System litter box for pet

Abstract

A system litter box 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is a two-layer system litter box for a pet comprising an upper container 2 and a lower container 3 used in combination with each other. The upper container 2 has a side wall part 22 provided with a visually recognizable display part 7. The surface of the side wall part 22 is provided with a surrounding part 8 that is composed of a protrusion or a recess and that continuously surrounds the display part 7.

Description

Pet System Toilet

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a pet system toilet.

[0002] As a two - layer pet system toilet composed of a combination of an outer container and an inner container, a configuration in which a display part visible to the user is provided in the outer container or the inner container is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a mechanism that allows the user to easily grasp the arrangement form of the outer container and the inner container constituting the pet system toilet by using the display part.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid - Open No. 2024 - 46892

[0004] According to the pet system toilet disclosed in Patent Document 1, although the user's usability is improved to some extent by the display part, there is still room for further improvement from the perspective of further enhancing the user's convenience.

[0005] Therefore, one aspect of the present disclosure aims to provide a pet system toilet that can effectively improve the user's convenience.

[0006] The pet system toilet according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a two - layer pet system toilet composed of a first container and a second container used in combination with each other. The first container has a side wall portion provided with a visually recognizable display part, and on the surface of the side wall portion, an enclosing part configured by convex parts or concave parts and continuously surrounding the display part is provided.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a pet system toilet that can effectively improve the user's convenience.

[0008] This is a perspective view of a pet toilet system according to one embodiment. This is an exploded perspective view of the pet toilet system shown in Figure 1. This is a perspective view of the upper container of the pet toilet system shown in Figure 1, viewed from the bottom side. This is a cross-sectional view of the pet toilet system along line IV-IV in Figure 1. This is an enlarged view of the portion where the display section and the surrounding section are provided. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the positional relationship between the protrusions of the display section or surrounding section and the flange and side wall sections. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the protrusions on the outer surface of the side wall section. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the uneven structure of the display section and surrounding section. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a modified pet toilet system.

[0009] The following [1] to

[17] will become clear from the description in this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0010] [1] A two-layer pet toilet system comprising a first container and a second container used in combination with each other, wherein the first container has a side wall portion provided with a visually recognizable display portion, and the surface of the side wall portion is provided with a surrounding portion composed of convex or concave portions that continuously surrounds the display portion, the pet toilet system.

[0011] In the pet toilet system described in [1] above, a surrounding portion is provided on the surface of the side wall of the first container, which is composed of a series of convex or concave portions. This allows the user to easily and securely hold (grip) the first container while preventing it from slipping from their hand when they lift the first container, for example, by contacting the surface on which the surrounding portion is provided with their fingers. Furthermore, since such a surrounding portion is provided to surround a visually recognizable display portion, the overall design of the display portion and the surrounding portion is improved, and the user's attention (interest) to the display portion can be effectively attracted. Therefore, the pet toilet system described in [1] above makes it easier for the user to recognize the contents of the display portion and improves the ease of holding (resistance to slipping) the first container, thereby effectively improving user convenience.

[0012] [2] The pet toilet system according to [1], wherein the display unit and the surrounding unit are located away from the upper end of the side wall.

[0013] According to the configuration described in [2] above, when a user attempts to hold the first container by gripping the area near the upper end of the side wall with their thumb and other fingers from both the inside and outside, the user's fingers can easily catch on the surrounding portion, thereby effectively improving the ease of holding (resistance to slipping) of the first container.

[0014] [3] The first container is a container into which a pet enters when defecating, and the upper end of the side wall is provided with a recessed pet entrance that is lower than the surrounding area to allow the pet to enter, and the display section and the surrounding section are provided below the pet entrance, the pet toilet system according to [1] or [2].

[0015] According to the configuration described in [3] above, when a user tries to lift the first container by holding the pet entry point, the user's fingers can easily catch on the surrounding part, making it easier (less likely to slip) to hold the first container.

[0016] [4] The first container is a container into which a pet enters when defecating, the display portion and the surrounding portion are provided on the outer surface of the side wall portion, and the surface roughness of the portion of the outer surface excluding the display portion and the surrounding portion is smaller than the surface roughness of the inner surface of the side wall portion, any of the pet system toilets of [1] to [3].

[0017] According to the configuration described in [4] above, by making the inner surface of the side wall rougher than the outer surface, dirt and scratches on the inner surface that may occur due to multiple uses of the pet toilet system can be made less noticeable. In addition, by making the outer surface smoother than the inner surface, the appearance of the outer surface can be improved, while the surrounding portion ensures that the first container is easy to hold (less slippery), thereby enhancing user convenience.

[0018] [5] The display unit has a plurality of extending parts that each extend along a substantially horizontal direction and are spaced apart from each other in a substantially vertical direction, and each of the plurality of extending parts is a recess or a protrusion, a pet system toilet according to any of [1] to [4].

[0019] According to the configuration described in [5] above, it becomes possible to hook fingers or the like onto multiple extending parts that extend in a substantially horizontal direction, not only the surrounding part but also the display part, thereby further improving the ease of holding (resistance to slipping) of the first container.

[0020] [6] A pet toilet system according to any of [1] to [5], wherein the lower end of the side wall portion is provided with a recessed area that is set back from the floor surface when in use, and the display portion and the surrounding portion are provided above the recessed area on the outer surface of the side wall portion.

[0021] According to the configuration described in [6] above, the user can insert their fingers into the recess of the first container and hook their thumb onto the surrounding portion provided on the outer surface above the recess, thereby further improving the ease of holding (resistance to slipping) of the first container.

[0022] [7] The pet toilet system of [6], wherein the second container is positioned below the first container and is for receiving liquid that has passed through the first container, and the second container has a handle portion positioned in a position corresponding to the recess, and the entire handle portion is positioned inward from the recess when viewed from the vertical direction.

[0023] According to the configuration described in [7] above, the first and second containers can be lifted simultaneously by inserting fingers into the recess of the first container and hooking them onto the handle. At this time, by hooking the thumb of the same hand as the fingers inserted into the recess onto the surrounding portion located above the recess, both the first and second containers can be easily held.

