Animal toilets and animal toilet sets

Abstract

To provide an animal toilet that can facilitate the entry and exit of an animal, can restrain the scattering of an excrement treatment agent, and can facilitate cleaning, and an animal toilet set.SOLUTION: An animal toilet 10 comprises a toilet body 3 housing cat litter, and a return member 7 detachably attached to a fitting concave part 28 of the toilet body 3, and covering a portion of an opening part 3a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

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] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a pet toilet disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, is known as a cat toilet. The pet toilet in Patent Document 1 has a main body that receives excrement and a cover attached to the top of the main body. The main body has a structure in which an upper container with multiple urine passage holes is placed on a lower container. A granular excrement treatment agent is placed in the upper container. A sheet that absorbs urine that passes through the urine passage holes is placed in the space between the upper and lower containers.

[0003] The cover has an entrance on its front side for the cat to enter and exit. The cover is integrally provided with a foot rest that extends horizontally inward from the lower periphery of the entrance, and an upright wall that rises upward from the inner edge of the foot rest.

[0004] Cats have the habit of pouring excrement treatment agent over their excrement after defecating and then covering it up. In this case, the foot rest and vertical wall of the cover prevent the excrement treatment agent from splashing out of the entrance. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-22414 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The pet toilet in Patent Document 1 has a vertical wall portion that protrudes upward from the lower edge of the entrance to the cover, so the actual lower end position of the entrance is higher by the height of the vertical wall portion, making it difficult for cats to enter and exit.

[0007] Furthermore, the pet toilet of Patent Document 1 has the footrest and standing wall portions integrated with the cover portion, so when cleaning the footrest and standing wall portions that have become soiled by splashes of excrement treatment agent, it is necessary to remove the cover portion from the main body portion, which is a time-consuming task.

[0008] 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 allow animals to enter and exit easily, suppress the scattering of excrement treatment agents, and make cleaning easy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One embodiment of the animal litter box of the present invention comprises a container-shaped litter box body that contains an excrement treating agent and receives animal excrement; The flange extends outwardly and horizontally, and has a recessed portion formed by recessing the upper surface of the flange, and a lower surface that can contact the bottom surface of the recessed portion. To cover part of it Fit into and a plate-shaped return plate portion without a through hole that can be detachably fitted into the mating recess. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, an animal litter box and an animal litter box set can be provided that allow animals to easily enter and exit, suppress the scattering of excrement treatment agents, and make cleaning easier. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [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 exploded perspective view of the animal litter box of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the animal litter box of FIG. 1 taken along line F3-F3. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the animal litter box of FIG. 1 taken along line F4-F4. [Figure 5] 5 is a perspective view of the return member of FIG. 2 as viewed obliquely from below. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the animal litter box of FIG. 1 taken along line F6-F6. [Figure 7] 7 is a partially enlarged plan view of the right support part of the animal litter box of FIG. 1, viewed from above. [Figure 8] 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the frontmost canopy bone and its surrounding members of the animal litter box of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the right fixing member in FIG. 8 as seen obliquely from behind. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, the animal litter box 10 according to this embodiment has a container-shaped litter box body 3 and a hood cover 4 (cover). The hood cover 4 has a pair of left and right support parts 6L, 6R on the lower edge on the litter box body 3 side. The pair of support parts 6L, 6R removably attach the hood cover 4 to the litter box body 3. In the following explanation, the direction of arrow F in Figure 1 is defined as the front, and the direction of the opposite arrow R is defined as the rear, and the up, down, left and right directions are defined when the animal litter box 10 is viewed from the front (left side in the figure).

[0013] When deployed in the closed position shown in the figure, the canopy cover 4 forms a dome-like shape over the opening 3a of the toilet body 3. When stored in the open position (not shown), which will be described later, the canopy cover 4 fully opens the opening 3a of the toilet body 3. 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 3 in order to make the internal space of the canopy cover 4 a relatively large space for an animal to enter.

[0014] The canopy cover 4 comprises a canopy bone 42a (see Figure 2) fixed at both ends by a pair of support parts 6L, 6R, a canopy bone 42d (see Figure 2) rotatable around the pair of support parts 6L, 6R, two canopy bones 42b, 42c separated from the pair of support parts 6L, 6R, and a canopy cloth 44 to which the four canopy bones 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d are sewn in predetermined positions.

[0015] The rearmost hood rib 42a is fixedly positioned overlapping the outside of the upper rear edge of the toilet body 3. The hood cover 4 can be opened and closed between a closed position that covers the opening 3a of the toilet body 3 and an open position that opens the opening 3a by rotating the other three hood ribs 42b, 42c, 42d around the supports 6L and 6R.

[0016] The canopy cover 4 can be deployed to the closed position by rotating the canopy bones 42b, 42c, 42d from rear to front about the pair of support parts 6L, 6R, and overlapping the frontmost canopy bone 42d with the outside of the front upper edge of the toilet body 3. The canopy cover 4 can also be stored in the open position, displaced to the rear of the toilet body 3, by rotating the canopy bones 42b, 42c, 42d from front to rear about the pair of support parts 6L, 6R, and placing the frontmost canopy bone 42d in a position displaced to the rear of the toilet body 3.

