FR2783672A1 - SUPPLY ASSEMBLY FOR A CAGE FOR MULTIPLE SPECIES RODENTS - Google Patents

Abstract

This feed assembly (23) for use in an animal cage (1) comprises: a frame (69); at least one support (52) descending from the frame (69); a pair of flanges (39 , 39 ') extending from the frame (69) to support the frame (69) inside the cage (1).

Description

Feed assembly for a cage for species rodents

  The invention relates generally to a rodent cage which can be used as a static unit or in conjunction with a ventilated cage and shelf system for accommodating a variety of rodent types and in particular a top forming filter for a cage like this. Ventilated cage and shelf systems are well known in the art. One such ventilated cage and shelf system is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,989,545, assigned to Lab Products Inc., in which an open shelving system comprising a plurality of shelves, each formed in the form of a full air, is provided.A ventilation system is connected to the shelving system for ventilating each cage in the shelving. It is known to house rats for study in a

  ventilated cage system and shelf of this kind.

  Tops forming filters for animal cages inside ventilated cage and shelf systems are also well known in the art. A filter cover of this kind is described in US Patent No. 4,640,228, assigned to the company Lab Products Inc., in which a cover having a perforated upper wall is provided. A sheet of filter paper is interposed between the holding device and the lower surface of the perforated upper wall of the cover. A holding device is removably mounted inside the cover body in abutment flush with the filter material placed against the bottom surface of the top wall of the cover. The holding device has a narrow edge portion and flat transverse arms which intersect at a central portion

of a room.

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  Therefore, we want to have available a filter cage top for a cage that protects the filter and the cage top while

being easy to clean.

  The present invention relates to a cover for covering a cage bottom, the cover comprising a top for covering the upper folded edge of the bottom of the cage. The top has a skirt descending from the perimeter. A filter is placed on top to filter the air entering the bottom of the cage. A filter holder rests on the top forming a filter and is arranged above the filter. A screen, substantially coextensive with a bottom surface of the top, is fixed to the bottom surface

from above.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the screen is perforated and is

  attached to the top at a distance from the top.

  Consequently, the present invention aims to obtain a

  top forming an improved filter for an animal cage.

  Another object of the invention is to obtain a filter top which includes integral protection for the filter and the filter top. Another object of the invention is to target a cage having a

  increased usable space by eliminating the wire rod cover.

  Another object of the invention is to target a filter top which can be easily cleaned, and in which a filter can be changed without

need to open the cage.

  Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from

  obvious manner from the description which follows.

  The invention therefore includes the construction features, the combination of elements and room arrangements which are given by way of example in the structure described here and below, the scope of

  the invention being defined in the claims.

Brief description of the drawings.

  For a complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to

  the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

  Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cage constructed in accordance with the present invention;

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  Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cage constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3-3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along line 4-4 of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along line 5-5 of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along line 6-6 of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along line 7-7 of Figure 1; Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along line 8-8 of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a lock constructed in accordance with the invention in the unlocked position; Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along line -10 of Figure 9; Figure 11 is a front elevational view of the cage and shelf system constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 12 is a side elevational view of the cage and shelf system constructed in accordance with the invention; and Figures 13 (A) and 13 (B) are an exploded perspective view of the cage constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 14 is a perspective view of the cage constructed in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention; Figure 15 is a sectional view along line 15-15 of Figure 14; and Figure 16 is a sectional view along line 16-16 of the

figure 14.

  Detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

  Referring now to Figures 1 to 6, there is shown a rat cage 1 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The cage 1 to

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  rat has a cage bottom 3 having four side walls 12 in one piece and a floor 13. The cage bottom 3 also has an open upper end 16. A peripheral lip 8 having a flat and smooth surface extends continuously around the upper end 16 of the bottom 3 of the cage. A folded rim 4 descends vertically from the peripheral lip 8. A pair of recesses 35, 35 'are formed in the peripheral lip 8. In an exemplary embodiment, the recess 35 is arranged in the part of the peripheral lip 8 adjacent to a corner of the bottom 3 of the cage, while the recess 35 'is arranged in the part of the lip 8 device which is

opposite the recess 35.

  Although the cage bottom 3 can be constructed of any suitable material, it is preferable that it be molded from a transparent plastic so that the animal contained in the cage bottom 3 can be monitored by the side walls 12. In addition, it is also preferable that the bottom of the cage 3 has rounded corners to thereby prevent animals, such as rats, from attacking the corners and escaping from the cage 1

gnawing at that corner.

  The dimension of the bottom of the cage 3 is optimized to allow the accommodation of different types of rodents, including mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs, in accordance with the ILAR and AWA directives. The dimension of the cage bottom 3 is also optimized to allow a maximum number of rats to be supported by a shelf having substantially the same footprint as the footprint of shelves of the prior art and allowing the The shelf with the cage within it go through the standard doorway having a width of 90 cm (36 inches). It has been determined that an optimal cage has contact with the ground, or footprint, of between 500 cm2 and 875 cm2 (80 inches squared and inches squared respectively). In other words, the area of the cage can be expressed as 500 cm2 (80 square inches) <x w <

875 cm2 (140 square inches).

  o! is equal to the length of the interior floor space of the cage and w is equal to the width of the interior floor space; the difference between the external and internal dimensions being insignificant within the scope of the claimed invention. Also, the length of the cage and / or shelf should be less than 90 cm (36 inches) so that a shelf s 2783672 containing the cages when rolled through a door can pass through the door. standard 90 cm (36 inches) when the shelf is a single shelf

single side.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the bottom of the cage 3 is selected to have a dimension of approximately 500 cm2 (80 square inches) measured at the bottom of the bottom of the cage 3 with a depth of approximately 19 cm (7 5/8 inches). Because many studies can start by housing two rats per cage, the bottom of the cage 3 having an area of about 80 square inches (500 cm2) can support two rats up to 400 g each. Once the rats grow, for example in long-term studies, they will be placed individually in an identical cage. In addition, the bottom of the cage 3 having an area of approximately square inches can accommodate either a guinea pig or at least five mice while complying with the ILAR and AWA directives. Thus, by selecting a rat cage bottom 3 having an area of about 80 square inches, a single cage 1 can be used to support a variety of types of rodents. Therefore, by standardizing the bottom 3 of the cage having this dimension, a research center will greatly simplify the management and

followed by cages 1 and shelves.

