The present invention relates to animal waste disposal and, more particularly, to methods and an apparatus for disposal of animal waste.
The invention relates to pets, especially dogs, and a need to provide sanitary waste removal suitable for an indoor environment. While it is common place to provide pets with access to an outdoor environment, e.g., by taking a dog for a walk, in many places it is a requirement that animal waste be promptly collected for sanitary and socially acceptable disposal. Further, there are a large number of factors which render it inconvenient or impractical to bring a pet outdoors. These factors include weather conditions, safety and situations where the owner is incapacitated or otherwise unable to provide for the needs of the pet. A pet owner may also need to be away from the home (e.g., for employment reasons or to fulfill other commitments), thereby leaving the pet without a human companion for an extended period of time. This may present a hardship for the animal or result in an unsanitary deposit in an unacceptable location, requiring undesirable collection and cleaning. In the best of circumstances, a pet can be trained to use specific locations for depositing waste material but this may remain unappealing, particularly in view of odors and the fact that pet waste is not easily isolated from a living environment. Although a pet may consistently make use of a litterbox, an odor may nonetheless be present, the waste will have to be removed and the litterbox may need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Consequently, there is a need to provide a system and method for waste removal which are suitable for use in a residential setting, and which facilitate provision of a sanitary and odor free environment.
According to one series of embodiments, the invention is an apparatus for packaging animal waste which includes a platform having a single and continuous receiving region surface over which waste may be deposited and a pair of spaced apart rollers. Each roller is positioned along an edge of the platform (i) to receive, between each roller and along the entire receiving region surface, as the rollers turn, a receiving substrate having first and second opposing edge regions and (ii) to receive a cover substrate also having first and second opposing edge regions. The apparatus includes a first mechanism positioned to dispense the receiving substrate for movement across the platform to the rollers, and a second mechanism positioned to dispense the cover substrate for movement to the rollers without the cover substrate moving along the receiving region. Each roller is positioned to simultaneously receive the edge regions of both the receiving substrate and the cover substrate as the rollers turn and press the edge regions of the cover substrate against the edge regions of the receiving substrate to bond the edge regions together. In one embodiment, the rollers are positioned to press the edge regions together with pressure. The rollers may be resiliently biased toward a stationary surface. The platform may include a press plate extending under the rollers, and the apparatus may further comprise a belt drive system for turning the rollers. The belt drive system may include a bias component, that transfers a force to the rollers, which displaces the rollers against the press plate. The apparatus may include a repository into which the rollers direct the joined receiving and cover substrates. The platform may be adjustable in length and may include a sensor which detects presence of a pet on the platform. The apparatus may include a transverse pressing mechanism configured to periodically bond together a portion of the receiving substrate, between the receiving substrate edge regions, and a portion of the cover substrate between the cover substrate edge regions. The periodic motion may be caused by a cam system comprising a rotatable cam and a rocker arm having a first end biased against an edge of the cam. The cam system may comprise a transverse member and the periodic motion may be caused by a cam, the cam system moving the transverse member to cause a transverse convergence. The cam system may include a rotatable cam and a rocker arm having a first end biased against an edge of the cam. The rocker arm may include a second end associated with the transverse member. The association may include a resilient safety member that biases the transverse member to move with the second end. The apparatus may also include a transmission which enables selective adjustment of the rotational period of the cam system. The platform may be of selectively adjustable length, and adjustment of the transmission may enable proportional matching of the rotational period to a quotient of platform length and circumferential speed of the rollers. The cam system may include a cam shaft, a cam, and a roller shaft configured to drive the rollers. The cam shaft may be coupled to drive the cam, wherein gears disposed on the shafts define a plurality of gear drive positions, each position associated with a different cam speed. The transmission may be a manual transmission and may comprise a size selector system configured to selectively engage one of the gears and thereby select one of the gear drive positions based on receiving substrate size. The transmission may include a guide for the size selector system. The gears on one of the shafts may be rotatably associated with a free spinning shaft while the gears on the other shaft are rotably fixed to a fixed gear shaft, and the manual transmission may further include a collar for each rotably associated gear, so that the respective collar is rotatably fixed to the free spinning shaft. The size selector system may fix a selected rotatably associated gear to the respective collar, thereby selectively engaging a selected gear train. In an embodiment a system motor drives the roller shaft which acts as the fixed gear shaft, and the cam shaft acts as the free spinning shaft comprising the collars, and rotably associated gears on the cam shaft engage rotatable fixed gears on the roller shaft. The size selector system may include a key configured to fit into a keyway formed in the collar and an associated free-spinning gear of a selected gear train when a respective size is selected.
