WO1992010088A1

WO1992010088A1 - Disposable animal litter tray

Info

Publication number: WO1992010088A1
Application number: PCT/GB1991/002190
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sarah Frances Cawthra
Original assignee: Sarah Frances Cawthra
Priority date: 1990-12-10
Filing date: 1991-12-10
Publication date: 1992-06-25
Also published as: GB2250672A; GB9026756D0; GB2250672B

Abstract

A litter tray comprises a tray member (10) secured to a bag (30). The tray is stored flat and is unfolded for use. To dispose of used litter the tray member is lifted to allow the litter to fall through a slit (11) in the tray member (10) into the bag (30). The tray member (10) can then be folded flat, with the bag (30) protruding therefrom.

Description

Disposable Animal Litter Trav

The present invention relates to cat litter trays, and mor particularly to cat litter trays which can be readil disposed of after use.

A litter tray allows domestic animals to defecate an urinate indoors. The litter tray is a shallow tray that i partially filled with a granular solid which absorbs liqui waste and neutralises unpleasant odours. The solid fillin or litter is changed regularly to ensure that it remain hygienic and does not smell. This is an unpleasant an messy task. Furthermore, it can be difficult to dispose o the contents of the litter tray. The present inventio seeks to provide a cat litter tray that can be disposed wit the feline waste and used litter contained therein.

One solution to this problem is to line the litter tray wit a waterproof liner before it is filled with litter. suitable liner is a wide necked plastic bag that covers th bottom and sides of the litter, and overlaps the edges o the tray. When the litter is exhausted the owner picks th bag and waste up by the overlapping edges of the bag. Th bag can then be closed at the neck and disposed of with it contents.

However, animals often scratch the surface of the litte after use and this may damage the liner and cause it t leak.

According to the invention there is provided an anima litter tray comprising a tray member secured to a ba member, the arrangement being such that the tray can b unfolded from a first position, in which the tray member i substantially flat and the bag member lies against the tray member, into a second position, in which the tray member is unfolded to receive litter in use with the bag member arranged externally of the tray member, and after use the tray can be folded from the second position into a third position in which the tray member is again substantially flat but with the bag member protruding therefrom to enclose the litter.

Preferably, the tray member is partially enclosed by the bag member.

Preferably, securing means are provided to hold the tray in the first and third positions. The tray is substantially watertight in use.

Preferably, handle means are provided to allow the tray to be carried in at least the third position.

Preferably a plurality of trays in the first position can b stacked.

In a preferred arrangement the tray member has a slit running across it with the bag member positioned under the slit, such that when the tray is folded from the second to the third position any material on the tray falls into the bag member.

Preferably, the tray member is made from cardboard. The securing means comprise tabs.

In order that the invention and it various other features may be understood more easily, embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the drawings, wherein:

Fig.l is a perspective cross sectional view of the partial folded cat litter tray;

Fig.2 is a plan view of a tray member comprising a part the cat litter tray, (the dotted lines indicating how tray member is folded);

Fig.3 is a developed view of a bag member forming a part the cat litter tray;

Figs 4 to 6 show how the cat litter tray can be unfolded f use;

Figs 7 to 10 show how the cat litter tray can be folded f disposal;

Figs 11 and 12 show two perspective views of a secon embodiment of the invention; and

Figs 13 and 14 show two perspective views of a thir embodiment of the invention.

The cat litter tray comprises a tray member 10, a liner 3 and two handles 50 (not shown in Fig.l).

The tray member 10 is a substantially rectangular piece o card. A slit 11 runs across the tray member. Curve portions 12 are provided on the opposite ends of the tra member. The tray member is pre-creased in manufacture alon the dotted lines shown in Fig.2. The tray member is mad from either wax impregnated or surface laminated card. Th surface of the tray member is printed with graphics an in ormation.

The liner 30 (Fig.3) is a single rectangular piece of wa impregnated heavy duty paper. It is pre-creased along th dotted lines in Fig.3.

The handles 50 are made from heavy duty paper.

Fig.l illustrates how the cat litter tray is constructed. The litter tray is manufactured as a flat, folded unit (Fig.4). The tray member 10 is substantially contained by the liner 30. The tray member is folded along the dotted lines in Fig.2. This creates inward pointing Vee portions 13 at each end of the tray, two pairs of triangular portions 14 that are adjacent to the ends of the slit 11, and rectangular side and base portions 15,16. The top of the side portions 15 are folded over . The lengths of the foldovers 17 are different on each side of the tray 10 (Fig.2).

The liner 30 is folded along the dotted lines shown in Fig.3 and glued together along both ends and one side to produce an open bag. The liner is then glued to the tray member 10 (Fig.l).

The handles 50 are made from multiple folding of heavy duty paper, and are stuck between the tray member 10 and liner 30.

The tray member 10 and the liner 30 are then folded flat to produce a stackable , flat unit for sale (Fig.4). When the tray member is folded the curved portions 12 of the tray member form protruding tabs 40. Figs 4 to 6 illustrates how the litter tray is unfolded f use from the flat state in which it is purchased (Fig.4) The owner pushes the tabs 40 apart with their thumbs, a pushes them towards the ends of the folded litter tra This expands the litter tray and unfolds vee portions 1 (Fig.5). The litter tray is fully opened by extending t vee portions until they are flat. The vee portions and t side portions 15 then form the sides of the litter tray, a the base portions 16 form the base (Fig.6). The litte tray is then partially filled with cat litter 31 and i ready for use. A level mark on side portions 15 indicate the level to which the litter should be filled.

