Animal waste collection device

Abstract

When storing and carrying excrement in a bag, the bag's hanging length is shortened to make it more compact, and its movement is minimized to make it easier to carry. [Solution] The device comprises a handle 1, a frame 10 that holds the bag F with its opening Fa open, and a support part 20 provided at the lower end of the handle 1 that rotatably supports the frame 10 in two positions: a closed position X and an open position Y that can receive excrement B excreted by an animal. The frame 10 is provided with a pressing mechanism 40 that presses the middle portion of the bag F along the width direction of the bag F, which is filled with excrement and hanging down, from the rear 14 side to the front 15 side in the front-rear direction of the frame 10 to seal the inner surfaces of the bag in close contact. Furthermore, when the handle 1 is in a nearly vertical position and the frame 10 is positioned in the closed position X, the opening Fa side and the bottom Fb side of the bag F are folded and overlapped.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention mainly relates to an animal excrement collector for animals as pets, and particularly relates to an animal excrement collector that directly receives solid excrement excreted by animals and stores it in a bag.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of animal excrement collector, for example, the one described in Patent Document 1 (Utility Model Registration No. 3096602) is known. As shown in FIG. 9, this animal excrement collector Ka has an opening Fa and a bottom Fb, and mainly holds a flexible bag F made of resin such as polyethylene with its opening Fa open, and directly receives and stores animal excrement B in this bag F. It includes a handle 100 that can be grasped, a frame body 101 that has an opening (not shown) through which the bag F passes and holds the opening Fa of the bag F passed through this opening in an open state, and a support portion 102 provided at the lower end portion of the handle 100 that supports the rear portion in the front-rear direction of the frame body 101. The support portion 102 is rotatably supported so that it can be positioned at two positions: a closed position X where the opening of the frame body 101 is located on the handle 100 side, and an open position Y where the opening is separated from the handle 100 and excrement B excreted by the animal can be received from the opening Fa of this bag F into its interior.

[0003] To use this animal waste collection device Ka, for example, when walking a pet such as a dog, attach the bag F to the device beforehand and carry it with you. When the animal defecates, as shown in Figure 9(a), move the opening of the frame 101 from the closed position X to the open position Y. With the handle 100 in this position, hold the handle 100 and position the opening Fa of the bag F below the animal's excretion site to receive and contain the animal's waste B into the bag F. Once the waste B is contained in the bag F, as shown in Figure 9(b), position the handle 100 in a nearly vertical position to close the frame 101 and carry it. As a result, the front part of the frame 101 of the bag F is positioned above and the rear part of the frame 101 of the bag F is positioned below, so that the inner surfaces of the rear parts of the frame 101 of the bag F are in close contact and the bag F is held in place by the weight of the waste B.

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3096602 Gazette [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] However, in this conventional animal waste collection device Ka, as shown in Figure 9(b), after the waste B is placed in the bag F, the handle 100 is made almost vertical and the frame 101 is positioned in the closed position X for transport. However, the bag F sags due to the weight of the waste, causing it to swing around and making it difficult to carry.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an animal waste collection device that makes the bag more compact by shortening the hanging length of the bag when storing and carrying the waste in the bag, and minimizes the swinging of the bag as much as possible to make it easier to carry. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve this objective, the present invention provides an animal waste collection device comprising: a handle that can be gripped; a frame having an opening through which a flexible bag having an opening and a bottom is passed, and which holds the opening of the bag in an open state; and a support part provided at the lower end of the handle and which rotatably supports the rear part of the frame in the front-rear direction, and which allows the frame to be positioned in two positions by rotation: a closed position in which its opening is located toward the handle, and an open position in which it is separated from the handle and can receive animal waste from the opening of the bag into its interior. The frame is provided with a pressing mechanism that, when the handle is positioned approximately vertically and the frame is in the closed position, the opening and bottom sides of the bag containing the excrement are folded and overlapped at the point where they meet. This mechanism presses the middle portion of the bag, which is located between the opening and bottom of the frame and perpendicular to the front-to-back direction, from the rear to the front of the frame in the front-to-back direction, thereby sealing the bag by bringing the inner surfaces of the bag into close contact.

[0008] To use this animal waste collection device, for example, when walking a pet such as a dog, attach the bag to the frame of the animal waste collection device beforehand and carry it with you. When the animal defecates, move the opening of the frame from the closed position to the open position, and with the handle in this state, position the opening of the bag below the animal's excretion site to receive and collect the animal's waste into the bag. Once the waste is collected in the bag, for example, when the frame is in the open position, or during the process of moving from the open position to the closed position, or when it is in the closed position, activate the pressing mechanism to press the middle part of the bag from the rear side to the front side of the frame in the front-to-back direction, making the inner surfaces of the bag tightly sealed. Finally, position the frame in the closed position with the handle in a nearly vertical position. The timing of positioning the handle in a nearly vertical position and positioning the frame in the closed position may be determined as appropriate depending on the usage situation.

