Abstract:
A deployable pet carrier assembly for a vehicle includes a sliding rail guide system configured to attach the pet carrier to a vehicle seat back and collapsible front, rear, and side walls defining a box structure when deployed. An actuator is provided, configured to retain or release the pet carrier walls for transitioning the pet carrier between a collapsed configuration and a deployed configuration. The sliding guide rail system includes front and rear guide rails configured to slidingly hold the pet carrier front wall and rear wall. A tray may be included to define a floor of the pet carrier.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates generally to pet carriers. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a deployable pet carrier for a motor vehicle, the carrier being conveniently disposed within the vehicle for easy access and use. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Persons often must travel in their motor vehicles with their pets, for example for veterinary appointments, when moving, or even simply for companionship. However, an unrestrained animal in a vehicle presents a driver distraction and so potentially a hazard. Additionally, in the event of even a minor collision, an unrestrained animal is subject to severe injury. Still more, even a small unrestrained pet subjected to deceleration forces in a collision becomes a dangerous projectile that can injure the vehicle occupants. 
         [0003]    For these and other reasons, various means of restraining animals in a vehicle have been developed. It is known, for example, to restrain animals by attaching a leash or other tether at one end to a collar or harness worn by the animal and at the other end to a portion of the vehicle such as a seatbelt harness, door handle, etc. This type of restraint likewise risks injury to the animal during a collision, since the animal will travel at least a short distance before reaching the end of the leash, exacerbating the deceleration force of the collision. Also, a leashed pet may be less likely to exercise restraint in relieving itself in the vehicle at need. 
         [0004]    It is likewise known to use pet carriers to transport an animal in a vehicle. These are typically simply conventional carriers or crates as would be used in a home, placed loose in the vehicle and into which the animal is placed prior to operating the vehicle. However, such loose crates likewise become projectiles during a collision, risking injury to vehicle occupants. Conventional crates or pet carriers, while effective in restraining an animal, are also inconvenient in that they occupy significant space in a vehicle even if no pet is present. 
         [0005]    To solve this and other problems, the present disclosure relates at a high level to a deployable pet carrier. Advantageously, the described deployable pet carrier is configured for securing to a motor vehicle seat back, includes collapsible side walls for pet security, and further includes a convenient deploying mechanism. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, in one aspect a deployable pet carrier assembly for a vehicle is described. The carrier assembly includes a sliding rail guide system configured to attach the pet carrier to a vehicle seat back and collapsible front, rear, and side walls defining a carrier structure when deployed. The sliding guide rail system includes front and rear guide rails configured to slidingly hold the pet carrier front wall and rear wall. An actuator is provided, configured to retain or release the pet carrier walls for transitioning the pet carrier between a collapsed configuration and a deployed configuration. 
         [0007]    In embodiments, each of the pet carrier front wall and rear wall is defined by a plurality of intersecting rails configured to provide a collapsible grid. Likewise, in embodiments each of the pet carrier side walls is defined by a plurality of interconnected panels configured to provide a collapsible panel. A tray is provided to define a floor for the carrier. 
         [0008]    In the following description, there are shown and described embodiments of the disclosed deployable pet carrier. As it should be realized, the carrier is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the devices and methods as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the disclosed deployable pet carrier, and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  depicts a deployable pet carrier according to the present disclosure; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  depicts deployed front and rear walls of the carrier of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  depicts a deployed folding wall of the carrier of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4A  depicts the carrier of  FIG. 1  in the stored configuration, including an actuator embodiment for deploying the carrier; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4B  shows the actuator embodiment of  FIG. 4A  in isolation; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  depicts the carrier of  FIG. 1  in the stored configuration, attached to an upright seat back of a second row seat of a motor vehicle; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  shows the carrier of  FIG. 5  with the second row seat back folded forward; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  depicts the carrier of  FIG. 6  in the deployed configuration. 
       
    
    
       [0018]    Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the disclosed deployable pet carrier, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Turning to  FIG. 1 , a collapsible pet carrier assembly  10  is depicted, configured for attaching to a vehicle seat back  12 . Broadly, the pet carrier assembly  10  includes collapsible front and rear walls  14 ,  14 ′ and collapsible side walls  16 ,  16 ′. Front and rear (not visible in this view) guide rails  18 ,  18 ′ slidingly hold at least the front and rear walls  14 ,  14 ′ and secure the pet carrier assembly  10  to the vehicle seat back  12 . In one embodiment, at least one edge of front and rear walls  14 ,  14 ′ is pivotally attached to a corresponding end of guide rails  18 ,  18 ′ (see arrow). 
         [0020]    A tray  20  is provided which serves as a floor for the pet carrier  10 , optionally including a separate or integral perforated mat  22 . As will be appreciated, the mat  22  provides a surface for a pet (not shown) having greater grip, and further allows drainage of liquid onto tray  20  in the event the pet relieves itself. Conveniently, tray  20  and mat  22  are removable for ease of cleaning and replacement at need. Molded studs or other fasteners (not visible in this view) prevent inadvertent dislodgment of the tray  20 /mat  22  when the pet carrier assembly  10  is held in a stored configuration as discussed below. 
