MOTORED TOOL FOR REMOVING DOG EXCREMENTS

Description

[0001] The present invention deals with a portable tool which allows owners of domestic dogs to remove from the ground the animal excrement comfortably, by operating in an erect position, and hygienically, avoiding the risk of contact with these wastes.

[0002] Among the solutions that allow owners of domestic dogs to remove from the ground solid wastes produced by their own animals, numerous devices having different types have been patented. Herein below the most relevant patents are grouped by category.

[0003] Manually-actuated tools - US-A-3606436, US-A-3841686, US-A-4097082, US-A-4119337, US-A-4477111, FR-A1-2650608, NL-A-9100074, US-A-5350208, US-A-5628537, US-A-5895082, FR-A1-2790494, US-B1-6305322, WO-A1-03094606, US-A1-2005082854, US-B1-7198310, DE-U1-202008007365, GB-A-2452149, US-A1-2010084881, WO-A2-2010048140, DE-U1-202010006394. These tools are normally composed of a rod, which is fixed or able to be elongated, which has a handle at an end and various mechanisms at the opposite end (jaws, spoons, etc.) adapted to collect and moved by manually-actuated levers or push-buttons.

[0004] Suction-type tools - US-A-4478448, FR-A3-2554841, DE-A1-4138568, DE-C1-19616727, US-A-5661873, GB-A-2331006, US-A1-2004194248, DE-U1-202005009487, US-A1-2007024070, FR-A1-2893640, US-A1-2008030032, CA-A1-2745363, WO-A2-2011124969. These tools, which are motored or not, operate according to the principle of common vacuum cleaners. In addition to their portability limits given by their weight, they however require cleaning and disinfecting after their use, since the excrement material comes in contact with the external or internal parts of the tool.

[0005] Motored tools - US-A1-12008042456, US-A1-2010176611, US-B1-7780209. Structurally similar to the above-mentioned manual tools, these tools are equipped with a motor. In these cases, however, their structure is rigid, impairing their portability, and moreover they do not provide for arrangements to avoid the contact of wastes with tool parts during their use, with practical and hygienic problems, as mentioned above for suction-type tools.

[0006] Other motored arrangements - FR-A1-2630141, GB-A-12276803, FR-A1-2750443, US-A1-2007204887, WO-A2-2011073900, US-A1-2011247566, US-A1-2012001006, US-A1-2012192902. Such apparatuses essentially operate as surface cleaning tools (for example floor washing machines) by means of rollers and with the help of fluids, sometimes in connection with water plants, or electronic sensors (US-A1-2011247566). Their complexity necessarily affects their use practice and their cost.

[0007] Taking into account what has been mentioned above, the invention proposes a tool, which has features such as comfort and user friendliness (motorization), easy portability (structure adapted to be shortened) and maximum hygiene during use (disposable bags shaped in order to avoid contacts of tools or hands with wastes to be removed).

[0008] The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will appear from the following description, are obtained by a tool as claimed in Claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are claimed in the dependent Claims.

[0009] It is intended that all enclosed claims are an integral part of the present disclosure.

[0010] In order to obtain the above object, the inventive tool has a series of features and advantages which will result from the following description, given as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 shows the main construction members of the tool according to the invention;
• Figure 2 shows the lower area of the tool and, with more detail, shows some parts, which allow the system to operate, in which the same components are shown only once.
• Figures 3, 4 and 5 show the various steps of opening of the tines and the bag supported thereby, which in the final step arrives to an open position and parallel to the ground;
• Figure 6 shows the tool in a retracted mode for its transport,
• Figure 7 shows the containing bag with its related wings and a perimeter band for its closure; and
• Figures 8 and 9 show an alternative arrangement of a containing bag always equipped with perimeter band, but without wings, with a bent edge in order to form, in its lower part, two pockets suitable to house therein the tines, thereby making the lower bag edge integral with the tines themselves.

[0011] It will be immediately obvious that numerous variations and modifications (for example related to shape, sizes, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) could be made to what is described, without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the enclosed claims.

