Modular cage

• US 20010054394A1
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Published: 12/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marchioro SPA Stampaggio Materie Plastische
• Original Assignee: Marchioro SPA Stampaggio Materie Plastische
• Inventors: Marchioro, Domenico
• Granted Patent: US 6,832,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/452
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0245 Boxes or cages
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/03 Housing for domestic or laboratory animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/032 Rabbit-hutches or cages
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 31/06 Cages , e.g. for singing birds for poultry A01K31/002
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 31/08 Collapsible cages

Abstract

A modular cage comprising a frame which is constituted by profiled elements connected by interlocking corner assemblies for reversible joining, said frame being associated with grille-like wall elements, each one of the joining corner assemblies comprising a joint which has a corner body from which tangs extend monolithically and at right angles, the tangs being provided with reversible locking devices which enter corresponding first longitudinally elongated seats formed in the profiled elements.

Claims

1. A modular cage, comprising a frame which is constituted by profiled elements connected by interlocking corner joints, said frame being associated with grille-like wall elements, each one of said joints comprising a corner body from which tangs extend monolithically and at right angles, said tangs being provided with reversible locking devices adapted to enter corresponding first longitudinally elongated seats formed in said profiled elements

2. The cage according to

claim 1

, wherein said frame is associated, at a bottom thereof, with a drawer-like body which constitutes the bottom of said cage.

3. The cage according to

claim 1

, wherein said profiled elements comprise first tubular profiled elements which have only said first seat, whose surfaces are shaped substantially complementarily to the tangs of the corresponding joint.

4. The cage according to

claim 2

, wherein said profiled elements comprise second profiled tubular elements which are arranged at a bottom thereof and have, in addition to said first seats, a second seat which is longitudinally open and is adapted to form a guide for the sliding of said drawer-like body.

5. The cage according to

claim 4

, wherein said second profiled tubular elements also comprise a third seat for the insertion and locking of tangs of contoured end plugs.

6. The cage according to

claim 1

, wherein said frame comprises at least two first plugs which are constituted by a corner block from which a tubular tang protrudes monolithically.

7. The cage according to

claim 6

, wherein said frame comprises at least two second plugs which are constituted by a corner block from which a tubular tang protrudes monolithically, said block being shaped so as to form a recess which is suitable to extend the corresponding second seat for guiding the drawer-like body.

8. The cage according to

claim 2

, wherein said drawer-like body is of a tray-like type with sides which are shaped complementarily to surfaces of said second seats and are surmounted by a grille-like panel.

9. The cage according to

claim 1

, wherein each one of the tangs related to each one of said joints has, as said locking device, a monolithic elastic tongue which is adapted to enter, with a reversible interlocking action, slots formed in the corresponding profiled elements.

10. The cage according to

claim 1

, wherein each one of said joints has, at its corner body, a dead hole for accommodating auxiliary components.

11. The cage according to

claim 1

, wherein said joints are provided with at least one additional tang which is suitable to allow a modular extension of frames arranged side by side.

12. The cage according to

claim 10

, wherein said auxiliary components comprise pins provided with an intermediate flange which are suitable to allow a modular stacked extension of the frames.

13. The cage according to

claim 10

, wherein said auxiliary components comprise wheels with a pin-shaped tang which are suitable to provide wheeled support, as a whole, for said frame.