Animal toilets and animal toilet sets

Abstract

To provide an animal toilet and an animal toilet set that enable stable excretion posture of animals and enable smooth excretion.SOLUTION: An animal toilet 10 includes: an intermediate container 3 having a bottom 22 and a peripheral wall 24; a plurality of urea passage holes 22a provided so as to pass through the bottom 22 in a center part of the bottom 22 away from the peripheral wall 24; and foot rests 26L, 26R provided projecting upward from the bottom 22 outside of the urea passage holes 22a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an animal litter box and an animal litter box set for use by animals such as cats. [Background technology]

[0002] Animal litter boxes used by cats contain cat litter inside a container. Cats have a habit of covering their feces and urine with cat litter after defecating. Therefore, cats climb onto the litter to excrete feces or urine, and then cover their excrement with cat litter. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] If your cat defecates on the cat litter, its feet will get buried in the litter and it will not be able to stand up, making it difficult for it to defecate, which is not good for the cat's health.

[0004] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide an animal litter box and an animal litter box set that can stabilize an animal's excretion posture and enable smooth excretion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the animal litter box of the present invention is a container having a bottom and a peripheral wall, a plurality of urine passage holes provided through the bottom in a central portion away from the peripheral wall, It has an upper surface that is lower than the upper end of the peripheral wall, and a footrest protruding upward from the bottom outside the urine passage hole.

[0006] One aspect of the animal litter box of the present invention includes a container having a bottom and a peripheral wall, a dome-shaped cover that covers an opening surrounded by the upper end of the peripheral wall of the container, and an entrance / exit for animals provided on the front surface of the cover. It has an upper surface that is lower than the upper end of the peripheral wall, and a foot rest projecting upward from the bottom at the rear of the container away from the entrance. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an animal litter box and an animal litter box set that stabilize the animal's excretion posture and allow smooth excretion. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an animal litter box according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing the animal litter box of FIG. 1 with the hood cover open. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the animal litter box of FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a perspective view showing the canopy bones of the canopy cover of the animal litter box of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is a perspective view showing the left-side mounting member for mounting the hood cover of the animal litter box of FIG. 1 to the litter box body, and its surrounding members. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a front view of the mounting member of FIG. 5 as seen from the front (arrow F6). [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an external perspective view showing a modified example of the animal litter box of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An animal litter box 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the animal litter box 10 has a litter box body 2, a hood cover 4, and a half cover 6. Figure 1 shows the hood cover 4 deployed to the closed position. Figure 2 shows the hood cover 4 stored in the open position.

[0010] When the canopy cover 4 is deployed to the closed position shown in Fig. 1, it covers the opening 2a of the toilet body 2 in a dome shape, and when it is stored in the open position shown in Fig. 2, the opening 2a of the toilet body 2 is fully open. The opening degree of the canopy cover 4 is adjustable, and it can be positioned at any position that partially covers the opening 2a. In this specification and claims, the term "dome-shaped" refers to a shape in which the canopy cover 4 bulges upward away from the toilet body 2 to make the internal space of the canopy cover 4 a relatively large space for an animal to enter.

[0011] This animal litter box 10 is a litter box used by relatively small animals such as cats kept at home. In the following explanation, the direction of arrow F in Figure 1 is the front, and the direction of the opposite arrow R is the rear, and the up, down, left, and right directions are defined when looking at the animal litter box 10 from the front (left side in the figure).

[0012] The canopy cover 4 can be deployed to a closed position by moving from rear to front, and can be folded to an open position away from the opening 2a by moving from front to rear. The rear end of the canopy cover 4 is fixed to the edge of the opening 2a of the toilet body 2. When folded, the canopy cover 4 can be stored in the open position behind the half cover 6, as shown in Figure 2. The open position is below the upper edge 6a of the half cover 6.

[0013] When the canopy cover 4 is deployed in the closed position as shown in Figure 1, the animal litter box 10 has an entrance 4a on the front surface of the canopy cover 4 opposite the open position, which is large enough for an animal to enter and exit. The entrance 4a is a hole provided on the front surface of the canopy cover 4.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 3, the toilet body 2 includes a lower container 1, an intermediate container 3, and a urine tray 5. The lower container 1 integrally comprises a bottom 12 and a cylindrical peripheral wall 14 that extends smoothly upward from the outer periphery of the bottom 12. The bottom 12 is a generally rectangular plate that is long from front to back, and the peripheral wall 14 is a generally square tube that widens slightly upward. The corners of the bottom 12 and the ridges of the peripheral wall 14 are gently curved. An insertion / removal opening 16 for inserting and removing the urine tray 5 is provided in the front of the peripheral wall 14. The lower container 1 is made of a synthetic resin such as polypropylene.

