JP7797121B2 - Animal toilet unit - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an animal litter box unit.

Traditionally, animals such as cats kept as pets use animal litter boxes to defecate. Cats and other animals tend to have irregular defecation habits when they feel stressed, and it is known that animal toys and pet houses can be used to reduce stress in animals. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a pet house made from cardboard packaging.

Utility Model Registration No. 3225833

Using cardboard packaging, as in Patent Document 1, eliminates the need to prepare new play equipment or pet houses, but there is a risk that animals such as cats will jump onto the cardboard packaging to play, and the cardboard will not be able to support the animal's weight and will be crushed.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a safer toy for animals by improving the strength of the sides of the outer box when the toy is in its toy state.

The main invention to achieve the above object is:
Animal toilets and
An animal litter box unit comprising: an outer box for accommodating the animal litter box;
The outer box is
It is cardboard,
In a state in which the animal litter box is housed and the exterior box is a closed space, the exterior box has a front-rear direction, a left-right direction, and an up-down direction,
an outer flap, a first side, a second side, a third side, a fourth side, and an inner flap;
The outer flaps include a one-side outer flap located on one side in the vertical direction and an other-side outer flap located on the other side in the vertical direction,
the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surface, and the fourth side surface are located between the one-side outer flap and the other-side outer flap in the up-down direction,
The one-side outer flap extends from an end of at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface,
the other-side outer flap extends from the other-side end of at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface,
the inner flap extends from the one end of the third side surface, and in the stored state, is provided on the other side of the one-side outer flap and on the one side of the other-side outer flap,
and a mark indicating that at least a portion of the inner flap should be folded inward from the third side surface and toward the other side from the one end of the third side surface in order to make the animal litter box into a state in which it can be used as a plaything for an animal using the animal litter box, and that the one-side outer flap should be provided on the one side of the inner flap;
The inner flap includes a one-side inner flap located on the one side and an other-side inner flap located on the other side,
The display includes:
At least a portion of the one-side inner flap is folded inward from the third side surface and toward the other side from the one-side end of the third side surface,
At least a portion of the other-side inner flap is folded inward from the third side surface and toward the one side from the other-side end of the third side surface.
It has been shown that
The animal litter box unit is characterized in that , in the play equipment state, the inner flap on one side and the inner flap on the other side engage with each other .
Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

This invention improves the strength of the sides of the outer box when the toy is in its toy state, providing a safer toy for animals.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an animal litter box 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an exterior box 100 that houses the animal litter box 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the outer box 100 in an unfolded state. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a display M. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the exterior box 100 in a play equipment state. Fig. 6A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 5. Fig. 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 5. Fig. 7A is a diagram illustrating the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A in the play equipment state, and Fig. 7B is a partially enlarged view of the cross section taken along line DD in Fig. 7A. 8A to 8E are diagrams illustrating modified examples of the exterior box 100 in the form of a plaything.

At least the following matters will become clear from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.
An animal litter box unit comprising an animal litter box and an exterior box for storing the animal litter box, wherein the exterior box is made of cardboard and stores the animal litter box. When the exterior box is stored as a closed space, the exterior box has front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-down directions, and has an outer flap, a first side surface, a second side surface, a third side surface, a fourth side surface, and an inner flap. The outer flap comprises a one-side outer flap located on one side in the up-down direction, and an other-side outer flap located on the other side in the up-down direction, and the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surface, and the fourth side surface are located between the one-side outer flap and the other-side outer flap in the up-down direction, and the one-side outer flap is separated from the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surface, and the fourth side surface. The animal litter box unit is characterized in that the outer flap extends from the one-side end of at least one of the sides, the other-side outer flap extends from the other-side end of at least one of the first and second sides, the inner flap extends from the one-side end of the third side, and in the stored state, is located on the other side of the one-side outer flap and on the one side of the other-side outer flap, and in order to be in a play state for use as a play equipment for animals using the animal litter box, at least a portion of the inner flap is folded inward from the third side and to the other side of the one-side end of the third side, and has a marking indicating that the one-side outer flap is located on the one side of the inner flap.

It is known that animals such as cats are more likely to defecate properly if they are allowed to play with toys and relieve stress. With this type of animal litter box unit, those who allow their animals to use the animal litter box can learn how to turn the outer box that houses the animal litter box into a play equipment state, and the inner flaps allow the outer box to be used as a play equipment with improved side strength, allowing animals to play on safer equipment, making it easier to reduce stress in animals and encourage them to defecate properly.

In such an animal litter box unit, it is desirable that, in the play equipment state, at least one edge of the inner flap contacts the inner surface of the outer box.

With this type of animal litter box unit, the inner flap can support the first or second side, further improving the strength of the side of the outer box.

In such an animal litter box unit, it is desirable that, in the play equipment state, the end of the inner flap on the first side surface contacts the first side surface, and the end of the inner flap on the second side surface contacts the second side surface.

With this type of animal litter box unit, the inner flaps support the first and second sides, further improving the strength of the sides of the outer box.

In such an animal litter box unit, it is desirable that the inner flap has a folding guide portion for folding the inner flap, and that the folding guide portion be spaced a predetermined distance from the edge of the one side of the third side surface.

With this type of animal litter box unit, the inner flaps can be easily folded, making it easy to form an outer box with improved strength.

In such an animal litter box unit, when in the play equipment state, it is desirable that the portion of the third side surface of the inner flap from the edge on one side to the folding guide portion conforms to the surface of the outer flap.

With this type of animal litter box unit, a portion of the inner flap is aligned with the surface of the outer flap, thereby improving the strength of the surface of the outer flap.

In such an animal litter box unit, the inner flaps preferably include a one-side inner flap located on the one side and an other-side inner flap located on the other side, and the markings preferably indicate that at least a portion of the one-side inner flap is folded inward from the third side surface and toward the other side from the one-side edge of the third side surface, and that at least a portion of the other-side inner flap is folded inward from the third side surface and toward the one side from the other-side edge of the third side surface.

With this type of animal litter box unit, folding the inner flaps on one side and the other side makes it easier to improve the strength of the sides of the outer box.

In such an animal litter box unit, it is desirable that the inner flap on one side and the inner flap on the other side engage in the play equipment state.

With this type of animal litter box unit, it is easier to maintain the inner flaps on one side and the inner flaps on the other side folded, making it easier to improve the strength of the sides of the outer box.

In such an animal litter box unit, it is desirable that the one-side inner flap has a one-side notch extending from the tip to the base, and the other-side inner flap has a other-side notch extending from the tip to the base, and that the one-side notch and the other-side notch engage in the play equipment state.

With this type of animal litter box unit, it is easier to maintain the inner flaps on one side and the inner flaps on the other side folded, making it easier to improve the strength of the sides of the outer box.

In such an animal litter box unit, the one-side inner flap preferably has an engaging, folding guide portion for folding from the base end of the one-side notch portion to the tip end, and the engaging, folding guide portion preferably extends from the base end of the one-side notch portion to the end on the first side surface.

With this type of animal litter box unit, the inner flap on one side can be easily engaged with the inner flap on the other side by folding the tip of the inner flap on one side using the engagement and folding guide portion.

In such an animal litter box unit, it is desirable that the one-side inner flap has an inner flap engagement opening that penetrates through the thickness direction, or an inner flap engagement opening guide portion for forming the inner flap engagement opening, and that in the play equipment state, the other-side inner flap is inserted into the inner flap engagement opening.

