JP7728095B2 - Animal toilets and animal toilet sets - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an animal litter box and an animal litter box set for use by animals such as cats.

Animal litter boxes used by cats contain cat litter inside a container. Cats have a habit of covering their feces and urine with cat litter after defecating. Therefore, cats will climb onto the litter to defecate or urinate, and then cover their excrement with cat litter.

When cats defecate by standing on the cat litter, their feet get buried in the litter and they are unable to push themselves up, which makes it difficult for them to defecate properly and is not good for their health.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide an animal litter box and animal litter box set that stabilizes an animal's excretion posture and allows for smooth excretion.

One embodiment of the animal litter box of the present invention comprises a container having a bottom and a peripheral wall, a plurality of urine passage holes formed through the bottom in a central portion away from the peripheral wall, and a footrest having an upper surface lower than the upper end of the peripheral wall and protruding upward from the bottom outside the urine passage holes.

One embodiment of the animal litter box of the present invention comprises a container having a bottom and peripheral walls, a dome-shaped cover that covers an opening surrounded by the upper end of the peripheral walls of the container, an entrance/exit for animals provided on the front of the cover, and a footrest that has an upper surface lower than the upper end of the peripheral walls and protrudes upward from the bottom at the rear of the container away from the entrance/exit.

One aspect of the present invention provides an animal litter box and animal litter box set that stabilizes an animal's excretion posture and allows for smooth excretion.

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

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

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

This animal litter box 10 is intended for use by relatively small animals, such as cats kept at home. In the following description, the direction of arrow F in Figure 1 is defined as the forward direction, and the opposite direction of arrow R is defined as the rearward direction, and the up, down, left, and right directions are defined when viewing the animal litter box 10 from the front (left side in the figure).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One footrest 26R is located rearward from the longitudinal center of the intermediate container 3 and to the right of the urine passage hole 22a. The other footrest 26L is located rearward from the longitudinal center of the intermediate container 3 and to the left of the urine passage hole 22a.

The upper surfaces 26a of the two footrests 26R, 26L are positioned on an imaginary horizontal plane that is lower than the upper end of the peripheral wall 24 of the intermediate container 3. If the animal using this animal litter box 10 is a cat, it is expected that the cat will place its two front paws together on the upper surface 26a of one of the two footrests 26R, 26L. Placing the front paws on the upper surface 26a of the footrests 26R, 26L in this way stabilizes its excretion posture and encourages smooth excretion.

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

When cat litter is filled up to the guide line 24a, the upper surfaces 26a of the footrests 26R, 26L will be located above the top surface of the cat litter. The footrests 26R, 26L may be provided so as to protrude upward from the bottom 22 outside the urine passage hole 22a. Their placement, shape, number, shape and area of the upper surfaces 26a are not limited to this embodiment and can be modified as desired. The area of the upper surfaces 26a of the footrests 26R, 26L is large enough to accommodate a cat's two front paws, and is not intended for use with hind paws.

The intermediate container 3 has an integral retaining plate 28 for retaining the half cover 6. The retaining plate 28 protrudes upward from the upper end of the peripheral wall 24 of the intermediate container 3 and is integral with the peripheral wall 24. The retaining plate 28 is provided in a roughly U-shape along the cylindrical peripheral wall 24, at the rear and on both the left and right sides of the peripheral wall 24. The outer surface 28a of the retaining plate 28 is an upward extension of the outer surface of the vertical wall 25. The retaining plate 28 functions to support the outer surface near the lower end of the half cover 6 from the outside, with the lower edge 6b of the half cover 6 (described below) abutting against the upper surface of the flange portion 23.

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

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

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

The half cover 6 is made by bending a long plate made of synthetic resin, such as polypropylene, into a U-shape. The half cover 6 may be designed to be divisible and connectable in the center longitudinally, so that it can be packed together with the lower container 1 in a box slightly larger than the lower container 1 when the animal litter box 10 is shipped.

