Animal enrichment system

• US 7,146,931 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chinsoo Park, Dale Murray, George S. Gabriel, Lynn Irwin, Neil E. Campbell, Rodney Gerringer
• Original Assignee: Chinsoo Park, Dale Murray, George S. Gabriel, Lynn Irwin, Neil E. Campbell, Rodney Gerringer
• Inventors: Gabriel, George S., Campbell, Neil E., Park, Chinsoo, Irwin, Lynn, Murray, Dale, Gerringer, Rodney
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Son T.
• Application Number:
  US10/683,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20040231611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 119417-419
• US Class Current: 119/417
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/031 Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2265/06 Details of supporting structures for filtering material, e.g. cores
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/10 Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using filter plates, sheets or pads having plane surfaces

Abstract

An animal enrichment device for use in an animal cage having a cage bottom, the cage bottom having a peripheral lip with recesses defined therein. The enrichment device can comprise a floor on which the animal may perch, a first set of opposing walls extending up from the floor and a second set of opposing walls extending up from the floor. A flange portion can be disposed at the top of each of the first set of opposing walls, each flange portion having a top surface. The flange portions are dimensioned and shaped so that when the animal enrichment device is disposed in the cage bottom, the flange portions can be received in the recesses defined in the peripheral lip of the cage bottom such that the top surface of each of the flange portions is flush with the peripheral lip of the cage bottom, and wherein the floor of the enrichment device is positioned above the floor of the cage bottom.

Claims

1. An animal enrichment device for use in an animal cage having a cage bottom, the cage bottom having a floor and a peripheral lip with at least two recesses defined therein, the enrichment device comprising:

a floor on which an animal may perch;

a first set of opposing walls extending up from the floor;

a second set of opposing walls extending up from to floor;

a flange portion disposed at the top of each of the first set of opposing walls, each flange portion having a top surface;

wherein the flange portions are dimensioned and shaped such that when the animal enrichment device is disposed in the cage bottom, the flange portions are received such that the top surface of each of the flange portions is flush with the peripheral lip of the cage bottom, and wherein the floor of the enrichment device is positioned above the floor of the cage bottoms; and

wherein the flange portions are disposed closer to a first wall of the second set of opposing walls than to a second wall of the second set of opposing walls, such that the enrichment device may be selectively positioned in the cage in one of a first orientation and a second orientation, such that in a first orientation, the first wall is a first distance from a side of the cage bottom, and in the second orientation, the second wall is a second distance from the side of the cage bottom, the first distance being greater than the second distance.

2. The enrichment device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the second set of opposing walls has an aperture defined therein, wherein the animal can move from the floor of the cage bottom to the floor of the enrichment device through the aperture.

3. The enrichment device of claim 1, wherein each wall of the second set of opposing walls has an aperture defined therein, wherein the animal can move from the floor of the cage bottom to the floor of the enrichment device through each of the apertures.

4. The enrichment device of claim 1, wherein each wall of the second set of opposing walls has an aperture defined therein, wherein the animal can move from the floor of the cage bottom to the floor of the enrichment device through each of the apertures when the enrichment device is positioned in the first orientation, and wherein the animal can only move from the floor of the cage bottom to the floor of the enrichment device through one of the apertures when the enrichment device is positioned in the second orientation.

5. The enrichment device of claim 1, wherein the corners of the enrichment device are substantially rounded.

6. The enrichment device of claim 1, further comprising a support flange portion disposed at the top of at least one of the second set of opposing walls, wherein each support flange portion provides structural support of the enrichment device.

7. The enrichment device of claim 1, wherein the enrichment device may be disposed in the cage bottom, and a cage top can be placed on the cage bottom, such that a substantially small amount of air passes through the juncture between the cage bottom and the cage top.

8. The enrichment device of claim 1, wherein substantially the entire surface the area of the floor includes perforations.

9. An animal enrichment device for use in an animal cage having a cage bottom, the cage bottom having a floor and a peripheral lip with at least two recesses defined therein, the enrichment device comprising;

a floor on which an animal may perch;

a first set of opposing walls extending up from the floor;

a second set of opposing walls extending up from the floor;

a flange portion disposed at the top of each of the first set of opposing walls, each flange portion having a top surface;

wherein the flange portions are dimensioned and shaped such that when the animal enrichment device is disposed in the once bottom, the flange portions are received such that the top surface of each of the flange portions is flush with the peripheral lip of the cage bottom, and wherein the floor of the enrichment device is positioned above the floor of the cage bottom; and

a lug disposed at each of the corners of the enrichment device, the lugs facilitating the stacking into and removal from a nested formation a plurality of the enrichment devices.

10. A rodent cage, comprising:

a cage bottom having a plurality of integral side walls, a floor and an open top end, a peripheral lip extending continuously around the top end and at least two recesses in the peripheral lip; and

an animal enrichment device, the enrichment device including;

a floor on which a rodent may perch;

a first set of opposing walls extending up from the floor;

a second set of opposing walls extending up from the floor; and

a flange portion disposed at the top of each of the first set of opposing walls, each flange portion having a top surface;

wherein the flange portions are dimensioned and shaped such that when the animal enrichment device is disposed in the cage bottom, the flange portions can be received in the recesses such that the top surface of each of the flange portions is flush with the peripheral lip of the cage bottom, and wherein the floor of the enrichment device is positioned above the floor of the cage bottom; and

wherein the flange portions are disposed closer to a first wall of the second set of opposing walls than to a second wall of the second set of opposing walls, such that the enrichment device may be selectively positioned in the cage in one of a first orientation and a second orientation, such that in a first orientation, the first wall is a first distance from a side of the cage bottom, and in the second orientation, the second wall is a second distance from the side of the cage bottom, the first distance being greater than the second distance.

