GB2183451A - Device for catching dog-droppings - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for catching dog droppings having, on the end of a handle 4, an opening container 1 which is lined with a disposable plastic bag 8. The opened container is positioned under the dog to catch its droppings. At some later stage the liner is removed with the droppings and disposed of. The container is constructed from two main parts: a pan 3, and a lid 2. The lid 2 is secured to the handle 4 and the pan 3 is attached to the lid 2 by a hinge 5. A spring urges the pan 3 onto the lid 2 to keep the container closed. The pan has a flange 6 on its lower edge which, in use, is pressed against the ground and under further pressure causes the pan 3 to pivot on the hinge 5, thus opening the container. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Deviceforcatching dog-droppings This invention relates to the need to prevent fouling of pavements and other public areas by dogs.

There has been a growing realization in recent years ofthe health hazard presented by droppings left by dogs in parks and on pavements etc. This health hazard is particularly serious for children, who often play in parks or on pavements where dog-owners exercise their pets. Pressure has therefore been growing for legislation to make dog-owners responsibleforcleaning up any droppings left bytheirdog.

At present there are several ways in which a dog ownercan clear up the droppings left by his dog. A simpletrowel or scoop can be used, with the droppings being placed straight in a bin or in a plastic bag, orto savethe ownerbending down, a scoop on the end of a long handle. These devices are unsatisfactory, however, because unless the dog owner is particularlythorough, the pavement will be left slightlyfouled where the stool lay before it was scooped up. It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide means to enablethe ownerto preventthe stool from reaching the pavement, and to facilitate depositing it straight into a container, carried by the owner, for subsequent hygienic disposal.

Accordingly this invention provides a devicefor catching dog droppings comprising a container, meansforattaching a handletothecontainer: and means allowing the ownerto openthecontainerand to position it beneath the dog while holding the handle, to catch its droppings.

Conveniently the container is a disposable bag held buy a support so as to be opened and closed by operation of the support, the support being able to be connected to the handle.

The disposable bag may be provided with a draw string or stickysealing flap to allow itto be sealed before disposal.

Suitably the handle is long enough to allowthe container to be opened and closed while the owner is standing upright.

Conveniently the disposable bag is held on the support by clips. The container may be in two parts resembling a lid and a pan with the lid part secured to the handle and the pan part attached to the lid by a hinge and urged against the lid by the action of a spring on the hinge. The pan part is a triangular cross-section trough with one open end adjacent the hinge.

The pan part has one edge extended in a flange or roller beyondthe hinge and the containercan be opened out by placing this flange or roller on the ground and pushing the containerforwards whereupon frictional contact between the flange or roller and the ground causesthe pan partto pivoton the hinge and thusto open outthecontainer.Theopened container is then slid along the ground until it is positioned to catch the dog's droppings. The container is closed by the action ofthe spring when the container is lifted from the ground. The pan part may be made in several sizes for different sizes of dog, and should be shaped so that it can be slid underthe dog causing as little discomforttothe dog as possible.

The container may be injection moulded of plastics or any other suitable material. The g rou nd-engaging surface ofthe container may be provided with replaceable, protective, sound-reducing covers.

An alternative arrangement iswherethe flange on the trough attached is articulated to an actuating rod, which can be operated from the handle, so thatthe container can be opened out by the owner.

The handle may be telescopic to allow the device to be folded up orthe handle attachment means could allowthecontainerto be attached to the end of a walking stickorumbrella.

The invention is described in greater detail in the following description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. lisa schematic view of a preferred embodiment; Fig. 2 shows an embodiment with a roller on the trough ratherthan aflange; Fig. 3 shows an embodiment with its container operated mechanicallyfrom the handle; Fig. 4 shows a container without a handle suitable for attaching to a walking sticketc; Fig. 5 shows a telescopic handle; Fig.6showsoneoftheclipsforattachingthe disposable bag to the lid and pan parts.

Referring to Fig. 1 ,the container 1 comprises two parts,a lid part2 and a pan part3.The lid part2is secured to a handle4and has at its lower edge a hinge pin 5. The pan part3 is mounted on the hinge pin 5so that the two parts of the container can pivot between open and closed positions. The pan part is urged againstthelid part by the action of a spring (not shown) mounted on the hinge pin. One end ofthe spring bears on the lid partandthe other end on the pan part and the spring is mounted so asto urgethe container closed.

The pan part is intheform of an open box of triangular cross section. Thefloorofthe pan part is extended beyondthe sides to form a flange 6. The pan part is attached to the hinge pin along thejunction between the flange part and box part with the hinge pin parallel to the axis of the flange.

