Foldable pet cage

Abstract

To provide a folding type pet cage which sufficiently ensures a height in being assembled, and where an opening part with a door can be provided in two parts on a long side surface and a short side surface.SOLUTION: A pet cage 10 includes a bottom surface panel 20, short side surface panels 30, 40 rotatably connected to short sides of the bottom surface panel 20, long side surface panels 50, 60 rotatably connected to long sides of the bottom surface panel 20, and a top surface panel 70 rotatably connected to upper sides of both long side surface panels 50, 60. On one short side surface panel 30 and one long side surface panel 50, opening parts are provided. The other long side surface panel 60 is divided into a lower stage part 61 and an upper stage part 62 which are connected to be folded. A height of the lower stage part 61 is set to be half a short side dimension of the top surface panel 70. The top surface panel 70 is connected to be foldable by dividing at a position to bisect the short side dimension. The other long side surface panel 60 and the top surface panel 70 are folded and stacked in a zigzag manner by folding inward.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present application relates to a pet cage for keeping dogs, cats and other small animals, and more particularly to a pet cage characterized by a folding system. [Background technology]

[0002] Pet cages made of lattice-framed metal wire panels connected in a rectangular parallelepiped shape are often used for keeping, storing, transporting, etc., dogs, cats, and other small animals. Among these pet cages, those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 5, for example, are known as pet cages that can be folded into a flat shape while keeping adjacent panels partially connected to each other.

[0003] FIG. 4 shows a schematic configuration of a pet cage 1A disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, and FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration of a pet cage 1B disclosed in Patent Documents 3, 4, and 5.

[0004] Both of these pet cages 1A and 1B are equipped with a bottom panel 2 on which a tray is placed, a pair of short side panels 3, 4 that are rotatably connected to opposing short sides of the bottom panel 2 and stand upright when assembled, a pair of long side panels 5, 6 that are rotatably connected to opposing long sides of the bottom panel 2 and stand upright when assembled, and a top panel 7 that is rotatably connected to the upper sides of both long side panels 5, 6 and faces the bottom panel 2 when assembled. When folding, the short side panels 3, 4 are first folded inward and placed on top of the bottom panel 2, and then both long side panels 5, 6 and the top panel 7 are folded over.

[0005] The folding methods disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are slightly different from those disclosed in Patent Documents 3, 4, and 5. As shown in Fig. 4, in the former, the height H of the long side panels 5 and 6 and the short side dimension W of the bottom panel 2 and top panel 7 are set equal, and one long side panel 5, the top panel 7, and the other long side panel 6 are configured to be folded together in a zigzag shape.

[0006] As shown in Figure 5, the latter has two long side panels 5, 6 which are split into upper and lower halves at a position that halves their height and are connected in a foldable manner, and when the connected part is folded inward, the top panel 7 can be lowered and placed on top of the bottom panel 2. In either folding method, an opening with a door (not shown) required for taking pets in and out and for cleaning the inside is often provided on one of the short side panels 3, 4 which is less likely to interfere with the other panels when folded. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Registered Utility Model No. 3051451 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-222234 [Patent Document 3] JP 2000-125685 A [Patent Document 4] Registered Utility Model No. 3075143 [Patent Document 5] JP 2007-037446 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] From the perspective of animal welfare and the prevention of abuse, the "Act to partially amend the Act on Welfare and Management of Animals, etc." (Act No. 39 of 2019, the so-called New Animal Welfare Act) was promulgated in June 2019 and came into effect on June 1, 2021. This amendment to the law made the animal management standards that animal handlers must comply with more stringent than before, and the size of cages in animal care facilities, etc., are as follows: - The length (long side of the bottom) is more than twice the body length -Width (short side dimension of bottom surface) is 1.5 times or more the body length - Height is at least twice the height at the withers for dogs and at least three times the height at the withers for cats It was decided that this should be the case.

