Attachment for shovels and spades for dog waste removal

Abstract

An attachment 1 for shovels or spades for dog waste removal comprises a collar section having a round tubed collar fitting 7 with a hinged opening and closing section through which the socket section

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to devices which are used to collect dog waste or poop from the ground. Background The use of dog poop devices to remove dog waste from the ground is common and many attempts have been made to provide a solution to this problem. These include attempts to design solutions which make it easier and cleaner to deal with this problem and a very common way to remove dog waste is a shovel or spade. This is often used to pick the waste up and place it into a plastic bag or special dog poop bag, then it is placed in a larger bin for emptying later. However, this does rely on the person having to hold the plastic bag in their other hand while they direct and tip the dog waste into the bag, this can often be hindered if the weather is particularly windy, as the plastic bag can blow about or away if left on the ground. In addition to this, if the person using the shovel is also of older age or has difficulty using one of their arms, the process could also be difficult or impossible. Some examples of devices for attaching collection bags to shovel or spades and shovels for one arm users are shown in the prior art as follows: This is shown in patent US2002008392 (HARRISON) discloses a shovel and bag assembly for scooping animal refuse deposited by a pet animal. The shovel comprises a handle, a spaded loop including a spade with a protruding leading edge, a first and second support arm for the spade, a base, and a first and second extended corner. The spade and the two extended corners are configured to affix and tension the bag in an open configuration. The extended corners may each comprise a shoulder that assists in tensioning and holding the bag. In addition, the support arms may comprise a curved section proximate to the spade, which increase the tension along the underside of the spade and also widen the opening to facilitate pickup of animal refuse. After scooping the animal refuse into the bag a rear pocket of the bag is inverted over a forward pocket, covering the soiled forward section and sealing the bag for disposal. Patent US7665489 (SMITH) discloses a sandbag filling apparatus that includes a head portion with a bottom wall having a front edge, a rear edge, a first side edge and a second side edge. A first side wall is attached to the first side edge. A second side wall is attached to the second side edge. A rear wall is attached to the first and second side walls. A fill opening is defined between the rear edge and the rear wall. An elongated member is attached to and extends away from the rear wall. A handle is attached to the elongated member opposite of the elongated member opposite of the head portion. A retaining apparatus is mounted on the head portion and releasably retains a sandbag in an open position and aligned with the fill opening. Sand may be scooped with the bottom wall and dumped into the sandbag through the fill opening. Patent US6237973 (DUPONT, CHIENG) discloses an ash and debris collector, particularly, but not exclusively, for a fireplace is comprised of a scoop body defined by an elongated open-ended channel member having a forward neck shovel portion and a rear discharge portion. At least a forward end of the shovel portion has a flat bottom wall with a straight front edge and opposed side walls. A skirt is provided in a front portion of the top wall of the shovel portion and projects outwardly of the top end of a front edge of the opposed side walls to prevent ashes from rising to the top wall of the scoop body during the scooping movement. A bag holder is secured to the rear discharge portion and extends rearwardly of a rear discharge opening defined by the rear discharge portion whereby to support a bag in an open condition. An open mouth of the bag is secured about the rear discharge opening by a band and a handle is provided on the rear discharge portion to manipulate the scoop. Patent US6464272 (MICHAUD) discloses a design that is to be used by handicapped persons for the removal of snow. The invention is made to be used with one arm, and is adjustable to fit a short or tall person with only one aim or leg, left or right. It consists of a grip handle which is secured to two plates by bolts which are attached in turn to the main shaft by bolts, and is made adjustable by holes drilled into the main shaft. It also has a cradle at the upper end of the main shaft in which the forearm rests to give it stability and leverage to lift the loaded shovel for throwing snow. This cradle is attached to the main shaft by clamps which are also adjustable by releasing the bolts and moving it up and down on the shaft, which is also used to allow for use of different sized persons in unison with the adjustment of the grip handle. The prior art therefore shows that there is a need for a more effective device which can be attached to a shovel or spade in a universal fitting method, which prevents contact of dog waste with the device in use and can be used with one hand. The present invention aims to provide an improved device which can be attached to various types and designs of shovel or spade and provide a clean hygienic way of dealing with dog waste using one hand only. Summary of the invention According to the present invention there is provided a device which is an attachment for shovels or spades for dog waste removal, this is attached to a shovel or spade at the socket part of the shovel which the handle is inserted into. The socket is a slightly curved shaft which attaches onto the centre upper edge of the blade and is often formed as a single piece with the blade thereto. The device has two main components which are an attachment collar section that attaches onto the shovel or space and onto the second component which is a