JP2020062035A - Cage lid member, rearing cage and rearing system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a disposable cage lid member that has a filter attachment part which is difficult to be broken.SOLUTION: A cage lid member 100 constituting a rearing cage comprises a plate-like lid body 100a. The lid body includes a filter attachment part 110 for being fitted with a ventilation filter 101. The ventilation filter has a male screw part 101b. An insertion hole 111 for inserting the male screw part of the ventilation filter is formed in the filter attachment part. A slit part 111a is formed at the edge of the insertion hole.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a cage lid member, a breeding cage and a breeding system, and in particular, a disposable cage lid member to which a ventilation filter can be attached, a breeding cage including such a cage lid member, and breeding using such a breeding cage. It is about the system.

  Large amounts of small experimental animals are used in drug development and biological experiments, and there are environmental, especially offensive odor problems at the facility. In addition, small experimental animals must be kept in a clean environment while avoiding mutual infection of small animals in order to obtain appropriate experimental results. Therefore, such small animals are kept in a breeding room isolated from the external environment by placing them in a breeding box in a predetermined number, and the breeding room is constantly air-conditioned to maintain a clean breeding environment. There is.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for breeding small animals using a breeding box (breeding cage) in this manner.

  However, the air supply filter and exhaust filter used for air conditioning in the breeding room must be replaced regularly, and if the air conditioning is temporarily stopped during the replacement, the breeding room, which is the breeding environment, will be contaminated by odors and dust emitted by small animals. However, the cleanliness is remarkably lowered, and a great amount of heat source and time are required to restore a clean environment.

  Therefore, the present inventor has already developed a system in which instead of providing an air supply filter or an exhaust filter in the breeding room, a filter is attached to the breeding box (small animal cage) and individual air conditioning is performed for each breeding box ( Patent Document 2).

JP-A-6-62696 JP, 2014-23517, A

  In the above system, the maintenance work for each breeding box increases. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reduce the maintenance work for each breeding box.

  The present inventor attaches a filter to a breeding box, and in a system that individually air-conditions each breeding box, in order to reduce the maintenance work for each breeding box, the lid part that is a part of the breeding box is made disposable. The above problems have been solved by.

  By the way, in order to make the lid disposable, it is necessary to suppress the material cost. Therefore, in the present invention, the cage lid is made of a thin resin (for example, about 0.3 mm to about 2 mm). However, when it did so, when a ventilation filter was attached to such a disposable thin lid member, there was a problem that the attachment part of the filter in a lid member was damaged.

  In view of this, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a disposable thin lid member with a structure in which the filter mounting portion is less likely to be damaged.

The present invention provides the following items.
(Item 1)
A cage lid member for a breeding cage,
A plate-shaped lid body,
A filter mounting portion provided on the lid main body for mounting the ventilation filter,
The cage attachment member, wherein the filter attachment portion includes an insertion hole for inserting the ventilation filter and one or a plurality of cut portions formed at an edge of the insertion hole.
(Item 2)
The cage lid member of item 1, wherein the thickness of the cage lid member is about 0.3 mm to about 2 mm.
(Item 3)
The cage lid member according to Item 1 or Item 2, wherein the lid main body has a ring-shaped convex portion formed so as to surround the insertion hole.
(Item 4)
The lid body includes a raised portion,
The cage lid member according to any one of Items 1 to 3, wherein the filter attachment portion is provided on the raised portion.
(Item 5)
The cage lid member according to item 4, wherein a side surface of the raised portion is inclined with respect to a peripheral portion of the outer portion of the lid body around the raised portion.
(Item 6)
The cage lid member according to any one of Items 1 to 5, comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polylactic acid, and polyglycolic acid.
(Item 7)
Item 7. The cage lid member according to Item 6, comprising polyethylene terephthalate.
(Item 8)
The cage lid member according to any one of Items 1 to 7, wherein the lid body includes a bottle attachment portion to which a water bottle is attached.
(Item 9)
The cage lid member according to any one of Items 1 to 8, wherein the lid body further includes a second filter attachment portion.
(Item 10)
The cage lid member according to any one of Items 1 to 9, further comprising a ventilation filter attached to the filter attachment portion, wherein the ventilation filter has a male screw portion.
(Item 11)
A breeding cage for breeding small animals,
A cage body for accommodating the small animal,
The cage cage member according to any one of Items 1 to 10.
(Item 12)
A breeding system comprising a plurality of breeding cages according to item 11 and a ventilation system for ventilating the plurality of breeding cages.
(Item 13)
The ventilation system is
A shelf board on which the plurality of breeding cages are placed,
And a ventilation pipe arranged above the shelf,
The breeding cage is connected to the shelf plate and the ventilation pipe so that the ventilation filter and the ventilation pipe are connected by pressure contact between a connection port formed in the ventilation filter and a ventilation hole formed in the ventilation pipe. Item 13. The breeding system of item 12, configured to be pressed between.
(Item 14)
A breeding system comprising a breeding rack containing a plurality of breeding cages and a ventilation system for ventilating the breeding rack,
The ventilation system is
A breeding system in which a negative pressure is provided in the plurality of breeding cages and a positive pressure is provided in the breeding racks other than the plurality of breeding cages.
(Item 15)
The ventilation system is
An air supply device for supplying air into the breeding rack,
The breeding system according to Item 14, further comprising an exhaust device for exhausting air from the breeding cage.
(Item 16)
By reducing the amount of exhaust air per unit time of the exhaust device than the amount of air supply per unit time of the air supply device, a part of the outside air introduced into the breeding rack does not pass through the breeding cage. Item 16. The breeding system according to Item 15, wherein air is exhausted from inside the breeding rack.
(Item 17)
Item 17. The breeding system according to Item 15 or 16, wherein the breeding cage has an introduction unit that introduces the outside air supplied into the breeding rack by the air supply device into the breeding cage.
(Item 18)
The breeding cage has a cage body and a cage lid member,
Item 18. The breeding system according to Item 17, wherein the introduction portion is a gap formed between the cage body and the cage lid member.
(Item 19)
The cage lid member,
A plate-shaped lid body,
A filter mounting portion provided on the lid body,
19. The breeding system according to item 18, wherein the filter attachment part includes an insertion hole for inserting the ventilation filter, and one or a plurality of notches formed at an edge of the insertion hole.
(Item 20)
The rearing rack is
Equipped with a filter,
Any one of Items 14 to 19, which is configured to pass through the filter when part of the outside air introduced into the breeding rack is exhausted from the breeding rack without passing through the breeding cage. The breeding system according to item 1.
(Item 21)
A breeding room with a breeding system,
An indoor ventilation device for ventilating the breeding room,
A breeding facility, which is the breeding system according to any one of Items 14 to 20.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a disposable cage lid member in which the filter attachment portion is not easily damaged.

  According to the present invention, a breeding cage using such a cage lid member can be obtained, and further, a breeding system for breeding small animals using such a breeding cage can be obtained.

