Abstract:
A gate within a gate within a barrier. A first, relatively small gate is engaged within a second, relatively large gate, which is engaged in a barrier for extending across a passageway of a residence. The relatively large gate can be closed to, for example, minimize access of toddlers to the passageway, while the relatively small gate can be opened to, for example, maximize access of small dogs to the passageway. One example of a passageway is the head or bottom of a stairway. The relatively large gate, when closed, minimizes toddlers from falling down or climbing up stairs. The relatively small gate, when open, permits small dogs to walk down or climb up the stairs.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/722,347 filed Oct. 1, 2005. Such provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this application. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention generally relates to a barrier in a residential home, particularly to such a barrier having a gate, and specifically to such a barrier having a first gate that in turn has a second gate.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Homes are dangerous places for children. Children fall down stairs, stick forks into electrical sockets, climb onto countertops, put metal objects into microwaves, turn on gas stoves, operate electric hair dryers on wet floors, hide in freezers and front load washers and dryers, open medicine cabinets, and pester old dogs. New parents soon become safety conscious.  
         [0004]     A staircase is especially dangerous. The staircase itself is enticing. It offers a place to slide down. Or, if an open staircase, it is a cliff off which to hang and drop. What is beyond the staircase is further fun. The staircase may lead to a dark basement. Or it may run to a strangely lit attic.  
         [0005]     Some rooms can temporarily or permanently be off-limits to children. One such room is the kitchen. For example, the cook may not wish to watch where he or she is walking while carrying a hot dish in glass bakeware from the stove to a counter top.  
         [0006]     To minimize some of the above problems, a child safety gate may help to keep a child out of a certain area. The child safety gate may be positioned at the top of a staircase or at the bottom of a staircase. The child safety gate may be positioned between the living room and the kitchen while dinner is prepared. Or the child safety gate may be positioned at some other location in the home.  
         [0007]     One problem with the child safety gate is its very nature: it is a barrier. For example, even an adult has difficulty stepping high over the child safety gate, an activity that in itself can inflict serious bodily harm. To minimize such high stepping, many child safety gates have an easy open—but child proof—gate so that the older child or adult is minimally burdened by the barrier.  
         [0008]     Moreover, those who cannot speak of their problems often suffer great inconveniences from a child safety gate. For example, small dogs cannot jump over or squeeze through the child safety gate like a cat. The small dog, therefore, must suffer from 1) lack of attention from a small child because the small dog cannot—because of the child safety gate—gain access to the child or 2) too much attention from a small child because the small dog cannot—because of the child safety gate—get away from the child.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     A feature of the present invention is the provision in a removable barrier in a residential home having a relatively large gate, of a relatively small gate within the relatively large gate.  
         [0010]     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in such a removable barrier, of the size of the relatively small gate being sufficiently great to permit the passage of a relatively small dog, and of the size of the relatively small gate being sufficiently small to prevent a toddler from climbing through the relatively small gate. Preferably, the relatively small gate measures about ten inches in height (from top to bottom) and about seven inches in width (from side to side).  
         [0011]     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in such a removable barrier, of the relatively large gate swinging on an axis that is offset from the axis on which the relatively small gate swings.  
         [0012]     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in such a removable barrier, of the relatively large gate swinging on an axis that is generally parallel to the axis on which the relatively small gate swings.  
         [0013]     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in such a removable barrier, of each of the relatively large and small gates having lowermost portions, and of the lowermost portions confronting each other and being swingable relative to each other.  
         [0014]     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in such a removable barrier, of the relatively large gate being swingable in one of a forward and rearward direction, and of the small gate being swingable in each of the forward and rearward directions.  
         [0015]     An advantage of the present invention is that a small dog may be permitted to pass through the present residential home passageway barrier and, at the same time, a toddler is not permitted to pass through the child safety gate.  
         [0016]     Another advantage of the present invention is that the present residential home passageway barrier is inexpensive to manufacture.  
         [0017]     Another advantage of the present invention is that the present residential home passageway barrier is simple to set up in a passageway of a residential home.  
         [0018]     Another advantage of the present invention is that the present residential home passageway barrier is simple to operate.  
         [0019]     Another advantage of the present invention is that the present residential home passageway barrier is simple to take down from a passageway in a residential home.  
         [0020]     Another advantage of the present invention is that the present residential home passageway barrier is see-through. The frame of the residential home passageway barrier is see through. The relatively large gate is see through. The relatively small gate is see through. The caretakers and children can see each other when on opposing sides of the barrier.  
