Pet door hood

Abstract

A pet door hood is adapted to partially enclose the exterior and/or interior of a pet door or other animal access opening. The pet door hood may be formed to protect the pet door from weather, from entry by stray animals, and/or from entry or access by humans. The pet door hood may be formed integrally with a pet door or optionally integrally with a panel having a pet door. Optionally, the pet door hood may be formed separately from the pet door or aperture, or panel having a pet door therein. The pet door hood may be adapted for assembly with a pet door or aperture.

1 . A pet door, comprising: 
 a frame defining a first aperture,    a flap operatively coupled to the frame and operable to sequentially swing open and closed in the aperture, and    a shell operatively coupled to and protruding outward from the frame forming a partially enclosed volume, at least a portion of the volume being operably traversable by the flap.    
   
   
       2 . The pet door of  claim 1  further comprising a panel having a second aperture into which the frame is mounted.  
   
   
       3 . The pet door of  claim 2  wherein the first and second apertures differ in size sufficiently to allow insertion of the frame into the second aperture.  
   
   
       4 . The pet door of  claim 2  wherein the panel comprises an exterior door.  
   
   
       5 . The pet door of  claim 4  wherein the exterior door is a conventional human entry door.  
   
   
       6 . The pet door of  claim 4  wherein the exterior door is a garage door.  
   
   
       7 . The pet door of  claim 3  wherein the panel is sized for mounting in at least a portion of a window opening.  
   
   
       8 . The pet door of  claim 3  wherein the panel is sized for mounting in at least a portion of a sliding door opening.  
   
   
       9 . The pet door of  claim 1  wherein the shell extends to prevent normal access to an upper portion of the first aperture from outside the shell.  
   
   
       10 . The pet door of  claim 9  wherein the shell extends to prevent normal access to at least the upper half of the first aperture from outside the shell.  
   
   
       11 . The pet door of  claim 9  wherein the shell extends to prevent normal access to at least the upper three-quarters of the first aperture.  
   
   
       12 . A cover for a pet door; comprising: 
 a wall member for protecting a pet door; and    an informative indicia, operatively associated with the body, indicating at least the intended use of the body.    
   
   
       13 . The cover for a pet door of  claim 12  wherein the informative indicia includes an indicia formed directly on the wall member.  
   
   
       14 . The cover for a pet door of  claim 12  wherein the informative indicia includes a label applied to the wall member.  
   
   
       15 . The cover for a pet door of  claim 12  wherein the informative indicia includes a printed sheet packaged with the wall member.  
   
   
       16 . The cover for a pet door of  claim 12  wherein the informative indicia includes a shelf label.  
   
   
       17 . The cover for a pet door of  claim 12  wherein the informative indicia includes indicia directing a viewer to a web site.  
   
   
       18 . The cover for a pet door of  claim 12  wherein the informative indicia includes mounting instructions.  
   
   
       19 . The cover for a pet door of  claim 12 , wherein the informative indicia includes a price indicator.  
   
   
       20 . The cover for a pet door of  claim 12  wherein the informative indicia includes a description indicating a pet door cover as being at least one use for the body.  
   
   
       21 . The cover for a pet door of  claim 12  further comprising a retail package for the wall member; and wherein the indicia is operatively coupled to the retail package.  
   
   
       22 . The cover for a pet door of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a mount operatively associated with the wall member, the mount adapted functionally couple the wall member to a pet door.    
   
   
       23 . The cover for a pet door of  claim 22  wherein the mount includes a flange for mounting to a panel peripheral to a pet door aperture.  
   
   
       24 . The cover for a pet door of  claim 22  wherein the mount includes a clip for coupling to a pet door frame.  
   
   
       25 . The cover for a pet door of  claim 22  further comprising: 
 a frame adapted for substantially permanent mounting to a panel; and wherein the mount includes a latch for reversible mounting to the frame.    
   
   
       26 . An animal ingress/egress hood; comprising: 
 a wall member defining a volume through which a first animal must pass on its way to and from an animal ingress/egress passage, the wall member further preventing access to the animal ingress/egress passage by a second animal larger than the first animal.    
   
   
       27 . The animal ingress/egress hood of  claim 26  wherein the wall member is further operable to substantially prevent adverse weather from impinging upon the animal ingress/egress passage.  
   
   
       28 . The animal ingress/egress hood of  claim 26;  further comprising a mounting feature operatively coupled to the wall member for mounting the animal ingress/egress hood peripherally to the animal ingress/egress passage.  
   
   
       29 . The animal ingress/egress hood of  claim 28  wherein the mounting feature includes a flange.  
   
   
       30 . The animal ingress/egress hood of  claim 28  wherein the flange includes a plurality of apertures through which mounting screws may be inserted.  
   
   
       31 . The animal ingress/egress hood of  claim 26  wherein the wall member is further operative to prevent access to at least a portion of the animal ingress/egress passage from a direction normal to the animal ingress/egress passage.  
   
   
       32 . The animal ingress/egress hood of  claim 31  wherein the volume defined by the wall member is open on the bottom to allow the first animal to pass upward into the volume and subsequently through the ingress/egress passage.  
   
   
       33 . The animal ingress/egress hood of  claim 32  wherein the wall member extends to prevent the second animal from passing up into the volume and subsequently through the ingress/egress passage.  
   
   
       34 . The animal ingress/egress hood of  claim 26  wherein the volume defined by the wall member is further sufficient to allow an animal door to swing thereinto when pushed by an animal during egress.  
   
   
       35 . A pet door hood, comprising: 
 a wall member including a top, first and second side walls adjoining the top, a vertical end wall adjoining the top and first and second side walls; and    a flange for joining the wall member to a vertical panel; and wherein    the wall member includes a partially enclosed volume just sufficient for a pet door flap to arcuately travel thereinto when the flange is joined to a panel having the pet door.    
   
   
       36 . The pet door hood of  claim 35 , further comprising: 
 a frame; and    a pet door flap operatively associated with the frame; and wherein the pet door flap is operative to swing within the frame to open or close an aperture defined by the frame; and wherein    the frame is operatively associated with the wall member for installation in a panel as a protected pet door.    
   
   
       37 . The pet door hood of  claim 36 , further comprising: 
 a panel having an aperture for receiving the frame; and wherein    the panel is formed to be installed in a sliding glass opening; and wherein the frame is operatively associated with the panel.    
   
   
       38 . The pet door hood of  claim 35 , further comprising: 
 an informative indicia operatively associated with the wall member; wherein    the informative indicia includes information indicating use of the wall member as a pet door hood.