Pet toilet training circle

Abstract

To improve a connecting structure between panels of a toilet installation circle formed by connecting a plurality of peripheral wall panels and a partition panel, so that the connecting and dismantling operations of the panels can be easily and surely performed. [Solution] The peripheral wall panel 2 and the partition panel 3 are configured to include a surface material 4 formed by joining vertical wires 41 and horizontal wires 42 in a lattice pattern, and a frame 5 that holds the upper and lower edges of the surface material 4, and the frames 5 are connected to the open ends of a corner joint or partition joint 9 via frame connectors 6 attached to each end, while the frame 5 of the partition panel is connected to the middle part of the partition joint 9 via partition connectors 7 attached to each end. The connection points are assembled by aligning the positions while moving the members horizontally.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The invention disclosed in this application relates to a toilet training circle for pets, in which a pet such as a dog is placed to train it to use the toilet. [Background technology]

[0002] Pet enclosures are widely used, in which multiple lattice panels are connected in a roughly box-like shape, and pets are housed and raised in the internal space enclosed by these panels. The applicant has invented and put into practical use a toilet training enclosure that divides the internal space of such an enclosure into a living space and a toilet space, and allows movement between the two spaces as needed, making it easy to train the pet to use the toilet (Patent Document 1).

[0003] The toilet installation circle is composed of peripheral wall panels surrounding the front, back, and left and right sides, and a partition panel that divides the internal space surrounded by the peripheral wall panels into the two spaces. Each peripheral wall panel is composed of a surface material made of metal wires joined in a lattice pattern and a frame attached to the upper and lower sides of the surface material, and the ends of the frames of adjacent peripheral wall panels that are perpendicular to each other are connected to each other. Partition body fitting parts are formed in the middle parts of the upper side frames of the front and back peripheral wall panels so as to face each other. The partition panel is composed of a frame attached to the upper side of the surface material made of metal wires joined in a lattice pattern, and is connected to the peripheral wall panels by fitting both ends of the frame into the partition body fitting parts of the front and back peripheral wall panels. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4616162 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The invention disclosed in this application relates to a toilet installation circle that is constructed by connecting multiple peripheral wall panels and a partition panel as described above, and improves the connecting structure between the panels so that the connecting and dismantling operations of the panels can be performed easier and more reliably than before. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the toilet training circle of the invention disclosed in this application is a pet toilet training circle in which an internal space surrounded by a plurality of peripheral wall panels is divided into a living space and a toilet space by a partition panel, and a partition entrance through which a pet can enter and exit is provided in the partition panel so as to be able to be opened and closed, thereby allowing or restricting the pet from moving between the living space and the toilet space via the partition entrance. The peripheral wall panels and the partition panel are composed of a surface material made of metal vertical and horizontal wires joined in a lattice pattern, and frames that respectively hold the upper and lower edges of the surface material, and each frame of the peripheral wall panels is connected to corner joints located at the four corners or to the open ends of partition joints located in the middle of the front and back via frame connectors attached to both ends, and the frame of the partition panel is equipped with a connecting structure that connects to the middle part of the partition joint via partition connectors attached to both ends, respectively.

[0007] In terms of the connection structure, the frame is a member of uniform cross section configured to be able to hold the upper or lower edge of the panel material in a bottomed panel material holding groove formed on its outer circumferential surface, the frame connector is equipped with a frame cap portion attached to the end of the frame, a joint connection portion connected to the corner joint or the partition joint, and a lock engagement portion that restrains the connection state and prevents it from coming loose, and the frame cap portion is a member having a notch formed in communication with the panel material holding groove, the corner joint is a member in which a pair of cylindrical portions are joined in an L-shape in a plan view, and the frame connectors are respectively connected to the open ends of the cylindrical portions, and the partition joint is a member having the same axial length as the cylindrical portions of the corner joint. The basic configuration adopted is that the member has a cylindrical portion having a cross-sectional shape that extends linearly, and the frame connectors are connected to both opening ends thereof, and each cylindrical portion of the corner joint and the partition joint has a surface material insertion groove extending in the extension direction of the cylindrical portion, and the edge end of the surface material held by the frame and the frame connector is inserted into the surface material insertion groove, and the joint connection portion and the lock engagement portion of the frame connector are inserted into the open ends of each cylindrical portion of the corner joint and the partition joint along the extension direction of each cylindrical portion, thereby connecting the frame connector to each cylindrical portion and engaging the lock engagement portions to prevent them from coming loose.

[0008] With this configuration, the connecting and coupling work between the components that make up the peripheral wall portion basically involves moving the components horizontally (in the extension direction of the cylindrical portion and the surface material insertion groove) to align them and then assembling them. This makes it easy to align the components and enables efficient assembly even in a small work space.

