Animal Cages

Abstract

To keep as much as possible a floor surface inside a cage body as a flat and wide area, while providing a shelf member for a rearing animal to ride on, in a storage space.SOLUTION: A cage for a rearing animal includes a shelf member 3 for a cat to ride on, in a storage space A for storing a cat as a rearing animal, inside a cage body 2, and a suspension member 11 (suspension means) for supporting at least a part of the shelf member 3 in the suspended state, on a higher position than the floor surface inside the cage body 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cage for farmed animals, which is provided with a storage space for housing farmed animals such as cats, and a shelf member on which the farmed animals can stand, and which is suitable for use, for example, as a breeding facility. [Background technology]

[0002] Some cages for captive animals can be used to promote mating for captive animals such as cats by allowing a selected pair to live together in the same space within the cage for a limited period of time during the breeding season, or as breeding facilities to allow mother animals to give birth and raise their young in peace.

[0003] Such breeding cages are generally installed in a limited space, such as a room in an apartment building or inside a store, and in order to breed the required number of animals of the desired breed, multiple breeding cages are often installed, which takes up a lot of installation space, limiting the installation space per breeding cage.

[0004] On the other hand, living together in an extremely small space with a pair of captives can cause stress to the captive animals, making it difficult to expect a high reproductive rate and undesirable as a breeding environment. Moreover, it is not ideal as a child-rearing environment either, as it prevents the captive animals from being able to exercise actively after birth.

[0005] Furthermore, it has long been a problem that some animal handling businesses breed and raise captive animals in poor conditions. For this reason, in recent years, there has been an increasing need to breed and raise captive animals in good conditions from the perspective of animal welfare, with laws being established that stipulate the number of shelves installed inside the cage and the height of the cage with regard to the method of raising animals in cages.

[0006] Under the above-mentioned circumstances, there is a limit to how much floor space can be expanded inside a cage for captive animals. To prevent captive animals such as cats and monkeys, which instinctively prefer vertical movement, from feeling stressed or becoming lacking in exercise, there are cages that have been designed to increase the height of the inside of the cage and allow for vertical movement, as exemplified in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0007] The cat cage in Patent Document 1 is equipped with play posts on the inside of the cage that the cat can climb and play on. However, in this configuration in which the posts are erected from the floor inside the cage, the bottoms of the posts and the support members for attaching the bottoms of the posts are present on the floor, which reduces the space available to the cat on the floor and makes it difficult to keep the floor flat over as wide an area as possible.

[0008] This will restrict the cat's ability to lie down on the floor to rest, sleep, or play, which may prevent it from getting enough exercise and relieving stress. In addition, the floor inside the cage is prone to becoming clogged with animal waste, food, etc., but the supports erected from the floor get in the way, making it difficult for people to clean the floor and keeping it hygienic may be difficult.

[0009] On the other hand, the small animal cage of the above-mentioned Patent Document 2 has several steps (shelf members) arranged in staggered steps on the inside of the cage. The steps of Patent Document 2 are not supported by posts erected from the floor, but are attached in a cantilevered manner to the part of the cage that comes into contact with the cage when placed in the inner corner of the cage. However, the step in Patent Document 2 is configured to be supported in a cantilever manner relative to the cage body, and therefore needs to be strong enough to firmly support the cat even when a load is applied by the pet, for example, when it goes up and down.

[0010] This would result in an increase in the size of the step, such as an increase in the thickness of the step, etc. Furthermore, as the weight of the step increases, the attachment members for attaching the step to the cage body must also be made sturdy, resulting in an even larger size.

[0011] As a result, the space around the steps inside the cage becomes narrow, and there is a risk that the space around the steps cannot be effectively used as an exercise space for the animals, etc. Alternatively, there is a concern that the support strength of the steps cannot be sufficiently ensured, and it becomes necessary to form the steps so that the area on which the animals can stand is small. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0012] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3218216 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6865960 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0013] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENTS The present invention aims to provide a cage for pets, which has a storage space provided with shelf members for the pets to rest on, while still allowing the floor surface to be kept as flat and large as possible. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The cage for farm animals of the present invention includes a storage space for housing the farm animals inside a cage body, a shelf member on which the farm animals stand, and a suspension means for supporting at least a part of the shelf member in a suspended manner at a position higher than the floor surface inside the cage body. The suspension means includes a pair of suspension rods that are suspended from above the shelf member and spaced apart from each other in a plan view, and a horizontal rod that spans the pair of suspension rods between the pair of suspension rods, and at least a portion of the shelf member is attached to the horizontal rod. It is characterized by:

[0015] According to the above configuration, since the shelf member is supported in a state where it is suspended from above by the suspension means, it is possible to achieve a configuration in which no support posts or the like for supporting the shelf member are provided on the floor surface.

[0016] Therefore, while providing shelves for the animals to rest on in the housing space, the floor surface can be kept as flat and large as possible.

[0017] As a result, owners, keepers, and other people can easily clean the floor, which is prone to retaining food scraps and excrement from the animals, keeping the housing space hygienic. It also makes it easier for the animals to play and move around on the floor, helping to relieve lack of exercise and stress.

[0018] Also, The cross rod is connected on both sides by a pair of suspension rods, so that by attaching a shelf member to such a cross rod, the shelf member can be firmly supported by the suspension means.

[0019] Here, the above-mentioned "hanging from above" is not limited to the suspension rod hanging from the top surface of the cage body, but may be, for example, a configuration in which the suspension rod hangs from a frame mounted horizontally across a pair of opposing side surfaces of the cage body.

