Abstract:
A portable cat carrier has a sliding floor that momentarily and mildly destabilizes a cat&#39;s footing to facilitate transferring the cat in and out of the carrier. The floor is the bottom portion of a movable insert that has a receptacle for receiving the cat. The insert has relatively low side panels to provide the cat with a calming, unrestricted side view. After the cat is lowered into the receptacle, the insert is slid horizontally into an outer housing for containing the cat. When the insert is fully inserted within the housing, a front panel of the insert closes the housing&#39;s access opening to prevent the cat from escaping. A back panel of the insert has an elevated impassable rear barrier that prevents the cat from jumping into a trapped area between the insert and the outer housing.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/849,882 filed on Feb. 5, 2013. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates generally to pet carriers and more specifically to carriers for cats. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Pet carriers are portable enclosures for temporarily housing and/or transporting small domestic animals, such as cats and dogs. Unlike dogs, birds and other pets, cats have a unique combination of characteristics that can make them particularly difficult to handle and control. Cats usually are very alert, have quick reflexes, have a good sense of balance, are extremely agile and can be rather skittish under certain circumstances. These qualities in combination with a cat&#39;s sharp claws can render general purpose pet carriers unsuitable for handling cats. At times, it can be difficult to safely transfer unwilling cats to or from conventional pet enclosures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front end view of an example cat carrier constructed in accordance with the teachings disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 2  is a right side view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the cat carrier shown in  FIG. 1  with the carrier&#39;s front panel in an attached-inserted position. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 3  but showing the carrier&#39;s front panel is an attached-extended position. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view similar to  FIG. 4  but showing the carrier&#39;s front panel in a removed position. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an example insert used in example cat carriers constructed in accordance with the teachings disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional end view show the roller portion of the insert shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a side view similar to  FIG. 2  but showing the cat carrier open. 
         FIG. 9  is a side view showing a cat being lowered onto the floor of the container&#39;s insert. 
         FIG. 10  is a side view similar to  FIG. 9  but showing the cat standing upright on the insert&#39;s floor. 
         FIG. 11  is a side view similar to  FIG. 10  but showing the cat crouching down in reaction to the insert being slid into the carrier&#39;s outer housing. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view similar to  FIG. 9  but showing the cat being lowered onto the insert floor of another example cat carrier constructed in accordance with the teachings disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view similar to  FIG. 12  but showing the cat standing upright on the insert&#39;s floor. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view similar to  FIG. 13  but showing the cat crouching down in reaction to the insert being slid into the carrier&#39;s outer housing. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view similar to  FIGS. 10 and 13  but showing the cat standing upright on the insert floor of another example cat carrier constructed in accordance with the teachings disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional side view similar to  FIG. 15  showing the cat&#39;s potential reaction to the roof sliding over a relatively stationary insert rather than the insert sliding underneath a relatively stationary roof. 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional side view similar to  FIG. 15  but showing the cat standing upright on the insert floor of another example cat carrier constructed in accordance with the teachings disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional side view similar to  FIG. 17  showing the cat&#39;s potential reaction to the roof tipping over a relatively stationary insert. 
         FIG. 19  is a block diagram illustrating an example cat carrier method that can be used with at least one of the example cat carriers disclosed herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1-14  illustrate example carriers and associated methods for confining, sheltering and/or transporting cats. Some example carriers and methods involve the use of a translating floor to safely transfer cats in and out of the carriers. Sliding a floor out from within an outer housing provides unobstructed access to the cat. Sliding the floor into the housing mildly destabilizes the cat&#39;s footing such that the cat tends to crouch down into the carrier rather than jumping out of it. 
     In the example shown in  FIGS. 1-11 , a cat carrier  10  comprises an insert  12  with a floor  14  that can be slid within an outer housing  16 . In this example, outer housing  16  comprises an upper shell  16   a  and a lower shell  16   b.  In some examples, shells  16   a  and  16   b  are integrally combined as a unitary seamless piece. In the illustrated example, however, shells  16   a  and  16   b  are individual pieces that are connected at a joint  18  held together by a series of conventional fasteners  20 . Lower shell  16   b  includes a bottom  22  and two lower side walls  24  extending up from bottom  22 . Lower shell  16   b  also has and a lower back wall  26  extending up from bottom  22  and extending laterally between lower side walls  24 . 