  A feed assembly, indicated generally by the reference numeral 23, is supported in the bottom 3 of the cage to provide food and water to the rats which are housed there. The assembly 3

  supply comprises a frame 69 having a portion 68 forming a platform.

  A pair of flanges 39, 39 'extend from the two opposite sides of the platform 68. The flanges 39, 39' extend towards the outside of the frame 69, the flange 39 being arranged on one side of the frame 69 and the flange 39 'being arranged on the opposite side of the frame 69. The flanges 39, 39' can either be formed integrally with the frame 69, or be formed separately and then be fixed to the frame 69. The flanges 39, 39 'are dimensioned and formed so that when the supply assembly 23 is disposed in the bottom 3 of the cage, the flanges 39, 39' are received in the recesses 35, 35 '

  respectively and are flush with the peripheral lip 8 of the bottom 3 of the cage.

  A lip 17 extends along a front part of the platform 68 which is located between the sides of the frame 69 containing the flanges 39, 39 '. The lip 17 extends upwards and away from the frame 69. The assembly 23

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  feed is placed in the bottom 3 of the cage so that the lip 17 extends in the direction of the center of the cage 1. According to one embodiment by way of example, the lip 17 is smooth and curved to prevent rats in the bottom of the cage 3 to attack the lip 17 or the supply assembly 23, either to gain access to the water and food in the supply assembly 23 from above, or to attack by gnawing the supply assembly 23. In addition, the lip 17 serves as a handle for positioning

  the feed assembly 23 in the bottom 3 of the cage.

  A first support 52 and a second support 52 ′ come from the platform 68 hanging from it and form polygons with open ends which are suspended from there. The supports 52, 52 ′ have sides 56. The supports 52 and 52 ′ of the supply assembly 23 can be designed to support either food or water for the rats housed in the bottom of the cage 3 . To adapt the support 52 to food, a device for

  snap-fastening on the supply support 37 is fixed to the bottom of the support 52.

  A skirt 73 is arranged around the circumference of the bottom of the supports 52,

  52 '. The food support 37 has a peripheral folded rim 71.

  Descending from the peripheral folded rim 71, there is a plurality of U-shaped bars 38 on the food support 37. The U-shaped bars 38 are spaced from each other so that the food placed in the support 52 is held by the food holding device 37 but nevertheless allows the rats in the bottom of the cage 3 to remove the food from 'between the U-shaped bars 38 of the food holding device 37. The folded edge 71 is dimensioned to receive a channel 73 and fix the folded edge 71 to the support 52 or 52 '. It also provides a continuous flush surface eliminating attack points and protecting the edges

  of the skirt 73 vis-à-vis the animal. A recess 77 is arranged on the skirt 73.

  A locking tab 75 is disposed on the folded edge 71. The locking tab 75 and the recess 77 are dimensioned and positioned so that when the food holding device 37 is connected to the support 52, the locking tab 75 is inserted into the recess 77 thereby fixing the holding device. 37 of food to the support 52. According to a preferred embodiment, the folded edge 71 is flush with the side 56 of the support 52 or 52 ′ so that rats cannot come perching on the folded edge 71 or the sides 56. According to a preferred embodiment, the

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  37 food keeper is constructed of stainless steel so rats are prevented from gnawing through the keeper

37 of food and support 52.

  As shown in FIG. 15, according to a preferred embodiment, the wall 156 before the supports 52, 52 ′ is bevelled from the front towards the rear. In addition, as shown in Figure 13, bars 138 of wire and side panels 137 which hang from the frame 71 of the food holding device 37 'are also bevelled from front to back before extending towards the top again towards frame 71 to maximize

  the head space inside the cage 3.

  Either of the support 52 and 52 'can also be designed to receive a bottle 21 of water to supply water to the rats in the bottom 3 of the cage. To adapt the support 52 for water, a support 31 for the water bottle is fixed to the bottom of the support 52. As in the case of the device 37 for holding food, the support 31 for the water bottle has an edge 71 folded having a recess 77, so that when the folded edge 71 is placed around the skirt 73 of the support 52, the recess 77 corresponds to the locking tab 75 and the folded edge 71 fits around the skirt 73 so that the

  folded edge 71 is flush with the sides 56 of the support 52.

  Descending from the folded edge 71 of the support 31 of the water bottle, there are four walls and a floor 34 in one piece. The walls 36 of the water bottle support 31 are offset inwards from the folded edge 71 of the water bottle support 31 so as to form a shoulder 33 between the walls 36 and the edge 71 folded around the circumference inside of the water bottle support 31. A floor 34 is supported by the walls 36. Located in the center of the floor 34 is a hole or a slot. According to a preferred embodiment, the support 31 of the water bottle is constructed of stainless steel, so that the rats in the bottom 3 of the cage are prevented from

  gnaw through the water bottle support 31 and support 52.

  By providing a feed assembly with interchangeable water bottle and feed snap-in components, the height at which food and water extend into the cage can be adjusted for the various particular species therein are housed. Therefore, the problem of providing food to a plurality

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  of different species of different dimensions has been resolved while using

one size of cage.

