Patent Publication Number: US-7913454-B2

Title: Portable pet portal with three-position flap assembly

Description:
RELATED INVENTION 
     The present invention is related to U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,141, issued on Apr. 24, 2007, and entitled “SLIDING DOOR INSERT FOR PORTABLE PET PORTAL.” The related patent has the same inventorship, and the same assignee, as the present Application. The teachings of the related patent are incorporated herein by reference to the extent they do not conflict herewith. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Pet access doors provide an opening, usually equipped with a swinging flap, through which pets can leave or enter a home or other building. The pet access door may be set in a frame for installation in a wall or solid core door. In order to allow a means of passage for a pet through a sliding glass patio door, the door must be left ajar by sliding the moveable glass door away from the patio door frame. The majority of pet access doors manufactured for sliding glass patio doors consist of a rectangular panel designed to fill the opening created when the sliding glass patio door is ajar. A pet portal is inserted into the rectangular panel providing a means of egress and ingress for the pet. Generally sliding glass patio door pet access doors are constructed of a glass panel in the upper portion and a swinging flap pet portal in the lowermost portion encased in an aluminum frame. 
     The purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved flap assembly for use as a bottom component of a pet portal. Also, the improved flap assembly can be separately utilized by building it into existing walls or access doors of homes or commercial buildings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an improved pet portal flap assembly that can be used in replacement of pet portals of prior pet access doors designed for use in swinging doors, walls, and sliding glass patio doors, for example. Also, and most importantly, the present pet portal flap assembly can be built into existing doors or walls for allowing a pet ingres or egress access to homes and other buildings. The pet portal flap assembly includes a magnetic flap ring weather seal to insure minimum air infiltration, and also is manufactured from injection molded polymer providing superior weather insulation relative to exisiting pet portal flap assemblies. Further unique to the present pet portal flap assembly is the provision of a handle operated mechanism that permits the rotable flap portion to be raised and locked into an uppermost position for providing both ingress and egress to a pet through the pet portal. In a second positioning of the handle and the flap, for retaining the flap in a mid position, the flap is restrained to only swing in a direction for permitting a pet to have ingress into the home or building, while preventing the flap from permitting egress through the portal to outside areas from the home or building. By operating the handle to move the flap to a lowermost position, the lowermost portions of the flap are entrapped within a channel formed between interior and exterior frames associated with the flap, preventing any movement of the flap, thereby locking the flap vertically, while maximizing the weather seal associated with the flap assembly. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, magnetic means are utilized for retaining individual components of the flap door together when the flap is positioned in its intermediate position for permitting only ingress of a pet through the pet portal. Also, secondary magnetic means are provided in another embodiment of the invention for insuring positive closure of the flap when not being moved inward or outward relative to the vertical plane of the associated door or sliding door insert. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the drawings, in which like items are identified by the same reference designation, wherein: 
         FIG. 1A  is an exploded assembly view of the present pet portal flap assembly relative to installation in a swinging door, for example; 
         FIG. 1B  is an exploded assembly view that is complementary to the exploded assembly view of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIGS. 2A through 2E  show front pictorial, front elevational, back elevational, left-side elevational (the right-side elevational being a mirror image), and top plan views (the bottom plan view being identical), respectively, of an interior frame for one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 3A through 3F  show a front pictorial, front elevational, back elevational, left-side elevational (the right-side elevational being a mirror image), top plan, and bottom plan views, respectively, of an interior flap door for an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 4A through 4E  show front pictorial, front elevational, back elevational, left-side elevational (the right-side elevational being a mirror image thereof), and top plan (the bottom plan view is identical) views, respectively, of a bezeled locking hinge for an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 5A through 5F  show perspective or pictorial, front elevational, back elevational, left-side elevational (the right-side elevational is a mirror image thereof); top plan, and bottom plan views, respectively, for a flap ring for one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 6A through 6F  show perspective or pictorial, front elevational, back elevational, right-side elevational (the left-side elevational being a mirror image), top plan, and bottom plan views, respectively, for an exterior flap for one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a front elevational view of a swinging door having a recessed rectangular hole proximate the bottom thereof for receiving the flap door assembly of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 8A through 8E  show