JP5808766B2 - Laboratory animal cage and laboratory animal cage cage floor - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to the structure of floor slats used in breeding cages for laboratory animals such as dogs and pigs.

  The space of a breeding cage for breeding laboratory animals such as dogs or pigs is defined as a relatively wide space by law in consideration of the demand for animal welfare. Therefore, the weight of one floor slat disposed in the breeding cage and having a large number of meshes for dropping manure or the like onto the floor surface is 15 kg, for example. Such a plurality of floor slats having a relatively heavy weight, for example, three floor slats, are arranged in contact with each other in the breeding cage.

  When laboratory animals such as dogs or pigs are routinely bred and managed using the laboratory animal breeding cage as described above, the most important work is dropping urine, vomit, or It is to clean and disinfect the floor surface to which blood or the like adheres from the viewpoint of hygiene, to prevent infection of pathogenic bacteria in laboratory animals that are bred and to maintain the health of the laboratory animals.

  As the current work for that purpose, the worker performs a cleaning operation by discharging water on the floor surface under the breeding cage, and also cleans both surfaces of the floor slats in the breeding cage by discharging water.

  At that time, the worker must 1) move the laboratory animals in the breeding cage to other places outside the breeding cage, and 2) then take out each floor stool, which is a heavy object, from the breeding cage. 3) The surface and the back surface of each floor slat taken out are washed by water discharge. After the cleaning, the worker performs the reverse flow of work to return the state in the breeding cage to the original state before the start of the work.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-47350

  However, the above operations (moving experimental animals, taking out floor slats) are not easy and are difficult operations. In addition, the working time becomes longer.

  The present invention has been made based on the recognition of such current problems, and enables the front and back surfaces of the floor slats in the breeding cage to be cleaned more easily and in a shorter time than conventional work. Is the purpose.

  A laboratory animal breeding cage according to the subject of the present invention comprises a cage body for breeding laboratory animals therein, comprising a bottom part having an opening part surrounded by a peripheral part and facing the floor, from an end part And a floor slat laid on the peripheral edge of the bottom of the cage body, the floor slats each extending in the longitudinal direction and along the short direction. A plurality of slatted materials of a predetermined shape arranged in parallel in a sled shape through a gap set to a size that prevents the animal from falling on the floor, and And a plurality of connecting portions having elastic body portions that are provided in the gap between the two matching saw blade materials and connect both the saw blade materials and bend freely.

  Furthermore, the laboratory animal breeding cage according to the subject of the present invention is characterized in that the width dimension of the floor slats in the longitudinal direction is substantially equal to the width dimension of the cage body.

According to the subject of the present invention, the operator lifts the end of the floor slat laid on the bottom of the cage body and pulls it toward him so that each connecting part provided in the gap between the two slats facing each other. Since the elastic body portion is bent sequentially from the connecting portion on the end side, it is possible to roll up the floor slats and wrap up each slatted material. Therefore, the operator does not take out the floor slats, which are heavy items, from the cage body to the outside. The back surface can be easily cleaned and disinfected with water discharge.

Further, according to the subject of the present invention, the width of the floor slats and the width of the cage body are substantially equal, so that the laboratory animal can be used while the operator lifts the floor slats and cleans the back of the slatted material. Can not escape from the cage body, and the animal can be prevented from falling from the opening of the cage body to the floor. It is not necessary to move the animal to the outside.

  Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail along with the effects and advantages thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It is a figure which shows typically the structure at the time of seeing from the front side of the laboratory animal breeding cage which concerns on each embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the structure at the time of seeing from the upper surface side of the laboratory animal breeding cage which concerns on each embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows typically the structure of the floor slats which concern on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the state which the operator is washing | cleaning the back surface of the floor slat laid in the laboratory animal breeding cage which concerns on each embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows typically the structure of the floor slats concerning Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a top view which shows typically the structure of the floor slats concerning Embodiment 3 of this invention.

  (Composition of experimental animal breeding cage)

  Hereinafter, an outline of a configuration of an experimental animal breeding cage that is commonly applied to each embodiment in which floor slats according to each embodiment to be described later are laid on at least a peripheral portion of the bottom thereof will be described. A typical example of the “experimental animal” in each embodiment is a dog or a pig.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration when one experimental animal breeding cage is viewed from the front side. In the facility, each of the experimental animal breeding cages shown in FIG. 1 is sequentially arranged so that adjacent ones are in contact with each other along the horizontal direction of the drawing sheet.

The experimental animal breeding cage shown in FIG. 1 mainly includes a cage body 100 and a floor slat 1. Here, in FIG. 1, the floor slat 1 itself is displayed by a continuous display of x marks for convenience of illustration. In addition, the floor surface in the facility is indicated by hatching for convenience of illustration.

