Sanitation system for animal cages

• US 5,771,841 A
• Filed: 04/08/1997
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jonathan Jarrett Boor
• Original Assignee: Jonathan Jarrett Boor
• Inventors: Boor, Jonathan Jarrett
• Primary Examiner(s): PRICE JR, RICHARD THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US08/835,756
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 119/452, 119/458, 119/163, 119/165
• US Class Current: 119/452
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0107 Cat trays; Dog urinals; Toilets for pets
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/031 Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/02 Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays

Abstract

A small animal cages has a mulch or litter drawer and a drain pan below the mulch drawer, and a spray head between the drain pan and the mulch drawer, for spraying the drawer from below. An ultraviolet light is also disposed between the drain pan and the drawer, to sterilize the drawer after it is washed. Wash, rinse, and illumination steps are carried out automatically by a programmable timer. The wash and rinse water is captured and disposed of as required by law.

Claims

1. An animal cage comprising:

a removable litter tray and means for supporting the litter tray in the cage, the tray being designed so that it can be removed, inverted and reinserted into t cage,

a spray head below the litter tray, said spray head having nozzle orifices for directing cleaning liquid upward against the tray,

a source of cleaning liquid,

means for pumping said liquid under pressure to said spray head,

a drain pan below the spray head, to catch cleaning liquid dropping from the litter tray,

an ultraviolet lamp disposed below the litter tray for disinfecting the tray, and

programmable means for operating the pumping means and the ultraviolet lamp in sequence, so as to first wash the tray and then sterilize it.

2. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a fan for blowing air over the litter tray, and means for operating the fan while the lamp is on, to dry the tray as it is sterilized.

3. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a water line for delivering water from a water supply to the pump.

4. The invention of claim 3, further comprising a container for a water additive, and means for delivering said additive from the container to said water line.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the additive is a detergent.

6. The invention of claim 4, wherein the additive is a disinfectant.

7. The invention of claim 4, further comprising a first electrically controlled valve for controlling flow of water from said source through said water line to said pumping means.

8. The invention of claim 4, further comprising an electronic controller for operating said valves, said lamp, and said fan in a predetermined sequence.

9. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a receiver for containing used process water, said receiver being removable from the cage.

10. A method of cleaning and disinfecting animal cages having removable litter trays, said method comprising steps of:

removing the litter tray and discarding any litter on it,

reinserting the litter tray into the cage,

spraying the cage and the tray from below with a cleaning liquid,

illuminating the cage and tray with ultraviolet light to disinfect the cage and tray,

drying the tray in place, and

placing fresh litter on the tray.

11. A method of cleaning and disinfecting animal cages having removable litter trays, said method comprising steps of:

removing the litter tray and discarding any litter on it,

inverting the tray and reinserting it into the cage,

spraying the tray from below with a cleaning liquid,

illuminating the tray with ultraviolet light to disinfect the tray,

drying the tray in place,

removing the tray and reinverting it,

placing fresh litter on the tray, and

reinserting the tray in the cage.

12. The invention of claim 11, wherein the spraying step comprises two phases:

a washing phase which the cleaning liquid is water plus an additive, and a rinsing phase in which the cleaning liquid is water only.

13. The invention of claim 12, wherein the additive is a detergent/disinfectant solution.

14. The invention of claim 12, wherein the washing step has a duration of about two minutes, the rinsing step has a duration of about two minutes, and the illumination step has a duration of about five minutes.

15. The invention of claim 14, wherein the illuminating step overlaps the rinsing phase, but not the washing phase.