[0012] With reference to the drawings, 1 designates the members of the central structure, which supports on one side the handle 2 and on another side the support 8, which in turn bears the motor 15 with related train of reduction gears, in addition to the cylinders 9, which rotate for a certain predetermined number of degrees with respect to the mechanical interference with the base 19, meshing on the gears 16 moved by the motor 15. The members of the central structure are shown as telescopic tubes, but other arrangements are also possible (for example, connected segments which can be bent), possibly with a different number of members. Such structure contains the metallic springs 7 which allow its extension, in addition to operate as electric poles for supplying the motor 15, and the motor protecting chassis which also supports the contacts of the electric circuit 5.

[0013] The cylinders 9 are equipped with a pin, which supports the tines 10, which rotate around said pin through the action of torsion springs 17 when they are not kept by the stops 18, in turn hinged onto the cylinders 9 and kept in position by elastic members.

[0014] Said tines 10 support the bag 11, which is disposable and replaceable and made of plastic or paper, equipped with semi-rigid wings 12 made of cardboard or plastic, and with a closed edge within which a perimeter band 13 slides, which has an external end 14 (Figure 7). Such wings 12 are shaped so that, once having inserted the bag 11 onto the tines 10 in a closed position, the internal wing edge is coincident, while their external edge is integral with the tines themselves, following their movement.

[0015] An alternative arrangement is given by the bag 20 without the above wings, equipped with lower edged 21 bent in such a way as to form a pocket, which allows inserting the tines 10 (Figure 8), which are then integral with the bag itself (Figure 9). Also in this configuration, the bag is equipped with a perimeter band 13, which allows its closure and its detachment through a traction of its end 14.

[0016] The handle 2 contains the supply battery 3, the polarity-reversal switch 4 plus neutral position, the electric circuit 5 equipped with fuse for a compatibility with the current Machine Directive in force for EC homologation, and the locking push-button 6, which keeps the members 1 retracted when the tool is not used.

[0017] In order to perform the removal operation, an operator must insert a disposable bag onto the tines 10, in a bent position against the structure (Figure 3), and press the locking push-button 6, making the tool extend due to the springs 7 which operate on the handle 2 and on the support 8. Once having rest the base 19 onto the ground, in a suitable position with respect to the waste to be removed, by actuating the motor 15 with the switch 4, the operator obtains the rotation of the cylinders 9 along opposite directions, which in turn open the tines 10, these latter ones deploying the bag 11 integral therewith through the wings 12 (Figure 4) or the side pockets 21 for the bag 20 (Figure 9). Next to the maximum opening position, the movement of the stoppers 18 due to interference with the base 19 releases the tines 10, which are taken to a parallel position to the ground, due to the springs 17, dragging the open bag 11 over the waste to be removed (Figure 5).

[0018] The tines 10 and the wings 12 have, with respect to the front plane, a suitable slanting for generating, together with the internal edge, a ground scrapping effect.

[0019] At that time, the actuation of the switch 4 along the opposite direction makes the tines, and consequently the bag, close, which scrapes the ground with the wings 12, that go back with the internal edges coincident, removing the waste and closing it into the bag itself.

[0020] The same result is obtained, in case of a bag 20, by scraping the ground with the tines 10 inserted in the side pockets 21 of the bag itself. In this case, the tines 10 are shaped so that, in a closed position, the respective internal edges are coincident. The operator can then retract the tool and, by pulling the perimeter band 13 at its ends 14, at the same time makes the bag close, without risks of contact with the waste, and its detachment from the tines 10. The bag configuration is such that the internal side of the edge always covers the lower side of the tines, avoiding the risk of contaminating these latter ones. The operation is then completed with the suitable disposal of the used bag and with its replacement with a new one.

[0021] Figure 6 shows the members 1 in a retracted position and the tines 10 being bent: with such configuration, the user can easily bring the tool with himself as necessary.

