IP Library Granted Patent US 7,832,357
Granted Patent B2
US 7,832,357 · App. 12/117,370 · Granted Nov 16, 2010

Animal litter box

Assignee: Uni-Charm Petcare Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,832,357
App. No.
12/117,370
Granted
Nov 16, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

An animal litter box includes an evacuation container and a hood, the hood having a fixed hood, a movable hood, and a pair of connecting portions. The movable hood is configured to be moved rotatably either outside or inside the fixed hood such that an end edge of the movable hood is proximal to the fixed hood while maintaining a prescribed distance at least one of the fixed hood 31 and the movable hood is provided with a convex restricting portion which prevents a distance between an end edge on at least the one end of the movable hood 32 and the fixed hood 31 from being less than the prescribed distance.

Claims (17)

1. An animal litter box comprising:

an evacuation container of which an upper surface has an opening; and

a hood disposed above the evacuation container so as to cover the opening, the hood having a fixed hood disposed on one end of the evacuation container, a movable hood disposed on the other end of the evacuation container, and a pair of connecting portions which connect the movable hood to be moved rotatably,

wherein the movable hood is configured to be moved rotatably outside the fixed hood in the state that an end edge on at least the one end of the movable hood is proximal to the fixed hood with maintaining a prescribed distance, and includes a convex restricting portion which prevents a distance between an end edge on at least the one end of the movable hood and the fixed hood from being less than the prescribed distance, wherein the convex restricting portion is composed of an inwardly protruding portion which is formed on an inner surface of the end edge on at least the one end of the movable hood; and

wherein the fixed hood includes a concave guide groove which extends from one side edge to another side edge of the fixed hood, on an outer upper surface thereof, to guide the moving of the protruding portion when the movable hood is moved from a closed state to an open state.

2. An animal litter box comprising:

an evacuation container of which an upper surface has an opening; and

a hood disposed above the evacuation container so as to cover the opening, the hood having a fixed hood disposed on one end of the evacuation container, a movable hood disposed on the other end of the evacuation container, and a pair of connecting portions which connect the movable hood to be moved rotatably,

wherein the movable hood is configured to be moved rotatably outside the fixed hood in the state that an end edge on at least the one end of the movable hood is proximal to the fixed hood with maintaining a prescribed distance, and includes a convex restricting portion which prevents a distance between an end edge on at least the one end of the movable hood and the fixed hood from being less than the prescribed distance, the convex restriction portion is composed of one or more inwardly protruding portions which are formed on an inner surface at an end edge on at least the one end of the movable hood, and

wherein the fixed hood includes a concave guide groove which extends from one side edge to another side edge of the fixed hood, to guide the convex restricting portion.

3. An animal litter box comprising:

an evacuation container of which an upper surface has an opening; and

a hood disposed above the evacuation container so as to cover the opening, the hood having a fixed hood disposed on one end of the evacuation container, a movable hood disposed on the other end of the evacuation container, and a pair of connecting portions which connect the movable hood to be moved rotatably,

wherein the movable hood is configured to be moved rotatably outside the fixed hood in the state that an end edge on at least the one end of the movable hood is proximal to the fixed hood with maintaining a prescribed distance,

wherein the fixed hood includes:

a convex restricting portion which prevents a distance between an end edge on at least the one end of the movable hood and the fixed hood from being less than the prescribed distance, the convex restricting portion being composed of a convexity which is formed on an outer surface of the fixed hood; and

wherein the movable hood includes a concave guide groove which extends from one side edge to another side edge of the movable hood, to guide the convex restricting portion, the concave guide groove has a concavity which is hollow upward on an inner surface at the end edge on at least the one end of the movable hood, corresponding to a convex shape of the convexity of the convex restricting portion.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Oct 20, 2010
From: UNI-CHARM PETCARE CORPORATION
To: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025161/0479 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2008
From: MATSUO, TAKAYUKI; IKEGAMI, TAKESHI; HIROSHIMA, KENJI; NAMIKAWA, NOBUAKI
To: UNI-CHARM PETCARE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 020921/0644 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090000559A1 · Jan 1, 2009