[0009] Furthermore, the toilet installation circle of the invention disclosed in this application has the above-mentioned basic configuration, and further adopts the following additional configuration: in a toilet installation circle having the above-mentioned basic configuration, the vertical and horizontal wires that make up the peripheral wall panel are joined in an overlapping state so that one is on the inside of the fence and the other is on the outside of the fence, and the panel insertion grooves formed in the corner joints and the partition joints respectively widen toward the horizontal wire from the middle part in the depth direction down to form an approximately L-shaped cross-sectional shape, the horizontal wires being placed in this widened portion, and the vertical wires are inserted so as to stand up or hang down from the panel insertion grooves, thereby preventing the panel from slipping out of the panel insertion grooves in the vertical direction.

[0010] With this configuration, there is no risk of the peripheral wall panel separating in the vertical direction from the corner joint and the partition joint, so that when the panel panel is inserted into the corner portion and the partition portion, the posture of the panel is stable and workability is improved.

[0011] Furthermore, the toilet attachment circle of the invention disclosed in this application, in a toilet attachment circle having the basic configuration described above, adopts the additional configuration that the lock engagement portion provided on the frame connector protrudes from the end wall portion of the frame cap portion and is shaped to abut the inner circumferential surface of the outer side of the fence of the tubular portion of the corner joint, and a thickened engagement claw is formed on the outer side of the fence near the protruding end, and the engagement claw elastically engages with a window hole opened in the side of the outer side of the fence of the tubular portion from the inside of the fence, thereby locking the frame connector in a connected state to the corner joint.

[0012] In addition, the lock engagement portion provided on the frame connector protrudes from the end wall portion of the frame cap portion and is shaped to abut against the inner surface of the outer fence side of the tubular portion of the partition joint, and a thickened engagement claw is formed on the outer side of the fence near the protruding end, and the engagement claw elastically engages with a window hole opened in the side of the outer fence side of the tubular portion from the inside of the fence, thereby locking the frame connector in a connected state to the partition joint.

[0013] With these configurations, all of the lock engagement parts are positioned on the outside of the fence, making it easy to check whether each connection point is securely locked during assembly, and when dismantling the circle, the locked state of all connection points can be easily released from the outside of the fence.

[0014] Furthermore, the toilet installation circle of the invention disclosed in this application is a toilet installation circle having the basic configuration described above, in which the partition connector is a member comprising a frame cap portion attached to the end of the frame and a partition connecting portion connected to the middle portion of the partition joint from the inside of the fence, and the partition connecting portion is composed of an extension portion that is connected to the upper surface of the frame cap portion and extends in the extension direction of the frame, and an insertion lock portion that protrudes downward from the extending end of the extension portion, and the insertion lock portion is inserted into an insertion hole formed in the partition joint, and an engagement groove formed in the insertion lock portion engages with the opening edge of the insertion hole, thereby locking the partition connector in a connected state to the partition joint.

[0015] According to this configuration, the two peripheral panels that are connected to the left and right sides of the partition joint and arranged on the same plane, and the partition panel that crosses them and is connected to the partition joint, can be assembled separately. In addition, since the partition connector can be attached even if it is upside down to the frame of the partition panel, the insertion lock part of the partition connector can be inserted from above into either of the insertion holes formed on the upper and lower sides of the partition joint on either the lower side or the upper side of the partition panel. This makes it even easier to connect and remove the partition panels. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the toilet installation circle configured as described above, the workability when connecting and dismantling the peripheral wall panels and the partition panels is significantly improved compared to the conventional art, and the strength and stability of each connecting part is also improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall perspective view of a pet toilet training circle according to one embodiment of the invention disclosed in the present application. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view showing the components used in the connecting structure of the circle separated from each other and some of them listed. [Diagram 3] 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing an unconnected state of a corner portion of the circle, and an end view of positions AA and BB in the figure. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a connected state of the corner portions. [Diagram 5] 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing an unconnected state between the partition joint and the partition connector in the partition portion of the circle. FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the connected state of the partition joint and the partition connector in the partition section, and an end view of the CC position in the figure. FIG. [Figure 7] 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing an unconnected state between the partition joint and the frame connector in the partition section, and an end view at positions AA and BB in the figure. FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a connected state between a partition joint and a frame connector in the partition portion. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention disclosed in this application will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows the overall shape of a pet toilet training circle (hereinafter simply referred to as "circle") 1 according to one embodiment of the invention disclosed in this application. The illustrated circle 1 is assembled by connecting peripheral wall panels 2 surrounding the front (the front left side in the figure), back, and both left and right sides, and a partition panel 3 that divides the internal space, which is rectangular in plan view and surrounded by the peripheral wall panels 2, into two. A living space 11 is placed on the right side of the partition panel 3 located in the middle in the longitudinal direction, and a toilet tray 120 is placed on the toilet space 12 on the left side.