[0020] As an aspect of the present invention, the suspension means may include a plurality of the horizontal rods, which are disposed spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction.

[0021] According to the above configuration, the suspension means can be configured in a so-called ladder shape using a plurality of horizontal rods, so that the rigidity of the suspension means can be further increased. Furthermore, by making the shelf member detachable from the horizontal rods, the shelf member can be attached at any height according to the height of the plurality of horizontal rods.

[0022] As an aspect of the present invention, support members for supporting the shelf member in a hangable manner in the storage space are provided on one side and the other side in the hanging direction, and at least one of the pair of support members may serve as the hanging means.

[0023] According to the above configuration, the shelf member can be suspended between the pair of supports, so that the shelf member with the animals placed on it can be positioned in the housing space so that it can be firmly supported.

[0024] In one aspect of the invention, the cage body has a cage side portion which defines the side of the storage space in a planar view, the hanging means is provided spaced apart from the cage side portion in a planar view, and one of the pair of support members is the hanging means and the other is a panel side shelf mounting member provided on the cage side portion.

[0025] According to the above configuration, by having the shelf member also be supported by the panel side shelf mounting member provided on the side portion of the cage, a larger storage space can be secured compared to a case in which the shelf member is supported only using multiple hanging means provided in the storage space.

[0026] Here, the side surface of the cage body refers to at least one of the right side surface, left side surface, front surface, and rear surface when the cage body has a rectangular shape in a plan view.

[0027] As an aspect of the present invention, the cage side portions may include a pair of side portions that face each other across the storage space in a plan view, and the suspension means may be provided at a midpoint between the pair of cage side portions.

[0028] According to the above configuration, the shelf member can be bridged between the hanging means and either one of the pair of cage side surfaces, or the other of the pair of cage side surfaces. This allows for more variation in the layout of the shelf members in the storage space.

[0029] Moreover, since the suspension means is provided at the midpoint between the pair of cage side sections, the distance between the suspension means and one cage side section and the distance between the suspension means and the other cage side section can be the same, so that the length in the suspension direction of the shelf member spanning between them can be the same. Therefore, the multiple shelf members arranged in the storage space can be made common to each other.

[0030] As an aspect of the present invention, the panel-side shelf mounting member may include a panel-side shelf engaging portion for mounting the shelf member by engaging therewith, and the horizontal rod of the hanging means may be configured to mount the shelf member by engaging therewith.

[0031] According to the above configuration, the support member can detachably support the shelf member through engagement, so that the type, number, layout, etc. of the shelves arranged in the storage space can be easily changed to increase the variety.

[0032] As an aspect of the present invention, the shelf member may be provided with a rib protruding in the vertical direction at least in a portion not supported by the support member in a plan view.

[0033] According to the above configuration, in a configuration in which the shelf member is suspended between a pair of support members, the shelf member can be reinforced by the ribs so as not to bend or deform due to the load applied by the animals.

[0034] For this reason, for example, the bending rigidity of the shelf member can be ensured without supporting the shelf member with a post or the like erected from the floor surface. Therefore, even when the shelf member on which the captive animals rest is provided in the housing space, the floor surface can be kept as flat and large as possible. Effect of the Invention

[0035] According to this invention, the housing space can be provided with shelf members on which the animals can rest, while still keeping the floor surface as flat and large as possible. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an external view of the main part of a cat cage according to the present embodiment, viewed from the left and above. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1A is a plan view of the cat cage of this embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a front view of the same. [Diagram 3] A rear view of the cat cage of this embodiment. [Figure 4] Enlarged cross-sectional view of line AA in Figure 2(a) [Diagram 5] Enlarged cross-sectional view of line BB in Figure 2(a) [Figure 6] Enlarged cross-sectional view of line DD in Figure 2(b) [Figure 7] 6A is an enlarged view of a cross section of region Z2 in FIG. 4, (b) is an enlarged view of a cross section of region Z3 in FIG. 4, (c) is an enlarged view of region Z1 in FIG. 6, (d) is an enlarged view of region Z4 in FIG. 6, and (e) is an enlarged view of region Z5 in FIG. [Figure 8] 2(b) is a cross-sectional view showing a main part taken along line EE in FIG. 4; and FIG. 2(c) is a cross-sectional view showing a main part taken along line FF in FIG. 4. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing how the right shelf member is hung over the lower horizontal rod and the right engagement member; [Figure 10] A bottom view showing the main part of the right shelf member. [Figure 11] 10 , (c) is a cross-sectional view showing the main parts along the line HH in FIG. 10 , (d) is a left side view of the right shelf member, (e) is a cross-sectional view showing the main parts along the line II in FIG. 10 , and (f) is a right side view of the right shelf member. [Figure 12] FIG. 7(a) is a diagram of a modified cat cage corresponding to FIG. 6, and FIG. 7(b) is an explanatory diagram showing how a shelf-side panel engagement portion is engaged with a shelf engagement bar in the modified cat cage. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0037] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a cat cage 1 of this embodiment is used mainly as a facility for breeding cats, and includes a cage body 2, a shelf member 3, and a shelf support structure 4. In the drawing, the arrow Z indicates the up-down direction (height direction), the arrow X indicates the left-right direction (width direction), and the arrow Y indicates the front-rear direction (depth direction) of the cat cage 1. Furthermore, in the drawing, the arrow Xr indicates the right direction, the arrow Xl indicates the left direction, the arrow Yf indicates the front direction, and the arrow Yr indicates the rear direction.