[0009] This has resulted in an increasing demand for pet cages that are taller than before, but it is structurally impossible to increase the height with the folding method shown in Figure 4. On the other hand, with the folding method shown in Figure 5, a certain degree of height can be ensured by folding the long side panels 5 and 6, which are divided into upper and lower parts, inward so that both sides overlap each other on the bottom panel 2. However, with this folding method, it is difficult to provide an opening with a door on the long side panels 5 and 6, which bend in the center.

[0010] Although the law does not specify standards for openings in pet cages, pet cages with openings with doors on two sides, one long and one short, are popular in the pet-related product market because they allow more freedom in terms of installation space and make daily management easier. Therefore, the invention disclosed in this application provides a pet cage that employs a new folding method that can easily provide openings with doors on two sides, one long and one short, while ensuring sufficient height when assembled. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the foldable pet cage of the invention disclosed in the present application is a foldable pet cage that is assembled into a rectangular parallelepiped shape and includes a bottom panel that is rectangular in plan view, a pair of short side panels that are rotatably connected to opposing short sides of the bottom panel and stand upright when assembled, a pair of long side panels that are rotatably connected to opposing long sides of the bottom panel and stand upright when assembled, and a top panel that is rotatably connected to upper sides of both long side panels and faces the bottom panel when assembled, wherein the heights of the short side panels and the long side panels are set to be greater than half the dimension of the short sides of the bottom panel, and at least one The basic configuration is that the short side panel and one of the long side panels each have an opening that can be opened and closed, the other long side panel is divided into a lower section and an upper section at a midpoint in its height direction and the divided section is connected so as to be bendable, and the top panel is divided into one half and the other half at a position which bisects the short side dimension of the top panel and the height of the lower section of the other long side panel is set to be the same as the short side dimension of the one half and the other half of the top panel, so that the other long side panel and the top panel can each be folded inward in a zigzag pattern.

[0012] Furthermore, the foldable pet cage of the invention disclosed in this application adopts an additional configuration in which hook-shaped engaging devices are attached to the short sides of one half and the other half of the top panel, which engage with the upper edges of the short side panels from above when assembled, and hook-shaped engaging devices are attached to the upper edges of the short side panels, which engage with the short sides of one half and the other half of the top panel from the outside when assembled. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the foldable pet cage configured as described above, even if the height of the sides is greater than the short side dimension of the bottom and there are entrances and exits in two places on the short and long sides, it can be folded flat in a simple procedure, thereby increasing convenience for storage, keeping, transportation, etc. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall perspective view showing an assembled state of a foldable pet cage according to one embodiment of the invention disclosed in the present application. [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view showing a deformed state when the pet cage of FIG. 1 is folded. FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a front view of the pet cage of FIG. 2 in a deformed state, seen from the short side surface side. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a front view showing a deformed state when the pet cages disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are folded. [Diagram 5] 1 is a perspective view showing a deformed state when the pet cages disclosed in Patent Documents 3, 4, and 5 are folded. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention disclosed in the present application will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] FIG. 1 shows an assembled state of a foldable pet cage 10 according to an embodiment of the invention disclosed in the present application. This pet cage 10 is assembled into a rectangular parallelepiped by connecting six panels each having a lattice pattern of metal wires. This rectangular parallelepiped is set so that its height H is greater than its width W. In the following description of the dimensions, positional relationships, and operating directions of parts and members, the height direction (up-down direction), width direction (short side direction of the bottom and top surfaces), and length direction (long side direction of the bottom and top surfaces) are determined based on the assembled state shown in FIG. 1, and for convenience of description, the short side on the front left having an opening is regarded as the front.

[0017] The six panels that make up this rectangular prism are: 20 bottom panels with rectangular shape in plan view A pair of short side panels 30, 40 that are rotatably connected to the opposing short sides of the bottom panel 20 and stand upright when assembled A pair of long side panels 50, 60 that are rotatably connected to the opposing long sides of the bottom panel 20 and stand upright when assembled A top panel 70 that is pivotally connected to the upper edges of both long side panels and faces the bottom panel 20 when assembled. It is.

[0018] The bottom panel 20 has a thickness that allows a tray 21 made of synthetic resin to be stored therein, and the tray 21 can be inserted and removed from one of the short sides of the bottom panel 20.