Also according to the invention, there is disclosed a method for disposing of animal waste. In another series of embodiments the method includes providing a segment of first sheet material comprising a fluid absorbent region formed on a first fluid impermeable substrate and placing the segment on a platform. A segment of second sheet material comprising a second fluid impermeable substrate is also provided. Animal waste is received in the fluid absorbent region of the first sheet material and outer edge regions of the first sheet material are sealed to outer edge regions of the second sheet material, while not pressing (i) a middle region of the first sheet material between the outer edge regions and (ii) a middle region of the second sheet material between the outer edge regions. This encloses and seals the animal waste between the first sheet material and the second sheet material, and within the outer edge regions. The method may further include positioning the segment of first sheet material in a first location where the animal waste is received in the fluid absorbent region of the first sheet material and, after the animal waste is received, moving the first sheet material from the first location to a position where the outer edge region of the first sheet material contacts the outer edge region of the second sheet material. The step of sealing the outer edge regions to one another may include pressing the outer edge region of the first sheet material against the outer edge region of the second sheet material. each first sheet material segment comprises a discrete absorbent pad that constitutes the fluid absorbent region. The method may include sensing the presence of an animal and then an absence of the animal before moving the segment of the first sheet material. A pair of rollers may seal the outer edge regions together. The rollers may also move the first and second sheet materials, e.g., by pulling on the outer edge regions to move the fluid impermeable substrates. In an embodiment the first location is over a platform upon which the first sheet material rests and a sensor determines when to begin moving the first sheet material. A pair of rollers may seal the outer edge regions together under pressure. Adhesive may be located between the outer edge regions, e.g., by pre-positioning adhesive on a surface of the first sheet material outer edge region. The rollers may seal the outer edge regions together between the rollers and a stationary surface or between the rollers and secondary rollers. The method may include removing the segment of first sheet materials from the platform to seal the outer edge regions while providing a new segment of first sheet material on the platform for subsequent use. As the first segment of sheet material is removed from the platform a continuous roll of the first sheet material may supply the new segment of first sheet material. The segment of second sheet material may be moved to seal the outer edge regions while a continuous roll of the second sheet material supplies a new segment of the second sheet material. The enclosed animal waste may be moved to a receiving space. Also, the method may include forming a transverse seal between the first sheet material and the second sheet material transverse to the outer edge regions. The transverse seal may span the outer edge regions to fully encapsulate the animal waste between adjacent transverse seals, and a cam driven mechanism may be used to form the transverse seal. A period of a cam driven mechanism cycle may cause the transverse seal to occur between discrete pads of absorbent material as the fluid impermeable substrates are moved. The method may include selecting one of a plurality of period options for the cam driven mechanism. The location for receiving the animal waste may be over a platform of selectable length upon which the first sheet material rests, with the method including selecting one of a plurality of platform length options, selecting a first sheet material comprising a plurality of discrete absorbent pads each characterized by a length corresponding to the selected length of the platform, and selecting the period option that corresponds to the discrete pad length. A manual transmission may provide the plurality of period options. The cam driven mechanism may be driven by a system source that also drives a pair of rollers that move the sheet materials. The period of the cam driven mechanism may be adjustable with respect to a speed of the rollers.
According to still another series of embodiments, the invention includes a packaging system for receiving pet excrement. The system is useful with an apparatus which positions components of the system to receive and enclose the pet excrement in isolation from the surrounding environment. The apparatus may include a platform having first and second sides along which a component of the system can be movably positioned to receive the pet excrement and carry the pet excrement along the platform. In one embodiment the system includes a first roll of fluid impermeable material of predetermined length and width and a second roll of fluid impermeable material of predetermined length and width.
The first roll of fluid impermeable material has first and second opposing side regions extending along the length of the first material. The width of the first roll, which extends across the first material from an edge of the first side region to an edge of the second side region, is suitable for movement of each side region along a different one of the first and second sides of the platform. The second roll of fluid impermeable material has third and fourth opposing side regions extending along the length of the second roll. The width of the second roll, which extends across the second material from an edge of the third side region to an edge of the fourth side region, is suitable to effect placement of the first side region along a portion of the first material against the third side region along a portion of the second material and placement of the second side region along the portion of the second material against the fourth side region along the portion of the second material. When the first side region and the third side region are pressed against one another a seal is created between the first and third side regions. When the second side region and the fourth side region are pressed against one another a seal is created between the second and fourth side regions. The first material comprises a series of spaced apart middle regions each extending between or to the first and second opposing side regions. The second material comprises a series of spaced apart middle regions each extending between or to the third and fourth opposing side regions and positioned for contact with a middle region of the first material. When each middle region in the first series is pressed against a middle region in the second series a transverse seal is created between one middle region in the first series and one middle region in the second series such that after two such transverse seals are created, the first and second materials are bonded to one another to form a sealed region between the two middle regions suitable for containing the pet excrement and which provides a seal which physically isolates pet excrement contained in the sealed region from the surrounding environment.
The invention is explained in the following description in view of the drawings, wherein:
Before describing in detail exemplary systems and methods relating to the invention, it should be observed that the present invention resides in a novel and non-obvious combination of elements and method steps. So as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, certain conventional elements and steps have been presented with lesser detail, while the drawings and the specification describe in greater detail other elements and steps pertinent to understanding the invention. Also, the following embodiments are exemplary constructions which do not define limits as to structural arrangements or methods according to the invention. The now described embodiments are exemplary and permissive rather than mandatory and are illustrative rather than exhaustive.
The invention provides a system for receiving animal waste without requiring the caregiver to take any immediate action in a residential environment. To provide the reader with an overall understanding of inventive concepts embodied in the specific designs now illustrated, a brief summary of an exemplary system and associated methods is first provided. In one series of embodiments a disposal system includes a conveying mechanism which dispenses and carries two disposable sheets from separate dispenser units and merges the sheets against one another to enclose the waste. In the illustrated design both of the sheets are provided in separate rolls that are simultaneously unwound from the dispenser units. The first sheet, referred to as a receiving substrate, is multi layered, having an absorptive upper layer for receiving waste and an impermeable under layer. The second sheet, referred to as a cover substrate is impermeable. After waste is placed on the receiving substrate the cover substrate is placed over the receiving substrate to cover the waste and portions of the two sheets are joined to provide a hermetically sealed bag or package containing the waste. The sealed bag is severable from the other portions of the rolls of sheets.
Prior to forming the seal, regions of the cover substrate and regions of the receiving substrate which collectively form edge regions of the bag are positioned in alignment with one another. The aligned regions of the two substrates are then bonded to one another. Numerous types of bonds may be created to form the sealed bag. These include melting of substrate material to join the substrates together along the edge regions. As more fully described for an illustrated embodiment, with the substrates provided as sheets on rolls, surfaces along the side edges of one or both of the rolled substrates may be provided with an adhesive material or other bonding agent. The surfaces along the side edges are then pressed together with the adhesive material at the interface to bond the surfaces of the two substrates together along the side edges. The bonded surfaces along the side edges of the pair of substrates form a pair of sealed edge regions.