[0019] The peripheral wall panels 2 are arranged in six locations: the front and back of the living space 11, the front and back of the toilet space 12, the side of the living space 11, and the back of the toilet space 12. Each of these peripheral wall panels 2 is constructed by combining a surface material 4 in which metal vertical wires 41 and horizontal wires 42 are joined in a lattice shape, and a synthetic resin frame 5 attached to the upper and lower sides of the surface material 4. The surface material 4 of the front panel of the living space 11 is provided with a pet entrance through which a pet can be put in and taken out, and a sliding door 43 for opening and closing the pet entrance. In addition, the surface material 4 of the front panel of the toilet space 12 is provided with a toilet entrance through which a toilet tray 120 can be put in and taken out, and an outward opening door 44 for opening and closing the toilet entrance.

[0020] The partition panel 3 is also constructed by combining a surface material 4 in which metal vertical wires 41 and horizontal wires 42 are joined in a lattice pattern with a synthetic resin frame 5 attached to the upper and lower sides of the surface material 4. The surface material 4 of the partition panel 3 is provided with a partition entrance through which a pet can move between the living space 11 and the toilet space 12, and a sliding door 45 for opening and closing the partition entrance. However, the invention disclosed in this application does not particularly limit the detailed structure of the door provided in each panel, the opening / closing locking means, etc.

[0021] The main part of the invention disclosed in this application is the connection structure between the panels. Specifically, there are two types: a corner connection structure in which the peripheral wall panels 2 are connected to each other in an L-shape in plan view, and a partition connection structure in which the front and back peripheral wall panels 2 and the partition panel 3 are connected to each other in a T-shape in plan view. Both of these two types of connection structures are assembled so that the front side and the back side are oriented in the opposite direction (mirror symmetry) using common members. In addition, the bottom frame part placed on the floor surface and the upper frame part opening upward are also assembled so that they are basically oriented in the opposite direction (part of the structure is the same for the top and bottom) using common members. Therefore, the following will be specifically described based on the connection structure of the bottom frame part on the front side, and other parts where the orientation of the members is different will be supplemented as necessary.

[0022] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a list of some of the members used in the connection structure of this circle 1, separated from one another. Figs. 3 to 8 are explanatory diagrams showing the shapes of those members and their joints and connection states in partial enlargement. The members that make up this connection structure can be classified into the following six types. · Surface material 4 of the peripheral wall panel 2 and the partition panel 3 Frames 5 attached to the upper and lower edges of the peripheral wall panel 2 and the partition panel 3, respectively Frame connectors 6 attached to both ends of the frame 5 of the peripheral wall panel 2 Partition connectors 7 attached to both ends of the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 A corner joint 8 that connects the peripheral wall panels 2 to each other in an L-shape when viewed from above A partition joint 9 that connects the peripheral wall panel 2 and the partition panel 3 in a T-shape in plan view

[0023] As shown in Figs. 3 and 7, the panel 4 is formed by crossing vertical wires 41 and horizontal wires 42 and welding the crossing portions. The vertical wires 41 and horizontal wires 42 are joined in a state where they overlap in the out-of-plane direction. In the peripheral wall panel 2 of the illustrated embodiment, the vertical wires 41 are arranged on the inside of the circle 1 (hereinafter referred to as the "fence inside") and the horizontal wires 42 are arranged on the outside of the circle 1 (hereinafter referred to as the "fence outside"). However, the positional relationship between the vertical wires 41 and the horizontal wires 42 may be reversed. Note that, for panel 4 with a door, only the fixed frame portion that holds the door is the subject of the connecting structure, and the door is excluded from the components of the connecting structure.

[0024] The frame 5 is a hollow cylindrical member having a uniform cross section of a rounded rectangle. As shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 7, thickened portions are provided on the inside of the four rounded corners, and through holes 51 for screw fastening are formed in the thickened portions. On one of the wide faces on the outer circumferential surface of the frame 5, a bottomed surface material holding groove 52 is formed, which opens at an equal width in the central portion in the width direction. The groove width of the surface material holding groove 52 is formed to match the combined dimension of the diameter of the thickest vertical wire material 41 and the diameter of the horizontal wire material 42 on the lower side or upper side. As shown in Fig. 2, the frame 5 is arranged with the surface material holding groove 52 facing upward in the bottom frame portion and the surface material holding groove 52 facing downward in the upper frame portion. The lower side or upper side of the surface material 4 is accommodated in the surface material holding groove 52, so that the surface material 4 is held so as not to bend in the out-of-plane direction.

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

[0026] The frame connector 6 is a relay member for connecting the frame 5 of the peripheral wall panel 2 to the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9. As shown in Figs. 3-4 and 7-8, the frame connector 6 has a frame cap part 61 in the shape of a short cylinder with a bottom, which is fitted over the end of the frame 5. The frame cap part 61 is a part consisting of a peripheral part 611 having an inner peripheral surface that approximately matches the outer peripheral surface of the frame 5, and a flat end wall part 612 that seals one end of the peripheral part 611. The peripheral part 611 is fitted almost without a gap to the outer peripheral surface of the frame 5, and the end wall part 612 is abutted against the end surface of the frame 5. The end wall part 612 has two screw holes 613 formed in positions that match the positions of the through holes 51 formed in the frame 5, and screws are screwed into the screw holes 613 to integrate the frame connector 6 with the frame 5.

