Animal toilet

Abstract

This product provides an animal toilet that prevents the odor of urine accumulated in the lower space from rising to the upper space. [Solution] The animal toilet 1 comprises a main body 10 and a partition 20. The main body 10 has a bottom surface 10a and side surfaces 10b. The main body 10 receives the excreted urine. The partition 20 divides the internal space of the main body 10 into an upper space S1 and a lower space S2. The partition 20 has a plate-shaped member 22 and a protruding part 26. The plate-shaped member 22 does not have a through hole. The protruding part 26 is connected to the plate-shaped member 22 and protrudes downward from the plate-shaped member 22. There is a gap between the side surface 10b and the plate-shaped member 22 that allows urine to pass through.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an animal toilet.

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional animal toilet, for example, there is one described in Patent Document 1. The animal toilet described in the same document includes a main body portion that receives excreted urine, and a partition portion that divides the internal space of the main body portion into an upper space and a lower space. The partition portion is composed of a plate-like member having no through holes. There is a gap for urine to pass between the side surface portion of the main body portion and the plate-like member. A plurality of granular bodies having hydrophobicity are laid in the upper space (above the partition portion). A water-absorbent sheet for absorbing urine is disposed in the lower space.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-described animal toilet, the urine excreted into the main body portion moves from the upper space to the lower space through the gap between the side surface portion and the plate-like member. The urine that has moved to the lower space accumulates in the lower space in a state of being absorbed by the water-absorbent sheet. When a bad odor is generated from the urine accumulated in the lower space, the odor may reach the gap along the lower surface of the plate-like member. If this happens, the odor will rise up to the upper space through the gap. This causes a bad odor to waft outside the animal toilet.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an animal toilet in which the odor of the urine accumulated in the lower space is unlikely to rise to the upper space.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The animal toilet according to the present invention comprises a main body having a bottom and side portions for receiving excreted urine, and a partition portion that divides the internal space of the main body into an upper space and a lower space, wherein the partition portion has a first plate-like member without through holes, and a first projection connected to the first plate-like member and projecting downward from the first plate-like member, and a first gap exists between the side portion and the first plate-like member for the urine to pass through.

[0007] In this animal toilet, a first projection is provided in the partition section, which protrudes downward from the first plate-like member. This makes it possible to block the odor from traveling along the underside of the first plate-like member by the first projection, even if a foul odor is generated from the urine accumulated in the lower space. As a result, the odor is less likely to reach the first gap. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, an animal toilet is realized in which the odor of urine accumulated in the lower space does not easily rise to the upper space. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is an end view showing one embodiment of an animal toilet according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an end view showing one embodiment of an animal toilet according to the present invention. [Figure 3] This is an end view showing the main body 10. [Figure 4] This is a front view showing the main body 10. [Figure 5] This is a plan view showing the main body 10 and the partition 20. [Figure 6] This is a plan view showing the main body 10 and the plate-shaped member 22. [Figure 7] This is a plan view showing the main body 10 and the plate-shaped member 24. [Figure 8] This is an end view showing the plate-shaped member 22 and the protruding portion 26. [Figure 9] This is an end view showing the plate-shaped member 24 and the protruding portion 28. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view showing the drawer section 50. [Figure 11] This is a plan view illustrating one modified example of the partition section 20. [Figure 12] This is an end view along the line XII-XII in Figure 11. [Figure 13] This is a plan view illustrating other variations of the partition section 20. [Figure 14] This is an end view along the line XIV-XIV in Figure 13. [Figure 15] This is an end view illustrating a modified example of the main body 10. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0011] Figures 1 and 2 are end views showing one embodiment of an animal toilet according to the present invention. The animal toilet 1 comprises a main body 10, a partition 20, a plurality of granular materials 30, an absorbent sheet 40, and a pull-out section 50. The animal toilet 1 is, for example, a cat toilet. The main body 10 has a bottom surface 10a and side surfaces 10b. The main body 10 consists of a single container. The main body 10 receives excreted urine. The external shape of the main body 10 is approximately a rectangular parallelepiped. The planar shape of the main body 10 is approximately a rectangle. Here, "approximately a rectangle" is not limited to a rectangle, but also includes shapes close to a rectangle, such as a rounded rectangle. Figures 1 and 2 show end faces perpendicular to the long and short sides of the rectangle, respectively.

[0012] Figures 3 and 4 are respectively an end view and a front view showing the main body 10. An opening 12 for inserting and removing the extraction part 50 is formed in the side surface part 10b of the main body part 10. The opening 12 is located near the bottom surface part 10a and has a horizontally long rectangular shape. The length of the opening 12 in the horizontal direction (the left - right direction in FIG. 4) is substantially equal to the width (inner dimension) of the main body part 10, for example, 20 cm or more and 40 cm or less. The length of the opening 12 in the vertical direction (the up - down direction in FIG. 4) is, for example, 2 cm or more and 5 cm or less. As the material of the main body part 10, for example, plastic can be used. Examples of the plastic include polypropylene or polyethylene.

