Abstract:
A pet toilet that prevents scattering of litter material or tracking of litter material into the home is disclosed. The pet toilet comprises a toilet body having a box portion for containing sand or litter, a seat having a floor defining an opening so that dung and urine may pass from the animal to the sand. The seat is removably mounted on the upper opening of the box portion, and the seat may be lifted from a first position to a second position. Preferably, the seat structure defines a plurality of holes. These holes encourage sand to return to the box rather than to be tracked into the house. The toilet may be used without the seat for small pets such as kittens and still provides advantages to prevent the scattering of sand or litter during digging.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Patent Application Serial No. 2004-160505, entitled Pet Toilet, filed with the Japan Patent Office on May 31, 2004, under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHES APPENDIX 
     Not applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a pet toilet, particularly for cats confined to the home. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Domesticated pets are often confined to the home by their owners, and therefore some provision must be made to receive their natural excrement so that the home is not soiled. Domesticated cats in particular are often provided with litter boxes for this purpose; however, some owners object to the litter or sand being tracked into the rest of the house on the feet of the pets. As used herein, sand refers to sand, cat litter, or other material useful for pet waste collection. Some solutions to these problems have been proposed in the past. Japanese Application (Publication No. 2002-78428) discloses a pet toilet comprising an outer container having a top opening, inner container, a mesh structure at the center on its bottom to be installed inside the outer container, and a cover having a hole for excretion at the center, to be mounted on the top opening of the inner container. This 2002 Japanese application asserts that using the pet toilet disclosed, a cat&#39;s feet are not stained with sand because the cat stands on the cover for excretion. 
     Behaviorally, however, a cat will typically dig sand before and after excretion. Accordingly, a cat standing on the cover will extend its paw into the sand in the inner container through the hole for excretion and dig the sand. Accordingly, the cat&#39;s paw will catch sand, and the sand will also likely be transferred onto the cover. If sand is transferred onto the cover, the cat can step in it and likely track it into the room. The application therefore discloses that it is necessary not to allow any sand to remain on the cover. In order to get rid of this problem, the sand remaining on the cover is to be returned to the sandbox by tilting the cover or by using a brush (see the 2002 Application, paragraph 0032). To tilt the cover, however, the cover needs to be removed, which is troublesome. It is also troublesome if the sand needs to be brushed back into the sandbox upon each excretion. 
     In addition, the cover needs to be removed each time the dung and urine discharged in the inner container is cleared or sand is replaced, and the removed cover is normally placed on the floor of the room on that occasion. This, however, causes the sand collected on the cover to spill and foul the room. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a device which will further reduce or eliminate sand or litter from being tracked into a room after pet defecation or urination. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one embodiment, a pet toilet is disclosed which has a toilet body having a body peripheral wall having an outside and an inside. A box portion is provided adjacent the inside of said body peripheral wall for containing sand. The box portion has a bottom sand-receiving area, a box peripheral wall adjacent to the bottom area and extending upward to a box upper surface defining a box upper opening. The pet toilet has a seat which has a floor defining a generally central seat opening which seat opening permits excreted dung or urine from a pet user to fall down into any sand placed in the box. The seat is removably mounted on the box upper surface defining a box upper opening. The seat can be lifted up from said first use position to a second upright position. 
     In another embodiment, the seat has a front portion, a central portion, and a rear portion, and a projecting piece is located on the rear portion so that a gap is defined between said projecting piece and the center portion of the seat. The projecting piece serves as a turning fulcrum and as a support for the seat when it is lifted up from a first position to a second position. 
     In a third embodiment, the pet toilet further comprises an upright piece located on the box upper surface. The upright piece protrudes upward and obliquely backwards toward the rear of said toilet body and functions to hold the seat upright when the seat is lifted up to the second position. 
     In a fourth embodiment, the pet toilet further comprises a spring preventing piece located on the peripheral wall of the toilet body above the box upper surface at a specified distance from the box upper surface, and toward the rear of the box portion. The spring preventing piece prevents the seat from springing up during use. 
     In an alternate embodiment, the pet toilet contains all of the elements of the embodiments above. 
