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An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box having a control system for a mechanical self-cleaning mechanism. The litter box has a turret carrying a rake. Limit switches indicate the location of the rake and the turret. The box includes an animal sensor that detects the presence of an animal in the

An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box having a control system for a mechanical self-cleaning mechanism. The litter box has a turret carrying a rake. Limit switches indicate the location of the rake and the turret. The box includes an animal sensor that detects the presence of an animal in the box. A specified time after the animal leaves the box, the turret sweeps the rake through the litter, picks up the collected waste, and carries it to a waste bin, where the waste is dumped. The litter box is controlled by a processor executing a software program that monitors the instruments and sensors and controls the turret and rake motors.

대표청구항 ▼

Having thus described the aforementioned invention, we claim: 1. An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box, said apparatus comprising: a base adapted to receive a quantity of litter, said base having an inside area defining a partial cylinder; a rake having a plurality of tines and a waste suppor

Having thus described the aforementioned invention, we claim: 1. An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box, said apparatus comprising: a base adapted to receive a quantity of litter, said base having an inside area defining a partial cylinder; a rake having a plurality of tines and a waste support member; a rake motor operatively connected to said rake, said rake motor rotating said rake about a longitudinal axis of said rake, said rake motor rotating said rake in an up direction and in a down direction; a plurality of rake limit switches each set to actuate upon said rake reaching a selected position; a turret located on a center line of said partial cylinder, said turret sweeping said rake through a selected area of said base; a turret motor operatively connected to said turret, said turret motor rotating said turret in a forward direction and a reverse direction; a plurality of turret limit switches each set to actuate upon said turret reaching a selected position; a motor overload sensor sensing overload conditions in said rake motor and said turret motor; an animal sensor adapted to sense a presence of an animal in said base; and a controller programmed to execute a process for controlling said rake motor and said turret motor. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rake further includes an inboard guide member and an outboard guide member whereby said inboard guide member and said outboard guide member form a chute with said waste support member. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a waste bin and a waste bin lid. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a waste bin, a waste bin lid, and a waste bin lever, said waste bin lever actuated by said rake when said turret moves to a dump position. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a waste bin and a waste bin lid, said rake further including a cam that operatively opens said waste bin lid when said rake is in a mid position and said turret is moving toward a dump position. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said animal sensor includes a light emitting diode and a light sensor, said light emitting diode directing a beam toward a reflector, said light sensor sensitive to said beam reflected from said reflector. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of rake limit switches is set to actuate upon said rake being in a mid position wherein said plurality of tines and said waste support member are substantially horizontal. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of turret limit switches is set to actuate upon said turret being in a mid position between a rest position and a scoop position. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base has a scooping region adapted to enable said rake to pick up at least one animal waste product when said rake moves from a down position to a mid position, said scooping region defined by a curved surface between a bottom surface and a back wall of said base. 10. An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box, said apparatus comprising: a pan having an arcuate side wall, a linear side wall, a bottom surface, and a focus point, said arcuate side wall having a first end and a second end, said linear side wall joining each of said arcuate side wall first end and said arcuate side wall second end, said focus point being substantially equidistant from a locus of points defined by said arcuate side wall, said pan being adapted to receive a quantity of litter; a rake having a plurality of tines adapted for raking said quantity of litter, said rake adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis between an up position and a down position; and a turret extending from said pan proximate said focus point, said rake attached to said turret, said turret operatively moving said rake from a rest position to a scoop position. 11. The apparatus of claim 10 further including a controller programmed to execute a process for controlling said rake and said turret. 12. The apparatus of claim 10 further including a rake drive circuit for driving a rake motor operatively connected to said rake and a turret drive circuit for driving a turret motor operatively connected to said turret. 13. The apparatus of claim 10 further including a controller for controlling said rake and said turret, a rake drive circuit for driving a rake motor operatively connected to said rake, a turret drive circuit for driving a turret motor operatively connected to said turret, and a motor overload sensor circuit. 14. The apparatus of claim 10 further including a motor overload sensor detecting overload conditions in at least one of a rake motor and a turret motor. 15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said rake further includes an inboard guide member, an outboard guide member, and a waste support member; said inboard guide member, said outboard guide member, and said waste support member form a chute for channeling at least one animal waste product off of said rake with said rake in said up position. 