perspective or pictorial, front elevational, back elevational, right-side elevational (the left-side elevational view being a mirror image), top plan (the bottom plan being a mirror image thereof) views, respectively, for an exterior frame for one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 9  shows an exploded assembly view of a hinge-flap assembly for one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 10  shows an enlarged view of the initial assembly of a magnet into an interior magnet pocket of an interior flap for an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 11  shows an enlarged view of the magnet of  FIG. 15  being held within the pocket of the interior flap via a “sandwiching” of the interior and exterior flaps for an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 12  shows an exploded assembly view of a first stage for assembling the present hinged-flap assembly for an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 13  shows an exploded assembly view for a second stage of assembling the present flap assembly; 
         FIG. 14A  is a detailed view showing an exploded assembly view of the insertion of a post on the flap ring just prior to insertion into pockets located in the interior flap door; 
         FIG. 14B  shows an enlarged view of a portion of the completed assembly of the flap ring into the bezeled locking hinge and interior flap door for an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 15  shows an exploded assembly view of the assembly of the exterior flap into the previously assembled bezeled locking hinge with interior flap and flap ring assembly, for an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 16  is a pictorial view showing an exterior of the completed hinge-flap assembly for an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 17A and 17B  show the installation of the interior frame to the hinge-flap assembly for an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 17C  shows the completed installation of the interior frame to the flap assembly; 
         FIG. 18A  is an exploded assembly diagram showing the installation of the flap assembly into a recessed hole in a swinging door, for example; 
         FIG. 18B  shows the completed installation of the flap assembly in the front or interior side of a swinging door; 
         FIG. 19  shows an exploded assembly view of the installation of the exterior frame to the back of the interior frame assembly on the exterior side of the swinging door; 
         FIG. 20  shows a pictorial view of the interior frame receiving screws for rigidly securing it to the exterior frame with the flap assembly secured therebetween in the swinging door; 
         FIG. 21  shows a pictorial view of the interior frame and flap assembly as installed in a swinging door, for example; 
         FIG. 22  shows a partially cutaway side and central longitudinal cross sectional view of positioning of the movable flap for allowing the flap to only open inward or interior wise from the interior frame; 
         FIG. 23  is a detailed view looking inward at the back of the interior frame through the bezeled locking hinge for showing the positioning of the operating handle mechanism relative to interior locking tabs for maintaining the flap operation in a halfway position as shown in  FIG. 22 ; 
         FIG. 24  is a detailed partial cross sectional view showing the location of the flap door and flap seal between the interior and the exterior frame for allowing the flap door to operate as shown in  FIG. 22 ; 
         FIG. 25  shows a partially cutaway side and central longitudinal cross sectional view of the positioning of the moveable flap for permitting the flap to move in a direction away from the exterior frame or in a direction away from the interior frame, for allowing a pet full ingress or egress through the pet portal for an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 26  is a detailed view showing the positioning of the operating handle relative to the locking tabs on the interior frame for flap operation as in  FIG. 25 ; 
         FIG. 27  shows the positioning of the bottom portion of the flap in a cross sectional detail for permitting operation of the flap or full movement of the flap as shown in  FIG. 25 ; 
         FIG. 28  shows a partial cutaway side and central longitudinal cross sectional view of the flap in a closed position, that is its lowermost position; 
         FIG. 29  is a detailed view showing the positioning of the bezel handle locking tab looking through the hinge bezel at the back of the interior frame relative to the locking tabs located on the back of the interior frame; 
         FIG. 30  shows a detailed partial cutaway view of the lower portion of the flap and bezel hinge as entrapped between the interior and exterior frames, in the closed position of  FIG. 28 , for preventing movement of the flap; 
         FIG. 31A  is a detailed view of the handle and living hinge configuration for the upper back portion of the bezel locking hinge; 
         FIG. 31B  shows a cross-sectional cutaway view of the design of the bezel handle mechanism including a living hinge and locking tab; 
         FIG. 31C  is a detailed view of the upper front portion of the bezel hinge showing the bezel handle operating mechanism in further detail relative to  FIGS. 31A and 31B ; 
         FIGS. 32A and 32B  show interior and exterior elevational views of a sliding glass patio door with a pet door panel installed therewith along with the present pet portal, for example. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is as indicated above related to the present inventors&#39; U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,141, the details of which are incorporated herein to the extent that they do not conflict herewith. Note that the flap assembly as shown and described herein is different from that of U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,141. 
