Abstract:
A pet carrier apparatus includes a main enclosure assembly, an extension assembly receivably connected to the main enclosure assembly, the extension assembly is movable relative to the main enclosure assembly to form a variable volume inner space, and a litter tray removably coupled to the extension assembly and extending within the inner space.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention is a continuation-in-part of, was first described in, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/979,211, filed Apr. 14, 2014, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to pet carriers and, more particularly, to a pet carrier having an expandable rear compartment enabling insertion and removal of a tray. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various pets such as dogs, cats, ferrets, and the like are frequently transported by the use of pet carriers or pet “taxis”. Not only do these carriers make easy work of transporting the pet when required, but they also make great daily living quarters for the pet while away from home. 
     However, one (1) aspect of the pet&#39;s life that they do not provide for is when the pet needs to go to the bathroom. Should they be left free, they will most likely become lost in unfamiliar surroundings. Pets that are not accustomed to leashes are prone to fighting the leash, slipping out, and becoming lost as well. 
     While a separate litter box can be carried, they are large, bulky, and difficult to transport. Should the pet be forced to urinate or defecate in the carrier, it is a messy situation for the pet and owner alike. 
     Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which a pet can be easily transported, but still be afforded the use of bathroom facilities in a manner that addresses the problems as described above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The inventor has recognized the aforementioned inherent problems and lack in the art and observed that there is a need for a pet carrier that provides for both the functionality and convenience of a pet carrier and an enclosed litter box. The development of the present invention, which will be described in greater detail herein, substantially departs from conventional solutions to fulfill this need. 
     In one (1) embodiment, the disclosed pet carrier apparatus includes a main enclosure assembly, an extension assembly receivably connected to the main enclosure assembly, the extension assembly is movable relative to the main enclosure assembly to form a variable volume inner space, and a litter tray removably coupled to the extension assembly and extending within the inner space. 
     In another embodiment, the disclosed pet carrier apparatus includes a main enclosure assembly including a main top panel, a main floor panel, a first main side panel, a second main side panel, an open first main end, and an open second main end defining a main enclosure inner space. The disclosed pet carrier apparatus further includes an extension assembly including an extension top panel, an extension floor panel, a first extension side panel, a second extension side panel, an extension end panel, and an open second extension end defining an extension inner space. The disclosed pet carrier apparatus further includes a litter tray insertably connected to the extension assembly through the extension end panel and extending within the extension inner space. The main enclosure second end is received within the extension assembly second end. The extension assembly is movable relative to the main enclosure assembly. 
     Furthermore, the described features and advantages of the disclosure may be combined in various manners and embodiments as one skilled in the relevant art will recognize. The disclosure can be practiced without one (1) or more of the features and advantages described in a particular embodiment. 
     Further advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present disclosure will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a pet carrier, depicted in a fully extended state, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an opposing side perspective view of the pet carrier of  FIG. 1 , depicted in a fully retracted state, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional side view of the pet carrier taken along section line A-A of  FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial view of an extension assembly of the pet carrier, depicting installation of a litter tray, according to one embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 5  is a partial view of a tray door of the pet carrier, depicted in a closed state, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  pet carrier 
               20  main enclosure assembly 
               21   a  first main side panel 
               21   b  second main side panel 
               22  main top panel 
               23  main door frame 
               24  main floor panel 
               25  main enclosure inner space 
               27  vent aperture 
               29  pet door 
               30  latch 
               31  door hinge 
               32  handle 
               34   a  first inner slide 
               34   b  second inner slide 
               35   a  front button aperture 
               35   b  rear button aperture 
               36  spring button 
               60  extension assembly 
               61   a  first extension side panel 
               61   b  second extension side panel 
               62  extension top panel 
               62   a  handle slot 
               63  extension end panel 
               64   a  first outer slide 
               64   b  second outer slide 
               65  extension inner space 
               66  window 
               67  extension floor panel 
               70  tray door 
               71  curved surface 
               73  hinge rod 
               74  spring 
               76  slide bolt 
               77  knob 
               79   a  first guide 
               79   b  second guide 
               80  door opening 
               82  runner 
               84  litter tray 
               86  tray handle 
               100  litter 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In accordance with the invention, the best mode is presented in terms of a one or more of the disclosed embodiments, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 5 . However, the disclosure is not limited to a single described embodiment and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the disclosure and that any such work around will also fall under its scope. 
     Further, those skilled in the art will recognize that other styles and configurations can be incorporated into the teachings of the present disclosure, and that the example configurations shown and described herein are for the purpose of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation. 
     As used herein, the singular terms “a”, “an”, and “the” do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one (1), as well as a plurality of, the referenced items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. 
