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US4648349A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Kitty litter box

Assignee: MIDWEST CENTRAL PRODUCTS Inc 1111 WESTRAC DRIVE FARGO NORTH DAKOTA 58103 A CORP OF MINNESOTA
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Filing: 1985-07-22
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Granted: 1987-03-10
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Expires: 2005-07-22
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Abstract

Abstract A disposable box for holding kitty litter and having a cover wall spaced from the bottom wall of the box, and also spaced downwardly from the upper edge and which has perforations to define a punch-out cover panel which can be removed. The box space below the cover wall is filled with kitty litter or animal litter and is shipped and sold that way. When the box is to be used, the punch-out removable cover panel is pulled out and the kitty litter is available for use. The box is made with tapered side and end walls so that the boxes will nest and the bottom of one box will fit inside the second box with its bottom wall being supported on the cover wall that covers the kitty litter in the box. When the kitty litter has served its purpose, the box is disposed of by placing it inside a plastic garbage bag or the like.

Inventors

  • 👤 Conrad M. Larson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 21:47
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K1/00; A01K1/01; A01K1/0107; A01K1/0125

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 279 words
A cat litter box comprising side and end wall means forming a generally rectilinear box enclosure having a bottom wall with side edges and end edges; side wall means and end wall means integral with the bottom wall along the side and end edges thereof, respectively, said side wall means and end wall means each tapering upwardly and outwardly from the respective edges of the bottom wall to an upper box edge, and each being formed by double panels that are integral and folded against each other along a fold line, respectively, outer edges of the side wall panels and end wall panels extending down toward the bottom wall from the fold lines, respectively, said upper box edge being formed by the fold lines of the side wall panels and end wall panels and defining a peripheral dimension greater than the periphery of the bottom wall to permit the lower portions of similar boxes to be stacked within the upper portions of one box; a cover wall fitting within said rectilinear box enclosure and closely engaging the side and end wall means forming said enclosure; wall means extending downwardly and integral with the cover wall portions extending along the side and end wall panels to support said cover wall spaced with respect to the bottom wall of the rectilinear enclosure and in position below the upper edges of the box, said cover wall and said integral wall means forming an insert with an open bottom, the outer edges of the side wall panels and end wall panels extending toward the bottom wall beyond said cover wall; and a filling of cat litter in the region below the cover wall.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 279 words
A cat litter box comprising side and end wall means forming a generally rectilinear box enclosure having a bottom wall with side edges and end edges; side wall means and end wall means integral with the bottom wall along the side and end edges thereof, respectively, said side wall means and end wall means each tapering upwardly and outwardly from the respective edges of the bottom wall to an upper box edge, and each being formed by double panels that are integral and folded against each other along a fold line, respectively, outer edges of the side wall panels and end wall panels extending down toward the bottom wall from the fold lines, respectively, said upper box edge being formed by the fold lines of the side wall panels and end wall panels and defining a peripheral dimension greater than the periphery of the bottom wall to permit the lower portions of similar boxes to be stacked within the upper portions of one box; a cover wall fitting within said rectilinear box enclosure and closely engaging the side and end wall means forming said enclosure; wall means extending downwardly and integral with the cover wall portions extending along the side and end wall panels to support said cover wall spaced with respect to the bottom wall of the rectilinear enclosure and in position below the upper edges of the box, said cover wall and said integral wall means forming an insert with an open bottom, the outer edges of the side wall panels and end wall panels extending toward the bottom wall beyond said cover wall; and a filling of cat litter in the region below the cover wall.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 42 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein the cover wall has a removable cover panel defined within it of substantial size in relation to the cover wall, said cover panel being removable to provide access to the kitty litter below the cover wall.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 17 words
The apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said box is made of a suitable cardboard material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
The apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said cover wall is positioned upwardly from the bottom wall less than one half of the height of the side and end wall means forming the box.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 68 words
The apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said cover wall defines an opening having edges spaced inwardly from the side wall means and end wall means separately to form ledges in the cover wall around the periphery of the cover wall to tend to retain kitty litter near the periphery of the box from being scattered out of the box along the wall means of the box.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2214813A Cited
US2980308A Cited
US3162350A Cited
US3286691A Cited
US3377990A Cited
US3826229A Cited
US4271787A Cited
US4305544A Cited
US4441451A Cited
US4553671A Cited
US4501226A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-03-09 1990-09-08 1991-03-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-03-09 1994-09-08 1995-03-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-03-09 1998-09-08 1999-03-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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