Containment systems and components for animal husbandry: nested covers

• US 8,156,899 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovive, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innovive, Inc.
• Inventors: Conger, Dee L., Perazzo, Thomas M., d'Artenay, Matthew D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Joshua J
• Application Number:
  US11/695,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20080236507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,842 Days
• Field of Search: 119416-419, 119/452, 119/470
• US Class Current: 119/416
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/00 Housing animals; Equipment therefor
• 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 nested set of rodent containment cage covers, comprising a plurality of rodent containment cage covers, that are about 70% nested or more;

each of which cage covers are constructed of a polymer and comprise at least one corner or edge in an interior of a cage when a cover is affixed to a cage base;

which at least one corner or edge is accessible to a rodent that can be contained in the cage, and is defined by surfaces having an angle α

greater than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees and a minimum radius φ

with φ

=0.25/(tan((pi/360)(360−

α

))) inches.

2. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 1, wherein each rodent containment cage cover comprises an air exhaust aperture and/or an air inlet aperture.

3. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 1, wherein each of the rodent containment cage covers comprises one or more air exhaust connectors.

4. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 1, wherein each of the rodent containment cage covers comprises one or more air supply connectors.

5. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 1, wherein the rodent containment cage covers are about 80% nested or more.

6. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 1, wherein the rodent containment cage covers are about 85% nested or more.

7. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claims 1, wherein the rodent containment cage covers are about 90% to about 95% nested.

8. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 1, wherein each rodent containment cage cover comprises an indent or boss that butts a corresponding indent or boss of an adjacent nested rodent containment cage cover.

9. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 8, wherein the indent or boss facilitates separation of the nested rodent containment cage covers from one another.

10. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 8, wherein the edges or corners of the boss or indent are defined by a radius of 0.03 inches or less.

11. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 1, wherein the polymer is polyethylene teraphthalate.

12. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 6, wherein the nesting separation member is a curved member or indent member located in or near a flange member.

13. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 12, wherein the flange includes a lip member that interferes with a counterpart member of a nested cover.

14. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 1, further comprising a water bottle holder in each cover.

15. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 14, wherein each water bottle holder comprises a bottom that does not contact the water bottle holder of another nested cover.

16. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 1, wherein each rodent containment cage cover comprises a nesting separation member that inhibits compression of nested components.

17. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 1, wherein each rodent containment cage cover comprises a thickness from about 0.01 to about 0.08 inches.

18. The nested set of rodent containment cage covers of claim 1, wherein each rodent containment cage cover comprises a thickness from about 0.01 to about 0.03 inches.