With this type of animal litter box unit, it is easier to maintain the inner flaps on one side and the inner flaps on the other side folded, making it easier to improve the strength of the sides of the outer box.

In such an animal litter box unit, it is desirable that the sum of the length from the base to the tip of the one-side inner flap and the length from the base to the tip of the other-side inner flap is longer than the length from the one-side edge to the other-side edge of the third side surface, and that in the play equipment state, the one-side inner flap and the other-side inner flap are located inside the one-side edge and the other-side edge of the third side surface.

This type of animal litter box makes it easier to maintain the shape of the outer box when it is contained, making it easier to use as a plaything.

In such an animal litter box unit, at least one of the first side, the second side, and the third side has a notch guide portion for forming a notch penetrating in the thickness direction, a fold guide portion for folding a portion of the outer box into the inside of the outer box, and a fold portion surrounded by the notch guide portion and the fold guide portion, and in the play equipment state, it is desirable that the fold portion be folded into the inside of the outer box and the inner flap be positioned closer to the third side than the fold portion.

This type of animal litter box unit makes it easier to maintain the inner flaps folded, which makes it easier to improve the strength of the sides of the outer box.

In such an animal litter box unit, it is desirable that the inner flap and the third side engage with each other when in the play equipment state.

With this type of animal litter box unit, it is easier to secure the inner flap to the third side, making it easier to maintain the improved strength of the side of the outer box.

In such an animal litter box unit, it is desirable that the third side have a side engagement opening that penetrates in the thickness direction, or a side engagement opening guide portion for forming the side engagement opening, and that in the play equipment state, at least a portion of the inner flap is inserted into the side engagement opening.

With this type of animal litter box unit, it is easier to secure the inner flap to the third side, making it easier to maintain the improved strength of the side of the outer box.

In such an animal litter box unit, the third side has a notch guide portion for forming a notch that penetrates in the thickness direction, a fold guide portion for folding a portion of the outer box inside the outer box, and a fold portion surrounded by the notch guide portion and the fold guide portion, and the inner flap has an inner flap engagement opening that penetrates in the thickness direction or an inner flap engagement opening guide portion for forming the inner flap engagement opening, and it is desirable that the fold portion engages with the inner flap engagement opening in the play equipment state.

With this type of animal litter box unit, it is easier to secure the inner flap to the third side, making it easier to maintain the improved strength of the side of the outer box.

In such an animal litter box unit, it is desirable that the vertical length of the inner flap is longer than the vertical length of the third side surface, and that in the play equipment state, the inner flap has a portion that follows the vertical direction and a portion that follows the surface of the outer flap.

With this type of animal litter box unit, the inner flaps make it easier to improve the strength of the sides of the outer box.

It is desirable that such an animal litter box unit have an extension portion that is continuous with the second side surface and extends along the inner surface of the third side surface, and that the third side surface is continuous with the first side surface, not continuous with the second side surface, and joined to the extension portion.

With this type of animal litter box unit, the joint is a highly rigid part, which can improve the rigidity of the third side surface that is equipped with the inner flap.

In such an animal litter box unit, the inner flap comprises a pair of sheet sections and a corrugated member sandwiched between the pair of sheet sections and having a corrugated cross section in the thickness direction, and the peaks of the corrugations of the corrugated member run along the direction from the tip to the base of the inner flap, and it is desirable that, in the play equipment state, the fold line along which the inner flap is folded intersects with the peaks of the corrugations of the corrugated member.

With this type of animal litter box unit, the rigidity of the folded inner flaps can be further improved, making it easier to improve the strength of the sides of the outer box.

In such an animal litter box unit, it is desirable that at least one of the outer flap, the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surface, and the fourth side surface have an opening guide portion for forming an opening that penetrates through the thickness direction.

With this type of animal litter box, the exterior box in play mode has an opening, which allows animals to play in a wider variety of ways and enjoy the toy even more.

In such an animal litter box unit, when viewed from the front in the play equipment state, it is desirable that the imaginary penetration area extending from the opening in the thickness direction does not overlap with the inner flap.

With this type of animal litter box unit, the inner flap reduces the risk of obstructing the opening of the opening, making it easier to place at least part of the animal's body or animal toys, etc., into the outer box through the opening.

In such an animal litter box unit, it is desirable that the opening be provided on a surface other than the third side surface.

This type of animal litter box unit prevents interference between the inner flap and the opening, which can occur when an opening is provided on the third side.

An animal litter box unit comprising an animal litter box and an exterior box for housing the animal litter box, the exterior box being made of cardboard and housing the animal litter box. When the exterior box is in a closed state, the exterior box has dimensions in the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-down directions, and has an outer flap, a first side, a second side, a third side, a fourth side, and an inner flap. The outer flap comprises a one-side outer flap located on one side in the up-down direction and an other-side outer flap located on the other side in the up-down direction, the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side being located between the one-side outer flap and the other-side outer flap in the up-down direction, and the one-side outer flap is located at least partially between the first side and the second side. the other-side outer flap extends from the other end of at least one of the first and second sides, the other-side outer flap extends from the other end of at least one of the first and second sides, the inner flap extends from the one end of the third side, and in the stored state is located on the other side of the one-side outer flap and on the one side of the other-side outer flap; and in order to use the animal litter box as a plaything for an animal using the animal litter box, the inner flap is positioned along the surface of the one-side outer flap, the one-side outer flap is positioned on the one side of the inner flap, and the animal litter box unit has markings indicating that one of the first, second, or third sides is the top surface of the plaything.

It is known that animals such as cats are more likely to defecate properly when they are allowed to play with toys and relieve stress. Therefore, with this animal litter box unit, anyone who lets their animal use the animal litter box can learn how to turn the exterior box that houses the animal litter box into a play equipment state, and the inner flaps enable the play equipment to have improved strength on the first, second, and third sides when in play equipment state. This allows animals to play more safely when in play equipment state with any of the first, second, or third sides facing up, making it easier to reduce stress in animals and encourage them to defecate properly.

====Embodiment====
<<<<Animal litter box in containment condition>>>
As an example of an animal litter box unit according to the present embodiment, an animal litter box unit in which an animal litter box 1 for use by animals such as cats is housed in an exterior box 100 will be described. Target animals include, for example, cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, and ferrets. In the present embodiment, an animal litter box 1 for cats will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the animal litter box 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the exterior box 100 that houses the animal litter box 1. Note that FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the animal litter box 1 in use, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the appearance of the exterior box 100 in a box state capable of storing items inside, and also a diagram showing a state in which the animal litter box 1 is housed inside the exterior box 100 or a state in which it can be housed (hereinafter also referred to as a "housed state"). When the animal litter box unit is distributed as a product and sold in stores, it is in a housed state in which the animal litter box 1 is housed in the exterior box 100. The housed exterior box 100 has a closed, approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape.

<Animal Toilet 1>
As shown in Figure 1, the animal litter box 1 has three mutually perpendicular directions: a "front-rear direction," a "left-right direction," and an "up-down direction." The front-rear direction is the direction along the longitudinal direction of the animal litter box 1, and the side where the animal entrances and exits are provided is the front side. The left-right direction is the direction along the width direction of the animal litter box 1. The up-down direction is the direction along the vertical direction.

