Pet toilet training enclosure

Abstract

Regarding a toilet enclosure constructed by connecting multiple perimeter wall panels and a central partition panel, the panel connection structure will be improved to allow for easy and reliable connection and disassembly of the panels. [Solution] The peripheral wall panel 2 and the partition panel 3 are constructed including a surface material 4 formed by joining vertical wires 41 and horizontal wires 42 in a grid pattern, and a frame 5 that holds its upper and lower edges. These frames 5 are connected to the open ends of corner joints or partition joints 9 via frame connectors 6 attached to each end, and the frame 5 of the partition panel is connected to the middle part of the partition joint 9 via partition connectors 7 attached to each end. These connection points are assembled by aligning the positions of the members while moving them horizontally.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention disclosed in the present application relates to a circle for pet toilet training, which is used to put pets such as dogs inside and perform toilet training.

Background Art

[0002] Pet circles that connect multiple lattice panels in a substantially box shape and house and raise pets in the internal space surrounded by those panels are widely used. The applicant of the present application has invented a toilet training circle that can easily perform toilet training by partitioning the internal space of such a circle into a living space and a toilet space and enabling movement between both spaces as needed, and has put it into practical use (Patent Document 1).

[0003] The toilet training circle is composed of a peripheral wall panel surrounding the front, back, and left and right sides, and an intermediate partition panel that divides the internal space surrounded by those peripheral wall panels into the two spaces. Each peripheral wall panel is composed of a facing material in which metal wire rods are joined in a lattice shape and frames attached to the upper and lower sides of the facing material, and the peripheral wall panels adjacent to each other at right angles are connected by the ends of the respective frames. Partition body fitting portions are formed in the middle portions of the upper side frames of the front and back peripheral wall panels so as to face each other. The intermediate partition panel is configured by attaching a frame to the upper side of a facing material in which metal wire rods are joined in a lattice shape, and is connected to the peripheral wall panel by fitting both ends of the frame into the partition body fitting portions of the front and back peripheral wall panels.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The invention disclosed herein relates to a toilet enclosure constructed by connecting multiple peripheral wall panels and partition panels as described above, and improves the panel connection structure so that the connection and dismantling of the panels can be performed more easily and reliably than in the conventional method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the aforementioned objective, the pet toilet training circle of the invention disclosed herein is configured such that an internal space surrounded by a plurality of peripheral wall panels is divided into a living space and a toilet space by a partition panel, and a partition entrance that can be opened and closed is provided in the partition panel, allowing or restricting the pet from moving between the living space and the toilet space via the partition entrance, wherein the peripheral wall panels and the partition panel are composed of a surface material formed by joining metal vertical and horizontal wires in a grid pattern, and frames that hold the upper and lower edges of the surface material, respectively, and each frame of the peripheral wall panel is connected to the open ends of corner joints located at the four corners or to the intermediate parts of the front and back via frame connectors attached to both ends thereof, and the frame of the partition panel is connected to the intermediate parts of the partition joints via partition connectors attached to both ends thereof.

[0007] As a connecting structure, the frame is a member with a uniform cross-section configured to hold the upper or lower edge of the facing material in a bottomed facing material holding groove formed on its outer circumferential surface; the frame connector comprises a frame cap portion attached to the end of the frame, a joint connecting portion connected to the corner joint or the partition joint, and a locking engagement portion that restrains the connection state and prevents it from coming loose, with the frame cap portion having a notch formed therein that communicates with the facing material holding groove; the corner joint is a member in which a pair of cylindrical portions are joined in an L-shape in plan view, and the frame connector is connected to the open ends of the cylindrical portions, and the partition joint is the same as the cylindrical portion of the corner joint The basic configuration is as follows: a cylindrical portion with a cross-sectional shape extends linearly, and the frame connectors are connected to both open ends thereof. Each cylindrical portion of the corner joint and the partition joint has a face material insertion groove that extends in the direction of extension of the cylindrical portion, and the edge ends of the face material held by the frame and the frame connector are inserted into the face material insertion groove. The joint connection portion and the lock engagement portion of the frame connector are inserted into the open ends of each cylindrical portion of the corner joint and the partition joint along the direction of extension of each cylindrical portion, thereby connecting the frame connector to each cylindrical portion and preventing it from coming loose.

[0008] With this configuration, the connection and joining of the components that make up the peripheral wall basically involves moving the components horizontally (in the direction of extension of the cylindrical part or the groove for inserting the surface material) to align them and then assembling them. This makes it easy to align the components and allows for efficient assembly even in a narrow workspace.

[0009] Furthermore, the toilet enclosure of the invention disclosed herein, having the basic configuration described above, employs an additional configuration in which the vertical and horizontal wires constituting the peripheral wall panel are joined in an overlapping state such that one is on the inside of the fence and the other is on the outside of the fence, and the surface material insertion grooves formed in the corner joint and the partition joint respectively are widened below the middle in the depth direction toward the horizontal wire, forming a substantially L-shaped cross-section, the horizontal wires are fitted into the widened portion, and the vertical wires are inserted so as to stand up or hang down from the surface material insertion grooves, thereby holding the surface material so as not to come out of the surface material insertion grooves in the vertical direction.

[0010] With this configuration, there is no risk of the perimeter wall panels separating vertically from the corner joints and partition joints, so when installing the facing panels in the corners and partitions, the orientation of the facing panels is stable and workability is improved.

