Prefabricated novel bird cage

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention pertains to the field of pet enclosures. More particularly, it pertains to a singular type of animal enclosure, such as a small animal cage or bird cage, that is prefabricated from a flat sheet of stiff material, such as paper or plastic, stamped, die cut and folded to provide a plurality of cage surfaces and capable of assembly with a metal grate to form the complete enclosure. Before assembly, the flat sheet may be stacked to provide a source of numerous cages storable in a small area.

[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0005] This beautiful sentiment from Arthur J. Lamb's poem, “A Bird in a Gilded Cage” [c. 1900] reflects the public's general and continuing interest in small birds (and other animals) that are bought and sold at trade shows, pet stores, bird farms, and the like. While the birds are generally grouped in large cages for public view, individual cages are necessary to transfer or to house the singles or pairs of birds sold or otherwise traded. The problem lies in the need for so much volume in which to store individual bird cages in cars, trucks, and at the source of the birds.

[0006] Each cage occupies volume, empty volume when not in use, and a plurality of these cages can and often does strain the volume of automobiles, trucks and other vehicles that transport many of these cages to and from a source of birds. For instance, a 12″×12″×12″ fully assembled cage occupies one cubic foot of volume. Rarely are there large flat surfaces on which to accurately stack such cages for transport, so that three or four cages on a car seat, stacked two or three high are all that can be transported in a typical compact car or truck cab at any one time. Such a minimal number of assembled cages restricts the ability of the bird seller to market more than a few birds at any one time before running out of transport cages that are given or sold to the purchaser of the bird.

[0007] Some bird cages are able to be transported in disassembled configuration and later assembled at the bird show, or sale mart. However, for the most part, these types of cages are made with strong wire grates to thwart the flight of a newly purchased bird from the cage and possibly from the transport vehicle. Hence, these cages are expensive because of the materials of construction, the significant effort to assemble them, and generally are not used as the final cage for the bird in the home thus resulting in a waste of this material. These cages are often not disassembled following the trip home, because of the presence of fecal matter in the cage from the bird, and are thus generally stored in fully assembled form to be discarded at a later time.

[0008] While it is necessary for at least some surfaces of a cage to remain open to the public, to display the bird and allow the potential purchaser to view the bird, talk to it, and begin to bond with it, (and the bird to do the same), and for the bird to breathe during transportation from the purchase point to the home, the inventors have found it necessary for only one such surface to remain open to public view. This allows the balance of the surfaces of the cage to remain opaque and thus capable of manufacture from inexpensive material such as paper or plastic. Further, the inventors have found that the balance of the surfaces of the cage can be conveniently made from a single sheet of low-cost paper or plastic that is stiffened by known means to provide an economical sheet of material storable in a stack in unassembled form and later assembled with one or more stiff grates to form a light-weight, but strong, cage having at least one see-through surface. The cages are thus made of inexpensive material, able to be stored in large quantities in minimum space, and are later able to be assembled into a large number of transport bird show cages.

[0009] This invention is a prefabricated fully assemblable animal (preferably bird) enclosure or cage made of a flat, stackable sheet of stiff material, the sheet preferably defmed by the combination of two outer sheets of thin material held in closely spaced-apart arrangement by a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart cross-ribs. The invention includes a rectangular panel, formed centrally in the sheet that is bounded by four straight prefold marginal depressions, each defining respectively a top margin, opposed side margins and a bottom margin, arranged orthogonal to each other and joined at their intersecting terminal ends to form a center panel of the enclosure. Further included are first and second side panels extending outward from the central panel. Finally, a top panel and, separately, a bottom panel extend respectively outward from the central panel for folding toward each other in parallel arrangement to form respectively the top and bottom panels of the cage. A wide, short tab extends from a straight prefold marginal depression formed in the central panel, for bending upward into parallel arrangement with the center side panel to form a doubler for retaining a see-through grate in the enclosure. A grate, comprising a plurality of small diameter stiff wires held in spaced-apart arrangement by at least one, larger-diameter support wire and defmed by enclosed top, bottom, and opposed side marginal edges for assembly with the folded sheet of stiff material in the side panels, completes the rectangular geometric enclosure.

[0010] Accordingly, the main object of this invention is a prefabricated, fully assemblable animal (preferably bird) cage made of a flat, stackable sheet of stiff material and a grate containing a planar area, the two components capable of being stored and/or carried in unassembled form in great quantities in a minimum amount of space. Other objects of the invention include a prefabricated bird cage made of inexpensive materials that is easy to assemble and disassemble and that may be easily and quickly cleaned for reuse. The enclosure is designed to have all orthogonal joints between front, rear, side, top and bottom panels sealed with flaps, tabs and the like to prevent escape of animals therefrom. The sheet is made of inexpensive material and is lightweight, flat, extremely strong, and contains prefold depressions as well as die-stamped cut-outs for easy bending and folding. The inexpensive sheet material is easily capable of stamping, impressing and die-cutting, at low cost, to provide an economical basis for the cages so that they may be purchased by persons of widely varying economic status. The materials making up the invention are non-toxic to animals and humans, and the enclosure insures that the bird or other animal will not be able to escape following assembly of the cage.

