JP6854539B2 - Animal toilet - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to animal litter boxes for cats and the like.

In the animal toilet, a granular excrement treatment material called cat sand made of zeolite, bentonite, etc. is laid on the drainboard to form a toilet bed, and the excreted urine is collected from the excrement treatment material. It falls through the drainboard and is absorbed by an absorber made of water-absorbent resin, plant fiber, etc. placed below the drainboard.

Conventionally, the drainboard of the animal toilet is composed of a porous plate having a large number of through holes through which excreted urine is transmitted (Patent Document 1). In this conventional technique, the excreted urine remains with a thin film formed on the entire surface of the through hole, and it takes a long time to fall from the drainboard. Therefore, in the conventional animal toilet, the animal toilet and its surroundings cannot be kept clean, and the generation of urine odor cannot be suppressed.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-229768

An object of the present invention is to provide an animal toilet that is kept clean and suppresses the generation of urine odor.

The present invention is as shown in FIGS. 23-28.
(A) A cover 2 having a cover peripheral wall 21 on which an entrance / exit 23 for animals to enter and exit is formed, and
(B) Upper container 3
Duckboard 31 to carry animals and
An upper container 3 having an upper peripheral wall 32 that supports the cover peripheral wall 21 and forms a space 33 on the outer side of the drainboard 31 on which an animal is placed together with the cover peripheral wall 21.
(C) Lower container 4
The upper container 3 has a lower peripheral wall 43 that is fitted from above and supports the upper container 3.
In an animal toilet having a lower container 4 for accommodating an absorber 98 (FIGS. 15, 19, 20) that absorbs urine falling from a drainboard 31.
(D) A lower support portion 82 is formed which is connected to the upper 81 (FIGS. 27 and 28) of the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container 4 and extends outward in the circumferential direction.
(E) The upper container 3 is connected to the upper portion 91 of the upper peripheral wall 32, extends outward in the circumferential direction, is placed on the lower support portion 82, and exposes the outer peripheral surface 84a of the lower support portion 82 in the circumferential direction. The support portion 92 is formed,
(F) The lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 exposes the outer peripheral surface 94a of the upper support portion 92 in the circumferential direction.
A connecting piece 104 (FIG. 25) extending downward from the upper support portion 92 of the upper peripheral wall 32 is provided on the lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 on the left and right outer sides thereof.
The connecting piece 104 is provided with a first connecting portion 105.
(G) An animal toilet characterized in that a second connecting portion 106 that can be connected to and detached from the first connecting portion 105 is provided on the upper 81 of the lower peripheral wall 43.

According to the present invention, the cover 2, the upper container 3 provided with the drainboard 31, and the lower container 4, which are three components constituting the animal toilet 1, are used and transported, for example, indoors of a building. In order to maintain the assembled state at times, the first connecting portion 105 of the connecting piece 104 of the cover peripheral wall 21 and the second connecting portion 106 of the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container 4 are provided so as to be connectable and detachable. In this assembled state, the outer peripheral surface 84a of the lower support portion 82 connected to the upper 81 of the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container 4 and the outer peripheral surface 94a of the upper support portion 92 connected to the upper 91 of the upper peripheral wall 32 of the upper container 3 Both of them extend below the lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 while being exposed outward in the circumferential direction.

Therefore, from the outside of the animal toilet 1, it is not possible to directly see the connected state of the first and second connecting portions 105 and 106 provided on the left and right outer sides, or to see the connected state. Even in the structure, the lower support portion 82, the upper support portion 92, and the cover peripheral wall 21 can be clearly seen from the bottom to the top in a very wide range outward in the circumferential direction. You can check the completed assembly status of 3 and 4. As a result, it is possible to prevent rattling when the animal enters and exits and when the animal is used while the assembled state of the three components 2, 3 and 4 is incomplete, or while being carried by holding it with both hands. , For example, one of the components 2, 3 and 4 can be prevented from being accidentally dropped.

The exposure of the upper support portion 92 that exposes the outer peripheral surface 84a of the lower support portion 82 and the lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 that exposes the outer peripheral surface 94a of the upper support portion 92 is the connecting piece 104 and the first and second connecting portions. It is not necessary to be continuous all around the circumference other than the vicinity of 105 and 106, and it may be formed at intervals partially, intermittently or discontinuously in the circumferential direction, and the first and second connecting portions 105 and 106 may be formed. According to the present invention, it suffices if the connected state can be seen in a wider range on the outer side in the circumferential direction as well as on the left and right outer sides where the is provided.

The color of at least the outer peripheral surface 94a of the upper support portion 92 (for example, dark brown) is combined with the color of the outer peripheral surface 84a of the lower support portion 82 below it and the lower 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 arranged above it (for example, beige). May make it easier to check the assembled state by choosing differently.

In the embodiment described later, the first connecting portion 105 of the connecting piece 104 of the cover peripheral wall 21 is realized by the connecting hole 105, and the second connecting portion 106 of the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container 4 is projected outward. It may be realized by 106, and both 105 and 106 may be fitted and connected and disconnected. Also by this, the connecting protrusion 106 fitted and exposed in the connecting hole 105 can be clearly seen, albeit from a relatively narrow range, and the fitted and connected state can be visually recognized from the outside and assembled. You can check the status directly.

According to another idea of the present invention, for example, the first connecting portion 105 of the plate-shaped connecting piece 104 is realized by a claw-shaped engaging projection protruding inward, and the second of the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container 4 is realized. The connecting portion 106 can be realized by another claw-shaped engaging projection protruding outward, and both 105 and 106 can be engaged and engaged to be connected and detached. In this configuration, the connection of both the first and second connecting portions 105 and 106 provided on the left and right side portions of the animal toilet 1 cannot be confirmed from the outside, but the lower support portion 82 covers a wide range in the circumferential direction. Since the outer peripheral surface 84a of the above, the outer peripheral surface 94a of the upper support portion 92, and the lower 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 can be clearly seen, the completed assembled state of the three components 2, 3 and 4 can be easily confirmed.

The present invention is as shown in FIGS. 23-29.
An inner limiting protrusion 85 is formed on the lower support portion 82 of the lower container 4 so as to stand inward of the upper support portion 92 of the upper container 3 and limit the inward displacement of the upper support portion 92.
The upper support portion 92 of the upper container 3 is formed with front-rear limiting protrusions 111 that project inward of the upper support portion 92 and come into contact with the end faces 85a and 85b of the inner limiting protrusions 85.
The contact between the inner limiting protrusion 85 and the front-rear limiting protrusion 111 prevents the upper container 3 and the lower container 4 from being displaced from each other in the front-rear direction.

According to the present invention, the inner limiting protrusion 85 erected on the lower support portion 82 of the lower container 4 limits the inward displacement of the upper support portion 92, whereby the lower support portion 82 of the lower container 4 is restricted. It is ensured that the upper support portion 92 is placed on the. Further, the front-rear limiting protrusion 111 projecting inward of the upper support portion 92 of the upper container 3 abuts on the side of the inner limiting protrusion 85, which also causes the upper container 3 and the lower container 4 to be in the front-rear direction. Mutual displacement is prevented, ensuring that the upper support 92 is placed on the lower support 82. Therefore, the upper container 3 does not deviate from the lower container 4 when an animal enters and exits the cage 31, the upper container 3 does not vibrate, is stably held with respect to the lower container 4, and urinates the animal. , Eliminate anxious psychology during excretion.

The present invention is as shown in FIGS. 23-29.
The upper support portion 92 of the upper container 3 is formed in an inverted U shape in an inverted U shape together with the upper portion 91 of the upper peripheral wall 32 via a connecting portion 93 that covers the inner limiting protrusion 85.
The front-rear limiting projection 111 is characterized in that the upper portion 91 of the upper peripheral wall 32 and the connecting portion 93 are connected and fixed.

According to the present invention, the upper peripheral wall 32 forms a positioning space 113 facing downward by the upper portion 91 and the connecting portion 93 on the outer side, and in the positioning space 113, the front-rear limiting projection 111 as a so-called reinforcing rib. Is fixed by connecting the upper portion 91 and the connecting portion 93 on the outer side to improve the strength. Since the inner limiting protrusion 85 enters the lower portion of the positioning space 113, it is certain that the upper support portion 92 is placed on the lower support portion 82.

The present invention is as shown in FIG.
The lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 forms a mounting space 116 facing downward by a covering portion 115 that is connected inward in an inverted U shape together with the lower portion 101, and is mounted inside the mounting space 116. Accommodates the placement protrusion 102 and
The mounting protrusion 102 is fixed by connecting the lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 and the covering portion 115.
At least one of the mounting protrusion 102 and the lower end 103 of the cover peripheral wall 21 is mounted on the upper support portion 92.

According to the present invention, the cover peripheral wall 21 has a mounting space 116 formed by a lower portion 101 thereof and an inner covering portion 115, and a mounting protrusion 102 is provided on the inner surface thereof as a so-called reinforcing rib. It is fixed and the strength is improved. Since the upper support portion 92 enters the lower part of the mounting space 116, it is certain that the mounting protrusion 102 is mounted on the upper support portion 92, and the cover peripheral wall 21 and the upper support portion 92 Undesirable displacement of the side of the cover 2 is prevented, and the cover 2 is stably held in the upper container 3.

In the animal toilet 1 of the present case, instead of the above-mentioned first configuration in which the mounting protrusion 102 is mounted on the upper support portion 92, the lower end 103 of the cover peripheral wall 21 is mounted on the mounting portion 94. The second configuration may be used, or a third configuration in which both the first and second configurations are adopted at the same time may be realized. Furthermore, the first, second or third configuration may be selectively realized for each position in the circumferential direction of the animal toilet 1.

The vertical position of the lowermost end 37a may be the central position of the through hole 236, but may be selected as a position where a large amount of urine is excreted.

The present invention is as shown in FIGS. 41 to 45.
It has a drainboard 31 on which an animal is placed and a lower container 4 arranged below the drainboard 31.
The lower container 4 is
The lower container body 41 that supports the drainboard 31 and
In an animal toilet having a bottom plate 54, accommodating an absorber 98 that absorbs urine falling from a drainboard 31 on the bottom plate 54, and having a tray 42 that can be inserted and removed in a drawer shape in a lower container body 41.
The lower container body 41 has a lower peripheral wall 43 and a bottom portion 44 that is connected to the lower portion of the lower peripheral wall 43 and supports the tray 42.
A recess 313 is formed in the lower peripheral wall 43 substantially in the center in the front-rear direction.
The outer surface of the recess 313 is formed by a smooth curved surface that is recessed inward in the left-right direction as the lower peripheral wall 43 is recessed inward in the left-right direction from the front-back to the center and from substantially the center to the bottom in the vertical direction.
The upper portion of the recess 313 is an animal toilet characterized in that it swells to the left and right side from the center in the front-rear direction to the front-back and upwards, and is formed by a smooth curved surface.

According to the present invention, the handle portion 314 is formed on the upper portion of the recess 313. The animal toilet 1b can be easily carried by the owner and the worker by hanging the fingertips of both hands on the lower surfaces of the left and right handle portions 314. Further, since the lower container body 41 is provided with the recesses 313, even if an impact force is applied to the animal toilet 1b by an animal or the like, the recesses 313 on both sides of the tray 42 in the left-right direction 9 cause the tray 42 to be displaced in the left-right direction 9. This is suppressed, and the tray 42 is prevented from laterally swaying in the lower container body 41 and being largely displaced in the left-right direction 9.

In the present invention, the tray 42 stands up from the bottom plate 54 and the four peripheral sides of the bottom surface facing above the bottom plate 54 toward the front side substantially perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 35, and accommodates the rectangular sheet-shaped absorber 98. It is an elongated rectangle in the insertion direction 7 having a peripheral wall 55 forming the accommodating area 330 to be formed, and having four corners 331 to 334 in a plan view.
The intersection of the bottom plate 54 and the peripheral wall 55 at these corners 331 to 334 is formed by a curved surface curved outward 12 so that excrement such as urine and fine foreign substances such as dust do not stay. It is characterized by being composed.

According to the present invention, it may be configured by a curved surface formed by a so-called chamfering process, which is convexly curved outward so that an excretory portion such as urine and a fine foreign substance such as dust do not stay. As a result, the growth of bacteria due to residual substances such as residual foreign substances can be suppressed, and hygienic cleanliness can be improved.