In one series of embodiments the bags are formed in a generally rectangular shape from the two rolls of substrates with each sheet of substrate material having parallel side edges and substantially the same width. When the side edges of the different sheets are aligned and joined to one another they result in a first pair of parallel edges of the sealed bag. A second pair of parallel edges of the bag results after cutting or otherwise severing portions of the two substrates in regions where surfaces of the two substrates are bonded to one another. The process of cutting or otherwise severing occurs through the bonded regions thereby dividing the bonded regions along lines which are transverse to the first pair of parallel side edges. This results in the sealed bag having a second pair of side edges perpendicular to the first pair of side edges, thereby providing a substantially rectangular shape. In these embodiments, the side edges in the second pair are only severed from other portions of the bonded regions of the substrates after the corresponding surface regions of the substrates have been sealed together to form the bonded regions. In fact, recognizing that the bags can be created in a sequence, each time one of the edges in the second pair of edges is created by severing a bonded region for a first bag, another edge is created in the same bonded region, which is one of the second parallel edges in the next bag in the sequence. That is, in the process of severing the bonded region along a line transverse to the first pair of parallel sides there are created: (1) the second edge in the second pair of edges of a first bag and (2) the first edge in the second pair of edges of a next bag in the sequence. For each sealed bag, the combination of two pairs of parallel sides results in the generally rectangular bag shape.
In accord with at least the one series of embodiments in which the rectangular bags are formed, the receiving and packaging of waste can be performed with an electro-mechanical system that receives the waste onto a portion of the receiving substrate while that receiving portion is moveably positioned over a region of a platform where waste is deposited. Once the waste is placed on a portion of the receiving substrate, the system conveys that same portion of the receiving substrate away from the area over the platform where waste is deposited while other segments of the receiving substrate are unrolled from the dispenser units. Thus the system replenishes by conveying an unused portion of the receiving substrate to the position in the area over the platform where waste is deposited each time a used portion of the receiving substrate moves away from that area. As the used portion of the receiving substrate moves away from the area over the platform where waste is deposited, a portion of the cover substrate is positioned over the received waste and, using both the portion of the cover substrate and the used portion of the receiving substrate on which the waste is deposited, the waste is packaged into a sealed bag. While individual segments of the receiving substrate are each sequentially moved past the platform after receiving waste, the system merges a segment of the cover substrate with an individual used segment of the receiving substrate for bonding thereto in order to form the sealed bag. When regions of the cover substrate or regions of the receiving substrate which become edge regions of the bag are coated with an adhesive, the system seals the regions together. The sealing is effected with application of pressure applied through rolling members as the merged sheets are conveyed away from the region of the platform where waste is deposited. More specifically, the parallel side edges of one substrate are each pressed against a different one of the parallel side edge of the other substrate to create the seals while portions of the substrates between the side edges are not pressed together. That is, portions of the resulting bag between the side edges, in which the waste resides, are not pressed by the rolling members.
When edges of different sheets of substrates are aligned and joined to one another they result in a first pair of parallel sides of the bag. As the segment of the receiving substrate is conveyed along the platform, the segment of the cover substrate merges with it and a seal is created which bonds the two together to form the bag. Additional edge seals are formed to define a seal completely around the bag. The electromechanical system includes a number of advantageous features, several of which are now described in summary fashion.
An exemplary animal waste disposal system 10 according to the invention is more fully described. The system receives pet waste on a substrate sheet, covers the waste with another substrate sheet and provides seals along edges of the sheets to enclose the waste and contain any associated odors. The sealed waste is moved along a path to a repository for disposal at the caregiver's convenience. As noted for one embodiment, the system provides a waste package of substantially rectangular shape, having seals along each of four sides, but other geometries are easily created and the invention is not so limited. The system can be configured to accommodate pets of different sizes and provide waste packages of different sizes.
The platform 12 has a flat upper surface 12a generally rectangular in shape and positioned in a horizontal orientation. The surface 12a is suitable for a pet, e.g., a dog, to stand on. The platform 12 includes a press plate 13, also having a flat upper surface 13a positioned in a horizontal orientation. Two powered drive rollers 17a and 17b are positioned to press against the upper surface 13a of the press plate 13. The rollers are each rotatable about a roller axis, A, which extends in a direction parallel to the z-axis.
The system includes a first sheet dispenser 14 which contains a receiving substrate 16 in the form of a moisture absorbent sheet, and a second sheet dispenser 18 which contains a cover substrate 20. With the platform 12 having an exemplary rectangular shape and pairs of opposing sides, the platform includes a first pair of opposing edges 22, 24 which extend in a direction along the z-axis. The receiving substrate 16 is loaded in the dispenser 14 in the form of a roll 16r, an outer end of which is fed through a slit 14s of the dispenser and then extended along the surface 12a and further in order to pass under the rollers 17a, 17b. The major axis of the roll 16r is oriented in a direction parallel to the z-axis, and the roll 16r is located adjacent the upstream edge 22 of the platform 12. The receiving substrate 16 is loaded in the dispenser 14 in the form of a roll 16r.
An upstream edge 22 of the platform upper surface 12a is positioned along a side 22s of the platform 12. A downstream edge 24 of the platform upper surface 12a is positioned along a side 24s of the platform 12. The upstream edge 22 and the side 22s are most distant from the rollers 17a, 17b while the downstream edge 24 and the side 24s of the platform 12 are most proximate the rollers 17a, 17b. The first dispenser 14 is shown positioned along the side 22s of the platform 12, below the upstream edge 22 of the platform surface 12a. The dispenser 14 may be otherwise positioned with respect to the upstream edge 22 (e.g., under the platform 12), so long as the receiving substrate 16 can be extended from the dispenser 14, over a substantial part of the platform surface 12a (e.g., in the x direction) and toward the downstream platform edge 24.
