Abstract:
An animal habitat is disclosed for confining an animal in a livable area that may adapted to have distinct areas. The habitat may be formed of sections are used to form modules. The modules may be joined by attaching two or more modules laterally, or the modules may be joined by vertical stacking. Grates are placed in openings within outer walls of the modules. One type of grate allows attachment of monitoring and feeding equipment, while others are utilized as doors. Animals contained in a module can pass into laterally attached modules. A staircase and an opening in an upper section of a module allows animals to travel between a lower module to an upper module. Other accessories such as a tray and monitoring devices may be included as desired in one or more module.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/755,468, filed Dec. 30, 2005 the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Modern domesticated animals have descended from wild animals and have inherited certain basic instincts, including feeling comfortable and protected in small confined areas during rest. A travel kennel or crate is a small confined area like a den, yet an animal can be trapped in a small kennel or crate with little opportunity to exercise or move around. Domesticated animals have also inherited an instinct not to soil the areas they use for food and water. Many domesticated animals are pack animals and consider their master and family an adopted pack. Many domesticated animals experience varying degrees of separation anxiety when separated from their adopted pack; this anxiety sometimes results in destructive behavior such as chewing and house soiling. For the above reasons, among others, it is recommended to crate domesticated animals when they are left at an owner&#39;s home alone. However, due to the confined nature of current kennels and crates, many owners are hesitant to crate their animals. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a canine habitat. 
   The present invention presents a canine habitat having a structure with three main areas: an eating/living/playing area, a sleeping area, and an elimination area. The areas are situated in a stacked arrangement so that the sleeping area sits above the elimination area and is accessible by way of a vertically rising pathway. The elimination area may be partially cordoned off and may include a removable tray for ease of cleaning. The eating/living/playing area has the widest expanse and includes components for supplying food and/or drink to an animal. 
   The present invention may further be embodied using two sections joined to form a module. The sections are preferably made of a plastic polymer material and identical in shape and size, allowing one mold to be used to make both sections. Fasteners and banding may be used to join and retain the sections in engagement to form a complete module. 
   Each section may have openings in its walls which, when joined to another section to form a module, create openings in the module. Grates may be inserted in these module openings and are retained by engagement flanges on the circumferential perimeter of the grates. The grates are retained and captured when the sections are joined. One type of grate has fixed bars which are spaced at a certain distance to allow the passage of air and light and for the retention of feeding and monitoring devices between the bars of the grate. Another type of grate that may be used has bars which are slidingly engaged in tubes. This configuration allows the bars to be retracted inside the tubes to form a door for an animal. Still another type of grate has a removable section having end pieces which are slotted to engage pins attached to the remaining grate structure so the removable section may be lifted upward and outwardly removed. 
   Modules may be joined laterally to other modules using module connectors inserted into the openings of two adjacent modules. The module connectors join two modules and allow an animal to pass between the two modules. Similar to the grates, the module connectors are captured within an opening of a module when the sections are joined. The module connector is an enclosed shape that has engagement flanges on its circumferential perimeter which engage the walls of two adjacent modules. 
   Modules may also be joined and stacked vertically. Each section has a plurality of indentations on a surface which face inward toward a cavity of each section. When the sections are joined to form a module, the indentations of a lower section complement the indentations of an upper section, with the plurality of indentations of the lower and upper sections facing inward toward the module cavity. When a second module is placed on top of a first module, indentations on a lower surface of the second module oppose the indentations on an upper surface of the first module to form smaller cavities. The smaller cavities formed between the indentations may accept a beam or similar structural member or members, which add rigidity to the connection between the two modules. The beams may be fastened to both the lower surface of the second module and the upper surface of the first module at the indentations to secure modules together. 
