WO2005058026B1

WO2005058026B1 - Enclosed litter box

Info

Publication number: WO2005058026B1
Application number: PCT/US2004/041312
Authority: WO
Filing date: 2004-12-09
Publication date: 2006-01-19

Abstract

An enclosed litter box having a slidably removable litter tray and an integral rake. The litter box includes an enclosure with an arched top having a compound curved surface. The exterior of the enclosure may be decorated with various motifs. The sliding removable litter tray includes a molded recessed handle in a front protruding surface. An upper rim of the tray includes one or more integral channels for support of a rake. Each channel may include storage and travel limit keying indentations to securely yet removably hold the rake in various positions during storage and use. The litter tray bottom may include a transverse ridge dividing the litter tray into a fresh litter area and a used litter area. By manipulating the rake, a user transfers animal wastes from the fresh litter area to the used litter area for removal.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 28 November 2005 (28.11.2005) original claims 1-13 have been replaced by amended claims 1-20 (3 pages).

1 52082P/S1137

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: _t- 1. An enclosed litter box, comprising: a chassis comprising a structure comprising two side walls, an end wall, a base comprising a width, an end opening comprising an end edge; a removable litter tray comprising a first position, a second position, a wall structure comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is closer to the end wall of the , _Q chassis than the second end when the litter tray is in the first position inside the chassis before sliding to a second position; an enclosure enclosing the removable litter tray; wherein the second position is characterized by the first end of the litter tray spaced apart from the end wall of the chassis by a greater distance than when in the first position;

15 ^anc' wherein the litter tray does not include an electrical motor for moving a rake.

2. The enclosed litter box of claim 1, the removable litter tray further comprising an integral handle having a downwardly facing opening. 0

3. The enclosed litter box of claim 1, the enclosure further including a notched recess for engaging a hook portion of a scoop for scooping litter to form a gravity lock with the scoop.

4. The enclosed litter box of claim 3, wherein the scoop further includes a notched blade c for engagement with a tined portion of a manual rake.

5. The enclosed litter box of claim 2, the removable litter tray further comprising: a transverse groove on an upper rim of a front portion of the removable litter tray; and an opening between a bottom surface of the groove and an interior portion of the integral handle whereby a user may dislodge a handle portion of the manual rake held in the transverse groove.

5 6. The enclosed litter box of claim 1, wherein the enclosure further comprises: an outer surface; and an adhesive label having a decorative motif on an outer surface is adhered to the outer surface of the enclosure.

9 52082P/S1137

7. The enclosed litter box of claim 1, further comprising a rake comprising a raking end and a handle end.

8. An enclosed litter box, comprising: a chassis comprising two side walls, an end opening, and an end wall defining a receiving cavity; a slidably removable litter tray comprising a perimeter comprising a plurality of sides defining a tray cavity positioned within the receiving cavity of the chassis; a rake comprising a raking end comprising a plurality of tines for raking litter coupled to a first bar and a handle end comprising a second bar for handling the rake spaced apart from the first bar by a third bar being positioned within the removable litter tray such that the plurality of tines are located within the tray cavity of the litter tray while the second bar is in contact with a front side of the tray perimeter, which is adjacent the end opening of the chassis; and an enclosure enclosing the removable litter tray; wherein the first bar is positioned at an angle to the third, the third bar is positioned at an angle to the second bar; and wherein the second bar and the third bar each comprises a width and a length, and wherein the length is greater in dimension than the width.

9. The enclosed litter box of claim 8, the removable litter tray further comprising an integral handle having a downwardly facing opening for use in pulling the removable litter tray from the chassis.

10. The enclosed litter box of claim 9, wherein the plurality of tines generally point in a first direction and the second bar generally points in a second direction and wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

11. The enclosed litter box of claim 10, further comprising means for adhering a decorative label to an outer surface of the enclosure.

12. The enclosed litter box of claim 8, the enclosure further comprising a gravity lock groove for removably attaching a scooper to the enclosure.

13. The enclosed litter box of claim 12, wherein the scooper further comprises a notched blade for engagement with a tined portion of the rake.

14. An enclosed litter box, comprising:

10 52082P/S1137

a chassis comprising a receiving cavity; a removable litter tray positioned in the receiving cavity of the chassis and slidably coupled to the chassis; a rake comprising a raking end for raking litter comprising at least two tines spaced apart from one another by a first gap and a handle end comprising a handle portion for handling being positioned in the litter tray; a scooper comprising a scooper handle portion for handling and a scooping portion for scooping comprising at least two indentations defining at least two notches spaced apart from one another by second gap; wherein the first gap and the second gap are generally equal to one another so that the at least two notches align with the at least two tines to enable the at least two indentations to contact the at least two tines to scrape the at least two tines with the scooper.

15. The enclosed litter box of claim 14, wherein the handle portion is connected to two ends of the raking end.

16. The enclosed litter box of claim 14, further comprising a groove on an end of the litter tray.

17. The enclosed litter box of claim 16, wherein the handle portion is coupled to a groove on the litter tray.

18. The enclosed litter box of claim 14, further comprising a handle on an end surface for slidably moving the litter tray.

19. The enclosed litter box of claim 14, further comprising a third tine and a fourth tine.

20. The enclosed litter box of claim 14, wherein the chassis comprises a base and the litter tray comprises a base; wherein the base of the litter tray abuts the base of the chassis.

11