CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS AND COMPONENTS FOR ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

• US 20070169718A1
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovive, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innovive, Inc.
• Inventors: Perazzo, Thomas, Conger, Dee, d'Artenay, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,739,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/455
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/031 Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0356 Feeding or drinking devices associated with cages for poultry A01K31/005, A01K31/17, A01K39/00; for birds A01K31/06

Abstract

Provided are animal containment systems and components, including single-use animal containment cages and modular rack units. Also provided are methods for assembling and using components of the animal containment systems.

Claims

1. A rodent containment cage rack comprising two or more rack modules, wherein each rack module comprises shelves, a tube, an air blower connection at one end of the tube and conduits connected to the tube that deliver air from a blower at each of the shelves.

2. A rodent containment cage rack comprising two or more rack modules, wherein each rack module comprises air metering nozzles, a tube, an air blower connection at one end of the tube and conduits connected to the tube that deliver air from a blower to each of the metering nozzles.

3. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 2, wherein the rack modules are joined by a sleeve that receives a tube from one rack module and a tube from another rack module.

4. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 2, wherein a rack module is connected or disconnected to another rack module without a tool.

5. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 2, wherein each rack module comprises a guide that orients the rack module with a corresponding guide of another rack module during assembly of the rodent containment cage rack.

6. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 2, which comprises a tram.

7. A rodent containment cage rack comprising a tube, an air blower connection at one end of the tube, conduits connected to the tube that deliver air from a blower to metering nozzles, wherein the metering nozzles can deliver air at a pressure of about 0.3 inches of water or greater.

8. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 7, wherein the pressure is about 1 inches of water to about 3 inches of water.

9. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 7, wherein the pressure is about 2 inches of water.

10. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 7, wherein the pressure of air at each metering nozzle is not regulated by an adjustable valve.

11. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 7, wherein the orifice diameter of the metering nozzle is less than about 0.25 inches.

12. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 7, wherein the orifice diameter of the metering nozzle is less than 0.25 inches.

13. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 7, wherein the orifice diameter is less than about 0.06 inches to about 0.08 inches.

14. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 7, which comprises an airflow or air pressure sensor.

15. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 14, wherein the sensor is in connection with a tube.

16. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 14, wherein the sensor is in connection with a conduit.

17. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 14, wherein the sensor is in connection with a metering nozzle.

18. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 7, which comprises one or more shelves each in proximity to a metering nozzle.

19. A rodent containment cage rack comprising one or more shelves, a tube, an air blower connection at one end of the tube and conduits connected to the tube that deliver air from a blower at each of the one or more shelves, wherein:

each of the one or more shelves comprises a carriage and an air supply connector joined to the carriage that can mate with a corresponding connector of a rodent containment cage; and

the air supply connector is joined to one of the conduits.

20. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 19, which comprises an air exhaust connector joined to the carriage that can mate with a corresponding connector on a rodent containment cage.

21. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 19, wherein the carriage can mate the connector with a corresponding connector of a rodent containment cage or un-mate the connector with a corresponding connector of a rodent containment cage.

22. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 19, wherein the carriage is a lever.

23. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 19, which further comprises one or more rodent containment cages on the one or more shelves.

24. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 23, wherein the one or more rodent containment cages are rodent containment cages.

25. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 23, wherein one or more of the rodent containment cages comprises a rodent.

26. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 19, which further comprises an air blower connected to the tube.

27. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 26, wherein the air blower comprises two or more fans oriented in series.

28. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 26, wherein the air blower is an air supply blower.

29. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 26, wherein the air blower is an air exhaust blower.

30. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 19, which comprises an air supply blower and an air exhaust blower.

31. A rodent containment cage rack comprising shelves, a tube, an air supply blower connected at one end of the tube, conduits connected to the tube that deliver air from the blower at each of the shelves and an airflow or air pressure sensor, wherein a controller adjusts air delivered by the air supply blower based upon a set point and a signal from the sensor.

32. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 31, wherein the sensor is in connection with a tube.

33. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 31, wherein the sensor is in connection with a conduit.

34. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 31, wherein the air supply blower comprises two or more fans oriented in series and the controller adjusts the speed of one or more of the fans.

35. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 31, which comprises an air exhaust blower.

36. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 35, wherein the air exhaust blower comprises two or more fans oriented in series and the controller adjusts the speed of one or more of the fans.

37. The rodent containment cage rack of claim 31, wherein the controller is remote.