초록 ▼

An apparatus that maintains housebreaking pads for a pet owner, automatically removing and sealing soiled pads and waste and replacing the soiled pad with a clean pad. The apparatus senses when a pet is using a housebreaking pad, and when the pet is finished, removes and seals the pad and the waste

An apparatus that maintains housebreaking pads for a pet owner, automatically removing and sealing soiled pads and waste and replacing the soiled pad with a clean pad. The apparatus senses when a pet is using a housebreaking pad, and when the pet is finished, removes and seals the pad and the waste automatically, moving the pad into a repository for later disposal and replacing the soiled pad with a clean pad. The apparatus seals the waste and pad with plastic film having low vapor permeability for disposal on a once-daily or less frequent basis. The apparatus minimizes or eliminates odors associated with canine elimination by removing the pads immediately after elimination is completed, and sealing the waste. A control unit, triggered by a sensor, has a single cycle or a multiple cycle operation, operating a motor that rolls the soiled composite pad onto an arbor in the repository.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus having a cycle for automatically removing and sealing a soiled housebreaking pad containing pet waste and replacing the soiled pad with a clean pad, minimizing the odor from the soiled housebreaking pad, comprising: a stage portion having a pad stage, the housebreaking pad set on the

1. An apparatus having a cycle for automatically removing and sealing a soiled housebreaking pad containing pet waste and replacing the soiled pad with a clean pad, minimizing the odor from the soiled housebreaking pad, comprising: a stage portion having a pad stage, the housebreaking pad set on the pad stage, the stage portion having a loading drawer assembly, the loading drawer assembly holding a pack of housebreaking pads to supply the pad stage, the stage portion having a means for determining when pet waste is on the housebreaking pad to initiate the cycle, the stage portion having a back end with a guide bar, the guide bar spanning the back end of the stage portion, the housebreaking pad inserted under the guide bar;a repository portion attached to the stage portion, the repository portion having a film dispensing assembly and an arbor assembly, the film dispensing assembly holding a roll of plastic film, the plastic film inserted under the guide bar and edgewise aligned with and clinging to the soiled housebreaking pad, sealing the pad and the pet waste forming a composite pad, the arbor assembly having an arbor, a compression spring and a housing with a motor, the arbor mounted on the housing and rotated by the motor, the arbor have a longitudinal slot, the composite pad inserted in the slot, the rotation of the arbor winding the composite pad around the arbor forming a roll held on the arbor by the compression spring and pulling the clean pad from the drawer assembly, setting the clean pad on the pad stage;a scraper plate, the scraper plate having a bore and a top handle, the arbor fitting inside the bore of the scraper plate, the arbor have a pair of ends, a first end attached to the housing and a free end, the scraper plate sitting at the first end before the pad is attached to the arbor, the roll of composite pads on the arbor removed by releasing the compression spring and the scraper plate being pulled along the arbor by the handle towards the free end of the arbor, pushing the roll off the arbor;a means for removing the roll of composite pads on the arbor for disposal; anda control unit, the control unit initiating rotation of the arbor in response to detecting pet waste on the housebreaking pad, the arbor winding the sealed composite pad onto the arbor and pulling the clean pad onto the pad stage, minimizing the odor from the pet waste on the pad. 2. The apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the scraper plate with the bore and the top handle is included in a scraper assembly, the scraper assembly having, a guide plate and a track, the respository portion having a back panel with a top, the track attaching to the top of the back panel of the repository portion, the arbor fitting inside the bore of the scraper plate, the arbor have a pair of ends, a first end attached to the housing and a free end, the scraper plate sitting at the first end before the pad is attached to the arbor, the guide plate attaching to the scraper plate at a right angle and fitting inside the track on the back panel, the roll of composite pads on the arbor removed by releasing the compression spring and the scraper plate being pulled along the arbor by the handle towards the free end of the arbor, pushing the roll off the arbor. 3. An apparatus having a cycle for automatically removing and sealing a soiled housebreaking pad containing pet waste and replacing the soiled pad with a clean pad, minimizing the odor from the soiled housebreaking pad, comprising: a stage portion having a pad stage, the housebreaking pad set on the pad stage, the stage portion having a loading drawer assembly, the loading drawer assembly holding a pack of housebreaking pads to supply the pad stage, the stage portion having a means for determining when pet waste is on the housebreaking pad to initiate the cycle, the stage portion having a back end with a guide bar, the guide bar spanning the back end of the stage portion, the housebreaking pad inserted under the guide bar;a repository portion attached to the stage portion, the repository portion having a film dispensing assembly and an arbor assembly, the film dispensing assembly holding a roll of plastic film, the plastic film inserted under the guide bar and edgewise aligned with and clinging to the soiled housebreaking pad, sealing the pad and the pet waste forming a composite pad, the arbor assembly having an arbor, a compression spring and a housing with a motor, the arbor mounted on the housing and rotated by the motor, the arbor have a longitudinal slot, the composite pad inserted in the slot, the rotation of the arbor winding the composite pad around the arbor forming a roll held on the arbor by the compression spring and pulling the clean pad from the drawer assembly, setting the clean pad on the pad stage, the arbor assembly mounting on a slat having a pair of slotted ends, the repository portion having a back panel, a pair of short sides each with a bottom and a slide assembly driven by the motor creating a space for the arbor assembly, the slide assembly connecting the back panel of the repository portion and the back end of the stage portion, the slide assembly attached to the bottom of the short sides of the repository portion, the slide assembly having a shaft and a pair of railings, each having a track, the slotted ends of the slat with the attached arbor assembly inserted into the tracks of the railings, the slide assembly moving the slat away from the back end of the stage portion, extending the space as the composite pad roll increases diametrally as the cycle of removing, sealing and replacing the housebreaking pad repeats, the space increasing to accommodate the roll;a means for separating the roll of composite pads on the arbor from the composite pad at the guide bar;a means for removing the roll of composite pads on the arbor for disposal; anda control unit, the control unit initiating rotation of the arbor in response to detecting pet waste on the housebreaking pad, the arbor winding the sealed composite pad onto the arbor and pulling the clean pad onto the pad stage, minimizing the odor from the pet waste on the pad. 4. The apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein the control unit allows a user to select from the group of automatic cycle options consisting of a single cycle and a plurality of cycles, a maximum number of cycles determined by the composite pad roll having a diameter, the diameter increasing with each cycle to a maximum that the space extended by slide mechanism moving the arbor assembly away from the back end of the stage portion accommodates. 