DEVICE FOR COLLECTING ANIMAL EXCREMENT

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, as is stated in the title of this specification, is related to a device for collecting animal excrement, this is for serving for the purpose of collecting the remains, essentially of pets and among them the excrements of dogs.

Thus, the objective of the invention is a convenient, practical collecting device such that, when used, there is no contact between the hand of the user and the excrement, not even by means of inserting a plastic or similar element in between the same as has conventionally been the case of using gloves or other types of similar collecting devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For collecting animal excrement, especially dog excrement, bags, gloves, etc. have currently been being used, such that the hand of the user comes into contact, albeit indirectly, with the excrement, this being a rather uncomfortable feeling. Many times, these systems are not used by users due to their being inconvenient, the streets therefore being cleaned using specialized machinery giving rise to a high cost and a great deal of inconvenience for pedestrians, especially when they step on these remains.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For the purpose of achieving the objectives and preventing the drawbacks mentioned in the preceding paragraphs hereinabove, this invention proposes a device for collecting animal excrement which is characterized in that it comprises a small container or box made of cardboard of similar, whose opening marks the start of a front extension as a continuation of one of the lateral walls of the container. Other extensions or flaps might also start from this opening.

During the practical use of this collecting device, it is to be placed on the ground with the front extension and coplanar wall resting on the ground with the front edge of the aforesaid extension placed near the excrement to be collected.

In another phase, the container assembly is moved forward until the remains are located on top of the front extension with the help of a laminar body previously separated from the container and initially joined thereto by means of a perforated line.

In the following stage, the front extension is folded up by tilting the container upward in the direction of closing the container so that the excrement is located inside the collecting device.

This tilting is performed by means of an elongate element which is to be joined by one end to the front extension, whilst this elongate element will also run through a slit located in another area of the container and running through the same, preferably in the back, such that once the excrement is located on the aforementioned front extension, one pulls on the elongate element from outside of the container by grasping it from behind the back in order to make the front extension tilt so that the remains will be finally inside the container or box.

That which is stated in the immediately preceding paragraph hereinabove also comprises characteristics of the invention.

Preferably, the elongate operating element for tilting the front extension in the direction of closing the container is determined by a strip or portion of the same material as the rest of the container, such that this elongate portion will have a widening at one end to ensure its anchoring to the front extension during its folding when this strip is pulled for collecting the excrement.

The possibility also exists of the aforesaid strip being joined to the container assembly by means of a perforated line, previously being separated when one is going to make use of the container.

In this specific case of the elongate strip, this strip will run through some slits, one being located in the front extension which not does allow the widened end to pass through so as to assure the joining of the elongate portion during the process of its being pulled in the direction of closing the front extension.

The other paired slit through which the elongate strip will run will be preferably located at the meeting point or folding line joining the back to the lateral wall of the container.

The box made of cardboard or another laminar material may be foldable, taking up minimal space, the different parts of which will practically be contained within one same plane, which will be highly convenient for transporting for which use is going to be made of the collecting device.

When the time comes to use the collecting device, one will simply proceed to unfold the aforesaid box, which will fold out into a small box structure including the front extension and also the elongate element, now run through the pair of guide slits.

Thus, the box comprising the collecting device is easy to manufacture, given that it is made in one single piece, and all of the components of which it is comprised are going to preferably be of one same material, with the possibility of including some other different material, such as cords, string, plastic, etc.

In another embodiment, provision has been made for the incorporation of a top flap which also starts from the opening, this flap serving as an aid for pushing the excrement, when necessary, into the inside of the container. This flap comprises the aforementioned laminar body.

Considering more this embodiment stated in the Immediately preceding paragraph hereinabove, when collecting the excrement, the box is opened and the excrement pushed into the inside by means of the aforementioned flap, such that once the excrement is located on the front extension, the elongate strip is pulled until the box is closed with the aforementioned front extension. The closing of the container is assured by means of the overlapping of the front extension, this overlapping being assured by means of the grasping of the elongate strip from which the container assembly will hang with the excrement inside, continuing to grasp the same up to the point of depositing the container assembly into a garbage container or wastepaper basket.

Following, in order to provide for a better comprehension of this specification and comprising an integral part thereof, some figures are attached depicting the object of the invention for illustrative and non-limiting purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• Figure 1. Shows a perspective view of the device for collecting animal excrement object of the invention.
• Figures 2 and 3. Show views of the application of the collecting device of the invention.
• Figure 4. Shows a plan view of a die-cut cardboard sheet from which the container or collecting device of the invention is obtained.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERRED EMBODIMENT

Considering the numbering adopted in the figures, the device for collecting animal excrement is determined from a parallelepiped-shape cardboard container of box which includes at least four lateral walls, two larger walls (1) and two smaller walls (2), a back (5) and a front extension (3) which is a continuation of one of the larger lateral walls, whilst it is joined to the aforesaid lateral wall by means of the corresponding fold line (4). From the other larger paired lateral wall, a top flap (15) also starts as a pushing element for helping the excrement (14) for placing the excrement onto the aforementioned front extension (3). This flap (15) is previously separated from the container. For this purpose, the container is joined by means of a perforated line.

The back (5) comprises two larger sections 6 generally rectangular in shape which start from the larger lateral walls (1) and two smaller trapezoidal sections (7) which start from the smaller lateral walls (2). In turn, the larger sections include some trapezium notches (8) along their free edges in order to thus facilitate constructing the back (5) by means of the aforesaid four sections comprising said back (5).

Additionally, one of the four lateral walls includes a small flap (9) for facilitating the complete constructing of the container.

Moreover, the front extension incorporates a straight cut (10) paired with another straight cut 10' located on a fold line (11) which joins one larger section (6) of the back (5) to a larger lateral wall (1), an elongate strip (12) of the same material being run through the aforesaid cuts for facilitating the folding of the front extension (3) in the direction of closing the container so that the excrement (14) previously placed on the aforesaid extension are moved inside the container. This elongate strip (12) is initially connected to the flap (15) by means of another perforated line (18) for facilitating its separation.

To ensure the anchoring of the elongate strip (12) to the front extension (3) during its folding, the aforesaid strip (12) incorporates a widening at the end (13) and a brake or stop (16) which assures the closing or anchoring, once the box-closing operation has been completed, such that it prevents it from coming open, unless it is unnecessarily forced. This stop consists of some small appendages located along both lengthwise edges of the strip (12).

In order to previously place the excrement (14) on the front extension (3), the constructed container is placed resting on the ground with the front edge of the extension (3) near the excrement, then moving the container assembly forward until the excrement is located inside said extension (3).

To carry out the aforesaid operation, one may also do so with the aid of the flap or laminar body.