초록 ▼

A pet crate broadly includes a crate housing. The crate housing includes first and second connector sections and a support wall extending between and interconnecting the sections. The connector sections and wall extend between opposite housing ends of the crate housing to cooperatively present an en

A pet crate broadly includes a crate housing. The crate housing includes first and second connector sections and a support wall extending between and interconnecting the sections. The connector sections and wall extend between opposite housing ends of the crate housing to cooperatively present an enclosed pet space. The crate housing presents a crate opening at a corresponding housing end. The crate opening permits pet ingress and egress relative to the enclosed pet space.

대표청구항 ▼

1. Stackable pet crates operable to be interconnected with each other to form a bank of crates arrayed in a lateral and/or vertical configuration, each of said stackable pet crates comprising: a unitary molded crate housing including vertically arranged top and bottom wall sections, opposite side wa

1. Stackable pet crates operable to be interconnected with each other to form a bank of crates arrayed in a lateral and/or vertical configuration, each of said stackable pet crates comprising: a unitary molded crate housing including vertically arranged top and bottom wall sections, opposite side walls, and opposite end walls that are unitarily molded together and cooperatively present an enclosed pet space,said crate housing presenting a crate opening defined by one of the end walls,said crate opening permitting pet ingress and egress relative to the enclosed pet space,said one of the end walls being spaced from other of the interconnected crates when the pet crates are interconnected so that the crate opening is exposed to permit pet ingress and egress,at least one of said top and bottom wall sections including a wall and a threaded fastener insert integrally molded in place within the wall, with the threaded fastener insert of a first one of the pet crates being removably attached relative to a second one of the pet crates when the first and second pet crates are interconnected in the lateral or vertical configuration, such that the threaded fastener insert serves to connect the first and second crates in each of the lateral and vertical configurations,a coupler interconnecting the first and second pet crates when in the lateral configuration; and a plurality of threaded fastener elements, each corresponding to one of the threaded fastener inserts and being in threaded engagement therewith to cooperatively secure the coupler to the respective one of the first and second pet crates when the first and second pet crates are in the lateral configuration,at least one of said top and bottom wall sections defining an opening and a pocket extending inwardly from the opening, with the other of the wall sections presenting a projection,said opening presenting an opening dimension and said projection presenting a projection dimension smaller than the opening dimension so that the projection of each pet crate is operable to be nestably received by the pocket of one of the other pet crates when the pet crates are interconnected in the vertical configuration. 2. The stackable pet crates as claimed in claim 1, said at least one of the wall sections including a plurality of fastener inserts fixed to the connector wall;a coupler interconnecting a first one of the pet crates and a second one of the pet crates located alongside the first pet crate; anda plurality of fastener elements operable to engage corresponding fastener inserts,said coupler being secured to the first and second crates by corresponding fastener elements and fastener inserts. 3. The stackable pet crates as claimed in claim 1, one of said wall sections including a plurality of fastener inserts fixed to the respective wall; anda plurality of fastener elements received by the other of the wall sections, with the fastener elements operable to engage corresponding fastener inserts to secure the interconnected first and second crates to one another. 4. The stackable pet crates as claimed in claim 3, said one of the wall sections presenting an outer margin, with the plurality of fastener inserts being spaced along the outer margin. 5. The stackable pet crates as claimed in claim 4, said other of the wall sections presenting a second outer margin, with the plurality of fastener elements being spaced along the second outer margin. 6. The stackable pet crates as claimed in claim 1, said bottom wall section defining the opening and pocket and said top wall section presenting the projection. 7. The stackable pet crates as claimed in claim 1, said at least one of the wall sections comprising the top wall section,said top wall section including a plurality of fastener inserts integrally molded in place within the respective wall; anda plurality of fastener elements received by the bottom wall section, with the fastener elements operable to engage corresponding fastener inserts, with the fastener elements operable to engage corresponding fastener inserts to secure the interconnected first and second crates to one another in the vertical configuration. 8. The stackable pet crates as claimed in claim 7, said top wall section presenting an outer margin, with the plurality of fastener inserts being spaced along the outer margin. 9. The stackable pet crates as claimed in claim 8, said bottom wall section presenting a second outer margin, with the plurality of fastener elements being spaced along the second outer margin. 10. The stackable pet crates as claimed in claim 1; and a door swingably mounted relative to the one end wall and operable to swing into and out of a closed position in which the door substantially spans the crate opening to restrict pet ingress and egress through the crate opening. 11. The stackable pet crates as claimed in claim 10, said crate housing presenting a second crate opening that permits pet ingress and egress through the second crate opening, with the second crate opening being spaced from the first-mentioned crate opening.