When it is necessary to dispose of the cat litter an associated feline waste, the litter tray is folded with th exhausted litter and waste contained in it. This i illustrated in Figs 7 to 10. The owner pushes the tabs 4 on the vee portion 13 inwards towards the handles 50. Thi moves outwardly the triangular portions 14 and the bas portions 16 and collects the solids in a pile 32 in th litter tray (Fig.7). This also opens the slit 11 and allow the solids to fall into the liner 30.

To close the litter tray fully the tabs 40 are returned t the same position as when the litter tray was folded flat thereby putting the side portions 15 in abuttment. (Fig.8) However, as the bag is now filled the walls of the folde litter tray bulge outwards.

The litter tray is held in the closed position by foldin the longest foldover 17 over the shorter foldover (Fig.9) and then folding both foldovers against one side portion 1 of the tray member 10 (Fig.10). This ensures that th solid waste can not escape from the litter tray when it is in a dustbin.

The litter tray has a number of advantages over known litter trays. The feline and waste and exhausted litter can be disposed of without handling the contents of the tray.

Furthermore, the waste is securely contained in the litter tray when it is disposed of. This minimises the risk of a dustbin or a refuse collector being contaminated by contact with the solid waste.

The tray member 10 prevents the cat scratching the liner 30 when the tray is in use.

The litter tray can be constructed from recycled materials.

The used litter trays can themselves be recycled after use.

The litter trays can be conveniently sold as multipacks of flat, folded units containing sufficient litter trays for, say, one month's use.

A number of alternative versions of the litter tray are possible.

Figs 11 and 12 show an alternative version of the litter tray folded flat prior to use. The tray member comprises a plate member 70 and a coplanar collar member 71. The plate member and the collar member are not directly attached to each other, but are relatively loosely interconnected by lengths of tape. In a modification, they are interconnected along one edge. In another modification, the plate member 70 has a slit across its centre and is connected to the collar member 71 along its edges parallel to the slit. The collar member comprises two si portions 72 and two vee portions 73. The liner 74 attached to the collar member, and is folded under the pla member in a concertina fashion when the tray is fold flat prior to use.

To use the tray the side portions 72 and the vee portions 7 are folded upwards, along the dotted lines in Fig.11. strap 75 is then extended between the side portions, unde the plate member. This allows the tray to be lifted an moved. The tray is then partially filled with litter and i ready for use.

When the litter is exhausted the strap 75 is released an the collar member 71 lifted up (Fig.12). This allows th liner 74 to unfold to accomodate the plate member 70 and th waste. The collar is then folded flat and secured in th manner previously described.

Figs 13 and 14 show a further alternative version of th litter tray being unfolded for use. The tray comprises backing card 80 on which a folded liner 81 and a one piec tray member 82 are fixed. The liner is attached to the sid and end portions 86,87 of the tray member. When the tray is folded flat prior to use the backing card is folded in two with the tray member and liner interposed between the two parts 83,84.

Part 83 of the backing card 80 is then lifted to the position shown in Fig.13, and the tray member 82 i unfolded, over the folded liner 81 (Fig.14). The bottom o the tray member has slits 85 in it. Part 83 of the backin card is then folded over into the tray member 82 to form resistant base for the tray member and a- handle. A extended tab 86 on the tray member provides a second handle

When the litter is exhausted the tray member 82 is lifted b the handles. This causes part 83 and the floor of the tra member to hang downwards and the liner 81 to unfold. Thi allows waste in the tray to fall into the liner. The sid and end portions 86,87 of the tray member are then folde flat and secured.

Claims

1. An animal litter tray comprising a tray member secured to a bag member, the arrangement being such that the tray can be unfolded from a first position, in which the tray member is substantially flat and the bag member lies against the tray member, into a second position, in which the tray member is unfolded to receive litter in use with the bag member arranged externally of the tray member, and after use the tray can be folded from the second position into a third position in which the tray member is again substantially flat but with the bag member protruding therefrom to enclose the litter.

2. A litter tray according to claim 1, wherein the tray member is partially enclosed by the bag member.

3. A litter tray according to claims 1 or 2, further comprising securing means to hold the tray in the first and third positions.

4. A litter tray according to any preceding claim, wherein the tray is substantially watertight in use.

5. A litter tray according to any preceding claim, further comprising handle means to allow the tray to be carried in at least the third position.

6. A litter tray according to any preceding claim wherein a plurality of said trays can be stacked in the first position.

7. A litter tray according to any preceding claim wherein the tray member has a slit running across it with the bag member positioned under the slit, such that when the tray is folded from the second to the third position any material on the tray falls into the bag member.

8. A litter tray according to any preceding claim, wherein the tray member is made from cardboard.

9. A litter tray according to any of claims 3 to 8, wherein the securing means comprise tabs.

10. An animal litter tray substantially as herein described, with reference to Figures 1 to 10, 11 and 12, or 13 and 14 of the accompanying drawings.