  It is preferable that the supports 52 and 52 'are constructed from transparent plastic, so that the level of food in the supports 52 and 52' can be monitored through the side walls 12. The supports 52 and 52 'can be formed of any shape suitable for the inclusion of the conical and rhomboid shape but are preferably a rounded polygon to prevent scorching and to maximize the volume. The supports 52, 52 ′ are rounded at the corners to sufficiently prevent the munching by an animal. Studies have shown that, for example, a radius of about 1 inch (2, "5 cm) at the top bevelling at 7/8 of an inch (2," 18 cm) at the bottom is sufficient. The support 31 and the food holding device 37 can also be formed from plastic. The corners are

  sufficiently rounded to prevent the animal from gnawing.

  Because the supports 52, 52 'can each hold both food or water, it is possible to double the food capacity by using two feed holding devices 37 and a supply valve 260 shelf water as is known in the art and shown in Figure 15. This extends the life of the study and reduces the

  number of times the top must be removed.

  The water bottle 21 comprises a main body 24 intended to contain water which is preferably dimensioned and formed to correspond to the support 52. The main body 24 fills the support 52 substantially so that the water capacity of the bottle 21 of water is maximized. It is also preferable that the main body 24 is constructed of a transparent material so that the amount of water remaining in the water bottle 21 can be monitored through the side walls 12 and the walls of the supports 52, 52 '. The upper part of the main body 24 has a pair of molded recesses 25 arranged on opposite sides of the main body 24 so that the water bottle 21 can be easily taken and removed from the support 52. The water bottle 21 is positioned in the support 52 in a substantially vertical orientation so that substantially all of the water stored in the bottle 21 of water will come out

by drainage.

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  The main body 24 is bevelled in a manner which forms a shoulder 22 around the circumference of the main body 24 which extends into a neck 23. As a result, when the bottle 21 of water is placed in the support 52, The shoulder 22 comes into contact with the cornice 33 of the support 52, thereby supporting the water bottle 21 in the support 52. The neck 23 of the water support device 24 narrows towards an opening in which a stop 29 rubber is inserted or in which a threaded plug is placed. A tube 27 extends from the rubber stop 29. When the water bottle 21 is placed in the support 52, the tube 27 is inserted through the hole or slot in the floor 34 of the water bottle support 31 and extends into the bottom 3 of the cage so as to give to rats

  in the bottom 3 of cage access to water in the bottle 21 of water.

  The upper end 16 of the cage bottom 3 is covered with a cover 14. The cover 14 has three parts which are connected together in one unit: a top 9, a filter 7 and a filter housing 5. The parts of the cover 14 are arranged so that the top 9 is in direct contact with the upper lip 8 of the bottom 3 of the cage, the filter 7 is arranged on the top 9 and the filter housing 5 is placed on the filter 7 and is attached to top 9, so

form a unitary structure.

  In an embodiment given by way of example, the top 9 is dimensioned and formed so as to effectively cover and seal the upper end 16 of the bottom 3 of the cage. The top 9 is formed of an elastic material, for example plastic or stainless steel designed without an attack point, so that the rats in the cage 1 cannot gnaw through the cover 14 in the direction of the filter 7. The top 9 is also perforated, having a plurality of passages 62 for air, on its surface so that air can pass through the top 9 into the bottom 3 of the cage. The upper surface of the top 9 comprises a series of transverse beams 41 intended to support the filter 7 at a distance from the holes separating the filter 7 to prevent access by the animals contained in the cage. The transverse beams 41 divide the surface of the top 9 into a plurality of

zones 42.

  Opposite transverse beams 41 on the bottom surface of the top 9 are a series of receiving parts 19. As seen in FIG. 3, the receiving parts 19 are dimensioned and formed so that when the top 9 is placed on the bottom 3 of the cage containing the supply assembly 23, the lip 17 is introduced into the part 19 receiving, that is to say the adjacent lip 17, thereby creating a barrier for the supports 52 and 52 'of the supply assembly 23. In this way, rats in the bottom of the cage 3 are prevented by the lip 17 from having access to food or water in the support 52 from above. This also prevents access to the lip 17 by the animal, preventing it from chewing the lip 17 itself. In addition, because the top 9 will not sit properly on the bottom of the cage 3 unless the lip 17 corresponds to the receiving portion 19, this ensures that the supply assembly 23 is positioned so suitable in the bottom of the cage

  before the cage 1 is closed by the cover 14.

  Along the periphery of the top 9, there is a folded down edge 18. Arranged on the folded edge 18 and projecting from above 9, is a plurality of stop studs 11. Extending from the folded edge 18

  descending along the periphery of the top 9, there is a horizontal edge 20.

  Descending vertically from the rim 20, there is a skirt 10. When the top 9 is placed on the bottom 3 of the cage, the rim 20 sits flush with the peripheral lip 8 of the bottom 3 of the cage so as to minimize the quantity of air which passes outside the perimeter of the top 9 so as to maximize the flow of air through the filter 7. In addition, because the flanges 39, 39 'of the supply assembly 23 are positioned inside recesses, 35 'and are flush with the peripheral lip 8, the top 9 forms a tight seal with the bottom 3 of the cage along the entire periphery of the bottom 3 of the cage. In addition, the skirt 10 which extends around the folded edge 4 improves the seal formed between the top 9 and the bottom 3 of the cage by creating a circuit path for the propagation of air between the interior of cage 1 and the outside, thereby preventing air from entering or leaving cage 1 at this junction point. In an exemplary embodiment, an additional sealing member, for example of rubber or silicone material, may be applied to the edge 20 or the peripheral lip 8 or both to thereby provide a seal. O-ring type sealing which limits

  still the passage of air by this road.

  The filter 7 is placed on the top 9 and is supported by the transverse beams 41 at a distance from the zones 42 to prevent contact l 2783672 with the rats. The filter housing 5 is placed on the filter 7 and is dimensioned and formed so as to cover the entire filter 7. The filter housing 5 is also perforated, containing holes 64 through its surface so as to allow air to pass through the filter 7. Projecting from the bottom surface of the filter housing 5 and extending around the bottom surface of the filter housing 5, there is a track 6. When the filter housing 5 is mounted on filter 7, track 6 compresses filter 7 against the upper surface

  from the top 9 to fix the filter 7 in place and prevent air from leaking out

  beyond the filter in any direction.

