RODENT CONTAINMENT CAGE MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHODS

• US 20130284109A1
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2010
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Innovive, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innovive, Inc.
• Inventors: Roes, Michael A., McGuffie, Francesca, Jenson, Leroy, Conger, Dee L., Spivey, Cory J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,278,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/421
• 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

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses and systems for convenient management of animals within a rodent containment cage system that includes labeling components, receiving data, associating the data, reporting the data and/or associations and locating components within the cage system. The management of the system may be self-contained, networked through a controller, local server and/or main server.

Claims

1. A rodent containment rack comprising:

a sensor for monitoring a parameter, wherein the sensor comprises a detectable identifier; and

a reader configured to detect the identifier.

2. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the identifier is a barcode.

3. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the identifier is a clocking identifier.

4. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the reader is in association with an indicator for the identifier.

5. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to monitor a parameter within a cage.

6. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed within an interior volume of a cage.

7. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed within a supply or exhaust passageway of the rack.

8. The rodent containment rack of claim 7, wherein the supply or exhaust passageway is a rack support member plenum.

9. The rodent containment rack of claim 7, wherein the supply or exhaust passageway is a rack side member plenum.

10. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed within a conduit of a shelf assembly.

11. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the parameter is the presence or level of viruses or bacteria.

12. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of ammonia levels, carbon dioxide levels or carbon monoxide levels.

13. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of heat, noise and humidity.

14. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of visual movement, olfactory changes, tactile changes and auditory changes.

15. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the parameter is selected from the group of cage parameters consisting of total animal weight, animal physical activity, body heat, animal behavior and animal dynamics.

16. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the reader is in association with a system comprising one or more processors, a controller, or combinations thereof.

17. The rodent containment rack of claim 1, wherein the sensor is in association with a system comprising one or more processors, a controller, or combinations thereof.

18. The rodent containment rack of claim 16, wherein the system comprises a data storage device configured to remotely receive and process data from the reader.

19. The rodent containment rack of claim 17, wherein the system comprises a data storage device configured to remotely receive and process data from the sensor.