[0017] The open position in which the canopy cover 4 is stored is below the opening 3a at the rear of the litter box body 3. The canopy cover 4 is stored in the open position in a folded state. Therefore, without removing the canopy cover 4 from the litter box body 3, the opening 3a of the animal litter box 10 can be fully opened with the canopy cover 4 stored in the open position, making it easy to add and replace excrement treatment agents and clean the inside of the litter box body 3.

[0018] When the canopy cover 4 is deployed to the closed position as shown in Figure 1, the animal litter box 10 has an entrance / exit 4a on the front surface of the canopy cover 4 opposite the open position that is large enough to allow animals to enter and exit. The entrance / exit 4a is a hole provided in the canopy cover 4, and when the canopy cover 4 is deployed to the closed position, it allows animals to enter and exit the animal litter box 10. When the canopy cover 4 is stored in the open position, the entrance / exit 4a is also stored in the open position.

[0019] This animal litter box 10 can be used as a toilet for relatively small animals such as cats kept at home. Here, the animal litter box 10 of this embodiment will be described as being used by cats, but other animals such as small dogs may also use the animal litter box 10 of this embodiment.

[0020] Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the animal litter box 10. Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the animal litter box 10 taken along line F3-F3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the animal litter box 10 taken along line F4-F4 in Fig. 1. The canopy cloth 44 is not shown in Fig. 3. As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the litter box body 3 includes a lower container 1, an upper container 2, a urine tray 5, and a return member 7.

[0021] The lower container 1 integrally comprises a generally rectangular bottom 12 that is long from front to back, and a cylindrical peripheral wall 14 that extends smoothly upward from the outer periphery of the bottom 12. The ridges and corners between the bottom 12 and the peripheral wall 14 are gently curved. The lower container 1 is made of a synthetic resin such as polypropylene.

[0022] The bottom 12 has a generally rectangular opening 11 in the center that is long from front to back. The opening 11 is formed to be slightly smaller than the urine tray 5, which will be described later. Therefore, when the urine tray 5 is placed on the upper surface 12a of the bottom 12 of the lower container 1, the opening 11 is covered by the urine tray 5. The periphery of the opening 11 is formed in a curved shape with no corners. A ring-shaped reinforcing rib 11a of a predetermined width (see Figures 2 and 3) is provided on the outside of the opening 11, causing the bottom 12 to partially protrude upward.

[0023] 3 and 4, an annular outer convex portion 17 and an annular inner convex portion 18 are provided on the lower surface 12b side of the bottom portion 12. The outer convex portion 17 is provided at a position spaced apart from the periphery of the opening hole 11 to the outside of the opening hole 11 by the amount of the reinforcing rib 11a. The outer convex portion 17 is provided integrally with the lower surface 12b of the bottom portion 12 and protrudes downward.

[0024] The inner convex portion 18 is provided integrally and protrudes downward from the periphery of the opening 11. In other words, the inner convex portion 18 has a shape in which the periphery of the opening 11 is bent downward at a substantially right angle. In yet other words, the inner convex portion 18 is provided in an annular shape along the inner periphery of the reinforcing rib 11a that protrudes toward the upper surface 12a of the bottom 12, and the outer convex portion 17 is provided in an annular shape along the outer periphery of the reinforcing rib 11a.

[0025] The outer convex portion 17 and the inner convex portion 18 protrude from the underside 12b of the bottom 12 to approximately the same height, and the protruding tip of the outer convex portion 17 and the protruding tip of the inner convex portion 18 are arranged in the same imaginary plane. Therefore, when the animal litter box 10 is placed on the floor, the entire weight of the animal litter box 10 is applied to the floor surface via the outer convex portion 17 and the inner convex portion 18. The inner convex portion 18 is provided so that the user's fingers will not be injured by the periphery of the opening 11 when they come into contact with the periphery of the opening 11.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 3, two left and right guide plates 13L, 13R extending in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the lower container 1, and two left and right support rails 19 are integrally provided on the upper surface 12a side of the bottom 12. The two guide plates 13L, 13R have approximately the same structure, and the two support rails 19 also have approximately the same structure. Fig. 3 shows only the structure on the right side (guide plate 13R, support rail 19) as a representative example.

[0027] The guide plates 13L, 13R are erected substantially vertically upward from the upper surface 12a of the bottom 12, and are inclined so that the distance between them gradually increases from the rear to the front of the lower container 1. The guide plates 13L, 13R guide both the left and right sides of the urine tray 5 when the urine tray 5 is inserted through an insertion / removal opening 16 (described later) of the lower container 1. That is, as shown in Figure 3, when the urine tray 5 is placed on the upper surface 12a of the bottom 12 of the lower container 1, the left and right ends of the urine tray 5 are close to the inner surfaces of the guide plates 13L, 13R with a small gap between them.

[0028] The support rail 19 is provided approximately vertically upward from the upper surface 12a of the bottom portion 12, inside the pair of guide plates 13L, 13R along the short direction of the lower container 1. The upper end of the support rail 19 is disposed on an imaginary horizontal plane, and is able to slidably support the lower surface of the urine tray 5. As shown in FIG. 3, the support rail 19 is provided in a position that overlaps exactly above the outer protrusion 17 provided on the lower surface 12b of the lower container 1. In other words, the support rail 19 is provided along the outer peripheral edge of the reinforcing rib 11a that protrudes toward the upper surface 12a of the bottom portion 12.