The animal litter box 1 of this embodiment has an upper container 10, a lower container 20, a tray 30, and a cover 40, and these components form the animal litter box 1 in use. The upper container 10, the lower container 20, the tray 30, and the cover 40 are each made of a polyolefin-based thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate. However, the materials used to make each component are not limited to these, and components made of other resins or metal plates such as stainless steel or aluminum may also be used. The four components can be easily disassembled and assembled together. For example, in use, the lower container 20 is assembled below the upper container 10, stacked on top of it. The lower container 20 contains a tray 30 on which an absorbent (not shown) can be placed to absorb excreted urine and other waste. The cover 40 is then assembled above the upper container 10. Because the components can be disassembled from each other in this way, cleaning and other tasks are made easier.

The upper container 10 is a roughly box-shaped member that is open at the top. Animals such as cats excrete on the upper side of the upper container 10. The bottom 11 of the upper container 10 forms the bottom surface of the upper container 10, and is provided with multiple holes that allow urine and other excreted materials from the animal to pass from top to bottom.

When the animal litter box 1 is in use, granular material such as cat litter is placed on top of the bottom 11, and animals such as cats defecate on top of the granular material. For example, waste treatment material made of a porous granular material such as zeolite or silica gel is placed as the granular material. Furthermore, by placing the granular waste treatment material on the bottom 11, animals can more easily recognize the bottom 11 as the place where they should defecate. However, the placement of granular material is not necessarily required.

The lower container 20 is a generally box-shaped member that is open at the top. The lower container 20 has a tray storage section 25 that stores the tray 30. An opening is provided below the front edge, and the tray 30 can be stored inside the lower container 20 by sliding the tray 30 rearward in the front-to-rear direction from the opening along the tray storage section.

The tray 30 is a shallow, flat, box-shaped container in which an absorbent that absorbs urine and other liquids is placed. The tray 30 has an absorbent placement area where the absorbent is placed. The absorbent is a liquid-absorbent sheet member that absorbs urine excreted by animals such as cats, and is made of a liquid-absorbent material such as pulp fiber or a superabsorbent polymer.

The cover 40 is positioned above the upper container 10 and lower container 20. The access opening 41 is a wide opening on the front side in the front-to-rear direction, and animals can enter and exit the animal litter box 1 through this access opening 41. By providing a side wall around the access opening 41, granular absorbent material and waste are prevented from spilling or scattering outside the animal litter box 1 (upper container 10).

When an animal such as a cat defecates, it enters the animal litter box 1 through the entrance/exit opening 41 and excretes urine and other waste onto the bottom 11, which is on the top surface of the upper container 10 and where granular waste treatment material is placed. The excreted urine falls downward after passing through the multiple holes in the bottom 11 while coming into contact with the waste treatment material. It is then absorbed by the absorbent material placed below the bottom 11 and stored in the tray 30. Users can keep the animal litter box 1 clean by periodically replacing the absorbent material that has absorbed the urine.

<Basic configuration of exterior box 100>
The outer box 100 is a cardboard box having a three-layer structure in cross section in the thickness direction, with a pair of cardboard sheet portions and a corrugated member made of corrugated cardboard sandwiched between the pair of sheet portions. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the outer box 100 in an unfolded state.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, each side of the outer box 100 is approximately rectangular. In the stored state, the three mutually perpendicular directions of the outer box 100 -- the "front-to-back direction," the "left-to-right direction," and the "up-to-down direction" -- are aligned with the animal litter box 1 stored inside. The outer box 100 has a first side 101, a second side 102, a third side 103, a fourth side 104, outer flaps 105 and 106, inner flaps 107 and 108, and an extension 109. The "unfolded state" of the outer box 100 refers to a state in which all joints and fastenings, including the joint at the extension 109, of the outer box 100 in the stored state have been released, and all sides have been unfolded and spread out.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the stored state, the first side surface 101, the second side surface 102, the third side surface 103, and the fourth side surface 104 are each surfaces that extend in the vertical direction and constitute the sides of the exterior box 100. The first side surface 101 and the second side surface 102 are approximately the same shape and size and face each other, while the third side surface 103 and the fourth side surface 104 are approximately the same shape and size and face each other.

In the stored state, the outer flaps 105 are located above the side surfaces 101 to 104 (on one side in the vertical direction) and are openable and closable parts that make up the top surface (top surface) of the exterior box 100. In this embodiment, the outer flaps 105 are comprised of an upper outer flap 105A located on the first side surface 101 side and an upper outer flap 105B located on the second side surface 102 side. In addition, in the stored state, the outer flaps 106 are located below the side surfaces 101 to 104 (on the other side in the vertical direction) and are openable and closable parts that make up the bottom surface (bottom surface) of the exterior box 100. In this embodiment, the outer flaps 106 are comprised of a lower outer flap 106A located on the first side surface 101 side and a lower outer flap 106B located on the second side surface 102 side.

In the stowed state, the inner flap 107 is positioned below the outer flap 105, along the surface of the outer flap 105. In this embodiment, the inner flap 107 includes an upper inner flap 107A positioned on the third side surface 103 side, and an upper inner flap 107B positioned on the fourth side surface 104 side. In addition, in the stowed state, the inner flap 108 is positioned above the outer flap 106, along the surface of the outer flap 106. In this embodiment, the inner flap 108 includes a lower inner flap 108A positioned on the third side surface 103 side, and a lower inner flap 108B positioned on the fourth side surface 104 side.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper outer flap 105A extends from the upper end (upper end) of the first side surface 101, and the lower outer flap 106A extends from the lower end (lower end) of the first side surface 101. Similarly, the upper outer flap 105B extends from the upper end of the second side surface 102, and the lower outer flap 106B extends from the lower end of the second side surface 102. The upper inner flap 107A extends from the upper end of the third side surface 103, and the lower inner flap 108A extends from the lower end of the third side surface 103. The upper inner flap 107B extends from the upper end of the fourth side surface 104, and the lower inner flap 108B extends from the lower end of the fourth side surface 104.

In addition, in the unfolded state of the exterior box 100, the sides 101 to 104 are continuous in the order of the third side 103, the first side 101, the fourth side 104, and the second side 102, with the third side 103 and the second side 102 being discontinuous. An extension portion 109 is provided on the end of the second side 102 that is not adjacent to (continuous with) the fourth side 104, the upper inner flap 107B, or the lower inner flap 108B. The extension portion 109 is a so-called "glue" that is continuous with the second side 102. By joining the extension portion 109 to the inner surface of the third side 103 with adhesive or the like, the exterior box can be formed into a box shape, and in the box state, the extension portion 109 extends along the inner surface of the third side 103. When viewed from above, the outer box 100 in a box state has side surfaces 101 to 104 that are rectangular. The inner flaps 107 and 108 are folded inward toward the sides 101 to 104, and the outer flaps 105 and 106 are further folded inward from the side surfaces 101 to 104, thereby forming the outer box 100 ( FIG. 2 ). Note that in this embodiment, the outer box 100 includes an extension portion 109 that is continuous with the second side surface 102 and is joined to the inner surface of the third side surface 103, but this is not limited thereto. The extension portion 109 that is continuous with the second side surface 102 may also be joined to the outer surface of the third side surface 103. Alternatively, the outer box 100 may include an extension portion that is continuous with the third side surface 103 and is joined to the inner surface or outer surface of the second side surface 102. Furthermore, when the first side surface 101 and the third side surface 103 (fourth side surface 104) are not continuous, an extension portion may be provided on either the first side surface 101 or the third side surface 103 (fourth side surface 104), and the extension portion may be joined to the inner or outer surface of the side surface of the first side surface 101 or the third side surface 103 (fourth side surface 104) that does not have the extension portion. Similarly, when the second side surface 102 and the fourth side surface 104 are not continuous, an extension portion may be provided on either the second side surface 102 or the fourth side surface 104, and the extension portion may be joined to the inner or outer surface of the side surface of the second side surface 102 or the fourth side surface 104 that does not have the extension portion.

