초록 ▼

A kitty litter box is made from a unitary, one-piece blank is provided. The kitty litter box includes a first section, a second section, and an intermediate section which are hingedly connected together to be movable between a closed position and an opened position. The dimensions of the closed box

A kitty litter box is made from a unitary, one-piece blank is provided. The kitty litter box includes a first section, a second section, and an intermediate section which are hingedly connected together to be movable between a closed position and an opened position. The dimensions of the closed box are such that the closed kitty litter box can be stood upright on store shelves, allowing the stores to make for efficient use of shelf space. Handles are formed in the end walls of the kitty litter box which are movable between a first position in which the handles are coplanar with the end walls and a second position in which the handles are out of the plane of the end walls to facilitate carrying of the box. The handles include spaced apart legs and a cross-member extending between the legs. The handles define tabs on the end walls between the legs, and, when the handles extend up from the end walls, channels are formed in the end walls adjacent side edges of the tabs. When the kitty litter box is in the closed position, the handles and the end walls of the first and second sections frictionally engage each other to facilitate holding the kitty litter box closed. Thus, the box need not be taped or wrapped to be maintained closed. Also disclosed are box blanks which allow for a formed box to be shipped in a substantially flat state and for a box to be formed without a gluing operation.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A kitty litter box formed from a one-piece blank and is moveable between a closed position in which litter is contained within the closed box and an opened position, in which the litter is available for use by a cat; the kitty litter box comprising:a first section and a second section, said first

1. A kitty litter box formed from a one-piece blank and is moveable between a closed position in which litter is contained within the closed box and an opened position, in which the litter is available for use by a cat; the kitty litter box comprising:a first section and a second section, said first and second sections being substantially identical in size and shape and each having a panel, side walls extending up from side edges of said panels and end walls extending up from end edges of said panels; and an intermediate section between said first and second sections; said intermediate section having a panel and side walls extending up from side edges of said intermediate section panel; said first and second section panels being hingedly connected to said intermediate section panel and said first and second side walls being hingedly connected to said intermediate section side walls; said intermediate section side walls including a fold line extending diagonally from a top of one edge of said intermediate section side wall to a bottom of another edge of said intermediate section side wall; said second section side walls including a diagonal fold line extending from the fold line joining said second section and intermediate section side walls; said fold line dividing said second section side walls into a triangular section adjacent said intermediate section side wall and a trapezoidal section; said end walls being two-ply end walls; said end walls each comprising an inner ply and an outer ply; said box including a fold tab at ends of said first and second section side walls; said end wall inner and outer plies sandwiching said fold tabs; said end wall inner plies frictionally engaging said respective first and second section panels to hold said box in a formed state without the use of glue; at least one tab at a free end of said end wall inner plies; said tab being sized to create said frictional engagement between said inner ply of said first and second end walls and said first and second panels, respectively; whereby; when said kitty litter box is in said opened position; said panels of said first section, second section, and intermediate section are substantially coplanar and define a bottom of the opened kitty litter box and said side walls of said first section, second section, and intermediate section, and said end walls form a continuous wall around said opened kitty litter box; and, when said kitty litter box is in said closed position, said first section and second section panels define a front and back of said closed box, said intermediate section panel defines a bottom of said closed box, said first section side walls define outer side walls of said closed box, and said first section end wall defines an outer top wall of said closed box.