[0027] The peripheral portion 611 and the end wall portion 612 are formed with cutout portions 615 of a size that roughly matches the width and depth of the panel material holding groove 52 formed in the frame 5, so as to communicate with the panel material holding groove 52. In the peripheral wall panel 2, the side length of the panel material 4 is slightly longer than the length of the frame connector 6 attached to the end of the frame 5. Therefore, the edge portion of the panel material 4 accommodated in the panel material holding groove 52 of the frame 5 passes through the cutout portions 615 of the frame connector 6 and is held in a state that protrudes further in the extension direction of the frame 5.

[0028] A joint connection portion 62 for connecting to the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9 is protruded from the outside of the end wall portion 612 so as to surround the edge portion of the protruding panel 4. A lock engagement portion 63 is also protruded parallel to the joint connection portion 62. This lock engagement portion 63 is a portion for restraining the connection state between the frame connector 6 and the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9 to prevent them from coming loose. Details of the joint connection portion 62 and the lock engagement portion 63 will be described later in relation to the shapes of the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9.

[0029] 3 and 4, the corner joint 8 is a member in which a pair of cylindrical portions 81 are joined in an L-shape when viewed from above, and the frame connector 6 is connected to the open ends of both cylindrical portions 81. The lengths of the two cylindrical portions 81 extending perpendicular to each other from the rounded bent portion are equal. The outer shape of the cylindrical portions 81 matches the outer shape of the periphery 611 of the frame connector 6.

[0030] On one of the wide faces of the tubular portion 81, a bottomed panel insertion groove 82 that opens onto the wide face is formed along the length of the tubular portion 81. The panel insertion groove 82 is formed so that the middle portion and below in the depth direction are widened toward the outside of the fence to form a substantially L-shaped cross section. The widened groove width of the bottom surface matches the groove width of the panel holding groove 52 formed in the frame 5, and the narrow groove width on the opening side matches the diameter of the vertical wire 41 of the panel 4. If the positional relationship between the vertical wire 41 and the horizontal wire 42 of the panel 4 is reversed, the middle portion and below of the panel insertion groove 82 will widen toward the inside of the fence. The two panel insertion grooves 82 formed on both mutually perpendicular tubular portions 81 are separated so as to be discontinuous at the bend of the corner joint 8. Furthermore, at an appropriate location close to the partition, a shallow protrusion 85 is formed on the inside surface of the panel insertion groove 82 to prevent the inserted panel 4 from returning to the opening end side.

[0031] The edge of the panel material 4 held by the frame 5 and frame connector 6 is inserted into this panel material insertion groove 82 from the open end side of the tubular portion 81. At this time, as shown in the AA end view inserted in Figure 3, the horizontal wire 42 arranged on the outside of the fence fits into the widened portion of the panel material insertion groove 82, and the vertical wire 41 arranged on the inside of the fence is inserted so as to stand up or hang down from the panel material insertion groove 82. By catching the horizontal wire 42 in the widened portion of the panel material insertion groove 82, the panel material 4 is held so as not to slip out of the panel material insertion groove 82 in the vertical direction.

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

[0033] The lock engagement portion 63 provided on the frame connector 6 protrudes from the end wall portion 612 approximately parallel to the joint connection portion 62 and is formed to abut against the inner peripheral surface of the outer fence side of the tubular portion 81 of the corner joint 8. The lock engagement portion 63 is in the form of a plate piece that can swing slightly toward the inner fence side, and an engagement claw 631 that is thicker toward the outer fence side is formed on the side surface near the protruding end. This engagement claw 631 elastically engages with a window hole 84 opened in the outer fence side of the corner joint 8 from the inner fence side to prevent it from coming off. This locks the frame connector 6 in a connected state to the corner joint 8. When the engagement claw 631 in the window hole 84 is pushed into the tubular portion 81 from the outer fence side of the corner joint 8, the locked state is released and the frame connector 6 can be removed from the corner joint 8.

[0034] The frame connectors 6 are connected to both open ends of the corner joint 8, but as shown in the end view inserted in FIG. 3, the end face shapes of the panel insert grooves 82 are symmetrical between the AA side and the BB side. The panel 4 inserted into the panel insert grooves 82 has the vertical wires 41 on the inside of the fence and the horizontal wires 42 on the outside of the fence. In addition, the positions of the window holes 84 into which the engagement claws 631 of the lock engagement parts 63 engage are also reversed when viewed from the open end side of each cylindrical part 81. Therefore, two types of frame connectors 6 are prepared, a right-handed type and a left-handed type, in which the shapes and positional relationship of the joint connection part 62 and the lock engagement part 63 are mirror-symmetrical. In both the bottom frame part and the top frame part of the circle 1, different types of frame connectors 6 are connected to both open ends of one corner joint 8. The configuration in which the guide piece 621 formed on the joint connection portion 62 engages with the concave groove portion 83 on the outer side of the fence of the panel insertion groove 82 acts to physically prevent the connection from being made in the wrong direction.

