Animal waste treatment material and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

The present invention provides an animal waste disposal material that is less likely to get stuck in the fingers and toes of animals, and a method for manufacturing the same. [Solution] An animal waste treatment material 3 for a system toilet 1 comprises a plurality of columnar granular bodies 10A, the length L1 in the axial direction X being longer than the length L2 in the direction Y intersecting the axial direction X, and the standard deviation of the length L1 in the axial direction X of the plurality of granular bodies 10A is 1.60 or less.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an excrement disposal material for animals.

Background Art

[0002] Excrement disposal materials for animals are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses cat litter for system toilets, in which each of the plurality of granular materials has a particle size of 6.0 mm or less, and the proportion of granular materials in which the smaller of the particle size or the particle length is less than 3.2 mm is 6% or less.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The cat litter described in the above Patent Document 1 may contain a certain number of particles with small particle lengths, which are likely to get caught between the toes of an animal's limbs, and there is a concern that if the particles are carried out of the system toilet, they will spread messily on the floor. An object of the present invention is to provide an excrement disposal material for animals that is unlikely to get caught between the toes of an animal's limbs, and a method for producing the same.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0005] An excrement disposal material for animals according to one aspect of the present invention is an excrement disposal material for animals for system toilets, which includes a plurality of columnar granular bodies each having an axial length longer than a length in a direction intersecting the axial direction, wherein the standard deviation of the axial lengths of the plurality of granular bodies is 1.60 or less. A method for manufacturing an animal waste treatment material according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an extrusion step of pushing a molding material out toward the inlet side of a die having a plurality of through holes, and a cutting step of cutting the molding material extruded from the plurality of through holes with a cutter toward the outlet side of the die. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an animal waste disposal material that is less likely to get stuck in the fingers and toes of animals. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating an example of how to use the animal waste treatment material according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing a granular material according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3A] This is a schematic plan view showing a manufacturing apparatus for producing granular material according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3B] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the center of a plan view showing a manufacturing apparatus for producing granular material according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing a granular material according to the second embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a view of the granular material according to the second embodiment, as seen from the axial direction. [Figure 6A] This is a schematic plan view showing a manufacturing apparatus for producing granular material according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6B] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the center of a plan view showing a manufacturing apparatus for producing granular material according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a magnified view of the through hole in Figure 6A. [Figure 8] This is a view of the granular material according to a modified example of the second embodiment, as seen from the axial direction. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] [Aspect 1] An animal waste disposal material for a system toilet, A plurality of columnar granular bodies each having an axial length greater than a length in a direction intersecting the axial direction are provided, An animal excrement treating material, wherein a standard deviation of the axial lengths of the plurality of granular bodies is 1.60 or less. (Effect) In the animal excrement treating material, by setting the standard deviation of the axial lengths of the plurality of granular bodies to a predetermined value or less, variation in the axial length of the granular bodies can be reduced. As a result, since the animal excrement treating material has few granular bodies that are too short, the granular bodies are prevented from being caught between the toes of the animal's limbs, so that the number of granular bodies accidentally carried out from the system toilet can be reduced.

[0009] [Aspect 2] The animal excrement treating material according to Aspect 1, wherein the granular body contains a plant-derived material as a main component and a binding resin. (Effect) The granular body has predetermined strength by containing a predetermined material as a main component. Thereby, in the step of producing the granular bodies, variation in length when cut to a predetermined length can be suppressed.

[0010] [Aspect 3] The animal excrement treating material according to Aspect 1 or 2, wherein the granular body has a particle strength of 50 (N) or more and 110 (N) or less. (Effect) By having the predetermined particle strength, the granular body can more reliably suppress the variation in length when cut to a predetermined length in the step of producing the granular bodies.

[0011] [Aspect 4] The animal excrement treating material according to any one of Aspects 1 to 3, wherein the granular body includes: a columnar main body portion having an axial length greater than a length in a direction intersecting the axial direction; and a convex portion that protrudes from the main body portion in the direction intersecting the axial direction and extends along the axial direction, and has a smaller cross-sectional area than the main body portion in a cross section intersecting the axial direction. (Effect) Since the length of the granular body in the axial direction of the main body portion is greater than the length in the direction intersecting the axial direction, the granular body is less likely to roll in the axial direction. Furthermore, since the granular body has convex portions protruding from the main body portion in the direction intersecting the axial direction, it is also less likely to roll in the direction intersecting the axial direction. Accordingly, since the animal excrement treatment material includes a plurality of the above granular bodies, it is less likely to roll and less likely to spread even on the floor.

[0012] [Aspect 5] A production method for producing the animal excrement treatment material according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4, comprising: an extrusion step of extruding a molding material to the inlet side of a die having a plurality of through holes; a cutting step of cutting, with a cutter, the molding material extruded from the plurality of through holes on the outlet side of the die. (Effects) The method for producing an animal excrement treatment material can more reliably produce granular bodies with small variations in grain length by cutting the molding material extruded from the through holes on the outlet side of the die.

[0013] [Aspect 6] A production method for producing the animal excrement treatment material according to Aspect 4, comprising: an extrusion step of extruding a molding material to the inlet side of a die having a plurality of through holes; a cutting step of cutting, with a cutter from the main body portion side, the molding material extruded from the plurality of through holes on the outlet side of the die. (Effects) The method for producing an animal excrement treatment material can suppress the occurrence of chipping in the convex portions by cutting the molding material extruded from the through holes from the main body portion side on the outlet side of the die. Therefore, the method for producing an animal excrement treatment material can more reliably produce granular bodies that have small variations in grain length and are less likely to roll.

[0014] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the figures. In this specification, "along a certain direction" includes a range of ±10 degrees or less with respect to that direction. In this specification, "same size" does not mean that the sizes are exactly the same, but includes a difference of ±10% from the size of the object in question. The animal waste treatment material according to this embodiment is mainly for cats, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be used for other animals such as dogs.

[0015] 1. First Embodiment The animal waste treatment material related to this disclosure will be described in detail below. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an animal waste treatment material 3 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure (hereinafter referred to as the "first embodiment"), the animal waste treatment material 3 is provided in the system toilet 1.

[0016] The system toilet 1 comprises an upper container 5 having multiple holes in its bottom surface, on which an animal waste treatment material 3 is laid, and a lower container 7 positioned below the upper container 5, on which a waste treatment sheet 9 is placed. The bottom surface of the upper container 5 has a mesh-like structure with multiple holes (through holes). The structure of the bottom surface of the upper container 5 has the function of allowing liquid waste (e.g., urine) to pass through (draining moisture), that is, the function of a slatted mat. In the first embodiment, the system toilet 1 further comprises a cover 11 positioned above the upper container 5, which limits the entrance and exit for animals and suppresses the scattering of waste and animal waste treatment material 3.

