GB2450924A

GB2450924A - A pet litter tray

Info

Publication number: GB2450924A
Application number: GB0713600A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Maree Gilchrist
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-07-12
Filing date: 2007-07-12
Publication date: 2009-01-14
Also published as: GB0713600D0

Abstract

A pet litter tray 1 comprising a tray body 2 and a carrying arrangement 6. The tray body has a bottom surface 3 and side walls 4 defining an enclosure suitable to receive a pet litter. The carrying arrangement comprises at least one handle 6 movable between a stowed position, in which the handle lies outside the walls defining the enclosure, and a transportation position, in which the handle extends above the enclosure so that it may be grasped by a user. The handle may be pivotally attached to the tray and be positioned on a ridge 5 that runs around at least part of the outer surface of at least one of the walls.

Description

Ref: P21 984GB-ATB/cg Title: A PET LITTER TRAY

Description of Invention

THIS INVENTION relates to a pet litter tray, and it particularly concerns a portable tray for use with relatively small domestic pets.

The use of litter trays for household pets, and in particular domestic cats, is widespread. Such trays generally comprise a bottom surface surrounded by a continuous upstanding wall to provide an open-topped receptacle which can be partially filled with litter, which usually takes the form of a granular absorbent material. Litter may be made from clay, may be silicon based, or may alternatively be made from recycled paper, wood shavings or any other

suitable material.

To use the litter tray, an animal such as a domestic cat climbs into the tray and defecates and/or urinates. The litter is provided to absorb moisture, and reduce unpleasant odours which would arise from substances such as ammonia.

After a certain number of uses, the litter must be thrown away and replaced with a fresh supply of litter. Carrying litter trays may be awkward and is often unpleasant.

It is an object of the present invention to seek to provide an improved cat litter tray.

Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention provides a pet litter tray comprising: a tray body having a bottom surface and side walls defining an enclosure suitable to receive a pet litter; and a carrying arrangement comprising at least one handle which is movable between a stowed position, in which the handle lies outside the walls defining the enclosure, and a transportation position, in which the handle extends above the enclosure so that it may be grasped by a user.

Advantageously, the at least one handle is pivotally attached to the tray body.

Preferably, two handles are provided.

Conveniently, the pet litter tray comprises at least one positioning surface provided on, or attached to, an outer surface of at least one of the walls, on which the at least one handle may rest when it is in the stowed position.

Advantageously, the positioning surface comprises a ridge which runs around at least a part of the outer surface of at least one of the walls.

Preferably, the ridge runs substantially continuously around the outer surface of the walls.

Conveniently, the side walls have upper edges, and wherein, when the at least one handle is in the stowed position, at least a grasping portion of the handle lies below the level of the upper edges.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pet litter tray embodying the present invention; and Figures 2 and 3 show the pet litter tray of figure 1 in two different configurations.

With reference firstly to figure 1, a pet litter tray 1 embodying the present invention is shown. As discussed above, the pet litter tray 1 comprises a tray body 2 having a generally planar, rectangular bottom surface 3 surrounded by four upstanding waIls 4, to form an open-topped receptacle. The size and shape of the tray I may be selected depending upon the animal(s) for which the tray is intended, but it is anticipated that domestic cats are the most likely animals for which such trays will be provided and the dimensions of the tray body 2 will therefore reflect this.

Running around the exterior surface of the walls 4 is an upward-facing ridge 5.

The ridge 5 extends substantially continuously around the perimeter of the tray body 2, and is provided approximately four-fifths of the way from the bottom edges of the walls 4 to the top edges thereof. In the embodiment depicted in figure 1, the ridge 5 is provided by forming a relatively thin portion of the walls 4 at the top edges thereof, so that the ridge 5 is formed at the point where the thickness of the walls 4 decreases. In alternative embodiments, however, the walls 4 could be of substantially uniform thickness, with a single protruding lip or rib running around the external surfaces of the walls 4 at an appropriate position. In yet further embodiments, the walls 4 may be of substantially uniform thickness, and may be shaped to form an upward-facing ledge at an appropriate place, for instance by a pair of bends being formed in the walls so that an upward-facing portion is presented.

