Containment systems and components for animal husbandry: cover with air supply apertures

• US 7,665,419 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovive, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innovive, Inc.
• Inventors: d'Artenay, Matthew D., Perazzo, Thomas M., Conger, Dee L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mansen; Michael R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Michener; Joshua J
• Application Number:
  US11/695,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20070169717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 119416-419, 119/470, 119/452, 600/21, 553/15
• US Class Current: 119/419
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/031 Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0356 Feeding or drinking devices associated with cages for poultry A01K31/005, A01K31/17, A01K39/00; for birds A01K31/06

Abstract

Provided are animal containment systems and components, including single-use animal containment cages and modular rack units. Also provided are methods for assembling and using components of the animal containment systems.

Claims

1. A rodent containment cage cover comprising:

an air supply aperture in a top surface of the cover;

an air exhaust aperture in a top surface of the cover;

a thickness of 0.01 inches to 0.03 inches;

at least one corner or edge which is configured to be present in an interior of a cage when the cover is affixed to a cage base, which is configured to be accessible to a rodent that can be contained in a cage when the cover is affixed to a cage base, and which is defined by surfaces having an angle α

greater than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees, wherein all corners or edges of the cover which are configured to be present in an interior of a cage when the cover is affixed to a cage base, which are configured to be accessible to a rodent that can be contained in a cage when the cover is affixed to a cage base and which are defined by surfaces having said angle α

measured in a cage interior, have a minimum radius φ

with

φ

=0.25/(tan((Π

/360)(360−

α

))) inches.

2. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 1, wherein the polymer is polyethylene teraphthalate (PET).

3. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 1, wherein the air supply aperture is located in a first region of the cover and the air exhaust aperture is located in a second region of the cover.

4. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 1, which comprises an array of air exhaust apertures.

5. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 1, wherein the air supply aperture is in an air supply connector.

6. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 5, wherein the air supply connector is conical.

7. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 5, wherein the air supply connector is convex with respect to the top surface of the cover.

8. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 5, wherein air expands as it flows through the air supply connector.

9. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 5, wherein the air supply connector is in connection with a bossed region of the cover.

10. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 1, wherein the air exhaust aperture is in an air exhaust connector.

11. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 10, wherein the air exhaust connector is conical.

12. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 10, wherein the air exhaust connector is convex with respect to the top surface of the cover.

13. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 1, wherein the cover is single-use cover.

14. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 1, which comprises a channel in effective connection with an air exhaust aperture or an air supply aperture.

15. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 14, wherein the channel length is non-linear.

16. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 14, wherein the channel length is sinusoidal.

17. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 1, which comprises one or more filters.

18. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 17, wherein a filter of the one or more filters is a high-efficiency particulate air filter.

19. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 17, wherein a filter is in effective connection with an air supply aperture in the cover.

20. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 17, wherein a filter is in effective connection with an air exhaust aperture.

21. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 17, wherein the filter is between the cover and a filter shield in connection with the cover.

22. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 21, wherein the shield is in connection with the underside of the cover.

23. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 21, wherein the shield comprises an array of apertures.

24. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 21, wherein the shield comprises a grid.

25. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 21, wherein the shield comprises a perforate surface.

26. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 23, wherein apertures in the shield are of a maximum diameter of about 0.2 inches.

27. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 26, wherein the maximum diameter is about 0.125 inches.

28. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 1, which weighs 100 grams or less.

29. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 21, wherein:

the filter shield is between the interior of the cage and the filter, and

the filter shield comprises a surface with apertures that is offset from the filter and covers the filter.

30. A rodent containment cage cover comprising:

an air supply aperture;

an air exhaust aperture;

a first filter in effective connection with the air supply aperture;

a second filter in effective connection with the exhaust aperture;

a polymer having a thickness of 0.01 inches to 0.03 inches;

at least one corner or edge which is configured to be present in an interior of a cage when the cover is affixed to a cage base, which is configured to be accessible to a rodent that can be contained in a cage when the cover is affixed to a cage base, and which is defined by surfaces having an angle α

greater than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees, wherein all corners or edges of the cover which are configured to be present in an interior of a cage when the cover is affixed to a cage base, which are configured to be accessible to a rodent that can be contained in a cage when the cover is affixed to a cage base and which are defined by surfaces having said angle α

measured in a cage interior, have a minimum radius φ

with

φ

=0.25/(tan((Π

/360)(360−

α

))) inches.

31. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 30, wherein the first filter and the second filter are separate.

32. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 30, wherein one or more of the filters is a high-efficiency particulate air filter.

33. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 30, wherein the air supply aperture or air exhaust aperture are in one or more connectors.

34. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 33, wherein one or more of the connectors are convex.

35. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 33, wherein air expands after it passes through the air supply aperture.

36. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 33, one or more of the connectors is conical.

37. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 30, wherein the air exhaust aperture is in an array of apertures.

38. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 30, which is in combination with a cage base having a wall or walls and a bottom.

39. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 30, wherein the polymer is polyethylene teraphthalate (PET).

40. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 30, wherein the filters are between the cover and a filter shield in connection with the cover.

41. The rodent containment cage cover of claim 40, wherein:

the filter shield is between the interior of the cage and the filter, and

the filter shield comprises a surface with apertures that is offset from the filter and covers the filter.