         [0021]     Another advantage of the present invention is that the present residential home passageway barrier is removable from the passageway of the residential home and portable such that the barrier can be set up at another location. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the present residential passageway barrier set up in a passageway of a residential home, where the passageway is shown in phantom.  
         [0023]      FIG. 1B  shows a front partial view of the residential passageway barrier of  FIG. 1A  and further shows a front full view of an extension for the residential passageway barrier of  FIG. 1A .  
         [0024]      FIG. 2A  is a front detail view of the lock mechanism of the residential passageway barrier of  FIG. 1A , where the lock mechanism is in a closed position.  
         [0025]      FIG. 2B  is a front detail view of the lock mechanism of the residential passageway barrier of  FIG. 1A , where the lock mechanism is in an open position.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2C  is a perspective detail view of the relatively small gate of the residential passageway barrier of  FIG. 1A  and shows the relatively small gate in an open position.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION  
       [0027]     As shown in  FIG. 1A , the present residential home passageway barrier or child safety gate is indicated by reference numeral  10 . Barrier  10  generally includes a frame  12 , which includes a relatively large gate  14 , which includes a relatively small gate  16 . Barrier  10  can be set up in a passageway  18  of a residential home  20 . The passageway  18  includes opposing sides  22 ,  24 . Passageway  18  can be a hallway or an entrance into a room or the space at the top of a staircase or the space at the bottom of a staircase or another type of passageway.  
         [0028]     More specifically, frame  12  includes a generally U-shaped main frame portion  26 . Main frame portion  26  includes a lowermost tubular horizontally extending frame member  28  that runs from one side  22  of passageway  18  to the other side  24  of passageway  18 . At each of the ends of the lowermost frame member  28 , a threaded connection  30  is engaged. Threaded connection  30  can be screwed into or out of its respective end of lowermost frame section  28  to effectively lengthen or shorten the length of lowermost frame member  28  such that lowermost frame member  28  can be rigidly and removably engaged between opposing sides  22  and  24  of passageway  18 . Threaded connection  30  includes an elastomeric or plastic or resilient head  32  that engages without marking up the surfaces of sides  22  and  24 .  
         [0029]     U-shaped main frame portion  26  further includes an upright support member  34 . Upright support member  34  is generally T-shaped so as to include an inwardly extending frame member  36  and an outwardly extending frame member  38 . Outwardly extending frame member  38  includes threaded connection  30  having head  32 .  
         [0030]     U-shaped main frame portion  26  further includes upright support member  40 . Upright support member  40  is formed in the shape of an inverted L so as to include an outwardly extending frame member  42  that includes threaded connection  30  with head  32 . Outwardly extending frame member  42  is coaxial with outwardly extending frame member  38 . It should be noted that, when fabricated, U-shaped main frame portion  26  is formed such that upright support members  34  and  40  are slightly oblique relative to one another and are not parallel to one another, such that upright support member  40  lies at an obtuse (greater than ninety degrees) angle relative to lowermost frame member  28 , and such that pressure must be applied to upright support member  40  to draw upright support member  40  into a right angle relationship with lowermost frame member  28 . Such pressure is the screwing outwardly of threaded connections  30  of one or more of support members  38  and  42 . Such pressure and such a drawing in of upright support member  40  provides resiliency and rigidity to frame  12  as a whole. Such pressure and such a drawing in of upright support member  40  drawings the upper portion of upright support member to a locking relationship with locking mechanism  44 .  
         [0031]     Lowermost frame member  28  and upright support members  34  and  40  are preferably one-piece. Each of lowermost frame member  28 , upright support member  34 , and upright support member  40  are rectangular in section and are tubular.  
         [0032]     Frame  12  further includes an upright support member  46  rigidly engaged, such as by welding, between outwardly extending support member  38  and lowermost support member  28 . Frame  12  further includes a generally U-shaped support member  48  rigidly engaged at its ends, such as by welding, to upright support member  46 . Support member  48  confronts side  24  of passageway  18 .  
         [0033]     Frame  12  further includes an upright support member  50  rigidly engaged, such as by welding, between outwardly extending support member  42  and lowermost support member  28 . Frame  12  further includes a generally U-shaped support member  52  rigidly engaged at its ends, such as by welding, to upright support member  50 . Support member  52  confronts side  22  of passageway  18 .  
