Animal Sanitary Device

Abstract

A sanitary device for pets comprises a wand having at one end a pair of spring arms which normally are biased apart. A disposable receptacle having sleeve portions around its normally open top has such portions fitted on said arms to be held open thereby and positioned beneath a pet to receive feces as the latter is discharged. The receptacle is fitted on the arms, the arms squeezed together, the receptacle wrapped around the arms and a sleeve telescoped on the wand to retain the device in readiness. After use, the receptacle may be carried by the wand to the nearest trash collector where it may be expelled from the arms by extending the sleeve.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the ever increasing adoption by urban dwellers of pets, particularly dogs, the city sidewalks and limited park areas have become so soiled as to become a hazard to pedestrians and to deny the public enjoyment of the few outdoor relaxation facilities that do exist. In an effort to counteract this situation, the civic authorities have enacted ordinances requiring pet owners or handlers to clean up after their pets or be subject to heavy fines, so that the public areas should remain relatively clean.

To comply with the ordinances, the owners must carry cleaning materials when walking their pets to clean up feces after it has been dropped. Such materials usually comprise a quantity of tissues or the like for cleaning purposes, and a disposable receptacle for such tissues after use. This is a messy job, requiring bending and stooping, and the handler may become soiled in the process. Various devices or tools have been proposed to assist in the cleaning process but leave much to be desired. Basically, these tools are in the nature of a scoop for shoveling the feces, or tongs for grasping the feces. Even if provided with disposable covers, these tools are subject to becoming soiled in use and must be cleaned, and, in any event, are not completely effective because they are capable of removing only the major portion of the feces, the balance being scraped over the surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A sanitary device according to the present invention comprises an elongate wand, conveniently having the configuration of a walking stick or cane, that is constituted by a body portion and a sleeve telescopic thereon and normally covering one end of the body portion. A pair of spring arms are fixed to the normally covered end of the body portion to spring apart when they are freed by retraction of the sleeve. A disposable receptable of flexible material having sleeve portions along at least the opposite sides of its open top is mounted by its sleeve portions on the spring arms so that the top of the receptacle is spread open when the sleeve is retracted and the arms spring apart.

In preparation for an outing, the handler retracts the sleeve, squeezes the spring arms together, fits the sleeve portions of a receptacle on the arms, wraps the receptacle around the arms, and slides the sleeve outwardly to enclose the wrapped arms. When the pet indicates that it is ready to perform its act of nature, the handler retracts the sleeve to free the arms which spring apart to open the receptacle for use. The handler holds the wand to dispose the open topped receptacle beneath the pet to catch the feces as it is dropped. The handler then slides the sleeve to collapse the arms, carries it to a refuse container where he further extends the sleeve to expel the receptacle. The feces has not touched the ground surface or any permanent part of the device. According to a modification the spring arms may be connected to an electric source so that the device also can function as an electric prod as protection against muggers and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of a device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view in elevation of the device shown in FIG. 1 but taken at right angles thereof, portions of the device being broken away;

FIG. 3 is a side view in elevation corresponding to FIG. 2 but showing the device in operative position;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the device taken of the lower or operative end of the device;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a disposable receptacle for use with the device;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the receptacle shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective of the device in operative position;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of device;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the operative portion of the device shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the device shown in FIG. 9, and

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 11--11 of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now in detail to the drawings, specifically to FIG. 1, a sanitary device for pets according to the present invention comprises a wand 10 including a body portion 12 and a sleeve 14 slidable on the lower end of the body portion. At its opposite end the body portion 12 may be provided with a handle for convenience in carrying and at its lower end the sleeve 14 may be provided with a collar 18 simulating the foot of a walking stick so that the overall general appearance of the device may be that of a cane. As better shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the body portion may be provided with a stud 20 that extends through a bayonet slot 22 in the sleeve to limit the telescopic movement of the latter, the slot having a laterally extending branch at its upper end to secure the sleeve in extended position until use of the device is necessary.

At its lower end the body portion is provided with a slot 24 extending axially thereof and within which are fitted the base ends 26 of a pair of spring arms 28, the arms being anchored in position by a diametrically disposed rivet 30. As best shown in FIG. 3, the arms normally tend to spring apart and include arcuate cam portions 32 adjacent their base ends with relatively straight main portions terminating in angularly bent tip portions 34. Thus in normal condition, prior to operation, the arms are compressed toward each other and retained by the sleeve when the latter is extended.

