Pet containment system for vehicle

Abstract

A pet containment system includes a containment structure for containment of a pet. The enclosure may be installed in a vehicle using a LATCH (Lower Anchor and Task for Children) restraint system of the vehicle or other suitable vehicle anchor points. The system may include a vertically and horizontally adjustable tether for fastening a pet or animal wearing a wearable garment such as a chest strap or vest; and a guardrail surrounding the pet or animal. A system according to the present disclosure secures a pet or animal in a vehicle to prevent or reduce the likelihood that the pet is impacted or injured due to sudden changes in vehicle speed and / or direction.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 443,807, filed on February 7, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to a pet containment system. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a pet containment system for securing a pet or animal in a vehicle. Background Art

[0004] Many people consider their pets to be family members or companions. Consequently, pet owners often take their pets with them on trips to vacation, veterinary appointments, or around town. Pet carriers or vests can be used in conjunction with vehicle seatbelts to prevent pets from roaming around and / or slipping out of the vehicle. However, these devices often fail to adequately secure the pet and can be difficult to install in the vehicle during sudden changes in speed or direction. Improperly restrained pets are more likely to be injured during a crash and harm vehicle occupants. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an adjustable pet tether system for a vehicle includes: a base for receiving a pet; a support frame secured to the base, the support frame being removably secured to the vehicle; a bracket supported on the support frame for vertical movement along the support frame between a first lower position and a second upper position; and a tether having a free end extending from the bracket. The vertical attachment point of the tether relative to the support frame can be adjusted by moving the bracket along the support frame to a desired vertical height.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a pet containment system for a vehicle includes a support frame mountable to the vehicle; a containment structure secured to the support frame for accommodating a pet; and at least one latch rigidly secured to the support frame for securing the pet containment system to a mating anchor of the vehicle.

[0007] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a pet containment system for a vehicle includes: a support frame including an upwardly extending tower portion and a horizontally extending base support portion; at least one latch rigidly secured to the support frame for securing the pet containment system to a mating anchor of the vehicle, the at least one latch being movable between a stowed position and a deployed position; a base secured to the base support portion of the support frame and extending outwardly from the tower portion of the support frame, the base defining at least a portion of a receptacle for receiving a pet; a collapsible boom pivotally secured at one end to the tower portion of the support frame, spaced apart from the base, the boom extending over at least a portion of the base; a flexible guardrail extending between at least a portion of a perimeter of the base and the boom; a bracket supported on the tower portion for movement between a first lower position and a second upper position, the bracket including a tether slot. The bracket includes a first lower position and a second upper position, wherein the bracket has ...

[0008] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a pet containment system for a vehicle includes: a support frame including an upwardly extending tower portion and a horizontally extending base support portion; a base secured to the support frame and extending outwardly from the tower portion of the support frame, the base defining at least a portion of a receptacle for accommodating a pet; a collapsible enclosure bar pivotally secured at one end to the tower portion of the support frame, spaced apart from the base, the enclosure bar extending over at least a portion of the base; and a flexible guardrail extending between at least a portion of a perimeter of the base and the enclosure bar. At least one of the support frame or the base is securable to the vehicle's restraint system.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for securing a pet to a pet containment system includes positioning a pet in the pet containment system, the pet containment system having a base for receiving the pet, a support frame secured to the base (the support frame being removably secured to a vehicle), a bracket supported on the support frame for vertical movement along the support frame between a first lower position and a second upper position, and a tether secured to the bracket; adjusting a vertical attachment point of the tether relative to the support frame by moving the bracket along the support frame to a desired vertical height; and securing a free end of the tether to a wearable component worn by the pet. The method may include adjusting the length of the free end of the tether and / or partially collapsing a collapsible containment bar pivotally secured at one end to a tower portion of the support frame, spaced apart from the base, the bar extending above at least a portion of the base and supporting a flexible guardrail secured to the base.

