Pet enclosure with dual axes swivel connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10034451-B2
Application number	US-201414190371-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2014
Priority date	Mar 10, 2011
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

A dual axes swivel connector for connecting various panels to assemble a pet enclosure is disclosed. The dual axes swivel connector allows panels of the enclosure to be reliably pivoted with respect to each other. The dual axes swivel connector may comprise first and second parts. The first part may be fabricated from a flexible material compared to the second part, whereas the second part may be fabricated from a more rigid material compared to the first part. The flexibility of the first part allows the first part to have a tighter fit with the wire rods. The second part has a looser fit with the wire rods but the rigidity of the second part compensates for the looser fit. When the first and second parts are interlocked, they create a tight fit which can reliably provide a hinge between the panels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible enclosure, comprising:
a first swivel connector;
a second swivel connector;
a third swivel connector;
a fourth swivel connector;
a top panel;
a bottom panel;
a first side panel;
a second side panel;
wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth swivel connectors comprises a first distal end portion and a second distal end portion,
each of the first and second distal end portions having retaining walls attached to opposed distal ends of a back wall to define a first groove and a second groove, the first groove is parallel to the second groove, the first and second grooves of each of the first and second distal end portions are separated by a median, wherein spaces between distal end portions of the retaining walls and a proximal end portion of the median define groove openings of the first and second grooves,
wherein the medians of the first and second distal end portions are connected together by a bridge,
the groove openings of the first distal end portion faces a direction opposite from a direction of the groove openings of the second distal end portion,
wherein the first and second grooves of the first distal end portion are coaxial to the first and second grooves of the second distal end portion, respectively,
wherein the first grooves of the first and second distal end portions of the first swivel connector are configured to simultaneously receive a first side edge rod of the top panel in an assembled state, the second grooves of the first and second distal end portions of the first swivel connector are configured to simultaneously receive a top edge rod of the first side panel in the assembled state,
wherein the first grooves of the first and second distal end portions of the second swivel connector are configured to simultaneously receive a first side edge rod of the bottom panel in the assembled state, the second grooves of the first and second distal end portions of the second swivel connector are configured to simultaneously receive a bottom edge rod of the first side panel in the assembled state,
wherein the first grooves of the first and second distal end portions of the third swivel connector are configured to simultaneously receive a second side edge rod of the top panel, the second grooves of the first and second distal end portions of the third swivel connector are configured to simultaneously receive a top edge rod of the second side panel in the assembled state,
wherein the first grooves of the first and second distal end portions of the fourth swivel connector are configured to simultaneously receive a second side edge rod of the bottom panel in the assembled state, the second grooves of the first and second distal end portions of the fourth swivel connector are configured to simultaneously receive a bottom edge rod of the second side panel in the assembled state,
wherein the enclosure is configured to be traversed to a folded configuration wherein the first, second, third and fourth swivel connectors enable the first and second side panels to pivot to allow the first and second side panels to be positioned at different elevations with respect to the bottom panel so that the first and second side panels and the top panel may be stacked upon each other.

2. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein
the first side panel is disposed between the second side panel and the bottom panel when the enclosure is in the folded configuration, and the top panel is disposed between the first and second side panels when the enclosure is in the folded configuration.

3. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein
the bottom edge rod of the first side panel is at a higher elevation compared to the bottom edge rod of the second side panel when the enclosure is in the folded configuration and wherein the first and second side edge rods of the bottom panel are at the same elevation.

4. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein
the first and second side panels and the top and bottom panels are fabricated from a metallic material and the first swivel connector is fabricated from a plastic material for mitigating noise.

5. An enclosure for an animal comprising:
a plurality of wire panels; and
a plurality of swivel connectors, each swivel connector having
a first distal end portion and a second distal end portion,
each of the first and second distal end portions having retaining walls attached to opposed distal end portions of a back wall to define a first groove and a second groove, the first groove is parallel to the second groove, the first and second grooves of each of the first and second distal end portions are separated by a median, wherein spaces between the retaining walls and a proximal end portion of the median define groove openings of the first and second grooves,
wherein the medians of the first and second distal end portions are connected together by a bridge,
the groove openings of the first distal end portion faces a direction opposite from a direction of the groove openings of the second distal end portion,
wherein the first and second grooves of the first distal end portion are coaxial to the first and second grooves of the second distal end portion, respectively.

6. The enclosure of claim 5 wherein
the plurality of wire panels are stacked upon each other when the enclosure is traversed to a folded configuration.

Assignees

• Prec Pet Products Inc
• Doskocil Mfg

Inventors

• Link David
• Liang Hongkun

Classifications

• Y10T403/32606

  Pivoted · CPC title

• Y10T403/32008

  Plural distinct articulation axes · CPC title

• E05Y2900/40

  for gates · CPC title

• E05D5/127

  by forcing the pin into the socket (E05D5/125 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T24/344

  Resilient type clasp · CPC title