[0011] These and other objects of the invention will become more clear when one reads the following specification, taken together with the drawings that are attached hereto. The scope of protection sought by the inventors may be gleaned from a fair reading of the Claims that conclude this specification.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the flat, stackable sheet of stiff material that forms the preferred embodiment of this invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the enclosure made by folding the sheet material shown in FIG. 1;

[0014] FIG. 3 is an illustrative view of the preferred form of sheet material used in this invention;

[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the enclosure shown in FIG. 2 with the side panels unfolded;

[0016] FIG. 5 is a front view of the grate of this invention;

[0017] FIG. 6 is a side view of the grate shown in FIG. 5; and,

[0018] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the invention in a partially folded configuration.

[0019] Turning now to the drawings, wherein elements are identified with numbers and like elements are identified with like numbers throughout the seven figures, FIG. 1 shows the flat, stackable sheet of stiff material 1 usable in the preferred embodiment of this invention to form an enclosed volumetric geometric enclosure 3 or cage (see FIG. 2) lacking at least one enclosure surface. While sheet 1 can probably be made of transparent or translucent material, for cost purposes, it is usually made of opaque material. As shown in FIG. 3, sheet 1 is preferably comprised of two outer layers 5 and 7 of thin material, such as plastic or paper or combinations thereof, held in closely spaced-apart planar parallel arrangement by a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart cross-ribs 9. Such a sheet of material is presently commercially available under the trademark HI-CORE® and produced by the KMP Plastics LLC of Fullerton, Calif. Such material is stiff, yet capable of having fold lines depressed or otherwise formed therein to aid later folding and bending of parts thereof. The material is lightweight, inexpensive, easily disinfected, easily washable in a dishwasher to remove fecal and food waste matter, and stands up to rough handling, which is a desirable trait when used with the animal or bird moving about inside the cage and children and others moving about outside the cage and touching and handling it. Sheet 1 may be easily stamped and die-cut using a conventional die and press combination to produce a ready-to-assemble part in a minimum of steps. As used herein, dashed lines are fold lines while solid lines are lines of cut.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, sheet material 1 includes a rectangular panel 13, formed centrally therein and bounded by four straight prefolded marginal depressions 15a,15b,15cand 15darranged orthogonal to each other and joined at their intersecting terminal ends. Prefold depression 15bdefines the top margin of central panel 13 and one of the folds of the top panel 17 of fully assembled enclosure 3. Opposed side prefold depressions 15aand 15cform the side margins of central panel 13 and one of the folds in each of the opposed, spaced-apart side panels 19 and 21 of fully assembled enclosure 3. Prefold depression 15ddefines the bottom margin of central panel 13 and one of the folds on the bottom panel 25 of the fully assembled enclosure. A central opening 27 is formed rectangularly in rectangular panel 13 to act as the window to enclosure 3 and is bounded by edges 29a,29b,29c,and 29d.Extending from the margins of each side panels 19 and 21 are first and second outer tabs 31 and 33 that are arranged to be folded 90° as shown in FIG. 4.

[0021] Top panel 17 and, separately, bottom panel 25 extend respectively outward from said center panel 13 top margin 15band bottom margin 15dfor folding toward each other in parallel, spaced-apart arrangement to form respectively top panel 17 and bottom panel 25 of enclosure 3. In the preferred embodiment, top panel 17 extends from center panel top prefold marginal depression 15bto edge 29dwhere it then extends about one inch further to a fold line 37 and then extends further to another fold line 39 to not only isolate top panel 17 but form a lip 41 under which an edge of a metal grate is slipped as will hereinafter be more fully explained. Also in the preferred embodiment, bottom edge 29bof central opening 27 is cut about one inch further at each end for folding along a fold line 43 to form a flap 45 that is folded back on itself to form a doubler 49. Three elongated openings 5la,5lb,and 51care formed along fold line 15dto allow entrance of three spaced apart tabs 53a,53b,and 53cduring the doubling of flap 45. Additionally, three other spaced-apart tabs 47a,47b,and 47care cut into sheet material 1 below opening edge 29band appear following the formation of doubler 49. These tabs provide strong support along the bottom of enclosure 3 as will hereinafter be more fully explained.

[0022] A pair of short side wings 55aand 55bextend mutually outward from fold lines 57aand 57bto close against side panels 19 and 21 and seal the junction therebetween. A large back panel 61 extends outward from fold line 39 to be folded in spaced-apart parallel position behind central panel 13 and central opening 27. Central panel 61 is bounded on opposed spaced-apart parallel sides by edges 63aand 63band on the far side by a fold line 65 and flap 67. A pair of cutouts 69aand 69bare formed in spaced-apart arrangement on flap 67 and arranged for complimentary receipt of a pair of likewise arranged tabs 73aand 73b,formed on distal edge 75, to form the top and bottom panels in spaced-apart parallel form.