[0013] Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, the partition part 20 is disposed at a position separated from both the upper end of the main body part 10 (side surface part 10b) and the water - absorbent sheet 40. Thereby, the partition part 20 divides the internal space of the main body part 10 into an upper space S1 and a lower space S2. The upper space S1 exists above the partition part 20 and is a space where a plurality of granular bodies 30 are laid. The lower space S2 exists below the partition part 20 and is a space where urine accumulates. The partition part 20 has a plate - like member 22 (the first plate - like member), a plate - like member 24 (the second plate - like member), a protruding part 26 (the first protruding part), and a protruding part 28 (the second protruding part). The partition part 20 consists only of the plate - like member 22 and the plate - like member 24, and the protruding part 26 and the protruding part 28.

[0014] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the main body part 10 and the partition part 20. The end faces shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively correspond to the end faces along the lines I - I and II - II in FIG. 5. The plate - like member 22 is a single substantially rectangular plate. The upper and lower surfaces of the plate - like member 22 are flat. The thickness of the plate - like member 22 is constant and preferably 5 mm or less. As shown in FIG. 6, there is a gap G1 (the first gap) for allowing urine to pass between the side surface part 10b and the plate - like member 22. This figure is a figure in which the illustration of the plate - like member 24 in FIG. 5 is omitted. The plate - like member 22 does not have a through - hole. Here, the through - hole is a hole that penetrates the plate - like member 22 and allows urine to pass, and as long as urine can pass through, its shape and size are not limited.

[0015] The plate-like member 22 is inclined downward toward the gap G1 (see FIG. 1). The inclination angle of the plate-like member 22 is preferably 10° or more and 30° or less. The plate-like member 22 is fixed to the main body 10. Specifically, three sides out of the four sides of the plate-like member 22 are connected to the side surface portion 10b. The remaining one side (tip side 22a) of the plate-like member 22 is separated from the opposing side surface portion 10b, thereby creating the gap G1. The tip side 22a is located at the lower end of the plate-like member 22. The plate-like member 22 may be integrally formed with the side surface portion 10b, or may be attached to the side surface portion 10b after being separately formed from the side surface portion 10b. As the material of the plate-like member 22, for example, plastic can be used.

[0016] The plate-like member 24 is a single substantially rectangular plate. The upper and lower surfaces of the plate-like member 24 are flat. The thickness of the plate-like member 24 is constant and preferably 5 mm or less. The plate-like member 24 may have the same shape and size as the plate-like member 22, or may have a different shape or size from the plate-like member 22. The area of each of the plate-like member 22 and the plate-like member 24 is preferably 60% or less of the area of the bottom surface portion 10a (the portion inside the side surface portion 10b) of the main body 10 in a plan view. As shown in FIG. 7, there is a gap G2 (second gap) through which urine passes between the side surface portion 10b and the plate-like member 24. This figure is a view in which the illustration of the plate-like member 22 is omitted in FIG. 5. The plate-like member 24 does not have a through-hole. Here, the through-hole is a hole that penetrates the plate-like member 24 and allows urine to pass through, and its shape and size are not limited as long as urine can pass through.

[0017] The plate-shaped member 24 is provided so as not to block the gap G1 between the side portion 10b and the plate-shaped member 22. Similarly, the plate-shaped member 22 is provided so as not to block the gap G2 between the side portion 10b and the plate-shaped member 24. The plate-shaped member 24 is spaced apart from the plate-shaped member 22. Between the plate-shaped member 22 and the plate-shaped member 24, there is a gap G3 (third gap) through which urine can pass (see Figure 2). The gap G3 is sized so as not to allow the granular material 30 to pass through. In this embodiment, the plate-shaped member 24 is provided so as to fill the entire gap G1 in a plan view. Similarly, the plate-shaped member 22 is provided so as to fill the entire gap G2 in a plan view. Furthermore, the plate-shaped member 22 and the plate-shaped member 24 partially overlap in a plan view. That is, a part of the plate-shaped member 24 overlaps a part of the plate-shaped member 22 in a plan view.

[0018] The plate-shaped member 24 is inclined downward toward the gap G2 (see Figure 1). The inclination angle of the plate-shaped member 24 is preferably 10° or more and 30° or less. The plate-shaped member 24 is fixed to the main body 10. In detail, three of the four sides of the plate-shaped member 24 are connected to the side portion 10b. The remaining side of the plate-shaped member 24 (tip side 24a) is spaced apart from the opposing side portion 10b, thereby creating the gap G2. The tip side 24a is located at the lower end of the plate-shaped member 24. The lower end of the plate-shaped member 24 is higher than the lower end of the plate-shaped member 22. The plate-shaped member 24 may be molded integrally with the side portion 10b, or it may be molded separately from the side portion 10b and then attached to the side portion 10b. As the material for the plate-shaped member 24, for example, plastic can be used.