<Regarding the outer box 100 in a plaything state>
The exterior box 100 can be used as a plaything for cats (animals) using the animal litter box 1. The exterior box 100 has an opening guide portion L for forming an opening H. As the opening guide portion L, the first side surface 101 has an opening guide portion L1, the second side surface 102 has an opening guide portion L2, and the upper outer flaps 105A and 105B have opening guide portions L5a and L5b, respectively. Furthermore, the upper inner flaps 107A and 107B have an upper cutout portion Ka, a fold guide portion Ga, and an engagement/fold guide portion Gs. The lower inner flaps 108A and 108B have a lower cutout portion Kb and a fold guide portion Gb. Furthermore, the third side surface 103 has a marking M. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the marking M.

The third side surface 103 has a marking M indicating that, in order to turn the exterior box 100 into a toy state for a cat, at least a portion of the upper inner flap 107A should be folded inward from the third side surface 103 and below the top edge of the third side surface 103, and that the upper outer flaps 105A and 105B should be placed above the upper inner flap 107A. The marking M indicates that the exterior box 100 can be turned into a toy state, and also indicates a method for improving the strength of the exterior box 100. In this embodiment, the marking M is provided over substantially the entire third side surface 103.

The mark M is a visible mark on the exterior of the outer box 100, and is a mark with letters and designs printed with ink or the like on the third side surface 103. Specifically, the mark M reads, "The box can be used as a toy for cats," indicating that the outer box 100 can be used as a plaything.
In addition, the display M states the following as the "assembly method" for assembling the toy into its playground form.
"[1] Open the outer flap,
Fold the upper inner flap inward and downward along the guide line.
Install it below the top edge of the side.
Fold the lower inner flap inward and upward along the guide line.
Install it above the bottom edge of the side.
Then, engage the upper and lower inner flaps.
"[2] Form an opening."
"[3] Close the outer flap,
Secure the outer flap with tape.

Assembly method [1] indicates with letters and designs that the portion of the upper inner flap 107A located on the tip side of the fold guide portion Ga should be folded inward from the third side surface 103 and downward from the upper end of the third side surface 103, and that the portion of the upper inner flap 107B located on the tip side of the fold guide portion Ga should be folded inward from the fourth side surface 104 and downward from the upper end of the fourth side surface 104. It also indicates that the portion of the lower inner flap 108A located on the tip side of the fold guide portion Gb should be folded inward from the third side surface 103 and upward from the lower end of the third side surface 103, and that the portion of the lower inner flap 108B located on the tip side of the fold guide portion Gb should be folded inward from the fourth side surface 104 and upward from the lower end of the fourth side surface 104.

Assembly method [2] indicates in letters and designs that openings H1, H2, H5a, and H5b should be formed along opening guide portions L1, L2, L5a, and L5b.

Assembly method [3] indicates that the upper outer flaps 105A, 105B should be placed above the upper inner flap 107A, i.e., that the upper outer flaps 105A, 105B should be closed from above the upper inner flaps 107A, 107B, and indicates in letters and designs that the lower outer flaps 106A, 106B should be closed from below the lower inner flaps 108A, 108B. It also indicates that the outer flaps 105, 106 should be secured with tape or the like to limit opening and closing.

By performing steps [1] to [3] of this assembly method, the outer box 100 can be made into a plaything state as shown in Figure 5. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the outer box 100 in a plaything state. Figure 6A is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 5. Figure 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 5. Tape and other elements used to secure the outer flaps 105 and 106 are omitted from Figure 5.

The outer box 100 in play mode is a toy for animals such as cats to play with, and playing with this toy helps animals relieve stress. It has long been known that when animals such as cats feel stressed, their excretion habits become irregular, leading to constipation, or the risk of them not excreting properly, such as defecation in places other than the animal litter box. For this reason, there is a demand for toy equipment for animals to play with. By turning the outer box 100 for housing the animal litter box 1 of the animal litter box unit of this embodiment into a play mode, users such as owners can use the outer box 100 as a toy simply by preparing the animal litter box unit, eliminating the need to take the trouble of preparing separate animal play equipment. This reduces the user's effort, reduces stress for animals, and makes it easier to develop appropriate animal excretion habits.

In addition, with standard exterior boxes for storing animal litter boxes and the like, the inner flaps are aligned with the surfaces of the outer flaps, allowing the animal litter box and the like to be stored in the space provided inside the exterior box. When an exterior box with this interior space is used as a playground equipment, there is a risk that the weight of an animal such as a cat climbing onto the equipment or the vibrations caused by the animal's movement could cause considerable deformation of the sides of the exterior box.

In contrast, in the outer box 100 in the toy state of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6A and other figures, at least a portion of the upper inner flap 107A is folded inward from the third side surface 103 and downward from the upper end of the third side surface 103, with the folded upper inner flap 107A being located below the upper outer flaps 105A and 105B. In other words, the upper inner flap 107A is folded toward the inside of the outer box 100. As a result, when force is applied from above the outer box 100 in the toy state and the sides of the outer box 100 are deformed, the folded upper inner flap 107A is more likely to abut against the adjacent first side surface 101 and second side surface 102. The upper inner flap 107A presses against and supports the first side surface 101 and second side surface 102, making it easier to prevent deformation of the first side surface 101 and second side surface 102 and improve the strength of the outer box 100.

When a user sees the indicator M indicating that the upper inner flap 107A should be folded, they can recognize that the folded upper inner flap 107A improves the strength of the sides of the outer box 100, allowing animals to play in the outer box 100 in a safer state. Cats and other animals playing with the outer box 100 in this safer state are more likely to relieve stress and defecate properly. Note that not only the upper inner flap 107A, but also the upper inner flap 107B, lower inner flap 108A, and lower inner flap 108B can be folded inward in the outer box 100 in the play state to support the adjacent sides and improve the strength of the outer box 100. While the following description will primarily focus on the upper inner flap 107A, the same applies to the upper inner flap 107B, lower inner flap 108A, and lower inner flaps 108B.

In the play equipment state, it is preferable that at least one edge of the folded upper inner flap 107A contacts the inner surface of the exterior box 100. When the play equipment state is established, the edge of the folded upper inner flap 107A is more likely to support the first side surface 101 or the second side surface 102, making it easier to improve the strength of the abutting inner surface portion of the exterior box 100. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6B, in the play equipment state, the edge of the upper inner flap 107A on the first side surface 101 side contacts the first side surface 101, and the edge of the upper inner flap 107A on the second side surface 102 side contacts the second side surface 102. In other words, when the toy is in play mode, the opposing first side surface 101 and second side surface 102 are pressed against and supported by the upper inner flap 107A located between them, allowing the upper inner flap 107A to support the space between the first side surface 101 and the second side surface 102 in a taut manner, making it easier to improve the strength of the first side surface 101 and the second side surface 102.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the upper inner flaps 107A and 107B have a fold guide portion Ga, and it is preferable that the lower inner flaps 108A and 108B have a fold guide portion Gb. The fold guide portions Ga and Gb are guide portions for folding the inner flaps 107 and 108, respectively.

