Abstract:
A pressure gate comprising: (a) a frame assembly adapted to be wedged between corresponding boundaries of an opening, the frame assembly including repositionable frame members to change a widthwise dimension of the frame assembly; (b) a repositionable door mounted to the frame assembly; and (c) a repositionable stop mounted to the frame assembly, the repositionable stop comprising a clutch mounted to a bumper, the clutch engaged by a wheel so that rotational movement of the wheel is operative to reposition the bumper coaxially with respect to the wheel, where a predetermined resistance against the bumper is operative to cause the clutch to slip when engaged by the wheel to inhibit further coaxial movement of the bumper.

Description:
RELATED ART  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention is directed to repositionable barriers that are adapted to span across openings of various widths and, more specifically, repositionable barriers with repositionable doors to provide selective egress through an opening.  
         [0003]     2. Brief Discussion of Related Art  
         [0004]     Various types of adjustable-width pressure-fit gates are known in the art. These gates are adapted to be wedged between the boundaries of an opening to inhibit egress through the opening. Pressure gates have been utilized for applications such as maintaining a child within a particular area or maintaining a pet within a particular area. In each instance, the gates are removable when the functionality of the gate is not longer needed.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0005]     The present invention is directed to barriers across an opening and, more specifically, repositionable barriers to inhibit travel through an opening.  
         [0006]     The invention includes a pressure gate comprising: (a) a frame assembly adapted to be wedged between corresponding boundaries of an opening, the frame assembly including repositionable frame members to change a widthwise dimension of the frame assembly; (b) a repositionable door mounted to the frame assembly; and (c) a repositionable stop mounted to the frame assembly, the repositionable stop comprising a clutch mounted to a bumper, the clutch engaged by a wheel so that rotational movement of the wheel is operative to reposition the bumper coaxially with respect to the wheel, where a predetermined resistance against the bumper is operative to cause the clutch to slip when engaged by the wheel to inhibit further coaxial movement of the bumper.  
         [0007]     The present invention also includes various aspects of a repositionable gate such as, without limitation, reconfigurable gates that are widthwise adjustable, reconfigurable gates that include a swinging door that is widthwise adjustable, reconfigurable gates that include a swinging door with a repositionable latch mechanism, reconfigurable gates that include a swinging door with hanging hinges that face opposite one another, reconfigurable gates that include a swinging door that locks to the surrounding frame assembly, reconfigurable gates that include an extendable bumper with integrated clutch assembly, and reconfigurable gates that are extendable by adding fixed dimension extensions.  
         [0008]     The aforementioned aspects of the present invention should not be considered completely inclusive of the present invention. Reference is had to the Detailed Description for a more accurate and inclusive understanding of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is an elevated perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the first exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 , shown in a contracted position;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the first exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 , shown in an extended position;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the first exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is an elevated perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, with the door open;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is an elevated perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, with the door omitted;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a close-up perspective view of an exemplary lower hinge bracket mounted to a vertical support for use with the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is a close-up perspective view of an exemplary upper hinge bracket mounted to a vertical support for use with the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an exemplary adjustable bumper for use with the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is a partially exploded and cut-away frontal view of the exemplary adjustable bumper of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 11  is a partially exploded and cut-away rear view of the exemplary adjustable bumper of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary adjustable bumper of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional, exploded view of the exemplary adjustable bumper of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 14  is a close-up, elevated perspective view of an exemplary adjustable track for a door in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 15  is an elevated perspective and cut-away view of the exemplary adjustable member to adjust the width of a door in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 16  is a cut-away view of an exemplary handle structure for use with the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 17  is a cut-away view of an exemplary handle structure of  FIG. 16 , with the trigger in the operative position; and  
         [0026]      FIG. 18  is a cut-away view of an exemplary handle structure of  FIG. 16 , with the latch retracted. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0027]     The exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described and illustrated below to encompass barriers for openings and associated techniques for installing, operating, and removing the barriers from such openings. Of course, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the preferred embodiments discussed below are exemplary in nature and may be reconfigured without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. However, for clarity and precision, the exemplary embodiments as discussed below may include optional steps, methods, and features that one of ordinary skill should recognize as not being a requisite to fall within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0028]     Referencing  FIGS. 1-6 , a first exemplary pressure gate  10  includes a frame assembly  12  that supports a swinging door  14 , where the frame assembly  12  is adapted to be wedged within an opening (not shown) to selectively inhibit egress through the opening. A frame extension member  16 , which is frictionally mounted to one end of a primary frame assembly  18 , includes a vertical support  20  mounted to opposing horizontal supports  22 ,  24  that are separated by a reinforcing member  26 . The vertical support  20  and horizontal supports  22 ,  24  are fabricated from hollow rectangular bar stock and are welded together to vertically align the ends of the horizontal supports  22 ,  24  with the vertical face  28  of the vertical support  20 . Hollow rectangular bar stock adapters (not shown) are welded to corresponding ends  32 ,  34  of the horizontal supports  22 ,  24  to provide a rectangular cross-section adapted to fit within openings (not shown) at the ends of the horizontal supports  40 ,  42  of the primary frame assembly  18 . Opposing ends  44 ,  46  of the horizontal supports  22 ,  24  include plastic inserts (not shown) to facilitate a friction fit between end openings of the horizontal supports  22 ,  24  and respective adjustment bumpers  54 .  