  A descending edge 54 extends from the outer periphery of the filter housing 5. A plurality of windows 13 are formed in the edge 54 of the filter housing 5. The windows 13 are dimensioned and positioned so that when the filter housing 5 is mounted on the filter 7, the windows 13 receive the stop studs 11 from the top 9, respectively, thereby fixing the filter housing 5 to the top 9 In this way, the filter housing 5, the filter 7 and the top 9 of the cover 14 form

a unitary structure.

  The top 9 can be made of plastic. To further prevent the animal from attacking the top 9, air passages 62 are formed in a rounded shape to provide a smooth curved surface facing the animal. The passages 62 are also dimensioned to prevent the nose of the animal, the teeth or

  the jaws to reach the filter.

  Referring now to Figures 11 and 12, in which a ventilated cage and shelf system generally designated at 210 for supporting cages 1, constructed in accordance with the invention, is shown. The system 210 comprises a shelf 212. According to a preferred embodiment, the shelf 212 is a shelf with two sides, each side being symmetrical to the other and only the front side has therefore been described to facilitate

  description. System 210 with cage and ventilated shelf includes a shelf

  212 open having a wall 211 on the left side and a wall 213 on the right side, a top 215 and a bottom 217. A plurality of uprights 219 are arranged in parallel between the top 215 and the bottom 217. The vertical uprights 219 are preferably narrow and may include walls extending substantially from the front of the shelf 212 towards the rear of the shelf 212, where each may have two vertical elements,

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  one at the front of the shelf 212 or near the front of the shelf 212 and the other at the back of the shelf 212 or near the rear of the shelf 212

(figure 12).

  A plurality of rat cages 1 can be positioned inside the shelf 212. Each cage is positioned inside the shelf 212 by a canopy, generally designated by the

  reference numeral 230. Each marquee 230 wraps a cage 1 in-

  below a canopy 230. Consequently, each canopy 230 is formed and positioned so as to substantially surround the top 9 of the cage 1b while maintaining a small gap h between the top 9 and the canopy 240. Perforations 243 are positioned adjacent to each of the awnings 240. The interstice h must be sufficient to allow the displacement of gas between the awning 230 and the top 9, and according to one embodiment by way of example, the interstice h is equal to 3 / 16 inch up to 1/4 inch, that is to say between 0 "5 cm and 0," 65 cm. The awning 230 bypasses the cover 14, preferably creating an adaptation by tension against the side wall of the bottom 3 of the cage 1b. The back of the

  marquise 230 comes into contact with the full air exhaust 242.

  The awnings 230 are arranged in parallel columns in the shelf 212 between each pair of adjacent uprights 219, or between left side walls 211 and an adjacent upright 219, or between a right lateral wall 213 and an adjacent upright 219. Each awning 230 supports a first cage 19 above the awning 230 in the shelf 212 and wraps the filter plug 224 with a second cage 1b below the awning 230 in the shelf 212. Part 3 of bottom of the first cage rests it on the corresponding awning 230. Obviously, the awnings positioned in the upper row of the shelf 212 do not support a cage 1 above them, and the cages 1 positioned on the bottom row of the shelf 12 are preferably supported by the bottom 217 of the shelf 212. When positioned in the shelf, each cage 20 communicates with the full 240 of air supply by cage coupling devices. Cage coupling devices 249 are known in the art and are described for example in United States patents 4,989,545 and 5,042,429 assigned to the company Lab Products Inc. air may also include valves

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  255 of water intended to supply a supply of water to the cages 1 via the cage coupling device 249 as is known in the art. The awnings 230 are preferably constructed from a light and transparent material which is substantially rigid, such as clear plastic. Clear plastic canopies of this kind provide improved visibility of the cages 1 inside the shelf system 210 and reduce the

  overall weight of the shelf system 10.

  Each awning 230 is preferably mounted in the full air 242 at the rear and two uprights 219 at the front of the shelf 212. Perforations 243 are arranged inside an area delimited by the awning 230 to eliminate the air inside the gap h. Each upright 219 preferably comprises a vertical T-shaped beam, having a first face disposed substantially parallel to the direction of insertion of a cage 1 in the shelf 12 and a second face disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of insertion. . To maximize the density of the horizontal cage inside the shelf 212, the first face of the upright 219 is preferably made as narrow as possible while however providing a structural support for the shelf 212. By providing an upright 219 in T-shaped beam with such a notch on each side of the awning 230, the awning 230 can be supported on both sides from the front of the shelf 212. Other means of providing the support amounts 219 are taken into account by the invention. For example, an upright 219 of notched L-beam could be used, thereby providing support for only one side of the awning 230 from the shelf, or awnings 230 could be screwed to a flat vertical panel arranged parallel to the direction of insertion of the cage and extending from the top to the bottom of the shelf 212. The shelf 212 is provided with wheels 235

for mobility.

