising a bottom and upright side walls,
and is designed for permanent use, and in that the lining
is removable and that it is formed as a disposable second
box of a size such that the second box can be accommodated
in the first box substantially without play between the
first and the second box.
Such a litter box is known from WO 96/36217. Both
the housing and the lining for the housing of this known
kitty litter box are rectangular in shape. The disposable
second box comes as a bottom plate with substantially
upright intermediate portions adjacent to the bottom plate
and side walls that are movably coupled to the
intermediate portions, whereby two opposite side walls can
be moved toward the bottom plate between the upright
intermediate portions, and the other two side walls can be
placed upon the upright intermediate portions as lid,
albeit that the lid does not seal this half-product
entirely.
Also from US-A-4,348,982 a kitty litter box
according to the preamble of the main claim is known. Both
the housing and the disposable box to be placed inside the
housing according to this citation are as well rectangular
in shape.
Furthermore, from US-A-4,788,935 a cat litter box
is known which is formed as a completely disposable
assembly of a housing and contents for the housing. The
contents of the housing comprise a half-product serving as
packaging, which by unfolding becomes a box comprising a
bottom plate and upright side walls. In one of the side
walls an opening is provided for the cat. After the box
has been folded out, a sleeve supplied therewith can be
used to complete the cat litter box. The sleeve then
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functions as housing. After the cat litter box has been
used, the box enveloped by the sleeve is returned to its
original half-product condition, for which purpose the
side walls are pushed from outside the sleeve, into the
folded condition.
The cat litter box according to US-A-4,788,935
has several drawbacks. Firstly, manipulating the box in
order to insert it into the sleeve when using the cat
litter box for the first time as well as pushing back the
walls of the box through the sleeve after it has been
used, is rather akward. Secondly, there is a large amount
of waste, since every time the box containing the
excrements of the cat is discarded, the sleeve thus
serving as waste disposal bag, also has to be discarded.
Thirdly, the assembled known cat litter box consisting of
a cardboard box and an enveloping flexible sleeve, does
not stand very firmly when in use so that it can easily
become a play ball for the cat. This has negative
consequences with respect to the hygiene of the cat litter
box.
The object of the invention is to improve the
ease of handling and the sanitary features of the cat
litter box according to WO 96/36217, and to arrive at
further advantages that will be explained below. To this
end, the cat litter box according to the invention is
characterized in that the housing is open at its tap and
optionally includes a lid, and that the side walls of the
second box are slightly tapered from the bottom upward.
This facilitates easy placing and simple removal of the
second box from the housing of the cat litter box.
Desirably also, the second box is formed from a
sheet of plastic or cardboard comprising a bottom plate
coupled to which are the side walls. This makes it
possible on the one hand to manufacture the second box
conveniently and at low cost from, for example, recyclable
or recycled cardboard, and on the other hand it makes it
possible to bring the second box on the market in a
manageable size. This latter aspect will be explained
below.
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A preferred embodiment is characterized in that
each of the side walls of the second box is firmly
connected with its bottom plate via an intermediate
portion and in that each of the intermediate portions
extends substantially perpendicularly in relation to the
bottom plate and is firmly connected with its adjacent
intermediate portions. The upright intermediate portions
together with the bottom plate form a receptacle for
moisture that collects in the second box, without being
able to seep through.
It is further preferred that there are four side
walls, of which two opposite side walls are substantially
in straight alignment with first fold lines surrounding
the bottom plate, and of which the other two side walls
are somewhat wider in relation to the first fold line
surrounding the bottom plate, and that at some distance
from their side edges the said wider side walls have a
second fold line, providing the wider side walls with
flaps that can be directed toward the straight side walls.
This embodiment makes it possible to form the box, when
the same is unfolded such as to taper from the bottom
plate upward, in conformity with the housing.
The simple placing of the second box then allows
the flaps to fulfil the function of seal between the
adjacent side walls, which seal comes into action because
due to the tapering of the housing said side walls and
flaps are pushed toward each other.
