Animal litter box

1. An animal litter-box ( 100 , 200 , 300 ) comprising:

a) a granular-material-housing ( 110 , 210 , 310 ) having a window opening ( 118 , 218 , 318 ) formed in a front side ( 111 ) of said granular-material-housing, allowing an animal to walk in and out of said granular-material-housing, said window opening having two side edges and a top edge and a width (W ex ) measured between said side edges:

b) a limiting-door ( 150 , 250 ), wherein a limited window opening is formed between side portions of said limiting-door, said limited window opening having a width (W in ); and

c) a granular-sifting-apparatus ( 120 ) having a width and comprising:

i. a container body ( 122 ) having a bottom;

ii. a litter-scooper ( 140 ) disposed inside an upper portion of said container body and comprising a scooper body ( 142 ) having a bottom, wherein sifting-openings ( 144 ) are formed at said bottom of said scooper body and optionally, at lower sides of said scooper body; and

iii. a paws-sifter ( 130 ), disposed on top ( 148 ) of said litter-scooper, for the animal to step on when going in and out of said granular-material-housing,

wherein said window opening includes an upper edge, a lower edge and two side edges;

wherein said granular-material-housing contains granular material up to a preconfigured level and, upon usage by the animal, possibly waste aggregates;

wherein said limiting-door narrows said width (W ex ) of said window opening of said granular-material-housing to be less than or equal to said width of said granular-sifting-apparatus; and wherein said limiting-door is operable to move inwardly only with respect to said granular-material-housing;

wherein said width (W ex ) of said window opening of said granular-material-housing is larger than said width of said granular-sifting-apparatus; and

wherein said granular-sifting-apparatus is pivotally connected to said front side of said granular-material-housing, allowing transfer of granular material from said granular-material-housing to said granular-sifting-apparatus and from said granular-sifting-apparatus to said granular-material-housing.

2. The animal litter-box according to claim 1 , wherein said transfer of granular material from said granular-material-housing to said granular-sifting-apparatus and from said granular-sifting-apparatus to said granular-material-housing is performed with minimal spillage of granular material out of the sides of the animal litter-box.

3. The animal litter-box according to claim 1 , wherein said granular-sifting-apparatus is pivotally connected about a pivoting axis ( 105 ) to said front side of said granular-material-housing, at the lower edge of the window opening.

4. The animal litter-box according to claim 1 , wherein a stopper mechanism prevents limiting-door from pivoting outwardly with respect to said granular-material-housing.

5. The animal litter-box according to claim 1 , where said limiting-door ( 150 ) is pivotally connected to said top edge of said window opening ( 118 ) or at respective top section of said side edges of said window opening.

6. The animal litter-box according to claim 1 , wherein said granular-material-housing comprises a bottom part ( 114 ) and a top part ( 112 ), said bottom part being a litter-container and said top part being a cover.

7. The animal litter-box according to claim 6 , wherein said litter-container comprises a sloped-inner-wall ( 116 ) extending from, or proximal to, said pivoting axis, to a preconfigured location at an inner floor of said litter-container.

8. The animal litter-box according to claim 7 , wherein said sloped-inner-wall is an external wall of said litter-container.

9. The animal litter-box according to claim 6 , wherein said cover comprises a carrying handle ( 162 ).

10. The animal litter-box according to claim 1 further comprises a foothold for holding said granular-sifting-apparatus in position.

11. The animal litter-box according to claim 10 , wherein said foothold ( 124 ) is securely attached to said bottom of said granular-sifting-apparatus.

12. The animal litter-box according to claim 10 , wherein an external recess is formed at, or proximal to, said bottom of said container body, facilitating pivotal lifting of said container body.

13. The animal litter-box according to claim 1 , wherein said sifting-openings are larger than the granular material and smaller than those of typical waste aggregates.

14. The animal litter-box according to claim 1 , wherein said paws-sifter includes a plate ( 132 ) having a plurality of through-openings ( 134 ) formed therein, wherein said through-openings are larger than the granular material and smaller than those of typical animal paw size.

15. The animal litter-box according to claim 1 further comprising a scraper ( 170 ).