GB2381184A

GB2381184A - A hand held animal excrement removal device

Info

Publication number: GB2381184A
Application number: GB0122664A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joseph Bowes
Original assignee: Raymond Bruce Tait
Current assignee: Raymond Bruce Tait
Priority date: 2001-05-01
Filing date: 2001-09-20
Publication date: 2003-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 2021-09-20
Also published as: GB0122664D0; GB0110596D0; GB2381184B

Abstract

A hand held device for picking up animal excrement consists of two tubes where one of the tubes 11 slides telescopically inside the other tube 10 exposing a plurality of fingers 17 that hold onto the excrement when the inner tube 11 is slid out of the outer tube 10 and over the fingers 17. Preferably, when the inner tube 11 is manually pushed inside the outer tube 10, a spring (22, Fig 2) located in the outer tube 10 is compressed. The release of the spring (22, Fig2) by depression of the spring release 16 causes the inner tube 11 to shoot out of the outer tube 10 to encompass and close the fingers 17. A spring 18 may be used to splay each finger from a holding disc (23, Fig 2). A bag (25, Fig 3) may be placed over the excrement before using the device. A pressurized reservoir (21, Fig 2) of disinfectant or deodorant may also be enclosed in the outer tube 10 to spray the ground from which the excrement is removed.

Description

HAND HELD ANIMAL EXCREMENT REMOVAL DEVICE Field of this Invention THIS PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A MEANS FOR THE HYGIENIC AND COMPLETE REMOVAL OF ANIMAL FAECES FROM ANY SURFACE FOR SUBSEQUENT DISPOSAL WHICH INCLUDES A MEANS FOR DISINFECTING THE AREA OF DEFECATION.

Background to this Invention Many Local Authorities introduce Bye Laws to prevent animals and in particular dogs from fouling walkways and other areas of public use. Beaches are restricted to dogs during a number of months of the year. It should however be the accepted responsibility for health reasons that dog owners clean up the excrement their animals make in public places.

The operation of removing dog excrement is not a pleasant one, but one which must be observed consistently.

The embodiment of this invention provides a quick, hygienic and easy means to remove animal excrement without the need for the hands approaching the excrement at the point of deposit or thereafter for disposal.

The embodiment of this invention comprises a plurality of hollow tubes, one working within another. The lowest tube in the assembly includes a springloaded group of'fingers'which are ejected and which expand from a fulcrum to form a grip or enclosure means.

The enclosure means is placed down about the dog excrement and a release mechanism on the body of the hand held tube is depressed which causes the tube to encircle the cluster of fingers or tynes, thereby forcing the said fingers to close and entrap the excrement inside the said tube. In the head of the upper tube is provided a capsule containing disinfectant fluid or some form of deodorant-a matter of option, which can then be sprayed on the area from which the excrement has been removed.

The embodiment of the invention therefore comprises a plurality of tubes preferably of round sectional shape, one of which moves slideably within the other. One tube is hand held, the other is manually drawn down over the other. In doing so, a coil compression spring, centrally-orientated within the static tube, is compressed and at the same time a cluster of'fingers'or tynes are ejected from the static tube.

The said fingers are each spring-loaded and expand outwards as they leave the static tube. The static tube is provided with an elongated slot along which a-guide. pin will travel. At te point where tne ungers-have. been placed about the excrement, a release button on the static tube can be depressed which will cause the compression spring to be released, thus pushing the tube forwards to encircle the cluster of fingers thereby forcing the fingers to close and entrap the excrement inside the moveable tube where it will remain until deposited within a suitable receptacle.

At the upper distal end of the static tube is provided a reservoir for disinfectant or deodorant combined with a pressure capsule which may be used to spray the disinfectant or other perfume onto the area from which the excrement has been removed. Additionally, the said upper end includes a hand loop of silk or cotton which enables the complete assembly to be carried about the wrist as would be the'dumpy'umbrella.

A specific embodiment of this invention will now be more particularly described by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the animal excrement remover in an open and closed position.

Figure 2 is a sectional drawing of the animal excrement remover.

Referring now to Figure 1, View la, there is shown an assembly of preferably round tubes constructed in a durable opaque plastic material. In another embodiment the said tubes could be to any other section shape and of any other appropriate material. The upper tube 10 is static and therefore hand held.

