# US 9,516,856 B2 · Method for producing animal litter sand

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- Number: US 9,516,856 B2
- Document ID: US9516856B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/387,498
- Filed: 2013-03-21
- Published: 2015-02-19
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-29
- Assignees: Unicharm Corporation
- Applicants: Uni-Charm Corporation
- Inventors: Tatsuya Sogou; Takayuki Matsuo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9516856B2

## CPC

- A01K 1/0152: {Litter}
- A01K 1/0107: {Cat trays; Dog urinals; Toilets for pets}
- A01K 1/0154: {comprising inorganic material}
- A01K 1/0155: {comprising organic material}
- B27N 1/00: Pretreatment of moulding material
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- B27N: MANUFACTURE BY DRY PROCESSES OF ARTICLES, WITH OR WITHOUT ORGANIC BINDING AGENTS, MADE FROM PARTICLES OR FIBRES CONSISTING OF WOOD OR OTHER LIGNOCELLULOSIC OR LIKE ORGANIC MATERIAL (containing cementitious material B28B; shaping of substances in a plastic state B29C; fibreboards made from fibrous suspensions D21J; drying F26B17/00)

## Abstract

An animal litter sand that effectively prevents scattering of particles without increasing the weight or density of the litter sand. The animal litter sand is prepared by forming particles by a step that adds water and mixes together at least a particulate substrate from an inorganic material, a hydraulic solidification material, and a water-soluble thickener.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing animal litter including an aggregate of granules, comprising at least a step of forming the granules by mixing a granular substrate made of inorganic porous material, a hydraulic binder and a soluble thickener while adding water.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, comprising a step of obtaining a granular mixture by mixing and stirring the granular substrate, the binder and the thickener while adding water, a step of curing and solidifying the mixture via the binder, and a step of obtaining the granules by drying the solidified mixture.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the thickener comprises at least one of water-soluble cellulose and modified cellulose.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the thickener comprises at least one of alkyl cellulose and hydroxyl cellulose.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the granular substrate comprises a zeolitic material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the binder comprises a cementitious binder.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the weight of each granule is about 0.1 to 0.4 gram.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the length of each granule is about 5 to 20 mm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the diameter of each granule is about 3 to 8 mm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a silica gel material is further mixed as a deodorant.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the surface of the granule is water-repellent.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the granule contains the binder of about 20% or less by mass and the thickener of about 1% or less by mass.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the granule includes a granular substrate made of inorganic porous material, a hydraulic binder and a soluble thickener, and has the average granule density from about 0.0010 to 0.0012 g/mm3.