[0019] The projection 26 is connected to the plate-like member 22 and protrudes downward from the plate-like member 22. The projection 26 protrudes vertically downward from the lower surface of the plate-like member 22. The projection 26 is connected to the plate-like member 22 at its upper end. The lower end of the projection 26 is in contact with the lower space S2. The projection 26 is connected to the front edge 22a of the plate-like member 22. The projection 26 is flat. The thickness direction of the projection 26 is equal to the horizontal direction (left-right direction in Figure 1). The thickness of the projection 26 is, for example, 2 mm or more and 5 mm or less. The projection 26 is provided over the entire plate-like member 22 in the width direction (left-right direction in Figure 6) of the plate-like member 22. The width direction of the plate-like member 22 is parallel to the front edge 22a.

[0020] The height h1 of the protrusion 26 (see Figure 8) is preferably greater than the thickness t1 of the plate-like member 22. Here, the height h1 is defined as the distance from the upper end to the lower end of the protrusion 26 in the vertical direction (up and down direction in Figures 1 and 8). The thickness t1 is defined as the distance from the upper surface to the lower surface of the plate-like member 22 in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the plate-like member 22. The height h1 is, for example, 5 mm or more and 20 mm or less. The protrusion 26 may be molded integrally with the plate-like member 22, or it may be molded separately from the plate-like member 22 and then attached to the plate-like member 22. As the material for the protrusion 26, for example, plastic can be used. Note that Figure 8 shows the same end face as in Figure 1.

[0021] The protruding portion 28 is connected to the plate-like member 24 and protrudes downward from the plate-like member 24. The protruding portion 28 protrudes vertically downward from the lower surface of the plate-like member 24. The protruding portion 28 is connected to the plate-like member 24 at its upper end. The lower end of the protruding portion 28 is in contact with the lower space S2. In a plan view, the protruding portion 28 is provided so as not to overlap with the plate-like member 22. In a plan view, the protruding portion 28 is spaced apart from the leading edge 22a of the plate-like member 22. The protruding portion 28 is flat. The thickness direction of the protruding portion 28 is equal to the horizontal direction. The protruding portion 28 may have the same shape and size as the protruding portion 26, or it may have a different shape or size from the protruding portion 26. The thickness of the protruding portion 28 is, for example, 2 mm or more and 5 mm or less. The protruding portion 28 is provided over the entire plate-like member 24 in the width direction (left-right direction in Figure 7) of the plate-like member 24. The width direction of the plate-like member 24 is parallel to the tip edge 24a.

[0022] The height h2 of the protrusion 28 (see Figure 9) is preferably greater than the thickness t2 of the plate-like member 24. Here, the height h2 is defined as the distance from the upper end to the lower end of the protrusion 28 in the vertical direction (up and down direction in Figures 1 and 9). The thickness t2 is defined as the distance from the upper surface to the lower surface of the plate-like member 24 in the direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the plate-like member 24. The height h2 is, for example, 5 mm or more and 20 mm or less. The protrusion 28 may be molded integrally with the plate-like member 24, or it may be molded separately from the plate-like member 24 and then attached to the plate-like member 24. As the material for the protrusion 28, for example, plastic can be used. Note that Figure 9 shows the same end face as in Figure 1.

[0023] Multiple granular materials 30 for processing excrement (mainly urine) are laid in the upper space S1 (above the partition 20). The granular materials 30 are laid directly on the plate-like members 22 and 24. Each granular material 30 is granular in shape. Examples of such granular shapes include spheres, cylinders, or ellipsoids. The particle size of each granular material 30 is, for example, 5 mm to 30 mm. Here, the particle size of the granular material 30 is defined as the diameter of the smallest sphere that can contain the granular material 30. When the animal toilet 1 is used, the granular materials 30 directly receive the excreted urine.

[0024] The granular material 30 is hydrophobic. That is, the granular material 30 does not absorb liquids such as urine at all, or absorbs very little. Unlike granular material with water absorption properties, the hydrophobic granular material 30 does not stick together and form clumps when wet with urine.