Claims

1. Motored tool for removing dog excrement, comprising a central structure with many members (1), which make it adapted to be extended and retracted when it is not used, the structure further containing elastic members (7),
said structure supporting on one side a handle (2) containing a supply battery (3), a polarity-reversal switch (4), part of an electric circuit (5) equipped with fuse and a locking push-button (6) of the members of the central structure when it is retracted, and on another side a support (8) which supports an electric motor (15) with related train of gears (16), cylindrical members (9) moved by said gears (16) and rotating with respect to a vertical axis of the structure by a pre-set angle,
said cylindrical members (9) supporting moving tines (10) actuated by springs (17), in addition to devices for blocking the tines (10) themselves,
said tines (10) supporting a removable bag (11) equipped with shaped wings (12) in order to allow its integral insertion with said tines (10), and having a shaped edge in order to preserve the tool members from a contact with wastes during the waste removal operations,
wherein, in order to limit the overall sizes when it is not used, the moving tines (10) are kept in a parallel position to the central structure by blocking devices, wherein the tool is so configured that, next to the end-of-stroke of the cylindrical members (9), corresponding to the almost complete opening of the bag (11), the blocking devices of the tines (10) are adapted to automatically free the tines (10) themselves, which, due to the action of the respective springs (17), are adapted to go to a substantially parallel position with respect to the ground, together with the supported bag (11).

2. Motored tool according to claim 1, characterised in that the elastic members (7) contained in the structure operate both as springs (7) to extend the tool in its use position by actuating said locking push-button (6), and as supply conductors of the electric motor (15).

3. Motored tool according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the containing bag (11) is equipped with a perimeter band (13) without wings, with a bent edge (21), in order to form, in its lower part, two pockets adapted to house the tines (10), thereby making the lower edge of the bag (11) integral with the tines (10) themselves.

4. Motored tool according to claim 3, characterised in that, under the action of the motor (15), the cylindrical members (9) are adapted to rotate along opposite directions, mutually moving away the tines (10) still in a parallel position to the structure, said tines (10) integral with the wings (12) or the pockets (21) of the bag (11), thereby deploying the bag (11) itself, which had been inserted onto said tines (10) as bent and with the internal edges of the wings (12) or the pockets (21) coincident.

5. Motored tool according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the polarity-reversal switch (4) is adapted to obtain an opening when it is actuated along a direction, while, when it is actuated along an opposite direction, is adapted to generate the inverse rotation of the cylinders (9), and therefore the closure of the tines (10).

6. Motored tool according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the tines (10) and the wings (12) of the bag (11) are shaped so that said tines (10) and said wings (12) form, with respect to the front plane, an angle which is suitable for performing a scraping operation during the closing phase, suitable for removing the wastes, and, upon closing the bag (11), going back as coincident with the internal edges of the wings (12) or the tines (10).

7. Motored tool according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the bag (11) is equipped with a perimeter band (13) sliding in the edge of the bag (11) itself, which, with the traction of an end (14) thereof, allows easily closing the bag (11) after its use and simultaneously detaching it from the tines (10), allowing the efficient disposal of the used bag (11) and the following insertion of a spare bag (11).

Ansprüche

1. Motorangetriebenes Gerät für die Entfernung von Hundekot mit einer mittleren Struktur (1) mit mehreren Elementen, durch die sie verlängert oder verkürzt werden kann, wenn sie nicht benutzt wird, die Struktur schließt außerdem elastische Elemente (7) ein,
Die genannte Struktur besteht auf einer Seite aus einem Griff (2), der eine Versorgungsbatterie (3), einen Polaritätsumkehrschalter (4), den Teil eines Stromkreises (5), welcher mit einer Sicherung und einer Sperrtaste (6) der Elemente der mittleren Struktur versehen ist, wenn diese eingezogen ist, und auf der anderen aus einer Halterung (8), die den Elektromotor (15) mit entsprechendem Zahnradgetriebe (16) trägt, aus zylinderförmigen Elementen (9), die durch die genannten Zahnräder (16) bewegt werden und sich gegenüber der vertikalen Achse der Struktur um einen vordefinierten Winkel drehen, besteht,
Die genannten zylinderförmigen Elemente (9) tragen bewegliche Zinken (10), die durch Federn (17) angetrieben werden, sowie Blockiervorrichtungen dieser Zinken (10),
Die genannten Zinken (10) tragen einen abnehmbaren Beutel (11), der mit geformten Rippen (12) ausgestattet ist, um die feste Einführung mit den genannten Zinken (10) zu ermöglichen, und der einen gleichförmigen Rand hat, um die Elemente des Geräts, die bei der Entfernung des Abfalls mit dem Abfall in Kontakt kommen, zu schützen,
in dem zur Begrenzung des Platzbedarfs, wenn das Gerät nicht verwendet wird, die beweglichen Zinken (10) von den Blockiervorrichtungen in paralleler Position zur mittleren Struktur gehalten werden, wobei das Gerät so konfiguriert ist, dass die Blockiervorrichtungen der Zinken (10) am Anschlag der zylinderförmigen Elemente (9) entsprechend der fast vollständigen Öffnung des Beutels (11) dazu dienen, diese Zinken (10) automatisch freizugeben, die durch die Wirkung der entsprechenden Federn (17) dazu dienen, sich zusammen mit dem getragenen Beutel (11) in eine grundlegend parallele Position gegenüber dem Boden zu begeben.