In the present invention, the peripheral wall 55 has a front wall 57b, a pair of left and right side walls 56, and a rear wall 58.
The front wall 57b is formed upstream of the tray 42 in the insertion direction 7 (that is, forward, to the left in FIGS. 35 and 36) and extends in the left-right direction (vertical direction in FIGS. 35 and 36).
The side wall 56 is formed so as to be continuous with the front wall 57b, and extends in the front-rear vertical direction (horizontal direction in FIGS. 35 and 36) parallel to the insertion direction 7.
The rear wall 58 is formed so as to be connected to each side wall 56 downstream of the tray 42 in the insertion direction 7 (that is, rearward, to the right in FIGS. 35 and 36), and extends in the left-right direction.
The inner wall surface 57c of the front wall 57b has an inner wall surface 57c1 near the center and corner inner wall surfaces 57c2 near both left and right ends of the corners 331 and 332, and the lower ends of the inner wall surface 57c connected to the bottom surface of the bottom plate 54 are left and right. Extends in a straight line in the direction
As shown in FIG. 38, the intermediate inner wall surface 57c1, which is a portion other than the corners 331 and 332 of the inner wall surface 57c, is accommodated at an angle α1 with respect to the bottom surface of the bottom plate 54 of the tray 42 as it goes upward from the bottom surface of the bottom plate 54. An inclined flat surface outward of the region 330 (upstream in the insertion direction 7).
In the vicinity of the corners 331 and 332, the corner inner wall surface 57c2 (see FIG. 36) smoothly connects to the center inner wall surface 57c1 and extends outward of the accommodation area 330 (upstream in the insertion direction 7), and is shown in FIG. 39. As shown above, the angle θ (θ> α1) with respect to the bottom surface changes to a larger value as the angle θ (θ> α1) with respect to the bottom surface becomes larger in the lateral direction (upward direction in FIG. 36). It is characterized in that it is formed in a curved shape.

In the present invention, on the inner side surface 56a of the side wall 56, the lower end connected to the bottom surface of the bottom plate 54 of the inner side surface 56a extends in a straight line parallel to the insertion direction 7.
As shown in FIG. 40, the inner side surface 56a has an angle α2 (θ> α2) with respect to the bottom surface, and is outward of the accommodating area 330 (outward in the left-right direction, upward direction in FIG. 36) as it goes upward from the bottom surface of the bottom plate 54. ), The flat surface is inclined over the entire length in the vertical direction including the inner side surface 56a1 of the corner near the corner 331.
The corner inner wall surface 56a1 is connected to the corner inner wall surface 57c2, and the corner inner wall surface 57c2 of the front wall 57b does not extend outward (upper in FIG. 36) in the left-right direction from the inner surface surface 56a including the corner inner surface surface 56a1. It is characterized by.

In the present invention, the lower container 4 is provided with a pair of locking pieces 337, 338 protruding in directions close to each other on both sides of the lower peripheral wall 43 in the left-right direction 9.
The tray 42 is characterized by having stepped portions 335, 336 with which the locking pieces 337 and 338 abut at the intersection of the end wall 57 and the side wall 56.

In the present invention, a pair of left and right movement guide portions 311 extending in parallel along the front-rear direction 8 are projected downward from the bottom plate 54 of the tray 42.
A pair of left and right vertical ridges 307 extending in parallel along the front-rear direction 8 are projected upward from the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41.
Each movement guide portion 311 is characterized in that it is unevenly fitted to each other on the outer side of each vertical ridge portion 307 and guided within the movement range of the tray 42 in the insertion direction 7.

It is a perspective view of the animal toilet 1 of one embodiment of this invention. It is an exploded perspective view of the animal toilet 1. It is a plan view of a part of the drainboard 31. It is a bottom view of a part of the drainboard 31. It is a perspective view seen from the top of the drainboard 31. It is a perspective view seen from the bottom of the drainboard 31. It is sectional drawing of the drainboard 31 seen from the cut plane line VII-VII in FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a drainboard 31 shown without hatching the cross member 35 in order to clearly show the cross section perpendicular to the axis of the vertical member 34 as viewed from the cut plane lines VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. It is sectional drawing of the drainboard 31 seen from the cut plane line IX-IX in FIG. 7. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which the excreted urine flows on the drainboard 31 and descends through a through hole 36. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a state in which the thin film 38 of urine is closed, then descends, bursts, and falls through the through hole 36 formed by the vertical member 34 and the horizontal member 35. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of the drainboard 31 downstream of the insertion direction 7 of a tray 42. It is a perspective view seen from the upper side of the lower container main body 41 of the lower container 4. It is a perspective view seen from the lower side of the lower container main body 41 of the lower container 4. It is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the insertion direction 7 of the animal toilet 1 which shows the lower right part seen from the cut plane line XV-XV of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the part upstream of the insertion direction 7 of a tray 42. It is a perspective view which shows the part downstream of the insertion direction 7 of a tray 42. It is a perspective view which looked at the tray 42 upside down. It is a vertical cross-sectional view of a part of the upstream along the insertion direction 7 of the animal toilet 1 as seen from the cut plane line XIX-XIX of FIG. It is a vertical cross-sectional view of a part of the downstream along the insertion direction 7 of the animal toilet 1 as seen from the cut plane line XIX-XIX of FIG. 19 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the upstream end protrusion 47 in the insertion direction 7 provided at the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41 of FIG. 20 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the end protrusion 50 downstream in the insertion direction 7 provided at the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41 of FIG. 20. An animal showing a connecting structure 80 in which the cover 2, the upper container 3 and the lower container 4 are connected in an assembled state, with the upper container 3 mounting portion 94 and its vicinity omitted for convenience of understanding the structure. It is a right side view of the toilet 1. It is an exploded perspective view of the connection structure 80. It is sectional drawing which shows the connection structure 80 seen from the cut plane line XXV-XXV of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the connection structure 80 seen from the cut plane line XXVI-XXVI of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the connection structure 80 seen from the cut plane line XXVII-XXVII of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the connection structure 80 seen from the cut plane line XXVIII-XXVIII of FIG. A part of the lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 in the vicinity of the connecting structure 80 of the animal toilet 1, the connecting piece 104 connected to the lower portion 101, and the connecting portion 93 of the upper support portion 92 of the upper container 3 are omitted and shown. It is a cross-sectional view seen from the right side. FIG. 30 is a top-view view of the scoop 120 used for the animal litter box 1. It is a perspective view seen from the bottom of the scoop 120 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view of a part of the drainboard 231 in another embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the drainboard 231 seen from the cut plane line XXXIII-XXXIII in the embodiment of FIG. 32. It is a vertical cross-sectional view of a part of the upstream along the insertion direction 7 of the animal toilet 1 corresponding to the above-mentioned FIG. 19 in still another embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of the lower container 4 used for the animal toilet 1a of still another embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the vicinity of one corner 331 of the lower container 4 shown in FIG. 35. FIG. 35 is a perspective view of the vicinity of one corner 331 of the lower container 4 shown in FIG. 35 as viewed from the upstream in the insertion direction 7. It is sectional drawing seen from the cut plane line XXXVIII-XXXVIII of FIG. 36. It is sectional drawing seen from the cut plane line XXXIX-XXXIX of FIG. 36. It is sectional drawing seen from the cut surface line XL-XL of FIG. It is a partial enlarged sectional view which shows the lower container 4b of the animal toilet 1b of still another embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged view of the section XLII of FIG. 41. It is a perspective view which shows the appearance of the animal toilet 1b of FIG. 41 as seen from the diagonally lower right. It is a perspective view which shows the appearance of the animal toilet 1b of FIG. 41 seen from the diagonally upper left of the front side. It is an enlarged cross-sectional view seen from the cut plane line XLV-XLV of FIG. 43. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lower container 4 in which the tray 42 is pulled out from the lower container main body 41 as viewed from diagonally upper left on the front side. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lower container 4b in which the tray 42 is pulled out from the lower container main body 41 as viewed from diagonally above left. It is an enlarged perspective view around one corner 331 of a tray 42. It is an enlarged plan view which looked at the vicinity of one corner 331 of a tray 42 from above. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lower container 4 in which the tray 42 is mounted on the lower container main body 41 as viewed diagonally from above. It is an enlarged plan view around the corner 331. It is sectional drawing which partially cutout | corner part 331 and the vicinity thereof. It is an enlarged view which looked at the vicinity of the corner 331 from the upstream of the insertion direction 7. It is a top view which shows the animal toilet 1c of still another embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows a part of the lower container 4c of the animal toilet 1c. It is a side view of the animal toilet 1c. It is sectional drawing of the animal toilet 1c seen from the cut plane line LVI-LVI of FIG. 53. It is a front view of the animal toilet 1c. It is sectional drawing of the animal toilet 1c seen from the cut plane line LVIII-LVIII of FIG. 53. It is a perspective view of the animal toilet 1c. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the upstream along the insertion direction 7 of the animal toilet 1c as seen from the cut surface line LX-LX of FIG. 57. It is a top view of the lower container body 41. It is a front view of the lower container main body 41. It is a bottom view of the lower container main body 41. It is a rear view of the lower container main body 41. It is a side view of the lower container main body 41. It is sectional drawing of the lower container main body 41 seen from the cut plane line LXVI-LXVI of FIG. 61. It is a perspective view which looked at the lower container body 41 from the diagonally upper right. It is a perspective view which looked at the lower container body 41 from the bottom side. It is a top view of the tray 42. It is a front view of the tray 42. It is a bottom view of the tray 42. It is a rear view of the tray 42. It is a front view of the tray 42. It is sectional drawing of the tray 42 seen from the cut plane line LXXIVI-LXXXIV of FIG. 69. It is sectional drawing of the tray 42 seen from the cut plane line LXXV-LXXXV of FIG. 69. It is a perspective view which looked at the tray 42 from the diagonally upper right. It is a perspective view which looked at the tray 42 from the bottom.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the animal toilet 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the animal toilet 1. With reference to these drawings, the animal litter box 1 basically includes a cover 2, an upper container 3 and a lower container 4. The cover 2 has a cover peripheral wall 21 having an open upper portion and an inwardly facing cover portion 22. The inward cover portion 22 forms an entrance / exit 23 through which animals such as cats enter and exit. The upper container 3 has a drainboard 31 on which an animal is placed and an upper peripheral wall 32 that supports the drainboard 31, and the upper peripheral wall 32 forms a space 33 on which the animal is placed together with the cover peripheral wall 21. The lower container 4 accommodates a lower container main body 41 that supports the upper container 3 having a drainboard 31 and an absorber 98 (FIGS. 18 and 19) that absorbs urine falling from the drainboard 31, and is pulled out to the lower container main body 41. It has a tray 42 that can be freely inserted and removed. The cover 2, the upper container 3, and the lower container 4 are manufactured by injection molding of a synthetic resin, respectively.

The drawing direction 6 from the lower container body 41 of the tray 42 and the insertion direction 7 may be collectively referred to as the insertion / removal direction 8 or the front-rear direction. The pull-out direction 6 and the insertion direction 7 may be referred to as front and rear, respectively. It is called the left-right direction 9 when viewed from the front, which is upstream of the pull-out direction 6. The direction toward the inside of the space 33 on which the animal is placed is called the inner side 11, and the direction toward the outside from the space 33 is called the outer side 12. Up / down, left / right, horizontal, etc. refer to the direction in which the animal toilet 1 is used so that the upper surface of the drainboard 31 is horizontal.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a part of the drainboard 31, FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a part of the drainboard 31, FIG. 5 is a perspective view seen from above the drainboard 31, and FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the drainboard 31. It is a perspective view seen from. In the drainboard 31, a plurality of vertical members 34 and a plurality of horizontal members 35 integrally intersect to form a through hole 36. The axis of the vertical member 34 is parallel to the insertion / removal direction 8, and the axis of the horizontal member 35 is parallel to the left-right direction perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction 8. Each through hole 36 has the same shape having an elongated shape whose length is longer than the width in a plan view, and may be rectangular or other shape. For example, as shown in FIGS. 32 and 33 described later, each through hole 36 may have an elongated shape. It may be in the shape of a sword that becomes smaller as it approaches the vertical center position 236b. The through hole 36 has a size and a shape so that the laid granular excrement treatment material does not pass through and does not fall. The number of vertical members 34 and the number of horizontal members 35 constituting the drainboard 31 may be different or the same.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the drainboard 31 as seen from the cut plane line VII-VII in FIG. At the lower end of the vertical member 34, a downwardly convex reverse arch portion 37 is continuously formed by repeating vertically along the insertion / removal direction 8. The inverted arch portion 37 is formed in an arc shape having a large radius that is convex downward, and has a shape that is repeated and continuous with the distance between the vertically adjacent cross members 35 as one cycle. The cross section perpendicular to the axis of each cross member 35 is uniform and the same in the axial direction (vertical direction of the paper surface of FIGS. 3 and 4, and direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 7). The lowermost end 37a of each reverse arch portion 37 is arranged directly below the cross member 35. The uppermost end 37b of each reverse arch portion 37 is at the central position between the cross members 35 adjacent in the vertical direction, and is above the lowermost end 35d of the cross members 35. The lowermost end 37a of the reverse arch portion 37 may be at the same position as the lowermost lower end 35d of the cross member 35, and the cross member 35 is below the lower end including the lowermost lower end 37a and the uppermost end 37b of the reverse arch portion 37. It does not protrude to the arch. The uppermost end 37b is formed in an arc shape having a small radius that is convex upward. Therefore, the lower end of the reverse arch portion 37 is continuous with a smooth curve in the virtual vertical plane extending in the insertion / removal direction 8 when the upper surface of the sill 31 is installed so as to be horizontal, so that the tray 42 and the absorber 98 Even if it comes into contact with the upper end of the tray 42, the insertion / removal operation of the tray 42 is smooth, and the lower end of the reverse arch portion 37 and the upper end of the tray 42 and the absorber 98 are not caught and the insertion / removal operation is not difficult.