     In an alternate embodiment, the pet toilet has no seat, but comprises a toilet body having a body peripheral wall having an outside and an inside. It also has a box portion provided adjacent the inside of said body peripheral wall for containing sand. The box portion has a bottom sand-receiving area, a box peripheral wall adjacent to the bottom area and extending upward to a box upper surface defining a box upper opening. The box peripheral wall extends upward so that sand or litter is contained in the toilet body during use or digging by a pet. A step is formed on the front end of said box portion. 
     Another embodiment concerns a seat for use in a pet toilet, comprising a top side and a bottom side, a periphery defining an opening through which animal excrement may pass during use, and a plurality of holes which permit sand transferred to the top side of said seat to fall through said seat. Preferably the holes in the seat have a top portion and a bottom portion circumferential wall made arcuate from said top portion to said bottom portion. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts. 
         FIG. 1  is an oblique view of the pet toilet according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an oblique view of the pet toilet according to an embodiment of the present invention, with its seat turned upright; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the seat of the pet toilet according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the seat of the pet toilet according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an explanatory figure of the seat mounting structure of the pet toilet according to an embodiment of the present invention (part  1 ); 
         FIG. 6  is an explanatory figure of the seat mounting structure of the pet toilet according to an embodiment of the present invention (part  2 ); 
         FIG. 7  is an explanatory figure of the seat mounting structure of the pet toilet according to an embodiment of the present invention (part  3 ); and 
         FIG. 8  is an explanatory figure of the seat mounting structure of the pet toilet according to an embodiment of the present invention (part  4 ). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention disclosure provides a pet toilet that helps to retain sand in the toilet and reduces or eliminates tracking of sand or litter into the house. The design of the device discourages cats or other pets from contacting the sand directly, and also provides structure that reduces or eliminates sand caught by a cat&#39;s paw (if they do dig before or after excretion), from being tracked into or spilled in the home. 
     A pet toilet according to the present disclosure comprises a toilet body having a box portion for containing sand, a seat having an opening to permit passing of dung and urine from the animal to the sand in the box portion, said seat mounted on the upper opening of the box portion, and a mounting structure enabling the seat to be lifted up to a second position while its periphery is supported by the toilet body. 
     In addition, the pet toilet may be further equipped with a retainer enabling the seat to be held upright when it is lifted up to said second position. 
     In addition, the mounting structure supports the seat so it can be mounted and dismounted on and from the toilet body smoothly. 
     In addition, the mounting structure comprises a support which, when installed on the periphery of the seat in contact with the upper surface of the side wall of the box portion, supports the lifting of the seat from a first position (such as illustrated in  FIG. 1  for a preferred embodiment) to a second position (such as illustrated in  FIG. 2  for a preferred embodiment). A stopper (such as illustrated as component  29  in  FIG. 2  for a preferred embodiment) which, formed on the upper surface of the side wall of the box portion, restricts the movement of the seat when lifted to the second position. 
     In addition, the pet toilet is preferably provided with a spring preventing portion for preventing the seat from springing up near the mounting structure of the toilet body. 
     In addition, the pet toilet is preferably provided with a guide means on the back of the seat so that, when installing the seat on the box portion of the toilet body, the seat is guided along the upper surface of the side wall of the box portion and installed at a specified position. In one embodiment the guide means guides the seat, when being installed at a specified position, so that a part of the periphery of the seat comes under the spring preventing portion. 
     In addition, the guide means may be comprised of ribs for reinforcement provided on the back of the seat. 
     The disclosure herein of a pet toilet permits any sand remaining on the seat to be returned easily back to the sandbox by lifting the seat from a first position to a second position. The structure disclosed comprises a toilet body having a box portion for containing sand, a seat having an opening for passing dung and urine from the animal using the device to the sand contained in said box portion. The seat is mounted on the upper opening of the box portion, and a mounting structure supports the periphery of the seat when it is on the toilet body lifted from a first position to a second position. 
     In addition, the pet toilet is equipped with a retainer enabling the seat to be held upright, and while the seat is held upright, sand can be replaced without dismounting (removing) the seat. 
