Pet carrier
A carrier includes a body and a cover portion. The body has a bottom portion and a top portion and an opening in the top portion. The bottom portion is configured to be placed on a surface. The opening is the only opening sized and configured to enable an animal to enter or exit the body and enables an animal to enter or exit the body in a vertical manner when the bottom portion is placed on the surface. The cover portion is sized and configured to fit within the opening of the top portion. The cover portion is hingedly attached to the top portion at a first side and includes a latching mechanism at a second side. The latching mechanism enables the cover to be disposed in a latched state to close the opening in the top portion.
1. A carrier comprising:
a body with a bottom portion and a top portion, the top portion defining a top opening having a first top side, the bottom portion configured to be placed on a surface, the top opening being an only opening in the top portion that (a) is sized and configured to enable an animal to enter or exit the body and (b) enables an animal to enter or exit the body in a vertical manner when the bottom portion is placed on a surface;
a cover portion sized and configured to open and close the top opening, the cover portion having a first cover side, a second cover side, a viewing opening therein, an attachment opening therein, and a first passage and a second passage located on opposite sides of the attachment opening, the first passage and the second passage defining a plane, an entirety of the first passage and the second passage extending within the plane, the viewing opening extending along the plane, the first cover side of the cover portion being attached to the top portion of the body at the first top side of the top opening by a hinge, the viewing opening being off-centered within the cover portion and closer to the first cover side than to the second cover side, the viewing opening having a wire grating that restricts passage through the viewing opening with a carrier handle hingedly connected to the wire grating, the carrier handle being off-center relative to the wire grating and centered relative to the cover portion; and
a latching mechanism installed to a latch supporting portion of the cover portion closer to the second cover side than to the first cover side, the latching mechanism being manually operable to retain the cover portion in a latched state to close the top opening and to release the cover portion such that the cover portion is free to move about the hinge to provide access to the top portion via the top opening, the latching mechanism including:
an attaching structure attached to the cover portion at the attachment opening so as to be spaced apart from the viewing opening,
at least one recess,
a first rod having a first transverse section, a first end, and a first longitudinal section extending at least between the first transverse section and the first end, the first transverse section and the first longitudinal section extending along the plane, and
a second rod having a second transverse section, a second end, and a second longitudinal section extending at least between the second transverse section and the second end, the second transverse section and the second longitudinal section extending along the plane,
the first longitudinal section extending through the first passage in the cover portion and the second longitudinal section extending through the second passage in the cover portion,
the first transverse section and the second transverse section extending into the at least one recess such that a user can insert one or more fingers into the at least one recess to squeeze the first transverse section and the second transverse section towards each other to release the first end from the top portion as the first longitudinal section translates within the first passage and the second end from the top portion as the second longitudinal section translates within the second passage.
2. The carrier according to claim 1 , wherein;
the wire grating at least partially blocks the viewing opening in the cover portion.
3. The carrier according to claim 1 , wherein:
the bottom portion is detachable from the top portion.
4. The carrier according to claim 1 , wherein:
the latching mechanism includes at least one spring that biases the first rod and the second rod away from each other.
5. The carrier according to claim 1 , wherein:
the top portion includes an edge configured to overlap an outside periphery of the bottom portion.
6. The carrier according to claim 1 , wherein:
the bottom portion is sized and configured to fit within an interior of the top portion when the bottom portion is inverted.
7. The carrier according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first transverse section extends outwardly from a first intermediate portion of the first longitudinal section, and
the second transverse section extends outwardly from a second intermediate portion of the second longitudinal section.
8. The carrier according to claim 1 , wherein;
the top opening has an oval shape with the first top side and a second top side being substantially straight, the first top side opposite the second top side, and
the attachment opening also has an oval shape with the first cover side and the second cover side being substantially straight.
9. The carrier according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one recess includes a first recess and a second recess separated by a divider,
the first transverse section translates within the first recess, and
the second transverse section translates within the second recess.
10. The carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first rod includes:
a third transverse section extending from the first longitudinal section,
a third end, and
a third longitudinal section extending from the third transverse section to the third end, the third longitudinal section and the third transverse section extending along the plane.
11. The carrier according to claim 10 , wherein the second rod includes:
a fourth transverse section extending from the second longitudinal section,
a fourth end, and
a fourth longitudinal section extending from the fourth transverse section to the fourth end, the fourth longitudinal section and the fourth transverse section extending along the plane.
12. The carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the latching mechanism is not coupled to or formed by the wire grating.
13. A method of forming a carrier, the method comprising:
forming a bottom portion, the bottom portion configured to be placed on a surface;
forming a top portion with a top opening, the top opening having a first top side and being an only opening sized and configured to enable an animal to enter or exit the carrier and enables an animal to enter or exit the carrier in a vertical manner when the bottom portion is placed on a surface;
positioning a cover portion to selectively provide access to the top portion via the top opening, the cover portion having a first cover side, a second cover side, a viewing opening therein, an attachment opening therein, and a first passage and a second passage located on opposite sides of the attachment opening, the first passage and the second passage defining a plane, an entirety of the first passage and the second passage extending within the plane, the viewing opening extending along the plane, the cover portion being attached to the top portion by a hinge that is attached to the top portion at the first top side of the top opening, the viewing opening being off-centered within the cover portion and closer to the first cover side than to the second cover side, the viewing opening having a wire grating that restricts passage through the viewing opening with a carrier handle hingedly connected to the wire grating, the carrier handle being off-center relative to the wire grating and centered relative to the cover portion; and
installing a latching mechanism to a latch supporting portion of the cover portion closer to the second cover side than to the first cover side, such that the latching mechanism is manually operable to retain the cover portion in a latched state to close the top opening in the top portion and to release the cover portion such that the cover portion is free to move about the hinge to provide access to the top portion via the top opening, the latching mechanism including:
an attaching structure attached to the cover portion at the attachment opening so as to be spaced apart from the viewing opening,
at least one recess,
a first rod having a first transverse section, a first end, and a first longitudinal section extending at least between the first transverse section and the first end, the first transverse section and the first longitudinal section extending along the plane, and
a second rod having a second transverse section, a second end, and a second longitudinal section extending at least between the second transverse section and the second end, the second transverse section and the second longitudinal section extending along the plane,
the first longitudinal section extending through the first passage in the cover portion and the second longitudinal section extending through the second passage in the cover portion,
the first transverse section and the second transverse section extending into the at least one recess such that a user can insert one or more fingers into the at least one recess to squeeze the first transverse section and the second transverse section towards each other to release the first end from the top portion as the first longitudinal section translates within the first passage and the second end from the top portion as the second longitudinal section translates within the second passage.
14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein:
the wire grating at least partially blocks the viewing opening in the cover portion.
15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein:
the latching mechanism includes at least one spring that biases the first rod and the second rod away from each other.
16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein;
the top portion includes an edge configured to overlap an outside periphery of the bottom portion.
17. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
inverting the bottom portion and positioning the bottom portion within an interior of the top portion.
18. The method according to claim 13 , wherein;
the first transverse section extends outwardly from a first intermediate portion of the first longitudinal section, and
the second transverse section extends outwardly from a second intermediate portion of the second longitudinal section.
19. The method according to claim 13 , wherein:
the top opening has an oval shape with the first top side and a second top side being substantially straight, the first top side opposite the second top side, and
the attachment opening also has an oval shape with the first cover side and the second cover side being substantially straight.
20. The method according to claim 13 , wherein:
the at least one recess includes a first recess and a second recess separated by a divider,
the first transverse section translates within the first recess, and
the second transverse section translates within the second recess.