Animal Toileting System and Method

Abstract

An animal toileting system including a device ( 10 ) having a zone ( 19 ) into which an animal may urinate, defecate or both. The zone ( 19 ) has an aperture ( 18 ) through which animal waste may pass. A number of inserts ( 30, 32, 34 ) are provided that reduce or block the size of the aperture ( 18 ).

1 . A companion animal toileting system including:
 a base unit adapted to be temporarily supported on the rim of a toilet bowl, the base unit having:
 a generally horizontal upper wall portion having a lower surface adapted to be placed on the top of the rim of the toilet; 
 a recess in the upper wall that extends below the lower surface and in use into the bowl and into which a companion animal may urinate, defecate or both, the recess defined by:
 a closed curve opening in the upper wall portion; 
 at least one side wall portion that extends downwards from the upper wall portion, and 
 at least one support portion extending inwards from the side wall portion and spaced vertically below the lower surface, the at least one support portion and at least one side wall portion defining a first aperture, through which animal waste may pass into the bowl of the toilet; 
 
   and,   at least one blocking member having a second base wall portion sized to be received in the recess and supported in the recess by the at least one support portion, the effective size of the first aperture being adjustable to one of a plurality of different sizes by supporting at least one blocking member in the recess.   
     
     
         2 . The animal toileting system of  claim 1  wherein at least one blocking member has a second aperture in the second base wall portion defined by a closed curve. 
     
     
         3 . The animal toileting system of  claim 1  having at least one blocking member having at least one line of weakness whereby a second aperture in the second base wall portion may be created or increased in size by removal of at least one part of the second base wall portion. 
     
     
         4 . The animal toileting system of  claim 1  including a plurality of blocking members, each having a second base wall portion with a second aperture therein, the second apertures in at least two of the blocking members being of different sizes and being smaller than the first aperture. 
     
     
         5 . The animal toileting system of  claim 1  wherein at least one blocking member has a retaining wall adjacent to and surrounding the second aperture extending upwards from an upper surface of the second base wall portion adjacent the retaining wall. 
     
     
         6 . The animal toileting system of  claim 1  including a substitutable non-apertured blocking member that totally or substantially totally blocks the first aperture. 
     
     
         7 . The animal toileting system of  claim 1  wherein at least one blocking member includes a peripheral wall extending upwards from the upper surface of the second base wall portion adjacent an outer periphery of the blocking member. 
     
     
         8 . The animal toileting system of  claim 7  wherein the height of the peripheral wall is substantially the same as the height of the side wall portion. 
     
     
         9 . The animal toileting system of  claim 1  wherein the second base wall portion includes at least one stiffening structure for stiffening the second base wall portion. 
     
     
         10 . The animal toileting system of  claim 9  wherein the second base wall portion is generally planar and wherein the at least one stiffening structure extends upwardly from the plane of the second wall portion. 
     
     
         11 . The animal toileting system of  claim 9  wherein the at least one stiffening structure includes at least one ridge or discontinuity in the second base wall portion. 
     
     
         12 . The animal toileting system of  claim 1  wherein the base unit includes an outer retaining wall portion that extends downwards from an outer periphery of the upper wall portion below the lower surface of the upper wall portion and with the side wall portion defines a recess to receive at least part of the rim of a toilet. 
     
     
         13 . The animal toileting system of  claim 12  wherein the outer retaining wall portion has a lower edge substantially coplanar with a lower surface of the first base wall portion. 
     
     
         14 . The animal toileting system of  claim 1  including first and second blocking members, the first blocking member having a second aperture in the second base wall portion, the second blocking member adapted to be supported on the the first blocking member and configured to at least partially block the second aperture. 
     
     
         15 . The animal toileting system of  claim 1  wherein at least one blocking member is sized to fit within another blocking member. 
     
     
         16 . The animal toileting system of  claim 1  wherein said second base wall portion of at least one blocking member includes at least one detachable portion defined in part by a line or weakness or perforations, whereby an aperture in the blocking member may be created or the size of an aperture in the blocking member may be modified by detaching the detachable portion from the remainder of said second base wall portion. 
     
