Self-cleaning litter box

Abstract

A self-cleaning litter box for cats employs a comb drive to drive a comb through litter to remove waste from the litter. A sensor for detecting the presence of an obstruction is coupled to the comb drive and stops the comb drive upon detecting an obstruction. A manual mode selector switch and an actuating switch are provided to manually activate the cleaning of the litter box at a time deemed appropriate by the cat owner. A foot pedal unit may be provided for semi-automatic use. A removable tray for cat litter may be provided. The tray may be disposable. A pivotable ramp facilitates ingress to, and egress from, the litter box. The ramp may be carpeted. A tray receives the litter box and a hood encloses the litter box to provide privacy.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. A cat litter apparatus, comprising:
 a litter chamber; 
 an enclosure located over said litter chamber, said litter chamber being removable from said enclosure; 
 a removable litter tray disposed in sliding engagement with a bottom of the litter chamber to receive the litter; and 
 a tray lock latching mechanism for selectively retaining the tray in the litter chamber, said tray lock latching mechanism comprising a resilient locking tab on a selected one of said tray and said litter chamber and a locking projection on the other of said tray and said litter chamber, said tab being removably retained in by said projection as a result of said tray being completely slid into the litter chamber. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the further comprising a tray lock that is selectively moved between a locking position and an unlocking position, a portion of said tray lock interfering with an end of the removable tray to also retain the tray in the housing said litter chamber when the lock is in the locking position. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a comb disposed in said litter chamber; 
 a comb drive coupled to said comb and including a drive motor; and 
 a sensor coupled to said drive motor and positioned to detect contact with an obstruction while said comb moves between a storage position and a discharge position. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said sensor provides a shut-off signal to said comb drive in response to detection of the obstruction. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said sensor includes a switch electrically coupled to said drive motor, said switch being movable between an open position and a closed position, said switch providing the shut-off signal to said comb drive when in the closed position. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said sensor is a leaf switch. 
     
     
       7. A litter box, comprising:
 a housing defining a litter chamber; 
 a removable tray for receiving cat litter, said tray being located in the litter chamber and being in slidable engagement with a bottom of the litter chamber; 
 a comb movably disposed in the removable tray for raking the cat litter supported in the tray; and 
 a lock latching mechanism for retaining the removable tray in the housing, the lock latching mechanism including a locking projection coupled to the housing and a resilient locking tab coupled to the removable tray, the locking tab selectively engaging the locking projection as a result of said tray being completely slid into the litter chamber. 
 
     
     
       8. A cat litter apparatus, comprising:
 a litter chamber;   a removable tray disposed in sliding engagement with a bottom of the litter chamber to receive the litter; and   a latching mechanism adapted to selectively retain the tray in the litter chamber, the latching mechanism comprising a resilient locking tab on the tray and a locking projection on the litter chamber, the tab being removably retained by the projection as a result of said tray being completely slid into the litter chamber.    
     
     
       9. The cat litter apparatus, as set forth in claim 8, comprising a lid coupled to the litter chamber.  
     
     
       10. The cat litter apparatus, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the tray is formed of a plastic material.  
     
     
       11. The cat litter apparatus, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the tray is disposable.  
     
     
       12. A litter box, comprising:
 a litter chamber;   a removable tray adapted to receive litter, the tray being located in the litter chamber;   a comb movably disposed in the litter chamber between a storage position and a discharge position, the comb being drivable by a motor to rake the litter supported in the tray;   a sensor coupled to the motor and positioned to detect contact with an obstruction when said comb is between the storage position and the discharge position; and   a latching mechanism for retaining the removable tray in the housing, the latching mechanism including a locking projection coupled to the housing and a resilient locking tab coupled to the removable tray, the locking tab selectively engaging the locking projection.    
     
     
       13. The litter box, as set forth in claim 12, comprising a lid coupled to the litter chamber.  
     
     
       14. The litter box, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the tray is formed of a plastic material.  
     
     
       15. The litter box, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the tray is disposable.