Animal cage lighting system and method
First Claim
1. A system for illuminating the interior of each of a plurality of animal cages to be positioned on a rack and cage arrangement wherein the rack has at least one cage arrangement, said arrangement including a plurality of respective animal cage positions, the system comprising:
- (a) a source of energy selected from a group consisting of electrical energy or light energy in the visible spectrum;
(b) means adapted to cooperatively engage said source of energy to thereby provide at least one respective portion of either said electrical energy or said light energy in the visible spectrum;
(c) means for transporting said at least one respective portion of either said electrical energy or said light energy in the visible spectrum to respective predetermined locations in the rack and cage arrangement; and
,(d) means for converting said respective portions of said energy, if said respective portions of said energy are electrical energy, into respective portions of light energy in the visible spectrum,said respective predetermined locations in the rack and cage arrangement corresponding in number, at least, to the number of animal cages to be illumined, each of said respective portions of light energy in the visible spectrum when located at a respective predetermined location in said cage and rack arrangement suitable for illuminating the interior of a respective one of the animal cages when the respective one of the animal cages is in place in its respective position in said arrangement so that an observer can view an interior of respective ones of the illumined cages so as to visually observe the animal and contents within a respective cage, the system adaptable to simultaneously and continuously illumine the interior of all animal cages positioned on the rack and cage arrangement if required.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for illuminating individual animal cages secured in a multiple cage rack is described. A first lighting system makes use of LEDs secured on the frame of a multiple cage rack; or attached to or disposed in each individual cage. A second lighting system utilizes fiber optic cables connected to or adjacent each individual cage or disposed within. Clear observation of all animals at will is economically provided without interference with normal cleaning and sterilizing procedures, utilizing the virtually maintenance free lighting system.
36 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for illuminating the interior of each of a plurality of animal cages to be positioned on a rack and cage arrangement wherein the rack has at least one cage arrangement, said arrangement including a plurality of respective animal cage positions, the system comprising:
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(a) a source of energy selected from a group consisting of electrical energy or light energy in the visible spectrum; (b) means adapted to cooperatively engage said source of energy to thereby provide at least one respective portion of either said electrical energy or said light energy in the visible spectrum; (c) means for transporting said at least one respective portion of either said electrical energy or said light energy in the visible spectrum to respective predetermined locations in the rack and cage arrangement; and
,(d) means for converting said respective portions of said energy, if said respective portions of said energy are electrical energy, into respective portions of light energy in the visible spectrum, said respective predetermined locations in the rack and cage arrangement corresponding in number, at least, to the number of animal cages to be illumined, each of said respective portions of light energy in the visible spectrum when located at a respective predetermined location in said cage and rack arrangement suitable for illuminating the interior of a respective one of the animal cages when the respective one of the animal cages is in place in its respective position in said arrangement so that an observer can view an interior of respective ones of the illumined cages so as to visually observe the animal and contents within a respective cage, the system adaptable to simultaneously and continuously illumine the interior of all animal cages positioned on the rack and cage arrangement if required. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for illuminating the interior of each of a plurality of animal cages to be positioned on a rack and cage arrangement wherein the rack has at least one cage arrangement, the arrangement including a plurality of respective animal cage positions, the system comprising:
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(a) a source of electrical energy; (b) means adapted to cooperatively engage said source of electrical energy to thereby provide at least one respective portion of said electrical energy; (c) means for transporting said at least one respective portion of said electrical energy along a prescribed path within the rack and cage arrangement; and
,(d) means for converting said at least one respective portion of said electrical energy into at least one respective segment of light energy in the visible spectrum at at least one location along said prescribed path, said means for converting including at least one LED, wherein said light energy in the visible spectrum is sufficient for illuminating the interior of the animal cages when in place in their respective positions in said arrangement so that an observer can view an interior of respective ones of the illumined cages so as to visually observe the animal and contents within a respective cage, the system adaptable to simultaneously and continuously illumine the interior of all animal cages positioned on the rack and case arrangement, if required.
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14. A system for illuminating the interior of each of a plurality of animal cages to be positioned on a rack and cage arrangement wherein the rack has at least one cage arrangement, said arrangement including a plurality of respective animal cage positions, the system comprising:
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(a) a source of light energy in the visible spectrum; (b) means adapted to cooperatively engage said source of light energy in the visible spectrum to thereby provide at least one respective portion of said light energy in the visible spectrum; and
,(c) means for transporting said at least one respective portion of said light energy in the visible spectrum along a prescribed path within the rack and cage arrangement, said means for transporting including at least one fiber optic device, said means for transporting adapted to provide at at least one location along said path, a segment of said at least one respective portion of said light energy in the visible spectrum, said segment of light energy in the visible spectrum sufficient for illuminating the interior of the animal cages when in place in their respective positions in said arrangement so that an observer can view an interior of respective ones of the illumined cages so as to visually observe the animal and contents within a respective cage, the system adaptable to simultaneously and continuously illumine the interior of all animal cages positioned on the rack and case arrangement if required.