[0029] The peripheral wall 14 of the lower container 1 is formed in a generally square tubular shape that widens slightly upward from the outer periphery of the bottom 12. The peripheral wall 14 has an annular folded portion 15 around the entire periphery of its upper edge. The folded portion 15 is formed by folding the upper edge of the peripheral wall 14 outward by approximately 180° along its entire length, resulting in a generally U-shaped cross section. An insertion / removal opening 16 for inserting and removing the urine tray 5 is provided in the peripheral wall 14 at the front of the lower container 1.

[0030] The upper container 2 integrally comprises a generally rectangular bottom 22 that is long in the front-to-rear direction, a cylindrical peripheral wall 24 that gently curves upward from the outer periphery of the bottom 22, and a frame-shaped vertical wall 26 that is continuous with the upper end 24a of the peripheral wall 24 via a flange 23. The vertical wall 26 is disposed at a position spaced apart from the outer surface of the peripheral wall 24. The bottom 22, peripheral wall 24, flange 23, and vertical wall 26 are smoothly connected. The upper container 2 is formed from a synthetic resin such as polypropylene.

[0031] The bottom 22 has a shape that bulges slightly downward toward its center, and has multiple urine passage holes 22a in its central portion. The multiple urine passage holes 22a are large enough to prevent at least cat litter (excrement treating agent) from passing through. Four legs 21 protrude from the underside of the bottom 22 outside the multiple urine passage holes 22a, and are placed on the floor when the upper container 2 is placed alone on the floor or the like. The four legs 21 protrude downward from the downwardly bulging central portion of the bottom 22.

[0032] The peripheral wall 24 widens slightly from the bottom 22 toward its upper end 24a. The inner edge of the upper end 24a of the peripheral wall 24 forms the opening 3a of the litter box body 3. The height of the peripheral wall 24 is lower at a front portion than at other portions. In other words, the front portion of the upper end 24a of the peripheral wall 24 is slanted downward. By lowering the height of only the front portion of the peripheral wall 24 in this way, the entrance 4a of the hood cover 4 can be located at a lower position, making it easier for cats to enter and exit the animal litter box 10.

[0033] An annular flange portion 23 extending substantially horizontally outward is integrally and continuously formed around the entire periphery of the upper end 24a of the peripheral wall 24. A cylindrical vertical wall 26 extending downward is integrally and continuously formed around the outer peripheral edge of the flange portion 23 spaced outward from the upper end 24a of the peripheral wall 24. The vertical wall 26 expands slightly outward and downward from the outer peripheral edge of the flange portion 23. The lower edge of the vertical wall 26 opposite the flange portion 23 is disposed on an imaginary horizontal plane along its entire circumferential length.

[0034] Because the upper end 24a of the peripheral wall 24 is lower only in a front portion, the front portion of the flange portion 23 is lower than the other portions. Also, while the lower edge of the vertical wall 26 is disposed on a horizontal plane, the upper end 24a of the peripheral wall 24 is lower only in a front portion, so the vertical width of the vertical wall 26 is narrower in a front portion of the upper container 2 than in the other portions. In other words, the flange portion 23 and the vertical wall 26 have a shape following the upper end 24a of the peripheral wall 24.

[0035] 3 and 4, a plurality of reinforcing plate pieces 25 are provided between the peripheral wall 24 and the vertical wall 26 of the upper container 2, spaced apart in the circumferential direction. The reinforcing plate pieces 25 are provided so as to integrally connect the outer surface of the peripheral wall 24 of the upper container 2, the lower surface of the flange portion 23, and the inner surface of the vertical wall 26. The lower edge of each reinforcing plate piece 25 is disposed on an imaginary horizontal plane, and when the upper container 2 is placed inside the lower container 1, the upper surface of the folded portion 15 of the lower container 1 abuts against the reinforcing plate pieces 25.

[0036] The peripheral wall 24 of the upper container 2 has a shape and size that allows it to be inserted and placed inside the peripheral wall 14 of the lower container 1. In addition, the vertical wall 26 of the upper container 2 has a shape and size that allows it to be placed outside the peripheral wall 14 of the lower container 1. Therefore, when the upper container 2 is placed inside the lower container 1, the folded portion 15 of the lower container 1 is inserted between the peripheral wall 24 and the vertical wall 26 of the upper container 2, and the top surface of the folded portion 15 abuts against the lower edges of the multiple reinforcing plate pieces 25.

[0037] In this way, with the upper container 2 overlapping the inside of the lower container 1, the upper container 2 is positioned relative to the lower container 1. In this state, the bottom 22 of the upper container 2 is located above the bottom 12 of the lower container 1 and below the folded-back portion 15 at the top end of the lower container 1. In other words, with the upper container 2 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 upper container 2.

[0038] The upper container 2 has a pair of fitting grooves 27L, 27R at its upper edge for fitting the pair of support portions 6L, 6R of the hood cover 4. The fitting grooves 27L, 27R are provided at positions that are symmetrical with respect to an imaginary center line extending in the longitudinal direction of the upper container 2. The fitting grooves 27L, 27R are provided at approximately the center in the front-to-rear direction of the upper container 2. The fitting grooves 27L, 27R have a shape in which the inner surface on the side of the upper end 24a of the peripheral wall 24 of the upper container 2, the upper surface of the flange portion 23, and the outer surface of the vertical wall 26 are partially recessed.

