Automatic feeder device, system and method thereof

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the invention, an automated feeder device for feeding rodents in a cage is provided. The automatic feeder comprises a food container for containing food, and the food container comprises a contactable area and a blocking area. The food container is configured to be automatically switched between a contactable state and a blocking state, in the contactable state, food can be taken by rodents, and in the blocking state, the food is blocked and cannot be taken by the rodents.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 598,147, filed on November 13, 2023, entitled “A programmable automatic feeder system for time-restricted feeding in rodents,” and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 18 / 941,030, filed on November 8, 2024, entitled “Automatic feeder apparatus, system, and methods thereof,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to the feeding of rodents. Background Art

[0004] Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field.

[0005] Time-restricted feeding (TRF) is a commonly used weight loss strategy. TRF, including intermittent fasting (IF), is a method of controlling feeding and fasting patterns for a limited time. Studies have shown that TRF can improve the process of biological aging, thereby extending the lifespan and healthspan of organisms. An increasing number of studies are focusing on investigating the molecular pathways and behavioral improvements associated with TRF. A large number of TRF protocols have also been implemented in rodents. However, conducting TRF experiments usually requires researchers to manually add and remove food from rodents at fixed time points. This protocol is labor-intensive and requires a lot of manpower and time.

[0006] Rodents are nocturnal animals and typically eat at night. TRF protocols are particularly challenging to study during nighttime feeding that follows the circadian rhythm of rodents. Due to the large scale of laboratory feeding, cage size and the need to reduce food contamination must be considered. Domestic pet food trays are often large and pets receive their food directly from the food tray. As a result, food is more susceptible to being stepped on and contaminated with feces. To reduce food contamination, laboratory rodent food trays are often located on top of the cage (e.g., Figure 1A Visible). Rodents access food from the top of the cage.

[0007] Although there are several feeders for laboratory rodents on the market, these products are cumbersome to use or do not implement a true TRF protocol. Most currently available automatic feeders only provide a timed food delivery feature. For example, Tecniplast offers a series of cages. Each cage includes a food tray on the top of the cage. Figure 1A A simplified diagram of a Tenebris cage 100 is shown. The cage 100 can be covered with a cover 110. Both the cage 100 and the cover 110 are made of a transparent material such as PP, PC or PSU, which facilitates observation of the rodent 104 in the cage 100. A food tray 102 is provided on the top of the cage 100 so that the rodent 104 can access food 106 below. The food tray 102 can separately accommodate a food container 106 and a water container (such as a water bag or a water bottle).

[0008] Figure 1B A simplified diagram of a BioDAQ feeder 120 mounted on a cage 122 for housing rodents 104 is shown. The cage 122 is provided with a cage opening 124 so that the feeder 120 can be mounted on the cage 122 with the feeder opening 126 aligned with the cage opening 124. This is less compatible with existing top feeding cages because the cages must have the cage opening 124 on the side of the cage. An inclined plate 128 is provided inside the feeder 120, and only a small amount of food 106 can reach the bottom of the feeder 120. Summary of the invention

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an automatic feeder device for feeding rodents in a cage is provided. The automatic feeder device includes a food container for holding food. The food container includes a contactable area and a blocking area. The food container is configured to automatically switch between a contactable state and a blocking state, in which the food can be taken by the rodent and in which the food is blocked from being taken by the rodent.

[0010] According to some embodiments, the food container comprises a guard for forming the blocking area.

[0011] According to some embodiments, the food container comprises a food compartment for holding food. The food compartment is movable within the food container between the accessible area and the blocking area to switch the food container between the accessible state and the blocking state.

[0012] According to some embodiments, the food compartment is formed between a pair of plates.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the food container comprises a guide rail for guiding the movement of the pair of plates. The pair of plates can move between the contactable area and the blocking area along the guide rail.

[0014] According to some embodiments, one or more openings are provided on the top of the space between the pair of plates for storing food into the food compartment.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the food container is rotatable to switch between the accessible state and the blocking state.

[0016] According to some embodiments, the food container includes: a cylindrical body; and a guard member for covering a circumferential portion of the cylindrical body to form the blocking area.

[0017] According to some embodiments, the food container comprises a food tray with a grid for enabling a rodent to gain access to the food in the accessible area.

[0018] According to some embodiments, the spacing between adjacent grids is smaller than the size of food, so that food can be placed on the food tray.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an automatic feeder system is provided. The automatic feeder system comprises: an automatic feeder according to one or more embodiments; a driver for driving the automatic feeder device so that the food container of the automatic feeder device can be switched between the contactable state and the blocked state; and a circuit for implementing a time-limited feeding (TRF) scheme of the automatic feeder device.

[0020] According to some embodiments, the actuator includes a set of a motor, a linear actuator and an electromagnetic cylinder.

