CA-3270881-C - HIGH SECURITY ANTI-CLIMBING PET AND CHILD CONFINEMENT GATE

Abstract

An improved system, apparatus, and methods for a pet and child confinement gate providing enhanced safety and deterrence of climbing attempts. The confinement gate includes first and second brace portions with an innovative locking system. A drop-in catch engages with a metal sheath by lifting and lowering the gate, providing a primary locking feature. A rotatable knob, when turned, extends a sliding bolt into a receiver hole on the opposite brace, securing the gate against all directions of movement. The top of the gate features a freespinning mechanism, which may include cylindrical rollers or ball-bearings, equipped with noise-making loose objects and sensors to deter and detect climbing attempts. The freespinning mechanism can also trigger auditory deterrents via an audio device and send alerts through communication circuitry to a caretaker’s device, further enhancing security measures.

Inventors

• Melissa A. Arab

Assignees

• Melissa A. Arab

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20250415

Priority Date

20240719

Claims (16)

1. What is claimed is: 1. A high-security pet and child confinement gate, the gate comprising: a gate brace portion and a second brace portion; a drop-in catch positioned on the gate brace portion, a portion of the drop-in catch fits into a hole formed in a metal sheath on the second brace portion, wherein the drop-in catch can be engaged by lifting the gate using a rotatable knob, positioning the drop-in catch over the hole formed in the metal sheath, and lowering the gate to lock the portion of the drop-in catch into the hole formed in the metal sheath; the rotatable knob positioned on the gate brace portion, the rotatable knob when rotated in a first direction, extends a sliding bolt into a receiver hole located on the second brace portion, securing the gate in a closed position and preventing inward, outward and upward movement of the gate, wherein the sliding bolt additionally comprises a through-hole at a far end for inserting a locking device to prevent the sliding bolt from retraction from the receiver hole; and a free-spinning mechanism positioned along a top of one or both of the gate brace portion and the second brace portion.
2. 2. The gate of claim 1, wherein the rotatable knob, when rotated in a second direction, retracts the sliding bolt from the receiver hole located on the second brace portion, the second direction is opposite to the first direction.
3. 3. The gate of claim 1, wherein the drop-in catch can be disengaged by lifting the gate using the rotatable knob.
4. 4. The gate of claim 1, wherein the sliding bolt comprises a hinge that may be dropped down into a latching mechanism.
5. 5. The gate of claim 1, wherein the free-spinning mechanism comprises one of: a cylindrical roller or a ball-bearing mechanism.
6. 6. The gate of claim 5, wherein the free-spinning mechanism further comprises an inclusion of loose objects inside, so that when the free-spinning mechanism rotates due to physical contact by a pet or child, the loose objects create noise, serving as an auditory deterrent to scare and discourage the pet or child from continuing climbing efforts. 59
7. 7. The gate of claim 5, wherein the free-spinning mechanism additionally comprises at least one sensor to detect gate-climbing attempts based on detecting physical contact with the free-spinning mechanism.
8. 8. The gate of claim 5, wherein the free-spinning mechanism additionally comprises an audio device to produce a deterring sound when physical contact with the free-spinning mechanism is detected.
9. 9. The gate of claim 8, wherein the deterring sound comprises one or more of: a pre-recorded sound, a noise, a user’s voice, and an ultrasonic sound.
10. 10. The gate of claim 1, wherein the locking device comprises one of: a lock, a carabiner pin, and a pin.
11. 11. The gate of claim 1, further comprising a flex tension mechanism located at one or both of a top rail and a bottom rail of the gate, wherein the flex tension mechanism is adjustable to secure the gate within a doorway.
12. 12. The gate of claim 11, wherein a handle further comprises a roller on top of the handle.
13. 13. The gate of claim 1, wherein one or both of the gate brace portion and the second brace portion comprises a plurality of vertical frames.
14. 14. The gate of claim 1, wherein one or both of the gate brace portion and the second brace portion comprises a plurality of horizontal rollers.
15. 15. The gate of claim 1, additionally comprising a plurality of first locking mechanisms, wherein each of the plurality of first locking mechanisms comprises a drop-in catch positioned on the gate brace portion, the portion of the drop-in catch fits into the hole formed in the metal sheath on the second brace portion, wherein the drop-in catch can be engaged by lifting the gate using the rotatable knob, positioning the drop-in catch over the hole formed in the metal sheath, and lowering the gate to lock the portion of the drop-in catch into the hole formed in the metal sheath.
16. 16. The gate of claim 1, wherein the free-spinning mechanism additionally comprises LED lights that activate when a physical contact with the free-spinning mechanism is detected. 60