1 is a perspective view showing a breeding cage 1 using a cage lid member 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the breeding cage 1 shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the ventilation filter 101 and the filter attachment part 110 shown in FIG. 2, and is FIG.3 (a), FIG.3 (b), FIG.3 (c), FIG.3 (d), and FIG.3 (e). 8A is an enlarged side view of the ventilation filter 101, a plan view of the cage lid member 100, a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA, an enlarged view of a portion B, and an enlarged plan view of the filter attachment portion 110, respectively. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the filter mounting portion 110 shown in FIG. 2, and FIGS. 4A to 4C show how the filter screw portion 101 b is screwed into the insertion hole 111. It is a figure which shows an example of the breeding system using the breeding cage 1 shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a state where the breeding cage 1 shown in FIG. 1 is stored in a breeding rack 20, and FIG. 6A shows a case where the cage lid member has an appropriate strength. b) shows the case where the strength of the cage lid member is insufficient. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a breeding cage 2 using a cage lid member 200 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a specific structure of the filter attachment portion 210 of the cage lid member 200 shown in FIG. 7, and FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C are plan views of the cage lid member 200, respectively. It is a figure, a GG line sectional view, and an enlarged view of a J section. It is a figure for demonstrating the state which accommodated the breeding cage 2 shown in FIG. 7 in the breeding rack 20. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a breeding cage 3 using a cage lid member 300 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the concrete structure of the filter attachment part 310 of the cage cover member 300 shown in FIG. 9, and each of FIG. 10 (a), FIG.10 (b), and FIG.10 (c) is a plane of the cage cover member 300. It is a figure, the KK sectional view taken on the line, and the enlarged view of L part. It is a figure for demonstrating the state which accommodated the breeding cage 3 shown in FIG. 9 in the breeding rack 20. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a breeding cage 4 using a cage lid member 400 according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the concrete structure of the filter attachment part 410 of the cage lid member 400 shown in FIG. 11, and each of FIG. 12 (a), FIG. 12 (b), and FIG. 12 (c) is the plane of the cage lid member 400. It is a figure, the NN sectional view taken on the line, and the enlarged view of P part. It is a figure for demonstrating the state which accommodated the breeding cage 4 shown in FIG. 11 in the breeding rack 20. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining a breeding system 1010 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state in which a breeding rack 1100 and an in-rack ventilation device 1200 that form the breeding system 1010 are installed in a breeding room 1030. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram for explaining a conventional breeding system 2010 that is compared with the breeding system 1010 of the present invention shown in FIG. 13, in which a positive pressure rack 2010 and an in-rack ventilation device 2200 constituting the breeding system 2010 are provided in a breeding room 1030. The installed state is shown.

  The present invention will be described below. It should be understood that the terms used in the present specification have meanings commonly used in the art, unless otherwise specified. Therefore, unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control.

  In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a cage lid member that constitutes a rearing cage, comprising a plate-shaped lid body, and the lid body includes a filter attachment portion for attaching a ventilation filter.

  Ventilation filters that are currently widespread have male threads, but if the lid body is made of a disposable thin resin (for example, about 0.3 mm to about 2 mm), the filter mounting portion of the ventilation filter is customarily used. The present inventor has found that there is a problem in that the material is damaged. Therefore, according to the present invention, the filter attachment portion is formed with an insertion hole for inserting the male screw portion of the ventilation filter, and a notch portion is formed at the edge of the insertion hole to form a cage lid made of a disposable thin member. This solves the problem that the filter mounting portion of the member is damaged.

  The term "about" used in the present specification means a range of ± 10% of the numerical value that follows.

  Therefore, for the plate-shaped lid body that constitutes the cage lid member of the present invention, for example, a thin member suitable for disposable use is used. The lid member of the present invention has a thickness of about 0.3 mm to about 2 mm, more preferably about 0.5 mm to about 1 mm. If it is too thin, it will not function as a lid, and if it is too thick, it will cost too much as a disposable lid. Since the lid member of the present invention has such a thin thickness, it may be difficult to form an internal thread corresponding to the external thread of the ventilation filter.

  As a material used for the plate-shaped lid main body that constitutes the cage lid member of the present invention, any plastic material in the field suitable for a disposable lid, for example, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid However, the present invention is not limited to these. In a preferred embodiment, the cage lid member of the present invention may be formed from polyethylene terephthalate. In another preferred embodiment, the cage lid member of the present invention may be formed from biodegradable plastic. The biodegradable plastic can be derived from, for example, corn or potato.

  The filter attachment portion of the cage lid member of the present invention has an insertion hole for inserting and fixing the ventilation filter, and one or a plurality of cut portions formed at the edge of the insertion hole. In the present invention, the shape of the notch may be any shape such as a semi-elliptical shape, a triangle, a straight line (slit), a quadrangle, a semi-circle, and a U shape, but in a preferred embodiment, the notch in the present invention is U. It is a letter shape or a semicircle.

  One or more notches of the present invention may be provided. The plurality of cut portions may be arranged evenly or unevenly on the edge of the insertion hole. For example, in the embodiment in which two notches are provided, the notches are provided facing each other (at intervals of approximately 180 °), and in the embodiment in which three notches are provided, the notches are provided at intervals of approximately 120 °. In the embodiment provided and provided with four notches, the notches may be provided at approximately 90 ° intervals. In a preferred embodiment, the filter mount of the present invention has two opposing cutouts, and in a more preferred embodiment it may have two opposing U-shaped or semi-circular cutouts.

  In addition, the structure of the filter attachment portion may be not only the insertion hole and the cut portion are formed in the plate-shaped lid body, but also the structure in which the periphery of the insertion hole is reinforced. Since the lid body is made of a thin resin so as to be disposable, the lid body is not able to bear the weight of the ventilation filter and is recessed downward. Therefore, a reinforcing portion can be provided to suppress the recess. As a structure for reinforcing the periphery of the insertion hole in this manner, a protrusion provided around the insertion hole can be mentioned, but the present invention is not limited to this. The protrusion is a protrusion protruding from the lid body and may have an arbitrary height. Preferably, the height of the protrusion may be about 6 mm to about 10 mm, which is the same as or higher than the height H1 at which the filter screw portion 101b described below protrudes from the surface of the lid body 200a. By doing so, the airtightness between the exhaust branch pipe and the lid body can be improved. In the preferred embodiment, the protrusion is a ring-shaped protrusion around the insertion hole of the filter mounting portion, but the present invention is not limited to this and suppresses the depression of the lid body due to the weight of the ventilation filter. It can have any configuration as long as it can.

In another embodiment, the lid body of the present invention may have a raised portion, and the filter attachment portion may be provided on the raised portion. By doing so, not only can the depression of the lid body due to the weight of the ventilation filter be suppressed, but it can be advantageous in connection with the ventilation system described below. The ridges of the present invention can be raised from the lid body, for example, from about 30 mm to about 50 mm, preferably about 40 mm. The ridges of the present invention may be raised at an angle of, for example, about 30 ° to about 50 °, preferably about 40 °. Raising at such an angle makes it possible to secure higher elasticity than that at about 90 °.
Further, in one embodiment, the present invention relates to a breeding system including a breeding rack that accommodates a plurality of breeding cages, and a ventilation system (ventilation system within the rack) that ventilates the breeding rack. The ventilation system may be adjusted for negative pressure in the plurality of cages and positive pressure in the rearing racks other than the cages. Although details will be described later, by doing so, compared with the conventional method of ventilating the breeding rack, dirty air in the breeding cage pollutes the breeding rack and the breeding room containing the breeding rack. It is possible to reduce the initial cost of the breeding rack and the running cost of the ventilation system while avoiding the above.
The ventilation system may be any means within a range capable of creating a negative pressure in the breeding cage and a positive pressure in the breeding rack other than the breeding cage. In one embodiment, the ventilation system comprises an air supply device for supplying air to the breeding rack and an exhaust device for exhausting air from a plurality of breeding cages contained in the breeding rack, Although it is possible to achieve negative pressure in the cage and positive pressure in the breeding rack other than the breeding cage, the present invention is not limited to this. As a preferred embodiment, by reducing the exhaust amount of gas in the breeding cage per unit time in the exhaust device to less than the amount of outside air supplied per unit time in the rearing rack in the air supply device, the rack Part of the outside air introduced into the main body is exhausted from the breeding rack without passing through the breeding cage. By doing so, it is possible to easily make negative pressure in the breeding cage and positive pressure in the breeding rack other than the breeding cage.

