WO2000070940A1

WO2000070940A1 - Device for collecting solid and liquid animal excrement in particular from dogs

Info

Publication number: WO2000070940A1
Application number: PCT/IT2000/000189
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cataldo Falzone
Original assignee: Cataldo Falzone
Priority date: 1999-05-20
Filing date: 2000-05-16
Publication date: 2000-11-30
Also published as: AU5099800A; ITCL990004A0; ITCL990004A1; ITCL990004A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the collection of faeces, both solid and liquid, of several categories of animals, in particular of dogs, before the faeces touch the ground of open and closed spaces. During the emptying of the animal's bowels the faeces and urine are collected in a container placed at animal's rear and held by animal's owner through a handle; the container is then disposed in a normal refuse bin. The device comprises: a disposable container (Fig. 74) in two compartments linked together in which urine, in the lower compartment, and solid faeces, in the upper one, are collected; a container-holder (Fig. 1) formed essentially by two tension regulator-container plates, two rods, telescopic handle and shaft and a lever to regulate the tension of the container; three accessories: a conveyor (Fig. 22-80-83), a hoe-like faeces scraper (Fig. 13-14-22) and a disinfectant aerosol spray (Fig. 87). They are used (Fig. 22) only exceptionally when accidentally a part of animal excreta comes into contact with the ground.

Description

DEVICE FOR COLLECTING SOLID AND LIQUID ANIMAL EXCREMENT IN

PARTICULAR FROM DOGS

The purpose of the invention is to provide an instrument for the collection of faeces, both solid and liquid, of several categories of animals, in particular of dogs, before the faeces touch the ground. During the empying of the animal's bowels the faeces and urine are collected in a container placed at animal's rear and held by the animal owner through an apposite handle; the container is then disposed of in a normal refuse bin. The device can be easily applied in both open and closed spaces and meets a variety of requirements.

In particular, its use in the open areas of inhabited centres corresponds to the need of keeping public places excrement-free, when dogs are accompanied by their owners. Moreover it offers a solution to various problems of a hygienic/sanitary nature and to

10 the inconvenience which such excreta give rice; for example, in parks and on lawns where children play.

In enclosed areas, the device resolves the problem of dog owners in residential zones who cannot accompany the animal out of doors for reasons such as bad weather or

_\ illness on the part of the owner or of the anima. Dog owners experience great difficulty in making dogs defecate or urinate in the home because dogs are unaccustomed to use containers placed on the floor or precariously placed elsewhere - much to the discomfort and inconvenience of the owner at the same time. The device is handy, practical and complete. It is handy because the user does not have

2 to bend down and avoids coming into direct contact with the matter excreted.

It is practical to use and it is easy accustom a dog to perform its physiological needs so that all excreta can be to pass directly into the container attached to the device. The reasons are as follows:

- Dogs are creatures of habitat;

„, - Dogs are not irritated by the device in that they do not come into contact with it;

- Dogs maintain their physiological position while defecating/urinating. Regarding the later point, the device in fact can be easily adapted to the positions adopted by the animal, which differ according to the sex. For bitches the device is ^ placed at the animal's rear from which is expelled both solid and liquid excreta. For male animals the device is first positioned at its side for the collection of urine and then at its rear.

The device is complete in that it comes provided with everything needed to maintain a given environment excreta-free. Should a small part of the faeces accidentally fall to the -; ground due to a sudden alarmed it, these excreta-droppings can be gathered by means of accessories forming part of the device.

Advantages of the Device

Different kinds of device, already exist for the collection of dog-excrement in pubblic 4₀ places. However, these are able to collect only solid excrement which has already fallen to the ground, and embody the following disadvantages:

- They do not provide for the collection of urine;

- They do not provide complete cleaning or hygienic treatment of the soiled areas in cases where the excreta are watery or not very solid;

- They are difficult to deploy in grassy areas in that they do not clean grass;

4.'

- The user has to bend down and risks dirtying himself with the excrement.