[0039] The upper container 2 also has a fitting recess 28 at its front upper edge for fitting the return member 7. The fitting recess 28 is provided at a lowered portion of the front peripheral wall 24 of the upper container 2. There are. The fitting recess 28 is provided by partially recessing the upper surface of the flange portion 23 of the upper container 2 and the outer surface of the vertical wall 26. The fitting recess 28 is provided over the front portion of the upper container 2, a portion in front of the right side portion, and a portion in front of the left side portion.

[0040] The upper container 2 has guide lines 29 on the inner surface of the peripheral wall 24 that indicate the amount of cat litter or other excrement treatment agent to be added. A predetermined amount of cat litter is added into the upper container 2. The amount of cat litter added is preferably an amount appropriate for a cat to scratch the litter and sprinkle on the excrement after excretion, and is preferably about 3 cm deep. For this reason, the guide lines 29 are positioned to indicate the top surface of the cat litter when an amount of cat litter that will reach a depth of 3 cm has been added. Materials that can be used as the excrement treatment agent (cat litter) include wood chips, minerals such as zeolite, pulp, and soy pulp pulp.

[0041] 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 upper container 2 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.

[0042] 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 upper container 2. A moisture absorbing member (not shown), such as a urine absorbing sheet containing a polymer absorbent, may be placed on the urine tray 5.

[0043] Urine excreted by a cat on the cat litter passes through the cat litter and flows 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 then disposed of together with the urine absorption sheet. Furthermore, feces excreted by a cat on the cat litter can be removed and disposed of together with the surrounding cat litter using a scoop 80. The urine tray 5 has a symmetrical front-to-back shape so that it can be used upside down.

[0044] 1, 4, and 5, the return member 7 has a front wall portion 72 that fits into the portion 28a of the fitting recess 28 provided in the vertical wall 26 of the upper container 2 when fitted into the fitting recess 28 of the upper container 2. The front wall portion 72 has a shape in which both left and right ends are curved rearward in a substantially U-shape, and the width in the vertical direction gradually narrows from both left and right ends toward the front. The shape of the front wall portion 72 substantially matches the shape of the portion 28a of the fitting recess 28 provided in the vertical wall 26 of the upper container 2. In other words, the front wall portion 72 has a shape in which the width at the center is narrower than the width at both ends in the vertical direction.

[0045] The return member 7 has a return plate portion 74 that extends substantially horizontally rearward from the upper end of the central portion of the front wall portion 72 where the vertical width is narrowed. The return plate portion 74 is a flat plate-like portion that is integral with the front wall portion 72. The return plate portion 74 has a lower surface 73 that contacts the bottom surface of the portion 28b of the fitting recess 28, which is a recessed portion of the flange portion 23 of the upper container 2, when the return member 7 is fitted into the fitting recess 28. When the return member 7 is fitted into the fitting recess 28, the return plate portion 74 extends from the upper end of the front wall portion 72 beyond the fitting recess 28 into the interior of the upper container 2 to a position that partially covers the opening 3a. In other words, the lower surface 73 of the return plate portion 74 faces the excrement treating agent contained in the upper container 2.

[0046] Curved plate portions 77L, 77R are integrally provided on both left and right ends of the return plate portion 74, and gently connect to the upper ends of both left and right ends of the front wall portion 72, which has a relatively large vertical width. The left curved plate portion 77L is curved so as to bulge upward from the left end of the return plate portion 74 toward the upper end of the left end of the front wall portion 72. The right curved plate portion 77R is curved so as to bulge upward from the right end of the return plate portion 74 toward the upper end of the right end of the front wall portion 72.

[0047] A continuous groove 76 is provided on the fitting recess 28 side between the front wall 72 and the return plate 74, and on the fitting recess 28 side between the left and right ends of the front wall 72 and the left and right curved plate portions 77L, 77R. The return member 7 is attached to the upper container 2 by fitting into the fitting recess 28 so that the groove 76 faces the flange portion 23 of the upper container 2. In other words, with the return member 7 fitted into the fitting recess 28, part of the upper edge of the upper container is sandwiched in the groove 76 between the left and right curved plate portions 77L, 77R and the left and right ends of the front wall 72.

[0048] A vertical wall portion 74a extending downward is integrally provided at the rear end of the return plate portion 74, which is spaced rearward from the front wall portion 72. The vertical wall portion 74a is curved so that its central portion in the left-right direction bulges forward. The return member 7 also integrally includes a cylindrical boss portion 71 (fitting protrusion) that protrudes downward from the lower surface 73 of the return plate portion 74, and two engaging protrusions 79L and 79R. The boss portion 71 and the engaging protrusions 79L and 79R will be described later. The return member 7 is integrally molded from a synthetic resin such as polypropylene.

[0049] The return member 7 has an outer surface 7a that is flush with the outer surface of the vertical wall 26 of the upper container 2 and the upper surface of the flange portion 23 when fitted into the fitting recess 28 of the upper container 2. When the return member 7 is fitted into the fitting recess 28 of the upper container 2, the lower surface 73 of the return plate portion 74 contacts the bottom surface of the portion 28b of the fitting recess 28 of the upper container 2, so that the upper surface 75 of the return plate portion 74 is positioned at approximately the same height as the upper surface of the flange portion 23, the height of which has been reduced in the front of the upper container 2.

