AUTOMATIC DOG WASTE APPARATUS

Abstract

A machine or apparatus to capture dog urine and solid waste for generally indoor use by a dog owner that automatically or manually advances fresh pads on a predetermined programming of the machine by the control module.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving, removing and sealing a pet waste within a roll of pads, comprising: a pet waste station having a generally flat parallel surface with respect to a floor and at a predetermined heights above the floor for a pet to easily step from the floor onto the waste station in order to urinate or leave solid waste behind on a portion of the exposed roll of pads laying across the flat surface of the waste station that becomes soiled by the pet waste; a supply housing for holding a fresh supply of roll of pads therein connected to one end of the waste station; and a take up housing-connected to an opposing end of the waste station for rolling up and sealing the soiled roll of pads for disposal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a pad cycle of advancing the soiled roll of pads across the waste surface into a take up assembly within the take up housing and replacing the soiled roll of pads on the waste surface with a fresh pad is done manually.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a pad cycle of advancing the soiled roll of pads across the waste surface into a take up assembly within the take up housing and replacing the soiled roll of pads on the waste surface with a fresh pad is done automatically.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a pad cycle of advancing the soiled roll of pads across the waste surface into the take up housing is done by the supply roll of pads turning in same direction as the take up roll of pads whereby the roll of pads comes out of the supply housing from beneath the level of the waste surface to stretch across the waste surface to eventually go beneath the waste surface after a few winding turns on a core or a rod that is configured to attach to an end of the roll of pads when wound up within the take up housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a pad cycle of advancing the soiled roll of pads across the waste surface into the take up housing is done by the supply roll of pads turning in a same direction as the take up roll of pads whereby the roll of pads comes out of the supply housing from beneath the level of the waste surface to stretch across the waste surface to the take up housing whereby a first few turns of the roll of pads are tangent or approximately level with the waste surface and then the roll of pads fall beneath the level of the waste surface going into the take up housing wherein the fresh roll of pads in the supply housing are winding in a same direction as the winding of the take up of the soiled roll of pads within the take up housing to configure the soiled roll of pads for disposal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a pad cycle of advancing the soiled roll of pads across the waste surface into the take up housing by both the supply roll of pads or pads and the take up roll of pads turning in a same direction with roll of pads from the supply housing coming out from beneath the waste surface and going across the waste surface to eventually after a few winding turns to go down beneath the waste surface into a take assembly in the take up housing whereby the soiled roll of pads are wound into a sealed package for disposal.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a pad cycle of advancing the soiled roll of pads across the waste surface into the take up housing whereby the supply roll of pads and the take up roll of pads turn in a same direction and whereby the roll of pads come from beneath the level of the waste surface from the supply housing and stretch across the waste surface to engage a take up assembly in the take up housing whereby the supply and take up roll of pads turning in the same direction while winding up the soiled roll of pads therein creates a natural tension for the roll of pads across the waste surface and whereby this tension is created with mechanical devices or without any mechanical devices aiding in movement of the roll of pads across the waste surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a pad cycle of advancing the soiled roll of pads across the waste surface into the take up housing and whereby the supply roll of pads and take up soiled roll of pads turn in a same direction and whereby the roll of pads comes from beneath the level of the waste surface at the supply housing and being held in place by a housing cover.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supply housing is integrally formed with the waste surface and is generally configured in a cylindrical or geometric trough shape having a bottom half that extends downwardly below the level of the waste surface to receive a fresh supply roll of pads and a top cover half movably connected to the bottom half to allow the top half to lift off or swing open outwardly from the waste surface for replacing with a fresh supply roll of pads.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the take up housing is integrally formed with the waste surface opposite the supply housing and is generally configured in a cylindrical or geometric trough shape having a bottom half that extends downwardly below the level of the waste surface to receive an end of unused supply roll of pads and a top cover half movably affixed to the bottom half to lift off or swing open outwardly from the waste surface from the waste for attaching an end of the roll of pads to a take up assembly within the take up housing for receiving the soiled portion of the roll of pads and for winding the soiled portions of the roll of pads into the sealed roll for removal and disposal.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the supply housing secures the supply roll of pads therein when the top cover half is closed on the bottom half of the supply housing to prevent pets from damaging the supply roll of pads and to assist the cycle of fresh pads across the waste surface during operation of the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the take up housing secures the take up of the soiled roll of pads into a sealed roll for disposal when the top cover is shut on the bottom half of the take up housing, the take up assembly within the take up housing is secured for operation when the top cover is closed.

