Pet toilet

Abstract

To provide a pet toilet that is even more convenient than conventional ones. [Solution] The pet toilet comprises a toilet container with an open top, a grate member placed on the toilet container so as to cover the opening of the toilet container, and an entry assist part that assists the pet in entering the grate member. The entry assist part has an engagement part with the toilet container. The engagement part is rotatable about an axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the pet moves forward and backward by the entry assist part. The pet toilet has an inverted maintenance mechanism that can maintain the inverted state of the entry assist part by rotation. Preferably, the pet toilet includes a tray that can be stored in and out of the toilet container. Preferably, the direction in which the tray is inserted into the pet toilet coincides with the direction in which the pet enters the pet toilet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pet litter box.

Background Art

[0002] Various pet litter boxes for treating excreta of pets raised indoors have been proposed and put into practical use. In particular, as a pet litter box for treating excreta of pets such as cats and dogs, there is known a litter box in which a toilet main body is divided into upper and lower parts by a urine-permeable partition layer such as a grid plate, the upper layer part contains excreta treating material forming a litter bed such as cat litter and toilet sand, and the lower layer tray contains a urine absorber such as a urine absorbing sheet made of, for example, water-absorbent resin, vegetable fibers and pulp for use. In this litter box, the excreta treating material contained in the upper layer part allows urine excreted by a pet to pass through quickly, and the passed urine is caused to fall into the lower layer part through the liquid passage holes of the grid plate, whereby the fallen urine can be positively absorbed by the urine absorber contained in the tray of the lower layer part, which is convenient. After the urine absorber has absorbed urine, the excreta can be treated by pulling out the tray and replacing the urine absorber. Such a pet litter box is used with excreta treating material such as sand laid inside the litter box, and the peripheral wall of the litter box may be made high for the purpose of suppressing scattering of the sand. Since the peripheral wall at the part where a cat enters the litter box also needs to be raised to a certain height, it may not be easy for a pet whose physical ability has declined due to aging or the like to climb over the peripheral wall. Therefore, various ideas have been proposed to enable even such pets to easily enter and exit the litter box.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a cat litter box including a toilet sand tray and an inclined portion provided at an end of the tray. This document describes that in this litter box, a cat can enter and exit the litter box by using the inclined portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-120488 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] Cats have a habit of covering their excretions with sand after defecating, and depending on the force with which they cover the sand, it may scatter outside the pet litter box. When cleaning up the scattered sand outside the litter box, it is convenient if there are no components around the litter box, as this reduces the effort required for cleaning. While the pet litter box described in Patent Document 1 allows pets to easily enter the litter box, it is insufficient from the standpoint of ease of cleaning. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a pet toilet that offers improved convenience for pets and their owners compared to conventional toilets. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This invention relates to a toilet container with an open top, A grate member is placed on the toilet container so as to cover the opening of the toilet container, A pet toilet comprising an entry assist part for assisting a pet to enter the aforementioned slatted member, The aforementioned entry assist portion has an engagement portion with the toilet container, The engaging portion is rotatable around an axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the pet moves forward or backward by the entry assist portion. The pet toilet relates to a pet toilet having an inverted maintenance mechanism that allows the entry assist part to maintain an inverted state by rotation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a pet toilet that is even more convenient than conventional ones. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing one embodiment of the pet toilet of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing one embodiment of the pet toilet shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing one example of the use of the pet toilet shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing another example of the use of the pet toilet shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the vertical direction of the pet toilet shown in Figure 3 along the Va-Va line, and Figure 5(b) is a schematic plan view showing the top of the pet toilet shown in Figure 1. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic plan view showing the area above the pet toilet shown in Figure 1. [Figure 7] Figure 7(a) is a schematic plan view showing the inner surface of the toilet container in the pet toilet shown in Figure 1, and Figure 7(b) is a schematic plan view showing the outer surface of the tray in the pet toilet shown in Figure 1. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view showing another embodiment of the pet toilet shown in Figure 1. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view showing another embodiment of the pet toilet shown in Figure 1. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a schematic perspective view showing the main components of the pet toilet shown in Figure 9. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of the pet toilet shown in Figure 10 along the longitudinal direction from line XI to XI. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a schematic perspective view showing another embodiment of the pet toilet shown in Figure 9. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, based on preferred embodiments thereof. In the following drawings, identical or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. The drawings are basically schematic, and the proportions of the dimensions may differ from those of reality.

[0010] The pet toilet of the present invention can be used for the disposal or collection of excrement from companion animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters, particularly cats. The pet toilet of the present invention is especially useful as a toilet for pets kept indoors, when placed in a room.