In this embodiment, the fold guide portions Ga and Gb are approximately linear recesses that extend along the upper and lower edges of the third side surface 103 (fourth side surface 104), respectively, and are compressed from the inner surface of the outer box 100 in the thickness direction. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, in the play state, the fold guide portion Ga provided on the upper inner flap 107A is spaced a predetermined distance from the upper edge of the third side surface 103, and the tip portion 107ae of the upper inner flap 107A, located distal to the fold guide portion Ga, is folded downward from the fold guide portion Ga as the folding starting point. The fold guide portion Gb provided on the lower inner flap 108A is spaced a predetermined distance from the lower edge of the third side surface, and the tip portion 108ae of the lower inner flap 108A, located distal to the fold guide portion Gb, is folded upward from the fold guide portion Gb as the folding starting point.

In this way, the fold guide portions Ga, Gb serve as folding starting points for folding the inner flaps 107A, 108A, making it easier to fold at least a portion of the inner flaps 107A, 108A (tip portions 107ae, 108ae) toward the inside of the outer box 100, making it easier to improve the strength of the outer box 100 in its toy form. Note that the fold guide portions are not limited to recesses formed by compression portions, and may be formed, for example, by slits, perforations, etc.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5, 6A, and 7A, in the play equipment state, it is preferable that root portion 107ab, from the upper end of third side surface 103 of upper inner flap 107A to fold guide portion Ga, conforms to the surfaces of upper outer flaps 105A and 105B. Figure 7A is a diagram illustrating upper inner flap 107A and lower inner flap 108A in the play equipment state. In Figure 7A, for convenience, the upper inner flap 107A is hatched with dots. By having root portion 107ab conform to the surfaces of upper outer flaps 105A and 105B, when viewing the outer box 100 from above, the portions where root portion 107ab and upper outer flaps 105A and 105B overlap provide increased rigidity against forces from above. This improves the strength of the upper outer flaps 105A, 105B of the outer box 100 when it is in the toy state, making it easier to reduce breakage of the outer box 100.

Furthermore, in order to change the exterior box 100 from the storage state to the play toy state, as shown in Figure 6A, it is preferable to fold not only the upper inner flap 107A but also at least a portion of the lower inner flap 108A inwardly from the third side surface 103 and above the bottom edge of the third side surface 103. To this end, it is preferable to provide a mark on the exterior box 100 indicating that at least a portion of the upper inner flap 107A should be folded inwardly from the third side surface 103 and below the top edge of the third side surface 103, and that at least a portion of the lower inner flap 108A should be folded inwardly from the third side surface 103 and above the bottom edge of the third side surface 103. In this embodiment, assembly method [1] of the marking M on the outer surface of the third side surface 103 indicates with letters and a design that the upper inner flap 107A should be folded inward from the third side surface 103 and below the upper end of the third side surface 103, and the lower inner flap 108A should be folded inward from the third side surface 103 and above the lower end of the third side surface 103. In this way, by folding the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A toward the inside of the outer box 100 from both vertical sides, the strength of the first side surface 101 and the second side surface 102 of the outer box 100 is more likely to be improved than when only the upper inner flap 107A or only the lower inner flap 108A is folded.

Furthermore, it is more preferable that the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A, which are each folded toward the inside of the exterior box 100, engage with each other when in the play equipment state. Engaging the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A makes it easier to maintain the upper inner flap 107A folded downward, and the lower inner flap 108A folded upward. This makes it easier to maintain the improved strength of the first side surface 101 and the second side surface 102 of the exterior box 100 when in the play equipment state.

In this embodiment, the engagement between the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A in the play equipment state is achieved by the engagement between the upper cutout portion Ka of the upper inner flap 107A and the lower cutout portion Kb of the lower inner flap 108A.

The upper cutout Ka provided in the upper inner flap 107A is a cutout that penetrates the thickness of the upper inner flap 107A in a straight line from the tip to the base. The lower cutout Kb provided in the lower inner flap 108A is a cutout that penetrates the thickness of the lower inner flap 108A in a straight line from the tip to the base. In addition, in the play equipment state, the portion of the upper inner flap 107A closer to the first side surface 101 than the upper cutout portion Ka is the upper first portion 107a1, and the portion of the upper inner flap 107A closer to the second side surface 102 than the upper cutout portion Ka is the upper second portion 107a2. In the lower inner flap 108A, the portion of the lower inner flap 108A closer to the first side surface 101 than the lower cutout portion Kb is the lower first portion 108a1, and the portion of the lower inner flap 108A closer to the second side surface 102 than the lower cutout portion Kb is the lower second portion 108a2.

As shown in Figure 7A, the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A are engaged by positioning the upper first portion 107a1 closer to the base (towards the third side surface 103) than the lower first portion 108a1 on the first side surface 101 side, and positioning the lower second portion 108a2 closer to the base (towards the third side surface 103) than the upper second portion 107a2 on the second side surface 102 side, with the upper cutout portion Ka and the lower cutout portion Kb as the boundary, thereby overlapping the upper first portion 107a1 and the lower first portion 108a1, and overlapping the lower second portion 108a2 and the upper second portion 107a2. On the first side surface 101 side, the lower first portion 108a1 may be positioned closer to the base (closer to the third side surface 103) than the upper first portion 107a1, and on the second side surface 102 side, the upper second portion 107a2 may be positioned closer to the base (closer to the third side surface 103) than the lower second portion 108a2.

In this way, by engaging the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A, it becomes easier to maintain their folded state, and the strength of the outer box 100 in the toy state can be improved.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7A, when engaging the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A, to facilitate engagement of the upper inner flap 107A with the lower inner flap 108A, it is preferable that the upper inner flap 107A have an engagement fold guide portion Gs, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6B. The engagement fold guide portion Gs is a portion for folding the portion from the base end of the upper cutout portion Ka to the tip end, and is a substantially linear recess. This recess is formed by compressing the surface facing the inside of the outer box 100 in the thickness direction when the outer box 100 is in the toy state. The engagement fold guide portion Gs is provided in the portion from the base end of the upper cutout portion Ka to the end on the first side surface 101 side (the tip end of the upper first portion 107a1). To convert the outer box 100 from the storage state to the play state, when engaging the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A, the portion of the upper inner flap 107A from the base end of the upper notch Ka of the upper first portion 107a1 to the tip end is folded toward the third side surface 103 using the engagement and folding guide Gs as the folding starting point, and the lower first portion 108a1 of the lower inner flap 108A is then overlapped with the upper first portion 107a1, thereby achieving the engagement between the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A as shown in FIG. 7A . The inclusion of the engagement and folding guide Gs facilitates the engagement between the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A, making it easier to form an outer box 100 in a play state.

The engagement and folding guide portion Gs is not limited to a recess formed by a compressed portion, but may be formed by, for example, a slit, perforation, etc. Furthermore, the engagement and folding guide portion Gs is not limited to the upper first portion 107a1 of the upper inner flap 107A, but may be provided in either the upper second portion 107a2 of the upper inner flap 107A, or the lower first portion 108a1 or lower second portion 108a2 of the lower inner flap 108, or may be provided in all of these.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, even if the sum of the length H107 from the base to the tip of the upper inner flap 107A and the length H108 from the base to the tip of the lower inner flap 108A is longer than the length H103 from the top to the bottom of the third side surface 103 (H107A + H108A > H103), it is preferable that the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A are located inside the top and bottom of the third side surface 103 in the outer box 100 in the play equipment state. This allows the outer box 100 in the play equipment state to maintain the same rectangular parallelepiped shape as the outer box 100 in the stored state, making it easier to use as a play equipment state.