[0009] In this state, the bag folds and overlaps at the point where the opening and bottom of the bag are in close contact. As a result, the length of the hanging bag is shortened, making the bag more compact. The animal waste collection device is carried in this state. In this case, because the length of the hanging bag is shortened and the bag is compact, even if the bag swings, the range of swinging is reduced, and the swinging of the bag is suppressed as much as possible, making it easier to carry the animal waste collection device.

[0010] Furthermore, as needed, the pressing mechanism is configured to include a pressing rod having an axis along the width direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the frame and pressing the intermediate portion; a rotating shaft having an axis parallel to the axis of the pressing rod and rotatably provided on at least one of the sides of the frame in the width direction; a connecting rod connecting the inner end of the rotating shaft to the corresponding end of the pressing rod, and enabling the pressing rod to move between the rear and front of the frame along a circumference with its own length as the radius around the rotating shaft; and a lever connected to the outer end of the rotating shaft to rotate the rotating shaft.

[0011] As a result, when receiving and containing animal excrement in the bag, the pressing rod of the pressing mechanism is initially positioned at the rear of the frame. Then, once the excrement is placed in the bag, the lever of the pressing mechanism is operated to move the pressing rod from the rear to the front of the frame, for example, when the frame is in the open position, or during the process of moving from the open position to the closed position, or when the frame is in the closed position. This movement of the pressing rod follows a circle with a radius equal to the length of the connecting rod, centered on the axis of rotation. The pressing rod presses the middle portion of the bag from the rear to the front of the frame, sealing the inner surfaces of the bag tightly together. Finally, when the frame is positioned in the closed position with the handle in a nearly vertical position, the portion where the opening and bottom of the bag are tightly sealed is supported by the pressing rod, and the bag folds and overlaps at this sealed portion. In this case, since the pressing rod is operated by lever operation, the operability is extremely good.

[0012] Furthermore, if necessary, the support portion is configured to include a storage recess that allows the frame to be stored together with the bag, which is held by the frame and folded and superimposed on the opening and bottom sides, when the handle is in a nearly vertical position and the frame is in the closed position. As a result, the bag is compactly stored in the storage recess, which also restricts shaking and makes it even easier to carry. In addition, since the support portion is configured to include a storage recess, the bag containing excrement can be covered and concealed, improving the appearance and enhancing the overall quality.

[0013] Furthermore, if necessary, the rear of the frame is sized to support the bag when the handle is in a nearly vertical position and the frame is in the closed position, with the bag being held by the frame and its opening and bottom sides folded and overlapping. As a result, when the bag is stored in the storage recess, the bag is supported by the rear of the frame, which also restricts its movement, making it even easier to carry.

[0014] In this case, it is effective to erect a retaining plate on the lower edge of the rear of the frame to hold down the bottom of the bag supported at the rear. Since the bottom of the bag supported at the rear is held down by this retaining plate, it is possible to prevent the bag from easily coming out of the frame. Therefore, this also restricts the swinging of the bag, making it even easier to carry.

[0015] Furthermore, if necessary, the frame can be formed into a roughly rectangular frame shape, and the support part can be configured with a roughly rectangular bottom plate facing the opening of the frame when the frame is in the closed position, a base wall integrally erected on the upper edge of the bottom plate and facing the front of the frame when the frame is in the closed position, a pair of side walls integrally erected on both side edges of the bottom plate and integrally formed with the base wall and facing both sides of the frame when the frame is in the closed position, and a handle attachment part provided on the outside of the base wall to which the lower end of the handle is attached, and the storage recess is formed by the bottom plate, base wall and side wall, and the frame is rotatably supported on the lower edge of the bottom plate via a hinge part. Since the frame and support part are formed into a roughly rectangular frame shape, it is possible to easily provide a pressing mechanism and make it more compact.

[0016] Furthermore, the device is configured to include, if necessary, a first restraining means that releasably restrains the pressing rod to the frame when the pressing rod is located at the rear of the frame, and a second restraining means that releasably restrains the pressing rod and the frame to a support when the pressing rod is located at the front of the frame and the frame is in the closed position. The first restraining means restrains the pressing rod to the rear of the frame, making it difficult for the pressing rod to move and ensuring that the bag is held securely. The second restraining means restrains the pressing rod and the frame to the support, making them difficult to move, ensuring that the bag is held securely, and also making it easier to carry.

