Multi-channel evaluation device for olfactory function of small animals

Abstract

A multi-channel evaluation device for the olfactory function of small animals relates to the technical field of medical instruments. The device comprises a base frame and a plurality of experimental chambers mounted on the base frame. The base frame is fixed with a chamber bottom plate that covers the bottom of each experimental chamber, the base frame is provided with a liftable support plate, and a locking member for locking the support plate is fixed on the base frame; the support plate is located below the chamber bottom plate, and a plurality of test columns protruding upward are fixed on the support plate, and the upper ends of the test columns are flush; the chamber bottom plate is provided with a test hole that passes through from top to bottom at the bottom of each experimental chamber, and there is a test column directly below each test hole; the upper end of the test column is provided with a food tray for placing food. The device provided by the present invention is used to test the olfactory function of small animals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to medical instrument technology, and in particular to the technology of a multi-channel evaluation device for olfactory function of small animals. Background Art

[0002] At present, the commonly used method for testing the olfactory function of small animals such as mice and rabbits is the food pellet burying method. This method buries the food pellets in the bedding. The burial position of the food pellets is randomly selected and the burial depth is 1 to 2 cm. After the food pellets are buried, the test animals are placed in the experimental container (usually a cage or foam box). If the test animals do not find the food pellets within 300 seconds (taking the average of 5 tests), it is determined that the test animals have olfactory dysfunction. Although this method is simple and easy to use, it has the following disadvantages:

[0003] 1) During the experiment, the observer needs to get close to the experimental container to observe the foraging behavior of the test animals. The test animals may be affected by the observer and change their foraging behavior, which may lead to errors in the test results.

[0004] 2) The number of small animals that an observer can observe at one time is limited, so the detection efficiency is not high.

[0005] 3) The burial depth of food pellets is not uniform, which will affect the accuracy of the test results. Summary of the invention

[0006] In view of the defects existing in the above-mentioned prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a multi-channel evaluation device for the olfactory function of small animals which can test the olfactory function of multiple small animals at the same time, improve the detection efficiency, and improve the accuracy of the detection results.

[0007] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a multi-channel evaluation device for the olfactory function of small animals, comprising a base frame, and a plurality of experimental chambers mounted on the base frame, wherein a chamber bottom plate covering the bottom of each experimental chamber is fixed on the base frame, and the device is characterized in that:

[0008] The base frame is provided with a liftable support plate, and a locking member for locking the support plate is fixed on the base frame; the support plate is located below the bottom plate of the bin, and a plurality of test columns protruding upward are fixed on the support plate, and the upper ends of the test columns are flush;

[0009] The bottom plate of each test chamber is provided with a test hole which passes through from top to bottom, and there is a test column directly below each test hole;

[0010] The upper end of the test column is provided with a food tray for placing food.

[0011] Furthermore, a weight sensor for detecting the weight of the food tray is provided at the upper end of the test column, and a plurality of electronic timers corresponding to the weight sensors on each test column and a test controller for controlling the operation of each electronic timer are installed on the base frame;

[0012] The weight sensors on the various test columns are respectively connected to the various sensor signal input ports of the test controller, and the various control signal output ports of the test controller are respectively connected to the start and stop control ports of the various electronic timers.

[0013] The multi-channel evaluation device for the olfactory function of small animals provided by the present invention has a uniform placement depth of food pellets in each experimental chamber, which can reduce experimental errors. Therefore, the accuracy of its detection results is higher than that of existing detection methods. In addition, by using a weight sensor in conjunction with an electronic timer, the olfactory functions of multiple small animals can be tested at the same time, which can improve the detection efficiency. In addition, there is no need for operators to observe nearby, which can avoid external factors affecting the foraging behavior of the test animals, and can further improve the accuracy of the detection results. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 is a front view of a multi-channel evaluation device for olfactory function of small animals according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 2 4 is a top view of a bin bottom plate in a multi-channel evaluation device for olfactory function of small animals according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The following is a further detailed description of an embodiment of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but this embodiment is not intended to limit the present invention. All similar structures and similar variations of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention. The commas in the present invention all represent the relationship of and.