[0035] The partition connector 7 is a relay member for connecting the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 to the partition joint 9. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the partition connector 7 has a frame cap part 71 in the shape of a short cylinder with a bottom, which is fitted over the end of the frame 5 of the partition panel 3, like the frame connector 6. The frame cap part 71 is a part consisting of a peripheral part 711 having an inner peripheral surface that approximately matches the outer peripheral surface of the frame 5, and a flat end wall part 712 that seals the vicinity of one end of the peripheral part 711. The peripheral part 711 is fitted almost without a gap to the outer peripheral surface of the frame 5, and the end wall part 712 is abutted against the end surface of the frame 5. The end wall part 712 has two screw holes 713 formed in positions corresponding to the through holes 51 formed in the frame 5, and screws 714 are screwed into the screw holes to integrate the frame connector 6 with the frame 5. In the partition connector 7 , the peripheral portion 711 extends beyond the end wall portion 712 in a direction away from the frame 5 so as to surround the head of the screw 714 by approximately the height thereof.

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

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

[0038] As shown in Figures 5 to 8, the partition joint 9 is a member in which a hollow cylindrical portion 91 extends linearly, and the frame connectors 6 described above are connected to both open ends of the partition joint 9, and the partition connector 7 is connected to the middle portion on the inside of the fence perpendicular to the frame connectors 6. The cylindrical portion 91 of the partition joint 9 has the same cross-sectional shape as the cylindrical portion 91 of the corner joint 8 described above. In other words, the outer shape of the cylindrical portion 91 approximately matches the outer shape of the peripheral portion 611 of the frame connector 6, and one of the wide sides is formed with a panel insertion groove 92 with an approximately L-shaped cross section that widens from the middle portion in the depth direction to the outside of the fence. The groove width of the widened bottom surface matches the groove width of the panel holding groove 52 formed in the frame 5, and the narrow groove width on the opening side matches the diameter of the vertical wire material 41 of the panel material 4. The two panel insertion grooves 92 formed on the same straight line are separated so as to be discontinuous at the center of the partition joint 9.

[0039] The edge portions of the panel material 4 held by the frame 5 and frame connector 6 are inserted into this panel material insertion groove 92 from both open ends of the tubular portion 91. Here, as with the corner joint 8, the horizontal wires 42 arranged on the outside of the fence fit into the widened portion of the panel material insertion groove 92, and the vertical wires 41 arranged on the inside of the fence are inserted so as to stand up or hang down from the panel material insertion groove 92. This holds the panel material 4 so that it does not slip out of the panel material insertion groove 92 in the vertical direction. A shallow protrusion 95 is formed on the inside surface of the panel material insertion groove 92 at an appropriate location near the partition in the central portion to prevent the inserted panel material 4 from returning to the open end side.

[0040] When the joint connection portion 62 and the lock engagement portion 63 of the frame connector 6 are inserted into the cylindrical portion 91, the frame connector 6 and the partition joint 9 are connected so that the peripheral portion 611 of each is continuous with the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 91. The lock engagement portion 63 of the frame connector 6 elastically engages with a window hole 94 formed on the side surface of the partition joint 9 on the outer side of the fence from the inside of the fence to prevent it from coming off. This locks the frame connector 6 in a connected state to the partition joint 9. These connection and engagement forms are the same as the connection and engagement forms between the frame connector 6 and the corner joint 8. When the engagement claw 631 in the window hole 94 is pushed into the cylindrical portion 91 from the outside of the fence of the partition joint 9, the locked state is released and the frame connector 6 can be removed from the partition joint 9.

[0041] In the partition joint 9 as well, as shown in the end view inserted in Fig. 7, the end face shapes of the panel material insertion groove 92 are symmetrical between the opening end on the AA side and the opening end on the BB side, and different types of frame connectors 6 are connected to both opening ends. The guide piece 621 formed on the joint connection part 62 also in this partition part engages with the recessed groove part 93 on the outer side of the fence of the panel material insertion groove 92, thereby preventing the wrong way around when connecting to the partition joint 9.

[0042] In the middle of the partition joint 9, in a portion inside the fence of the panel material insertion groove 92, an insertion hole 96 for inserting the insertion lock portion 74 of the partition connector 7 is formed. The insertion hole 96 is formed to penetrate in the vertical direction through the opposing wide faces of the partition joint 9. In a plan view, the insertion hole 96 is an elongated rectangle extending in the length direction of the partition joint 9, and is divided into two parts, left and right, by a small protrusion 97 protruding from the panel material insertion groove 92 side in the middle of the longitudinal direction.