During operation of the system 10 portions of the substrate 16 are sequentially unrolled from the dispenser 14 on an as-needed basis to move across the platform 12. These unrolled portions are positioned on the platform surface 12a to receive waste, then continue movement across the platform, in the x direction, and pass between each roller 17a, 17b and the plate surface 13a. The rollers 17a, 17b, being spaced apart from one another, define an outside roller spacing width, W1, sufficient to allow waste deposited on the receiving substrate to pass between the rollers while surfaces adjoining the edges of the unrolled substrate pass under the rollers. See
The second sheet dispenser 18 is positioned above the plane in which the rollers 17a, 17b reside to feed the cover substrate 20 between each of the rollers 17a, 17b and the plate surface 13a. The cover substrate has first and second opposing sides 20a and 20b. During movement along the path 29 the side 20a comes into contact with the receiving substrate 16 while the side 20b faces away from the receiving substrate. The cover substrate 20 is loaded in the second sheet dispenser 18 in the form of a roll 20r, an outer end of which is then extended to pass under the rollers 17a, 17b. The major axis of the roll 18r is oriented in a direction parallel to the z-axis, and the roll 20r is shown in a position directly above the downstream edge 24 of the platform 12. However, the second dispenser 18 may be positioned anywhere with respect to the rollers so long as the cover substrate can be delivered to pass between the plate 13 and the rollers 17a, 17b.
Portions of the cover substrate 20 are sequentially unrolled from the second dispenser 18 on an as-needed basis to cover waste deposited on the receiving regions 26. These portions of the cover substrate 20 are sequentially positioned over portions of the substrate 16 while they each pass under the rollers 17a, 17b. As the two substrates pass under the rollers, portions of the receiving substrate are each sequentially positioned between a portion of the cover substrate and the press plate 13. While so positioned, the powered drive rollers 17a and 17b press surfaces 44s, 48s along edges 42, 46 of the two substrates 16, 20 against the upper surface 13a of the press plate 13. The combination of the receiving substrate 16 and the cover substrate 20 pass along the press plate while the moisture impermeable bottom surface 16b of the substrate 16 slides along the surface 13a.
The combination of the first dispenser 14, the platform 12, the press plate 13 and the rollers 17a, 17b provide a first path 27 along which the receiving substrate 16 is moved in first directions of travel 28 from the dispenser 14 to and under the rollers. The combination of the second dispenser 18, press plate 13 and rollers 17a, 17b provide a second path 29 along which the cover substrate 20 is moved in second directions of travel 30 from the dispenser 20 to and under the rollers. The paths 27 and 29 converge as the substrates 16, 20 meet while passing between the press plate 13 and the rollers 17a, and 17b.
The rolls 16r, 20r of substrate material 16, 20 each have a width, W2, measurable along a major axis of each roll as shown in
During use of the system 10 an animal may position itself over the platform 12 and provide waste on the receiving region 26 of the substrate 16. Afterward, the system moves the receiving substrate 16 along the first path 27 in the directions of travel 28. Simultaneous with movement of the receiving substrate 16, the cover substrate 20 moves along the path 29 in the directions of travel 30. When the paths 27 and 29 converge between the press plate 13 and the rollers 17a, 17b, the receiving substrate 16 and the cover substrate 20 are joined and bonded to one another via edge seals 66a, 66b to form a package 32 shown in
The receiving substrate 16, being in a sheet form, includes first and second opposing edges 42 along its length, i.e., in a direction transverse to the direction along which the described width W2 of the substrate 16 extends. With reference to
The platform 12 includes a second pair of opposing side edges 60, 62 which each extend in a direction along the x-axis. See, again,
The receiving substrate edge region 44a travels from the dispenser 14, along the platform side edge 60, to the roller 17a while the cover substrate edge region 48a travels from the dispenser 18 to contact the roller 17a as each passes between the roller 17a and the press plate upper surface 13a. Simultaneously, the receiving substrate edge region 44b travels from the dispenser 14, along the platform side edge 62, to the roller 17b while the cover substrate edge region 48b travels from the dispenser 18 to contact the roller 17b as each passes between the roller 17b and the press plate upper surface 13a.
While portions of the edge regions 44a, 44b of the receiving substrate 16 and portions of the edge regions 48a, 48b of the cover substrate 20 travel between the rollers 17a or 17b and the press plate 13, other portions 74 of the substrate 16 between the edge regions 44a and 44b, including the receiving region 26 on which waste has been deposited by a pet, move along the platform and then between and past the rollers 17a, 17b. Also while portions of the substrate edge regions 44a, 44b, 48a, 48b move under the rollers, portions 76 of the cover substrate 20 between the edge regions 48a, 48b become positioned over receiving regions 26 of the substrate 16 to provide a protective cover about waste left thereon. The receiving region 26 of the receiving substrate 16 and the portions 76 of the cover substrate 20 extend a distance between the edge regions 44a, 48a and 44b, 48b which is commensurate with a distance, d, that the rollers 17a and 17b are spaced apart from one another. As the receiving portion 74 and cover portions 76 move between the rollers, the first dispenser 14 and the second dispenser 18 supply more sheet material from the rolls 16r and 20r to provide another receiving portion 74 and cover portions 76 for a subsequent use over the platform 12. Although the illustrated example employs dispensers 14, 18 which accommodate the substrates 16, 20 provided in rolls, other configurations are contemplated, including dispensers which provide individual pre-cut sheets of a receiving substrate and a cover substrate.
To effect bonding between the substrates 16 and 20, the substrate 16 includes adhesive layer segments 70 and 70′. Each of the contact surfaces 44s includes an edge region adhesive layer segment 70 to effect a seal between each pair of edge regions 44a, 48a and 44b, 48b as the pairs of edge regions are pressed together when passing between one of the rollers and the press plate. In other embodiments, the contact surfaces 48s of the cover substrate may include such adhesive layer segments 70 or the contact surfaces 44s, 48s of both the receiving substrate 16 and the cover substrate 20 may include the adhesive layer segments 70. In still other embodiments the adhesive layer segments 70 may be applied as a separate layer on the contact surfaces 44s and/or 48s to provide an interface between the surfaces 44s, 48s. Bonding with the layer may be effected, for example, during the process of moving the surfaces 44s, 48s between the rollers and the press plate. Generally, when the rollers 17a, 17b press the pairs 44a, 48a and 44b, 48b of edge regions together, an adhesive layer segment 70 bonds each pair of regions along the respective contact surfaces 44s, 48s, thereby sealing the edge regions together. Many other ways of sealing the edge regions will be apparent, these including ultrasonic seals and thermally activated seals.
