GB2319456A - Animal habitat - Google Patents

Abstract

A hamster cage is disclosed comprising a base member 12 and four walls 14a,b,c,d releasably engageable therewith. The habitat is in the form of a house (fig 2) having a treadmill 48 with a speedometer 60,62, windows 38 replaceable with tunnel adaptors 40, and a pivotable roof 22a,b having a chimney 33 suitable for a water bottle 31.

Description

An Animal Habitat This invention relates to an animal habitat and, in particular, a habitat for such small animals as hamsters.

Existing animal habitats usually include protrusions which extend into the cavity in which the animal lives. The problem with such an arrangement is that the animal living therein may gnaw these protrusions, thus causing damage to the structure and aesthetic appearance of the habitat. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an animal habitat in which the above shortcomings are mitigated, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the public.

According to the present invention, there is provided an animal habitat comprising a base member and an upper structure releasably engageable therewith, wherein the upper structure comprises a plurality of releasably engageable wall members.

Advantageously, at least one wheel member may be releasably engageable with one of the wall members.

Conveniently, the wheel member may be rotatably movable relative to the wall member with which it is releasably engaged.

Suitably, edges of all openings of an interior cavity defined by the base member and the upper structure may be protected by metal.

A top member may advantageously be releasably engageable with the wall members.

The top member may conveniently comprise two roof members pivotally movable relative to each other.

When the top member is engaged with the upper structure, at least one of the roof members may suitably be pivotally movable relative to the upper structure to expose an interior cavity defined by the base member, the upper structure and the top member to the outside environment.

Advantageously, the plurality of wall members may be disengageable from the base member as a unit.

Conveniently, the plurality of wall members and the top member may be disengageable from the base member as a unit.

Suitably, at least one wall member may include coupling means selectively releasably engageable with either a cover means or a tunnel member.

The coupling means may advantageously be adapted to be compatible with different tunnel members.

The coupling means may conveniently be releasably engageable with a tunnel member via a connection means.

At least two wall members may suitably include coupling means.

Advantageously, at least one wall member may include two coupling means.

Conveniently, the habitat may comprise four wall members.

Suitably, at least one wall member may comprise engagement means releasably receivable in at least a recess of an adjacent wall member to releasably engage the two wall members.

The habitat may advantageously comprise two pairs of opposite wall members, and wherein a first pair of opposite wall members comprise engagement means releasably receivable in recesses of a second pair of opposite wall members, to releasably engage the two pairs of wall members.

The habitat may conveniently be in the shape of a mill.

The wheel member may suitably be in the shape of a rotor of a mill.

Advantageously, the habitat may comprise a speedometer for measuring the speed of rotation of the wheel member.

The present invention will now be described in more details, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is an exploded view of an animal habitat according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of the animal habitat shown in Fig. 1 to which no tunnel is connected; and Fig. 3 is a front perspective view of the animal habitat shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to which a tunnel is connected.

Figs. 1 to 3 show an animal habitat in the form of a hamster house generally designated as 10. As can be seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the hamster house 10 is generally in the form of a mill. The hamster house 10 includes a base 12 to which four walls 14a 14b, 14e and 14d may be releasably secured. A wire mesh 16 is placed in the base 12 for easing the cleaning process. Each of walls 14b and 14d includes fingers 18 which may be received within holes 20 of the adjacent walls 14a and 14c so that all four walls 14a to 14d may be connected to each other. The walls 14a 14b, 14 and 14d being collapsible, are easy to assemble, dissemble and transport. They can also be removed from the base 12 as a unit, thus facilitating cleaning of the hamster house 10. On upper part of the walls 14a and 14c are fingers 18a which may be received within holes 20a of roof member 22a so as to secure the roof member 22a to the walls 14a and 14c. Roof member 22b includes two pins 24 which may be received within apertures 26 of the walls 14a and 14c, so that the roof member 22b is swivellably movable relative the roof member 22a. The roof member 22b may therefore be closed or opened selectively. The roof member 22b also includes a recess 28 which may be snap fitted with a tongue 30 of the wall 14d so as to allow the roof member 22b to be releasably secured to the wall 14d. Again, the walls 14a 14b 14e and 14d and the roof members 22a and 22b may be removed from the base 12 as a unit.

A water bottle 31 is coupled via a coupling member 32 to the roof member 22a. The water bottle 31 includes an outlet 33 which, when the water bottle 31 is coupled to the roof member 22a via the coupling member 32, extends downward beyond the roof member 22a thus allowing the animal inside the hamster house 10 to drink water from the bottle 31. The water bottle 31, when coupled to the hamster house 10, appears like a chimney of a mill.

