Pet door
The pet door design with a weighted hinged door reduces the closing force on pets by balancing moments, allowing easy opening and adding insulation/soundproofing without extra burden.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- 荒山 義彦
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-10
AI Technical Summary
Existing pet doors apply force in the closing direction during use, causing burden on pets as they pass through.
A hinged door design with a weighted first part and a larger second part, where the weight increases the moment of inertia, making it difficult for the door to close without direct pet interaction.
Reduces the load on pets by minimizing the force required to open and close the door, while adding features like thermal insulation and soundproofing without increasing the burden.
Smart Images
Figure 2026094726000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a pet door through which pets (companion animals) enter and exit.
Background Art
[0002] Regarding a pet door through which a pet can push open a hinged door by itself and pass through, Patent Document 1 discloses a prior art in which a rotating shaft is provided at the end of the hinged door.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] In this type of pet door, while the pet pushes open the hinged door by itself and passes through, the force that causes the hinged door to rotate in the closing direction continues to be applied to the pet. There is a need for a technique to reduce the force applied by the hinged door to the pet and reduce the burden on the pet.
[0005] The present invention has been made to meet this requirement, and an object thereof is to provide a pet door capable of reducing the burden on the pet.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] A first aspect for achieving this object includes a hinged door that opens and closes around a rotating shaft, there is a distance between the distal end of the hinged door and the rotating shaft, and the hinged door includes a first part between the distal end and the rotating shaft and a second part between the opening / closing side end and the rotating shaft. The first part includes a weight provided on the main body of the hinged door, and the density of the weight is greater than the density of the second part.
[0007] In the second aspect, in the first aspect, the hinged door is suspended from a pivot axis, and the moment exerted by gravity to rotate the second part about the pivot axis is greater than the moment exerted to rotate the first part about the pivot axis.
[0008] A third embodiment is that, in the first or second embodiment, the weight includes a ferromagnetic material or a magnet, and an adsorbent for attracting the weight is provided at a position corresponding to the weight around the hinged door.
[0009] The fourth embodiment is one in which, in any of the first to third embodiments, an elastic body softer than the main body is provided at the opening / closing end of the second part. [Effects of the Invention]
[0010] According to the present invention, the hinged door includes a first part between the hinge end and the pivot axis, and a second part between the opening / closing end and the pivot axis. The first part has a weight attached to its body that has a density greater than that of the second part. This ensures that the second part is large enough for the pet to push open and pass through, and the weight increases the moment of inertia of the hinged door. Due to the moment of inertia caused by the weight, the hinged door becomes difficult to rotate when it starts to close, thus reducing the load on the pet while it is passing through the hinged door. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0011] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a pet door in one embodiment. [Figure 2] (a) is a cross-sectional view of the pet door when a pet pushes it open, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the pet door just before the pet passes through. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0012] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pet door 10 in one embodiment. Figure 1 shows the frame 20 and the hinged door 11 in a disassembled state.
[0013] The frame 20 is the frame surrounding the hinged door 11 and is attached to an opening in a partition (not shown) such as a door or wall. The frame 20 comprises a horizontal upper frame 21 and vertical frames 22 and 23 that support both ends of the upper frame 21. Support parts 24 that constitute the rotation axis 12 (described later) of the hinged door 11 are provided on the vertical frames 22 and 23. The hinged door 11 opens and closes an opening 25 provided inside the frame 20. In this embodiment, the shape of the opening 25 is a vertically elongated rectangle. A magnet 26 is placed on the upper frame 21. In this embodiment, the magnet 26 is a magnet.
[0014] The hinged door 11 opens and closes around the pivot axis 12. In this embodiment, a rod-shaped shaft is provided on the main body 13 of the hinged door 11, and the frame 20 supports the shaft to form the pivot axis 12, but this is not the only configuration. Conversely, it is also possible to provide the rod-shaped shaft on the frame 20 and support the shaft with the main body 13. The pivot axis 12 is provided near the hinge end 14 of the hinged door 11, and there is a distance between the hinge end 14 and the pivot axis 12. In this embodiment, the pivot axis 12 extends horizontally, and the hinged door 11 is suspended from the pivot axis 12.
