# US 12,004,479 B2 · Pet litter systems and methods of servicing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,479 B2 - Document ID: US12004479B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/671,354 - Filed: 2022-02-14 - Published: 2022-05-26 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-21 - Applicants: Alison Krieser - Inventors: Alison Krieser - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004479B2 ## CPC - A01K 1/0107: {Cat trays; Dog urinals; Toilets for pets} - A01K 1/011: {with means for removing excrement (A01K1/0114 and A01K1/0117 take precedence)} - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS ## Abstract Pet litter systems and methods for sanitary servicing are disclosed. In some implementations, a pet litter system may comprise a bottom housing, a disposable inner box which may receive pet litter and pet waste, a service gap, and a safety liner which may be positioned in between the bottom housing and the disposable inner box, wherein the safety liner may protect interior surfaces of the bottom housing from contamination. In some implementations, a safety liner may be closable and usable as a disposal bag to seal contents comprising a disposable inner box, pet litter and pet waste therein, and may be safely removed from a bottom housing of a pet litter system and surrounding areas by a servicer of the pet litter system for disposal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pet litter servicing system comprising: a bottom housing comprising a base and an enclosing wall; and a service unit comprising: a safety liner receivable by the bottom housing and extending to cover the enclosing wall; an inner box comprising a floor and an inner wall; wherein the safety liner separates the inner box from the base; and a height of the enclosing wall is greater than a height of the inner wall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pet litter servicing system of claim 1 wherein said service unit includes the inner box disposed within the safety liner. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pet litter servicing system of claim 2 wherein the service unit further comprises pet litter contained within the inner box, and the inner box further comprises a removable cover for retaining pet litter therein. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pet litter servicing system of claim 1 further comprising a service gap disposed between the enclosing wall of the bottom housing and the inner wall of the inner box. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The pet litter servicing system of claim 4 wherein an area of the base is greater than an area of the floor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The pet litter servicing system of claim 1 wherein the safety liner further comprises an upper portion and wherein the upper portion extends outside a perimeter of the enclosing wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The pet litter servicing system of claim 6 wherein the safety liner further comprises a draw string closure disposed along the upper portion. ### Claim 8 A method of servicing a pet litter system including a bottom housing having a base and an enclosing wall and a service unit having an inner box comprising a floor and an inner wall and a safety liner, wherein an area of the base is greater than an area of the floor and a height of the enclosing wall is greater than a height of the inner wall, the method comprising: installing the service unit within the bottom housing; and removing the service unit from the bottom housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of servicing a pet litter system of claim 8 wherein the step of installing the service unit further comprising: installing a safety liner within the bottom housing where the safety liner is installed to cover the base and the enclosing wall; and positioning the inner box within the bottom housing and on top of the safety liner. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of servicing a pet litter system of claim 9 wherein the safety liner further comprises an upper portion, the method further comprising: extending the upper portion outside a perimeter of the enclosing wall. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of servicing a pet litter system of claim 10 wherein service unit further comprises pet litter contained within the inner box and an inner box cover for retaining the pet litter within the inner box, the step of installing the service unit further comprising: removing the inner box cover to expose the pet litter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of servicing a pet litter system of claim 8 wherein the safety liner further comprises an upper portion and the step of removing the service unit further comprising: grasping the upper portion of the safety liner; and closing the safety liner, including the inner box and pet litter, where the safety liner is configured to be used as a disposal bag. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of servicing a pet litter system of claim 12, wherein the upper portion of the safety liner includes a draw string and wherein the step of closing the safety liner further comprises: pulling the draw string. ### Claim 14 A method of providing a subscription service for a pet litter servicing system including a bottom housing having a base and an enclosing wall and a service unit having an inner box comprising a floor and an inner wall and a safety liner, wherein an area of the base is greater than an area of the floor and a height of the enclosing wall is greater than a height of the inner wall, the method comprising: receiving an enrollment from a servicer of the pet litter servicing system, wherein the enrollment specifies a request for one or more service units and a manner of payment; arranging the one or more service units into an accessory prepackaged service unit; and shipping, to the servicer, the requested accessory prepackaged unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of providing a subscription service for a pet litter servicing system of claim 14, further comprising: periodically shipping to the servicer the requested accessory prepackaged unit when the enrolment from a servicer of the pet litter servicing system specifies a periodic recurrent request for one or more service units.