[0043] 6, the partition connecting portion 72 of the partition connector 7 is formed so that the extended end of the extension portion 73 covers the small protrusion 97 that separates the middle portion of the insertion hole 96 when the periphery of the frame cap portion 71 is abutted against the inner side of the fence of the partition joint 9. A pair of left and right insertion lock portions 74 protrude downward from both side edges of the extended end of the extension portion 73 with a predetermined distance between them and the end wall portion 712 of the frame cap portion 71.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 5, the insertion locking portion 74 is formed by folding back a long and narrow plate piece having a width that fits within the short side dimension of the insertion hole 96 of the partition joint 9 into a roughly U-shape when viewed from the front, and the upper end of one side is connected to the side edge of the extended end of the support portion 73. The upper end of the other side is a free end that can swing slightly in the left-right direction when viewed from the front (the direction toward and away from the support portion 73) from the folded back part of the U-shape. The free end is thickened on the side away from the support portion 73, and an engagement groove 75 is formed at the thickened part, extending parallel to the short side direction of the insertion hole 96 (inside the fence-outside the fence direction). The groove width of the engagement groove 75 roughly matches the thickness of the tubular portion 91 of the partition joint 9.

[0045] The pair of left and right insertion locking parts 74 thus formed are fitted into the insertion hole 96 from above, straddling the small protrusions 97 that divide the middle part of the insertion hole 96. After the U-shaped folded part is fitted into the tubular part 91, the left and right free ends of the insertion locking part 74 are deformed so as to move toward the center, and the engagement grooves 75 formed at the free ends are engaged with the opening edge of the short side of the insertion hole 96, thereby preventing the insertion hole 96 from coming off. In this way, the partition connector 7 is locked in a state connected to the side of the partition joint 9. In this locked state, as shown in FIG. 6, the left and right free ends of the insertion locking part 74 are held in a state of slightly protruding above the insertion hole 96. Therefore, by pinching the free ends with the fingertips and deforming them so as to move toward the center, the engagement state of the engagement grooves 75 with the opening edge of the insertion hole 96 is released, and the partition connector 7 can be removed from the partition joint 9.

[0046] In the upper frame part of the partition part, as shown in the C'-C' end view inserted in the upper part of Fig. 6, the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 holds the upper edge of the panel material 4 with the panel material holding groove 52 facing downward, and the partition joint 9 is also arranged to hold the panel material 4 of the peripheral wall panel 2 with the panel material insertion groove 92 facing downward. However, the partition connector 7 is attached to the end of the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 with the insertion lock part 74 facing downward, as in the lower frame part shown in the CC end view inserted in the lower part of Fig. 6. Then, for the partition joint 9 of the upper frame part, the insertion lock part 74 is fitted from above into the insertion hole 96 opening in the wide surface on the side where the panel material insertion groove 92 is not formed.

[0047] The circle 1 made of such parts can be assembled, for example, in the following procedure. (1) The frame connectors 6 are screwed to both ends of the frames 5 arranged on the lower and upper sides of each peripheral wall panel 2. At this time, the frame connectors 6 are joined to the frames 5 with all of their lock engagement portions 63 facing outward from the fence. (2) The partition connector 7 is screwed to both ends of the frame 5 arranged on the bottom and top sides of the partition panel 3. The panel retaining grooves 52 of the frame 5 face in opposite directions on the bottom and top sides, but the partition connector 7 is connected to the frame 5 with the insertion locking portions 74 protruding downward on both the bottom and top sides. (3) With the bottom and top edges of the panel materials 4 of each peripheral wall panel 2 placed in the panel material retaining grooves 52 of the frame 5 in (1) above, the edge portions of each panel material 4 are inserted horizontally (in the extension direction of the panel material insertion grooves) into the panel material insertion grooves 82, 92 of the corner joints 8 and the partition joints 9, respectively, and each frame connector 6 is connected to the corner joints 8 and the partition joints 9. The top and bottom edges of the peripheral wall panels are connected to surround the entire circumference of the circle 1, but the order in which the corner portions and the partition portions are connected does not matter. (4) The partition connectors 7 attached to both ends of the frame 5 that holds the lower edge of the partition panel 3 are fitted from above into the partition joints 9 of the lower frame portion to connect them. (5) The lower edge of the panel material 4 of the partition panel 3 is placed into the panel material retaining groove 52 of the frame 5 (4) which holds the lower edge of the partition panel 3, and the frame 5 which holds the upper edge of the panel material 4 is placed over the upper edge of the panel material 4. The partition connectors 7 attached to both ends of the frame 5 are fitted from above into the partition joints 9 of the upper frame portion to connect them.

[0048] In this manner, it is possible to connect all of the multiple peripheral wall panels 2 and the partition panels 3. However, this is only one example, and the order of the steps may be changed as appropriate.

[0049] In the connection structure of the circle 1 described above, the connection and joining work of the members constituting the peripheral wall is basically performed by moving the members horizontally (in the extension direction of the frame 5) and aligning their positions before assembling them. This work does not require the trouble of checking the position of small holes and inserting the ends of wires, or turning over and standing up the members once connected, so that the members can be easily aligned and assembled efficiently even in a small work space. The peripheral wall panels 2 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the circle 1 are divided into the front and back of the living space 11 and the front and back of the toilet space 12, which also contributes to the efficiency of the work space during assembly.

