US 6,745,719 B1Granted

Litter sifting device for a litter box

OwnerDiane Howertoninventor

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Abstract

A litter sifting device for use with an existing litter box. The device has a first screen assembly and a second screen assembly, each having a screen, two handles, and two side walls. The screen has a mesh size which is small enough to permit unused litter to fall back into the litter box, while retaining soiled litter, when the device is removed from the litter box for appropriate disposal of the waste material. For smaller litter boxes, the first screen assembly may be used alone. For larger litter boxes, the second screen assembly may be used in conjunction with the first screen assembly. The first screen assembly is telescopically positionable within the second screen assembly, thereby allowing a range of possible lengths for the litter sifting device. The handles permit lifting the litter sifting device from the litter box without a user coming into contact with the soiled litter.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A litter sifting device, for use in conjunction with a litter box having a bottom, side walls, and top edges, said litter box for containment of litter therein, comprising a first screen assembly, having:

a substantially rectangular screen having a first set of opposing sides and a second set of opposing sides, said screen being a lattice of one group of parallel members mated to an opposing group of parallel members, said screen having hinge rivets which join the groups of opposing parallel members of the screen;
a side wall extending upwards from each of the sides of the first set of opposing sides of the screen, each side wall having a top lip for supporting the first screen assembly upon the top edges of the litter box at a position which is elevated with respect to the bottom of the litter box, wherein the distance between the opposing side walls may be adjusted by either pulling the side walls apart or by pushing the side walls together, thereby causing the groups of parallel members of the screen to partially swivel upon the hinge rivets with respect to each other, thereby causing the overall width of the screen to expand or contract;
and
a pair of handles extending upward from each of the sides of the second set of opposing sides of the screen.

1 more element

A method of using a litter sifting device, said litter sifting device having a first screen assembly having a screen having a first set of opposing sides and also a second set of opposing sides, said screen being a lattice of one group of parallel members mated to another group of parallel members with hinge rivets so that the groups of parallel members may swivel with respect to each other, said first screen assembly having a pair of opposing side walls extending upward from each of the sides of the first set of opposing sides of the screen, each side wall having a top lip for supporting the first screen assembly upon the top edges of the litter box at a position which is elevated with respect to the bottom of the litter box, wherein the width of the screen may be adjusted by either pulling the side walls apart, or by pushing the side walls together, thereby causing the opposing groups of parallel members of the screen to partially swivel with respect to each other upon the hinge rivets, said first screen assembly also having a pair of opposing handles extending upward from each of the sides of the second set of opposing sides of the screen, said method comprising the steps of:

a) adjusting the width of the screen of the litter sifting device to the width of the litter box by pushing the side walls inward for narrower litter boxes, and pulling the side walls outward for wider boxes;
b) positioning the litter sifting device within the litter box;
c) covering the screen with litter;
d) waiting by the user until the litter box is used by a cat for excretion of waste material;
e) separating waste material from unused litter by lifting the litter sifting device by its handles and shaking the litter sifting device;
f) emptying the waste material from the first screen assembly into a waste receptacle;
and
g) returning the litter sifting device back to the litter box.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.