Pet crate

• US 9,370,165 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2012
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swiftipet, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Swiftipet, Inc.
• Inventors: de Bien, Humberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, THANH T
• Application Number:
  US13/427,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20130247833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 119/416, 119/452, 119/453, 119/472, 119/473, 119/482, 119/496, 119/497, 220/326, 220/315, 220/324
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0245 Boxes or cages
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/034 Dog-kennels

Abstract

An apparatus for housing an animal includes a top portion wherein an upper flange is disposed along the lower edge of the bottom portion. A locking member is movably mounted to the upper flange. The apparatus may also include a bottom portion wherein a lower flange is disposed along the upper bottom edge of the bottom portion. The locking member engages with the lower flange when the locking member is in the outwardly extending locking orientation, which is at least partially defined by the locking member structured to engage at least a portion of the lower flange in an abutting relation to prevent detachment of the bottom portion from the top portion while disposed in the outwardly extending locking orientation. The apparatus may include a biasing mechanism structured to normally dispose and maintain the locking member in the outwardly extending locking orientation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for housing an animal comprising:

a top portion comprising a top roof wall, a top right wall, a top left wall, a top rear wall, and a top forward wall having a top portion forward opening formed therein;

wherein the top right wall comprises a lower top right wall edge, having a top right wall length;

wherein the top left wall comprises a lower top left wall edge, having a top left wall length;

wherein an upper flange is disposed along the lower top right wall edge and the lower top left wall edge;

a first locking member, movably mounted to the upper flange and movable along the top right wall length;

a second locking member, movably mounted to the upper flange and movable along the top left wall length;

a bottom portion comprising a bottom floor wall, a bottom right wall, a bottom left wall, a bottom rear wall, and a bottom forward wall having a bottom portion forward opening formed therein;

wherein the bottom right wall comprises an upper bottom right wall edge;

wherein the bottom left wall comprises an upper bottom left wall edge;

wherein a lower flange is disposed along the upper bottom right wall edge and the upper bottom left wall edge; and

wherein the first and second locking members engage with the lower flange when the first and second locking members are in an outwardly extending locking orientation; and

wherein the top portion and the bottom portion are cooperatively structured to assume an aligned orientation;

a locking assembly structured to retain the top portion and the bottom portion in the aligned orientation, wherein the locking assembly comprises the first and second locking members wherein the outwardly extending locking orientation is at least partially defined by the first and second locking members structured to engage at least a portion of the lower flange in an abutting relation to prevent detachment of the bottom portion from the top portion while disposed in the outwardly extending locking orientation;

a release mechanism movably affixed to the top portion and mechanically connected to both the first and second locking members, structured to permit both the first and second locking members to be temporarily disposed into an inwardly retracted release orientation upon actuation of the release mechanism; and

a biasing mechanism connected to the release mechanism, structured to normally dispose and maintain both the first and second locking members in the outwardly extending locking orientation;

wherein the upper flange and the lower flange are structured to temporarily dispose both the first and second locking members into the inwardly retracted release orientation when the top portion and the bottom portion are initially positioned into the aligned orientation.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the biasing mechanism further comprises a spring.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a modular door;

wherein the modular door is positioned within the top portion forward opening and the bottom portion forward opening.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 further comprising a door frame;

wherein the door frame mates fixedly to the upper flange and the lower flange; and

wherein the modular door is movable within the door frame.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 further comprising a doorstop attached to the door frame wherein the doorstop prevents the modular door from moving past the doorstop.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a retractable wheel attached to the bottom portion, wherein the retractable wheel may be positioned in a stationary configuration or a movable configuration.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a handle wherein the handle may be positioned in a retracted configuration or an extended configuration.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a removable partition extending perpendicularly between the top roof wall and the bottom floor wall.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a release mechanism cover removably attached to the top portion wherein the release mechanism cover prevents the disposition of the first and second locking members into the inwardly retracted release orientation.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the top roof wall further comprises a top roof recess and the bottom floor wall further comprises a bottom floor protuberance and wherein the bottom floor protuberance fits securely inside the top roof recess when one apparatus is stacked atop another apparatus.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a device for recording and playing back sound.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a GPS device.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a first cable with a first end mechanically coupled to the release mechanism and a second end mechanically coupled to the first locking member; and

a second cable with a third end mechanically coupled to the release mechanism and a fourth end mechanically coupled to the second locking member.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the release mechanism is rotatably connected to the top portion.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 13 wherein the biasing mechanism further comprises a spring.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the biasing mechanism further comprises a magnet.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 13 wherein the biasing mechanism further comprises a magnet.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the release mechanism is rotatably connected to the top portion.