Abstract:
A pet crate in which cover panels having themed graphics and/or contours may be readily installed over mesh panels on the sides and on the front end of the crate. The front panel has legs which extend on either side of a door and an upper portion projecting above the crate  10  creating a tower appearance.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/315,412 filed on Mar. 19, 2010, which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention concerns confinement crates or cages for pets such as dogs and cats. Such crates are usually constructed from walls of heavy gauge wire mesh to allow viewing of the confined pet and enabling the pet to look out and also insuring free air flow. Such crates are usually of a strictly utilitarian design, although crates and dog houses have sometimes been designed to have a themed appearance, such as in U.S. D557,965; U.S. D 609,407; U.S. D608,057; U.S. D561,951; U.S. D194,783 and U.S. D307,955. 
         [0003]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a crate with an enhanced ability to provide various themed appearances and which are readily converted to a more enclosed condition. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The above object and other objects which will become apparent upon a reading of the following specification and claims is achieved by a generally rectangular crate having two sides, a front and a rear and a top and also including an openable front door panel, of open mesh panel construction in which the various sides. The crate mesh panels are held in open frames, two side frames slotted to be able to receive two replaceable side themed panels and a front replaceable themed panel which accommodates the opening of the door and has a top portion projecting well above the crate. The two side panels each may have window openings of much reduced size from the mesh side panel which also has imprinted graphics relating to a particular theme. 
         [0005]    The front themed panel has two spaced apart narrow leg sections slidable into recesses on either side of the door panel with the upper portion projecting substantially above the height of the crate, and contoured to create a themed appearance consistent with the graphics of the side panels. 
         [0006]    Each of the themed panels are easily removed and alternatively themed panels installed therein. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial view of pet crate having themed panels installed on the crate, a side panel shown only partially installed and broken away. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1A  is a fragmentary pictorial view from the rear of the pet crate shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIGS. 2A ,  2 B and  2 C are reduced size frontal views of the themed panels shown on the crate in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged fragmentary pictorial view of the upper front portion of the crate shown in  FIG. 1  with adjacent fragmentary portions of the themed panels aligned with receiving slots formed in frame members making up the crate. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged fragmentary pictorial view of a lower front portion of the crate shown in  FIG. 1  with a removable floor pan partially withdrawn. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a lengthwise fragmentary view of a section taken across the top of the crate shown in  FIG. 1  with the themed decorative panels installed. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a lengthwise fragmentary view of a section taken across the bottom of the crate shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIGS. 7-9  are simplified reduced sized pictorial views of the crate shown in  FIG. 1  in which various alternate theme panels have been installed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    In the following detailed description, certain specific terminology will be employed for the sake of clarity and a particular embodiment described in accordance with the requirements of 35 USC 112, but it is to be understood that the same is not intended to be limiting and should not be so construed inasmuch as the invention is capable of taking many forms and variations within the scope of the appended claims. 
         [0016]    Referring to the drawings, a pet crate  10  according to the present invention is shown, comprised of an assembly of rectangular open frames, including a top frame  12 , having side members  14 , and parallel front and rear frame members  16  ( FIG. 3 ). The inside edged of the members  14  and  16  are slotted to be able to receive a side of a rectangular top wire mesh panel  17 . 
         [0017]    A pair of slotted side frames  18 A,  18 B ( FIGS. 5 ,  6 ) are formed by respective vertical rear members  24  and front vertical members  20  together with the top rail members  25 , and bottom rail members  22 . The slotted side frames  18 A,  18 B receive and hold rectangular side wire mesh panels  26  in each rectangular opening of the side frames  18 A,  18 B ( FIGS. 5 ,  6 ). 
         [0018]    A front frame  28  is formed by top and bottom cross members  30  and vertical side members  32  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) to define a rectangular opening which receives a door frame  34 , hinged to left hand member  32  by a pair of hinges  36 . A latch  38  releasably holds the door frame  34  closed. The door frame  34  also defines a rectangular open frame comprised of cross members  40  and vertical members  42 , slotted to receive and capture a door wire mesh panel  44 . 
         [0019]    A removable plastic floor pan  46  rests on a floor panel  48  ( FIG. 6 ) having sides received in slots  49  in the side rails  22 . A swivel stop  50  prevents the pan  46  from sliding out when in a down position shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0020]    As seen in  FIG. 1A , a rear frame  52  is formed by top and bottom cross members  54  and vertical members  56  slotted to receive a rear wire mesh panel  58 . 
         [0021]    The open rectangular  12  side frames  18 A,  18 B, front frame  28  and rear frame  52  are secured to each other with threaded fasteners  60  preferably having decorative covers. 
         [0022]    Thus, a box shaped crate enclosure is formed, open on the top and all sides as in conventional pet crates. 
         [0023]    According to the present invention, a system for allowing easy installation of themed side panels  70 A,  70 B are provided covering the sides and a front panel is mounted to the front of the crate  10 . 
         [0024]    This system includes a projecting outer portion  62  of the bottom rails  22  each having a slot  64  cut therein ( FIG. 6 ); outwardly projecting slotted portions of the vertical members  32 ,  56 , and ends of the cross members  54 ,  30 , each slotted to align with the slots in the vertical members  32 ,  56 . 
         [0025]    This allows insertion and capture therein of rectangular themed side panels  70 A,  70 B covering each side of the crate  10  and retained on three sides. The side panels  70 A,  70 B may be durable plastic corrugated sheets, covering a respective side of the crate  10  as seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  1 A,  3 ,  5  and  6 . A rectangular window opening  76  is formed in each side panel  70 A,  70 B. Various designs and slogans are imprinted in the panel according to a theme, i.e. the school then shown. 
         [0026]    At the front, an elongated member  66  is affixed to each vertical member  32  and a respective end of a cross piece  30  as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . A rabbet  68  is formed on the inside edge of each piece  66 . 
         [0027]    A cross piece  72  is glued to the member  30  immediately above the door  34  having a rabbet  74  across the top edge. 
         [0028]    A U-shaped front panel  78  has a pair of narrow legs  80  which fit into the rabbets  68 , covering the space between the pieces  30  and the outer edge of the door  34 . An upper portion  82  projects above the front of the crate  10 , shaped to suggest a tower such as the bell tower shown. A lower edge  84  of the upper portion  82  extending between the legs  80  is received into the rabbet  74  to be held therein. The upper portion  82  projects upwardly well above the top of the crate  10  to contribute to the overall themed appearances and text and/or designs can be imprinted thereon as shown. 
         [0029]    A roof shape  86  and bell depicted  88  in a drawing of a window  90  suggesting a school house can be provided. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 7-9  show other themed side panels  92 A,  92 B,  92 C and themed front panels  94 A, B, C. Sport team logos, etc., can be used as well. 
         [0031]    Thus the panels  92 ,  94  can be quickly removed to allow full view and ventilation, or temporarily put in place for a special occasion.