[0025] For granular material 30 to be hydrophobic, the liquid permeability measured by the following test must be 60% or higher. First, place 50g of granular material 30 (sample) into a sieve with an inner diameter of 10cm and a mesh size of 1mm. Place an empty beaker below the sieve. Then, using a syringe with an outer cylinder inner diameter of 3cm and a tip inner diameter of 4mm (Terumo 60ml syringe), dropwise add 30ml of water to the sample over 10 seconds. After standing for 1 minute, measure the amount of water in the beaker. The liquid permeability is calculated as the ratio of the measured amount of water to the amount of water added (30ml). If the amount of water in the beaker is 18ml or more, the liquid permeability is 60% or higher, and therefore, granular material 30 can be said to be hydrophobic.

[0026] Each granular material 30 is preferably made primarily of organic matter. Here, the main material of the granular material 30 refers to the material that accounts for the largest weight percentage of the granular material 30 among the one or more materials that make up the granular material 30. Examples of such organic matter include paper, plants, plastics, or organic sludge. Each granular material 30 may consist only of organic matter, or it may consist of organic matter and inorganic matter.

[0027] Paper refers to materials primarily composed of pulp. Examples of paper include, for example, ordinary paper (paper dust), photographic paper, release paper, fluff pulp, paper derived from vinyl wallpaper (paper generated during the manufacture or classification of vinyl wallpaper), paper derived from gypsum board (paper generated during the manufacture or classification of gypsum board), or paper derived from sanitary products (paper generated during the manufacture or classification of sanitary products containing paper). Examples of sanitary products containing paper include disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, incontinence pads, or sanitary paper (tissue paper, toilet paper, paper towels, etc.). Examples of plant materials include, for example, wood powder, sawdust, or plant residues (tea leaves, okara, etc.). Examples of plastics include, for example, ordinary plastics, aluminum-metallized film, plastic derived from vinyl wallpaper (plastic generated during the manufacture or classification of vinyl wallpaper), or plastic derived from sanitary products (plastic generated during the manufacture or classification of sanitary products containing plastic). Examples of sanitary products containing plastic include disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, incontinence pads, or sanitary masks. Examples of organic sludges that can be used include papermaking sludge or pulp sludge. These materials may or may not be treated with hydrophobic (water-repellent) treatment.

[0028] The granular material 30 may consist of only one material or two or more materials. In the former case, the granular material 30 will consist only of the main material described above. In the latter case, the granular material 30 will be composed of a mixture of the main material and other materials. Examples of other materials include gypsum or baking soda. Adding gypsum or baking soda makes it easier to impart hydrophobicity to the granular material 30. The proportion of gypsum or baking soda is, for example, 5% by weight or more and less than 50% by weight of the total granular material 30.

[0029] The granular material 30 can be manufactured, for example, by the following method. First, granulation is performed on the granulating material (the material constituting the granular material 30) using a granulation apparatus to form granules that will become the granular material 30. For example, an extruder can be used as the granulation apparatus. The granules may be subjected to hydrophobic treatment as needed. Hydrophobic treatment can be performed, for example, by coating the surface of the granules with a hydrophobic agent (water repellent). If hydrophobic treatment is not performed, it is preferable to increase the pressure applied to the granulating material during granulation to minimize the formation of gaps within the granules. This is because such gaps become pathways for liquids such as urine to penetrate into the interior of the granular material 30. Prior to granulation, pre-treatment such as crushing, kneading, and hydration is performed on the granulating material as needed. After granulation, post-treatment such as sieving (separation) and drying is performed as needed.

[0030] An absorbent sheet 40 is placed in the lower space S2 (below the partition 20). The absorbent sheet 40 absorbs urine that passes through the gaps G1, G2, and G3 of the partition 20. In other words, urine that passes through the gaps G1, G2, and G3 is absorbed by the absorbent sheet 40 and accumulates in the lower space S2.

[0031] Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the drawer section 50. The drawer section 50 has a bottom plate 50a, a front plate 50b, an end plate 50c, and a pair of side plates 50d. The size of the bottom plate 50a is approximately equal to the size of the bottom surface 10a of the main body section 10. The front plate 50b has approximately the same shape and size as the opening 12. A handle 52 is attached to the front plate 50b. The drawer section 50 can be inserted into and removed from the main body section 10 through the opening 12 formed in the side portion 10b. An absorbent sheet 40 is housed in the drawer section 50. That is, the absorbent sheet 40 is disposed inside the main body section 10 while housed in the drawer section 50. For example, plastic can be used as the material for the drawer section 50.

[0032] When the animal toilet 1 is used, the urine excreted in the main body 10 passes through the gaps between the granular materials 30 and reaches the partition 20. The urine that reaches the partition 20 then passes through the gap G2 between the side portion 10b and the plate-shaped member 24, the gap G3 between the plate-shaped member 22 and the plate-shaped member 24, and the gap G1 between the side portion 10b and the plate-shaped member 22 in that order, moving from the upper space S1 to the lower space S2. The urine that moves to the lower space S2 is absorbed by the absorbent sheet 40.

