IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,252,932
Granted Patent B2
US 11,252,932 · App. 16/787,540 · Granted Feb 22, 2022

Animal litter box

Inventor: Shinya Kaneko (Kanonji, JP)
Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
A01K1/0114
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,252,932
App. No.
16/787,540
Granted
Feb 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An animal litter box ( 100 ) includes: a litter-box main portion ( 1 ) including an upper container ( 10 ) and a lower container ( 30 ); an output main portion ( 60 ) including an output portion ( 61 ); and a position regulator. The upper container ( 10 ) includes a plurality of holes (h) passing through the upper container in the up-down direction, and the lower container ( 30 ) includes a reception portion ( 32 ) that receives excrement that has passed through the plurality of holes (h). The output portion ( 61 ) includes: a top surface ( 61 a ) that comes into contact with the litter-box main portion ( 1 ); and a side wall ( 61 b ) extending from an edge of the top surface ( 61 a ) in the up-down direction. The output portion ( 61 ) outputs a signal in accordance with a magnitude of a force that acts on the top surface ( 61 a ). The position regulator includes: a litter-box-side regulating portion ( 26 ) disposed on the litter-box main portion ( 1 ); and an output-side regulating portion ( 62 ) disposed on the output main portion ( 60 ). The output-side regulating portion ( 62 ) is a portion different from the side wall ( 61 b ). The position regulator regulates a relative position between the litter-box main portion ( 1 ) and the output main portion ( 60 ) in at least one of the front-back direction and the left-right direction.

Claims (106)

1. An animal litter box having a front-back direction, a left-right direction, and an up-down direction,

the animal litter box comprising:

a litter-box main portion including an upper container and a lower container;

the upper container including a plurality of holes passing through the upper container in the up-down direction,

the lower container including a reception portion,

the reception portion receiving excrement that has passed through the plurality of holes;

an output main portion including an output portion,

the output portion including a top surface and a side wall,

the top surface coming into contact with the litter-box main portion,

the side wall extending from an edge of the top surface in the up-down direction,

the output portion being configured to output a signal in accordance with a magnitude of a force that acts on the top surface; and

a position regulator including a litter-box-side regulating portion and an output-side regulating portion,

the litter-box-side regulating portion disposed on the litter-box main portion,

the output-side regulating portion disposed on the output main portion,

the output-side regulating portion being a portion different from the side wall,

a relative position between the litter-box main portion and the output main portion in at least one of the front-back direction and the left-right direction being regulated by the position regulator.

2. The animal litter box according to claim 1 , wherein

the litter-box-side regulating portion is a litter-box-side recess disposed on a lower surface of the litter-box main portion and being recessed toward an upper side,

the output-side regulating portion is an output-side projection projecting toward the upper side from the top surface, and

the position regulator regulates the relative position between the litter-box main portion and the output main portion in at least one of the front-back direction and the left-right direction,

the regulating being performed by engaging the litter-box-side recess and the output-side projection with each other.

3. The animal litter box according to claim 2 , wherein

the relative position in the front-back direction between the litter-box main portion and the output main portion is regulated by engaging the litter-box-side recess and the output-side projection with each other.

4. The animal litter box according to claim 3 , wherein

the litter-box-side recess and the output-side projection are located on a front side and a back side with respect to a front-back-direction center of the animal litter box.

5. The animal litter box according to claim 2 , wherein

the relative position in the left-right direction between the litter-box main portion and the output main portion is regulated by engaging the litter-box-side recess and the output-side projection with each other.

6. The animal litter box according to claim 5 , wherein

the litter-box-side recess and the output-side projection are located on a one side and another side with respect to a left-right-direction center of the animal litter box.

7. The animal litter box according to claim 2 , wherein

the litter-box-side recess and the output-side projection are located on a front side and a back side with respect to a front-back-direction center of the animal litter box, and

the litter-box-side recess and the output-side projection are located on a one side and another side with respect to a left-right-direction center of the animal litter box.

8. The animal litter box according to claim 2 , wherein

the litter-box main portion includes a litter-box largest projection that projects lowest,

the litter-box largest projection disposed on the lower surface of the litter-box main portion, and

the litter-box-side recess is disposed inside in the front-back direction and the left-right direction with respect to the litter-box largest projection.

9. The animal litter box according to claim 8 , wherein

the litter-box main portion includes an outer adjacent projection and an inner adjacent projection on the lower surface of the litter-box main portion,

the outer adjacent projection and the inner adjacent projection being adjacent to the litter-box-side recess in the front-back direction or the left-right direction, and

the litter-box largest projection projects lower with respect to the outer adjacent projection.

10. The animal litter box according to claim 2 , wherein

the litter-box main portion includes a litter-box lower opening, an outer adjacent projection and an inner adjacent projection on the lower surface of the litter-box main portion,

the outer adjacent projection and the inner adjacent projection being adjacent to the litter-box-side recess in the front-back direction or the left-right direction, and

an inner end portion of the inner adjacent projection extends along the litter-box lower opening.