2. Motorangetriebenes Gerät gemäß Patentanspruch 1, das dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass die elastischen Elemente (7), die in der Struktur enthalten sind, sowohl als Federn (7), um das Gerät in der Gebrauchsposition zu verlängern, indem die genannte Sperrtaste (6) betätigt wird, als auch als Versorgungsleiter des Elektromotors (15) dienen.

3. Motorangetriebenes Gerät gemäß einem beliebigen der vorhergehenden Patentansprüche, das dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass der Behälterbeutel (11) mit einer Außenschnur ohne Rippen, mit gebogenem Rand (21) ausgestattet ist, um an seinem unteren Teil zwei Taschen zu bilden, die dazu dienen, die Zinken (10) aufzunehmen, sodass der untere Beutelrand (11) ein Stück mit diesen Zinken (10) bildet.

4. Motorangetriebenes Gerät gemäß Patentanspruch 3, das dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass die zylinderförmigen Elemente (9) unter der Wirkung des Motors (15) dazu dienen, sich in entgegen gesetzte Richtungen zu drehen und die Zinken (10) voneinander zu entfernen, die noch in paralleler Position zur Struktur liegen, die genannten Zinken (10), die ein Stück mit den Rippen (12) oder den Taschen (21) des Beutels (11) bilden, lösen auf diese Weise die Entfaltung dieses Beutels (11) aus, der gefaltet in die genannten Zinken (11) und mit den Innenrändern der Rippen (12) oder den zusammentreffenden Taschen (21) eingeführt war.

5. Motorangetriebenes Gerät gemäß einem beliebigen der vorhergehenden Patentansprüche, das dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass der Polaritätsumkehrschalter (4) dazu dient, eine Öffnung zu erhalten, wenn er in einer Richtung aktiviert wird, während er, wenn er in einer entgegen gesetzten Richtung aktiviert wird, dazu dient, die umgekehrte Drehung der Zylinder (9) und damit die Schließung der Zinken (10) auszulösen.

6. Motorangetriebenes Gerät gemäß einem der vorhergehenden Patentansprüche, das dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass die Zinken (10) und die Rippen (12) des Beutels (11) so geformt sind, dass die genannten Zinken (10) und die genannten Rippen (12) gegenüber der vorderen Ebene einen Winkel bilden, der dazu dient, in der Schließphase eine abkratzende Wirkung auszuüben, die zur Beseitigung des Abfalls dient, und bei der Schließung des Beutels (11) zusammentreffend mit den Innenrändern der Rippen (12) oder der Zinken (10) zurückkehrt.

7. Motorangetriebenes Gerät gemäß einem beliebigen der vorhergehenden Patentansprüche, das dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass der Beutel (11) mit einer verschiebbaren Außenschnur (13) im Rand dieses Beutels (11) ausgestattet ist, diese Schnur (13) ermöglicht durch Ziehen an ihrem Ende (14) die bequeme Schließung des Beutels (11) nach dem Gebrauch und die gleichzeitige Lösung der Zinken (10), sodass die entsprechende Entsorgung des verbrauchten Beutels (11) und die darauf folgende Einführung eines Ersatzbeutels (11) ermöglicht werden.