[0021] According to some embodiments, the food container includes a food compartment for holding food. The food compartment is formed between a pair of plates. The food container includes a guide rail for guiding the pair of plates to move so that the pair of plates can move along the guide rail. The automatic feeder system also includes a Hall sensor for detecting the driver current.

[0022] According to some embodiments, the circuit is configured to control the driver such that the pair of plates applies a spring-back function when an increase in current of the driver is detected by the Hall sensor.

[0023] According to some embodiments, the food container is rotatable to switch between the accessible state and the blocking state, and the rotation speed of the food container is 6 revolutions per minute (RPM).

[0024] According to some embodiments, the automatic feeder system is configured to operate at a voltage no greater than 12V.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for feeding rodents by using one or more embodiments of the automatic feeder system is provided, wherein the method comprises: presetting a TRF scheme, and applying the TRF scheme to the automatic feeder device by executing the circuit to feed the rodents.

[0026] According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, applying the TRF scheme includes: at a first preset time point, driving the automatic feeder device by executing the driver through the circuit to switch the food container to the accessible state for feeding rodents; and at a second preset time point, driving the automatic feeder device by executing the driver through the circuit to switch the food container to the blocked state, thereby stopping feeding rodents.

[0027] According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, driving the automatic feeder device to switch the food container to the accessible state includes: linearly moving a food compartment of the food container between the accessible area and the blocking area within the food container, the food compartment containing food; or rotating the food container to move the food between the accessible area and the blocking area.

[0028] According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a system for feeding rodents in a plurality of cages is provided. The system comprises: a plurality of automatic feeder systems and a computer system. Each automatic feeder system is an automatic feeder system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, and corresponds to a corresponding cage in the plurality of cages. The computer system comprises a time-limited feeding (TRF) application for implementing a TRF scheme for the rodents in the plurality of cages by simultaneously switching the states of the automatic feeder devices of the plurality of automatic feeder systems.

[0029] Other example embodiments are also discussed herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided for illustration purposes only and show only exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The drawings are provided to facilitate understanding of the present disclosure and should not be considered limiting of the breadth, scope, or applicability of the present disclosure. The drawings are not drawn to scale unless otherwise specified. Certain portions of the drawings may be highlighted for purposes of explanation and should not be considered limiting unless otherwise specified.

[0031] Figure 1A A prior art Tenebris cage is shown.

[0032] Figure 1B A prior art BioDAQ feeder system is shown.

[0033] Figure 2A is a front schematic diagram of a rodent cage and automatic feeder apparatus according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 2B yes Figure 2A Schematic side view of a rodent cage and automatic feeder apparatus.

[0035] Figure 2C is a top view schematic diagram of an arrangement of a rodent cage and an automatic feeder apparatus according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 2D is a schematic diagram of another arrangement of a rodent cage and an automatic feeder apparatus according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 2E is a front view schematic diagram of an open rodent cage and automatic feeder apparatus according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 2F yes Figure 2E Schematic side view of an open rodent cage and automatic feeder apparatus.

[0039] Figure 3A is a top view schematic diagram of an automatic feeder apparatus and a rodent cage according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 3B According to some embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 3A Schematic diagram of a pair of plates and rails used in an automatic feeder apparatus.

[0041] Figure 3C A food container according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure is shown switching between an accessible state and a blocking state.

[0042] Figure 4A An automatic feeder system and a rodent cage are shown from an angle, according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 4B An automatic feeder system and a rodent cage are shown from another angle, according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 4C An automatic feeder system and rodent cage are shown from yet another angle, according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 5A is a schematic diagram of a food container in (a) an accessible state and (b) a blocking state according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 5B Shows some embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 5A Operation of a food container in (a) an accessible state and (b) a blocked state.

[0047] Fig. 6A is a schematic diagram of an automatic feeder device according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein the food container is in a blocked state.

[0048] Figure 6B According to some embodiments of the present disclosure Fig. 6A Schematic diagram of an automatic feeder device in which the food container is in an accessible state.

[0049] Figure 7 An automatic feeder system according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0050] Figure 8 An example of a user interface for an automatic feeder system implementing a desired periodic fasting and feeding cycle is shown according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0051] Fig. 9 A system for feeding rodents in a plurality of cages according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the following examples, which are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and non-restrictive.

[0053] Throughout the description and claims, the words "includes," "including," and the like should be read as inclusive rather than exclusive or exhaustive; that is, as meaning "including but not limited to."

[0054] In addition, as used herein, the use of ordinal adjectives "first," "second," etc. to describe common objects merely indicates that different instances of similar objects are referred to, and is not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence in time, space, order, or in any other manner, unless otherwise specified.

[0055] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide automatic feeder devices, systems, and methods thereof having improved performance.