[0017] The animal waste treatment material 3 comprises a plurality of granular bodies 10A. The animal waste treatment material 3 comprises granular bodies 10A according to this embodiment in an amount of preferably more than 50% by mass, more preferably 60% by mass or more, even more preferably 70% by mass or more, even more preferably 80% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more, based on the total mass. The shape of the granular bodies 10A is not particularly limited as long as it is columnar, with an axial length longer than the length in the direction intersecting the axial direction, but for example, it may be columnar as shown in Figure 2. The granular bodies 10A shown in Figure 2 are cylindrical in shape, with an axial length L1 longer than the length L2 in the direction intersecting the axial direction, i.e., the direction Y perpendicular to the axial direction X (hereinafter referred to as the "orthogonal direction"). The granular bodies 10A may have an elliptical, oblong, or polygonal cross-sectional shape in the orthogonal direction Y.

[0018] The size of the granular material 10A can be appropriately set according to the target animal and the size of the animal's foot. The granular material 10A of the animal excrement treatment material 3 according to the first embodiment is intended for animals with a foot size of about 5 cm to 10 cm, and preferably has an axial length X (hereinafter also referred to as "granule length") L1 of 9.0 mm to 13.0 mm, more preferably 10.0 mm to 12.0 mm. The granule length is the average value of about 100 (100 ± 5) particles. The granular material 10A has a diameter of 2.0 mm to 7.0 mm.

[0019] The granular material 10A has little variation in length in the axial direction X. The standard deviation of the particle length of the granular material 10A in the animal waste treatment material 3 is below a predetermined value. That is, the granular material 10A has a standard deviation of particle length of 1.60 or less, more preferably 1.53 or less, even more preferably 1.49 or less, even more preferably 1.39 or less, even more preferably 1.33 or less, and even more preferably 1.23 or less. Because the granular material 3 has little variation in particle length of the granular material 10A, there are fewer granular particles that are too short, which suppresses the granular particles from getting stuck between the fingers and toes of animals, thus reducing the amount of granular particles that are unexpectedly carried out of the system toilet 1.

[0020] Preferably, the granular material 10A has a granular strength of 50(N) or more and 110(N) or less. Having a predetermined granular strength allows for more reliable suppression of length variations when cutting the granular material 10A to a predetermined length during the manufacturing process. The method for measuring granular strength will be described later, but the measured granular strength is equivalent to the strength immediately before cutting during manufacturing. That is, the granular material 10A is difficult to cut by its own weight if its granular strength immediately before cutting during manufacturing is above a predetermined value. Furthermore, the granular material 10A is easily cut to a desired length if its granular strength immediately before cutting during manufacturing is below a predetermined value. The granular strength of the granular material 10A may be 65(N) or more, or 70(N) or more. The granular strength of the granular material 10A may be 100(N) or less, or 90(N) or less.

[0021] The animal waste treatment material relating to this disclosure includes plant-derived materials. The plant-derived materials can be any material used in the art without particular limitation, such as woody plant-derived materials and herbaceous plant-derived materials. Examples of woody plant-derived materials include wood, bark, and seeds, while examples of herbaceous plant-derived materials include grass, seeds, and grain husks. The woody plant-derived materials may be derived from coniferous trees or broad-leaved trees. Examples of coniferous trees include cypress family trees such as Japanese cypress, Japanese cedar, sawara cypress, Japanese cypress, Japanese red cypress, Japanese cedar, and Western red cypress; cedar family trees such as Japanese cedar, Japanese cedar, and Western red cedar; pine family trees such as Japanese red pine, Japanese larch, Sakhalin fir, Japanese hemlock, and fir; and Japanese umbrella pine and Japanese yew. Examples of broad-leaved trees include eucalyptus, camphor tree, chinaberry, and Japanese manuka. From the perspective of containing natural essential oils with excellent deodorizing and antibacterial properties, the cypress family, cedar family, and pine family are preferred, the cypress family is more preferred, and hinoki cypress is even more preferred.

[0022] The above-mentioned plant-derived material can have shapes such as powder, granules, needles, plates, and combinations thereof, and is preferably in powder form from the viewpoint of moldability and handling. Also from the viewpoint of moldability and handling, the above-mentioned plant-derived material preferably has an average particle size of 0.01 mm or more, more preferably 0.05 mm or more, and even more preferably 0.07 mm or more, and preferably 5 mm or less, more preferably 3 mm or less, and even more preferably 2 mm or less. The above-mentioned average particle size can be measured, for example, using a multi-stage sieve shaker by the following method.

[0023] A multi-stage sieve shaker (AS200 Basic, manufactured by Verder Scientific Co., Ltd.) is used to place sieves with nominal mesh sizes of 0.3 mm, 0.6 mm, 1 mm, 2.36 mm, and 3.35 mm (manufactured by Tokyo Screen Co., Ltd.) in that order. 50 g of plant-derived material is placed in the 3.35 mm sieve located at the top, and the shaker is operated. The shaking amplitude is 1.2 mm, the vibration frequency is 3000 times / min, and the sieving time is 2 minutes. After shaking, the average particle size is calculated by summing the class values ​​between each mesh size multiplied by a ratio.

[0024] The above-mentioned animal waste treatment material mainly consists of the above-mentioned plant-derived material. Main component means that the above-mentioned plant-derived raw material is the most abundant component of the animal waste treatment material by mass ratio. The animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure contains the above-mentioned plant-derived material in a ratio of preferably more than 50% by mass, more preferably 60% by mass or more, even more preferably 70% by mass or more, even more preferably 80% by mass or more, even more preferably 83% by mass or more, and even more preferably 85% by mass or more. This makes the above-mentioned animal waste treatment material environmentally friendly and contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition, depending on the rules of the local government, it becomes easier to dispose of the above-mentioned animal waste treatment material as combustible waste. In the animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure, the upper limit of the above-mentioned plant-derived material is the amount obtained by subtracting the amount (by mass) of the binding resin from 100.

[0025] The animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure preferably contains a binding resin. As a result, even when the animal waste treatment material is used for a long period of time, it is less likely to absorb waste and swell, and the appearance of the animal waste treatment material is less likely to change. Furthermore, even when the animal waste treatment material is used for a long period of time, it is less likely to absorb waste, and the appearance of the animal waste treatment material is less likely to change. Moreover, even when the animal waste treatment material is subjected to pressure during transportation, storage, etc., before it comes into contact with waste, the animal waste treatment material is less likely to collapse.

