IP Library Granted Patent US 10,820,567
Granted Patent B2
US 10,820,567 · App. 16/419,267 · Granted Nov 3, 2020

Disposable and portable litter box

Inventors: Diane K. Garrett (South Burlington, VT); Roy Paul Prosise (Cedar Park, TX); Benjamin Derek Litteral (Austin, TX); Daniel Caputo (Cedar Park, TX)
Assignee: DKG, LLC
A01K1/0125B31B50/26B31B50/60B31B50/742B65D5/321B65D81/36B31B2110/35B31B2120/10B31B2120/302
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,820,567
App. No.
16/419,267
Granted
Nov 3, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A portable and disposable litter box includes a bottom tray, a top tray, and an insert. The insert includes insert sidewalls that are attached to the bottom tray. The litter box is configurable in open and closed states. In the closed state, the top tray is disposed on the bottom tray and a litter box cavity is defined between the bottom and top trays, and the insert sidewalls are pivoted inwardly such that the insert sidewalls are disposed in the litter box cavity. In the opened state, the top tray is pivoted away from the bottom tray, and the insert sidewalls are pivoted outwardly such that the insert sidewalls extend from the bottom tray to the top tray.

Claims (104)

1. A litter box comprising:

a bottom tray having a bottom tray base, bottom tray sidewalls, a bottom tray front wall, and a bottom tray back wall;

a top tray having a top tray base, top tray sidewalls, a top tray front wall, and a top tray back wall, the top tray pivotably attached to the bottom tray; and

an insert comprising insert sidewalls that are attached to the bottom tray, each insert sidewall has a first end disposed proximal to the bottom tray front wall and a second end disposed proximal to the bottom tray back wall,

wherein:

in a closed state:

the top tray is disposed on the bottom tray and a litter box cavity is defined between the bottom and top trays, and

the insert sidewalls are pivoted inwardly such that the insert sidewalls are disposed in the litter box cavity,

in an opened state:

the top tray is pivoted away from the bottom tray,

the insert sidewalls are pivoted outwardly such that the insert sidewalls extend from the bottom tray to the top tray, and

the insert sidewalls mechanically support the top tray in the opened state,

a height of each insert sidewall is determined with respect to an axis that is orthogonal to a plane defined by an inner exposed surface of the bottom tray base, and

the height of each insert sidewall increases from the first end to the second end, and

a separation distance between the bottom tray sidewalls is smaller at a first bottom tray end proximal to the bottom tray front wall than at a second bottom tray end proximal to the bottom tray back wall to encourage an animal to stand and/or sit in a rear of the bottom tray while facing towards a front of the bottom tray.

2. The litter box of claim 1 , wherein each insert sidewall extends along a length of a corresponding bottom tray sidewall.

3. The litter box of claim 2 , wherein the height at the first end of each insert sidewall is greater than a height of the corresponding bottom tray sidewall.

4. The litter box of claim 3 , wherein the height at the first end of each insert sidewall is at least twice the height of the corresponding bottom tray sidewall.

5. The litter box of claim 1 , wherein each insert sidewall is attached to a corresponding bottom tray sidewall.

6. The litter box of claim 5 , wherein in the opened state each insert sidewall is releasably attached to the top tray.

7. The litter box of claim 6 , wherein each insert sidewall is releasably attached to the top tray by a zip tie.

8. The litter box of claim 1 , wherein a separation distance between the top tray sidewalls is smaller at a first top tray end proximal to the top tray front wall than at a second top tray end proximal to the top tray back wall.

9. The litter box of claim 1 , wherein the bottom tray includes double-folded corners.

10. The litter box of claim 9 , wherein each double-folded corner is disposed between the bottom tray base, the bottom tray back wall, and a corresponding bottom tray sidewall.