[0011] Figures 1 and 2 show one embodiment of the pet toilet (hereinafter also simply referred to as "toilet") 10 of the present invention. In plan view, the toilet 10 has a vertical direction X and a horizontal direction Y perpendicular to the vertical direction X, and the length along the vertical direction X is longer than the length along the horizontal direction Y. That is, the toilet 10 of this embodiment has a vertically elongated, substantially rectangular shape in plan view. The toilet 10 also has a height direction Z perpendicular to the XY plane. In the toilet 10, the vertical direction X and the direction X1 in which the pet moves in and out of the toilet 10 coincide. In the following description, the side with the entrance / exit (left side of the paper in Figure 1) 11 of the toilet 10 may be referred to as the front side, and the side opposite the entrance / exit 11 (right side of the paper in Figure 1) may be referred to as the back side. The entrance / exit 11 is formed when the front side of the toilet container 20 (described later) and the front side of the grate member 30 coincide. The entrance / exit 11 is formed in only one place along the horizontal direction Y on the front side of the toilet 10.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the toilet 10 includes a toilet container 20 with an open top, a slat member 30 disposed on the toilet container 20 so as to cover the opening of the toilet container 20, and an entry assisting portion 40 that assists a pet in entering onto the slat member 30. Details of the entry assisting portion 40 will be described later. In addition, the toilet 10 is provided with a tray 50. The tray 50 can be accommodated in a tray insertion space 20a formed in the lower region of the toilet container 20. The tray 50 can be inserted into and removed from the toilet container 20. In plan view, the toilet 10 is formed symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal center line that extends along the lateral direction Y and bisects the toilet 10 in the longitudinal direction X.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the toilet container 20 has a bottom portion 21 that is substantially rectangular in plan view. The toilet container 20 has a pair of outer side walls 22a, 22b that stand up from respective side edges of the bottom portion 21 along the longitudinal direction X and extend along the longitudinal direction X. The toilet container 20 also has an outer rear wall 22c that stands up from the rear end edge of the bottom portion 21 and extends along the lateral direction Y. The outer rear wall 22c has a curved surface shape that arcs convexly from the front side toward the rear side of the toilet container 20. The outer side walls 22a, 22b and the outer rear wall 22c are slightly inclined outward of the toilet container 20 as they go upward. In the toilet container 20, the outer side wall 22a, the outer rear wall 22c, and the outer side wall 22b are smoothly connected in this order. The toilet container 20 has wall portions on three sides in plan view, and the portion without a wall portion serves as an entrance 11. No wall portion is provided on the front end edge 21a of the bottom portion 21. The outer side walls 22a, 22b each have a constant portion 22d whose height is constant with the height of the outer rear wall 22c, and a gradually decreasing portion 22e whose height gradually decreases from the rear side toward the front side. The outer side walls 22a, 22b terminate at the front end edge 21a of the bottom portion 21 with their height being substantially zero, and are smoothly connected to the end edge 21a. As a result, a substantially rectangular accommodating portion 23 in side view is formed in the lower portion of the toilet container 20, and the tray 50 can be inserted into and removed from the toilet container 20 via the accommodating portion 23 (see Figure 3).

[0014] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the slat member 30 has a substantially rectangular bottom portion 31 in plan view. The bottom portion 31 has a shape substantially similar to the bottom portion 21 of the toilet container 20, and is smaller than the bottom portion 21. The central region of the bottom portion 31 has a slatted structure that allows pet urine to pass through. This slatted structure is composed of substantially grid-shaped crosspieces 31a and through holes 31b defined by the crosspieces 31a. The toilet container 20 and the slat member 30 are arranged in a nested manner. The slat member 30 is mounted inside the toilet container 20 for use. The slat member 30 has a pair of inner side walls 32a, 32b that stand up from respective side edges along the longitudinal direction X of the slat member 30 and extend along the longitudinal direction X. The pair of inner side walls 32a, 32b terminate at a position on the front side in the advancing / retreating direction X1 of the pet. The pair of inner side walls 32a, 32b are higher on the rear side than on the front side. The slat member 30 also has an inner rear wall 32c that stands up from the rear edge of the bottom portion 31 and extends along the transverse direction Y. The inner rear wall 32c has a curved surface shape that arcs in a convex manner from the front side toward the rear side of the slat member 30. The inner side walls 32a, 32b each have a constant portion 32d with a height that is constant with the height of the inner rear wall 32c, and a gradually decreasing portion 32e whose height gradually decreases from the rear side toward the front side. The inner side walls 32a, 32b and the inner rear wall 32c are slightly inclined outward of the slat member 30 as they extend upward. Their upper ends extend from the inner side to the outer side along the horizontal direction to form an extending portion 33. In the state where the slat member 30 is mounted inside the toilet container 20, the lower surface of the extending portion 33 abuts against the upper edge of the wall portion of the toilet container 20. In the slat member 30, the inner side wall 32a, the inner rear wall 32c and the inner side wall 32b are smoothly connected in this order. The slat member 30 has wall portions on three sides in plan view, and the portion without a wall portion serves as the access opening 11. In the state where the slat member 30 is mounted inside the toilet container 20, the wall portions on the three sides are double in plan view. The slatted member 30 has a footrest portion 34 extending along the horizontal direction Y and having a predetermined width in the vertical direction X, on the peripheral area on the front side in the direction X1 of the pet's movement. The upper surface of the footrest portion 34 is flat, and when the toilet 10 is installed, this upper surface is generally parallel to the installation surface. The footrest portion 34 can be used as a footrest when the pet enters or exits the toilet 10.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the tray 50 has a roughly rectangular bottom 51 when viewed from above. The tray 50 has a pair of side walls 52a and 52b that rise from each side edge along the vertical direction X of the bottom 51 and extend along the vertical direction X. The tray 50 also has a rear wall 52c that rises from the far edge of the bottom 51 and extends along the horizontal direction Y, and a front wall 52d that rises from the near edge and extends along the horizontal direction Y. The side walls 52a and 52b, the rear wall 52c, and the front wall 52d are all raised vertically upward. The tray 50 has a length in the vertical direction X that is shorter than the length in the vertical direction X of the toilet container 20. Also, the tray 50 has a length in the horizontal direction Y that is roughly equal to the length of the front edge of the toilet container 20.