  In a preferred embodiment, the shelf 212 has a width W of 215, "6 cm (86," 25 inches), a depth D of 83, "2 cm (32," inches) and a height H of 199, "7 cm (79," 875 inches). A limitation applying to the shelf is that it must fit in a standard door. To achieve this result, the height of the shelf should not be more than 200 cm (80 inches) and the depth of the shelf with the cages stacked on one side or the other, if it is of a double-sided shelf, must not

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  not be greater than 90 cm (36 inches). In a preferred embodiment, the shelf 212 supports one hundred and twelve cages 1. Because the cages have a floor space of between 500 cm2 (80 square inches) and 875 cm2 (140 square inches), they may contain a minimum of two rats per cage for a total of two hundred and twenty-four rats between 300 and 400 g each. Likewise, at least five mice weighing up to 25 g can be housed in each cage for a total of five hundred and sixty mice for the entire shelf. This is to be compared to the prior art rat units which had a width of 212.6 "(85.063.0 inches), a depth of 65.36 cm (26.375 inches) and a height of 162, "65 cm (65," 062 inches) and which received only 36 cages of 875 cm2 (140 square inches). Placing three rats in each of the prior art cages yielded one hundred and eight rats. Consequently, the number of rats housed in the present shelf consists of an increase of 107% compared to the number of rats housed in units of the prior art without corresponding increase in the contact base or footprint of the shelf. Simultaneously, the reduction in the number of mice housed in a rat cage of the genus described here compared to the shelves specifically designed for mice is a reduction of less than 20%. Therefore, the performance of the entire shelving system for

  housing both mice and rats is increased.

  Reference is now made to FIGS. 7 to 10. A lock 15 is mounted on the skirt 10 from above 9. The lock 15 comprises a channel-shaped lock housing 55 which is fixed to the skirt 10. A lock spring 47, disposed in the housing 55, comprises a visual warning part 45 on which is mounted a visual warning 46, a fixing part 48, a tension part 50 and a biasing part 65. The latch spring 47 is positioned in the housing 55 so that the biasing part 65 is adjacent to the center of the housing 55. The latch spring 47 is fixed to the housing 55 by connecting the fixing part 48 to the rear wall of the housing 55 using any suitable technique such as welding or gluing. In one exemplary embodiment, the lock spring is constructed from a hard elastic material, such as a metal strip, and is shaped so that the visual warning part 45 and the tension are at a distance from the rear wall of the housing 55. Mounted in the center of the housing 55, there is a pivot 57. The lock spring 47 is of sufficient length, so that the part 65 of th 2783672 stress extends up to '' at an intermediate point between pivot 57 and the wall

back of housing 55.

  A latch bar 53 is disposed in the housing 55 and has an arm 59 and a curved portion 61 at one end of the arm 59. The latch bar 53 is rotatably mounted on the pivot 57 at one end of the arm 59 which is adjacent to the curved part 61. The lock bar 53 is of sufficient length for a part of the arm 59 to extend outside the housing 55 when the lock 43 is either in the locked position or in the unlocked position so that the bar 53 of latch can be easily tightened and turned. A lock flange 49 extends horizontally from a

  lower edge of the curved portion 61 of the latch bar 53.

  When the latch bar 53 is rotated away from the latch spring 47, the latch flange 49 faces in the direction that

  moves away from the bottom 3 of the cage and the latch 15 is in the unlocked position.

  In this position, the biasing portion 65 is biased against the portion of the latch bar 53 which is adjacent to the pivot 57, thereby preventing the latch bar 53 from rotating towards the latch spring 47 and holding the latch 43 in the unlocked position. In the unlocked position, the visual alert 45, preferably an easily visible item such as a

  yellow tab, is exposed indicating that the lock 15 is unlocked.

  When the lock bar 53 is turned towards the lock spring 47, the lock flange 49 is inserted into a notch 51 arranged in the bottom 3 of the cage so as to fix the top 9 to the bottom 3 of the cage. While in the locked position, the biasing portion 65 is biased against the curved portion 61 of the latch bar 53 at a point which is vertically adjacent to the latch flange 49 thereby preventing the latch bar 53 from rotating to move away from the lock spring 47 and maintain the lock 15 in the locked position. In addition, because the lock bar 53 covers the visual alert 45 when the lock bar 53 is turned towards the lock spring 47 in the locked position, the locked cages 1 are

  easily distinguishable from unlocked cages 1.

  The rat cage 1 constructed in accordance with the present invention

  has many advantages over the cages of the prior art.

  First, because the size of the cage bottom 3 is optimally selected to have a surface area substantially between 80 and

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  inches squared, cage 1 can be used for mice, rats, hamsters and guinea pigs while respecting the ILAR guidelines. By providing a universal cage size, the need to store and manage different cage sizes and different shelf sizes to support the different cage sizes is eliminated. In addition, because the supply assembly 23 is modular and can be adapted by snap-fastening either the water bottle support 31 or the food holding device 37, as necessary to support the various dietary requirements of the various studies and rats, storage and maintenance of

  The power supply assembly 23 are greatly simplified.

  The durability and reliability of the cage 1 of the present invention are also improved. In addition, the rounded lip 17, extending from the feed assembly 23, which is received by the top receiving portion 19, prevents rats from perching and accessing food in the 'feed assembly 23 from above. By rounding the supports 52, 52 ′ of the feed device 23, attack points on the feed device are eliminated. In addition, by mounting either a support 31 for the water bottle or the food-holding device 37, which are both made of stainless steel, at the bottom of the supports 52, 52 ′ of the supply assembly 23, rats are prevented from gnawing through the bottom of the feed assembly 23. In addition, by forming the top 9 in stainless steel, or by rounding the passages 62 in the plastic, the rats are unable to gnaw through the cover 14. Finally, by including the latch 43 on the cover 14, the rats housed in the cage bottom 3 are unable to move

the cover 14 and escape.

  In addition, the ventilation of the cage is greatly improved by eliminating the wire cover that was used in the cages of the prior art and reducing the Venturi effect within it. In addition, because the flanges 39, 39 'are mounted flush with the supply recesses 35, 35' respectively, the cover 14 forms an improved seal, the bottom 3 of the cage

  preventing air from passing through this junction and forcing more air into the filter 7.

  In addition, by providing a sealing element such as rubber or silicone along the junction between the top 9 and the bottom 3 of the cage, the seal

  waterproof is further improved and ventilation through the filter 7 is increased.