The rollers 17a, 17b may serve multiple functions. In the example embodiment the rollers converge the edge region pairs 44a, 48a and 44b, 48b and simultaneously effect creation of seals 66a, 66b between edge regions in each pair. See, again,
With further reference to
In other embodiments (not illustrated) the rolls 16r are each wound on a hollow cylindrically shaped spool which extends between end plates. The spool extends along a central axis of the roll 16r or 20r. A removable and reusable spring loaded shaft is inserted through the spool and the end plates. Opposing ends of the dispenser 14 or 20 may be fitted with bearing members which each receive a different end of the shaft to hold the shaft and the spool in a fixed but rotatable position within the dispenser. The shaft may be formed of telescoping members connected with a spring which can be compressed along the central axis of the spool to shorten the length of the shaft. The shaft may be compressed in order to insert the ends of the shaft within the bearing members. Once positioned within the two bearing members the spring may be relaxed so that the shaft assumes a maximum length which constrains the shaft to remain engaged in seats of the bearing members. In other embodiments the shaft spring may become compressed in order to hold the shaft in position. For example, with the dispenser 18 having an exemplary bearing member 18b positioned on the hinged end plate 18p, and another bearing member at an opposing end of the dispenser (not shown), the roll 20r with a telescoping shaft (not shown) extending therethrough can be inserted into the dispenser and secured between the bearing members. When the end plate 18p is closed and locked in the closed position, a modest spring force, which results from a compression of the telescoping shaft, assures securement of the shaft and the roll 20r in a rotational position to dispense the substrate 20.
In other embodiments the fluid absorbent layer 84 may, as shown in
Between the discrete absorbent pads 86 there may be voids or spaces 88 which also extend between the edge regions 44a, 44b. The spaces 88 may be placed in portions of the roll 16r which are not incorporated into the sealed packages 32 after being processed by the system 10.
For each instance in which an animal, while positioned over the platform 12, provides waste on the receiving substrate 16, the system 10 undergoes a cycle of operation which creates a sealed package 32 and unrolls unused segments of the substrates 16, 20 for use in a subsequent cycle. That is, on each different occasion in which a pet provides waste, the cycle of operation includes both creation of a package 32 and provision of fresh segments of the substrates 16, 20 to receive and package waste on a next occasion.
With further reference to
For the example embodiment of
With respect to the roller 17a, the relevant surface having a sufficiently high coefficient of friction to assure frictional engagement between the roller and the surface 20b is the portion of the surface 20b, designated surface 48c in
The surfaces 48c and 48d may be coated with a material which provides suitable properties to assure driving engagement of the surfaces 48c, 48d with the rollers while the surface 16b is a relatively low friction surface. This arrangement enables the substrate 16 to slide along the press plate surface 13a and, consequently, facilitate movement of the converged substrates 16, 20. Thus the rollers 17a, 17b grip the surface 20b of the cover substrate 20 while the bottom surface 16b of the receiving substrate 16 slides easily across the press plate 13. In other embodiments there may be additional rollers against which rollers 17a, 17b press (e.g., in lieu of the press plate 13) to effect the seals 66a, 66b.
In the illustrated example, there is a separate shaft 100 for each roller 17a, 17b. A first pair of mounts 105a, 105b is provided to support the shaft associated with the roller 17a and a second pair of mounts 105a, 105b is provided to support the shaft associated with the roller 17b. Each shaft 100 has first and second opposing ends 100e and a mid portion 100m intermediate each shaft end 100. A first shaft end 100e and a shaft mid portion 100m on each shaft are journaled in different ones of the mounts 105a, 105b in a pair, while the second shaft end 100e (not shown) connects to engage the associated roller for rotation of the roller. The mid portion 100m is indicated with dashed lines in
The openings 103 in each pair of mounts are oblong, being configured to allow vertical displacements of the roller shaft 100. In the illustrated assembly the openings 103 in each pair of mounts 105a, 105b are slots which extend vertically with respect to the horizontal surfaces 12a, 13a. The slots 103 are sized to provide paths along which the ends of the associated shafts can travel upward or downward.
With reference to
In operation, when each roller 17a, 17b is manually moved to the lifted position, e.g., to, load the substrates 16, 20, the associated roller shaft 100 moves within the slot shaped opening 103. This increases belt tension which counters the force of the spring 110 and moves the tension pulley 108. As the roller 17a, 17b is released the counter force of the spring 110s becomes predominant, allowing the tension pulley to resume a position which assures presence of a bias force that urges the shaft 100 and the associated roller in the downward direction along the slotted opening 103. Consequently the roller is applied against the press plate 13 under the bias force of the spring 110s.
With reference to
With the platform length being adjustable, multiple sizes of receiving substrates are available for embodiments of receiving substrates 16 which utilize discrete pads 86 of the fluid absorbent material 84. Different rolls 16r of receiving substrates are provided for each pet size. The rolls for each different pet size are made with the lengths of all of the discrete pads 86 sized according to a selected platform size. When, for example, the platform is adjusted to the small length, the receiving substrate 16 loaded into the dispenser 14 provides discrete pads of a relatively small length. For a given length of the pads 86, the length 98 of the individual segments 91 (see
With reference to
With further reference to
The receiving substrate 16 includes a series of transverse adhesive layer segments 70′ oriented perpendicular to the direction of motion of the receiving substrate 16 to create transverse seals 130 for the bag 32 as more fully described herein. A cam lobe 143 as shown in
With regard to the transverse adhesive segments 70′ shown in
With reference to
The cam driven press 132 comprises a press bar 133.