[0011] Furthermore, the toilet training circle of the invention disclosed herein, having the basic configuration described above, employs an additional configuration in which the locking engagement portion provided on the frame connector protrudes from the end wall portion of the frame cap portion and is shaped to abut against the inner circumferential surface on the outside of the fence of the cylindrical portion of the corner joint, and an engagement claw thickened on the outside of the fence is formed near the protruding end thereof, and the engagement claw elastically engages with a window hole opened on the outside side surface of the cylindrical portion from the inside of the fence, thereby locking the frame connector in a connected state to the corner joint.

[0012] Furthermore, the locking engagement portion provided on the frame connector is shaped to protrude from the end wall of the frame cap portion and abut against the inner circumferential surface on the outside of the fence of the cylindrical portion of the partition joint, and an engagement claw, which is thickened on the outside of the fence, is formed near the protruding end, and the engagement claw elastically engages with a window hole opened on the outside side surface of the cylindrical portion from the inside of the fence, thereby locking the frame connector in place while connected to the partition joint.

[0013] With these configurations, all locking engagement points are located on the outside of the fence, making it easier to check whether each connection point is securely locked during assembly, and also allowing for easy release of all connection points from the outside of the fence when dismantling the enclosure.

[0014] Furthermore, the toilet training circle of the invention disclosed herein, having the basic configuration described above, employs an additional configuration in which the partition connector is a member comprising a frame cap portion attached to the end of the frame and a partition connecting portion connected to the intermediate part of the partition joint from the inside of the fence, the partition connecting portion comprising an extension portion coupled to the upper surface of the frame cap portion and extending in the extension direction of the frame, and a fitting lock portion projecting downward from the extended end of the extension portion, the fitting lock portion is fitted into a fitting hole formed in the partition joint, and an engagement groove formed in the fitting lock portion engages with the opening edge of the fitting hole, thereby locking the partition connector in a connected state to the partition joint.

[0015] This configuration allows for the separate assembly of two peripheral wall panels, which are connected to the left and right sides of the partition joint and arranged in the same plane, and a partition panel, which intersects them and is connected to the partition joint. Furthermore, since the partition connector can be attached to the partition panel frame even when inverted vertically, the partition connector's locking mechanism can be configured to be fitted from above into either of the insertion holes formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the partition joint, either on the lower or upper side of the partition panel. This makes connecting and disconnecting the partition panels even easier. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] With the toilet training circle configured as described above, the workability when connecting and disassembling the surrounding wall panels and partition panels is significantly improved compared to conventional methods, and the strength and stability of each connection point are also improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] It is an overall perspective view of a circle for a pet toilet fitting according to an embodiment of the invention disclosed in the present application. [Figure 2] It is a partial perspective view in which the members used in the connection structure of the circle are separated from each other and a part of them is listed. [Figure 3] It is an enlarged perspective view showing the unconnected state of the corner part in the circle, and end views at positions A-A and B-B in the figure. [Figure 4] It is an enlarged perspective view showing the connected state of the corner part. [Figure 5] It is an enlarged perspective view showing the unconnected state of the partition joint and the partition connector in the middle partition part of the circle. [Figure 6] It is an enlarged perspective view showing the connected state of the partition joint and the partition connector in the middle partition part, and an end view at position C-C in the figure. [Figure 7] It is an enlarged perspective view showing the unconnected state of the partition joint and the frame connector in the middle partition part, and end views at positions A-A and B-B in the figure. [Figure 8] It is an enlarged perspective view showing the connected state of the partition joint and the frame connector in the middle partition part.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention disclosed in the present application will be described while referring to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the overall shape of a circle 1 for a pet toilet installation (hereinafter simply referred to as "circle") according to an embodiment of the invention disclosed in the present application. The illustrated circle 1 is assembled by connecting a peripheral wall panel 2 surrounding the front (the left front side in the figure), the back, and both left and right side surfaces, and a middle partition panel 3 that divides the internal space, which is a longitudinally rectangular shape in plan view, surrounded by these peripheral wall panels 2 into two. A housing tray 110 is placed in the housing space 11 on the right side of the middle partition panel 3 disposed in the middle part in the longitudinal direction, and a toilet tray 120 is placed in the toilet space 12 on the left side.

[0019] The peripheral wall panels 2 are arranged at six locations: the front and back of the housing space 11, the front and back of the toilet space 12, the side surface of the housing space 11, and the back of the toilet space 12. Each of these peripheral wall panels 2 is composed of a face material 4 in which a metal vertical wire 41 and a horizontal wire 42 are joined in a lattice pattern, and synthetic resin frames 5 respectively attached to the upper and lower sides of the face material 4. On the face material 4 of the front panel of the housing space 11, a pet entrance / exit through which a pet can enter and exit, and a slide door 43 for opening and closing the pet entrance / exit are provided. Also, on the face material 4 of the front panel of the toilet space 12, a toilet entrance / exit through which the toilet tray 120 can enter and exit, and an outward-opening door 44 for opening and closing the toilet entrance / exit are provided.