Advantageously the flaps are provided with lips
that can project outward to clampingly couple the wider
side walls to the straight side walls. To further promote
a close fit between the side walls, the straight side
walls are provided with notches in their side edges
suitable for receiving the lips. To ensure that the
transition between the adjacent side walls is sealed
properly, it is favourable to have the lips substantially
extending diagonally in the flaps. This makes the tapering
shape of the second box more stable.
A further desirable preferred embodiment is
characterized in that the straight side walls are coupled
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with the long sides of the bottom plate and that
approximately halfway up, they are provided with a third
fold line extending parallel to said long sides; it being
further desirable that the straight side walls near the
edge furthest away from the bottom plate, are provided
with a cut-out in the shape of the handgrip. Amongst
others this makes the second box in the cat litter box
according to the invention much more manageable both
before and after it has been used.
It is further desirable that the interior of the
second box be provided with a moisture-proof lining. This
particularly serves the hygiene of the cat litter box
according to the invention, since all the cat's moist
excrements can be safely collected in the second box. In
addition it is desirable that said second box be provided
with cat-box litter such as granules or the like.
The invention is also embodied in a sheet,
suitable for forming a box as described above, and in a
half-product formed from such a sheet, which half-product
is also suitable for forming such a box that serves as
part of the cat litter box according to the invention.
The sheet of the invention comprises a
substantially rectangular bottom plate as well as
intermediate portions which are adjacent to the bottom
plate and separated from the bottom plate by first fold
lines and side walls which are adjacent to the
intermediate portions and separated by fourth fold lines,
two opposite side walls extending in straight alignment
with the first fold lines, and the other two side walls
being wider in relation to the first fold lines.
The invention is also embodied in a further
development of the half-product known from WO 96/36217.
According to the invention, the known half-product
comprising a bottom plate and adjacent to the bottom plate
substantially upright intermediate portions, and side
walls movably coupled to the intermediate portions, of
which two opposite side walls can be moved toward the
bottom plate between the upright intermediate portions,
and the other two side walls can be placed upon the
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upright intermediate portions as lid, is characterized in
that approximately at the halfway point, the side walls
usable as lid are provided with third folding lines
extending parallel to the bottom plate, and in that the
5 portions of said side walls bordering to the third fold
line and facing away from the bottom plate abut and extend
parallel to the bottom plate.
The advantage of this half-product forming the
basis for a finished second box for placing into the
housing of the cat litter box is that after its use, it
provides a sealed wrapping for the fowled contents of the
second box by folding the same after removal from the
housing to obtain the original half-product. Desirably,
the adjacent portions of the side walls are provided with
a cut-out near the edge that is farthest removed from the
third fold lines.
This provides a hand grip to facilitate easy
handling of the half-product.
The invention is further embodied in an assembly
of two such half-products, which assembly is formed by
abutting two such half-products in mirror image. Such an
assembly provides two half-products which, from a
consumer s point of view may be conveniently applied in a
standard shopping pattern, which is characterized in that
the shopping is done once a week. In such a pattern, two
half-products will meet the weekly requirement of two
boxes to be used in the housing of the cat litter box.
The invention will now be elucidated with
reference to the drawings which
In Fig. 1, shows the cat litter box according to
the invention without and with the second box that is to
be inserted into the housing of the cat litter box;
In Fig. 2, shows the sheet according to the
invention; and
In Fig. 3, shows the assembly of to half-products
according to the invention.
Identical reference numbers refer to similar
parts in the figures.