[0050] This connecting structure employs a configuration in which the face material 4 of the peripheral wall panel 2 is inserted from the open end side of the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9, and the horizontal wire 42 is engaged with the widened portion of the face material insertion grooves 82, 92 having a generally L-shaped cross section formed in the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9. This connecting structure eliminates the risk of the peripheral wall panel 2 separating in the vertical direction from the corner joint 8 or the partition joint 9, so that when the face material 4 panels are erected in the corner portions and the partition portions, the posture of the face material 4 is stable, improving workability.

[0051] Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape (the direction in which the bottom side widens) of the panel insertion grooves 82, 92 provided in the corner joints 8 and partition joints 9 is set based on the positional relationship in the inside-outside-fence direction of the vertical wires 41 and horizontal wires 42 that make up the panel 4, so it is possible to prevent the orientation (front and back) of the panel 4 from being mistaken when inserting it into the corner joints 8 and partition joints 9 of the peripheral wall panel 2.

[0052] Furthermore, two types of frame connectors 6 are prepared in which the shapes and positional relationships of the joint connection part 62 and the lock engagement part 63 are mirror-symmetrical to match the cross-sectional shapes of the panel insertion grooves 82, 92 provided in the corner joint 8 and the partition joint 9. However, to prevent this from being assembled in the wrong orientation, a guide piece 621 is provided and care is taken to ensure that the lock engagement part 63 is always positioned on the outside of the fence.

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

[0054] As for the partition section, the partition connector 7 is interposed between the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 and the partition joint 9, so that the two peripheral wall panels 2 connected to both the left and right sides of the partition joint 9 and arranged side by side on the same plane, and the partition panel 3 that crosses them and is connected to the partition joint 9, can be assembled separately. There is no need to simultaneously support the three panels connected to the partition section and align them with each other. The work of connecting the peripheral wall panels 2 to each other and the work of connecting the partition panel 3 can be done without worrying about the order of connection.

[0055] Furthermore, by forming the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 and the partition connector 7 separately, the partition connector 7 can be attached even when it is turned upside down to the frame 5 of the partition panel 3. And, by adopting a connecting structure in which the insertion lock portion 74 of the partition connector 7 is fitted from above into either of the insertion holes 96 formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the partition joint 9 on either the lower side or the upper side of the partition panel 3, the connection of the partition panels 3 becomes even easier. When removing the partition panel 3, if the free end of the insertion lock portion 74 is pinched from above the partition to release the locked state, only the partition panel 3 can be removed upward while leaving the peripheral wall panel 2 as it is.

[0056] The above-described connecting structure greatly improves the workability during assembly and disassembly, and also improves the strength and stability of each connecting part. Therefore, it is easy to rearrange the cage, for example by swapping the positions of the living space 11 and the toilet space 12 according to the circumstances of the room in which the cage 1 is installed, or by removing the partition panel 3 according to the nature and habits of the pet being kept. It is also applicable to a configuration in which the front width (frontage dimension) is expanded by adding the peripheral wall panel 2, and the interior space is divided into three or more sections by adding the partition panel 3.

[0057] In this connection structure, it is assumed that the members other than the surface material 4 are basically made of synthetic resin molded products, but the adoption of a configuration in which each frame 5 of the peripheral wall panel 2 is connected to the corner joint 8 or the partition joint 9 via the frame connector 6, and the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 is also connected to the middle part of the partition joint 9 via the partition connector 7, has an advantageous effect in terms of material costs. In other words, since the frame 5 of the peripheral wall panel 2 and the frame 5 of the partition panel 3 have a common cross section, it is sufficient to cut one type of extrusion molded product to a predetermined length for each frame 5. The other members are injection molded products, but the corner joint 8, the partition joint 9, and the partition connector 7 can be used in all positions, up, down, left and right, simply by changing the orientation of one type of member. If two mirror image types of frame connectors 6 are prepared, all connection points can be covered. In other words, five types of injection molded products are sufficient, which is extremely economical in terms of manufacturing costs.

[0058] The above-described embodiment is an example. The technical scope of the invention disclosed in this application should not be interpreted as being limited by the exemplary embodiment, but should be interpreted conceptually based on the description of the claims. The names of the components used in the claims and the specification are for convenience in order to make the invention easier to understand specifically, and the names do not limit the concept or properties of the components more than necessary. When implementing the invention disclosed in this application, the detailed shape, dimensions, structure, material, quantity, combination form with other elements, relative positional relationship, etc. of the components not specifically specified in the claims can be appropriately modified within a range in which the effect is substantially equal to or greater than that of the exemplary embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1. Toilet training circle 11 Living Space 110 Residential Tray 12 Toilet space 120 Toilet Tray 2 Perimeter Panels 3 Partition Panel 4. Surface material 41 Vertical wire 42 Horizontal wire 43 Sliding Door 44 Outward-opening door 5 Frames 51 Through hole 52 Surface material holding groove 6 Frame Connector 61 Frame cap part 611 Periphery 612 End wall 613 Screw hole 614 Bis 615 Notch 62 Joint connection part 621 Guide piece 63 Lock engagement part 631 Engagement claw 7 Partition connector 71 Frame cap part 711 Periphery 712 End wall 713 Screw hole 714 Bis 72 Partition connection part 73 Taking out section 74 Insertion lock part 75 Engagement groove 8 Corner joint 81 Cylindrical part 82 Surface material insertion groove 83 Concave groove part 84 Window Hole 85 Convex 9 Partition joint 91 Cylindrical part 92 Surface material insertion groove 93 Concave groove part 94 Window Hole 95 Convex 96 Insertion hole 97 Small protrusion piece