On the basis of what has been outlined above, the objectives envisaged by the inventor of the device are the following: - The avoidance of fouling in public and private places;

- To cater to the physiological needs of animals in the home when the owner cannot take them out there by avoiding unnecessary stress to both animal and owner;

- To eliminate the spread of infection and disease caused by possible pathogenic agents inherent in faeces; rr - The elimination of any nuisances caused e.g. by smelly odours and the unsightly mess of animal excrement. In these ways the inventor aims to make a contribution to the establishment of cleanliness and hygiene as well as to the decorum of public and private places, thus enhancing the quality of life of the individual citizen and the quality of the relationship no between man and animal in respect of the fundamental needs of both.

Brief Description of the Figures

Figures 1-2-3 (pagel/24): container-holder (Fig.1 ), its section (Fig.2) and its detail

(Fig.3). Figures 4-5 (page 2/24): container-holder at its greatest (Fig.4) and shortest (Fig.5)

&5 length. Figure 6 (page 3/24): mode of disposing the container into the bin after use. Figures 7-8-9 (page 4/24): container-holder completed with container and disinfectant aerosol spray after collecting solid and liquid faeces in side 70 view (Fig.7), in front view (Fig.8) and in plan (Fig.9).

Figures 10-1 1-12 (page 5/24): container-holder completed with container, conveyor and disinfectant aerosol spray after collecting solid and liquid faeces in side view (Fig.10), in front view (Fig.11) and in plan (Fig.12). 7-; Figures 13-14-15 (page 6/24): hoe-like scraper (Fig.13), its section (Fig.14) and its detail (Fig.15). Figures 16- 17- 18 (page 7/24): hoe-like scraper with pallet (Fig.17), its section (Fig.16) and its detail (Fig.18). Figures 19-20 (page 8/24): hoe-like scraper at its greatest (Fig. l9)and shortest (Fig.20) * length.

Figure 21 (page 9/24): mode of disposing the pallet into the bin after use. Figure 22 (page 10/24): device, faeces conveyor and (hoe-like) scraper to demonstrate full employment of the device with its accessories used in exceptional circumstances. ^ς Figures 23-24 (pagel 1/24): container-holder details: accident-proof rubber plug. Figures 25-26 (page 1 1/24): container-holder details: rod.

Figures 27-28-29-30 (page 12/24): container-holder details: mobile plate in different views. Figures 31-32-33-34-35 (page 13/24): container-holder details: fixed plate in ditrerent oo views.

Figures 36-37 (page 14/24): container-holder details: end of telescopic handle.

Figures 38-39-40 (page 14/24): container-holder details: screw for attachment to the fixed plate. Figures 41-42-43-44 45-46 (page 15/24): container-holder details: telescopic handle. qt- Figures 47-48-49-50-51 -52 (page 16/24): container-holder details: telescopic shaft.

Figures 53-54-55 (pag.17/24): container-holder details: lever to regulate the tension of the container. Figures from 56 to 63 (page 18/24): container-holder details: re-usable adhesive tapes. Figure 64 (page 18/24): container-holder details: double small cord attached to the end _w of telescopic handle.

Figures from number 65 to number 70 (pag.19/24): (hoe-like) faeces scraper details: mobile and fixed plates. Figures 71-72 (page 19/24): (hoe-like) faeces scraper details: screw for attachment to fixed plate. ^t- Figures 73-74-75-76-77 (page 20/24): container with the indication of its perforations

(AT) and extension (Al"). Figures 78-79-80 (page 21/24): indented conveyor. Figures 81-82-83 (page 22/24): plain conveyor. Figures 84-85-86 (page 23/24): (hoe-like) scraper pallet. ¹¹ Figure 87 (page 24/24): disinfectant aerosol spray.

Tecnical Description

The device comprises, in essence, the following elements: 1. Disposable container; il=; 2. Container-holder;

3. Accessories (faeces conveyor, hoe-like scraper and disinfectant aerosol spray) to be used in exceptional circumstances.

The disposable container (see figures 7-8-9-73 and 74): -,„, This collects the excreta, solid and liquid, and is supplied with perforations ( Fig. 73 and 74, AT) for the insertion of the two rods (Fig.l,n.2) of the container-holder (Fig. l), and with a horizontal border inside the container to guide the introduction of the rods.