[0020] The middle partition panel 3 is also composed of a face material 4 in which a metal vertical wire 41 and a horizontal wire 42 are joined in a lattice pattern, and synthetic resin frames 5 respectively attached to the upper and lower sides of the face material 4. On the face material 4 of the middle partition panel 3, a middle partition entrance / exit through which a pet can move between the housing space 11 and the toilet space 12, and a slide door 45 for opening and closing the middle partition entrance / exit are provided. However, the invention disclosed in the present application does not particularly limit the detailed structure of the doors provided on the respective panels, the opening / closing locking means thereof, and the like

[0021] The essential part of the invention disclosed in this application lies in the connecting structure between each of the panels. Specifically, there are two types of connecting structures: a corner connecting structure in which the peripheral wall panels 2 are connected in an L-shape in plan view, and a partition connecting structure in which the front and back peripheral wall panels 2 and the partition panel 3 are connected in a T-shape in plan view. In both of these types of connecting structures, the front and back sides are assembled using common members so that they are oriented in opposite directions (mirror symmetry). Furthermore, the bottom frame portion that rests on the floor and the upper frame portion that opens upwards are also assembled using common members so that they are basically oriented in opposite directions (with some parts oriented in the same direction). Therefore, in the following, the connecting structure of the bottom frame portion on the front side will be described in detail as a reference, and other parts where the orientation of members differs will be supplemented as necessary.

[0022] Figure 2 is a diagram showing some of the components used in the connecting structure of Circle 1, separated from each other. Figures 3 to 8 are explanatory diagrams that partially enlarge and show the shapes and joining / connecting states of these components. The components that make up this connecting structure can be categorized into the following six types. • Surface material 4 of the surrounding wall panel 2 and the partition panel 3 • Frames 5 attached to the upper and lower edges of the surrounding wall panel 2 and the partition panel 3, respectively. Frame connectors 6 are attached to both ends of the frame 5 of the surrounding wall panel 2. Partition connectors 7 are attached to both ends of the frame 5 of the partition panel 3. • Corner joints 8 that connect the surrounding wall panels 2 in an L-shape when viewed from above. • Partition joint 9 that connects the surrounding wall panel 2 and the partition panel 3 in a T-shape when viewed from above.

[0023] As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the panel 4 is formed by intersecting vertical wires 41 and horizontal wires 42 and welding the intersection. The vertical wires 41 and horizontal wires 42 are joined in an overlapping state in the out-of-plane direction. In the example of the peripheral wall panel 2, the vertical wires 41 are positioned inside the circle 1 (hereinafter referred to as the "inside of the fence"), and the horizontal wires 42 are positioned outside the circle 1 (hereinafter referred to as the "outside of the fence"). However, the positional relationship between the vertical wires 41 and horizontal wires 42 may be reversed. In the case of the panel 4 with a door, only the fixed frame portion that holds the door is subject to the application of the connecting structure, and the door itself is excluded from the components of the connecting structure.

[0024] Frame 5 is a hollow cylindrical member having a uniform cross-section of a rounded rectangle. As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 7, thickened sections are provided on the inside of the four rounded corners, and through holes 51 for screw fastening are formed in these thickened sections. On one of the wide surfaces of the outer circumferential surface of frame 5, a bottomed panel material holding groove 52 is formed, opening at an equal width in the central part in the width direction. The width of the panel material holding groove 52 is formed to match the combined dimension of the diameter of the thickest vertical wire 41 and the diameter of the horizontal wire 42 on the bottom or top edge. As shown in Figure 2, in the bottom frame portion of frame 5, the panel material holding groove 52 faces upward, and in the top frame portion, the panel material holding groove 52 faces downward. The bottom or top edge of the panel material 4 is accommodated in the panel material holding groove 52, respectively, thereby holding the panel material 4 so as not to bend out of plane.

[0025] The frames 5 attached to the upper and lower edges of the peripheral wall panel 2 and the frames 5 attached to the upper and lower edges of the partition panel 3 have a common cross-sectional shape. However, in the peripheral wall panel 2, the length of the frame 5 is designed to be slightly shorter than the side length of the facing material 4, while in the partition panel 3, the length of the frame 5 is designed to be slightly longer than the side length of the facing material 4.

[0026] The frame connector 6 is a relay member for connecting the frame 5 of the peripheral wall panel 2 to the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9. As shown in Figures 3-4 and 7-8, the frame connector 6 has a bottomed short cylindrical frame cap portion 61 that is fitted over the end of the frame 5. The frame cap portion 61 consists of a peripheral portion 611 having an inner peripheral surface that substantially matches the outer peripheral surface of the frame 5, and a flat end wall portion 612 that seals one end of the peripheral portion 611. The peripheral portion 611 is fitted almost without gap to the outer peripheral surface of the frame 5, and the end wall portion 612 abuts against the end face of the frame 5. Two screw holes 613 are formed in the end wall portion 612 that match the positions of the through holes 51 formed in the frame 5, and screws are screwed into these screw holes 613 to integrate the frame connector 6 with the frame 5.

[0027] The peripheral portion 611 and the end wall portion 612 have notches 615 formed in the frame 5 that are approximately the same size as the width and depth of the panel material holding groove 52 formed in the frame 5, and these notches communicate with the panel material holding groove 52. In the peripheral wall panel 2, the side length of the panel material 4 is slightly longer than the length of the frame 5 with the frame connector 6 attached. Therefore, the edge of the panel material 4 housed in the panel material holding groove 52 of the frame 5 is held in a state that it protrudes further in the extension direction of the frame 5 via the notches 615 of the frame connector 6.