[0017] In this case, the pressing rod, rotating shaft, and connecting rod of the pressing mechanism are made of a magnetic metal, and the pressing rod and connecting rod of the pressing mechanism are made housed within the frame when the pressing rod is located at the rear and front of the frame. A first stopper is provided protruding from the rear inner surface of the frame, which stops the pressing rod when it reaches the rear of the frame. A second stopper is provided protruding from the inner surface of the front part of the frame, which stops the pressing rod when it reaches the front part of the frame. The first restraining means described above is composed of a magnet attached to the rear of the frame body, which magnetically attaches the pressing rod to the first stopper when the pressing rod is in contact with the first stopper. It is effective that the second restraining means described above is composed of a magnet attached to the bottom plate, which magnetically attaches the pressing rod to the second stopper when the pressing rod is in contact with the second stopper.

[0018] As a result, the structure can be simplified by using magnets for both the first and second restraining means. Furthermore, the second restraining means only requires magnetic attachment of the pressing rod to simultaneously restrain the frame via the second stopper, making it more efficient and simplifying the structure.

[0019] Furthermore, if necessary, the handle may be configured to include a tubular body, a grip attached to the upper end of the body with a mounting portion that runs along the axis of the body, and a grip portion connected to the mounting portion that extends in a direction intersecting the axis of the body. A first through-hole is formed in the base wall corresponding to the handle mounting portion of the support portion mentioned above. The handle mounting portion is configured to include a base plate having a second through hole facing the first through hole, a leg body supporting the base plate against the base wall, and a cylindrical holder provided on the outside of the base plate into which the lower end of the handle is fitted. The system includes a restraint release mechanism for releasing the restraint of the frame by the second restraint mechanism described above, The restraint release means comprises an extrusion member formed in an L shape, loosely inserted into the first through hole, with its lower end facing the upper surface of the front part of the frame and its upper end rotatably supported on the outside of the base wall, allowing it to move to two positions by rotation: a normal position where the lower end is along the bottom plate and an extrusion position where it abuts against the upper surface of the front part of the frame and pushes it out; a spring that constantly biases the extrusion member from the extrusion position to the normal position; a trigger rotatably provided on the grip attachment part and operated by pulling while gripping the gripping part of the grip; and a wire that passes through the main body, with one end connected to the trigger and the other end connected to the upper end of the extrusion member, and which rotates the extrusion member against the biasing force of the spring when the trigger is pulled, moving it from the normal position to the extrusion position. Since the restraint can be released by operating the trigger while gripping the grip, operability can be improved.

[0020] Also, if necessary, a flexible support sheet is provided that spans between the front and rear portions of the frame body and supports the bag along the bottom of the bag held by the frame body, and the pressing rod is positioned outside the support sheet so that it presses the bag together with the support sheet. Since the bag is supported by the support sheet, the bag can be reliably held with respect to the frame body.

Advantages of the Invention

[0021] According to the animal excrement collector of the present invention, when storing and carrying the excrement in a bag, the hanging length of the bag can be shortened to make it compact, and the swinging of the bag can be suppressed as much as possible to make it easy to carry. Further, when the support portion is configured with a storage recess, the bag containing the excrement can be covered, so that the appearance can be improved and the external quality can be enhanced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the animal excrement collector according to an embodiment of the present invention together with its operation. [Figure 2] It is an enlarged cross-sectional side view showing a main part of the animal excrement collector according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] The animal excrement collector according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, (a) is a perspective view showing the state where the frame body is in the closed position, and (b) is a perspective view showing the state where the frame body is in an intermediate position between the closed position and the open position. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view showing the animal excrement collector according to an embodiment of the present invention in the state where the frame body is in the open position. [Figure 5] A main part of the animal excrement collector according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, (a) is a side view showing the state where the frame body is in the closed position, (b) is a side view showing the state where the frame body is in an intermediate position between the closed position and the open position, and (c) is a side view showing the state where the frame body is in the open position. [Figure 6]The following is a perspective view of an animal waste collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention with a bag attached: (a) is a perspective view showing the frame in the closed position, (b) is a perspective view showing the frame in an intermediate position between the closed and open positions, and (c) is a perspective view showing the frame in the open position. [Figure 7] This diagram shows the steps involved in receiving animal waste using an animal waste collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the operation steps after receiving animal waste using an animal waste collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This diagram shows an example of a conventional animal waste collection device; (a) shows the state when the waste is being collected, and (b) shows the state after the waste has been collected, along with any malfunctions. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] The animal waste collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. As shown in Figures 1 to 8, the animal waste collection device K according to an embodiment of the present invention uses a flexible bag F having an opening Fa and a bottom Fb. The bag F is mainly made of resin, such as polyethylene, which is used in supermarkets, and contains the waste B excreted by animals. The bag F is of an appropriate size to match the collection device K. The basic configuration of the animal waste collection device K is comprised of a handle 1 that can be gripped, a frame 10 that holds the bag F, and a support part 20 provided at the lower end of the handle 1 that rotatably supports the rear part 14 of the frame 10 in the front-rear direction.

