Rodent cage to accommodate monitoring devices

• US 7,497,187 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Ingley, Herbert A. III, Hahn, David W., Battles, August H.
• Primary Examiner(s): PRICE JR, RICHARD THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US11/119,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20050241591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 119/417, 119/418, 119/421, 119/452
• US Class Current: 119/417
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/031 Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals

Abstract

An animal containment device that includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, and at least one side wall. In one aspect, the device may also include an opening in the rear wall for insertion of a monitoring module for monitoring the animals within the device. In another aspect, the animal containment device may include walls made from a translucent material having a photosensitive material for controlling the amount of light within the animal containment device. In still another aspect, the animal containment device may include one or more sensors in the device and a monitoring linkage and display for displaying the data from the sensors.

Claims

1. An animal containment device comprising:

a top wall;

a bottom wall;

a front wall;

at least one side wall;

a rear wall having an opening constructed and arranged to insert a monitoring module;

and a monitoring module located in the opening, wherein the rear wall further includes guides for holding the monitoring module such that the monitoring module substantially covers the opening in the rear wall.

2. The animal containment device of claim 1, wherein the top wall, bottom wall, front wall, rear wall, and at least one side wall are composed of a translucent material.

3. The animal containment device of claim 2, wherein the translucent material comprises polycarbonate.

4. The animal containment device of claim 2, wherein the top wall, bottom wall, front wall, rear wall, and at least one side wall include a photosensitive material.

5. The animal containment device of claim 4, wherein the photosensitive material is selected from silver chloride, silver halide, a polyamide, or a combination thereof.

6. The animal containment device of claim 1, wherein the animal containment device is constructed and arranged to mate with a ventilated cage rack system.

7. The animal containment device of claim 1, wherein the animal containment device further includes a monitoring linkage for displaying data from the monitoring module to a display.

8. The animal containment device of claim 7, wherein the monitoring linkage is selected from a fiber optic connection or a wireless fidelity connection.

9. The animal containment device of claim 7, wherein the display is selected from a liquid crystal display, a light emitting diode display, or an infrared display.