# US 11,076,576 B2 · Clumping animal litter and method thereof

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- Number: US 11,076,576 B2
- Document ID: US11076576B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/460,780
- Filed: 2019-07-02
- Published: 2019-10-24
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2016-01-22
- Assignees: The Clorox Company
- Applicants: The Clorox Company
- Inventors: Perry Nga; David Lyons; Ahmed Drief; Kaitlin Lawler
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076576B2

## CPC

- A01K 1/0154: {comprising inorganic material}
- A01K 1/0155: {comprising organic material}
- B01J 20/043: {Carbonates or bicarbonates, e.g. limestone, dolomite, aragonite}
- B01J 20/12: Naturally occurring clays or bleaching earth
- B01J 20/20: comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
- B01J 20/28016: {Particle form}
- B01J 20/3028: {Granulating, agglomerating or aggregating}
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS

## Abstract

A clumpable animal litter comprises composite particles of filler materials, such as limestone and sand, and sodium bentonite. The filler materials have a lower bulk density as compared to a granular mixture of the same percentage of filler and sodium bentonite clay and contain up to eighty-five percent less clay.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An animal litter comprising:
composite particles of a filler material and sodium bentonite, the filler material and sodium bentonite being agglomerated together into the composite particles, wherein the filler material is present in an amount from about 60% to about 80% by weight of the composite particles and the sodium bentonite is present in an amount from about 20% to about 40% by weight of the composite particles;
wherein the animal litter has a clump strength of at least 90% as measured by the Clump Strength Test Method.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The animal litter recited in claim 1, wherein the filler material is present in an amount of about 70% by weight of the composite particles, and the sodium bentonite is present in an amount of about 30% by weight of the composite particles.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The animal litter recited in claim 1, wherein the animal litter has a clump strength of at least 93%.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The animal litter recited in claim 1, wherein the composite particles have a bulk density greater than 60 lb/ft3.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The animal litter recited in claim 1, wherein the composite particles have a mean particle size from 0.4 mm to 2 mm.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The animal litter recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of:
(i) the filler material has a mean particle size of 0.5 mm or less; or
(ii) the sodium bentonite has a mean particle size of 0.25 mm or less.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The animal litter recited in claim 1, wherein the composite particles further comprise powered activated carbon.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The animal litter recited in claim 1, wherein the filler material is limestone.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The animal litter recited in claim 1, wherein the filler material comprises at least one of limestone, dolomite, calcite, calcium carbonates, sand, shale, gravel, or slate.

### Claim 10

An animal litter comprising:
composite particles of a filler material and sodium bentonite, the filler material and sodium bentonite being agglomerated together into the composite particles, wherein the filler material is present in an amount from about 50% to about 80% by weight of the composite particles and the sodium bentonite is present in an amount from about 20% to about 50% by weight of the composite particles;
wherein the animal litter has a clump strength of at least 90% as measured by the Clump Strength Test Method.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The animal litter recited in claim 10, wherein the composite particles further comprise powdered activated carbon.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The animal litter recited in claim 10, wherein the filler material is limestone.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The animal litter recited in claim 10, wherein the filler material comprises at least one of limestone, dolomite, calcite, calcium carbonates, sand, shale, gravel, or slate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The animal litter recited in claim 10, wherein the composite particles have a bulk density greater than 60 lb/ft3.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The animal litter recited in claim 10, wherein the composite particles have a mean particle size from 0.4 mm to 2 mm.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The animal litter recited in claim 10, wherein at least one of:
(i) the filler material has a mean particle size of 0.5 mm or less; or
(ii) the sodium bentonite has a mean particle size of 0.25 mm or less.