[0015] The intermediate container 3 integrally comprises a bottom 22 and a cylindrical peripheral wall 24 that gently slopes upward from the outer periphery of the bottom 22. The inner edge of the upper end of the peripheral wall 24, away from the bottom 22, forms the opening 2a of the toilet body 2. The height from the bottom 22 of the intermediate container 3 to the upper end of the peripheral wall 24 is lower than the height from the bottom 12 of the lower container 1 to the upper end 14a of the peripheral wall 14.

[0016] The bottom 22 of the intermediate container 3 is a generally rectangular plate with a central portion that bulges downward slightly, and has multiple urine passage holes 22a in the central portion. In other words, the bottom 22 of the intermediate container 3 has a shape that bulges downward toward the urine passage holes 22a. The multiple urine passage holes 22a are large enough to prevent at least cat litter (excrement treating agent) from passing through. The corners of the bottom 22 and the ridges of the peripheral wall 24 are gently curved. The intermediate container 3 is made of a synthetic resin such as polypropylene. The excrement treating agent (cat litter) is, for example, wood chips, minerals such as zeolite, pulp, or soy pulp refuse.

[0017] An annular flange portion 23 extending substantially horizontally outward is provided integrally and continuously at the upper end of the peripheral wall 24 away from the bottom 22 of the intermediate container 3. A cylindrical vertical wall 25 extending downward is provided integrally and continuously at the outer periphery of the flange portion 23 spaced outward from the upper end of the peripheral wall 24. In other words, an annular groove 21 surrounded by the peripheral wall 24, the flange portion 23, and the vertical wall 25 is formed on the outside of the upper end of the peripheral wall 24.

[0018] The peripheral wall 24 of the intermediate container 3 has a shape and size that allows it to be inserted and placed inside the peripheral wall 14 of the lower container 1. The vertical wall 25 of the intermediate container 3 has a shape and size that allows it to be placed outside the peripheral wall 14 of the lower container 1. Therefore, when the intermediate container 3 is placed inside the lower container 1, the upper end 14a of the peripheral wall 14 of the lower container 1 is inserted into the groove 21 of the intermediate container 3 and abuts against the underside of the flange portion 23.

[0019] In this manner, with the intermediate container 3 overlapping the inside of the lower container 1, the intermediate container 3 is positioned relative to the lower container 1. In this state, the bottom 22 of the intermediate container 3 is located above the bottom 12 of the lower container 1 and below the upper end 14a of the peripheral wall 14 of the lower container 1. In other words, with the intermediate container 3 overlapping the inside of the lower container 1, a space S is formed between the bottom 12 of the lower container 1 and the bottom 22 of the intermediate container 3.

[0020] The intermediate container 3 has two footrests 26R, 26L, one on the left and one on the right. The footrests 26R, 26L are provided on the left and right outer sides of the multiple urine passage holes 22a in the bottom 22, spanning from the inner surface of the bottom 22 to the inner surface of the peripheral wall 24. The footrests 26R, 26L are provided integrally with the inner surfaces of the bottom 22 and the peripheral wall 24. The footrests 26R, 26L protrude upward from the bottom 22.

[0021] One footrest 26R is provided at a position shifted rearward from the center in the longitudinal direction of the intermediate container 3 and to the right of the urine passage hole 22a. The other footrest 26L is provided at a position shifted rearward from the center in the longitudinal direction of the intermediate container 3 and to the left of the urine passage hole 22a.

[0022] The upper surfaces 26a of the two footrests 26R and 26L are arranged on an imaginary horizontal plane lower than the upper end of the peripheral wall 24 of the intermediate container 3. .child If the animal using the animal litter box 10 is a cat, it is expected that the cat will place its two front paws together on the upper surface 26a of one of the two footrests 26R, 26L. By placing its front paws on the upper surface 26a of the footrests 26R, 26L in this way, the cat's excretion posture can be stabilized, which encourages smooth excretion.

[0023] Guide lines 24a are provided on the inner surface of peripheral wall 24 to indicate the position of the top surface of the cat litter stored in intermediate container 3. Guide lines 24a are provided at a position lower than the top surfaces 26a of footrests 26R, 26L. Guide lines 24a are provided at a position approximately 3 cm higher than the inner surface of bottom 22 of intermediate container 3 so that the depth of cat litter will be approximately 3 cm when placed in intermediate container 3. If the animal using this animal litter box 10 is a cat, the cat litter has a habit of digging in the cat litter to hide its excrement after excreting, so the cat litter needs to be at a certain depth.

