Patent Publication Number: US-2016227731-A1

Title: Pet cage

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Fields of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a pet cage, and more particularly, to a door of a pet cage able to be firmly locked or easily unlocked and easily dis-assembled in case of transportation and storage. 
     2. Descriptions of Related Art 
     The conventional pet cage  1  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  generally includes a cage  10  which is composed of multiple frames or multiple boards welded together. The conventional pet cage  10  has a door frame  11  at the front side thereof and the door frame  11  has a door  12  which is pivotally connected to the door frame  11 . A latch  13  is defined respectively at the upper portion and lower portion of the door  12  in order to lock the door  12  and the door frame  11  together. Each of the latches  13  comprises a first part  130 , a second part  131  and a bar  132 , wherein the first part  130  fixed to the door frame  11  has first holes  1300 , the second part  131  fixed to the door  12  has second holes  1310 , and the bar  132  is an L-shaped bar able to extend through the first holes  1300  and second holes  1310  to secure the door  12  to the door frame  11 . Nevertheless, the cage  10  is fixed so that space will be occupied while transporting and storing. Besides, the bar  132  is not well secured so that the bar  132  may be pushed to open the door  12  by the pet. In order to open door  12 , the bars  132  of the latches  13  will be removed one by one from the first parts  130  and second parts  131 . Further, the bars  132  may be dropped from the second holes  1310  of the second part  131  if pushing too hard while opening door  12 , and the bars  132  may be lost because of that. 
     The present invention intends to provide a pet cage to eliminate the shortcomings mentioned above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a pet cage and comprises a door frame, a lock unit, a top board, a bottom board, a left board, a right board, a back board and multiple fasteners. The door frame has multiple holes. A door has the first side thereof pivotally connected to the first side of the door frame by hinges. 
     The lock unit is defined on the second side of the door and the second side of the door frame. The lock unit comprises a base, a bar, two springs, two pins, a cover and a receiving base. The base is fixed to the door and has two sliding slots respectively defined on the upper and the lower portion of the base. Two holes are defined respectively at the upper portion and the lower portion of two side walls of the base and correspond to each other. Two engaging slots are respectively defined on the sidewalks of the base and correspond to each other. The bar has two parallel insertion ends and a grip connected between the two insertion ends. The two insertion ends respectively extend through the holes in the two sidewalls of the base. A pin hole is defined respectively on the two insertion ends. The two springs are respectively inserted into the two insertion ends and located between the two sidewalls of the base. The two pins respectively extend through the two pin holes of the two insertion ends and respectively approach to the sliding slot at the upper portion and the lower portion of the base. One end of the two springs is respectively against the inner literal sidewall of the base and the other end of the two springs is respectively abutted to the two pins. The cover has two hooks extending from each of two sides thereof so as to be engaged with the engaging slots of the base to seal the base. The receiving base is fixed on the door frame and its&#39; location is corresponding to the location of the base on the door. The receiving base has two apertures corresponding to the holes of the base. 
     The top board is connected to the top side of the door frame, and the bottom board is connected to the bottom side of the door frame. Each of the top board and the bottom board has a wall bending from each of four sides thereof. Multiple holes are defined through the wall on the front end of each of the top and bottom boards. Multiple threaded holes are defined through each of the walls on the rear end and two sides of each of the top and bottom boards. 
     The left board is connected to the left side of the door frame, and the right board is connected to the right side of the door frame. Each of the left board and the right board has a wall bending from each of the front end and the rear end thereof. Multiple holes are defined through the walls on the front end of each of the left and right boards. Multiple threaded holes are defined through each of the walls on the rear end of each of the left and right boards. Multiple holes are defined through the top side and the bottom side of each of the left and right boards. Each of the holes that is defined through the top side and the bottom side of each of the left and right boards has a bolt extending therethrough which is threadedly connected to the threaded hole of each of the walls on the rear and and the two sides of each of the top and bottom boards. 
     The back board is connected to rear end of each of the top board, the bottom board, the left board and the right board. The back board has multiple holes and each hole of the back board has a bolt extending therethrough which is threadedly connected to the threaded hole of the top board/the bottom board/the left board/the right board. 
     The multiple fasteners securely extend through holes on the door frame, the top board, the bottom board, the left board and the right board. 
     Preferably, the bar of the lock unit is a U-shaped bar. 
     Preferably, each of the insertion ends of the bar has an oblique face defined in the distal end thereof. 
     Preferably, the receiving base has an oblique plate extending from an outside thereof. 
