Patent Abstract:
The present invention provides improved pet doors, systems and related methods that may be used or installed on the fixed panel of a new or existing sliding door, such as a patio door, without interfering with the sliding movement of the companion door by providing a low profile closing panel and latch.

Full Description:
This application is a divisional application of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/838,760 filed on Mar. 15, 2013, pending, which is incorporated herein by this reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to pet doors installed in new or existing multi-panel human doors, and more particularly to a newly designed low profile latch and closing panel for a pet door that allows it to be installed on a fixed panel of a sliding door without interfering with operation of the sliding door. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Pet doors are often installed in new or existing multi-panel doors to allow dogs, cats, or other domestic animals to have access through the door without the need for human intervention. Pet doors are typically installed on doors leading outdoors to allow the pet to freely exit and enter a structure. For safety and security reasons, it is desirable to be able to close and latch a pet door to restrict unwanted animals or burglars from entering a structure through the pet door. 
     Although pet doors are frequently installed on single-panel hinged doors, in many situations it is desirable for the pet door to be installed on one panel of a sliding door, such as a sliding glass patio door. In such situations, installing the pet door on the sliding door (vent) will ordinarily not interfere with the sliding motion of the vent. However, if the pet door is installed on the fixed panel it may interfere with sliding motion of the vent, particularly if the pet door is also equipped with a latch that protrudes into the sliding plane of the vent. This is because the removable closing panel and/or the latch of the pet door are located on the inside of the fixed panel (so that they may be accessed and operated from the inside for security reasons), which conflicts with the path of the sliding vent which is also located on the inside. 
     There continues to be a need, therefore, for a pet door with closing panel and latch that may be installed on the fixed panel of a sliding door without interfering with the movement of the sliding vent of the door. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides improved pet doors, systems and related methods that may be used or installed on the fixed panel of a new or existing multi-panel sliding door, such as a patio door, without interfering with the sliding movement of the companion door by providing a low profile closing panel and latch. In embodiments of the invention, a low profile frame having an open top is used to retain the flat closing panel of the pet door which may be inserted or removed through the open top, and a low profile latch is installed at an upper corner thereof to secure the closing panel to the frame. Embodiments of the pet door and latch may be installed on the fixed panel of a multi-panel sliding door system, and are clean, compact and easy to use while allowing a sliding door vent to open freely without restriction or damage. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a low profile pet door with closing panel and latch that may be installed on the fixed panel of a new or existing multi-panel sliding door without interfering with the sliding motion of the sliding panel of the door. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a low profile pet door with a closing panel and latch that may be installed on the fixed panel of a new or existing sliding door and securely latched shut without interfering with the sliding motion of the sliding panel of the door. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a clean, neat and aesthetically pleasing yet secure pet door that may be installed on the fixed panel of a new or existing multi-panel sliding door and used without interfering with the sliding motion of the sliding panel of the door. 
     Additional objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description and the claims herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention installed on the fixed panel of a multi-panel sliding patio door. 
         FIG. 2  is a top sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention installed on the fixed panel of a multi-panel sliding door, with a detail section A. 
         FIG. 3  is a front interior view of an embodiment of the present invention, with detail in view B. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  includes exploded, assembled and plan views of an embodiment of a latch mechanism of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and referring particularly to  FIG. 1 , it is seen that the illustrated embodiment of the present invention includes a pet door  4  and latch system that has been installed on a multi-panel sliding glass patio door assembly  1 . The latch and closing panel  9  are part of the pet door  4  that is built into or otherwise installed into the fixed panel or sash  3  of the sliding door assembly. It is to be appreciated, of course, that embodiments of the pet door of the present invention may also be installed on the sliding panel (vent)  2 , or on any other suitable door. In the illustrated embodiments, the low profile nature of the latch allows the sliding vent  2  to pass over the latch and panel  9  without obstruction. 
     Referring to the top view of an exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 2  and the detail of section A, it is seen that the sliding vent  2  includes an interlock  10  and pile weather stripping  6  which passes over the low profile finger slide  8  of the latch and notched closing panel  9 . It is to be appreciated that the outside profile of the latch is defined by slide  8 , and that this profile is small enough so as not to interfere with interlock  10  or any other portion of sliding vent  2  as it moves along its track, it being understood that contact with weather stripping  6  is acceptable, and often desirable. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , it is seen that the upper illustration shows an interior view of a typical pet door with closing panel  9  and frame  7  to which an embodiment of the unique latch of the present invention has been attached. The detailed view in the lower illustration shows parts of a latch of the present invention including a slide  8  which is capable of sliding into or out of a specially positioned notch  5  on panel  9 . Slide  8  is positioned on a mount  12 , using at least one but preferably two attachments  11 , which are machine screws in the illustrated embodiments. Slide  8  includes an interior opening or pocket  19  having a shelf  15  which receives the mount  12  and screws  11 . The heads of screws  11  should be wide enough to rest on shelf  15 , and the shafts of screws  11  should be long enough to extend through mount  12 , through opening  19  and into corresponding openings  18  on the pet door frame  7  for secure attachment thereto. Openings  18  may be drilled and tapped to accept the attachment mechanisms of the latch assembly. Interior pocket  19  is longer than the space needed for mount  12  allowing slide  8  to move back and forth on mount  12 . This allows the nose  17  of slide  8  to be inserted into notch  5  to secure the position of closing panel  9  as shown in  FIG. 3 , and then to be removed from notch  5  to allow closing panel  9  to be removed from the pet door  4 . Interior pocket  19  is preferably wider than mount  12 , and a biasing member  13  is preferably provided with mount  12  to hold the position of slide  8  in place. This helps prevent slide  8  from being accidentally inserted into or removed from notch  5  by such things as vibrations caused by the sliding door. Biasing member  13  may be eliminated in favor of a wider mount  12  with more frictional contact with pocket  19 , but this is not preferred since even small amounts of dirt or other debris could easily interfere with smooth operation of the latch. 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention showing illustrating a closing panel  9  with notch  5 ; a slide  8  with attachment bolts  11 , mount  12 , and a rubber cord biasing member  13 ; and openings  18  in frame  7  for receiving bolts  11 . 