         [0034]     Relatively large gate  14  is swingably engaged via pin connectors between inwardly extending support member  36  and lowermost support member  28 . Relatively large gate  14  includes a main or exterior rectangular frame portion  54  that includes a lowermost horizontally extending support member  56 , an uppermost horizontally extending support member  58 , an end upright support member  60  that defines the axis on which relatively large gate  14  swings, and an end upright support member  62 . Each of the support members  56 ,  58 ,  60  and  62  are tubular and rectangular in section. Relatively large gate  14  further includes, within the rectangular frame portion  54 , an upright support member  64  extending to and between lowermost support member  56  and uppermost support member  58 , upright support member  66  extending to and between the lowermost support member  56  and uppermost support member  58 , and a horizontally extending support member  68  extending between the upright support members  64  and  66 . Relatively large gate  14  further includes upright support members  70  and  72 , where each of the upright support members  70  and  72  extends to and between horizontally extending support member  68  and uppermost support member  58 . Relatively large gate  14  further includes a rigid tab  73  or downward extension  73  of upright support member  62  that confronts a side surface of horizontally extending support member  28 . With rigid tab  73 , relatively large gate  14  is a one-way swingable gate that swings in only one of a forward or rearward direction, depending upon the orientation of the barrier  10  as a whole and the particular passageway  18  in which the barrier  10  is set up and is barred, via rigid tab  73 , from swinging in the other direction.  
         [0035]     As shown in  FIG. 2C , relatively small gate  16  is swingably engaged via pin connectors  74  between horizontally extending support member  68  and lowermost support member  56 . Relatively large gate  16  includes a main or exterior rectangular frame portion  76  that includes a lowermost horizontally extending support member  78 , an uppermost horizontally extending support member  80 , an end upright support member  82  that defines the axis on which relatively large gate  16  swings, and an end upright support member  84 . Relatively small gate  16  further includes upright support members  86  and  88  extending to and between lowermost support member  78  and uppermost support member  80 . Upright support member  86  is coaxial with upright support member  70  when the relatively small gate  16  is closed. Upright support member  88  is coaxial with upright support member  72  when the relatively small gate  16  is closed. Relatively small gate  16  further includes a coil spring loaded pin connector  90 , mounted in upright support member  84 , that can engage an opening  92  in upright support member  66  via a distal end  94 . Pin connector  90  further includes a roughened cap  96  that acts as a handle that fingers can manipulate to draw the biased pin connector end  94  out of the opening  92 . When cap  96  is released, pin connector end  94  is biased via the internal coil spring such that pin connector end  94  automatically is pushed away from upright support member  84  and into opening  92  if the relatively small gate  16  is aligned with or coplanar with relatively large gate  14 .  
         [0036]     It should be noted that lowermost support member  56  of the relatively large gate  14  is slightly spaced, such as via a nylon or plastic washer, from lowermost support member  28  of main frame  26  such that the relatively large gate  14  is swingable. It should be noted that each of the support members  78 ,  80 ,  82  and  84  of the relatively small gate  16  is slightly spaced from its respective support members  56 ,  68 ,  64  and  66  of the relatively large gate  14  such that the relatively small gate  16  is swingable within the relatively large gate  14 .  
         [0037]     As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , locking mechanism  44  includes a sliding foot  98  having a U-shaped distal end  100  for engaging upright support member  40 , which is rectangular in section, where the U-shape wraps about the upright front and back sides of the upright support member  40 . Foot  98  is engaged in and slides into and out of a body  102  of locking mechanism  44 . Body  102  is fixed, via pin connectors, to the relatively large gate  14  about support members  58 ,  62 , and  66 . U-shaped distal end  100  is drawn away from and pushed back about upright support member  40  via a pivot arm  104  that is swingably fixed to body  102  via a pivot pin  106 . Pivot arm  104  includes a fixed raised portion  108  having a border  110  or edge  110  such that edge  110  and an edge  112  of pivot arm  104  are generally horizontally extending edges that aid a hand getting a grip to lift pivot arm  104  generally vertically to slide distal end  100  onto and off of upright support member  40 . Locking mechanism  44  further includes a lock  114 . Lock  114  includes a body  116  that is slidingly fixed on uppermost support member  58  via a pin  118  engaging a slot in uppermost support member  58 . Body  116  is internally spring loaded, such as via a coil spring, such that body  116  is biased to a normally closed and locked position where a rigid tab  120  or rigid extension  120  of body  116  confronts an end  122  of pivot arm  104 , as shown in  FIG. 2A . Body  116  is slideable from the normally closed and locked position to an open position, as shown in FIG.  2 B, such that tab  120  is slid away from pivot arm end  122  such that pivot arm  104  can be pivoted up, an action that draws foot  98  into pivot arm body  102 , via an internal rider and track arrangement between the pivot arm  104  and the foot  98 .  