[0028] On the outside of the end wall portion 612, a joint connection portion 62 is provided to surround the edge of the protruding face material 4 and to connect to the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9. A locking engagement portion 63 is also provided parallel to the joint connection portion 62. This locking engagement portion 63 is a part that restrains the connection between the frame connector 6 and the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9, preventing them from coming loose. Details of these joint connection portion 62 and locking engagement portion 63 will be described later in relation to the shapes of the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9.

[0029] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the corner joint 8 is a member shaped like an L in plan view, with a pair of cylindrical parts 81 joined together, and the aforementioned frame connector 6 is connected to the open ends of both cylindrical parts 81. The lengths of the two cylindrical parts 81 extending perpendicularly from the rounded bend are equal. The outer shape of the cylindrical parts 81 matches the outer shape of the periphery 611 of the frame connector 6.

[0030] On one of the wider surfaces of the cylindrical portion 81, a bottomed panel insertion groove 82 opening to the wider surface is formed along the length of the cylindrical portion 81. This panel insertion groove 82 is formed such that the middle and lower parts in the depth direction widen outwards towards the fence, forming a roughly L-shaped cross-section. The width of the widened bottom groove matches the width of the panel holding groove 52 formed in the frame 5, and the narrow groove width on the opening side matches the diameter of the vertical wires 41 of the panel 4. If the positional relationship between the vertical wires 41 and horizontal wires 42 of the panel 4 is reversed, the middle and lower parts of the panel insertion groove 82 will widen inwards towards the fence. The two panel insertion grooves 82 formed in the two mutually orthogonal cylindrical portions 81 are separated so as to be discontinuous at the bending point of the corner joint 8. Furthermore, shallow protrusions 85 are formed on the inner surface of the panel insertion groove 82 at appropriate locations near the dividing point, to prevent the inserted panel 4 from easily returning to the open end side.

[0031] Then, the edges of the facing material 4, held by the frame 5 and frame connector 6, are inserted into the facing material insertion groove 82 from the open end side of the cylindrical portion 81. At this time, as shown in the AA end view inserted in Figure 3, the horizontal wires 42 positioned on the outside of the fence fit into the widened portion of the facing material insertion groove 82, and the vertical wires 41 positioned on the inside of the fence are inserted so as to stand upright or hang down from the facing material insertion groove 82. The horizontal wires 42 catch on the widened portion of the facing material insertion groove 82, which holds the facing material 4 in place so that it does not come out of the facing material insertion groove 82 in the vertical direction.

[0032] Then, the joint connection portion 62 and the lock engagement portion 63, which protrude from the end wall portion 612 of the frame connector 6, are inserted into the cylindrical portion 81. The joint connection portion 62 surrounds the outer circumference of the panel insertion groove 82 and is formed to abut against the inner surface of the fence-side portion of the cylindrical portion 81 and the inner surface of the wide portion facing the panel insertion groove 82. In the exemplary embodiment, two plate-like portions in the vertical direction and two plate-like portions in the horizontal direction intersect to form a rectangular hollow recess. Furthermore, the joint connection portion 62 has a guide piece 621 that engages with a recessed groove portion 83 formed on the outside of the fence near the opening of the panel insertion groove 82, which has a roughly L-shaped cross-section. When this joint connection portion 62 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 81, the frame connector 6 and the corner joint 8 are connected so that their respective periphery 611s and the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 81 are continuous.

[0033] The locking engagement portion 63 provided on the frame connector 6 protrudes from the end wall portion 612 substantially parallel to the joint connection portion 62 and is formed to abut against the inner circumferential surface of the outer side of the fence on the cylindrical portion 81 of the corner joint 8. The locking engagement portion 63 is a plate-like piece that can swing slightly on the inside of the fence, and an engagement claw 631, which is thickened on the outside of the fence, is formed on the side surface near its protruding end. This engagement claw 631 elastically engages with a window hole 84 opened on the outer side of the fence of the corner joint 8 from the inside of the fence, preventing it from coming loose. As a result, the frame connector 6 is locked in place while connected to the corner joint 8. When the engagement claw 631 in the window hole 84 is pushed into the cylindrical portion 81 from the outside of the fence of the corner joint 8, the locked state is released, and the frame connector 6 can be removed from the corner joint 8.

[0034] The frame connector 6 is connected to both open ends of the corner joint 8, but as shown in the end view inserted in Figure 3, the end face shape of the face material insertion groove 82 is symmetrical on the AA side and the BB side. In both cases, the face material 4 inserted into the face material insertion groove 82 has the vertical wires 41 on the inside of the fence and the horizontal wires 42 on the outside of the fence. Also, the position of the window hole 84 into which the engaging claws 631 of the locking engagement part 63 engage is reversed when viewed from the open end side of each cylindrical part 81. Accordingly, the frame connector 6 is available in two types, right-handed and left-handed, with the shape and positional relationship of the joint connection part 62 and the locking engagement part 63 mirror-symmetrical. In both the bottom frame part and the top frame part of Circle 1, two different types of frame connectors 6 are connected to both open ends of a single corner joint 8. The configuration, in which the guide piece 621 formed on the joint connection portion 62 engages with the recessed groove portion 83 on the outside of the railing of the surface material insertion groove 82, physically prevents misalignment during connection.