[0033] The effects of the animal toilet 1 are explained below. In the animal toilet 1, a protruding portion 26 that extends downward from the plate-shaped member 22 is provided on the partition portion 20. As a result, even if a foul odor is generated from the urine accumulated in the lower space S2, the odor traveling along the lower surface of the plate-shaped member 22 can be blocked by the protruding portion 26. Therefore, the odor is less likely to reach the gap G1. Thus, the animal toilet 1 is realized in which the odor of urine accumulated in the lower space S2 is less likely to rise to the upper space S1.

[0034] Furthermore, the plate-shaped member 22 does not have through holes. Therefore, even if dirt adheres to the plate-shaped member 22, the effort of cleaning the inner surface of the through holes is eliminated. This reduces the burden required for cleaning the partition 20.

[0035] The protrusions 26 are provided along the width direction of the plate-shaped member 22, extending across the entire plate-shaped member 22. In this case, the odor-blocking effect of the protrusions 26 can be enhanced compared to the case where the protrusions 26 are provided only on a part of the plate-shaped member 22.

[0036] The protruding portion 26 is connected to the leading edge 22a of the plate-shaped member 22. By positioning the protruding portion 26 as close as possible to the gap G1 in this way, it is possible to effectively prevent odors that travel along the lower surface of the plate-shaped member 22 from reaching the gap G1.

[0037] The protruding portion 26 is flat. This allows for the creation of a protruding portion 26 that blocks odors with a simple structure.

[0038] When the height h1 of the protruding portion 26 is greater than the thickness t1 of the plate-shaped member 22, it is advantageous for enhancing the odor-blocking effect of the protruding portion 26.

[0039] The plate-shaped member 22 is inclined downward toward the gap G1. This makes it easier to guide urine that has reached the upper surface of the plate-shaped member 22 into the gap G1. In this case, from the viewpoint of facilitating the flow of urine across the upper surface of the plate-shaped member 22, it is preferable that the inclination angle of the plate-shaped member 22 be 10° or more. On the other hand, if the inclination angle is too large, the distance from the upper end to the lower end of the plate-shaped member 22 in the height direction of the main body 10 becomes long, making it difficult to secure space for installing the plate-shaped member 22. From this viewpoint, it is preferable that the inclination angle of the plate-shaped member 22 be 30° or less.

[0040] The upper surface of the plate-shaped member 22 is flat. In this case, cleaning the plate-shaped member 22 becomes easier compared to when there are irregularities on the upper surface. This also contributes to reducing the burden required for cleaning the partition 20.

[0041] As described above, since the plate-shaped member 22 does not have through holes, it is easier to ensure the strength of the plate-shaped member 22 even when it is made thinner compared to when through holes are present. Making the plate-shaped member 22 thinner leads to saving on the materials that make up the plate-shaped member 22, and consequently to a reduction in the manufacturing cost of the animal toilet 1. From this viewpoint, it is preferable that the thickness of the plate-shaped member 22 be 5 mm or less. On the other hand, if the plate-shaped member 22 is made too thin, its strength may become insufficient. From this viewpoint, it is preferable that the thickness of the plate-shaped member 22 be 2 mm or more.

[0042] The partition section 20 has multiple plate-like members (plate-like members 22 and 24). In contrast, if the partition section 20 has only one plate-like member (plate-like member 22), there is a constraint that the gap G1 must be too large to allow the granular material 30 to pass through, which necessitates increasing the area of ​​the plate-like member. This is disadvantageous in ensuring the strength of the plate-like member 22. In this respect, as in this embodiment, when the partition section 20 has multiple plate-like members 22 and 24, as long as the gap G3 is too large to allow the granular material 30 to pass through, the gaps G1 and G2 may be large enough to allow the granular material 30 to pass through. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the area of ​​each plate-like member 22 and 24, freeing it from the above constraint.

[0043] Thus, reducing the area of ​​the plate-like member is advantageous in ensuring the strength of the plate-like member. From this viewpoint, it is preferable that the area of ​​each of the plate-like member 22 and the plate-like member 24 is 60% or less of the area of ​​the bottom surface 10a of the main body 10 in a plan view.

[0044] A protruding portion 28 is provided on the partition portion 20, which extends downward from the plate-shaped member 24. This makes it possible to block the odor from traveling along the lower surface of the plate-shaped member 24 even if a foul odor is generated from the urine accumulated in the lower space S2, by the protruding portion 28. As a result, the odor is less likely to reach the gap G2.

[0045] Furthermore, the plate-shaped member 24 does not have through holes. Therefore, even if dirt adheres to the plate-shaped member 24, the effort of cleaning the inner surface of the through holes is eliminated. This reduces the burden required for cleaning the partition 20.