[0024] [8] The pet toilet system according to [6], wherein the second container is positioned below the first container and is for receiving liquid that has passed through the first container, and the second container has a handle portion positioned in a position corresponding to the recess, and at least a part of the handle portion protrudes outward from the recess when viewed from the vertical direction.

[0025] In the configuration described in [8] above, the handle portion of the second container protrudes from the recess of the first container. Therefore, in order to lift only the first container by holding the portion with the handle portion, one must grasp only the portion above the handle portion (i.e., the portion above the recess of the first container). At this time, by hooking the fingers other than the thumb onto the surrounding portion provided on the outer surface of the side wall portion of the first container, and placing the thumb against the inner surface of the side wall portion to grasp the side wall portion, it becomes possible to easily lift the first container.

[0026] [9] The display unit and the surrounding unit are provided on the outer surface of the side wall, at least one of the display unit and the surrounding unit has a protrusion projecting outward from the outer surface, the upper end of the side wall is provided with a flange projecting outward, and when viewed from the vertical, the protrusion is set inward from the outer end of the flange, any of the pet system toilets of [1] to [8].

[0027] According to the configuration described in [9] above, for example, when a scoop or other object used to put cat litter or the like into the first container is hooked onto the flange, interference between the object and the protrusion provided on the outer surface of the side wall can be suppressed. Furthermore, by limiting the degree of protrusion of the protrusion to such an extent that it does not extend beyond the flange, problems such as the protrusion getting in the way when lifting the first container can be avoided.

[0028]

[10] The display unit and the surrounding unit are provided on the outer surface of the side wall, and at least one of the display unit and the surrounding unit has a protrusion that projects outward from the outer surface, and when viewed from the vertical direction, the protrusion is set inward from the upper end of the outer surface, any of the pet toilet systems of [1] to [9].

[0029] According to the configuration of

[10] above, the degree of protrusion of the convex portion can be reduced compared to the configuration of [9] above, and therefore the same effect as in [9] above can be obtained more favorably.

[0030]

[11] A pet toilet system according to any of [1] to

[10] , wherein the display unit and the surrounding unit are provided on the outer surface of the side wall, at least one of the display unit and the surrounding unit has a protrusion projecting outward from the outer surface, the outer surface of the side wall is inclined with respect to the vertical so as it goes upward and outward, and the outer end face of the protrusion is provided substantially parallel to the outer surface of the side wall.

[0031] According to the configuration described in

[11] above, compared to the case where the outer end face and outer surface of the protrusion are not provided substantially parallel to each other, it becomes easier to hook a finger onto the protrusion and easier to hold the first container.

[0032]

[12] A pet toilet system according to any of [1] to

[10] , wherein the display unit and the surrounding unit are provided on the outer surface of the side wall, at least one of the display unit and the surrounding unit has a protrusion projecting outward from the outer surface, the outer surface of the side wall is inclined with respect to the vertical so as it goes upward and outward, and the outer end face of the protrusion is provided substantially parallel to the vertical.

[0033] According to the configuration described in

[12] above, the protrusion is easily visible from the side of the first container, thereby improving the visibility of the display section or the surrounding section.

[0034]

[13] The display section has an uneven surface formed by a convex or concave portion, and the height of the convex or concave portion constituting the surrounding portion is lower than the height of the convex or concave portion constituting the uneven surface, any of the pet system toilets of [1] to

[12] .

[0035] According to the configuration described in

[13] above, the display unit can be made to stand out more three-dimensionally than the surrounding unit. Therefore, the surrounding unit clearly indicates the location of the display unit, while effectively attracting the user's attention to the display unit surrounded by the surrounding unit.

[0036]

[14] The display portion has an uneven surface formed by a convex portion or a concave portion, and the width of the convex portion or concave portion constituting the surrounding portion is smaller than the width of the convex portion or concave portion constituting the uneven surface portion, any of the pet system toilets of [1] to

[13] .

[0037] According to the configuration described in

[14] above, the display unit can be made more prominent than the surrounding unit, thus clearly indicating the location of the display unit with the surrounding unit, while effectively attracting the user's attention to the display unit surrounded by the surrounding unit.

[0038]

[15] The outer surface of the side wall of the first container includes a portion that is exposed during use, and the display portion and the surrounding portion are provided on the exposed portion of the outer surface, any of the pet toilet systems of [1] to

[14] .

[0039] According to the configuration described in

[15] above, the display portion and the surrounding portion are provided in the portion that is exposed during use (i.e., the portion that does not overlap with the second container, etc.), so that any protrusions that may be included in the display portion or surrounding portion do not come into contact with the second container, etc., and are not scraped or damaged. As a result, deterioration of the design (appearance) of the display portion or surrounding portion can be avoided.

[0040]

[16] A pet toilet system according to any of [1] to

[15] , wherein the display section and the surrounding section are provided on the outer surface of the side wall of the first container and not on the inner surface of the side wall.

[0041] According to the configuration described in

[16] above, since the display portion and the surrounding portion (protrusion or recess) are not provided on the inner surface of the side wall portion, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of dirt in the protrusion or recess on the inner surface where granular material such as cat litter or pet sheets for absorbing excrement are contained during use.

[0042]

[17] A pet toilet system according to any of [1] to

[16] , wherein the height of the surface of the side wall portion differs between the inside of the enclosing portion and the outside of the enclosing portion, with the enclosing portion as the boundary.

[0043] According to the configuration of

[17] above, by making the height position of the area where the display unit is provided inside the surrounding portion different from the area outside the surrounding portion, the display unit can be effectively made prominent. Further, by providing a step between the inside and the outside of the surrounding portion, the slipperiness (ease of holding) when a finger or the like comes into contact with the surrounding portion can be further improved.