[0035] The partition connector 7 is a relay member for connecting the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 to the partition joint 9. As shown in Figures 5-6, the partition connector 7, like the frame connector 6, has a bottomed short cylindrical frame cap portion 71 that is fitted over the end of the frame 5 of the partition panel 3. The frame cap portion 71 consists of a circumferential portion 711 having an inner circumferential surface that substantially matches the outer circumferential surface of the frame 5, and a flat end wall portion 712 that seals the vicinity of one end of the circumferential portion 711. The circumferential portion 711 is fitted almost without gap to the outer circumferential surface of the frame 5, and the end wall portion 712 abuts against the end face of the frame 5. Two screw holes 713 are formed in the end wall portion 712 that match the positions of the through holes 51 formed in the frame 5, and screws 714 are screwed into these screw holes to integrate the frame connector 6 with the frame 5. In the partition connector 7, the peripheral portion 711 extends beyond the end wall portion 712 and away from the frame 5, so as to surround the screw 714 up to about the height of its head.

[0036] The frame cap portion 71 of the partition connector 7 does not have a notch that communicates with the surface material holding groove 52 of the frame 5. Therefore, when the partition connectors 7 are attached to both ends of the frame 5, the effective length of the surface material holding groove 52 of the frame 5 is shortened by that amount. For this reason, the side length of the surface material 4 of the partition panel 3 is designed to fit within the aforementioned effective length.

[0037] The partition connector 7 is provided with a partition connecting portion 72 for connecting to the partition joint 9 from the inside of the fence. The partition connecting portion 72 has an extension portion 73 that is coupled to the upper surface of the frame cap portion 71 and extends in the direction of extension of the frame 5, and a locking portion 74 that protrudes downward from the extended end of the extension portion 73. Details of these extension portion 73 and locking portion 74 will be described later in relation to the shape of the partition joint 9.

[0038] As shown in Figures 5-8, the partition joint 9 is a member with a hollow cylindrical portion 91 extending in a straight line. The aforementioned frame connectors 6 are connected to both open ends of the cylindrical portion 91, and the partition connector 7 is connected to the middle part inside the fence perpendicular to them. The cylindrical portion 91 of the partition joint 9 has the same cross-sectional shape as the cylindrical portion 91 of the corner joint 8 described above. That is, the outer shape of the cylindrical portion 91 substantially matches the outer shape of the peripheral portion 611 of the frame connector 6, and on one of the wider surfaces, a roughly L-shaped cross-section facing material insertion groove 92 is formed, which widens outwards from the middle part in the depth direction towards the outside of the fence. The width of the widened bottom groove matches the width of the facing material holding groove 52 formed in the frame 5, and the narrow groove width on the opening side matches the diameter of the vertical wire 41 of the facing material 4. The two facing material insertion grooves 92, formed on the same straight line, are separated so as to be discontinuous in the central part of the partition joint 9.

[0039] Then, the edges of the facing material 4, held by the frame 5 and frame connector 6, are inserted into the facing material insertion groove 92 from both open ends of the cylindrical portion 91. Here, as with the corner joint 8, the horizontal wires 42 positioned on the outside of the fence fit into the widened portion of the facing material insertion groove 92, and the vertical wires 41 positioned on the inside of the fence are inserted so as to stand upright or hang down from the facing material insertion groove 92. This holds the facing material 4 in place so that it does not come out of the facing material insertion groove 92 in the vertical direction. At appropriate locations near the central dividing point, shallow protrusions 95 are formed on the inner surface of the facing material insertion groove 92 to prevent the inserted facing material 4 from easily returning to the open end side.

[0040] When the joint connection portion 62 and locking engagement portion 63 of the frame connector 6 are inserted into the cylindrical portion 91, the frame connector 6 and the partition joint 9 are connected such that their respective peripheral portions 611 and the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 91 are continuous. The locking engagement portion 63 of the frame connector 6 elastically engages with the window hole 94 formed on the outer side of the partition joint 9 from the inside of the fence, preventing it from coming loose. This locks the frame connector 6 in place while it is connected to the partition joint 9. These connection and engagement configurations are the same as those of the frame connector 6 and the corner joint 8. When the engaging claw 631 inside the window hole 94 is pushed into the cylindrical portion 91 from the outside of the partition joint 9, the lock is released, and the frame connector 6 can be removed from the partition joint 9.

[0041] In the partition joint 9, as shown in the end view inserted in Figure 7, the end face shapes of the face material insertion groove 92 are symmetrical on the AA side and the BB side, and different types of frame connectors 6 are connected to each of the two open ends. The guide piece 621 formed on the joint connection part 62 engages with the recessed groove 93 on the outside of the fence of the face material insertion groove 92 in this partition part as well, thereby preventing incorrect connection to the partition joint 9.

[0042] In the middle section of the partition joint 9, a fitting hole 96 is formed on the inside of the fence beyond the face material insertion groove 92 for fitting the fitting lock portion 74 of the partition connector 7. The fitting hole 96 is formed to penetrate vertically through the opposing wide surfaces of the partition joint 9. In a plan view, the fitting hole 96 is a long rectangle extending in the longitudinal direction of the partition joint 9, and is divided into two sections, left and right, by a small projection 97 protruding from the face material insertion groove 92 side in the middle of its longitudinal direction.

