Pet enclosure with dual axes swivel connector

Abstract

A dual axes swivel connector for connecting various panels to assemble a pet enclosure is disclosed. The dual axes swivel connector allows panels of the enclosure to be reliably pivoted with respect to each other. Additionally, the dual axes swivel connector allows the various panels of the enclosure to be offset with respect to each other when the enclosure is traversed to the collapsed position. The offset permits and enables the stacking of the various panels on top of each other. The dual axes swivel connector may be fabricated from a plastic material whereas the panels of the enclosure may be fabricated from a metallic material to reduce vibration noise.

1 . A collapsible enclosure, comprising:
 a first top dual axes swivel connector, a second top dual axes swivel connector, a first bottom dual axes swivel connector and a second bottom dual axes swivel connector, each of the connectors having two grooves defining pivot axes generally parallel to each other;   a top panel having first and second side edge rods;   a bottom panel disposed opposite to the top panel, the bottom panel having first and second side edge rods;   first side panel defining top and bottom edge rods, the top edge rod of the first side panel pivotally attached to the first side edge rod of the top panel with the first top dual axes swivel connector so that the first side panel and the top panel pivots about the two pivot axes of the first top dual axes swivel connector, the bottom edge rod of the first side panel pivotally attached to the first side edge rod of the bottom panel with the first bottom dual axes swivel connector so that the first side panel and the bottom panel pivots about the two pivot axes of the first bottom dual axes swivel connector;   a second side panel defining top and bottom edge rods, the top edge rod of the second side panel pivotally attached to the second side edge rod of the top panel with the second top dual axes swivel connector so that the second side panel and the top panel pivots about the two pivot axes of the second top dual axes swivel connector, the bottom edge rod of the second side panel pivotally attached to the second side edge rod of the bottom panel with the second bottom dual axes swivel connector so that the second side panel and the bottom panel pivots about the two pivot axes of the second bottom dual axes swivel connector;   wherein the enclosure may be traversed to a folded configuration wherein the first and second top and bottoms swivel connectors pivot to allow the first and second side panels to be positioned at different elevations with respect to the bottom panel so that the first and second side panels and the top panel may be stacked upon each other.   
     
     
         2 . The enclosure of  claim 1  wherein the first side wall is disposed between the second side wall and the bottom panel when the enclosure is in a folded configuration, and the top panel is disposed between the first and second side walls when the enclosure is in the folded configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The enclosure of  claim 1  wherein the top edge rod of the first side panel and the first edge rod of the top panel are disposed within the two grooves of the first top dual axes swivel connector, the bottom edge rod of the first side panel and the first edge rod of the bottom panel are disposed within the two grooves of the first bottom dual axes swivel connector, the top edge rod of the second side panel and the second edge rod of the top panel are disposed within the two grooves of the second top dual axes swivel connector, and the bottom edge rod of the second side panel and the second edge rod of the bottom panel are disposed within the two grooves of the second bottom dual axes swivel connector. 
     
     
         4 . The enclosure of  claim 1  wherein the bottom edge rod of the first side panel is at a higher elevation compared to the bottom edge rod of the second side panel when the enclosure is in a collapsed position and wherein the first and second side edge rods of the bottom panel are at the same elevation. 
     
     
         5 . The enclosure of  claim 1  wherein the first and second side panels and the top and bottom panels are fabricated from a metallic material and the dual axes swivel connectors are fabricated from a plastic material for mitigating noise. 
     