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15. A method for illuminating the interior of each of a plurality of animal cages to be positioned on a rack and cage arrangement wherein the rack has at least one cage arrangement, said arrangement including a plurality of respective animal cage positions, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a source of electrical energy; (b) cooperatively engaging said source of electrical energy to thereby provide at least one respective portion of said electrical energy; (c) transporting said at least one respective portion of said electrical energy to respective predetermined locations in the rack and cage arrangement; and
,(d) converting said respective portions of said electrical energy into respective portions of light energy in the visible spectrum, said step of converting including powering at least one LED by each of said respective portions of said electrical energy, said respective predetermined locations in the rack and cage arrangement corresponding in number, at least, to the number of animal cages to be illumined, each of said respective portions of light energy in the visible spectrum when located at a respective predetermined location in said cage and rack arrangement suitable for illuminating the interior of a respective one of the animal cages when the respective one of the animal cages is in place in its respective position in said arrangement so that an observer can view an interior of respective ones of the illumined cages so as to visually observe the animal and contents within a respective cage the method adaptable to simultaneously and continuously illumine the interior of all animal cages positioned on the rack and cage arrangement, if required. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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16. A method for illuminating the interior of each of a plurality of animal cages to be positioned on a rack and cage arrangement wherein the rack has at least one cage arrangement, said arrangement including a plurality of respective animal cage positions, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a source of light energy in the visible spectrum; (b) cooperatively engaging said source of light energy in the visible spectrum to thereby provide at least one respective portion of said light energy in the visible spectrum; and
,(c) transporting by at least one fiber optic device said at least one respective portion of said light energy in the visible spectrum to respective predetermined locations in the rack and cage arrangement, said respective predetermined locations in the rack and cage arrangement corresponding in number, at least, to the number of animal cages to be illumined, each of said respective portions of light energy in the visible spectrum when located at a respective predetermined location in said cage and rack arrangement suitable for illuminating the interior of a respective one of the animal cages when the respective one of the animal cages is in place in its respective position in said arrangement so that an observer can view an interior of respective ones of the illumined cages so as to visually observe the animal and contents within a respective cage, the method adaptable to simultaneously and continuously illumine the interior of all animal cages positioned on the rack and cage arrangement, if required. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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17. A method for illuminating the interior of each of a plurality of animal cages to be positioned on a rack and cage arrangement wherein the rack has at least one cage arrangement, the arrangement including a plurality of respective animal cage positions, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a source of electrical energy; (b) cooperatively engaging said source of electrical energy to thereby provide at least one respective portion of said electrical energy; (c) transporting said at least one respective portion of said electrical energy along a prescribed path within the rack and cage arrangement; and
,(d) converting said at least one respective portion of said electrical energy into at least one respective segment of light energy in the visible spectrum at at least one location along said prescribed path, said step of converting including powering at least one LED by said at least one respective portion of said electrical energy, wherein said light energy in the visible spectrum is sufficient for illuminating the interior of the animal cages when in place in their respective positions in said arrangement so that an observer can view an interior of respective ones of the illumined cages so as to visually observe the animal and contents within a respective cage, the method adaptable to simultaneously and continuously illumine the interior of all animal cages positioned on the rack and cage arrangement, if required.
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18. A method for illuminating the interior of each of a plurality of animal cages to be positioned on a rack and cage arrangement wherein the rack has at least one cage arrangement, the arrangement including a plurality of respective animal cage positions, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a source of light energy in the visible spectrum; (b) cooperatively engaging said source of light energy in the visible spectrum to thereby provide at least one respective portion of said electrical energy; (c) transporting said at least one respective portion of said light energy in the visible spectrum along at least one fiber optic device disposed in a prescribed path within the rack and cage arrangement said fiber optic device adapted to provide at at least one location along said path, a segment of said at least one respective portion of said light energy in the visible spectrum, wherein said light energy in the visible spectrum is sufficient for illuminating the interior of the animal cages when in place in their respective positions in said arrangement so that an observer can view an interior of respective ones of the illumined cages so as to visually observe the animal and contents within a respective cage the method adaptable to simultaneously and continuously illumine the interior of all animal cages positioned on the rack and case arrangements if required.
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Specification