[0026] The above-mentioned binding resin can be any binding resin used in the art without particular limitations, and examples include thermoplastic resins. Examples of the above-mentioned thermoplastic resins include polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, vinyl resins such as polyamide, polyvinyl chloride and polystyrene, acrylic resins such as polyacrylic acid and polymethyl methacrylate, ethylene-propylene copolymer, polyvinyl acetate, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and polyvinyl alcohol. From the viewpoint of miscibility with the above-mentioned plant-derived materials, it is preferable that the above-mentioned binding resin includes an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

[0027] If the animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure contains the above-mentioned binding resin, the melting point of the binding resin is preferably 60°C or higher, more preferably 65°C or higher, and even more preferably 70°C or higher. Furthermore, if the animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure contains the above-mentioned binding resin, the melting point of the binding resin is preferably 160°C or lower, more preferably 120°C or lower, and even more preferably 80°C or lower. The melting point of the above-mentioned binding resin can be appropriately adjusted, for example, by changing the molecular weight of the binding resin. This makes it easier to form the animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure while suppressing the modification of the plant-derived material and the decomposition of the binding resin.

[0028] If the animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure contains the above-mentioned binding resin, then, from a similar viewpoint, the binding resin preferably has a melt flow rate (MFR) of 0.1 g / 10 min or more, more preferably 1 g / 10 min or more, and even more preferably 10 g / 10 min or more. Furthermore, the binding resin preferably has a melt flow rate (MFR) of 200 g / 10 min or less, more preferably 100 g / 10 min or less, and even more preferably 50 g / 10 min or less.

[0029] The above melt flow rate can be measured in accordance with JIS K 7210-1:2014 under conditions of a load of 2.16 kg and a temperature of 230 °C.

[0030] If the animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure contains the above-mentioned binding resin, the animal waste treatment material contains the above-mentioned binding resin in a ratio of preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 2.0% by mass or more, even more preferably 4.0% by mass or more, even more preferably 6.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 7.0% by mass or more. Furthermore, the animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure contains the above-mentioned binding resin in a ratio of preferably 40.0% by mass or less, more preferably 30.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 20.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 15.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 10.0% by mass or less. This makes the animal waste treatment material environmentally friendly and contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

[0031] While the binding resin itself, being a component that both binds and masks plant-derived materials, does not inherently have a negative impact on expansion rate and water absorption rate, increasing the amount of binding resin makes it more difficult to apply pressure during granulation when forming animal waste treatment materials. This can easily lead to the formation of voids in the animal waste treatment material, which in turn can negatively affect the expansion rate, water absorption rate, and other properties of the animal waste treatment material.

[0032] The animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure preferably contains a water repellent. When the animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure contains the water repellent, the animal waste treatment agent contains the water repellent in a ratio of preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 0.7% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.9% by mass or more, and even more preferably 1.0% by mass or more. Furthermore, when the animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure contains the water repellent, the animal waste treatment agent contains the water repellent in a ratio of preferably 3.5% by mass or less, more preferably 3.2% by mass or less, even more preferably 2.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 2.0% by mass or less. This makes it possible to balance the strength and water repellency of the animal waste treatment material. In addition, before the animal waste treatment material comes into contact with the waste, it is less likely to collapse even if pressure is applied during transportation, storage, etc.

[0033] The above-mentioned water-repellent agent can be present on and / or inside the animal waste treatment material, and is preferably present inside the animal waste treatment material. This allows the animal waste treatment material to have excellent expansion rate, water absorption rate, etc. The presence of the above-mentioned water-repellent agent inside the animal waste treatment material can be achieved, for example, by kneading the components constituting the animal waste treatment material, such as plant-derived materials, water-repellent agents, and optional binding resins.

[0034] The above-mentioned water-repellent agent can be any water-repellent agent used in the art without any particular limitations, such as liquid paraffin, paraffin wax, silicone wax, silicone oil, oils and fats, such as triglycerides.

[0035] The animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure has an expansion rate of preferably 7.0% or less, more preferably 6.0% or less, even more preferably 5.5% or less, even more preferably 5.0% or less, and even more preferably 4.5% or less in a water absorption test. As a result, even when the animal waste treatment material is used for a long time, it is less likely to absorb waste and expand, and the appearance of the animal waste treatment material is less likely to change. The lower limit of the expansion rate is 0.0%.

[0036] Generally, if animal waste treatment materials contain a large amount of starch, the likelihood of spoilage (e.g., mold growth) occurring in the materials due to the starch increases with use.

[0037] When the above-mentioned animal waste treatment material contains the above-mentioned amount of starch, the animal waste treatment material becomes less prone to spoilage when used.

[0038] The above-mentioned starch can be any starch used in this technical field without any particular restrictions, such as potato starch, corn starch, wheat starch, tapioca starch, sweet potato starch, waxy starch, rice starch, etc.

[0039] The animal waste treatment material according to this disclosure may or may not contain water-insoluble inorganic substances, and it is preferable that it does not contain water-insoluble inorganic substances or contains them in an amount of 0.1% by mass or less. This makes it possible to lower the bulk density of the animal waste treatment material compared to the case in which a large amount of water-insoluble inorganic substances are contained, and also suppresses the dusting of the surface of the animal waste treatment material.

[0040] The above-mentioned water-insoluble inorganic substances refer to inorganic materials whose solubility in water (dissolved mass in 1 L of water at 1 atm and 25°C) is less than 2.0 g. Examples of the above-mentioned water-insoluble inorganic substances include metal salts, metal oxides, and metal hydroxides. Examples of the above-mentioned water-insoluble inorganic substances include calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, aluminum oxide, aluminum hydroxide, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium oxide, and magnesium carbonate.

[0041] The animal waste treatment material relating to this disclosure may further contain additional components, to the extent that they do not impair the effects of this disclosure. Examples of such additional components include fragrances, activated carbon, base materials having deodorizing properties such as organic acids, colorants, surfactants, chelating agents, and the like.

[0042] The animal waste treatment material relating to this disclosure can be distributed as an animal waste treatment material on its own, as a combination of the animal waste treatment material and a pet sheet, and as a toilet kit including the animal waste treatment material, a pet sheet, and a system toilet.

[0043] The animal waste treatment material relating to this disclosure can be manufactured by methods known in the art. The animal waste treatment material relating to this disclosure can be manufactured, for example, by kneading the components constituting the animal waste treatment material (e.g., plant-derived material, binding resin, optional water repellent, optional starch, etc.) in a kneader to form a kneaded material for molding, and then cutting the kneaded material to a predetermined length by extrusion molding using an extrusion molding machine to produce granular material.

[0044] Figure 3A is a plan view of the extrusion molding machine 30A, and Figure 3B is a central cross-sectional view of Figure 3A. The extrusion molding machine 30A has a die 32 and a cutter 34. The die 32 has a circular shape in plan view. The thickness of the die 32 is appropriately set according to the components that make up the animal waste treatment material 3. The thickness of the die 32 is uniform in the radial and circumferential directions. The die 32 has a plurality of through holes 36 through which the kneaded material passes. The plurality of through holes 36 are of equal size to each other and are evenly arranged on the surface of the die 32 at predetermined intervals from each other. The shape of the cross-section of the through holes 36 perpendicular to the thickness direction of the die 32 shown in Figure 3A is circular. As shown in Figure 3B, the inner diameter of the plurality of through holes 36 is constant in the thickness direction of the die 32. The die 32 has three virtual circles VC that are concentric circles, each with a predetermined interval between them.

[0045] The extrusion molding machine 30A has a roller (not shown) on the inlet side EN of the die 32. The roller rotates and pushes the mixture into the through holes 36. The roller is positioned so that it can pass through the inlet side EN of all the through holes 36 provided in the die 32.

[0046] The extrusion molding machine 30A has a cutter 34 on the exit side EX of the die 32. The cutter 34 extends radially outward from the center of the exit side EX of the die 32. The cutter 34 cuts the compound extruded from the through holes 36 by rotating at a predetermined rotational speed along the exit side surface of the die 32 with the center of the die 32 as the axis of rotation. The roller and the cutter 34 are configured to rotate independently. The cutter 34 is positioned to pass through the exit side EX of all the through holes 36 provided in the die 32.

[0047] The kneaded material is supplied to the inlet side EN of the die 32 while heated to a predetermined temperature. A roller rotates at the inlet side EN of the die 32. The kneaded material is pushed into the inlet side EN of the through hole 36 by the roller. The kneaded material pushed into the through hole 36 is pushed out from the outlet side EX of the through hole 36. A cutter 34 rotates at the outlet side EX of the through hole 36. The temperature of the kneaded material at the outlet side EX of the through hole 36 is, for example, about 50 to 80°C, preferably 70°C. The kneaded material pushed out from the outlet side EX of the through hole 36 is cut by the cutter 34. In this way, granular material 10A having a predetermined length can be produced.

[0048] The kneaded material is difficult to cut by its own weight when it is extruded through the exit side EX of the die 32, because its strength at the exit side EX of the die 32 is above a predetermined value. The kneaded material is not cut by its own weight, but is cut by the cutter 34. Therefore, the variation in the grain length of the granular material 10A can be reduced. In the first embodiment, the strength of the granular material 10A when it has been sufficiently cooled after manufacturing and then reheated to 70°C can be considered equivalent to the strength of the kneaded material just before it is extruded through the exit side EX of the through hole 36 of the die 32 and cut by the cutter 34.

[0049] Although the first embodiment described the case where the granular body 10A is cylindrical, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the granular body 10A may be a columnar body with two ends (near the two bases) that intersect the axial direction X being irregular in shape. For example, one of the two ends may be convex and the other concave, or both may be convex or concave.

[0050] 2. Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in shape when viewed from the axial direction, but other components, such as the components that make up the animal waste treatment material, are the same, so the parts that are common to the first embodiment will be omitted from the explanation as appropriate.

[0051] The animal waste treatment material 3 comprises a plurality of granular bodies 10B. The animal waste treatment material 3 comprises granular bodies 10B according to this embodiment, preferably more than 50% by mass, more preferably 60% by mass or more, even more preferably 70% by mass or more, even more preferably 80% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more, based on the total mass. The granular body 10B shown in Figure 4 has a main body portion 12 and two protrusions 14. The granular body 10B has a shape resembling a bear's face when viewed from the axial direction X. The main body portion 12 is columnar in which the length L3 in the axial direction X is longer than the length L4 in the orthogonal direction Y. As shown in Figure 5, the main body portion 12 has a curved large curved surface 12L and a small curved surface 12S that protrude toward the side away from the center of the main body portion 12 when viewed from the axial direction X. Here, "axial direction" means the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 12. The main body portion 12 shown in Figure 5 has a substantially circular outer shape when viewed from the axial direction X.

[0052] The protrusion 14 projects from the main body 12 in the direction Y perpendicular to the main body 12 and extends along the axial direction X (Figure 4). In the cross-section in the direction Y perpendicular to the main body 12, the protrusion 14 has a smaller cross-sectional area than the main body 12. When viewed from the axial direction X, the protrusion 14 has a curved medium-curved surface 14M that projects away from the center of the main body 12 (Figure 5).

[0053] The connection portion between the main body 12 and the protrusion 14 has a recess 17 that is recessed towards the side closer to the center of the main body 12. The recess 17 may have an R shape in the cross-section in the orthogonal direction Y. The granular body 10B shown in Figure 5 has a large curved surface 12L and a small curved surface 12S of the main body 12, two medium curved surfaces 14M of the two protrusions 14, and four recesses 17 formed between the main body 12 and the protrusions 14 in the cross-section in the orthogonal direction Y. The small curved surface 12S may have an arc length of preferably 1 / 2 or less of the arc length of the large curved surface 12L, or it may have an arc length of 1 / 3 or less, 1 / 4 or less, or 1 / 5 or less. Also, the small curved surface 12S may have a length of 1 / 20 or more, 1 / 15 or more, or 1 / 13 or more of the arc length of the large curved surface 12L. Both ends of the large curved surface 12L are connected to one end of each of the two medium curved surfaces 14M via the recesses 17. The other ends of the two medium-sized curved surfaces 14M are each connected to the ends of the small curved surface 12S via recesses 17. The center of the arc of the large curved surface 12L is designated as the first central section 16, and the center of the arc of the small curved surface 12S is designated as the second central section 18.

[0054] The cross-sectional shape of the granular material 10B in the direction Y orthogonal to the second embodiment is a shape formed by combining multiple circles. That is, the cross-sectional shape of the granular material 10B has a shape formed by combining one circle that constitutes the main body 12 with two circles that constitute the convex portion 14. The large curved surface 12L and the small curved surface 12S are circles that constitute the main body 12. The medium curved surface 14M is a circle that constitutes the convex portion 14. The two circles that constitute the convex portion 14 are the same size. The centers of the circles that constitute the convex portion 14 are located radially outward from the outer edge of the circle that constitutes the main body 12. When viewed from the axial direction X, the granular material 10B is positioned off-center to one side in the direction Y orthogonal to the center of the main body 12. That is, when viewed from the axial direction X, the granular material 10B has two convex portions 14 on the same semicircle that constitutes the main body 12.

[0055] The cross-sectional area of ​​the granular material 10B is measured as follows. First, in the cross-section in the orthogonal direction Y, a straight line C is used to connect the large curved surface 12L and the small curved surface 12S that constitute the outer shape of the main body 12, thereby drawing a virtual outer edge. Next, in the cross-section of the granular material 10B, the cross-sectional area inside the virtual outer edge is calculated, and this cross-sectional area is taken as the cross-sectional area of ​​the main body 12. In addition, the cross-sectional area of ​​the granular material 10B outside the virtual outer edge is calculated, and this cross-sectional area is taken as the cross-sectional area of ​​the convex portion 14. The cross-sectional areas of the convex portions 14 calculated in this way are each smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the main body 12. The virtual outer edge and each cross-sectional area can be obtained, for example, using image processing software (e.g., ImageJ).

[0056] The granular material 10B has a convex surface 20 projecting outward in the axial direction X on one of a pair of end faces that intersect in the axial direction X. The convex surface 20 bulges outward from the granular material 10B in the axial direction X from the outer edge that intersects with the side surface of the granular material 10B along the axial direction X. Because the granular material 10B has a convex surface 20 projecting outward in the axial direction X on one of its pair of end faces, it is prone to tipping over when the convex surface 20 is in contact with the floor. Therefore, when the granular material 10B tips over, the convex portion 14 is in contact with the floor, making it less likely to roll.

[0057] The height H of the protrusion 14 in the orthogonal direction Y from the main body 12 is higher than the irregularities that constitute the surface roughness of the side surface of the main body 12 along the axial direction X. Since the height H of the protrusion 14 is higher than the irregularities on the surface of the main body 12, it is less likely to roll compared to the case of the main body 12 alone.

[0058] The height H of the protrusion 14 is the difference between the length L5 of the straight line passing through the center of the main body 12 and connecting the outer edge of one protrusion 14 to the outer edge of the main body 12 in a cross-section in the orthogonal direction Y, and the length L4 of the main body 12. The granular material 10B preferably has a length L5 of 4 mm or more and 8 mm or less. The granular material 10B preferably has a length L4 of 3 mm or more and 6 mm or less. The protrusion 14 preferably has a height H of 0.5 mm or more and 4 mm or less. In the second embodiment, the length L5 is the maximum length of the granular material 10B in the orthogonal direction Y. The granular material 10B preferably has a maximum length (L5) in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of 6 mm or less. The large curved surface 12L of the main body 12 preferably has a surface roughness of 0.5 mm or less. Surface roughness refers to the height between the peak of the ridge, which is the maximum height of the unevenness, and the bottom of the valley, which is the minimum height of the unevenness, on the large curved surface 12L.

[0059] Preferably, the circle constituting the protrusion 14 is at least in contact with and intersects with the circle constituting the main body portion 12 of the granular material 10B. That is, the granular material 10B has two intersection points where the circle constituting the main body portion 12 and the circle constituting the protrusion 14 intersect with each other. The intersection points are located in positions that coincide with the recess 17.

[0060] The granular material 10B according to the second embodiment has a main body portion 12 and two protrusions 14, and the circle constituting the main body portion 12 and the circle constituting the protrusions 14 have four intersection points where they intersect with each other. Here, the circle constituting the main body portion 12 is a virtual circle that can be drawn by connecting the outer edges of the main body portion 12. Similarly, the circle constituting the protrusions 14 is a virtual circle that can be drawn by connecting the outer edges of the protrusions 14.

[0061] The shape of the granular material 10B as viewed from the axial direction X preferably has a roundness of 0.82 or less, more preferably 0.74 or less, and even more preferably 0.73 or less. A roundness of 1 refers to a perfect circle. The more complex the shape, the smaller the value of the roundness. The animal waste treatment material 3 can be made less likely to roll by setting the roundness of the granular material 10B to a predetermined value or less. The shape of the granular material 10B as viewed from the axial direction X preferably has a roundness of 0.3 or more, more preferably 0.4 or more.

[0062] The size of the granular material 10B can be appropriately set according to the target animal and the size of the animal's foot. The granular material 10B of the animal excrement treatment material 3 according to the second embodiment is intended for animals with a foot size of about 5 cm to 10 cm, and the granular material 10B has little variation in particle length. The granular material 10B of the animal excrement treatment material 3 according to the second embodiment preferably has a particle length of 9 mm to 13 mm, more preferably 10 mm to 12 mm. The particle length is the average value of about 100 particles (100 ± 5 particles). The granular material 10B of the animal excrement treatment material 3 according to the second embodiment preferably has a particle length standard deviation of 1.60, more preferably 1.53 or less, even more preferably 1.49 or less, even more preferably 1.39 or less, even more preferably 1.33 or less, even more preferably 1.23 or less, and even more preferably 1.17 or less. Because the granular material 10B has little variation in granular length, there are fewer granular pieces that are too short, which suppresses the granular material from getting stuck between the toes of animals' hands and feet, thus reducing the amount of granular material that is unexpectedly carried out of the system toilet 1.

[0063] The granular material 10B preferably has a water absorption rate of 160% by mass or less, more preferably 125% by mass or less, and even more preferably 115% by mass or less. By setting the water absorption rate of the granular material 10B of the animal excrement treatment material 3 to a predetermined value or less, the absorption of liquid excrement by the granular material 10B is suppressed. Therefore, the diffusion of malodorous odors can be suppressed by the granular material 10B. In addition, the animal excrement treatment material 3 does not consist of multiple granular materials absorbing excrement and forming a clump, but each granular material 10B is separable from one another. However, since the granular material 10B does not easily roll around, the scattering of granular material 10B on the floor after excretion can be suppressed. The method for measuring the water absorption rate will be described later.

[0064] The granular material 10B preferably has a liquid permeability of 80% by mass or more, more preferably 90% by mass or more, and even more preferably 95% by mass or more. By setting the liquid permeability of the granular material 10B of the animal excrement treatment material 3 to a predetermined value or higher, the retention of liquid excrement by the granular material 10B is suppressed. Therefore, the diffusion of malodorous odors can be suppressed by the granular material 10B. Furthermore, in the animal excrement treatment material 3, the multiple granular materials 10B do not absorb the excrement and form a clump, but each granular material 10B is separable from one another. However, since the granular material 10B does not easily roll, the scattering of granular material 10B on the floor after excretion can be suppressed. The method for measuring the liquid permeability will be described later.

[0065] Next, a manufacturing method for producing the animal waste treatment material 3 according to the second embodiment will be described. The manufacturing method according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment mainly in the shape of the through-holes provided in the die, so the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be omitted from the description as appropriate. The explanation will be given with reference to Figure 6, which uses the same reference numerals as Figure 3 for the same configuration. Figures 6A and 6B are plan views showing the extrusion molding machine 30B used to produce the granular material 10B of the animal waste treatment material 3 according to the second embodiment.

[0066] The extrusion molding machine 30B has a die 38 and a cutter 34. The die 38 has a plurality of through holes 40 through which the kneaded material passes. The shape of the cross-section of the through holes 40 perpendicular to the thickness direction of the die 38 is such that it is capable of forming granular material 10B.

[0067] As shown in Figure 7, the through hole 40 has a main body forming portion 42 and two protrusion forming portions 44. The main body forming portion 42 is sized to form the main body portion 12 of the granular material 10B. The main body forming portion 42 has a curved surface that is significantly recessed toward the side away from the center of the through hole 40 when viewed from the thickness direction of the die 38. The protrusion forming portion 44 is sized to form the protrusions 14 of the granular material 10B. The protrusion forming portion 44 has a curved surface that is less recessed toward the side away from the center of the through hole 40 when viewed from the thickness direction of the die 38 than the main body forming portion 42. The connection portion between the main body forming portion 42 and the protrusion forming portion 44 protrudes toward the side closer to the center of the through hole 40. The multiple through holes 40 are arranged in the same orientation in the circumferential direction with the center of the die 38 as the axis of rotation (Figure 6A).