5. An apparatus having a cycle for automatically removing and sealing a soiled housebreaking pad containing pet waste and replacing the soiled pad with a clean pad, minimizing the odor from the soiled housebreaking pad, comprising: a stage portion having a pad stage, the housebreaking pad set on the pad stage, the stage portion having a loading drawer assembly, the loading drawer assembly holding a pack of housebreaking pads to supply the pad stage, the stage portion having a sensor that detects a pet is present on the housebreaking pad for a predetermined amount of time sufficient for the pet to eliminate for determining when pet waste is on the housebreaking pad to initiate the cycle, the stage portion having a back end with a guide bar, the guide bar spanning the back end of the stage portion, the housebreaking pad inserted under the guide bar;a repository portion attached to the stage portion, the repository portion having a film dispensing assembly, an arbor assembly, a cutter assembly and a scraper plate, the film dispensing assembly holding a roll of plastic film, the plastic film inserted under the guide bar and edgewise aligned with and clinging to the soiled housebreaking pad, sealing the pad and the pet waste forming a composite pad, the arbor assembly having an arbor, a compression spring and a housing with a motor, the arbor mounted on the housing and rotated by the motor, the arbor have a longitudinal slot, the composite pad inserted in the slot, the rotation of the arbor winding the composite pad around the arbor forming a roll held on the arbor by the compression spring and pulling the clean pad from the drawer assembly, setting the clean pad on the pad stage, the cutter assembly slidably attached to the guide bar, the cutter assembly having a guide wire and a cutter, the cutter having a handle with a slit and a protected blade inside the slit, the cutter on the guide wire, the guide wire guiding the cutter, the cutter traversing the composite pad, slicing the composite pad at the guide bar, separating the roll of composite pads on the arbor from the composite pad at the guide bar, the scraper plate having a bore and a top handle, the arbor fitting inside the bore of the scraper plate, the arbor have a pair of ends, a first end attached to the housing and a free end, the scraper plate sitting at the first end before the pad is attached to the arbor, the roll of composite pads on the arbor removed by releasing the compression spring and the scraper plate being pulled along the arbor by the handle towards the free end of the arbor, pushing the composite roll off the arbor for disposal; anda control unit, the control unit initiating rotation of the arbor in response to detecting pet waste on the housebreaking pad, the arbor winding the sealed composite pad onto the arbor and pulling the clean pad onto the pad stage, minimizing the odor from the pet waste on the pad. 6. The apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein the plastic film is selected from the group of polymer films consisting of polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinylindene chloride copolymer and polyethylene. 7. The apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein the guide wire guiding the cutter is powered by a cutting motor. 8. The apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein the repository portion has a scraper assembly, the scraper assembly having the scraper plate with the bore and the top handle, a guide plate and a track, the respository portion having a back panel with a top, the track attaching to the top of the back panel of the repository portion, the arbor fitting inside the bore of the scraper plate, the arbor have a pair of ends, a first end attached to the housing and a free end, the scraper plate sitting at the first end before the pad is attached to the arbor, the guide plate attaching to the scraper plate at a right angle and fitting inside the track on the back panel, the roll of composite pads on the arbor removed by releasing the compression spring and the scraper plate being pulled along the arbor by the handle towards the free end of the arbor, guided by the guide plate in the track, pushing the roll off the arbor. 9. The apparatus as described in claim 5, further having a cowling assembly for selectively covering the repository section to hide the soiled housebreaking assembly, the cowling assembly having a cowling frame and a cowling, the cowling frame attached to the back end of the stage portion, the cowling having a pair of sides with a panel between the sides, the cowling connected to the cowling frame by a pair of hinges, one hinge on each side of the cowling, the cowling rotating on the hinges to an open position for loading the plastic film roll and for removing the composite pad roll and rotating to a closed position for operating the apparatus. 10. The apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein the arbor assembly is mounted on a slat having a pair of slotted ends, the repository portion having a back panel, a pair of short sides each with a bottom and a slide assembly driven by the motor creating a space for the arbor assembly, the slide assembly connecting the back panel of the repository portion and the back end of the stage portion, the slide assembly attached to the bottom of the short sides of the repository portion, the slide assembly having a shaft and a pair of railings, each having a track, the slotted ends of the slat with the attached arbor assembly inserted into the tracks of the railings, the slide assembly moving the slat away from the back end of the stage portion, extending the space as the composite pad roll increases diametrally as the cycle of removing, sealing and replacing the housebreaking pad repeats, the space increasing to accommodate the roll. 11. The apparatus as described in claim 10, wherein the control unit allows a user to select from the group of automatic cycle options consisting of a single cycle and a plurality of cycles, a maximum number of cycles determined by the composite pad roll having a diameter, the diameter increasing with each cycle to a maximum that the space extended by slide mechanism moving the arbor assembly away from the back end of the stage portion accommodates.