Abstract:
A window mounted system that will permit a cat to independently exit and enter a dwelling, apartment, mobile home, recreational vehicle or the like, includes internal partitions or curtains for minimizing heat loss and preventing odors from entering the dwelling.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to egress and ingress portals for small pets, especially cats. More specifically, the present invention relates to a window mounted system that will permit a cat to independently exit and enter a dwelling, apartment, mobile home, recreational vehicle or the like, that also provides internal partitions or curtains for minimizing heat loss and preventing odors from entering the dwelling. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The prior art includes a number of window mounted pet enclosures which provide access for a cat, for example, from the interior of the dwelling into the enclosure. Such enclosures provide the pet with an opportunity to experience the out of doors while remaining safely within the confines of the enclosure and the dwelling. These enclosures may have windows or may be ventilated to the outside, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,337,697 and 5,167,202. Some may contain a litter box within the enclosure as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,438, or provide facilities for food and water, U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,291. In each instance, however, these enclosures are intended to prevent the pet from actually entering the outside world. If the pet owner desired to put the pet outside, such enclosures would be of no use and the pet owner would be required to open the door in the conventional manner. Other devices such as the “doggy door” permit access to the outside, but do not provide a suitable means to minimize heat loss or prevent odors from entering the dwelling. Moreover, a doggy door is a permanent installation. 
     Therefore, it is the object of the invention to provide a window mounted portal for a pet between the indoors and the out of doors. It is a further object of this invention to provided a system for minimizing heat loss and the entry of odors back into the house. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention comprises a box like structure which is mounted in a window having at least one opening to the interior of the dwelling and at least one opening to the out of doors. The structure, has a floor or bottom wall, a ceiling or top wall, and side and end walls between the top and bottom walls. The openings are typically located in the side walls of the structure facing indoors and outdoors, respectively. At least one floor to ceiling partial divider runs along the interior of the box, creating a U-shaped interior passageway through which the pet must travel to access the inside of the dwelling or the out of doors. Located in the passageway is at least two, and preferably several, flexible flaps or doors through which the pet travels to reach its destination. The flexible flaps or doors, which may be made of vinyl or rubber, for example, fit snugly to the sides of the passageway and between them form one or more airlocks to minimize the loss of heat from the dwelling and to also prevent outside odors from entering. Yet they are sufficiently flexible to enable the cat to easily push them aside while walking through the structure. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals depict like parts, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention in a window mounted installation; 
     FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 a  is a partially exploded perspective view of the top wall of the structure showing the 
     internal flaps; 
     FIG. 3 b  is a partially exploded perspective view of the bottom portion of the structure showing the interior passageway of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of the present invention showing the interior passageway. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the pet portal  1  according to the preferred embodiment consists of a generally box-like structure  1  that is preferably mounted in a window opening  2  of a house or like dwelling, i.e., a mobile home, apartment, recreational vehicle for example. As shown in FIG. 1, the pet portal extends from inside the dwelling to the out-of-doors allowing the pet to enter and exit the structure through openings  15  and platform  16 . The pet portal  1  is mounted in window opening  2 . Housing  10  rests on window sill  4 , and is secured on the sides by the window frame  3 , with top wall  11  of the structure secured at the top by window sash  6 . Extension panel  20  contained in the structure is extended outward so as to engage window frame  3  and is further secured by window sill  4  and sash  6 . Any remaining gap or space between extension panel  20  and window sash  6  at the top or window sill  4  at the bottom may be filled in by a strip of foam rubber  7 , or other material capable of snugly inserted into the gap. Extension panel  20  may be extended toward or out from housing  10  to accommodate various size openings. The pet portal  1  may also include an accordion type, sliding frame extension panel  2  in a manner similar to the conventional window air conditioner. 
     As shown in FIG. 3 a , top wall  11  has at least one internal flap or door  17  made of vinyl or flexible rubber or the like depending therefrom. Alternatively, flap  17  may comprise a plurality of elongate strips  17   a . Preferably, but not necessarily flaps  17  or  17   a  as the case may be, are weighted at their bottoms  17   b . In use, top wall  11  is amounted atop housing  10  and flaps  17  extend downward from the bottom surface of top wall  11  into the internal passageway  14  (as shown in FIGS. 3 b  and  4 ) of the pet portal  1 , fitting snugly between interior dividers  21  and the inner surfaces of housing  10  to the sides and upper surface  18  housing  10 . In this fashion, flaps  17  act as airlocks to minimize loss of heat from the inside of the house and to prevent the passage of odors from outside the house, while also being sufficiently flexible or movable to enable the pet to easily push them aside in the manner of a tent flap, while walking through the structure. Dividers  21  serve to create internal passageway  14  and also serve to secure extension panel  20  which is slidable therebetween accommodate different sized window openings. Extension panel may be locked in place by mechanical fixture  20   a  or the like. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, platform  16  provides entry and egress through openings  15 . The pet travels through internal passageway  14  created by dividers  21  on surface  18 . Although not shown, flaps  17  hang down into the passageway as described. 
     The present invention as described may be constructed of wood, plastic, or any other material suitable to serve as a structure for these purposes. The structure need not be limited to a box-like structure, and may be formed at least in part of a transparent material such as glass or plexiglass and/or contain one or more windows or transparent panels (shown in phantom at  30 ) built into the walls, e.g. walls  10  and  15  may contain a window enabling the pet to gaze to the outside while remaining within the confines of the structure. 
     While the present invention has been described in its preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that many variations and embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention as described.