In addition to the foregoing wand structure the device includes a disposable receptacle 40, best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Conveniently this receptacle may be formed of a moisture-proof material such as pliofilm and may be a relatively flat envelope having portions of its upper open end folded over and secured to provide sleeve portions 42. The envelope may be formed of any suitable flexible material but a plastic material is advantageous both because it is moisture-proof and has greater tensile strength, but readily may be formed into an envelope by heat sealing the edges and the free edge of the sleeve portion.

In operation, the sleeve 14 is retracted on the body 12 to expose the arms 28 whereupon the arm tips 34 are inserted into the open ends 44 of the sleeve portions of a receptacle 40. When the receptacle is fully mounted on the arms 28, the arms are compressed toward each other and the envelope is wrapped around the arms whereupon the sleeve 14 is extended outwardly to the limit imposed by the slot 22 and stud 20 so that the arms and the receptacle are fully enclosed within the sleeve, as shown in FIG. 2. The device is then ready for the handler to take the pet for his airing and the device has the overall appearance of a walking stick or cane so that there is nothing unusual about its appearance.

When the pet gives indication that it wishes to relieve itself the handler then twists the sleeve to unlock the bayonet slot 22 and retracts the sleeve to enable the arms to spring apart and open the receptacle as shown in FIG. 7. The handler then holds the wand with the open topped bag immediately beneath the pet to receive feces as it is discharged by the pet. When the pet has finished, the handler then extends the sleeve outwardly so that the open end of the sleeve engages the cam portions 32 and cams the arms toward each other to close the open end of the receptacle. The handler then proceeds to the nearest trash collection receptacle and further extends the sleeve to expel the receptacle from the arms into the collector and fully enclose the arms so that the complete operation has been performed without the feces touching the ground surface of any part of the device.

According to a modification shown in FIGS. 8-11, the device also may serve as an electric prod as a defense against muggers and other types of thieves who are so common in the urban areas. In this event, the arms 28' may comprise rods which are mounted in an insulated end portion of the body portion 12' and connected by suitable conductors 48 with a power source 50 such as batteries enclosed within the upper end of the body portion and which may be retained by a screw cap 52 or the like. A switch 54 is included in the circuit with the conductors 48 and power source 50, so that the operator readily may manually control energization of the arms 28'.

In this instance the receptacle 40' must be of a non-conductive, insulating material and it must have two separate sleeve portions 42 on opposite sides thereof to enable the arms to extend completely through the sleeve portions of the receptacle with their ends exposed beyond the receptacle. After the receptacle is mounted, the arms then are urged toward each other and the receptacle is wound around the major portions of the arms to insulate them from each other. In the event that the handler is approached by a mugger he immediately retracts the sleeve 14' to expose the ends of the arms 28' and closes the switch 54 so that the arms constitute electric prods that will serve to shock the assailiant.

The modified structure shows variations in configuration that may be employed. For example, the sleeve 14' may be provided with interned lugs 22' that are slidable in longitudinally extending slots 20' in the body portion 12' to limit telescopic movement of the sleeve. In addition, the configuration of the arms per se may be different in that the cam portions 32' may be relatively straight rather than curved but in all respects the operation of the arms by the sleeve is identical to that of the previously described embodiment. Obviously, the arms, and preferably the cam portions, can be of rigid material and attached by spring means to the body portion.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privelege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A sanitary device for pets comprising:

a wand including an elongate body portion having upper and lower ends, and a sleeve telescopically mounted on the lower end of said body portion,

a pair of spring biased arms carried by the lower end of said body portion and normally tending to spread apart but retained in close juxtaposition by the sleeve prior to use of the device, and

disposable receptacle means including an open top and sleeve portions about the periphery of said open top, said sleeve portions fitted on said arms with the receptacle supported laterally therefrom whereby the arms open the top of the receptacle for the reception of feces as the latter is discharged by a pet and close the top of the receptacle for subsequent disposal.

2. A sanitary device according to claim 1 wherein said arms include substantially straight portions for insertion into said receptacle sleeve portions, and cam portions extending outwardly of the straight portions for engagement with said telescopic sleeve to urge said straight portions together.

3. A sanitary device according to claim 1 comprising a source of electric current housed in said body portion, and an electric circuit connecting said source with said arms and including manually-operable switch means on said body portion.

4. A sanitary device according to claim 3 wherein said receptacle comprises nonconductive material to insulate said arms from each other.

5. A sanitary device according to claim 1 wherein said body portion comprises a handle on its upper end.

6. A sanitary device according to claim 5 wherein said sleeve has a collar surrounding its free end, whereby said device has the appearance of a cane or walking stick.

7. A sanitary device according to claim 1 comprising means between said body portion and sleeve limiting the relative movement therebetween.