  In the specification of the present application, as cage cover members according to Embodiments 1 to 4 below, an insertion hole for inserting a male screw portion (hereinafter referred to as a filter screw portion) of a ventilation filter is formed in a filter attachment portion. , A cage lid member having a notch at the edge of the insertion hole.

  In the first embodiment, a cage lid member in which only an insertion hole and a cut portion are formed in the filter attachment portion of the lid body will be described.

  In the second embodiment, a cage lid member will be described in which a ring-shaped convex portion for reinforcing the periphery of the insertion hole is formed in the filter attachment portion of the lid main body in addition to the insertion hole and the cutout portion.

  In the third embodiment, as the cage lid member, the filter attachment portion of the lid main body is provided not only with the insertion hole and the cutout portion, but also in the portion of the lid main body that is raised as compared with the portion other than the attachment portion. Explain things.

In the fourth embodiment, as the cage lid member, not only the filter attachment portion of the lid main body has the insertion hole, the notch portion and the ring-shaped convex portion, but also the portion raised in comparison with the portion other than the attachment portion of the lid main body. Will be described.
Further, in the present specification, as the breeding system of Embodiment 5, together with one or more breeding racks, a plurality of breeding cages housed in the breeding racks are set to a negative pressure, and the breeding racks other than the plurality of breeding cages are positively moved. Name the breeding system with an in-rack ventilation system configured to bring the pressure.

[Embodiment 1]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a breeding cage 1 using a cage lid member 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the cage lid member 100 of the first embodiment is a lid member that covers the opening of the cage body 10 that houses the small animal M, and constitutes the breeding cage 1 together with the cage body 10.

  Hereinafter, the cage body 10 and the cage lid member 100 of the breeding cage 1 will be described in detail.

  FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the breeding cage 1 shown in FIG.

(Cage body 10)
As shown in FIG. 2, the cage body 10 of the breeding cage 1 has a body container 11 made of a plastic material and a shielding net 12 made of a wire mesh. The shielding net 12 is provided so that the opening of the main body container 11 can be opened and closed. Here, the main body container 11 is not limited to the plastic one, and may be made of paper, glass, earthenware or metal. The shielding net 12 is not limited to metal, and may be plastic, paper, earthenware, or metal.

(Cage lid member 100)
As shown in FIG. 2, the cage lid member 100 has a plate-shaped lid body 100a and a lid peripheral wall 100b formed around the lid body 100a. The lid main body 100 a has a filter mounting portion 110 for mounting the ventilation filter 101 and a bottle mounting portion (bottle mounting portion) 120 for mounting the water bottle 102. An insertion hole 111 for inserting the ventilation filter 101 is formed in the filter attachment portion 110, and the ventilation filter 101 is attached to the insertion hole 111 of the cage lid member 100 from the inside of the cage lid member 100. . The ventilation filter 101 may be attached to the insertion hole 111 of the cage lid member 100 from the outside of the cage lid member 100. A bottle accommodating pit 121 for accommodating the water supply bottle 102 is formed in the bottle mounting portion 120, and a nozzle insertion opening 121a for inserting the water supply nozzle 102a of the water supply bottle 102 is formed on the bottom surface of the bottle accommodating pit 121. Has been done. The water bottle 102 is fixed to the bottle storage pit 121 by a fixing tool (not shown). The water supply to the small animals M in the breeding cage 1 is not limited to the case where the water is supplied from the water supply bottle 102 attached to the cage lid member 100, and the water may be supplied from a water supply system (not shown) separated from the breeding cage 1. .

  Here, the lid main body 100a and the lid peripheral wall 100b are integrally formed of polyethylene terephthalate having a thickness of about 0.5 mm to about 1 mm. However, the cage lid member 100 may be manufactured by joining the lid main body 100a and the lid peripheral wall 100b that are separately formed. The constituent materials of the lid main body 100a and the lid peripheral wall 100b may be the same or different. Further, the members constituting the lid main body 100a and the lid peripheral wall 100b are not limited to polyethylene terephthalate having such a thickness, and other plastic materials thicker or thinner than such a thickness (for example, polyethylene resin, polypropylene). Resin, acrylic resin, etc.). Further, the thickness of the members constituting the lid main body 100a or the lid peripheral wall 100b is thick enough to secure the strength required for the cage lid member 100 and thin enough to satisfy the economical efficiency required as a disposable member. If

  The ventilation filter 101 and the filter mounting portion 110 will be specifically described below.

(Ventilation filter 101)
FIG. 3 is a view for explaining the ventilation filter 101 and the filter mounting portion 110 shown in FIG. 2, and FIGS. 3 (a) to 3 (e) are an enlarged side view of the ventilation filter 101 and a cage lid member, respectively. 3 is a plan view of 100, a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA, an enlarged view of a B portion, and an enlarged plan view of a filter mounting portion 110.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 3A, the ventilation filter 101 attached to the lid body 100a is a filter body 101a having an air filtering function, and the filter body 101a is fixed to the lid body 100a of the cage lid member 100. And a filter screw portion (male screw portion) 101b for In the filter screw portion 101b, a screw thread 101b2 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical screw shaft body 101b1. A ventilation path 101b3 connected to the filter body 101a is formed inside the screw shaft body 101b1, and an opening at the tip of the ventilation path 101b3 has a ventilation hole 31a (formed in an exhaust branch pipe 31 of a ventilation system 30 described later). 5 and 6) (see FIG. 5 and FIG. 6). The height Ha of the filter body 101a can be arbitrary within a range in which a desired filtering function is achieved. In one embodiment, the height Ha of the filter body 101a is about 1 cm to about 4 cm, preferably about 2 cm.

  The height Hb of the filter screw portion 101b is preferably a height at which the screw thread 101b2 can be formed in the screw shaft body 101b1 by at least one turn, but a height (for example, half of the height that can be formed by one turn) can be obtained. Height, such as one-third).

(Filter mounting part 110)
As shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C, the filter attachment portion 110 of the cage lid member 100 is a partial region of the plate-shaped lid main body 100a, and in this region, the ventilation filter 101 is provided. A circular insertion hole 111 for inserting the filter screw portion 101b is formed. Further, a pair of cutouts 111a are formed on the edge of the insertion hole 111. The cut portion 111a may be a space for avoiding or suppressing interference of the screw thread 101b2 with the insertion hole 111 when the screw shaft body 101b1 of the filter screw portion 101b is inserted into the insertion hole 111, The number, shape, or size is not limited. If the number of the cutouts 111a is large, it is difficult to manufacture, and the fixing strength due to the contact between the screw thread 101b2 and the peripheral portion of the insertion hole 111 is reduced. Therefore, the number of the cutouts is preferably 2 to 3. . Further, the number of threads 101b2 may be one, or a plurality of threads 101b2 may be provided depending on the number of the cut portions 111a.