[0024] The handle 1 is composed of a tubular body 2 made of a light metal such as aluminum, and a grip 5 which is attached to the upper end of the body 2 and has a mounting portion 3 that runs along the axis of the body 2, and a gripping portion 4 that is connected to the mounting portion 3 and extends in a direction intersecting the axis of the body 2.

[0025] The frame 10 has an opening 11 through which a flexible bag F having the opening Fa and bottom Fb described above is passed, and is frame-shaped to hold the opening Fa of the bag F in an open state after it has been passed through the opening 11. The frame 10 is made of, for example, rigid plastic and is formed in a substantially rectangular frame shape, and is composed of a holding frame 12 through which the opening Fa of the bag F is folded and held, and a cylindrical part 13 extending from the holding frame 12, and is composed of a rear part 14 in the front-rear direction, a front part 15 in the front-rear direction, and a pair of side parts 16 in the width direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction. In addition, the rear part 14 of the cylindrical part 13 is formed to be large enough to support a bag F in which excrement B has been placed and the opening Fa side and bottom Fb side have been folded and superimposed at an intermediate point. In addition, a pressing plate 17 is erected on the lower edge of the rear part 14 opposite to the holding frame 12 to press down on the bottom Fb side of the supported bag F. Reference numeral 18 denotes a leg that enables the frame 10 to be supported on the ground when the frame 10, which will be described later, is in the closed position X. The bag F is held to the frame 10 by folding the opening Fa of the bag F back into the holding frame 12, but it is also possible to provide a clip on the holding frame 12 and fasten the opening Fa of the bag F with this clip, and this can be changed as appropriate.

[0026] The support portion 20 is made of, for example, hard plastic and is provided at the lower end of the handle 1. It rotatably supports the rear portion 14 of the frame 10 in the front-rear direction. This rotation allows the frame 10 to be positioned in two positions: a closed position X where its opening 11 is on the handle 1 side, and an open position Y where it is separated from the handle 1 and can receive the excrement B excreted by the animal into the bag F through its opening Fa.

[0027] Furthermore, the support portion 20 is configured to include a storage recess 21 that can store the frame 10 together with the bag F, which is held by the support portion 20 and whose opening Fa side and bottom Fb side are folded and superimposed, when the handle 1 is in a nearly vertical position and the frame 10 is positioned in the closed position X.

[0028] More specifically, the support portion 20 is configured as follows: a substantially rectangular bottom plate 22 facing the opening 11 of the frame 10 when the frame 10 is in a closed position X; a base wall 23 integrally erected on the upper edge of the bottom plate 22 and facing the front part 15 of the frame 10 when the frame 10 is in a closed position X; a pair of side walls 24 integrally erected on both side edges of the bottom plate 22 and integrally formed with the base wall 23 and facing both side parts 16 of the frame 10 when the frame 10 is in a closed position X; and a handle attachment portion 30 provided on the outside of the base wall 23 to which the lower end of the handle 1 is attached. The storage recess 21 is formed by the bottom plate 22, the base wall 23 and the side walls 24.

[0029] Furthermore, the frame 10 is rotatably supported at the lower edge of the base plate 22 via a hinge portion 25. As shown in Figure 2, the hinge portion 25 is a well-known configuration consisting of a shaft portion 25a, a plurality of one-sided bearing portions 25b integrally provided at predetermined intervals on the rear portion 14 of the frame 10 via protrusions 26 through which the shaft portion 25a is inserted, and other bearing portions 25c integrally formed at predetermined intervals and adjacent to the one-sided bearing portions 25b on the lower edge of the base plate 22 of the support portion 20, through which the shaft portion 25a is inserted. Note that the hinge portion 25 may be constructed using commercially available hinges, and can be modified as appropriate. In Figure 2, reference numeral 27 denotes an open position stopper, which the protrusions 26 abut against and stop the frame 10 in the open position Y. The base plate 22 of the support portion 20 also functions as a closed position stopper, stopping the frame 10 in the closed position X.

[0030] Furthermore, a first through-hole 31 is formed in the base wall 23 corresponding to the handle attachment portion 30 of the support portion 20. The handle attachment portion 30 is composed of a base plate 33 having a second through-hole 32 facing the first through-hole 31, a leg body 34 that supports the base plate 33 to the base wall 23, and a cylindrical holder 35 provided on the outside of the base plate 33 into which the lower end of the handle 1 is fitted.