[0038] The cage body 2 is formed so that it is longer in the left-right direction than in the front-back direction, and is also formed so that it is longer in the up-down direction than in the left-right direction in accordance with the cat's tendency to prefer up-down movement, and is configured as a whole in the shape of an upright rectangular parallelepiped box. In this embodiment, the cage body 2 is formed to a height four times or more the height of the cat (the vertical distance from the floor to the withers), and the floor area is large enough to at least house two mating cats inside. In this way, the cat cage 1 of this embodiment is constructed to meet the standards set forth by law (for example, the revised Act on Welfare and Management of Animals).

[0039] The cage body 2 has an internal storage space A for housing a cat, and as shown in Figures 1 to 6, is equipped with a plurality of panels 5 surrounding the entire storage space A, and a linear frame 6 extending in a straight line between two adjacent panels 5 among the plurality of panels 5. The multiple panels 5 are composed of a front panel 5a (see Fig. 2(b) and Fig. 6) constituting the front part of the cat cage 1, a back panel 5b (see Fig. 1, Fig. 3, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) constituting the back part, a right side panel 5d (see Fig. 1, Fig. 4 and Fig. 6) constituting the right side part, a left side panel 5c (see Fig. 4 and Fig. 6) constituting the left side part, a floor panel 5e (see Fig. 1, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5) constituting the floor, and a top panel 5f (see Fig. 2(a) and Fig. 5) constituting the top part, all of which are formed in a flat plate shape. The multiple panels 5 constituting the cage body 2 are made of a synthetic resin material except for the front panel 5a.

[0040] In particular, as shown in Figures 2(b) and 6, the front panel 5a is formed almost entirely by a pair of left and right doors 5al, 5ar. The right door 5ar corresponds to the right half of the front panel 5a, and the left door 5al corresponds to the left half of the front panel 5a, both of which are formed almost entirely of transparent tempered glass 5aa.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 2(b), the left door 5al has a left edge that is pivotally supported by a linear frame 6 (described later) that is adjacent to the left edge and extends in the vertical direction, via a hinge 7 having a vertical axis. Similarly, the right door 5ar has a right edge that is pivotally supported by a linear frame 6 (described later) that is adjacent to the right edge and extends in the vertical direction, via a hinge 7 having a vertical axis. As a result, the pair of left and right doors 5al, 5ar that constitute the front panel 5a are formed to be able to open forward like a double door, making it possible to open and close substantially the entire front portion.

[0042] 3, the entire upper side of the rear panel 5b, except for the lower part 5bd, is formed by a pair of left and right doors 5bl, 5br. These doors 5bl, 5br have the same configuration as the doors 5al, 5ar provided on the front panel 5a and the hinge structure of the doors 5al, 5ar, so a description thereof will be omitted, but they are formed so as to be able to open backward like a double door, and the entire upper side, except for the lower part 5bd of the rear part, can be opened and closed. 2 and 3, reference numeral 9 denotes a key member that can lock a pair of left and right doors 5bl, 5br provided on the rear panel 5b in a closed state. The key member 9 is not shown in any figures other than those of 2 and 3.

[0043] The floor panel 5e forms the floor of the cat cage 1, and like the other panels 5, is formed to be horizontal and flat overall.

[0044] In addition, the straight frames 6 are formed, for example, from an extruded material such as aluminum into a straight, tubular shape with a roughly rectangular cross section, and as shown in Figures 1 to 6, a plurality of them are provided between adjacent panels 5 so as to form the outer frame of the cage body 2.

[0045] The straight frames 6 extend in the front-rear, left-right and up-down directions with lengths corresponding to the adjacent panels 5. The three straight frames 6 extending from three directions toward each corner portion 2C (see FIG. 1) of the cage body 2 are joined with their ends butted against each other at the corner portions 2C.

[0046] Furthermore, the straight frame 6 also has a connecting function for connecting adjacent panels 5. That is, two adjacent panels 5 are connected to each other via the straight frame 6, except for the doors 5al, 5ar of the front panel 5a and the doors 5bl, 5br of the rear panel 5b.

[0047] 7(c), (d), and (e), a fitting groove 6b for fitting and holding the edge 5t is formed along the extension direction of the linear frame 6 on a surface 6a of the linear frame 6 facing the edge 5t of the panel 5. By fitting and holding the edge 5t of the panel 5 in the fitting groove 6b, the edges 5t of adjacent panels 5 can be connected together via the linear frame 6 without any gaps.

[0048] Next, the shelf support structure 4 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the shelf support structure 4 supports the shelf member 3 by hanging it across, and is composed of a hanging structure 10 that supports one side of the shelf member 3 in the hanging direction (longitudinal direction) and an engaging bracket 20 that supports the other side, both of which are made of metal.

[0049] The hanging structure 10 supports at least a portion (one side in the hanging direction) of the shelf member 3 in a suspended manner at a position higher than the floor surface (the upper surface of the floor panel 5e) inside the cage body 2, and comprises a hanging member 11 and a mounting bracket 15 (see Figures 1 and 2(a)) that attaches the hanging member 11 to the top panel 5f so that the hanging member 11 is suspended in the storage space A.

[0050] As shown in Figures 1, 4 to 6, 8(a)(b), and 9, the hanging member 11 is composed of a base plate 12 (see Figures 4, 5, and 8(a)) that is attached to the underside of the top panel 5f by a mounting bracket 15, a pair of hanging rods 13 that hang down from the base plate 12 and are arranged spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction, and multiple (two in this example) cross rods 14 that are connected horizontally to the pair of hanging rods 13 between the pair of hanging rods 13. In addition, in the hanging member 11, the base plate 12, the pair of hanging rods 13, and the cross rod 14 are fixed to each other by welding, but this is not limited thereto, and they may be joined together by other means such as fastening.