[0010] According to another aspect, a pet containment system for a vehicle includes a base for receiving a pet, a support frame secured to the base, the support frame being removably secured to the vehicle, and a bracket supported on the support frame for vertical movement along the support frame between a first lower position and a second upper position, the bracket defining an attachment point for securing the pet. The bracket is movable to adjust the vertical height of the attachment point. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The following description of several exemplary embodiments will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.It should be understood that the possible embodiments of the disclosed system are not limited to those shown.

[0012] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary pet containment system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A perspective view of a pet containment system with the flexible guardrails and collapsible containment bars removed for illustrative purposes.

[0014] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A perspective view of a support frame for a pet containment system.

[0015] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Another perspective view of the pet containment system with the flexible guardrail removed.

[0016] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A rear perspective view of the upper portion of a pet containment system.

[0017] Figure 6 for Figure 1 A perspective view of an adjustable tether assembly of a pet containment system.

[0018] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Side elevation view of the adjustable tether assembly.

[0019] Figure 8 for Figure 6 A perspective view of the bracket and locking mechanism of the adjustable tether assembly.

[0020] Figure 9 for Figure 1 A perspective view of the bottom side of a pet containment system.

[0021] Figure 10 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a pet containment system is shown with the latch in a first position.

[0022] Figure 11 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a pet containment system is shown with the latch in a second position.

[0023] Figure 12 for Figure 10 The enlarged part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The present disclosure sets forth various aspects of a pet containment system for a vehicle that includes a containment structure for containing a pet. The pet containment system can be installed in a vehicle using the vehicle's LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) restraint system or other suitable vehicle anchorage points. The pet containment system includes: a base; a guardrail that surrounds the pet or animal; and a tether that can be adjusted vertically and horizontally for securing the pet or animal, such as by securing it to a wearable garment such as a chest harness or vest. The pet containment system according to the present disclosure secures the pet or animal in the vehicle to prevent or reduce the likelihood of the pet being impacted or injured by sudden changes in vehicle speed and / or direction or in the event of an impact.

[0025] Please refer to Figure 1According to the present disclosure, a pet containment system 10 includes a containment structure 12 and a vertically and horizontally adjustable tether assembly 14. The pet containment structure 12 includes a collapsible containment bar 16 that supports a flexible guardrail 18 extending between a base 20 and the collapsible containment bar 16. As will become apparent from the following description, the pet containment system 10 is configured to be secured to a vehicle via a latch 22. In a typical installation, the pet containment system 10 is at least partially supported on a seat of the vehicle, and the latch 22 is secured to a LATCH anchor of the vehicle, typically located between the seat back and the seat base cushion of the vehicle. Once secured, the pet P is positioned within the containment structure 12 and secured to the adjustable tether assembly 14. As described below, both the containment structure 12 and the adjustable tether assembly 14 have features that simplify use and allow the pet containment system 10 to be tailored to pets of various sizes.

[0026] Please refer to Figures 2 to 7 The pet containment system 10 includes a support frame 24 having an upright tower portion (or rail) 26 and a horizontally extending base support portion 28 to which the base 20 of the enclosure 12 is mounted. The base 20 includes a bottom wall 30 and an upwardly extending peripheral wall 32. The bottom wall 30 of the base 20 is secured to the base support portion 28 of the support frame 24 by, for example (but not limited to), a plurality of fasteners 34, such as screws, bolts, rivets, or the like. A shroud 36 extends upward from the base 20 and is adapted to at least partially enclose the tower portion 26 of the support frame 24 and associated components. The shroud 36 may be integrally formed with the base 20 or may be a separate component. The support frame 24 is typically fabricated from a material such as steel or aluminum. The support frame 24 may be formed from a single, single piece of material, such as by forging. More typically, the support frame 24 comprises at least two pieces joined together, such as by welding. The base 20 and the shroud 36 are typically fabricated from a plastic material. However, it should be understood that a wide variety of materials may be used for the various components of the present disclosure.