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

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

The hood cover 4 is removably attached to the toilet body 2 via two mounting members 8R and 8L (described below). The hood cover 4 is also rotatably attached to the toilet body 2 via the mounting members 8R and 8L. The two mounting members 8R and 8L are structured to allow the half cover 6 to be removably attached to the intermediate container 3 of the toilet body 2.

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

When the canopy cover 4 is deployed in the closed position, the canopy bones 32 include a first canopy bone 32a that is located at the front, a second canopy bone 32b that is located rearward of the first canopy bone 32a, and a third canopy bone 32c that is located rearward of the second canopy bone 32b. Figure 4 shows the positions of the canopy bones 32a, 32b, and 32c when the canopy cover 4 is deployed in the closed position. In Figure 4, the left mounting member 8L is omitted to make it easier to see the structure of the left rotating member 36L.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The canopy fabric 34 is provided with a ring-shaped elastic member 38 around the periphery of the entrance 4a in the first section 34a. The elastic member 38 is made of a stretchable material such as rubber and is attached to the edge of the entrance 4a in a slightly stretched state (with the ring expanded).

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

In addition, three hood bones 32a, 32b, and 32c are attached to predetermined positions on the hood cloth 34, and a hood cover 4 is prepared in which rotating members 36R and 36L are attached to both ends of the first hood bone 32a.

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

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

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

At this time, the left-side notch 6L on the lower edge 6b of the half cover 6 is placed opposite the retaining portion 45 of the left-side mounting member 8L, the lower edge 6b of the half cover 6 is inserted into the groove 45a of the retaining portion 45 of the mounting member 8L, and the notch 6L is engaged with the bottom of the groove 45a. This causes the protrusion 45b protruding from the groove 45a of the retaining portion 45 to engage with an engagement hole (not shown) spaced above the notch 6L of the half cover 6, and the left side of the half cover 6 is fixed to the mounting member 8L.

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

At this time, the hook portion 36b of the left pivoting member 36L of the top cover 4 is inserted into the annular groove 44 of the left mounting member 8L, and the hook portion 36b is hooked onto the shaft portion 43 of the mounting member 8L. Then, the left ends of the second top bone 32b and the third top bone 32c are inserted into the annular groove 44 of the mounting member 8L with them positioned within the notches of the hook portion 36b. This allows the left ends of the three top bones 32a, 32b, and 32c to be pivotally attached to the mounting member 8L.

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

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

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

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

If the animal is a cat, it is expected that the cat will place its two front paws together on the upper surface 26a of the footrests 26R, 26L, stabilizing its excretion posture while excreting urine or feces. Alternatively, it may place its two front paws together on the front upper surface of the flange portion 23 of the intermediate container 3 near the entrance/exit 4a, stabilizing its posture while excreting urine or feces. When a cat enters the animal litter box 10 and places its front paws on the front upper surface of the flange portion 23, its head will exit through the entrance/exit 4a, allowing the cat to stabilize its excretion posture.

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

When a cat places its front paws on the upper surface 26a of the foot rests 26R, 26L (or on the upper surface of the front flange portion 23), its two hind paws inevitably rest on the cat litter. If the cat urinates or defecates in this position, the waste is excreted onto the cat litter. Because multiple urine passage holes 22a are provided in the center of the bottom 22 of the intermediate container 3 that contains the cat litter, urine excreted onto the cat litter passes through the urine passage holes 22a and is absorbed by the urine absorption sheet of the urine tray 5. Therefore, even if the hind paws come into contact with the cat litter, the hind paws are less likely to become soiled. Needless to say, because the front paws are resting on the upper surface 26a of the foot rests 26R, 26L (or on the upper surface of the front flange portion 23), there is little chance that they will come into contact with waste.

In other words, by providing the footrests 26R, 26L outside the urine passage hole 22a at a position offset to the rear of the litter box body 2 as in this embodiment, the cat can maintain a stable excretion posture even when standing on soft cat litter, allowing for smooth excretion. Therefore, this embodiment prevents health problems caused by difficulty in excretion, and helps maintain the animal's good health.

