Animal husbandry – Confining or housing – Animal display or open work enclosure
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-08
2003-04-29
Price, Thomas (Department: 3643)
Animal husbandry
Confining or housing
Animal display or open work enclosure
Reexamination Certificate
active
06553939
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to the field of animal husbandry, and, more particularly, to an improved methods of changing and/or cleaning the cages of laboratory animals, and wheeled racks for use of practicing such improved methods.
BACKGROUND ART
There is a recognized need for the use of laboratory animals, such as transgenic mice, to study disease, genetic composition and deficiencies. Mice are commonly stored in cages that consist of three parts: (a) a bottom, usually made of a clear polycarbonate resin plastic material (e.g., Lexan®, made by the General Electric Co.); (b) a grill, supporting food, water bottle and the like; and (c) a lid that snaps to the bottom and that holds the grill in place in the assembled cage. It is common to place clean bedding, such as cedar shavings or the like, in the bottom when the cage is assembled and before a laboratory animal is placed therein. This bedding becomes soiled with passage of time. Hence, it is necessary to periodically change the bedding, and to clean the cage. Often, there are many cages that require such routine servicing. A soiled cage must be disassembled, washed, sterilized and charged with fresh bedding before it is capable for reuse. Robotic arms have been developed to take the disassembled cage bottoms, invert them to dump the soiled bedding therefrom, and to place the upside-down dirty cages on a conveyor that leads to a tunnel washer. Other robotic arms have been developed to receive the cleaned bottoms from a tunnel washer, to invert them so that they are rightside-up, to recharge them with fresh bedding, and to stack them prior to storage.
There is believed to be a continuing need for improved methods of changing and/or cleaning the cages of laboratory animals, and for improved racks for use in practicing these methods.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
With parenthetical reference to the corresponding parts, portions or surfaces of the disclosed embodiment, merely for purposes of illustration and not by way of limitation, the present invention provides an improved method of changing and cleaning the cage of a laboratory animal, and provides improved apparatus for use in practicing this method.
In one aspect, the invention provides an improved method of cleaning and/or changing the cage of a laboratory animal, the cage including a bottom (
31
), a grill (
32
) and a lid (
38
). This method broadly includes the steps of: providing a first rack (
20
) having a first plurality of stations for holding a corresponding plurality of bottoms, grills and lids, the stations holding at least one bottom, grill and lid; removing a bottom, grill and lid from the first rack; assembling a clean cage from the bottom, grill and lid removed from the first rack; providing a dirty cage; disassembling the dirty cage into its bottom, grill and lid components; providing a second rack (
20
) having a plurality of stations for holding a corresponding plurality of bottoms, grills and lids, this second rack having space for at least one bottom, grill and lid; placing said dirty grill and lid on the second rack; washing the dirty grill and lid while mounted on the second rack; removing soiled bedding from the dirty bottom; washing the dirty bottom; and placing the washed bottom on the second rack; thereby to change and clean the cage of the laboratory animal.
The dirty cage may contain a laboratory animal, and the improved method may include the step of transferring the laboratory animal from the dirty cage to the clean cage. The method may include the additional step of adding clean bedding to the washed bottom prior to its placement on the second rack. Indeed, this method may include the steps of placing the washed bottom on a pallet and transferring the pallet to the second rack. The method may further include the additional step of sterilizing the second rack with the wash bottom, grill and lid thereon. In the illustrated form, the lids are slidably mounted on the second rack.
In a preferred form of the invention, a third rack (
21
) is provided. This third rack has a plurality of stations for holding a corresponding plurality of bottoms, grills and lids. The second rack (
20
) is adapted to be selectively coupled to the third rack (
21
) before the dirty grills and lids are washed. The second and third racks may be uncoupled after the dirty grills and lids have been washed.
In another aspect, the invention provides improved apparatus for use in changing the cages of laboratory animals, each cage including a bottom, a grill and a lid. The improved apparatus broadly includes: a first rack having a plurality of stations for holding a corresponding first plurality of bottoms, grills and lids; a second rack having a second plurality of stations for holding a corresponding second plurality of bottoms, grills and lids; and a coupling mechanism for releasably joining the first and second racks; whereby the first and second racks may be selectively joined or separated. This coupling mechanism may include a hook (
40
) on one of the racks and a catch (
41
) on the other of the racks. The coupling mechanism may further include a release mechanism for selectively releasing the hook and catch. This release mechanism may be foot operated.
In still another aspect, the invention provides an improved rack for use in changing the cages of laboratory animals, each cage including a bottom, a grill and a lid. The improved rack broadly includes a vertically-elongated frame having four sides; a panel mounted on the frame for selective movement between a first position at which the panel is arranged substantially parallel to one of the sides and a second position at which the panel is arranged substantially parallel to a second of the sides; whereby the panel may be moved to the second position to expose the interior of the frame.
The improved rack may further include a first link having one end pivotally connected to the frame and having another end pivotally connected to the panel; and a second link having one end pivotally connected to the frame and having another end pivotally connected to the panel. The panel and two of the sides may have slots for receiving and holding the lids. Preferably, one of the frame sides is open to permit wash water to enter the volume within the frame so as wash articles held therein. The frame may have an interior space that is accessible when the panel is in the second position and wherein such interior space may be divided into one area for storing a plurality of grills and another area for storing a plurality of bottoms. In the preferred embodiment, the other area is operatively arranged to receive and store a pallet containing a plurality of bottoms.
Accordingly, the general object of the invention is to provide an improved method of changing and/or cleaning the cage of a laboratory animal.
Another object is to provide improved apparatus for use in changing the cages of laboratory animals, this improved apparatus having first and second racks that are selectively couplable during different stages of the cage-changing operation.
Another object is to provide an improved rack for use in changing the cages of laboratory animals.
Still another object is to provide improved racks for use in an automated cage processing system.
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Austin Daryl E.
Horeth Edward J.
Leichter Gordon N.
Vordonis James S.
Getinge/Castle, Inc.
Phillips, Lytle, Hitchcock, Blaine & Huber LLP
Price Thomas
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