VENTILATED RACK SYSTEM

• US 20090095697A1
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lab Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lab Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Park, Chin Soo, Lastowski, Philip A., Gabriel, George S., Campbell, Neil E., Miller, Curtis, Eldreth, Edward K., Irwin, Lynn, Murray, Dale, Gerringer, Rodney
• Granted Patent: US 8,544,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/206
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0047 Air-conditioning, e.g. ventilation, of animal housings
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/031 Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/06 Desks with inlet and evacuation of air
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2204/02 comprising a heating unit
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2204/04 comprising a cooling unit
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/006 for stacking objects like trays, bobbins, chains

Abstract

A ventilated cage and rack system for assembly by a user using simple tools and a method for assembly is provided. A plurality of frames and vertical plenums can be connected to a base, and a retaining assembly can be used to connect a plurality of vertical beams and horizontal support beams. A plurality of canopies is preferably used to connect the plenums and the support beams to shroud cages beneath the canopies. The canopies preferably include removable side walls to adapt to the width of the cage being shrouded. A plenum clean out system preferably provides a relatively simple method of draining a cleaning fluid from a plenum by moving a lever between an open and closed position. A pressure based plenum system is also provided wherein a constant air pressure is maintained in the ventilated rack system and air is provided into a cage at a constant air pressure.

Claims

1. A kit for a ventilated rack for in situ assembly in or proximate a laboratory, the kit comprising:

a base;

a first frame having a top support beam, the first frame being constructed and arranged to be connected to the base;

a second frame having a plurality of vertical beams, the second frame being constructed and arranged to be connected to the base;

a plurality of support beams;

a plurality of retainer assemblies constructed and arranged to join one of the plurality of support beams and one of the vertical beams,

a plurality of vertical plenums constructed and arranged to be connected to the base;

a horizontal plenum constructed and arranged to connect to the vertical plenums;

a plurality of canopies constructed and arranged to extend between the vertical plenum and one of the plurality of support beams, wherein the canopy is constructed and arranged to shroud a cage beneath the canopy while maintaining a gap between the canopy and the cage to permit the flow of air between the cage and the canopy.

2. The kit of claim 1, wherein the retainer assembly includes a cross connector and a retainer constructed and arranged to interlock, wherein the cross connector includes a support beam receiving portion.

3. The kit of claim 1, wherein the top support beam is connected to the horizontal plenum, the top support beam being constructed and arranged to support the horizontal plenum;

4. The kit of claim 1, further including a plurality of connectors for securing the vertical beams to the base.

5. The kit of claim 1, wherein the canopy includes a flange and the vertical plenum includes a flange receiving portion.

6. The kit of claim 1, wherein the canopy includes support member extending past the support beam and constructed and arranged to secure the canopy to the support beam.

7. The kit of claim 1, further comprising a bracket for securing the first frame and the second frame.

8. The kit of claim 1, wherein the vertical plenums include an air supply channel and an exhaust channel.

9. The kit of claim 1, further comprising a cap having a curved portion constructed and arranged to facilitate airflow to or from vertical plenum.

10. The kit of claim 9, wherein the cap includes a marking indicating the direction of airflow.

11. The kit of claim 1, wherein the vertical plenum includes a plurality of air supply docking assemblies for supplying air from the vertical plenum.

12. The kit of claim 1, wherein the vertical plenum includes a plurality of exhaust apertures for drawing air into the vertical plenum.

13. The kit of claim 11, further comprising a HEPA filter.

14. The kit of claim 1, wherein the vertical plenum includes a channel, wherein the system further comprises a gasket connected to the vertical plenum, the gasket having an open position in which the channel in the vertical plenum is in fluid communication with the ambient air.

15. The kit of claim 14 further comprising a rotatable rod having a first rotation wherein the gasket is closed, and a second rotation wherein the gasket is open.

16. The kit of claim 15 further comprising a lever connected to the rotatable rod, the lever having a first position and a second position, wherein displacing the lever from the first position to the second position displaces the rotatable rod from the first rotation to the second rotation.

17. The kit of claim 1, wherein the canopy includes removable sides.

18. The kit of claim 1, further comprising an air blower.

19. A method of assembling a ventilated rack system, the method comprising:

providing a base;

attaching a first frame to the base;

attaching a second frame to the base and the first frame, the second frame having a vertical beam;

attaching a support beam to the vertical beam by assembling a retainer assembly about the support beam and the vertical beam;

attaching a vertical plenum to the base;

attaching a canopy to the vertical plenum;

attaching the canopy to the support beam;

20. The method claim 19 further comprising attaching a horizontal plenum to the vertical plenum, wherein the horizontal plenum is in fluid communication with the vertical plenum.

21. The method claim 19 further comprising securing a horizontal plenum to the first frame, wherein the first frame is constructed and arranged to support the horizontal plenum.

