Collapsible Animal Run

Abstract

An animal run having a plurality of side panels operable to be pivotally mounted along a central plane. Corresponding front panels are each pivotally coupled with one of the side panels and operable to be detachably coupled to an adjacent side panel. The side panels are moveable between a stored position, in which each side panel is positioned parallel the central plane, and an operational position, in which they extend outward at an angle from the central plane. Each front panel is moveable between a stored position, in which it is positioned parallel the central plane, and an operational position, in which it is positioned at an angle from the side panel to which it is coupled and is detachably coupled with the other side panel. The side panels and front panel are configured to contain a dog or cat when in their operational position.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows: 
     
         1 . An animal run, comprising:
 a plurality of side panels mounted in series along the length of a non-movable support structure, wherein each said side panel extends vertically from a bottom edge positioned adjacent the ground or floor on which said animal run is supported to a top edge positioned a distance above said ground or floor, and wherein each said side panel is moveable between a stored position in which said side panel is positioned substantially parallel said support structure and an operational position in which said side panel extends outward at an angle substantially perpendicular from said support structure; and   a plurality of front panels, wherein each said front panel extends vertically from a bottom edge positioned adjacent the ground or floor on which said animal run is supported to a top edge positioned a distance above said ground or floor, wherein each said front panel is pivotally coupled with one of said side panels and operable to be detachably coupled with an adjacent one of said side panels, each said front panel being moveable between a stored position in which it is substantially parallel said side panels and an operational position in which it is detachably coupled with said adjacent one of said side panels, wherein each said front panel and the adjacent side panels to which it is coupled define an interior space and are configured to contain a dog or cat within said interior space when the panels are in the operational position.   
     
     
         2 . The animal run of  claim 1 , wherein said non-movable support structure comprises a vertically extending wall and said side panels are mounted a distance apart one another along the length of said wall. 
     
     
         3 . The animal run of  claim 2 , wherein said vertically extending wall serves to enclose said interior space when each of said side panels and said front panel is in its operational position. 
     
     
         4 . The animal run of  claim 1 , wherein said non-movable support structure comprises a plurality of vertically extending posts wherein the posts are aligned in said first plane and wherein the side panels are mounted to a corresponding post. 
     
     
         5 . The animal run of  claim 4 , wherein said animal run additionally comprises one or more rear panels that serve to enclose said interior space when each of said side panels and said front panel is in its operational position. 
     
     
         6 . The animal run of  claim 1 , wherein said non-movable support structure comprises one or more rear panels, wherein said one or more rear panels serve to enclose said interior space when each of said side panels and said front panel is in its operational position. 
     
     
         7 . The animal run of  claim 1 , wherein said side panels are directly pivotally mounted to said support structure. 
     
     
         8 . The animal run of  claim 1  wherein said first and second side panels are indirectly pivotally mounted to said support structure via first and second mounts respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The animal run of  claim 8 , wherein said mounts are fixedly attached to said support structure. 
     
     
         10 . The animal run of  claim 9 , wherein said mounts are integrally formed with said side panels. 
     
     
         11 . The animal run of  claim 1 , wherein each said front panel comprises a frame that is pivotally coupled with one of said side panels and operable to be detachably coupled with the other one of said side panels, said frame mounting a door moveable between a closed position in which it is positioned within said frame and an open position to provide access to said interior space when said side panels and said front panel are in the operational position. 
     
     
         12 . The animal run of  claim 1 , further comprising wheels mounted to the bottom edge of one or more side panels. 
     
     
         13 . The animal run of  claim 1 , wherein said side panels are positioned substantially parallel one another when in the operational position and said front panels are positioned substantially parallel said support structure when in the operational position. 
     
     
         14 . The animal run of  claim 13 , wherein said side panels are positioned at a substantially right angle from said first plane when in the operational position. 
     
     
         15 . An animal run of  claim 1 , wherein each said front panel has an inner surface that is positioned in abutting engagement facing a surface of the side panel to which is it pivotally coupled when in the stored position. 
     
     
         16 . An animal run comprising:
 a plurality of side panels that extend vertically from a bottom edge positioned adjacent the ground or floor on which said animal run is supported to a top edge positioned a distance above said ground or floor, wherein each said side panel pivots relative to a fixed pivot point between a stored position and an operational position, wherein each said pivot point is non-movably aligned along a first plane and wherein said side panels are positioned substantially parallel the first plane in the stored position and are positioned at an angle from the first plane in the operational position;   a plurality of front panels pivotally coupled with one of said side panels wherein each said front panel extends vertically from a bottom edge positioned adjacent the ground or floor on which said animal run is supported to a top edge positioned a distance above said ground or floor, wherein each said front panel is configured to be detachably coupled to the other said side panel when in the operational position, wherein the front panel is positioned parallel the side panel to which it is pivotally coupled and is detached from the other side panel in the stored position, and wherein the front panel is positioned at an angle from the side panel to which it is pivotally coupled and is detachably coupled with the other side panel in the operational position, the side panels and front panels are configured to define an interior space for containing a dog or a cat when the panels are in their operational position.   
     
     
         17 . The animal run of  claim 16 , wherein each said front panel comprises a frame that is pivotally coupled with one of said side panels and operable to be detachably coupled with the other one of said side panels, said frame mounting a door moveable between a closed position in which it is positioned within said frame and an open position to provide access to said interior space when said side panels and said front panel are in the operational position. 
     
     
         18 . The animal run of  claim 16 , further comprising wheels mounted to the bottom edge of one or more side panels. 
     
     
         19 . The animal run of  claim 16 , wherein each said side panel is mounted to the ground or floor at said fixed pivot points. 
     
     
         20 . The animal run of  claim 16 , wherein each said side panel is mounted adjacent a vertically extending wall, wherein said wall encloses said interior space.