11. The litter box of claim 1 , wherein the bottom tray comprises a waterproof or a water-resistant material.

12. The litter box of claim 1 , wherein the insert sidewalls are integrally attached to the bottom tray.

13. The litter box of claim 1 , wherein:

in the closed state, each insert sidewall is pivoted inwardly about a fold line that extends parallel to a length of the corresponding bottom tray sidewall,

in the opened state, each insert sidewall is pivoted outwardly about the fold line such that the insert sidewalls extend from the bottom tray to the top tray.

14. A litter box comprising:

a bottom tray having a bottom tray base, bottom tray sidewalls, a bottom tray front wall, and a bottom tray back wall;

a top tray having a top tray base, top tray sidewalls, a top tray front wall, and a top tray back wall, the top tray pivotably attached to the bottom tray; and

an insert comprising insert sidewalls that are attached to the top tray,

wherein:

in a closed state:

the top tray is disposed on the bottom tray and a litter box cavity is defined between the bottom and top trays, and

the insert sidewalls are pivoted inwardly such that the insert sidewalls are disposed in the litter box cavity,

in an opened state:

the top tray is pivoted away from the bottom tray,

the insert sidewalls are pivoted outwardly such that the insert sidewalls extend from the bottom tray to the top tray, and

the insert sidewalls mechanically support the top tray in the opened state,

a bottom tray separation distance between the bottom tray sidewalls is smaller at a first bottom tray end proximal to the bottom tray front wall than at a second bottom tray end proximal to the bottom tray back wall,

a top tray separation distance between the top tray sidewalls is smaller at a first top tray end proximal to the top tray front wall than at a second top tray end proximal to the top tray back wall,

each insert sidewall has a first end disposed proximal to the bottom tray front wall and a second end disposed proximal to the bottom tray back wall, and

in the opened state:

a height of each insert sidewall is determined with respect to an axis that is orthogonal to a plane defined by an inner exposed surface of the bottom tray base, and

the height of each insert sidewall increases from the first end to the second end.

15. The litter box of claim 14 , wherein the height at the first end of each insert sidewall is greater than a height of the corresponding bottom tray sidewall.

16. The litter box of claim 14 , wherein the bottom tray includes double-folded corners.

17. The litter box of claim 14 , wherein:

in the closed state, each insert sidewall is pivoted inwardly about a fold line that extends parallel to a length of the corresponding top tray sidewall,

in the opened state, each insert sidewall is pivoted outwardly about the fold line such that the insert sidewalls extend from the top tray to the bottom tray.

18. A litter box comprising:

a bottom tray having a bottom tray base, bottom tray sidewalls, a bottom tray front wall, and a bottom tray back wall;

a top tray having a top tray base, top tray sidewalls, a top tray front wall, and a top tray back wall, the top tray pivotably attached to the bottom tray; and

an insert comprising insert sidewalls, each insert sidewall attached to a corresponding bottom tray sidewall,

wherein:

in a closed state:

the top tray is disposed on the bottom tray and a litter box cavity is defined between the bottom and top trays, and

the insert sidewalls are pivoted inwardly such that the insert sidewalls are disposed in the litter box cavity, in an opened state:

the top tray is pivoted away from the bottom tray,

the insert sidewalls are pivoted outwardly such that the insert sidewalls extend from the bottom tray to the top tray,

the insert sidewalls mechanically support the top tray in the opened state, and

each insert sidewall is releasably attached to the top tray, and

a separation distance between the bottom tray sidewalls is smaller at a first bottom tray end proximal to the bottom tray front wall than at a second bottom tray end proximal to the bottom tray back wall to encourage an animal to stand and/or sit in a rear of the bottom tray while facing towards a front of the bottom tray.

19. The litter box of claim 18 , wherein in the opened state, a height of each insert sidewall is determined with respect to an axis that is orthogonal to a plane defined by an inner exposed surface of the bottom tray base.

20. The litter box of claim 19 , wherein:

each insert sidewall has a first end disposed proximal to the bottom tray front wall and a second end disposed proximal to the bottom tray back wall, and

in the opened state, the height of each insert sidewall increases from the first end to the second end.

