Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
SPECIFICATION
This invention is directed toward receptacles for pet bodily waste. More
specifically, the
invention provides a fully-disposable, shippable pet toilet unit that
incorporates a
specially grown living grass pad, and a system whereby a user is able to
obtain one or
more disposable, living-grass pet toilet units at one or more single points in
time, or to
obtain one or more units through a continuous delivery and replacement method
whereby
the units are delivered--at regular, specified intervals--for an extended
period of time
identified by said user. The pet toilet units are shipped as self-contained
units whereby
the pet toilet unit serves as its own shipping carton as well as a pet
commode. The units
are delivered in their entirety, can be discarded in their entirety, and can
be replaced in
their entirety. The units do not contain any reusable parts, such as plastic
grass or metal
parts, which would require washing or disinfecting. Because of the novel pet
toilet unit's
complete disposability, the natural appeal of the living grass to pets, the
convenience of
an available continuous delivery and replacement system, and other
characteristics of the
invention, it is superior to and distinctively different from other pet
toilets.
The present invention solves one of the most annoying and daunting problems
faced by
pet owners--dealing with a pet's bodily waste in a convenient, reliable
manner. Owners
who must leave their pets unattended at home for long periods of time have few
options
for meeting their pet's waste elimination needs. Moreover, walking pets in the
rain or late
at night are situations that most pet owners would like to avoid if at all
possible for
reasons of comfort and personal security. The limited mobility of older pet
owners, as
well as old or injured pets, can also make dealing with pet waste a difficult
issue.
Individuals who live in apartment buildings can also find it inconvenient to
walk their
pets frequently. To address these types of problems, others have proposed
various
devices, but they do not have advantages of the present invention. Examples of
other
devices include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,121 to Brazzell discloses an animal toilet using synthetic
grass and a
disposable and absorbent pad for absorbing waste. The absorbent pad must be
manually
replaced and the synthetic grass cleaned and disinfected as bacteria will
build up over
time.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,0880,285 to Hillman discloses a rigid mesh screen atop a urine
collection
chamber. Urine collects at the base of the tray and is manually disposed of by
the owner
as needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,363 to MacLaine discloses a live grass mat that is
supported by a
permanent container that holds a reservoir of water. Over time, pet urine will
kill the live
grass, making it necessary to change out and replace the grass. This is often
a messy and
unpleasant job for the pet owner.
Various other inventions are listed in this applicant's U.S. Patent
Application 13/175,869
for which he submitted U.S. Continuation Patent Application 13/987,754 on
August 29,
2013 and claimed Convention Priority.
Several Canadian patent documents also describe devices that address pet
toilet issues,
but they do not have the advantages of the present invention. These Canadian
patent
documents include CA 2411988, CA 1198638, CA 2128420, CA 2574584, CA 2573755,
and CA 2496247.
While various patent documents recognize the problem of pet waste elimination,
the
inventions they propose suffer from a number of disadvantages. When a
permanent,
reusable container holds non-perishable materials (reusable artificial grass
or screens and
catchment trays), the pet owner must periodically clean and/or disinfect the
entire
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container, its base, and/or some of its reusable component parts to prevent
odor and
bacterial build-up. Alternatively, if a permanent, reusable container holds
living grass, the
grass must be changed out and replaced--a messy process. When living grass is
handled
in this manner it can be an inconvenient and burdensome task.
In contrast, the present invention is distinctively different from and more
advantageous
than other pet toilets in that it constitutes a single, integrated, self-
contained, fully-
disposable unit, which is formed by fitting a pad of living grass into a
disposable
receptacle, which is resistant to the penetration of liquids. The unit has no
reusable base
or other components, such as artificial grass, mesh, screens, grates, or
catchment trays,
which need to be cleaned and/or disinfected. The unit has no urine-filled
parts that need
to be removed from the reusable container and replaced. Instead, the
integrated unit
described herein is conveniently transported, delivered, and disposed of in
its entirety.
Convenience is a hallmark of this invention because there is no maintenance of
reusable
parts.
Brief Summary of the Invention
The invention integrates several features into a single unit. It has one or
more sidewalls
that rise from the base of the receptacle to form a cavity into which a piece
of living grass
is fitted for the purpose of collecting the bodily waste of pets. It has a
fitted, removable or
fold-back cover that facilitates the unit's transport and disposability. It
includes a
receptacle base that is made from or coated with a material that is resistant
to the
penetration of liquids.
When fully assembled, the unit is shipped in that form. Thus, the unit serves
as its own
shipping container, as well as a pet commode. When the unit arrives at its
destination, the
user removes the cover to enable a pet to enter the unit and use it for waste
elimination.
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The unit can be placed within a home, patio, porch, or balcony for convenient
access by
pets.