[0031] Furthermore, the frame 10 is provided with a pressing mechanism 40 for pressing the bag F. This pressing mechanism 40 presses the middle portion of the bag F, which is between the opening Fa and the bottom Fb of the bag F containing the excrement B and hanging down, along the width direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction of the frame 10, from the rear 14 side to the front 15 side in the front-to-back direction of the frame 10, to seal the inner surfaces of the bag together by making them tightly sealed. When the handle 1 is in a nearly vertical position and the frame 10 is positioned in the closed position X, the mechanism 40 folds and overlaps the bag F at the point where the opening Fa side and the bottom Fb side are in contact.

[0032] More specifically, the pressing mechanism 40 comprises a pressing rod 41 having an axis along the width direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the frame 10 and pressing the aforementioned intermediate portion; a pair of rotating shafts 42 having an axis parallel to the axis of the pressing rod 41 and rotatably provided on both sides 16 in the width direction of the frame 10; a pair of connecting rods 43 provided for each rotating shaft 42, connecting the inner end of the rotating shaft 42 to the corresponding end of the pressing rod 41 and allowing the pressing rod 41 to move between the rear 14 and front 15 of the frame 10 along a circumference S (Figure 1) with the rotating shaft 42 as the center and its own length as the radius; and a lever 44 connected to the outer end of at least one of the pair of rotating shafts 42, perpendicular to this rotating shaft 42, and rotating this rotating shaft 42. The pressing rod 41, rotating shaft 42, connecting rod 43, and lever 44 of the pressing mechanism 40 are integrally formed by bending a single wire made of magnetic metal. The pressing rod 41 is covered with a resin-coated tube 45. The coating tube 45 does not affect the magnetic attraction of the pressing rod 41 by the magnet described later. Furthermore, the pressing rod 41 and connecting rod 43 of the pressing mechanism 40 are formed to be housed within the frame 10 when the pressing rod 41 is located at the rear 14 and front 15 of the frame 10. The lever 44 is covered with a resin cover 46. Since the pressing rod 41 is operated by operating the lever 44, operability is extremely good. In addition, since the frame 10 and support part 20 are formed in a roughly rectangular frame shape, the pressing mechanism 40 can be easily installed and made more compact.

[0033] Furthermore, a first stopper 47 is provided protruding from the inner surface of the rear part 14 of the frame 10, which stops the pressing rod 41 when it reaches the rear part 14 of the frame 10. A second stopper 48 is provided protruding from the inner surface of the front part 15 of the frame 10, which stops the pressing rod 41 when it reaches the front part 15 of the frame 10. In Figure 1, reference numeral 49 denotes a notch formed in the side wall 24 of the support part 20, which allows the rotating shaft 42 to pass through when the pressing rod 41 moves.

[0034] Furthermore, the animal excrement collection device K is provided with a first restraining means 50 that releasably restrains the pressing rod 41 to the frame 10 when the pressing rod 41 is located at the rear 14 of the frame 10, and a second restraining means 51 that releasably restrains the pressing rod 41 and the frame 10 to the support part 20 when the pressing rod 41 is located at the front 15 of the frame 10 and the frame 10 is in the closed position X. The first restraining means 50 is attached to the rear 14 of the frame 10 and consists of a magnet that magnetically attaches the pressing rod 41 when the pressing rod 41 is in contact with the first stopper 47. The second restraining means 51 is attached to the bottom plate 22 and consists of a magnet that magnetically attaches the pressing rod 41 when the pressing rod 41 is in contact with the second stopper 48.

[0035] As a result, the first restraining means 50 and the second restraining means 51 are made of magnets, which simplifies the structure. Furthermore, the second restraining means 51 only requires magnetic attachment of the pressing rod 41 to simultaneously restrain the frame 10 via the second stopper 48, which is more efficient and simplifies the structure.