     An exploded assembly view is shown in  FIG. 1A  of the present flap assembly in association with its being mounted into a rectangular hole  2  to cut into a portion of a swinging door  4 . The flap assembly can otherwise be mounted within an appropriately sized hole through a wall, or through the bottom portion of any structural or door-like component for providing a pet portal. As will be described in greater detail below, it is first required that the flap assembly components consisting of the interior flap door  6 , magnet  8  for interior flap door  6 , bezeled locking hinge  10 , magnet  12  (snapped into bezeled locking hinge  10 ), flap ring  14 , ferromagnetic metal bar  16  (molded into the flap ring  14 ), and exterior flap  18 , first are assembled together for providing the main assembly of the present flap assembly. Once these components have been assembled together, this main flap assembly  20  is inserted into the cutout portion or rectangular hole  2  of the swinging door  4 , in this example, followed by installing the interior frame  22  onto the bezeled handle  38  (as described in detail below), whereafter circular bushings  24  protruding from opposing vertical back edges of interior frame  22  are inserted into predrilled holes  26  (See  FIG. 1B ) appropriately located about the circumferential vertical sides of the rectangular hole or cutout  2 . An exterior frame  28  is mounted onto the exterior side of the door  4  over the rectangular hole or opening  2 . Circular bushings  30  protruding from the vertical edges on the back of the exterior frame  28  are pushed into the holes  26  that have been drilled through to the exterior side of the door. Screws  32  (trilobular screws, in this example) are pushed into the bushing holes  34  on the front of the interior frame  22 , and screwed into the bushings  30  of the exterior frame  28 , for completing the mounting of the flap assembly into the swinging door  4 , in this example. After the screws are tightened, the present flap assembly is ready for operation, as will be described below. Note that  FIG. 1B  is a side view showing the final installation of the present flap assembly  20  via installation of the interior frame  22  and exterior frame  28  onto the door with the flap assembly  20  therebetween. Also  FIG. 7  shows the preparation of a swinging door  4  for receiving the flap assembly, interior frame  22  and exterior frame  28 . Note in this example, the rectangular hole  2  through door  4 . 
       FIGS. 2A through 3E  show the design of the interior frame  22 . As described further below, the interior frame  22  includes circular bushings  24 , a rectangular hole  25 , screw holes  34 , and a rectangular open slot  52 . 
       FIG. 3A through 3F  show the design of the interior flap door  6 . As described further below, the design includes mounting hinges  42 , hinge pockets  46 , and blind holes  45  for receiving securement tabs  51  of exterior flap  18  (see  FIGS. 6C and 6D ) to secure the two together. 
       FIGS. 4A through 4E  show design details for the bezeled locking hinge  10 . As described further below, the associated design includes a rectangular opening  39 , a recessed pocket  11 , a bezel handle  38 , and hinge rods  44 . 
       FIGS. 5A through 5F  show the design for the flap ring  14 . As described further below, the associated design includes hinge posts  43 , a recessed pocket  17 , a lower inwardly directed step  27 , and an upper inwardly directed step  19  across its cross member  23  and inner portion of its opposing vertical arms  13 . 
       FIGS. 6A through 6F  show design details for the exterior flap  18 . As described further below, the associated design includes mounting hinges  48 , strengthening ribs  49 , hinge pockets  50 , and, securement tabs  51 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a pictorial view of swinging door  4  into which a rectangular hole  2  has been cut for receiving the present flap assembly  20 . The hole  2  receives interior frame  22  on the interior side, and exterior frame  28  on the exterior side, respectively. Bushing holes  26  are included, as shown. 
       FIGS. 8A through 8E  show details of the design of the exterior frame  28 . As described further below, exterior frame  28  includes a rectangular opening  21 , and circular bushings  30 . 