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  The cage 1 constructed in accordance with the present invention is also easier to use than the cages of the prior art. First, because the cage bottom 3 is constructed of a transparent material, the visibility of the rats in the cage bottom 3 is improved. In addition, by inserting the supply assembly 23 at the rear of the cage bottom 3, the visibility and access to the animals is improved. In addition, because the sections 52, 52 'of the feed assembly 23 are constructed of clear plastic, inspection of the food and water levels in the feed assembly 23 is facilitated without having to remove the cover 14. By supporting the water bottle in a substantially vertical position, not only substantially all the liquid flows from the bottle, but also the bottle uses less cage volume which if it was oriented in a angle. Furthermore, by using the water bottle 21 having molded recesses 25, the insertion and removal of the water bottle 21 from section 52 is simplified and the step which

  involves removing the cover separately and setting it aside is eliminated.

  In addition, since the cover 14 is formed as a unitary structure, the top 9, the filter 7 and the filter housing 5 can be removed from the bottom 3 of the cage in one piece, thereby providing easy access to the interior. from the bottom of the cage. Also, because the filter housing 5 can be removed from the top 9 while the top 9 is still attached to the cage bottom 3, the filter 7 can be inspected and changed while keeping the rats securely locked in the bottom 3 of cage. Finally, the visual alert 45 of the lock 43 simplifies the

  determination of the cages 1 which are in the unlocked position.

  Referring now to Figures 13 to 16 in which a second embodiment of the cage is shown, identical reference numerals being used for identical structures, the main difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiment being in the filter cover which is constructed in a four-piece structure having a top, a housing disposed on top, a filter

  interposed between them, and a screen fixed on top to its inner surface.

  More specifically, the cover 200 comprises a housing 210, a top 220, a filter 240 disposed between them, and a screen 250 fixed inside the top 220. The top 220 is again preferably formed from clear plastic which is substantially rigid but allows a small degree of flexion when tension forces are applied to it. The top 220 has a wall 222 18a 2783672

  perforated upper having perforations 224 forming a grid network.

  Respective opposite pairs of side walls 226 hang substantially orthogonally from the top wall 222. The surface formed on the top 220 for placing the cover 200 on the bottom of the cage includes a continuous lateral peripheral rim 238 extending generally perpendicularly outward from the side walls 226. A continuous rim 230 hangs from the lateral peripheral rim 238 to encompass the upper top 16 of the bottom 3 of the cage. Ribs 237 (FIG. 13) extend from the rim 230 to allow the stacking of the cover 200. In addition, ribs 232, 234 extend from the upper wall 222 and according to a preferred embodiment frame the grid network formed by perforations 224. A hole 236 is formed through the wall

  222 upper and is dimensioned to receive a rivet 238.

  As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the flange 230 is spaced from the lip 8 of the cage bottom 3, includes this lip 8 and overhangs it. Thus, the top 220 cannot be inadvertently dislodged from the bottom 3 of the cage and must be lifted to be removed. It should also be noted that the clearance between the flange 230 and the lip 8 must not allow

  only a slight movement of the cover 200 on the bottom 3 of the cage.

  However, the peripheral rim 238 preferably has a lateral extension sufficient to remain in contact with the lip 8 despite any relative lateral displacement between the cover 200 and the bottom 3 of the cage, so as to maintain the integrity of the Petri plate configuration. between cover 200 and bottom 3

of cage.

  The filter housing 210 is preferably formed from a material having the same properties as that of the top 220 described above, but having a different rigidity. the filter housing 210 holds a fixed and removable air filter 240 on the upper surface of the upper wall 222. The filter housing 210 includes a generally perforated upper wall 212. The upper wall 212 includes a substantially rectangular edge portion 214. An outer edge of the edge portion 214 is joined to integrally molded side walls 216 which hang from and extend continuously from the top wall 212 and which precisely fit the walls 226 side of the top 220 as shown in Figures 15 and 16. A flange 218

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  lateral device extends from the side wall 216. Ribs 219 extend from the respective corners of the filter housing 210 and provide structural integrity. In addition, ribs 219 act as stacking guides to position successive housings or even successive covers. Three ribs 213, 215, 217 spaced from each other extend from a bottom surface of the upper wall 212 below the selvedge 214 and receive ribs 232, 234 from the wall 222 therein.

upper from above 220.

  A screen 250 has an upper wall 252 having perforations 254 therein. A lateral wall 256 descends from the upper wall 250 at a substantially right angle. A flange 258 extends at an angle from the side wall 256. Spacers 260 are formed on the side wall 256 and cells 262 are formed in the flange 258. A hole 264 is formed through the upper wall 252 and corresponds to a position on the upper wall 252 to align it yourself with the hole 236 through the upper wall 222 when the screen 250 is placed inside the

above 220.

  The rivet 238 extends through the holes 236, 264 to fix the screen 250 to the underlying side of the upper wall 222 above 220. Spacers 256 and cells 260 come into contact with side walls 226 and the flange 238 respectively to act in concert with the rivet 238 to maintain the screen 250 inside the top 220 at a fixed distance which allows little play or no play between the two. The rim 258 extends over a distance to effectively prevent access to the position where the rim 238 rests on the lip 8 of the cage bottom 3. In a preferred embodiment, the screen 250 is made of stainless steel, but can also be made of the same plastic material as the top 220 or the housing.

210 filter.

  In a preferred embodiment, the filter 240 is a thin sheet of nonwoven polyester of the kind sold by the company DuPont under the name REEMAY 2024. A filter thickness of between 11 and 13 mils (0, "275 mm and 0, "325 mm) has been found suitable for a filter having an area approximately equivalent to the upper wall 222 of the top 220. The air filter 240 mounted on the upper surface of the filter top 220

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  is held in place by the filter housing 210 in a manner which is now to be described. REEMAY 2024 is used as an example only and any filter medium with at least its properties or

  similar properties can be used.