The urine excreted from animals such as cats flows on the urine 31 through the excrement treatment material on the urine 31, and spreads over the entire surface at the upper part of each through hole 36, for example, a thin rectangular urine liquid film. The thin film closes the through holes 36. The thin film of urine descends while keeping the through hole 36 closed while contacting the outer surface of the vertical member 34 and the cross member 35 facing the through hole 36. The operation of the thin film descending and falling will be described later with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. The thin film delays the fall of urine by forming it, but according to the present embodiment, the delay of the fall can be suppressed.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the drainboard 31 as seen from the cut plane line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7, and in FIG. 8, the cross member 35 is not hatched in order to clearly show the cross section perpendicular to the axis of the vertical member 34. Indicated by. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the drainboard 31 as seen from the cut plane line IX-IX in FIG. The cross section perpendicular to the axis of the vertical member 34 has an upper portion 34a and a lower portion 34b in which the outer surfaces are smoothly connected. The width W1 of the upper portion 34a is formed narrower toward the top and has a convex shape. The width W2 of the lower portion 34b has a downwardly convex shape that is formed narrower toward the bottom. The excreted urine flows smoothly and quickly along the outer surface of the upper portion 34a. Further, in the lower portion 34b, the lateral distance (horizontal direction in FIGS. 8 and 9) between the outer surfaces of the two vertical members 34 forming the through hole 36 increases as it goes down, so that the through hole 36 is closed. The thin film is liable to rupture, and the urine after the rupture is liable to descend along the outer surface of the vertical member 34, and flows down smoothly and quickly.

The cross member 35 also has an upper portion 35a and a lower portion 35b in which the outer surfaces of the cross sections perpendicular to the axis are smoothly connected, and the width W3 of the upper portion 35a is formed narrower as it goes up and has an upwardly convex shape. The width W4 of the lower portion 35b has a downwardly convex shape that is formed narrower as it goes down. As a result, the thin film closing the through hole 36 is likely to rupture, and the urine after the rupture is likely to descend along the outer surfaces of the vertical member 34 and the horizontal member 35, and flows smoothly and quickly.

The inner peripheral surface of the end portion of the through hole 36 and the surface of the intersection of the vertical member 34 and the horizontal member 35 are formed to be rounded, and are, for example, the virtual lines of FIGS. As it is, and it is not angular, it is easy to remove and clean the adhering animal excrement.

The uppermost end 34c of the vertical member 34 is formed in a virtual one plane with the uppermost end 35c of the horizontal member 35. In another embodiment of the present invention, the uppermost end 34c of the vertical member 34 is formed lower than the uppermost end 35c of the horizontal member 35. As a result, the excreted urine easily moves from the uppermost end 34c of the vertical member 34, which is lower than the uppermost end 35c of the horizontal member 35, along the outer surface of the vertical member 34. The thin film can be formed quickly. In still another embodiment of the present invention, contrary to the above-described configuration, even if the uppermost end 35c of the cross member 35 is formed lower than the uppermost end 34c of the vertical member 34, the excreted urine is perforated. Leading to 36, a thin film can be formed quickly.

According to the experiment of the present inventor, in the above-described embodiment, the through hole 36 has, for example, a length A of 23 mm and a width B of 3 mm, and the A / B ratio is twice or more, preferably 5. It is ~ 11 times, more preferably 8.5 to 9.5 times, and the distance C between the uppermost end 34c of the vertical member 34 and the uppermost end 37b of the reverse arch portion 37 is, for example, 5 mm, C. The ratio of / B is preferably 1 to 3 times, and more preferably 1 to 2 times, whereby the thin film having through holes 36 defined by the vertical member 34 and the horizontal member 35. 38 can be suppressed and the fall of urine can be promoted.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which excreted urine flows on the drainboard 31 and descends through the through hole 36, and FIGS. 11 (1) to 11 (6) are transparent members formed by the vertical member 34 and the horizontal member 35. It is a top view which shows the state which the thin film 38 of urine closes through a hole 36, then descends, bursts, and falls. In FIG. 10, the thin film 38 of urine formed in the through hole 36 is shown from top to bottom with reference numerals 38a to 38e attached to virtual lines. As shown in FIG. 11 (1), in the thin film 38a, the urine excreted by the animal closes the through hole 36. Urine is in contact with the outer surface of the vertical member 34 and the horizontal member 35 facing the through hole 36, while keeping the through hole 36 closed and in contact with the outer surface of the vertical member 34 and the horizontal member 35 facing the through hole 36. As shown in FIG. 11 (2), the thin film 38c descends and passes through the thin film 38b, and further reaches the uppermost end 37b of the reverse arch portion 37.

The thin film 38c reaches the uppermost end 37b of the reverse arch portion 37 and descends through the uppermost end 37b, so that the thin film 38c is separated from the outer surface of the vertical member 34 facing the through hole 36 in the vicinity of the vertical center position and the through hole. Within 36, it is vertically divided (in the left-right direction of FIG. 11 (3)) and bursts, resulting in a small crack 39c. Since the uppermost end 37b of the reverse arch portion 37 is above the lowermost end 35d of the cross member 35 between the cross members 35 adjacent in the vertical direction, the thin film 38b descends with the through hole 36 closed. A crack 39c can be formed vertically, for example, at the center of the through hole 36 by reaching the uppermost end 37b of the reverse arch portion 37, and an equal amount of urine can be distributed and flowed down to both sides of the vertical. Can be done. This can also accelerate the rate of urine fall.

As the thin film 38c descends from the thin film 38d to the position of the thin film 38e, the crack 39c is gradually divided into large pieces in the vertical direction from the crack 39d (FIG. 11 (4)) to the crack 39e (FIG. 11 (5)). go. After that, as shown in FIG. 11 (6), the thin film 38 of urine disappears from the through hole 36, and the urine flows down along the outer surface of the vertical member 34 at the lower end that draws a downwardly convex arc in the vertical member 34. It is collected by a certain reverse arch portion 37, moves toward the lowermost end 37a of the reverse arch portion 37, is collected, becomes a large droplet from the lowermost end 37a, falls on the absorber 98 on the tray 42, and is absorbed. To.

Since the volume per unit movement amount of urine moving toward the lowermost end 37a of the reverse arch portion 37 increases downward, the urine on the reverse arch portion 37 of the vertical member 34 and the outer surface of the vertical member 34 Is pulled downward by a large surface tension or capillary force that seeks to reduce the surface area. In this way, even if the thin film 38 is formed in the through hole 36, the urine excreted on the urine 31 is quickly collected at the lowermost end 37a of the reverse arch portion 37 by utilizing the surface tension or the capillary force of the urine to be large. It can be grown into droplets and dropped. Therefore, urine does not remain in the drainboard 31, the animal toilet 1 and its surroundings can be kept clean, and the generation of urine odor can be suppressed.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the drainboard 31 downstream of the tray 42 in the insertion direction 7. The drainboard 31 is configured such that the entire vertical member 34 and the horizontal member 35 forming a large number of through holes 36 are integrally surrounded by an outer frame 71. The drainboard 31 is directly above the absorber 98 arranged on the tray 42 in a state where the tray 42 is attached to the lower container main body 41.

The outer frame 71 is composed of vertical portions 72 on both sides in the left-right direction 9 and horizontal portions 73 upstream and downstream in the insertion direction 7, and is integrally connected to the lower portion of the upper peripheral wall 32 of the upper container 3. The lowermost end 37a of the reverse arch portion 37 of the vertical member 34 is located below the lower end 74 of the outer frame 71 and the lowermost end 35d of the horizontal member 35. As a result, during the operation of pulling out the tray 42 from the lower container body 41 and the insertion / removal operation of inserting the tray 42 into the lower container body 41, the absorber 98 in the upper part of the tray 42 or in the tray 42 can be, even if the vertical member 34. Even if the tray 42 is inserted or removed smoothly even if it comes into contact with the lowermost end 37a of the reverse arch portion 37 and interferes with the tray 42, the tray 42 can be operated by being caught on the lower end of the cage 31, for example, the cross member 35. Will not be difficult.

In the above-described embodiment, the lowermost end 37a of the reverse arch portion 37 of all the vertical members 34 is located below the lowermost ends 74 of the outer frame 71 and all the lowermost ends 35d of the horizontal members 35. In another embodiment, a part number of the lowermost ends 37a of the vertical members 34 may be located below the lowermost ends 74 of the outer frame 71 and all the lowermost ends 35d of the horizontal members 35. The partial number of vertical members 34 may be, for example, one or a plurality of vertical members 34 arranged in the center of the horizontal direction for reinforcement.

In another embodiment of the present invention, each through hole 36 is set by setting the vertical position of the uppermost end 37b of the reverse arch portion 37 toward the place where the amount of urine excreted from the animal is large. In, an equal amount of urine may be distributed to both sides of the vertical direction with respect to the uppermost end 37b to promote the falling speed of urine.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, the cross section perpendicular to the axis of any one of the vertical member 34 and the horizontal member 35 in FIGS. 7 to 9 has an upper portion and a lower portion as described above, and the upper portion. The widths W1 and W3 of the lower portion are formed narrower toward the top and have an upward convex shape, and the widths W2 and W4 of the lower portion are formed narrower toward the bottom and have a downward convex shape. The widths W1, W3: W2, and W4 of the outer surface of any one of the upper or lower portions may be uniform in the vertical direction or may have other cross-sectional shapes.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the lower container body 4 of the lower container 4 as viewed from above, and FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the lower container 4 of the lower container 4 as viewed from below. The lower container main body 41 has a lower peripheral wall 43 and a bottom portion 44 that is connected to the lower portion of the lower peripheral wall 43 and supports the tray 42. The lower peripheral wall 43 has a mounting port 45 for inserting and removing the tray 42.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the insertion direction 7 of the animal toilet 1 showing the lower right portion as viewed from the cutting plane line XV-XV of FIG. In FIG. 15, the animal litter box 1 is configured symmetrically with respect to a plane of symmetry 46 parallel to the insertion direction 7.

With reference to FIGS. 13 to 15, the bottom portion 44 is an end that is an upstream end locking portion that forms a lower portion of the mounting port 45 upstream of the insertion direction 7 of the tray 42 and rises from the upper surface of the bottom portion 44. The partial protrusion 47 is formed. On the bottom portion 44, a pair of vertical guide portions 48 extending in parallel along the insertion direction 7 in the left-right direction 9, a horizontal guide portion 49 arranged upstream of the insertion direction 7, and a horizontal guide portion 49 arranged downstream of the insertion direction 7 are arranged. The end protrusions 50, which are the downstream end locking portions, are raised in a frame shape around the rectangular bottom hole 51, and their upper surfaces are in a virtual one plane and are formed flat.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a part of the tray 42 upstream in the insertion direction 7, FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a part of the tray 42 downstream in the insertion direction 7, and FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing the tray 42 up and down. It is a perspective view seen upside down. The tray 42 has a bottom plate 54 and a peripheral wall 55 that rises from the bottom plate 54 and surrounds the tray 42. The peripheral wall 55 has a pair of side walls 56 in the left-right direction 9 extending in parallel along the insertion direction 7 on the outer side of the vertical portion 72 of the outer frame 71 of the cage 31, and from the bottom plate 54 upstream of the insertion direction 7 of the tray 42. It has an end wall 57 that stands up and is continuous, and a rear wall 58 that rises and is continuous from the bottom plate 54 downstream of the insertion direction 7 of the tray 42. The end wall 57 closes the mounting port 45 of the lower peripheral wall 43 while the tray 42 is mounted on the lower container main body 41. The end wall 57 has a pull-out operation handle 59. The handle 59 is formed so as to be recessed inward of the mounting opening 45, and has a protrusion 61 that bulges downward upstream in the pull-out direction 6 for hooking the fingers of the hand. The absorber 98 is housed on a bottom plate 54 surrounded by a peripheral wall 55. In order to facilitate the handling operation of the absorber 98 to be accommodated, recesses 62 and 63 recessed upstream and downstream of the insertion direction 7 are formed in the end wall 57 and the rear wall 58, respectively.

A pair of movement guide portions 64 are projected from the bottom plate 54 of the tray 42 in the left-right direction 9 extending in parallel along the insertion direction 7, and the movement guide portions 64 are vertical guide portions of the bottom portion 44 of the lower container main body 41. The tray 42 is guided to the 48 within the movement range of the tray 42 in the insertion direction 7 by being unevenly fitted to each other on the outer side thereof. At the time of insertion / removal movement, the movement guide portion 64 of the tray 42 is guided and guided by the vertical guide portion 48 of the bottom portion 44 of the lower container body 41 in the insertion / removal direction 8 of the tray 42 in the insertion / removal direction 8. No. 8 does not shift vertically, the tray 42 does not vibrate, and the tray 42 can be stably inserted and removed.

The lower surface of the bottom plate 54 is supported in surface contact with the vertical guide portion 48 on the bottom portion 44, the horizontal guide portion 49, and the end protrusion 50, and the downward protrusion height of the movement guide portion 64 is vertical. It is less than the height of the guide 48, and therefore the lower end of the movement guide 64 is above the bottom 44. The movement guide portion 64 is formed so as to be inclined so that both ends in the insertion direction 7 are lowered, whereby when the tray 42 is inserted or removed, the movement guide portion 64 smoothly rides over the end protrusion 47 of the lower container body 41 to operate. make it easier.