[0016] The toilet 10 is assembled by placing or fitting the entry assist section 40 and the grate member 30 (described later) from above the toilet container 20 (see Figure 1). The toilet container 20 and the grate member 30 are arranged in a nested manner. With this arrangement, the front side of the toilet container 20 and the front side of the grate member 30 coincide, and an entrance 11 is formed that is lower in height than both sides of the toilet 10, allowing the pet to enter and exit the toilet 10. In the state shown in Figure 1, the bottom 31 of the slatted member 30 is spaced upward from the bottom 51 of the tray 50. This creates a space between the bottom 31 of the slatted member 30 and the bottom 51 of the tray 50. For example, a sheet-like or plate-like urine absorbent material (not shown) can be placed in this space. The lower surface of the sheet-like or plate-like urine absorbent material is in contact with the inner surface of the bottom 51 of the tray 50. In addition, depending on the habits of the target animal, an excrement treatment material (not shown) having a size that does not allow it to pass through the through-holes 31b of the slatted structure provided in the bottom 31 can be placed on the bottom 31 of the slatted member 30.

[0017] The toilet 10 in this embodiment is equipped with an entry assist section 40, which improves the convenience of the toilet 10 for pets and their owners compared to conventional models. Pets whose physical abilities have declined due to aging or illness may find it difficult to perform actions that were previously possible. For example, while the walls of a litter box are of a certain height to prevent litter from scattering, some pets may not be able to easily cross these walls. Attempts have been made to solve this problem by installing components that assist pets in entering the litter box, but when owners clean around the litter box, the presence of these components can actually hinder cleaning. In particular, with system litter boxes, the tray storage area is often positioned in the same direction as the direction in which pets enter the litter box, so if the aforementioned entry assistance component is installed, it interferes with the replacement of the sheet-like or plate-like urine absorbent material, making it difficult to remove the absorbent material. As a result, it becomes necessary to remove the entry assistance component, making the sheet replacement work cumbersome, and if the entry assistance component is made easy to remove, there is a problem that it can easily come off if a pet bumps into it. In order to improve this point, the inventors diligently studied the matter and found that by making the entry assist part, which assists pets in entering the toilet, maintain an inverted position, it is possible to achieve both convenience for pets and convenience for pet owners.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the entry assist section 40 is a single-stepped structure. In plan view, the entry assist section 40 has a horizontally elongated top surface 41. The rear edge of the top surface 41 has a curved shape that curves in a convex arc from the rear to the front of the entry assist section 40. The front edge of the top surface 41 has a wave-like shape formed by a series of semicircular arcs. A wall section 42 hangs down from the periphery of the top surface 41. The lower end of the wall section 42 forms a bottom section 43. The bottom section 43 is the part that can make surface contact with the installation surface of the toilet 10 (for example, a flooring floor) (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "grounded state"). In the grounded state, the bottom section 43 and the top surface 41 are lower than the footrest section 34. If the toilet 10 is, for example, for keeping cats, the height of the entry aid 40 can be set to 30 mm or more and 80 mm or less. The entry assist section 40 has engagement sections 44 on both sides for engaging with the toilet container 20. The engagement sections 44 are rotatable around an axis extending in a direction Y1 perpendicular to the direction X1 in which the pet moves forward or backward due to the entry assist section 40 (see Figure 3). This allows the owner to rotate the entry assist section 40 around its axis from a grounded position to an inverted position (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "inverted state"). Furthermore, the toilet 10 has an inverted state maintenance mechanism that can maintain the inverted state, as described later. This allows the entry assist section 40 to be maintained in an inverted state without any special support from the owner.

[0019] The method of using the toilet 10 of this embodiment is shown in Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 shows the entry assist unit 40 rotating around its axis from a grounded state to an inverted state. Figure 4 shows the entry assist unit 40 in a grounded state. For example, if the owner wants to clean a wider area around the toilet 10, they can rotate the entry assist part 40 around its axis (see Figure 3). By further rotating the entry assist part 40 around its axis to an inverted state and maintaining this state with the inverted state maintenance mechanism, the owner's hands become free, making cleaning even easier and improving convenience even further than before. On the other hand, when the pet 60 wants to use the toilet 10, the entry assist part 40, which is in the inverted state, can be rotated in the opposite direction around its axis to return to the state shown in Figure 4. Since the upper surface 41 of the entry assist part 40 is lower than the footrest part 34 of the slatted member 30, the pet 60 can place its feet on the upper surface 41 relatively easily. As a result, even pets with reduced physical abilities can easily enter the toilet 10, improving convenience even further than before. Furthermore, in the toilet 10 shown in the same figure, the pet 60 can place its feet continuously from the upper surface 41 to the footrest part 34, making it even easier for the pet 60 to enter the toilet 10. When the pet 60 leaves the toilet 10, it simply needs to place its feet on the footrest 34 and then on the upper surface 41. In this way, the toilet 10 of this embodiment makes it easier for the pet 60 to enter and exit the toilet 10.

[0020] Since the toilet 10 has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view, it is sometimes installed and used along indoor walls or furniture to save space. When using the toilet 10 with a sheet-like urine absorbent placed in the tray 50, it is necessary to replace the used urine absorbent with a new one at predetermined intervals. Therefore, in addition to the entrance and exit of the toilet 10, it is desirable to provide a space for pulling out the tray 50 on the side from which it is pulled out. In this embodiment, the direction in which the tray 50 is inserted into the toilet 10 and the direction in which the pet 60 enters the toilet 10 are the same. This eliminates the need to separately secure space for inserting and pulling out the tray 50 and space for the pet 60 to enter and exit, thus achieving further space saving. In addition, when the owner replaces the used urine absorbent with a new one, they can rotate the entry assist part 40 around its axis, as shown in Figure 3. By further rotating the entry assist section 40 around its axis to an inverted position, and maintaining this position with the inverted position maintenance mechanism, the caregiver's hands are free, allowing for replacement of the urine absorbent without the need to remove the entry assist section 40 when pulling out the tray 50.