[0051] 6, the hanging member 11 is disposed at a left-right intermediate position Pc in a region of the rear half of the accommodation space A from the front-rear intermediate position of the accommodation space A. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the hanging member 11 is disposed such that a surface 11A (see FIGS. 1 and 9) formed by the base plate 12, the pair of hanging rods 13, and the cross rods 14 faces the right side panel 5d and the left side panel 5c of the cage body 2.

[0052] The base plate 12 (see Figs. 1, 5, and 8(a)) and the mounting bracket 15 (see Figs. 1, 2(a), and 5) are both formed from rectangular plate material that is longer in the front-rear direction than in the left-right direction when viewed from above, and are formed to have approximately the same shape when viewed from above. In this embodiment, the base plate 12 and the mounting bracket 15 are formed to have a length that is approximately half the length of the top panel 5f in the front-rear direction.

[0053] 4 and 5, the mounting bracket 15 and the base plate 12 are disposed above and below the top panel 5f, and are fixed together with bolts etc. so as to sandwich the top panel 5f. In this way, the hanging member 11 is attached to the underside of the top panel 5f via the mounting bracket 15.

[0054] 1, 4 and 5, the pair of suspension rods 13 are formed of round bars of the same shape, extend linearly in the up-down direction (vertical direction) in the accommodation space A, and have their upper ends fixed to the underside of the base plate 12 while their lower ends are located above the floor surface, in this example, slightly higher than the cat's body height. As shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, the pair of suspension rods 13 are disposed parallel to each other and spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction by approximately the same distance as the front-to-rear length of the shelf member 3, and have the same length.

[0055] As shown in Figs. 1 and 9, the two horizontal rods 14 are formed from round bars of the same shape, and extend linearly in the front-rear direction parallel and horizontal to each other. Of the two horizontal rods 14, the lower horizontal rod 14D disposed on the lower side extends between them to connect the lower ends of the pair of suspension rods 13. Also, of the two horizontal rods 14, the upper horizontal rod 14U disposed on the upper side extends directly above the lower horizontal rod 14D at a position spaced upward from the lower horizontal rod 14D (in this example, a position slightly lower than the vertical midpoint of the pair of suspension rods 13) to connect the pair of suspension rods 13 between them.

[0056] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, one engaging fitting 20 is provided on each of the right side panel 5d and the left side panel 5c, and each is formed between the hanging member 11 so as to be able to support the shelf member 3 in a horizontally spanning state.

[0057] The engaging fitting 20 (right engaging fitting 20R) provided on the right side panel 5d faces the hanging member 11 at a distance on the right side, and the engaging fitting 20 (left engaging fitting 20L) provided on the left side panel 5c faces the hanging member 11 at a distance on the left side. The right engaging fitting 20R and the left engaging fitting 20L are formed to be the same shape and size as each other.

[0058] As shown in Figures 7(a), 8(c), and 9, the engaging fitting 20 is formed of a flat mounting plate portion 21 that is attached to the corresponding side panel 5 (5c, 5d) of the left and right side panels 5 (right side panel 5d and left side panel 5c) on each side, and a panel-side shelf engaging portion 22 that engages with the other end portion (shelf-side panel engaging portion 40 described later) of the shelf member 3 in the hanging direction (left-right direction).

[0059] The mounting plate portion 21 is formed in a flat rectangular shape when viewed from the front (see FIG. 8(c)), and is attached to the surface of the corresponding side panel 5 (5c, 5d) facing the storage space A using bolts or the like. The panel-side shelf engagement portion 22 is integrally formed with a horizontal extension piece 25 (see Figs. 7(a) and 9) that extends horizontally from the lower end of the mounting plate portion 21 toward the storage space A side relative to the mounting plate portion 21, and an upward extension piece 26 that extends vertically upward from the extending end of the horizontal extension piece 25. The upward extension piece 26 has a height equivalent to the lower part of the mounting plate portion 21 and is formed to face the lower part of the mounting plate portion 21. As a result, a downwardly concave engagement groove 27 is formed between the upward extension piece 26 and the lower part of the mounting plate portion 21, as shown in Figs. 7(a) and 9.

[0060] As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the above-mentioned right-side engaging fitting 20R is attached to the right side panel 5d so that the panel-side shelf engaging portion 22 (more specifically, the upper end of the upward extending piece 26) faces the lower horizontal rod 14D in the left-right direction (i.e., so that they are at approximately the same height). On the other hand, as shown in Figures 1, 4, and 7(a) and (b), the above-mentioned left-side engaging fitting 20L is attached to the left side panel 5c so that the panel-side shelf engaging portion 22 (more specifically, the upper end of the upward extending piece 26) faces the upper horizontal rod 14U in the left-right direction (i.e., so that they are at approximately the same height).

[0061] As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the storage space A is provided with a plurality of shelf members 3 (two in this example). Of the two shelf members 3, the left shelf member 3L (left shelf member 3L) is suspended horizontally between the upper horizontal rod 14U of the hanging member 11 and the left engaging metal fitting 20L of the left side panel 5c. On the other hand, the right shelf member 3R (right shelf member 3R) of the two shelf members 3 is suspended horizontally between the lower horizontal rod 14D of the hanging member 11 and the right engaging metal fitting 20R of the right side panel 5d. In this embodiment, the left shelf member 3L and the right shelf member 3R are formed to have the same shape and size.