         [0021]    In an embodiment (see  FIG. 2 ), the front and rear walls  14 ,  14 ′ are defined by a plurality of intersecting rails  24 , pivotally interconnected one to another to define a collapsible grid structure. A plurality of first rods  26  pivotally connect the edges of front wall  14  to the corresponding edges of rear wall  14 ′, similar in design to a collapsible laundry rack as is known in the art. Intersecting rails  24  may be pivotally interconnected by any suitable structure, such as by pins  28  as shown. As will be appreciated, this feature of a plurality of intersecting rails  24  pivotally interconnected one to another to define collapsible front and rear walls  14 ,  14 ′ allows altering a width dimension of front and rear walls  14 ,  14 ′ during deployment and collapsing of the pet carrier assembly  10  as will be discussed. 
         [0022]    An embodiment of side walls  16 ,  16 ′ is shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown therein, each of side walls  16 ,  16 ′ is defined by a plurality of interconnected panels  30 . Each panel  30  is configured to pivotally accept a first rod  26  through a first edge thereof. In turn, each panel  30  is likewise configured to pivotally accept a second rod  32  through a second, opposed edge thereof, thus interconnecting the plurality of panels  30  to define a collapsible panel side wall that is substantially solid when the pet carrier  10  is in the deployed configuration. In the depicted embodiment, hinge structures  34  are defined in the first and second edges of the panels  30  to allow interconnection thereof as described. As will be appreciated, this feature of interconnected panels  30  to define collapsible side walls  16 ,  16 ′ preserves a width dimension of side walls  16 ,  16 ′ during deployment and collapsing of the pet carrier assembly  10  as will be discussed. 
         [0023]    With reference to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the pet carrier assembly  10  further includes an actuator  36  for retaining the carrier in either the collapsed or the deployed configuration. In one embodiment, the actuator  36  is simply a pushbutton release  38 , including a spring  40  for biasing pushbutton  38  outwardly through a first bore  42  defined in front rail  18 . In this configuration, the pet carrier  10  is in the collapsed configuration shown in  FIG. 4A . To deploy the carrier, a user need only urge the pushbutton  38  rearwardly against spring  40  (see arrow A) to clear bore  42 , and may then raise front/rear walls  14 ,  14 ′ and side walls  16 ,  16 ′ upwardly to a deployed configuration. 
         [0024]    As the carrier is deployed, the “footprint” defined by front/rear walls  14 ,  14 ′ and side walls  16 ,  16 ′ decreases slightly, and pushbutton  38  translates laterally (see arrow B). As the carrier reaches the fully deployed configuration (see  FIG. 7 ), pushbutton  38  reaches and engages a second bore  44 , thus maintaining deployed configuration until a user wishes to collapse the structure. Of course, the process of collapsing the carrier is simply the inverse of the process of deploying as described above. 
         [0025]    Turning now to  FIGS. 5-7 , conveniently the pet carrier assembly  10  is secured in the collapsed configuration to an upright vehicle V seatback  12  by guide rails  18 ,  18 ′ (see  FIG. 5 ). As shown, front wall  14  is disposed above rear wall  14 ′. In this configuration, actuator  36  is conveniently accessible to a user by way of passenger door D (not shown in this view, but see  FIG. 6 ) when seatback  12  is folded forward. However, although the inverse relationship is also contemplated (rear wall  14 ′ disposed above front wall  14 ). Thus, the pet carrier assembly  10  is conveniently available for use at a moment&#39;s notice, but does not occupy a significant portion of the available storage space of, for example, the vehicle cargo area C. 
         [0026]    To use the pet carrier assembly  10 , at least the portion of vehicle seat back  12  to which the carrier is secured is folded forward (see  FIG. 6 ). Next, the pet carrier is deployed as described above, by operation of actuator  36 , and the carrier is translated to the deployed configuration ( FIG. 7 ). During this translation, as the front/rear walls  14 ,  14 ′ and side walls  16 ,  16 ′ are raised, the carrier footprint decreases slightly as described above, i.e. front/rear walls  14 ,  14 ′ lessen in width and side wall  16 ′ translates towards side wall  16  without altering a width dimension thereof (note the greater portion of guide rails  18 ,  18 ′ visible in the deployed configuration compared to the collapsed configuration of  FIG. 6 ). Then, actuator  36  engages second bore  44  (not visible in this view) to retain the carrier in the deployed configuration. 
         [0027]    Typically, a pet is placed on tray  20 /mat  22  before deploying the pet carrier assembly  10  as described above. This is because after deployment the vehicle roof/headliner is typically sufficiently near a top edge of front/rear walls  14 ,  14 ′ and side walls  16 ,  16 ′ that the vehicle roof/headliner serves as a de facto lid or top for the pet carrier assembly  10 . However, it will be appreciated that alternative configurations are possible, for example providing a separate lid or top (not shown) for a pet carrier assembly  10  having shorter walls or when using the pet carrier assembly in a vehicle having a higher roof/headliner to prevent the pet from inadvertently exiting the carrier. 
         [0028]    Thus, it will be appreciated that a simple, effective vehicle-mounted pet carrier is provided, which is stored in a vehicle without significant negative impact on available storage space in the vehicle. The carrier is easily deployed for use as needed, and equally easily collapsed for storage when not needed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.