     Preferably, each of the fasteners has a reception member and a bolt. The reception member has a tubular portion in which a threaded hole is defined. The bolt is threadedly connected to the threaded hole of the tubular portion. 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a pet cage which can be disassembled into individual parts when being stored and transported. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a pet cage whose lock unit can be operated by one hand, and the bar of the lock unit is well positioned and does not drop. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view to show the conventional pet cage; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged view to show the locks of the conventional pet cage; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the pet cage of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the lock unit of the pet cage of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view to show the lock unit of the pet cage of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of the lock unit of the present invention, wherein the bar is in locked position; 
         FIG. 7  shows a fastener how to secure the door frame and the right board; 
         FIG. 8  shows the connection of the door from and the top board; 
         FIG. 9  shows the connection of the top board and the right board; 
         FIG. 10  shows the connection of the top board and the back board; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view to show the pet cage of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  shows the lock unit on the pet cages of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  shows that the lock unit is unlocked and the door is opened; 
         FIG. 14  shows that the door is closed and the lock unit is locked, and 
         FIG. 15  shows that the parts of the pet cage are overlapped after dis-assembling. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 10 , the pet cage of the present invention comprises a door frame  2 , a lock unit  3 , a top board  4 , a bottom board  5 , a left board  6 , a right board  7 , a back board  8  and multiple fasteners  9 . The door frame  2  has multiple holes  20 . A door  21  has the first side thereof pivotally connected to the first side of the door frame  2  by two hinges  22 . 
     The lock unit  3  is defined on the second side of the door  21  and the second side of the door frame  2 . The lock unit  3  comprises a base  30 , a bar  31 , two springs  32 , two pins  33 , a cover  34  and a receiving base  35 . The base  30  is fixed to the door  21  and has two sliding slots  300 . The base  30  has two sidewalls and each sidewall has two holes  301  and two engaging slots  302 . One of the holes  301  and one of the engaging slots  302  are located at an upper position of the base  30 , and the other one of the holes  301  and the other one of the engaging slots  302  are located at a lower position of the base  30 . The bar  31  is a U-shaped bar and has two parallel insertion ends  310  and a grip  313  is connected between the two insertion ends  310 . Each of the insertion ends  310  of the bar  31  has an oblique face  312  defined in the distal end thereof. The two insertion ends  310  respectively extend through the holes  301  in the two sidewalls of the base  30 . A pin hole is defined respectively on the two insertion ends. The two springs  32  are respectively inserted into the two insertion ends  310  and located between the two sidewalls of the base  30 . The two pins  33  respectively extend through the two pin holes  311  of the two insertion ends  310  and respectively approach to the sliding slot  300  at the upper and the lower portion of the base  3 . One end of the two springs  32  is respectively against the inner literal sidewall of the base  3  and the other one end of the two springs is respectively abutted to the two pins  33 . The cover  34  has two hooks  340  extending from each of two sides thereof so as to be engaged with the engaging slots  302  of the base  30  to seal the base  30 . The receiving base  35  is fixed to the door frame  2  and located corresponding to the base  30  on the door  21 . The receiving base  35  has t To apertures  350  which are located corresponding to the holes  301  of the base  30 . The receiving base  35  has an oblique plate  351  extending from an outside thereof. 
     The top board  4  is connected to the top side of the door frame  2 , and the bottom board  5  is connected to the bottom side of the door frame  2 . Each of the top board  4  and the bottom board  5  has a wall  40 / 50  bending from each of four sides thereof. Multiple holes  41 / 51  are defined through the wall on the front end of each of the top and bottom boards  4 ,  5 . Multiple threaded holes  42 ,  52  are defined through each of the walls on the rear end and two sides of each of the top and bottom boards  4 ,  5 . 
     The left board  6  is connected to the left side of the door frame  2 , and the right board  7  is connected to the right side of the door frame  2 . Each of the left board  6  and the right board  7  has a wall  60 / 70  bending from each of the front end and the rear end thereof. Multiple holes  61 / 71  are defined through the walls on the front end of each of the left and right boards  6 ,  7 . Multiple threaded holes  62 ,  72  are defined through each of the walls on the rear end of each of the left and right boards  6 ,  7 . Multiple holes  63 / 73  are defined through the top side and the bottom side of each of the left and right boards  6 ,  7 . Each of the holes  63 / 73  that is defined through the top side and the bottom side of each of the left and right boards  6 ,  7  has a bolt  64 / 74  extending therethrough which is threadedly connected to the threaded hole  42 / 52  of each of the walls on the rear end and the two sides of each of the top and bottom boards  4 ,  5 . 