[0062] 1, 4 to 6, 9 and 10, shelf member 3 is composed of shelf board 31 (shelf main body) on which a cat stands, and shelf frame 32 (see Fig. 10) that supports shelf board 31. Shelf member 3 has enough rigidity to allow a cat to land on it when moving up and down, or to use it as a stepping stool, and is large enough to support a cat in a lying position when resting.

[0063] The shelf board 31 is formed in a generally rectangular flat plate shape in plan view with the span direction (left-right direction) longer than the front-rear direction (see Fig. 6). Specifically, the shelf board 31 has a length in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) that is roughly half the length of the storage space A in the left-right direction, and is formed slightly longer in the lateral direction (front-rear direction) than the distance between the pair of horizontal rods 14 (see Figs. 5 and 6).

[0064] In this embodiment, the shelf board 31 is formed from a wood material, but it may be formed from other materials such as synthetic resin or metal, and it may be formed from a material that is flexible and malleable, not limited to a hard material.

[0065] The shelf frame 32 is formed almost entirely from a metal plate having a thickness in the vertical direction, and is formed into a three-dimensional shape by pressing the metal plate which has been punched out to have the unfolded shape of the shelf frame 32.

[0066] As shown in Figures 10 and 11(a) to (f), the shelf frame 32 is integrally formed with a pair of extending frame portions 33 which extend linearly over the entire length of the shelf member 3 in the longitudinal direction (hanging direction) and are arranged at a distance on both sides in the transverse direction (front-to-back direction), and a connecting frame portion 34 which connects the pair of extending frame portions 33.

[0067] The connecting frame portions 34 extend linearly in the short-side direction between the pair of extending frame portions 33, and a pair is provided on each side, separated by the center in the longitudinal direction of the shelf member 3 (see FIG. 10). Here, of the pair of connecting frame portions 34, the connecting frame portion 34a on one side in the hanging direction is set as the one-side connecting frame portion 34a, and the connecting frame portion 34b on the other side is set as the other-side connecting frame portion 34b. The shelf frame 32 is formed by the pair of extending frame portions 33 and the pair of connecting frame portions 34 described above in a generally parallel cross shape in a plan view.

[0068] As shown in Figures 1, 4, 6, 7(a), 8(c), and 9 to 11(a) to (c)(f), a shelf side panel engagement portion 40 is formed at the other end of the shelf frame 32 in the hanging direction. In particular, as shown in Fig. 10 and Fig. 11(a)-(c)(f), the shelf-side panel engaging portion 40 is integrally formed with a downward extending piece 41 extending downward from the other end side in the hanging direction of the pair of extending frame portions 33, and a connecting piece 42 linearly connecting the lower portions of the downward extending pieces 41 in the width direction. As a result, as shown in Fig. 7(a) and Fig. 8(c), the shelf-side panel engaging portion 40 is formed to be engageable with the panel-side shelf engaging portion 22 by being inserted into the engaging groove 27 of the panel-side shelf engaging portion 22 of the corresponding side panel 5 (5c, 5d).

[0069] 7(a), 8(c), 9, 10, 11(c) and 11(f), through holes 43 and 28 are formed in the middle in the front-rear direction of the connecting piece 42 of the shelf-side panel engaging portion 40 and the upward extending piece 26 of the panel-side shelf engaging portion 22 of the side panel 5 (5c, 5d) so as to communicate with each other in the plate thickness direction (left-right direction). The through hole 43 of the connecting piece 42 is formed as a screw hole (see Figs. 10 and 11(c)), and the through hole 28 of the upward extending piece 26 is formed as a through hole one size larger than the through hole 43 (a so-called clearance hole). As shown in Figures 7(a), 8(c), and 9, the shelf-side panel engagement portion 40 and the panel-side shelf engagement portion 22 are fixed in place by screwing them together with a butterfly screw S1 inserted into each of the through holes 43, 28, so that they do not become inadvertently disengaged from each other.

[0070] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 1, 4, 6, 7(b), 8(b), and 9 to 11(a) to (d), a cross rod engagement portion 50 is formed at one end of the shelf frame 32 in the hanging direction.

[0071] The horizontal rod engaging portion 50 is formed at one end of the pair of extending frame portions 33 in the spanning direction, and each of the pair of horizontal rod engaging portions 50 is formed so that one end side of each of them is raised upward, so that the lower surface is recessed upward and opens downward. As a result, as shown in Figures 7(b), 8(b), and 9, the pair of horizontal rod engaging portions 50 are formed to be able to engage with the corresponding horizontal rods 14 of the hanging member 11.

[0072] As shown in Fig. 10 and Fig. 11(a) to (d), the tip of each of the pair of horizontal rod engaging parts 50 has a vertical wall-shaped end surface 51 extending downward from the tip. When the horizontal rod engaging part 50 is engaged with the horizontal rod 14, the lower part of the vertical wall-shaped end surface 51 extends downward beyond the horizontal rod 14. Furthermore, a through hole 52 is formed as a screw hole at the lower part of the vertical wall-shaped end surface 51 of each of the pair of horizontal rod engaging parts 50. Then, as shown in Fig. 7(b), a thumb screw S2 is inserted into the through hole 52 of each of the pair of horizontal rod engaging parts 50 so as to protrude into the space immediately below the horizontal rod 14, thereby fixing the pair of horizontal rod engaging parts 50 so as not to be accidentally released from their mutual engagement state.