     Upper shell  16   a,  in this example, includes a roof  28  and two upper side walls  30  extending down from roof  28 . For portability, a fold-down carrying handle  32 , in some examples, is attached to roof  28 . Roof  28  extends from a front edge  28   a  to a rear edge  28   b.  Upper shell  16   a  also has an upper back wall  34  that extends down from the roof&#39;s rear edge  28   b  and extends laterally between upper side walls  30 . When shells  16   a  and  16   b  are together, outer housing  16  provides a chamber  36  defined by bottom  22 , roof  28  and walls  30 ,  34 ,  24  and  26 . 
     Insert  12  can be slid in and out of chamber  36 . The term, “slid” and derivatives thereof refer to translating motion that in some examples is assisted by one or more rollers  38  interposed between insert  12  and housing  16 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . In some examples, rollers  38  are mounted to insert  12 , as shown in  FIG. 6 .  FIGS. 1-3  show insert  12  in an inserted position within chamber  36 , and  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  8 - 11  show insert  12  in an extended position relative to outer housing  16 . 
     In the illustrated example, insert  12  has a pet receptacle  40  defined by floor  14 , two side panels  42 , a front panel  44 , an impassable back panel  46  and an impassable rear barrier  48 . In some examples, the various parts of insert  12  are integrally combined to render insert  12  as a unitary seamless piece. In some examples, just two or more of the insert&#39;s parts are integrally combined while the remaining parts are connected. In the illustrated example, back panel  46 , floor  14  and side panels  42  are integral extension of each other while conventional fasteners  50  attach rear barrier  48  to back panel  46 . In other examples, rear barrier  48  is a seamless integral extension of back panel  46 , whereby barrier  48  and panel  46  are combined as a seamless unitary piece. 
     In some examples, front panel  44  serves as an optional door that is movable selectively to a removed position ( FIG. 5 ), an attached-extended position ( FIG. 4 ), and an attached-inserted position ( FIG. 3 ).  FIG. 5  is an example of front panel  44  being open with respect to side panels  42 , and  FIGS. 3 and 4  are examples of front panel  44  being closed with respect to side panels  42 . In the illustrated example, conventional fasteners  52  selectively attach front panel  44  to a forward protruding flange  54  of side panels  42  while lower protrusions  56  extending down from front panel  44  extend into holes  58  in flange  54  to help hold front panel  44  in place. 
     Some examples of front panel  44  have an actuator  60  with a dual purpose handle  62 . When handle  62  is in the position shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , rods  64  of actuator  60  extend laterally into holes  66  to hold front panel  44  closed. When handle  62  is rotated to the position shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , rods  64  retract out from within holes  66  to unlatch front panel  44 . Once unlatched, handle  62  provides a convenient means for pulling insert  12  out from within outer housing  16 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Cat carrier  10  can be used according to the example sequence shown in  FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11 .  FIG. 9  shows cat carrier&#39;s outer housing  16  set upon a stationary base  70  (e.g., table, countertop, floor, etc.) with insert  12  extended. The term, “stationary” means fixed relative to Earth. Arrow  72  represents a veterinarian assistant  74  lowering a cat  76  down onto the insert&#39;s floor  14 . Upon doing so, cat  76  passes through an open-air space  78  that provides a generally unobstructed passageway from above roof  28  down to floor  14 . 
     In some examples, roof  28  is at a first height  80  above base  70 , an uppermost edge  82  of insert side panel  42  is at a second height  84  (upper edge height), and open-air space  78  is at a third height  86 . Third height  86  is greater than first height  80  to facilitate lowering cat  76  onto the insert&#39;s floor  14 , and second height  84  is less than 75 percent of first height  80  to provide cat  78  (once lowered onto floor  14 ) with a calming, unrestricted side view. The open grate of front panel  44  might further help cat  76  feel less confined. With the freedom to look around, cat  76  is perhaps less likely to jump out once cat  76  is standing comfortably on the insert&#39;s floor  14 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     While the relative heights  80 ,  84  and  86  can be important, a height  88  of rear barrier  48  can play an important role as well. If side panel height  84  and rear barrier height  88  were both significantly less than roof height  80 , cat  76  could possibly jump over rear barrier  48  from receptacle  40  into chamber  36  and land in a trapped area  90  between the insert&#39;s back panel  46  and the outer housing&#39;s lower back wall  26 . This can create two problems: one, subsequently inadvertently forcing the unoccupied insert  12  back into housing  16  could crush cat  76  in trapped area  90 , and two, it might be very difficult and hazardous to reach in and remove cat  90  out from within trapped area  90 . Consequently, some examples of rear barrier  48  have barrier height  88  slightly less than roof height  80  (less than 3 inches between heights  88  and  80 ) and have barrier height  88  significantly greater than side panel height  84 . In some examples, front panel  44  extends above side panel  42  so that front panel  44  can effectively close and contain cat  76 . The term, “height,” as used throughout this patent, is a vertical distance measured with reference to a cat carrier&#39;s lowermost surface intended for resting upon base  70 . 