   Within modules, additional accessories may be included such as a pathway or staircase to reach upper modules and trays for food, water, elimination of waste, bedding, or a variety of other uses. The pathway or staircase may allow an animal to access a second or successive module stacked upon a first or successive module. The staircase contains a set of steps with a certain vertical spacing, and within the staircase there may also be a second set of smaller steps with vertical spacing equal to but vertically translated between the larger set of steps. This second set of steps allows smaller animals to use the smaller set of steps within the staircase to travel more easily to a vertically stacked and joined second or successive module. Since modern animals instinctively will not soil their living areas, a tray for elimination of waste may be placed in one module, therefore containing any waste to a specific area. Additional trays may also be placed in the same or other modules. The trays are removable which allow for easy clean up for an owner. 
   An object of the invention is to provide a canine habitat made of three sections or areas, two of which are joined on one level and one of which is joined to at least one of the others above the others. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide an animal habitat with modular construction which may be combined and joined as a customer desires. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide a customizable animal habitat through the use of interchangeable parts. 
   Other objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading of the following description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side sectional view of an embodiment of a canine habitat module according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a partial top view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a top sectional view of the lower level of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the habitat module according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the habitat module of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of the habitat module of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the habitat module of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 8  is an end elevational view of the habitat module of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of one section of the habitat module of  FIG. 4 , shown with openings in all four sides; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of one section of a habitat module, shown with openings in two sides; 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of one section of a habitat module, shown with openings in four sides and an opening in the floor; 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of one section of a habitat module, shown with openings in three sides and an opening in the floor; 
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of one section of a habitat module, shown with openings in two sides and an opening in the floor; 
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of one section of a habitat module, shown with openings in two sides and an opening in the floor; 
       FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a habitat having a plurality of habitat modules connected both vertically and laterally; 
       FIG. 16  is a perspective view of an elongated grate used with the habitat module of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 17  is a perspective view of an elongated module connector used with the habitat of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 18  is a perspective view of a circular grate used with the habitat module of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 19  is a perspective view of a circular module connector used with the habitat of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 20  is a perspective view of a tray for food, water, waste or bedding; 
       FIG. 21  is a perspective view of a shelf for equipment; 
       FIG. 22  is a fragmentary view of the habitat of  FIG. 15 ; 
       FIG. 23  is a fragmentary view of the module connector of  FIG. 19 , shown in use to connect two habitat modules; 
       FIG. 24  is a sectional view of indentations on opposing surfaces of two habitat modules, shown fastened together; 
       FIG. 25  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a grate door; 
       FIG. 26  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a grate door; 
       FIG. 27  is a perspective view of a bottom section of a habitat module shown with the shelf of  FIG. 21 ; and 
       FIG. 28  is an alternate perspective view of a bottom section of a habitat module shown with the shelf of  FIG. 21  and various equipment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
   A canine habitat  10  is shown in one embodiment in  FIG. 1 . The habitat  10  has a structure preferably made of a rigid composite material and has three distinct areas: an area  14  for eating/living/playing, an area  16  for elimination of waste, and an area  12  for relaxation and sleep. In the eating/living/playing area  14 , devices for feeding  20  and watering  22  may be included which fit through the walls  32  of the structure of the habitat  10  and may be remotely controlled. A raised pathway  18  leads from the eating/living/playing area  14  to the relaxation and sleep area  12  so the dog can travel between area  14  and area  12 . A pathway  19  leads between area  14  and area  16 . The relaxation and sleep area  12  is supported above the area for elimination of waste  16  through a rigid front support member  26  and a rigid back support member  28 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . A separate divider  24  runs parallel to the rigid front support member  26  and aids in separation of the area for elimination of waste  16  from the eating/living/playing area  14 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , a removable tray  30  may be placed in the area for elimination of waste  16  to allow for ease of removal of waste. 
   A dog is placed in the habitat  10  and is able to freely traverse from the eating/living/playing area  14  to the area  16  for elimination of waste to the area  12  for relaxation and sleep. The devices for feeding  20  and watering  22  enable the dog to stay within the confines of the habitat  10  for an extended period of time. 
