Modular animal housing with tool-free assembled insulation system
The modular animal enclosure with a multi-layered insulating element and self-stabilizing floor insulation addresses the complexity of integrating and replacing insulation in wooden enclosures, enabling tool-free installation and maintenance.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-19
AI Technical Summary
Existing wooden animal enclosures require complex and skilled processes to integrate and remove insulation, which is often difficult to clean or replace, and necessitate permanent alterations.
A modular animal enclosure with a multi-layered insulating element featuring a wider insulating layer and narrower outer layer, secured by a stepped rebate that engages with the housing structure, and floor insulation that stabilizes the wall insulation without tools, allowing easy installation and removal.
The solution provides secure, tool-free insulation attachment and removal, ensuring structural stability and ease of maintenance, while allowing interchangeable roof and wall elements.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention:
[0001] Modular animal housing with a tool-free assembled insulation system. Technical field:
[0002] The invention relates to an animal dwelling, in particular a cat house for outdoor or indoor use, consisting of a housing construction with wall elements and at least one roof element. State of the art:
[0003] Wooden animal enclosures come in a wide variety of designs. They often consist of firmly screwed-together wall panels. To ensure adequate protection from the cold in winter, insulation is necessary. In conventional solutions, the insulation is often permanently integrated into the walls (sandwich construction) or must be added later, which is a complex process involving, for example, screwing or gluing polystyrene panels. This requires skilled craftsmanship and tools. Furthermore, permanently installed insulation is often difficult to clean or replace if damaged. The underlying problem:
[0004] The invention aims to provide a modular animal enclosure in which effective thermal insulation can be securely attached and removed by laypersons without tools or permanent alterations to the structure (such as drilling). Furthermore, the structure should be inherently stable without the need for additional fittings. Solution and advantages of the invention:
[0005] This problem is solved by an animal enclosure with the features of claim 1. The core of the invention lies in the specific design of the insulating elements and their integration into the housing structure. The insulating element is designed as a multi-layered composite panel that is inserted into the housing structure without tools.
[0006] A key advantage is the insulating element's two-layer construction: a thick insulating layer (preferably made of sustainable wood fiber) and a thinner, stable outer layer (preferably a coated HDF board). According to the invention, these two layers have different widths. The outer layer is narrower than the insulating layer. This creates an overhang of the insulating layer (a stepped rebate) on the long sides of the insulating element. This overhang serves as a guide rail that engages in corresponding recesses in the housing structure, thus securing the element against falling out.
[0007] Another essential aspect of the invention is the mutual stabilization of the components: The floor insulation is dimensioned so that it is inserted into the floor area after the wall insulation has been slid into place. It fits snugly between or against the lower sections of the wall insulation. This fixes the wall insulation in position and prevents it from slipping or rattling (a "wedge effect"). The entire insulation system is thus self-stabilizing, without the need for screws or nails.
[0008] This plug-in system allows the customer to decide whether and when to install the insulation. The roof and wall elements are also interchangeable thanks to the modular design. Explanation of the drawings:
[0009] An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. • Fig. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the animal enclosure during the insertion process of the insulation. • Fig. Figure 2 shows a cross-section through the insulating element. • Fig. Figure 3 shows the interaction of floor insulation and wall insulation in cross-section. • Fig. Figure 4 shows the cross-section of the entire structure from above.
[0010] As shown in the figures, the animal enclosure comprises a frame structure (1). The wall insulation element (2) with the overhang (5) is inserted. The floor insulation element (6) is then inserted and secures the position of the wall insulation element (2) in the lower area.
Claims
[1] Animal housing, in particular cat house, comprising a housing structure with wall elements, a floor element and a roof element, characterized by , that wall insulation elements (2) are arranged on the inside sides of the wall elements, which can be inserted into the housing construction without tools and can be releasably locked, wherein the wall insulation elements (2) are designed as multi-layer composite panels. [2] Animal housing according to claim 1, characterized by , that the wall insulation elements (2) consist of at least one insulating layer (3), preferably a wood fiber insulation board, and a rigidly bonded, more flexible covering layer (4), preferably a high-density fiberboard (HDF). [3] Animal housing according to claim 2, characterized by, that the top layer (4) has a narrower width than the underlying insulation layer (3) on at least two opposite side edges, so that the insulation layer (3) extends laterally beyond the top layer (4) and forms an overhang (5). [4] Animal housing according to claim 3, characterized by , that the protrusion (5) of the insulating layer (3) serves as a guide element which, in the assembled state, engages in a form-fitting manner in areas of the housing construction to prevent the wall insulating element (2) from slipping horizontally out of the wall plane. [5] Animal housing according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that a floor insulation element (6) is provided which is dimensioned such that, when placed in the animal housing, it rests against the lower edges of the wall insulation elements (2) and thereby fixes them in their position and secures them against slipping. [6] Animal housing according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the top layer (4) has a coated, wipeable surface on the side facing the interior. [7] Animal housing according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the housing construction is modular, such that roof elements of different material properties (e.g. screen printing plate or three-layer plate) as well as wall elements with or without window recesses can be optionally and interchangeably attached to the basic construction.