Animal litter box
An animal litter box includes: an upper container, which having an upper opening for animals to come in and out, and a bottom portion, which allows fluid to pass through and over which particulate matter is spread; and a lower container having a lower opening provided below the bottom portion, and a holding portion for disposing a fluid absorbing sheet container in which the fluid absorbing sheet which absorbs fluid passing through the bottom portion is laid, wherein a fitting portion for fitting to an edge of a lower opening of the lower container is provided at a side or bottom of the upper container. The fitting portion is preferably a stepped portion or a concave portion.
1. An animal litter box, comprising:
an upper container comprising an upper opening for animals to come in and out, and a bottom portion which allows fluid to pass through and over which particulate matter is spread; and
a lower container, separable from the upper container at both sides thereof, the lower container having outer side walls, an opening at the top side provided below the bottom portion, and a holding portion for disposing a fluid absorbing sheet which absorbs fluid passing through the bottom portion, wherein
a fitting portion for fitting to an edge of a lower opening of the lower container, provided at the side or bottom of the upper container,
wherein the fitting portion includes an upper engaging portion having a protrusion portion thereon and extending from the side of the upper container toward an inner side of the lower container, without intervening in the holding portion, and
wherein the lower container includes a lower engaging portion that is spaced inwardly from the outer sidewalls of the lower container and engages with the upper engaging portion, and
the lower engaging portion has a second protrusion portion that slides over the protrusion portion on the upper engaging portion, and engages with the upper engaging portion,
wherein the engaging portion and the lower engaging portion are configured with elastically deformable material,
the upper engaging portion is not in direct contact with the outer side walls of the lower container, and
the second protrusion portion of the lower engaging portion and the protrusion portion of the upper engaging portion are aligned and configured so that when the upper container and the lower container are brought together to be coupled to one another the second protrusion portion of the lower engaging portion contacts the protrusion portion of the upper engaging portion and at least one of the upper engaging portion and the lower engaging portion is deformed so that the second protrusion portion of the lower engaging portion slides over the protrusion portion of the upper engaging portion, whereby at least one of the upper engaging portion and the lower engaging portion deforms upon initial contact between the upper and lower containers and recovers from the deformation upon full contact between the upper and lower containers.
2. The animal litter box according to claim 1 , wherein the fitting portion is a stepped portion or a concave portion.
3. The animal litter box according to claim 1 , wherein the upper container and the lower container are engaged detachably at an engaging portion while the upper container and the lower container are coupled together.
4. The animal litter box according to claim 1 , wherein a cover for regulating directions of entry and exit of animals is detachably attached to the upper container.
5. The animal litter box according to claim 1 , wherein
the lower engaging portion extends from a side of the lower container toward an inner side thereof, and the second protrusion portion is provided at an innermost side of the lower engaging portion.
6. The animal litter box according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion of the upper engaging portion does not support the upper container on the lower container when the upper container is fitted on the lower container.