[0021] The rotation mechanism and inverted maintenance mechanism of the entry assist section 40 are shown in Figures 5(a) and (b). Figures 5(a) and (b) show the toilet 10 with the entry assist section 40 fitted into the toilet container 20. The entry assist section 40 has connecting shafts 45 extending along the lateral direction Y at both ends in the lateral direction Y, and disc-shaped engaging sections 46 connected to the inner end of the connecting shafts 45 in the lateral direction Y. The connecting shafts 45 and the disc-shaped engaging sections 46 are connected such that the axis of the connecting shafts 45 passes through the center of the disc-shaped engaging sections 46. Each disc-shaped engaging portion 46 has a projection 47 on its circumferential surface that protrudes radially along the disc-shaped engaging portion 46. The toilet container 20 also has engaging grooves 24 that extend along the height direction Z of the toilet container 20 at positions corresponding to each disc-shaped engaging portion 46 when the entry assist portion 40 is attached to the toilet container 20. An open opening is formed at the upper end of the engaging groove 24, allowing the disc-shaped engaging portion 46 to be inserted into the engaging groove 24 through this opening. Therefore, in a plan view, the length of the engaging groove 24 along the vertical direction is longer than the diameter of the disc-shaped engaging portion 46. A support portion 25 is located at the lower end of the engaging groove 24. The support portion 25 has a shape that forms a convex arc from the upper side to the lower side of the engaging groove 24. As shown in Figure 2, a locking portion 26 is provided on the side of the engaging groove 24. The locking portion 26 is located above the support portion 25. In the toilet 10 of this embodiment, a disc-shaped engaging portion 46 is inserted into the engaging groove 24, and the connecting shaft 45 of the entry assist portion 40 is supported by the support portion 25, so that the entry assist portion 40 can rotate around the connecting shaft 45. As the entry assist portion 40 rotates, the protruding portion 47 also rotates around the connecting shaft 45, and the inverted state of the entry assist portion 40 is maintained by the locking portion 26 that engages with the protruding portion 47. In this embodiment, the toilet 10 is used with the toilet container 20, entry assist part 40, and grate member 30 fitted together in this order. In this state, the opening of the engagement groove 24 into which the disc-shaped engaging part 46 is inserted is covered by the extension 33 of the grate member 30. This allows the disc-shaped engaging part 46 to be held down by the extension 33 if, for example, the entry assist part 40 rotates or the pet plays, the disc-shaped engaging part 46 unintentionally lifts upward from the support part 25, thereby preventing the disc-shaped engaging part 46 from falling off the support part 25.

[0022] In this embodiment, the inverted state can also be maintained by the contact between the entry assist portion 40 and the slatted member 30. In this embodiment, the length of the entry assist portion 40 in the lateral direction Y is longer than the length along the lateral direction Y between the ends of the internal side walls 32a and 32b. Therefore, in the inverted state of the entry assist portion 40, before the projection portion 47 engages with the locking portion 26 in the above-described inverted state maintenance mechanism, the inverted state can also be maintained by the entry assist portion 40 contacting the front end of the internal side walls 32a and 32b while the entry assist portion 40 is in the inverted state. In this state, the center of gravity of the entry assist portion 40 is located further back in the vertical direction X than the engagement portion 44. This further ensures that the inverted state of the entry assist portion 40 is maintained. Alternatively, if the length of the entry assist portion 40 in the lateral direction Y is shorter than the distance between the front ends of the internal side walls 32a and 32b, the entry assist portion 40 will contact the slatted member 30. This also maintains the inverted state of the entry assist section 40. Whether the entry assist section 40 contacts the internal side walls 32a, 32b or the slatted member 30 is determined, as described above, by the relationship between the length of the entry assist section 40 in the lateral direction Y and the distance between the front ends of the internal side walls 32a, 32b.

[0023] In this embodiment, it is preferable that the inverted state of the entry assist part 40 is maintained at a predetermined position. Specifically, from the viewpoint of securing a wider area around the toilet 10 and further improving the convenience of the toilet compared to conventional designs, it is preferable that the bottom 43 of the entry assist part 40 and the contact surface of the toilet 10 are maintained at least perpendicular to each other, and more preferably inclined to a greater extent. This causes the center of gravity of the entry assist part 40 to move further back in the vertical direction X than the engaging part 44, and the inverted state is maintained more reliably. From the viewpoint of making this effect more pronounced, it is preferable that the angle θ1 between the bottom 43 of the entry assist part 40 and the contact surface of the toilet 10 is 95° or more, and that the inverted state of the entry assist part 40 is maintained by the inverted state maintenance mechanism, more preferably 100° or more, and even more preferably 105° or more. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of facilitating the rotational operation of the entry assist part 40 around its axis from the inverted state to the grounded state, and further improving the convenience of the toilet 10 compared to conventional models, it is preferable that the angle θ1 is 180° or less and the inverted state of the entry assist part 40 is maintained by the inverted state maintenance mechanism, more preferably 165° or less, and even more preferably 150° or less. The angle θ1 can be adjusted by changing the position of the locking portion 26 provided in the engagement groove 24, or by changing the length of the entry assist portion 40 in the lateral direction Y and the length along the lateral direction Y between the ends of the inner side walls 32a and 32b.