FIG. 19 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a part of the upstream along the insertion direction 7 of the animal toilet 1 as seen from the cut surface line XIX-XIX of FIG. It is a vertical cross-sectional view of a part of the downstream along the insertion direction 7 of the animal toilet 1. With reference to FIG. 18, on the lower surface of the bottom plate 54 of the tray 42, positioning protrusions 66 and 67, which are positioning locking portions for upstream and downstream in the insertion direction 7, form a pair in the left-right direction 9. Each is formed.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the upstream end protrusion 47 in the insertion direction 7 provided at the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41 of FIG. In the mounted state of the tray 42, the positioning protrusion 66 is located downstream of the end protrusion 47 provided on the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41 in the insertion direction 7, and faces the left side of the positioning protrusion 66 in FIG. 21. The end 66a engages with and substantially abuts the downstream end 47a of the end projection 47 of the bottom 44 facing to the right in FIG.

FIG. 22 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the end protrusion 50 downstream in the insertion direction 7 provided at the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41 of FIG. In the mounted state of the tray 42, the positioning protrusion 67 is located downstream of the end protrusion 50 provided on the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41 in the insertion direction 7, and faces the left side of the positioning protrusion 67 in FIG. 22. The end 67a engages with and substantially abuts the downstream end 50a of the end projection 50 of the bottom 44 facing to the right in FIG.

By locking the end protrusions 47 and 50 and the positioning protrusions 66 and 67, the state in which the tray 42 is inserted into the lower container body 41 is stably maintained. Therefore, even if vibration occurs when an animal enters or exits the space 33 on which the animal is placed on the cage 31 of the lower container body 41, the lower container body 41 and the tray 42 do not relatively undesirably displace. , The tray 42 is kept inserted in the lower container body 41. As a result, the mounting port 45 remains closed by the end wall 57, and leakage of urine odor is prevented.

The upstream positioning projection 66 has an inclined surface 66b that is inclined upward toward the downstream side in the insertion direction 7 of the tray 42. As a result, when the tray 42 is inserted, it slides over the upper surface of the end protrusion 47 and is locked as shown in FIGS. 19 and 21. Further, the downstream positioning projection 67 has an inclined surface 67b that is inclined upward toward the downstream side in the insertion direction 7 of the tray 42. As a result, when the tray 42 is inserted, it slides over the upper surfaces of the end protrusion 47, the lateral guide portion 49, and the end protrusion 50, and is locked to the end protrusion 50 as shown in FIGS. 20 and 22. .. The inclined surfaces 66b, 67b of the positioning protrusions 66, 67 facilitate the operation of riding the end protrusions 47, 50 from the downstream ends 47a, 50a when the tray 42 is inserted.

By slightly lifting the handle 59 at the start of the pull-out movement of the tray 42, the upstream positioning protrusion 66 gets over the end protrusion 47, and its inclined surface 66b slides to slide the downstream end 47a of the end protrusion 47. And the upstream end 66a of the positioning protrusion 66 are released from the lock. The downstream positioning protrusion 67 gets over the end protrusion 50, and its inclined surface 66b slides to release the lock between the downstream end 50a of the end protrusion 50 and the upstream end 67a of the positioning protrusion 67, and further laterally. It slides over the guide portion 49 and the end protrusion 47 in this order. Therefore, the operation of inserting and removing the tray 42 into and from the lower container body 41 is easy.

With reference to FIGS. 19 and 21 again, the tray 42 has a stop projection 68 that is connected to the bottom plate 54 and is closer to the upstream in the insertion direction 7, and the stop projection 68 is used when moving for mounting the tray 42. The downstream end 68a of the tray 42 in the insertion direction 7 comes into contact with the upstream end 47b of the end protrusion 47 of the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41, and the movement to the downstream is restricted, so that the tray 42 is in the mounted state. The end wall 57 rises from the bottom plate 54 via the stop protrusion 68. The stop piece 69 formed by hanging from the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container body 41 in the vicinity of the mounting port 45 is separated from the downstream end 57a in the insertion direction 7 at the upper portion of the end wall 57 of the tray 42 in the mounted state. There is. When the end wall 57 of the tray 42 closes the mounting opening 45 and is pushed excessively in the insertion direction 7 during the movement operation of the tray 42, the stop piece 69 hits the downstream end 57a of the end wall 57 of the tray 42. In contact with each other, the movement of the tray 42 to the downstream is restricted, the tray 42 is prevented from being excessively deformed, the lower container body 41 and the tray 42 are prevented from being damaged, and the durability is improved. The downstream end 57a of the end wall 57 is reinforced by ribs 70. The upper end 70a of the rib 70 inclines downward toward the downstream side of the insertion direction 7, separates downward from the stop piece 69, and does not come into contact with the rib 70.

In this way, when the tray 42 is mounted from the mounting port 45 of the lower container body 41, the downstream ends 47a and 50a of the end protrusions 47 and 50 of the lower container body 41 and the upstream ends of the positioning protrusions 66 and 67 of the tray 42 are mounted. 66a and 67a are locked and abutted, respectively. At this time, the downstream end 68a of the stop protrusion 68 of the tray 42 is locked to the upstream end 47b of the upstream end protrusion 47 of the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41. The end wall 57 of the tray 42 is in contact with the tray 42 and closes the mounting port 45 of the lower container body 41. Therefore, since the state in which the tray 42 is inserted into the lower container body 41 and mounted is stably maintained, the urine odor from the absorber 98 of the tray 42 does not leak from the mounting port 45, and the animal toilet of the present case. 1 is installed, for example, the interior of the building is kept comfortable.

In another embodiment of the present invention, with the tray 42 mounted, the downstream ends 47a, 50a of the end protrusions 47, 50 of the lower container body 41 and the upstream ends of the positioning protrusions 66, 67 of the tray 42 are mounted. The 66a and 67a may not come into contact with each other and may be configured to be slightly spaced apart. At this time, the downstream end 68a of the stop protrusion 68 of the tray 42 is also the upstream end of the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41. The configuration may be such that the portion protrusion 47 does not abut on the upstream end 47b and is slightly spaced apart, and the term “locking” also includes such a configuration. As a result, the urine odor from the absorber 98 of the tray 42 does not substantially leak from the mounting port 45, and the tray 42 is tilted, displaced, or deformed due to the movement of the cat during use or the weight of the cat. However, the lock is maintained, and it is possible to prevent the tray 42 from undesirably coming out from the lower container main body 41 in the pull-out direction 6.

In FIG. 23, the connecting structure 80 that connects the cover 2, the upper container 3, and the lower container 4 in an assembled state is omitted for the convenience of understanding the structure of the upper container 3 on the mounting portion 94 and its vicinity. It is a right side view of the animal toilet 1 shown by FIG. 24, and FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective view of the connecting structure 80. The three components 2, 3, and 4 composed of the cover 2, the upper container 3, and the lower container 4 constitute the animal toilet 1, and are assembled, for example, when used indoors in a building or when transported. Keep the state decomposable.

25 is a cross-sectional view showing a connecting structure 80 seen from the cutting plane line XXV-XXV of FIG. 23, and FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view showing a connecting structure 80 seen from the cutting plane line XXVI-XXVI of FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view showing the connecting structure 80 seen from the cutting plane line XXVII-XXVII of FIG. 23, and FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view showing the connecting structure 80 seen from the cutting plane line XXVIII-XXVIII of FIG. 23. On the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container main body 41 of the lower container 4, a lower support portion 82 that is connected to the upper portion 81 and extends outward in the circumferential direction is formed. The lower support portion 82 has a lower mounting portion 83 extending horizontally from the upper portion 81 to the outside, and a reinforcing piece 84 hanging from the outer portion of the lower mounting portion 83. The upper peripheral wall 32 of the upper container 3 is formed with an upper support portion 92 that is connected to the upper portion 91 and extends outward in the circumferential direction. The upper support portion 92 has a connecting portion 93 hanging from the upper portion 91 and an upper mounting portion 94 extending horizontally from the connecting portion 93 to the outside, and the upper mounting portion 94 is mounted on the lower mounting portion 83. .. The connecting portion 93 has a top portion 93a extending horizontally extending outward from the upper portion 91 of the upper peripheral wall 32.

The lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 has a mounting protrusion 102 that protrudes inward (to the left in FIG. 25) and is mounted on the top 93a of the upper support portion 92 of the upper container 3. The lower end 103 of the cover peripheral wall 21 exposes the outer peripheral surface 94a of the mounting portion 94 of the upper support portion 92 and the outer peripheral surface 84a of the reinforcing piece 84 further below. A connecting piece 104 (FIG. 25) extending downward from the upper support portion 92 (FIG. 27) of the upper peripheral wall 32 is provided on the lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 on the left and right outer sides thereof. The connecting piece 104 is provided with a connecting hole 105 which is a first connecting portion. An outwardly raised raised portion 108 is formed on the upper portion 81 of the lower peripheral wall 43. The raised portion 108 is formed with a connecting protrusion 106 which is a second connecting portion that can be connected and detached by fitting and detaching from the connecting hole 105. The connecting protrusion 106 has a protrusion 106a projecting downward thereof, and ensures that the connecting protrusion 106 is caught by the lower edge of the connecting hole 105. The outer surface 106b of the connecting protrusion 106 extends outwardly and inclines toward the bottom, guiding easy fitting into the connecting hole 105. In the natural state of the connecting piece 104, the connecting protrusion 106 is fitted and connected to the connecting hole 105 as shown in FIG. The lower portion of the connecting piece 104 is displaced from the connecting hole 105 by a finger in the direction of the arrow 107 in FIG. 25 against the inward elastic force of the synthetic resin of the connecting piece 104. By removing 106, the animal toilet 1 can be disassembled into three components, a cover 2, an upper container 3, and a lower container 4. The connecting hole 105 and the connecting protrusion 106 are surely fitted by a long base having a shape that imitates a palm ball of the sole of a cat, and a finger ball is attached to the connecting piece 104 around the upper side thereof. A modeled protrusion is formed.

In the vicinity of the connecting piece 104, the mounting portion 94 and the connecting portion 93 other than the top 93a of the upper support portion 92 are not formed by being divided by the notch 95. The connecting piece 104 in the upper support portion 92 and the notch 95 formed in the vicinity thereof facilitate the finger hook for handling the upper container and avoid interference between the connecting piece 104 and the upper mounting portion 94. The connecting protrusion 106 is formed on an outwardly bulging ridge 108 at the upper 91 of the lower peripheral wall 43. The reinforcing piece 84 is connected to the raised portion 108 from the end wall portion 86 via the thick connecting portion 87.

When the cover 2, the upper container 3, and the lower container 4 are assembled by the connecting structure 80, the reinforcing piece 84 of the lower support portion 82 connected to the upper portion 91 of the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container 4 and the upper peripheral wall of the upper container 3 Both of the upper support portion 92 and the upper support portion 94 connected to the upper portion 91 of the 32 extend outward in the circumferential direction. The lower end 103 of the cover peripheral wall 21 constantly exposes the outer peripheral surface 94a of the mounting portion 94 of the upper support portion 92 and the outer peripheral surface 84a of the reinforcing piece 84 further below. Therefore, from the outside, as clearly shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, the outer peripheral surface of the reinforcing piece 84 of the lower support portion 82 extends from the bottom to the top over the entire outer circumference of the animal toilet 1 except for the connecting structure 80. Since the outer peripheral surface 94a of the mounting portion 94 of the upper support portion 92 and the lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 can be clearly seen, the connecting holes 105 of the connecting structure 80 of the left and right side portions of the animal toilet 1 can be clearly seen. The completed assembled state of the three components 2, 3 and 4 can be easily visually confirmed from anywhere outside without looking at the fitted state of the connecting protrusion 106 to the toilet. Therefore, a so-called three-layer structure including the lower support portion 82, the upper support portion 92, and the lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 can be easily observed from the outside in the circumferential direction. This prevents the three components 2, 3 and 4 from being used in an incompletely assembled state and causing rattling when the animal enters and exits, or during transportation, for example, one. It is possible to prevent the components 2, 3 and 4 from being accidentally dropped.

By making the color of the upper container 3 different from the colors of the lower container 4 and the cover 2, it becomes easier to check the assembled state. For example, the color (for example, dark brown) of at least the outer peripheral surface 94a of the upper support portion 92 on the upper support portion 92 in the upper container 3, and the reinforcing pieces of the lower support portion 82 in the lower container 4 arranged below and above the color (for example, dark brown). By selecting different colors (for example, light beige) of the outer peripheral surface 84a of 84 and at least the lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21, the assembled state can be confirmed more easily.

In another embodiment, the connecting structure 80 provides a first connecting portion 105 and a second connecting portion 106 that is detachably connected to the first connecting portion 105 between the connecting piece 104 and the upper portion 81 of the lower peripheral wall 43. Even if the structure is such that it is difficult to observe the connected state of the animal toilet 1 from the outside because it is blocked by the connecting piece 104, it is composed of the lower support portion 82, the upper support portion 92, and the lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21. Since the three-layer structure can be observed from the outside in the circumferential direction, it is easy to confirm the connected state. If the connected state is incomplete, the lower support portion 82, the upper support portion 92, and the lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 are displaced, so that the incomplete connected state can be easily known.