  To assemble the cover 200, the air filter 240 is placed against the bottom surface of the upper wall 212 of the filter housing 210. Then, the top 220 is placed inside the filter housing 210 and the ribs 213, 215, 217 interlock with the ribs 232, 234 serving to hold the filter 240 fixedly in place against the upper surface of the wall 222 upper. The upper wall 212 of the filter housing 210

  is provided with perforations 209 which are preferably substantially co-

  extensive at the perforations 224 in the upper wall 222 above 220 and in alignment with these perforations 224 in the upper wall 222 above 220 when the filter housing 210 is mounted above the above 220. The mesh grid of the wall 222 upper top 220 serves to prevent the air filter 240 from sagging and holds the air filter 240, while the filter housing 210 holds the filter 240 in place fixedly

  against the upper surface of the upper wall 222.

  In the assembled cover 200, the perforated upper wall 212 rests on the filter 240 to protect the filter from damage.

  during the maneuver and to prevent its movements or warping.

  The filter 240 rests flush with the perforated upper wall 222 of the

  above 220 which supports and protects the air filter 240 in its mounted position.

  The screen 250 is permanently fixed to the upper wall 222, prevents attack on the upper wall 222 of animals and further protects the filter from below. In addition, touching the filter with your fingers can destroy the integrity of the filter, and therefore the perforated walls on one side or the other of the filter prevent contact with the filter by the technician during the operation and also avoid contact with the filter by animals, which eliminates the need for wire bar covers and increases the

useful volume of the cage.

  The filter housing 210 is held in place by means of small projections or studs 227 which are molded in one piece on the outer surface of the side walls 226 from above 220. Similarly, openings or slots 211 are formed in the walls 216 lateral of

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  filter housing 210 which are positioned and dimensioned so as to receive the studs 227 flush when the filter housing 210 is mounted on top 220. According to an alternative embodiment, the studs can be formed on the inner surface of the side wall 216 of the filter housing 210, while the slots 211 can be formed on the side walls 226 of the top 220 of the filter. It is also possible to size the filter housing 210 to be maintained on top 220 by

adaptation under tension.

  By providing a cover which sandwiches the filter between the top of the cage and a filter housing, the filter is protected against inadvertent contact. In addition, by providing a screen below the top of the cage, the top of the cage and the filter are protected from the animals contained therein. In addition, by fixing the screen above and spacing the screen above, an autoclave top structure is obtained which allows protection of the top and does not require a

  disassembly and reassembly during use or before the autoclave.

  The space formed between the screen and the cage top allows improved washing of the assembly as a whole because the space reduces accumulation

  debris and allows water penetration during the cleaning process.

  The cells also allow the screen to protrude into an area adjacent to the junction of the filter top / cage when the filter top is positioned on the cage. This allows the screen to protect the cage lip, the cage / top junction areas and the recessed water / food delivery area that does not contain a feed assembly. By making the screen fixing device in the form of a semi-tubular stainless steel rivet, a fixed state is obtained without applying excessive pressure which would otherwise cause cracks due to narrowing of the

  not similar material during the autoclave process.

  The invention relates to a rodent cage comprising a cage bottom having a plurality of side walls of one piece, a floor and an open upper end, and a peripheral lip extending continuously around the upper end a first and a second recesses formed in the peripheral lip;

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  a feed assembly having a frame and at least one support descending from the frame, the frame having first and second flanges extending from the frame, so that when the feed assembly is disposed in the cage bottom, the flanges are received inside a respective recess of the first and second recesses and a cover sized to seal the upper end. According to an improvement of the invention, the frame of the feed assembly has at least one second support descending from

of the frame.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the support forms a polygon. According to an improvement of the invention, the support has an open lower end and further comprises a snap-in bottom, the snap-in bottom being selectively connected to the end

support.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the cover includes a

  top to cover the top end of the cage bottom.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the top has a surface, the surface being perforated to allow air to pass to the

  cage bottom and from the bottom of the cage.

  According to an improvement of the invention the top has a perimeter and further comprises a vertical part descending from the perimeter of the surface, and an edge extending horizontally from the vertical part, the top being placed on the bottom of cage, the edge being in contact with the peripheral lip so as to substantially seal the

cage bottom.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the bottom of the cage further comprises a folded edge descending vertically from the peripheral lip, and the top further comprises a skirt descending vertically from the edge, when the top is placed on the bottom of cage, the skirt extending around the folded edge to create a circuit path between

  the air inside the bottom of the cage and the air outside the bottom of the cage.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the top comprises a plurality of transverse beams and in addition a filter disposed on the

23 2783672

  plurality of transverse beams to filter the air entering the bottom of

cage from above.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the top has a bottom side and a receiving part formed therein, the supply assembly further comprising an upwardly extending lip disposed on the frame, in which the lip is received by the receiving part for as well

  prevent rodents from accessing the support from above.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the rodent cage

  further includes a latch for locking the top to the bottom of the cage.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the lock comprises a lock bar, the lock bar being able to rotate from a non-position

  locked in a locked position.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the lock further comprises a visual alert, when the lock is in the unlocked position, the visual alert being visible and when the lock is in the position.

  locked, the visual alert is not visible.

  The invention also relates to a cage bottom forming a lower part of a cage, the cage bottom being designed to support a supply assembly disposed within it, the cage bottom comprising: a plurality of walls of a part ; a floor connected to the plurality of walls an open upper end (16) opposite the floor; a peripheral lip extending continuously around the upper end; and a pair of recesses arranged in the peripheral lip for

  receive the power assembly.

  The invention also relates to a water bottle used to supply water to rodents housed in a cage, the cage having, disposed within it, a supply assembly, the supply assembly having a frame and at least one support descending therefrom, the water bottle being disposed in the support, the water bottle comprising: a main body, an opening and a neck connecting the opening to the main body, the main body and the support having substantially the same shape.