[0024] When cat litter is poured up to the guide line 24a, the upper surfaces 26a of the footrests 26R, 26L are positioned above the upper surface of the cat litter. The footrests 26R, 26L may be provided so as to protrude upward from the bottom 22 outside the urine passage hole 22a, and their positions, shapes, numbers, shapes and areas of the upper surfaces 26a are not limited to those in this embodiment and can be changed as desired. The area of ​​the upper surfaces 26a of the footrests 26R, 26L is large enough to accommodate a cat's two front paws, and is not intended for use with the cat's hind paws.

[0025] The intermediate container 3 has integral holding plates 28 for holding the half covers 6. The holding plates 28 protrude upward from the upper end of the peripheral wall 24 of the intermediate container 3 and are provided integrally with the peripheral wall 24. The holding plates 28 are provided in a generally U-shape along the cylindrical peripheral wall 24, at the rear and on both the left and right sides of the peripheral wall 24. The outer surface 28a of the holding plate 28 is a surface that extends upward from the outer surface of the vertical wall 25. The holding plates 28 function to support the outer surface near the lower end of the half covers 6 from the outside, with the lower edge 6b of the half covers 6 (described later) abutting against the upper surface of the flange portion 23.

[0026] The urine tray 5 is inserted into the space S between the bottom 12 of the lower container 1 and the bottom 22 of the intermediate container 3 through the insertion / removal opening 16 of the lower container 1. The urine tray 5 is formed in the shape of a container having a substantially rectangular bottom plate 5a and a substantially square frame-shaped side wall 5b integrally formed on the outer periphery of the bottom plate 5a. Finger hooks 5c on which the user can hook their fingers are provided at both ends of the urine tray 5 in the longitudinal direction. The urine tray 5 is formed from a synthetic resin such as polypropylene.

[0027] When the urine tray 5 is housed and placed in the space S via the insertion / removal opening 16 (for example, as shown in FIG. 1), it faces below the multiple urine passage holes 22a provided in the bottom 22 of the intermediate container 3. A urine absorption sheet (not shown) containing, for example, a polymer absorbent material may be placed on the urine tray 5.

[0028] Urine excreted by animals on the cat litter passes through the cat litter and reaches the bottom 22 of the intermediate container 3. The urine that reaches the bottom 22 flows along the inner surface shape of the bottom 22 into the multiple urine passage holes 22a, and flows out into the urine tray 5 through the multiple urine passage holes 22a. The urine that flows into the urine tray 5 may be absorbed by a urine absorption sheet and discarded together with the urine absorption sheet. Also, feces excreted by animals on the cat litter are removed and discarded together with the surrounding cat litter. The urine tray 5 has a front-to-back symmetrical shape so that it can be used upside down.

[0029] The half cover 6 is made by bending a long plate made of synthetic resin such as polypropylene into a U-shape. The half cover 6 may have a structure that allows it to be separated and connected in the center in the longitudinal direction, so that it can be packed together with the lower container 1 in a box that is slightly larger than the lower container 1 when the animal litter box 10 is shipped.

[0030] When attached to the intermediate container 3 (for example, as shown in Figure 2), the half cover 6 has a lower edge 6b that abuts against the upper surface of a flange portion 23 provided at the upper end of the peripheral wall 24 of the intermediate container 3. When attached to the intermediate container 3, the half cover 6 has an upper edge 6a that curves gently downward from the rear to the front of the toilet body 2. The front end of the upper edge 6a is connected to the front end of the lower edge 6b.

[0031] The half cover 6 has a central portion and both end portions that are divided into approximately three equal parts along its longitudinal direction. The central portion of the half cover 6, which is located at the rear of the toilet body 2, is inclined so that the upper edge 6a is positioned forward of the lower edge 6b. In other words, the rear portion of the half cover 6 is slightly inclined toward the inside of the toilet body 2. The end portions of the half cover 6, which are located on both the left and right sides of the toilet body 2, may be positioned approximately perpendicular to the flange portion 23 of the intermediate container 3, or may be inclined slightly inward.

[0032] The hood cover 4 is detachably attached to the toilet body 2 via two attachment members 8R and 8L, which will be described later. The hood cover 4 is also rotatably attached to the toilet body 2 via the attachment members 8R and 8L. The two attachment members 8R and 8L have a structure that allows the half cover 6 to be detachably attached to the intermediate container 3 of the toilet body 2.

[0033] The canopy cover 4 has multiple (three in this embodiment) canopy bones 32a, 32b, 32c (hereinafter, sometimes collectively referred to as canopy bones 32) and a canopy cloth 34. The canopy cover 4 also has two rotating members 36R, 36L. As shown in FIG. 4, each of the canopy bones 32a, 32b, 32c is formed as a thin, elongated plate, and each has a U-shaped curve. The three canopy bones 32a, 32b, 32c are attached by sewing to predetermined positions on the canopy cloth 34, which will be described later. The canopy bones 32a, 32b, 32c are made of synthetic resin, such as polypropylene.