Another claw-shaped projecting portion of the plate-shaped connecting piece 104 inward, for example, realized by a claw-shaped engaging projection, and the second connecting portion of the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container 4 projecting outward. It can be realized by the engagement protrusion of the above, and can be configured so that they can be connected and detached by engaging and engaging with each other. In this embodiment, since these engaging protrusions are covered with the connecting piece 104, the connection between the two cannot be clearly seen from the outside, but the outer peripheral surface 94a of the mounting portion 94 extending in the circumferential direction and the outer peripheral surface 94a. The outer peripheral surface 84a of the reinforcing piece 84 extending in the circumferential direction below the reinforcing piece 84 can be clearly seen from the outside together with the lower portion 101 of the cover 2, whereby the completed assembled state of the three components 2, 3 and 4 can be seen from the outside. Can be easily confirmed.

A pair of internal limiting protrusions 85 are erected on the lower mounting portion 83 of the lower support portion 82 of the lower container 4 at intervals between the upstream and the downstream of the tray 42 in the insertion direction 7 with respect to the connecting structure 80. .. The inner limiting protrusion 85 is arranged inward (to the left in FIG. 25) of the upper support portion 92 of the upper container 3 and displaces the upper support portion 92 inward. Restrict.

In FIG. 29, the lower 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 in the vicinity of the connecting structure 80 of the animal toilet 1, the connecting piece 104 connected to the lower 101, and the connecting portion 93 of the upper support portion 92 of the upper container 3 are cut out and omitted. It is sectional drawing seen from the right side of a part shown. In the upper support portion 92 of the upper container 3, a pair of front-rear limiting projections 111 are provided from the connecting portion 93 of the upper support portion 92 at intervals upstream and downstream of the insertion direction 7 of the tray 42 with respect to the connecting structure 80. It is formed so as to project inward (to the left in FIG. 25). Each anterior-posterior limiting projection 111 is arranged on the far outer side of the pair of inner limiting projections 85. As a result, the front-rear limiting protrusions 111 abut on the distant outer end faces 85a and 85b of the inner limiting protrusions 85, and the upper container 3 and the lower container 4 are mutually in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIG. 29). Displacement is blocked. These inner limiting protrusions 85 and front and rear limiting protrusions 111 do not cause undesired displacement and displacement of the upper and lower containers 3 and 4 when an animal enters and exits the cage 31, and the upper container 3 vibrates. Instead, it is stably held in the lower container 4 and eliminates anxious psychology during urination and excretion of animals.

In another embodiment, the pair of anterior-posterior limiting protrusions 111 are arranged between the pair of inner limiting protrusions 85 and abut on the inner end faces 85c, 85d of each inner limiting protrusion 85 in the proximity direction. Mutual displacement of the container 3 and the lower container 4 in the front-rear direction may be prevented. In yet another embodiment of the embodiment, only one of the inner limiting protrusion 85 and the front-rear limiting protrusion 111 is provided, and either one is provided on both sides in the front-rear direction of the one, and the upper container 3 and the lower one are provided. Mutual displacement with the container 4 may be prevented.

With reference to FIG. 25 again, the upper support portion 92 of the upper container 3 is arranged in an inverted U shape outward together with the upper portion 91 of the upper peripheral wall 32, and is placed on the upper container 3 via a connecting portion 93 that covers the inner limiting protrusion 85. It is formed in series with the part 94. The front-rear limiting protrusion 111 connects and fixes the upper portion 91 of the upper peripheral wall 32 and the connecting portion 93, and also serves as a rib for reinforcement. The rib 112 of FIG. 29 has the same structure as the front-rear limiting projection 111, is arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container main body 41, and connects and reinforces the upper portion 91 and the connecting portion 93. .. In this way, the upper peripheral wall 32 forms a positioning space 113 facing downward by the upper portion 91 and the outer connecting portion 93 including the top portion 93a. In the positioning space 113, front-rear limiting protrusions 111 that also serve as reinforcing ribs are connected and fixed together with the plurality of ribs 112 to improve the strength of the upper peripheral wall 32. Since the inner limiting protrusion 85 enters the lower part of the positioning space 113, the displacement between the upper container 3 and the lower container 4 is prevented, and the upper support portion 92 is placed on the lower support portion 83 of the lower support portion 82. It is certain that 94 will be placed.

The lower portion 101 of the cover peripheral wall 21 forms a mounting space 116 facing downward by the covering portion 115 which is connected inward in an inverted U shape together with the lower portion 101. The mounting protrusion 102 is housed inside the mounting space 116. The mounting protrusion 102 is mounted on the top 93a of the connecting portion 93 in the upper support portion 92. Mounting protrusion 102 is fixedly connected and a cover portion 115 lower 101 of the cover peripheral wall 2 1, also serves as a reinforcing rib. Since the connecting portion 93 and its top 93a enter into the lower part of the mounting space 116, it is certain that the mounting protrusion 102 is mounted on the top 93a, and the cover peripheral wall 21 and the upper support portion Undesirable deviation from the side of 92 (horizontal direction in FIGS. 25 to 28) is prevented, and the cover 2 is stably held in the upper container 3. The covering portion 115 extends below the top 93a in the space 33, and urine during excretion does not leak to the outside.

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of the scoop 120 used for the animal toilet 1 as viewed from above, and FIG. 31 is a perspective view of the scoop 120 as viewed from below. The scoop 120 is made of synthetic resin and is used for laying granular excrement treatment material on the drainboard 31 and for taking out animal excrement and contaminated excrement treatment material. The scoop 120 has a scooping portion 121 for scooping excrement treatment material and excrement and the like, and a handle 122 that the user grasps with one hand. The excrement treatment material and excrement are collectively referred to as a treatment material. The rake portion 121 includes a flat plate-shaped rake plate 123 at the tip for scooping the processing material and the like, a receiving portion 124 connected to the rake plate 123, a holding portion 125 for holding the processing material and the like from the receiving portion 124, and a rake thereof. It has an outer wall 126 that surrounds the plate 123, the receiving portion 124, and the holding portion 125 and is connected to the handle 122 from the rear end. The receiving portion 124 forms a recess 127 together with the rake plate 123 in order to temporarily receive the processing material or the like scooped up by the rake plate 123. The holding portion 125 is formed to be recessed, and has a large number of holes 128 having a size and shape such that the processing material does not fall on the bottom. An L-shaped hook 129 is formed on the handle 122 so as to face the rake portion 121 toward the rake portion 121, and a hole 131 is formed at the base end portion of the hook 129. The periphery of the outer wall 126 and the handle 122 is reinforced by ribs 132. The hook 129 allows the scoop 120 to be hooked on the upper edge 25 (FIG. 1) extending in the circumferential direction of the cover peripheral wall 21 on the outer side thereof, so that the scoop 120 can be prevented from being lost.

FIG. 32 is a plan view of a part of the drainboard 231 in another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is similar to the above-described embodiment, and the same reference numerals are shown in the corresponding parts in the place of 200 to avoid duplication of description. The shape of the through hole 236 in a plan view is such that the width W5 in the horizontal direction (vertical direction in FIG. 32) is from both ends 236a in the vertical direction (horizontal direction in FIG. It is a sword that becomes smaller as it approaches. Both end portions 236a of the through hole 236 are formed in an arc shape that is convex vertically and outward in the vicinity of the cross member 235. The facing outer surfaces of the vertical member 234 connected to both end portions 236a of the through hole 236 are formed in a part of an arc shape having a radius larger than that of both end portions 236a in a plan view. This allows the thin film of urine to be quickly collected at the vertical center position 236b.

FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view of the drainboard 231 as viewed from the cut plane line XXXIII-XXXIII in the embodiment of FIG. 32. The lower end of the vertical member 234 has a shape in which the downwardly convex reverse arch portion 237 is repeatedly continuous with the distance between the vertically adjacent horizontal members 235 as one vertical cycle along the insertion / removal direction 8. The lowermost lower end 237a of each reverse arch portion 237 is located at the central position 236b between the cross members 235. The uppermost end 237b of each reverse arch portion 237 is connected to the lowermost end 235d of the cross member 235.

The excreted urine spreads over the entire surface of each through hole 236 of the drainboard 231 to form a thin film and close the through hole 236. Next, since the width W5 of the through hole 236 becomes smaller as it approaches the central position 236b from both end portions 236a having a large inner diameter, the thin film bursts in the vicinity of both end portions 236a. After that, the ruptured thin film moves while gathering toward the center position as shown by the arrow 238a in FIG. 32, and descends while contacting the outer surface of the vertical member 234 as shown by the arrow 238b in FIG. As shown in 238c, the volume increases near the central position 236b. A part of the urine of the arrow 238b moves along the lower end of the reverse arch portion 237 while collecting toward the central position 236b. Since the urine collected in this way falls together from the lowermost end 237a at the central position 236b of the reverse arch portion 237, the excreted urine can be quickly dropped from the drainboard 231. Other configurations and actions of the drainboard 231 are the same as those in the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 34 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a part of the upstream along the insertion direction 7 of the animal toilet 1 corresponding to the above-mentioned FIG. 19 in still another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment described above. It should be noted that while the tray 42 is pushed and mounted and moved into the mounting port 45, the upper portion of the end wall 57 of the tray 42 before the end wall 57 of the tray 42 closes the mounting port 45. It is another component provided near the mounting port 45 on the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container main body 41 and the protrusion 70b inclined upward 7 downstream in the insertion direction from the recess 70c at the upper part of the rib 70 which is a component. It is configured so that the stop piece 69 is temporarily fitted or locked. As a result, just before the tray 42 is completely mounted, the operator's hand can be given a click feeling by the collision due to the temporary fitting or locking of the stop piece 69 and the protrusion 70b, and the tray 42 can be clicked. You can easily confirm the completion of installation.

In the embodiment of FIG. 34, when the tray 42 in which the end wall 57 of the tray 42 closes the mounting port 45 is installed, the protrusions 70b, the downstream end 57a of the end wall 57, the ribs 70, and the tray 42 are installed. The stop pieces 69 are separated from each other without maintaining the above-mentioned fitted or locked state.

In order to maintain the mounting completed state, the end locking portions 47, 50 and the positioning locking portions 66, 67 are locked at the lower portion of the tray 42 and the vicinity of the bottom 44 of the lower container main body 41, and the lower container main body 41. Both the end locking portion 47 at the bottom portion 44 of the tray 42 and the stop locking portion 68 of the tray 42 are locked. In another embodiment, the end locking portions 47, 50 and the positioning locking portions 66, 67 are locked, and the end locking portion 47 and the tray 42 at the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41 are stopped and locked. At least one of the locks with the unit 68, or the other lock may be realized.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 35 is a plan view of the lower container 4 used in the animal toilet 1a of still another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 36 is an enlarged plan view of the vicinity of one corner 331 of the lower container 4 shown in FIG. 35. FIG. 37 is a perspective view of the vicinity of one corner 331 of the lower container 4 shown in FIG. 35 as viewed from the upstream in the insertion direction 7. 38 is a cross-sectional view seen from the cut plane line XXXVIII-XXXVIII of FIG. 36, FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view seen from the cut plane line XXXIX-XXXIX of FIG. 36, and FIG. 40 is the cut plane line XL of FIG. It is a cross-sectional view seen from −XL. The same reference numerals are given to the parts corresponding to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 34 described above, and duplicate description will be omitted.

The animal toilet 1a of the present embodiment basically includes a cover 2, an upper container 3 having a drainboard 31, and a lower container 4, similarly to the animal toilet 1a of the above-described embodiment. The lower container 4 has a lower container main body 41 having a lower support portion 82 for supporting the upper container 3 and a tray 42 for accommodating an absorber 98 that absorbs urine falling from the drainboard 31. The cover 2, the upper container 3 having the sill 31, and the lower container 4 having the tray 42 are made of an olefin-based thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). For example, it can be integrally molded individually by injection molding. Such materials and manufacturing methods are also applicable in each of the embodiments of FIGS. 1-34.

The tray 42 can be inserted into the lower container body 41 in a drawer shape only in the insertion direction 7, and the tray 42 cannot be inserted in a posture opposite to the insertion direction 7. The animal toilet 1a is configured to be symmetrical with respect to a plane of symmetry perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 35, which is parallel to the insertion direction 7 of the tray 42. The lower container main body 41 has a lower peripheral wall 43 and a bottom portion 44 that is connected to the lower portion of the lower peripheral wall 43 and supports the tray 42.

The tray 42 rises from the bottom plate 54 and the four peripheral sides of the bottom surface facing above the bottom plate 54 toward the front side substantially perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 35, and accommodates the rectangular sheet-shaped absorber 98 in the storage area 330. It has a peripheral wall 55 and a peripheral wall 55 forming the above. The tray 42 is a rectangle long in the insertion / removal direction 8 in a plan view, and has four corners 331 to 334.

The peripheral wall 55 has a front wall 57b, a pair of left and right side walls 56, and a rear wall 58. The front wall 57b is formed upstream of the tray 42 in the insertion direction 7 (that is, forward, to the left in FIGS. 35 and 36) and extends in the left-right lateral direction (vertical direction in FIGS. 35 and 36). The side wall 56 is formed so as to be continuous with the front wall 57b, and extends in the front-rear vertical direction (horizontal direction in FIGS. 35 and 36) parallel to the insertion direction 7. The rear wall 58 is formed so as to be connected to each side wall 56 downstream of the tray 42 in the insertion direction 7 (that is, rearward, to the right in FIGS. 35 and 36), and extends in the left-right direction.

