PROCESS FOR REPLACING A CAGE IN A RODENTCONTAINMENT SYSTEM FOR ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

• US 20120318207A1
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovive, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innovive, Inc.
• Inventors: Conger, Dee L., Perazzo, Thomas M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,448,612 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 method for containing rodents in a rodent containment system comprising:

(a) placing rodents in cages, wherein the cages each consist of a base and a cover, which base and cover are constructed from a polymer,

which base comprises a wall or walls, a bottom integrated with the wall or walls, and a support member in association with the wall or walls,

which cover comprises at least one corner or edge in the interior of the cage accessible to a rodent contained in the cage; and

which at least one corner or edge is defined by (i) surfaces having an angle α

greater than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees, and (ii) a minimum radius Φ

;

defined by Φ

=0.25/(tan((π

/360)(360−

α

))) inches; and

(b) mounting the cages in a rack configured for storing a plurality of cages,

which rack comprises mounts comprising grooves, and

wherein each cage is mounted in the rack by slidably engaging the support members into the grooves.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wall or walls are of substantially uniform thickness of about 0.01 inches to about 0.08 inches.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the wall or walls are of substantially uniform thickness of about 0.01 inches to about 0.03 inches.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer of the cages comprises polyethylene teraphthalate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rack is part of a rack system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the rack system comprises a plurality of stacked modules.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the modules are stacked vertically.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the modules are stacked horizontally.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the modules are stacked horizontally and vertically.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the support members are a flange member contiguous with the top of one or more walls of the cage base.