     FIG. 4  shows a view of another embodiment  100  of the habitat. An upper module section  102  is joined to a lower module section  104 , which may be used interchangeably to form a module  101 . Banding  106  may be used to traverse a portion of and join both sections  102 ,  104 . Side grates  108  are engaged between openings in the sections  102 ,  104 . The grates  108  are preferably made of metal and include a plurality of horizontal tube members  110 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , annular flanges  112 ,  114  fit around a portion of a side wall of each of module sections  102 ,  104  defining an opening into the module. The side grates  108  are further shown in  FIG. 18 . A rear grate  116  is shown engaged between further openings in sections  102 ,  104 . The rear grate  116  is preferably made of metal and includes a plurality of horizontal tube members  118  and vertical tube members  120 . The rear grate  116  is further shown in  FIG. 16 . Annular flanges  122 ,  124  fit around a portion of a rear wall of each of the module sections  102 ,  104  defining an opening into the module. 
   A door grate  126  is positioned and engaged between openings in the module sections  102 , 104  on a front wall. The door grate  126  is further shown in  FIG. 25 . Annular engagement flanges  128 ,  130  fit around and engage a portion of the front wall of each of the module sections  102 ,  104  at an opening therein. The door grate  126  is preferably elongated, made of metal, and includes a plurality of horizontal tube members  132  and at least one vertical tube member  134 . The door grate  126  further includes a sliding door  136  having horizontal tube members  138  that fit slidingly within the horizontal tube members  132  of the door grate  126 . A vertical end  140  connects the horizontal tube members  136 . The door grate  126  may be equipped with a locking pin  144  extending laterally from a vertical door support  142 . The locking pin  144  fits within an opening  146  in the vertical end  140  when the door  136  is closed and is locked by a pin  148  or similar device through a hole  150  in the locking pin  144 . Alternately, the door grate  126  may be locked through attaching a wire, nut and bolt combination, or other similar locking device through hole  150 . If desired, door  136  could be hinged so as to swing between open and closed positions. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 4-8 , the embodiment  100  includes a habitat module  101 . The upper module section  102  includes a plurality of indentations  152  on a planar face  103 ; the lower module section  104  includes a plurality of indentations  154  on a planar face  105 . Indentations  152 ,  154  may include pre-drilled holes  156 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 9-14 , the module sections  107 ,  107   a ,  107   b ,  107   c ,  107   d  and  107   e  may be used as either upper or lower module sections in place of the upper module sections,  102 ,  104  to vary the openings in the habitat module  101 . Shown in  FIGS. 11-14 , an opening  158  in surfaces  109   b ,  109   c ,  109   d , and  109   e  is shown to be utilized if one module is used in a vertically stacked relationship with another module to allow for passage between two modules, as an opening  158  on any of modules sections  107   b - e , used as a lower module section of an upper module, are aligned so as to complement an opening  158  on identical module sections  107   b - 3 , used as a upper module section of a lower module. 
     FIG. 15  illustrates another embodiment  100   a  of the habitat in modular form with four modules,  101  (like area  14 ),  101   a  (like area  16 ),  101   b  (like area  12 ), and  101   c . Modules  101  and  101   a - c  are joined through modular connectors  160  and  168 , further shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18 , respectively. For rear lateral connection, as shown between modules  101  and  101   a , module connector  160  is used which, like the rear grate  116 , includes engagement flanges  162 ,  164  to fit over a portion of and engage a rear wall portion of each module sections  102 ,  104 . The module connector  160  also fits over and engages a front wall portion of each of the module sections  102   a ,  104   a  of module  101   a . Modules  101   a  and  101   c  are joined through modular connector  168  for a side lateral connection. The modular connector  168  includes engagement flanges  170  and  172  to fit over and engage a portion of a side wall of each of module sections  102   a ,  104   a  and to fit over and engage a portion of a side wall of each of module sections  102   c ,  104   c . Such a connection is shown in further detail in  FIG. 24 . 
