Modular animal enclosure

Abstract

A modular animal enclosure includes a housing comprising a top portion affixed to a base portion to form a sheltered interior. The housing includes a door aperture and a climate conditioning aperture. A remove ably attachable climate conditioning unit is installed over the climate conditioning aperture to facilitate a flow of atmospheric air from the exterior environment into the interior of the housing. The climate conditioning unit can variously comprise a cover assembly, a heating unit, a cooling unit and a forced air unit, and different types of units can be installed at different times. In another aspect, the bottom portion can be selectively hinged to the top portion on opposing sides of the housing to allow pivotal movement of the top portion in two opposite directions, as desired to permit access to the interior of the housing for inspection, maintenance and cleaning of the interior.

1 . A modular animal enclosure, comprising: 
 a base portion which mates with a top portion to form a portable housing to shelter an animal, the housing comprising a door aperture to permit ingress of said animal therein, the top portion comprising opposing upper and lower surfaces through which a climate conditioning aperture extends to accommodate a flow of atmospheric air between said interior and an exterior environment, the climate conditioning aperture having selected overall length and width dimensions;    a climate conditioning unit configured to be supported by the top portion adjacent the climate conditioning aperture, the climate conditioning unit comprising a plate portion with selected overall length and width dimensions greater than said dimensions of the climate conditioning aperture to fully span and cover said aperture, the climate conditioning unit further comprising a circumferentially extending, downwardly depending flange which contactingly engages the upper surface and maintains the plate portion a selected distance above the upper surface, wherein said flow of atmospheric air passes through the climate conditioning aperture and adjacent said downwardly depending flange, the climate conditioning unit further configured to be subsequently lifted upwardly from the top portion for removal from the housing.    
   
   
       2 . The animal enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the climate conditioning unit comprises a plurality of circumferentially extending, downwardly depending flanges each of which extend from the plate portion to contactingly engage the upper surface of the top portion.  
   
   
       3 . The animal enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the downwardly extending flange fully surrounds the climate conditioning aperture to contactingly engage the upper surface of the top portion.  
   
   
       4 . The animal enclosure of  claim 1 , further comprising a user activated fastener mechanism which secures the climate conditioning unit to the top portion, the fastener mechanism accessible from a position above the top portion to releasingly disengage the climate conditioning unit from the top portion.  
   
   
       5 . The animal enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the top portion further comprises a circumferentially extending, upwardly depending flange that fully surrounds the climate conditioning aperture, wherein the downwardly depending flange of the climate conditioning unit contacts the upper surface at a location beyond the upwardly depending flange so that the upwardly depending flange is between the downwardly depending flange and the climate conditioning aperture.  
   
   
       6 . The animal enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the downwardly depending flange is angled to extend parallel to and along the upper surface of the top portion, and wherein the animal enclosure further comprises a fastener that extends from the distal end and into the top portion to removably secure the climate conditioning unit to the top portion.  
   
   
       7 . The animal enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the top and bottom portions are sized to be stackable such that, when the top portion is inverted relative to the bottom portion, a selected one of the top or bottom portions can nest within the remaining one of the top or bottom portions to occupy a total volume of space substantially smaller than when the top portion is not inverted and arranged onto the bottom portion to form said housing.  
   
   
       8 . The animal enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the climate conditioning unit comprises a fan.  
   
   
       9 . The animal enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the climate conditioning unit comprises a heating member.  
   
   
       10 . The animal enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the climate conditioning unit comprises a forced air conditioning unit.  
   
   
       11 . The animal enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein said housing is substantially characterized as comprising a barn shape so that the top portion has a central uppermost ridge and at least four distinct rectilinear panels at respective angles with respect to the base portion, and wherein the climate conditioning aperture is rectilinear and bisects the central uppermost ridge.  
   
   
       12 . The animal enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein said housing is substantially characterized as comprising an igloo shape so that the top portion is substantially hemispherical in shape, and wherein the climate conditioning aperture is substantially circular at an apex of said top portion.  
   
   
       13 . The animal enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the climate conditioning unit is characterized as a first unit, and wherein the enclosure further comprises a second climate conditioning unit, wherein the first unit is characterized as a passive cover and the second unit is characterized as comprising at least a selected one of a fan, a heater, or a forced air conditioning unit, and wherein the first and second units are further configured such that each can be removably installed onto the top portion in turn.  
   
   
       14 . The animal enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the top portion and the base portion are each formed of injection molded plastic.  
   
   
       15 . A portable dog house, comprising: 
 a housing sized to accommodate a dog formed from opposing top and bottom portions which adjoin at a circumferentially extending seam, the housing comprising a door aperture to permit the dog to enter the housing and a climate conditioning aperture disposed adjacent a topmost portion of the housing, the climate conditioning aperture extending from an upper surface to a lower surface of the top portion; and    separate first and second climate conditioning units each configured to be respectively, contactingly supported by the upper surface of the top portion to span the climate conditioning aperture and to facilitate a flow of atmospheric air therethrough, wherein the first climate conditioning unit is characterized as a passive cover plate and the second climate conditioning unit comprises at least a selected one of a fan, a heater unit, or a forced air conditioner, and wherein the first and second climate conditioning units are each removably attachable to the top portion so that only a selected one of the first and second climate conditioning units can be installed onto the top portion at a time.    
   
   
       16 . The portable dog house of  claim 15 , wherein each of the first and second climate conditioning units comprises a plate portion with selected overall length and width dimensions greater than corresponding length and width dimensions of the climate conditioning aperture to cover and span said aperture, and wherein each of the first and second climate conditioning units further comprises at least one downwardly depending flange that extends from the associated plate portion to contactingly engage the upper surface of the top portion to removably secure the respective plate portion thereto.  
   
   
       17 . The portable dog house of  claim 15 , wherein the downwardly extending flange fully surrounds the climate conditioning aperture to contactingly engage the upper surface of the top portion.  
   
   
       18 . The portable dog house of  claim 15 , further comprising a user activated fastener mechanism which secures the climate conditioning unit to the top portion, the fastener mechanism accessible from a position above the top portion to releasingly disengage the climate conditioning unit from the top portion.  
   
   
       19 . The portable dog house of  claim 15 , wherein the top and bottom portions are sized to be stackable such that, when the top portion is inverted relative to the bottom portion, a selected one of the top or bottom portions can nest within the remaining one of the top or bottom portions to occupy a total volume of space substantially smaller than when the top portion is not inverted and arranged onto the bottom portion to form said housing.  
   
   
       20 . The portable dog house of  claim 15 , wherein the top portion and the base portion are each formed of injection molded plastic.