The press 132 operates with movement of cams 142, each having a lobe, mounted for rotation on a variable speed cam shaft 204. See, again,
Each rocker arm 146 transfers movement from the cam 142 to the press bar 133. A roller 144 is rotatably affixed to the first end 148 of the rocker arm and the cam 142 is positioned for movement against a rotatable surface of the roller 144. As the cam rotates, the lobe 143 periodically comes into contact with the roller 144. As the lobe 143 of the rotating cam 142 moves against the rotatable surface of the roller 144, both the roller and the end 148 of the rocker arm 146 are displaced. Consequently, with the second end 150 of the rocker arm coupled to the press bar 133, rotation of the lobe 143 moves the press bar 133 in a cyclic manner between the sealing position and the position spaced away from the press plate 13.
To facilitate reciprocal movement of the press bar 133, the bar is coupled to a spring 154 which is tensioned to apply a force 153 which returns the press bar 133 to the position spaced away from the press plate 13 when the cam lobe is not forcing the press bar against the press plate. The spring 154 also provides a continual force which urges a contacting surface of the roller 144 to continuously move along a contacting surface of the cam 142.
As the press undergoes cyclic movement, movement of the lobe 143 of the rotating cam 142 along the rotatable surface of the roller 144 causes the press bar 133 to remain in rolling engagement against the upper surface 13a of the press plate 13 for a period of time determined by the shape of the lobe 143. When the cam includes a lobe having a relatively long, flat shape which forces the press bar to remain against the surface 13a along region 92 of substrate 16, it is during the entire portion of the cyclic period in which the portion of the lobe having the relatively long, flat shape is in contact with the rotatable surface of the roller 144, that the press is forced against the surface 13a. On the other hand, when the cam includes a lobe having a relatively short, pointed shape, and it is only the tip of the pointed shape which extends the press bar 133 against the surface 13a, then it is only during the portion of the cyclic period in which the point of the pointed shape of the lobe is in contact with the rotatable surface of the roller 144, that the press is forced against the surface 13a. Consequently, for a given cycle period the duration of time in which the press bar 133 can be forced to remain against the surface 13a can vary based on the shape of the cam lobe 143. The duration of time that the press bar 133 remains against the surface 13a can be limited to the amount of time required to form each transverse seal 130, it being recognized that the time required to form each seal may be a function of the force applied by the press bar 133 to the transverse adhesive layer segments 70′ sandwiched between the portions of the substrates 16 and 20 with which each seal 130 is formed. The force applied by the press bar can be chosen in view of safety considerations, which considerations include the speed at which the rollers 17a, 17b move the substrate material over the surface 13a and the maximum amount of force which is to be applied by the press bar.
The press 132 may be configured in numerous ways to apply a desired force to form the seals 130. The cam lobe 143 may have a relatively steep slope as shown in the figures, resulting in a tip having a relatively long arc length, e.g., extending sixty degrees. This produces a suitable dwell time during which the press is positioned to apply a sealing force against the transverse adhesive layer segments 70′.
The illustrated press 132 includes a safety mechanism comprising two extension arms 152, each positioned intermediate the press bar 133 and one of the rocker arms 146 to which the press bar is connected. The press bar 133 has first and second opposing ends 133a, 133b and the extension arm has first and second opposing ends 152a, 152b. The first end 133a of the press bar is rotatably coupled to a first end 152a of one extension arm and the second end 133b of the press bar is rotatably coupled to the first end 152a of the other extension arm. With this arrangement the press bar can freely rotate about the axis, A. The second end 152b of each extension arm is rotatably coupled to the second end 150 of one of the rocker arms 146. See, again,
Since each periodic segment 91 comprises a length 98 of each substrate 16, 20 determined in accord with a selected platform size, a corresponding time period is determined for the duration of each cam cycle. The time period of each cycle is determined to assure that the substrates 16, 20 are moved across the platform 12 and plate 13 a distance which corresponds to the uniform length 98 of the periodic segments 91 in the roll 16r as defined for the selected platform size.
Relative movement of the rollers and the cam are derived from a common drive shaft and operation of a gear system. The cam cycle period is adjustable based on selectable gear ratios to control the cam cycle period relative to the speed of the rollers. This assures movement of a proper amount of substrate material for a given platform size and the consequent length 98 of the chosen size of the periodic segments 91 of substrate material.
Each periodic segment 91 is of a predefined length 98 that corresponds to a chosen platform size. For the illustrated embodiments, the time period associated with cyclic movement of the press bar 133, i.e., the time of a period of cam rotation, is synchronized with the speed at which the rollers 17a, 17b move the substrates 16, 20 so that the substrates 16, 20 each move the predefined length 98 during the time period of a cam rotation. To effect appropriate adjustment of the timing to achieve desired synchrony, selectable gear ratios in the gear system adjust the time period of cam rotation. For each platform size appropriate gears are selected to set a predetermined time period for a complete cam cycle equal to the time period required for movement of a selected length 98 of substrates in conformity with the selected platform size. Thus the time period of each cam cycle corresponds to the amount of time needed to pass the correct length 98 of substrate materials under the rollers 17a, 17b while operating the press bar 133 to make a pair of transverse seals 130 in the same selected length 98. For each cam cycle, the movement of the periodic segments 91 is synchronized with cyclic movement of the press bar to provide a fully sealed bag.
For embodiments where the receiving substrate 16 includes discrete pads 86, e.g., positioned only in the receiving regions 26, which are formed on periodic substrate segments 91 of a length 98 (in accord with a chosen platform size), as well as for embodiments where the substrate 16 does not include discrete pads, the transverse adhesive layer segments 70′ are formed on a surface of the receiving substrate 16 or on a surface of the cover substrate 20 or on surfaces of both substrates. For embodiments where the substrate 16 does not include discrete pads, the transverse adhesive layer segments 70′ are formed on a surface of the receiving substrate 16 or on a surface of the cover substrate 20 or on surfaces of both substrates. If the receiving substrate 16 includes a continuous layer of fluid absorbent material 84 instead of the discrete pads, the segment 70′ may be applied directly over the fluid absorbent material 84 so that transverse seals 130 are formed between the fluid absorbent material 84 and the cover substrate 20. In another design, cut-out regions may be formed in the fluid absorbent material 84 with the segment 70′ formed in the cut-out regions.