         [0029]     In an alternate exemplary embodiment, the frame assembly  12  is amendable to be indefinitely extended by sequentially adding frame extension members  16  to one another. In such an exemplary embodiment, the end openings of corresponding horizontal supports  22 ,  24  of a first frame extension member  16  are adapted to receive corresponding hollow rectangular bar stock adapters of a second frame extension member. This assembly procedure may be repeated indefinitely to accommodate openings of various widths, with the outermost frame extension member  16  receiving adjustment bumpers  54  within the pair of end openings.  
         [0030]     The primary frame assembly  18  includes a first horizontal support  40  vertically separated from a second horizontal support  42  by a pair of vertical supports  56 ,  58 . The vertical supports  56 ,  58  are fabricated from hollow rectangular bar stock and are welded to the horizontal supports  40 ,  42 , which are likewise fabricated from hollow rectangular bar stock. A lower hinge bracket  60  and an upper hinge bracket  62  are anchored to the innermost vertical support  58 .  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the lower hinge bracket  60  and the upper hinge bracket  62  each include two holes  64 ,  66  therethrough, as well as male adapters (not shown) adapted to be wedged within corresponding openings (not shown) in the innermost vertical support  58  and an end of the first horizontal supports  40 . The holes  64 ,  66  through the brackets  60 ,  62  receive screws to further attach the brackets to the first horizontal support  40  and innermost vertical support  58 . Both the upper hinge bracket  62  and the lower hinge bracket  60  include a cylindrical projection  78 ,  80  that is respectively circumscribed by an eye of an eyebolt  82 ,  84 . The cylindrical projections  78 ,  80  face away from one another so that the north facing projection  80  pierces the eye of the top eyebolt  84 , whereas the south facing projection  78  pierces the eye of the bottom eyebolt  82 . The eyebolts  82 ,  84  are mounted to respective top and bottom bars  304 ,  306  of the swinging door  14  (see  FIG. 1 ) in order to mount the door to the primary frame assembly  18 . Unlike prior art hinges, the present hinge structure utilizes the upper hinge bracket  62  to bear the majority of the weight of the swinging door  14 , whereas the lower hinge bracket  60  is utilized moreso as a guide. As will be explained in more detail below, the eyebolts  82 ,  84  provide widthwise adjustability for the swinging door  14  to precisely accommodate the internal width of the primary frame assembly  18 .  