[0023] A pair of cutouts 77aand 77bare formed on outer tabs 19 and 21 for complimentary receipt of a pair of tabs 79aand 79bextending outward from marginal side edges 63aand 63bto complete enclosure 3. A pair of flaps 81aand 81bextend outward from fold lines 83aand 83bto be bent orthogonal to bottom panel 25 and seal the junction between bottom panel 25 and side panels 19 and 21 in enclosure 3. A small door 85 is cut in side panel 21 and includes a fold line 87, to allow door 85 to be opened and closed. Door 85 is capable of being tied shut by a length of string 89 that is knotable between a pair of string catches 91aand 91b.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6, a grate 93 is provided to complete the enclosed volumetric geometric configuration of enclosure 3 and to form a see-through panel in cage 3 through which to observe the animal or bird housed therein. It is preferable that grate 93 be made as a center panel and placed opposite back panel 61 in the completed enclosure. Grate 93 is preferably made of thin lengths of metal wire 95 joined together in spaced-apart, side-by-side arrangement having spaces between each wire on the average of ⅜ to ½ inch and is defined by a top margin 97, two opposed, spaced-apart side margins 99aand 99b,and a bottom margin 101 all preferably interconnected orthogonally at their intersecting terminal ends. One or more reinforcement rods 103 are laid across or transverse to the metal wires and the wires are joined thereto by soldering or the like. The width of grate 93 is greater than the distance between side edges 29aand 29cso that the sides of central panel 27 act as holders of grate side margins 99aand 99band hold grate 93 in central opening 27. Additionally, a narrow portion 105 of grate 93, is bent orthogonal to the main part of grate 93, as shown in FIG. 6, for slipping under lip 41 and in front of edge 29din opening 27. In this way, a portion of grate 93 lies in two planes of enclosure 3 and provides a view partially through top panel 17 so that a person need not squat or bend down to view a bird in a cage when the cage is set on a table or other somewhat low surface. Further, flap 49 is folded over its fold line 43 to form doubler 49 and exposes three grate holding tabs for holding bottom margin 101 of grate 93 in enclosure 3. Side edges 29aand 29c,along with lip 41 and doubler 49 provide a secure peripheral boundary to grate 93 and insures that a bird or other animal housed in enclosure 3 will not push out grate 93 and escape therefrom.

[0025] Also as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a handle 109 is attached to top panel 17 to allow enclosure 3 to be carried, in one hand, suspended from said handle. Handle 109 is shown to be a piece of stiff plastic tape conveniently attached to top panel 17 by having the ends thereof formed into tabs 111 (see FIG. 1) at least one of which is slipped sideways through one of a pair of narrow, spaced-apart elongated openings 113aand 113bformed in top panel 17 and then rotated 90°. The other tab 111 may then be squeezed and inserted through the other opening and released to spread out and form an interconnection therebetween.

[0026] Preferably, when housing birds in enclosure 3, one or more apertures 115 is formed in one of the panels, such as back panel 61, and lined with a rubber grommet 117 through which a short length of a rod, such as a wood dowel 121, is tightly inserted into the interior of enclosure 3 to form a perch (FIGS. 2 and 4) on which the bird may sit.

[0027] To assemble enclosure 3 from flattened sheet of stiff material 1, one bends central panel 13 at its fold lines 15a,15b,15c,and 15dto form right angles therewith. Flap 45 is then folded over 180° and edges or tabs 53a,53b,and 53cinserted in respective openings 51a,51b,and 51cto form doubler 49 and expose tabs 47a,47band 47c.Lip 41 is then flexed slightly inward from the plane of panel 13. Side panels 19 and 21, bottom panel 25, top panel 17 and large back panel 61 are then partially folded at their respective fold lines to form a partially completed enclosure, as shown in FIG. 7. Grate 91 is then inserted in central opening 27 of central panel 13 wherein top grate margin 97 is slipped under lip 41 and bottom grate margin 101 is slipped behind tabs 47a,47band 47cand inside of central panel side strips 123aand 123b.Top panel side wings 55aand 55bare then folded down inside side panels 19 and 21 to seal the junction therebetween. Large back panel 61 is then folded over grate 93, parallel to central panel 13, and bottom panel 25 joined to back panel 61 with tabs 73aand 73binserted into slots 69aand 69bwith flaps 81aand 81bfolded inside to seal the junction therebetween. Tabs 79aand 79b,extending outward from side edges 63aand 63bof large back panel 61, are then inserted in cutouts 77aand 77bto complete enclosure 3. The arrangement of outer tabs 31 and 33, side wings 55aand 55bflap 67, flaps 81aand 81binsure that all orthogonal junctions between central panel 13, side panels 19 and 21, top and bottom panels 17 and 25, and back panel and bottom panel 61 and 25 are all sealed to prevent escape of birds or animals contained within enclosure 3.

[0028] While the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the described embodiment of the invention without departing from the true spirit and scope thereof. It is intended that all combinations of members and steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve substantially the same result are within the scope of this invention.