[0027] The tower portion 26 of the support frame 24 supports the adjustable tether assembly 14. The adjustable tether assembly 14 generally includes a buckle 38 that is fastened to the tower portion 26 of the support frame 24; and a bracket 40 that is mounted to the tower portion 26 for adjusting the tether assembly 14. Figure 3 The bracket 40 is configured to slide back and forth in the direction indicated by arrow A in FIG. The bracket 40 includes a tether slot 42 through which a tether 44 is passed for attachment to a pet or animal, such as via a vest or harness for the pet. Slot 42 can be considered the attachment point of the tether to the bracket 40, as the boundaries of slot 42 constrain the tether 44. It should be understood that the bracket 40 may alternatively include structure for attaching a tether or belt directly to the bracket 40. This structure may include a D-ring or the like.

[0028] The snap 38 helps adjust the length of the free end of the tether 44 and, therefore, the horizontal position of the terminal end of the free end of the tether 44 within the enclosure 12. The snap 38 is only one of many adjustment mechanisms that may be used to releasably secure the tether at various lengths without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Movement of the bracket 40 along the tower 26 adjusts the vertical position of the free end of the tether 44. One or more release mechanisms (safety mechanisms) 46 supported on the bracket 40 are configured to selectively lock the bracket in a desired vertical position along the tower 26. As used herein, the free end of the tether 44 refers to the portion of the tether 44 that extends from the slot 42 and is used to connect to a harness or vest or other wearable garment for the pet.

[0029] Please refer to Figure 8 , shows an enlarged view of the bracket 40 including the release mechanism 46. Each release mechanism 46 generally includes an actuator rod 48 supported by the bracket 40 for pivotal movement at its central portion. A first end of the actuator rod 48 is attached to a locking pin 50 supported by the bracket 40 for pivotal movement in the locked position (e.g., Figure 8 The locking pins 50 are biased toward the locked position by springs 52. When in the locked position, the locking pins 50 are adapted to be received in a plurality of height adjustment holes 54 (e.g., see FIG. 1 ) in the tower portion 26. Figure 3 ) in one of them. When the second ends of the actuator rods 48 move toward each other ( Figure 8 The locking pins 50 are released when the first ends of the actuator rods 48 are moved away from each other by pressing the levers 48 together, thereby withdrawing the locking pins 50 from the corresponding holes 54. Once the locking pins 50 are in the released position, the bracket 40 can be slid upward or downward on the tower 26 to a new vertical position as desired, thereby adjusting the vertical position of the tether 44 relative to the tower 26. The second ends of the actuator rods 48 can be coupled to a common actuating element (such as a lever or button) via a cable or the like (not shown). The common actuating element can be located on the shroud 36 or base 20 at a location convenient for the user to manipulate.

[0030] A variety of release mechanisms may be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, such as the illustrated embodiment, the operating components of the release mechanism are associated with the bracket 40, while the passive components (e.g., hole 54) are associated with the tower 26. In other embodiments, these operating components may be supported on the tower or other adjacent structure and configured to engage with the passive components, which are associated with the bracket. In other embodiments, the bracket 40 and / or the tower 26 may include a ratchet mechanism, a cam locking mechanism, or other similar configuration for securing the bracket 40 relative to the tower 26. Although two release mechanisms 46 are shown in the accompanying drawings as being positioned on two opposite sides of the bracket 40, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that one or more other release mechanisms may be utilized within the scope of the present disclosure, and that the release mechanisms 46 may be located at different locations along the bracket 40, such as the front or rear sides.

[0031] also, Figure 8 Insert 58 is shown housed within bracket 40. Insert 58 acts as a bushing between bracket 40 and tower 26. To this end, insert 58 may be a plastic insert or other low-friction material. Furthermore, tether slot 42 is provided with a low-friction insert 60 to prevent excessive wear on tether 44. Certain low-friction plastics, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, are particularly suitable for inserts 58 and 60.

[0032] It should be understood that while buckle 38 facilitates adjustment of the length of the free end of tether 44, the length of the free end of tether 44 can also vary based on the position of bracket 40 along tower 26. For example, without using buckle 38 to adjust tether 44, the free end of tether 44 can be relatively short when bracket 40 is relatively low on tower 26, and relatively long when bracket 40 is relatively high on tower 26. This is because the distance between buckle 38 and slot 42 is greater when bracket 40 is relatively low on tower 26 than when bracket 40 is relatively high on tower 26. This feature is particularly useful when pet containment system 10 is used with animals of varying sizes, as the length of the free end of tether 44 can automatically increase when bracket 40 is moved to a position associated with use with relatively larger animals, while automatically decreasing when bracket 40 is moved to a position associated with use with relatively smaller animals. As such, it may not be necessary to use the snap buckle 38 to adjust the length of the tether 44 , thereby simplifying the use of the pet containment system 10 .