     
         6 . A dual axes swivel connector for pivotally connecting adjacent first and second panels, the first and second panels having edge rods, the connector comprising:
 a first end portion having two grooves which are operative to each receive one of the edge rods wherein the first end portion comprises:
 a tapered median for urging the edge rods into the two grooves, the tapered median defining a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; 
 a back wall connected to the distal end portion of the tapered median, the back wall extending laterally outward from the distal end portion of the tapered median to limit insertion of the edge rods into the two grooves; 
 retaining walls connected to opposed distal end portions of the back wall, the retaining walls being resilient to flex outward upon inserting the edge rods between distal end portions of the retaining walls and the proximal end portion of the tapered median to permit traversal of the edge rods into the two grooves and to flex inward around the edge rods thereafter, the resilient retaining walls extending about 180 degrees from the opposed distal end portions of the back wall to mitigate removal of the edge rods from the two grooves after insertion; 
 wherein the distal end portions of the retaining walls and the distal end portion of the tapered median defines entrance gaps of the two grooves. 
   
     
     
         7 . The connector of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a second end portion having two grooves which are operative to each receive one of the edge rods, the second end portion being in reverse orientation to the first end portion for engaging the two grooves of the first and second end portions by rotating the connector with respect to the edge rods wherein the second end portion comprises:
 a tapered median for urging the edge rods into the two grooves, the tapered median defining a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; 
 a back wall connected to the distal end portion of the tapered median, the back wall extending laterally outward from the distal end portion of the tapered median to limit insertion of the edge rods into the two grooves; 
 retaining walls connected to opposed distal end portions of the back wall, the resilient retaining walls being resilient to flex outward upon inserting the edge rods between distal end portions of the resilient retaining walls and the distal end portion of the tapered median to permit traversal of the edge rods into the two grooves and to flex inward around the edge rods thereafter, the resilient retaining walls extending about 180 degrees from the opposed distal end portions of the back wall to mitigate removal of the edge rods from the two grooves after insertion; 
 wherein the distal end portions of the retaining walls and the distal end portion of the tapered median define entrance openings of the two grooves. 
 
 
     
     
         8 . The connector of  claim 7  further comprising a bridge attached to the tapered medians of the first and second end portions with the first and second end portions gapped apart from each other. 
     
     
         9 . The connector of  claim 7  wherein the entrance openings of the two grooves of the first end portion is oriented about-face with respect to the entrance openings of the two grooves of the second end portion. 
     
     
         10 . The connector of  claim 7  wherein the retaining walls of the first and second end portions have chamfered interior corners. 
     
     
         11 . A method of collapsing an enclosure, the method comprising the steps of:
 stacking a left panel on a bottom panel and a top panel on a right panel;   pivoting the stacked top panel and right panel on top of the stacked left panel and bottom panel;   rotating first and second dual axes swivel connector, the first dual axes swivel connector attached to the left panel and bottom panel, the second dual axes swivel connector attached to the right panel and the bottom panel so that a bottom edge rod of the left panel is at a lower elevation compared to a bottom edge rod of the right panel for permitting stacking of the left panel, right panel and top panel on top of the bottom panel.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the rotating step comprises the steps of rotating the first dual axes swivel connector about a first side edge rod of the bottom panel in a direction opposite from a rotating direction of the second dual axes connector about a second side edge rod of the bottom panel for offsetting the left panel below the stacked top and right panels. 
     
     
         13 . A partition for an animal comprising:
 a wire panel having an edge rod;   a dual axes swivel connector defining first and second generally parallel grooves wherein the first groove of the dual axes swivel connector is pivotally connected to the edge rod of the wire panel;   a wire member mountable to a first structure wherein the second groove of the dual axes swivel connected may receive the wire member for forming a hinge so that the wire panel may partition a first area from a second area.   
     
     
         14 . The partition of  claim 13  further comprising a latching mechanism mountable to a second structure opposite the first structure, the latching mechanism operative to hold the wire panel in a closed position for blocking passage between the first and second areas and permit a person to unlatch the latching mechanism so that the wire panel may be pivoted to an open position for permitting movement between the first and second areas 
     
     
         15 . An enclosure for an animal comprising:
 a plurality of wire panels, each wire panel having opposed edge rods;   a plurality of dual axes swivel connectors defining first and second generally parallel grooves wherein the first and second grooves of the dual axes swivel connector is pivotally connected to the edge rods of adjacent wire panels for forming the enclosure.   
     
