GB2289244A

GB2289244A - Cages and dividers for use in transporting animals in vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2289244A
Application number: GB9507398A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stanley Raymond Sharpe
Original assignee: ATHAG Ltd
Current assignee: ATHAG Ltd
Priority date: 1994-04-09
Filing date: 1995-04-10
Publication date: 1995-11-15
Also published as: GB9507398D0

Abstract

A cage for use behind a seat in a vehicle has a top 16 to be positioned adjacent the roof 17 of the vehicle 12. The cage has a vision path 22 adjacent the top which extends in use, longitudinally of the vehicle so as to be substantially aligned with the line of sight L of the driver D through a rear view mirror 25 of the vehicle to provide a substantially uninterrupted rear view for the driver. A divider 19 for a vehicle may be formed with a vision depression or opening 34 for improved rear view vision. <IMAGE>

Description

CAGES AND DIVIDERS The invention relates to cages and dividers in, or for use in, vehicles.

Owners of animals frequently wish to transport the animals in a vehicle behind a rear seat in a cargo carrying space. In order to do that, it has become common place to position a dog guard or divider behind a rear seat of the vehicle or to place a cage in the cargo carrying space.

The more reliable types of dog guard and cage are constructed from mesh panelling and we have proposed hitherto a number of cages and dividers having such construction.

Whilst dividers and cages provide ideal accessories for those who wish to transport their animals in a vehicle, the all-round vision for the driver is somewhat impaired as the mesh panelling, especially in cages where there are front and rear panels, can interrupt the rear view for the driver, and particularly so through the rear view mirror.

An object of the present invention is to provide cages and dividers which will reduce such a problem. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a cage arranged behind a seat in a vehicle, the cage having a top positioned adjacent the roof of the vehicle, the cage defining a vision path adjacent the top extending longitudinally of the vehicle and which is substantially aligned with the line of sight of the driver through a rear view mirror of the vehicle to provide a substantially uninterrupted rear view for the driver.

By providing such a vision path, the rear-view mirror vision for the driver is improved.

Preferably, the vision path comprises a depression in or beneath a top panel of the cage. The depression may be channel-like and, in a preferred embodiment, has sides inclined at obtuse angles to, eg, a flat lower section of the depression.

The depression may be positioned centrally of the cage in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction.

If desired, two cages may be provided each of which includes a vision path and which, in use, are placed side by side so as to define a single vision path.

The invention also includes a cage for use in a vehicle, the cage having any of the features of the cage referred to in the aforesaid first aspect of the invention or any of the consistory clauses related thereto.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a divider arranged behind a seat in a vehicle, the divider comprising a mesh panel having an upper edge arranged adjacent a roof of the vehicle, the panel being formed with a vision opening or depression adjacent the upper edge substantially aligned with the line of sight of the driver through a rear view mirror of the vehicle to provide a substantially uninterrupted rear view for the driver.

Preferably, the depression is formed in the upper edge of the panel.

The depression may have a flat lower edge and may have sides inclined at obtuse angles to, for example, the lower edge.

The invention also includes a divider for use behind a seat in a vehicle, the divider having any of the features of the divider of the aforesaid second aspect of the invention or any of the consistory clauses related thereto.

A cage and a divider in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1 is a perspective view of the cage in accordance with the invention arranged behind a seat of a vehicle, Fig 2 is a rear end view of two cages in accordance with the invention and, Fig 3 is a perspective view of a divider in accordance with the invention arranged behind a seat in a vehicle.

Looking at Fig 1, a cage has a rear panel 10 which is normally positioned adjacent a rear opening door (not shown) of the vehicle (indicated at 12). The cage has side panels 13, a front panel 14 positioned behind a seat 15 of the vehicle and a top panel indicated generally at 16 and which lies adjacent a roof panel 17 of the vehicle 12. The front panel 14 may have a lower section which follows the angle of a backrest 15a of the seat 15 and a vertical upper section extending from the top of the lower section. The front panel 14 may be provided with one or more openable escape doors.

The rear panel 10 is provided with two doors 18 which provide access to the interior of the cage. A divider panel 19 extends between the rear and front panels 10, 14 through a slot 20 in the rear panel 10 and is suitably secured in place in order to divide the cage into right and left hand compartments.

It will be noted that the side panels 13 are bent inwardly at 13a towards their upper ends in order to accommodate inclination of side walls of the vehicle.

The rear panel 10 may be formed to follow the interior shape of the vehicle rear door.

The upper panel 16 is shaped so as to define a vision path in the form of a depression 22 having a lower section 23 and two walls 24 which are inclined outwardly at obtuse angles to the lower section 23. The depression 22 is arranged generally centrally of the top panel 16 and extends longitudinally of the vehicle in alignment with a rear view line of sight L for a driver indicated at D through the normal rear view mirror 25 of the vehicle.