[0033] Please refer back to Figure 1 、 Figure 4 and Figure 5The features of the collapsible fence 16 will now be described. The collapsible fence 16 includes a generally loop-shaped fence 64 that is supported on the tower portion 26 of the support frame 24. The shape of the fence 64 may generally correspond to the shape of the base 20, but may have an overall footprint that is larger than the footprint of the base 20. The fence 64 may be a single component or assembled from multiple discrete segments that are assembled together to form the generally loop shape. The fence 64 may be covered with foam or other cushioning material.

[0034] like Figure 5 As best shown, the opposite ends of the rod 64 are received in corresponding recesses 66 of the tower 26 and are secured by corresponding surfaces of the shroud 36. It will be appreciated that the ends of the rod 64 can be rotated relative to the tower 26 so that the fence rod 16 can be positioned, for example, Figure 1 The upper position shown is the same as Figure 4 Move between the lower positions shown. Figure 1 In the position, the flexible guardrail 18 is held taught by the fence 16. Figure 4 In the middle, the surrounding rod 16 is in a collapsed state ( Figure 4 1 and 2. The flexible guardrail 18 is not shown in the figure, so that it is easier to access the interior of the enclosure 12 for loading and / or securing the pet. The flexible guardrail 18 can be, for example, a mesh fabric material or the like.

[0035] The collapsible fence 16 is directed toward the Figure 1 The position shown is biased. Each torsion spring 68 is interposed between the end of the rod 64 and the shield 36 so that a rotational force is applied to the rod 64 which tends to move toward Figure 1 The rod 64 is biased in the position shown. The rotational force applied by the torsion spring 68 is generally sufficient to keep the flexible guardrail 18 in a taut state, but the rotational force can be easily overcome by the user pressing down on the front of the fence 16. Thus, the fence 16 can be pressed down to facilitate loading a pet into the enclosure 12 and then released to raise the flexible guardrail 18 to the use position. In some embodiments, the fence 16 can be locked in the use position so that a user-actuable release device (e.g., a button or the like) must be actuated by the user to allow the fence 16 to be moved from the use position. In other embodiments, a stop mechanism can be provided that is intended to prevent the fence 16 from being moved from the use position, but the stop mechanism can also be overcome when sufficient force is applied to the fence 16 to overcome not only the biasing force of the torsion spring 68 but also the additional resistance of the stop mechanism.

[0036] In some embodiments, the fence post 16 and the flexible guardrail 18 can be easily interchanged to provide fence posts 16 and flexible guardrails 18 of different shapes and / or sizes. For example, a shorter flexible guardrail 18 may be required for smaller pets. In other cases, such as when the pet containment system 10 is installed in a small vehicle, a smaller fence post may be required. In other cases, the user may choose to remove the fence post and flexible guardrail altogether.

[0037] Please refer to Figures 9 to 12 , these features of the latch 22 will be described. The latch 22 of this embodiment is rigidly fastened to the support frame 24 and can be in the stowed position ( Figure 9 and Figure 11 ) and the expanded position ( Figure 10 ) between the stowed and deployed positions. Each latch 22 includes a claw / hook 70 for releasably engaging a vehicle anchor (e.g., a LATCH anchor). The claw / hook 70 is retractably extendable from the body of the housing of the latch 22. In the stowed position, the latch 22 is folded into a latch pocket 72 in the bottom of the base 20. In one aspect, the latch 22 is slidably connected to the support frame 24 so that the latch can translate between the stowed position and the deployed position. In the deployed position, the latch 22 protrudes from the rear of the base 20 for connection to a corresponding LATCH anchor (or other vehicle anchor point) of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the latch 22 is adjustable in the horizontal direction to change the gap between the pet containment system 10 and the seat back of the vehicle.