     As used herein, the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, etc. are used as labels to describe various elements, features, and/or components, and are not intended to impose ordinal, positional, or hierarchical requirements on the referenced items, unless other indicated. For example, such terms may be used to distinguish one (1) element from another element. 
     As used herein, relative terms such as “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “top”, “bottom”, “below”, “above”, “upper”, “lower”, “horizontal”, or “vertical” are used to describe a relationship of one (1) element, feature and/or region to another element, feature and/or region as illustrated in the figures. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , disclosing a pet carrier apparatus (herein described as the “apparatus”)  10 , where like reference numerals represent similar or like parts. Generally, the disclosed apparatus  10  includes a pet carrier having dual expanding compartments  20 ,  60  that allow for normal transport and a configurable litter tray. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 , the apparatus  10  includes a main enclosure assembly  20  having a slidingly attached extension assembly  60 . The main enclosure assembly  20  and extension assembly  60  are hollow structures defining an interior volume capable of housing a small animal (e.g., a pet). In one (1) example construction, the main enclosure assembly  20  and extension assembly  60  can be made of plastic. In another example construction, the main enclosure assembly  20  and extension assembly  60  each include generally rectangular cross-sectional shapes. The main enclosure assembly  20  is slightly undersized to allow telescoping insertion into the extension assembly  60 . 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that the apparatus  10  can be introduced in various sizes based upon a space required by an intended pet to be transported and in various colors and/or patterns based upon a user&#39;s preferences, without limitation. 
     The main enclosure assembly  20  includes a main enclosure inner space  25  defined by (e.g., molded or extruded plastic) a first side panel  21   a , an opposing second side panel  21   b , a top panel  22 , a floor panel  24 , and a main door frame  23 . The main door frame  23  provides attachment of a pet door  29 . The first side panel  21   a  and second side panel  21   b  each have a plurality of vent apertures  27  (e.g., molded) therethrough and designed to provide fresh air to an occupying pet. The top panel  22  include an (e.g., integrally-molded or otherwise connected) “U”-shaped handle  32  centered upon the top panel  22  to provide easy lifting and transport of the apparatus  10  and included pet. The main door frame  23  extends around perimeter edges of a forward-facing surface and provides hinged attachment of a molded plastic grid or welded wire (e.g., “see-through”) pet door  29 . 
     The pet door  29  swings open to provide convenient loading and unloading of the pet and further includes a securing latch  30  along one (1) vertical edge of the main door frame  23 , and a door hinge  31  along an opposite vertical edge of the main door frame  23 . 
     The first  21   a  and second  21   b  side panels each include integral mirror-image first inner slide  34   a  and second inner slide  34   b , respectively, arranged along outer surfaces in a parallel manner. The inner slides  34   a ,  34   b  include linear horizontal protrusions that are slidingly motioned within corresponding and matching channel-shaped first outer slide  64   a  and second outer slide  64   b  of the extension assembly  60 . 
     In a similar manner, the extension assembly  60  includes a five-sided (e.g., rectangular) structure including an extension inner space  65  defined by a first extension side panel  61   a , a second extension side panel  61   b , an extension top panel  62 , an extension end panel  63 , and an extension floor panel  67 . The opposing and parallel first  61   a  and second  61   b  extension side panels include the integral first outer slide  64   a  and second outer slide  64   b . The extension top panel  62  includes a handle slot  62   a  along a forward edge that provides clearance for the handle  32  of the main enclosure assembly  20  during times when the apparatus  10  is in a collapsed state, as best illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     Each inner slide  34   a ,  34   b  provides a means to lock the extension assembly  60  in either its extended state ( FIG. 1 ) or its collapsed (e.g., overlapping) state ( FIG. 2 ) via a spring button  36 . The spring button  36  engages one (1) of corresponding integral front button aperture  35   a  or rear button aperture  35   b  of each outer slide  64   a ,  64   b , respectively. In one (1) example construction, each spring button  36  can be a round-nose spring-loaded device that provides similar function and construction as those used with awnings and telescoping tubular poles. Each spring button  36  engages the correspondingly sized and positioned button aperture  35   a ,  35   b  of the outer slides  64   a ,  64   b  to secure the apparatus  10  in a desired state. 
     The slides  34   a ,  34   b ,  64   a ,  64   b  act to linearly guide and lock the extension assembly  60  with respect to the main enclosure assembly  20  as it is extended to reconfigure the apparatus  10 , thereby providing additional space necessary for the pet to perform its toilet duties. 