Edges 34 of the walls 14b and 14d which carry the fingers 18, are receivable within recessed areas 36 of the wall 14a and flush with wall surface 35. Such an arrangement ensures that, when assembled, the regions where walls 14b and 14d are joined to the wall 14a do not contain any protrusions for the animal to gnaw. The same arrangement is adopted in edges 34a and the wall member 14c (corresponding recessed areas and wall surface not shown).

Attachable to the outside of the walls 14a and 14b are windows 38 or tunnel couplings 40. If a window 38 is to be attached onto either of the walls 14a and 14b, a circular shield 42 is attached to the inside of the wall 14a 14b to prevent the animal inside from gnawing the window 38. To allow high versatility, a tunnel 44 may be coupled to the hamster house 10 via the tunnel coupling 40. In this case, spaces 46 are left open, thus allowing the animal inside to enter the tunnel 40. The edges of the circular shields 42 and spaces 46 are all protected by metal, so as to prevent them from being damaged by the animal living inside. To further enhance the versatility of the hamster house 10, the walls 14a and 14b are adapted to be compatible with different tunnel members.

To further enhance the interest of the keeper of the animal, a wheel 48 in the form of a rotor/water wheel is coupled to the wall 14e via a spindle 50, so that the wheel 48 may freely rotate along the longitudinal axis of the spindle 50. It can be seen that, due to the special arrangement of the head 52 of the spindle 50 and the receiving space 54 on the wall 14c the wheel 48 can only be coupled to, or decoupled from, the wall 14e in one position. The animal may therefore enter the wheel 48 via an opening 56 and cause the wheel 48 to rotate by running therein. Again, the opening 56 is protected by metal.

Coupled to the wheel 48 is a speedometer unit 58, comprising a pointer 60 and a cover 62 with a viewing window 64, for indicating the speed of rotation of the wheel 48.

It should be noted that the above only describes an embodiment in which the invention may be carried out, and that further modifications and/or alterations may be made to this embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims (21)

CLAIMS:

1. An animal habitat comprising a base member and an upper structure releasably engageable therewith, wherein the upper structure comprises a plurality of releasably engageable wall members.

2. A habitat according to Claim 1 wherein at least one wheel member is releasably engageable with one of the wall members.

3. A habitat according to Claim 2 wherein the wheel member is rotatably movable relative to the wall member with which it is releasably engaged.

4. A habitat according to any of the preceding claims wherein edges of all openings of an interior cavity defined by the base member and the upper structure are protected by metal.

5. A habitat according to any of the preceding claims further comprising a top member releasably engageable with the wall members.

6. A habitat according to Claim 5 wherein the top member comprises two roof members pivotally movable relative to each other.

7. A habitat according to Claim 5 wherein, when the top member is engaged with the upper structure, at least one of the roof members is pivotally movable relative to the upper structure to expose an interior cavity defined by the base member, the upper structure and the top member to the outside environment.

8. A habitat according to any of the preceding claims wherein the plurality of wall members are disengageable from the base member as a unit.

9. A habitat according to Claim 8 wherein the plurality of wall members and the top member are disengageable from the base member as a unit.

10. A habitat according to any of the preceding claims wherein at least one wall member includes coupling means selectively releasably engageable with either a cover means or a tunnel member.

11. A habitat according to Claim 10 wherein the coupling means is adapted to be compatible with different tunnel members.

12. A habitat according to Claim 10 or 11 wherein the coupling means is releasably engageable with a tunnel member via a connection means.

13. A habitat according to Claim 10, 11 or 12 wherein at least two wall members include coupling means.

14. A habitat according to Claim 10, 11, 12 or 13 wherein at least one wall member includes two coupling means.

15. A habitat according to any of the preceding claims wherein the habitat comprises four wall members.

16. A habitat according to any of the preceding claims wherein at least one wall member comprises engagement means releasably receivable in at least a recess of an adjacent wall member to releasably engage the two wall members.

17. A habitat according to Claim 16 wherein the habitat comprises two pairs of opposite wall members, and wherein a first pair of opposite wall members comprise engagement means releasably receivable in recesses of a second pair of opposite wall members, to releasably engage the two pairs of wall members.

18. A habitat according to any of the preceding claims wherein the habitat is in the shape of a mill.

19. A habitat according to any one of Claims 2 to 18 wherein the wheel member is in the shape of a rotor of a mill.

20. A habitat according to any one of Claims 2 to 19 further comprising a speedometer for measuring the speed of rotation of the wheel member.

21. A habitat substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.