  However, in the first embodiment, as an example, the diameter Da of the arc portion of the insertion hole 111 (see FIGS. 3D and 3E) is the diameter D1 of the screw shaft body 101b1 of the filter screw portion 101b (see FIG. 3A). )) Or substantially larger than the diameter D1. This prevents the insertion hole 111 and the screw shaft body 101b1 of the filter screw portion 101b from interfering with each other when the screw shaft body 101b1 is inserted into the insertion hole 111. Therefore, the filter screw portion 101b of the ventilation filter 101 can be easily screwed into the lid body 100a, and furthermore, the edge of the insertion hole 111 of the filter mounting portion 110 can be prevented from being torn or scraped.

  Further, the diameter Da of the arc portion of the insertion hole 111 is smaller than the outer diameter D2 of the screw thread 101b2. Accordingly, when the screw shaft body 101b1 of the ventilation filter 101 is inserted into the insertion hole 111 of the cage lid member 100, the inner edge of the insertion hole 111 of the cage lid member 100 and the screw thread 101b2 of the ventilation filter 101 are caught. Has become.

  Further, the depth D of the cut portion 111a is equal to or greater than the height H of the thread 101b2 (D ≧ H). As a result, when the screw shaft body 101b1 is inserted into the insertion hole 111, the screw thread 101b2 of the filter screw portion 101b is prevented from being caught in the inner edge portion of the insertion hole 111.

  Here, the shape of the cut portion 111a may be a semicircular shape that is about twice the height H (that is, the depth of the thread groove) H of the thread 101b2 of the filter thread portion 101b. For example, H can be about 1.0 x D to about 2.0 x D, about 1.2 x D to about 1.8 x D, about 1.3 x D to about 1.7 x D, and the like. . However, the shape of the cut portion 111a is not limited to this, and may be a triangular shape, a semi-elliptical shape, or the like, and the depth of the cut portion 111a is the same as that of the thread 101b2 of the filter screw portion 101b at the edge of the insertion hole 111. It can be arbitrary as long as it does not interfere.

  Next, a procedure for attaching the ventilation filter 101 to the cage lid member 100 will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the filter mounting portion 110 shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the upper side of the cage lid member 100. FIGS. 4A to 4C show filter screws from the lower side of the lid main body 100a. The manner in which the portion 101b is screwed into the insertion hole 111 is shown in stages.

  First, as shown in FIG. 4A, the ventilation filter 101 is arranged below the insertion hole 111 of the cage lid member 100 with the filter screw portion 101b of the ventilation filter 101 facing upward.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, while rotating the ventilation filter 101 in the Y direction, the tip of the screw thread 101b2 is obliquely inserted into the notch 111a of the insertion hole 111 from the inside of the cage lid member 100.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4C, the ventilation filter 101 is further rotated in the Y direction in a state where the tip of the screw thread 101b2 is inserted into the cut portion 111a of the insertion hole 111, and the screw shaft of the ventilation filter 101 is rotated. 101b1 is screwed into the insertion hole 111.

  As a result, the ventilation filter 101 is fixed to the cage lid member 100 by fastening the ventilation filter 101 to the lid body 100a of the cage lid member 100 by the filter screw portion 101b.

  By thus combining the cage lid member 100 with the ventilation filter 101 attached thereto with the cage body 10, the breeding cage 1 in which a breeding environment is formed can be obtained.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a breeding system in which the breeding cage 1 shown in FIG. 1 is used.

  The breeding system 1000 includes a breeding rack 20 that houses a plurality of breeding cages 1 and a ventilation system 30 that ventilates the plurality of breeding cages 1 that are housed in the breeding rack 20.

  The breeding rack 20 has a pair of left and right vertical frames 21 and a plurality of stages (here, 5 stages) of shelf plates 22 attached between the pair of left and right vertical frames 21, and on each of the shelf plates 22. A plurality of (four in this case) breeding cages 1 can be arranged in this. In FIG. 5, 23 is a top plate of the breeding rack 20.

  The ventilation system 30 has an exhaust branch pipe 31 that is common to the plurality of breeding cages 1 mounted on the shelf 22 of each stage. Each exhaust branch pipe 31 is formed with a vent hole 31a (see FIG. 6A) connected to the connection port 101b4 (FIG. 3A) of the vent passage 101b3 of the ventilation filter 101, and the vent hole 31a is It is located at a position corresponding to the ventilation filter 101 of each breeding cage 1.

  Here, the ventilation filter 101 and the exhaust branch pipe 31 are connected to each other by the pressure contact between the ventilation filter 101 and the exhaust branch pipe 31, the connection port 101b4 of the ventilation passage 101b3 of the ventilation filter 101, and the ventilation hole 31a of the exhaust branch pipe 31. However, the invention is not limited to this. The ventilation filter 101 and the exhaust branch pipe 31 may be connected via an exhaust tube or the like.

  Further, the ventilation system 30 has an exhaust main pipe 32 connected to the exhaust branch pipes 31 at each stage, and a ventilation device 30a. The ventilation device 30a is configured such that the air sucked from each breeding cage 1 via the exhaust branch pipe 31 and the exhaust main pipe 32 is discharged to the outside of the breeding rack 1000 via an exhaust pipe (not shown). ing. The exhaust branch pipe 31 and the exhaust main pipe 32 at each stage constitute a ventilation pipe. Here, the ventilation device 30a is, for example, an exhaust fan connected to the exhaust main pipe 32, but is not limited to this.

  As described above, in the cage lid member 100 of the first embodiment, the plate-shaped lid body 100a is provided with the filter attachment portion 110 including the insertion hole 111, and the filter screw portion 101b of the ventilation filter 101 is screwed into the insertion hole 111. Therefore, even when the cage lid member 100 is a thin disposable member, the ventilation filter 101 can be attached to the cage lid member 100. Moreover, since the notch 111a is formed at the edge of the insertion hole 111, the ventilation filter 101 is easily screwed into the lid main body 100a, and the filter attaching portion 110 of the cage lid member 100 made of a thin member is damaged. This can be avoided or suppressed.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a state in which the breeding cage 1 shown in FIG. 1 is stored in the breeding rack 20. FIG. 6 (a) shows a proper use state of the breeding cage 1, but as shown in FIG. 6 (b), when the cage lid member is formed thin so as to be disposable, the ventilation filter mounting portion is a ventilation filter. It can be dented depending on the weight of. In this case, a gap may be formed between the ventilation filter 101 and the exhaust branch pipe 31, and ventilation in the breeding cage 1 may be insufficient.

  Therefore, in the following second embodiment, the cage lid member 200 having the reinforced filter mounting portion 210 will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a rearing cage 2 using the cage lid member 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  The cage lid member 200 according to the second embodiment is obtained by reinforcing the filter attachment portion 110 of the cage lid member 100 according to the first embodiment. Instead of the filter attachment portion 110 according to the first embodiment, a filter attachment portion having a different structure from the filter attachment portion 110. It is equipped with 210. Other configurations of the cage lid member 200 are the same as those of the cage lid member 100 of the first embodiment.