Further, the edge region adhesive layer segments 70 and the transverse adhesive layer segments 70′ for the seals 130 may be simultaneously formed as one layer or level of adhesive on either or both of the substrates 16, 20. In certain embodiments, particularly those with which discrete pads 86 are formed on the substrate 16, it may be necessary to position one or both of the substrates 16, 20 with respect to the position of the press bar 133. This can assure that periodic features along one or both substrates are spatially in phase as they come together under the sealing action undertaken by the press bar 133 and thereby properly form a pair of transverse seals 130 for each bag 32.
Embodiments of the invention are also contemplated where neither of the substrates 16, needs to be positioned to coordinate with movement of the press bar 133 as the seals 130 are created. For example, when both the receiving substrate 16 and the cover substrate 20 have continuous surface features (e.g, a continuous layer of absorbent material on the substrate 16 and a continuous layer of adhesive material on the substrate 20), neither substrate needs to be positioned in accord with the movement of the press bar 130. It is also noted that in other embodiments the adhesive could be applied in spaced apart regions, i.e., intermittently along the entire length of a substrate, while the press bar spans a sufficient length (i.e., in the x-direction) to assure contact with sufficient adhesive to form the transverse seals 130.
The embodiment of the system 10 as shown in
A shifting mechanism for the transmission 192 is illustrated in
A roller drive shaft 194, which carries a set of drive shaft transmission gears 196, 198, 200, 202, is coupled to the motor 190 via a toothed motor drive belt 214. The belt 214 is coupled to the motor 190 via a motor gear 190g and is coupled to the shaft 194 via a shaft gear 190g. The gears 190g and 194g are sized to provide a suitable gear ratio in view of the motor speed and desired rotational speed of the drive shaft 194. Each secondary roller drive gear 101 is coupled for rotation to a primary roller drive gear 203 via a roller belt 107 to turn the rollers 17a, 17b. The primary roller drive gears 203 are affixed to the drive shaft 194. In the illustrated design the gears 203 are each positioned at an opposite end of the shaft 194.
A cam shaft 204 carries a set of cam shaft transmission gears 206, 208, 210, 212 which are each meshed with one of the drive shaft transmission gears 196, 198, 200, 202 for rotation powered by the drive shaft 194 and motor 190. The four drive shaft transmission gears 196, 198, 200, 202 are selectable for engagement with the cam shaft to drive the cam shaft 204 with one of four gear ratios. This enables the cam shaft 204 to be driven at one of four selected speeds in accord with a pet size selection made with the shifter 226. Arrows 216, 217, 218, 219, 220 and 222 are shown in the figures to indicate exemplary directions of rotation of individual components with respect to rotation of the motor 190.
In this exemplary embodiment the drive shaft transmission gears 196, 198, 200, 202 are coupled to invariably rotate with the roller drive shaft 194. As they turn with the drive shaft 194 the drive shaft transmission gears each turn one of the cam shaft transmission gears 206, 208, 210 or 212. However, the cam shaft transmission gears are not fixed to always rotate the cam shaft 204. Rather, each of the cam shaft transmission gears 206, 208, 210, 212 can be selectively engaged or disengaged for rotation of the cam shaft 204. When disengaged the cam shaft transmission gears can freely rotate with respect to the cam shaft 204. Each cam shaft transmission gear can be separately engaged to turn the cam shaft 204. Adjacent each of the cam shaft gears 206, 208, 210, 212 is an associated one of four fixed collars 224. Each collar 224 is invariably fixed to the cam shaft 204 for rotation therewith.
Although they are free to rotate, each of the cam shaft gears 206, 208, 210, 212 is fixed in position along the cam shaft between one of the fixed collars 224 and one of four rings 225 also fixed in position along the cam shaft. In this example, the rings 225 are coupled to invariably rotate with the cam shaft. All of the cam shaft transmission gears 206, 208, 210, 212 are mounted between one of the fixed collars 224 and one of the rings 225 to prevent sliding movement of the gears along the cam shaft 204 while permitting the gears to be selectably engaged with the fixed collars to drive rotation of the shaft 204 or to be selectably disengaged from the fixed collars so as to freely turn with respect to the cam shaft 204.
With reference to
Unless a particular key collar is engaged with an associated gear, the cam shaft 204 freely rotates within the key collar. Generally, each of the sliding key collars is a cylindrical body concentrically mounted about the cam shaft 204 to freely rotate about the cam shaft. Each sliding key collar includes a series of keys 246 operatively positioned on the key collar to effect selective insertion of each key 246 within a pair of keyways 249, 251 in an adjacent fixed collar and gear. Like the keyways 249, 251, the keys 246 also extend longitudinally along the axis about which the shaft 204 rotates so that they are insertable within the keyways 249, 251. Insertion is had by moving a key collar along the axis about which the cam shaft rotates and along the keyways by movement of the shifter handle 228. The keys and keyways have complementary shapes so that insertion of the keys 246 within the keyways 249, 251 locks the gear associated with the keyways gear 251 to an adjoining fixed collar 224. This results in an engagement of the cam shaft transmission gear with the cam shaft to drive rotation of the cams 142. Unless the keys 246 of a key collar are so inserted into the complimentary collar keyway 249 and gear keyway 251 to effect engagement with the associated gear, the cam shaft 204 freely rotates within the key collar.