[0044] [Embodiment] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 8, a pet system toilet (hereinafter referred to as "system toilet 1") according to an embodiment will be described. The system toilet 1 is a toilet device for animals. An example of an animal that uses the system toilet 1 is a cat, but the animal that uses the system toilet 1 is not limited to a specific animal. In the drawings, the vertical direction (vertical direction) is represented as the Z-axis direction, the longitudinal direction of the system toilet 1 is represented as the X-axis direction, and the lateral direction of the system toilet 1 is represented as the Y-axis direction. Hereinafter, each of the above directions will be corresponded to the XYZ orthogonal coordinate system shown in the drawings, and the vertical direction will be represented as "vertical direction Z", the longitudinal direction will be represented as "longitudinal direction X", and the lateral direction will be represented as "lateral direction Y".

[0046] As shown in FIG. 1, the system toilet 1 includes an upper container 2 (first container) and a lower container 3 (second container). That is, the system toilet 1 is a two-layer pet system toilet composed of the upper container 2 and the lower container 3 used in combination with each other. The upper container 2 is a box-shaped container on which a plurality of granular materials such as cat litter (not shown) are placed. The lower container 3 is disposed below the upper container 2 so as to overlap the upper container 2 in the vertical direction Z, and is a box-shaped container on which a pet sheet 5 (see FIG. 4) is placed. That is, the lower container 3 is disposed below the upper container 2 and is a container for receiving urine (liquid) that has passed through the upper container 2. In the present embodiment, the length of the lower container 3 in the vertical direction Z is shorter than the length of the upper container 2 in the vertical direction Z.

[0047] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the upper container 2 has a bottom wall portion 21 and a side wall portion 22 connected to the edge of the bottom wall portion 21 and extending upward and downward from the edge.

[0048] The bottom wall portion 21 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view seen from the vertical direction Z, where the length in the longitudinal direction X is longer than the length in the short transverse direction Y. The bottom wall portion 21 has an upper surface 21a facing upward and a lower surface 21b facing downward. As shown in FIG. 3, a substantially rectangular liquid passage portion 6 is formed at a substantially central portion of the bottom wall portion 21.

[0049] The liquid passage portion 6 is a region in which a plurality of openings H penetrating in the vertical direction Z are formed. In the present embodiment, in the liquid passage portion 6, a plurality (340 in the present embodiment) of openings H are arranged such that 10 openings H are arranged in the longitudinal direction X and 34 openings H are arranged in the short transverse direction Y. Each opening H has a substantially rectangular shape in which the length in the longitudinal direction X is longer than the length (width) in the short transverse direction Y. The width (length in the short transverse direction Y) of each opening H is, for example, 2.5 mm or less. Thereby, it is appropriately prevented that the granular material (for example, toilet sand) placed on the upper surface 21a of the bottom wall portion 21 passes through the opening H and falls downward. That is, while appropriately supporting the granular material in the liquid passage portion 6, only urine (liquid) can be passed to the lower container 3 side.

[0050] The upper surface 21a of the liquid passage section 6 (i.e., the upper surface of the portion of the liquid passage section 6 where no opening H is provided) is continuous with the upper surface 21a of the portion of the bottom wall section 21 where the liquid passage section 6 is not provided (i.e., the portion surrounding the liquid passage section 6). On the other hand, the lower surface 21b of the liquid passage section 6 (i.e., the lower surface of the portion of the liquid passage section 6 where no opening H is provided) protrudes downward from the lower surface 21b of the portion of the bottom wall section 21 where the liquid passage section 6 is not provided. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, on the lower surface 21b side of the liquid passage section 6, there are multiple slats 61 formed in a slatted shape that protrude downward from the lower surface 21b of the portion where the liquid passage section 6 is not provided, and arranged between the multiple openings H. Each slat 61 extends in the longitudinal direction X and is provided on both sides of each opening H in the short direction Y. The lower surface 21b of the liquid passage section 6 is composed of the lower surfaces of each of the multiple slats 61.

[0051] The side wall portion 22 is provided so as to surround the bottom wall portion 21 when viewed from the vertical direction Z. The side wall portion 22 has an outer surface 22b facing outward from the upper container 2 and an inner surface 22c facing inward from the upper container 2. A pet entrance 40 for allowing animals to enter the upper container 2 is provided in a portion of the side wall portion 22 corresponding to one side (in this embodiment, one side extending in the longitudinal direction X). The pet entrance 40 is a recessed area at the upper end portion 22a of the side wall portion 22 that is lower than the surrounding area to allow pets to enter. The pet entrance 40 also functions as an exit for allowing animals to exit from the upper container 2. The side wall portion 22 may also have a function for arranging a member (for example, a shovel) for putting in or scooping up a plurality of granular materials placed on the upper container 2. For example, the upper end portion 22a of the side wall portion 22 may be configured to have a shape and thickness that allows a protrusion (locking portion) provided on the handle portion of the member to be hooked onto it.

[0052] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the lower container 3 has a mounting surface 31, a side wall portion 32, a pair of handle portions 33, and a pair of handle portions 34.

[0053] The mounting surface 31 is the surface on which the pet sheet 5, which absorbs urine that has passed through the liquid passage section 6, is placed. The mounting surface 31 is positioned opposite the bottom wall section 21 of the upper container 2, and is arranged so as to overlap the entire liquid passage section 6 provided on the bottom wall section 21 in the vertical direction Z.

[0054] The side wall portion 32 is connected to the outer edge portion 31a of the mounting surface 31 and extends upward from the outer edge portion 31a. The side wall portion 32 functions as a sheet placement portion for positioning the pet sheet 5 along its edge. The side wall portion 32 is composed of a pair of side wall portions 32A facing each other in the longitudinal direction X and a pair of side wall portions 32B facing each other in the short direction Y. The adjacent side wall portions 32A and 32B at the corners are integrally formed so as to be continuous with each other.

[0055] The pair of handle portions 33 are provided approximately in the center of the pair of side wall portions 32A in the short direction Y. Each handle portion 33 extends outward in the longitudinal direction X from the top portion 32b of each side wall portion 32A.