The intersection of the bottom surface of the bottom plate 54 with the inner surface 56a of the side wall 56, the intersection of the bottom surface of the bottom plate 54 with the inner wall surface 57c of the front wall 57, and the intersection with the inner wall surface 58a of the rear wall 58 are viewed from the accommodation area 330 side. It may be chamfered to an outwardly convex curved surface, that is, an R surface. As a result, it is possible to prevent deposits such as urine from remaining at the intersection, suppress the growth of bacteria and the like, and maintain the inside of the tray 42 in a hygienic and clean state.

The inner wall surface 57c of the front wall 57b has an inner wall surface 57c1 near the center and a corner inner wall surface 57c2 near both left and right ends of the corners 331 and 332. The lower end of the inner wall surface 57c connected to the bottom surface of the bottom plate 54 extends in a straight line in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 38, the intermediate inner wall surface 57c1, which is a portion other than the corners 331 and 332 of the inner wall surface 57c, is accommodated at an angle α1 with respect to the bottom surface of the bottom plate 54 of the tray 42 as it goes upward from the bottom surface of the bottom plate 54. It is a plane inclined to the outside of the region 330 (upstream in the insertion direction 7, to the left in FIGS. 35 and 36).

In the vicinity of the corners 331 and 332, the corner inner wall surface 57c2 (see FIG. 36) smoothly connects to the center inner wall surface 57c1 and extends outward of the accommodation area 330 (upstream in the insertion direction 7), and is shown in FIG. 39. As shown in the above, the pull-out operation handle 59 side, that is, the inside (right side of FIG. 36) so that the angle θ (θ> α1) with respect to the bottom surface changes to a large value as it becomes outward (upward in FIG. 36) in the left-right direction. It is formed by gently curving convexly.

On the inner side surface 56a of the side wall 56, the lower end connected to the bottom surface of the bottom plate 54 of the inner side surface 56a extends in a straight line parallel to the insertion direction 7. As shown in FIG. 40, the inner side surface 56a has an angle α2 (θ> α2) with respect to the bottom surface, and as it goes upward from the bottom surface of the bottom plate 54, the inner side surface 56a is outward of the accommodation area 330 (outward in the left-right direction, upward in FIG. 36). ), It is a plane inclined over the entire length in the vertical direction including the inner side surface 56a1 of the corner near the corner 331. The corner inner side surface 56a1 is connected to the corner inner wall surface 57c2. Therefore, the corner inner wall surface 57c2 of the front wall 57b does not extend outward (upper in FIG. 36) in the left-right direction with respect to the inner side surface 56a including the corner inner side surface 56a1.

The inner wall surface 58a of the rear wall 58 is formed substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the bottom plate 54, that is, slightly inclined downstream in the insertion direction 7 as it rises from the bottom surface. Such a slight inclination means, for example, symmetrically with respect to the above-mentioned inner wall surface 57c1 near the center of the front wall 57b and a plane of symmetry perpendicular to the insertion direction 7, that is, at an angle similar to the angle θ with respect to the bottom surface in the insertion direction 7. It is formed with an inclination to the downstream. Therefore, the inner side surface 56a of each side wall 56 of the tray 42 of the present embodiment is formed so as to extend parallel to the insertion direction 7 between the front wall 57b and the rear wall 58.

41 is an enlarged sectional view of a part showing the lower container 4b of the animal toilet 1b of still another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 42 is an enlarged view of the section XLII of FIG. 41, and FIG. 43 is a diagram. It is a perspective view which shows the appearance of the animal toilet 1b of 41 seen from the lower right diagonally. FIG. 44 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the animal toilet 1b shown in FIG. 43 as viewed from diagonally above left, and FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view taken from the cut surface line XLV-XLV of FIG. 43. FIG. 46A is a perspective view of the lower container 4b with the tray 42 pulled out from the lower container body 41 as viewed from diagonally above left, and FIG. 46B is a perspective view of the lower container 4b with the tray 42 pulled out from the lower container body 41 diagonally above left. It is a perspective view seen from. The same reference numerals are given to the parts corresponding to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 40 described above, and duplicate description will be omitted.

The animal toilet 1b of the present embodiment basically includes a cover 2, an upper container 3 having a drainboard 31, and a lower container 4b. The lower container 4b accommodates a lower container main body 41 having a lower support portion 82 that supports the upper container 3 and an absorber 98 that absorbs urine falling from the drainboard 31, and is pulled out in the lower container main body 41 in the front-rear direction. 8 has a removable tray 42. The cover 2, the upper container 3 having the cage 31, and the lower container 4b having the tray 42 are made of an olefin-based thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). For example, it can be manufactured by injection molding.

The animal toilet 1b is configured symmetrically with respect to a plane of symmetry parallel to the front-rear direction 8 of the tray 42 in a plan view. The lower container main body 41 has a lower peripheral wall 43 and a bottom portion 44 which is connected to the lower part of the lower peripheral wall 43 and supports the tray 42. The lower peripheral wall 43 has a substantially uniform thickness. A pair of recesses 313 are formed in the lower peripheral wall 43 at substantially the center in the front-rear direction 8. The outer surface of the recess 313 is formed so that the lower peripheral wall 43 is convexly recessed inward in the left-right direction and smoothly curved as the lower peripheral wall 43 moves from the front and back to the center and from substantially the center to the bottom in the vertical direction. .. The upper portion of the recess 313 is formed so as to bulge convexly to the left and right outwards 12 from the center of the front-rear direction 8 to the front-back and upward, and to be smoothly curved.

In the center of the recess 313 in the front-rear direction 8 and the region extending in the front-rear direction 8 near the center thereof, the angle θ (see FIG. 41) formed with the plane perpendicular to the virtual one plane 310 described later is formed larger as it goes upward. As a result, the handle portion 314 is formed on the upper portion of the recess 313. A worker such as an owner can stably grasp and easily carry the animal toilet 1b by hanging the fingertips of both hands on the lower surfaces of the left and right handle portions 314.

The bottom portion 44 has a right vertical bottom portion 301, a left vertical bottom portion 302, a central vertical bottom portion 303, a front horizontal bottom portion 304, and a rear horizontal bottom portion 305 when viewed from the front. The right vertical bottom portion 301, the left vertical bottom portion 303, and the central vertical bottom portion 303 extend parallel to the front-rear direction 8, and the front horizontal bottom portion 304 and the rear horizontal bottom portion 305 extend parallel to the left-right direction 9. The bottom surfaces of these bottoms 301 to 305 and the bottom surface of the bottom 306 of the tray 42 inserted into the lower container body 41 are above the common virtual plane 310, and therefore the lower container body 41. Is stably supported by bringing each bottom surface of the bottom portions 301 to 305 into surface contact with a flat installation surface such as a floor. A pair of vertical ridges 307 are provided on both sides of the central vertical bottom 303 in the left-right direction 9.

One of the vertical ridges 307 of the pair of vertical ridges 307 is located between the left vertical bottom 302 and the central vertical bottom 303, and between the front horizontal bottom 304 and the rear horizontal bottom 305. Further, the other vertical ridge portion 307 of the pair of vertical ridge portions 307 is located between the right vertical bottom portion 301 and the central vertical bottom portion 303, and between the front horizontal bottom portion 304 and the rear horizontal bottom portion 305. These vertical ridges 307 are located at positions separated from the virtual one plane 310 by about 1 mm to 3 mm upward, from the peripheral side of the plate-shaped portion 307a parallel to the virtual one plane 310 toward the outside. It has an inclined portion 307b that is inclined downward and is connected to each bottom portion 301 to 305. The inclination angle of the inclined portion 307b is selected to be 30 ° to 90 °, preferably 45 ° with respect to the virtual one plane 310.

As shown in FIG. 41, a pair of left and right movement guide portions 311 extending in parallel along the front-rear direction 9 are projected downward from the bottom plate 54 of the tray 42. At the upper part of the bottom portion 44 of the lower container main body 41, the movement guide portion 311 is unevenly fitted to the pair of left and right vertical ridge portions 307 on the outer side thereof. As a result, the inclined portion 307b extending in parallel along the front-rear direction 9 of each vertical ridge portion 307 acts as a vertical guide portion for each movement guide portion 311 and within the movement range of the tray 42 in the insertion / removal direction 8. Each movement guide unit 311 is guided in parallel with the insertion / removal direction 8. Therefore, the tray 42 shifts to the left-right direction 9 even if an external force acts in a direction deviated from the insertion / removal direction 8 in a plan view or in a crossing direction due to replacement of the absorber 98 or the like. It does not vibrate and can be inserted and removed stably.

The step forming the inclined portion 307b by the bottom portions 301 to 305 and the vertically raised portions 307 improves the cross-sectional performance of the bottom portion 44 of the lower container main body 41 in the cross section perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction 9, and lower container. The bending rigidity of the main body 41 in the vertical direction can be increased, and the thickness, volume and weight of the lower container main body 41 can be reduced.

On the inner surface of each recess 313 facing the tray 42, the movement guide portion 311 of the tray 42 rides on or does not ride on the vertically raised portion 307 due to vibration or inclination, and the tray 42 is largely displaced in the left-right direction 9. prevent. Since the outer and inner surfaces of the recess 313 are smooth curved surfaces, it is easy to wipe off deposits such as excrement and keep them clean.

As shown in FIG. 42, the lower surface of the movement guide portion 311 is supported in contact with the upper surface of the left vertical bottom portion 302 of the bottom portion 44 of the lower container main body 41. The downward protrusion height of the movement guide portion 311 exceeds the ridge height of the vertical ridge portion 307, and therefore the lower surface of the bottom plate 54 of the tray 42 is above the vertical ridge portion 307. As described above, the right vertical bottom portion 301 of the bottom portion 44 of the lower container body 41 and the movement guide portion 311 of the tray 42 are also symmetrically configured.

Each bottom surface of the bottoms 301 to 305 of the lower container body 41 is on a common virtual flat surface 310, and therefore, the animal toilet 1 is stably supported by surface contact with the flat installation surface, and the upper container is supported. The load of 3 acts on the pair of left and right flat vertical bottoms 301 and 302 via the lower support portion 82 and the load of the tray 42 via the movement guide portion 311. Therefore, in the vertical bottom portions 301 and 302 that come into surface contact with each other on the flat installation surface, the tray 42 is arranged closest to the lower container main body 41 in the left-right direction 9, and the load acts eccentrically on the lower container main body 41. Even in the state, there is no risk of deformation of the lower container body 41.

FIG. 47 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of one corner 331 of the tray 42, FIG. 48 is an enlarged plan view of the vicinity of one corner 331 viewed from above, and FIG. 49 shows the tray 42 on the lower container body 41. It is a perspective view which looked at the lower container 4 with which is attached from diagonally above. The tray 42 has stepped portions 335, 336 provided on both side portions in the left-right direction 9 at the upstream end portion in the insertion direction 7. The lower container main body 41 is provided with a pair of locking pieces 337 and 338 protruding in directions close to each other on both sides of the mounting port 45 on the lower peripheral wall 43 in the left-right direction 9. Each of the locking pieces 337 and 338 has a plate shape, and is integrally formed on the inner surface of the lower container body 41 near the mounting port 45 so as to project in a direction close to each other along a virtual plane perpendicular to the insertion direction 7. To.

FIG. 50 is an enlarged plan view of the vicinity of the corner 331, FIG. 51 is a cross-sectional view of the corner 331 and its vicinity partially cut out, and FIG. 52 shows the vicinity of the corner 331 viewed from the upstream in the insertion direction 7. It is an enlarged view. Since the tray 42 is formed symmetrically with respect to a vertical virtual one plane (direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 50) including the insertion / removal direction 8, one of the pair of step portions 335 and 336, the step portion 335. And one of the pair of locking pieces 337 and 338, the locking piece 337 will be described. A locking piece 337 is provided in the vicinity of the mounting port 45 downstream of the mounting port 45 of the lower container body 41 in the insertion direction 7. The locking piece 337 is formed of a plate-like body parallel to the vertical plane perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction 8, projects toward the movement path side of the insertion / removal direction 8 of the tray 42, and is integrally formed with the lower container main body 41.

The locking piece 337 is the farthest from the first base end portion 337a connected to the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container body 41, the second base end portion 337b connected to the bottom portion 44, and the first base end portion 337a in the left-right direction 9. The first free end portion 337c extending perpendicularly to the bottom surface of the bottom portion 44 at the position and the second free end portion 337d extending parallel to the second base end portion 337b at the position farthest from the bottom portion 44 in the direction perpendicular to the bottom surface. Have.

The above-mentioned step portion 335 is formed at the intersection 331 between the end wall 57 of the tray 42 and the side wall 56. The end wall 57, each side wall 56, and the rear wall 58 include a wall portion 339 that rises from the bottom plate 54, a flange portion 340 that extends outward from the upper end of the wall portion 339, and a rib 341 that descends downward from the tip of the flange portion 340. Has. These wall portions 339, flange portions 340, and ribs 341 are connected in the circumferential direction to form the above-mentioned end wall 57, each side wall 56, and rear wall 58. The step portion 335 is composed of a wall portion 339, a flange portion 340, and a part of the rib 341. With such a configuration, the wall thickness of the tray 42 is reduced to reduce the weight, and high bending rigidity is achieved.