21. The litter box of claim 20 , wherein each insert sidewall extends along a length of a corresponding bottom tray sidewall.

22. The litter box of claim 21 , wherein the height at the first end of each insert sidewall is greater than a height of the corresponding bottom tray sidewall.

23. The litter box of claim 22 , wherein the height at the first end of each insert sidewall is at least twice the height of the corresponding bottom tray sidewall.

24. The litter box of claim 18 , wherein each insert sidewall is releasably attached to the top tray by a zip tie.

25. The litter box of claim 18 , wherein a separation distance between the top tray sidewalls is smaller at a first top tray end proximal to the top tray front wall than at a second top tray end proximal to the top tray back wall.

26. The litter box of claim 18 , wherein the bottom tray includes double-folded corners.

27. The litter box of claim 26 , wherein each double-folded corner is disposed between the bottom tray base, the bottom tray back wall, and a corresponding bottom tray sidewall.

28. The litter box of claim 18 , wherein the bottom tray comprises a waterproof or a water-resistant material.

29. The litter box of claim 18 , wherein the insert sidewalls are integrally attached to the bottom tray.

30. The litter box of claim 18 , wherein:

in the closed state, each insert sidewall is pivoted inwardly about a fold line that extends parallel to a length of the corresponding bottom tray sidewall,

in the opened state, each insert sidewall is pivoted outwardly about the fold line such that the insert sidewalls extend from the bottom tray to the top tray.

31. A litter box comprising:

a bottom tray having a bottom tray base, bottom tray sidewalls, a bottom tray front wall, and a bottom tray back wall;

a top tray having a top tray base, top tray sidewalls, a top tray front wall, and a top tray back wall, the top tray pivotably attached to the bottom tray; and

an insert comprising insert sidewalls that are attached to the top tray,

wherein:

in a closed state:

the top tray is disposed on the bottom tray and a litter box cavity is defined between the bottom and top trays, and

the insert sidewalls are pivoted inwardly such that the insert sidewalls are disposed in the litter box cavity,

in an opened state:

the top tray is pivoted away from the bottom tray,

the insert sidewalls are pivoted outwardly such that the insert sidewalls extend from the bottom tray to the top tray, and

the insert sidewalls mechanically support the top tray in the opened state,

a bottom tray separation distance between the bottom tray sidewalls is smaller at a first bottom tray end proximal to the bottom tray front wall than at a second bottom tray end proximal to the bottom tray back wall,

a top tray separation distance between the top tray sidewalls is smaller at a first top tray end proximal to the top tray front wall than at a second top tray end proximal to the top tray back wall,

in the closed state, each insert sidewall is pivoted inwardly about a fold line that extends parallel to a length of the corresponding top tray sidewall, and

in the opened state, each insert sidewall is pivoted outwardly about the fold line such that the insert sidewalls extend from the top tray to the bottom tray.

32. The litter box of claim 31 , wherein:

each insert sidewall has a first end disposed proximal to the bottom tray front wall and a second end disposed proximal to the bottom tray back wall, and

In the opened state:

a height of each insert sidewall is determined with respect to an axis that is orthogonal to a plane defined by an inner exposed surface of the bottom tray base, and

the height of each insert sidewall increases from the first end to the second end.

33. The litter box of claim 32 , wherein the height at the first end of each insert sidewall is greater than a height of the corresponding bottom tray sidewall.

34. The litter box of claim 31 , wherein the bottom tray includes double-folded corners.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 23, 2020
From: MAPLE MOUNTAIN PET STUFF, LLC
To: DKG, LLC
Reel/Frame 053855/0949 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2019
From: GARRETT, DIANE K.; PROSISE, ROY PAUL; LITTERAL, BENJAMIN DEREK; CAPUTO, DANIEL
To: MAPLE MOUNTAIN PET STUFF, LLC
Reel/Frame 049269/0147 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62674958 · May 22, 2018
Related Publication 20190357494A1 · Nov 28, 2019
Cited By (2)
US 1,089,872 US 12,653,144