Pet carrier with openings for facilitating contact between human and animal
View Patent ↗A pet carrier includes a side having a first opening and a structure covering the first opening. The structure includes a panel attached to the side of the carrier and a collapsible barrier extending between the panel and the side of the carrier. A second opening is located in the collapsible barrier. The structure has a closed position in which the panel covers the first opening, and the collapsible barrier is in a folded position, and an open position in which the unattached edges of the panel are separated from the carrier at an angle and the collapsible barrier is in an extended position. The first and second openings are adapted to enable a user to insert a hand from the exterior of the pet carrier through the structure into the interior of the carrier when the structure is in the open position.
1 . A pet carrier comprising:
a body adapted to hold one or more animals, the body comprising at least a bottom, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end;
wherein the first side comprises:
a first opening adapted to allow passage of a hand of a user into an interior of the body;
a track element that surrounds at least a first portion of the first opening;
an annular element engaged with and adapted to rotate within the track element, wherein the annular element surrounds at least a second portion of the first opening; and
a structure attached to the annular element, wherein the structure covers at least the second portion of the first opening, wherein the structure is adapted to rotate with the annular element, the structure comprising:
a panel formed of a first material, the panel having a plurality of edges, wherein at least a first edge among the plurality of edges is attached to the annular element and one or more second edges among the plurality of edges are not connected to the annular element;
a collapsible barrier formed of a second material different from the first material, the collapsible barrier being attached to the one or more second edges of the panel and attached to the annular element, the collapsible barrier extending between the one or more second edges of the panel and the annular element;
a second opening located in the collapsible barrier, wherein the second opening is horizontally displaced by a distance relative to the first opening;
wherein the panel has:
a closed position in which the panel covers the first opening, and the collapsible barrier is in a folded position; and
an open position in which the panel is disposed at a first non-zero angle relative to the first side of the body and the collapsible barrier is in an extended position;
wherein the second opening is adapted to allow passage of the hand of the user from an exterior of the pet carrier to the first opening when the panel is in the open position.
2 . The pet carrier of claim 1 , wherein:
the annular element comprises an inner circumference defining a central region and a third material extending within the central region; and
the first opening is located in the third material.
3 . The pet carrier of claim 1 , wherein:
the first side of the pet carrier comprises a third material in a region proximate the track element;
the track element is disposed on the third material; and
the first opening is formed in the third material.
4 . The pet carrier of claim 1 , further comprising one or more locking devices adapted to secure the annular element in a selected rotational position.
5 . The pet carrier of claim 4 , wherein the one or more locking devices include at least one of a slide lock, a pin lock, or a surface level stopper.
6 . The pet carrier of claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises at least one of plastic, rubber, wood, or fabric.
7 . The pet carrier of claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises one of neoprene, fabric, rubber, EPDM rubber, silicone, or mesh.
8 . The pet carrier of claim 1 , wherein the panel is attached to the annular element by one of: a hinge, one or more buttons, stitching, sew-on snaps, press studs, rivets, or hydraulic or manual cylinders.