[0038] Each latch 22 is supported on a rotating tubular cross member (hereinafter referred to as a latch tube 74). The latch tube 74 extends through the lower section of the tower 26 and is surrounded by a concentric outer fixed tube 76 extending from each side of the tower 26. The latch tube 74 is supported for rotation relative to the tower 26 to allow the latch 22 to rotate between a stowed position and a deployed position. A latch lock 78 locks the latch 22 in either the stowed position or the deployed position.

[0039] The latch lock 78 includes an actuator 80 that is supported for sliding movement in the base 20. The actuator 80 is movable between a locked position that restricts rotation of the latch tube 74 and an unlocked position that permits rotation of the latch tube 74. A spring 82 biases the latch lock 78 toward the locked position. The actuator 80 moves to Figure 12 88 retracts the steel pin 86 from one of the two holes 88 in the latch tube 74, allowing the latch tube 74 to rotate relative to the outer retainer tube 76. After positioning the latch 22 in either the stowed or deployed position and releasing the actuator 80, the spring 82 forces the pin 86 back into one of the holes 88, thereby limiting rotation of the latch tube 74 relative to the outer tube 76 and locking the latch 22 in place.

[0040] It should be understood that although the latch 22 can rotate relative to the tower 26 of the support frame 24, it is rigidly secured to the support frame 24 and can be referred to as a "rigid latch." When locked in the deployed position, the latch 22 can be aligned with the vehicle's lower LATCH anchor and pressed into latching engagement with the lower LATCH anchor. When deployed, the latch 22 extends a fixed distance from the containment system 10. In this way, any relative movement between the containment system 10 and the vehicle seat when installed in the vehicle and connected to the vehicle's anchor points can be minimized or eliminated. Unlike assemblies in which the latch is flexibly attached by straps or the like, the system of the present disclosure can be more easily positioned and secured within the vehicle without the need for tensioning of straps or other flexible components.

[0041] In other embodiments, the latches 22 may be retractable rather than rotatable. In such embodiments, each latch 22 may be supported so as to translate between the stowed position and the extended position along its longitudinal axis.

[0042] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may include a load-bearing leg 90, such as Figure 1 The load legs 90 may be used to provide additional support and stability to the mounting apparatus, such as in the case of large animals or pets, or where the base 20 is not fully received on the seat base of a vehicle.

[0043] In other embodiments, the latches 22 of the containment system 10 may be "soft latches." In such embodiments, at least one latch 22 is attached to the containment system 10 using a flexible structure (e.g., such as one or more straps or one or more pieces of webbing). The soft latch connector may be substantially similar to the rigid latch connector described above and, in some embodiments, may be tensioned once attached to the vehicle LATCH anchor. However, in other embodiments, the latch connector may be various other types of clips and hooks (such as carabiners or other clips) and may be biased toward a closed position and manually opened for attachment to the vehicle anchor.

[0044] It should be noted that the illustrations and descriptions of the examples and embodiments shown in the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered to limit the present disclosure. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure contemplates various embodiments. In addition, it should be understood that the concepts described above using the aforementioned examples and embodiments can be used alone or in combination with any of the other examples and embodiments described above. It should also be understood that, unless otherwise indicated, the various alternative examples and embodiments described above with respect to one exemplary embodiment can be applied to all examples and embodiments as described herein.

[0045] Unless expressly stated otherwise, each numerical value and range should be interpreted as an approximation as if the word "about," "approximately," or "substantially" were used in front of the value or range. Unless otherwise stated, the terms "about," "approximately," and "substantially" can be understood to describe a range within 15% of the specified value.

[0046] Unless specifically stated otherwise, or as understood from the context in which they are used, conditional terms used herein, such as "can," "might," "perhaps," "could," "for example," and the like, are generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include (and other embodiments do not include) certain features, elements, and / or steps. Thus, such conditional terms are generally not intended to imply that features, elements, and / or steps are in any way required by one or more embodiments, or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic to determine whether such features, elements, and / or steps are included or to be performed in any particular embodiment, regardless of author input or prompting. The terms "comprise," "include," "have," and the like are synonymous and are used in an open, inclusive sense and do not exclude additional elements, features, actions, operations, and the like. Furthermore, the term "or" is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense), so that when used, for example, to connect a list of elements, the term "or" means one, some, or all of the multiple elements in the list.