[0034] The top bones 32 include a first top bone 32a that is located at the frontmost position when the top cover 4 is deployed to the closed position, a second top bone 32b that is located behind the first top bone 32a, and a third top bone 32c that is located behind the second top bone 32b. Figure 4 shows the positions of the top bones 32a, 32b, and 32c when the top cover 4 is deployed to the closed position. In Figure 4, the left mounting member 8L is not shown to make it easier to see the structure of the left rotating member 36L.

[0035] When the canopy cover 4 is deployed to the closed position, the first canopy bone 32a is positioned so as to overlap the outside of the vertical wall 25 of the intermediate container 3 (outside of the opening 2a). Therefore, for example, if the rotation center of the canopy bone 32 (i.e., the attachment position of the attachment members 8R and 8L described below) is located at the center of the toilet body 2 in the front-to-rear direction, the length of the first canopy bone 32a will be slightly longer than half the total length of the cylindrical vertical wall 25 of the intermediate container 3.

[0036] Furthermore, the first hood bone 32a has a length that does not interfere with the upper edge 6a of the half cover 6 when the hood cover 4 is stored in the open position shown in Fig. 2. In other words, the half cover 6 has a height and shape that allows the first hood bone 32a to extend beyond the upper edge 6a so that the hood cover 4 can be stored in the open position, and is tilted forward at an angle that does not interfere with the hood cover 4. The rotation center of the hood bone 32 need only be approximately in the center of the toilet body 2 in the longitudinal direction, and does not necessarily have to be located in the center.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 4, both ends of the first hood bone 32a are tapered and fit into the fitting recesses 36a of the two rotating members 36R, 36L. Each of the rotating members 36R, 36L is formed like a plate with a C-shaped hook portion 36b. For example, the fitting recess 36a, into which the left end of the first hood bone 32a fits, is formed by a groove provided in the plate thickness of the rotating member 36L adjacent to the hook portion 36b. The depth of the fitting recess 36a is approximately the same as the plate thickness of the first hood bone 32a, so that when the left end of the first hood bone 32a is fitted into the fitting recess 36a (as shown in FIG. 4), the surface of the rotating member 36L on the fitting recess 36a side is approximately flush with the surface of the first hood bone 32a.

[0038] Fig. 5 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the left-side rotating member 36L and the left-side mounting member 8L, and Fig. 6 is a front view of the mounting member 8L in Fig. 5 as seen from the front (in the direction of arrow F6). Fig. 5 does not show the first hood bone 32a, but only partially illustrates the left ends of the second and third hood bones 32b and 32c. The two rotating members 36R and 36L and the two mounting members 8R and 8L each have a symmetrical structure. Therefore, in the following explanation, the mounting structure of the hood cover 4 will be described mainly on the left side, and a detailed explanation of the right side will be omitted.

[0039] The second hood bone 32b is at least longer than the first hood bone 32a, and both ends of the second hood bone 32b are tapered. The third hood bone 32c is at least longer than the first hood bone 32a, and both ends of the third hood bone 32c are tapered. The second and third hood bones 32b, 32c are curved in a U-shape. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the left end of the second hood bone 32b and the left end of the third hood bone 32c are positioned within the notch of the hook portion 36b of the rotating member 36L. The plate thickness of the second and third hood bones 32b, 32c is slightly thinner than the plate thickness of the rotating member 36L.

[0040] The second hood bones 32b and the third hood bones 32c are formed to an appropriate length to ensure sufficient internal space for the hood cover 4 when the hood cover 4 is deployed in the closed position, and to keep the height of the animal litter box 10 at a predetermined height. The second hood bones 32b and the third hood bones 32c are arranged in appropriate positions to ensure sufficient internal space for the hood cover 4 when the hood cover 4 is deployed in the closed position, and to keep the height of the animal litter box 10 at a predetermined height. The second and third hood bones 32b, 32c may be the same length or different lengths. In this embodiment, the second hood bone 32b and the third hood bone 32c are made to be approximately the same length.

[0041] The length of the second hood bone 32b and its angle when the hood cover 4 is deployed to the closed position are set to values ​​that allow a sufficiently large opening 4a to be formed in the first portion 34a (FIG. 1) of the hood cloth 34 stretched between the first hood bone 32a and the second hood bone 32b when the hood cover 4 is deployed to the closed position. For example, by increasing the angle between the first hood bone 32a and the second hood bone 32b, the area of ​​the first portion 34a of the hood cloth 34 can be increased, allowing for a relatively large opening 4a to be formed.