[0050] 1, 4, and 6, when the return member 7 is fitted into the fitting recess 28 of the upper container 2, the upper surface 75 of the return plate 74 is positioned slightly below the lower edge of the entrance 4a of the hood cover 4. In other words, the upper surface 75 of the return plate 74 is below the lower edge of the entrance 4a and extends approximately horizontally facing the inside lower end of the entrance 4a. By positioning the upper surface 75 of the return plate 74 below the lower edge of the entrance 4a in this way, it is possible to eliminate a structure that protrudes above the lower edge of the entrance 4a, making it easier for cats to enter and exit.

[0051] The return member 7 functions to prevent the cat litter from colliding with the underside 73 of the return plate portion 74 when the cat scratches the cat litter inside the upper container 2, thereby preventing the cat litter from scattering outside through the opening 4a of the hood cover 4. The vertical wall portion 74a has the function of further bouncing the cat litter that has bounced off the underside 73 of the return plate portion 74 downward.

[0052] Since it is difficult to integrally mold the return member 7 with the upper container 2, in this embodiment, the return member 7 is provided separately from the upper container 2. In other words, by removing the return member 7 from the fitting recess 28 of the upper container 2, the return member 7 can be easily cleaned.

[0053] An uneven portion 78 is provided on the upper surface 75 of the return plate portion 74. The uneven portion 78 is provided by recessing the upper surface 75 of the return plate portion 74 in a predetermined shape (in the shape of a cat's paw print in this embodiment). The uneven portion 78 is provided on substantially the entire upper surface 75 of the return plate portion 74. The uneven portion 78 may be provided up to the left and right curved plate portions 77L, 77R. The uneven portion 78 is formed by a plurality of bottomed holes recessed into the upper surface 75 of the return plate portion 74. The depth of each hole in the uneven portion 78 is, for example, shallower than half the plate thickness of the return plate portion 74. The depth of each hole in the uneven portion 78 can be set arbitrarily within the range of the thickness of the return plate portion 74. The shape of the uneven portion 78 may be any shape.

[0054] By providing such uneven portions 78 on the upper surface 75 of the return plate portion 74 of the return member 7, it is expected that when the cat leaves the animal litter box 10 through the entrance / exit 4a, cat litter stuck to the bottom of the cat's paws will be caught on the edges of the holes and dropped. This effect can also be achieved by forming the uneven portions 78 with a plurality of ridges (not shown here). Alternatively, the uneven portions 78 can be formed by a combination of holes and ridges provided on the upper surface 75 of the return plate portion 74.

[0055] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the return member 7 has a substantially cylindrical boss portion 71 that protrudes downward from the lower surface 73 at the left-right center of the return plate portion 74. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the upper container 2 has a fitting hole 28c for fitting the boss portion 71 at the left-right center of the portion 28b of the fitting recess 28. The boss portion 71 and the fitting hole 28c are positioned so that they fit together when the return member 7 is fitted into the fitting recess 28 of the upper container 2 as shown in Figure 4.

[0056] 4 and 5, the return member 7 has two left and right engaging protrusions 79L, 79R that protrude downward from the lower surface 73 of the return plate portion 74. The engaging protrusions 79L, 79R are formed in the shape of plates that extend front to back and up and down, and when the return member 7 is fitted into the fitting recess 28 of the upper container 2, their front end portions 79a (contact portions) are located at positions that face, but are spaced apart from, the inner surface of the upper end 24a side of the peripheral wall 24 of the upper container 2.

[0057] When a cat from inside the animal litter box 10 bumps into the vertical wall portion 74a of the barb member 7 engaged in the engaging recess 28 and the barb member 7 attempts to move forward, the engaging protrusions 79L, 79R function to bring the front end portion 79a into contact with the inner surface of the peripheral wall 24, thereby restricting the forward movement of the barb member 7. In other words, the engaging protrusions 79L, 79R work in cooperation with the boss portion 71 and the engaging hole 28c described above to prevent the barb member 7 from accidentally falling off.

[0058] Furthermore, the vertical wall portion 74a provided at the rear end of the return plate portion 74 of the return member 7 is gently curved in a direction that bulges outward at its center so as not to injure the body of a cat when it comes into contact with it in the animal litter box 10. Furthermore, the surface of the inner curve of the vertical wall portion 74a extends in the vertical direction so as not to injure the cat's body when it comes into contact with it.

[0059] 2, the canopy cover 4 has a plurality of (four in this embodiment) canopy bones 42a, 42b, 42c, and 42d (hereinafter, they may be collectively referred to as canopy bones 42) and a canopy cloth 44. The canopy bones 42a, 42b, 42c, and 42d are each sewn and fixed to a predetermined position on the canopy cloth 44. The canopy cover 4 also has two support parts 6L and 6R on the left and right sides at the center of rotation of the canopy bones 42a, 42b, 42c, and 42d.

[0060] FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged plan view of the right support portion 6R of the canopy cover 4, viewed from above. To make the support portion 6R easier to see, the canopy cloth 44 is omitted from FIG. 7. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the canopy frame 42d, which is positioned in front of the animal litter box 10 when the canopy cover 4 is deployed to the closed position, the fixed member 50R and the rotating member 60R of the right support portion 6R, and the rotating member 60L of the left support portion 6L. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the fixed member 50R of the right support portion 6R of the canopy cover 4, viewed diagonally from the rear. The left and right support portions 6L, 6R have a symmetrical structure. Therefore, in the following description, the right support portion 6R will be mainly described as a representative, and the left support portion 6L will be designated by the same reference numeral and its detailed description will be omitted.