[0047] Although certain examples have been described, these examples are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions disclosed herein. Therefore, nothing in the foregoing description implies that any particular feature, characteristic, step, module, or block is necessary or indispensable. In fact, the various novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form of the various methods and systems described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions disclosed herein. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover any form or changes that fall within the scope and spirit of certain inventions disclosed herein.

[0048] It should be understood that the steps of the exemplary methods described herein do not necessarily need to be performed in the order described, and the order of the steps of the methods should be understood to be exemplary only. Likewise, additional steps may be included in the methods, and certain steps may be omitted or combined in the methods consistent with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0049] Although the elements of the accompanying method claims (if any) are recited in a specific order with corresponding numbers, those elements are not necessarily intended to be limited to being implemented in that specific order unless the claim recitation otherwise implies a specific order for implementing some or all of those elements.

[0050] The terms "inwardly," "outwardly," "upwardly," and "downwardly" refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the element.

[0051] It should be understood that reference to "a" or "an" in describing a feature, such as a component or step, does not exclude additional features or multiples of such features. For example, reference to a device having, comprising, including, or defining "a" feature does not exclude the device having, comprising, including, or defining more than one such feature, as long as the device has, comprises, including, or defines at least one such feature. Similarly, reference to "one of" multiple features in this document does not exclude the invention from including two or more of these features. For example, reference to a device having, comprising, including, or defining "one of a protrusion and a recess" does not exclude the device from having both the protrusion and the recess.

Claims

1. An adjustable pet tether system for a vehicle, comprising: a base for accommodating a pet; a support frame secured to the base, the support frame being removably secured to the vehicle; a carriage supported on the support frame for vertical movement along the support frame between a first lower position and a second upper position; and a tether having a free end extending from the bracket; Wherein, the vertical attachment point of the tether relative to the support frame can be adjusted by moving the bracket along the support frame to a desired vertical height.

2. The adjustable pet leash system of claim 1 , wherein the bracket is movable to at least one discrete position between the first lower position and the second upper position.

3. The adjustable pet leash system of claim 2, further comprising a release mechanism for selectively securing the bracket to the support frame at the desired vertical height.

4. The adjustable pet leash system of claim 1 , wherein the leash is secured to the support frame by an adjustment mechanism, the adjustment mechanism allowing adjustment of the length of the free end of the leash.

5. The adjustable pet leash system of claim 4, wherein the adjustment mechanism is a snap buckle.

6. The adjustable pet tether system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one latch secured to the support frame for securing the adjustable pet tether system to a mating anchor of the vehicle.

7. A pet containment system for a vehicle, comprising: a support frame mountable to the vehicle; an enclosure structure secured to the support frame for housing a pet; and At least one latch is rigidly secured to the support frame for securing the pet containment system to a mating anchor of the vehicle.

8. The pet containment system of claim 7, wherein the at least one latch is movable between a deployed position and a stowed position.

9. The pet containment system of claim 8, further comprising a biasing member for urging the at least one latch toward the deployed position.

10. The pet containment system of claim 9, further comprising a latch tube supported for rotation relative to the support frame, the at least one latch supported on the latch tube for rotation between the deployed position and the stowed position.

11. The pet containment system of claim 10, further comprising a latch lock for securing the at least one latch in at least one of the stowed position and the deployed position.

12. A pet containment system according to claim 11, wherein the latch lock includes an actuator connected to a pin, and wherein the actuator enables the pin to selectively move into and out of the hole of the latch tube to limit or allow rotation of the latch tube relative to the support frame.

13. The pet containment system of claim 7, further comprising load-bearing legs for supporting the containment structure.