     
         17 . A method of training an animal to use a human toilet bowl, the method including the steps of:
 a. providing a base unit,
 the base unit having 
 a generally horizontal upper wall portion having a lower surface adapted to be placed on the top of the rim of the toilet; 
 a recess in the upper wall that extends below the lower surface and in use into the bowl and into which a companion animal may urinate, defecate or both, the recess defined by:
 a closed curve opening in the upper wall portion; 
 at least one side wall portion that extends downwards from the upper wall portion, and 
 at least one support portion extending inwards from the at least one side wall portion and spaced vertically below the lower surface, the at least one support portion and at least one side wall portion defining a first aperture, through which animal waste may pass into the bowl of the toilet; 
 
 at least one blocking member having a second base wall portion sized to be received in the recess and supported in the recess by the at least one support portion; 
 the effective size of the first aperture being adjustable to one of a plurality of different sizes by supporting at least one blocking member on the base unit in the recess, 
   b. positioning the base unit on a toilet bowl; and,   c. training the animal to urinate, defecate or both into the recess whilst the base unit is on the toilet bowl, and   d. changing the effective size of the first aperture by altering the at least one blocking member supported in the recess.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein initially the recess is accessible to the companion animal but the first aperture is fully or substantially fully closed. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  including providing a non-apertured blocking member and wherein initially said non-apertured blocking member is located in the recess of the base unit to substantially or fully close the first aperture. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the effective size of the first aperture is progressively increased by substituting a blocking member supported in the recess of the base unit with another blocking member. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said second base wall portion of at least one blocking member includes at least one first detachable portion defined in part by a second line or weakness or perforations, whereby an aperture in the blocking member may be created or the size of an aperture in the blocking member may be modified by detaching at least one first detachable portion from the remainder of said second base wall portion and wherein the method includes removing at least one detachable portion. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  also including, before step b., first positioning the base unit on the floor with no aperture in the first base wall or with the aperture in the first base wall fully blocked by a non apertured blocking member, and training the animal to urinate, defecate or both into the recess whilst the base unit is located on the floor and then placing the base unit on the toilet. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  including placing absorbent material in at least part of the recess. 
     
     
         24 . A blocking member for a companion animal toileting system, the companion animal toileting system having a base unit adapted to be temporarily supported on the rim of a toilet bowl defining a first aperture in a first base wall, through which animal waste may pass into the bowl of the toilet,
 the blocking member adapted to be supported on the base unit so as to at least partially block the first aperture;   the blocking member having:
 a second base wall portion with a second aperture therein, or 
 at least one line or weakness in the second base wall portion defining at least one first detachable portion, whereby an aperture in the blocking member may be created or the size of an aperture in the blocking member may be modified by detaching at least one first detachable portion from the remainder of said second base wall portion. 
   
     
     
         25 . The blocking member of  claim 24  wherein at least one blocking member has a second aperture defined by a closed curve. 
     
     
         26 . A blocking member of  claim 24  wherein the blocking member has a plurality of lines of weakness in the second base wall portion defining a plurality of detachable portions wherein a second aperture of a plurality of different sizes may be created by removing one or more of the detachable portions. 
     
     
         27 . The blocking member of  claim 24  having at least one retaining wall adjacent to and surrounding the second aperture or a line of weakness extending upwards from an upper surface of the second base wall portion adjacent the retaining wall. 
     
     
         28 . The blocking member of  claim 24  having a peripheral wall extending upwards from the upper surface of the second base wall portion adjacent an outer periphery of the blocking member. 
     
     
         29 . The blocking member of  claim 24  wherein the second base wall portion includes at least one stiffening structure for stiffening the second base wall portion. 
     
     
         30 . The blocking member of  claim 24  wherein the second base wall portion is generally planar and wherein the at least one stiffening structure extends upwardly from the plane of the second wall portion. 
     
     
         31 . The blocking member of  claim 24  wherein the at least one stiffening structure includes at least one ridge or discontinuity in the second base wall portion. 
     
     
         32 . A set of blocking members for a companion animal toileting system, the companion animal toileting system having a base unit adapted to be temporarily supported on the rim of a toilet bowl defining a first aperture in a first base wall, through which animal waste may pass into the bowl of the toilet,
 the blocking members adapted to be supported on the base unit so as to at least partially block the first aperture;   at least two blocking members having a second base wall portion with a second aperture of a size therein, at least the sizes of two of the second apertures being different.   
     
     
         33 . The set of blocking members of  claim 32  including at least one blocking member having at least one line of weakness whereby a second aperture in the second base wall portion may be created or increased in size by removal of at least one part of the second base wall portion. 
     
     
         34 . The set of blocking members of  claim 32  wherein at least one blocking member has a retaining wall adjacent to and surrounding the second aperture extending upwards from an upper surface of the second base wall portion adjacent the retaining wall. 
     
     
         35 . The set of blocking members  claim 32  including a non-apertured blocking member. 
     
     
         36 . The set of blocking members of  claim 32  wherein at least one blocking member includes a peripheral wall extending upwards from the upper surface of the second base wall portion adjacent an outer periphery of the blocking member. 
     
     
         37 . The set of blocking members of  claim 32  including first and second blocking members, the first blocking member having a second aperture in the second base wall portion, the second blocking member adapted to be supported on the first blocking member and configured to at least partially block the second aperture. 
     
     
         38 . The set of blocking members of  claim 32  wherein at least one blocking member is sized to fit within another blocking member.