13. An apparatus having predetermined cycles for automatically removing a pet soiled pad and replacing the removed soiled pet pad with a fresh pet pad to minimize the odor from the soiled pad, comprising: a pet waste platform configured to be a predetermined height above the floor and to be a predetermined width and length; a supply housing for receiving a fresh roll of pads located at one end of the length of the platform having a generally cylindrical or geometric trough shape with a bottom half generally below the waste platform and a cover top half for securing the fresh supply of pads within the supply housing; a take up housing for receiving the soiled roll of pads located at the other end of the length of the platform having a generally cylindrical or geometric trough shape with a bottom half generally below the waste platform and a cover top half for securing the soiled roll of pads within the take up housing; a take up assembly connected to an end of the first fresh roll of pads in the take up housing for winding the soiled roll of pads around a rod in the take up assembly; a motor having a drive shaft mechanically or an electrically located or coupled, respectively, to the rod for advancing a pad across the waste platform in a predetermined manner; and a controller with inputs from a sensor connected to the apparatus or from an end user to activate the motor to advance the pad either a full-length or a fractional-length of the platform in response to the condition of the roll of pads with elapsed time or set delayed of time or wetness or liquid thereon or location of the pet or other known factors.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the user manually activates the motor via a control unit, a remote control, a Bluetooth device, a Wi-Fi connection, a home automation system, a Smartphone, an Internet browser or other equivalent means.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sensor detects the presence of an animal for scheduling the movement of the pads across the waste platform.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sensor detects wetness, liquids or solid waste on a portion of the roll of pads across the waste platform to activate the removal of the soiled roll of pads and replace the soiled roll of pads with the fresh roll of pads.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a pair of end caps on the ends of the rod or a core to seal in the pet waste when the soiled pads that are wound around the rod or core.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the motor includes a drive shaft with a gear on the end or a direct drive connection to the motor and wherein at least one of the end caps includes a gear to mesh with the gear on the drive shaft to drive the rod in a same direction as the supply roll when winding up the soiled pads around the rod for later disposal:

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller is within a detachable module mounted on the apparatus, said module having the motor and drive shaft gear meshes with the gear on the end cap of the take up rod when the module is mounted on the apparatus for controlling the movement of the pad roll across the waste platform.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller is within a fixed module mounted on the apparatus, said module having the motor and drive shaft gear meshes with the gear on the end cap of the take up rod when the module is configured to operate on the apparatus for controlling the movement of the roll of pads across the waste platform

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller include pushbuttons thereon to control the motor in a predetermined way in order to control the movement of the roll of pads across the waste platform.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the end caps are attached to the ends of the take up rod in order to seal in the waste and odor from the soiled roll of pads when removing the entire soiled roll of pads into the take up housing.