[0056] The pair of handle portions 34 are provided approximately in the center of the pair of side wall portions 32B in the longitudinal direction X. Each handle portion 34 extends outward in the short direction Y from the top portion 32b of each side wall portion 32B.

[0057] In Figure 4, the outline of the pet sheet 5 placed on the lower container 3 is schematically represented by a dashed line. As an example, the pet sheet 5 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape that is larger than the placement surface 31 in a plan view, and has a liquid-permeable surface sheet 5a (the sheet placed on the upper side when placed on the lower container 3), a back sheet 5b (the sheet placed on the lower side when placed on the lower container 3), and an absorbent material (not shown) placed between the surface sheet 5a and the back sheet 5b. The absorbent material contains an absorbent core containing pulp, SAP, etc. for absorbing urine, and is placed in the approximate center of the pet sheet 5 in a plan view. In the part of the pet sheet 5 where the absorbent material is not placed (i.e., the edge outside the approximate center of the pet sheet 5), a flap portion 5c is formed that is thinner than the approximate center part where the absorbent material is placed, and can be easily folded along the edge of the absorbent material.

[0058] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the flap portion 5c of the pet sheet 5 is positioned on the lower container 3 along the inner surface 32a of the side wall portion 32. As an example, the inner surface 32a of the side wall portion 32 is configured as an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the vertical direction Z. However, the inner surface 32a of the side wall portion 32 may be formed in a curved shape or may be formed substantially parallel to the vertical direction Z.

[0059] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the upper container 2 has a side wall portion 22 on which a visually recognizable display portion 7 is provided. For example, the display portion 7 is composed of an annular frame portion 71 that indicates the outer edge of the display portion 7, a pattern portion 72 consisting of a pattern (an annular design in this embodiment) arranged within the frame portion 71, and a character portion 73 consisting of one or more (five in this embodiment) characters "toilet". However, the configuration of the display portion 7 is not limited to the example of this embodiment, and may be configured without characters (for example, a configuration consisting only of the pattern portion 72), or with only characters (for example, a configuration consisting only of the character portion 73). Also, the pattern portion 72 may include patterns other than circles, or may include multiple patterns. The character portion 73 may also represent characters other than "toilet".

[0060] The display unit 7 may include information that clearly indicates the manufacturer, brand, and product name of the system toilet 1 to the user, or it may include illustrations that give the user a sense of familiarity and security (for example, illustrations of animals such as cats, which are the animals that are primarily expected to use the system toilet 1). The display unit 7 may be a colored area provided by printing (printing), or it may be a raised or recessed area provided by surface processing (such as processing when molding the upper container 2).

[0061] The surface of the side wall portion 22 (in this embodiment, the outer surface 22b) is provided with a surrounding portion 8 that continuously surrounds the display portion 7 (in this embodiment, the entirety of the frame portion 71, the pattern portion 72, and the character portion 73). The surrounding portion 8 is composed of convex portions or concave portions. A convex portion is a portion that protrudes outward on the outer surface 22b. A concave portion is a portion that is recessed inward (towards the inner surface 22c) on the outer surface 22b. The display portion 7 and the surrounding portion 8 are provided on the same surface of the side wall portion 22 (in this embodiment, one of the outer surfaces 22b of a pair of portions of the side wall portion 22 that face each other in the short direction Y). That is, as in this embodiment, when the side wall portion 22 includes multiple portions (four in this example) of a pair of portions facing each other in the longitudinal direction X and a pair of portions facing each other in the short direction Y, the display portion 7 and the surrounding portion 8 are provided on the surface of the same portion.

[0062] In the system toilet 1, a surrounding portion 8, composed of continuous protrusions or recesses, is provided on the surface (outer surface 22b) of the side wall portion 22 of the upper container 2. This allows the user to easily and securely hold (grip) the upper container 2 while preventing it from slipping from the user's hand when lifting the upper container 2, by contacting the surface on which the surrounding portion 8 is provided with the user's fingers, etc. Furthermore, since such a surrounding portion 8 is provided so as to surround the visually recognizable display portion 7, the overall design of the display portion 7 and the surrounding portion 8 is improved, and the user's attention (interest) to the display portion 7 can be effectively attracted. Therefore, the system toilet 1 makes it easier for the user to recognize the contents of the display portion 7 and improves the ease of holding (resistance to slipping) of the upper container 2, thereby effectively improving user convenience.

[0063] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the display section 7 and the surrounding section 8 are provided at a distance from the upper end portion 22a of the side wall section 22. With this configuration, when a user tries to hold the upper container 2 by gripping the portion near the upper end portion 22a of the side wall section 22 with their thumb and other fingers from both the inside (inner surface 22c) and outside (outer surface 22b) sides, the user's fingers can easily catch on the surrounding section 8, thereby effectively improving the ease of holding (resistance to slipping) of the upper container 2.

[0064] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the display unit 7 and the surrounding unit 8 are located below the pet entrance 40. With this configuration, when a user tries to lift the upper container 2 by holding the pet entrance 40, the user's fingers can easily catch on the surrounding unit 8, making it easier (less likely to slip) to hold the upper container 2. In this embodiment, as an example, the ratio of the length of the frame unit 71 in the vertical Z direction to the length of the portion where the display unit 7 and the surrounding unit 8 are provided (the central portion in the longitudinal direction X) (i.e., the length from the lowest part of the pet entrance 40 to the lower end of the side wall 22 directly below it) is approximately 40% to 50%.