The Unit does not require the emptying of catchment trays, or the cleaning
and/or
disinfection of any reusable parts, or the replacement of any component parts.
The
integrated unit is designed to be delivered in its entirety and to be
discarded in its
entirety. The living grass pad that is incorporated into the disposable
container is
produced in novel ways that enhance the utility of the pet toilet.
The unit is designed to be available to one or more users at single points in
time, or
available on a continuous basis--at regular, specified intervals¨for an
extended period of
time identified by the user. In the continuous delivery and replacement
system, old units
are simply discarded and replaced when new units are delivered. The system
thus
provides the user with the convenience of a continuous supply of new units.
Description of the Drawings
The features and advantages of this invention are better understood with
regard to the
following drawings. In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention:
FIG. 1 provides three-dimensional side views with a slight diagonal
perspective of the
entire pet toilet unit. The unit may be constructed with a perforated panel
that can be
removed or folded down.
FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional side view, with a slight diagonal perspective,
showing how
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the bases of two separate units can be joined together if optional perforated
panels are
removed and the bases of the units are positioned so that they are abutting.
As shown in FIG. 1, the living grass (12) is fitted into the base of the unit
(10), which has
a fitted, removable cover or lid (13). The receptacle base of the unit (10)
may have one or
more perforations to provide an optional tear-out (as shown by 11), or
alternatively, an
optional fold-down. The optional tear-outs or fold-downs can permit easy
access to the
grass for puppies and very small pets.
As shown in FIG. 2, these optional tear-outs can also be used to join together
the bases of
two or more units (10) to create a surface area for larger pets. For this
purpose, clips or
other devices may be included to secure two or more units together.
In FIG. 1, the unit's base (10) and/or cover (13) are constructed of or coated
with a
material that is resistant to the penetration of liquid. Corrugated cardboard
with a wax
coating or made with animal fat could be used for this specific purpose. The
surface of
the base of the unit (10) may have a coating or sealant comprised of vitamins
and/or other
nutrients or substances that will help prolong the life of the living grass
during its
shipment.
In FIG. 1, the preferred shape of the unit's base (10) and cover (13) is shown
as a
rectangle; however, other shapes are possible. The unit is not hermetically
sealed; rather,
the cover (13) and the receptacle base (10) have seams or other openings that
enable air
to enter the unit during shipment. No hermetic sealing, shrink wrap of other
covering is
used to cut off the entry of air to the unit during shipment. When the unit is
at the pet's
location, the cover (13) is removed or folded down to allow the pet entry into
the unit.
When the unit is ready for disposal, the cover (13) is again placed over the
unit's base
(10) to provide extra assurance that the individual who is handling the unit
will avoid
messy and unpleasant conditions during the disposal process. The fully
integrated unit
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. .
(10, 12, 13) is then disposed of in its entirety.
A material or substance may be used in the construction or treatment of the
receptacle
base (10) and/or cover of the disposable container (13) to control moisture
levels in the
unit during shipment. The living grass (12) may be treated with a substance or
material to
control moisture levels in the unit during shipment.
A substance may be used to adhere the bottom of the living grass (12) to the
base of the
unit (10) so that it remains in place during shipment.
There are different methods to increase the amount of living grass (12) that
can fit inside
a disposable pet toilet container. Living grass (12) may be affixed to both
the inside of
the base (10) and inside of the cover (13), creating two separate toilet
surface areas that
can be combined to form a larger area when the unit is opened up following
delivery.
Alternatively, a different style container may be used. One such style is a
suitcase-like
box that can carry a piece of grass that is folded over or rolled up during
shipment. In
such a design, the cover or lid would fold out to become part of the base that
contains the
grass.
Trays can be used to grow living grass pads (12) for incorporation into the
receptacle
base of the each unit (10). The dimensions of the trays can be tailored to
produce grass
pads that will fit into the receptacle base of the disposable container (10)
in a manner that
will avoid the need for any cutting of the grass pads.
It is also possible that a growing tray and the grass pad it contains may be
transferred to
the receptacle base of the disposable container (10) together, thus providing
a way to
avoid the handling of the grass pad during the transfer process.
=
It is also possible that grass pads (12) may be grown directly in the
receptacle base of the
disposable containers (10), thus providing a way to completely avoid the
process of
transferring the grass pads to the containers.
The use of geothermal techniques can provide a temperature-controlled
environment that
would further the use of trays to grow the grass pads for the pet toilet
units, thereby
enabling a year-round supply of said units irrespective of the location of the
production
facility.
While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of
ordinary skill to
make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those
of ordinary
skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations,
combinations, and
equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The
invention
should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and
examples, but should include all embodiments and methods within the scope and
spirit of
the invention as claimed.
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