23. An apparatus having predetermined cycles for manually removing a pet soiled roll of pads and replacing the removed soiled roll of pads with a fresh roll of pads to minimize the odor from the soiled pad, comprising: a pet waste platform configured to be a predetermined height above the floor and to be a predetermined width and length; a supply housing for receiving a fresh roll of pads located at one end of the length of the platform having a generally cylindrical or trough shape with a bottom half generally below the waste platform and a removable cover top half for securing the fresh supply of pads within the supply housing; a take up housing for receiving the soiled roll of pads located at the other end of the length of the platform having a generally cylindrical or trough shape with a bottom half generally below the waste platform and a removable cover top half for securing the soiled roll of pads within the take up housing; a take up assembly connected to an end of the first fresh roll of pads located in the take up housing for winding the soiled roll of pads around a rod in the take up assembly; and a mechanical connection to the rod for advancing a pad across the waste platform in a predetermined manner.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the mechanical connection to the rod in the take up assembly is a handle for turning the take up rod.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the mechanical connection to the rod in the take up assembly is a step on pedal for turning the take up rod.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the mechanical connection to the rod in the take up assembly is a foot strike mechanism for turning the take up rod.

27. A pet pad for capturing liquids or solid wastes, comprising: a roll of a laminate pad material capable of receiving and absorbing liquids or solid wastes having a predetermined diameter, length, width and thickness configured to be stretched across a pet waste bed from a supply end to a take up end of an automatic or a manual pet waste machine; and at least one marking on a fiat surface of the laminate pad material for determining usage of the pad material by the machine.

28. The pet pad for capturing liquids or solid wastes of claim 27, wherein the laminate pad material includes at least one layer of absorbent material.

29. The pet pad for capturing liquids or solid wastes of claim 27, wherein the laminate pad material is comprised of five layers.

30. The pet pad for capturing liquids or solid wastes of claim 27, wherein the laminate pad material is comprised of five layers with a single absorbent layer.

31. The pet pad for capturing liquids or solid wastes of claim 27, wherein a bottom layer of the laminate pad material is comprised of an impervious thin film.

32. The pet pad for capturing liquids or solid wastes of claim 27, wherein a top layer is comprised of a spun bond top layer.

33. The pet pad for capturing liquids or solid wastes of claim 31, wherein the marking is on the bottom thin film layer of the laminate pad material.

34. The pet pad for capturing liquids or solid wastes of claim 5, wherein the marking is a printed mark on the thin film bottom layer.

35. The pet pad for capturing liquids or solid wastes of claim 1, wherein the marking is readable by a sensor.

36. The pet pad for capturing liquids or solid wastes of claim 9, wherein the markings are readable by infrared sensor.

37. The pet pad for capturing liquids or solid wastes of claim 27, further comprising a series of printed marks along a longitudinal edge of the laminate pad material in predetermined patterns to provide information about the roll of paper as it passes through the machine.

38. The pet pad for capturing liquids or solid wastes of claim 37, further comprising a series of markings providing information about the roll of pads as it passes from the supply end to the take up end.

39. A pet laminate for collecting urine and solid wastes, comprising: a. a roll of laminate material with at least one absorbent layer; b. a series of markings in a pattern along an edge of the laminate for providing information about the use of the laminate material; and c. a sensor on a pet machine having a pet platform to collect wastes for reading the markings pattern on the laminate material passing across the pet platform to provide the machine with an indication of how much paper to advance.

40. A pet laminate waste material for collecting urine and solid wastes from the pet, comprising: marking along the longitudinal edges of a roll of pads arranged in predetermined patterns to provide an indication whether the roll is running out of the laminate material or with an indication that it has already run out laminate material; and with an indication whether the laminate material is tracking correctly through the pet machine.

41. The pet laminate for collecting urine and solid wastes of claim 13, wherein the laminate material is of a five layer material having spun bond top layer, a first tissue layer, a center super absorbent polymer layer, a second tissue layer and a thin impervious bottom layer.

42. A pet laminate for collecting urine and solid wastes of claim 40, wherein the laminate material is of a three layer material having a spun bond top layer, a center absorbing layer made of a single web containing super absorbent polymer produced by in-situ polymerization directly onto a synthetic non-woven substrate and a thin liquid impervious bottom layer.

43. The pet laminate for collecting urine and solid wastes of claim 40, wherein the roll is approximately 50 feet long, approximately 22 inches wide.