In a plan view, the step portion 335 is connected to the first guide surface 335a parallel to the vertical surface along the insertion / removal direction 8 and the downstream end of the first guide surface 335a in the insertion direction 7, and is curved outward in the left-right direction 9. The second guide surface 335b and the third guide surface 335c which are connected to the downstream end of the second guide surface 335b in the insertion direction 7 and are curved outward 12 as it becomes downstream of the insertion direction 7, and the third guide surface. A fourth guide surface 335d that is connected to the downstream end of the insertion direction 7 of the 335c and extends in the insertion direction 7, and a fifth guide surface 335e that is connected to the downstream end of the fourth guide surface 335d in the insertion direction 7 and extends outward 12. Have.

In a plan view, the fifth guide surface 335e projects outward by a width ΔL from the vertical plane including the inner surface 337c1 of the first free end portion 337c of the locking piece 337. The side surface 341a of the rib 341 is connected to the outer end of the fifth guide surface 335e. The side surface 341a is formed so as to be gently inclined in a direction close to the wall portion 339 in a section having a distance L11 from the intersection with the outer end of the fifth guide surface 335e toward the downstream in the insertion direction 7, and is a locking piece. Interference with 337 is prevented.

The region downstream of the section of the side surface 341a at a distance L11 in the insertion direction 7 is located closer to the wall portion 339 than the vertical surface including the inner surface 337c1. The width ΔL described above may be, for example, 1 to 3 mm. Further, the distance L11 may be, for example, 10% to 25% of the total length L12 in the insertion / removal direction 9 of the tray 42.

When the tray 42 is inserted downstream of the insertion direction 7 with the tray 42 pulled out from the lower container body 41 upstream in the insertion direction 7, the side surface 341a is the inner surface 337c1 of the first free end portion 337c of the locking piece 337. When the tray 42 is further moved downstream in the insertion direction 7, it comes into contact with the side surface 341c1 in the middle of the distance L11. As a result, it is possible to intuitively inform the operator of the tray 42 that the tray 42 has approached the mounting completion position of the lower container main body 41. When the tray 42 is further moved downstream in the insertion direction 7 from this state, the locking piece 337 is elastically deformed downstream in the insertion direction 7 by the pressing force received from the side surface 341a of the tray 42, and the operator who inserts the tray 42 Is transmitted with a larger pushing resistance force in the insertion direction 7, and it is sensuously transmitted that the tray 42 is pushed almost to the front of the mounting completion position.

When the operator pushes the tray 42 further downstream in the insertion direction 7 against such a pushing resistance force, the pushing force resistance becomes even larger, and the first free end portion 337c of the locking piece 337 is set to the fifth. When the guide surface 335e passes downstream in the insertion direction 7, the pushing force sharply decreases, the side surface 341c of the tray 42 does not come into contact with the first free end portion 337c of the locking piece 337, and the locking piece Along with the return sound of 337, the click feeling due to the sudden decrease in the pushing resistance is transmitted to the operator.

As a result, the operator can sensuously and clearly recognize that the tray 42 has been inserted to the mounting completion position. The locking piece 337 elastically deformed toward the downstream in the insertion direction 7 has no frictional resistance with the side surface 341a, and the return sound and vibration are transmitted to the operator, so that the tray 42 is inserted to the mounting complete position. Since the operator can clearly recognize that this has been done, it is possible to prevent the tray 42 from being forcibly pushed into the lower container body 41, and to prevent damage and deformation of the tray 42 and the lower container body 41.

Further, since the tray 42 is securely attached to the lower container main body 41, even an operator who is unfamiliar with work such as replacement of the absorber 98 can reliably attach the tray 42 to the lower container main body 41. Therefore, the mounting port 45 of the lower container body 42 is blocked by the end wall 57 of the tray 42, and the offensive odor such as urine adhering to the absorber 98 or the like is prevented from being dissipated from the gap of the mounting port 45, and the indoor environment. Is prevented from being polluted by offensive odors such as animal odor or urine odor.

In a state where the fifth guide surface 335e of the tray 42 is located downstream of the locking piece 337 in the insertion direction 7, even if an animal such as a cat comes into contact with the tray 42 and an external force acts directly or indirectly on the tray 42, the fifth guide surface 335e Since the guide surface 335e abuts on the locking piece 337, the tray 42 is prevented from moving upstream in the insertion direction 7, and therefore the end wall 57 of the tray 42 protrudes from the mounting port 45 of the lower container body 41 for animals. Even if the toilet 1b is tilted for transportation or movement, the tray 42 can be prevented from protruding from the lower container body 41.

A vertical ridge 307 is formed on the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41, a movement guide portion 311 is formed on the tray 42, and the movement guide 311 and the vertical ridge 307 are unevenly fitted to each other to form a tray. It is configured to guide the 42 in the insertion / removal direction 8. As a result, the displacement of the tray 42 in the left-right direction 9 with respect to the lower container body 41 is suppressed, the straightness of movement of the tray 42 in the pull-out direction 6 and the insertion direction 7 is obtained, and the tray 42 is smoothly moved with respect to the lower container body 41. The tray 42 can be taken in and out, and the operability at the time of putting in and out of the tray 42 for exchanging, cleaning and cleaning the absorber 98 can be improved. Further, since the movement guide portion 311 and the vertically raised portion 307 are configured to be unevenly fitted, the tray 42 moves in the left-right direction in the lower container main body 41 even if an impact force acts directly or indirectly on the tray 42. The displacement to 9 is prevented, the positioning state of the tray 42 with respect to the lower container body 41 is maintained, and an excellent positioning holding function is achieved.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the positioning protrusion 67 provided on the bottom plate 54 of the tray 42 downstream in the insertion direction 7 overcomes the downstream end 50a of the end protrusion 50 as shown in FIGS. 20 and 22. At this time, the positioning protrusion 66 is positioned on the bottom plate 54 so that another positioning protrusion 66 located upstream of the insertion direction 7 of the lower peripheral wall 43 of the tray 42 abuts on the lateral guide portion 49 from the upstream of the insertion direction 7. By forming the tray 42, the movement of the tray 42 in the insertion direction 7 downstream is suppressed, and the tray 42 can be held at a position where the front wall 57b closes the mounting port 45 of the lower container main body 41. This prevents deposits such as urine adhering to the tray 42 and odors such as urine odor emitted from the absorber 98 and the like from leaking to the outside from between the mounting port 45 and the front wall 57a.

The bottom hole 51 of the lower container body 41 is surrounded by each pair of vertical guide portions 48 and horizontal guide portions 49, and the upper surface of each vertical guide portion 48 and the upper surface of each horizontal guide portion 49 are included in a virtual one plane. Therefore, when the tray 42 is attached to the lower container main body 41, the lower surface of the bottom plate 54 of the tray 42 comes into contact with the upper surface of each vertical guide portion 48 and the upper surface of each horizontal guide portion 49 and is supported. Even in the lower container 4 having the bottom hole 51 as in the animal toilet 1 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 34, the bottom hole 51 of the lower container main body 41 is closed by the tray 4. Further, since a granular excrement treatment material called cat sand or the like is laid on the drainboard 31 of the upper container 3 mounted on the lower container 4, each through hole 36 is closed by the excrement treatment material.

Therefore, the space surrounded by the lower peripheral wall 43 between the upper container 3 and the lower container 4 is a closed space in which air permeability is suppressed, so that the above-mentioned odor such as urine odor tends to stay. .. In such a space, as described above, the mounting port 45 is closed by the front wall 57 of the tray 42, and even if an external force such as vibration or impact acts on the tray 42, a gap or opening is unlikely to occur, and the odor is released to the outside. The excellent effect of being less likely to leak is achieved.

Further, in the animal toilet 1, the lower container body 42 is formed with a vertical guide portion 48 and a horizontal guide portion 49 at the bottom 44 as shown in FIG. 13, and in the animal toilets 1a and 1b, FIGS. 43 and FIG. As shown in 45, since the vertical ridge portion 307 is formed on the bottom portion 44, high bending rigidity of the bottom portion 44 can be achieved, and the displacement of the tray 42 in the left-right direction 9 and the displacement in the insertion / removal direction 9 can be suppressed. .. As a result, the tray 42 with respect to the lower container body 41 against external forces such as vibration and impact when an animal such as a cat jumps on the drainboard 31, jumps out of the drainboard 31, and scrapes sand on the drainboard 31. It is possible to prevent the problem of easy movement and to maintain an appropriate mounting state of the tray 42 on the lower container main body 41, which is an excellent effect.

FIG. 53 is a plan view showing still another form of the animal toilet 1c according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 54 is a plan view showing a part of the lower container 4c of the animal toilet 1c. FIG. 55 is a side view of the animal toilet 1c, and FIG. 56 is a cross-sectional view of the animal toilet 1c as viewed from the cut plane line LVI-LVI of FIG. 53. 57 is a front view of the animal litter box 1c, FIG. 58 is a cross-sectional view of the animal litter box 1c as viewed from the cut plane LVIII-LVIII of FIG. 53, and FIG. 59 is a perspective view of the animal litter box 1c. .. In FIG. 53, the left side of the central axis L21 shows a state in which the above-mentioned cover 2, the upper container 3 and the lower container 4 are overlapped and assembled, and the right side of the central axis L21 shows the drainboard 31 of the upper container 3. Indicates the omitted state. FIG. 54 shows a plane in which the cover 2 of the animal toilet 1c is omitted. The same reference numerals are given to the parts corresponding to the above-described embodiments, and duplicate description will be omitted.

The animal toilet 1c of the present embodiment includes a cover 2, an upper container 3, and a lower container 4 in the same manner as the animal toilets 1, 1a, 1b of the first to third embodiments described above. The cover 2 has a cover peripheral wall 21 having an open upper portion and an inwardly facing cover portion 22. The inward cover portion 22 forms an entrance / exit 23 through which animals such as cats enter and exit. The upper container 3 has a drainboard 31 on which an animal is placed and an upper peripheral wall 32 that supports the drainboard 31, and the upper peripheral wall 32 forms a space 33 on which the animal is placed together with the cover peripheral wall 21. The lower container 4 houses a lower container main body 41 that supports the upper container 3 having a drainboard 31 and an absorber 98 that absorbs urine falling from the drainboard 31, and is a tray that can be inserted and removed in a drawer shape in the lower container main body 41. It has 42 and. The cover 2, the upper container 3, and the lower container 4 are each manufactured by injection molding of a synthetic resin such as polypropylene, and the external dimensions are described as about 547 mm × 395 mm × 250 mm for reference.

FIG. 60 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the upstream along the insertion direction 7 of the animal toilet 1c as seen from the cut surface line LX-LX of FIG. 57, and FIGS. 61 to 68 show the configuration of the lower container main body 41. It is a figure. FIG. 61 is a plan view of the lower container main body 41, FIG. 62 is a front view of the lower container main body 41, and FIG. 63 is a bottom view of the lower container main body 41. FIG. 64 is a rear view of the lower container main body 41, FIG. 65 is a side view of the lower container main body 41, and FIG. 66 is a cross-sectional view of the lower container main body 41 as viewed from the cut surface line LXVI-LXVI of FIG. 67 is a perspective view of the lower container body 41 viewed from diagonally above right, and FIG. 68 is a perspective view of the lower container body 41 viewed from the bottom surface side.

69 to 77 show the configuration of the tray 42, FIG. 69 is a plan view of the tray 42, FIG. 70 is a front view of the tray 42, FIG. 71 is a bottom view of the tray 42, and FIG. 72 is a tray. 42 is a rear view, and FIG. 73 is a side view of the tray 42. 74 is a cross-sectional view of the tray 42 as seen from the cut plane line LXXIVI-LXXXIV of FIG. 69, FIG. 75 is a cross-sectional view of the tray 42 as seen from the cut plane line LXXV-LXXXV of FIG. 69, and FIG. 76 is a cross-sectional view of the tray 42. FIG. 42 is a perspective view of 42 viewed from diagonally above right, and is a perspective view of tray 42 of FIG. 77 viewed from below.

In the present embodiment, the upper end 57a of the end wall 57 of the tray 42 is inserted into the inward wall portion 43a facing the mounting port 45 of the lower container body 41 from above with the tray 42 inserted into the lower container body 41. It is configured to elastically abut from the upstream to the downstream in the direction 7 and close the mounting port 45 without a gap. With such a configuration, even if vibration or the like occurs when an animal enters or leaves the space 33 on which the animal is placed on the cage 31 of the lower container main body 41, the lower container main body 41 and the tray 42 are relatively undesired. The tray 42 is kept inserted in the lower container body 41 without being displaced to the outside, and the urine odor due to the urine adhering to the tray 42 or the urine absorbed by the absorber 98 is prevented from leaking to the outside. , So-called animal odor, pet odor, and other unpleasant offensive odors are suppressed.