As a method for providing the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A inside the upper and lower ends of the third side surface 103, for example, as shown in FIG. 6A, the difference between the sum of the length H107 from the base to the tip of the upper inner flap 107A and the length H108 from the base to the tip of the lower inner flap 108A and the length H103 from the top to the bottom of the third side surface 103 (H107A + H108A - H103) is It is sufficient if the length H107ab from the base to the tip of the base portion 107ab of A, the length H108ab from the base to the tip of the base portion 108ab of the lower inner flap 108A, and the vertical length HAe of the portion where the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A overlap in the vertical direction (H107ab + H108ab + HAe) or less (H107A + H108A - H103 ≦ H107ab + H108ab + HAe). Furthermore, if the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A do not have root portions 107ab, 108ab along the surfaces of the outer flaps 105, 106, the difference (H107A + H108A - H103) between the sum of the length H107 from the root to the tip of the upper inner flap 107A and the length H108 from the root to the tip of the lower inner flap 108A and the length H103 from the top to the bottom of the third side surface 103 may be less than the sum (H107ab + H108ab + HAe) of the vertical length HAe of the portion where the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A overlap in the vertical direction (H107A + H108A - H103 ≦ HAe). Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6A, the tip portion 107ae of the upper inner flap 107A and the tip portion 108ae of the lower inner flap 108A do not necessarily have to be aligned in the vertical direction, but may be tilted at a predetermined angle, so that the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108A are positioned inward from the upper and lower ends of the third side surface 103.

As described above, in the stored state and the play equipment state, the exterior box 100 has an extension 109 that is continuous with the second side surface 102 and extends along the inner surface of the third side surface 103. The third side surface 103, which is continuous with the first side surface 101, is not continuous with the second side surface 102, but is joined to the second side surface 102 by this extension 109, which functions as a "glue." This improves the rigidity of the third side surface 103, which is continuous with the upper inner flap 107A, and therefore makes it easier to improve the strength of the first side surface 101 and the second side surface 102 of the exterior box 100 in the play equipment state using the upper inner flap 107A.

As described above, the upper inner flap 107A is made of cardboard and includes a pair of sheet portions S and a corrugated member W sandwiched between the pair of sheet portions. Figure 7B is an enlarged view of a portion of the D-D cross section in Figure 7A. The peaks of the corrugations of this corrugated member W run along the direction from the tip to the base of the upper inner flap 107A. In the play equipment state, it is preferable that the fold line along which the upper inner flap 107A is folded intersects with the peaks of the corrugations of the corrugated member W. In this embodiment, the folding is performed using the fold guide portion Ga as the folding starting point, and therefore the fold line of the upper inner flap 107A is the fold guide portion Ga. In other words, the fold guide portion Ga of the upper inner flap 107A intersects with the peaks of the corrugations of the corrugated member W that constitutes the upper inner flap 107A. Generally, cardboard is easily deformed in a direction that follows the crests of the corrugations of the corrugated member W, but deformation in a direction that intersects with the crests of the corrugations of the corrugated member W requires a stronger force than deformation in a direction that follows the crests of the corrugations of the corrugated member W. Therefore, by having the fold line (fold guide portion Ga) for folding the upper inner flap 107A intersect with the crests of the corrugations of the corrugated member W, the rigidity of the folded upper inner flap 107A can be further improved, making it easier to improve the strength of the outer box 100 in its toy form.

The exterior box 100 preferably has an opening guide portion L for forming an opening H penetrating through the thickness direction on at least one of the exterior flaps 105, 106, first side surface 101, second side surface 102, third side surface 103, and fourth side surface 104. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 and other figures, the first side surface 101 has a cat-face-shaped opening guide portion L1, the second side surface 102 has two rectangular opening guide portions L2, and the upper exterior flaps 105A and 105B each have three circular opening guide portions L5a and L5b. Each opening guide portion L is formed by a slit, perforation, or the like, and when using the exterior box 100 in its stored state as a plaything, a user can easily form an opening H by applying a force, such as pushing the inside of the opening guide portion L in the thickness direction. Regarding the openings H, the opening guide portion L1 of the first side surface 101 is opening H1, the opening guide portion L2 of the second side surface 102 is opening H2, the opening guide portion L5a of the upper outer flap 105A is opening H5a, and the opening guide portion L5b of the upper outer flap 105B is opening H5b. By having openings H on the exterior box 100 in play equipment state, animals can enjoy playing with the exterior box 100 in play equipment state more variedly.

In addition, for an exterior box 100 in a toy state with an opening H, as in this embodiment, it is preferable that when opening H is viewed from the front, the imaginary penetration area, which is an extension of opening H in the thickness direction, does not overlap with the upper inner flap 107A. It is also more preferable that not only upper inner flap 107A but also upper inner flap 107B and lower inner flaps 108A and 108B do not overlap with the imaginary penetration area. Opening H of exterior box 100 in a toy state is used by animals to put their hands or bodies in to play. If the imaginary penetration area overlaps with upper inner flap 107A when viewed from the front, there is a risk that the upper inner flap 107A could injure the animal's hands or body when the animal puts its hands or body in opening H. Therefore, by not overlapping the imaginary penetration area with the upper inner flap 107A, the risk of the upper inner flap 107A becoming an obstacle in the imaginary penetration area is reduced, making it easier for animals to safely insert their hands or bodies into the opening H, making it easier for animals to play with the outer box 100 without worry.

Furthermore, it is more preferable to provide the opening H on the surface excluding the third side surface 103, which is continuous with the upper inner flap 107A. An opening H provided on the third side surface 103 is likely to be blocked by the upper inner flap 107A. Therefore, by providing the opening H on the surface excluding the third side surface 103, which is continuous with the upper inner flap 107A, animals can easily insert their hands or bodies into the opening H, making it easier for them to play with the outer box 100 in its playset state.

<Modification of the exterior box 100 in the play equipment state>
In this embodiment, the outer box 100 is in a toy state in which the upper inner flap 107A having the upper cutout portion Ka and the lower inner flap 108A having the lower cutout portion Kb are engaged, but this is not limited to this. Figures 8A to 8E are diagrams illustrating modified examples of the outer box 100 in a toy state. Below, differences from the above-described embodiment will be mainly described, and parts common to the configuration of the above-described embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described in detail. Furthermore, some of the configurations of the outer box 100 in the above-described embodiment can also be applied to the following modified examples of the outer box 100.

At least one of the first side surface 101, the second side surface 102, and the third side surface 103 may have a notch guide portion (not shown) for forming a notch penetrating in the thickness direction, a fold guide portion G3a for folding a portion of the outer box 100 (the first side surface 101, the second side surface 102, and the third side surface 103) into the inside of the outer box, and a fold-in portion F3a surrounded by the notch guide portion and the fold-in portion G3a. In the play state, the fold-in portion G3a may be folded into the inside of the outer box 100, and the upper inner flap 107A may be positioned closer to the third side surface 103 than the fold-in portion G3a. For example, as shown in FIG. 8A , the third side surface 103 may have a notch guide portion and a fold-in portion G3a. In the play state, the notch guide portion is inserted in the thickness direction, and the fold-in portion F3a is folded into the inside of the outer box 100, using the fold-in portion G3a as the folding starting point. Furthermore, by restricting the movement of the upper inner flap 107A with the folded-in portion F3a, it becomes easier to maintain the upper inner flap 107A folded downward, which helps to improve the strength of the outer box 100. The cut guide portion can be a perforation, a slit, or a cut-out portion as shown in the figure.