     Next in the sequence of use, assistant  74  pushes insert  12  into outer housing  16 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . Sliding motion  92  of the insert&#39;s floor  14  mildly destabilizes the cat&#39;s footing such that cat  76  tends to crouch down to perhaps regain its balance, as shown in  FIG. 11 . This places cat  76  in the perfect position for sliding insert  12  completely into outer housing  16 . 
       FIGS. 12-14  show a similar example cat carrier  94  and sequence of use, wherein  FIGS. 12 ,  13  and  14  correspond to  FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11 , respectively. In this example, cat carrier  94  comprises an insert  12 ′ that can be manually slid underneath a stationary roof  28 ′. Insert  12 ′ comprises a front panel  44 ′, a back panel  46 ′ with an integral rear barrier  48 ′, a floor  14 ′ and two side panels  42 ′.  FIG. 12  shows assistant  74  lowering cat  76  onto floor  14 ′,  FIG. 13  shows cat  76  standing on floor  14 ′, and arrows  96  and  98  of  FIG. 14  represents assistant  74  sliding the insert&#39;s floor  14 ′ underneath roof  28 ′ while cat  76  is on floor  14 ′ and roof  28 ′ is kept relatively stationary. The terms, “relatively stationary” and “substantially stationary” as they pertain to an outer housing or a roof means that the housing and/or roof move less than an insert or floor as the insert or floor is being slid underneath the roof. Roof  28 ′ can be kept stationary by any suitable or convenient means. Examples of such means include, but are not limited to, manually holding roof  28 ′ still and/or supporting roof  28 ′ by an outer enclosure, side wall or other structure that is resting on top of base  70 . 
       FIGS. 15 and 16  show an alternate example cat carrier  100  that is similar to cat carrier  94  but with subtle yet key structural and functional differences.  FIGS. 15 and 16  correspond to  FIGS. 13 and 14 , respectively. Structurally, an insert  102  of cat carrier  100  has significantly higher side panels  104  that can disconcertingly obstruct the cat&#39;s side view, thereby perhaps making cat  76  feel more confined and want to escape. Functionally, instead of sliding insert  102  underneath a roof  106  that is relatively stationary, roof  106  is slid  108  across the top of insert  102  and toward cat  76 . In this example, since cat  76  retains a firm footing on stationary floor  14 ′, cat  76  might have a natural tendency to simply jump out to avoid the approaching roof  106 , as shown in  FIG. 16 . 
       FIGS. 17 and 18  show an example cat carrier  110  that is similar to cat carrier  100  with  FIGS. 17 and 18  corresponding to  FIGS. 15 and 16 , respectively. Instead of sliding roof  106  over the top of insert  102 , as shown in  FIG. 16 , a roof  112  pivots down over insert  102 , as shown in  FIG. 18 . In this example, since cat  76  retains a firm footing on stationary floor  14 ′, cat  76  might have a natural tendency to simply jump out to avoid the descending roof  112 . 
       FIG. 19  illustrates an example cat carrier method  114 , wherein block  116  represents selecting base  70  that is substantially stationary. Block  118  represents positioning roof  28 ′ at a substantially stationary location relative to base  70  such that roof  28 ′ is at first height  80  above base  70 . Block  120  represents providing floor  14 ′ of insert  12 ′ that is movable relative to roof  28 ′. Block  122  represents extending insert side panel  42 ′ up from floor  14 ′ such that uppermost edge  82 ′ of insert side panel  42 ′ is at second height  84  above base  70 , wherein second height  84  is less than 75 percent of first height  80 . Block  123  represents providing open-air space  78  extending continuously upward from floor  14 ′ to third height  86  that is greater than first height  80 . And blocks  124  and  126  represents lowering cat  76  down through open-air space  78  onto floor  14 ′ of insert  12 ′. Block  128  represents sliding floor  14 ′ underneath roof  28 ′ while cat  76  is on floor  14 ′ and roof  28 ′ is substantially stationary. 
     Although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of the coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.