         [0038]     As shown in  FIG. 1B , barrier  10  may include a barrier extension  124 . Barrier extension  124  includes a lowermost support member  126  and an uppermost support member  128 . Barrier extension  124  further includes a pair of upright support members  130  and  132  engaged to and between the lowermost support member  126  and uppermost support member  128 . Barrier extension  124  further includes a generally U-shaped support member  134  rigidly engaged at its ends, such as by welding, to upright support member  132 . Support member  134 , when barrier extension  124  is engaged to barrier  10 , confronts one of the sides  22 ,  24  of passageway  18 . Lowermost support member  126  includes a U-shaped connection  136  that engages, such as by a frictional engagement, an end  138  of lowermost support member  28  of frame  12 . Uppermost support member  128  includes a U-shaped connection  140  that engages, such as by a frictional engagement, an end  142  of outwardly extending frame member  38 . The friction fit between U-shaped connections  136  and  140  and respective ends  138  and  142  can be supplemented by an internal pin and hole arrangement, where the pins and holes extend horizontally and where the pin is fixed to one of frame  12  and barrier extension  124  and where the hole is formed in the other of the frame  12  and barrier extension  124 .  
         [0039]     Threaded connection  30  is a removable connection that is screwable off frame  12 , such as off ends  138  and  142 .  FIG. 1A  shows the threaded connection  30  on each of the ends of lowermost support member  28  and on each of the outwardly extending frame sections  38  and  42 .  FIG. 1B  shows the threaded connection  30  off of ends  138 ,  142  and screwed onto the outer ends of support members  126  and  128 . It should be noted that barrier extension  124  is engagable to either end of frame  12  such that barrier extension  124  can confront either support member  48  or support member  52 , that barrier extensions  124  can be utilized on both ends of the frame  12 , and that one barrier extension  124  can engage another barrier extension  124  that can engage still another barrier extension  124  and so on.  
         [0040]     In operation, to install the barrier  10 , the width of the passageway  18  is measured so as to ascertain whether frame  12  will be used by itself or whether a barrier extension  124  will be required. If required, then one or more barrier extensions  124  are engaged. Then the threaded connections  30  having the heads  32  are screwed into the four corners of the barrier  10 . Then the barrier  10  is set between the sides  22  and  24  of the passageway  18  and then the threaded connections  30  are screwed outwardly so as to engage the sides  22  and  24 . When barrier  10  is in place, lowermost support member  28  may lie on the floor or be slightly spaced off the floor. As the threaded connections  30  are screwed out, upright support member  40  is drawn into engagement with the U-shaped distal end  100  of the lock mechanism  44  such that barrier  10  is placed under pressure and such that barrier  10  is secure in its location in the passageway  18 .  
         [0041]     In operation, to open the relatively large gate  14 , the sliding lock  114  is operated to take tab  120  out of a confronting relationship with pivot arm end  122 . Then the pivot arm  104  is lifted to slide in foot  98  and draw U-shaped distal end  100  out of an engaged position with upright support member  40 . Then the relatively large gate  14  is swung open on an axis defined by upright support member  60 . Then the user can walk through the resultant opening of the barrier  10 . Once through, the user swings the relatively large gate  14  shut, slides open the lock  114 , lays down the pivot arm  104  fully onto the pivot arm body  102 , and releases the lock  114 , thus permitting the tab  120  to confront and lay over pivot arm end  122 .  
         [0042]     In operation, to open the relatively large gate  14  without repeatedly using lock  114 , lock  114  is slid away from pivot arm end  122 , which is then lifted up slightly, whereupon lock  114  is released to permit tab  120  to slide under pivot arm end  122  such that pivot arm end  122  lies on top of tab  120 . Then, when a user approaches barrier  10 , the user merely lifts up pivot arm  104  to open the gate  14 , and then merely pushes pivot arm  104  back down to close gate  14  such that the user need not slide lock  114  back and forth. This arrangement may be used, for example, when children are not yet sufficiently tall to reach the pivot arm  104 .  