Furthermore, when in play mode, the upper inner flap 107A and the third side surface 103 may engage with each other. This makes it easier to secure the upper inner flap 107A to the third side surface, making it easier to maintain the improved strength of the outer box 100.

For example, as shown in FIG. 8B, the third side surface 103 may have a side engagement opening E3b penetrating through the thickness, and in the play state, at least a portion of the upper inner flap 107A may be inserted into the side engagement opening E3b. Alternatively, in the stowed state, the third side surface 103 may not have a side engagement opening E3b, but may have a side engagement opening guide portion (not shown) for forming the side engagement opening E3b, and when the play state is set, the side engagement opening E3b may be formed in the side engagement opening guide portion. The side engagement opening guide portion may be a perforation, slit, or cut-out portion as shown.

Furthermore, the third side surface 103 may have a notch guide portion (not shown) for forming a notch that penetrates in the thickness direction, a fold guide portion G3c for folding a portion of the outer box 100 (third side surface 103) into the inside of the outer box 100, and a fold-in portion F3c surrounded by the notch guide portion and fold-in portion G3c, and the upper inner flap 107A may have an inner flap engagement opening E7c that penetrates in the thickness direction. In the play equipment state, as shown in FIG. 8C , the notch guide portion may be made to penetrate in the thickness direction, and the fold-in portion F3c may be folded into the inside of the outer box 100 using the fold-in portion G3c as a folding starting point, and the fold-in portion F3c may be inserted into the inner flap engagement opening E7c to engage it.

The vertical length of the upper inner flap 107A (length from tip to base) may be longer than the vertical length of the third side surface 103, and as shown in Figure 8D, in the play equipment state, the upper inner flap 107A may have a portion 7d1 that follows the vertical direction and a portion 7d2 that follows the surfaces of the outer flaps 105 and 106. This upper inner flap 107A makes it easier to improve the strength of the first side surface 101, second side surface 102, and third side surface 103.

The upper inner flap 107A may have an inner flap engagement opening E7e penetrating through the thickness, and as shown in FIG. 8E, in the play equipment state, the lower inner flap 108A may be inserted into the inner flap engagement opening E7e to engage. This makes it easier to maintain the upper inner flap 107A and the lower inner flap 108 folded inward of the outer box 100, improving the strength of the outer box 100. Note that in the stored state, the upper inner flap 107A may not have an inner flap engagement opening E7e, but may have an inner flap engagement opening guide portion (not shown) for forming the inner flap engagement opening E7e, and the inner flap engagement opening E7e may be formed in the inner flap engagement opening guide portion when the toy is in the play equipment state. Alternatively, the lower inner flap 108A may have an inner flap engagement opening penetrating through the thickness, and the upper inner flap 107A may be inserted into the inner flap engagement opening of the lower inner flap 108A to engage.

===Other Embodiments===
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes equivalents thereof. For example, the following modifications are possible.

In the above embodiment, the mark M indicating that the inner flap 107 (108) should be folded and that the outer flap 105 (106) should be positioned outside the inner flap 107 (108) to create the play equipment state is provided on the third side 103 of the exterior box 100, but this is not limited to this. The mark M may also be provided on any of the first side 101, second side 102, fourth side 104, outer flaps 105 and 106, or inner flaps 107 and 108. Alternatively, a document showing the mark M may be attached to the animal litter box unit as a separate component from the exterior box 100 as an assembly instruction manual.

In the above-described embodiment, the upper inner flap 107A, the upper inner flap 107B, the lower inner flap 108A, and the lower inner flap 108B are folded toward the inside of the outer box 100 to create the toy state, but this is not limited to this. At least one of the upper inner flap 107A, the upper inner flap 107B, the lower inner flap 108A, and the lower inner flap 108B may be folded toward the inside of the outer box 100. This improves the rigidity of at least one of the first side surface 101, the second side surface 102, the third side surface 103, and the fourth side surface 104, thereby improving the strength of the outer box 100.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the upper outer flap 105 and the lower outer flap 106 each include a pair of upper outer flaps 105A, 105B and a pair of lower outer flaps 106A, 106B, and are configured to open and close in a so-called double door manner, but this is not limited to this. The upper outer flap 105 and the lower outer flap 106 may each be a single component, and may be configured to open and close in a so-called single door manner.

In the above-described embodiment, the outer box 100 has an opening H that penetrates through the side surfaces 101, 102 and the outer flap 105 in the thickness direction, but the outer box 100 may also be in a toy state without an opening. Furthermore, the toy state may be formed by stacking multiple outer boxes with or without openings vertically.

In the above-described embodiment, the outer box 100 in the toy state has the inner flaps 107, 108 folded toward the inside of the outer box 100, but this is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the outer box 100 may be in a state in which the upper inner flap 107A is aligned with the surfaces of the upper outer flaps 105A, 105B, and the upper outer flaps 105A, 105B are located above the upper inner flap 107A, and the toy state may be such that any one of the first side surface 101, second side surface 102, or third side surface 103 is facing up. To prepare the exterior box 100 as a plaything, the upper inner flap 107A is aligned with the surfaces of the upper outer flaps 105A and 105B, the upper outer flaps 105A and 105B are located above the upper inner flap 107A, and the exterior box 100 may have a marking indicating that any one of the first side surface 101, the second side surface 102, and the third side surface 103 is the upper surface. With this exterior box 100, a user such as an owner can obtain a plaything using the exterior box 100 simply by preparing an animal litter box unit. Playing with the exterior box 100 in the plaything state helps animals such as cats relieve stress, which encourages the animal to excrete appropriately. Furthermore, by arranging the upper inner flaps 107A so that they are perpendicular to the first side surface 101, second side surface 102, and third side surface 103, the upper inner flaps 107A make it easier to improve the strength of the first side surface 101, second side surface 102, and third side surface 103, thereby increasing rigidity against forces applied from above and below. Furthermore, users can recognize that the toy has improved strength, so they can safely let animals play in the exterior box 100 when it is in its toy form.

The animal litter box 1 in the above-described embodiment is equipped with a cover 40 as shown in Figure 1, but this is not limiting and the cover 40 may be omitted. Also, in the animal litter box 1, the lower container 20 supports the upper container 10 and tray 30, but this is not limiting and the lower container 20 may be omitted. Any animal litter box may be used as long as it is equipped with at least the upper container 10 and tray 30.