[0065] The upper container 2 is the container into which the pet enters when defecating. The display section 7 and the surrounding section 8 are provided on the outer surface 22b of the side wall section 22. Furthermore, the surface roughness of the portion of the outer surface 22b excluding the display section 7 and the surrounding section 8 is less than the surface roughness of the inner surface 22c of the side wall section 22. Here, any index that represents the roughness of a general surface can be used as the index for "surface roughness," but for example, arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) can be used. With the above configuration, by making the inner surface 22c of the side wall section 22 rougher than the outer surface 22b, dirt and scratches on the inner surface 22c that may occur due to multiple uses of the system toilet 1 can be made less noticeable. In other words, by manufacturing the inner surface 22c to be a somewhat rough surface from the beginning, scratches and other damage that occur after use can be made relatively less noticeable. Furthermore, by making the outer surface 22b a smoother surface than the inner surface 22c, the appearance of the outer surface 22b can be improved, while the surrounding portion 8 ensures that the upper container 2 is easy to hold (less likely to slip), thereby enhancing user convenience. In the system toilet 1, the surface roughness of the outer surface 22b excluding the display portion 7 and the surrounding portion 8 may be the same as the surface roughness of the inner surface 22c of the side wall portion 22, or it may be greater than the surface roughness of the inner surface 22c of the side wall portion 22.

[0066] The display unit 7 has a plurality of extending portions that each extend along a substantially horizontal direction and are spaced apart from each other in a substantially vertical direction. As shown in Figure 5, as an example, the frame portion 71 of the display unit 7 has an upper edge portion 71a and a lower edge portion 71b that are spaced apart from each other and extend in a substantially horizontal direction (longitudinal direction X) as the plurality of extending portions described above. In this example, the upper edge portion 71a and the lower edge portion 71b extend in an elliptical shape in the longitudinal direction X. Furthermore, the upper edge portion 71a and the lower edge portion 71b are not colored portions by printing, but are composed of recesses or protrusions. In this case, it becomes possible to hook fingers, etc., not only on the surrounding portion 8 but also on the plurality of extending portions (upper edge portion 71a and lower edge portion 71b) that extend in a substantially horizontal direction and are included in the display unit 7, thereby further improving the ease of holding (resistance to slipping) of the upper container 2.

[0067] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lower end portion 23 of the side wall portion 22 is provided with a recessed portion 23a that is recessed upward so as to be separated from the floor surface when in use. The recessed portion 23a is provided at the lower end portion 23 of each of a pair of portions of the side wall portion 22 that face each other in the short direction Y, and extends in the longitudinal direction X. The display portion 7 and the surrounding portion 8 are provided above the recessed portion 23a (the recessed portion 23a below the pet entrance 40) on the outer surface 22b of the side wall portion 22. In other words, as an example in this embodiment, the display portion 7 and the surrounding portion 8 are provided below the pet entrance 40 and above the recessed portion 23a (the portion of the side wall portion 22 with the smallest vertical width). With the above configuration, the user can insert their fingers into the recessed portion 23a of the upper container 2 and hook their thumb into the surrounding portion 8 provided on the outer surface 22b above the recessed portion 23a, thereby further improving the ease of holding (resistance to slipping) of the upper container 2.

[0068] The lower container 3 has a handle portion 34 positioned in a location corresponding to the recess 23a of the upper container 2. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the entire handle portion 34 is positioned inward from the recess 23a when viewed from the vertical direction Z. With this configuration, the upper container 2 and the lower container 3 can be lifted simultaneously by inserting fingers into the recess 23a of the upper container 2 and hooking them onto the handle portion 34. At this time, by hooking the thumb of the same hand as the fingers inserted into the recess 23a onto the surrounding portion 8 located above the recess 23a, both the upper container 2 and the lower container 3 can be easily held.

[0069] As a variation, for example, the surrounding portion 8 (and the display portion 7 surrounded by it) may be provided in region A shown in Figure 1. In this case, the lower container 3 has a handle portion 33 positioned at a location corresponding to the recess 23b of the upper container 2. Here, the recess 23b is a recess provided in the lower end portion 23 of one of a pair of portions of the side wall portion 22 that face each other in the longitudinal direction X. Also, as shown in Figure 1, at least a part of the handle portion 33 protrudes outward from the recess 23b when viewed from the vertical direction Z. In the above configuration, the handle portion 33 of the lower container 3 protrudes from the recess 23b of the upper container 2. Therefore, in order to lift only the upper container 2 by holding the portion with the handle portion 33, one must grasp only the portion above the handle portion 33 (i.e., the portion of the upper container 2 above the recess 23b). At this time, by hooking the fingers other than the thumb onto the surrounding portion 8 provided on the outer surface 22b (area A in Figure 1) of the side wall portion 22 of the upper container 2, and placing the thumb against the inner surface 22c of the side wall portion 22 to grasp the side wall portion 22, the upper container 2 can be easily lifted.

[0070] As shown in Figure 1, the display section 7 and the surrounding section 8 are provided on the outer surface 22b of the side wall section 22. Also, as shown in Figure 6, at least one of the display section 7 and the surrounding section 8 has a protrusion 9 that projects outward from the outer surface 22b. The upper end 22a of the side wall section 22 is provided with a flange section 24 that projects outward. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, in this embodiment, as an example, the flange section 24 is configured to extend outward and hang downward at its tip. When viewed from the vertical direction Z, the protrusion 9 is located inside the outer end 24a of the flange section 24. That is, as shown in Figure 6, when viewed from the side, the protrusion 9 is located inside the outer end 24a of the flange section 24. With the above configuration, for example, when a scoop or other member for putting cat litter into the upper container 2 is hooked onto the flange section 24, interference between the member and the protrusion 9 provided on the outer surface 22b of the side wall section 22 can be suppressed. Furthermore, by limiting the protrusion of the convex portion 9 to such an extent that it does not extend beyond the flange portion 24, it is possible to avoid problems such as the convex portion 9 getting in the way when lifting the upper container 2. For example, if the convex portion 9 is the part that protrudes the furthest outward, the user would need to be careful to prevent the convex portion 9 from coming into contact with the wall of the room, etc. However, by configuring the convex portion 9 so that it does not protrude further outward than the outer end 24a of the flange portion 24, as shown in Figure 6, the user does not need to worry about the above-mentioned problem.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when viewed from the vertical direction Z, the protrusion 9 is located inside the upper end 22d of the outer surface 22b. That is, as shown in Figure 6, when viewed from the side, the protrusion 9 is located inside the upper end 22d of the outer surface 22b. When a flange portion 24 is provided on the upper end 22a of the side wall portion 22 as in this embodiment, the upper end 22d of the outer surface 22b is the connection point between the lower part of the flange portion 24 and the side wall portion 22. On the other hand, when a flange portion 24 is not provided, the upper end 22d is the connection point between the upper end 22a and the outer surface 22b. With the above configuration, the degree of protrusion of the protrusion 9 can be further suppressed, and the same effects as described above (i.e., the effects when the protrusion 9 is located inside the outer end 24a of the flange portion 24) can be obtained more favorably.