[0015] Examples of materials for the main body 13 include synthetic resin, metal, wood, rubber (one of these), and composite materials combining two or more of these. Examples of composite materials include boards with soundproofing or heat insulating materials sandwiched between sheets of synthetic resin, wood, metal, etc., and boards with soundproofing or heat insulating materials attached. Examples of soundproofing materials include sound-absorbing materials, sound-insulating materials, and vibration-damping rubber. Examples of heat insulating materials include synthetic fibers such as glass wool, rock wool, and cellulose fiber, natural fibers such as sheep's wool, rigid urethane foam, and foamed synthetic resins such as expanded polystyrene. By providing soundproofing or heat insulating materials to the main body 13 or by increasing the thickness of the main body 13, functions such as heat insulation and soundproofing can be added to the hinged door 11.
[0016] The hinged door 11 includes a first part 16 between the hinge end 14 and the pivot axis 12, and a second part 17 between the opening / closing end 15 and the pivot axis 12. The area of the second part 17, when projected perpendicularly onto the pivot axis 12, is larger than the area of the first part 16, when projected perpendicularly onto the pivot axis 12. The second part 17 is the portion of the hinged door 11 that the pet can push open by leaning its body against it. The length (width) of the second part 17 in the direction of the pivot axis 12 and the distance (height) between the end 15 and the pivot axis 12 are set appropriately according to the height and width of the pet.
[0017] Part 1 16 includes a weight 18 provided on the main body 13. The weight 18 balances the mass of Part 1 16 and Part 2 17, which are located on both sides of the rotation axis 12, and increases the moment of inertia of the hinged door 11.
[0018] In this embodiment, a rod-shaped weight 18 is placed in a hole provided in the main body 13, but it is not limited to this. It is certainly possible to attach the weight 18 to the end of the main body 13, or, if the main body 13 is a porous body, to make the void ratio of the part of the main body 13 corresponding to the second part 17 greater than the void ratio of the part of the main body 13 corresponding to the first part 16, so that the density of the part of the main body 13 corresponding to the first part 16 is greater than the density of the second part 17, and to use the part of the first part 16 with a higher density as the weight 18.
[0019] The density of weight 18 is greater than the density of part 2 17. This allows the mass of part 1 16 to be relatively large even if the volume of part 1 16, which includes weight 18, is smaller than the volume of part 2 17. The density of weight 18 and part 2 17 is the value obtained by dividing the mass of the material by its volume (volume including voids) (bulk density). Weight 18 and part 2 17 may be made by combining multiple components, but even in this case, the bulk density can be determined by dividing the mass of weight 18 and part 2 17, which are made up of multiple components, by the volume of weight 18 and part 2 17.
[0020] The swing door 11 has a moment that attempts to rotate the second part 17 about the rotation axis 12 by gravity, which is greater than the moment that attempts to rotate the first part 16 about the rotation axis 12 by gravity. Thus, after the pet pushes open the second part 17 and passes through, the second part 17 rotates in the opposite direction and the swing door 11 closes without providing a component for closing the swing door 11 or the pet or person directly touching it.
[0021] FIG. 2(a) is a cross-sectional view of the pet door 10 when the pet 30 pushes open the swing door 11. The pet 30 presses against the second part 17 of the swing door 11 with its body to push open the swing door 11. A force that attempts to rotate the swing door 11 in the direction of closing by gravity is applied to the pet 30.
[0022] FIG. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view of the pet door 10 just before the pet 30 passes through the swing door 11. The force that attempts to rotate the swing door 11 in the direction of closing continues to be applied to the pet 30 while the pet 30 touches the swing door 11 and passes through the swing door 11.