[0024] As shown in Figure 6, in a plan view, the width of the toilet container 20 in the lateral direction Y gradually increases from the front to the back in the pet's movement direction X1. This allows a pet that has entered the toilet 10 to easily change its body orientation and defecate in a position that is easy for the pet, for example, with its back to the rear inner wall 32c. This configuration of the outer contour of the toilet container 20 is also preferable from the viewpoint of saving space. In this embodiment, the entry aid 40 has engaging parts 44 at both ends in the lateral direction Y, so the length of the lateral direction Y at the position of the engaging parts 44 tends to be long. In this state, when using the toilet 10 with its side against a wall, it is not easy to align the entire side of the toilet 10 against the wall. As a result, dead space is created between the toilet 10 and the wall. In contrast, in the toilet 10, the maximum length L1 of the lateral direction Y at the back of the toilet container 20 and the length L2 of the lateral direction Y at the engaging parts 44 are approximately the same. This allows for grounding along the wall using the toilet container 20 having length L1 at position P1 and the toilet container 20 having length L2 at position P2 as contact points, thereby achieving further space savings. From the viewpoint of making this advantage even more pronounced, L1 / L2 is preferably 0.8 or more and 1.2 or less, and more preferably 0.9 or more and 1.1 or less.

[0025] From the viewpoint of achieving further space saving, it is preferable that the position P1 of the toilet container 20 is located behind the midpoint of the length L3 in the vertical direction X of the toilet container 20. Specifically, from the viewpoint of making it easier to place the side of the toilet 10 against the wall by not bringing positions P1 and P2 too close together, and reducing dead space between the toilet 10 and the wall, it is preferable that position P1 is separated from the front to the back of the length L3 in the vertical direction X of the toilet container 20 by 60% or more, more preferably 65% ​​or more, and even more preferably 70% or more. From the viewpoint of making this effect more pronounced, it is preferable that position P1 is located further back in the toilet container 20, and the width Y in the horizontal direction of the toilet container 20 may gradually increase from the front to the back.

[0026] As shown in Figure 7(a), the toilet container 20 has two guide projections 27 on the inner surface of its bottom 21, each having a predetermined width and extending along the vertical direction X. The rectangular guide projections 27 are higher than their surroundings. As shown in Figure 7(b), the tray 50 has three projections 53 on the outer surface of its bottom 51, which, when the tray 50 is housed in the toilet container 20, extend along the vertical direction X, straddling the guide projections 27. The projections 53 are higher than their surroundings. A pair of protrusions 53a and 53b located on one side of the horizontal direction Y (left side of the paper in Figures 7(a) and (b)) are arranged so that when the tray 50 is housed in the toilet container 20, they straddle the guide protrusion 27b located on the other side of the horizontal direction Y (right side of the paper in Figures 7(a) and (b)), and the protrusions 53a and the outer side edge of the guide protrusion 27b in the horizontal direction Y are in contact. A pair of protrusions 53b and 53c located on the other side of the horizontal direction Y are arranged so that when the tray 50 is housed in the toilet container 20, they straddle the guide protrusion 27a located on one side of the horizontal direction Y, and the protrusions 53c and the outer side edge of the guide protrusion 27a in the horizontal direction Y are in contact. The guide protrusion 27 and the protrusions 53 are arranged in this relationship so that they function as guidelines, allowing the tray 50 to be easily inserted and removed. Furthermore, the frictional resistance between the inner surface of the toilet container 20 and the outer surface of the tray 50 is reduced, making it even easier to insert and remove the tray 50. This effect is fully achieved by having at least one guide projection 27 and a pair of projections 53 that straddle the guide projection 27.

[0027] The tray 50 has a grid-like partition section 54 on the inner surface of its bottom 51 (see Figures 2 and 3). The partition section 54 is formed by being surrounded by multiple vertical protrusions 54a extending along the vertical direction X and multiple horizontal protrusions 54b extending along the horizontal direction Y. The vertical protrusions 54a and horizontal protrusions 54b are higher than the surrounding area. When a pet defecates in the toilet 10, the excrement is contained in the partition section 54 of the tray 50. Since each partition section 54 has the same shape, the amount of excrement from the pet can be easily measured by the number of partition sections 54 containing the excrement. Furthermore, by comparing the color of the excrement with a color indicator laid inside the tray 50, changes in the color of the excrement can be easily observed. This makes it easy to recognize changes in the pet's physical condition.

[0028] In this embodiment, the footrest portion 34 of the slatted member 30 is provided with a convex shape that mimics a pet's paw (see Figures 1 and 2). Furthermore, the upper surface 41 of the entry aid portion 40 is provided with a convex shape that mimics a pet's footprint. These convex portions are slightly higher than their surroundings. This makes it less likely for pets to slip when entering or exiting the toilet 10, thus preventing falls.

[0029] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 7, the access assist section 40 was a single-stepped structure, but the shape of the access assist section 40 is not limited to this. For example, the access assist section 40 may be a stepped structure with two or more steps. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 8, the access assist section 40 may be a plate-shaped ramp. The toilet 10 shown in the same figure differs from the toilet 10 shown in Figures 1 to 7 in that the shape of the access assist section 40 and the slatted member 30 do not have a footrest. The other configurations are the same as the toilet 10 shown in Figures 1 to 7. In this embodiment, the entry aid section 40 has a rectangular slope 48. The entry aid section 40 has a pair of hanging side walls 49a, 49b that hang down from each side edge along the vertical direction X of the slope 48 and extend along the vertical direction X. Each hanging side wall 49a, 49b is triangular in side view. The lower ends of each hanging side wall 49a, 49b constitute the lower surface 43a. The upper end of the slope 48 is connected to the rear edge of the lower surface 43a by the rear wall 49c. With the entry aid section 40 of this embodiment, it is possible to enter the toilet 10 from the ground surface onto the grate member 30 without crossing any steps. As a result, even if the physical ability of the pet is further reduced, it is possible to enter the toilet 10 relatively easily, thus improving convenience even more than before. Furthermore, by maintaining the inverted state of the entry assist section 40 using the aforementioned inverted maintenance mechanism, cleaning around the toilet 10 becomes even easier, thus further improving convenience.