It has been found that the use of such a vision path provides the driver with a very much more clear rear view even though the top panel 16 lies closely adjacent the roof 17 of the vehicle. Although the use of the depression 22 reduces the internal volume of the cage slightly, the reduction is at the central zone of the cage only and, where a divider 19 is being used, the slight height reduction adjacent the divider is of little relevance as the animals have ample head room in the main areas of the compartments.

It will, of course, be appreciated that the use of a divider 19 is not essential but may be desirable in certain cases.

Although Fig 1 illustrates a single cage, it will be appreciated that two smaller cages 26 could be put together side-by-side and which are mirror-images of each other as shown in Fig 2. When the two cages 26 are put together, vision paths in the form of depressions 27 thereof define a single vision path 22a of similar shape to the depression 22, two adjacent side panels 28 of the cages 26 together forming an effective central divider between the two cages. If desired, a single smaller cage 26 could be used alone and the depression 27 would provide improved rear-view mirror visibility.

If it desired to provide, eg for strength, a continuous upper panel 16 extending as indicated as broken lines in Fig 1, the lower section 23 could then be spaced beneath the continuous upper panel 16 whereby an elongate opening would be defined in alignment with the line of sight L.

As shown in Fig 3, a divider such as a dog guard can be positioned behind the seat 15 in known manner. The divider comprises a mesh panel 30 within an outline frame 32 having an upper edge 33 positioned adjacent the roof panel 17 of the vehicle 12. In order to improve rear view vision, the upper edge 33 is formed with a depression 34 of similar shape to the depression 22 shown in Fig 1. The depression 34 is aligned with the line of sight L for the driver D through the rear view mirror 25.

Although the depression 34, prima facie, provides an opening through which a small animal might escape, the chances of escape are minimal as the depression 34 is positioned high on the guard and animals such as cats or dogs would find it difficult to climb through the depression. Moreover, where the guard is simply used as a divider for, say, tools or like cargo, the presence of the depression 34 would not present any problem in that respect. If desired the outline frame 32 defining the upper edge 33 may extend as shown in broken lines whereby the depression 34 is in the form of an opening at the top of the guard.

The depressions 22, 34 can be of any other suitable cross-section shape when viewed from the rear of the vehicle, eg semi-circular or rectangular.

Claims

1. A cage for use behind a seat in a vehicle, the cage having a top to be positioned adjacent the roof of the vehicle, the cage having a vision path adjacent the top extending, in use, longitudinally of the vehicle so as to be substantially aligned with the line of sight of the driver through a rear view mirror of the vehicle to provide a substantially uninterrupted rear view for the driver.

2. A cage arranged behind a seat in a vehicle, the cage having a top positioned adjacent the roof of the vehicle, the cage defining a vision path adjacent the top extending longitudinally of the vehicle and which is substantially aligned with the line of sight of the driver through a rear view mirror of the vehicle to provide a substantially uninterrupted rear view for the driver.

3. A cage according to Claim 1 or 2 in which the vision path comprises a depression in or beneath a top panel of the cage.

4. A cage according to Claim 3 in which the depression is channel-like.

5. A cage according to Claims 3 or 4 in which the depression has sides inclined at obtuse angles.

6. A cage according to any preceding claim in which the vision path is positioned centrally of the cage in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction.

7. A cage according to any preceding claim in which a further cage is provided which has a vision path, the two cages, in use, being placed side by side with the vision paths arranged together so as to define a single vision path.

8. A cage according to Claim 7 in which the vision path for each cage may comprise a depression formed in an upper longitudinal corner of the cage.

9. A cage constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to Fig 1 or Fig 2 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A divider for use behind a seat in a vehicle, the divider comprising a mesh panel having an upper edge to be arranged adjacent a roof of the vehicle, the panel being formed with a vision opening or depression adjacent the upper edge so as to be substantially aligned with the line of sight of the driver through a rear view mirror of the vehicle to provide a substantially uninterrupted rear view for the driver.

11. A divider arranged behind a seat in a vehicle, the divider comprising a mesh panel having an upper edge arranged adjacent a roof of the vehicle, the panel being formed with a vision opening or depression adjacent the upper edge substantially aligned with the line of sight of the driver through a rear view mirror of the vehicle to provide a substantially uninterrupted rear view for the driver.

12. A divider according to Claim 10 or 11 in which the depression is formed in the upper edge of the panel.

13. A divider according to Claim 10, 11 or 12 in which the depression has sides inclined at obtuse angles relative to an adjacent edge.

14. A divider constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to Fig 3 of the accompanying drawings.