: 4 2783672

  According to an improvement of the invention, the main body includes a pair of molded recesses for the grip by a user to insert the water bottle in the support and to remove the water bottle from the support. According to the invention, a cover is also aimed at covering a cage bottom used to house rodents, the cover comprising: a top intended to cover the upper end of the cage bottom, the top having a perimeter and a folded down descending edge from the perimeter; a filter placed on top to filter the air entering the bottom of the cage; a filter housing disposed on the filter; and an edge extending horizontally from the folded edge, when the top is placed on the bottom of the cage, the edge being in contact with

  the bottom of the cage so as to make the bottom of the cage substantially waterproof.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the top also comprises a skirt descending vertically from the selvedge, when the top is placed on the bottom of the cage, the skirt forming a circuit path between the air to

  inside the cage bottom and the air outside the cage bottom.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the top is

constructed of stainless steel.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the top comprises a plurality of transverse beams and the filter is arranged on the plurality of

transverse beams.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the cover further comprises a feed assembly arranged in the bottom of the cage, the feed assembly having a frame having an upwardly extending lip disposed above, the upper part having a bottom side and a receiving part on the bottom side opposite the plurality of transverse beams, when the top is placed on the cage bottom, the lip is received by the receiving part to thereby prevent rodents from accessing at assembly

top feed.

  According to the invention, there is also a cage for rodents comprising:

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  a cage bottom having a plurality of one-piece side walls, a floor and an open upper end, and a peripheral lip extending continuously around the upper end; and a cover sized to rest on the upper end a lock mounted on one of the cover and the bottom of the cage for

  selectively lock the cover at the bottom of the cage.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the lock further comprises a housing mounted on one of the cover and the cage bottom, a lock bar, the lock bar being able to rotate from a non-position.

  locked in a locked position.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the rodent cage further comprises a visual alert mounted on the latch, so that when the latch is in the unlocked position, the visual alert is visible

  and when the lock is in the locked position, the alert is not visible.

* According to the invention, there is also a multi-purpose rat cage comprising a cage bottom having a plurality of side walls of a room, a floor and an upper top end, the floor having a length; and a width w in which 80 square inches <x w <

inches squared.

  According to the invention, i x w is substantially equal to 80 square inches. According to the invention, a system is aimed at accommodating a plurality of types of rodents inside a cage, the system comprising a shelf, the shelf having a depth; at least one cage disposed in the shelf, the cage having a cage bottom, the cage bottom having a plurality of one-piece side walls, a floor and an open top end, and the depth and length are each less at

approximately 36 inches.

  According to an improvement of the invention, 80 square inches <

t x w <140 inches per square.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the cage rests inside the shelf, so that the length at least partially overlaps the depth and a part of the cage extends beyond the shelf, the part having a length and the sum of the length of the part

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  and the depth of the shelf being less than or equal to substantially

36 inches.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the length of the

  cage is less than substantially 36 inches.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the shelf is a shelf with two sides and the length of at least one of the supported cages

  in the shelf is less than substantially 18 inches.

  According to the invention, the aim is a filter cover for an open-top cage comprising: a filter top designed to cover the open top of the open-top cage, the filter top having a body part having an upper wall of perforated filter and filter top side walls extending therefrom to form an open bottom end, and a screen being permanently attached to and disposed within the top filter top wall '' an area defined by the side walls of

filter top.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the screen has an upper screen wall, a side screen wall extending from the upper screen wall at a substantially right angle and a flange extending from of the screen side wall at a substantially right angle with respect thereto, the screen being fixed to the upper wall of the filter top. According to an improvement of the invention, the screen is arranged inside the filter top at a distance determined in advance from the top of the filter.

filtered.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the screen further comprises a plurality of spacers extending from the screen side wall and a plurality of cells extending from the screen edge to maintain

  the screen at a distance determined in advance from the filter top.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the filter cover further comprises a substantially rigid filter housing dimensioned to fit on the filter top and to substantially cover the filter top; the filter housing having a perforated housing top wall and the filter housing also having housing side walls

27 2783672

  extending from the housing top forming a bottom end

  open and being removably attached to the top of the filter.

  According to the invention, a feed assembly is intended for use in an animal cage comprising: a frame; at least one support descending from the frame; a pair of flanges extending from the frame to support the frame inside the cage. According to an improvement of the invention, the frame comprises at

  minus a second support descending from the frame.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the support forms a polygon. According to an improvement of the invention, the support has an open lower end and further comprises a snap-in bottom, the snap-in bottom being able to be selectively connected to the lower end of the support. According to an improvement of the invention, the background to

  snap is a food tank.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the background to

  snap is a water bottle holder.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the supply assembly comprises an upwardly extending lip arranged on the frame. According to an improvement of the invention, the support is

beveled.

  According to an improvement of the invention, the background to

snap is beveled.

28 2783672

Claims (9)

  1. Supply assembly (23) intended to be used in an animal cage (1), characterized in that it comprises a frame (69); at least one support (52) descending from the frame (69) a pair of flanges (39, 39 ') extending from the frame (69)   to support the frame (69) inside the cage (1).   2. Supply assembly (23) according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame (69) comprises at least one second support   (52 ') descending from the frame (69).   3. Power assembly (23) according to claim 1 or   2, characterized in that the support (52, 52 ') forms a polygon.   4. Supply assembly (23) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the support (52, 52 ') has an open lower end and further comprises a snap-in bottom, the snap-in bottom   can be selectively connected to the lower end of the support.   5. Supply assembly (23) according to claim 4,   characterized in that the snap-on bottom is a food tank.   6. Supply assembly (23) according to claim 4,   characterized in that the snap-on bottom is a water bottle holder.   7. Supply assembly (23) according to one of   Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a lip extending   upwardly disposed on the frame (69).   8. Supply assembly (23) according to one of   Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the support is bevelled. 29 2783672   9. Supply assembly (23) according to one of   Claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the snap-on bottom is beveled.