     The back board  8  is connected to rear end of each of the top board  4 , the bottom board  5 , the left board  6  and the right board  7 . The back board  8  has multiple holes  80  and each hole  80  of the back board  8  has a bolt  81  extending therethrough which is threadedly connected to the threaded hole  42 / 52 / 62 / 72  of the top board  4 /the bottom board  5 /the left board  6 /the right board  7 . 
     The multiple fasteners  9  securely extend through holes  41 ,  51 ,  61 ,  71  of the door frame  2 , the top board  4 , the bottom board  5 , the left board  6  and the right board  7 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 7 , each of the fasteners  9  has a reception member  90  and a bolt  91 . The reception member  90  has a tubular portion  900  in which a threaded hole  901  is defined. The bolt  91  is threadedly connected to the threaded hole  901  of the tubular portion  900 . 
     When assembling the pet cage, the two parallel insertion ends  310  extend through the two holes  301  of one of the two sidewalls of the base  30 , and the two springs  32  are respectively mounted to the two insertion ends  310 . The two pins  33  respectively extend through the two pm holes  311  of the two insertion ends  310 . Each pin  33  has one end inserted into the sliding slot  300  corresponding thereto. Each of the springs  32  is biased between the sidewall of the base  30  and the pin  33  corresponding thereto. The distal end of each of the insertion ends  310  extends through the hole  301  from the other sidewalls of the base  30 . The cover  34  is then connected to the base  30  by engaging the two hooks  340  of the cover  34  with the engaging slots  302  of the base  30 . The grip  313  is located outside of the base  30  which is fixed to the door  21 . The receiving base  35  is fixed to the door frame  2 . The two insertion ends  310  of the bar  31  respectively extend through the two apertures  350  of the receiving base  35 . 
     The left board  6  and the right board  7  are respectively on two sides of the top board  4  and the bottom board  5 . The bolts  64 ,  74  extend through the holes  63 ,  73  of the left and right boards  6 ,  7 , and are fixed to the threaded holes  42 , of the top board  4  and the bottom board  5 . The back board  8  is connected to the rear ends of the top board  4 , the bottom board  5 , the left board  6  and the right board  7 . The bolts  81  extend through the holes  80  of the back board  8  and are threadedly connected to the threaded holes  42 ,  52 ,  62 ,  72  of the top board  4 , the bottom board  5 , the left board  6  and the right board  7 . The door frame  2  is connected to the front and of the top board  4 , the bottom board  5 , the left board  6  and the right board  7 . The tubular portions  900  of the reception members  90  of the fasteners  9  extend through the holes  41 ,  51 ,  61 ,  71  of the walls  40 ,  50 ,  60 ,  70  of the top board  4 , the bottom board  5 , the left board  6  and the right board  7 , and the holes  20  of the door frame  2 . The bolts  91  then extend through the holes  20  and are threadedly connected to the threaded holes  901  of the reception members  90 . Therefore, the door frame  20  is connected to the top board  4 , the bottom board  5 , the left board  6  and the right board  7 . 
     When the door  21  is to be opened, the owner holds the grip  313  and pulls the bar  31  outward as shown in  FIGS. 12, 13 , the insertion ends  310  compress the springs  32  and the pins  33  are moved within the sliding slots  300 , so that the insertion ends  310  are removed from the apertures  350  of the receiving base  35 , and the door  21  can be opened. The bar  31  does not drop from the base  30 . When releasing; the grip  313 , the springs  32  push the two insertion ends  310  back to their initial positions. In other words, the door  21  can be opened by one hand. 
     When closing the door  21 , the owner pivots the door  21  toward the door frame  2 , the two oblique faces  312  of the insertion ends  310  are moved along the tapered plate  351 , so that the insertion ends  310  are pushed inward to compress the springs  32  until the two insertion ends  310  are moved to be in alignment with the apertures  350  of the receiving base  35 , the springs  32  push the insertion ends  310  are inserted into the apertures  350  again to lock the door  21  as shown in  FIG. 14 . The door  21  can be closed by one hand. 
     As shown in  FIG. 15 , all of the parts of the pet cage can be dis-assembled by removing he fasteners  9  and the bolts  64 ,  74 ,  81 , Therefore, all of the parts can be overlapped piece by piece in order to save the space. 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.