     When in the extended state ( FIGS. 1 and 3 ), a rectangular litter tray  84  may be inserted into the extension assembly  60  through a spring-loaded tray door  70  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the apparatus  10  includes the lockable and spring-loaded tray door  70  that provides a means whereby a pet may perform toilet duties without being removed from the apparatus  10 . The tray door  70  facilitates external insertion, utilization, and removal of the litter tray  84 . The tray door  70  is located along a bottom portion of the extension end panel  63  and further includes a hinge rod  73  and a pair of locking slide bolts  76 . The tray door  70  includes a rectangular shape being slightly larger than a front surface of the litter tray  84 , and covers a correspondingly shaped door opening  80  of the extension end panel  63 . The hinge rod  73  is integrated into a top edge portion of the tray door  70  extending a length of the tray door  70 , being partially inserted into and rotatingly supported by the first  61   a  and second  61   b  side panels of the extension assembly  60 . The hinge rod  73  has a pair of encompassing torsion springs  74 , one (1) mounted to each outer end. The springs  74  act to bias the tray door  70  downwardly to a closed state, as best illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The tray door  70  includes a rear curved surface  71  ( FIG. 3 ) designed to discourage a pet from digging at the tray door  70  when in the closed state. 
     When not in use, the tray door  70  may be locked in a vertical closed position via the pair of slide bolts  76  being slidingly connected to the extension end panel  63  of the extension assembly  60  via respective integrally-molded semi-circular tunnel-shaped first guides  79   a . The tray door  70  is locked in its closed position by grasping integral knobs  77  located at a top end of each slide bolt  76 , and motioning the slide bolts  76  downwardly within the first guides  79   a . Bottom ends of each slide bolt  76  then engage respective second guides  79   b , for example, which are molded into the outer surface of the tray door  70  and vertically aligned with each slide bolt  76 . The second guides  79   b  provide a similar shape as the first guides  79   a  to receive the slide bolts  76 . 
     Also molded into the tray door  70  are a plurality of arcuate runners  82  that provide gently curved contact surfaces enabling the litter tray  84  to smoothly engage, thereby preventing any possible interference while inserting the litter tray  84  through the door opening  80 . 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that other styles and configurations of the disclosed apparatus  10  can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present disclosure, and only particular configurations have been shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The example embodiments of the present invention can be utilized by the user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the apparatus  10 , it would be installed as indicated in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
     The method of installing and utilizing the apparatus  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: procuring a model of the apparatus  10  suitable to transport a particularly sized pet; locking the extension assembly  60  in its collapsed state by inserting the main enclosure assembly  20  into the extension assembly  60  until the spring buttons  36  of the main enclosure assembly  20  engage the corresponding rear button apertures  35   b  of the extension assembly  60 ; loading a pet into the main enclosure assembly  20  through the pet door  29  by detaching the latch  30  and opening the pet door  29 ; placing the pet into the main enclosure assembly  20  through the pet door  29 ; closing the pet door  29  and reattaching the latch  30 ; transporting the pet using the handle  32  until the pet needs to perform toilet duties; placing the apparatus  10  upon a flat surface; deploying the extension assembly  60  outwardly by pressing inwardly upon the opposing spring buttons  36 ; pulling the extension assembly  60  away from the main enclosure assembly  20  until the pair of spring buttons  36  engage the corresponding front button apertures  35   a ; preparing the litter tray  84  by filling it with a desired quantity of litter  100 ; unlocking the tray door  70  by grasping the knobs  77  and lifting the slide bolts  76  upwardly; opening the tray door  70  by grasping the tray handle  86  and pressing a forward edge of the liter tray  84  against the tray door  70 ; inserting the litter tray  84  a desired distance through the door opening  80 ; allowing a period of time for the pet to urinate and/or defecate onto the litter  100  contained within the litter tray  70 ; allowing the pet to return to the main enclosure inner space  25  of the main enclosure assembly  20 ; withdrawing the liter tray  84  out of the door opening  80  using the tray handle  86 ; allowing the spring-action of the hinge rod  73  to close the tray door  70  against the door opening  80 ; locking the tray door  70  in a closed state by grasping the knobs  77  and motioning the slide bolts  76  downward until they engage the second guides  79   b  of the tray door  70 ; collapsing the extension assembly  60  over the main enclosure  20  by pressing inwardly upon the opposing spring buttons  36 ; pushing the extension assembly  60  over the main enclosure assembly  20  until the pair of spring buttons  36  engage the corresponding front button apertures  35   a ; continuing to use the apparatus  10  for normal transport of the pet; and, benefiting from a convenient and secure means of providing toilet facilities to a confined pet, afforded a user of the disclosed apparatus  10 . 
     The apparatus  10  may also be used within a user&#39;s home, during travel within a motor vehicle, while on vacation, camping, or similar ventures away from home. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit to the precise forms disclosed and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain principles and practical application to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.