[0061] Each of the hood bones 42a, 42b, 42c, and 42d is formed as a thin, elongated plate and bent into a U-shape. The hood bones 42a, 42b, 42c, and 42d are made of the same material, such as synthetic resin, carbon fiber, or metal. When the hood cover 4 is deployed to the closed position, the hood bones 42 include a first hood bone 42a located at the rearmost position, a second hood bone 42b located forward of the first hood bone 42a, a third hood bone 42c located forward of the second hood bone 42b, and a fourth hood bone 42d located forward.

[0062] The rearmost first hood bone 42a is always fixedly positioned overlapping the outside of the rear vertical wall 26 of the upper container 2, regardless of whether the hood cover 4 is open or closed. If the rotation center of the hood bone 42d (i.e., the attachment position of the support parts 6L, 6R) is positioned in the center of the front-to-rear direction of the toilet body 3 as in this embodiment, the length of the first hood bone 42a is slightly longer than half the total length of the vertical wall 26 of the upper container 2. The rotation center of the hood bone 42d only needs to be approximately in the center of the toilet body 3 in the longitudinal direction, and does not necessarily have to be positioned in the center.

[0063] 7 and 8, the right support part 6R includes a fixed member 50R that fits into the fitting groove 27R on the right side of the upper container 2 and is fixed to the toilet body 3, and a rotating member 60R that rotatably engages with the engagement groove 51 of the fixed member 50R. As shown in Fig. 9, the fixed member 50R has a holding hole 52 at its rear into which the right end of the first hood bone 42a is inserted to hold and fix it.

[0064] With the fixing member 50R of the support portion 6R fitted into the fitting groove 27R of the upper container 2, the engagement groove 51 of the fixing member 50R is formed around a substantially cylindrical shaft portion 53 that extends substantially horizontally in the left-right direction. Furthermore, with the fixing member 50R fitted into the fitting groove 27R, the holding hole 52 of the fixing member 50R extends substantially horizontally in the front-rear direction, perpendicular to the shaft portion 53.

[0065] When the right end of the first hood bone 42a is inserted into the retaining hole 52 of the fixing member 50R, the right end of the first hood bone 42a is held and fixed by the fixing member 50R. The retaining hole 52 may be sized to press-fit the right end of the first hood bone 42a. When this fixing member 50R is fitted into the fitting groove 27R of the upper container 2 of the toilet body 3, the right end of the first hood bone 42a is fixed to the toilet body 3. Because the retaining hole 52 extends in a substantially horizontal direction, the right end of the first hood bone 42a is fixed in a substantially horizontal orientation. When the left end of the first hood bone 42a is similarly fixed to the toilet body 3 by the support part 6L, the first hood bone 42a is fixed and positioned outside the vertical wall 26 in a substantially horizontal position.

[0066] When the canopy cover 4 is deployed in the closed position, the forwardmost fourth canopy bone 42d is positioned so as to overlap the front outer side of the vertical wall 26 of the upper container 2, which is opposite the open position. The fourth canopy bone 42d has approximately the same length as the first canopy bone 42a. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the rotating member 60R of the right support part 6R has a retaining hole 62 at its rear end, into which the right end of the fourth canopy bone 42d is inserted to hold and secure the fourth canopy bone 42d. The retaining hole 62 may be sized to allow the right end of the fourth canopy bone 42d to be press-fitted. The rotating member 60R has a C-shaped hook portion 64 at its tip end that rotatably engages with the engaging groove 51 of the fixing member 50R.

[0067] When the hook portion 64 of the rotating member 60R, with the right end of the fourth hood bone 42d inserted into the holding hole 62, engages with the engagement groove 51 of the fixed member 50R, the right end of the fourth hood bone 42d is rotatably connected to the fixed member 50R. When the left rotating member 60L, which holds and fixes the left end of the fourth hood bone 42d, is similarly rotatably connected to the left fixed member 50L, the fourth hood bone 42d is rotatably attached to the upper container 2 of the toilet body 3.

[0068] Both ends of the second hood bone 42b and both ends of the third hood bone 42c are separated from the support parts 6L and 6R, respectively. Both ends of the second and third hood bones 42b, 42c are tapered. The second and third hood bones 42b, 42c are sewn to predetermined positions on the hood cloth 44 and fixed to the hood cloth 44, so they will not separate from the hood cloth 44 even if their ends are not supported by the support parts 6L and 6R. When the hood cover 4 is deployed to the closed position, both ends of the second and third hood bones 42b, 42c come into contact with the support parts 6L and 6R, respectively.

[0069] The second and third hood bones 42b, 42c are longer than the first and fourth hood bones 42a, 42d. The second and third hood bones 42b, 42c 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. When the hood cover 4 is deployed in the closed position, the second and third hood bones 42b, 42c are positioned at appropriate positions to ensure sufficient internal space for the hood cover 4 and to keep the height of the animal litter box 10 at a predetermined height. The second and third hood bones 42b, 42c may be the same length or different lengths. In this embodiment, the second hood bone 42b and the third hood bone 42c are approximately the same length.

[0070] The angle of the third hood bone 42c when the canopy cover 4 is deployed to the closed position and the length of the third hood bone 42c are set to values ​​that allow a sufficiently large opening 4a to be formed in the third portion 44c (FIG. 1) of the canopy cloth 44 that is stretched between the third and fourth canopy bones 42c and 42d when the canopy cover 4 is deployed to the closed position. For example, by increasing the angle between the third and fourth canopy bones 42c and 42d, the area of ​​the third portion 44c of the canopy cloth 44 can be increased, allowing a relatively large opening 4a to be formed.

