An automated litter device having: a base; and a chamber configured for retaining a litter and rotatably supported by the support base, wherein the chamber includes: an entry opening so that an animal can enter and exit the chamber; and a waste opening generally opposing the entry opening configured so that an animal waste passes through the waste opening into the base upon rotation of the chamber; wherein the automated litter device includes one or more of: i) one or more sensors located adjacent to the entry opening which are adapted to sense the presence of the animal within the chamber, the presence of the waste in the base, a level of litter in the chamber, a position of the chamber relative to the base, or any combination thereof; ii) a filtering system configured for reducing, eliminating, and/or preventing, malodors building in the base; and/or iii) a litter dispenser in communication with the chamber to transfer some of the litter to the chamber.

An animal litter box includes: an upper container including a liquid passage portion having holes through which urine passes downward; a tray on which an absorbent body is disposed to absorb the urine that passes through the liquid passage portion; a lower container that supports the upper container from below and that detachably accommodates the tray; and a ventilation fan disposed in the lower container and that sends internal air in the lower container to an outside.

A treadmill may include two separate left and right belts rotating around two sets of rollers, four legs having an adjustable height via air suspension to customize an inclination of the treadmill, a thermoelectric assembly, a fragrance assembly having a rotating fragrance cartridge to emit various smells toward a user of the treadmill, a display on which exercise programs are played, and an attachment module having a dispensing tray on which treats are dispensed. A handle of the treadmill may have a sensor to sense a height and front-rear position, and a belt divider provided between the left and right belts may have position or proximity sensors to sense a left-right position. An inclination of the treadmill may be automatically adjusted according to positions detected by the sensors, and the fragrance assembly, attachment module, and inclination may be automatically operated in accordance with an exercise program played on the display.

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for detecting motion between two subassemblies, for example in or near a litter box. A first subassembly includes a first frame adapted for supporting a receptacle. A second subassembly includes a second frame adapted for resting on a steady surface. Connecting members connect the subassemblies such that relative movement between them can occur. At least a first position indicating member is attached to one the subassemblies and at least a first detector is attached to the other of the subassemblies. The detector is positioned proximate the first position indicating member so that changes in relative position are detected. Preferably, the device includes a second position indicating member and a second detector for detecting more precise changes in relative position. It is also preferred for each position indicating member to include a patterned marker.

The invention relates to a device (1) for use in collection and removal of slurry or similar from a sty, a sty comprising such a device and to a method of installing a device at a sty, such as a pig sty, wherein the device comprises an one-piece body (2) having one or more funnels (3) wherein each funnel comprises at least one upper opening (3a) having an upper horizontal area enclosed by an upper edge (3a′) and a lower opening (3b) having a lower horizontal area enclosed by a lower edge (3b′), wherein the upper horizontal area is larger than the lower horizontal area, and the inside (3′) of the funnel is thus extending from the upper opening to the lower opening of the funnel, an encapsulation (4) enclosing the funnel from the lower edge of the funnel to the upper edge of the funnel, such that a ventilation space (5) is defined within the one-piece body between the encapsulation and the funnel.

A scraper for an endless and moving animal retention floor is provided with elevations from the base surface of the animal retention floor. The scraper is formed with elastic tongues, each one of which is fixed to a base part, which extend out from the base part and are terminated with a free end. The scraper is fitted in relation to the moving animal retention floor so that the free ends of the tongues connect both against the base surface of the animal retention floor and against the elevations thereof for a scraping function in the motion of the animal retention floor.

A system for harvesting insects from a habitat. The system configured to separate waste, live insects, and dead insects in a manner that the live insects may undergo a first processing procedure and the dead insects may undergo a second processing procedures. For example, the first processing procedure may include processing the insects for human consumption and the second processing procedure may include processing the dead insects for minerals or materials.

A system for harvesting insects from a habitat. The system configured to separate waste, live insects, and dead insects in a manner that the live insects may undergo a first processing procedure and the dead insects may undergo a second processing procedures. For example, the first processing procedure may include processing the insects for human consumption and the second processing procedure may include processing the dead insects for minerals or materials.

A waste receptacle (1) for animal excreta, the waste receptacle (1) comprising: a housing having a base and at least one sidewall (3) upstanding from the base so as to define an internal housing void (7) in which a liner (9) can be provided; and a liner (9) insertable into said internal housing void, the housing liner (9) having a liner base and at least one liner sidewall supportable in use so as to be generally upstanding from said liner base, the liner base and said at least one liner sidewall cooperating to define an internal liner void for the receipt of animal litter; wherein the housing (1) and the liner (9) each comprise access ports that cooperate with one another when the liner is received (9) within said internal housing void (7) to allow an animal to enter the housing (1) and access litter provided within said liner void, the at least one liner sidewall further comprising a pocket (27) for the storage of a litter scoop, said pocket (27) being provided on an external face of the at least one liner sidewall that is adjacent an internal face of said at least one housing sidewall when the liner is inserted into said internal housing void.

A waste receptacle (4) for animal excreta, the waste receptacle comprising: a base and at least one sidewall upstanding from the base, the base and at least one sidewall cooperating to define a housing having an internal void, a periphery of said at least one sidewall remote from said base defining an opening to said void; a platform support (41) coupled to said at least one sidewall in the vicinity of said sidewall periphery; and a platform (11) supportable by said platform support to partly obstruct said opening, said platform comprising first (13) and second (15) platform parts that are pivotally coupled to one another, neighbouring peripheral walls of said first and second platform parts each comprising a recess (202, 204), the recess in the peripheral wall of said first platform part cooperating with the recess in the peripheral wall of said second platform part to define an access port (5) for enabling an animal to access the internal void of the housing via said access port, said neighbouring walls of said first and second platform parts being spaced from one another to provide a lateral gap (206) between said first and second platform parts, the arrangement being such that litter on said platform can fall into the void through the gap or the port when one said platform part is pivoted relative to the other.