       FIG. 1  is an oblique view of a toilet for a pet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure that is constructed suitable for cat. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the toilet for a pet of this embodiment comprises a toilet body  1  containing a box portion for containing the sand (for receiving cat excrement and urine) and seat  3  installed on the top opening of the box portion. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the seat  3  is mounted on the toilet body  1  with a mounting structure so that the rear portion is supported on the toilet body enabling it to be moved from a first position in  FIG. 1  to a second position in  FIG. 2  and which enables a user to mount or dismount seat  3  smoothly. 
     Each construction is described hereunder in detail. 
       FIG. 3  is a plan view of the seat  3  and  FIG. 4  is a side view. The seat  3  has a nearly oval shape as shown in  FIG. 3  and a narrowed portion  4  is formed on a part of the rear end. A projecting piece  5 , made of a nearly quarter of a disc of flat plate projecting outwards from the seat  3 , is provided at about a half position of the rear end of the narrowed portion  4  on both sides. Accordingly, in a plan view shown in  FIG. 3 , the projecting piece  5  and gap  7  are formed at the narrowed portion  4  on the rear end of the seat. 
     In addition, an oval opening  9 , for dung and urine to fall down from the pet in use, is formed at the center of the seat  3 . A floor  11  for a cat to stand on is formed around the opening  9 . It is preferable that this floor  11  is slightly sloped down towards the opening  9  so that the sand on the floor  11  will not scatter outside when the seat  3  is held upright. The floor  11  is provided with multiple holes  13  for the sand to fall down into the box. The circumferential wall  13   a  of each hole  13  is made arcuate from the top to the bottom (see  FIG. 1 ) so that a cat&#39;s paw is not caught in the holes. 
     A peripheral wall  15  is formed around the floor  11 . The peripheral wall  15  comprises a low wall from the center to the rear end of the seat  3  and hill-shaped high wall  15   b  gradually rising from the center to the front end (see  FIG. 4 ). When the seat  3  is mounted on the toilet body  1 , the high wall  15   b  continues with the peripheral wall of the toilet body  1  and so the seat  3  is surrounded entirely as shown in  FIG. 1 . Thus, even if sand scatters as a cat digs the sand, scattering outside the toilet can be prevented. In addition, an empty space  15   c  is formed inside the back of the high wall  15   b  as shown in  FIG. 2  and this space along with a space in the toilet body can be utilized as a storage space for tools such as scoop  16  while the seat  3  is mounted in place (see  FIG. 1 ). 
     A level portion  15   d  is provided at the center of the front end of the peripheral wall, that is, at a portion between the high walls  15   b  on both sides. In use, a cat may step on this level portion  15   d  with its front feet while excreting. By providing a level portion  15   d  between the high walls  15   b  on both sides like the above, a cat steps on the level portion  15   d  with its front feet (even if the cat attempts to step on the side wall  15   b , its feet slip down because of the slope and it steps on the level portion  15   d  in the end) while excreting and so the posture of the cat while excreting is controlled, and accordingly dung and urine are expected to fall into the opening  9 . A hook  17  is provided on the front end of the seat  3  for hooking and fastening the seat with the toilet body when mounted. 
     On the back of the floor  11  of the seat  3 , multiple ribs  19  are provided radially as shown in  FIG. 2 . These multiple ribs are for reinforcing the floor  11  and also for functioning as guide members for placing the seat  3  on a specified position of the toilet body  1  when mating with the peripheral wall around the box portion of the toilet body. In particular, the rib  19  in the front functions to push the seat backward when it contacts with the peripheral wall of the opening of the toilet body. 
     The toilet body  1  comprises a peripheral wall  20  and box portion  21 , formed like a frame with bottom, provided at the center inside the wall for containing sand. 