[0046] The protrusions 28 are provided along the width direction of the plate-shaped member 24, extending across the entire plate-shaped member 24. In this case, the odor-blocking effect of the protrusions 28 can be enhanced compared to the case where the protrusions 28 are provided only on a part of the plate-shaped member 24.

[0047] The protruding portion 28 is flat. This allows for the implementation of a simple structure for the protruding portion 28 that blocks odors.

[0048] When the height h2 of the protruding portion 28 is greater than the thickness t2 of the plate-shaped member 24, it is advantageous for enhancing the odor-blocking effect of the protruding portion 28.

[0049] The plate-shaped member 24 is inclined downward toward the gap G2. This makes it easier to guide urine that has reached the upper surface of the plate-shaped member 24 into the gap G2. In this case, from the viewpoint of making it easier for urine to flow across the upper surface of the plate-shaped member 24, the inclination angle of the plate-shaped member 24 is preferably 10° or more. On the other hand, if the inclination angle is too large, the distance from the upper end to the lower end of the plate-shaped member 24 in the height direction of the main body 10 becomes long, making it difficult to secure space for installing the plate-shaped member 24. From this viewpoint, the inclination angle of the plate-shaped member 22 is preferably 30° or less.

[0050] The upper surface of the plate-shaped member 24 is flat. In this case, cleaning the plate-shaped member 24 becomes easier compared to when there are irregularities on the upper surface. This also contributes to reducing the burden required for cleaning the partition 20.

[0051] The plate-shaped member 24 is provided so as to fill the entire gap G1 in a plan view. In this case, the entire inside of the main body 10 is covered by the partition 20 in a plan view. This is also advantageous in preventing the odor of urine accumulated in the lower space S2 from rising to the upper space S1.

[0052] A portion of the plate-shaped member 24 overlaps with a portion of the plate-shaped member 22 in a plan view. This is even more advantageous in preventing the odor of urine accumulated in the lower space S2 from rising to the upper space S1.

[0053] The protruding portion 28 is provided so as not to overlap the plate-like member 22 in a plan view. In this case, even if the gap between the plate-like member 22 and the plate-like member 24 in the vertical direction is reduced, the protruding portion 28 will not come into contact with the plate-like member 22. This increases the design flexibility regarding the above-mentioned gap.

[0054] As described above, since the plate-shaped member 24 does not have through holes, it is easier to ensure the strength of the plate-shaped member 24 even when it is made thinner compared to when through holes are present. Making the plate-shaped member 24 thinner leads to saving on the materials that make up the plate-shaped member 24, and consequently to a reduction in the manufacturing cost of the animal toilet 1. From this viewpoint, it is preferable that the thickness of the plate-shaped member 24 be 5 mm or less. On the other hand, if the plate-shaped member 24 is made too thin, its strength may become insufficient. From this viewpoint, it is preferable that the thickness of the plate-shaped member 24 be 2 mm or more.

[0055] If the plate-shaped member 24 has the same shape and size as the plate-shaped member 22, the members that will become the plate-shaped member 22 and the members that will become the plate-shaped member 24 can be made common during the manufacturing of the animal toilet 1. This also contributes to reducing the manufacturing cost of the animal toilet 1.

[0056] If the protrusion 28 has the same shape and size as the protrusion 26, the components that will become the protrusion 26 and the components that will become the protrusion 28 can be made common during the manufacturing of the animal toilet 1. This also contributes to reducing the manufacturing cost of the animal toilet 1.

[0057] Each granular material 30 is hydrophobic. In this case, most of the urine excreted on the granular material 30 is not absorbed by the granular material 30, but passes through the spaces between the granular materials 30. This allows the urine to be quickly guided to the partition section 20.

[0058] When each granular material 30 is primarily made of organic matter, it is possible to obtain granular materials 30 suitable for incineration. This contributes to the convenience of disposing of used granular materials 30. In particular, when each granular material 30 consists solely of organic matter, it is possible to obtain granular materials 30 that are even more suitable for incineration.

[0059] The main body 10 consists of a single container. In this case, an animal toilet 1 having an upper space S1 and a lower space S2 can be realized with a simpler configuration compared to when the main body 10 consists of multiple containers.

[0060] An absorbent sheet 40 is placed in the lower space S2. This allows the urine accumulated in the lower space S2 to be contained within the absorbent sheet 40. As a result, the generation of unpleasant odors from the urine can be mitigated.

[0061] A drawer section 50 is provided that can be inserted into and removed from the main body section 10. This makes it easy to replace used absorbent sheets 40 with new ones.

[0062] Incidentally, unlike other animals such as dogs, cats have the habit of concealing their excrement with granular material after defecating. Therefore, an animal toilet 1 in which multiple granular materials 30 are laid in the upper space S1 can be used particularly suitably as a cat toilet.