  8: is a figure which shows the concrete structure of the filter attachment part 210 of the cage lid member 200 shown in FIG. 7, and FIG.8 (a), FIG.8 (b), and FIG.8 (c) are respectively cage lid members. It is the top view of 200, the GG line sectional view, and the enlarged view of J part.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8A, a filter mounting portion 210 is provided on a plate-shaped lid main body 200a that constitutes the cage lid member 200. As shown in FIGS. 8 (b) and 8 (c), the filter mounting portion 210 has an insertion hole 111 for inserting the filter screw portion 101b in the lid body 200a, and further around the insertion hole 111. A ring-shaped convex portion (protruding portion) 212 is formed along the structure. In this filter mounting portion 210 as well, as in the filter mounting portion 110 of the first embodiment, a pair of cut portions 111a are formed so as to face the edge of the insertion hole 111.

  The height H2 of the ring-shaped convex portion 212 is such that when the ventilation filter 101 is attached to the filter attachment portion 210 so that the ventilation filter 101 is located below the cage lid member 200, the filter screw portion 101b is the surface of the lid body 200a. It is set to be substantially the same as or higher than the height H1 protruding from. By doing so, when the rearing cage 2 is arranged in the ventilation system 30 as shown in FIG. 6A, the lower surface of the exhaust branch pipe 31 is formed with the ring-shaped convex portion 212 as shown in FIG. 8A. Since it contacts the upper surface and does not contact the ventilation filter 101, no load is applied from the exhaust branch pipe 31 to the ventilation filter 101, and the ventilation filter 101 is pushed by the exhaust branch pipe 31 to be removed from the cage lid member 200. It can be avoided or suppressed. Further, by closely contacting the ring-shaped convex portion 212 and the exhaust branch pipe 31, it is possible to improve the airtightness between the exhaust branch pipe 31 and the lid main body 200a.

  Further, the inner diameter C2 of the ring-shaped convex portion 212 is larger than the diameter D0 of the filter body 101a of the ventilation filter 101 as shown in FIG. 8C. Therefore, when the ventilation filter 101 is attached to the filter attachment portion 210 from above the cage lid member 200, the filter body 101 a is placed inside the ring-shaped convex portion 212. By doing so, the peripheral portion of the filter screw portion 101b of the filter body 101a is attached to the lid body 200a of the cage lid member 200 as in the case where the ventilation filter 101 is attached from the lower side of the cage lid member 200. It becomes possible to make close contact and secure the fixing strength.

  However, the size of the ring-shaped convex portion 212 is not limited to the above configuration, and the height H2 of the ring-shaped convex portion 212 is lower than the height H1 at which the filter screw portion 101b projects from the surface of the lid main body 200a. In this case, the inner diameter C2 of the ring-shaped convex portion 212 may be smaller than the diameter D0 of the filter body 101a of the ventilation filter 101.

  As described above, in the cage lid member 200 of the second embodiment, the filter attachment portion 210 of the lid body 200a has the structure in which the ring-shaped convex portion 212 is formed along the periphery of the insertion hole 111 formed in the lid body 200a. Since the filter mounting portion 210 of the lid main body 200a and its peripheral portion are reinforced, it is possible to prevent the central filter mounting portion 210 of the cage lid member 200 from being dented due to the weight of the ventilation filter 101 or the like. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the ventilation capacity of the breeding cage 2 due to a gap between the ventilation filter 101 of the breeding cage 2 housed in the breeding rack 20 and the exhaust branch pipe 31 of the ventilation system 30.

(Embodiment 3)
Furthermore, the cage lid members 100 and 200 of Embodiments 1 and 2 include the ventilation filter 101 and the exhaust branch pipe 31 attached to the cage lid members 100 and 200 in a state where the breeding cages 1 and 2 are housed in the breeding rack 20. Since the connection port 101b4 of the ventilation passage 101b3 of the ventilation filter 101 and the ventilation hole 31a of the exhaust branch pipe 31 are closely contacted with each other, the peripheral portions of the filter attachment portions 110, 210 of the cage lid members 100, 200 are raised to ventilate. In order to enhance the close contact between the filter 101 and the exhaust branch pipe 31, it is desirable that the structure has a high elasticity.

  FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a breeding cage 3 using a cage lid member 300 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

  The cage lid member 300 of the third embodiment is one in which the elasticity of the peripheral portion of the filter attachment portion 110 in the cage lid member 100 of the first embodiment is enhanced, and the cage lid member 100 of the first embodiment has a lid main body 100a. Instead, the lid main body 300a including the raised portion 313 is provided. Other configurations of the cage lid member 300 are the same as those of the cage lid member 100 of the first embodiment.

  10: is a figure which shows the concrete structure of the filter attachment part 310 of the cage lid member 300 shown in FIG. 9, and FIG. 10 (a), FIG. 10 (b), FIG. It is the top view of 300, the KK sectional view taken on the line, and the enlarged view of L part.

  As shown in FIG. 10A, the lid main body 300 a of the cage lid member 300 has a raised portion 313, and the filter attachment portion 310 is provided on the raised portion 313 of the cage lid member 300. An insertion hole 111 for attaching the ventilation filter 101 is formed in the flat portion. The side surface of the raised portion 313 is an inclined surface, and the inclined surface enhances the elasticity of the raised portion 313. The inclination angle of the inclined surface of the raised portion 313 is in the range of about 30 ° to about 50 °, preferably about 40 °. Also in this filter mounting portion 310, a pair of cut portions 111 a are formed so as to face each other at the edge of the insertion hole 111.

  Further, the height H3 of the inner surface of the ridge 313 with respect to the inner surface of the lid main body 300a other than the ridge 313 (hereinafter referred to as the height of the ridge 313) is higher than the height Ha of the filter body 101a. It's getting higher. In one embodiment, the height Ha of the filter body 101a is about 1 cm to about 3 cm, while the height of the ridge 313 is about 3 cm to about 5 cm, preferably the height Ha of the filter body 101a is about 2 cm. In contrast, the height H3 of the ridge 313 may be about 4 cm.

  By doing so, when the cage lid member 300 is attached to the cage body 10, as shown in FIG. 10A, the lower surface of the filter body 101a is higher than the lower surface of the lid body 100a other than the raised portion 313. Since the ventilation filter 101 is arranged at a position higher than the shielding net 12 (not shown), it is possible to prevent the small animal M from biting the ventilation filter 101 and causing a malfunction in the ventilation filter 101. it can.

  As described above, in the cage lid member 300 according to the third embodiment, the ridge portion 313 whose side surface is inclined is formed in a part of the plate-shaped lid body 300a, and the filter attachment portion 310 is arranged on the top portion of the ridge portion 313. Therefore, the depression due to the weight of the ventilation filter 101 as shown in FIG. 6B is suppressed. Further, since the inclined surface is located in the peripheral portion of the filter mounting portion 310, the elasticity of the peripheral portion of the filter mounting portion 310 is enhanced. As a result, in the rearing cage 3 using the cage lid member 300, the peripheral portion of the filter mounting portion 310 is easily deformed when the filter mounting portion 310 is pressed downward, and as shown in FIG. The work of pushing between the shelf plate 22 and the exhaust branch pipe 31 of the breeding rack 20 shown in FIG. 5 becomes easy.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a breeding cage 4 using a cage lid member 400 according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

  The cage lid member 400 of the fourth embodiment is obtained by reinforcing the filter mounting portion 310 of the cage lid member 300 of the third embodiment. In the cage lid member 300 of the third embodiment, instead of the filter mounting portion 310, The filter mounting portion 410 having a different structure is provided. Other configurations of the cage lid member 400 are the same as those of the cage lid member 300 of the third embodiment.