[0071] 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. Then, when the canopy cover 4 is deployed to the closed position, the angle of the third canopy bone 42c relative to the fourth canopy bone 42d is set to an angle that allows the formation of an entrance 4a of the above size. Note that the shape and size of the entrance 4a are not limited to the size of this embodiment as long as it allows animals to enter and exit, and can be changed as desired.

[0072] The length of the second hood bone 42b and its angle when the hood cover 4 is deployed in the closed position are set to values ​​that allow the upper surface of the second portion 44b of the hood cloth 44 stretched between the second hood bone 42b and the third hood bone 42c to be positioned approximately horizontally when the hood cover 4 is deployed in the closed position. If another hood bone of the same length were to be installed between the second hood bone 42b and the third hood bone 42c, the portion of the hood cloth 44 between the second hood bone 42b and the third hood bone 42c would protrude upward, undesirably 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 of the hood cover 4, it is effective to position the two hood bones 42b, 42c at appropriate angles, as in this embodiment.

[0073] The canopy cloth 44 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, the canopy cloth 44 is made of a knit material laminated with a stretchable polyurethane film, and has a water pressure resistance of approximately 15,000 mm and a breathability of 15,000 g / m² / 24 h.

[0074] The canopy cloth 44 is provided with an annular elastic member 46 around the periphery of the entrance 4a provided in the third portion 44c. The elastic member 46 is made of an elastic material such as rubber and formed into an annular shape, and is attached to the edge of the entrance 4a in a slightly stretched state (with the ring expanded). When the canopy cover 4 is deployed to the closed position, the upper surface 75 of the return member 7 attached to the upper container 2 is positioned slightly below the lower edge of the entrance 4a.

[0075] A method for assembling the animal litter box 10 having the above structure will now be described. First, the top cover 4 is assembled. In this case, the right end of the first top bone 42a of the top cover 4 is inserted and fixed into the retaining hole 52 of the fixing member 50R, and the left end of the first top bone 42a is inserted and fixed into the retaining hole 52 of the fixing member 50L. Also, the right end of the fourth top bone 42d is inserted and fixed into the retaining hole 62 of the right rotating member 60R, and the left end of the fourth top bone 42d is inserted and fixed into the retaining hole 62 of the left rotating member 60L. Then, the hook portion 64 of the right rotating member 60R is engaged with the engaging groove 51 of the right fixing member 50R, and the hook portion 64 of the left rotating member 60L is engaged with the engaging groove 51 of the left fixing member 50L.

[0076] Next, the toilet body 3 is assembled. In this case, the upper container 2 is placed inside the lower container 1, the urine tray 5 is inserted into the space S through the insertion / removal port 16, and the boss portion 71 of the return member 7 is fitted into the fitting hole 28c provided in the fitting recess 28 of the upper container 2, and the return member 7 is attached to the fitting recess 28. At this time, a urine absorbent sheet may be placed inside the urine tray 5.

[0077] Finally, the hood cover 4 is attached to the toilet body 3. At this time, the hood cover 4 is unfolded into a dome shape as shown in Figure 2. Then, the fixing members 50L, 50R of the pair of support parts 6L, 6R of the hood cover 4 are fitted into the fitting grooves 27L, 27R of the upper container 2 of the toilet body 3, respectively.

[0078] At this time, the hood cover 4 is aligned with the toilet body 3 so that the outer surface of the rear side of the vertical wall 26 of the upper container 2 fits inside the first hood bone 42a, which is the rearmost part of the hood cover 4. Then, the engaging claw 66a (see Figures 4 and 7) of the engaging member 66 attached to the center of the fourth hood bone 42d is hooked onto the lower edge of the front vertical wall 26 of the upper container 2.

[0079] When using the animal litter box 10, the engaging member 66 is disengaged, the hood cover 4 is opened to the open position, and cat litter is poured into the upper container 2 through the opening 3a. 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 29 of the upper container 2.

[0080] In addition, since the hood cover 4 can be easily attached to the toilet body 3, multiple hood covers 4 with different designs can be prepared, and the toilet body 3 can be used by changing the hood cover 4 with a different design depending on the user's mood or preference.

[0081] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the scoop 80 can be attached to the outside and inside of the animal litter box 10. The pair of left and right support parts 6L, 6R have a structure that allows the scoop 80 to be detachably attached. The structure for attaching the scoop 80 is provided on the fixing members 50L, 50R of the support parts 6L, 6R. The scoop 80 has a hook 82 that engages with a part of the fixing members 50L, 50R.

[0082] As described above, the animal litter box 10 according to this embodiment is provided with the return member 7 detachably attached to the litter box body 3 so that the upper surface 75 of the return plate portion 74 of the return member 7 is positioned inside the lower end of the entrance 4a and below the lower edge of the entrance 4a. This makes it possible to effectively prevent cat litter from scattering without increasing the height of the lower end of the entrance 4a from the floor. Furthermore, because the return member 7 is detachably attached to the litter box body 3, it is easy to clean the return member 7, which is easily soiled by collisions with cat litter or contact with cats.

[0083] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the return member 7 has a boss portion 71 protruding downward from the underside 73 of the return plate portion 74, and engaging protrusions 79L and 79R. Therefore, even though the return member 7 is removably attached to the toilet body 3, if the return member 7 is pushed forward by a cat bumping into it, for example, the return member 7 can be prevented from falling off the mating recess 28 of the toilet body 3.