In FIG. 1, the width in the transverse direction perpendicular to the depth direction of the cage body 100 of the experimental animal breeding cage (corresponding to the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of this figure) is represented as a reference symbol WB. And the cage main body 100 is placed on the floor surface in the facility by four support columns 3 (in this figure, the left front portion 3A and the right front portion 3B are displayed) coupled to the bottom 2 thereof. Is arranged. Furthermore, the bottom part 2 of the cage body 100 has at least one opening part that is surrounded by a peripheral part of the bottom part 2 and the like and faces the floor in the facility, as shown in FIG. Through this opening, filth such as manure, vomit, blood, etc. of laboratory animals raised in the cage body 100 are dropped onto the floor surface.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a planar configuration when the floor slat 1 laid in the cage body 100 is viewed from the arrow AR side in FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 2, peripheral portions 24, 26 coupled to both portions 2 A, 2 B so as to extend in the depth direction between the front and rear outer frame portions 2 A, 2 B of the bottom portion 2, and On the center portion 25 and on the bridging portions 21, 22, 23 provided between the peripheral portions 24, 26, the operator can freely lift from the front or rear end portions 1 EA, 1 EB. As shown, floor slats 1 are laid. In addition, providing the center part 25 and the bridge parts 21, 22, and 23 is an arbitrary matter. The floor slats 1 should just be arrange | positioned and laid so that it can be lifted on the both peripheral parts 24 and 26 at least.

Since the depth dimension of the cage body 100 is relatively long, the depth dimension of the floor slat 1 laid over the entire bottom 2 of the cage body 100 is also long, and its weight increases. Therefore, the floor slat 1 itself may be divided into a plurality of floor slats. In the example of FIG. 2, the floor slat 1 is composed of three floor slats 1 </ b> A, 1 </ b> B, and 1 </ b> C, and the floor slats 1 </ b> A, 1 </ b> B, and 1 </ b> C are sequentially along the depth direction so that adjacent ones are in contact with each other. Are listed. Therefore, the floor slats having the characteristic configuration described in each embodiment are applied to the floor slats 1 or the respective floor slats 1A, 1B, and 1C formed by dividing the floor slats.

The reference symbol WA shown in FIG. 2 indicates the width dimension of the floor slats 1, 1A, 1B, and 1C, and the width dimension of each floor slat is set so that the relationship of WA ≦ WB is established. The advantage when WA = WB is a common advantage in each embodiment described later, and this point will be described in the first embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
<Structure of floor slats>
FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing the structure of the floor slat 1 (1A, 1B, 1C) (hereinafter referred to as “floor saw 1 etc.”) according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 3, the horizontal direction DX on the paper surface corresponds to the “longitudinal direction”, and the vertical direction DY on the paper surface corresponds to the “short direction”.

  The features of the structure of the floor slat 1 etc. according to the present embodiment are as follows: 1) Each of them has a dimension WS that extends in the longitudinal direction DX and does not fall on the floor along the short direction DY. A plurality of sawtooth materials 4 having a predetermined shape arranged in parallel in a slender shape through a set gap SP, and 2) each of which is provided in a gap SP between both facing sawboard materials. The floor slat 1 and the like are constituted by a plurality of connecting portions having elastic body portions that connect the slat materials and exhibit elasticity that bends freely in a direction substantially orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG.

  Here, the “predetermined shape” of each slatted material includes a rod-like shape such as a round bar or a plate-like shape. Examples of the “member” forming the slatted material include metals such as stainless steel or synthetic resins such as plastic. In addition, the dimension WS of the gap SP between the two adjacent slat materials only needs to be set to such a dimension that the experimental animal does not fall on the floor surface, and is arbitrary for each gap SP. Ideally, it is desirable that the interval WS of the gap SP is constant. Moreover, the member of the elastic body part of each connection part consists of rubber | gum or a metal which exhibits the elastic function which can bend freely.

  In the configuration example of FIG. 3, each bar-shaped slatted material 4 made of metal or plastic extends along the longitudinal direction DX, and is spaced in the short direction DY with an equal interval gap SP therebetween. Are arranged in parallel to form a saddle shape. As described above, the dimension WS of the gap SP of each slatted material 4 is a dimension that does not allow the experimental animal to fall on the floor surface. Each slatted material 4 has a plurality of anti-slip portions 14 formed at equal intervals along the longitudinal direction DX on the surface side.