[0023] Returning to FIG. 1 for explanation. The first part 16 of the swing door 11 includes a weight 18 that has a greater density than the density of the second part 17, so that the size of the second part 17 through which the pet pushes open and passes can be ensured, and the moment of inertia of the swing door 11 can be increased by the weight 18. Since the swing door 11 becomes more difficult to rotate when it starts to close, the force applied by the swing door 11 to the pet 30 can be reduced. Thereby, the load on the pet 30 while the pet 30 passes through the swing door 11 can be reduced. Furthermore, since the kinetic energy when the swing door 11 closes can be reduced, the impact when the swing door 11 closes can be reduced and the noise can be reduced.
[0024] When there are multiple pets 30 of different sizes, if the size of the hinged door 11 is set to match the size of the largest pet 30, the load that the hinged door 11 places on the smaller pets 30 tends to be greater than if the size of the hinged door 11 were set to match the size of the pets 30. However, by using a pet door 10, the force that the hinged door 11 exerts on the pets 30 when it tries to close can be reduced, thus reducing the load on the smaller pets 30 in particular.
[0025] By adding thermal insulation or soundproofing properties to the hinged door 11, or by making the hinged door 11 thicker, functions other than opening and closing the opening 25 (such as thermal insulation and soundproofing) can be added to the hinged door 11. Even if the mass and thickness of the second part 17 of the hinged door 11 with added functions increase, the first part 16 contains the weight 18, so it is possible to balance the mass of the first part 16 and the second part 17 located on both sides of the rotation axis 12 while ensuring the size of the second part 17 that the pet 30 pushes open and passes through. This reduces the resistance when the pet 30 pushes open the hinged door 11 and the force that tries to rotate the hinged door 11 in the closing direction, so functions such as thermal insulation and soundproofing can be added to the hinged door 11 without putting a burden on the pet.
[0026] Since the hinged door 11 is suspended from the pivot axis 12, when a pet pushes open the second part 17, the pet pushes forward against the difference between the moment that gravity tries to rotate the second part 17 around the pivot axis 12 and the moment that tries to rotate the first part 16 around the pivot axis 12. The hinged door 11 can balance the moments of the first part 16 and the second part 17 with the weight 18, so by setting the weight 18 to reduce the difference in moments, the force required by the pet to push open the second part 17 can be made minimal. Therefore, functions other than opening and closing the opening 25 can be added to the hinged door 11 without imposing a burden on the pet.
[0027] The hinged door 11 can balance the moments of the first part 16 and the second part 17 with the weight 18. By setting the weight 18 so that the moment of the second part 17 is slightly greater than the moment of the first part 16, the load that the hinged door 11 places on the pet 30 can be further reduced. In addition, the noise generated when the hinged door 11 closes can be further reduced. Because the kinetic energy of the hinged door 11 is reduced, even if the pet's tail is caught in the hinged door 11 when it closes, the force applied to the pet's tail can be reduced.
[0028] The hinged door 11 is provided with an elastic body 19 that is softer than the main body 13 at the opening / closing end 15 of the second part 17. Examples of the elastic body 19 include synthetic fibers such as cellulose fiber, natural fibers such as wool, and synthetic resin foam such as soft urethane foam. The elastic body 19 is positioned so that when the hinged door 11 is closed, it is in slight contact with the floor where the vertical frames 22 and 23 are located. The elastic body 19 reduces the gap between the floor and the hinged door 11 when it is closed, thereby reducing drafts. In addition, because the elastic body 19 is in contact with the floor when the hinged door 11 is closed, the noise generated when the hinged door 11 is closed can be further reduced.
[0029] The weight 18 contains a ferromagnetic material or magnet that exhibits ferromagnetism at room temperature. Examples of ferromagnetic materials include those made of Fe, Co, Ni, and their alloys. If the weight 18 contains a magnet, the magnet is positioned considering its polarity so as not to repel the adsorbent 26. Since the adsorbent 26, which is made of a magnet, is placed on the upper frame 21, the adsorbent 26 attracts the weight 18 so that the hinged door 11 remains closed. The attractive force (magnetic force) acting between the adsorbent 26 and the weight 18 is set so that the hinged door 11 rotates easily when a pet tries to push open the second part 17, but when the hinged door 11 tries to rotate due to wind, the force is set to prevent the hinged door 11 from rotating, depending on the strength of the wind. The attractive force can be set by changing the magnetic force of the magnet and the distance between the adsorbent 26 and the weight 18.