[0068] The through holes 40 are evenly distributed on a virtual circle with the center of the die 38 as the axis of rotation. In the through hole 40 shown in Figure 6A, a main body forming portion 42 is provided on one side in the circumferential direction, and a convex portion forming portion 44 is provided on the other side in the circumferential direction. In each through hole 40, a first surface portion 46 corresponding to the first central portion 16 of the granular material 10B is located on the virtual circle VC on one side in the circumferential direction, and a second surface portion 48 corresponding to the second central portion 18 of the granular material 10B is located on the virtual circle VC on the other side in the circumferential direction. The size of the through hole 40 as viewed from the thickness direction of the die 38 is constant in the thickness direction of the die 38. In the die 38 shown in Figure 5, the through holes 40 are arranged at predetermined intervals on three concentric virtual circles VC.

[0069] The extrusion molding machine 30B uses rollers to push the kneaded material into the through-hole 40 on the inlet side EN. The kneaded material pushed into the through-hole 40 is then extruded from the through-hole 40 on the outlet side EX. The kneaded material that passes through the main body forming section 42 is formed into the main body 12, and the kneaded material that passes through the convex part forming section 44 is formed into the convex part 14.

[0070] The extrusion molding machine 30B has a roller (not shown) on the inlet side EN of the die 38. The extrusion molding machine 30B has a cutter 34 on the outlet side EX of the die 38. The cutter 34 rotates at a predetermined rotational speed along the outlet side surface of the die 38, from one side to the other in the circumferential direction, with the center of the die 38 as the axis of rotation. In the second embodiment, in plan view, the cutter 34 rotates clockwise (in the direction of the arrow in Figure 6). The cutter 34 cuts the compound extruded from each through hole 40 by moving from the first surface portion 46 to the second surface portion 48. That is, the cutter 34 cuts the compound extruded from the outlet side EX of the through hole 40 from the main body portion 12 side, which is the first surface portion 46 side of the through hole 40. In this way, a granular body 10B having a main body portion 12 and a protrusion portion 14 and a predetermined length can be manufactured.

[0071] The animal waste treatment material 3 according to the second embodiment has less variation in the particle length of the granular material 10B, and therefore can obtain the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0072] In the second embodiment, the animal waste treatment material 3 can have less variation in the length of the granular particles 10B by setting the standard deviation of the particle lengths of the multiple granular particles 10B to a predetermined value or less. As a result, the animal waste treatment material 3 has fewer granular particles that are too short, which suppresses the granular particles from getting stuck between the toes of animals, thus reducing the amount of granular particles that are unexpectedly carried out of the system toilet 1.

[0073] The granular material 10B is less likely to roll in the axial direction X because the length of the main body portion 12 in the axial direction X is longer than the length in the orthogonal direction Y. Furthermore, since the granular material 10B has a protrusion 14 that projects from the main body portion 12 in the orthogonal direction Y, it is also less likely to roll in the direction intersecting the axial direction X. Therefore, because the animal waste treatment material 3 is equipped with multiple granular materials 10B, it is less likely to roll and less likely to spread on the floor.

[0074] Since the granular material 10B has a convex surface 20 that protrudes outward in the axial direction on one of its pair of end faces, it is prone to tipping over when the convex surface 20 comes into contact with the floor. Therefore, when the granular material 10B tips over, the convex portion 14 comes into contact with the floor, making it less likely to roll.

[0075] Each granular material 10B has a main body 12 and a protrusion 14 projecting perpendicularly in the direction Y from the main body 12, which makes it easy to form gaps between adjacent granular materials 10B. Therefore, the animal waste treatment material 3 is permeable to the supplied liquid waste. Consequently, the animal waste treatment material 3 is prevented from retaining liquid waste by the granular materials 10B. Therefore, the diffusion of malodorous odors by the granular materials 10B can be suppressed.

[0076] The main body portion 12 is preferably circular when viewed from the axial direction X. Since the granular body 10B has a circular main body portion 12, a large curved surface 12L is formed, and by cutting from the main body portion 12 side during the manufacturing stage, chipping is less likely to occur, thus suppressing variations in grain length. The protrusion 14 is preferably circular when viewed from the axial direction X. Because the granular material 10B has a circular protrusion 14, its cross-sectional area is smaller than that of the main body 12, but it is less prone to chipping during the manufacturing process. Since the granular material 10B has a shape that combines multiple circles, when viewed from the axial direction X, all of its outwardly convex outer edges are curved arcs. Therefore, when viewed from the axial direction X, the granular material 10B does not have corners, i.e., sharply pointed shapes on the outside, making it less likely to roll and giving it a pleasant feel.

[0077] The granular material 10B has two protrusions 14 on a single main body 12, which allows it to stop at a smaller rotation angle when it falls to the floor compared to the case where it has only one protrusion. The granular material 10B has two protrusions 14 on the same semicircle that makes up the main body 12, so that it can remain stationary not only when the main body 12 and one of the protrusions 14 are in contact with the floor, but also when both protrusions 14 are in contact with the floor. Therefore, the granular material 10B is less likely to roll than the case where there is only one protrusion.

[0078] The angles between the centers of the circles constituting the two protrusions 14 and the centers of the circles constituting the main body 12 are preferably 75 degrees or less, 65 degrees or less, 55 degrees or less, and 45 degrees or less. By having a predetermined angle between the centers of the circles constituting the two protrusions 14 and the centers of the circles constituting the main body 12, the granular material 10B is columnar in shape, while making it easy to keep the maximum length in the orthogonal direction Y below a predetermined value, for example, 6 mm or less. Therefore, when used for cats, the granular material 10B can be adjusted to a size that is easily accustomed to by cats. As a result, the animal waste treatment material 3 can be made easier for cats to defecate in the system toilet 1 using the granular material 10B.

[0079] The granular material 10B has a main body 12 and two protrusions 14. The circle constituting the main body 12 and the circle constituting the protrusions 14 intersect at four points, thereby providing a predetermined strength at the connection point between the main body 12 and the protrusions 14. Therefore, the granular material 10B is less likely to separate from the main body 12 and the protrusions 14, or to break at the connection point, during the manufacturing and use stages. As a result, the granular material 10B does not easily break down during use, which prevents it from getting stuck between the toes of animals and makes it less likely to be taken out of the system toilet 1.

[0080] The manufacturing method for the animal waste treatment material 3 involves cutting the molded material extruded from the through hole 40 at the exit side EX of the die 38 from the main body 12 side, thereby suppressing chipping of the protrusions 14. Therefore, the manufacturing method for the animal waste treatment material 3 can more reliably produce granular material 10B with less variation in particle length and less tendency to roll.