[0043] On the other hand, as shown in the side view in Figure 6, the partition connecting portion 72 of the partition connector 7 is formed such that the periphery of the frame cap portion 71 abuts against the inner side of the partition joint 9, and the extended end of the extension portion 73 covers the small projection 97 that partitions the middle part of the insertion hole 96. A pair of left and right insertion lock portions 74 are provided projecting downward from both side edges of the extended end of the extension portion 73, with a predetermined distance between them and the end wall portion 712 of the frame cap portion 71.

[0044] As shown in Figure 5, the insertion lock portion 74 has a shape in which a long, narrow plate piece with a width that fits within the short side dimension of the insertion hole 96 of the partition joint 9 is folded back into a roughly U-shape when viewed from the front, and the upper end of one side is connected to the side edge of the extended end of the extension portion 73. The upper end on the other side is a free end that can swing slightly in the left-right direction (direction toward and away from the extension portion 73) when viewed from the front, starting from the U-shaped folded portion. The free end is thickened on the side away from the extension portion 73, and an engagement groove 75 is formed at the thickened portion, extending parallel to the short side direction (in-out direction) of the insertion hole 96. The width of the engagement groove 75 is approximately the same as the wall thickness of the cylindrical portion 91 of the partition joint 9.

[0045] The pair of left and right insertion locking parts 74 formed in this manner are fitted into the insertion hole 96 from above, straddling the small projection 97 that divides the middle part of the insertion hole 96. After the U-shaped folded part is fitted into the cylindrical part 91, the left and right free ends of the insertion locking part 74 are deformed to move towards the center, and the engagement grooves 75 formed on the free ends engage with the opening edge on the short side of the insertion hole 96, preventing it from coming loose. In this way, the partition connector 7 is locked in place, connected to the side of the partition joint 9. In this locked state, as shown in Figure 6, the left and right free ends of the insertion locking part 74 are held to protrude slightly above the insertion hole 96. Therefore, by pinching these free ends together with your fingertips and deforming them to move towards the center, the engagement of the engagement grooves 75 with the opening edge of the insertion hole 96 is released, and the partition connector 7 can be removed from the partition joint 9.

[0046] In the upper frame portion of the partition section, as shown in the C'-C' end view inserted in the upper part of Figure 6, the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 holds the upper edge of the facing material 4 with the facing material holding groove 52 facing downwards, and the partition joint 9 is also positioned to hold the facing material 4 of the peripheral wall panel 2 with the facing material insertion groove 92 facing downwards. However, at the end of the frame 5 of the partition panel 3, a partition connector 7 is attached with the insertion lock portion 74 facing downwards, similar to the lower frame portion shown in the CC end view inserted in the lower part of Figure 6. The insertion lock portion 74 is then fitted from above into the insertion hole 96 that opens on the wider side of the partition joint 9 on the side where the facing material insertion groove 92 is not formed.

[0047] Circle 1, which is composed of such components, can be assembled, for example, by the following procedure. (1) Frame connectors 6 are screwed to both ends of the frames 5 that are placed on the lower and upper edges of each peripheral wall panel 2. At this time, the frame connectors 6 are connected to the frames 5 with all of their locking engagement parts 63 facing outwards from the fence. (2) The partition connectors 7 are screwed to both ends of the frame 5, which is positioned on the lower and upper edges of the partition panel 3. The surface material holding grooves 52 of the frame 5 are oriented in opposite directions on the lower and upper sides, but the partition connectors 7 are connected to the frame 5 with the insertion locking portion 74 protruding downwards on both the lower and upper sides. (3) With the lower and upper edges of the facing material 4 of each peripheral wall panel 2 fitted into the facing material holding grooves 52 of the frame 5 described in (1), the edges of each facing material 4 are inserted horizontally (in the direction of extension of the facing material insertion grooves) into the facing material insertion grooves 82 and 92 of the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9, respectively, and each frame connector 6 is connected to the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9. The upper and lower edges of the peripheral wall panels are connected to surround the entire circumference of the circle 1, but the order in which the corners and partitions are connected does not particularly matter. (4) The partition connectors 7 attached to both ends of the frame 5 that holds the lower edge of the partition panel 3 are fitted into the partition joint 9 of the lower frame from above to connect them. (5) The lower edge of the partition panel 3 is placed in the surface material holding groove 52 of the frame 5 of (4) that holds the lower edge of the partition panel 3, the frame 5 that holds the upper edge of the partition panel 3 is placed over the upper edge of the surface material 4, and the partition connectors 7 attached to both ends of the frame 5 are fitted from above to connect to the partition joint 9 of the upper frame.

[0048] By following these steps, all of the surrounding wall panels 2 and partition panels 3 can be connected. However, this procedure is just one example, and the order can be changed as appropriate.

[0049] In the Circle 1 connecting structure described above, the connection and joining of the components that make up the perimeter wall basically involves moving the components horizontally (in the direction of extension of frame 5) to align their positions and assemble them. This process eliminates the need to check the position of small holes and insert the ends of wires, or to turn connected components over and then stand them upright, so components can be easily aligned and assembled efficiently even in a narrow workspace. The fact that the perimeter wall panels 2, which are arranged in the longitudinal direction of Circle 1, are divided into the front and back of the living space 11 and the front and back of the toilet space 12 also contributes to the efficiency of the workspace during assembly.

[0050] Furthermore, this connecting structure employs a configuration in which the facing material 4 of the peripheral wall panel 2 is inserted from the open end side of the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9, and the horizontal wire 42 is engaged with the widened portion of the substantially L-shaped facing material insertion groove 82, 92 formed in the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9. With this connecting structure, there is no risk of the peripheral wall panel 2 separating vertically from the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9, so when erecting the facing material 4 panels in the corner and partition sections, the posture of the facing material 4 is stable and workability is improved.

[0051] Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape (with the bottom widening) of the panel insertion grooves 82 and 92 provided in the corner joint 8 and partition joint 9 is set based on the positional relationship of the vertical wires 41 and horizontal wires 42 that constitute the panel 4 in the direction of inside-outside the fence. This prevents situations where the orientation (front / back) of the panel 4 of the peripheral wall panel 2 is incorrect when inserting it into the corner joint 8 and partition joint 9.

[0052] Furthermore, two types of frame connectors 6 are provided, with the shape and positional relationship of the joint connection part 62 and the lock engagement part 63 mirror-symmetrical to the cross-sectional shape of the surface material insertion grooves 82 and 92 provided in the corner joint 8 and partition joint 9. However, to prevent assembly in the wrong orientation, a guide piece 621 is provided, and care is taken to ensure that the lock engagement part 63 is always positioned on the outside of the fence.

[0053] Furthermore, since the locking engagement parts 63 for the connection points between the corner joints 8 and partition joints 9 and the frame connectors 6 are all located on the outside of the fence, it is easy to check whether each connection point is securely locked during assembly. When dismantling Circle 1, the locking claws 631 that engage with the window holes 84 and 94 of the corner joints 8 and partition joints 9 can be released from the outside of the fence by simply pushing in the engagement claws 631 that engage with the window holes 84 and 94 of the corner joints 8 and partition joints 9, thereby separating the frame connectors 6 from the corner joints 8 and partition joints 9. This connection structure is also preferable from a safety standpoint, as it eliminates the need to lift the bottom frame of Circle 1 or to lift the top frame while holding down the bottom frame when dismantling Circle 1.

[0054] Regarding the partition section, since a partition connector 7 is interposed between the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 and the partition joint 9, the two peripheral wall panels 2 connected to the left and right sides of the partition joint 9 and arranged in the same plane, and the partition panel 3 that intersects them and is connected to the partition joint 9, can be assembled separately. There is no need to simultaneously support the three panels connected to the partition section and align them with each other. The connection work of the peripheral wall panels 2 and the connection work of the partition panel 3 can be performed without worrying about the order in which they are connected.

[0055] Furthermore, by forming the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 and the partition connector 7 as separate components, the partition connector 7 can be attached to the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 even when inverted vertically. Additionally, by adopting a connection structure in which the insertion lock portion 74 of the partition connector 7 is fitted from above into one of the insertion holes 96 formed on both the upper and lower surfaces of the partition joint 9, the connection of the partition panels 3 becomes even easier. When removing the partition panel 3, the free end of the insertion lock portion 74 can be grasped from above the partition to release the lock, allowing the partition panel 3 to be removed upwards while the surrounding wall panel 2 remains in place.

[0056] The connecting structure described above greatly improves workability during assembly and disassembly, as well as the strength and stability of each connecting part. Therefore, it becomes easy to rearrange the structure, for example, by swapping the positions of the living space 11 and the toilet space 12 depending on the circumstances of the room in which Circle 1 is installed, or by removing the partition panel 3 to suit the nature and habits of the pet being kept. Furthermore, it can be adapted to configurations in which the front width (opening dimension) is expanded by adding the surrounding wall panel 2, and the interior space is divided into three or more sections by adding the partition panel 3.

[0057] In this connecting structure, while it is assumed that synthetic resin molded products will be used for all components except the facing material 4, the adoption of a configuration in which each frame 5 of the peripheral wall panel 2 is connected to the corner joint 8 or partition joint 9 via frame connector 6, and the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 is also connected to the middle part of the partition joint 9 via partition connector 7, has advantages in terms of component costs. That is, since the frame 5 of the peripheral wall panel 2 and the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 have a common cross-section, each frame 5 only needs to be made from one type of extruded product cut to a predetermined length. Other components are injection molded products, but the corner joint 8, partition joint 9, and partition connector 7 can be used in all positions (up, down, left, and right) by simply changing the orientation of one type of component. If two types of mirrored versions of the frame connector 6 are provided, all connection points can be covered. In other words, only five types of injection molded products are needed, making it extremely economical in terms of manufacturing costs.

[0058] The embodiments described above are merely examples. The technical scope of the invention disclosed in this application should not be interpreted restrictively by the exemplary forms, but rather conceptually based on the claims. The names of the components used in the claims and specification are for convenience to facilitate a concrete understanding of the invention, and the names do not unnecessarily limit the concept or properties of the components. When implementing the invention disclosed in this application, the detailed shape, dimensions, structure, material, quantity, combination form with other elements, relative positional relationship, etc., of components not specifically identified in the claims can be modified as appropriate, within a range that yields substantially equivalent or better effects than those of the exemplary forms. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0059] 1. Toilet training enclosure 11 Living space 110 Residential Trays 12 Toilet space 120 Toilet tray 2. Surround wall panels 3. Partition Panel 4-sided material 41 Vertical wire 42 horizontal wires 43 Sliding door 44 Outward-opening door 5 frames 51 Through hole 52 Surface material holding groove 6 Frame Connectors 61 Frame cap section 611 Periphery 612 End wall section 613 screw holes 614 Bis 615 Notch 62 Joint connection part 621 Guide piece 63 Locking engagement part 631 Engaging claw 7. Partition Connector 71 Frame cap section 711 Periphery 712 End wall section 713 screw holes 714 Bis 72 Partition connection section 73 Taking out section 74 Insertion locking part 75 Engagement groove 8 Corner joints 81 Cylindrical part 82 Insertion groove for facing material 83 Concave groove part 84 Window holes 85 Convex part 9. Partition joint 91 Cylindrical part 92 Insertion groove for facing material 93 Concave groove part 94 Window holes 95 Convex part 96 Insertion hole 97 Small protrusion piece