1. Animal toilet,
10 upper container,
11 bottom,
20 lower container,
30 trays,
40 covers,
41 access openings,
100 outer box,
101 First aspect,
102 Second aspect,
103 Third aspect,
104 Fourth aspect,
105 outer flap,
105A upper outer flap (one side outer flap),
105B upper outer flap (one side outer flap),
106 outer flap,
106A lower outer flap (other outer flap),
106B lower outer flap (other outer flap),
107 inner flap,
107A upper inner flap (one side inner flap),
107B upper inner flap (one side inner flap),
108 inner flap,
108A lower inner flap (other side inner flap),
108B lower inner flap (other side inner flap),
109 extension part,
Ga folding guide portion,
Gb: folding guide portion;
Gs engagement folding guide portion,
Ka: upper cutout portion,
Kb: lower cutout portion;
H1, H2, H5a, H5b opening,
L1, L2, L5a, L5b opening guide part,
M display

Claims (17)

Animal toilets and
An animal litter box unit comprising: an outer box for accommodating the animal litter box;
The outer box is
It is cardboard,
In a state in which the animal litter box is housed and the exterior box is a closed space, the exterior box has a front-rear direction, a left-right direction, and an up-down direction,
an outer flap, a first side, a second side, a third side, a fourth side, and an inner flap;
The outer flaps include a one-side outer flap located on one side in the vertical direction and an other-side outer flap located on the other side in the vertical direction,
the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surface, and the fourth side surface are located between the one-side outer flap and the other-side outer flap in the up-down direction,
The one-side outer flap extends from an end of at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface,
the other-side outer flap extends from the other-side end of at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface,
the inner flap extends from the one end of the third side surface, and in the stored state, is provided on the other side of the one-side outer flap and on the one side of the other-side outer flap,
and a mark indicating that at least a portion of the inner flap should be folded inward from the third side surface and toward the other side from the one end of the third side surface in order to make the animal litter box into a state in which it can be used as a plaything for an animal using the animal litter box, and that the one-side outer flap should be provided on the one side of the inner flap;
The inner flap includes a one-side inner flap located on the one side and an other-side inner flap located on the other side,
The display includes:
At least a portion of the one-side inner flap is folded inward from the third side surface and toward the other side from the one-side end of the third side surface,
At least a portion of the other-side inner flap is folded inward from the third side surface and toward the one side from the other-side end of the third side surface.
It has been shown that
The animal litter box unit is characterized in that , in the play equipment state, the inner flap on one side and the inner flap on the other side engage with each other . 2. The animal litter box unit of claim 1,
The animal litter box unit is characterized in that, in the toy state, at least one end of the inner flap contacts the inner surface of the outer box. 3. The animal litter box unit according to claim 2,
In the play equipment state,
an end of the inner flap on the first side surface side contacts the first side surface;
An animal litter box unit, characterized in that the end of the inner flap on the second side surface side is in contact with the second side surface. The animal litter box unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The inner flap includes a folding guide portion for folding the inner flap,
The animal litter box unit is characterized in that the folding guide portion is spaced a predetermined distance from the end of the one side of the third side surface. 5. The animal litter box unit according to claim 4,
An animal litter box unit characterized in that, in the play equipment state, the portion from the one end of the third side surface of the inner flap to the folding guide portion follows the surface of the outer flap. The animal litter box unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
The one-side inner flap has a one-side notch portion provided from the tip side toward the base side,
the other-side inner flap includes an other-side notch portion provided from the tip side toward the base side,
The animal litter box unit is characterized in that, in the play equipment state, the one-side notch portion and the other-side notch portion engage with each other. 7. The animal litter box unit according to claim 6 ,
the one-side inner flap has an engaging and folding guide portion for folding from a base end of the one-side notch portion to a tip end thereof,
The animal litter box unit is characterized in that the engaging and bending guide portion is provided from the base end of the one-side notch portion to the end of the first side surface. 8. The animal litter box unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
the one-side inner flap has an inner flap engagement opening penetrating in the thickness direction or an inner flap engagement opening guide portion for forming the inner flap engagement opening,
The animal litter box unit is characterized in that, in the play equipment state, the other inner flap is inserted into the inner flap engagement opening. 9. The animal litter box unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8 ,
the sum of the length from the base to the tip of the one-side inner flap and the length from the base to the tip of the other-side inner flap is longer than the length from the one-side end to the other-side end of the third side surface,
An animal litter box unit characterized in that, in the play equipment state, the one-side inner flap and the other-side inner flap are located inside the one-side end and the other-side end of the third side surface. Animal toilets and
An animal litter box unit comprising: an outer box for accommodating the animal litter box;
The outer box is
It is cardboard,
In a state in which the animal litter box is housed and the exterior box is a closed space, the exterior box has a front-rear direction, a left-right direction, and an up-down direction,
an outer flap, a first side, a second side, a third side, a fourth side, and an inner flap;
The outer flaps include a one-side outer flap located on one side in the vertical direction and an other-side outer flap located on the other side in the vertical direction,
the first side surface, the second side surface, the third side surface, and the fourth side surface are located between the one-side outer flap and the other-side outer flap in the up-down direction,
The one-side outer flap extends from an end of at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface,
the other-side outer flap extends from the other-side end of at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface,
the inner flap extends from the one end of the third side surface and is provided on the other side of the one-side outer flap and on the one side of the other-side outer flap in the stored state,
and a mark indicating that at least a portion of the inner flap should be folded inward from the third side surface and toward the other side from the one end of the third side surface in order to make the animal litter box into a state in which it can be used as a plaything for an animal using the animal litter box, and that the one-side outer flap should be provided on the one side of the inner flap;
The animal litter box unit is characterized in that, in the play equipment state, the inner flap and the third side engage with each other. 11. The animal litter box unit of claim 10 ,
the third side surface has a side surface engagement opening penetrating in the thickness direction or a side surface engagement opening guide portion for forming the side surface engagement opening,
The animal litter box unit is characterized in that, in the play equipment state, at least a portion of the inner flap is inserted into the side engagement opening. 11. The animal litter box unit of claim 10 ,
The third aspect is
a notch guide portion for forming a notch penetrating in the thickness direction;
a folding guide portion for folding a portion of the outer box into the inside of the outer box;
a folding portion surrounded by the incision guide portion and the folding guide portion;
and
The inner flap has an inner flap engagement opening penetrating in the thickness direction or an inner flap engagement opening guide portion for forming the inner flap engagement opening,
The animal litter box unit is characterized in that, in the play equipment state, the fold-in portion engages with the inner flap engagement opening. 13. The animal litter box unit according to any one of claims 1 to 12 ,
In the play equipment state,
an extension portion that is continuous with the second side surface and extends along an inner surface of the third side surface,
The third aspect is
continuous with the first side surface,
An animal litter box unit characterized in that it is not continuous with the second side surface and is joined to the extension portion. 14. The animal litter box unit according to any one of claims 1 to 13 ,
The inner flap is
A pair of seat portions;
a corrugated member sandwiched between the pair of sheet portions and having a corrugated cross section in the thickness direction;
Equipped with
The crest of the wave of the wave-shaped member is along the direction from the tip to the root of the inner flap,
The animal litter box unit is characterized in that, in the play equipment state, the folding line for folding the inner flap intersects with the crest of the corrugation of the corrugated member. 15. The animal litter box unit according to any one of claims 1 to 14 ,
An animal litter box unit characterized in that at least one of the outer flap, the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side has an opening guide portion for forming an opening that penetrates in the thickness direction. 16. The animal litter box unit of claim 15 ,
In the play equipment state,
An animal litter box unit characterized in that, when the opening is viewed from the front, a virtual penetration area extending from the opening in the thickness direction does not overlap with the inner flap. 17. The animal litter box unit according to claim 15 or 16 ,
An animal litter box unit, characterized in that the opening is provided on a surface other than the third side surface.