[0017] like Figure 1-Figure 2 As shown, a multi-channel evaluation device for olfactory function of small animals provided in an embodiment of the present invention comprises a base frame 1, and a plurality of experimental chambers 2 mounted on the base frame, a chamber bottom plate 4 covering the bottom of each experimental chamber is fixed on the base frame, and the experimental chamber is provided with a chamber door 3;

[0018] The base frame is provided with a liftable support plate 5, and a locking member 8 for locking the support plate 5 is fixed on the base frame; the support plate 5 is located below the warehouse bottom plate 4, and a plurality of test columns 6 protruding upward are fixed on the support plate, and the upper ends of the test columns are flush;

[0019] The chamber bottom plate 4 is provided with a vertically penetrating test hole 9 at the bottom of each experimental chamber, and a test column 6 is provided directly below each test hole;

[0020] The upper end of the test column 6 is provided with a food tray 7 for placing food, and a weight sensor (not shown in the figure) for detecting the weight of the food tray. The bottom frame is provided with a plurality of electronic timers (not shown in the figure) corresponding to the weight sensors on each test column, and a test controller (not shown in the figure) for controlling the operation of each electronic timer.

[0021] The weight sensors on the various test columns are respectively connected to the various sensor signal input ports of the test controller, and the various control signal output ports of the test controller are respectively connected to the start and stop control ports of the various electronic timers.

[0022] In an embodiment of the present invention, the test controller adopts a single-chip microcomputer, which is used to receive the sensing signals of each weight sensor and control the start and stop of each electronic timer according to the sensing signals of each weight sensor. The connection method between the single-chip microcomputer and the weight sensor and the electronic timer, and the method of controlling the operation of the electronic timer according to the signal of the weight sensor by the single-chip microcomputer are all prior arts, which are recorded in many patent documents. This embodiment will not be repeated here. For example, the patent document with patent number 202021900326.7 records the method of the controller controlling the operation of the timer according to the signal of the weight sensor.

[0023] The embodiment of the present invention can test the olfactory function of multiple small animals at the same time, and its use method is as follows:

[0024] A food pellet is placed in each test hole 9, and the bottom of the food pellet is supported by a food tray 7 at the upper end of each test column 6; the depth of the food pellet in the test hole 9 is adjusted by lifting the support plate 5 according to the test requirements of the test animal, and the support plate 5 is locked with a locking member 8 after the adjustment is completed;

[0025] Then, the test animals are placed in each experimental chamber 2, and the test controller is used to control each electronic timer to start timing. When a test animal eats the food pellet in the test hole 9, the test controller detects through the weight sensor that the weight of the food tray holding the food pellet is reduced, and then sends a corresponding signal to control the corresponding electronic timer to stop timing;

[0026] The operator can know the time taken by each test animal to eat the food pellet through the timing record on the electronic timer, and evaluate the olfactory function of each test animal based on the timing time.

[0027] In other embodiments of the present invention, the weight sensor, electronic timer, and test controller may not be provided, and manual timing may be used to time the time it takes for the test animal to eat the food pellets. However, the detection accuracy of the manual timing method is slightly worse than that of the electronic timing method, and it also requires the operator to observe closely, which will affect the foraging behavior of the test animal. However, since the placement depth of the food pellets in each experimental chamber is uniform, its detection accuracy is still higher than that of the existing detection method.

Claims

1. A multi-channel evaluation device for olfactory function of small animals, comprising a base frame, and a plurality of experimental chambers mounted on the base frame, wherein a chamber bottom plate covering the bottom of each experimental chamber is fixed on the base frame, characterized in that: The base frame is provided with a liftable support plate, and a locking member for locking the support plate is fixed on the base frame; the support plate is located below the bottom plate of the bin, and a plurality of test columns protruding upward are fixed on the support plate, and the upper ends of the test columns are flush; The bottom plate of each test chamber is provided with a test hole which passes through from top to bottom, and there is a test column directly below each test hole; The upper end of the test column is provided with a food tray for placing food; The upper end of the test column is provided with a weight sensor for detecting the weight of the food tray, and the bottom frame is provided with a plurality of electronic timers corresponding to the weight sensors on each test column, and a test controller for controlling the operation of each electronic timer; The weight sensors on the various test columns are respectively connected to the various sensor signal input ports of the test controller, and the various control signal output ports of the test controller are respectively connected to the start and stop control ports of the various electronic timers.

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