[0072] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 and 6, the outer surface 22b of the side wall portion 22 is inclined with respect to the vertical direction Z such that it is inclined outward as it goes upward. Also, as shown in Figure 7(A), the outer end surface 9a of the protrusion 9 is provided substantially parallel to the outer surface 22b of the side wall portion 22. With the above configuration, compared to the case where the outer end surface 9a of the protrusion 9 and the outer surface 22b are not provided substantially parallel, it becomes easier to hook a finger onto the protrusion 9 and easier to hold the upper container 2.

[0073] As a modified example, as shown in Figure 7(B), the outer end face 9a of the protrusion 9 may be provided substantially parallel to the vertical direction Z. That is, in the modified example, the protrusion 9 is provided so that its outer end face 9a is perpendicular to the floor, regardless of the degree of inclination of the outer surface 22b, just as in the example of Figure 7(A) where the outer surface 22b is perpendicular to the floor. With the above configuration, since the entire outer end face 9a protrudes outward in the same way, the protrusion 9 becomes easier to see from the side of the upper container 2, thereby improving the visibility of the display section 7 or the surrounding section 8.

[0074] In this embodiment, the display unit 7 has an uneven surface formed by convex or concave portions, and the height of the convex or concave portions constituting the surrounding portion 8 (hereinafter referred to as "surrounding portion height") is lower than the height of the convex or concave portions constituting the uneven surface (hereinafter referred to as "display unit height"). For example, if the surrounding portion 8 is composed of an annular convex portion that protrudes outward from the outer surface 22b (for example, a convex portion 9 as shown in Figure 7(A) or (B)), the surrounding portion height is the distance from the surface of the outer surface 22b adjacent to the surrounding portion 8 to the top of the convex portion. On the other hand, if the surrounding portion 8 is composed of an annular concave portion that recesses inward from the outer surface 22b, the surrounding portion height is the distance from the surface of the outer surface 22b adjacent to the surrounding portion 8 to the bottom of the concave portion. Furthermore, if the display unit 7 is composed of a convex portion that protrudes outward from the outer surface 22b, the display unit height is the distance from the surface of the outer surface 22b adjacent to the convex portion to the top of the convex portion. On the other hand, if the display unit 7 is composed of a recess that curves inward from the outer surface 22b, the height of the display unit is the distance from the surface of the outer surface 22b adjacent to the recess to the bottom of the recess.

[0075] For example, the area inside the enclosing portion 8 (the closed area including the display portion 7) may be formed by injection molding. For instance, if the display portion 7 is not to be formed, the body of the upper container 2 can be formed by injection molding using two molds, one upper and one lower. On the other hand, if the display portion 7 is to be formed together with the body of the upper container 2 during injection molding, a simple method of pouring resin into the two upper and lower molds, cooling them, and then removing the two molds will not allow for the formation of a display portion 7 that protrudes or is recessed relative to the outer surface 22b. For example, by providing recesses in each of the two upper and lower molds, and combining the two upper and lower molds to form an opening where the recesses of each of the two upper and lower molds meet, and then placing a mold for forming the display portion 7 (hereinafter referred to as the "display portion mold") in this opening, the display portion 7 can be formed by injection molding. For example, with the two upper and lower molds set and the display portion mold inserted into the opening formed by the recesses of the two upper and lower molds, resin is poured into the mold and cooled. This forms a display portion 7 corresponding to the pattern provided on the surface of the display portion mold. Subsequently, the two upper and lower molds and the mold for the display unit are removed in sequence. At this time, burrs may form on the outer surface 22b at a position corresponding to the outer edge of the mold for the display unit. The surrounding portion 8 may be formed by such burrs.

[0076] When the display portion 7 and the surrounding portion 8 (burr) are formed by injection molding as described above, if the surfaces facing the outer surface 22b of the two upper and lower molds and the surface facing the outer surface 22b of the display portion mold are not flush, the height position of the outer surface 22b may differ between the inside and outside of the surrounding portion 8, with the surrounding portion 8 as the boundary.

[0077] Figure 8(A) shows an example where the inner outer surface 22b2 of the surrounding portion 8 (burr) is recessed inward compared to the outer outer surface 22b1 of the surrounding portion 8, with the surrounding portion 8 (burr) as the boundary. In this example, the display portion 7 is composed of a convex portion. That is, in this example, the inner region of the surrounding portion 8 (outer surface 22b2) is configured as a recessed region (a region lower than the outer surface 22b1), and the display portion 7 (frame portion 71, pattern portion 72, and character portion 73), composed of a convex portion, is arranged within this recessed region. In this case, the surrounding portion height H1 is defined as the distance from the outer surface 22b1, 22b2 adjacent to the surrounding portion 8 that is closer to the top of the surrounding portion 8 (outer surface 22b1 in this example) to the top of the surrounding portion 8. The display portion height H2 is defined as the distance from the outer surface 22b2 adjacent to the display portion 7 to the top of the display portion 7 (convex portion).

[0078] Figure 8(B) shows an example where the inner outer surface 22b2 of the surrounding portion 8 (burr) protrudes outward more than the outer outer surface 22b1 of the surrounding portion 8, with the surrounding portion 8 (burr) as the boundary. In this example, the display portion 7 is formed by a recess. That is, in this example, the inner region of the surrounding portion 8 (outer surface 22b2) is formed as a convex region (a region higher than the outer surface 22b1), and the display portion 7 (frame portion 71, pattern portion 72, and character portion 73), which is formed by a recess, is arranged within this convex region. In this case, the surrounding portion height H1 is defined as the distance from the surface closer to the top of the surrounding portion 8 (outer surface 22b2 in this example) to the top of the surrounding portion 8. The display portion height H2 is defined as the distance from the outer surface 22b2 adjacent to the display portion 7 to the bottom of the display portion 7 (recess).