11. An animal litter box having a front-back direction, a left-right direction, and an up-down direction,

the animal litter box comprising:

a litter-box main portion including an upper container and a lower container,

the upper container including a plurality holes passing through the upper container in the up-down direction,

the lower container including a reception portion,

the reception portion receiving excrement that has passed through the plurality of holes;

an output main portion including an output portion,

the output portion including a top surface that comes into contact with a bottom surface of the litter-box main portion,

the output portion being configured to output a signal in accordance with a magnitude of a force that acts on the top surface; and

a position regulator including a litter-box-side regulating portion and an output-side regulating portion,

the litter-box-side regulating portion disposed on the litter-box main portion,

the output-side regulating portion disposed on the output main portion,

the litter-box-side regulating portion being an outer side surface of the litter-box main portion,

the output-side regulating portion being a portion different from the top surface,

a relative position between the litter-box main portion and the output main portion in at least one of the front-back direction and the left-right direction being regulated by abutting of the output-side regulating portion and the outer side surface of the litter-box main portion.

12. The animal litter box according to claim 11 , wherein

the litter-box-side regulating portion is the outer side surface of the litter-box main portion,

the output-side regulating portion is an output-side protrusion that is disposed outside with respect to the litter-box main portion and that projects upward, and

an upper end of the output-side regulating portion is disposed above an upper end of the output portion.

13. The animal litter box according to claim 12 , wherein

the output-side protrusion is disposed on either of a front side and a back side in the front-back direction with respect to the litter-box main portion.

14. The animal litter box according to claim 13 , wherein

the output-side protrusion is disposed on each of a front side and a back side in the front-back direction with respect to the litter-box main portion.

15. The animal litter box according to claim 12 , wherein

the output-side protrusion is disposed on an one side in the left-right direction and outside with respect to the litter-box main portion.

16. The animal litter box according to claim 15 , wherein

the output-side protrusion is disposed on each of the one side and another side in the left-right direction and outside with respect to the litter-box main portion.

17. The animal litter box according to claim 12 , wherein

the output-side protrusion is disposed on each of a front side and a back side in the front-back direction with respect to the litter-box main portion, and

the output-side protrusion is disposed on each of the one side and another side in the left-right direction and outside with respect to the litter-box main portion.

18. The animal litter box according to claim 12 , wherein

the litter-box main portion includes a lower main body having a front opening on a front side,

the lower container is extractable and insertable through the front opening along the front-back direction,

the output-side protrusion is disposed on the front side in the front-back direction with respect to the litter-box main portion, and

the output-side protrusion overlaps with the lower main body, below the front opening in the up-down direction, as viewed in the front-back direction.

19. The animal litter box according to claim 12 , wherein

the litter-box main portion includes a lower main body having a front opening on a front side,

the lower container is extractable and insertable through the front opening along the front-back direction,

the output-side protrusion is disposed on the front side in the front-back direction with respect to the litter-box main portion, and

the output-side protrusion overlaps with the lower main body, above the front opening in the up-down direction, as viewed in the front-back direction.

20. The animal litter box according to claim 12 , wherein

the litter-box main portion includes a lower main body having a front opening on a front side,

the lower container is extractable and insertable through the front opening along the front-back direction,

the output-side protrusion is disposed on the front side in the front-back direction with respect to the litter-box main portion, and

the output-side protrusion overlaps with the lower main body, outside the front opening in the left-right direction, as viewed in the front-back direction.

21. The animal litter box according to claim 12 , wherein

the litter-box main portion includes a lower main body having a front opening on a front side,

the lower container is extractable and insertable through the front opening along the front-back direction,

the output-side protrusion is disposed on the front side in the front-back direction with respect to the litter-box main portion,

the output-side protrusion does not overlap with the front opening, as viewed in the front-back direction, and

the output-side protrusion overlaps with the lower main body, as viewed in the front-back direction.

22. The animal litter box according to claim 12 , wherein

the output-side protrusion is disposed on the front side in the front-back direction with respect to the litter-box main portion, and

the output-side protrusion includes:

an abutting portion capable of abutting the litter-box main portion; and

an extending portion extending forward from the abutting portion.

23. The animal litter box according to claim 12 , wherein

the litter-box main portion includes a lower main body having a front opening on a front side,

the lower container is extractable and insertable through the front opening along the front-back direction,

the output-side protrusion is disposed on a back side in the front-back direction with respect to the litter-box main portion,

the output-side protrusion is disposed on each of the one side and another side in the left-right direction and outside with respect to the litter-box main portion, and

the output-side protrusion is not disposed on the front side in the front-back direction with respect to the litter-box main portion.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2020
From: KANEKO, SHINYA
To: UNICHARM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051886/0512 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2019-027102 · Feb 19, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200260684A1 · Aug 20, 2020