[0073] The shelf member 3 can be released from the engagement between the shelf-side panel engagement portion 40 and the panel-side shelf engagement portion 22 by removing the thumbscrew S1, and can be released from the engagement between the horizontal rod engagement portion 50 and the horizontal rod 14 by removing the thumbscrew S2. This allows the shelf member 3 to be easily manually hung between the engagement fitting 20 and the hanging member 11 or removed.

[0074] The above-mentioned shelf side panel engagement portion 40 and the cross rod engagement portion 50 are spaced apart by a distance that is approximately half the length of the storage space A, and are formed so that the shelf member 3 can be hung between them when engaged with the panel side shelf engagement portion 22 and the cross rod 14.

[0075] As shown in Figs. 10, 11(b) and 11(e), the shelf frame 32 and the shelf board 31 are fastened to each other by bolts B or the like at a plurality of (six in this example) mounting points T (fastening points). As shown in FIG. 10, three attachment points T are formed on each of the pair of extension frame portions 33 along the longitudinal direction. Here, among the multiple mounting points T, in each of a pair of extended frame portions 33, the mounting point T located on one side of the hanging direction (longitudinal direction) is set as the one-side mounting point Ta, the mounting point T located on the other side of the hanging direction is set as the other-side mounting point Tb, and the mounting point T located between the one-side mounting point Ta and the other-side mounting point Tb is set as the intermediate mounting point Tc.

[0076] The one-side mounting point Ta is located on one side of the one-side connecting frame part 34a in the hanging direction, the other-side mounting point Tb is located on the other side of the other-side connecting frame part 34 in the hanging direction, and the intermediate mounting point Tc is located between the one-side connecting frame part 34a and the other-side connecting frame part 34b in the hanging direction.

[0077] As shown in Figures 11(b) and (e), at the mounting location T, a through hole 35 is formed in the shelf frame 32 and a through hole 36 is formed in the shelf board 31, and each of the through holes 35, 36 communicates in the vertical direction so that a bolt B can be inserted therethrough.

[0078] In this embodiment, the through holes 36 in the shelf board 31 are formed as screw holes. The through holes 35 in the shelf frame 32 are formed as so-called clear holes. The shelf board 31 and the shelf frame 32 are fastened to each other by inserting (screwing) the bolts B from the through holes 35 on the shelf frame 32 side to the through holes 36 on the shelf board 31 side, but the bolts B are formed to a length such that their upper ends (tip ends) do not protrude upward from the top surface of the shelf board 31.

[0079] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 10 and 11(a) to (f), ribs 60 are formed on both ends of the shelf frame 32 in the short direction (front-to-back direction) to increase the downward bending rigidity of the shelf member 3 extending in the hanging direction against the load applied when a captive animal rests on the shelf member 3.

[0080] The ribs 60 are formed to protrude downward from the ends of the pair of extending frame portions 33 on the opposing sides, and are formed to be linearly continuous along the longitudinal direction and to be at approximately the same height over approximately the entire length in the longitudinal direction. As a result, the pair of ribs 60 are formed to be parallel to each other and to be at the same height (downward protruding length). In this embodiment, the rib 60 is formed to have a protruding length that is slightly shorter than the plate thickness of the shelf board 31 (see FIG. 11(e)). In this way, by minimizing the downward protruding length of the ribs 60, access to the space below the shelf member 3 by cats or people is not hindered by the ribs 60, and the space below can be used effectively.

[0081] In addition, the rib 60 is formed to protrude downward like a flange when the shelf frame 32 is bent as described above. As a result, a ridge line 61 that extends linearly along the longitudinal direction is formed at the valley folded portion of the rib 60 (see FIG. 11(e)).

[0082] As described above, the ribs 60 are formed along the longitudinal direction of the shelf frame 32, but are formed at locations that are not supported (engaged) by the hanging members 11 and the side panels 5.

[0083] In other words, the rib 60 is formed over almost the entire length of the portion between these engaging portions 40, 50, excluding the engaging portions 40, 50 (shelf side panel engaging portion 40, cross rod engaging portion 50) on both sides of the shelf frame 32 in the longitudinal direction.

[0084] As a result, the rib 60 is formed over substantially the entire length of the portion supporting the shelf board 31 (the portion where the underside of the shelf board 31 is grounded) in the longitudinal direction of the extending frame portion 33. Furthermore, the rib 60 is formed in the spanning direction (longitudinal direction) of the extending frame portion 33, reaching one side beyond the one-side connecting frame portion 34a, and is also formed to the other side beyond the other-side connecting frame portion 34b.

[0085] Furthermore, the rib 60 is formed to extend from the one-side mounting point Ta to one side in the spanning direction (longitudinal direction) of the extending frame portion 33, and is also formed to extend from the other-side mounting point Tb to the other side.

[0086] As shown in Figures 1 and 4 to 6, the cat cage 1 (cage for captive animals) of the present embodiment described above is characterized in that it is provided with a shelf member 3 on which the cat sits in a storage space A inside a cage body 2 for housing a cat as a captive animal, and a hanging member 11 (hanging means) that supports at least a part of the shelf member 3 in a suspended manner at a position higher than the floor surface inside the cage body 2.

[0087] According to the above configuration, the shelf member 3 is supported in a suspended state from above by the hanging member 11, so that a support pillar or the like for supporting the shelf member 3 is not installed on the floor surface. Therefore, even when the storage space A is provided with the shelf member 3 on which the cat can sit, the floor surface inside the cage body 2 can be kept as flat and large as possible.

[0088] As a result, owners, caretakers, and other people can easily clean the floor surface where cats' leftover food and excrement tend to remain, keeping the housing space A hygienic. It also makes it easier for the cats to play and move around on the floor surface, helping to relieve lack of exercise and stress.