[0079] With the configuration described above (enveloping part height < display part height), by making the engraving of the display part 7 deeper than that of the enveloping part 8, the display part 7 can be made to stand out more three-dimensionally than the enveloping part 8. Therefore, the position of the display part 7 can be clearly defined by the enveloping part 8, while effectively attracting the user's attention to the display part 7 surrounded by the enveloping part 8.

[0080] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(A) or (B), for example, by making the height of the area where the display unit 7 is provided inside the enclosing part 8 (outer surface 22b2) different from that of the area outside the enclosing part 8 (outer surface 22b1), the display unit 7 can be made more conspicuous. In addition, by providing a step between the inside and outside of the enclosing part 8, the slipperiness (ease of holding) when fingers or other objects come into contact with the enclosing part 8 can be further improved.

[0081] Furthermore, the width w1 of the protrusions or recesses constituting the surrounding portion 8 (the frame line width as shown in Figure 5) is smaller than the width w2 of the protrusions or recesses constituting the uneven portion of the display portion 7. Here, in the case where the display portion 7 consists of multiple elements (frame portion 71, pattern portion 72, character portion 73), and each is composed of protrusions or recesses, the above width w2 is the smallest of the width w21 of the frame portion 71, the width w22 of the pattern portion 72, and the width w23 of the character portion 73. Also, in the case where the width changes depending on the location, such as in the character portion 73, the width w23 of the character portion 73 is the maximum width of the lines constituting the character portion 73. Also, if the width w1 of the protrusions or recesses constituting the surrounding portion 8 changes depending on the location, the width w1 is the maximum width of the frame line constituting the surrounding portion 8. In other words, the fact that "w1 < w2" holds means that at least a part of the uneven portion constituting the display portion 7 has a line width that is thicker and more noticeable than the surrounding portion 8. With the above configuration, the display unit 7 can be made more prominent than the surrounding unit 8, thus clearly indicating the location of the display unit 7 with the surrounding unit 8, while effectively attracting the user's attention to the display unit 7 surrounded by the surrounding unit 8.

[0082] The outer surface 22b of the side wall portion 22 of the upper container 2 includes a portion that is exposed during use. In this embodiment, the entire outer surface 22b corresponds to the exposed portion. The display portion 7 and the surrounding portion 8 are provided on the exposed portion of the outer surface 22b (in this embodiment, below the pet entry opening 40). With the above configuration, since the display portion 7 and the surrounding portion 8 are provided on the portion that is exposed during use (i.e., the portion that does not overlap with the second container, etc.), it is possible to suppress the possibility of any protrusions included in the display portion 7 or the surrounding portion 8 coming into contact with the second container, etc., and being scraped or damaged. As a result, deterioration of the design (appearance) of the display portion 7 or the surrounding portion 8 can be avoided.

[0083] The display section 7 and the surrounding section 8 are provided on the outer surface 22b of the side wall 22 of the upper container 2, and not on the inner surface 22c of the side wall 22. With this configuration, because the display section 7 and the surrounding section 8 (protrusions or recesses) are not provided on the inner surface 22c of the side wall 22, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of dirt on the protrusions or recesses of the inner surface 22c where granular material such as cat litter is contained during use. The display section 7 and the surrounding section 8 may also be provided on the side wall 32 of the lower container 3. In this case, if the display section 7 and the surrounding section 8 are provided only on the outer surface of the side wall 32 and not on the inner surface 32a (inner surface) of the side wall 32, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of dirt on the protrusions or recesses of the inner surface where the pet sheet 5 is contained in the lower container 3.

[0084] [Variations] The form of the pet toilet system of this disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments. The materials and shapes of each component are not limited to those described above, and various materials and shapes can be used. In addition, some of the components included in the above embodiments may be changed or omitted, or other components may be added.

[0085] Referring to Figure 9, a modified pet system toilet (hereinafter referred to as "system toilet 1A") will be described. System toilet 1A differs from system toilet 1 mainly in that the upper container 2A is positioned inside the lower container 3A. The lower container 3A is a box-shaped (bathtub-shaped) container. In the lower container 3A, a side wall portion 35 having an inner surface 35a including the portion along which the edge of the pet sheet 5 (for example, the flap portion 5c) follows extends upward from the outer edge of the mounting surface 31. As an example, the upper container 2A is configured to be supported by the lower container 3A by being hooked onto the upper end of the side wall portion 35 of the lower container 3A, with the bottom wall portion 21 positioned above the mounting surface 31 of the lower container 3A. The bottom wall portion 21 of the upper container 2A is provided with a liquid passage portion 6 similar to the bottom wall portion 21 of the upper container 2 described above. Note that the configuration of supporting the upper container 2A with respect to the lower container 3A is not limited to the example in Figure 9. For example, a support base (for example, a portion formed integrally with a part of the side wall 35 and protruding inward) may be provided inside the lower container 3A to support a part of the bottom wall 21 of the upper container 2A.

[0086] In the system toilet 1A configured in this way, the display unit 7 and the surrounding unit 8 may be provided on the side wall of the upper container 2A or the lower container 3A. For example, the display unit 7 and the surrounding unit 8 may be provided on the outer surface 22b or inner surface 22c of the side wall 22 of the upper container 2A. Alternatively, the display unit 7 and the surrounding unit 8 may be provided on the inner surface 35a or outer surface 35b of the side wall 35 of the lower container 3A.