         [0032]     Referencing  FIGS. 1-6 , the hollow rectangular bar stock comprising the second horizontal support  42  extends outward beyond the innermost vertical support  58  and receives a coaxial horizontal support  100 . The coaxial horizontal support  100  has a longitudinal cross-section that fits within the rectangular longitudinal cross-section of the second horizontal support  42  to allow a sliding action between the supports  42 ,  100 . A bottom surface  102  of the horizontal support  42  includes a series of spaced apart holes  104 , where at least one of the holes receives a spring-biased dowel  106  mounted to the coaxial horizontal support  100 . The spring-biased dowel  106  when inserted within one of the holes  104  maintains the relative position of the second horizontal support  42  with respect to the coaxial horizontal support  100 , thereby maintaining the overall width of the primary frame assembly  18 . To manipulate the width of the primary frame assembly  18 , the dowel  106  is pushed inward beyond the line of travel of the support  100 , thereby allowing a sliding action to occur between the supports  42 ,  100 . When the sliding action is relatively slow, the bias will force the dowel  106  outward and into the next corresponding hole  104  coming into alignment therewith to incrementally adjust the width of the primary frame assembly  18 . In contrast, when the sliding action is relatively quick, the dowel  106  may pass beyond several holes  104  before the spring bias forces the dowel into one of the holes. The process of pushing the dowel  106  inward and beyond the line of travel of the coaxial horizontal support  100  may be repeated numerous times until the appropriate width of the primary frame assembly  18  is established.  
         [0033]     The coaxial horizontal support  100  is welded to a hollow rectangular bar stock horizontal member  110 . Two vertical members  112 ,  114  are welded to the horizontal member  110  at one end, and are concurrently welded to a second horizontal member  118  and a second, opposing end. Hollow rectangular bar stock is utilized for the two vertical members  112 ,  114  and the second horizontal member  118 . An open end of the second horizontal member  118  includes a latch catch insert  122  having two semicircular projections  124  that extend perpendicularly from opposing faces  128  of the second horizontal member  118 . The semicircular projections  124  are adapted to contact a spring biased, reciprocating latch  132  of the swinging door  14  so that when the latch contacts either projection, the latch slides against the arcuate contour of the projection and overcomes the bias to push the latch inward. The latch catch insert  122  also includes an opening (not shown) that is adapted to receive the reciprocating latch  132  of the swinging door  14  after the latch passes beyond one of the projections to generally maintain the orientation of the swinging door  14  with respect to the primary frame assembly  18 .  
         [0034]     Corresponding ends of each horizontal member  110 ,  118  are open and may include a plastic insert (not shown) to decrease the cross sectional areas of the openings. In this exemplary embodiment, a corresponding adjustment bumper  54  occupies each opening, however, it is also within the scope of the invention that a pair of hollow rectangular bar stock adapters of a frame extension member  16  occupy these openings. In this manner, frame extension members may be utilized to increase the widthwise dimension of the frame assembly  12 .  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIGS. 9-13 , the exemplary adjustment bumpers  54  are operative to reposition an abutment plug  160  inward and outward from a main housing  162  in order to appropriately wedge the pressure gate  10  within an opening. Each adjustment bumper includes a pair of injection molded convex outer housings  164 ,  166  that house a plug guide  168  and a clutch  170 . The plug guide  168  includes two openings  172 ,  174  that are adapted to be pierced by a first set of corresponding columns  176 ,  178  mounted to the first outer housing  164 . Two columns (not shown) of the second outer housing  166  abut the first set of columns  176 ,  178  and a plate  180  of the plug guide  168  that surrounds the openings  172 ,  174  to effectively sandwich the plug guide between the columns upon assembly. The plug guide  168  includes a longitudinal channel  182  adapted to receive a bolt  184  of the abutment plug  160 . A distal end  186  of the bolt  184  is crimped to provide two pair of linear guides  188 ,  190 , where each pair of linear guides are  180  degrees from one another. The linear guides  188 ,  190  are received within corresponding grooves  192  of the longitudinal channel  182  and inhibit the bolt  184  from rotating.  
         [0036]     A proximal section  194  of the bolt  184  is threaded and adapted to interface with a threaded nut  196  mounted to the clutch  170 . The threaded nut  196  also includes two linear grooves  198  adapted to allow throughput of the linear guides  188 ,  190  of the bolt  184 . The clutch  170  is injection molded over the threaded nut  196  to inhibit rotation of the nut independent of the clutch. A circumferential disc  200  of the clutch  170  includes a series of U-shaped cutouts defining a plurality of biased prongs  202  with leading edges  204  interfacing with pockets  206  circumferentially distributed about a backside  208  of a wheel  210 .  