bag rim frame, onto which a dog poop (waste) bag is attached in use. The attachment collar fitting is a rounded tube which has a hinged opening section to one side and the interior of the rounded tube is covered with a lining of thick but soft foam, which is weather proofed. The socket of the shovel is placed horizontally through the open hinged opening section and seated inside the rounded interior of the attachment collar fitting within the padding of the foam. If the socket of a shovel is narrow the thick soft foam lining accommodates for the additional space remaining around it and is compressed when the opening section is closed. In a further example; should the socket section of the shovel be thicker the soft foam will compress due to the additional width of the inserted socket of the shovel and therefore it adapts to the differing widths of sockets of varying shovel or spade sizes. The positioning of the device is determined by having to ensure that the attachment collar fitting is fixed onto the level or straight part of the socket, as most sockets on a shovel or spade have a straight section which usually curves downward toward the blade. A second key part of fitting the device correctly is to ensure that the bag rim, which is attached by angled leg clips onto the attachment collar fitting, has its frontal end at least one inch under the outer edge of the shovels blade, as shown in accompanying Figures. Said angled leg clips are part of the main single plastic moulding of the attachment collar section and have curved rim clips to their extremities, as shown, which flex and clip underneath the bag rim frame, holding it securely. The opening section of the attachment collar fitting is closed around the socket section which passes through it horizontally, completing the circular appearance and form of the attachment collar fitting, when closed. The closure is secured by two closure tabs which are of exacting size and extend at the ends of the opening section edge and the edge of the attachment collar fitting which is exposed when the opening section is opened. To the inner edge of these two tabs are interlocking clip sections which are a female recess and a corresponding push in male button tab. These are pressed together to ‘click’ forming a tight closure to the rounded tube. The aforementioned angled leg clips are obtusely angled downward from the right and left sides of the rounded tube exterior of the attachment collar fitting and form a flexing ‘wing like’ structure to this section. The flexing is due to the whole of the attachment collar being made of a polycarbonate plastic which is slightly flexible under finger pressure but also hard wearing for use. The curved rim clips are part of the single mould of the said angled leg clips and are slightly elongated convex clips which are sized to be fit tightly onto the diameter of the bag rim, on fitting. The angled leg clips, onto the end of which the curved rim clips are attached, are flexible and they are slightly smaller than the width of the bag rim onto which the convex rim clips are to be attached. Therefore, in use, the angled leg clips are pulled apart slightly away from each other in the hands, to enable the rim clips to engage with the bag rim on the outside and the bag rim seats into the convex curve on each of them. The hand is then released which very slightly contracts the flexible angled leg clips to tighten the rim clips hold on the bag rim, over the poop bag, as the angled leg clips return to their slightly more contracted stance. This creates a holding of the attachment collar on to the bag rim which is secure. To release the attachment collar, the process is reversed and the angled leg clips are expanded slightly again, to loosen their holding onto the bag rim and they can be lifted off of the bag rim and the attachment collar is removed. This process being required when changing the poop bag or when adjusting the position of the attachment collar on the bag rim thereto. The bag rim is a preferably rectangular with rounded edges and appears as shown in the accompanying Figures. This rim is preferably made of a plastic or can also be of a metal I alloy variant. A dog poop bag, is used which is of a sufficient size to fit over the entire rim and overlap slightly over the top edge of the rim. To secure the poop bag it preferably has a low-tack adhesive edge around its upper opening rim but set away from the very top edge by at least an inch, to allow for a non-adhesive overlap from inside the bag rim and over the bag rim to where the inner facing side of the poop bag top edge is then folded over the bag rim to contact with the low-tack adhesive strip to releasably hold the opening edge of the poop bag over the rim. The low tack adhesive edge is revealed by way of a plastic tear off cellophane ribbon being pulled away, which reveals the low tack adhesive strip under neath it. The application of the poop bag to the bag rim can be carried out in two ways. The first is to remove the cellophane ribbon and then pass the bag through the centre of the bag rim and fold the top edges of the poop bag over the bag rim and seal it over the rim with the low tack adhesive strip. The alternative is to place the poop bag through the opening of the bag rim first and then remove the cellophane ribbon with the bag in place and fold over the rim, as aforementioned. The low tack adhesive holds the poop bag 8 in place and it is suspended underneath the rear area of the shovel blade 2, as shown in Figure 1 by means of the angled leg clips and the curved rim clips to their extremity, cupping under the bag rim over the poop bag. The frontal edge 21 of the bag rim 3 is located at least one inch or more under the rear edge of the shovel blade 2, as shown. This is to ensure that when the blade of the shovel is tilted backwards, as shown in Figure 5, the dog waste 16 as shown in this Figure also is only able to pass from the shovel blade 2D into the poop bag 8D. Once the dog waste has been bagged, the bag can be