[0036] Furthermore, the animal waste collection device K is also provided with a restraint release means 60 for releasing the restraint of the frame 10 by the second restraint means 51. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the restraint release means 60 is formed in an L shape and loosely inserted into a first through hole 31 formed in the base wall 23 of the support part 20, with its lower end facing the upper surface of the front part 15 of the frame 10 and its upper end being rotatably supported to the outside of the base wall 23, and is movable to two positions by rotation: a normal position Ra where the lower end is along the bottom plate 22 and an extrusion position Rb where it contacts the upper surface of the front part 15 of the frame 10 and pushes it out, and the extrusion means 60 is normally in the extrusion position The device is configured with a spring 62 that biases from Rb towards the normal position Ra, a trigger 63 that is rotatably mounted on the mounting portion 3 of the grip 5 and can be operated by pulling it while gripping the grip portion 4 of the grip 5, and a wire 64 that is passed through the main body 2 of the handle 1, with one end connected to the trigger 63 and the other end connected to the other end of the extrusion member 61, and the pulling operation of the trigger 63 moves the extrusion member 61 from the normal position Ra to the extrusion position Rb against the biasing force of the spring 62. The spring 62 is a coil spring and is inserted into the other end of the wire 64 and interposed between the other end of the extrusion member 61 and the base plate 33. The restraint can be released by operating the trigger 63 while gripping the grip 5, thus improving operability.

[0037] Furthermore, in this animal waste collection device K, a flexible, strip-shaped support sheet 70 is provided that is stretched between the front 15 and rear 14 of the frame 10 and supports the bag F held by the frame 10 along the bottom of the bag F. The pressing rod 41 is positioned outside the support sheet 70 so that it presses against the bag F together with the support sheet 70.

[0038] Therefore, according to the animal waste collection device K of this embodiment, for example, when walking a pet such as a dog, the bag F is attached to the animal waste collection device K in advance and carried around, as shown in Figures 3(a) and 6(a). As the bag F, for example, a plastic bag F made of polyethylene or similar material used in supermarkets is used. To attach the bag F, the operation process is reversed as shown in Figures 6(c) and 7(c) → 6(b) and 7(b) → 6(a) and 7(a). First, as shown in Figures 6(c) and 7(c), the frame 10 is set to the open position Y, and the pressing rod 41 is positioned at the rear part 14 of the frame 10. In this position, the pressing rod 41 is magnetically attached to the magnet of the first stopper 47 and is stopped and held in this position. In this state, the bag F is passed through the opening 11 of the frame 10, and the opening Fa is folded back and held by the holding frame 12, so that the opening Fa is open.

[0039] Then, as shown in Figures 6(b) and 7(b), and Figures 6(a) and 7(a), the lever 44 is operated to move the pressing rod 41 from the rear part 14 of the frame 10 to the front part 15, and the frame 10 is set to the closed position X. As a result, the bag F, together with the support sheet 70, is pressed by the pressing rod 41 and folded and stored inside the frame 10. In this case, the pressing rod 41 is magnetically attached to the magnet of the second restraining means 51 and is stopped and held in this position. Therefore, the frame 10 and the pressing rod 41 are restrained by the support part 20 and become difficult to move, making it easy to carry.

[0040] Then, when the animal defecates, as shown in Figures 6(a) to 6(c) and 7(a) to 7(c), the frame 10 is moved to the open position Y, the opposite of the above. In this case, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, when the trigger 63 of the restraint release means 60 is pulled, the extrusion member 61 moves from the normal position Ra to the extrusion position Rb, the frame 10 is pushed, the pressing rod 41 separates from the magnet of the second restraint means 51, the stop-holding of the pressing rod 41 is released, and the restraint of the frame 10 on the support part 20 is released. Then, the frame 10 is positioned to the open position Y manually or by the weight of the frame 10 itself. In this case, by operating the lever 44, the pressing rod 41 is moved from the front part 15 of the frame 10 to the rear part 14. The pressing rod 41 is magnetically attached to the magnet of the first restraint means 50 and is stopped and held in this position. As a result, the bag F opens its opening Fa and hangs down onto the frame 10 together with the support sheet 70.

[0041] In this state, as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 7(d), the handle 1 is used to position the opening Fa of the bag F below the animal's excretory area, so that the animal's excrement B is received and contained in the bag F. Once the excrement B is contained in the bag F, the bag F will sag downwards due to the weight of the excrement B. In this case, the bag F is supported by the support sheet 70, so the bag F can be securely held in place on the frame 10.

[0042] Once the excrement B is placed in the bag F, as shown in Figures 8(a) to 8(c), the pressing rod 41 is moved from the rear 14 to the front 15 of the frame 10 by operating the lever 44 of the pressing mechanism 40, for example, at the open position Y of the frame 10, or during the process from the open position Y to the closed position X, or at the closed position X. In this case, the pressing rod 41 presses the middle portion of the bag F from the rear 14 side to the front 15 side in the front-rear direction of the frame 10, causing the inner surfaces of the bag to be tightly sealed. Finally, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3(a), 7(a) and 8(c), the handle 1 is made to be approximately vertical and the frame 10 is made to be in the closed position X. The timing of making the handle 1 approximately vertical and the timing of making the frame 10 to be in the closed position X may be determined as appropriate depending on the usage situation. As a result, the hanging bag F is pressed against the pressing rod 41 along with the support sheet 70, and the pressing rod 41 is magnetically attached to the magnet of the second restraining means 51 via the support sheet 70 and the bag F, and is stopped and held in this position.