[0019] The short side panels 30, 40 are connected so as to be rotatable inward (toward the side overlapping the bottom panel 20) around the short side of the bottom panel 20 as a support shaft by, for example, bending the ends of metal wire protruding downward from the lower sides of the short side panels 30 and winding them around the metal wire on the short side of the bottom panel 20. One of the short side panels 30 located on the front side has an opening for inserting and removing pets and food containers and for cleaning the inside, and is fitted with an outward-opening door 31. Note that in this invention, there are no particular limitations on the shape, mounting structure, locking mechanism when the door is closed, etc. of the door 31.

[0020] The long side panels 50, 60 are connected to the metal wires on the bottom edges of the panels and the metal wires on the long sides of the bottom panel 20 by means of, for example, a fastening member 81 having a cylindrical shape with a substantially circular or oval cross section, so that the panels can rotate inward around the long side of the bottom panel 20 as a support axis. One of the long side panels 50, located on the front right in Fig. 1, also has an opening that is opened and closed by an outward-opening door 51. The shape, mounting structure, and locking mechanism for this door 51 when closed are also arbitrary.

[0021] In contrast, the other long side panel 60 located at the rear left is divided into two pieces, a lower section 61 and an upper section 62, at the middle position in the height direction. The division position is set at a position where the height of the lower section 61 is half the short side dimension (width W) of the bottom panel 20 and the top panel 70. The metal wire rods of the lower section 61 and the upper section 62 along the division point are rotatably connected to each other via a binding member 82. This allows the division point of the other long side panel 60 to be bent inward in a valley fold.

[0022] Top panel 70 is also divided into two pieces, one half 71 and the other half 72, at a position that bisects the short side dimension (width W), and the metal wires of one half 71 and the other half 72 along the dividing point are rotatably connected to each other via binding member 83. This allows top panel 70 to bend its center portion inward in a valley fold.

[0023] Although both sides and the top of the short side panels 30, 40 are not connected to the other panels, in the assembled state, hook-shaped engaging members 84 attached to each side of the long side panels 50, 60 engage with each side of the short side panels 30, 40 from the outside, preventing the short side panels 30, 40 from falling outward. Also, hook-shaped engaging members 85 attached to the top of the short side panels 30, 40 engage with the short side of the top panel 70 from the outside, preventing the short side panels 30, 40 from falling inward. Furthermore, hook-shaped engaging members 86 attached to each short side of the one half 71 and the other half 72 of the top panel 70 engage with the top sides of the short side panels 30, 40 from above, preventing the divided portions of the top panel 70 from falling inward. These engaging members 84, 85, 86 are formed by bending a metal wire into a substantially U-shape and further bending the vicinity of the bent portion into a hook shape, and the vicinity of the end of the metal wire is welded to an appropriate position on each panel. The cooperation of these engaging members 84, 85, 86 firmly holds the assembled rectangular parallelepiped state shown in Fig. 1. Furthermore, even if a handle 87 is attached to the center of the top panel 70 so as to straddle the division portion and the handle 87 is lifted, the engaging member 85 attached to the upper edges of the short side panels 30, 40 engages with the short side of the top panel 70 from the outside (upper side), so that the top panel 70 is held flat without being deformed into a mountain shape.

[0024] 2 and 3 show the deformed state when the pet cage 10 of Fig. 1 is folded. When folding the pet cage 10, first, the engaging members 84, 85, 86 that hold the short side panels 30, 40 in an upright position are released to make the short side panels 30, 40 rotatable, and then the short side panels 30, 40 are folded inward and placed on the bottom panel 20. At this time, it is better to first fold the short side panel 40 on the rear side without an opening, and then place the short side panel 30 on the front side to which the door 31 is attached on top of it, for a better fit.