Claims

1. A pet toilet training circle is configured such that an internal space surrounded by a plurality of peripheral wall panels is divided into a living space and a toilet space by a middle partition panel, and a partition entrance through which a pet can enter and exit is provided in the middle partition panel so as to be capable of being opened and closed, thereby permitting or restricting the pet from moving between the living space and the toilet space via the partition entrance, The peripheral wall panel and the partition panel include a panel formed by joining metal vertical and horizontal wires in a lattice shape, and a frame that holds the upper and lower edges of the panel, Each frame of the peripheral wall panel is connected to the corner joints located at the four corners or the open ends of the partition joints located in the middle of the front and back sides via frame connectors attached to both ends of the frame, The partition panel frame is provided with a connection structure in which the frame is connected to the middle part of the partition joint via partition connectors attached to both ends of the frame, The frame is a member having a uniform cross section configured to hold the upper or lower edge of the panel material in a panel material holding groove having a bottom formed on the outer circumferential surface of the frame, The frame connector is a member including a frame cap portion attached to an end portion of the frame, a joint connection portion connected to the corner joint or the partition joint, and a lock engagement portion that holds the connection and prevents the connection from coming loose, and the frame cap portion is formed with a notch that communicates with the panel holding groove, the corner joint is a member in which a pair of cylindrical parts are joined together in an L-shape in a plan view, and the frame connectors are connected to open ends of the cylindrical parts, The partition joint is a member having a cylindrical portion that has the same cross-sectional shape as the cylindrical portion of the corner joint, extends linearly, and has both open ends to which the frame connectors are connected, A surface material insertion groove is formed in each cylindrical portion of the corner joint and the partition joint, extending in the extension direction of the cylindrical portion, and an edge portion of a surface material held by the frame and the frame connector is inserted into the surface material insertion groove, The joint connection portion and the lock engagement portion of the frame connector are inserted into the open ends of the cylindrical portions of the corner joint and the partition joint along the extension direction of the cylindrical portions, whereby the frame connector is connected to each of the cylindrical portions and the lock engagement portions are engaged with each of the cylindrical portions to prevent them from coming off. A toilet training circle characterized by being configured as follows.

2. In the toilet training circle according to claim 1, The vertical and horizontal wires constituting the peripheral wall panel are joined in an overlapping state so that one is on the inside of the fence and the other is on the outside of the fence, The surface material insertion grooves formed in the corner joint and the partition joint each have a substantially L-shaped cross section that widens toward the horizontal wire from below the middle portion in the depth direction, The horizontal wire is placed in the widened portion, and the vertical wire is inserted so as to stand up or hang down from the face material insertion groove, so that the face material is held so as not to slip out of the face material insertion groove in the vertical direction. A toilet training circle that features:

3. In the toilet training circle according to claim 1 or 2, The lock engagement portion of the frame connector protrudes from the end wall of the frame cap portion and is shaped to abut against an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion of the corner joint on the outer side of the fence, A thickened engagement claw is formed near the protruding end on the outside of the fence, and the engagement claw elastically engages with a window hole opened in the side surface of the outer fence of the cylindrical part from the inside of the fence, thereby locking the frame connector in a connected state to the corner joint. A toilet training circle that features:

4. In the toilet training circle according to claim 1 or 2, The lock engagement portion provided on the frame connector protrudes from the end wall portion of the frame cap portion and is shaped to abut against an inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion of the partition joint on the outer side of the fence, A thickened engagement claw is formed on the outside of the fence near the protruding end, and the engagement claw elastically engages with a window hole opened in the side surface of the outer fence of the cylindrical part from the inside of the fence, thereby locking the frame connector in a connected state to the partition joint. A toilet training circle that features:

5. In the toilet training circle according to claim 1 or 2, The partition connector is a member including a frame cap portion attached to the end portion of the frame and a partition connecting portion connected to the middle portion of the partition joint from the inside of the fence, The partition connecting portion includes a protruding portion coupled to an upper surface of the frame cap portion and extending in an extension direction of the frame, and an insertion lock portion protruding downward from an extension end of the protruding portion, The insertion lock portion is inserted into an insertion hole formed in the partition joint, The partition connector is locked in a connected state to the partition joint by an engagement groove formed in the insertion lock portion engaging with an opening edge of the insertion hole. A toilet training circle that features:

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