[0030] In this embodiment as well, it is preferable that the inverted state of the entry assist part 40 is maintained at a predetermined position. Specifically, from the viewpoint of securing a wider area around the toilet 10 and further improving the convenience of the toilet compared to conventional designs, it is preferable that the lower surface 43a of the entry assist part 40 and the ground surface of the toilet 10 are maintained at least perpendicular to each other, and it is even more preferable that they are maintained at an inclined position. This causes the center of gravity of the entry assist part 40 to move further back in the vertical direction X than the engaging part 44, and the inverted state is maintained even more reliably. From the viewpoint of making this effect more pronounced, it is preferable that the angle θ2 between the lower surface 43a of the entry assist part 40 and the ground surface of the toilet 10 is 95° or more, and that the inverted state of the entry assist part 40 is maintained by the inverted state maintenance mechanism, more preferably 100° or more, and even more preferably 105° or more. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of facilitating the rotational operation of the entry assist part 40 around its axis from the inverted state to the grounded state, and further improving the convenience of the toilet 10 compared to conventional models, it is preferable that the angle θ2 is 180° or less and the inverted state of the entry assist part 40 is maintained by the inverted state maintenance mechanism, more preferably 165° or less, and even more preferably 150° or less. The angle θ2 can be adjusted by changing the position of the locking portion 26 provided in the engagement groove 24, or by changing the length of the entry assist portion 40 in the lateral direction Y and the length along the lateral direction Y between the ends of the inner side walls 32a and 32b.

[0031] Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 11. The embodiments shown in these figures will be described in terms of differences from the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 8 described earlier. For points not specifically described, the descriptions of the previous embodiments will apply as appropriate. Furthermore, in Figures 9 to 11, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as those shown in Figures 1 to 8.

[0032] The toilet 10 of this embodiment comprises a toilet container 20, a grate member 30, an entry assist part 80, a tray 50, and a cover part 70 placed on the grate member 30. In this embodiment, the toilet container 20 has a roughly rectangular bottom 21 when viewed from above, as shown in Figure 9. The side edges of the bottom 21 along the vertical direction X are roughly parallel. The rear edge and the front edge of the bottom 21 are roughly parallel. In this embodiment, the slatted member 30 has a substantially rectangular bottom portion 31 when viewed from above, as shown in Figure 9. The slatted member 30 is plate-shaped and consists of a shallow bottom portion 31.

[0033] As shown in Figure 9, the cover portion 70 has a frame 71. The cover portion 70 has a pair of side walls 72a and 72b that rise from each side edge of the frame 71 along the vertical direction X and extend along the vertical direction X. The pair of side walls 72a and 72b terminate at a position on the front side in the pet's movement direction X1. The height of the pair of side walls 72a and 72b is greater on the rear side than on the front side. The cover portion 70 also has a rear wall 72c that rises from the rear edge of the frame 71 and extends along the horizontal direction Y. The rear wall 72c has a curved surface shape that curves in a convex shape from the front side to the rear side of the cover portion 70. The side walls 72a and 72b have a constant portion 72d that is the same height as the rear wall 72c and a gradually decreasing portion 72e in which their height gradually decreases from the rear side to the front side. The side walls 72a, 72b and the rear wall 72c are slightly inclined outward from the cover portion 70 as they extend upward. In the cover portion 70, the side walls 72a, rear wall 72c, and side walls 72b are smoothly connected in this order. When viewed from above, the cover portion 70 has walls on three sides, and the area without walls becomes the entrance / exit 11.

[0034] The entry assist section 80 is a plate-shaped ramp. The entry assist section 80 has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view. On the underside of the entry assist section 80, there are two retaining parts 81 along the vertical direction X to maintain the inclination of the entry assist section 80 when it is in contact with the ground. The entry assist section 80 has engagement parts 82 on both sides for engaging with the toilet container 20. The engagement parts 82 are rotatable around an axis extending in a direction Y1 perpendicular to the direction X1 in which the pet moves forward or backward by the entry assist section 80 (see Figure 11). This allows the owner to rotate the entry assist section 80 from a grounded position to an inverted position.

