Abstract:
Devices, apparatuses, systems and/or methods related to animal enclosure latches. Specifically, the disclosed devices, apparatuses, systems and/or methods relate to animal enclosure latches having a slide bolt and a pendant, where the operation of the slide bolt and pendant require separate movements, thus decreasing the likelihood that an animal may open the latch.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    It is desired that animal enclosure latch systems be secure enough to keep enclosed animals with an animal enclosure. Further, it desired that animal enclosures include a latch that restricts enclosed animals from accidentally or purposely opening the latch and exiting the animal enclosure. 
         [0002]    Therefore, it would be desirable to have a secure animal enclosure latching device that decreases the likelihood that an animal may open the latch. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0003]    This disclosure is drawn to devices, apparatuses, systems and/or methods related to animal enclosure latches. Specifically, the disclosed devices, apparatuses, systems and/or methods relate to animal enclosure latches having a slide bolt and a pendant, where the operation of the slide bolt and pendant require separate movements, thus decreasing the likelihood that an animal may open the latch. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings. 
           [0005]    In the drawings: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a diagram depicting an example embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a diagram depicting another example embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a diagram depicting yet another example embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a diagram depicting an exploded view of an additional example embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a diagram depicting an example embodiment in operation on an example animal enclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the Figures, may be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and make part of this disclosure. 
         [0012]    In an exemplary embodiment, as generally depicted in  FIG. 1 , an animal enclosure latching device  100  for latching an animal enclosure gate  10  to an animal enclosure  12  is provided. An exemplary embodiment may include a slide bolt  14 , a retainer  16 , a catch  18 , and a pendant  20 . The slide bolt  14  may be slidably coupled to the animal enclosure gate  10 . This allows a latch operator to slide the slide bolt  14  relative to the animal enclosure gate  10 . The retainer  16  may be coupled to the animal enclosure gate  10  to guide the slide bolt  14  as the slide bolt  14  slides relative to the animal enclosure gate  10 . The catch  18  may be coupled to the animal enclosure  12 . The catch  18  may be aligned with the slide bolt  14  such that the catch  18  may receive the slide bolt  14 . The pendant  20  may be slidably coupled to the animal enclosure gate  10 . The pendant  20  may engage the slide bolt  14 . In some examples, the pendant  20  may engage the slide bolt  14  such that the slide bolt  14  is substantially restricted from sliding. In this manner, an animal inside the animal enclosure  12  may be safely locked within the animal enclosure  12 , restricting the animal from exiting the animal enclosure  12 . 
         [0013]    In some examples, the slide bolt  14  may include a slide bolt hole  22  into which a slide bolt fastener  24  may fit. The slide bolt hole  22  may be of any shape that allows the slide bolt fastener  24  to move within it relative to the slide bolt hole  22 . The slide bolt fastener  24  may include bolts, screws, nails and other similar fasteners, and may be coupled to the animal enclosure gate  10  at a fixed location. During operation of the slide bolt  14 , the slide bolt hole  22  may move relative to the slide bolt fastener  24 . In this manner, the slide bolt  14  may move from a first position to a second position relative to the animal enclosure gate  10 .  FIGS. 2 and 3  depict examples of a first position of the slide bolt  14  and a second position of the slide bolt  14 , respectively. In some examples, the animal enclosure gate  10  may include the one or more slide bolt hole  22  and the slide bolt fastener  24  may be coupled to the slide bolt  14 . 
         [0014]    Some embodiments may be configured such that the slide bolt  14  may be coupled to a first surface (e.g., the exterior surface) of the animal enclosure gate  10 , while the pendant  20  may be slidably coupled to a second surface (e.g., a non-exterior surface) of the animal enclosure gate  10 . In some examples, the slide bolt  14  may slide in a direction that is substantially parallel (e.g., horizontal) to the floor or ceiling of the animal enclosure. 
         [0015]    In some embodiments, the slide bolt  14  includes a slide bolt handle  26 . The slide bolt handle  26  may be adapted to allow a human operator to slide the slide bolt  14  while inside the animal enclosure  12  and/or while outside the animal enclosure  12 . This allows a human operator to move the slide bolt  14  if enclosed within the animal enclosure  12 , while also providing a mechanism for easily sliding the slide bolt  14  when the human operator is operating the latching device  100  standing outside the animal enclosure  12 . 
         [0016]    Some embodiments further include a slide bolt notch  28  on the slide bolt  14 . The slide bolt notch  28  may receive and/or engage the pendant  20  during operation of the latching device  100 . In this manner, the pendant  20  may restrict sliding of the slide bolt  14  when the pendant  20  is received and/or engaged in the slide bolt notch  28 . The slide bolt notch  28  may be a notch, a cut-out, a slot, a void and/or the like, and may be of any shape effective to receive and/or engage the pendant  20 . 
         [0017]    The retainer  16  may guide the slide bolt  14  as the slide bolt  14  slides relative to the animal enclosure gate  10 . The retainer  16  may be coupled to the animal enclosure gate  10  via retainer fastener(s) through one or more retainer hole  30 . Retainer fasteners may include bolts, screws, nails and other similar fasteners. In some examples, retainer  16  may include one or more retainer lock hole  32 . Such retainer lock hole  32  may receive a lock (e.g., a padlock, a combination lock). In some examples, the retainer  16  may be angled, bent and/or constructed such that the retainer includes a flange  34  in which the retainer lock hole  32  may be located. For example, such flange  34  may be angled approximately  90  degrees. 