The upstream positioning projection 66 has an inclined surface 66b that is inclined upward toward the downstream side in the insertion direction 7 of the tray 42. As a result, when the tray 42 is inserted, it slides over the upper surface of the end protrusion 47 and is locked. Further, the downstream positioning projection 67 has an inclined surface 67b that is inclined upward toward the downstream side in the insertion direction 7 of the tray 42. As a result, when the tray 42 is inserted, it slides over the upper surfaces of the end protrusion 47, the lateral guide portion 49, and the end protrusion 50, and is locked to the end protrusion 50. The inclined surfaces 66b, 67b of the positioning protrusions 66, 67 facilitate the operation of riding the end protrusions 47, 50 from the downstream ends 47a, 50a when the tray 42 is inserted.

By slightly lifting the handle 59 at the start of the pull-out movement of the tray 42, the upstream positioning protrusion 66 gets over the end protrusion 47, and its inclined surface 66b slides to slide the downstream end 47a of the end protrusion 47. And the upstream end 66a of the positioning protrusion 66 are released from the lock. The downstream positioning protrusion 67 gets over the end protrusion 50, and its inclined surface 66b slides to release the lock between the downstream end 50a of the end protrusion 50 and the upstream end 67a of the positioning protrusion 67, and further laterally. It slides over the guide portion 49 and the end protrusion 47 in this order. Therefore, the operation of inserting and removing the tray 42 into and from the lower container body 41 is easy.

The tray 42 has a stop protrusion 68 connected to the bottom plate 54 and closer to the upstream side in the insertion direction 7, and the stop protrusion 68 has a downstream end 68a of the tray 42 in the insertion direction 7 when the tray 42 is moved for mounting. , The lower container body 41 comes into contact with the upstream end 47b of the end projection 47 of the bottom portion 44, the movement to the downstream is restricted, and the mounting state is set. The end wall 57 rises from the bottom plate 54 via the stop protrusion 68. The stop piece 69 formed by hanging from the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container body 41 in the vicinity of the mounting port 45 is separated from the downstream end 57a in the insertion direction 7 at the upper portion of the end wall 57 of the tray 42 in the mounted state. There is. When the end wall 57 of the tray 42 closes the mounting opening 45 and is pushed excessively in the insertion direction 7 during the movement operation of the tray 42, the stop piece 69 hits the downstream end 57a of the end wall 57 of the tray 42. In contact with each other, the movement of the tray 42 to the downstream is restricted, the tray 42 is prevented from being excessively deformed, the lower container body 41 and the tray 42 are prevented from being damaged, and the durability is improved. The downstream end 57a of the end wall 57 is reinforced by ribs 70. The upper end 70a of the rib 70 inclines downward toward the downstream side of the insertion direction 7, separates downward from the stop piece 69, and does not come into contact with the rib 70.

In this way, when the tray 42 is mounted from the mounting port 45 of the lower container body 41, the downstream ends 47a and 50a of the end protrusions 47 and 50 of the lower container body 41 and the upstream ends of the positioning protrusions 66 and 67 of the tray 42 are mounted. 66a and 67a are locked and abutted, respectively. At this time, the downstream end 68a of the stop protrusion 68 of the tray 42 is locked to the upstream end 47b of the upstream end protrusion 47 of the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41. The end wall 57 of the tray 42 is in contact with the tray 42 and closes the mounting port 45 of the lower container body 41. Therefore, since the state in which the tray 42 is inserted into the lower container body 41 and mounted is stably maintained, the urine odor from the absorber 98 of the tray 42 does not leak from the mounting port 45, and the animal toilet of the present case. 1 is installed, for example, the interior of the building is kept comfortable.

Also in the present embodiment, the end wall 57 of the tray 42 is placed before the end wall 57 of the tray 42 closes the mounting port 45 while the tray 42 is pushed and moved into the mounting port 45. From the stop piece 69, which is the upper component, and the recess 70c, which is the upper part of the rib 70, which is another component provided near the mounting port 45 on the lower peripheral wall 43 of the lower container body 41, upward in the insertion direction 7 downstream. It is configured so that the inclined protrusion 70b is temporarily fitted or locked. As a result, just before the tray 42 is completely mounted, the operator's hand can be given a click feeling by the collision due to the temporary fitting or locking of the stop piece 69 and the protrusion 70b, and the tray 42 can be clicked. You can easily confirm the completion of installation.

In the mounted state of the tray 42 in which the end wall 57 of the tray 42 closes the mounting port 45, the stop pieces 69 and the protrusion 70b are separated from each other without maintaining the above-mentioned fitted or locked state. .. In order to maintain the mounting completed state, the end locking portions 47, 50 and the positioning locking portions 66, 67 are locked at the lower portion of the tray 42 and the vicinity of the bottom 44 of the lower container main body 41, and the lower container main body 41. Both the end locking portion 47 at the bottom portion 44 of the tray 42 and the stop locking portion 68 of the tray 42 are locked. In the embodiment, the end locking portions 47, 50 and the positioning locking portions 66, 67 are locked, and the end locking portion 47 and the tray 42 at the bottom 44 of the lower container body 41 are stopped and locked. At least one of the locks with the unit 68, or the other lock may be realized.

The animal litter box of the present invention is suitable for cats, dogs, rabbits and other animals, and can be used indoors in particular. Drainboards improve so-called draining, which removes liquids such as urine, so they can be performed not only in animal litter boxes, but also in relation to the bottom of draining baskets in the kitchen, for example, parts pulled out of liquid in the manufacturing plant. It can be carried out advantageously in many technical fields for draining and the like.

1, 1a, 1b, 1c Animal toilet 2 Cover 3 Upper container 4 Lower container 6 Drawer direction 7 Insertion direction 8 Insertion / removal direction, front-back direction 9 Left-right direction 11 Inner 12 Outer 21 Cover peripheral wall 31, 231 Wall 33 Space for mounting animals 41 Lower container body 42 Tray 34, 234 Vertical member 34a Upper part 34b of vertical member 34b Lower part of vertical member 34c Top end 35 of vertical member 34, 235 Horizontal member 35a Horizontal member 35 Upper part 35b Lower part 35c of cross member 35 Top end 35d of cross member 35 Lower end 36 of cross member 35 236 Through holes 37, 237 Reverse arch portion 37a, 237a Lower end 37b, 237b reverse arch portion of reverse arch portion 37 Top end 38, 38a to 38e of urine Thin film 41 Lower container body 43 Lower peripheral wall 44 Bottom 45 Mounting port 47, 50 End protrusion 47a Downstream end of end protrusion 47 48 Vertical guide 49 Horizontal guide 54 Bottom plate 59 Drawer Operating handles 62, 63 Recess 64 Movement guide 66, 67 Positioning protrusion 68 Stop protrusion 69 Stop piece 71 Outer frame 80 Connecting structure 81 Upper part of lower peripheral wall 43 Lower support part 83 Lower mounting part 84 Reinforcing piece 84a Reinforcing piece 84 Outer surface 85 Inner limiting protrusions 85a, 85b End surface of inner limiting protrusion 85 87 Connecting part 91 Upper part of upper peripheral wall 32 92 Upper support part 93 Connecting part 93a Top of connecting part 93 94 Mounting part 94a Outer surface 98 Absorber 101 Lower part 102 Mounting protrusion 103 Lower end of cover peripheral wall 21 104 Connecting piece 105 Connecting hole 106 First connecting part Connecting protrusion 111 Front and rear limiting protrusion 115 Covering part

Claims (9)

(A) A cover having a cover peripheral wall on which an entrance / exit for animals enters and exits, and
(B) The upper container
Duckboards carrying animals and
An upper container having an upper peripheral wall that supports the drainboard and forms a space on which the animal is placed together with the cover peripheral wall.
(C) Lower container
The upper container has a lower peripheral wall that fits in from above and supports the upper container.
In an animal litter box with a lower container that houses an absorber that absorbs urine that falls from the drainboard.
(D) A lower support portion is formed which is connected to the upper part of the lower peripheral wall of the lower container and extends outward in the circumferential direction.
(E) An upper support portion is formed which is connected to the upper part of the upper peripheral wall of the upper container, extends outward in the circumferential direction, is placed on the lower support portion, and exposes the outer peripheral surface of the lower support portion in the circumferential direction.
(F) The lower portion of the cover peripheral wall exposes the outer peripheral surface of the upper support portion in the circumferential direction.
(G) A connecting piece extending downward from the upper support portion of the upper peripheral wall is provided at the lower part of the peripheral wall of the cover on the left and right outer sides thereof.
This connecting piece is provided with a first connecting portion.
At the upper part of the lower peripheral wall, a second connecting portion that can be connected to and detached from the first connecting portion is provided .
On the lower support part of the lower container, an inner limiting protrusion is formed which is erected inward from the upper support part of the upper container and limits the inward displacement of the upper support part.
The upper support portion of the upper container is formed with front-rear limiting protrusions that project inward of the upper support portion and come into contact with the end faces of the inner limiting protrusions.
By the contact between the inner limiting projection and the longitudinal restriction projections, the upper container and animal litter box characterized in that the longitudinal direction of the mutual displacement of the lower container is prevented. The upper support portion of the upper container is formed in an inverted U shape in an inverted U shape together with the upper portion of the upper peripheral wall, via a connecting portion that covers the inner limiting protrusion.
The animal toilet according to claim 1 , wherein the front-rear limiting protrusion connects and fixes the upper portion of the upper peripheral wall and the connecting portion. The lower part of the cover peripheral wall forms a mounting space facing downward by a covering part that is connected inward in an inverted U shape together with the lower part.
A mounting protrusion is housed inside this mounting space,
The mounting protrusion is fixed by connecting the lower part of the cover peripheral wall and the covering part.
The animal toilet according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein at least one of the mounting protrusion and the lower end of the cover peripheral wall is mounted on the upper support portion. It has a drainboard on which animals are placed and a lower container placed below the drainboard.
The lower container is
The lower container body that supports the drainboard and
In an animal toilet that has a bottom plate, on the bottom plate that accommodates an absorber that absorbs urine that falls from the drainboard, and has a drawer-like removable tray in the lower container body.
The lower container body has a lower peripheral wall and a bottom that is connected to the lower part of the lower peripheral wall and supports the tray.
A recess is formed in the lower peripheral wall almost in the center in the front-rear direction.
The outer surface of the recess is formed by a smooth curved surface that is recessed inward in the left-right direction as the lower peripheral wall moves from the front and back to the center and from approximately the center to the bottom in the vertical direction.
An animal toilet characterized in that the upper portion of the recess bulges outward on the left and right as it moves from the center in the front-rear direction to the front-back and upwards, and is formed by a smooth curved surface. The tray has a bottom plate and a peripheral wall that rises from the four peripheral edges of the bottom surface facing above the bottom plate to form a storage area for accommodating a rectangular sheet-shaped absorber, and has four corners in a plan view. Is an elongated rectangle in the insertion direction with
The animal toilet according to claim 4 , wherein the intersection where the bottom plate and the peripheral wall intersect at these corners is formed by a curved surface that is curved outward. The peripheral wall has a front wall, a pair of left and right side walls, and a rear wall.
The front wall is formed upstream of the tray insertion direction and extends in the left-right direction.
The side wall is formed in series with the front wall and extends in the anteroposterior direction parallel to the insertion direction.
The rear wall is formed along each side wall downstream of the tray insertion direction and extends in the left-right direction.
The inner wall surface of the front wall has an inner wall surface near the center and an inner wall surface at the corners near both left and right ends at the corners, and the lower end of the inner wall surface connected to the bottom surface of the bottom plate extends in a straight line in the left-right direction.
The middle inner wall surface near the center, which is a part other than the corners of the inner wall surface, is a flat surface at an angle α1 with respect to the bottom surface of the bottom plate of the tray, and is inclined outward from the accommodation area as it goes upward from the bottom surface of the bottom plate.
In the vicinity of the corner, the inner wall surface of the corner is smoothly connected to the inner wall surface toward the center, extends outward of the accommodating area, and the angle θ (θ> α1) with respect to the bottom surface increases as it becomes outward in the left-right direction. The animal toilet according to claim 5 , wherein the toilet is formed so as to be convexly and gently curved toward the accommodation area side so as to change to. On the inner surface of the side wall, the lower end connected to the bottom surface of the bottom plate of the inner surface extends in a straight line parallel to the insertion direction.
The inner surface has an angle α2 (θ> α2) with respect to the bottom surface, and as it goes upward from the bottom surface of the bottom plate, it extends outward from the accommodation area over the entire length in the vertical direction including the inner surface of the corner near the corner. It is a sloping plane,
Corner portion side, continuous with the corner inner wall surface, a corner inner wall surface of the front wall of one of claims 4-6, characterized in that does not extend outward in the right-left direction than the inner surface including the corner portion side Animal toilets listed in one. Lower container, on both sides in the horizontal direction that put down the peripheral wall, a pair of engaging pieces protruding in a direction to each other close is provided,
The animal toilet according to claim 4 , wherein the tray has a stepped portion with which each locking piece abuts at the intersection of the end wall and the side wall. On the bottom plate of the tray, a pair of left and right movement guides extending in parallel in the front-rear direction are projected downward.
At the bottom of the lower container body, a pair of left and right vertical ridges extending in parallel along the front-rear direction are projected upward.
According to one of claims 4 to 8 , each movement guide portion is unevenly fitted to each other on the outer side of each vertical ridge portion and guided within the movement range in the insertion direction of the tray. Listed animal toilets.

Images