         [0043]     In operation, to open the relatively small gate  16 , the cap or handle end  96  is drawn out so as to bring the distal pin end  94  out of opening  92 , whereupon the relatively small gate  16  can be swung open about an axis defined by upright support member  82 . Relatively small gate  16  can open to and away from either face of the barrier  10  such that the small gate  16  can open forwardly or rearwardly. When the relatively small gate  16  is open and the connector pin  90  is released, the connector pin  90  is biased such that distal pin end  94  juts out from upright support member  84  and such that distal pin end  94  abuts and make contacts with upright support member  66  as the relatively small gate  16  is swung back to the relatively large gate  14 . Thus, relatively small gate  16  can remain open if desired for a small dog to push open with his or her nose or draw back with his or her paw. To close relatively small gate  16 , pin  90  is drawn in until the distal end  94  can move past upright support member  66  and into the opening  92  of upright support member  66 .  
         [0044]     In operation, when the relatively small gate  16  is open, the opening left by the small gate  16  is sufficiently large such that a small dog can walk through and is sufficiently small such that a toddler cannot crawl through.  
         [0045]     In operation, to uninstall the barrier  10 , one or more threaded connections  30  are screwed into the frame  12  so as to release pressure in frame  12 , and then threaded connections  30  are screwed in (such as one pair of threaded connections engaging side  22 ) to fully release the barrier  10  from the passageway  18 . The barrier  10  can then be carried away and set up at another location or stored.  
         [0046]     Relatively large gate  14  swings on an axis defined by upright support member  60 . Relatively small gate  16  swings on an axis defined by upright support member  82 . Such axis and upright support members  60  and  82  are parallel to and offset from each other.  
         [0047]     U-shaped main frame portion  26  includes a first rigid portion, such as upright support member  34 , and a second rigid portion, such as upright support member  40 . The relatively large gate  14  is swingably engaged to one such rigid portion and lockable to the other such rigid portion.  
         [0048]     Relatively large gate  14  has lowermost support member  56  that confronts and swings relative to lowermost support member  78  of the relatively small gate  16 .  
         [0049]     Relatively large gate  14  is in a plane defined by frame  12  when gate  14  is closed. Relatively small gate  16  is in a plane defined by relatively large gate  14  when small gate  16  is closed such that the frame, large gate  14  and small gate  16  are coplanar when the gates  14  and  16  are closed.  
         [0050]     Tab  73  can be on either of the large gate  14  or on frame portions of the support members confronting upright support member  62 , such as support member  28  such that one of the gate  14  or frame portion can block the other of the gate  14  or frame portion such that gate  14  is a one-way swingable gate.  
         [0051]     Relatively small gate  16  can be swung either way through the plane defined by relatively large gate  16 .  
         [0052]     It should be noted that relatively large gate  14  and relatively small gate  16  are independent of the other. Operation of one gate is not dependent upon operation of the other gate.  
         [0053]     The relatively large gate  14  includes a proximal end frame member, such as upright support member  60 , and a distal end frame member, such as upright support member  62 . The relatively small gate  16  includes a proximal end frame member, such as upright support member  82 , and a distal end frame member, such as upright support member  84 . Such proximal end frame members are spaced from each other. Such distal end frame members are spaced from each other.  
         [0054]     Relatively large gate  14  includes a plurality of upright support members. Relatively small gate  16  includes a plurality of upright support members. The upright support members  86  and  88  of the relatively small gate  16  are coaxial with respective support members  70  and  72  of the relatively large gate  14 .  
         [0055]     One rigid portion of frame  12  includes upright support members  30 ,  46  and  48  and runs on one side of the relatively large gate  14 . Another rigid portion of frame  12  includes upright support members  40 ,  50  and  52  and runs on the other side of the relatively large gate  14 .  
         [0056]     The height of barrier  10  (and the height of relatively large gate  14 ) is preferably between about two feet and about five feet, more preferably between about two and one-half feet and about three and one-half feet, and most preferably between about three feet and about four feet.  
         [0057]     The height (from top to bottom) of an opening left by the open small gate  16  is preferably between about eight and twelve inches, more preferably between about nine and eleven inches, and most preferably about ten inches. The width (from side to side) of an opening left by the open small gate  16  is preferably between about five and nine inches, more preferably between about six and eight inches, and most preferably about seven inches.  
         [0058]     According to the American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright© 2000, a gate is a structure that can be swung, drawn, or lowered to block an entrance or a passageway.  
         [0059]     An example of a gate that can be drawn is a scissors like gate that is drawn shut or opened up accordion style. Another example of a gate that can be drawn shut or drawn open is a sliding gate.  
         [0060]     An example of a gate that can be lowered or raised is a sliding gate. Another example of a gate that can be lowered is a scissors like gate that is lowered or raised accordion style. Still another example of a gate that can be lowered or raised is a gate swinging on a horizontal axis.  
         [0061]     Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalents of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.