[0035] The rotation mechanism and inverted maintenance mechanism of the entry assist section 80 in this embodiment are shown in Figures 10 and 11. As shown in these figures, the entry assist section 80 includes a pivot shaft section 83 extending along the lateral direction Y. The pivot shaft section 83 has a circular cross-section in the vertical direction X. The pivot shaft section 83 is attached to one end 80a of the entry assist section 80 by a pair of connecting sections 84 that are connected to each of its end regions and extend along the vertical direction X. The connecting sections 84 are connected to the pivot shaft section 83 at a position inward from both ends of the pivot shaft section 83 in the lateral direction Y. Furthermore, the toilet container 20 has a bearing portion 28 on the front edge of the pet's forward / backward direction X1 that extends along the lateral direction Y and is capable of fitting with the pivot shaft portion 83. The bearing portion 28 extends from the inside to the outside of the toilet container 20. In a cross-sectional view along the vertical direction, the upper end 28a of the bearing portion 28 has a shape that forms a roughly U-shape arc downwards. The pivot shaft portion 83 is positioned on this upper end 28a, and the pivot shaft portion 83 fits into the toilet container 20. Furthermore, the slatted member 30 has a stopper portion 35 on the front peripheral edge 30a of the pet's forward / backward direction X1 that extends along the lateral direction Y and maintains the fitted state between the pivot shaft portion 83 and the bearing portion 28. The stopper portion 35 has a pair of notches 36 formed at positions corresponding to the connecting portion 84 when the pivot shaft portion 83 and the bearing portion 28 are fitted together. The notch 36 is cut out from a notch start 36a located on the far side in the pet's forward / backward direction X1, towards the near side in the same direction. In this embodiment, the engagement state between the pivot shaft 83 and the bearing 28 is maintained by the stopper 35, allowing the entry assist 80 to rotate around the pivot shaft 83. As the entry assist portion 80 rotates, the connecting portion 84 also rotates around the pivot shaft portion 83. When the entry assist portion 80 is in an inverted state, the connecting portion 84 comes into contact with the notch start portion 36a, thereby maintaining the inverted state of the entry assist portion 80.

[0036] In this embodiment, the toilet 10 is used with the toilet container 20, entry assist section 40, grate member 30, and cover section 70 fitted together in this order. From the viewpoint of maintaining the inverted state of the entry assist section 80, it is sufficient that at least the grate member 30 has a stopper section 35. From the viewpoint of maintaining the inverted state even when the toilet 10 is in use, it is preferable that the cover section 70 has a locking section 73 on the front periphery of the pet's forward / backward direction X1 that extends along the lateral direction Y and maintains the fitted state between the pivot shaft section 83 and the bearing section 28. In this embodiment, the locking section 73 has a pair of cover notches 74 formed at positions corresponding to the connecting section 84 when the pivot shaft section 83 and the bearing section 28 are fitted together. In this fitted state, the positions of the cover notches 74 correspond to the positions of the notches 36 of the grate member 30. The cover notch 74 is cut out from the cover notch start 74a, which is located on the far side in the pet's movement direction X1, toward the near side in the same movement direction X1. In this embodiment, when the entry assist unit 80 is in an inverted state, the connecting part 84 contacts both the notch start 36a and the cover notch start 74a, thereby maintaining the inverted state of the entry assist unit 80. In this state, the center of gravity of the entry assist unit 80, the cover notch start 74a, and the notch start 36a are located in a straight line. By supporting the connecting part 84 with multiple members in this way, the inverted state of the entry assist unit 80 can be maintained even more reliably.

[0037] In the embodiments shown in Figures 9 to 11, the access assist section 80 was a plate-shaped ramp, but the shape of the access assist section 80 is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 12, the access assist section 80 may be a stepped structure with one or more steps. The toilet 10 shown in the same figure has a different shape to the access assist section 80 than the toilet 10 shown in Figures 9 to 11. The other configurations are the same as the toilet 10 shown in Figures 9 to 11.

[0038] In the embodiment shown in Figure 12, the entry assist section 80 has a substantially rectangular upper surface 85 in plan view. The entry assist section 80 has a pair of hanging side walls 86a and 86b that hang down from each side edge along the vertical direction X on the upper surface 85 and extend along the vertical direction X. The entry assist section 80 also has a rear wall 86c that hangs down from the far end edge of the upper surface 85 and extends along the horizontal direction Y, and a front wall 86d that hangs down from the near end edge and extends along the horizontal direction Y. The lower ends of the hanging side walls 86a and 86b, the rear wall 86c, and the front wall 86d form a bottom 87. With the entry assist section 80 of this embodiment, a pet can enter the toilet 10 onto the grate member 30 one step at a time. This allows, for example, when waste disposal material is placed on the slatted base 30, for a pet to place its paws on the upper surface 85 of the entry aid 80, guided by the smell of the waste disposal material, and enter the toilet 10 with momentum. As a result, convenience is further improved compared to conventional designs. Furthermore, by maintaining the inverted state of the entry aid 80 with the inverted maintenance mechanism described above, it becomes easier to clean the area around the toilet 10, thus further improving convenience in this respect as well.

[0039] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 12, the material of each component constituting the toilet 10 is not particularly limited as long as it is corrosion-resistant. From the standpoint of being lightweight, easy to handle, and having good moldability, it is preferable that the components be integrally molded from general-purpose synthetic resins such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, vinyl chloride, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS). Furthermore, it is even more preferable that each component constituting the toilet 10 has a water-repellent or antibacterial coating on its surface.

[0040] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 12, when the urine absorbent is placed in the space between the slatted member 30 and the tray 50, the urine absorbent can be made from a raw material containing one or more components such as pulp fibers, clay mineral materials, and polymer water-absorbing materials, which can be molded into a sheet or plate. When placing the waste treatment material on the slatted member 30, the waste treatment material may be a molded product formed into a predetermined shape, for example, by containing one or more components such as crushed plant-derived material, synthetic resin, and clay mineral. The shape of the waste treatment material can be, for example, cylindrical, spherical, cubic, or rectangular.

[0041] Although the present invention has been described above based on its preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the entry assist section 40 shown in Figures 1 to 7 was hollow, but it may be solid instead. Also, the entry assist section 80 shown in Figure 12 was solid, but it may be hollow instead. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0042] 10 Pet toilets 20 Toilet containers 30 slatted base components 40,80 Approach aid section 50 trays 70 Cover section X vertical direction Y (horizontal direction) Z (height direction)

Claims

1. A toilet container with an open top, A grate member is placed on the toilet container so as to cover the opening of the toilet container, A pet toilet comprising an entry assist part for assisting a pet to enter the aforementioned slatted member, The aforementioned entry assist portion has an engagement portion with the toilet container, The engaging portion is rotatable around an axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the pet moves forward or backward by the entry assist portion. The pet toilet has an inverted maintenance mechanism that allows the entry assist part to maintain an inverted state by rotation.