     The top edge of the peripheral wall  20  has a nearly oval shape with its rear end, having nearly the same shape as the seat in the side view, being nearly straight as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     The peripheral wall  21   a  of the box portion  21  has a specified height so that a specified amount of sand can be contained, and a target level line  23  is provided on its inside showing a target amount of sand. The top edge of the peripheral wall  21   a  corresponds to the peripheral shape of the floor  11  of the seat  2 . In addition, the top surface of the peripheral wall  21   a  has a sloped surface  21   b  sloping down towards the inside as shown in  FIG. 2 . By making the top surface of the peripheral wall  21   a  (particularly the top surface of the rear end) sloped, it becomes possible to prevent the sand sliding down from the seat  3 , when the seat is moved to the second (upright) position, from being stagnated there. 
     In addition, a step  25  is provided on the center of the front end of the toilet body  1 . This step  25  serves as a feet step for a cat to step into the toilet when used without a seat or for a small cat or kitten to step into the toilet easily. 
     A catch  27  for hooking the hook  17  of the seat  3  is provided on the front end of the toilet body  1 . 
       FIG. 5  explains the mounting structure of the seat, showing a rear part of the toilet body  1  and a rear part of the seat  3 . 
     As parts constituting the mounting structure, there are provided an upright piece  29  protruding upwards and obliquely backwards on the sloped surface  21   b  at the rear of the toilet body  1  and a spring preventing piece  31 , made of a nearly quarter of a disc, behind the upright piece  29  above the sloped surface  21   b  and at a specified distance from the sloped surface  21   b.    
     As parts constituting the mounting structure on the seat  3 , there are provided the projecting piece  5 , made of a nearly quarter of a disc of flat plate, on both sides of the narrowed portion  4  on the rear of the seat  3  and the gap  7  formed in front of the projecting piece  5  as afore-mentioned in explaining the construction of the seat  3 . 
     The effect of the mounting structure of the seat as constructed above is described hereunder. 
     To mount the seat  3 , hold the seat  3  upright with its rear end downward as shown in  FIG. 6  and insert the projecting piece  5  into a gap between the upright piece  29  and spring preventing piece  31  as shown in  FIG. 6 . When the seat  3  as inserted is put against the rear wall of the toilet body  1  as shown in  FIG. 2 , the projecting piece  5  contacts with the neck of the upright piece  29  as shown in  FIG. 6  and thereby its forward movement is restricted and the seat is supported. In other words, the seat  3  is held slightly at a backwards tilt as a result of the contact of the projecting piece  5  with the upright piece  29  and support by the rear wall of the toilet body  1 , and so the upright piece  29  and rear wall of the toilet body  1  serve as the retainer of the present pet toilet. 
     Although the rear wall of the toilet body  1  serves as the retainer in this embodiment, it is permissible to provide a standing piece on the top of the spring preventing piece so that the standing piece functions as the retainer in place of the rear wall. 
     To set the toilet from a state shown in  FIG. 2  to the usage state shown in  FIG. 1 , the seat  3  needs to be moved forward using the projecting piece  5  on its rear end as the turning axis. Because the upright piece  29  goes through the gap  7  as the seat is moved forward as shown in  FIG. 7 , the seat can be moved forward. When the seat  3  is moved to the down (first) position, the rib  19  provided on the back of the seat front contacts with the sloped surface  21   b  of the toilet body  1 . When the seat  3  is pushed downward, the rib  19  receives a backward force from the sloped surface  21   b  and accordingly the seat  3  moves backwards in relation to the toilet body  1 . Consequently, the projecting piece  5  of the seat  3  contacts the rear wall of the toilet body  1  as shown by a broken line in  FIG. 8  and hence the seat  3  is set on the toilet body  1 . When this occurs, the projecting piece  5  creeps under the spring preventing piece  31 , and accordingly the rear end of the seat  3  can be prevented from springing up from the toilet body  1  in case a cat jumps onto the front of the seat. 
     When the seat  3  is set at a specified position, the hook  17  provided on the front end of the seat  3  is fastened with the catch  27  on the toilet body  1 . Thus, the seat  3  is restricted of its movement at the rear end and is firmly held on the toilet  1 . 
     To dismount (remove) the seat  3 , the hook at the front end is unfastened, the seat lifted up at its front end, and the seat lifted up to the second position (as best illustrated in  FIG. 2 ) using the projecting piece  5  as the turning axis. 