44. The pet laminate for collecting urine and solid wastes of claim 40, wherein the roll of laminate material comes on a fiber core of approximately 1.5 inches.

45. The pet laminate for collecting urine and solid wastes of claim 40, wherein the thickness of the pet laminate is approximately in the range of 0.010 to 0.025 inches.

46. The pet laminate for collecting urine and solid wastes of claim 40, wherein the markings are a printed ink absorbing infrared light shining on them to provide information about the status of the pet laminate that passes through the pet machine.

47. The pet laminate for collecting urine and solid wastes of claim 40, wherein the pet laminate material is bio-degradable.

48. The pet laminate for collecting urine and solid wastes of claim 40, wherein the thin impervious layer when the roll is used up is on the outside of the rolled up laminate material with the wastes inside to prevent everything from getting dirty and soiled when replacing the soiled roll for a new one.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described by way of following drawings pointing out the various details to the inventive automatic or manual pad roll system. The main features and advantages of the present disclosure will be better understood with the following descriptions, claims, and drawings, where:

[0028] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention demonstrating a pet eliminating on a roll of waste pads.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention with a partial elevation cut away showing the roll of waste pads in the supply assembly stretched across the pet bed to a take-up rod in the take-up assembly which shows a repository portion of the invention.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of the invention with a partial elevation cut away showing the roll of waste pads in the supply assembly stretched across the pet bed to a take-up rod in the take-up assembly which shows a repository portion of the invention

[0031] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention showing the lower portion of the machine and the pet bed for receiving a pet roll of waste pads therein.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention showing the machine with the supply and take-up assembly covers open for receiving a pet roll of waste pads therein.

[0033] FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention demonstrating the attachment of a removable control and drive module connection to the take-up assembly.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention demonstrating a removable control and drive module of the invention.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the components in the waste cartridge of the invention.

[0036] FIG. 9 is a waste cartridge ready for disposal of the invention.

[0037] FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the waste cartridge components ready for installation into the waste machine.

[0038] FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention with a roll of waste pad being installed on a waste machine.

[0039] FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic perspective view continuation of the invention with a roll of waste pad being installed on a waste machine.

[0040] FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention showing the machine with the supply assembly receiving a pet roll of waste pads therein.

[0041] FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention showing the machine with the take-up assembly with the removal of the waste cartridge for disposal with the pet waste therein.

[0042] FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention showing the gearing and drive attachment of machine to the take-up assembly for receiving an end of pet roll of waste pads under a pair of clips at one end of the take-up rod.

[0043] FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention showing the gearing and drive attachment of machine to the take-up assembly for receiving an end of pet roll of waste pads under a pair of clips at one end of the take-up rod and showing attachment of the one end of the pad to the clip.

[0044] FIG. 17 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention showing the attachment of the one end of the pad to the clip.

[0045] FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention showing the meshing of the gear on the end cap to the drive gear on the control and drive module.

[0046] FIG. 19 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention showing the attachment of the one end of the pad with holes to pins on the take-up rod.

[0047] FIG. 20 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention showing a hand crank mechanically connected to the take-up rod in the take-up assembly.

[0048] FIG. 21 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention showing a foot treadle mechanically connected to the take-up rod in the take-up assembly.

[0049] FIG. 22 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention showing a foot roll mechanically connected to the take-up rod in the take-up assembly.

[0050] FIG. 23 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention with the covers on the supply and take-up assembly opened showing the installation of a waste cartridge therein.

[0051] FIG. 24 is a further diagrammatic perspective view of the invention with the covers on the supply and take-up assembly opened showing the installed waste cartridge therein.

[0052] FIG. 25 is another diagrammatic perspective view of the invention with the covers on the supply and take-up assembly opened showing the installed waste cartridge therein.

[0053] FIG. 26 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the invention with the covers on the supply and take-up assembly closed showing the installed waste cartridge and machine ready for a pet elimination.