The container is furnished moreover with an extension (FigN3 and 74, Al ") that has the function of shielding the container-holder from being sprayed accidentally by liquid and ₁₂5 soft excreta emitted by the animal; for this reason it has a greater width than that of the plates (Fig. l,n.3 and 4) of the container-holder and has a length adequate to cover most of the telescopic handle of the container -holder. The extension is firmly attached to the container-holder by means of re-usable adhesive tape (Fig. l,n.14 and 16).

The container is in two compartments linked together by apertures of small diameter. -I -^ The internal subdivision of the container is designed to cater to the animal's physiological needs when excreting: it first urinates and then defecates.

In consequence, the urine is collected in the container first, passing through the apertures provided and deposited in the lower compartment, the solid face are then collected in 135 the upper compartment of the container where they remain. The separation of liquid from solid waste matter thus avoid any possible risk of urine being spayed when the latter would otherwise come into contact with solid faeces, with the consequent dirtying of the immediate environment.

The container-holder (see figures 1, 2 and figures from 1 1 to 18): 14 It comprises the following components:

1. Tension regular-container plates (Fig. l, n.3 and 4) and two rods (Fig. l, n.2 ).

2. Telescopic handle (Fig. l, n.6, 7, 8 and 9) with screw (Fig.1 , n.5) for attachment to the fixed plate (Fig. l, n.4);

3. Telescopic shaft (Fig.2, n. l l , 12 and 13) and lever (Fig.2, n.10 and Fig.3) to 4-; regulate the tension of the container (FigN, Al and FigN4);

The plates are two, the one is fixed (Fig.1, n.4 - Figg. from 31 to 35) and the other is mobile (Fig.1, n.3 - Figg. from 27 to 30) . On the fixed plate there is a disinfectant aerosol spray-holder (Fig. l, n.4a).

The rods (Fig. l, n.2 - Figg.25 and 26) are encased in front in accident-proof rubber plug cp (Fig.1 , n.1 - Figg.23 and 24) and have at the back a hook for attachment to the plates. By the second means it is possible, in periods of non-use, to detach the hook from its attachment and render the device less cumbersome, in that the rods are retractable in the direction of the handle (Fig.5).

Because the rods are respectively mounted to the mobile plate (Fig. l,n.3) and to the _I-;.; fixed one (Fig. l,n.4), each rod movable independently of the other longitudinally, their removal or approach is made possible according as the situation warrants.

The sliding of the mobile plate on the fixed one is operated by a lever (Fig. l, n.10 -

Figg.53,54 and 55) which, turned at an angle of 180°, allows the first plate to be moved longitudinally. _1{1 The lever rotates by means of a telescopic (i.e. folding) shaft (Fig.2, n.11,12,13 and

Figg. from 47 to 52) situated inside the handle which is itself telescopic (Fig.1 , n.5, 6, 7,

8, 9 and Figg. from 41 to 46).

On the handle there is a re-usable adhesive tape (Fig. l, n.14, 16 and Figg. from 56 to 63) thus ensuring that the extension to the container remains stable. ih" The telescopic handle is connected to the fixed plate (Fig. l, n.4) by a screw (Fig. l, n.5 and Figg. 38,39,40).

The movement of the mobile plate is effected by rotating the end (Fig. l, n.9 and Figg.

36,37) of the handle.

By positioning the two rods (Fig. l, n.2) at the maxim distance between them (effected 170 by the rotation of the end (Fig.l, n.9) of the handle and then the sliding of the mobile plate (Fig. l, n.3) along the fixed one (Fig. l, n.4) ) the container (Fig.74) is drawn tight and becomes perfectly stable thus avoiding dislocation or detachment due to windy conditions. In this way the device is ready to be used.

To empty the container (Fig.6) all that is required is to reduce the space between the rods (Fig. l, n.2), unstick the re-usable adhesive tape from the extension and incline the device towards the waste bin, by virtue of the weight of the excreted matter, the container (Fig.74) slides and falls down.