     Since the projecting piece  5  serving as a turning fulcrum is arcuate and the top surface of the peripheral wall  21   a  with which the projecting piece  5  contacts is a sloped surface  21   b  sloping down towards the inside, the turning fulcrum (contact between the projecting piece and sloped surface  21   b ) moves downward as the cover is turned. Accordingly, the projecting piece  5  in no way interferes with the spring preventing piece  21 . 
     When the front end of the seat  3  is pulled up after it has been lifted up to some extent, the seat  3  can be dismounted from the toilet body  1 . 
     The use of the toilet for a pet according to this embodiment constructed above is described hereunder. 
     When this pet toilet is used for a kitten, it is difficult to use it with the seat  3 . Accordingly, the toilet may be used without the seat  3 . In this case, since the kitten can step onto the step  25  formed on the front end of the toilet body  1 , and enter the sandbox easily. Since the peripheral wall  20  of the toilet body  1  is very high, scattering the sand outside the toilet can be prevented. 
     When the toilet is used with the seat  3 , the seat  3  is mounted on the toilet body  1  as described above. When a cat excretes dung and urine in the toilet with the seat  3  mounted, the cat puts its feet on the level portion  15   d . Consequently, the posture of the cat is controlled and dung and urine always falls into the sand box through the opening  9 . 
     Even if the cat digs the sand before or after excretion, the sand will not scatter outside the toilet because it is contained down in the box portion  21  beneath the seat  3 . Sand may remain on the seat in some cases but, by lifting up the seat  3  using the projecting piece  5  as the turning axis and putting it against the toilet body as shown in  FIG. 2 , the sand on the seat will fall down to the sandbox through the gap between the seat  3  and rear wall of the box portion  21 . In removing dung and urine from the sandbox or replacing the sand, nothing but turning the seat upright as shown in  FIG. 2  is needed. Since dismounting the seat and placing it on the floor as needed in a prior art is no longer necessary, scattering or tracking sand into the room can accordingly be prevented. 
     The mounting structure of the present invention is not limited to what is shown in  FIG. 5  but any structure that allows the seat to be moved to a second position while its rear end is supported by the toilet body can be used, including various types of structures. For example, there is available a structure where a vertical oblong hole is provided on the top surface of the peripheral wall  21   a  of the box portion  21  of the toilet body  1  and a turning axis provided protruding outwards on each side of the seat rear end is inserted into this hole. 
     In addition, although the above embodiment shows a case where a mounting structure is provided on the rear end of the seat  3 , the present invention is not limited to the above. Alternatively, the mounting structure may be provided on the side of the seat and the seat lifted up toward the side. The position of the mounting structure may be modified to be on the rear or side according to the shape of the seat or toilet body. 
     In addition, although the preferred embodiment has a spring preventing piece  31  provided on the toilet body as a spring preventing portion for preventing the rear end of the seat  3  from springing up, alternatives may be used. In one alternative, recessed portion recessing backward is provided on the back wall of the toilet body instead of the spring preventing piece  31  so that the rear end of the seat  3  is inserted into the recessed portion as the seat  3  is returned to a first position from a second position (lifted up position) (usage state). 
     In the preferred embodiment, the upright piece  29  is provided as a stopper member on the sloped surface  21   b  of the box portion  21  so that the upright piece  29  is inserted into the gap  7  when the seat is in the usage state. The upright piece  29  therefore has a function of controlling the position of the seat  3 . 
     Naturally, if the stopper member is only for functioning to control the movement of the rear end of the seat while the seat  3  is put against the rear in a second position (lifted up), another embodiment may be employed. In an alternative, a protrusion lower than the highest portion of the sloped surface  21   b  and provided near the lowest portion of the sloped surface  21   b  is employed. Since a protrusion like this will not interfere with the seat  3  when the seat is moved from a second position to a first position (usage state) no gap  7  is needed. 
     Although the pet toilet has been illustrated primarily in reference to cats, small or medium dogs or other household pets capable of using a litter box, such as ferrets, rabbits, or other pets may be trained to use the pet toilet disclosed. 
     The particular embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative only, as the invention may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the invention.