         [0037]     The wheel  210  includes a circular opening  212  through the front face  214  enabling throughput of a majority of the abutment plug  160 . A cylindrical covering  216  is mounted to the proximal tip of the bolt  184 . The front of the covering  216  includes an injection molded elastomeric layer  218  adapted to abut a boundary of an opening, such as a doorframe. This elastomeric layer  218  circumferentially extends beyond a cylindrical covering  216  of the plug  160 . In other words, the diameter of the cylindrical covering  216  is fabricated from a more rigid polymer is less than the diameter of the elastomeric layer  218  at the front of the plug  160 . The frontal opening  212  includes a diameter that accommodates the diameter of the cylindrical covering  216 , but is not large enough to accommodate throughput of the elastomeric layer  218 . Thus, all of the abutment plug  160  but for the elastomeric layer  218  can pass through the frontal opening  212  of the wheel  210 .  
         [0038]     The front face  214  of the wheel  210  includes a series of cylindrical cavities  222  distributed in a circular manner approximate a top arcuate surface  224  of the wheel. A series of depressions  226  are distributed about the arcuate surface  224  to facilitate gripping by a user to reposition the abutment plug  160  as will be discussed in more detail below. A circular ring  228  protrudes from the rear of the wheel  210  and includes a circular flange  230  extending in a perpendicular manner. The orientation of the rear surface of the wheel  210 , ring  228 , and flange  230  cooperate to define a circumferential channel  232 . The backside  208  of the wheel  210  includes an inner cylindrical wall  236  that extends to abut the pockets  206 . The pockets  206  are bounded by the cylindrical wall  236 , an inner circular wall  238 , and a series of pyramidal fins  240 . The fins  240  include a generally perpendicular face  242  and an acute angled face  244 . The perpendicular face  242  of the fins is oriented to contact a perpendicular face  246  of each leading edge  204 , whereas the acute angled face  244  of the fins  240  is oriented to contact an acute angled face  248  of each leading edge  204 . In this manner, counterclockwise rotation of the wheel  210  is operative to direct the perpendicular faces  246  of the leading edges  204  against a corresponding perpendicular face  242  of the fins  240  to rotate the clutch  170  in a counterclockwise direction. In contrast, clockwise rotation of the wheel  210  is operative to direct the acute angled faces  248  of the leading edges  204  against a corresponding acute angled face  244  of the fins  240  to rotate the clutch  170  in a clockwise direction.  
         [0039]     To assembly an exemplary adjustment bumper  54 , the clutch  170  is positioned within the inner cylindrical wall  236  so that the leading edges  204  are operative to interface with the pockets  206  of the wheel  210 . The plug guide  168  is oriented so that the two openings  172 ,  174  are pierced by the columns  176 ,  178  of the first outer housing  164 . The wheel  210 , with the clutch  170  therein, is positioned to abut the front of the plug guide so that a semicircular plateau  250  of the first outer housing  164  is seated within the circumferential channel  232 . Thereafter, the second outer housing  166  is aligned with the first outer housing  164  so that the two columns (not shown) abut the first set of columns  176 ,  178  and the plate  180  of the plug guide  168  that surrounds the openings  172 ,  174  to effectively sandwich the plug guide between the columns. The alignment of the housings  164 ,  166  is also operative to seat the semicircular plateau  250  of the second outer housing  166  within the circumferential channel  232 . Two screws (not shown) are installed to couple the columns to mount the housings  164 ,  166  to one another. In addition, a third screw is inserted through corresponding aspects  254 ,  256  of a mounting bracket to mount the housings  164 ,  166  to one another. After the housings  164 ,  166  are mounted to one another, the rear of the adjustment bumper  54  is open to allow the rectangular aspect  258  of the plug guide  168  to be mounted within a rectangular opening in one of horizontal supports  22 ,  24  or the first or second horizontal member  110 ,  118 . The abutment plug  160  is inserted after the housings  164 ,  166  have been mounted to one another. The wheel  210  is rotated to rotate the clutch  170  to align the two linear grooves  198  with the grooves  192  of the longitudinal channel  182 , thereby enabling insertion of the linear guides  188 ,  190  of the bolt  184 . After the bolt  184  has been inserted to a depth where the threads of the bolt interface with the threads of the nut  196 , the wheel is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to draw the bolt inward and bring the elastomeric layer  218  toward the front face  214 . Continued counterclockwise rotation will eventually draw the bolt inward to a point where the elastomeric layer  218  almost abuts the front face  214 .  