  12: is a figure which shows the concrete structure of the filter attachment part 410 of the cage lid member 400, FIG.12 (a) -FIG.12 (c) are the top views of the cage lid member 400, and the NN sectional view, respectively. It is a figure and the enlarged view of P part.

  As shown in FIG. 12A, the lid main body 400a of the cage lid member 400 has a raised portion 313 as in the cage lid member 300 of the third embodiment, and the raised portion 313 has a filter attachment according to the third embodiment. A filter mounting portion 410 having a structure different from that of the portion 310 is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 12 (b) and 12 (c), the filter attachment portion 410 has an insertion hole 111 for attaching the ventilation filter 101 formed in the flat portion of the raised portion 313 that constitutes the lid body 400a. Further, it has a structure in which a ring-shaped convex portion (protruding portion) 412 is formed around the insertion hole 111. Also in this filter mounting portion 410, as in the filter mounting portion 310 of the third embodiment, a pair of cut portions 111a are formed so as to face the edge of the insertion hole 111. Here, the ring-shaped protrusion 412 has the same structure as the ring-shaped protrusion 212 of the second embodiment. Therefore, the function and effect of the cage lid member 400 in the fourth embodiment, for example, the function when the breeding cage 4 using the cage lid member 400 is arranged on the shelf plate 22 of the breeding rack 20 as shown in FIG. 12A. The effects and effects are the same as the functions and effects of the cage lid members 100, 200, and 300 according to the first to third embodiments, respectively, and thus will be omitted.

  In addition, although the case where the ventilation filter attached to the cage lid member is one exhaust filter is shown in Embodiments 1 to 4, the present invention is not limited to this. The ventilation filter may be an exhaust filter or an air supply filter depending on the type of piping connected to the ventilation path of the filter. Further, the cage lid member may be provided with two or more filter mounting portions so that two or more ventilation filters can be mounted. For example, as an example of a cage lid member to which a plurality of ventilation filters can be attached, an exhaust filter may be attached to the filter attachment portion and an air supply filter may be attached to the second filter attachment portion as the ventilation filter. In that case, in a breeding cage using such a cage lid member, it is possible not only to forcibly exhaust air from the breeding cage through the exhaust filter, but also to forcibly supply air to the breeding cage through the air supply filter, and thus more It becomes possible to breed small animals.

  The breeding rack of this breeding system is provided with an air supply branch pipe together with an exhaust branch pipe for each shelf plate. The air supply filter may be connected to the exhaust branch pipe, and may be connected to the air supply branch pipe via an air supply tube or the like.