     An exploded assembly view of the hinge-flap assembly  20  is shown in  FIG. 9 . As previously indicated, as shown, the main hinge-flap assembly  20  includes the exterior flap  18 , flap ring  14 , bezel locking hinge  10 , and interior flap  6 . Note that interior flap  6  is longer and wider than exterior flap  18 , whereby when the two are joined together, the bottom and side portions of the interior flap  6  extend beyond bottom and side portions of exterior flap  18 , forming an inwardly directed step from the side and bottom portion of the exterior flap  18  to the interior flap  6  (see  FIG. 24 ). Also note the installation of the flap magnet  8  in the interior flap  6 , the installation of the magnet  12  in the bezel locking hinge  10 , and the installation of the ferromagnetic metal bar  16  in the flap ring  14 . The metal bar  16  can be molded into the flap ring  14 , or otherwise secured thereto, for example. As will be described in greater detail below, through use of the ferromagnetic bar  16 , the magnet  8 , and flap ring magnet  12 , proper alignment for weather sealing the interior and exterior flaps  6 ,  18 , respectively, with the flap ring  14  and bezel locking hinge  10 , and allows the flaps  6 ,  18  to be moved downward from an uppermost location to either of two lower locations through operation of the bezel handle  38 , as will be described in detail below. 
     In  FIG. 10 , a detailed view is shown of the installation of the flap magnet  8  into an interior magnet pocket  40  in the lower portion of the interior flap or flap door  6 . As further shown in detail in  FIG. 11 , after assembly of the exterior flap  18  to the interior flap  6 , the flap magnet  8  is sandwiched therebetween. However, prior to the “sandwiching” of magnet  8  between the interior and exterior flaps, as shown in  FIG. 12 , with the interior flap magnet  8  installed in the pocket  40  of flap  6 , the interior flap  6  mounting hinges  42  are pushed onto the integral hinge rods  44  located as shown in the upper portion of the bezel rocking hinge  10 . Following this operation, the flap ring  14  has its hinge post  43  mounted into hinge pockets  46  of the interior flap  6 .  FIG. 14A  shows a detailed view of the installation of the left-hand hinge post  43  into its associated hinge pocket  46  of interior flap  6  (see  FIG. 12 ). A detailed view of this installation on the left-hand portion of  FIG. 13  is shown in  FIG. 14A , with the completed installation shown in the detailed view of  FIG. 14B . Next, the exterior flap  18  is installed on the other side of the bezel locking hinge  10 , as shown in  FIG. 15 . The exterior flap mounting hinges  48 , along with its hinge pockets  50  are snapped onto the exterior half portions of the hinge post  44  of the bezel locking hinge  10 , and the exterior halves of the hinge posts  43  of the flap ring  14 . The exterior or back of the completed hinge-flap assembly  20  is shown in  FIG. 16 . 
     The next operation is to install the interior frame  22  onto the flap assembly  20 . As shown in the detailed view of  FIG. 17A , it is necessary to align the rectangular open slot  52  of the interior frame  22  with the bezel handle  38  of the bezel locking hinge  10 . Further reference to the pictorial diagram of  FIG. 17B , the interior frame  22  is then rotated, in this example, counterclockwise to complete the interior frame  22  installation as further shown in  FIG. 17C . 
     The hinge-flap assembly  20  with the interior frame  22  installed thereon, is now ready for installation into an appropriately sized throughhole or opening such as previously illustrated for swinging door  4 , but not limited thereto as previously explained. An example of such installation onto a swinging door  4  is shown in  FIG. 18A . First, the frame assembly  54  of interior frame  22  and flap assembly  20  is mounted into a rectangular hole  2  with the circular bushings  24  of interior frame  22  being pushed into the predrilled holes  26  through swinging door  4  proximate hole  2 . This partially completed assembly is shown in  FIG. 18B . 
     The next operation is to install the exterior frame  28  into the rectangular hole  18  of the swinging door  4  in this example, on the exterior side thereof, as shown in  FIG. 19 . The exterior frame  28  is positioned to permit the circular bushings  30  thereof to be inserted into the predrilled holes  26  on the exterior side of door  4 . The mounting into the swinging door  4  of the hinge-flap assembly  20 , interior frame  22 , and exterior frame  28  is completed by inserting the screws  32  into the holes  34  of interior frame  22 , whereby the screws are then tightly screwed into the bushings  30  of the exterior frame  28 , as shown in  FIG. 20 . When completed, assembly from the interior side of the swinging door  4  is shown in  FIG. 21 . Note that in this example, door  4  has a knob  5  and can be hung for opening inward or outward from the right relative to the interior. 