[0030] The suction force between the suction body 26 and the weight 18 prevents the hinged door 11 from swaying in the wind. The weight 18, which exerts an suction force between itself and the suction body 26, also serves to balance the mass of the first part 16 and the second part 17, thus simplifying the structure of the pet door 10.
[0031] Although the present invention has been described above based on embodiments, it can be easily inferred that the present invention is not limited in any way, and that various improvements and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0032] In the embodiment, the case where the rotation axis 12 of the hinged door 11 extends horizontally was described, but it is not necessarily limited to this. It is of course possible to position the hinged door 11 so that the rotation axis 12 extends vertically. In this case, since it is not possible to close the hinged door 11 using the moment due to gravity as in the embodiment, an elastic body is used to close the hinged door 11. An example of an elastic body is a torsion coil spring arranged around the rotation axis 12. The torsion coil spring stores elastic force in accordance with the rotation of the hinged door 11 as it opens, and releases the stored elastic force to close the hinged door 11. The spring constant of the elastic body is set to such an extent that it does not become a burden when a pet passes through the hinged door 11. In this case as well, the moment of inertia of the hinged door 11 can be increased by the weight 18, so the force that tries to rotate the hinged door 11 in the direction of closing can be reduced.
[0033] In this embodiment, the case where the hinged door 11 is rectangular has been described, but this is just one example, and the shape of the hinged door 11 can be set as appropriate. Examples of the shape of the hinged door 11 include a circle, a semicircle, a square, a trapezoid, and a shape that is a stylized representation of a pet's face or body.
[0034] In this embodiment, we have described a case in which a hinged door 11 is attached to a gate-type frame 20 that does not have a bottom frame connecting the lower ends of the vertical frames 22 and 23. Since the lower ends of the vertical frames 22 and 23 are open on the frame 20, pets can pass through the hinged door 11 without having to step over the bottom frame. Therefore, the burden on pets when passing through the hinged door 11 can be reduced. It is of course possible to install a frame with a bottom frame connecting the lower ends of the vertical frames 22 and 23. In this case, both ends of the vertical frames 22 and 23 are joined to the upper frame 21 and the bottom frame, so the mechanical strength of the frame can be improved.
[0035] In this embodiment, the case in which the hinged door 11 is attached to the frame 20 has been described, but it is not necessarily limited to this. It is of course possible to omit the frame 20 and provide an opening in a partition such as a door or wall, and attach the hinged door 11 directly to the opening.
[0036] In the embodiment described, the case in which the weight 18 contains a ferromagnetic material or a magnet and the adsorbent 26 is made of a magnet has been explained, but it is not necessarily limited to this. If the weight 18 contains a magnet, the adsorbent 26 may be made of a ferromagnetic material, because an attractive force acts between the magnet of the weight 18 and the ferromagnetic material of the adsorbent 26. [Explanation of symbols]
[0037] 10 Pet Doors 11 Hinged door 12 Rotation axes 13 Main unit 14 The end on the fishing side 15 End of the opening / closing side 16 Part 1 17 Part 2 18 weight 19 Elastic body 26 Adsorbent
Claims
1. A pet door including a hinged door that opens and closes around a pivot axis, There is a distance between the end of the hinge of the aforementioned hinged door and the pivot shaft, The aforementioned hinged door includes a first part between the hinge end and the pivot shaft, and a second part between the opening / closing end and the pivot shaft. The first part includes a weight provided on the body of the hinged door, A pet door in which the density of the weight is greater than the density of the second part.
2. The pet door according to claim 1, wherein the hinged door is suspended from the pivot axis, and the moment exerted by gravity to rotate the second part around the pivot axis is greater than the moment exerted to rotate the first part around the pivot axis.
3. The aforementioned weight includes a ferromagnetic material or a magnet. The pet door according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an adsorbent body for adsorbing the weight is provided at a position corresponding to the weight around the hinged door.
4. The pet door according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an elastic body softer than the main body is provided at the opening and closing end of the second part.