Each sliding key collar is rotatably mounted within a key collar housing 240 and each key collar housing 240 is connected to a key collar bracket. With reference to
The sliding key collars 252, 254 are each mounted in separate key collar housings 248, 250 which are each attached to a different arm of a U shaped key collar bracket 236. A first arm 236a of the bracket 236 extends from the housing 248 and a second arm 236b extends from the housing 250. The arms are connected by a midsection 236c of the bracket 236 which includes a slotted opening 253 suitable for receiving the mid portion 228m of the shifter 226. Movement of the two key collars 252, 254 is had by engaging the mid portion 228m of the handle 228 in the opening 243 of the key collar bracket 236. With this arrangement the shift handle 228 may be locked in engagement with the key collar bracket 241 to slide both of the key collar housings 248, 250 and associated key collars 252, 254 along the cam shaft 204 to engage the keys 246 of one of the key collars 252, 254 within the keyways 249, 251 of a fixed collar 224 and an associated cam shaft transmission gear. The key collar brackets 236 and 241 are secured to one another or a housing of the system 10 to prevent rotation of the brackets while the sliding key collars 242, 244, 252, 254 are free to rotate with respect to the cam shaft 204 and while the shift handle 228 is rotated between the key collar brackets 236 and 241 for selective engagement in one of the slotted opening 243 or 253.
A feature of the transmission 192 is that the sliding movement of one pair of key collars 242, 244 is separately controlled relative to the sliding movement of the other pair of key collars 252, 254 even though all of the collars are on the same cam shaft 204 and engagement of all key collars is controlled by movement of the same shift handle 228. This is possible because the shift handle 228 can be rotated into a locking engagement in either one of two different key collar brackets 236, 240.
At any given time only one of the cam shaft transmission gears can be selectably engaged with a fixed collar 224 to rotate the cam shaft 204 as the roller drive shaft 194 is rotated under the power of the motor 190. Selective engagement of a single one of the cam shaft transmission gears 206, 208, 210, 212 to rotate the cam shaft 204 is effected with only one of the four collars 224 while the other cam shaft transmission gears remain disengaged. Depending on the selected platform size one of the four cam shaft gears 206, 208, 210, 212 is selected for a sliding engagement along the cam shaft 204 with the associated collar through movement of the shift handle 228. The cam shaft 204 turns via transfer of torque from the selected cam shaft transmission gear through the associated collar 224 to provide a predetermined rotational speed (ωcam) to the cam shaft 204 and the associated cams 142 affixed thereto.
With the drive shaft transmission gears 196, 198, 200, 202 fixed to the roller drive shaft 194 for rotation therewith, selection of a cam shaft transmission gear 206, 208, 210 or 212 engages a pair of connected transmission gears to the cam shaft 204. The motor 190 drives the motor drive belt 214 that drives the roller drive shaft 194 which drives the cam shaft 204 via the selected transmission gear pair, which drives the cam shaft 204 at a speed determined by the gear ratios of the selected gear pair. The selectable gear pairs are, from left to right in
The position of any one of the four sliding key collars 242, 244, 252, 254 is set by raising or lowering the shift handle 228 along 230-v to place the handle 228 in locking engagement within one of the openings 243, 253 and then moving the handle to the left or right along one of the horizontal slots 230-u, 230-1 to a position which engages keys of one key collar within key slots of a fixed collar 224 and associated cam shaft transmission gear.
In order to set the system size to “LARGE” OR “EXTRA LARGE” which results in relatively slower rotational speeds of the cam shaft 204 (thereby increasing the period of the cycle of the cam 142 and hence increasing the length 98 of the segments 91), the size selector handle 228 is moved downward along the vertical slot 230-v to the lower horizontal slot 230-1 for engagement within the slotted opening 253 of the bracket 236 (
With reference to
Shift handle 228 extends through an “H” pattern of connected slots 230 formed in a guide plate 232. The connected slots include an upper horizontal slot 230-u, a lower horizontal slot 230-1 and a extending between the horizontal slots. The frame 256 further includes a Small-Medium setting slot 262 and a Large-Extra Large setting slot 264. The Small-Medium setting slot 262 guides movement of the shift handle 228 and the single arm key collar bracket 241 along the upper horizontal slot 230-u between the Small and the Medium positions. The Large-Extra Large setting slot 264 guides the size selector handle 228 and the size selector second fixing assembly 236 between the “Large” and the “Extra Large”.
An embodiment of the invention has been described which utilizes a combination of a transmission 192, a platform adjustable in length to accommodate pets of different sizes, and rolls 16r, 20r of substrates which are available in different sizes suitable, each size for use with a different platform length. The ability to vary the size of the system 10 automatically generates sealed packages or bags 32 for any selected platform size. More generally, there has been disclosed a system which automatically seals deposited animal waste into sealed packages which can be retained until a caregiver is able to dispose of them. The disclosed illustrations of the system 10 are an exemplary implementation of the inventive concepts that variations of such a system could be employed to accomplish the same task while remaining within the scope of the invention.
Systems according to the invention may include one or more of the following features: A platform adjustable in length to accommodate pets of varied size; an automatic adjustment mechanism which adapts the system to accommodate receiving substrates of varied size as need be to conform with a selected platform length; a mechanism for creating a first pair of spaced-apart seals along a first direction and a second pair of spaced-apart seals along a second direction transverse to the first direction; a bag defined in accord with the pairs of spaced-apart seals; and a sensor switching mechanism which may, for example, be a weight sensor, that operates the system in response to a pet first standing on the platform and then walking off of the platform. Operation of systems according to the invention is based on recognition that a pet can stand over an area of the platform in order for waste to be deposited on the portion of the receiving substrate positioned over that area of the platform and will subsequently leave the platform area. A change in output from the weight sensor triggers system operation to convey the receiving substrate and the cover substrate so that the portion of the receiving substrate on which waste is deposited moves toward an area of the system where that portion of the receiving substrate and a portion of the cover substrate are bonded together to form a bag with the pairs of seals to completely seal the waste within the bag.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been described, such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims which follow.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/777,436, filed Mar. 12, 2013 which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61777436 | Mar 2013 | US |