[0025] When both short side panels 30, 40 are folded, both long side panels 50, 60 and the top panel 70 are freed from support, so the other long side panel 60, which is divided into upper and lower parts, and the top panel 70 are folded inward in a zigzag shape. In this simple procedure, the whole is folded into a flat shape. In this state, the hook-shaped movable stopper 88 (see FIG. 3) attached to the long side of the bottom panel 20 is engaged with an appropriate metal wire material constituting the long side panels 50, 60 or the top panel 70, so that the folded shape is maintained. When assembling, the movable stopper 88 is removed in the reverse order to the above, and the long side panel 50, the top panel 70 and the short side panel 60, which are connected to each other, are lifted up and the folded parts are unfolded. Then, both short side panels 30, 40 are raised up, and the adjacent parts of the sides of each panel are engaged with the engaging members 84, 85 and 86. No special tools are required for either folding or assembly.

[0026] In order to realize such a folding method, the pet cage 10 is designed as shown in FIG. 3, where W is the width (the short side dimension of the bottom panel 20 and the top panel 70) and H is the height of the long side panels 50, 60 (not including the thickness of the bottom panel 20 itself). Height of the lower part 61 of the other long side panel 60 = W / 2 Height of upper section 62 = HW / 2 The short side dimensions of one half 71 and the other half 72 of the top panel 70 are naturally W / 2 each, and the width when folded is H. Note that the illustrated form is assumed to be a rectangular parallelepiped in which the height H is greater than the width W, but this folding method is applicable as long as the height H is greater than half the width W (W / 2).

[0027] In this way, even when two openings with doors are provided on the short and long sides, the tall rectangular pet cage can be folded compactly by stacking the top surface and the long side without the openings in a valley fold. This makes the pet cage much more convenient to store, keep, transport, etc.

[0028] The technical scope of the invention disclosed in this application should not be interpreted as being limited by the illustrated embodiments, but should be interpreted conceptually based on the claims. When implementing the invention disclosed in this application, the shape, structure, material, number, joining / connection form, relative positional relationship, etc. of components not specifically specified in the claims may be modified as appropriate within a range in which the same or greater effect as the illustrated embodiments can be obtained. [Industrial Applicability]

[0029] The invention disclosed in this application can be widely used in folding methods for boxes or cages that are assembled into hollow rectangular parallelepiped shapes for various purposes, including facilities for raising small animals. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 10 Pet Cage 20 Bottom Panel 21 Tray 30 (One) Short Side Panel 31 Door 40 (other) short side panel 50 (One) Long Side Panel 51 Door 60 (other) long side panel 61 Lower section 62 Upper section 70 Top Panel 71 Half part 72 Other half 81 Binding material 82 Binding material 83 Binding material 84 Engagement tool 85 Engagement tool 86 Engagement tool 87 Handle 88 Movable stopper

Claims

1. A bottom panel having a rectangular shape in plan view; a pair of short side panels that are rotatably connected to opposing short sides of the bottom panel and stand upright when assembled; a pair of long side panels that are rotatably connected to the opposing long sides of the bottom panel and stand upright when assembled; a top panel rotatably connected to the upper sides of the both long side panels and facing the bottom panel when assembled; A collapsible pet cage that can be assembled into a rectangular parallelepiped shape and includes: The height of the short side panel and the long side panel is set to be greater than half the short side dimension of the bottom panel, At least one of the short side panels and one of the long side panels are provided with an opening that can be opened and closed, The other long side panel is divided into a lower section and an upper section at a midpoint in the height direction, and the divided section is connected so as to be bendable. The top panel is divided into one half and the other half at a position that bisects the short side dimension of the top panel, and the divided portion is connected so as to be bendable; The height of the lower portion of the other long side panel is set to half the dimension of the short side of the top panel, so that the other long side panel and the top panel are folded inwardly in a zigzag shape. A foldable pet cage characterized by:

2. The collapsible pet cage according to claim 1, A hook-shaped engaging device is attached to each of the short sides of the one half and the other half of the top panel, and engages with the upper edge of the short side panel from above during assembly. A hook-shaped engaging member is attached to the upper edge of the short side panel, which engages with the short sides of one half and the other half of the top panel from the outside during assembly. A foldable pet cage characterized by:

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