Cage and rack system incorporating automatic water docking system, latch mechanism, and quick-connect coupling

• US 5,823,144 A
• Filed: 02/14/1996
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edstrom Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Edstrom Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Edstrom, William E. Sr., Planton, Peter S., Trickle, Glen W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Black, John M.
• Application Number:
  US08/601,528
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 119/475, 119/464, 119/456, 119/465, 119/454, 119/449
• US Class Current: 119/475
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/031 Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals

Abstract

A cage and rack system includes at least one cage, a shelf, and a water docking system that holds the cage in the position on the shelf in which a cage-mounted animal watering valve is coupled to a water manifold so as to assure the supply of water to the watering valve without leakage. The water docking system includes a latch mechanism and a coupling. The latch mechanism includes a latch catch which is movable 1) from an unlatched position in which it is disengaged from the cage and permits removal of the cage from the rack 2) to a latched position holding the cage in its docked position. The coupling may comprise either a friction-fit quick-connect or a locking quick-connect coupling and includes a male fitting and a female fitting. The male fitting is designed to prevent leakage by sequentially engaging two internal seals of the female fitting so as to first seal against the female fitting and then open an internal valve element of the female fitting.

Claims

1. A cage and rack system comprising:

(A) a rack having at least one shelf;

(B) a water manifold mounted on said rack;

(C) a cage supported on said shelf, said cage having a front wall and a rear wall spaced longitudinally from one another and a pair of opposed sidewalls spaced laterally from one another and connected to said front and rear walls; and

(D) a water docking system including

(1) a coupling, said coupling including a female fitting which is connected to said water manifold and a male fitting which is supported on said rear wall of said cage, an animal watering valve being connected to said male fitting of said coupling and extending into said cage, and

(2) a latch mechanism which is mounted on said rack, said latch mechanism including a latch catch which is movable

     1) from a latched position in which said latch mechanism positively engages said front wall of said cage and holds said cage in a position in which said male fitting is sealingly inserted into said female fitting so as to permit water to therethrough,

     2) to an unlatched position in which said latch mechanism is disengaged from said cage and permits removal of said cage from said shelf, wherein at least a portion of said latch mechanism is movable in a direction which has at least one component extending longitudinally of said cage as said latch mechanism moves between said latched position and said unlatched position.

2. A cage and rack system comprising:

(A) a rack having at least one shelf;

(B) a water manifold mounted on said rack;

(C) a cage supported on said shelf, said cage having a front wall and a rear wall and a pair of opposed sidewalls connected to said front and rear walls; and

(D) a water docking system including

(1) a coupling, said coupling including a female fitting which is connected to said water manifold and a male fitting which is supported on said rear wall of said cage, an animal watering valve being connected to said male fitting of said coupling and extending into said cage, and

(2) a latch mechanism which is mounted on said rack, said latch mechanism including a latch catch which is movable

     1) from a latched position in which said latch mechanism positively engages said front wall of said cage and holds said cage in a position in which said male fitting is sealingly inserted into said female fitting so as to permit water to flow therethrough,

     2) to an unlatched position in which said latch mechanism is disengaged from said cage and permits removal of said cage from said shelf, wherein said latch mechanism includes a spring which biases said latch catch into said latched position.

3. A cage and rack system as defined in claim 2, wherein said latch mechanism further includes

a stationary support plate which is affixed to said rack and which extends at least generally in parallel with said sidewalls of said cage, and

a pivot arm which has inner and outer ends and which has front and rear faces, wherein said inner end of said pivot arm is pivotally attached to said support plate such that said pivot arm is swingable, against the force of said spring, about a vertical axis, 1) from a first position in which said pivot arm extends at least substantially in parallel with said support plate and said outer end of said pivot arm is located adjacent said support plate 2) to a second position in which said outer end of said pivot arm is spaced transversely from said support plate, wherein

said latch catch is connected to said pivot arm and extends inwardly from said front face of said outer end of said pivot arm, said latch catch being in said latched position when said pivot arm is in said first position and in said unlatched position when said pivot arm is in said second position.

4. A cage and rack system as defined in claim 3, further comprising 1) an indicator flag mounted on said pivot arm and 2) a shield provided on said support plate, said shield preventing observation of said indicator flag when said pivot arm is in said first position and permitting observation of said indicator flag when said pivot arm is in said second position.