         [0040]     In operation, adjustment bumper  54  is mounted to a rectangular opening in one of horizontal supports  22 ,  24  or the first or second horizontal member  110 ,  118 . To secure the frame assembly  12  within an opening, the bolt  184  is repositioned inward toward the wheel  210  to decrease the width of the frame assembly or the bolt is repositioned outward away from the wheel  210  to increase the width of the frame assembly. Clockwise rotation of the wheel  210  is operative to engage the acute angled faces of the leading  
         [0041]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , the swinging door  14  includes two sections  300 ,  302  that are slidably mounted to one another to increase or decrease the width of the door. The first section  300  includes a top bar  304  mounted to a bottom bar  306  via a plurality of vertical dividers  308 . The top bar  304  and bottom bar  306  are fabricated from hollow rectangular bar stock and are welded to the plurality of circular solid bars comprising the vertical dividers  308 . Corresponding ends  310 ,  312  of the top bar  304  and the bottom bar  306  are each enclosed with a welded metal plate that includes a hole tapped to provided a threaded interface (not shown). Each threaded interface receives one of the threaded ends of the eyebolts  82 ,  84  to mount the swinging door  14  to the frame assembly  12 . As discussed previously, the eyebolts  82 ,  84  can be screwed inward toward or screwed outward from the each threaded interface to adjust the width of the swinging door  14 .  
         [0042]     The second section  302  also includes a top bar  320  mounted to a bottom bar  322  via a plurality of vertical dividers  324 . A vertical bar  326  is also welded to the ends of the top bar  320  and bottom bar  322 , where the vertical bar  326  sits squarely on top of the bottom bar  322 . The welded junction between the vertical bar  326  and the top bar  320  only occurs between two corners such that the vertical bar  326  is outset from the top bar  320  to leave a rectangular opening (not shown) within the top of the vertical bar. This vertical opening receives a rectangular insert from a handle assembly  330  that, along with two screws, mounts the handle assembly to the second section  302 . Corresponding ends of the top bar  320  and the bottom bar  322  each include inserts having widthwise adjusters  332 . Two slides each having a C-shaped channel are respectively mounted to the backside of the top bar  320  and the bottom bar  322 . The C-shaped channels of each slide are adapted to receive an I-shaped track  338 ,  340  respectively mounted to the top bar  304  and bottom bar  306  of the first section  300 .  
         [0043]     Referencing  FIGS. 1-3 ,  14 , and  15 , the widthwise adjusters  332  are operative to fix the relative orientation of the sections  300 ,  302  with respect to one another, but may be actuated to change the overall width of the swinging door  14 . Each I-shaped track includes a series of evenly spaced teeth  350  providing gaps  352  therebetween. Each widthwise adjuster  332  includes a set pin  354  that is biased by a spring  356  into one of the gaps  352  to inhibit sliding of the sections  300 ,  302  with respect to one another. When one desires to increase or decrease the width of the swinging door  14  by sliding the sections  300 ,  302  with respect to one another, one actuator  358  of each adjuster  332  is depressed to overcome the bias exerted upon the set pin  354  and reposition the pin from the gap it previously occupied. While both actuators  358  are depressed, and while the each pin is not within a gap  352 , the sections may be repositioned with respect to one another by sliding the second section  302  along the I-channel until the desired width has been reached. Thereafter, the actuators  358  are no longer depressed to allow the bias of the springs  356  to force each pin  354  upward and into one of the gaps  352  between the teeth  350 . This process may be repeated at any time to amend the widthwise dimension of the swinging door  14 . For example,  FIG. 2  shows a relatively narrow swinging door  14 , in comparison to the relatively wide swinging door  14  of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0044]     Referring to  FIGS. 16-18 , the handle assembly  330  includes two injection molded housings  360  that are operative to contain the internal mechanisms that providing for repositioning of the reciprocating latch  132 . As discussed previously, the reciprocating latch  132  interfaces with the latch catch insert  122  (see  FIG. 1 ) to mount the swinging door  14  to the second horizontal member  118  of the primary frame assembly  18 . The internal mechanisms includes a safety  360  that comprises a trigger  362 , a spring  364  to bias the trigger in the safe position as shown in  FIG. 16 , and a set of alignment pins  366  that ride within corresponding oblong holes  368  that extend through the trigger  362 . The trigger  362  is vertically repositionable by a user lifting up with, for example, an index finger to overcome the bias of the spring  364  and move the trigger  362  to the operative position shown in  FIG. 17 . In the operative position, a lower