Further, the connection between the exhaust filter and the exhaust branch pipe and the connection between the air supply filter and the air supply branch pipe are performed by connecting the respective filters to the exhaust branch pipe or the air supply pipe as described in the first to fourth embodiments. It may be performed by pressure contact with the branch pipe.
(Embodiment 5)
Conventionally, as a ventilation system (ventilation system in the rack) for ventilating a breeding rack that houses multiple breeding cages, clean air is made to flow from the porous plate on the back of the breeding rack toward the open front of the breeding rack. Some have created an air stream to avoid cross-contamination between the shelves of a feeding rack. In this ventilation system, the volume to be ventilated is reduced to the internal volume of the breeding rack, as compared with the case where the entire breeding room is ventilated without performing ventilation for each breeding rack. However, in the breeding room where the breeding racks are installed, it is necessary to ventilate the air volume according to the total ventilation volume of the number of breeding racks that are installed. Since the inside of the breeding rack and the breeding room are contaminated, an indoor air conditioner with a relatively large treatment air volume is required as an air conditioning facility for cleaning the air (see, for example, FIG. 14).
On the other hand, when performing ventilation individually for each breeding cage placed inside the breeding rack, the volume to be ventilated is the total volume of the multiple breeding cages and the volume to be ventilated. When the same number of small animals are bred, it is greatly reduced as compared with the inner volume of the breeding rack. Therefore, the amount of treated air for cleaning the air in the breeding room where the breeding rack is installed is greatly reduced.
However, in this case, in the breeding rack, in order to maintain the ventilation efficiency in each breeding cage, it is necessary to connect the air supply pipe and the exhaust pipe to each breeding cage. The inventor of the present invention has found that a problem that the configuration for the above becomes complicated.
The present invention is directed to this problem, in a breeding system provided with a breeding rack that houses a plurality of breeding cages and a ventilation system that ventilates the breeding rack, the ventilation system includes a negative pressure in the multiple breeding cages. Further, there is provided a means for solving the problem that the breeding racks other than the breeding cages are configured to have a positive pressure. Here, the negative pressure in the breeding cage is to make the atmospheric pressure in the breeding cage relatively lower than the atmospheric pressure outside the breeding cage, and the positive pressure in the breeding rack means that the pressure in the breeding rack is It means making the atmospheric pressure relatively higher than the atmospheric pressure outside the breeding rack (for example, inside the breeding room). In one embodiment, the state in which the negative pressure in the breeding cage and the positive pressure in the breeding rack are lower than the atmospheric pressure (about 1013 hPa) in the breeding cage, and the atmospheric pressure in the breeding rack other than the breeding cage is atmospheric pressure. (About 1013 hPa), but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the atmospheric pressure in the breeding cage is relatively low with respect to the atmospheric pressure of the breeding rack and the atmospheric pressure in the breeding rack is relatively higher than the atmospheric pressure outside the breeding rack (breeding room), The atmospheric pressure in the breeding cage and the breeding rack may be atmospheric pressure or lower, or the atmospheric pressure in the breeding cage and the breeding rack may be positive pressure.
In a breeding system equipped with such a ventilation system for the breeding rack, by maintaining the negative pressure in the breeding cage, it is possible to avoid contamination of dirty air in the breeding cage and the like in the breeding rack and the breeding room, Moreover, by setting individual ventilation cages for ventilation, it is possible to reduce the size of the air conditioning equipment (indoor air conditioner) by reducing the processing air volume for cleaning the air in the breeding environment (breeding room).
Further, by setting the positive pressure in the breeding rack that houses the breeding cages, forced feeding of air to individual breeding cages is possible without connecting air feeding pipes to the individual breeding cages. As a result, it is possible to improve the ventilation efficiency in individual breeding cages without complicating the piping structure, and at the same time more reliably avoid contamination in the breeding racks and breeding rooms due to dirty air in the breeding cages. can do.
Here, the breeding system is provided with a breeding rack and its ventilation system, the breeding rack accommodates individually breeding cages capable of removing dust, and the ventilation system uses a negative pressure in each breeding cage and excludes multiple breeding cages. There is no particular limitation as long as it has a function of making the inside of the breeding rack a positive pressure. Therefore, the breeding system of the present invention may be one in which the breeding cage according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 4 is housed in the breeding rack. However, in the fifth embodiment described in detail below, the breeding system includes a plurality of the breeding cages 1 of the first embodiment in a breeding rack, and as a ventilation system, an air supply for maintaining a positive pressure in the breeding rack by air supply. The apparatus has an apparatus and an exhaust apparatus for maintaining a negative pressure in the breeding cages by exhausting air.
Hereinafter, a breeding system in which the breeding cage 1 housed in the breeding rack is individually ventilated will be specifically described as a fifth embodiment.
FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining a breeding system 1010 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, in which a breeding rack 1100 and an in-rack ventilation device 1200 that constitute the breeding system 1010 are installed in a breeding room 1030 of a breeding facility 1001. Indicates the status.
The breeding facility 1001 has a breeding room 1030 for breeding small animals, and a breeding system 1010 installed in the breeding room 1030.
The breeding system 1010 includes a breeding rack (individual dust removal rack) 1100 that houses a plurality of breeding cages, and an in-rack ventilation system 1200 that ventilates the inside of the breeding rack 1100. Here, the breeding cage 1 of Embodiment 1 is used as the plurality of breeding cages.
The in-rack ventilation system 1200 removes dust from the plurality of breeding cages 1 housed in the breeding rack 1100 individually, and prevents dirt inside the breeding cages 1 from spreading inside and outside the breeding rack 1100. It is configured to ventilate the breeding cage 1 and the breeding rack 1100.
Here, the breeding rack 1100 has a rack body 1110 that stores a plurality of breeding cages 1 and a rack door 1120 that opens and closes an opening for putting the breeding cage 1 in and out of the rack body 1110. The breeding cage 1 can be arranged in a plurality of stages.
The in-rack ventilation system 1200 includes an air supply device 1210 for supplying the clean air in the breeding room 1030 into the breeding rack 1100, and the air in each breeding cage 1 through the ventilation filter 101 to the outside of the breeding rack 1100 (the breeding chamber 1030). An exhaust device 1220 for discharging the air to the inside) and a rack filter 1230 attached to the rack body 1110.
The air supply device 1210 includes an air supply pipe 1212 and an air supply fan 1211. The air supply pipe 1212 is arranged to extend from the inside of the breeding rack 1100 to the outside, and the air supply pipe 1212 of the breeding rack 1100 is provided. An air supply fan 1211 is attached to the end portion located on the outer side, and clean air in the breeding room 1030 is supplied to the breeding rack 1100 by the air supply fan 1211.
The exhaust device 1220 includes an exhaust pipe 1222 and an exhaust fan 1221. The exhaust pipe 1222 includes a plurality of exhaust branch pipes 1223 provided corresponding to each of the plurality of breeding cages 1 and a plurality of exhaust branch pipes 1223. And an exhaust main pipe 1224 connected thereto. One end of the exhaust branch pipe 1223 is connected to the ventilation filter 101 of the breeding cage 1, and the other ends of the plurality of exhaust branch pipes 1223 are connected to the exhaust main pipe 1224. An exhaust fan 1221 is attached to an end portion of the exhaust main pipe 1224 that is located outside the breeding rack 1100, and the air in each breeding cage 1 is exhausted from the exhaust fan 1221 to the outside of the breeding rack 1100 through the ventilation filter 101. It is supposed to be discharged. In this case, the breeding cage 1 does not have a structure in which the opening of the upper surface of the cage body 10 is sealed by the cage lid member 100, and a negative pressure inside the breeding cage 1 is provided between the cage body 10 and the cage lid member 100. Accordingly, the air inside the breeding rack 1100 is introduced into the breeding cage 1, and a gap Gp is formed as an introduction portion. The introduction unit may be any mechanism as long as the air in the breeding rack 1100 can be introduced into the breeding cage 1. The introduction portion is not limited to the gap Gp and may be, for example, a fine through hole formed in the cage lid member 100 or the cage body 10.
The rack filter 1230 is arranged in a path through which the clean air supplied from the breeding room 1030 into the breeding rack 1100 and which has failed to enter any of the breeding cages 1 is discharged from the breeding rack 1100. .
In the breeding system 1010 having such a configuration, the inside of the breeding rack 1100 is maintained at a positive pressure by the air supply device 1210 supplying air to the breeding rack 1100, and the exhaust device 1220 exhausts air from each breeding cage 1. As a result, the inside of each breeding cage 1 is maintained at a negative pressure. Here, the exhaust amount of the gas exhausted from the breeding cage 1100 in the exhaust device 1220 per unit time is smaller than the supply amount of the outside air supplied to the breeding rack 1100 in the air supply device 1210 per unit time. By doing so, part of the outside air introduced into the breeding rack is exhausted from the breeding rack without passing through the breeding cage.
As described above, the positive pressure in the breeding rack means that the pressure inside the breeding rack is higher than the pressure outside the breeding rack, and the negative pressure inside the breeding cage means that the pressure inside the breeding cage is outside the breeding cage. The air pressure is lower than the atmospheric pressure, and the positive pressure in the breeding rack is realized by supplying the air outside the breeding rack 1100 (the air in the breeding room 1030) to the inside of the breeding rack 1100 by the air supply device 1210. The negative pressure inside the breeding cage is realized by exhausting the air inside the breeding cage 1 to the outside of the breeding cage 1 (the inside of the breeding room 1030 which is the outside of the breeding rack 1100) by the exhaust device 1220.
Ventilation achieves proper oxygenation of cages, respiration of animals, removal of temperature load caused by lighting or equipment, dilution of odors, adjustment of moisture content of environmental atmosphere and formation of static pressure difference between adjacent spaces To be done. The number of ventilations per hour can be appropriately set in accordance with the regulations of the country or the experimental facility in consideration of the conditions such as the number of animals to be stored in the cage, the species, the size and the size of the rack. In one embodiment, the ventilation rate is about 5 to about 25, preferably about 10 to about 15 per hour. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
Since the in-rack ventilation system 1200 of the present invention needs only to ventilate the air in the cage as compared with the conventional technique for ventilating the entire breeding room, it is possible to reduce the ventilation amount, thereby enhancing the ventilation efficiency. It is possible to save energy and reduce costs.
As described above, by setting the negative pressure in the breeding cage 1 to the positive pressure in the breeding rack 1100, the air flow is in one direction from the breeding rack 1100 to the breeding cage 1, and thus breeding is performed. The dirty air in the cage 1 is prevented from flowing back into the breeding rack 1100. Therefore, it is possible to always keep the inside of the breeding rack 1100 and the breeding room in a clean state.
A partition door 1031 is provided at the entrance of the breeding room 1030 where the breeding operator Pa and the like come in and out, so that the inside of the breeding room 1030 is isolated from the outside thereof. It is kept in a clean state by a device (indoor ventilation device) 1020. The indoor air conditioner 1020 has an air supply pipe 1021, an air supply fan 1022, an exhaust pipe 1023, and an exhaust fan 1024. The air supply fan 1022 supplies clean air to the breeding room 1030 via the air supply pipe 1021 and exhausts it. The fan 1024 is configured to discharge the air in the breeding room 1030 to the outside via the exhaust pipe 1023. The processing air volume in the indoor air conditioner 1020 is an air volume corresponding to the total ventilation air volume in all breeding cages 1 accommodated in the breeding racks 1100 of all breeding systems 1010 installed in the breeding room 1030. .
FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram for explaining a conventional breeding system 2010 that is compared with the breeding system 1010 of the fifth embodiment, and shows a conventional breeding system 2010 using a positive pressure rack 2100.
In this breeding system 2010, a conventional breeding rack (positive pressure rack) 2100 having a positive pressure inside is used as a breeding rack for housing a plurality of breeding cages 1a.
The breeding system 2010 includes a breeding rack 2100 that houses a plurality of breeding cages 1a, and an in-rack ventilation system 2200 that ventilates the inside of the breeding rack 2100.
The breeding rack 2100 is provided with a plurality of shelves 2102 on which the breeding cage 1a is placed, the front side of the breeding rack 2100 is open, and the perforated plate 2101 is attached to the back side thereof. The breeding rack 2100 is configured such that the air supplied from the rack ventilation system 2200 flows from the back side to the front side through the perforated plate 2101 so that the breeding rack 2100 is maintained at a positive pressure. Further, the air flowing from the rear side of the breeding rack 2100 to the front side via the perforated plate 2101 forms a laminar flow, whereby the cross contamination of air between the upper and lower shelves 2102 and between the adjacent breeding cages 1a of the same shelf. Is suppressed.
Further, the breeding cage 1a used in the conventional positive pressure rack 2100 does not have a ventilation filter, unlike the breeding cage 1 of the first embodiment. In the breeding cage 1a, air flows into the breeding cage 1a such as on the upper surface of the breeding cage 1a so that the air flowing from the rear side to the front side of the breeding rack 2100 ventilates the breeding cage 1a. An opening (not shown) is formed so as to enable the above.
In the breeding facility 2001 in which the breeding system 2010 using the conventional positive pressure rack 2100 is installed, the indoor air conditioner 2020 for ventilation of the breeding room 1030 is the indoor air conditioner 1020 of the breeding facility 1001 of the fifth embodiment. In comparison with the indoor air conditioner 1020 of the breeding facility 1001 according to the fifth embodiment, a large device having a high ventilation capacity is used. The reason is,
In the breeding system 2010 using the positive pressure rack 2100, the target of ventilation is the internal volume of the breeding rack 2100, which is larger than the internal volumes of all the breeding cages 1 a housed in the breeding rack 2100. As a result, the ventilation air volume of the breeding room 1030 in which the positive pressure rack 2100 is installed is also large, and
Since the inside of the breeding cage 1a diffuses to the outside of the positive pressure rack 2100, the inside of the breeding room 1030 in which the positive pressure rack 2100 is arranged needs to be air-conditioned to remove dust.
Is.
As described above, in the breeding system 1010 including the in-rack ventilation system 1200 according to the fifth embodiment, the exhaust device 1220 is provided so that the inside of each of the plurality of breeding cages 1 housed in the breeding rack 1100 is maintained at a negative pressure. Since the air in each breeding cage 1 is exhausted, it is possible to prevent the dirty air in the breeding cage 1 from polluting the breeding rack 1100 and the breeding room 1030. Moreover, in the in-rack ventilation system 1200, since the target of ventilation is the internal area of the plurality of breeding cages 1 housed in the breeding rack 1100 (a part of the breeding rack 1100), air purification of the breeding environment is performed. It is possible to suppress the treated air volume for.
Further, since the air supply device 1210 supplies clean air into the breeding rack 1100 so that the inside of the breeding rack 1100 containing the plurality of breeding cages 1 is maintained at a positive pressure, the breeding rack 1100 is arranged in the breeding rack 1100. Clean air is forcibly supplied to each breeding cage 1 through the gap Gp between the cage body 10 and the cage lid member 100. Therefore, it is possible to improve the ventilation efficiency in each breeding cage without using a complicated piping structure in which the air supply pipes are connected to each breeding cage 1, and at the same time, breeding by dirty air in the breeding cages. It is possible to more reliably avoid contamination in the rack and the breeding room.
As a result, in the breeding system 1010 of the fifth embodiment, the volume to be air-purified is within the limited area of the breeding room 1030 (the interior area of the plurality of breeding cages 1 in the breeding rack 1100) which is the breeding environment. Since the volume is limited, the amount of processing air for cleaning the air in the breeding rack 1100 and the breeding room 1030 can be greatly reduced, and the indoor air conditioner 1020 installed in the breeding facility 1001 can be downsized.
Moreover, in the in-rack ventilation system 1200 that constitutes the breeding system 1010, the ventilation efficiency in each breeding cage 1 is increased without complicating the piping structure, and the inside of the breeding rack is filled with dirty air in the breeding cage 1. It is possible to more surely prevent the spread of pollution in the breeding room.