     The operation of the present hinge-flap assembly will now be described. In  FIG. 22 , a partial cross section and partial cutaway side view is shown of the present assembly as mounted within a swinging door  4 , or within an appropriate sized hole in any wall structure, sliding patio door insert, and so forth, but not limited thereto. The bezel handle  38  is operable by pushing it inward to permit the bezel locking hinge  10  to be selectively moved to an upwardmost position, or mid-position, or a lowermost position, whereby the main hinge-flap assembly  20  can be moved or positioned vertically therewith. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 22 through 24 , when the bezel hinge with the main hinge-flap assembly  20  is moved to a mid-position as shown, the interior flap door  6  and exterior flap door  18 , as cojoined can be moved away from the interior frame  22  for permitting the ingress of a pet through the pet portal, in this example. In  FIG. 23 , looking through the bezel hinge  10  at the back of the interior frame  22 , a first pair of spaced apart interior locking tabs  58  are positioned as shown on the back of the interior frame  22 . A second pair of interior locking tabs  60  are spaced apart from one another, and each are spaced vertically below the first set of interior locking tabs  58  on the back of interior frame  22 , as shown. The bezeled handle  38  is pushed in to release the bezel hinge  10  with the hinge-flap assembly  20  for vertical movement. The position shown in  FIG. 23  is secured when the bezel handle  38  is released causing a locking tab  62  to be positioned as shown between the first and second pairs of locking tabs  58  and  60  on the back of the interior frame  22 . With the bezel locking hinge  10  and hinge-flap assembly  20  in this position, as shown in  FIG. 24 , lower portions of the bezel locking hinge  10  and opposing flap ring portion  14  are trapped between the interior frame  22  and exterior frame  28 . Also in this position, the hinge-flap assembly  20  is sealed via the interaction between the flap door magnet  8  and the interior flap door  6 , and the ferromagnetic metal material  16  molded into the flap ring or seal  14 . In addition the lower portion of the ferromagnetic metal bar  16  is magnetically attracted to the bezel locking hinge magnet  12  carried by the bezel locking hinge  10 , as shown. When a pet pushes against the front of the exterior flap  18 , the magnetic seal between the flap door magnet  8  and metal bar  16  of flap ring  14  is broken, whereby the pet is then able to move the cojoined exterior flap  18  and interior flap  6  inward, with flap ring  14  remaining in place, for permitting the pet to ingress or pass through the associated pet portal into the interior of the facility associated with the swinging door  4 , in this example. 
     Note further that in the rest position of the flap assembly  20  as shown in  FIG. 24 , for example, the inward directed step from exterior flap  18  to interior flap  6  is magnetically clamped to the upper inwardly directed step of flap ring  14  via magnetic attraction between magnet  8  and ferromagnetic bar  16 . Also, the lower inwardly directed step  27  of flap ring  14  is magnetically clamped to the inwardly directed step  29  of bezel locking ring  10  via magnetic attraction between ferromagnetic bar  16  and bezel magnet  12 . 
     The cojoined interior and exterior flaps  6 ,  18 , respectively, can be permitted to move inward or outward relative to the swinging door  4 , that is clockwise or counterclockwise from the vertical rest position as shown in  FIG. 25 , for allowing a pet complete ingress or egress through the associated pet portal. To obtain this operation, the bezel handle  38  is pushed inward to move the flap assembly  20  vertically, and released after the bezel locking tab  62  thereof is positioned on top of the interior locking tabs  58  as shown in  FIG. 26 . When in this position, as shown in  FIG. 27 , lower portions of the flap ring  14 , and exterior flap  18  cojoined with interior flap  6 , are vertically held free of and above the channel formed between the exterior frame  28  and interior frame  22 , as shown in  FIG. 27 . In this position, a weather seal is maintained as previously described relative to  FIG. 24  for the half-way or ingress position of the hinge flap assembly  20 . In this position, the cojoined exterior flap  18  and interior flap  6  can be moved counterclockwise inward for permitting a pet ingress through the pet portal, as previously described. Also, a pet on the interior side of the hinge flap assembly  20  pushes against the interior flap door, for overcoming the magnetic attraction between the bezel locking hinge magnet  12  and the metal bar  16 , for causing the cojoined interior and exterior flaps  6 ,  18 , respectively, to swing clockwise outward with flap ring  14  for permitting the pet egress through the pet portal. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 28 through 30 , for operation of the bezel handle  38 , as previously described, the bezel locking tab  62  can be positioned as shown in  FIG. 29  below the second pair of interior locking tabs  60 . In this position, the hinge-flap assembly  20  is vertically moved to its downwardmost position, wherein its lower portion is positioned in the channel formed between the interior frame  22  and exterior frame  28  as shown in the detailed cross-sectional view of  FIG. 30 . As shown in this position, the ferromagnetic bar  16  in the flap ring  14  is magnetically joined to the interior flap door magnet  8 , and to the bezel locking hinge magnet  12 , as shown, and the cojoined interior flap  6  and exterior flap  18  are prevented from moving inward or outward because of their lowermost portions being entrapped between the interior frame  22  and exterior frame  28 , as shown. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the operation of the bezel handle  38  and its bezel locking tab  62 , and the design thereof will now be described. As shown in  FIG. 31A , the bezel locking hinge  10 , bezel handle  38 , and bezel locking tab  62  are all formed from a single piece of plastic material. Cut-through narrow areas  64  are provided, as shown. A thin area flex point  66  (a living hinge) is provided as shown in  FIG. 31A , and in the cross-sectional detail view of  FIG. 31B . Through use of the cutout portion  64 , and the thin area flex point  66 , the tab handle  38  can be pushed inward along with its integral bezel locking tab  62 , for moving the bezel locking hinge  10  and its associated hinge-flap assembly  20  selectively to either the opened position for permitting a pet ingress and egress, the middle position for only permitting a pet ingress, or to the closed position for preventing any movement of the cojoined flaps  6 ,  18 , respectively, as previously described.  FIG. 31C  is a enlarged pictorial view showing the configuration of the bezel handle  38  and its associated locking tab  62 , relative to the openings  64 . 
     As previously mentioned, the present hinge flap assembly  20  is not limited for use in just swinging doors  4 , as illustrated above. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 32A and 32B , a pet door panel  68  is installed between a sliding door frame  70 , and a leading side of a frame  72  on a moveable sliding door  74 , for a home or building  94 , to provide a means of ingress and egress for a pet. In this example, a drop lock security lock  76  is installed on the interior side of the stationary sliding door  74 , between the sliding door frame  70 , and the trailing side of frame  72 , to secure the pet door panel  68  between the sliding door frame  70  and the leading side of frame  72 , to prevent the moveable sliding door  74  from being opened with the pet door panel  68  installed. The sliding door frame  70  is typically secured to a building structure  28 , such as a home or office. The sliding door frame  70  has a lower track portion  80  and upper track portion  82 . The lower track portion  80  slideably receives at least one sliding door member  74  therein. The complementary upper track portion  82  is typically positioned on the upper side of the sliding glass door frame  70 , in alignment with the lower track portion  80 , enabling the sliding door member  74  to be slideably moved between open and closed positions within the sliding door frame  70 . As described in detail in related U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,141, the drop lock security lock  76  in association with a locking bracket  202 , is operable for preventing opening of the sliding door member  74 . Storage bracket  208  is provided for storing the drop lock security lock  76  when not in use. In this example, the present pet door panel or hinge-flap assembly  20  is installed within the bottom module  84  of the pet door panel  68 . Also included is a center module  86 , and a top module  88 , a top module weather seal  90 , a bottom module weather seal  92 , all for providing the pet door panel  68 . The present hinge-flap assembly  20  provides an alternative design and operation to the pet portal  146  of the aforesaid patent.  FIG. 32B  is the exterior side of the pet door panel  68  looking toward the back of the building or home  94 , with the present hinge-flap assembly  20  installed in the pet door panel  68 . 
     The interior frame  22 , exterior frame  28 , interior flap  6 , exterior flap  18 , flap ring  14 , and bezel locking hinge  10 , including said bezel handle  38 , bezel locking tab  62 , and plurality of lateral hinge posts  44 , each can consist of a single piece of plastic material. The plastic material is preferably polycarbonate. 
     Although various embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, they are not meant to be limiting. Those of skill in the art may recognize certain modifications to these embodiments, which modifications are meant to be covered by the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, the magnets  8  and  12  can be substituted by ferromagnetic metal bars, respectively, with ferromagnetic metal bar  16  being replaced by a magnetic bar having sufficient magnetic strength for the required magnetic clamping described above