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A litter box cleaning system includes an upright cabinet with a litter pan pivotally mounted in the upper end to move between a horizontal use position and a tilted dump position. A slot is formed in the pan front wall to dispense litter and waste material when the rearward end of the pan is lifted

A litter box cleaning system includes an upright cabinet with a litter pan pivotally mounted in the upper end to move between a horizontal use position and a tilted dump position. A slot is formed in the pan front wall to dispense litter and waste material when the rearward end of the pan is lifted to the dump position. A waste receptacle in the cabinet is positioned below the pan slot such that litter and waste from the pan free-fall into the receptacle for storage and removal. In a second embodiment of the invention, the front wall of the pan is spaced away from the cabinet front wall, and a flap is hinged to the front of the pan to block litter material from falling from the slot.

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What is claimed is: 1. A litter box cleaning system, comprising: an upright cabinet having front and rear walls, opposing sidewalls and an open upper end; a pan having a bottom, forward and rearward walls and opposing sidewalls, pivotally mounted in the open upper end of the cabinet for movement be

What is claimed is: 1. A litter box cleaning system, comprising: an upright cabinet having front and rear walls, opposing sidewalls and an open upper end; a pan having a bottom, forward and rearward walls and opposing sidewalls, pivotally mounted in the open upper end of the cabinet for movement between a generally horizontal use position and a tilted dump position; said pan front wall having a slot formed therethrough extending horizontally along and adjacent the pan bottom; said pan operably mounted in the cabinet with the front wall slot in abutting engagement with a portion of the cabinet front wall when in the use position, such that the pan front wall slot is blocked by the portion of the cabinet front wall; said pan having a generally horizontal pivot axis located proximal and parallel to the pan and cabinet front wall, and located proximal to and extending through an upper edge of the pan sidewalls, such that movement of the pan to the dump position raises the rearward end of the pan and pulls the pan front wall slot rearwardly away from the cabinet front wall to expose the pan front wall slot; and a waste storage receptacle located vertically below the pan front wall, to receive litter from the pan when moved to the dump position. 2. The litter box cleaning system of claim 1, further comprising a funnel-shaped chute interposed between the pan and waste receptacle, to direct waste and litter from the pan to the waste receptacle when the pan is in the dump position. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said cabinet includes an access opening in one of said walls, to permit access to the waste receptacle for removing and replacing the waste receptacle. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein said cabinet includes a drawer mounted in the access opening, operable between a storage position within the cabinet, and an open position extending outwardly from the cabinet, said waste receptacle removably mounted within said drawer. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein said waste receptacle is vertically spaced below the pan a distance to cause litter material to cover any waste material that falls into the receptacle from the pan. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein said pan includes a litter storage bin formed in a rearward end of the pan with a lid operably mounted on the top of the bin to permit selective access to the bin. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein said bin includes a forward wall extending between the pan sidewalls and spaced above the pan bottom to form a slot communicating between the bin and the pan. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein said bin includes a rearward wall sloping forwardly from an upper end to a lower end, such that litter within the bin is directed towards the slot formed in the forward wall. 9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dump assembly operable mounted on the cabinet and connected to the pan for moving the pan between the use and dump positions. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein said dump assembly includes: a lever having forward and rearward ends and pivotally mounted between the ends to one of the cabinet sidewalls for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis orthogonal to the cabinet sidewall; and an elongated arm pivotally connected at a lower end to the rearward end of the lever, and pivotally connected at an upper end to a sidewall of the pan rearwardly of the pan pivot axis. 11. A litter box cleaning system, comprising: an upright cabinet having front and rear walls, opposing sidewalls and an open upper end; a pan having a bottom, forward and rearward walls and opposing sidewalls, mounted in the open upper end of the cabinet for receiving granular litter material therein; said pan front wall having a slot formed therethrough extending horizontally along and adjacent the pan bottom; said pan mounted in the cabinet with the pan front wall spaced rearwardly away from the cabinet front wall, such that litter material in the pan falls downwardly through the pan front wall slot when the litter material is moved forwardly through the slot; a waste storage receptacle located vertically below the pan front wall, to receive litter from the pan exiting through the slot; and a flap hinged to a front face of the pan front wall and extending across the entirety of the pan front wall slot to block the contents of the pan from exiting the slot when in a closed position, and permitting the contents of the pan to fall from the slot when pivoted outwardly on the hinge. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein: said flap includes a flat magnet attached to a rearward face thereof, and said pan front wall includes a flat metal plate thereon located to correspond with the magnet when the flap is in the closed position. 13. The system of claim 11, wherein said pan includes a generally horizontal pivot axis located proximal and parallel to the pan and cabinet front walls, and located proximal to and extending through an upper edge of the pan sidewalls. 14. The system of claim 11, wherein said waste receptacle is vertically spaced below the pan a distance to cause litter material to cover any waste material that falls into the receptacle from the pan. 15. A litter box cleaning system, comprising: an upright cabinet having front and rear walls, opposing sidewalls and an open upper end; a pan having a bottom, forward and rearward walls and opposing sidewalls, mounted in the open upper end of the cabinet for receiving granular litter material therein; said pan front wall having a slot formed therethrough extending horizontally along and adjacent the pan bottom; said pan mounted in the cabinet with the pan front wall spaced rearwardly away from the cabinet front wall, such that litter material in the pan falls downwardly through the pan front wall slot when the litter material is moved forwardly through the slot; said pan including a litter storage bin formed in a rearward end of the pan with a lid operably mounted on the top of the bin to permit selective access to the bin; said bin including a forward wall extending between the pan sidewalls and spaced above the pan bottom to form a slot communicating between the bin and the pan; and a waste storage receptacle located vertically below the pan front wall, to receive litter from the pan exiting through the slot. 16. A litter box cleaning system, comprising: an upright cabinet having front and rear walls, opposing sidewalls and an open upper end; a pan having a bottom, forward and rearward walls and opposing sidewalls, mounted in the open upper end of the cabinet for receiving granular litter material therein; said pan front wall having a slot formed therethrough extending horizontally alone and adjacent the pan bottom; said pan mounted in the cabinet with the pan front wall spaced rearwardly away from the cabinet front wall, such that litter material in the pan falls downwardly through the pan front wall slot when the litter material is moved forwardly through the slot; said pan pivotally mounted in the open upper end of the cabinet for movement between a generally horizontal use position and a tilted dump position with a rearward end of the pan raised higher than a forward end of the pan; a dump assembly operable mounted on the cabinet and connected to the pan for moving the pan between the use and dump positions; a waste storage receptacle located vertically below the pan front wall, to receive litter from the pan exiting through the slot; and said dump assembly includes including: a lever having forward and rearward ends and pivotally mounted between the ends to one of the cabinet sidewalls for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis orthogonal to the cabinet sidewall; and an elongated arm pivotally connected at a lower end to the rearward end of the lever, and pivotally connected at an upper end to a sidewall of the pan rearwardly of the pan pivot axis.