A pair of handles 6 are provided. Each of the handles 6 is substantially 4U"-shaped, having two generally right-angled bends therein. Each of the handles 6 is attached at its two free ends 710 upper edges of opposing walls 4 of the tray body 2. The handles 6 are attached pivotally to the walls 4 so that the handles may pivot around the points at which they attach to the walls 4.

This attachment may be made, for example, by providing a bore which extends part of the way into the outer surface of the appropriate wall 4, and providing an aperture of similar size which passes through the handle 6 near the free end 7 thereof. A pin or bolt 8 may then be passed through the aperture and fixed in the bore, thus holding the handle 6 pivotally in place.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the handles 6 are each attached to opposing longer walls 4 of the rectangular tray body 2, and one handle 6 is attached approximately one-third of the way along the walls 4 from each end thereof.

The handles 6 are movable between an "in use" configuration and a "transportation' configuration. Turning to figure 2, the transportation configuration is shown. In this configuration, the handles 6 are arranged so that they arch upwardly over the open top of the tray body 2, so that they may be grasped easily by a user to move the tray.

Figure 3 shows the handles 6 in the "in use" configuration. In this configuration, the handles are pivoted downwardly towards the edges of the tray body 2, so that they pass over these edges and come to rest on the upward-facing ridge 6 which runs around the outer surface of the waIls 4 of the tray body 2. It is preferred that, in this configuration, the handles 6 conform closely to the shape of the outer surfaces of the walls 4.

In preferred embodiments, the width of the handles 6 is equal to, or less than, the width of the portion of the waIls 4 which lies above the upward-facing ridge 5. This ensures that, when the handles are in the "in use" configuration, the handles 6 do not extend above the top edges of the waIls 4, thereby ensuring that an animal which is inside the tray and using the tray will not contact any part of the handles 6.

To use the litter tray, the handles 6 thereof are placed in the "in use" configuration, a suitable litter is filled in the tray, and the tray is then ready to be visited by an animal.

Once the tray has been visited a sufficient number of times by the animal that it is considered to be time to change the litter, the handles 6 are grasped and moved into the transportation configuration. It will be understood from the description above that, since the handles are positioned outside the tray body 2 in the "in use" configuration, they wilt not have been contacted by the animal and should therefore be clean.

Once the handles are in the transportation position, they may simply be grasped by a user to transport the tray easily and hygienically.

In the embodiment described above, two handles are provided. The invention is not limited to this, of course, and one handle, or any other suitable number of handles, may be provided.

In the foregoing description reference is made to upper and lower parts of the pet litter tray 1. It is to be understood that this is with reference to the pet litter tray and is in its expected orientation, i.e. resting on its bottom surface 3, as shown in figure 1, and references to upper and tower parts should be interpreted accordingly.

It will be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention provide a simple and practical pet litter tray that may be transported easily and hygienically, particularly by individuals who are elderly or less physically able, while taking up a minimum of space.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A pet litter tray comprising: a tray body having a bottom

surface and side walls defining an enclosure suitable to receive a pet litter; and a carrying arrangement comprising at least one handle which is movable between a stowed position, in which the handle lies outside the walls defining the enclosure, and a transportation position, in which the handle extends above the enclosure so that it may be grasped by a user.
2, A pet litter tray according to claim 1, wherein the at least one handle is pivotally attached to the tray body.
3. A pet litter tray according to claim 1 or 2, wherein two handles are provided.
4. A pet litter tray according to any preceding claim, comprising at least one positioning surface provided on, or attached to, an outer surface of at least one of the walls, on which the at least one handle may rest when it is in the stowed position.
5. A pet litter tray according to claim 4, wherein the positioning surface comprises a ridge which runs around at least a part of the outer surface of at least one of the walls.
6. A pet litter tray according to claim 5, wherein the ridge runs substantially continuously around the outer surface of the walls.
7. A pet litter tray according to any preceding claim, wherein the side surfaces have upper edges, and wherein, when the at least one handle is in the stowed position, at least a grasping portion of the handle lies below the level of the upper edges.
8. A pet litter tray substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
9. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.