[0042] In this embodiment, the left-to-right width of the entrance 4a is set to approximately 190 mm at its widest point, the height from the lower edge to the upper edge of the entrance 4a is set to approximately 200 mm, and the height from the lower end surface of the animal litter box 10 (the floor surface when the animal litter box 10 is placed on the floor, etc.) to the lower edge of the entrance 4a is set to approximately 120 mm. Furthermore, when the canopy cover 4 is deployed to the closed position, the angle of the second canopy bone 32b relative to the first canopy bone 32a is set to an angle that allows an entrance 4a of the above size to be formed in the first portion 34a. Note that the shape and size of the entrance 4a need only allow animals to enter and exit, and are not limited to the size of this embodiment and can be changed as desired.

[0043] The length of the third hood bone 32c and its angle when the hood cover 4 is deployed to the closed position are set to values ​​that allow the upper surface of the second portion 34b of the hood cloth 34 stretched between the second hood bone 32b and the third hood bone 32c to be positioned approximately horizontally when the hood cover 4 is deployed to the closed position. In this embodiment, the second hood bone 32b and the third hood bone 32c are made the same length, so the angle at which the second hood bone 32b tilts forward relative to the vertical direction and the angle at which the third hood bone 32c tilts backward relative to the vertical direction are approximately the same.

[0044] If another hood bone (not shown) of the same length were placed between the second hood bone 32b and the third hood bone 32c, the second portion 34b of the hood cloth 34 between the second hood bone 32b and the third hood bone 32c would protrude upward, increasing the overall height of the animal litter box 10. In other words, in order to keep the overall height of the animal litter box 10 to a predetermined height while ensuring a sufficiently wide internal space in the hood cover 4, it is effective to position the upper surface of the second portion 34b of the hood cloth 34 between the second hood bone 32b and the third hood bone 32c approximately horizontally, and it is effective to position the three hood bones 32a, 32b, 32c at an appropriate angle to each other, as in this embodiment.

[0045] 5 and 6, the left-side mounting member 8L integrally comprises a substantially disc-shaped outer portion 41, a substantially rectangular plate-shaped inner portion 42 arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the inner side of the outer portion 41 (to the right in the figure), and a cylindrical shaft portion 43 provided between the outer portion 41 and the inner portion 42. The mounting member 8L has an annular groove 44 on the outside of the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion 43 between the outer portion 41 and the inner portion 42. The shaft portion 43 forms the rotation center of the canopy cover 4 when the mounting member 8L is incorporated into the animal litter box 10.

[0046] The mounting member 8L has a holding portion 45 integrally formed inside the inner portion 42 for holding the lower edge 6b of the half cover 6. The upper end of the inner portion 42 is bent inward (to the right in the figure) at a substantially right angle. The holding portion 45 is provided integrally and contiguous with the upper end of the bent inner portion 42. A groove 46 is formed between the inner portion 42 and the holding portion 45, into which the upper end of the holding plate 28 of the intermediate container 3 is inserted.

[0047] The holding portion 45 has a groove 45a that receives the lower edge 6b of the half cover 6. The groove 45a extends downward from the upper end of the holding portion 45. The holding portion 45 also has a protrusion 45b that protrudes inward from the groove 45a. The protrusion 45b protrudes from the inner surface of the inner side of the groove 45a toward the outer surface of the groove 45a.

[0048] The mounting member 8L has an engaging claw 47 that protrudes further inward than the inner portion 42. The engaging claw 47 is provided near the lower end of the inner portion 42, spaced apart below the holding portion 45. The distance between the bottom of the groove 46 between the inner portion 42 and the holding portion 45 and the engaging claw 47 is set to be approximately the same length as the width from the lower edge of the vertical wall 25 of the intermediate container 3 to the upper edge of the holding plate portion 28.

[0049] The canopy cloth 34 is preferably made of a thin, lightweight, and highly stretchable material. It is also preferably made of a material that is highly waterproof and breathable. In this embodiment, a knitted material is laminated with a stretchable polyurethane film, and a cloth material with a water pressure resistance of approximately 15,000 mm and a breathability of 15,000 g / m2 / 24 h is used as the canopy cloth 34. The material of the canopy cloth 34 is not limited to the material used in this embodiment, and other materials can also be used.

[0050] The canopy cloth 34 is provided with a ring-shaped elastic member 38 around the periphery of the entrance 4a provided in the first portion 34a. The elastic member 38 is made of an elastic material such as rubber and is formed into a ring shape, and is attached to the edge of the entrance 4a in a slightly stretched state (with the ring expanded).

[0051] A method for assembling the animal litter box 10 having the above structure will now be described. First, the intermediate container 3 is placed inside the lower container 1, and the urine tray 5 is inserted into the space S through the insertion / removal opening 16 to assemble the toilet body 2. At this time, a urine absorbent sheet may be placed inside the urine tray 5.

[0052] Also, three hood bones 32a, 32b, 32c are attached to predetermined positions of the hood cloth 34, and the hood cover 4 is prepared by attaching the rotating members 36R, 36L to both ends of the first hood bone 32a.

