Pet Door
First Claim
1. A pet door with a frame defining an access aperture and an aperture-closing flap pivotally mounted therein, wherein the pet door has latch means to bar said flap from opening in at least one direction and control means for disabling said latch means to permit said flap to open in said at least one direction, said latch means comprising a catch and a collapsible support operative normally to maintain said catch in a flap-barring position, said control means comprising magnetically-responsive actuating means cooperative with said latch means normally to prevent said support from collapsing, said magnetically-responsive actuating means having a magnet means and activatable when a magnetic key means is juxtaposed therewith, to allow said support to collapse and enable said catch to be moved from the flap-barring position to permit said flap to open in said at least one direction.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pet door has a frame defining an access aperture and a pivotally-hung aperture-closing flap therein with a catch to secure the flap against opening in one direction. The catch is supported on a toggle joint spring-biased against one of two adjacent abutments. The second abutment, which is displaceable, is normally positioned to prevent collapse of the toggle joint whereby the catch is maintained in a flap-securing position. The second abutment is part of a magnetically-activated catch control mechanism, comprising (i) a rotationally mounted disc or lever bearing the abutment and (ii) a rockable lever interconnected with the disc. The rockable lever bears magnet(s) co-operable with a key magnet on a pet collar. When the key magnet is presented to the pet door, it repels the magnet(s) on the rockable lever causing the interconnected disc to rotate, displacing the second abutment. A thrust in said one direction on the flap, pressing on the catch, effects collapse of the toggle joint, disengaging the catch from the flap and thus allowing the latter to open.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A pet door with a frame defining an access aperture and an aperture-closing flap pivotally mounted therein, wherein the pet door has latch means to bar said flap from opening in at least one direction and control means for disabling said latch means to permit said flap to open in said at least one direction, said latch means comprising a catch and a collapsible support operative normally to maintain said catch in a flap-barring position, said control means comprising magnetically-responsive actuating means cooperative with said latch means normally to prevent said support from collapsing, said magnetically-responsive actuating means having a magnet means and activatable when a magnetic key means is juxtaposed therewith, to allow said support to collapse and enable said catch to be moved from the flap-barring position to permit said flap to open in said at least one direction.
- 17. A pet door with a frame defining an access aperture and an aperture-closing flap pivotally mounted therein, wherein the pet door has latch means to bar said flap from opening in at least one direction and control means for disabling said latch means to permit said flap to open in said at least one direction, said latch means comprising a catch and a collapsible support operative normally to maintain said catch in a flap-barring position, said control means including a movable abutment cooperative with said collapsible support normally to prevent the collapsible support from collapsing and a magnetically-responsive actuating means comprising a rockable lever mounting a magnet activatable when a magnetic key means is juxtaposed therewith, said actuating means being interconnected with said movable abutment such that when said magnet is repelled by said key means said abutment is displaced out of a collapse-preventing position so that, when a thrust is exerted on the flap in said one direction, said collapsible support is collapsed and said catch is displaced allowing said flap to open.
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20. A pet door for mounting in an opening in a barrier to control pet passage beyond said barrier, comprising:
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a frame, said frame defining a pet access opening therethrough; a flap pivotally mounted to said frame for opening and closing movement with respect to said pet access opening; and locking means associated with said frame for controlling movement of said flap in at least one direction, said locking means comprising a catch pivotally mounted for movement between a flap locking position and a flap unlocking position, a support normally contactable with said catch to preclude unlocking pivotal movement of said catch, and movable to a non-catch supporting position, an abutment positioned to normally preclude movement of said support away from said catch, said abutment having permanent magnet means associated therewith, and separate magnet key means for use to magnetically influence said abutment magnet means to cause movement of said abutment away from said support means whereby upon adequate force on said flap by a pet, said catch will collapse said support and pivot away from said flap to permit said pet to pivot said flap adequate to permit said pet to move through said access opening, after which said catch return pivots to a flap locking position.
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Specification