In addition, by providing foot rests 26R and 26L, it is possible to prevent the problem of the animal's feet getting dirty with excrement. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the animal's feet from getting dirty, so even if an animal leaves the animal litter box 10 and walks on the floor on which the animal litter box 10 is installed, there is no problem of the animal getting its feet dirty.

When the animal using the animal litter box 10 of this embodiment is a cat, cats have a habit of digging in the cat litter after defecation, so the cat litter placed in the intermediate container 3 needs to be to a certain depth (approximately 3 cm in this embodiment). To achieve a certain depth of cat litter, a large amount of cat litter needs to be placed in the intermediate container 3.

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

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

When attached to the canopy cover 4, the lid member 39 has an outer periphery that overlaps the periphery of the entrance 4a. The lid member 39 has a notch 39a that extends vertically in the center in the left-right direction. The lid member 39 can be folded together with the canopy cover 4 and stored in the open position together with the canopy cover 4.

By providing a lid member 39 at the entrance 4a, the entire opening 2a of the litter box body 2 of the animal litter box 10 can be closed when the canopy cover 4 is deployed in the closed position. Therefore, when the animal litter box 10 is placed in a living room or other location, the canopy cover 4 can be deployed to the closed position to prevent the interior of the litter box body 2 from being seen, improving the aesthetic appearance of the animal litter box 10. Furthermore, because the entire opening 2a can be blocked by closing the canopy cover 4, the problem of odors from animal waste escaping to the outside through the opening 2a can be prevented.

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

In the above-described embodiment, the present invention was described as being applied to a double-layered litter box body 2 in which the middle container 3 is stacked inside the lower container 1. However, this is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be applied to, for example, an animal litter box with a single-layered container-like litter box body that does not have a urine passage hole 22a or a urine tray 5.

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

1...Lower container, 2...Litter box body, 2a...Opening, 3...Intermediate container, 4...Canopy cover, 4a...Entrance/exit, 5...Urine tray, 6...Half cover, 8R, 8L...Mounting member, 10...Animal litter box, 24a...Guide line, 26R, 26L...Foot rest, 26a...Upper surface, 32...Canopy frame, 34...Canopy cloth, 39...Lid member.

Claims (8)

a container having a bottom and a peripheral wall;
a plurality of urine passage holes provided through the bottom portion in a central portion of the bottom portion away from the peripheral wall;
a footrest having an upper surface lower than the upper end of the peripheral wall and protruding upward from the bottom outside the urine passage hole;
An animal toilet having: The bottom of the container has a central portion where the urine passage hole is provided that bulges downward.
The animal litter box of claim 1. The upper surface of the footrest is disposed substantially horizontally.
The animal litter box according to claim 1 or 2. The container further includes a urine tray provided below the urine passage hole at the bottom of the container.
The animal litter box according to any one of claims 1 to 3. a container having a bottom and a peripheral wall;
a cover that covers an opening of the container in a dome shape and is surrounded by the upper end of the peripheral wall;
an animal entrance provided on the front surface of the cover;
a footrest having an upper surface lower than the upper end of the peripheral wall and projecting upward from the bottom at a rear of the container away from the entrance;
An animal toilet having: the bottom of the container has a plurality of urine passage holes penetrating the bottom at a central portion away from the peripheral wall,
The footrest is provided outside the urine passage hole.
The animal litter box of claim 5. the bottom of the container has a plurality of urine passage holes penetrating the bottom at a central portion away from the peripheral wall,
The container further includes a urine tray provided below the urine passage hole at the bottom of the container.
The animal litter box of claim 5. The animal litter box according to any one of claims 4 and 7,
At least one of an excrement treating agent used in the animal litter box and a urine absorbing sheet placed on the urine tray;
An animal toilet set equipped with