Animal Enclosure

• US 20100006037A1
• Filed: 07/09/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BrightSpot Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: BrightSpot Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: Salzman, Brett Allen
• Granted Patent: US 8,141,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/484
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/033 Cat or dog houses
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/024 Scratching devices, e.g. for cats

Abstract

An animal enclosure is provided which is particularly adapted for cat. The animal enclosure includes a housing having a base, a sidewall extending upwardly from the perimeter of the base, a hollow interior space surrounded by the sidewall, an access opening in the sidewall to permit an animal to enter and leave the hollow interior space. A frame is attached to an interior surface of said sidewall, and a corrugated bundle is removably retained by the frame. The animal enclosure is collapsible and is capable of being shipped and stored in a compact configuration but which is capable of being erected on site to create an animal enclosure.

Claims

1. A animal enclosure, comprising:

a housing having a base, a sidewall extending upwardly from the perimeter of said base defining a hollow interior space surrounded by said sidewall, and an access opening in said sidewall to permit an animal to enter and leave the hollow interior space;

a frame attached to an interior surface of said sidewall; and

a scratching pad removably retainable by said frame.

2. The animal enclosure of claim 1, wherein said scratching pad is a corrugated bundle.

3. The animal enclosure of claim 1, wherein said frame is removably attachable to said interior surface of said sidewall.

4. The animal enclosure of claim 3, further comprising:

a cooperating coupling for removably attaching said frame to said interior surface of said sidewall.

5. The animal enclosure of claim 4, wherein said cooperating coupling includes:

a first pair of spaced tabs extending from a first side of said frame;

a second pair of spaced tabs extend from a second side of said frame;

a first and a second slot through said sidewall for receiving said first pair of spaced tabs;

a third and a forth slot through said sidewall for receiving said second pair of spaced tabs; and

wherein said first and said second pair of tabs are bendable after being inserted through said slots to prevent withdrawal from said slots, thereby securing said frame to said interior surface of said housing.

6. The animal enclosure of claim 4, wherein said frame includes:

a front panel, a plurality of end walls extending rearwardly from said front panel, an interior receiving space, and an opening in said front panel having a peripheral edge at a spaced distance inward of the perimeter of said front panel; and

wherein said scratching pad is removably insertable into said interior receiving space through an opening in one of said plurality of end walls and is accessible for scratching through said opening in said front panel.

7. The animal enclosure of claim 6, further comprising:

a fifth slot through said sidewall spaced from and parallel to said first slot;

a sixth slot through said sidewall spaced from and parallel to said second slot;

a seventh sloth through said sidewall spaced from and parallel to said third slot;

an eighth slot through said sidewall spaced from and parallel to said fourth slot; and

wherein said first pair of tabs are further bendable and insertable into said fifth and sixth sloth respectively, and said second pair of tabs are further bendable and insertable into said seventh and eighth slot respectively, thereby further securing said frame to said interior surface of said housing.

8. The animal enclosure of claim 1, wherein said housing is unitary and formed of a single piece of substantially rigid or self-supporting material.

9. The animal enclosure of claim 1, wherein said access opening has a bottom edge that is spaced at an elevated distance from said bottom of said housing.

10. An animal enclosure, comprising:

a housing having a base, an open top, a sidewall extending upwardly from the perimeter of said base and terminating at said open top, said sidewall defining a hollow interior space surrounded by said sidewall, and an access opening in said sidewall to permit an animal to enter and leave the hollow interior space;

a frame removably attachable to an interior surface of said sidewall;

a corrugated bundle removably retainable by said frame; and

a cover removably attachable to said housing and covering said open top of said housing.

11. The animal enclosure of claim 10, further comprising:

a cooperating coupling for attaching said frame to said interior surface of said sidewall.

12. The animal enclosure of claim 11, wherein said frame includes:

a front panel, a plurality of end walls extending rearwardly from said front panel, an interior receiving space, and an opening in said front panel having a peripheral edge at a spaced distance inward of the perimeter of said front panel; and

wherein said corrugated bundle is removably insertable into said interior receiving space through an opening in one of said plurality of end walls and is accessible for scratching through said opening in said front panel.

13. The animal enclosure of claim 12, wherein said cooperating coupling includes:

a first pair of spaced tabs extending from a first vertical side of said frame;

a second pair of spaced tabs extend from a second vertical side of said frame;

a first and a second slot through said sidewall for receiving said first pair of spaced tabs;

a third and a forth slot through said sidewall for receiving said second pair of spaced tabs; and

wherein said first and said second pair of tabs are bendable after being inserted through said slots to prevent withdrawal from said slots, thereby securing said frame to said interior surface of said housing.

14. The animal enclosure of claim 10, wherein said housing being formed of a unitary piece of material that is foldable to form said base and said sidewall.

15. The animal enclosure of claim 10, wherein said access opening has a bottom edge that is spaced at an elevated distance from said bottom of said housing.

16. An animal enclosure, comprising:

a housing having a base, an open top, a sidewall extending upwardly from the perimeter of said base and terminating at said open top, said sidewall defining a hollow interior space surrounded by said sidewall, and an access opening in said sidewall to permit an animal to enter and leave the hollow interior space;

a frame removably attachable to an interior surface of said sidewall, said frame having a front panel, and plurality of end walls extending rearwardly from said front panel, an interior receiving space, and an opening in said front panel having a peripheral edge at a spaced distance inward of the perimeter of said front panel;

a corrugated bundle, wherein said corrugated bundle is removably insertable into said interior receiving space through an opening in one of said plurality of end walls, and is accessible for scratching through said opening in said front panel;

a cover removably attachable to said housing and covering said open top of said housing;

a first pair of spaced tabs extending from a first vertical side of said frame;

a second pair of spaced tabs extend from a second vertical side of said frame;

a first and a second slot through said sidewall for receiving said first pair of spaced tabs;

a third and a forth slot through said sidewall for receiving said second pair of spaced tabs; and

wherein said first and said second pair of tabs are bendable after being inserted through said slots to prevent withdrawal from said slots, thereby securing said frame to said interior surface of said housing.

17. The animal enclosure of claim 16, further comprising:

a fifth slot through said sidewall spaced from and parallel to said first slot;

a sixth slot through said sidewall spaced from and parallel to said second slot;

a seventh sloth through said sidewall spaced from and parallel to said third slot;

an eighth slot through said sidewall spaced from and parallel to said fourth slot; and

wherein said first pair of tabs are further bendable and insertable into said fifth and sixth sloth respectively, and said second pair of tabs are further bendable and insertable into said seventh and eighth slot respectively, thereby further securing said frame to said interior surface of said housing.

18. The animal enclosure of claim 16, wherein said housing being formed of a unitary piece of material that is foldable to form said base and said sidewall.

19. The animal enclosure of claim 16, wherein said access opening has a bottom edge that is spaced at an elevated distance from said bottom of said housing.