[0089] As shown in the same figure, in an embodiment of the present invention, the hanging member 11 comprises a pair of hanging rods 13 that hang down from a top panel 5f located above the shelf member 3 and that are arranged at a distance from each other in a planar view, and a cross rod 14 that crosses the pair of hanging rods 13 between the pair of hanging rods 13, and at least a portion of the shelf member 3 is attached to the cross rod 14.

[0090] According to the above configuration, the cross rod 14 is connected on both sides by a pair of hanging rods 13, so that by attaching the shelf member 3 to such a cross rod 14, the shelf member 3 can be firmly supported by the hanging member 11.

[0091] As shown in Figs. 1 to 9, in one embodiment of the present invention, a hanging member 11 includes a plurality of horizontal bars 14, which are disposed spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction.

[0092] According to the above configuration, the hanging member 11 can be configured in a so-called ladder shape by the multiple horizontal rods 14, which further increases the rigidity of the hanging member 11. Furthermore, by making the shelf member 3 detachable from the horizontal rods 14, the shelf member 3 can be attached at any height according to the height of the multiple horizontal rods 14.

[0093] As shown in Figure 1, in one embodiment of the present invention, support members (hanging member 11, engaging fittings 20) that support a shelf member 3 in a hanging manner in the storage space A are provided on one side and the other side in the hanging direction, and at least one of the pair of support members (11, 20) is the hanging member 11.

[0094] According to the above configuration, shelf member 3 can be hung between the pair of support members (11, 20), and therefore shelf member 3 can be positioned in housing space A so as to be able to securely support the cat.

[0095] As shown in Figures 1, 7(b), 8(c) and 9, in an embodiment of the present invention, the cage body 2 is provided with a right side panel 5d and a left side panel 5c (cage side portions) which define the sides of the storage space A in a planar view, and the hanging member 11 is provided spaced apart from the right side panel 5d and the left side panel 5c in a planar view, and one of a pair of support members (11, 20) is the hanging member 11, and the other is an engaging fitting 20 (panel-side shelf mounting member) provided on each of the right side panel 5d and the left side panel 5c.

[0096] According to the above configuration, by having the engaging fittings 20 also support the shelf member 3, a larger storage space A can be secured compared to a case in which the shelf member 3 is supported only using a plurality of hanging members 11 provided in the storage space A.

[0097] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the shelf member 3 is releasably attached between the panel side shelf engagement portion 22 of the engagement fitting 20 and the horizontal rod 14 of the hanging member 11, so that the type, number, layout, etc. of the shelf members 3 arranged in the storage space A can be easily changed to increase the variety.

[0098] As shown in Figures 1, 4 and 6, in an embodiment of the present invention, the right side panel 5d and the left side panel 5c are arranged to face each other across the storage space A in a plan view, and the hanging member 11 is arranged at an intermediate position Pc (see Figure 6) between the right side panel 5d and the left side panel 5c.

[0099] According to the above configuration, the shelf member 3 can be spanned (bridged) between the hanging member 11 and either of the left and right side panels 5c, 5d. This allows for more variation in the layout of the shelf members 3 in the storage space A.

[0100] Moreover, since the hanging member 11 is provided at the middle position Pc between the left and right side panels 5c, 5d (in other words, the middle position in the left-right direction of the storage space A), the distance between the hanging member 11 and the right side panel 5d and the distance between the hanging member 11 and the left side panel 5c can be the same, so that the length in the hanging direction of the shelf member 3 spanning between them can be the same. Therefore, the multiple shelf members 3 arranged in the storage space A can be made common to each other.

[0101] As shown in Figures 10 and 11(a) to (f), in an embodiment of the present invention, a rib 60 protruding in the vertical direction is provided at least in a portion of the shelf member 3 that is not supported by the support members (11, 20) when viewed in plan.

[0102] According to the above configuration, in a configuration in which shelf member 3 is suspended between a pair of support members (11, 20), shelf member 3 can be reinforced by rib 60 so as not to bend or deform due to the load applied by a cat.

[0103] For this reason, for example, the bending rigidity of the shelf member 3 can be ensured even if the shelf member 3 is not supported by a post or the like erected from the floor surface. Therefore, even when the shelf member 3 on which the cat rests is provided in the accommodation space A, the floor surface can be kept as flat and large as possible.

[0104] As mentioned above, the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-mentioned examples, but can be formed in various embodiments. For example, the present invention may employ a configuration according to a modification of this embodiment as shown in FIGS. 12(a) and 12(b). Specifically, the means for engaging the shelf member on the corresponding side panel 5 (5c, 5d) is not limited to the engaging fittings 20 attached to the side panel 5, but may also include a shelf engaging bar 20' as shown in Figures 12(a) and (b).

[0105] The shelf engagement bar 20' is formed by a cross frame extending between the vertically extending straight frames 6 on both the front-to-rear sides of the right side panel 5d, for example, as shown in Figures 12(a) and (b).

[0106] As shown in Fig. 12(b), for example, the shelf engagement bar 20' extends linearly and horizontally in the front-rear direction at a height corresponding to the lower horizontal rod 14D of the hanging member 11 at a position spaced from the right side panel 5d on the side of the storage space A. Furthermore, both ends of the shelf engagement bar 20' in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) are bent toward the linear frames 6 extending in the up-down direction at both front and rear ends of the right side panel 5d, and are connected to the corresponding linear frames 6. On the other hand, the shelf member 3' has a length in the left-right direction that allows it to be hung between the hanging member 11 and the shelf engagement bar 20', and the shelf-side panel engagement portion 40' is formed to be engageable with the shelf engagement bar 20'. As a result, the shelf member 3' is supported in the storage space A on both the left and right sides of the hanging member 11 by being suspended between the hanging member 11 and the shelf engaging bar 20'.