   The vertical connection between modules  101   a  and  101   b  in  FIG. 15  is accomplished through the alignment of the plurality of indentations  154   b  on the module section  104   b  and the plurality of indentations  152   a  on the module section  102   a , as shown in further detail in  FIG. 24 . Lateral support braces  174 , which may be made of wood, metal, or other material, are placed in indentations  152   a . To join module  101   a  to module  101   b , the module section  104   b  is placed over module section  102   a , aligning the plurality indentations  154   b  and  152   a . Fasteners  176  are then used to attach module section  102   a  and  104   b  to the lateral support braces  174 , thus joining the modules  101   a  and  101   b.    
   A tray  178  is included which removably fits preferably between an outer wall of a lower module section and an adjacent indentation  154  and is transferable to any module within the embodiment  100   a . The tray, though not shown, can be used in the one module animal habitat of  FIGS. 4-8 , as well. As shown in  FIG. 22 , the tray  178  is used in module  101   c  and is fitted between an outer wall of the lower module section  104   c  and an indentation  154   c . Such a tray  178  is preferably used to collect the elimination of animal waste and an animal using the embodiment  100   a  can be trained to utilize the tray  178  for such purposes. Additional trays  178  may be placed around to be used for food, water, toys, or other purposes. 
   When two modules are stacked and joined vertically, as modules  101   a  and  101   b , shown in  FIG. 22 , one or more of module sections  107   b - e , which include an opening  158  in a planar face of the module section is used to provide a vertical path from a lower module to an upper module. A physical pathway is used to allow an animal to reach an upper module from a lower module and is preferably in the form of a staircase  182 . The staircase  182  has an equal vertical spacing between steps and is fitted within the lower module  101   a  in  FIG. 22  and provides a pathway for an animal to reach the upper module  101   b . Preferably, a second staircase  184  with smaller steps is included within the staircase  182  and includes an equal vertical spacing between its steps that is the same as the steps of the staircase  182 . The staircase  184  is vertically translated so as to effectuate a complementary vertical spacing between the steps of the staircase  182  and the steps of the staircase  184 . The staircase  184  also preferably has a bottommost step  184   a  which fits over and engages an indentation  154   a  to further secure the combined staircase  182 ,  184  to the lower module  101   a.    
   As shown in  FIG. 21 , a shelf  180  is included for holding various equipment used preferably to monitor, feed and interact with an animal in the animal habitat  100   a . The shelf  180  may be removably attached to a side grate  108 , as shown in  FIGS. 27 and 28 , or to a rear grate  116  or door grates  126 ,  186 . Various equipment  204  may be placed on the shelf  180 ; such equipment  204  includes, but is not limited to, video cameras, dispensers of food or liquid, dispensers of toys, microphones, speakers, and lights. The equipment  204  may be directly controlled from the shelf  180  by an individual or computer or may also be remotely controlled through wired or wireless devices such as a computer over the internet. 
   A second embodiment of a door grate  186  is shown in  FIG. 26  which has engagement flanges  188 ,  190  and a plurality of horizontal tube members  192  and vertical door supports  194 . Located on the vertical door supports  194  are a plurality of pins  198  which engage a removable section  200  at slots  202  in vertical ends  196 . To provide an opening for an animal to enter into or exit the habitat  100 , the removable section  200  is lifted upwardly and outwardly from a module to disengage the removable section  200  from the pins  198 . 
   In operation, the embodiment  100 , as shown in  FIGS. 4-8 , may have one module including a door grate  126  or  186  as the only opening to enter into and exit the module. Additional varieties of accessories such as additional openings and grates  108 ,  116 , shelves  180 , equipment  204  and trays  178  may be added to the one-module habitat  100 . To expand the animal habitat  100 , additional modules may be joined laterally and vertically to form an animal habitat such as the one shown in  FIG. 15 . Additional accessories such as additional openings and grates  108 ,  116 , module connectors  160 ,  168 , shelves  180 , equipment  204 , trays  178  and staircases  182 ,  184  may be added to the multiple-module habitat  100   a . An animal placed inside the habitat  100   a  is free to roam between modules both laterally and vertically. 
   From the above description, it will be apparent that the invention disclosed herein provides a novel and advantageous animal habitat. The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary methods and embodiments of the present invention. As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms and utilize other materials without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.