Odorless animal litter unit having securing means

Claim 2

In a sorbent pad laminate for the collection of animal urine, comprising in combination; a. a bottom sheet layer of moisture impermeable material, b. an intermediate sorbent layer of material having a high sorbency capacity for urine; c. a top claw resistant screen means, said screen means being a urine permeable, flexible member of material which is substantially inert to urine, formed of strands having sufficient tear strength to withstand the clawing action of a cat and sufficiently small hole size to protect said sorbent layer and said sheet layer of moisture impermeable material from being torn by animal claws, said bottom sheet layer and said top screen means being bonded to each other along at least a substantial portion of the periphery of said screen means; the improvement comprising; securing means, said securing means being on the periphery of said bottom sheet layer.

Claim 3

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 1 wherein said bottom sheet layer is a thermoplastic material.

Claim 4

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 2 wherein said securing means is an elasticised member made from said bottom sheet layer by heat shrinking of an oriented polymer.

Claim 5

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 3, wherein said securing means are along at least a substantial portion of the periphery of said bottom sheet layer.

Claim 6

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 2 wherein said securing means is an elasticised member made from said bottom sheet layer by heat relief of orientation stresses produced by yirradiation and polymer orientation.

Claim 7

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 2 wherein said securing means is an elasticised member made from said bottom sheet layer by heating said sheet layer.

Claim 8

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 2 wherein said securing means is an elasticised member made from said bottom sheet layer by heat shrinking of an irradiated and oriented polymer.

Claim 9

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 1 wherein multiple securing means are along the periphery of said bottom pad laminate.

Claim 10

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 1 wherein said securing means is a string means movably secured to at least a substantial region of the periphery of said bottom sheet layer and having an unsecured region of said periphery, whereby access to said string means is provided at said unsecured region, thereby enabling a user to draw said string means and tie a knot.

Claim 11

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 9 wherein said securing means can be tightened to form a closed bag, said intermediate sorbent layer and said screen means being enclosed within said closed bag.

Claim 12

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 1 further comprising litter granules, said litter granules overlying said top claw resistant screen means.

Claim 13

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 11 wherein said litter granules are substantially non-urine sorbent.

Claim 14

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 1 further comprising adhering means, said adhering means being affixed to said sheet layer.

Claim 15

In the combination of an animal urine sorbent pad laminate means for use in combination with a cat litter device having a base and walls with said sorbent pad laminate means overlying said base, said laminate means comprising in combination; a. a bottom sheet layer of moisture impermeable material, b. an intermediate sorbent layer of material having a high sorbency capacity for urine, and c. a top claw resistant screen means, said screen means being a urine permeable, flexible member of material which is substantially inert to urine, formed of strands having sufficient tear strength to withstand the clawing action of a cat and sufficiently small hole size to protect said sorbent layer and said sheet layer of moisture impermeable material from being torn by animal claws, said bottom sheet layer and said top screen means being bonded to each other along at least a substantial portion of the periphery of said screen means, the improvement comprising: securing means, said securing means being along the periphery of said bottom sheet layer.

Claim 16

In the combination of an animal urine sorbent pad laminate means for use in combination with a cat litter device having a base and walls with said sorbent pad laminate means overlying said base, said laminate means comprising in combination; a. a bottom sheet layer of moisture impermeable material, b. an intermediate sorbent layer of material having a high sorbency capacity for urine, and c. a top claw resistant screen means, said screen means being a urine permeable, flexible member of material which is substantially inert to urine, formed of strands having sufficient tear strength to withstand the clawing action of a cat and sufficiently small hole size to protect said sorbent layer and said sheet layer of moisture impermeable material from being torn by animal claws, said bottom sheet layer and said top screen means being bonded to each other along at least a substantial portion of the periphery of said screen means, the improvement comprising: securing means, said securing means being along the periphery of said bottom sheet layer.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 14 wherein litter device is a self supporting structure.

Claim 18

The combination of claim 15 wherein said self supporting structure has a peripheral lip which curves outwardly and wherein said securing means overlies said lip.

Claim 19

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 16 wherein the length and width dimensions of said bottom sheet layer are greater than said self supporting cat litter container.

Claim 20

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 15 wherein said securing means is a string movably affixed to at least a substantial region of the periphery of said bottom sheet layer and having an unaffixe region, whereby access to said string means is provided at said unaffixed region, thereby enabling a user to draw said string means and tightened the string around the outer walls of said self supporting cat litter container.

Claim 21

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 18 wherein said string has a length substantially greater than the perimeter of said bottom sheet layer.

Claim 22

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 19 wherein said string means can be drawn and tightened to form a bag.

Claim 23

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 14 wherein said bottom sheet layer is in contact with said base and walls of said self supporting cat litter container.

Claim 24

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 21 wherein said securing means is in contact with the outside of said walls of said self supporting cat litter container.

Claim 25

The combination of claim 14 further comprising litter granules, said litter granules overlying said top claw resistant screen means.

Claim 26

The combination of claim 23 wherein said litter granules are substantially non-urine sorbent.

Claim 27

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 24 wherein said adhering means is pressure sensitive adhesive.

Claim 28

The sorbent pad laminate of claim 14 wherein said securing means is an elasticised member with an elasticised diameter less than that of the outside walls of said self supporting cat litter container.

Claim 29

The combination of claim 14 further comprising adhering means, said adhering means being affixed to said sheet layer.

Claim 30

The combination of claim 27 wherein said adhering means removably affixes said sorbent pad laminate means to said litter device and prevents relative movement between said sorbent pad and said litter device which can be caused by the clawing action of an animal.