The lower tube 11 slides into and out from the said upper tube 10. Along the periphery of the upper tube 10 is provided an elongate slot or groove 12 which acts as a guide for a sliding pin 13 to prevent rotation of the tubes 10, 11 one within the other. Alternatively, in another embodiment the said groove 12 could be provided along the tube 11 to perform the same function.

Similarly, a guide channel could be provided on the inside of the static tube 10 to perform the same function.

Above the static tube 10 is an enclosing cap 14 with a hand cord 15 attached.

The enclosing cap 14 shrouds a pressurised reservoir within which is a disinfectant or other form of deodorant. On removal of the said cap 14 the disinfectant or other form of deodorant can be sprayed onto the ground from which the excrement will have been removed. The hand cord 15, as its name implies, is for ease of carrying the excrement remover. Above the elongate slot or groove 12 is a spring release press button 16, the depression of which will cause the coil compression spring (unseen) within the tube 10 to be released from its compressed state which will cause the tube to shoot forwards to encircle the cluster fingers or tynes 17 to entrap the excrement.

Referring now to View 1b there is shown the tube 11 withdrawn into tube 10 which action causes the cluster of fingers or tynes 17 to release from tube 11 and splay outwards as illustrated.

The said fingers or tynes 17 are each in contact with a spring 18 which causes them to extend or splay outwards.

Each said finger or tyne 17 has at its lower extremity, a right-angled lifter lip 19. Each said finger or tyne 17 is pivotal in a holding disc within the tube 11 but not attached to that said tube 11. At the lower distal end of the tube 11 is provided a reinforcement collar 20 which gives protection to the tube 11 when placed on the ground during the removal of animal excrement.

Reference to Figure 2 shows a section through the animal excrement removal device. It can be seen that the tubes 10,11 are extended from one another with the finger or tynes 17 enclosed within tube 11.

Fixedly attached to the upper end of tube 10 is the disinfectant reservoir 21 about which is provided a coil compression spring 22 which, in this illustrated mode is fully extended and not compressed. The fingers or tynes 17 are hingedly connected to a central'spider'23 (See Figure 3) which will act as the surface against which the spring 22 will compress.

It can be seen that when tube 11 is manually drawn up inside tube 10, the spring 22 will be compressed. The fingers or tynes 17 will also be ejected from tube 11 and splayed outwards. When the release button 16 (Figure 1) is depressed, the spring 22 is released from compression and causes the tube 11 to move forwards as previously stated herein. In this embodiment, the cap 14 would be removed from tube 10 to make use of the spray nozzle 24, but in another embodiment the spray nozzle could be incorporated in the cap 14 itself. No precise detail of the spray nozzle 24 is given herein because such spray nozzles are already in the'public domain'and no originality is claimed herein. In use with the hand held animal excrement removal device is a thin, tough, preferably plastic bag as shown in Figure 3.

This bag 25 can be placed about the excrement and thereafter gathered by the fingers or tynes 17 to ensure that the said excrement is fully, hygienically and safely held by the said fingers or tynes 17 for deposit elsewhere.

Additionally, there is provided an enclosure 26 preferably of opaque plastic material but could be to any other material and of any colour or patterned design.

The enclosure 26 fits down about the enclosing cap 14 to surround the remainder of the said excrement removal device thus obscuring it from view.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A hand-held device for the removal of a deposit of animal excrement from a surface, comprising a plurality of tubular members adapted to move one within the other, one tubular member being adapted in one position to enclose a plurality of outwardly-biased fingers, means for moving the said tubular member to expose the said fingers to enable them to encompass a deposit of animal excrement and means for causing the said fingers to close around the deposit of animal excrement to enable it to be removed from a surface upon which it has been deposited, wherein there is provided an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member, the inner tubular member being adapted in a first position to enclose the said fingers and in a second position to expose the said fingers to enable them to be placed around a deposit of animal excrement and there is included means for urging the inner tubular member from the second position to the first position thereby to cause the said fingers to close around the deposit of animal excrement to enable it to be removed from the said surface.
2. A device according to Claim 1 wherein the means for urging the inner tubular member from the second position to the first position comprises a compression spring adapted to bear upon the inner tubular member and to be placed under load when the inner tubular member is moved from the first position to the second position and there is included means for releasing the spring so as to cause the inner tubular member to move from the second position to the first position thereby to cause the fingers to close around the said deposit of animal excrement.

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3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein there is included means for releasing a quantity of disinfectant and/or deodorant onto the area of surface from which the deposit of animal excrement has been removed.
4. A hand-held device for the removal of a deposit of animal excrement from a surface, substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.