16. The apparatus of claim 10 further including a waste bin and a waste bin lid. 17. The apparatus of claim 10 further including a waste bin, a waste bin lid, and a waste bin lever, said waste bin lever actuated by said rake when said turret moves to a dump position. 18. The apparatus of claim 10 further including a waste bin and a waste bin lid, said rake further including a cam that operatively opens said waste bin lid when said rake is in a mid position and said turret is moving toward a dump position. 19. The apparatus of claim 10 further including an animal sensor for sensing the presence of an animal in said pan. 20. The apparatus of claim 10 further including an animal sensor for sensing the presence of an animal in said pan, said animal sensor includes a light emitting diode and a light sensor, said light emitting diode directing a beam toward a reflector, said light sensor sensitive to said beam reflected from said reflector. 21. The apparatus of claim 10 further including a rake limit switch set to actuate when said rake is in a mid position wherein said plurality of tines are substantially horizontal. 22. The apparatus of claim 10 further including a turret limit switch set to actuate when said turret is in a mid position between said rest position and said scoop position. 23. The apparatus of claim 10 further including a scooping region in said pan, said scooping region defined by a curved surface between said bottom surface and said linear side wall of said base, said scooping region enabling said rake to pick up at least one animal waste product when said rake moves from said down position to a mid position. 24. An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box, said apparatus comprising: a base adapted to receive a quantity of litter; a rake adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis; a rake motor operatively connected to said rake, said rake motor rotating said rake about the longitudinal axis of said rake, said rake motor rotating said rake in an up direction and in a down direction; a plurality of rake limit switches associated with a plurality of specific positions of said rake; a turret adapted to sweep said rake within said base; a turret motor operatively connected to said turret, said turret motor rotating said turret in a forward direction and a reverse direction; and a plurality of turret limit switches associated with a plurality of specific positions of said turret. 25. The apparatus of claim 24 further including a controller having a processor programmed to execute a process for controlling said rake and said turret. 26. The apparatus of claim 24 further including a controller for controlling said rake and said turret, a rake drive circuit for driving said rake motor operatively connected to said rake, a turret drive circuit for driving said turret motor operatively connected to said turret, and a motor overload sensor circuit. 27. The apparatus of claim 24 further including a motor overload sensor detecting overload conditions in at least one of said rake motor and said turret motor. 28. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said rake includes an inboard guide member, an outboard guide member, and a waste support member; said inboard guide member, said outboard guide member, and said waste support member form a chute for channeling at least one animal waste product off of said rake with said rake in an up position. 29. The apparatus of claim 24 further including a waste bin and a waste bin lid. 30. The apparatus of claim 24 further including a waste bin, a waste bin lid, and a waste bin lever, said waste bin lever actuated by said rake when said turret moves to a dump position. 31. The apparatus of claim 24 further including a waste bin and a waste bin lid, said rake further including a cam that operatively opens said waste bin lid when said rake is in a mid position and said turret is moving toward a dump position. 32. The apparatus of claim 24 further including an animal sensor for sensing the presence of an animal in said base. 33. The apparatus of claim 24 further including an animal sensor for sensing the presence of an animal in said base, said animal sensor including a light emitting diode and a light sensor, said light emitting diode directing a beam toward a reflector, said light sensor sensitive to said beam reflected from said reflector. 34. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said plurality of specific positions of said plurality of rake limit switches includes an up position and a down position. 35. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said plurality of specific positions of said plurality of rake limit switches includes a mid position wherein a plurality of tines of said rake are substantially horizontal. 36. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said plurality of specific positions of said plurality of turret limit switches includes a rest position and a scoop position. 37. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said plurality of specific positions of said plurality of turret limit switches includes a mid position. 38. The apparatus of claim 24 further including a scooping region in said base, said scooping region defined by a curved surface between a bottom and a back wall of said base, said scooping region enabling said rake to pick up at least one animal waste product when said rake moves from a down position to a mid position. 39. An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box, said apparatus comprising: a base adapted to receive a quantity of litter; a rake having a plurality of tines adapted for raking said quantity of litter, said rake adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis between an up position and a down position; a turret located at a center point of said base, said rake attached to said turret, said turret operatively moving said rake from a rest position to a scoop position; a rake drive circuit for driving a rake motor operatively connected to said rake; and a turret drive circuit for driving a turret motor operatively connected to said turret. 