[0043] In this case, the bag F is folded and overlapped at the point where the opening Fa side and the bottom Fb side of the bag F are in close contact due to the pressing rod 41. As a result, the length of the hanging bag F is shortened, making the bag F more compact. The frame 10 is then stored in the storage recess 21 together with the folded and overlapped bag F. The animal waste collection tool K is then carried in this state. In this case, because the length of the hanging bag F is shortened and the bag F is more compact, even if the bag F swings, the range of swinging is reduced, and the swinging of the bag F is suppressed as much as possible, making the animal waste collection tool K easier to carry. Furthermore, since the pressing rod 41 is magnetically attached to the magnet of the second restraining means 51, the frame 10 positioned in the closed position X is restrained to the support part 20, and the pressing rod 41 is also held in place, making it difficult for the bag F to move and allowing the bag F to be held securely, which also makes it easier to carry.

[0044] Furthermore, in this case, the bag F is compactly stored in the storage recess 21, and its movement is also restricted by this storage recess 21, making it even easier to carry. Moreover, when the bag F is stored in the storage recess 21, the bag F is supported by the rear part 14 of the frame 10, and its movement is also restricted by this rear part 14 of the frame 10, making it even easier to carry. In addition, the frame 10 is provided with a retaining plate 17 on the lower edge of the rear part 14 opposite to the retaining frame 12, so the bottom Fb side of the supported bag F is pressed down by this retaining plate 17, preventing it from easily coming out of the frame 10. Therefore, this also restricts the movement of the bag F, making it even easier to carry. Furthermore, the storage recess 21 of the support part 20 can cover and conceal the bag F containing the excrement B, improving its appearance and enhancing its visual quality.

[0045] When using the animal waste collection device K again when the animal defecates, the procedure should be the same as described above. When disposing of bag F, remove bag F from frame 10 as shown in Figure 8(d).

[0046] In the above embodiment, the support portion 20 is configured with a storage recess 21, but it is not necessarily limited to this, and may be provided only with a hinge portion 25, and can be modified as appropriate. Also, the shape of the frame 10 and the support portion 20 is not limited to a substantially rectangular shape, and can be changed as appropriate to a circular or elliptical shape, etc. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments of the present invention described above, and those skilled in the art will find it easy to make many modifications to these exemplary embodiments without substantially departing from the novel teachings and effects of the present invention, and many of these modifications will fall within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0047] K Animal waste collection device F bag Fa opening Fb bottom B Excretion 1 pattern 2 Main unit 3. Mounting part 4 Grip part 5 Grip 10 Frame 11 Open mouth 12 holding slots 13. Cylindrical part 14 Rear 15 Front 16 Side 17 Pressing plate 18 Legs 20 Support part X Closed position Y open position 21 Storage recess 22 Bottom plate 23 Base Wall 24 Side wall 25 Hinge section 25a Shaft 25b One side bearing part 25c Other bearing part 26 Protrusion 27 Open position stopper 30 Handle mounting section 31 First through hole 32 Second through hole 33 base plate 34 Legs 35 Holding body 40 Pressing mechanism 41 Pressing rod 42 Rotation axis 43 Connecting rod 44 Lever 45 Cladding tube 46 Resin cover 47 First Stopper 48 Second Stopper 49 Notches 50 First restraint means 51 Second restraint means 60 Restraint release means 61 Extruded member Ra normal position Rb Extrusion Position 62 Springs 63 Trigger 64 wires 70 Support Sheet

Claims

1. An animal waste collection device comprising: a handle that can be gripped; a frame having an opening through which a flexible bag having an opening and a bottom is passed, and which holds the opening of the bag in an open position; and a support part provided at the lower end of the handle and which rotatably supports the rear part of the frame in the front-rear direction, and by this rotation the frame can be positioned in two positions: a closed position in which its opening is located toward the handle, and an open position in which it is separated from the handle and can receive animal waste from the opening into the bag, An animal waste collection device characterized by having a pressing mechanism that, when the frame is positioned with the handle in a nearly vertical position and the frame is closed, presses the middle portion of the bag, which is between the opening and bottom of the bag and is aligned with the width direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction of the frame, from the rear side to the front side in the front-to-back direction of the frame to seal the inner surfaces of the bag together, and when the frame is positioned in a closed position with the handle in a nearly vertical position, the opening side and the bottom side of the bag are folded and overlapped at the sealed portion.

