Laminar flow system and removable animal rack

• US 4,023,529 A
• Filed: 11/17/1975
• Issued: 05/17/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TGL Acquisition Corp.
• Original Assignee: Jerome J. Landy
• Inventors: Landy, Jerome J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chamblee, Hugh R.
• Application Number:
  US05/632,787
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 119/15, 119/17, 119/21, 119/30, 119/37, 119/19
• US Class Current: 119/419
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/031 Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/29 Air curtains

Abstract

A laminar flow system and removable animal rack is disclosed in which the housing which includes a blower, plenum chamber, and filter is fixedly secured to a support surface. The filter is open at at least one end, and a removable animal rack may be wheeled into position immediately adjacent the filter. The unit may be constructed with the filter recessed so that the end walls overlap a portion of the animal rack; or with a filter in the front wall and the rear wall, so that animal racks may be positioned at both the front and the rear of the housing. Optionally, extensions may be placed on the end walls to reduce end effect or eddy currents from the ambient air entering into the laminar flow as the same passes filtered air over cages contained in the animal racks. The proportions of the housing are greater than four to one for the ratio of the height to the depth, a height to width ratio of less than two to one, and a width to depth ratio of greater than three to one.

Claims

1. A laminar flow system and removable animal cage racks comprising, in combination,

a vertical air circulation housing having imperforate end walls,

one front wall being essentially a filter,

means defining a plenum chamber behind the filter,

an opening in a top wall to admit ambient air,

a blower beneath the top wall and in air flow coupled relationship to the filter,

means for immovably mounting the housing on a support,

an animal cage rack with transportable means for supporting the same in removable relationship to the filter,

said housing being proportional to pass through a standard door and said rack having a depth permitting passage through a standard door

whereby the entire assembly may be placed in an animal room and the rack removed for washing while the circulatory system remains in fixed position.

2. In the system of claim 1,

an extension removably secured to the top of the vertical air circulation housing,

said extension enveloping the blower in air flow coupled relationship to the plenum chamber,

a prefiltering means removably secured to the extension, remote from the plenum chamber, and in air flow coupled relationship to the blower,

said prefiltering means being positioned to permit servicing of the blower and blower power source when said prefiltering means is removed

whereby the extension and elements interiorly mounted in said extension may be removed to permit the vertical air circulation housing to pass through low doorways and the like.

3. In the system of claim 1,

means for removably securing the animal cage rack to the vertical air circulation housing to prevent animals within the cages from shifting the rack away from the proximity of the filter.

4. In the system of claim 3,

means for sealing the animal cage rack to the vertical air circulation housing.

5. In the system of claim 1,

said housing having a height to depth ratio of at least 4:

1.

6. In the system of claim 1,

said housing having a height to width ratio of less than 2:

1.

7. In the system of claim 1,

said housing having a width to depth ratio of greater than 3:

1.

8. In the system of claim 1,

filters on the front and rear wall defining a plenum chamber therebetween

whereby removable animal racks may be placed against the front and rear walls.

9. In the system of claim 1,

said filter being recessed whereby the end walls overlap the ends of the removable racks.

10. In the system of claim 1,

removable extensions of said end walls to permit recessing of the rack against the filter.

11. In the system of claim 2,

said housing having a height to depth ratio of at least 4:

1.

12. In the system of claim 2,

said housing having a height to width ratio of less than 2:

1.

13. In the system of claim 2,

said housing having a width to depth ratio of greater than 3:

1.

14. In the system of claim 2,

filters on the front and rear wall defining a plenum chamber therebetween

whereby removable animal racks may be placed against the front and rear walls.

15. In the system of claim 2,

said filter being recessed

whereby the end walls overlap the ends of the removable racks.

16. In the system of claim 2,

removable extensions of said end walls to permit recessing of the rack against the filter.

17. In the system of claim 6,

said housing having a height to depth ratio of at least 4:

1.

18. In the system of claim 7,

said housing having a height to width ratio of less than 2:

1.

19. In the system of claim 4,

said housing having a width to depth ratio of greater than 3:

1.

20. In the system of claim 1,

said housing having a width to depth ratio of greater than 3:

1,

said housing having a height to width ratio of less than 2;

1, and

said housing having a height to depth ratio of at least 4;

1.

21. In the system of claim 20,

filters on the front and rear wall defining a plenum chamber therebetween

whereby removable animal racks may be placed against the front and rear walls.

22. In the system of claim 21,

means for sealing the animal cage rack to the vertical air circulation housing.

23. In the system of claim 20,

said filter being recessed,

whereby the end walls overlap the ends of the removable racks.

24. In the system of claim 20,

removable extensions of said end walls to permit recessing of the rack against the filter.

25. A laminar flow system and removable animal cage racks comprising, in combination,

a vertical air circulation housing having imperforate end walls,

said laminar flow system having front wall portions and rear wall portions,

each of said front wall portions and rear wall portions being essentially a filter,

means defining a plenum chamber between said opposed front and rear wall filter portions,

a top joining the front wall, rear wall and end walls at an upper portion of the laminar flow system,

means defining an opening in the top wall to admit ambient air,

a blower positioned proximately beneath the top wall and in airflow coupled relationship to the opposed front and rear wall filter portions,

means for immovably mounting said airflow system on a support,

an animal cage rack with transportable means for supporting the same in removable relationship to the opposed filters and at opposite sides of the system, and adjacent to said filters,

said system and housing being proportioned to pass through a standard door, and

said racks having a depth permitting passage through a standard door,

whereby the entire assembly may be placed in an animal room and the racks removed for washing while the circulatory system remains in a fixed position, and whereby animal racks may be positioned opposite both the front wall and rear wall thereby maximizing the utilization of the air circulatory system and filtration system.

26. In the system of claim 25,

an extension removably secured to the top of the vertical air circulation housing,

said extension enveloping the blower in air flow coupled relationship to the plenum chamber,

a prefiltering means removably secured to the extension remote from the plenum chamber, and in air flow coupled relationship to the blower,

said prefiltering means being positioned to permit servicing of the blower and blower power source when said prefiltering means is removed

whereby the extension and elements interiorly mounted in said extension may be removed to permit the vertical air circulation housing to pass through low doorways and the like.

27. In the system of claim 25,

means for removably securing the animal cage rack to the vertical air circulation housing to prevent animals within the cages from shifting the rack away from the proximity of the filter.

28. In the system of claim 25,

means for sealing the animal cage rack to the vertical air circulation housing.

29. In the system of claim 25,

said housing having a height to depth ratio of at least 4:

1.

30. In the system of claim 25,

said housing having a height to width ratio of less than 2:

1.

31. In the system of claim 25,

said housing having a width to depth ratio of greater than 3:

1.

32. In the system of claim 25,

said filter being recessed whereby the end walls overlap the ends of the removable racks.

33. In the system of claim 30,

said housing having a height to width ratio of less than 2:

1.

34. In the system of claim 30,

said housing having a width to depth ratio of greater than 3:

1.

35. In the system of claim 33,

said housing having a width to depth ratio of greater than 3:

1.