[0081] The granular material 10B has two protrusions 14 on the same semicircle that constitutes the main body 12 when viewed from the axial direction X, which allows for more reliable cutting from the main body 12 side during the manufacturing process. Therefore, the granular material 14 is less prone to chipping at its axial end X, thus suppressing variations in grain length. The two protrusions 14 of the granular material 10B have the same cross-sectional area, which makes it less prone to chipping at its axial end X when cutting during the manufacturing process.

[0082] The granular material 10B according to the second embodiment is not limited to the shape shown in Figures 4 and 5. Although the case in which the granular material 10B has a shape resembling a bear's face when viewed from the axial direction X has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and may have a shape resembling the face of other animals, such as a cat or a rabbit. Although the case in which the circles constituting the convex portion 14 are the same size has been described, they may be different in size.

[0083] The present invention has described a case in which the granular material 10B has a shape that is a combination of multiple circles when viewed from the axial direction X, but the present invention is not limited to this. From the viewpoint of the feel of the granular material 10B to the touch of animals using the system toilet 1, it is preferable that the shape of the granular material 10B when viewed from the axial direction X is a curved shape that is convex outward from the center. It is more preferable that the granular material 10B has a shape that appropriately combines ellipses, circles, and ovals (hereinafter referred to as "elliptical shapes") when viewed from the axial direction X. Here, an ellipse includes circles and ovals. That is, an ellipse is a set of points that have two foci and whose sum of distances from those two points is always constant. A circle is a shape in which the foci of an ellipse overlap to one. An oval is a vertically elongated ellipse. The granular material 10B is less likely to roll because its shape, when viewed from the axial direction X, is a combination of elliptical shapes. It is more preferable that the granular body 10B comprises a main body portion 12 having an elliptical shape and a convex portion 14 having an elliptical shape with a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the main body portion 12, when viewed from the axial direction X. Here, "main body portion" and "convex portion" having an "elliptical shape" means that the shapes constituting the main body portion and the convex portion, respectively, are elliptical. The fact that the constituting shapes are elliptical means that the virtual shape that can be drawn by connecting the outer edges of the main body portion and the convex portion, respectively, is elliptical. The granular material 10B, by having a predetermined main body portion 12 and protrusions 14, has an off-center center of gravity, making it easy to rotate and stop, and therefore difficult to roll. The cross-sectional area of ​​the protrusions 14 is preferably 60% or less, 50% or less, 40% or less, or 30% or less, and 10% or more, or 20% or more, of the cross-sectional area of ​​the main body portion 12. It is preferable that the granular material 10B has multiple protrusions 14. Having multiple protrusions 14 allows the granular material 10B to stop at a smaller rotation angle, making it less likely to roll. It is more preferable that the granular material 10B has two protrusions 14. Having two protrusions 14, together with the main body 12, allows the granular material 10B to have three points that can contact the floor when viewed from the axial direction X, making it easier to stop in a stable position. Preferably, the two protrusions 14 are offset to one side in the circumferential direction of the outer edge of the main body 12 when viewed from the axial direction X. By having the two protrusions 14 offset to one side in the circumferential direction of the outer edge of the main body 12, the granular material 10B can easily have a maximum length in the orthogonal direction Y below a predetermined value, for example, 6 mm or less. Therefore, when the granular material 10B is used for cats, it can be adjusted to a size that is easily accustomed to by cats. As a result, the animal waste treatment material 3 can make it easier for cats to defecate in the system toilet 1 using the granular material 10B. For example, the angle between the center of gravity of the two protrusions 14 and the center of gravity of the main body 12 is preferably 75 degrees or less, 65 degrees or less, 55 degrees or less, or 45 degrees or less. Preferably, the granular material 10B has four intersection points where the elliptical outer edge of the main body 12 and the elliptical outer edge of the protrusion 14 intersect with each other. The connection portion between the main body 12 and the protrusion 14 has a predetermined strength. Therefore, the granular material 10B is less likely to separate from the main body 12 and the protrusion 14, or to break at the connection portion, during the manufacturing and use stages. As a result, the granular material 10B does not easily become smaller even during use, which suppresses it from getting stuck between the fingers and toes of animals and makes it less likely to be carried out of the system toilet 1.

[0084] The protrusions 14 may be circles, ellipses, oblongs, or polygons. If the granular material 10B has multiple protrusions 14, these multiple protrusions 14 may have the same shape and cross-sectional area, or they may have different shapes and cross-sectional areas. The present invention has described a case in which the granular material 10B has two protrusions 14 on the same semicircle constituting the main body 12 when viewed from the axial direction X, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the protrusions may be arranged on one side and the other side in the direction Y perpendicular to the center of the main body 12. That is, the granular material 10B may have protrusions 14 on opposite semicircles of the circle constituting the main body 12.

[0085] In Figure 5, the center of the circle constituting the protrusion 14 of the granular body 10B is described as being located radially outside the outer edge of the circle constituting the main body 12, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the granular body 10C shown in Figure 8 has a protrusion 14 whose center is located radially inside the outer edge of the circle constituting the main body 12. Alternatively, the center of the circle constituting the protrusion 14 of the granular body 10B may be located on the outer edge of the circle constituting the main body 12.

[0086] The second embodiment describes a case where the granular material 10B has two protrusions 14 on one body portion 12, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the granular material 10B may have one protrusion 14 on one body portion 12, or it may have three protrusions 14 on one body portion 12.

[0087] The centroid of the ellipse constituting the convex portion 14 is located on or inside the outer edge of the ellipse constituting the main body portion 12, so that the granular material 10B has a predetermined strength at the connection portion between the main body portion 12 and the convex portion 14. Therefore, the granular material 10B is less likely to separate between the main body portion 12 and the convex portion 14. The case in which the circle constituting the convex portion 14 intersects with the circle constituting the main body portion 12 of the granular material 10B has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the circle constituting the convex portion 14 may be in contact with the circle constituting the main body portion 12 of the granular material 10B at one point.

[0088] In the second embodiment, the animal waste treatment material is not limited to being mainly composed of plant-derived materials. The animal waste treatment material according to the second embodiment may be mainly composed of, for example, natural minerals (zeolite, sepiolite, attapulgite, diatomaceous earth, diatomaceous shale), artificial zeolite, silica gel, or a combination of at least two of these.

[0089] 3.Measurement method (Standard deviation of grain length) In this specification, the standard deviation of grain length is calculated as follows: (1) The particle size (diameter or maximum length L5) of each of the multiple granular materials to be evaluated is measured individually using a caliper, and the average value per 100 granular materials is taken as the average particle size of the granular materials. (2) Place the multiple granular materials to be evaluated (approximately 100 samples) on the scanner (printer) so that they do not come into contact with each other. Since the granular materials are columnar, lay them on their sides. (3) Capture scanned images of multiple granular objects. (4) Using image processing software (e.g., ImageJ), the scanned image is binarized, and continuous regions are treated as single granular objects. The area of ​​each granular object in a horizontal position is then calculated. (5) Using the software, the average particle size obtained in (1) above is used as the particle size, and the area calculated in (4) above is divided by the average particle size to calculate the grain length (x1, x2, x3…) for each individual particle. Here, the grain length is the length at the center of the particle size. (6) The grain length (x) obtained in (5) above i The population standard deviation σ is calculated from the following formula 1 (where : is the length of each grain, μ: is the average grain length, and n: is the number of samples).

number

[0090] (grain strength) In this specification, grain strength is measured as follows: First, the granular material is left to stand in a 70°C incubator for one day. After standing for one day, the granular material is removed from the incubator, and within 5 minutes, the load applied when cutting the granular material in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction using a mountain-shaped jig is measured with a digital force gauge, and the maximum value of the load is defined as the granular strength.

