Patent Application
20110259277
It is desired that animal enclosure latch systems not cause a hazard to the enclosed animals or human caretakers. Specifically, available animal enclosure latch systems have been known to cause harm to animals. Such harm includes hanging and/or killing of animals.
Further, it is desired that animal enclosures include internal and external mechanisms to engage a latch to restrict enclosed animals from exiting the animal enclosure. Internal and external mechanisms to engage a latch may also allow a human caretaker to easily latch and/or unlatch an animal enclosure gate while the human caretaker is inside the animal enclosure.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have an animal enclosure latching device that is safe for animals and humans by minimizing the possibility of snagging animal collars, clothing and/or body parts, and that includes an internal and external latching mechanism.
This disclosure is drawn to devices, apparatuses, systems and/or methods related to animal enclosure latches. Specifically, the disclosed devices, apparatuses, systems and/or methods relate to animal enclosure latches having an internal latch receptacle and an external latch receptacle, where the internal latch receptacle has a top downward-sloping portion to prevent animal collars and the like from becoming hooked, snagged and/or caught on the internal latch receptacle.
The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings:
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the Figures, may be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and make part of this disclosure.
In an exemplary embodiment, as generally depicted in
Some embodiments may be configured such that the internal latch slot 12 and the external latch catch 18 may be located at differing heights on the strike plate 10. For example, the internal latch slot 12 may be located higher than the external latch catch 18.
In some embodiments, the animal enclosure latching device may also include an external latch lock 24 for restricting movement of the latch when the latch is received and/or engaged by the external latch catch 18. The external latch lock 24 may be attached to the strike plate 10 at a pivot point 26 to allow the external latch lock 24 to pivot around to restrict or allow the latch from moving to and/or from the external latch catch 18. In some examples, the strike plate 10 may also include one or more strike plate lock holes to receive one or more locks (e.g., padlock, combination lock and the like). The external latch lock 24 may also include one or more latch lock holes 28 to receive a lock. In this manner, the same lock may couple the latch lock hole(s) 28 and the strike plate hole(s) together. This may provide for a more permanent and/or more effective locking mechanism to prevent an enclosed animal from getting out of the animal enclosure.
In some embodiments, the strike plate 10 may also include one or more fastener hole 30 for receiving fastener(s) 32. Fastener(s) 32 may be inserted into the fastener hole(s) 30 to couple the strike plate 10 to the animal enclosure. Example fasteners 32 may include nails, screws, and other similar fasteners.
While the strike plate 10 may be comprised of any metal material, exemplary embodiments provide that the strike plate 10 is comprised of stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum alloy and/or cast iron.
In some embodiments, as depicted in
In some embodiments, the downward-slanted portion 62 above the latch opening 60 may be configured to prevent articles (e.g., animal collars and/or body parts) from becoming snagged or caught on the internal flange 54. In some examples, the downward-slanted portion 62 above the latch opening 60 may slant downward from the strike plate 50 toward the inside 16 of the animal enclosure.
Some examples may also include an external latch lock 66 for restricting movement of the latch when the latch is received by and/or engaged with the external latch catch. 64 The external latch lock 66 may be pivotally coupled to the strike plate 50.
In some embodiments, an animal enclosure latching system may include an animal enclosure gate 80 pivotally coupled to an animal enclosure, a latch 14 pivotally coupled to the animal enclosure gate 80, and a strike plate 82 coupled to the animal enclosure 84. The strike plate 82 may engage the latch 14 to substantially restrict the animal enclosure gate 80 from moving (e.g., pivoting). The strike plate 82 may include an internal latch slot for receiving the latch 14 on the inside of the animal enclosure 84, an external latch catch for receiving the latch 14 on the outside of the animal enclosure 84, and an external latch lock for restricting movement of the latch 14 when the latch 14 is received by the external latch catch. The strike plate 82 may also include a slanted segment atop the internal latch slot. The slanted segment may slant downward from the strike plate 82 toward the inside of the animal enclosure 84. Some examples may also include a latch guide 86 coupled to the animal enclosure gate 80. The latch guide 86 may guide the latch 14 as the latch 14 pivots about a latch pivot point 88.
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, it is to be understood that the inventions contained herein are not limited to the above precise embodiment and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. 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 the invention, since inherent and/or unforeseen advantages of the present invention may exist even though they may not have been explicitly discussed herein.