pulled from the bag rim easily due to the low tack adhesive being designed to separate from the poop bag and therefore the bag rim, achieved by its very low tack adhesive. This is also achieved, in use, by peeling the overlapped edge of the poop bag from its low tack hold around the rim and then removing the poop bag. The poop bag is then closed by either tying the excess upper part of the bag by hand or pulling draw string tabs to close the bag more easily (not shown). In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the Patent Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved attachment for shovels or spades for dog waste removal which has all the advantages of the prior art shovel attachments and none of the disadvantages. It is another object of the present invention to provide a new attachment for shovels or spades for dog waste removal which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved attachment for shovels or spades for dog waste removal which is of durable and reliable construction. An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved attachment for shovels or spades for dog waste removal which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labour, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a product available to the buying public. Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved attachment for shovels or spades for dog waste removal which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. Brief description of figures Figure 1 shows a dimensional view of the attachment for shovels or spades for dog waste removal fitted to a shovel. Figure 2 shows a dimensional close view of the attachment for shovels or spades for dog waste removal. Figure 3 shows a dimensional view of the bog poop bag being fitted to the bag rim of the attachment for shovels or spades for dog waste removal. Figure 4 shows a dimensional view of how the attachment collar is fitted onto the bag rim. Figure 5 shows a dimensional view of how the attachment for shovels or spades for dog waste removal is used to collect the dog waste with the shovel. Figure 6 shows a dimensional view of how the attachment collar can be slid along the bag rim to adjust its positioning. Figure 7 shows a front elevation view of the attachment collar and its angled leg clips and curved rim clips attached onto the bag rim. Detailed description of figures A typical embodiment of the attachment for shovels or spades for dog waste removal is shown in Figure 1. It comprises the device 1, which is attached to the socket 5 of a shovel or spade, which the handle is inserted into. The socket 5 is a slightly curved shaft which attaches onto the centre upper edge of the blade 2. The attachment collar has the collar fitting 7 which has two angled leg clips 4 and 6 that are obtusely angled downward from either side of the rounded tube exterior of the attachment collar fitting 7 and form a flexing ‘wing like’ structure to this fitting which is fitted onto the bag rim 3, which a dog poop (waste) bag 8 suspended below it, in use. The front part of the bag rim 21 is positioned to overlap underneath the rear edge of the blade 2, as shown. In Figure 2 the bag rim 3A is shown with a fitted dog poop bag 8A with the top edge of the poop bag 14 folded over the bag rim 3A and folded down over the low tack strip 10, holding the bag releasably in place. The low tack strip 10 being revealed by the removal of a pull away cellophane ribbon 13 as shown. The obtusely angled leg clips 4A and 6A extend downward to clip onto the bag rim 3A by way of their rim clips 9 and 12 curving underneath the bag rim 3A and the slightly flexibly sprung leg clips being expanded and then released to close and to ‘hook’ onto the outer side of the bag rim 3A and tightly spring inward to secure it and the attachment collar section 15 onto the bag rim 3A. On the attachment collar fitting 7A is the aforementioned opening section 11 which is hinged 16 and closed together with closure tabs 17 and 20, as shown. The opening section 11B of the attachment collar fitting 15B, is hinged 16B and has the closure tabs 17B and 20B which are pressed together on fitting to the shovel or spade, as described, with the interlocking clip sections 18 and 19 which are a female recess 18 and a corresponding push in male button tab 19. These are pressed together to ‘click’ forming a tight closure to the rounded tube. As shown in Figure 3. The poop bag 8B is passed within the centre of the bag rim 3B and pulled outward over the top of the bag rim 3B. Figure 4 shows that on fitting the attachment collar section 15C onto the bag rim 3C, the flexing angled leg clips 4C and 6C are pulled outward to fit the rim clips 9C and 12C over and then under the bag rim 3C, the black arrows refer to the release of the angled leg clips closing the rim clips onto the bag rim tightly. Figure 5, H) shows the shovel picking up the dog waste 16 onto the blade 2D with the device 1D attached as shown. Figure 5, G) shows the device 1D on the shovel which is tilted backwards and this would be hand held, and the dog poop 16 sliding over the blade 2D and into the dog poop bag 8D, as described. Figure 6 shows, as previously described, the attachment collar section 15E being moved I slid across the bag rim 3E with the angled leg clips 4E and 6E being pulled outward to enable this movement along. This, aforementioned, is for adjustment of the device to accommodate for different spade shapes and sizes and to ensure that the suspended poop bag is always in the correct position in use. The attachment collar section 15F is shown in Figure 7 with the socket 5F shown as it would slide into the opening provided by the opening section 11F of the attachment collar fitting 7F. The closure tabs 17F and 20F which are pressed together when the opening section 11F is closed, is clicked into place by way of interlocking clip sections. The rim clips 9F and 12F are shown curving underneath the bag rim 3F held in place for use.

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