Pet door hinge
View Patent ↗A pet door hinge adapted to accommodate potentially damaging forces. The hinge mechanism includes a shaft that is received by a shock-absorbing bearing. The bearing is received by a sleeve. The bearing rotates within the sleeve to allow pivoting of the flap. In the event of potentially damaging forces, a resilient and deformable material forming the core of the bearing gives to prevent damage to or destruction of the hinge mechanism or the pet door.
1. A pet door hinge assembly comprising:
a shaft extending from a first piece of a pet door having a frame and a flap, said first piece being one of said frame and said flap;
an opening defined by a second piece of said pet door, said second piece being the other of said frame and said flap; and
a bearing including a ring and a cushion, said cushion filling a portion of a void defined by said ring, said cushion being resilient and deformable, said bearing defining an opening for receiving said shaft in a substantially non-rotating engagement, said bearing being received by said second piece opening, said bearing rotating within said second piece opening.
2. The pet door hinge assembly of claim 1 wherein said ring is fabricated from a self-lubricating material.
3. The pet door hinge assembly of claim 1 wherein said ring is fabricated from the group consisting of nylon, polypropylene, polyoxymethylene, and a material coated with a fluoropolymer.
4. The pet door hinge assembly of claim 1 wherein said cushion defines at least one void to allow for deformation of said cushion.
5. The pet door hinge assembly of claim 1 wherein said cushion is fabricated from the group consisting of a thermoplastic elastomer and polyisoprene.
6. The hinge assembly of claim 1 wherein said ring includes a shoulder, said shoulder occupying a portion of said void not occupied by said cushion, said shoulder engaging a portion of said shaft, said shaft and said shoulder being keyed to substantially prevent said shaft from rotating independently from said bearing.
7. A pet door comprising:
a frame for bounding an opening providing ingress and egress to an animal;
a flap substantially filling said opening, said flap being substantially rigid; and
a hinge linking said frame and said flap, said hinge allowing said flap to pivot within said frame opening, said hinge comprising a bearing and a shaft, said bearing comprising a ring defining a void and a cushion filling a portion of said void, said cushion being both resilient and deformable, said bearing receiving said shaft in a non-rotating engagement in said void, said bearing adapted to accommodate undesirable forces without resulting in damage to any of said frame, said flap, and said hinge.
8. The pet door of claim 7 wherein said hinge further comprises a sleeve receiving said bearing in a rotating engagement.
9. The pet door of claim 7 wherein said ring includes an extension adapted to engage a portion of said shaft.
10. A pet door comprising:
means for framing an opening;
means for blocking an opening defined by said means for framing;
means for pivoting said means for blocking an opening to allow ingress and egress through said pet door; and
means for cushioning said means for pivoting to prevent damage to said pet door when said means for blocking an opening is moved beyond a maximum limit.
11. A pet door hinge assembly comprising:
a pet door having a first part and a second part, said first part being one of a pet door frame and a pet door flap and said second part being the other of the pet door frame and the pet door flap;
a bearing sleeve connected to said pet door first part;
a shaft extending from said pet door second part;
a bearing ring having an inwardly-projecting extension, said bearing ring and said inwardly-projecting extension cooperating to define a void, said bearing ring being free to engage in rotational movement within said bearing sleeve, and
a bearing cushion disposed within said void, said bearing cushion being fabricated from a resilient and deformable material, said bearing cushion and said inwardly-projecting extension cooperating to define a shaft opening adapted to receive said shaft, said bearing cushion and said inwardly-projecting extension operatively engaging said shaft when said shaft is inserted into said shaft opening, said bearing cushion and said inwardly-projecting extension transferring the rotational movement to said shaft.
12. A pet door comprising:
a frame for bounding an opening providing ingress and egress to an animal;
a flap substantially filling said opening, said flap being substantially rigid; and
a hinge linking said frame and said flap, said hinge allowing said flap to pivot within said frame opening, said hinge comprising a shaft, a bearing, and a sleeve, said bearing independent of said frame and said flap, said shaft received by said bearing, said bearing received within said sleeve, said bearing including a cushion adapted to accommodate undesirable forces without resulting in damage to any of said frame, said flap, and said hinge.