[0053] Next, the two mounting members 8R and 8L are attached to the holding plate portion 28 of the intermediate container 3. At this time, the right-side mounting member 8R is placed opposite the notch 29R (FIG. 3) provided on the right side of the holding plate 28, and the upper edge of the holding plate 28 is inserted into the groove 46 of the mounting member 8R to engage the groove 46 with the notch 29R. Then, the engaging claw 47 of the mounting member 8R is engaged with the lower edge of the vertical wall 25 below the notch 29R. This fixes the mounting member 8R to the intermediate container 3.

[0054] At this time, the left-side mounting member 8L is placed opposite the notch 29L (FIG. 3) provided on the left side of the holding plate 28, and the upper edge of the holding plate 28 is inserted into the groove 46 of the mounting member 8L to engage the groove 46 with the notch 29L. Then, the engaging claw 47 of the mounting member 8L is engaged with the lower edge of the vertical wall 25 below the notch 29L. This fixes the mounting member 8L to the intermediate container 3.

[0055] Furthermore, after this, the half cover 6 is attached to the toilet body 2 via the two attachment members 8R and 8L. At this time, the right-side notch 6R provided on the lower edge 6b of the half cover 6 is opposed to the holding portion 45 of the right-side mounting member 8R, the lower edge 6b of the half cover 6 is inserted into the groove 45a of the holding portion 45 of the mounting member 8R, and the notch 6R is engaged with the bottom of the groove 45a. As a result, the protrusion 45b protruding from the groove 45a of the holding portion 45 engages with an engagement hole (not shown) provided above and spaced from the notch 6R of the half cover 6, and the right side of the half cover 6 is fixed to the mounting member 8R.

[0056] At this time, the left-side notch 6L provided on the lower edge 6b of the half cover 6 is opposed to the holding portion 45 of the left-side mounting member 8L, the lower edge 6b of the half cover 6 is inserted into the groove 45a of the holding portion 45 of the mounting member 8L, and the notch 6L is engaged with the bottom of the groove 45a. As a result, the protrusion 45b protruding from the groove 45a of the holding portion 45 engages with an engagement hole (not shown) provided above and spaced from the notch 6L of the half cover 6, and the left side of the half cover 6 is fixed to the mounting member 8L.

[0057] Finally, the hood cover 4 is attached to the toilet body 2 via the two attachment members 8R and 8L. At this time, the hook portion 36b of the right-side pivoting member 36R of the top cover 4 is inserted into the annular groove 44 of the right-side mounting member 8R, and the hook portion 36b is hooked onto the shaft portion 43 of the mounting member 8R. Then, the right ends of the second top bone 32b and the third top bone 32c are inserted into the annular groove 44 of the mounting member 8R with them positioned in the notches of the hook portion 36b. As a result, the right ends of the three top bones 32a, 32b, and 32c are rotatably mounted to the mounting member 8R.

[0058] At this time, the hook portion 36b of the left rotating member 36L of the top cover 4 is inserted into the annular groove 44 of the left mounting member 8L, and the hook portion 36b is hooked onto the shaft portion 43 of the mounting member 8L. Then, the left ends of the second top bone 32b and the third top bone 32c are inserted into the annular groove 44 of the mounting member 8L with them positioned in the notches of the hook portion 36b. As a result, the left ends of the three top bones 32a, 32b, and 32c are rotatably mounted to the mounting member 8L.

[0059] The rear edge of the third portion 34c of the hood cloth 34, located behind the third hood bone 32c, is fixed to the rear vertical wall 25 and / or the retaining plate 28 of the intermediate container 3 via a fixing member (not shown). Alternatively, a fourth hood bone (not shown), having rotating members 36R and 36L attached to both ends in the same manner as the first hood bone 32a, may be attached by sewing to the rear edge of the third portion 34c of the hood cloth 34, and this fourth hood bone may be fixed to the rear of the intermediate container 3. In this case, the fourth hood bone is located outside the rear vertical wall 25 of the intermediate container 3.

[0060] The animal litter box 10 may also be equipped with a fixing claw (not shown) for fixing the front edge of the canopy cover 4 to the litter box body 2, and / or a fixing claw (not shown) for fixing the rear edge of the canopy cover 4 to the litter box body 2. The front fixing claw may be provided on the first canopy bone 32a that is positioned in front of the litter box body 2 when the canopy cover 4 is deployed in the closed position, or may be attached to the front edge of the first portion 34a of the canopy cloth 34. The rear fixing claw may be provided on the fourth canopy bone if a fourth canopy bone is provided at the rear of the litter box body 2, or may be attached to the rear edge of the third portion 34c of the canopy cloth 34.