[0063] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible. In the above embodiments, the example shown is that the protrusion 26 is provided over the entire plate-like member 22 in the width direction of the plate-like member 22. However, the protrusion 26 may be provided only on a part of the plate-like member 22 in the width direction of the plate-like member 22. Similarly, the protrusion 28 may be provided only on a part of the plate-like member 24 in the width direction of the plate-like member 24.

[0064] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the protrusion 28 is provided so as not to overlap the plate-shaped member 22 in a plan view. However, the protrusion 28 may be provided so as to overlap the plate-shaped member 22 in a plan view. In that case, the protrusion 28 is connected, for example, to the tip edge 24a of the plate-shaped member 24. When the protrusion 28 overlaps the plate-shaped member 22 in a plan view in this way, the plate-shaped member 22 and the plate-shaped member 24 are arranged so as to ensure a gap for urine to pass between the lower end of the protrusion 28 and the upper surface of the plate-shaped member 22.

[0065] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the plate-shaped member 22 is fixed to the main body 10. However, the plate-shaped member 22 may not be fixed to the main body 10 and may be detachable from the main body 10. Such a configuration can be realized, for example, by providing the main body 10 with a projection that protrudes inward from the side portion 10b and supports the edge of the plate-shaped member 22 (the edge along the three sides of the plate-shaped member 22 other than the tip edge 22a) from below. The plate-shaped member 22 is placed on the projection and thus positioned inside the main body 10. When the plate-shaped member 22 is detachable in this way, it is possible to clean the plate-shaped member 22 when it is removed from the main body 10.

[0066] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the plate-shaped member 24 is fixed to the main body 10. However, the plate-shaped member 24 may not be fixed to the main body 10 and may be detachable from the main body 10. Such a configuration can be realized, for example, by providing the main body 10 with a projection that protrudes inward from the side portion 10b and supports the edge of the plate-shaped member 24 (the edge along the three sides of the plate-shaped member 24 other than the tip edge 24a) from below. The plate-shaped member 24 is placed on the projection and thus positioned inside the main body 10. When the plate-shaped member 24 is detachable in this way, it becomes possible to clean the plate-shaped member 24 when it is removed from the main body 10.

[0067] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which a part of the plate-like member 24 overlaps a part of the plate-like member 22 in a plan view. However, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, for example, the plate-like member 22 and the plate-like member 24 do not have to overlap at all in a plan view. Figure 12 is an end view along the line XII-XII in Figure 11. In this example, the plate-like member 24 is provided so as to fill only a part of the gap G1 between the side portion 10b and the plate-like member 22 in a plan view. Similarly, the plate-like member 22 is provided so as to fill only a part of the gap G2 between the side portion 10b and the plate-like member 24 in a plan view. The plate-like member 24 has the same shape and size as the plate-like member 22. The height of the lower end of the plate-like member 24 is equal to the height of the lower end of the plate-like member 22. In Figure 12, the plate-like member 22 and the plate-like member 24 are provided symmetrically. In this case, the gap G3 between the plate-shaped member 22 and the plate-shaped member 24 corresponds to the remainder of the gap G1 (the portion not filled by the plate-shaped member 24 in a plan view) and the remainder of the gap G2 (the portion not filled by the plate-shaped member 22 in a plan view). The protrusions 26 and 28 are connected to the leading edge 22a of the plate-shaped member 22 and the leading edge 24a of the plate-shaped member 24, respectively.

[0068] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the partition 20 has a plurality of plate-like members 22, 24. However, the partition 20 may have only one plate-like member 22, for example, as shown in Figures 13 and 14. Figure 14 is an end view along the line XIV-XIV in Figure 13. The gap G1 between the side portion 10b and the plate-like member 22 is sized so that the granular material 30 does not pass through. In this case, the partition 20 can be realized with a particularly simple configuration.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the case in which the plate-shaped member 22 is inclined was illustrated. However, the plate-shaped member 22 may also be arranged horizontally (parallel to the bottom surface 10a). The same applies to the plate-shaped member 24.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the case where the upper and lower surfaces of the plate-like member 22 are flat was illustrated. However, the upper or lower surface of the plate-like member 22 may have irregularities. The same applies to the plate-like member 24.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the case in which a drawer portion 50 is provided is illustrated. However, providing the drawer portion 50 is not essential. If the drawer portion 50 is not provided, the absorbent sheet 40 is placed directly on the bottom portion 10a. In that case, naturally, the opening 12 is not provided on the side portion 10b.

[0072] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which an absorbent sheet 40 is provided on the main body 10. However, it is not essential to provide the absorbent sheet 40 on the main body 10. If the absorbent sheet 40 is not provided, the drawer portion 50 will not be provided either.

