# US 8,539,911 B1 · Disposable feline litter box > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,539,911 B1 - Document ID: US8539911B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 13/110,121 - Filed: 2011-05-18 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2011-05-18 - Applicants: Kathryn B. Landrum - Inventors: Kathryn B. Landrum - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8539911B1 ## CPC - A01K 1/011: {with means for removing excrement (A01K1/0114 and A01K1/0117 take precedence)} - A01K 1/0125: {Foldable or collapsible litter boxes} - A01K 1/033: {Cat or dog houses} - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS ## Abstract A disposable feline litter box includes a tray prefilled with litter and including a permanently affixed upwardly extendable enclosure. An end face of the enclosure includes a hinged door flap which allows a feline to enter and exit the enclosure by pushing the flap in the appropriate direction. The various components of the litter box are made of bio-degradable materials. The litter box is initially provided in a collapsed configuration to allow for storage and transportation and is returned to the collapsed configuration for disposal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A disposable feline litter box comprising: a tray receptacle having a litter-filled interior; a corrugated enclosure affixed to said tray receptacle, said enclosure being upwardly extendable to an expanded state and downwardly retractable to a collapsed state; a top affixed to an upper end of said enclosure; an opening disposed in a forward facing side of said enclosure for ingress and egress of a feline; a door hingedly attached to said enclosure for covering said opening; two pairs of linkages, each of said pair of linkages being pivotably attached between a middle of said tray receptacle and a middle of said top on opposing sides of said enclosure; and a pair of stops, each of said pair of stops comprising a solid body comprising at least one flat side extending outwardly from opposing sides of said tray receptacle proximate said middle of said tray receptacle and adjacent to a lower end portion of each of said pair of linkages; wherein said pair of linkages pivot to a generally horizontal orientation to maintain said enclosure in said collapsed state and to a generally vertical orientation to maintain said enclosure in said expanded state; and wherein a side edge of said lower end portion each of said pair of linkages abuts said flat side of one of said pair of stops when said enclosure is in said expanded state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The litter box of claim 1, wherein said enclosure further comprises a housing defining a hollow interior having a plurality of interconnected folds disposed between said tray receptacle and said top; wherein said top is movable toward and away from said tray receptacle to extend and retract said enclosure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The litter box of claim 2, wherein said enclosure further comprises a generally pyramidal shape; wherein each of said plurality of interconnected folds collapse inwardly upon an adjacent fold to place said enclosure in said collapsed state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The litter box of claim 1, wherein each of said pair of linkages further comprises: a lower link having a lower end pivotably connected to said opposing sides of said tray receptacle and an upper end; and, an upper link having a lower end pivotably connected to said lower link upper end and an upper end pivotably connected to opposing sides of said top. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The litter box of claim 1, further comprising a pair of straps, each of said pair of straps comprising an end affixed to said tray receptacle and an opposing free end releasably secured to said top around said enclosure to retain said enclosure in said collapsed state. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The litter box of claim 5, wherein said top further comprises a plurality of fasteners which releasably fasten to said free ends of each of said pair of straps. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The litter box of claim 5, wherein said free end of each of said pair of straps further comprises a plurality of first snap features; and, said top further comprises a plurality of second snap features; wherein said first snap features engagingly mate with said second snap features to secure said straps to said top. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The litter box of claim 7, wherein said opposing end of each of said pair of straps further comprises a handle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The litter box of claim 1, wherein said enclosure further comprises sides having a plurality of accordion pleats; wherein said pleats are movable toward each other to place said enclosure in said collapsed state; and, wherein said pleats are movable away from each other to place said enclosure in said expanded state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The litter box of claim 9, wherein said door further comprises a plurality of accordion-like pleats; wherein said door extends and retracts concurrent with said enclosure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The litter box of claim 10, wherein said enclosure further comprises a generally spherical shape. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The litter box of claim 10, wherein said enclosure further comprises a generally cubical shape. ### Claim 13 A disposable feline litter box comprising: a generally rectangular tray having a litter-filled interior receptacle; an enclosure defining a hollow interior affixed over said tray and comprising sides having a plurality of accordion pleats, said enclosure being upwardly extendable to an expanded state and downwardly retractable to a collapsed state; a top affixed to an upper end of said enclosure; an opening disposed in at least one of said sides of said enclosure for ingress and egress of a feline; a door hingedly attached to said enclosure for covering said opening; two pairs of linkages, each of said pair of linkages being pivotably attached between a middle of said tray and a middle of said top on opposing ones of said sides of said enclosure; a pair of stops, each of said pair of stops comprising a solid body comprising at least one flat side extending outwardly from opposing sides of said tray proximate said middle of said tray and adjacent to a lower end portion of each of said pair of linkages; and, a pair of straps, each of said pair of straps comprising an end affixed to said tray and an opposing free end; wherein said pleats are movable toward each other to place said enclosure in said collapsed state; wherein said pair of linkages pivot to a generally horizontal orientation when said enclosure is in said collapsed state; wherein said free ends of said pair of straps are releasably secured to said top around said enclosure to retain said enclosure in said collapsed state; wherein said pleats are movable away from each other to place said enclosure in said expanded state; wherein said pair of linkages pivot to a generally vertical orientation to maintain said enclosure is in said expanded state; and, wherein a side edge of said lower end portion of each of said pair of linkages abuts said flat side of one of said pair of stops when said enclosure is in said expanded state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The litter box of claim 13, wherein said free ends of each of said pair of straps further comprises a plurality of first snap features; and, said top further comprises a plurality of second snap features; wherein said first snap features engagingly mate with said second snap features to secure said straps to said top when said enclosure is in said collapsed state. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The litter box of claim 14, wherein each of said pair of linkages further comprises: a lower link having a lower end pivotably connected to said opposing sides of said tray and an upper end; an upper link having a lower end pivotably connected to said lower link upper end and an upper end pivotably connected to opposing sides of said top. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The litter box of claim 15, wherein said free end of each of said pair of straps further comprises a handle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The litter box of claim 16, wherein said door further comprises a plurality of accordion pleats; wherein said door extends and retracts concurrent with said enclosure.