The ground-engaging surface of the flange or roller is provided with a sieeve or insert 7 made of a resilient material in orderto protecttheflange or roller, and also to reduce the noise produced when the device is operated.

Clips arse provided on the edges ofthe pan partand lid partwhich arefurthestfrom the hinge; in use, the clips hold a disposable plastic bag 8which serves as a disposable container. The bag is shown with a draw string around the opening, so that a used bag can be closed and disposed of hygienically.

Figure 6 shows one ofthe clips used for attachment ofthe disposable bag to its support. Aflexible strip 13 is attached at one end to the support and has at its outer end a lip 14.Theflexible strip and support are provided with inter-engageable means 15, such as a studwhich can snap into a hole, which enablesthe flexible strip to be releasable held with the lip 14 pressing against the support. The disposable bag is retained by trapping an edge between the lip and support.

In use, the owner first clips a disposable plastic bag into the container. The container is normally held closed bythe action ofthe spring. When the owner sees the dog preparing to defecate he places the flange ofthe pan on the ground and opens outthe container by pushing down and and forwards on the handle. The opened pan part is then slid underthe dog to catch the stools as they are deposited. When the dog has finished,the owner allows the container to close under the action ofthe spring by lifting the containerfrom the ground. The bag may be removed from the container at a later stage, sealed with the drawstring and disposed of.

Figure 2 shows a different embodiment where the sides ofthe pan part areformed into wheels 10, atthe open end, concentricwith, and rotatably attached to, the hinge. Thefloorofthe pan partmayalso be extended to form a roller concentric with the hinge.

The device is used in exactlythe same way as the ,creviouslydescribed embodiment.

Figure 3 shows an embodimentwherethecontainer is opened by and actuating rod 11 connected between the end oftheflange6 andthe remote end ofthe handle. Moving the rod in the direction marked X causes the containerto open, the container may subsequently be closed by reverse pressure on the actuating rod or by a spring on the hinge as before.

Figure 5 shows an embodiment ofthe invention for usewith awalking stick etc. No handle is provided, but means 12 are provided to allow attachment of the containertothewalking stick.

The handle may be madeto be collapsible to allow the device to be folded to a more compact form as shown in Fig. 6.

Another embodiment is possible where the containear opens in a clam-like fashion. in this embodiment the two parts ofthe container are pivotallyattached to each other by the hinge, and opening the container causesthetwo parts to rotateawayfrom each other through approximately equal arcs.

Claims (16)

1. Adeviceforcatchingdog droppings comprising acontainer, meansforattaching a handletothe container. and means allowing the ownerto open the container and to position it beneath the dog to catch its droppings.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the container is a disposable bag held by a support so as to be opened and closed by operation ofthe support, the support being able to be connected to the handle.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the containercomprisesa pan partanda lid part,the lid part being able to be secured to a handle and the pan part being pivotally attached at its open end to the lid part by a hinge.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein a spring is providedtourgethepan partagainstthelid part.

5. Adeviceaccordingtoclaim3or4whereinthe floorofthepan partisextendedpastthehingeto provide a flange which, in use, is pressed onto the ground, wherebyforward movement ofthe container causes the pan partto pivotaboutthe hinge, thus opening the container.

6. Adeviceaccordingtoclaim3or4whereinthe sides ofthe pan part are, at the open end ofthe pan partformed into wheels concentric with and rotatably attached to the hinge.

7. A device according to claim 3, 4 or 6 wherein the floor ofthe pan part is extended beyond the sides of the pan part atthe open end, and informed into a roller concentric with the hinge.

8. A device according to claim 30r4,whereintbe floor of the pan part is extended, at the open end ofthe pan part, beyondthe sides ofthe pan part, and is rotatably attached to an actuating rod, operated from the remote end of the handle, such that movement of the actuating rod along its length opens and closes the container.

9. A device according to any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the ground-engaging surfaces ofthe container are provided with replaceable protective, soundreducing coverings.

10. A device according to Claim 1 wherein the container comprises two movable parts attached to each other by a hinge, arranged so that, in use, the two parts can rotate away from each otherthus opening the container.

11. A device according to any of claims 2 to 10, wherein the container is provided with a clip near its opening to releasably hold the disposable bag in the support.

12. A device according to anyone of claims 2to 10, wherein the disposable bag is provided with a draw-string.

13. A device according to any of one claims 2 to 10, wherein the disposable bag is provided with a sticky sealing flap.

14. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the container is made from injection moulded plastics material.

15. A device according to any preceding claim including a handlewhich is collapsible.

16. Adeviceforcatching dog droppings constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.