Lockable pet door
View Patent ↗A pet door offering ingress or egress through a structural member. A lock mechanism in the pet door allows the pet owner to restrict ingress and/or egress as desired. The pet door features a dual control system that simplifies the setting of the lock. Each control corresponds to movement of the flap in one direction. The dual control system is also designed to be easier to access than a conventional pet door lock mechanism and to be less susceptible to unintentional adjustment resulting from incidental contact with the controls.
1. A lockable pet door comprising:
a frame adapted to encompass an opening in a structural member, said frame defining a passageway;
a flap pivotably connected to said frame within said passageway, said flap being substantially rigid and having a first face and an opposing second face, said first face including a first socket, said second face including a second socket;
a first bolt adapted to be received within said first socket, said first bolt being movable to a unlocked position, a restricted position, and a locked position;
a first control that when operated moves said first bolt between said unlocked position, said restricted position, and said locked position;
a first linkage operably connecting said first control and said first bolt;
a second bolt adapted to be received within said second socket, said second bolt being movable to a unlocked position, a restricted position, and a locked position;
a second control that when operated moves said first bolt between said unlocked position, said restricted position, and said locked position;
a second linkage operably connecting said second control and said second bolt;
whereby said first control and said first bolt cooperate to control movement through said passageway in one direction and said second control and said second bolt cooperate to control movement through said passageway in an opposite direction.
2. The lockable pet door of claim 1 wherein, when in said unlocked position, said first bolt being fully retracted from said passageway and not obstructing movement of said flap, when in said restricted position, said first bolt extending into said passageway proximate said flap first face and obstructing movement of said flap in one direction, and, when in said locked position, said first bolt extending into said passageway and engaging said first socket to obstruct movement of said flap in both directions.
3. The lockable pet door of claim 1 wherein, when in said unlocked position, said second bolt being fully retracted from said passageway and not obstructing movement of said flap, when in said restricted position, said second bolt extending into said passageway proximate said flap second face and obstructing movement of said flap in one direction, and, when in said locked position, said second bolt extending into said passageway and engaging said second socket to obstruct movement of said flap in both directions.
4. The lockable pet door of claim 1 wherein said second bolt is in engagement with said second socket, said second socket releasing said second bolt when an external force is applied substantially perpendicular to said flap outer surface thereby permitting ingress through said passageway and said second bolt resisting movement of said flap when an external force is applied substantially perpendicular to said flap inner surface thereby restricting egress through said passageway.
5. The lockable pet door of claim 1 wherein each of said first linkage and said second linkage is a substantially rigid member, each of said first linkage and said second linkage defining a first section and a second section, said first section being hingably connected to said second section.
6. The lockable pet door of claim 1 wherein each of said first linkage and said second linkage is a cable, said first bolt and said second bolt being connected to said frame by a first spring and a second spring, respectively, said first spring and said second spring tensioned to return said first bolt and said second bolt, respectively, to said unlocked position, each of said first linkage and said second linkage operating against said first spring and said second spring, respectively, to move said first bolt and said second bolt to said restricted position and said locked position.
7. A lockable pet door comprising:
a frame defining a passageway;
a flap being substantially rigid having a first face and an opposing second face and adapted to swing freely within said passageway in a first direction and an opposing second direction, said flap including a first socket;
a first bolt movable between a first position, a second position, and a third position, wherein when said first bolt is in said first position, said first bolt does not obstruct said flap thereby allowing said flap to swing freely in both of said first direction and said second direction, wherein when said first bolt is in said second position, said first bolt obstructing said flap on one side thereby allowing said flap to swing freely in said first direction while being prevented from swinging in said second direction, when said bolt is in said third position, said first bolt engaging said first socket thereby preventing said flap from swinging in either of said first direction and said second direction;
a first control mounted on said frame, actuation of said first control moving said first bolt between said first position, said second position, and said third position; and
a first linkage operably connecting said first control and said first bolt.
8. The lockable pet door of claim 7 wherein said first linkage is a cable, said first bolt being connected to said frame by a first spring, said first spring tensioned to return said first bolt to said third position, said linkage operating against said first spring to move said first bolt to either of said first position and said second position.
9. A lockable pet door comprising:
a frame defining a passageway;
a flap being substantially rigid having a first face and an opposing second face and adapted to swing freely within said passageway in a first direction and an opposing second direction;
a first bolt movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when said first bolt is in said first position, said first bolt does not obstruct said flap thereby allowing said flap to swing freely in both of said first direction and said second direction and wherein when said first bolt is in said second position, said first bolt obstructing said flap on one side thereby allowing said flap to swing freely in said first direction while being prevented from swinging in said second direction;
a second bolt movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when said second bolt is in said first position, said second bolt does not obstruct said flap thereby allowing said flap to swing freely in both of said first direction and said second direction and wherein when said second bolt is in said second position, said second bolt obstructing said flap on one side thereby allowing said flap to swing freely in said first direction while being prevented from swinging in said second direction;
a first control mounted on said frame, actuation of said first control moving said first bolt between said first position and said second position;
a second control mounted on said frame, actuation of said second control moving said second bolt between said first position and said second position;
a first linkage operably connecting said first control and said first bolt; and
a second linkage operably connecting said second control and said second bolt.
10. The lockable pet door of claim 9 wherein said flap includes a second socket, said second bolt movable to a third position and, when in said third position, said second bolt engaging said second socket thereby preventing said flap from swinging in either of said first direction and said second direction, actuation of said second control moving said second bolt between said first position, said second position, and said third position.
11. A lockable pet door comprising:
a frame defining a passageway;
a flap being substantially rigid having a first face and an opposing second face and adapted to swing freely within said passageway in a first direction and an opposing second direction;
a first bolt movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when said first bolt is in said first position, said first bolt does not obstruct said flap thereby allowing said flap to swing freely in both of said first direction and said second direction and wherein when said first bolt is in said second position, said first bolt obstructing said flap on one side thereby allowing said flap to swing freely in said first direction while being prevented from swinging in said second direction, said first bolt being connected to said frame by a first spring tensioned to return said first bolt to said first position;
a first control mounted on said frame, actuation of said first control moving said first bolt between said first position and said second position; and
a first linkage operably connecting said first control and said first bolt, said first linkage being a cable, said first linkage operating against said first spring to move said first bolt to said second position.