5. A cage and rack system comprising

(A) a rack having at least one shelf;

(B) a water manifold mounted on said rack;

(C) a cage supported on said shelf, said cage having a front wall and a rear wall and a pair of opposed sidewalls connected to said front and rear walls; and

(D) a water docking system including

(1) a coupling, said coupling including a female fitting which is connected to said water manifold and a male fitting which is supported on said rear wall of said cage, an animal watering valve being connected to said male fitting of said coupling and extending into said cage, and

(2) a latch mechanism which is mounted on said rack, said latch mechanism including a latch catch which is movable

     1) from a latched position in which said latch mechanism positively engages said front wall of said cage and holds said cage in a position in which said male fitting is sealingly inserted into said female fitting so as to permit water to flow therethrough,

     2) to an unlatched position in which said latch mechanism is disengaged from said cage and permits removal of said cage from said shelf, wherein

said female fitting of said coupling comprises

     1) a generally cylindrical body having inlet and outlet ends and having a bore formed therein which extends axially from said outlet end thereof towards said inlet end thereof,

     2) first and second axially-spaced seals mounted in said bore, said second seal being located axially between said first seal and said outlet end of said body, and

     3) a valve core located in said bore between said first seal and said inlet end of said body, said valve core being capable of sealingly seating on said first seal, and wherein

said male fitting of said coupling includes a generally cylindrical plug, said plug being dimensioned to fit in said bore in said female fitting of said coupling and having a bore formed axially therethrough, wherein said plug, said first and second seals, and said valve core are so dimensioned and configured that, when said plug is inserted axially into said bore in said female fitting from said outlet end thereof, said plug

     1) first slidably seals against said second seal,

     2) then lifts said valve core from said first seal,

     3) then slidably seals against said first seal.

6. A cage and rack system as defined in claim 5, wherein said bore in said female fitting of said coupling is stepped so as to have an inner portion having a first diameter and an outer portion having a second diameter which is smaller than said first diameter, wherein said first seal and said valve core are located in said first portion of said bore and said second seal is located in said second portion of said bore.

7. A cage and rack system comprising:

(A) a rack having at least one shelf;

(B) a water manifold mounted on said rack;

(C) a cage supported on said shelf, said cage having a front wall and a rear wall and a pair of opposed sidewalls connected to said front and rear walls; and

(D) a water docking system including

(1) a coupling, said coupling including a female fitting which is connected to said water manifold and a male fitting which is supported on said rear wall of said cage, an animal watering valve being connected to said male fitting of said coupling and extending into said cage, and

(2) a latch mechanism which is mounted on said rack, said latch mechanism including

(a) a latch catch which is movable from

     1) a latched position in which it positively engages said front wall of said cage and holds said cage in a position in which said male fitting is sealingly inserted into said female fitting so as to permit water to flow therethrough, to

     2) an unlatched position in which it is disengaged from said cage and permits removal of said cage from said shelf,

(b) a stationary support plate which is affixed to said rack and which extends at least generally in parallel with said sidewalls of said cage, and

(c) a pivot arm which has inner and outer ends and which has front and rear faces, wherein said inner end of said pivot arm is pivotally attached to said support plate such that said pivot arm is swingable, against the force of a spring, about a vertical axis,

     1) from a first position in which said pivot arm extends at least substantially in parallel with said support plate and said outer end of said pivot arm is located adjacent said support plate

     2) to a second position in which said outer end of said pivot arm is spaced transversely from said support plate, wherein

said latch catch is connected to said pivot arm and extends inwardly from said front face of said outer end of said pivot arm, said latch catch being in said latched position when said pivot arm is in said first position and in said unlatched position when said pivot arm is in said second position.

8. A cage and rack system comprising:

(A) a rack having at least one shelf;

(B) a water manifold mounted on said rack;

(C) a cage supported on said shelf, said cage having a front wall and a rear wall and a pair of opposed sidewalls connected to said front and rear walls; and

(D) a water docking system including

(1) a coupling, said coupling including a female fitting which is connected to said water manifold and a male fitting which is supported on said rear wall of said cage, an animal watering valve being connected to said male fitting of said coupling and extending into said cage, and

(2) a latch mechanism which is mounted on said rack, said latch mechanism including a latch catch which is movable

     1) from a latched position in which it positively engages said front wall of said cage and holds said cage in a position in which said male fitting is sealingly inserted into said female fitting so as to permit water to flow therethrough,

     2) to an unlatched position in which it is disengaged from said cage and permits removal of said cage from said shelf, wherein

said female fitting of said coupling comprises

     1) a generally cylindrical body having inlet and outlet ends and having a bore formed therein which extends axially from said outlet end thereof towards said inlet end thereof,

     2) first and second axially-spaced seals mounted in said bore, said second seal being located axially between said first seal and said outlet end of said body, and

     3) a valve core located in said bore between said first seal and said inlet end of said body, said valve core being capable of sealingly seating on said first seal, and wherein

said male fitting of said coupling includes a generally cylindrical plug, said plug being dimensioned to fit in said bore in said female fitting of said coupling and having a bore formed axially therethrough, wherein said plug, said first and second seals, and said valve core are so dimensioned and configured that, when said plug is inserted axially into said bore in said female fitting from said outlet end thereof, said plug

     1) first slidably seals against said second seal,

     2) then lifts said valve core from said first seal,

     3) then slidably seals against said first seal.