[0073] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the main body 10 is composed of a single container. However, the main body 10 may be composed of multiple containers, for example, as shown in Figure 15. In the same figure, the main body 10 is composed of two containers (containers 62 and 64). Each container 62 and 64 is box-shaped with a bottom and side surfaces. Container 62 is stacked on top of container 64. The bottom surface of container 62 constitutes a partition 20. As a result, the internal space of container 62 and the internal space of container 64 become the upper space S1 and the lower space S2, respectively. Furthermore, the bottom surface of container 64 constitutes the bottom surface of the main body 10, and the side surfaces of container 62 and container 64 constitute the side surfaces of the main body 10. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 1. Animal toilet 10 Main body 10a Bottom part 10b Side part 12 aperture 20 Partition Section 22 Plate-shaped member (first plate-shaped member) 22a Tip edge 24 Plate-shaped member (second plate-shaped member) 24a Tip edge 26. Protruding part (first protruding part) 28. Protruding part (second protruding part) 30 Granules 40 absorbent sheets 50 Drawer section 52 Handle 62 Container 64 Container G1 Gap (First Gap) G2 Gap (Second Gap) G3 Gap (Third Gap) S1 upper space S2 lower space

Claims

1. A main body having a bottom and side sections, which receives excreted urine, The main body comprises a partition that divides the internal space into an upper space and a lower space, The aforementioned partition is, A first plate-shaped member that does not have a through hole, It has a first projection that is connected to the first plate-like member and protrudes downward from the first plate-like member, An animal toilet characterized in that a first gap exists between the side portion and the first plate-like member, through which the urine passes.

2. In the animal toilet according to claim 1, The first protrusion is provided across the entire width of the first plate-like member, in the width direction of the first plate-like member, for use as an animal toilet.

3. In the animal toilet according to claim 1, The first protrusion is an animal toilet connected to the tip edge of the first plate-like member.

4. In the animal toilet according to claim 1, The first protruding part is a flat, plate-shaped animal toilet.

5. In the animal toilet according to claim 1, An animal toilet in which the height of the first protrusion is greater than the thickness of the first plate-like member.

6. In the animal toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The first plate-like member is an animal toilet that is inclined downward toward the first gap.

7. In the animal toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The upper surface of the first plate-like member is flat, which is the animal toilet.

8. In the animal toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The aforementioned partition is, A second plate-shaped member that does not have a through hole, It has a second projection that is connected to the second plate-like member and protrudes downward from the second plate-like member, A second gap exists between the side portion and the second plate-like member, through which the urine passes. An animal toilet having a third gap between the first plate-like member and the second plate-like member, through which the urine can pass.

9. In the animal toilet according to claim 8, The second protrusion is provided across the entire width of the second plate-like member, in the animal toilet.

10. In the animal toilet according to claim 8, The second protrusion is connected to the tip edge of the second plate-like member, and is an animal toilet.

11. In the animal toilet according to claim 8, The second protruding part is a flat, plate-shaped animal toilet.

12. In the animal toilet according to claim 8, An animal toilet in which the height of the second protrusion is greater than the thickness of the second plate-like member.

13. In the animal toilet according to claim 8, The second plate-like member is an animal toilet that is inclined downward toward the second gap.

14. In the animal toilet according to claim 8, The upper surface of the second plate-like member is flat, which is the animal toilet.

15. In the animal toilet according to claim 8, The second plate-like member is provided in a plan view to fill the entire first gap, making it an animal toilet.

16. In the animal toilet according to claim 8, In a plan view, a portion of the second plate-like member overlaps a portion of the first plate-like member in this animal toilet.

17. In the animal toilet according to claim 16, The second protrusion is provided so as not to overlap with the first plate-like member in a plan view, for use as an animal toilet.

18. In the animal toilet according to claim 8, The second plate-like member is an animal toilet having the same shape and size as the first plate-like member.

19. In the animal toilet according to claim 8, The second protrusion is the same shape and size as the first protrusion, in this animal toilet.

20. In the animal toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 5, An animal toilet laid in the aforementioned upper space, comprising multiple hydrophobic granular materials.

21. In the animal toilet according to claim 20, Each of the aforementioned granular materials is an animal toilet made primarily from organic matter.

22. In the animal toilet according to claim 21, Each of the aforementioned granular materials is an animal toilet made solely of organic matter.

23. In the animal toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The main body consists of a single container, which is an animal toilet.

24. In the animal toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 5, An animal toilet provided in the lower space and equipped with an absorbent sheet for absorbing the urine.

25. In the animal toilet according to claim 24, The system includes a drawer section in which the absorbent sheet is housed, An opening is formed in the side portion of the main body, The aforementioned drawer section is an animal toilet that can be inserted into and removed from the main body through the aforementioned opening.

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