11. The rodent cage of claim 10, further comprising a bonnet dimensioned and sized for sealing the open top end of said cage bottom being comprised of three elements, a top element, a filter element and a filter retainer element.

12. The rodent cage of claim 10, wherein at least one of the second set of opposing walls has an aperture defined therein, wherein the rodent can move from the floor of the cage bottom to the floor of the enrichment device through the aperture.

13. The rodent cage of claim 10, wherein each wall of the second set of opposing walls has an aperture defined therein, wherein the rodent can move from the floor of the cage bottom to the floor of the enrichment device through each of the apertures.

14. The rodent cage of claim 10, wherein the corners of the enrichment device are substantially rounded.

15. The rodent cage of claim 10, wherein the enrichment device may be disposed in the cage bottom, and a cage top can be placed on the cage bottom, such that a substantially small amount of air passes through the juncture between the cage bottom and the cage top.

16. The rodent cage of claim 10, wherein substantially the entire surface area of the floor of the enrichment device includes perforations.

17. A rodent cage, comprising:

a cage bottom having a plurality of integral side walls, a floor and an open top end, a peripheral lip extending continuously around the top end and at least two recesses defined in the peripheral lip; and

an animal enrichment device, the enrichment device including;

a floor on which a rodent may perch;

a first set of opposing walls extending up from the flour;

a second set of opposing walls extending up from the floor; and

a flange portion disposed at the top of each of the first set of opposing walls, each flange portion having a top surface;

wherein the flange portions are dimensioned and shaped such that when the animal enrichment device is disposed in the cage bottom, the flange portion can be received in the recesses such that the top surface of each of the flange portions is flush with the peripheral lip of the cage bottom, and wherein the floor of the enrichment device is positioned above the floor of the cage bottom; and

a feeder assembly having a frame and at least one support descending from the frame, the frame having first and second flanges extending therefrom so that when the feeder assembly is disposed in the cage bottom the flanges are supported by only two opposed walls of the walls.

18. A rodent cage, comprising:

a cage bottom having a plurality of integral side walls, a floor and an open top end, a peripheral lip extending continuously around the top end and at least two recesses defined in the peripheral lip;

a bonnet dimensioned and sized for sealing the open top end of said cage bottom being comprised of three elements;

a top element, a filter element and a filter retainer element; and

an animal enrichment device, the enrichment device including;

a floor on which a rodent may perch;

a first set of opposing walls extending up from the floor;

a second set of opposing walls extending up from the floor; and

a flange portion disposed at the top of each of the first set of opposing walls, each flange portion having a top surface;

wherein the flange portions are dimensioned and shaped such that when the animal enrichment device is disposed in the cage bottom, the flange portions can be received in the recesses such that the top surface of each of the flange portions flush with the peripheral lip of the cage bottom, and wherein the floor of the enrichment device is positioned above the floor of the cage bottom;

wherein each wall of the second set of opposing walls has an aperture defined therein, wherein the rodent can move from the floor of the cage bottom to the floor of the enrichment device through each of the apertures when the enrichment device is positioned in the first orientation, and wherein the animal can only move from the floor of the cage bottom to the floor of the enrichment device through one of the apertures when the enrichment device is positioned in the second orientation.

19. A rodent cage, comprising:

a cage bottom having a plurality of integral side walls, a floor and an open top end, a peripheral lip extending continuously around the top end and at least two recesses defined in the peripheral lip; and

an animal enrichment device, the enrichment device including;

a floor on which a rodent may perch;

first set of opposing walls extending up from the floor;

a second set of opposing walls extending up from the floor; and

a flange portion disposed at the top of each of the first set of opposing walls, each flange portion having a top surface;

wherein the flange portions are dimensioned and shaped such that when the animal enrichment device is disposed in the cage bottom, the flange portions can be received in the recesses such that the top surface of each of the flange portions is flush with the peripheral lip of the cage bottom, and wherein the floor of the enrichment device is positioned above the floor of the cage bottom; and

a lug disposed at each of the corners of the enrichment device, the lugs facilitating the stacking into and removal from a nested formation a plurality of the enrichment devices.

20. A rodent cage, comprising:

a cage bottom having a plurality of integral side walls, a floor and an open top end, a peripheral lip extending, continuously around the top end and at least two recesses defined in the peripheral lip; and

an animal enrichment device, the enrichment device including;

a floor an which a rodent may perch;

a first set of opposing walls extending up from the floor;

a second set of opposing walls extending up from the floor; and

a flange portion disposed at the top of each of the first set of opposing walls, each flange portion having a top surface;

wherein the flange portions are dimensioned and shaped such that when the animal enrichment device is disposed in the cage bottom, the flange portions can be received in the recesses such that the top of each of the flange portions is flush with the peripheral lip of the cage bottom, and wherein the floor of the enrichment device is positioned above the floor of the cage bottom; and

a support flange portion disposed at the top of at least one of the second set of opposing walls, wherein each support flange portion provides structural support of the enrichment device during autoclaving.