[0091] (Water absorption rate) The method for measuring water absorption rate is as follows: (1) Place 100g (before water absorption) of multiple granular materials into a container. (2) Pour water into the container so that the granular material is fully submerged, and let it stand for 1 hour. (3) Transfer multiple granular materials to a colander to drain the water, then measure the mass (mass after water absorption). (4) The water absorption rate (%) is calculated using the following formula. Water absorption rate (mass%) = (mass after water absorption) / (mass before water absorption) × 100

[0092] (liquid permeability) The method for measuring liquid permeability is as follows: A cylinder with a diameter of 50 mm and a depth of 30 mm is placed on the top surface of a grate with numerous openings measuring 3 mm x 8 mm. Granular material is filled into the cylinder, and 20 ml of physiological saline is dripped from a height of 20 mm above the top of the cylinder over a period of 10 seconds. A tray is placed on the bottom surface of the grate to collect the granular material and the physiological saline that has passed through the grate. After 15 seconds have elapsed since the end of dripping, the mass (A) of the physiological saline that has passed through the grate is measured. The liquid pass-through rate is calculated using the following formula. Liquid passage rate (mass%)=A / 20×100

[0093] (Roundness) (1) Place the granular material on a horizontal surface, laying it down. (2) Photograph the granular material from a distance of 5 cm from the cross-section of the granular material. (3) Load the image using image processing software (e.g., ImageJ) and measure the roundness (Circ.).

[0094] 4. Variations The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the first and second embodiments can be combined as appropriate.

[0095] In the above embodiment, the through holes provided in the die used in the manufacturing method were described as being evenly distributed on the surface of the die. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the spacing between the through holes may be uneven.

[0096] 5. Examples The following examples illustrate this disclosure, but this disclosure is not limited to these examples.

[0097] A mixture was obtained by kneading 95.8% by mass of wood flour (crushed European red pine, passed through a 2mm mesh screen) as a plant-derived material, 0.9% by mass of an aqueous dispersion of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) (Celvolit 1397, manufactured by Celanese) as a binding resin (0.5% by mass of EVA), 1.0% by mass of paraffin wax (Paraffin Wax-135, manufactured by Nippon Seiro Co., Ltd.) as a water repellent, and 2.7% by mass of corn starch (Industrial Corn Starch Y-3P, manufactured by Nippon Corn Starch Co., Ltd.) as a starch at room temperature using a paddle feeder manufactured by Oike Iron Works Co., Ltd. This mixture was granulated using a Dalton F-5 / 11-175D, manufactured by Dalton Co., Ltd., and then the granules were cut to obtain the animal excrement treatment material of Example 1. The temperature during granulation was approximately 70°C. The animal waste treatment material in Example 1 had a roughly cylindrical shape. The particle length shown in Table 1 is the average value of 100 particles.

[0098] Examples 2 to 10 were obtained in the same manner as Example 1, except that the ratios of wood flour, EVA, paraffin, and cornstarch were changed as shown in Table 1. In Table 1, the numbers related to EVA indicate the amount of EVA itself.

[0099] Comparative Example 1 used commercially available litter for system toilets with wood as the main component as the animal waste treatment material, Comparative Example 2 used commercially available litter for system toilets with minerals as the main component as the animal waste treatment material, and Comparative Example 3 used commercially available litter for system toilets with wood as the main component as the animal waste treatment material.

[0100] [Table 1]

[0101] The animal waste treatment materials of Examples 1 to 10 have a particle strength of 50(N) to 110(N). On the other hand, the animal waste treatment material of Comparative Example 1 has a low particle strength. Furthermore, the animal waste treatment materials of Comparative Examples 2 and 3 have a high particle strength.

[0102] The animal waste treatment materials of Examples 1 to 10 have a particle length standard deviation of 1.53 or less. On the other hand, the animal waste treatment materials of Comparative Examples 1, 2, and 3 have a large particle length standard deviation.

[0103] The animal waste treatment materials of Examples 1-10 and Comparative Example 2 have a water absorption rate of 160% by mass or less. On the other hand, the animal waste treatment materials of Comparative Examples 1 and 3 have a high water absorption rate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0104] 1. System toilet 3. Animal waste disposal materials 5 Upper container 7 Lower container 9. Waste disposal sheet 11 Cover 10A, 10B, 10C Granules 12 Main body 12L large curved surface 12S small curved surface 14 Convex part 14M medium curved surface 17 Recess 16 1st central section 18 Second central section 20 Convex 30A, 30B Extrusion Molding Machine 32 dice 34 Cutter 36 through holes 38 dice 40 through holes 42 Main body forming part 44 Convex portion forming part 46 First side 48 Second side part L1 is the axial length of the granular material. L2 Length in the direction intersecting the axial direction of the granular material L3 Main body axial length L4 Length in the direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body X-axis direction Direction perpendicular to the Y-axis

Claims

1. An animal waste disposal material for a system toilet, The system comprises multiple columnar granular bodies, the length in the axial direction being longer than the length in the direction intersecting the axial direction, An animal waste treatment material wherein the standard deviation of the axial lengths of a plurality of granular bodies is 1.60 or less.

2. The granular material comprises a plant-derived material as a main component and a binding resin, as described in claim 1, for use as an animal waste treatment material.

3. The granular material has a particle strength of 50 (N) or more and 110 (N) or less, as described in claim 1, for use as an animal waste treatment material.

4. The granular material for treating animal waste according to claim 1, comprising: a columnar main body whose length in the axial direction is longer than the length in the direction intersecting the axial direction; and a convex portion that protrudes from the main body in the direction intersecting the axial direction and extends along the axial direction, and in the cross section intersecting the axial direction, is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the main body.

5. A method for producing an animal waste treatment material according to any one of claims 1 to 4, An extrusion process in which a molding material is pushed out toward the entrance side of a die having multiple through holes, A manufacturing method comprising a cutting step of cutting the molding material extruded from the plurality of through holes with a cutter at the exit side of the die.

6. A method for producing an animal waste treatment material according to claim 4, An extrusion process in which a molding material is pushed out toward the entrance side of a die having multiple through holes, A manufacturing method comprising a cutting step of cutting the molding material extruded from the plurality of through holes at the exit side of the die with a cutter from the main body side.

Images