Description

1 HIGH SECURITY ANTI-CLIMBING PET AND CHILD CONFINEMENT GATE FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE [0001] The present disclosure relates to a system, apparatus, and methods that provide safe confinement of pets or children and prevent agile and determined pets or children from climbing over the gate to escape confinement or from operating the gate to free themselves while providing simple one-handed operation and use for the user. The disclosure particularly addresses the need for enhanced security in pet and child confinement gates by incorporating a combination of mechanical and sensory deterrents to prevent climbing and tampering. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE [0002] An estimated 65 million households in the United States own at least one dog. Nearly all of those households must utilize some form of safe confinement for their dog at some point in its life, with some owners using a form of safe confinement throughout the entire lifetime of the dog. Confinement may be necessary during the destructive puppy phase to prevent accidents or damage, to isolate dogs into one room or area while the owners are away from the house, to keep a dog away from unsafe environments, such as stairs or fireplaces, to separate pets into different areas because they don’t get along, to separate pets from children or guests, to separate ill or injured pets that need solitude for recovery, to prevent dogs from accessing areas with carpeting or expensive furniture, etc. [0003] One useful form of confinement is a pet/child gate, installed in a doorway to confine a dog or child to one room or area of the home while preventing the dog or child from entering or accessing other areas beyond the gate. While standard pet/child gates are useful and satisfactory to safely confine many family dogs and children, certain athletic, stubborn, or highly intelligent individuals can be difficult to confine using the standard pet/child gates currently available. Intelligent, independent, or curious breeds may immediately learn the method to open a gate to release themselves, may batter or chew their way through a gate, and/or may simply leap over a low gate, or climb over a taller gate. Some bright or determined children may be equally quick to get past a gate. [0004] Existing gates on the market primarily focus on either height or sturdiness to prevent pets and children from escaping confinement; however, highly determined animals and children have been known to find ways to circumvent these barriers. Tall gates, while effective in some cases,2 can still be overcome by climbing, especially if the top of the gate provides a grip for the child or pet. Additionally, these taller gates can be cumbersome and difficult for adults to navigate, particularly when carrying objects or tending to other children or pets. [0005] Additionally, for a standard interior door frame of 30 inches, common pet gates on the market have a gate opening width of just 18-20 inches which can be difficult for users to navigate or pass through when carrying bulky or wide objects, such as full laundry baskets. Such items have to be lifted over the top of the gate to pass through, which can be difficult for some users. [0006] Another common issue with current pet/child gates is the complexity of their locking mechanisms. For example, the operation of many interior gates requires two hands or one hand and a foot, which can be precarious when the user is trying to pass through the gate while carrying heavy or bulky objects, squirming children or pets. This design flaw can lead to users leaving the gate open unintentionally, thereby defeating its purpose. Moreover, some gates with simpler locking mechanisms are easily manipulated by intelligent pets or children, rendering them ineffective. [0007] Accordingly, there is a need for a high-security pet/child gate that addresses these limitations by preventing agile and determined pets or children from climbing over or operating the gate to free themselves, while also providing ease of use for caregivers. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE [0008] The present disclosure aims to fill this gap in the market by offering a gate that combines increased height, innovative locking mechanisms, innovative sensory deterrents, and a userfriendly design to enhance safety and convenience. The present disclosure provides advancements in technology yet to be fully integrated into pet/child gate designs. The present disclosure includes a multi-part latching mechanism that can be operated in steps, easily, with a single hand, making it convenient for users carrying bulky or wide objects. [0009] The first or primary part of the latching mechanism includes a drop-in catch and metal sheath that secures the gate in a closed position. The second part includes a sliding bolt that locks into a receiving hole in an opposite frame, preventing the gate from being lifted, unseated, and swung open. [0010] A third (and optional) part includes an opening at a far end of the sliding bolt for