22. The method claim 20 further comprising attaching an air blower to the horizontal plenum such that the air blower is in fluid communication with the horizontal plenum.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising assembling the ventilated rack system in a laboratory facility.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising attaching two first frames to the base and second frame.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising attaching two second frames to the base and first frame.

26. A method of providing a ventilated rack system for assembly, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of components for subsequent assembly by a user, the components including;

a first frame;

a second frame having a vertical beam;

a base constructed and arranged to be connected to the fist frame and the second frame;

a vertical plenum constructed and arranged to be connected to the base;

a plurality of canopies constructed and arranged to connect to the vertical beam and the vertical plenum'"'"'

a horizontal plenum constructed and arranged to be connected to the vertical plenum.

27. A plenum system comprising:

a control system having a printed circuit board, a thermistor, a first heating system and a second heating system, the second heating system being proximate the printed circuit board proximate the thermistor.

28. The plenum system of claim 27, further comprising an air gap proximate the thermistor.

29. The plenum system of claim 27, wherein the second heating system is constructed and arranged to cool and heat.

30. The plenum system of claim 27, wherein the control system is constructed and arranged to control air pressure of the plenum system.

31. The plenum system of claim 27, further comprising a measuring mechanism for measuring the temperature of the printed circuit board.

32. The plenum system of claim 27, further comprising a temperature adjusting mechanism for adjusting the temperature of air supplied by the plenum system.

33. The plenum system of claim 27, wherein the control system is a leadless system.

34. A canopy constructed and arranged to shroud a cage beneath the canopy, the canopy comprising a canopy top and a selectively removable side connected to the canopy top.

35. The canopy of claim 34, comprising a first removable side and a second removable side, wherein the first removable side is selectively removable independent of the second removable side.

36. The canopy of claim 34 wherein the canopy is constructed and arranged to shroud a cage beneath the canopy and maintain a gap between the canopy and the cage.

37. The canopy of claim 34 further comprising an aperture through which air above the cage can flow.

38. The canopy of claim 34 further comprising a flange extending inward from the removable sides, the flange being constructed and arranged to contact a lip of the cage.

39. The canopy of claim 34 further comprising a rear wall having a flange for supporting a cage beneath the canopy.

40. The canopy system comprising:

a plurality of canopies having removable side walls;

each canopy being constructed and arranged to shroud a first cage having a first width beneath the canopy;

wherein two adjacent canopies include inner side walls and outer side walls, such that the two adjacent canopies having the inner side walls removed can shroud a second cage having a second width greater than the first width.

41. A plenum clean out system comprising

a plenum having a channel;

a gasket assembly having an opened position and a closed position;

a lever operatively associated with the gasket to displace the gasket between the opened position and the closed position.

42. The plenum clean out system of claim 41 further comprising a rod connected to the lever, wherein displacing the lever rotates the rod.

43. The plenum clean out system of claim 41 further comprising a rod operatively connected to the gasket assembly to open and close the gasket assembly.

44. The plenum clean out system of claim 41, wherein the gasket assembly includes a gasket top connected to the plenum, the gasket assembly further including a gasket bottom selectively displaceable from the gasket top.

45. The plenum clean out system of claim 44, further comprising a rod operatively connected to the gasket bottom, wherein rotating the rod selectively displaces the gasket bottom from the gasket top such that the channel of the plenum is exposed.

46. The plenum clean out system of claim 41, wherein the gasket assembly includes a gasket top having an aperture aligned with the channel of the plenum, the gasket assembly further including a gasket bottom having a base constructed and arranged to seal the aperture of the gasket top.

47. The plenum clean out system of claim 46, wherein the gasket bottom includes a projection and the gasket top includes a cavity for receiving the projection.

48. The plenum clean out system of claim 45, wherein the rod includes a stopper and the gasket bottom includes a stopper channel constructed and arranged to receive the stopper, such that gasket bottom is supported by the stopper.

49. A plenum clean out system comprising

a plenum having a first end, a second end and a channel extending through the vertical plenum between the first end and the second end;

a gasket assembly constructed and arranged to contact and seal the channel proximate the second end of the plenum;

wherein the gasket assembly includes a displaceable seal constructed and arranged to be selectively displaced away from the vertical plenum such that the channel is exposed via the second end;

a control mechanism for selectively displacing the seal.

50. The plenum clean out system of claim 49, the plenum and gasket being constructed and arranged to permit a fluid introduced from the first end of the plenum to flow through the channel and exit the plenum through the second end when the gasket is displaced away from the plenum.

51. The plenum clean out system of claim 49, wherein the plenum comprises a vertical plenum and the second end is proximate bottom of the vertical plenum.

52. The plenum clean out system of claim 49, wherein the control mechanism includes a stopper constructed and arranged to abut the displaceable seal toward the plenum to seal the channel.

53. The plenum clean out system of claim 49, wherein the control mechanism includes a lever.