[0061] When using the animal litter box 10, with the hood cover 4 in the open position, a predetermined amount of cat litter is poured into the intermediate container 3 through the opening 2a. The optimal amount of cat litter to be poured in is the amount that allows the top surface of the cat litter to reach the guide line 24a on the intermediate container 3. When the cat litter is poured up to the guide line 24a, the top surfaces 26a of the footrests 26R, 26L are positioned above the top surface of the cat litter.

[0062] The functions and effects of the above-described animal litter box 10 will be described below. The animal litter box 10 of this embodiment is provided with foot rests 26R, 26L in two locations outside the urine passage hole 22a of the intermediate container 3. An animal using the animal litter box 10 enters the animal litter box 10 through the entrance / exit 4a and excretes urine and feces onto the cat litter. At this time, the animal turns around inside the animal litter box 10 and assumes a posture that is favorable for excretion while using the foot rests 26R, 26L. At this time, the animal's hind paws are placed on the cat litter.

[0063] If the animal is a cat, it is assumed that the cat will place its two front paws together on the upper surfaces 26a of the footrests 26R, 26L, and excrete urine or feces in a stable excretion position. Alternatively, the cat may place its two front paws together on the front upper surface of the flange portion 23 of the intermediate container 3 near the entrance 4a, and excrete urine or feces in a stable position. When a cat enters the animal litter box 10 and places its front paws on the front upper surface of the flange portion 23, its head will come out through the entrance 4a, allowing the cat to stabilize its excretion position.

[0064] In contrast, even if a cat tries to place its front paws on the rear or upper left and right sides of the flange portion 23 covered by the canopy cover 4, its head will hit the inner surface of the canopy cover 4, making it unable to maintain a stable posture. Therefore, in this embodiment, foot rests 26R, 26L are provided in a position offset towards the rear of the toilet body 2, away from the entrance 4a, to provide a structure on which the cat can place its front paws at the rear of the toilet body 2. In this position, the cat's excretion posture can be stabilized without its head coming into contact with the canopy cover 4.

[0065] When a cat takes a position with its front paws on the upper surfaces 26a of the footrests 26R and 26L (or the upper surfaces of the front flange portions 23), its two hind paws inevitably rest on the cat litter. If the cat excretes urine or feces in this position, the excrement is excreted onto the cat litter. Because multiple urine passage holes 22a are provided in the center of the bottom 22 of the intermediate container 3 that contains the cat litter, urine excreted onto the cat litter passes through the urine passage holes 22a and is absorbed by the urine absorption sheet of the urine tray 5. Therefore, even if the hind paws come into contact with the cat litter, the hind paws are less likely to get dirty. Needless to say, because the front paws are on the upper surfaces 26a of the footrests 26R and 26L (or the upper surfaces of the front flange portions 23), there is little chance that they will come into contact with excrement.

[0066] That is, by providing the footrests 26R, 26L outside the urine passage hole 22a at positions offset toward the rear of the litter box body 2 as in this embodiment, the cat can stabilize its excretion posture even when standing on soft cat litter, allowing for smooth excretion. Therefore, this embodiment can prevent health problems caused by difficulty in excretion, and maintain the animal's good health.

[0067] Furthermore, by providing footrests 26R, 26L, it is possible to prevent the problem of the animal's feet getting dirty with excrement. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the animal's feet from getting dirty, so even if an animal leaves the animal litter box 10 and walks on the floor on which the animal litter box 10 is installed, it will not cause the problem of soiling the floor.

[0068] If the animal using the animal litter box 10 of this embodiment is a cat, cats have a habit of digging in cat litter after excreting, so the cat litter needs to be poured to a certain depth (approximately 3 cm in this embodiment) into the intermediate container 3. To get the cat litter to a certain depth, a large amount of cat litter needs to be poured into the intermediate container 3.

[0069] The animal litter box 10 of this embodiment is equipped with two foot rests 26R, 26L that protrude upward from the bottom 22 of the intermediate container 3. As a result, the volume of the intermediate container 3 up to the reference line 24a is smaller than when foot rests 26R, 26L are not provided. In other words, by providing foot rests 26R, 26L on the intermediate container 3 as in this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the amount of cat litter used and reduce the cost of using the animal litter box 10.

[0070] Figure 7 shows a modified example of the animal litter box 10 of the first embodiment described above. As in this modified example, a membrane-like lid member 39 that covers the entrance 4a may be provided on the front of the canopy cover 4. The lid member 39 may be made of the same fabric material as the canopy cloth 34, for example. The lid member 39 can be attached to the canopy cover 4 by fixing its upper end to the first portion 34a near the upper edge of the entrance 4a.