Claims

1. In a pet toilet training enclosure, the interior space enclosed by multiple surrounding wall panels is divided into a living space and a toilet space by a partition panel, and the partition panel is provided with an opening and closing partition door that allows pets to enter and exit, thereby allowing or restricting pets from moving between the living space and the toilet space via the partition door. The aforementioned peripheral wall panel and partition panel are constructed by including a surface material formed by joining vertical and horizontal metal wires in a grid pattern, and frames that hold the upper and lower edges of the surface material, respectively. Each frame of the aforementioned peripheral wall panel is connected via frame connectors attached to both ends to corner joints located at the four corners, or to the open ends of partition joints located in the middle of the front and back, The frame of the partition panel is equipped with a connecting structure that connects to the intermediate part of the partition joint via partition connectors attached to both ends thereof. The frame is a member with a uniform cross-section configured to hold the upper or lower edge of the facing material in a bottomed facing material holding groove formed on its outer circumferential surface. The frame connector comprises a frame cap portion attached to the end of the frame, a joint connection portion connected to the corner joint or the partition joint, and a locking engagement portion that restrains the connection and prevents it from coming loose, wherein the frame cap portion has a notch formed therein that communicates with the surface material holding groove. The corner joint is a component in which a pair of cylindrical parts are joined together in an L-shape in plan view, and the frame connectors are connected to the open ends of the cylindrical parts, The aforementioned partition joint is a member in which a cylindrical portion having the same cross-sectional shape as the cylindrical portion of the corner joint extends linearly, and the frame connectors are connected to both open ends thereof. Each of the cylindrical portions of the corner joint and the partition joint is formed with a face material insertion groove extending in the direction of extension of the cylindrical portion, and the edge end of the face material held by the frame and the frame connector is inserted into the face material insertion groove. The joint connection portion and the locking engagement portion of the frame connector are inserted into the open ends of the cylindrical portions of the corner joint and the partition joint, along the extension direction of each cylindrical portion, thereby connecting the frame connector to each cylindrical portion and engaging the locking engagement portion with each cylindrical portion to prevent it from coming loose. A toilet training enclosure characterized by being configured in such a way.

2. In the toilet training enclosure described in claim 1, The vertical and horizontal wires constituting the aforementioned peripheral wall panel are joined together in an overlapping manner, such that one is on the inside of the fence and the other is on the outside of the fence. The surface material insertion grooves formed in the corner joint and the partition joint, respectively, widen in the depth direction below the middle portion towards the transverse wire, forming a substantially L-shaped cross-section. The horizontal wires are fitted into the widened portion, and the vertical wires are inserted so as to stand upright or hang down from the surface material insertion grooves, thereby holding the surface material in place so that it does not come out of the surface material insertion grooves in the vertical direction. A toilet training enclosure characterized by the following features.

3. In the toilet training enclosure described in claim 1 or 2, The locking engagement portion provided on the frame connector protrudes from the end wall portion of the frame cap portion and is shaped to abut against the inner circumferential surface on the outer side of the fence in the cylindrical portion of the corner joint. A thickened engaging claw is formed near the protruding end on the outside of the fence, and the engaging claw elastically engages with a window opening opened on the outer side of the cylindrical part of the fence from the inside of the fence, thereby locking the frame connector in place while connected to the corner joint. A toilet training enclosure characterized by the following features.

4. In the toilet training enclosure described in claim 1 or 2, The locking engagement portion provided on the frame connector protrudes from the end wall portion of the frame cap portion and is shaped to abut against the inner circumferential surface on the outer side of the fence in the cylindrical portion of the partition joint. A thickened engaging claw is formed near the protruding end on the outside of the fence, and the engaging claw elastically engages with a window opening opened on the outer side of the cylindrical part of the fence from the inside of the fence, thereby locking the frame connector in place while connected to the partition joint. A toilet training enclosure characterized by the following features.

5. In the toilet training enclosure described in claim 1 or 2, The partition connector is a component comprising a frame cap portion attached to the end of the frame and a partition connecting portion connected to the intermediate part of the partition joint from the inside of the fence. The partition connecting portion includes an extension portion that is coupled to the upper surface of the frame cap portion and extends in the direction of extension of the frame, and a fitting lock portion that protrudes downward from the extended end of the extension portion. The aforementioned insertion locking portion is fitted into the insertion hole formed in the partition joint, The engagement groove formed in the insertion lock portion engages with the opening edge of the insertion hole, thereby locking the partition connector in place while connected to the partition joint. A toilet training enclosure characterized by the following features.

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