[0054] FIG. 27 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a dog on the machine being viewed by infrared according to the present invention.

[0055] FIG. 28 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a both infrared sensors on the machine according to the present invention.

[0056] FIG. 29 is a diagrammatic perspective closer view of a both infrared sensors on the machine according to the present invention.

[0057] FIG. 30 is a bottom diagrammatic perspective view of a both infrared sensors on the machine according to the present invention.

[0058] FIG. 31 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a multiply waste paper or pad material used with the machine or apparatus according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] FIG. 1 illustrates an automatic or manual waste cartridge in combination with a waste machine system 10 with a waste pad 12 for later disposal with a pet 22 eliminating solid waste 24 on the pad 12. The apparatus or machine 14 detects the pet 22 eliminating solid waste 24 and when the pet 22 leaves the apparatus 14, the apparatus 14 automatically cycles the replacing of that portion of the soiled pad with a clean new portion from the pad roll 26 by removing and sealing the soiled portion of the pad 12 in a take-up assembly 20 and feeding a clean portion of the pad roll 26 from a supply assembly 18. The apparatus is programmed to have a stage interval where the pet 22 stands on the portion of exposed pad 12 on a pet bed 16, the stage interval is followed by a repository interval as shown in FIG. 2 where the apparatus 14 removes and seals the soiled portion of the pad 12 with the solid waste 24 and any urine in the take-up assembly 20 wherein the take-up rod or core 28 rotates in a counterclockwise direction to take up and sealed the soiled pad wound around the rod 28 within the take-up assembly 20 for later removal and then disposal.

[0060] The repository portion is aesthetically covered by a cylindrical half portion of the machine 14 attached to the pet bed 16 with a rotatable cover 34 in the take-up assembly 20 to hide the soiled portion 12 of the pad roll 26. The elimination stage portion for the pet 22 has the machine bed 16 connected between the supply and take-up assemblies 18 and 20, respectively, where the waste pad portion 12 therebetween is set on top of the pet bed 16. The pet 22 stands on top of the pad portion 12 on the pet bed 16 and eliminate feces 24 and urine. The supply assembly also has a rotatable cover 32 with a lower cylindrical portion 29 for receiving the pad roll 26 of a predetermined length, width and diameter. The pad roll 26 when housed within the supply assembly 18 has its axis below the pet bed 16 and the waste pad portion stretched across the bed 16 to the take-up rod 28 is below the pet bed 16 to create the proper friction and tension of the pad 12 across the bed without jamming or hampering the take-up of the soiled portions of the pad roll 28 within the take-up assembly 20. The covers 32 and 34 on the supply and take-up assemblies, respectively, when closed further the proper tension of the waste paper or pad portion 12 moving across the bed 16 from the supply to the take-up assemblies, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 26.

[0061] FIGS. 8-10 illustrate a waste cartridge 44 and its components as follows: a core or rod 28, a pair of end caps 42 connected by a press fit the opposing ends of the rod 28. The end cap often includes a gear 38 to mesh with a corresponding gear 38 on the drive shaft connected to the drive with a removable control and drive module 36 that is press fitted to the side of the take-up assembly were the gear 38 extends through one side of the take-up assembly to engage the identical gear 38 on the end cap to rotate the take-up rod or core 28 in a counterclockwise rotation as shown in FIG. 2. The pad roll 2.8 is connected by holes at one end of the pad roll as shown in FIG. 19 press fitted over pins 54 on the rod 28. The one end of the pad roll 28 is capable of being fed through slot in the rod 28 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 24 wherein the pad roll 26 is installed in the cylindrical half 29 of the supply assembly and the take-up rod 28 with the one end inserted through a slot on the rod 28 and attendant end caps 42 are inserted into the cylindrical half base 30 whereupon the covers 32 and 34 are closed and the first portion of the fresh waste pad 12 is stretched across the bed 16 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 25 and 26.