     
         16 . The enclosure of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of wire panels are stacked upon each other when the enclosure is traversed to a collapsed position. 
     
     
         17 . A dual axes swivel connector for pivotally connecting adjacent first and second panels, the first panel having a first rod, the second panel having a second rod, the connector comprising:
 a first part having first and second grooves wherein the first groove is operative to receive the first rod and the second groove is operative to receive the second rod, the first part comprises:
 a tapered median for directing the first and second rods into the grooves and away from each other; and 
 first and second retaining walls which extend from the tapered median and wrap around the first and second rods defining the first and second grooves wherein the tapered median and the first retaining wall wrap around more than 180 degrees around the first rod and the tapered median and the second retaining wall wrap around more than 180 degrees around the second rod to hold the first and second rods in the first and second grooves after insertion of the first and second rods into the first and second grooves. 
   
     
     
         18 . The connector of  claim 17  further comprising an extension that protrudes out from the tapered median parallel to longitudinal axes of the first and second grooves, the longitudinal axes of the first and second grooves being parallel to each other, and the connector further comprises a second part having an identical structure compared to the first part wherein the first groove of the second part is operative to receive the first rod and the second groove of the second part is operative to receive the second rod, the extension of the first part is disposable between a gap of the second part defined between first and second walls of the second part when an extension of the second part is disposed between a gap of the first part defined between first and second walls of the first part for interlocking the first and second parts. 
     
     
         19 . The connector of  claim 17  further comprising a second part which is identical to the first part and can interlock with the first part. 
     
     
         20 . The connector of  claim 18  further comprising an extension that protrudes out from the tapered median parallel to longitudinal axes of the first and second grooves, the extension having a pawl, the longitudinal axes of the first and second grooves being parallel to each other, and the connector further comprises a second part having:
 a tapered median for directing the first and second rods into the grooves and away from each other; and 
 first and second retaining walls which extend from the tapered median and wrap around the first and second rods defining the first and second grooves wherein the tapered median and the first retaining wall wrap around more than 180 degrees around the first rod and the tapered median and the second retaining wall wrap around more than 180 degrees around the second rod to hold the first and second rods in the first and second grooves after insertion of the first and second rods into the first and second grooves. 
 
       wherein the first groove of the second part is operative to receive the first rod and the second groove of the second part is operative to receive the second rod, the extension of the first part is disposable between a gap of the second part defined between first and second walls of the second part and the pawl of the first part engages the first and second walls of the second part when the extension of the second part is disposed between a gap of the first part defined between first and second walls of the first part for interlocking the first and second parts. 
     
     
         20 . The connector of  claim 19  wherein the extension of the second part has a pawl for engaging the first and second walls of the first part when the extension of the first part is disposed between the gap of the first part. 
     
     
         21 . The connector of  claim 20  wherein the pawl of the extension of the first part and the pawl of the extension of the second part extend from the distal end portions of the extensions of the first and second parts. 
     
     
         22 . The connector of  claim 18  wherein longitudinal axes of the first and second grooves of the first part are coaxial with longitudinal axes of the first and second grooves of the second part when the first and second parts are interlocked with each other. 
     
     
         23 . The connector of  claim 17  wherein first and second opposed interior surfaces of the tapered median each has a semi-circular configuration. 
     
     
         24 . The connector of  claim 18  wherein first and second distal ends of the first and second retaining walls define the gap which is about equal to a diameter of the first rod. 
     
     
         25 . The connector of  claim 18  wherein first and second distal end portions of the first and second retaining walls of the first part have a V shaped configuration for guiding the first rod between the gap and the tapered median has an inverted V shaped configuration. 
     
     
         26 . The container of  claim 18  wherein a width of the extension of the first part is about equal to a gap of the second part.