Revendications

1. Instrument motorisé pour ramasser les excréments de chien comprenant une structure centrale (1) à plusieurs éléments qui la rendent extensible et rétractable quand elle n'est pas utilisée ; la structure contient aussi des éléments élastiques (7),
d'un côté de la structure, il y a une poignée (2) contenant une batterie d'alimentation (3), un interrupteur à inversion de polarité (4), une partie du circuit électrique (5) doté d'un fusible et un bouton de blocage (6) des éléments de la structure centrale quand elle est rétractée ; de l'autre côté, il y a un support (8) qui soutient le moteur électrique (15) avec le train d'engrenages relatif (16), des éléments cylindriques (9) actionnés par ces engrenages (16) qui tournent sur un axe vertical de la structure pour obtenir un angle prédéfini,
les éléments cylindriques (9) soutiennent des dents mobiles (10) actionnées par des ressorts (17) ainsi que les dispositifs de blocage des dents (10),
les dents (10) soutiennent un sachet amovible (11) doté d'ailettes profilées (12) pour permettre l'insertion solidaire des dents (10) et d'un bord conformé pour éviter que les éléments de l'instrument entrent en contact avec le déchet pendant son ramassage,
où, pour limiter l'encombrement quand il n'est pas utilisé, les dents mobiles (10) sont maintenues en position parallèle à la structure centrale par des dispositifs de blocage ; l'instrument est configuré de sorte que, à proximité de la fin de course des éléments cylindriques (9) correspondant à l'ouverture presque totale du sachet (11), les dispositifs de blocage des dents (10) soient en mesure de libérer automatiquement les dents (10) ; ces dernières grâce à l'action des ressorts (17) peuvent se placer en position substantiellement parallèle par rapport au sol avec le sachet (11) qu'elles soutiennent.

2. Instrument motorisé, selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que les éléments élastiques (7) contenus dans la structure servent aussi bien de ressorts (7) pour étendre l'instrument en position d'utilisation en actionnant le bouton de blocage (6) que de conducteurs d'alimentation du moteur électrique (15).

3. Instrument motorisé, selon l'une des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le sachet (11) est doté d'un lacet périmétrique (13) sans ailettes, au bord replié (21), afin de former, dans la partie inférieure, deux poches pouvant accueillir les dents (10), en rendant ainsi solidaire des dents (10) le bord inférieur du sachet (11).

4. Instrument motorisé, selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que, sous l'action du moteur (15), les éléments cylindriques (9) sont en mesure de tourner dans des sens opposés en éloignant réciproquement les dents (10) qui se trouvent en position parallèle par rapport à la structure ; les dents (10) sont solidaires des ailettes (12) ou des poches (21) du sachet ce qui entraîne l'ouverture du sachet (11) qui a été inséré sur les dents (10) replié avec les bords internes des ailettes (12) ou des poches (21) qui coïncident.

5. Instrument motorisé, selon l'une des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que l'interrupteur à inversion de polarité (4) entraîne l'ouverture quand il est actionné dans un sens ; en revanche, quand il est actionné dans le sens inverse, il entraîne la rotation inverse des cylindres (9) et donc la fermeture des dents (10).

6. Instrument motorisé, selon l'une des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que les dents (10) et les ailettes (12) du sachet (11) sont profilées de sorte à former un angle, par rapport au plan frontal, assurant une action de raclement pendant la phase de fermeture indiquée pour le ramassage du déchet et la fermeture du sachet (11), en faisant coïncider les bords internes des ailettes (12) ou des dents (10).

7. Instrument motorisé, selon l'une des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le sachet (11) est doté d'un lacet périmétrique (13) qui coulisse dans le bord du sachet (11) ; en tirant l'une des extrémités (14) du lacet (13), on peut fermer facilement le sachet (11) après l'utilisation, le décrocher des dents (10) pour l'éliminer puis insérer un sachet (11) de rechange.

Drawing