aspect  370  of the trigger  362  no longer blocks the line of travel of a moment arm  372  that pivots about point  374 . The arrow of  FIG. 18  shows depression of the moment arm  372 , for example by a thumb of a user. This depressive force is operative to overcome a bias of a spring  376  and pivot the moment arm  372  about point  374 . A cut-out  378  is provided through the side of the reciprocating latch  132  that a contact rod  380  of the moment arm  372  protrudes through. In this manner, pivoting action of the moment arm  372  resulting from depression as represented by the arrow of  FIG. 18  is operative to push the contact rod  380  against the border of the cut-out  378 , thereby for moving the reciprocating latch  132  rearward (compare  FIGS. 17 and 18 ). Rearward movement of the reciprocating latch  132  to the position shown in  FIG. 18  is operative to no longer continue the engagement between the primary frame assembly  18  and the swinging door  14 , thereby allowing the door to swing freely.  
         [0045]     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 16  and  17 , the reciprocating latch  132  can also be moved rearward as a result of contact with one of the two semicircular projections  124  that extend perpendicularly from opposing faces of the second horizontal member  118 . When the latch  132  contacts one of the projections  124  while the swinging door  14  is coming into alignment with the primary frame assembly  18 , the latch  132  is operative to independently slide rearward with respect to the moment arm  372 . Interaction between the latch  132  and one of the projections  124  is operative to overcome a bias of a spring  382  interposing the latch and the moment arm to force the latch  132  rearward. If the trigger  362  is engaged in the operative position as shown in  FIG. 17 , the interaction between the latch  132  and one of the projections  124  is operative to overcome the bias of at least one of the springs  376 ,  382  to allow a combination of rearward movement of the latch and pivoting of the moment arm  372 . When no, or an insufficient force is action upon the latch  132 , the biased nature of the trigger  362 , the moment arm  372 , and the latch itself are operative to return the components in a stand-by position as shown in  FIG. 16 .  
         [0046]     It is to be understood that the pressure gate  10  described above is exemplary in nature and modifications to the gate may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the hollow rectangular bar stock may be replaced with polymer hollow rectangular bar stock or other components of various materials that provide at least similar functionality. Moreover, this example extends to any of the components and pieces discussed above, as materials, design elements, and shapes may be reconfigured or replaced by other materials, design elements, and shapes providing at least similar functionality. It is further within the scope of the invention that the mounting techniques recited herein are exemplary in nature and may be replaced or supplemented by other mounting techniques. For instance, the exemplary welds between the metallic components may be replaced by other fastening devices and techniques for mounting metallic components together, where as different materials may also lend to different mounting techniques. For example, if the vertical supports and horizontal supports were fabricated from polymer materials, a snap fit between the polymer supports may be preferable over polymer welding.  
         [0047]     It is also within the scope of the invention to exchange complementary components. For example, the horizontal support  42  may include a spring-biased dowel, and the coaxial horizontal support  100  may include a series of spaced apart holes. Likewise, the handle assembly may be mounted to the primary frame assembly and the latch may engage a latch catch insert mounted to the swinging door  14 . These are simply exemplary instances where the mounting structure of the complementary components can be switched or reconfigured, each of which shall fall within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0048]     Following from the above description and invention summaries, it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that, while the methods and apparatuses herein described constitute exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the invention contained herein is not limited to this precise embodiment and that changes may be made to such embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Additionally, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the claims and it is not intended that any limitations or elements describing the exemplary embodiments set forth herein are to be incorporated into the interpretation of any claim element unless such limitation or element is explicitly stated. Likewise, it is to be understood that it is not necessary to meet any or all of the identified advantages or objects of the invention disclosed herein in order to fall within the scope of any claims, since the invention is defined by the claims and since inherent and/or unforeseen advantages of the present invention may exist even though they may not have been explicitly discussed herein.