[0087] Furthermore, other uneven surfaces (parts including at least one of a convex or concave portion) may be provided in locations other than where the display portion 7 and the surrounding portion 8 are provided. For example, an uneven surface such as an engraving may be provided in region B shown in Figure 3. As an example, region B is the area behind the liquid passage portion 6 on the lower surface 21b of the bottom wall portion 21 of the upper container 2 (opposite the front side, which is the side where the PET entry port 40 is provided, in the short direction Y). In this case, even if the user cannot grasp the PET entry port 40 when holding the upper container 2 by placing their fingers on the lower surface 21b of the bottom wall portion 21, they can determine the front-to-back orientation of the upper container 2 by the feel of their fingers touching the uneven surfaces in region B. In addition, placing fingers on the uneven surfaces of the lower surface 21b of the bottom wall portion 21 makes the upper container 2 less likely to slip.

[0088] In the above embodiment (system toilet 1), a configuration in which the display section 7 and the surrounding section 8 are provided on the side wall 22 of the upper container 2 was illustrated, but the display section 7 and the surrounding section 8 may also be provided on the side wall 32 of the lower container 3. In that case, the lower container 3 becomes the container (first container) on which the display section 7 and the surrounding section 8 are provided.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the surrounding portion 8 was formed by burrs from injection molding, but the surrounding portion 8 may be formed by a method other than burrs from injection molding. For example, the portion of the upper container 2 other than the display portion 7 and the surrounding portion 8 may be formed by injection molding, and then the display portion 7 and the surrounding portion 8 may be formed by a method other than injection molding.

[0090] 1, 1A...System toilet (system toilet for pets), 2, 2A...Upper container (first container), 3, 3A...Lower container (second container), 7...Display section, 8...Enclosure section, 9...Protrusion, 22...Side wall section, 22a...Upper end, 22b, 22b1, 22b2...Outer surface, 22c...Inner surface, 22d...Upper end, 23...Lower end, 23a, 23b...Recess, 24...Flange section, 24a...Outer end, 33, 34...Handle section, 40...Pet ​​entrance.

Claims

1. A two-layer pet toilet system comprising a first container and a second container used in combination with each other, wherein the first container has a side wall portion provided with a visually recognizable display portion, and the surface of the side wall portion is provided with a surrounding portion composed of convex or concave portions that continuously surrounds the display portion.

2. The pet toilet system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit and the surrounding unit are provided at a position away from the upper end of the side wall.

3. The pet toilet system according to claim 1, wherein the first container is a container into which a pet enters when defecating, the upper end of the side wall is provided with a pet entrance recessed to be lower than the surrounding area to allow the pet to enter, and the display section and the surrounding section are provided below the pet entrance.

4. The pet toilet system according to claim 1, wherein the first container is a container into which a pet enters when defecating, the display portion and the surrounding portion are provided on the outer surface of the side wall portion, and the surface roughness of the portion of the outer surface excluding the display portion and the surrounding portion is smaller than the surface roughness of the inner surface of the side wall portion.

5. The display unit has a plurality of extending portions that each extend substantially horizontally and are spaced apart from each other substantially vertically, and each of the plurality of extending portions consists of a recess or a protrusion, as described in claim 1.

6. The lower end of the side wall portion is provided with a recessed portion that is set back from the floor surface when in use, and the display portion and the surrounding portion are provided above the recessed portion on the outer surface of the side wall portion, as described in claim 1.

7. The pet toilet system according to claim 6, wherein the second container is positioned below the first container and is for receiving liquid that has passed through the first container, and the second container has a handle portion positioned in a position corresponding to the recess, and the entirety of the handle portion is positioned inward from the recess when viewed from the vertical direction.

8. The pet toilet system according to claim 6, wherein the second container is positioned below the first container and is for receiving liquid that has passed through the first container, and the second container has a handle portion positioned in a position corresponding to the recess, and at least a portion of the handle portion protrudes outward from the recess when viewed from the vertical direction.

9. The pet toilet system according to claim 1, wherein the display portion and the surrounding portion are provided on the outer surface of the side wall portion, at least one of the display portion and the surrounding portion has a protrusion projecting outward from the outer surface, the upper end of the side wall portion is provided with a flange portion projecting outward, and when viewed from a vertical direction, the protrusion is set inward from the outer end of the flange portion.

10. The pet toilet system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit and the surrounding unit are provided on the outer surface of the side wall, and at least one of the display unit and the surrounding unit has a protrusion that projects outward from the outer surface, and when viewed from a vertical direction, the protrusion is set inward from the upper end of the outer surface.

11. The pet toilet system according to claim 1, wherein the display portion and the surrounding portion are provided on the outer surface of the side wall portion, at least one of the display portion and the surrounding portion has a protrusion projecting outward from the outer surface, the outer surface of the side wall portion is inclined with respect to the vertical so as it goes upward and outward, and the outer end face of the protrusion is provided substantially parallel to the outer surface of the side wall portion.

12. The pet toilet system according to claim 1, wherein the display portion and the surrounding portion are provided on the outer surface of the side wall portion, at least one of the display portion and the surrounding portion has a protrusion projecting outward from the outer surface, the outer surface of the side wall portion is inclined with respect to the vertical direction so as it goes upward and outward, and the outer end face of the protrusion is provided substantially parallel to the vertical direction.

13. The display portion has an uneven surface formed by convex or concave portions, and the height of the convex or concave portions constituting the surrounding portion is lower than the height of the convex or concave portions constituting the uneven surface, as described in claim 1.

14. The display portion has an uneven surface formed by convex or concave portions, and the width of the convex or concave portions constituting the surrounding portion is smaller than the width of the convex or concave portions constituting the uneven surface, as described in claim 1.

15. The pet toilet system according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the side wall portion of the first container includes a portion that is exposed during use, and the display portion and the surrounding portion are provided on the exposed portion of the outer surface.

16. The pet toilet system according to claim 1, wherein the display section and the surrounding section are provided on the outer surface of the side wall of the first container and not on the inner surface of the side wall.

17. The height position of the surface of the side wall portion differs between the inside and outside of the surrounding portion, with the surrounding portion as the boundary, as described in claim 1.

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