     Referring to the exemplary embodiment of the latch assembly of  FIG. 5 , it is seen that mount  12  is made of anodized aluminum, although any suitable rigid material, such as metal or plastic, may be used. In this example, a rubber cord  13  cut to a specific length is inserted onto a cross drilled hole to act as a compression spring. The latch slide  8  is thereby machined so that the slot  19  has clearance on the width so the mount  12  fits within it. With the latch slide  8  and the mount  12  preassembled, the two illustrated machine screws  11  may then be aligned through corresponding holes of the mount  12  and then screwed into openings  18  in the pet door frame  7 . In this embodiment, the heads of the machine screws  11  tighten down on the shelf  15  of pocket  19  allowing mount  12  to move in pocket  19 , thereby capturing slide  8  it while still allowing it to slide in pocket  19 . In the exemplary embodiment, a powder coated notched aluminum closing panel  9  is inserted into the guides of an extruded aluminum pet door frame  7 . 
     Use of embodiments of the present invention are very simple when installed in a multi-panel sliding glass patio door  1  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The closing panel  9  may be inserted into frame  7 , and the nose  17  of latch slide  8  moved into slot  5 , locking the closing panel and restricting use of the pet door. Nose  17  of latch slide  8  must be retracted out of slot  5  to remove closing panel  9 . This is accomplished by pulling the finger latch slide  8  in a linear motion away from the pet door and disengaging the latch slide  8  from the notch  5  in the closing panel  9 . The closing panel  9  will then be free to slide upwards in a vertical motion, using the provided finger hole. The closing panel  9  may then be removed from the pet door  4  allowing full use. 
     In embodiments of the present invention, the thickness of slide  8  should be no larger than about 13/64 inch (0.2″) in order to avoid contact with door panel  2 , preferably around approximately 0.18 inch (0.18″), thereby providing an extremely low profile which allows clearance between slide  8  and sliding door panel  2  as shown in  FIG. 2 . It is to be appreciated that slide  8  may have a lesser thickness of as little as 11/64 inch (0.17″), but any amount below this may not provide sufficient room for a biasing member  13 . In embodiments of the invention, the closing panel  9  is made of material having a thickness of approximately 6/100 inch (0.06″), although a thickness of between about 4/100 inch (0.040″) and about 8/100 inch (0.080″) are acceptable and would still avoid contact with door panel  2 . 
     In the illustrated embodiments, the nose  17  of slider  8  of the latch assembly is mounted onto the pet door at an angle of about 10 degrees from horizontal, or about 100 degrees from the side wall of the pet door (see  FIG. 3 , Detail A), although any angle between 5 degrees and 15 degrees from horizontal (95 degrees to 115 degrees from the side wall) would be suitable. The optimum angle of 10 degrees from horizontal allows for a more positive latch slide  8  to closing panel  9  engagement to aid in preventing the slide from retracting and the panel becoming unlatched. 
     In order to maintain its low profile, the heads of the two machine screws  11  act as the retainer for the latch slide  8  while staying below the front surface of the latch slide  8  being located in the recessed pocket  19 , with their heads engaged against shelf  16  as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, biasing member  13  is provided in the form of a rubber cord for insertion into mount  12 , as seen in  FIG. 5 , which sits slightly above the mount surface. When assembled with the latch slide  8 , the exemplary rubber cord  13  is compressed which creates drag in the slide when it is actuated. It is to be appreciated that biasing member  13  may be made of any other suitable damping material such as without limitation a ball and compression spring, or any slightly deformable material that will retain its compressibility over time and use. 
     In some embodiments of the invention, two optional detents  14  may be provided on the upper inside edge of the latch slide  8  slot  19 . These detents are located so that when the latch slide  8  is fully extended (locked position) or fully retracted (open position), biasing member  13  will slightly uncompress allowing the user to feel a positive action when moving it into the open or closed positions. In embodiments of the invention, optional finger grips  15  may be provided on one or both sides of the latch slide  8  to provide a positive feel when extending or retracting the slide, reducing slippage, as shown in  FIG. 5 . In some embodiments, the edge or perimeter of slide mount  8  may be rounded or fully radiused as shown in  FIG. 5 , which not only allows for a soft edge for the fingers to grip, but also allows for the pile weather stripping  6  to pass smoothly over when the sliding vent is opened and closed, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the present invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof. It is to be appreciated that the features disclosed herein may be used different combinations and permutations with each other, all falling within the scope of the present invention. It is also to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited by the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but only in accordance with the appended claims when read in light of the foregoing specification.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4