Pet carrier

• US 6,427,631 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2001
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Doskocil Manufacturing Company Incorporated (Petmate Holdings Co.)
• Original Assignee: Alco Industries Incorporated (Alco Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Ross, Allan G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Piascik, Susan L
• Application Number:
  US09/884,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20020092477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 119/452, 119/453, 119/461, 119/474, 119/489, 119/491, 119/492, 119/496, 119/499, 119/514, 292/36, 292/41, 292/57, 292/33
• US Class Current: 119/496
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0245 Boxes or cages

Abstract

Disclosed is a pet carrier having a bottom, a top, opposed sides, a first end, a second end, and a door. The first end includes an opening for receiving the door therein. The opening has a plurality of receptacles for receiving ends of bars therein. The door includes a door post having ends insertable into ones of the receptacles. The door also includes a mechanism having a disc and bars. One of the bars is used to cause the disc to rotate which in turn causes the other bars to extend toward the disc or away from the disc to position the mechanism in a latched or unlatched position. Ends of the bars are insertable into ones of the receptacles to secure the door closed.

Claims

1. A pet carrier, comprising:

a bottom;

opposed sides extending from the bottom;

a first end extending from the bottom and the opposed sides and including an opening having a plurality of receptacles positioned around a periphery of the opening;

a second end opposed to the first end and extending from the bottom and the opposed sides;

a top connected to the opposed sides, the first end, and the second end defining an enclosure; and

a door receivable within the opening, the door including a door post having a pair of ends, each end receivable within one of the receptacles and a mechanism having a rotatable disc and a plurality of bars, each of the plurality of bars having a carrier end receivable within one of the plurality of receptacles and a disc end receivable within the disc, wherein when the disc is rotated, the carrier ends of the plurality of bars either extend toward the plurality of receptacles or retract from the plurality of receptacles.

2. The pet carrier according to claim 1, wherein the bottom includes a raised center portion forming a surface having sloped sides.

3. The pet carrier according to claim 1, further including a plurality of wheels attached to the bottom.

4. The pet carrier according to claim 1, wherein the opposed ends, the first end, and the second end are curved.

5. The pet carrier according to claim 1, wherein the opposed sides include at least one vent.

6. The pet carrier according to claim 5, wherein the vent is constructed of a mesh material.

7. The pet carrier according to claim 6, wherein the mesh material is steel.

8. The pet carrier according to claim 1, wherein the door has ventilation openings.

9. The pet carrier according to claim 1, further including at least one bowl attachable to the door.

10. The pet carrier according to claim 1, further including a leash connector.

11. The pet carrier according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism further includes a cover.

12. The pet carrier according to claim 1, further including a handle connected to the top.

13. The pet carrier according to claim 12, wherein the handle is pivotable.

14. The pet carrier according to claim 13, wherein the top further includes a recess, and the handle is connected to the recess such that when the handle is pivoted to be parallel with the top, the handle lies within the recess.

15. The pet carrier according to claim 1, wherein:

the bottom, the top, the opposed sides, the first end, and the second end are made of plastic, and the door is constructed of steel.

16. The pet carrier according to claim 1, further including:

a first section including the bottom, a portion each of the opposed sides, the first end, and the second end, and a lip having a plurality of apertures;

a second section including the top, remaining portions of the opposed sides, the first end, and the second end, and a lip having a plurality of apertures; and

a plurality of fasteners, each of the plurality of fasteners insertable into one of the plurality of apertures.

17. The pet carrier according to claim 16, wherein:

each of the plurality of apertures has a slot,

each of the plurality of fasteners has a head, a post, and a foot, the post includes a tab,

the foot and post are insertable within one of the plurality of apertures, and

after the fastener has been twisted, the foot cannot be withdrawn from the one of the plurality of apertures, and the tab engages the slot in the one of the plurality of apertures to hold the fastener captive in the one of the plurality of apertures.