[0062] As further shown in FIG. 9, marks 46 are on the pad border for the machine to read and provide information depending on the spacing and interval of the marks 46 thereon information such as the amount of the roll left for use or a fresh roll was just installed is the type of information available from these marks on the waste paper and pad roll.

[0063] FIGS. 11-18 show the installation of the waste paper on the take-up rod 28 from stretching the waste paper 12 from the pad roll 26 across the bed 16 to the take-up rod 28 and the use of clips at one end of the take-up rod 28 wherein a right angle nib 50 provides friction against the paper when inserted underneath a pair of clips on one end of the rod 28 or under a pair of clips on opposing ends of the rod. The nib 50 with the friction engagement makes sure that the waste paper 12 does not slip off the clips on the first several counterclockwise turns of the rod within the housing of take-up assembly 20.

[0064] In FIGS. 20-22 illustrate manual advancement of the waste paper across the bed 16. A handle crank that is mechanically connected to the rod 28 to advance the soiled pad 12. A treadle 58 is shown in FIG. 21 which is stepped on to advance the pad, and FIG. 22 shows a foot roll mechanically connected to the rod 28 to advance the pad and take-up the soiled portion of the pad on the pet bed 16 after pet 22 eliminate its waste.

[0065] FIG. 18 shows the meshing of identical tooth gears 38 on the end cap and gear drive on the removable control and drive module 36 during installation of the take-up rod 28 in the take-up assembly 20. FIGS. 6 and 7 show the removable control and drive module 36 that is used to program the movement of the pad across the bed 16 of the machine 14. In operation, the waste cartridge with its pad roll 26 is inserted into the supply assembly 18 while its take-up rod 28 attached to one end of pad is inserted into the lake-up assembly 20 with a portion of the pad 12 stretched across the pet bed 16.

[0066] Then the covers of the supply and take-up 32 and 34, respectively, are closed and the waste machine is ready to accept its first dog or other pet for the elimination of its waste.

[0067] A roll of pet waste paper 26 for use with a pet waste machine 14 comprises an absorbent front side material on a roll of pet waste paper and a nonabsorbent back side material on the roll of waste paper or waste pad. Further, the waste paper or pad includes an absorptive non-woven spun bond on a top layer for tear resistance, an absorbent polymer in a middle layer and a plastic non-absorbent bottom layer for leak protection from the liquid and solid waste. The pet waste paper may also include an air laid paper top layer allowing the removal of other layers. The pet waste paper is capable of being configure to include either a four or five layer construction with the mixing of absorbent and non-absorbent or non-permeable layers.

[0068] FIGS. 27-30 shows the infrared sensors on the machine or apparatus for detecting the marking on the waste paper or pads passing over the infrared sensor 260. The pet sensor beam 262 detects the presence of dog on the waste station or platform of the apparatus and if the dog is sensed, a programmed operation will not occur. There is a lower infrared sensor 264 on the control module for sensing the paper markings as the paper passes from the supply housing across the waste bed to the take up housing on the rod reel therein. The paper markings 268 help to determine the information necessary to determine paper advancement, remaining paper left on a roll of pads and when the end of the roll of pads is about to occur.

[0069] The paper or pad is generally composed of five layers but may be as little as just one layer too. The top sheet 270 is a bonded layer to prevent dog paws from ripping the paper. The next layer is a tissue layer 272 that helps to absorbed the liquids from the dogs urination. The layer 274 is the super absorbent polymer layer that helps absorb both the liquid urination and anything off of the solid deposit from the dog's defecation. Next comes another tissue layer 275 for further liquid absorption and finally the bottom layer 278 made of a plastic or similar non-absorbent or impervious to liquids to prevent any other urine or solids to leak through the rolled up soiled roll of pads ready for removal and deposit before a fresh supply of roll of pads is installed in the supply and connected to the rod assembly in the take up housing.