[0107] The present invention can also be formed in various other embodiments. For example, the engaging fitting 20 or shelf engaging bar 20' may not be provided in one on each side panel 5 (5c, 5d) as in the above-described embodiment, but may be provided in multiples, and may be arranged at intervals in the vertical direction to correspond to the heights of the multiple cross rods 14 provided on the hanging member 11.

[0108] Furthermore, the engaging fittings 20 and shelf engaging bars 20' are not limited to being provided on the side panels 5 (5c, 5d) or in their vicinity, but may be provided on other panels 5 such as the front panel 5a or rear panel 5b.

[0109] The horizontal rods 14 are not limited to two in the hanging member 11 as in the above embodiment, but may be one or three or more. When three or more horizontal rods 14 are provided, they are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, but they are not limited to being arranged at equal intervals and may be arranged at different intervals.

[0110] The pair of support members (i.e., the hanging member 11 and the engaging fitting 20) and the shelf member 3 are not limited to being configured to be provided in the rear region in the depth direction of the storage space A as in the above-described embodiment, but may also be provided in the front region in the depth direction, or spanning these regions.

[0111] The number of hanging means provided in the present invention is not limited to one in the storage space A as in the above-mentioned embodiment, but may be multiple. For example, the present invention may be configured such that multiple hanging means suspend a shelf between the left and right side panels 5c, 5d as in the above-mentioned embodiment. Alternatively, the present invention may be configured such that a pair of hanging means are disposed at a distance from each other so as to face each other, and the shelf member 3 disposed between them is suspend by the pair of hanging means.

[0112] The cage for captive animals of the present invention is not limited to use as a breeding facility for captive animals, and can be used, for example, as an exhibition case (showcase) in a store selling pets (live animal sales shop) or as a cage for raising pets (live animals) for non-profit purposes within the home. There are no particular limitations on its use or installation location.

[0113] For example, when the above-mentioned cat cage 1 etc. is installed in a showroom for selling pets, it is preferable that the entire rear panel 5b, including the pair of left and right doors 5bl, 5br, be made opaque, since this makes it possible to configure the back yard on the rear side of the cat cage 1 so that it cannot be seen through the rear panel 5b.

[0114] Furthermore, the panels 5 constituting the cage body 2 are not limited to being formed as plates in which almost the entire panel surface extends continuously with almost no gaps in the extension direction as in the above-described embodiment, but may also be formed, for example, by combining wire material vertically and horizontally in a lattice pattern to form a fence shape (wire fence structure).

[0115] Furthermore, the cage for captive animals of the present invention is not limited to a box-like shape formed in a left-right direction longer than in a front-to-back direction, like the cage body 2 of the embodiment described above, but may be, for example, longer in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction, or may be formed in a circular shape rather than a rectangular shape when viewed from above.Needless to say, the size and shape of the cage body and shelf members are not limited to the structure of the embodiment described above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0116] 1,1'...Cat cage (cage for pets) 2…Cage body 3,3'...Shelf member 5d…Right side panel (side of cage) 5c…Left side panel (side of cage) 11... Hanging member (hanging means, support member) 13...Pair of suspension rods 14…Horizontal rod 20...Engagement fitting (support member, panel side shelf mounting member) 20'... Shelf engagement bar (support member, panel side shelf engagement portion) 22...Panel side shelf engagement portion 60…Rib A…Containment space Pc: Midpoint between a pair of cage sides

Claims

1. A housing space for housing the animals inside the cage body includes: A shelf member on which the captive animals rest; a suspension means for supporting at least a part of the shelf member in a suspended manner at a position higher than a floor surface inside the cage body, The suspension means is A pair of suspension rods that are suspended from above the shelf member and are spaced apart from each other in a plan view; and a horizontal rod that is disposed between the pair of suspension rods and horizontally spans the pair of suspension rods, At least a portion of the shelf member is attached to the crossbar. Cages for captive animals.

2. The suspension means includes a plurality of the horizontal rods, the plurality of the horizontal rods being arranged at intervals in the vertical direction.

2. The cage for farm animals according to claim 1.

3. a support member for supporting the shelf member in a hanging manner in the storage space on one side and the other side in a hanging direction; At least one of the pair of support members is the hanging means.

3. The cage for farmed animals according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The cage body includes a cage side surface portion that defines a side surface of the storage space in a plan view, The suspension means is provided at a distance from the cage side surface in a plan view, Of the pair of support members, one is the hanging means, and the other is a panel side shelf mounting member provided on the side surface of the cage.

4. The cage for farm animals according to claim 3.

5. The cage side surface portion includes a pair of side surfaces that face each other across the storage space in a plan view, The suspension means is provided at a midpoint between the pair of cage side portions.

5. The cage for farm animals according to claim 4.

6. The panel-side shelf mounting member includes a panel-side shelf engaging portion for mounting the shelf member by engaging with the panel-side shelf engaging portion, The horizontal rod of the hanging means is configured to attach the shelf member by engaging with it.

6. The cage for farmed animals according to claim 4 or 5.

7. A rib protruding in the vertical direction is provided at least in a portion of the shelf member that is not supported by the support member in a plan view.

7. A cage for farmed animals according to any one of claims 3 to 6.

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