  Although the present invention has been illustrated by using the preferred embodiment of the present invention as described above, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to this embodiment. It is understood that the scope of the present invention should be construed only by the scope of the claims. It is understood that those skilled in the art can implement an equivalent range based on the description of the present invention and common general knowledge from the description of the specific preferred embodiments of the present invention.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful in the field of cage lid members and breeding cages and breeding systems using the same, as a disposable cage lid member in which the attachment portion of the filter is less likely to be damaged.

1 to 4 Breeding cage 10 Cage main body 30 Ventilation system 100, 200, 300, 400 Cage lid member 101 Ventilation filter 110, 210, 310, 410 Filter attachment part 111 Insert hole 111a Cut part 212, 412 Ring-shaped convex part 313 Raised part 1000 Breeding rack 1001 Breeding facility 1010 Breeding system 1100 Breeding rack (individual dust removal rack)
1200 Ventilation system in rack 1210 Air supply device 1220 Exhaust device

Claims (8)

A breeding system comprising a breeding rack containing a plurality of breeding cages and a ventilation system for ventilating the breeding rack,
The ventilation system is
A breeding system in which a negative pressure is provided in the plurality of breeding cages and a positive pressure is provided in the breeding racks other than the plurality of breeding cages. The ventilation system is
An air supply device for supplying air into the breeding rack,
The breeding system according to claim 1, further comprising: an exhaust device that exhausts air from the breeding cage.   By reducing the amount of exhaust air per unit time of the exhaust device than the amount of air supply per unit time of the air supply device, a part of the outside air introduced into the breeding rack does not pass through the breeding cage. The breeding system according to claim 2, wherein air is exhausted from inside the breeding rack.   The breeding system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the breeding cage has an introduction unit that introduces the outside air supplied into the breeding rack by the air supply device into the breeding cage. The breeding cage has a cage body and a cage lid member,
The breeding system according to claim 4, wherein the introduction portion is a gap formed between the cage body and the cage lid member. The cage lid member,
A plate-shaped lid body,
A filter mounting portion provided on the lid body,
The breeding system according to claim 5, wherein the filter attachment portion includes an insertion hole for inserting the ventilation filter and one or a plurality of cut portions formed at an edge of the insertion hole. The rearing rack is
Equipped with a filter,
Any of claims 1 to 6, which is configured to pass through the filter when part of the outside air introduced into the breeding rack is exhausted from the breeding rack without passing through the breeding cage. The breeding system according to item 1. A breeding room with a breeding system,
An indoor ventilation device for ventilating the breeding room,
A breeding facility, wherein the breeding system is the breeding system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.