With reference first to Fig. 1, a housing 1 of
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the cat litter box according to the invention is shown, in
which one of the side walls is provided with an opening 4
serving as entry and exit for the cat. At the left in Fig.
pQ~ a 6
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1 the cat litter box is shown without a second box
inserted therein, but with the lid 2, lifted of the
housing 1. In the right-hand part of Fig. 1 is shown that
a finished second box 3, made from a sheet or half-product
5 is inserted in the housing 1. One of the side walls 11 of
the second box 3 is provided with an opening 5 which
corresponds to the opening 4 provided in the housing 1. As
can be clearly seen in Fig. 1, the housing 1 is formed
like a box with a bottom and upright side walls and is
10 also provided with a lid 2. This housing 1 with lid 2 is
designed for permanent use. The second box 3 is made to be
removable from the housing 1 and is formed as a box of a
size such that it can be inserted into the housing 1,
avoiding any play between the housing 1 (the first box)
15 and the second box 3. Fig. 1 also clearly shows that the
side walls 8,11 of the second box 3 taper slightly from
the bottom plate upward, to correspond with the side walls
of the housing 1.
With reference to Fig. 2 it is noted that the
20 second box 3 is formed from a sheet shown in this figure
and made, for example, of plastic or cardboard, comprising
the bottom plate 6 and side walls 8,11 coupled to the
bottom plate 6. Each of the side walls 8,11 of the second
box 3 is connected with the bottom plate 6 via an
25 intermediate portion 7. When the sheet has been brought
into the form of the half-product or into the form of the
finished box 3, each of the intermediate portions 7 stand
substantially perpendicular in relation to the bottom
plate 6, and all intermediate portions 7 are firmly inter-
30 connected.
Fig. 2 further clearly shows that there are four
side walls 8,11, of which two side walls 8 are positioned
opposite each other and which are substantially in
straight alignment with first fold line 14 surrounding the
35 bottom plate 6. In relation to the first fold lines 14 the
surrounding the bottom plate 6, the other two side walls
11 are slightly wider, and at some distance from the side
rims of said wider side walls 11, a second fold line 16 is
provided in order to provide flaps 12 that can be directed
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toward the straight side walls 8. Said flaps 12 are
further provided with outward projectable lips 13 for
clampingly coupling the wider side walls 11 to the
straight side walls 8.
5 Fig. 2 further clearly shows that the edges of
the straight side walls 8 have been provided with a notch
17, suitable to accommodate the lips 13, and that the lips
13 extend in the flaps 12 substantially diagonally.
Especially this latter measure contributes to the desired
10 tapering shape of the second box, when it is finished just
before insertion into the housing 1.
In the preferred embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the
straight side walls 8 are coupled with the long sides of
the bottom plate 6 and are provided approximately half-way
15 up with a third fold line 18 extending parallel to said
long side.
At the side facing away from bottom plate 6, the
straight side walls 8 are provided with cut-outs 19 shaped
as handgrip 19. The function of the handgrip is
20 particularly clearly shown in Fig. 3, representing the
assembly of two half-products formed from the sheet
according to Fig 2. The half-product formed from the sheet
according to Fig. 2 is not further shown in the figures
since for a person skilled in the art that shape is
25 sufficiently clearly shown in Fig. 3. The half-product can
be formed from the sheet according to Fig. 2 by bending
the intermediate portions 7 more or less perpendicularly
two the bottom 6 along the first fold line 14 and by
bonding these by means of adhesive or the like. The side
30 walls 8,11 are coupled to these intermediate portions 7,
which together with the bottom plate 6, form a shallow
tray. The wider side walls 11 are then bent toward the
inside of the shallow tray after the flaps 12 have first
been bent inward along the second fold lines 16. The side
35 walls 11 then fit into the shallow tray formed by the
bottom plate 6 and the upright portions 7. Said shallow
tray can then the closed off by means of the side walls 8,
by folding them toward each other until they practically
abut to the third fold lines 18. The portions 10 of the
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side walls 8 fartherst removed from the bottom plate 6
then abut and can then together be folded toward one and
the same side parallel to the bottom plate 6, as is
clearly shown in Fig. 3.
5 The above description of the invention is a
typical exemplary embodiment of the cat litter box, the
sheet and the half-product, and assembly according to the
invention, without being limited thereto. Various
modifications to the exemplary embodiment discussed are
possible, all within the scope of the appended claims.