         [0018]    The catch  18  may be coupled to the animal enclosure  12  via catch fastener(s) through one or more catch hole  36 . Catch fasteners may include bolts, screws, nails and other similar fasteners. The catch may include a catch slot  38  adapted to receive the slide bolt  14 . The catch slot  38  may be aligned with the slide bolt  14  such that the catch slot  38  may receive the slide bolt  14 .  FIG. 2  depicts an example of the catch slot  38  receiving the slide bolt  14 .  FIG. 3  depicts an example of the slide bolt  14  not within the catch slot  38 . The catch slot  38  may be of any shape that allows the slide bolt  14  to be received within it. 
         [0019]    The pendant  20  may be slidably coupled to the animal enclosure gate  10 . In some examples, the pendant  20  may engage the slide bolt  14  such that the slide bolt  14  is substantially restricted from sliding. The pendant  20  may be coupled to the animal enclosure gate  10  at a location higher (from the animal enclosure floor) on the animal enclosure gate  10  than the slide bolt  14  is coupled to the animal enclosure gate  10 . In some embodiments, the pendant  20  may be coupled to the animal enclosure gate  10  at a location lower (from the animal enclosure ceiling) on the animal enclosure gate  10  than the slide bolt  14  is coupled to the animal enclosure gate  10 . 
         [0020]    In some examples, the pendant  20  may include one or more pendant hole  40  into which a pendant fastener  42  may fit. The pendant hole  40  may be of any shape that allows the pendant fastener  42  to move within it relative to the pendant hole  40 . The pendant fastener  42  may include bolts, screws, nails and other similar fasteners, and may be coupled to the animal enclosure gate  10  at a fixed location. During operation of the pendant  20 , the pendant hole  40  may move relative to the pendant fastener  42 . In this manner, the pendant  20  may move from a first position to a second position.  FIGS. 2 and 3  depict examples of a first position of the pendant  20  and a second position of the pendant  20 , respectively. In some examples, the pendant  20  may slide in a direction that is substantially parallel to the wall(s) (e.g., vertical) of the animal enclosure. In some examples, the pendant  20  may slide in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the wall(s) (e.g., vertical) of the animal enclosure. In some examples, the animal enclosure gate  10  may include the one or more pendant hole  40  and the pendant fastener  42  may be coupled to the pendant  20 . 
         [0021]    In some examples, the pendant  20  may be slidably coupled to the animal enclosure gate  10  via one or more pendant fastener  42  that may include a bushing  50 . The bushing  50  may be received within the pendant hole  40 . The bushing  50  may help ensure that the pendant  20  easily drops into place via gravity or some other force. The pendant fastener  42  may “bottom out” on the bushing  50 , thus permitting the pendant  20  to slide up and down freely. Example bushings  50  may be comprised of stainless steel, brass, copper, aluminum, plastic and/or other similar materials. 
         [0022]    In some embodiments, the pendant  20  includes one or more pendant handle  44 . The pendant handle  44  may be adapted to allow a human operator to operate the pendant  20  while inside the animal enclosure  12  and/or while outside the animal enclosure  12 . This allows a human operator to move the pendant  20  if enclosed within the animal enclosure  12 , while also providing a mechanism for easily sliding the pendant  20  when the human operator is operating the latching device  100  standing outside the animal enclosure  12 . In some examples, a pendant handle  44  may be angled approximately  90  degrees. In some examples, a pendant handle  44  may not be angled. 
         [0023]    Some embodiments further include a pendant notch  46  on the pendant  20 . The pendant notch  46  may receive and/or engage the slide bolt  14  during operation of the latching device  100 . In this manner, the pendant  20  may restrict sliding of the slide bolt  14  when the pendant  20  is received and/or engaged in the slide bolt notch  28 .  FIG. 2  depicts an example in which the pendant notch  46  and the slide bolt notch  28  are engaged. The pendant notch  46  may be a notch, a cut-out, a slot, a void and/or the like, and may be of any shape effective to receive and/or engage the slide bolt  14 . 
         [0024]    In some examples, pendant  20  may include one or more pendant lock hole  48 . In some examples, the pendant lock hole  48  may be located in a pendant handle  44 . The pendant lock hole  48  may receive a lock (e.g., a padlock, a combination lock). In some examples, the pendant lock hole  48  and retainer lock hole  32  may align such that a lock may be inserted into both the pendant lock hole  48  and retainer lock hole  32 , thus restricting the pendant  20  from moving. In this manner, when the pendant  20  and slide bolt  14  are engaged, the lock may restrict the pendant  20  from moving, and, in turn, may restrict the slide bolt  14  from sliding. 
         [0025]    As depicted in  FIG. 5 , an animal enclosure latching device  100  for latching an animal enclosure gate  10  to an animal enclosure  12  is provided.  FIG. 5  depicts an embodiment in which the animal enclosure latching device  100  latches the animal enclosure gate  10  to the animal enclosure  12  near the right side of the animal enclosure gate  10 . However, it is within the scope of this disclosure that animal enclosure latching device  100  may be located at any point on the animal enclosure gate  10  and animal enclosure  12 . For example, the animal enclosure latching device  100  may be located near the left side of the animal enclosure gate  10 , or near the animal enclosure  12  floor or ceiling (if any). In some examples, there may be more than one animal enclosure latching device  100  for latching the animal enclosure gate  10  to the animal enclosure  12 . 
         [0026]    Following from the above description and invention summaries, it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that, while the methods and apparatuses herein described constitute exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the inventions contained herein are not limited to the above precise embodiment and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Likewise, it is to be understood that it is not necessary to meet any or all of the identified advantages or objects of the invention disclosed herein in order to fall within the scope of the invention, since inherent and/or unforeseen advantages of the present invention may exist even though they may not have been explicitly discussed herein.