2. The aforementioned pet toilet includes a tray that can be inserted into and removed from the toilet container, The pet toilet according to claim 1, wherein the direction in which the tray is inserted toward the pet toilet coincides with the direction in which the pet enters the pet toilet.

3. The aforementioned pet toilet, in a plan view, has a vertical direction and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, the length along the vertical direction is longer than the length along the horizontal direction, and the vertical direction coincides with the direction in which the pet moves forward and backward. The aforementioned slatted member has a pair of side walls that rise from each side edge along the longitudinal direction of the slatted member and extend along the longitudinal direction, The pair of side walls terminate at the front position in the direction of advancement and retraction. The pet toilet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the entry assist portion is in an inverted state, and the inverted state is maintained by the entry assist portion contacting the side wall.

4. The aforementioned pet toilet, in a plan view, has a vertical direction and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, the length along the vertical direction is longer than the length along the horizontal direction, and the vertical direction coincides with the direction in which the pet moves forward and backward. The aforementioned entry assist portion includes a pivot shaft portion extending along the lateral direction, The pivot shaft portion is attached to the entry assist portion by a pair of connecting portions that are connected to each of its end regions and extend along the longitudinal direction. The toilet container has a bearing portion on the front edge in the direction of movement that extends along the lateral direction and is capable of fitting with the pivot shaft portion. The aforementioned slatted member has a stopper portion on the front peripheral edge in the direction of advancement and retraction that extends along the lateral direction and maintains the fitted state between the pivot shaft portion and the bearing portion. The stopper portion has a notch formed at a position corresponding to the connecting portion when the pivot shaft portion and the bearing portion are fitted together. The aforementioned notch is cut out starting from a notch start located on the far side in the forward / backward direction, and extending toward the near side in the forward / backward direction. The fitting state between the pivot shaft portion and the bearing portion is maintained by the stopper portion, thereby allowing the entry assist portion to rotate around the pivot shaft portion. The pet toilet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inverted state of the entry assist portion is maintained by the connecting portion contacting the notch start portion.

5. The aforementioned entry assist portion has a bottom portion that can make surface contact with the installation surface of the pet toilet when the entry assist portion is in contact with the installation surface of the pet toilet. The pet toilet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the angle between the bottom and the installation surface of the pet toilet is 95° or more and 180° or less, and the inverted state of the entry assist part is maintained by the inverted state maintenance mechanism.

6. The aforementioned entry assist portion is plate-shaped, The pet toilet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the angle between the lower surface of the entry assist part and the installation surface of the pet toilet is 95° or more and 180° or less, and the inverted state of the entry assist part is maintained by the inverted state maintenance mechanism.

7. The aforementioned pet toilet, in a plan view, has a vertical direction and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, the length along the vertical direction is longer than the length along the horizontal direction, and the vertical direction coincides with the direction in which the pet moves forward and backward. The pet toilet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, in a plan view, the width of the toilet container in the lateral direction gradually increases from the front side to the back side in the direction of movement.

8. The aforementioned pet toilet, in a plan view, has a vertical direction and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, the length along the vertical direction is longer than the length along the horizontal direction, and the vertical direction coincides with the direction in which the pet moves forward and backward. The aforementioned entry assist portion has, at both ends in the lateral direction, a connecting shaft extending along the lateral direction and a disc-shaped engaging portion connected to the lateral inward end of the connecting shaft. The toilet container has, when the entry assist portion is attached to the toilet container, an engaging groove portion that extends along the height direction of the toilet container at a position corresponding to each disc-shaped engaging portion. The pet toilet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the disc-shaped engaging portion is inserted into the engaging groove, and the connecting shaft of the entry assist portion is supported by a support portion located at the lower end of the engaging groove, thereby allowing the entry assist portion to rotate around the connecting shaft.

9. The disc-shaped engaging portion has a projection on its circumferential surface that protrudes along the radial direction of the disc-shaped engaging portion, The pet toilet according to claim 8, wherein the protruding portion engages with a locking portion provided in the engagement groove, thereby maintaining the inverted state of the entry assist portion.

10. The pet toilet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the entry assist section is a stepped body with one or more steps.

11. The pet toilet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the entry assist section is a plate-shaped ramp.

12. The aforementioned pet toilet, in a plan view, has a vertical direction and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, the length along the vertical direction is longer than the length along the horizontal direction, and the vertical direction coincides with the direction in which the pet moves forward and backward. The pet toilet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the slatted member has a footrest portion extending along the lateral direction and having a predetermined width in the vertical direction at the peripheral edge on the front side in the direction of movement.

13. The aforementioned pet toilet, in a plan view, has a vertical direction and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, the length along the vertical direction is longer than the length along the horizontal direction, and the vertical direction coincides with the direction in which the pet moves forward and backward. The toilet container has at least one guide projection on the inner surface of its bottom having a predetermined width and extending along the vertical direction, The pet toilet according to claim 2, wherein the tray has a pair of protrusions on the outer surface of its bottom that extend along the vertical direction so as to straddle the guide protrusions.

14. The pet toilet according to claim 2, wherein the tray has a grid-like partition on the inner surface of its bottom.

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