  In the plan view of FIG. 3, a through hole (shown by a broken line) for fitting a rubber rod 8 described later is formed in the vicinity of the right end of each of the slats 4. Further, opposing joint pipe portions 5A and 5B are formed on the surface of the vicinity thereof. These joint pipe portions 5A and 5B also have through holes (shown by broken lines) for fitting the rubber rod-like body 8 described above. With these structures, one long string-like rubber rod-like body 8 is fitted into each of the slats 4 by the through-holes of the joint pipe portion 5A, and further fitted by the through-holes of the slats 4. Furthermore, it is fitted by the through hole of the joint pipe portion 5B. Both end portions of the rubber rod 8 are fitted and fixed in non-through holes (not shown) of the terminal pipe portions 11A and 11B, respectively.

  Therefore, the joint pipe portion 5A of one of the slat materials of the two slat materials 4 adjacent to each other, the joint pipe portion 5B of the other slat material, and the joint pipe portions 5A. An exposed portion (corresponding to an “elastic body portion”) of the rubber rod-like body 8 connecting 5B connects both facing slat members of the plurality of slat members 4 and is freely movable in a substantially vertical direction on the paper surface. It forms a “connecting part” that exhibits an elastic function of bending. This “connecting portion” is provided for each gap SP along the short direction DY.

  Similarly, also in the center part of each stool material 4, the joint pipe part 6A of one saw material of both adjacent stool materials 4, the joint pipe part 6B of the other saw material, and both joint pipe parts 6A. The exposed portion (corresponding to an “elastic body portion”) of the rubber rod 9 connecting 6B exhibits an elastic function of connecting both facing slat members of the plurality of slat members 4 and bending freely. Concatenated part. In this example, both end portions of the rubber rod 9 are fitted and fixed in non-through holes (not shown) of the terminal pipe portions 12A and 12B, respectively. And said "connection part" is provided for every clearance gap SP along the transversal direction DY.

  Further, also in the vicinity of the left end portion of each slatted material 4, the joint pipe portion 7A of one of the slatted materials 4 of the adjacent slatted materials 4, the joint pipe portion 7B of the other slatted material, and both the joint pipe portions 7A . The exposed portion (corresponding to the “elastic body portion”) of the rubber rod-like body 10 connecting the 7B is a “connection” which has a function of connecting both facing slat members of the plurality of slat members 4 and bending freely. Part ". In this example, both end portions of the rubber rod-like body 10 are fitted and fixed in non-through holes (not shown) of the terminal pipe portions 13A and 13B, respectively. And said "connection part" is provided for every clearance gap SP along the transversal direction DY.

  In addition, the number of combinations of connecting portions using rubber rod-shaped bodies is arbitrary, and when only the rubber rod-shaped body 9 at the center is used, or the combination of rubber rod-shaped bodies 8 and 10 on both sides is used. It may be.

  The width dimension (corresponding to the width WA of FIG. 2) in the longitudinal direction DX of the floor slat 1 illustrated in FIG. 3 is set to be the same as the width dimension WB of the cage body 100 shown in FIG. (WA = WB).

  Moreover, the filth excreted by the experimental animal falls onto the floor surface through the opening portion of the cage body 100 through the gap SP where the “connecting portion” exists.

<How to clean floor slats>
A method for cleaning the floor slats, particularly the back surface, when the floor slats 1 of FIG. 3 are used will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a state when the back surface of the floor slat 1 illustrated in FIG. 3 is cleaned.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the operator 15 enters the cage main body 100 in which the laboratory animal 16 such as a dog is held with a water discharger 17, and places the experimental animal 16 in the cage main body 100. The cleaning operation is started in the state of being left.

  The operator 15 performs an operation of grasping an end of the floor slat 1 or the like, for example, the front end 1EA, lifting the floor slat 1 or the like, and pulling the floor slat 1 or the like toward the body. If it does so, the elastic body part of each connection part illustrated in Drawing 3 will bend along the direction which raises. Therefore, the back side portion of the slat material 4 positioned on the end 1EA side of the floor slat 1 or the like is sequentially raised and exposed to the operator side. In this state, the worker 15 cleans the back side portion of the slatted material 4 that has been rolled up by the bending operation of the connecting portion by watering the water discharger 17. Such a cleaning operation is an easy operation because the back surface of the slatted material 4 with dirt is rolled up and exposed to the operator side. Of course, there is no need to remove the floor slat 1 etc. and take it out of the cage body 100 during cleaning. Cleaning and subsequent disinfection of the floor stool 1 etc. is carried out in the cage body 100. Is called.