[0071] The lid member 39 has an outer peripheral edge that overlaps the periphery of the entrance 4a when attached to the hood cover 4. The lid member 39 has a notch 39a that extends vertically in the center in the left-right direction. The lid member 39 can be folded together with the hood cover 4 and stored together with the hood cover 4 in the open position.

[0072] By providing a lid member 39 at the entrance 4a, when the canopy cover 4 is deployed to the closed position, all of the openings 2a of the litter box body 2 of the animal litter box 10 can be closed. Therefore, when the animal litter box 10 is placed in a living room or the like, the canopy cover 4 can be deployed to the closed position to prevent the inside of the litter box body 2 from being seen, improving the aesthetic appearance of the animal litter box 10. Furthermore, because the canopy cover 4 can be closed to block all of the openings 2a, it is possible to prevent the problem of odors generated by animal excrement escaping to the outside through the openings 2a.

[0073] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and various modifications can be made in the implementation stage without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments and modifications may be implemented in appropriate combinations, in which case the combined effects can be obtained. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by combining selected elements from the disclosed elements. For example, if the problem can be solved and the desired effect can be obtained even if some elements are deleted from all elements shown in the embodiments, the configuration from which these elements are deleted can be extracted as an invention.

[0074] In the above-described embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to a double-structured litter box body 2 in which an intermediate container 3 is stacked inside a lower container 1, but this is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can also be applied to an animal litter box having a single-layer container-shaped litter box body that does not have a urine passage hole 22a or a urine tray 5.

[0075] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to an animal litter box 10 equipped with a hood cover 4, but the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to, for example, an animal litter box that does not have a hood cover or the like. The inventions described in the claims of the present application as originally filed are as follows: [1] a container having a bottom and a peripheral wall; a plurality of urine passage holes provided through the bottom portion in a central portion of the bottom portion away from the peripheral wall; a footrest protruding upward from the bottom outside the urine passage hole; An animal toilet having: [2] The bottom of the container has a central portion where the urine passage hole is provided that bulges downward. [1] Animal toilet. [3] The upper surface of the footrest is disposed substantially horizontally. [1] or [2] Animal litter box. [4] The container further includes a urine tray provided below the urine passage hole at the bottom of the container. An animal litter box as defined in any of [1] to [3]. [5] a container having a bottom and a peripheral wall; a cover that covers an opening of the container in a dome shape and is surrounded by the upper end of the peripheral wall; an animal entrance provided on the front surface of the cover; a footrest protruding upward from the bottom at a rear of the container away from the entrance; An animal toilet having: [6] the bottom of the container has a plurality of urine passage holes penetrating the bottom at a central portion away from the peripheral wall, The footrest is provided outside the urine passage hole. [5] Animal toilet. [7] The container further includes a urine tray provided below the urine passage hole at the bottom of the container. [5] Animal toilet. [8] [4] and [7], and At least one of an excrement treating agent used in the animal litter box and a urine absorbing sheet placed on the urine tray; An animal toilet set equipped with [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1...lower container, 2...toilet body, 2a...opening, 3...intermediate container, 4...canopy cover, 4a...entrance / exit, 5...urine tray, 6...half cover, 8R, 8L...mounting parts, 10...animal toilet, 24a...guide lines, 26R, 26L...footrest, 26a...top surface, 32...canopy frame, 34...canopy cloth, 39...lid part.

Claims

1. a container having a bottom and a peripheral wall; a plurality of urine passage holes provided through the bottom portion in a central portion of the bottom portion away from the peripheral wall; a footrest having an upper surface lower than the upper end of the peripheral wall and protruding upward from the bottom outside the urine passage hole; An animal toilet having:

2. The bottom of the container has a central portion where the urine passage hole is provided that bulges downward. The animal litter box of claim 1.

3. The upper surface of the footrest is disposed substantially horizontally. The animal litter box according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The container further includes a urine tray provided below the urine passage hole at the bottom of the container. The animal litter box according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. a container having a bottom and a peripheral wall; a cover that covers an opening of the container in a dome shape and is surrounded by the upper end of the peripheral wall; an animal entrance provided on the front surface of the cover; a footrest having an upper surface lower than the upper end of the peripheral wall and projecting upward from the bottom at a rear of the container away from the entrance; An animal toilet having:

6. the bottom of the container has a plurality of urine passage holes penetrating the bottom at a central portion away from the peripheral wall, The footrest is provided outside the urine passage hole. The animal litter box of claim 5.

7. The bottom of the container has a plurality of urine passage holes penetrating the bottom at a central portion away from the peripheral wall, The container further includes a urine tray provided below the urine passage hole at the bottom of the container. The animal litter box of claim 5.

8. The animal litter box according to any one of claims 4 and 7, At least one of an excrement treating agent used in the animal litter box and a urine absorbing sheet placed on the urine tray; An animal toilet set equipped with

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