40. An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box, said apparatus comprising: a base adapted to receive a quantity of litter; a rake having a plurality of tines adapted for raking said quantity of litter, said rake adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis between an up position and a down position; a turret located at a center point of said base, said rake attached to said turret, said turret operatively moving said rake from a rest position to a scoop position; a controller for controlling said rake and said turret; a rake drive circuit for driving a rake motor operatively connected to said rake; a turret drive circuit for driving a turret motor operatively connected to said turret; and a motor overload sensor circuit. 41. An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box, said apparatus comprising: a base adapted to receive a quantity of litter; a rake having a plurality of tines adapted for raking said quantity of litter, said rake adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis between an up position and a down position; a turret located at a center point of said base said turret having a vertical longitudinal rotational axis, said rake attached to said turret, said turret operatively moving said rake from a rest position to a scoop position; a waste bin; a waste bin lid; and a waste bin lever, said waste bin lever actuated by said rake when said turret moves to a dump position. 42. An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box, said apparatus comprising: a base adapted to receive a quantity of litter; a rake having a plurality of tines adapted for raking said quantity of litter, said rake adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis between an up position and a down position; a turret located at a center point of said base said turret having a vertical longitudinal rotational axis, said rake attached to said turret, said turret operatively moving said rake from a rest position to a scoop position; a waste bin; and a waste bin lid; wherein said rake further includes a cam that operatively opens said waste bin lid when said rake is in a mid position and said turret is moving toward a dump position. 43. An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box, said apparatus comprising: a pan having an arcuate side wall, a linear side wall, a bottom surface, and a focus point, said arcuate side wall having a first end and a second end, said linear side wall joining each of said arcuate side wall first end and said arcuate side wall second end, said focus point being substantially equidistant from a locus of points defined by said arcuate side wall, said pan being adapted to receive a quantity of litter; a rake having a plurality of tines adapted for raking said quantity of litter, said rake adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis between an up position and a down position; a rake drive circuit for driving a rake motor operatively connected to said rake; a turret extending from said pan proximate said focus point, said rake attached to said turret, said turret operatively moving said rake from a rest position to a scoop position; and a turret drive circuit for driving a turret motor operatively connected to said turret. 44. An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box, said apparatus comprising: a pan having an arcuate side wall, a linear side wall, a bottom surface, and a focus point, said arcuate side wall having a first end and a second end, said linear side wall joining each of said arcuate side wall first end and said arcuate side wall second end, said focus point being substantially equidistant from a locus of points defined by said arcuate side wall, said pan being adapted to receive a quantity of litter; a rake having a plurality of tines adapted for raking said quantity of litter, said rake adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis between an up position and a down position; a rake drive circuit for driving a rake motor operatively connected to said rake; a turret extending from said pan proximate said focus point, said rake attached to said turret, said turret operatively moving said rake from a rest position to a scoop position; a turret drive circuit for driving a turret motor operatively connected to said turret; a controller for controlling said rake and said turret; and a motor overload sensor circuit. 45. An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box, said apparatus comprising: a pan having an arcuate side wall, a linear side wall, a bottom surface, and a focus point, said arcuate side wall having a first end and a second end, said linear side wall joining each of said arcuate side wall first end and said arcuate side wall second end, said focus point being substantially equidistant from a locus of points defined by said arcuate side wall, said pan being adapted to receive a quantity of litter; a rake having a plurality of tines adapted for raking said quantity of litter, said rake adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis between an up position and a down position; a turret extending from said pan proximate said focus point, said rake attached to said turret, said turret operatively moving said rake from a rest position to a scoop position; and a waste bin, a waste bin lid, and a waste bin lever, said waste bin lever actuated by said rake when said turret moves to a dump position. 46. An apparatus for a self-cleaning litter box, said apparatus comprising: a pan having an arcuate side wall, a linear side wall, a bottom surface, and a focus point, said arcuate side wall having a first end and a second end, said linear side wall joining each of said arcuate side wall first end and said arcuate side wall second end, said focus point being substantially equidistant from a locus of points defined by said arcuate side wall, said pan being adapted to receive a quantity of litter; a rake having a plurality of tines adapted for raking said quantity of litter, said rake adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis between an up position and a down position; a turret extending from said pan proximate said focus point, said rake attached to said turret, said turret operatively moving said rake from a rest position to a scoop position; and a waste bin and a waste bin lid, said rake further including a cam that operatively opens said waste bin lid when said rake is in a mid position and said turret is moving toward a dump position.