2. The animal excrement collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressing mechanism comprises: a pressing rod having an axis along the width direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the frame body and pressing the intermediate portion; a rotating shaft having an axis parallel to the axis of the pressing rod and rotatably provided on at least one of the sides of the frame body in the width direction; a connecting rod connecting the inner end of the rotating shaft to the corresponding end of the pressing rod and enabling the pressing rod to move between the rear and front of the frame body along a circumference with its own length as the radius around the rotating shaft; and a lever connected to the outer end of the rotating shaft and for rotating the rotating shaft.

3. The animal excrement collection device according to claim 2, characterized in that the support portion is configured to include a storage recess that, when the handle is in a substantially vertical position and the frame is in the closed position, can store the frame together with the bag that is held by the frame and has its opening side and bottom side folded and overlapped.

4. The animal excrement collection device according to claim 3, characterized in that the rear of the frame is formed to a size that can support a bag that is held by the frame and has its opening side and bottom side folded and overlapped when the frame is in the closed position with the handle in a substantially vertical position.

5. The animal waste collection device according to claim 4, characterized in that a pressing plate is erected on the lower edge of the rear of the frame body to press down on the bottom side of the bag supported at the rear.

6. The animal excrement collection device according to claim 3, characterized in that the frame is formed in the shape of a substantially rectangular frame, the support portion comprises a substantially rectangular bottom plate facing the opening of the frame when the frame is in the closed position, a base wall integrally erected on the upper edge of the bottom plate and facing the front of the frame when the frame is in the closed position, a pair of side walls integrally erected on both side edges of the bottom plate and integrally formed in continuous with the base wall and facing both sides of the frame when the frame is in the closed position, and a handle attachment portion provided on the outside of the base wall to which the lower end of the handle is attached, the storage recess is formed by the bottom plate, base wall and side wall, and the frame is rotatably supported on the lower edge of the bottom plate via a hinge portion.

7. The animal excrement collection device according to claim 6, further comprising: a first restraining means for releasably restraining the pressing rod to the frame when the pressing rod is located at the rear of the frame; and a second restraining means for releasably restraining the pressing rod and the frame to a support when the pressing rod is located at the front of the frame and the frame is in the closed position.

8. The pressing rod, rotating shaft, and connecting rod of the above pressing mechanism are formed of a magnetic metal, and the pressing rod and connecting rod of the pressing mechanism are made housed within the frame when the pressing rod is located at the rear and front of the frame. A first stopper is provided protruding from the rear inner surface of the frame, which stops the pressing rod when it reaches the rear of the frame. A second stopper is provided protruding from the inner surface of the front part of the frame, which stops the pressing rod when it reaches the front part of the frame. The first restraining means described above is composed of a magnet attached to the rear of the frame body, which magnetically attaches the pressing rod to the first stopper when the pressing rod is in contact with the first stopper. The animal excrement collection device according to claim 7, characterized in that the second restraining means is composed of a magnet attached to the bottom plate, which magnetically attaches the pressing rod when the pressing rod is in contact with the second stopper.

9. The above handle is constructed comprising a tubular body, a grip attached to the upper end of the body and having a mounting portion that runs along the axis of the body, and a grip portion connected to the mounting portion and extending in a direction intersecting the axis of the body, A first through-hole is formed in the base wall corresponding to the handle mounting portion of the support portion mentioned above. The handle mounting portion is configured to include a base plate having a second through hole facing the first through hole, a leg body supporting the base plate against the base wall, and a cylindrical holder provided on the outside of the base plate into which the lower end of the handle is fitted. The system includes a restraint release means for releasing the restraint on the frame by the second restraint means described above. The restraint release means comprises an extrusion member formed in an L shape, loosely inserted into the first through hole, with its lower end facing the upper surface of the front part of the frame and its upper end rotatably supported on the outside of the base wall, and capable of moving to two positions by rotation: a normal position where the lower end is along the bottom plate and an extrusion position where it abuts against the upper surface of the front part of the frame and pushes it out; a spring that constantly biases the extrusion member from the extrusion position to the normal position; a trigger rotatably provided on the mounting part of the grip and operated by pulling while gripping the gripping part of the grip; and a wire that is passed through the main body, with one end connected to the trigger and the other end connected to the upper end of the extrusion member, and which rotates the extrusion member against the biasing force of the spring when the trigger is pulled, moving it from the normal position to the extrusion position.

10. The animal excrement collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a flexible support sheet is provided that is stretched between the front and rear of the frame and supports the bag held by the frame along the bottom of the bag, and the pressing rod is positioned outside the support sheet so as to press the bag together with the support sheet.

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