Pet door pest and debris barrier

• US 8,656,979 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2011
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruce Donald Tierney
• Original Assignee: Bruce Donald Tierney
• Inventors: Tierney, Bruce Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, Katherine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shablack, Johnnie A
• Application Number:
  US13/050,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 160/43, 160/40, 160/41, 160/42, 494/751, 494/72, 494/70, 495/06
• US Class Current: 160/43
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/543 Horizontally moving screens
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/32 Serving doors; Passing-through doors ; Pet-doors
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/54 Roller fly screens operating, guiding or securing devices therefor E06B9/56

Abstract

A barrier device preventing access of pests such as mosquitoes, flies, and other small animals as well as debris between a panel pet door and a screen door by providing a seal between the panel pet door and the screen door. The barrier material may have ribs for the purpose of added stiffening or as a guide for adjusting the reach of the barrier. A stopping device may be used to ensure the screen door is closed to a location where good contact is made with the barrier device.

Claims

1. In a sliding door system having a sliding door, a screen door, and a pet door panel, each of the sliding door, screen door and pet door panel being disposed within a door frame, the sliding door being adapted to translate within a sliding door plane and the screen door being adapted to translate within a screen door plane, the sliding door plane being disposed parallel with the screen door plane and having a gap extending therebetween, and the pet door panel being fixed within the sliding door plane at a side adjacent to the sliding door, an improvement comprising:

a flange configured to seal the gap between the pet door panel and the screen door for preventing entry of unwanted pests and debris therethrough, the flange comprising;

a base extending from a bottom end to a top end along a length of the flange, a cross-section of the base having a triangular shape, the base being configured to attach with at least one surface of the pet door panel; and

a body portion extending outwardly from the base and configured to abut the screen door, the body portion comprising an arced surface for increased rigidity and improved contact with the screen door.

2. The improvement of claim 1, at least a portion of the base comprising a hollow triangular cross-section for providing increased rigidity to weight ratio of the flange.

3. The improvement of claim 1, the base comprising a double-sided tape for attaching with the pet door panel.

4. The improvement of claim 1, the flange comprising a rigid volume.

5. The improvement of claim 1, further comprising a stopping device, the stopping device configured to be disposed about an interior surface of the sliding door system and within the screen door plane such that the stopping device is positioned for abutting the screen door at a closed position thereof, wherein the screen door is sealed with the flange when in the closed position.

6. The improvement of claim 1, the flange comprising at least one rib extending along a length of the flange.

7. The improvement of claim 6, wherein the flange comprises a plurality of ribs.

8. The improvement of claim 7, wherein a first rib of said plurality of ribs is positioned at a first distance from the base, and a second rib of said plurality of ribs is disposed at a second distance from the base that is greater than the first distance, wherein each of the first distance and second distance are configured to correspond to a first gap size and a second gap size for providing a means to trim the flange along one of said ribs for configuring the thickness of the body portion to any of a plurality of standard gap sizes.

9. A barrier device, comprising:

a flange configured to seal a gap disposed between a pet door panel installed within a first sliding door track and a sliding door installed within a second sliding door track of a sliding door system, the second sliding door track being disposed parallel and offset from the first sliding door track within the system, the flange comprising;

a base extending from a bottom end to a top end along a length of the flange, the base being configured to attach with at least one surface of the pet door panel; and

a body portion extending outwardly from the base, the body portion having an arced surface and being configured to contact a surface of the sliding door.

10. The barrier device of claim 9, wherein the body portion extending from the base forms an acute angle therebetween.

11. The barrier device of claim 9, wherein the body portion comprises one or more ribs extending along the length of the flange, each of said ribs being individually positioned at a distance from the base, wherein a first rib of said ribs is disposed at a first distance from the base and a second rib of said ribs is disposed at a second distance from the base that is greater than the first distance, and each of the ribs extends perpendicularly outward from the arced surface of the body portion.

12. The barrier device of claim 11, wherein the body portion does not include a flat surface.

13. The barrier device of claim 11, wherein the base comprises a triangular cross section extending along the length of the flange.

14. In a sliding door system having a first sliding door configured to translate within a first plane, and a second sliding door configured to translate within a second plane, the first plane being disposed parallel with the second plane, and the first sliding door being separated from the second sliding door by a gap disposed therebetween, a pet door system, comprising:

a pet door panel comprising a panel configured to install within the first plane of the sliding door system, the panel having a pet door disposed near a bottom portion thereof; and

a flange, the flange comprising at least a base and a body portion, the base being disposed along a length of the pet door panel from a bottom end to a top end thereof, and the body portion extending outwardly from the base and through the gap to form a seal with the second sliding door.

15. The pet door system of claim 14, further comprising a stopping device, the stopping device being disposed about an interior surface of a door frame within the second plane such that the stopping device is positioned for abutting the second sliding door at a closed position thereof, wherein the second sliding door is forms a seal with the flange when in the closed position.

16. The pet door system of claim 14, said flange comprising at least one rib, said rib extending along the length of the body portion at a distance from the base.

17. The pet door system of claim 16, comprising a first rib and a second rib, the first rib being disposed at a first distance from the base of the flange, and the second rib being disposed at a second distance from the base of the flange, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance.

18. The pet door system of claim 16, said flange comprising three ribs.

19. The pet door system of claim 16, each of said ribs extending perpendicularly outward from the body portion of the flange.

20. The pet door system of claim 19, wherein the body portion of the flange comprises an arced surface for improved rigidity and sealing with the second sliding door.