14. A pet containment system for a vehicle, comprising: a support frame comprising an upwardly extending tower portion and a horizontally extending base support portion; at least one latch rigidly secured to the support frame for securing the pet containment system to a mating anchor of the vehicle, the at least one latch movable between a stowed position and a deployed position; a base secured to the base support portion of the support frame and extending outwardly from the tower portion of the support frame, the base defining at least a portion of a receptacle for receiving a pet; a collapsible fence post pivotally secured at one end to the tower portion of the support frame, spaced from the base, the fence post extending over at least a portion of the base; a flexible guardrail extending between at least a portion of the perimeter of the base and the fence post; a bracket supported on the tower for movement between a first lower position and a second upper position, the bracket including a tether slot; and an adjustable-length tether secured to the tower portion of the support frame by a snap fastener for adjusting the length of a free end of the tether, the free end of the tether passing through the tether slot of the bracket; wherein the vertical position of the free end of the tether is adjustable by movement of the bracket between the first lower position and the second upper position; and The horizontal position of the distal end of the free end of the tether strap can be adjusted by the buckle.

15. A pet containment system for a vehicle, comprising: a support frame comprising an upwardly extending tower portion and a horizontally extending base support portion; a base secured to the support frame and extending outwardly from the tower portion of the support frame, the base defining at least a portion of a receptacle for receiving a pet; a collapsible fence post pivotally secured at one end to the tower portion of the support frame, spaced from the base, the fence post extending over at least a portion of the base; and a flexible guardrail extending between at least a portion of the perimeter of the base and the fence post; Wherein at least one of the support frame or the base is fastenable to a restraint system of the vehicle.

16. The pet containment system of claim 15, further comprising a biasing member for biasing the containment bar toward the use position.

17. The pet containment system of claim 15, wherein the containment bar is generally loop-shaped.

18. The pet containment system of claim 15, wherein the containment bar is constructed from a plurality of discrete sections assembled together.

19. The pet containment system of claim 15, wherein the flexible guardrail comprises at least one of fabric or mesh.

20. The pet containment system of claim 15, further comprising at least one latch rigidly secured to the support frame for securing the pet containment system to a mating anchor of the vehicle, the at least one latch being movable between a stowed position and a deployed position.

21. The pet containment system of claim 15, further comprising load-bearing legs for supporting the base.

22. A method of securing a pet to a pet containment system, the method comprising: Positioning a pet in a pet containment system, the pet containment system having: a base for receiving the pet; a support frame secured to the base, the support frame being removably secured to the vehicle; a bracket supported on the support frame for vertical movement along the support frame between a first lower position and a second upper position; and a tether having a free end extending from the bracket; adjusting a vertical attachment point of the tether relative to the support frame by moving the bracket along the support frame to a desired vertical height; as well as The free end of the leash is secured to a wearable member worn by the pet.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising adjusting the length of the free end of the tether.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein positioning the pet in the pet containment system comprises: A collapsible fence is at least partially collapsed, the fence being pivotally secured at one end to a tower portion of the support frame, spaced from the base, the fence extending over at least a portion of the base and supporting a flexible guardrail secured to the base.

25. A pet containment system for a vehicle, comprising: A base for accommodating a pet; a support frame secured to the base, the support frame being removably secured to the vehicle; as well as a bracket supported on the support frame for vertical movement along the support frame between a first lower position and a second upper position, the bracket defining an attachment point for securing a pet; The bracket is movable to adjust the vertical height of the attachment point.

26. The pet containment system of claim 25, wherein the bracket is movable to at least one discrete position between the first lower position and the second upper position.

27. The pet containment system of claim 26, further comprising a release mechanism for selectively securing the bracket to the support frame at a desired vertical height.

28. The pet containment system of claim 25, further comprising a leash having a free end extending from the bracket, the free end for attachment to the pet.

29. The pet containment system of claim 28, wherein a portion of the tether opposite the free end of the tether is secured to the support frame such that movement of the bracket changes the length of the free end of the tether.

30. The pet containment system of claim 29, wherein the portion of the tether secured to the support frame is secured to the support frame by an adjustment mechanism by which the length of the free end of the tether can be adjusted.

31. The pet containment system of claim 25, further comprising at least one latch secured to the support frame to secure the pet containment system to a mating anchor of the vehicle.

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