  In addition, when the dimensional relationship of WA = WB is established, the floor slats 1 etc. are lifted up while the floor slats 1 etc. are lifted up and the operator 15 is cleaning the back side. Therefore, the animal 16 for experiment cannot go out to the place where the floor slats 1 etc. are not present. As a result, escape of the experimental animal 16 from the cage body 100 or falling to the floor surface is prevented. Therefore, it is not necessary to move the experimental animal 16 from the cage body 100 to another external location in advance when performing the cleaning / disinfection of the floor slats 1 or the like. During the work such as cleaning the floor slat 1 or the like, the experimental animal 16 remains in the cage body 100 together with the worker 15.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of the floor slat 1 and the like according to the present embodiment. The difference between the floor slats 1 and the like according to the present embodiment and the floor slats 1 and the like according to the first embodiment lies in the configuration of the connecting portions provided in the gaps SP of the facing slats. Therefore, operation and effect of this embodiment is the same as the functions and effects described in Embodiment 1 of implementation.

  As illustrated in FIG. 5, the number of connecting portions provided in the gap SP of the facing sawboard material 4 </ b> A is at least one. Desirably, a plurality of connecting portions are provided in each gap SP. Each connecting portion in the gap SP includes a joint portion 18A provided on the surface of one of the slatted material 4A, a joint portion 18B provided on the surface of the other slatted material 4A, and one end portion and the other end portion thereof. Are composed of metal fittings 19 as “elastic body portions” inserted and fixed in the joint portions 18A and 18B, respectively. The metal fitting 19 is made of a metal member exhibiting elasticity that can be freely bent in a direction substantially orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG. 5, and is a rod-like body having a small diameter or a plate-like body having a small thickness.

  As a result of the operator lifting and pulling one end 1EA, 1EB of the floor slat 1 illustrated in FIG. The back side portions of the floor slats 1 and the like that have been made are sequentially raised and exposed to the operator side.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 6 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of the floor slat 1 according to the present embodiment. The floor slat 1 is constructed by connecting at least two floor slats that are laid on the peripheral edge of the bottom of the cage body so as to be freely liftable from the end and have an opening facing the floor. In the configuration example of FIG. 6, three floor slats FSA, FSB, and FSC are connected by a connecting portion exhibiting elasticity to constitute one floor slat 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the elastic body portion of at least one connecting portion that is provided in the gap SP between the opposing floor slats FSA, FSB or FSB, FSC and connects the two slats is implemented. Similar to the second embodiment, the metal fitting 19 can be bent freely.

In this embodiment, although it is for each floor slat, the same action / effect as that already described in the first embodiment can be obtained.

(Appendix)
While the embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed and described in detail above, the above description exemplifies aspects to which the present invention can be applied, and the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, various modifications and / or variations on the described aspects can be considered without departing from the scope of the invention.

The present invention is suitable for application to laboratory animal breeding cages and floor slats for breeding laboratory animals such as dogs or pigs in a facility.

1, 1A, 1B, 1C Floor slat 100 Cage body 2 Bottom 4, 4A Saw slat 8, 9, 10 Rubber rod 19 Metal fitting SP Clearance 15 Worker 16 Laboratory animal

Claims (5)

A cage body for breeding laboratory animals therein, comprising a bottom having an opening facing the floor surrounded by a peripheral edge;
A floor slat that is laid on the peripheral edge of the bottom of the cage body so as to be freely liftable from an end;
The floor slats are
Each of them has a plurality of predetermined shapes that extend in the longitudinal direction and are arranged in parallel in a saddle shape through a gap that is dimensioned so that the experimental animal does not fall on the floor along the lateral direction. Of slatted wood,
Each of them includes a plurality of connecting portions, each of which includes an elastic body portion that is provided in the gap between the opposing two of the plurality of slatted materials and connects the two slatted materials and bends freely. A laboratory animal breeding cage characterized by that. A laboratory animal breeding cage according to claim 1,
A laboratory animal breeding cage, wherein a width dimension of the floor slat in the longitudinal direction is substantially equal to a width dimension of the cage body. A cage body for breeding laboratory animals therein, comprising a bottom having an opening facing the floor surrounded by a peripheral edge;
At least two floor slats that are laid on the peripheral edge of the bottom of the cage body so as to be freely liftable from the end and that have an opening facing the floor, and of the at least two floor slats And at least one connecting portion having an elastic body portion that is provided in a gap between the two floor slats facing each other and connects the slats and bends freely. cage. A laboratory animal breeding cage according to claim 3,
Each of the at least two floor slats is:
A laboratory animal breeding cage comprising a metal plate on which a plurality of meshes are formed. A floor slat for laboratory animal breeding cages , comprising the floor slat according to claim 1 or 2, or the at least two floor slats according to claim 3 or 4.

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