[0084] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a fitting recess 28 is provided in a portion of the front upper edge of the upper container 2 that is recessed downward, and the return member 7 is detachably attached to this fitting recess 28, so the entrance 4a of the hood cover 4 can be located at a low position, making it easier for the cat to enter and exit. Furthermore, by providing the return member 7 in the portion of the upper edge of the upper container 2 that is recessed downward, the height of other portions of the peripheral wall 24 of the upper container 2 can be increased, and the degree of freedom in designing the litter box body 3 can be increased.

[0085] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the return member 7 has a curved vertical wall portion 74a, so when a cat inside the litter box body 3 comes into contact with the return member 7, the cat's body will not be injured and unnecessary stress will not be caused to the cat.

[0086] Furthermore, in the animal litter box 10 according to this embodiment, the uneven portion 78 is provided on the upper surface 75 of the return plate portion 74 of the return member 7 provided opposite the inside of the lower end of the entrance 4a of the hood cover 4, so that cat litter adhering to the soles of the cat's paws as it passes through the entrance 4a and leaves the animal litter box 10 can be effectively scraped off. For this reason, this embodiment can prevent cat litter adhering to the soles of the cat's paws from being carried out of the animal litter box 10 through the entrance 4a.

[0087] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made in the implementation stage without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by selecting and combining the multiple constituent elements disclosed. For example, if the problem can be solved and the desired effect can be obtained even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the above-described embodiments, the configuration from which these constituent elements are deleted can be extracted as an invention.

[0088] For example, in the above-described embodiment, an animal litter box 10 was described in which a foldable hood cover 4 was attached to the litter box body 3, but the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to an animal litter box having a cover made of synthetic resin or the like.

[0089] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to an animal litter box 10 having a double-structure litter box body 3 in which an upper container 2 is stacked inside a lower container 1, but this is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be applied to, for example, 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. The inventions described in the claims of the present application as originally filed are as follows: [1] a container-shaped toilet body that contains an excrement treatment agent and receives animal excrement; A return member that is detachably attached to an edge of the opening of the toilet body and covers a part of the opening; An animal toilet having: [2] The return member includes a return plate portion having a substantially horizontally extending lower surface facing the excrement treating agent contained in the toilet body. [1] Animal toilet. [3] The return member has an engagement protrusion on its underside, the engagement protrusion having an abutment portion that faces the inner side surface of the side of the toilet body. [1] or [2] Animal litter box. [4] The return member has a fitting protrusion on its underside that fits into a fitting hole provided on the edge of the toilet body, [2] or [3] an animal litter box. [5] The edge of the toilet body has a shape that is partially recessed downward, The barb is provided in the recessed portion of the edge. [1] Animal toilet. [6] The flap member includes a flap plate portion having an upper surface positioned below the edge of the toilet body. [5] Animal toilet. [7] The return plate portion has a vertical wall extending downward at an end away from the entrance, [6] Animal toilet. [8] The toilet further includes an entrance for animals to enter and exit near the return member, and a dome-shaped cover for covering the opening of the toilet body. An animal litter box, either [1]-[7]. [9] One of the animal litter boxes [1]-[8], At least one of an excrement treating agent and a moisture absorbing member used in the animal litter box; An animal toilet set equipped with [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1...lower container, 2...upper container, 3...toilet body, 3a...opening, 4...canopy cover, 4a...entrance / exit, 5...urine tray, 6L, 6R...support portion, 7...return member, 10...animal litter box, 27L, 27R...engaging groove, 28...engaging recess, 28c...engaging hole, 42...canopy bone, 44...canopy cloth, 71...boss portion, 72...front wall portion, 73...underside, 74...return plate portion, 74a...vertical wall portion, 75...upper surface, 76...groove portion, 77L, 77R...curved plate portion, 78...uneven portion, 79L, 79R...engaging protrusion.

Claims

1. a container-shaped toilet body that contains an excrement treatment agent and receives animal excrement; A fitting recess is provided by recessing an upper surface of a flange portion extending substantially horizontally outward from the opening of the toilet body; a plate-shaped return plate portion having a lower surface that can contact a bottom surface of the fitting recess and that is detachably fitted into the fitting recess so as to cover a portion of the opening, and that has no through hole and is attachable; An animal toilet having:

2. The return plate portion has an engagement protrusion on the underside thereof, the engagement protrusion having an abutment portion that faces the inner side surface of the side portion of the toilet body. The animal litter box of claim 1.

3. The return plate portion has a fitting protrusion on the underside that fits into a fitting hole provided on the bottom surface of the fitting recess of the toilet body, The animal litter box of claim 1.

4. The return plate portion has an upper surface that is arranged flush with the upper surface of the flange portion when fitted into the fitting recess. The animal litter box of claim 1.

5. The return plate portion includes a vertical wall extending downward from the fitting recess to an end portion distant from the fitting recess toward the inside of the opening. The animal litter box of claim 1.

6. The toilet further includes an entrance for animals to enter and exit near the return plate portion, and a dome-shaped cover for covering the opening of the toilet body. The animal litter box according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. An animal litter box according to any one of claims 1 to 6, At least one of an excrement treating agent and a moisture absorbing member used in the animal litter box; An animal toilet set equipped with

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