Movable or removable closures – Mounted for optional movements – One closure movable separately from or with other closure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-04
2001-08-14
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Movable or removable closures
Mounted for optional movements
One closure movable separately from or with other closure
C049S169000, C049S501000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272793
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to pet door panels insertable into sliding door frames and particularly to assemblies for adjusting the height of the pet door panel to fit varying sliding door frame sizes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pet access doors provide an opening, usually equipped with a swinging flap, through which pets can leave or enter a home or other building. The pet access doors may be set in a frame to be inserted in a hole in a wall or door. They also may be used at one side of the framed opening for sliding glass doors, such as those giving egress to patios and porches. Those doors are usually of glass and framed in aluminum. In such cases, the pet doors are usually part of a long panel, also of aluminum and glass, to extend the entire height of one side of the sliding door frame. Since sliding doors vary somewhat in height, a problem in the field is how to vary the height of the pet door panel so that it will fit different height sliding door frames.
One approach is to provide a telescoping top frame member, illustrated in the inventors earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,331 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,416. These do require some cutting to size of other panel members, which is inconvenient and which can be problematical if a wrong measurement is made.
The purpose of the invention, therefore, is to provide an easy-to-use height adjustment assembly for pet door panels for sliding door frames.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a height adjustable spacer apparatus for adjusting the height of a pet door panel frame to be fitted within a sliding door frame. The apparatus includes a pet door panel frame with a horizontal top frame member, a series of spacers (at least one) having downwardly projecting means for nesting engagement with each other and the horizontal top frame member, and a sliding door frame engaging member, also having downwardly projecting means for nesting in a spacer. Preferably, the elements all have perimeters that are aligned.
In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a nut secured to the top frame member, a screw seating portion in the sliding door engaging member, and a screw passable through the seating portion to engage the nut, the spacers in between having aligned openings so that the screw secures the apparatus together.
In another embodiment, the sliding door frame engaging member is movably biased away from a spacer in which it is a nesting relationship, and the horizontal top frame member includes moveable wedge means for engaging a spacer to adjust the distance between the spacer and member. The wedge means may include biaising means to bias the wedge means to maximize the distance of the spacer from the horizontal top frame member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3878645 (1975-04-01), Porter
patent: 4020595 (1977-05-01), Duncan
patent: 4047331 (1977-09-01), Davlantes
patent: 4262450 (1981-04-01), Anderson
patent: 4671016 (1987-06-01), Boeckx
patent: 4850144 (1989-07-01), Grisham et al.
patent: 4922659 (1990-05-01), Muccioli
patent: 5119593 (1992-06-01), Bae
patent: 5551188 (1996-09-01), Davlantes
patent: 5921026 (1999-07-01), Miller
patent: 6125584 (2000-10-01), Sanders
Cohen Curtis A.
Lahive & Cockfield LLP
Stodola Daniel P.
LandOfFree
Height adjustable assembly for pet door does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Height adjustable assembly for pet door, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Height adjustable assembly for pet door will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2532034