Accessories ( CONTROLLAsee figures from 5 to 10, 19 and figures from 21 to 24): ι£θ If a part of the animal excreta should accidentally come into contact with the ground it is possible to attach a faeces-conveyor to the device (Figg.10,12 and 22). It can be easily mounted in front of the container in order to facilitate the sweeping of the faeces into it. The front part of this accessory can be of two types: indented (Figg. 78,79 and 80) for the removal of faeces from grassy surface; or plain (Figg.81.82 and 83) for the removal ,«- of faeces from all other types of surface. Its width is the same as that of the container. At the two extremities of the faeces-conveyor there are two concealed perforations designed to accommodate the rods of the container-holder in order to attach it to the latter. The attachment is effected by slightly rotating the end (Fig.l, n.9) of the handle of the container-holder to its maximun and then returning the container to the same tension to keep the faeces-conveyor perfectly stable.

With the faeces-conveyor it is necessary to use the (hoe-like) faeces-scraper (Figg. from

13 to 20).

The faeces-scraper is composed of the following parts:

- Pincer-type pallet-holder formed essentially by a fixed plate (Fig.13, n.17 - Fig.17, _χ._}. n.17 - Figg.65, 66, 67) and a mobile one (Fig.13, n.18-Fig.17,n.18 -Figg.68,69,70)

- A disposable pallet (Fig.17, A3 -Fig.22 - Figg.84,85,86)

Telescopic handle (Fig.13, n.6,7,8) and screw (Fig.13, n.5) for attachment to fixed plate (Fig.13, n.17);

- Telescopic shaft (Fig.14 and 16, n. l 1,12,13) and screw (Fig.13, n.19) for the 200 moving forwards and backwards of the mobile plate (Fig.13, n.18).

The movement of the mobile plate is effected by rotating the end (Fig.13, n.9) of the handle.

Between the two plates a kind of disposable pallet (Fig.17, A3 -Fig.22 - Figg.84,85,86) is fixed. It permits the pushing of the faeces into the container. ₀5 The pallet is supplied with shields which serves to avoid dirtying the scraper during use.

On termination of use, by gently rotating the end of the handle the mobile plate is moved and the pallet is made to drop directly into a waste container (Fig.21 ).

10 The discovery as envisaged above is susceptible of various modifications within the context outlined here; the details can be modified with technical equivalents. The materials and dimensions of the invention as it is described above and illustrated on the accompanying drawings, and as claimed in the text to be original, can be different 15 according to need.

Claims

1. Device for the purpose of maintaining public and private soil free from solid and liquid excrement emitted by certain species of animal, in particular dogs. The characteristics of the device are: during the empying of the animal's bowels the faeces and urine are collected in a container placed at animal's rear and held by the

5 owner of the animal through an apposite handle; thereby the contact of the faeces with the ground is avoided.

2. Device according to claim 1 which comprises in essence: a disposable container for the collection of solid and liquid excrement; a container-holder with telescopic shaft and some accessories to use only in exceptional circumstances.

3. Device according to either previous claims which comprises container divided in two compartments interconnected by tiny perforations for the purpose of collecting, in the lower container, the urine and in the upper, the solid excreta. 5

4. Device according to either previous claims which comprises an easy-to-use container-holder furnished with a telescopic handle to minimize any encumbrance and with a revolving grip to regulate the tension of the rods which in turn are retractable. 0

5. Device according to either previous claims which comprises some accessories to use only in_exceptional circumstances: a (hoe-like) scraper and excrement conveyor for the gathering of a part of excrement that may accidentally have fallen to the ground and a disinfectant aerosol spray for the elimination of pathogenic bodies in the ^t> affected area.

6. Device according to either previous claims with the function of rendering totally and hygienically clean open places in inhabited areas, especially grassy areas, and of resolving all problems of a hygienic nature together with any nuisance and inconvenience that the ejection of animal faeces into public soil presents.

7. Device according to either previous claims with the function of providing a complete solution to the problems of animal defecation inside the home.

8. Device according to either previous claims providing for the collection in an appropriate container of animal dung for possible agricultural or horticultural use.