Caging system with slide bar operator for quick disconnect water fitting
First Claim
1. An animal caging system comprising:
- a rack supporting a cage box such that the cage box can be inserted into the rack and removed from the rack along an insertion path, the cage box having a first connection coupling at a rear of the cage box, facing forward along the insertion path;
a supply conduit disposed on the rack, the supply conduit having a second connection coupling complementary to the first connection coupling, the first and second connection couplings being engageable and disengageable upon displacement of a movable locking structure associated with one of the first and second connection couplings;
an actuator disposed on the cage box, the actuator having a movable element accessible from a front of the cage box and a contact element engageable with the locking structure of said one of the first and second connection couplings such that the locking structure is releasable manually by a user for at least one of engaging and disengaging the first and second connection couplings at the rear of the cage box.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An animal caging system includes a support such as a ducted rack for receiving animal cages at storage locations in a high density arrangement such as for testing laboratories, breeding establishments and the like. Closed cage boxes are received at the locations, each having an air impervious bottom and sidewalls, and a lid with an air permeable membrane on a frame. Complementary water supply fittings are provided on the rear of the cage box and on the rack or support, and are positively lockable and unlockable using a slide actuator that extends from front to the rear of the cage box, preferably being mounted in the frame of the lid. The fittings include male and female connection couplings, the female one having a movable spring biased locking sleeve that controls a radially displaceable body for engaging a groove in the male coupling, and a check valve that is opened by contact with the male coupling when inserted. An extension part of the sleeve extends into the path of the slide actuator, which is spring biased away from the extension part. The slide actuator is accessible from the front side of the cage box and allows the user to release the water hookup from the front side by displacement of the slide actuator against its biasing spring. Thus the water hookup is positive and easily locked or unlocked from the front side of the cage box.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An animal caging system comprising:
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a rack supporting a cage box such that the cage box can be inserted into the rack and removed from the rack along an insertion path, the cage box having a first connection coupling at a rear of the cage box, facing forward along the insertion path; a supply conduit disposed on the rack, the supply conduit having a second connection coupling complementary to the first connection coupling, the first and second connection couplings being engageable and disengageable upon displacement of a movable locking structure associated with one of the first and second connection couplings; an actuator disposed on the cage box, the actuator having a movable element accessible from a front of the cage box and a contact element engageable with the locking structure of said one of the first and second connection couplings such that the locking structure is releasable manually by a user for at least one of engaging and disengaging the first and second connection couplings at the rear of the cage box. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An animal caging system comprising:
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a support for receiving animal cages at storage locations; a cage box having a bottom, sidewalls and a lid, the lid comprising an air permeable membrane on a frame fixable on the sidewalls, the bottom, sidewalls and lid encompassing a chamber for isolating an animal in the cage box, the cage box having a first connection coupling protruding from a rear one of the sidewalls, and extending into the chamber for carrying water to the animal; a supply conduit fixed at one of the storage locations and having a second connection coupling complementary to the first connection coupling, the first and second connection couplings being engageable and disengageable upon displacement of a movable locking structure associated with one of the first and second connection couplings for fixing and releasing the first and second connection couplings; a slide actuator movably mounted to the frame of the lid, the slide actuator extending along the lid from the rear sidewall to a front sidewall opposite from the rear sidewall, the slide actuator being accessible from the front sidewall for manual displacement by a user; means coupling the slide actuator to the movable locking structure of said one of the first and second connection couplings; wherein the slide actuator is movable to control said fixing and releasing of the first and second connection couplings from the front sidewall when the cage box is moved into and out of the storage location. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An animal caging system comprising:
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a rack supporting a cage box such that the cage box can be inserted into the rack and removed from the rack from a front side of the cage box, the cage box having a first connection coupling at a rear side of the cage box; a supply conduit disposed on the rack, the supply conduit having a second connection coupling complementary to the first connection coupling, the first and second connection couplings being engageable and disengageable upon displacement of a movable locking structure associated with one of the first and second connection couplings; an actuator carried on at least one of the cage box and the rack, the actuator having a movable element accessible from a front of the cage box and a contact element engageable with the locking structure of said one of the first and second connection couplings such that the locking structure is releasable manually by a user for at least one of engaging and disengaging the first and second connection couplings at the rear of the cage box. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification