초록 ▼

A cat litter device includes a rotatable chamber supported by a support base and has a motor mounted on the support base for rotating the rotatable chamber. The rotatable chamber includes a pair of openings, the first opening being suitable for ingress and egress of the animal, and the second openin

A cat litter device includes a rotatable chamber supported by a support base and has a motor mounted on the support base for rotating the rotatable chamber. The rotatable chamber includes a pair of openings, the first opening being suitable for ingress and egress of the animal, and the second opening being suitable for selective disposal of the waste material therethrough. The chamber includes a septum in the interior thereof which is attached to the chamber to form an inner compartment within the chamber. The inner compartment has an opening therein to place the compartment in fluid communication with the chamber, with the opening being selectively covered with a screen which is pivotally mounted to the septum. When the controller associated with the device detects a presence signal from a motion sensor, the motor can be provided with a signal to rotate the chamber in a first direction sufficient to allow the litter to enter the inner compartment through the screen and filter out the waste material which slides along the screen and septum and is directed out of the second opening. The controller then reverses the direction of the motor and rotates the chamber back so that the litter returns to the original position in the chamber.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for receiving and disposing of waste material from an animal, comprising: a rotatable chamber having a first opening defined in an exterior surface thereof, the opening being suitable for ingress and egress of the animal, the chamber being adaptable to receive and substantially retain l

An apparatus for receiving and disposing of waste material from an animal, comprising: a rotatable chamber having a first opening defined in an exterior surface thereof, the opening being suitable for ingress and egress of the animal, the chamber being adaptable to receive and substantially retain litter therein, the chamber having a second opening defined in the exterior surface thereof for selective disposal of the waste material therethrough, the chamber further including: a septum in the interior of the chamber, the septum being attached to the chamber to form an inner compartment within the chamber, the inner compartment having a port to place the inner compartment in fluid communication with the chamber, the second opening being defined in the exterior surface of the chamber at a position adjacent the attachment of the septum to the chamber; and a screen operatively associated with the port to screen out objects, including waste material, greater than a predetermined size from entering the inner compartment; a support base for supporting the rotatable chamber; and means associated with the rotatable chamber and the support base for automatically rotating the chamber relative to the support base, wherein the means rotates the chamber in a first direction by an amount less than a full rotation to cause the litter to pass through the screen and into the inner compartment and cause the waste material to be caught by the screen and to be expelled downward through the second opening out of the rotatable chamber.