Controllable pet access system

• US 5,992,096 A
• Filed: 10/19/1998
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pooch Pass Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pooch Pass Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Brian R., De La Cerda, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thompson, Hugh B.
• Application Number:
  US09/174,665
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 49/31, 49/169, 49/168, 49/163, 160/2, 160/116, 160/180
• US Class Current: 49/169
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/76 responsive to devices carried by persons or objects, e.g. magnets or reflectors E05F15/77 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/32 Serving doors; Passing-through doors ; Pet-doors

Abstract

A controllable animal access system connectable to the door of a building which has an opening covered by a pivotally moveable animal door. The animal access system has a motion detector associated with a reader which detects an encoded pet tag worn by a selected animal and actuates locking and unlocking mechanisms in response to reading an accepted code. Various other controls are provided for operation of the apparatus.

Claims

1. A controllable animal access system connectable to the door of a building, said door having an opening therethrough, comprising:

an animal door of a size sufficient to cover the building door opening and being pivotally connectable to said building door and moveable between an open position and a closed position;

a motion detector system adapted to detect movement adjacent the outside of said animal door and deliver a first signal in response to said detected movement and to detect movement adjacent the inside of said animal door and deliver a second signal in response to said detected movement;

an encoded animal tag;

at least one solenoid having a locking bar and being connectable to the building door adjacent the animal door and connected to the motion detector system and adapted to receive a third signal, said locking bar being moveable between a normally locked position at which the locking bar is contacting the animal door and maintaining said animal door in a closed and locked position and an open position at which the locking bar is spaced from the animal door in response to receiving said third signal;

a switching system connected to the motion detector system and adapted to selectively interrupt the first and second signals and responsively free solenoid actuation in response to the delivery of only the first signal, only the second signal, either one of the first and second signals, and selectively interrupt all signals from the motion detector system;

a reader connected to the solenoid and to the motion detector via the switching system, said reader being actuated in response to receiving at least one of the first and second signals and being adapted to deliver a scanning signal and receive a return signal from the encoded animal tag and responsively deliver said third signal to the solenoid in response to receiving the return signal from the encoded animal tag;

a power source connectable to the motion detector, the solenoid, the switching system and the reader; and

a timer operably connected to the solenoid and the reader and adapted to terminate power to the solenoid and reader a preselected time delay after delivery of the third signal.

2. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 1, including

a manual control switch connected to the system and being adapted to disable the solenoid.

3. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 2, including

a time clock connected to the control switch and adapted to disable the solenoid at preselected timed intervals.

4. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 1, including

a first magnet connected to the building door;

and

a second magnet connected to the animal door adjacent said first magnet, said magnets being oriented relative one to the other for attracting one another.

5. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 1, including

a framing system connectable about the opening of the building door and adapted to support the motion detector, reader, power source, and timer.

6. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the framing system includes

a metal flange system connectable to and extending about the opening of the building door;

and

first and second trim covers connectable to opposed sides of the building door about the opening of said building door.

7. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the first and second trim covers of the framing system are formed of organic plastic.

8. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the metal flange system of the framing system is connectable to and supports the motion detector, reader, power source and timer.

9. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 1, including

a second solenoid associated and operable with the other solenoid, said solenoids being positionable on opposed sides of the animal door and wherein the animal door is pivotally connectable to the building door at an upper edge of the animal door.

10. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the animal door is pivotally connectable to a side of the building door opening and including

a spring connectable to the building and animal doors and being adapted to urge the animal door toward the closed position.

11. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the power source is at least one battery.

12. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the motion detector is adapted to sense motion of an animal a distance in the range of about 2 to about 10 feet from the motion detector.

13. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the power source is 110 volts.

14. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the animal door is an insulated door and

edges of the animal door include a thermal barrier.

15. A controllable animal access system, as set forth in claim 14, wherein

the thermal barrier if formed of nylon pile.