[0056] The inventors appreciate one or more disadvantages associated with existing feeders. For example, many currently available feeders are primarily designed for home use and are relatively large, which is disadvantageous for certain applications, such as scientific research. Many existing feeders are very bulky, and installation of the equipment requires a large workspace, making them unsuitable for long-term and large-scale experiments. For example, many feeders are only designed for open cages and are not suitable for independently ventilated cages (IVCs) with higher hygienic standards. In addition, although some feeders have the function of dispensing food at a fixed time, there is no function of blocking access to food. Therefore, it will be difficult to determine the initial food input to ensure that there is no remaining food during the fasting period. Therefore, these feeders cannot ensure that a true fasting cycle continues to occur and achieve a true TRF scheme.

[0057] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide an automatic feeder system, the system comprising an automatic feeder device having a novel design. The system can be small-scale and can implement a true time-limited feeding program.

[0058] According to one or more embodiments, food intake time can be limited in an automatic manner. In addition, feeding schemes (such as food intake time) can also be selectively programmable. This setting is compatible with various traditional animal feeding racks and animal feeding rooms. Users can set programmable repetition schemes according to their needs. A true TRF scheme can be implemented. Food (such as food pellets or food blocks) can be transferred between accessible areas and blocking areas in a food container at preset time points to allow or prevent rodents from accessing food.

[0059] One or more embodiments provide a kind of automatic feeder device or system, it can realize TRF when reducing or reducing human intervention as far as possible.Described scheme is programmable, and in this sense in some embodiments, described device or system is also referred to as programmable automatic feeder device or system.Automatic feeder mechanism provided herein limits food intake time in a programmable and automatic manner.It allows laboratory operator or researcher to set programmable repetitive scheme according to the experimental needs of researcher, comprises flexible feeding and fasting period.Automatic feeder allows to prevent rodent from taking food during fasting period, and this realizes real fasting cycle, because there is no remaining food particles or food pieces available for taking.

[0060] One or more embodiments provide a fully automatic automatic feeder system. A programmable circuit or computer system allows an experimental user to set a desired repeated fasting and feeding scheme. At a preset time point, according to a pre-planned scheme, a food container included in the automatic feeder system can automatically switch between an accessible state (in which the food can be taken by a rodent) and a blocked state (in which the food is blocked and not taken by a rodent). The state switching can be achieved by operating the food container. The operation can be performed on the food container or on one or more specific parts of the food container. For example, the state switching can be achieved by moving a food compartment containing food in the food container between an accessible area and a blocked area of ​​the food container. For another example, the state switching can be achieved by rotating the food container to expose the food to the rodents in the rodent cage or to block the food from being taken by the rodents in the rodent cage. The system can meet the needs of users while reducing or minimizing the manpower required. This is more advantageous than the existing time-consuming and labor-intensive systems, in which food needs to be manually added or removed at fixed time points.

[0061] One or more embodiments provide a system for feeding rodents in multiple cages. The system can control all connected cages to switch their states simultaneously. Therefore, experimental studies on a large number of rodents can be conducted efficiently and effectively, allowing for improved comparability of experimental results in terms of accuracy, consistency, and other factors.

[0062] One or more embodiments provide an automatic feeder system that increases the flexibility of setting up a TRF protocol. The system enables the user to set feeding and fasting cycles at any time, with better and higher flexibility. Fasting and feeding cycles can be as short as 1 minute, and there is no upper limit to the cycle length. This is an advantage over existing systems, where the feasibility of experimental time points is often limited by available manpower, especially during night feeding.

[0063] When the food tray is used as a food container or forms a part of a food container, one or more embodiments provide highly flexible food selection. Any food particles or food pieces with a diameter greater than the grid of the food tray are compatible with the system. Other diets can be used, including but not limited to high fat diet and tamoxifen (Tamoxifen) diet. The user can implement various experimental procedures according to the TRF scheme.

[0064] One or more embodiments utilize a mechanism including a food barrier to achieve true fasting. The inventors have recognized that if too much food is not consumed during the feeding period, the rodents can still freely consume food during the fasting period, thereby undermining the TRF protocol. If too little food is provided, the effect of limiting caloric intake will be taken into account, so the impact of fasting cannot be accurately determined. To overcome these disadvantages, according to some embodiments, a protective member covers a portion of a special food tray. Food in the form of particles is placed between two plates. These plates can move along guides between an accessible area and a barrier area so that no remaining food can be accessed by the rodent during the fasting period. In these embodiments, at a preset time point, the food particles are transferred to the unblocked side of the food tray so that the caged rodent can access the food particles. On the other hand, the food particles are transferred to the barrier area to prevent access to food during the fasting period. According to some other embodiments, a partially shielded cylindrical food container is installed. The food particles are always located at the bottom due to gravity. The rotation of the cylindrical food container can switch the food particles between being exposed to the rodent and being blocked from the rodent. These designs ensure that the housed rodents are fed only at designated time points without imposing caloric restriction or introducing any other factors that could affect experimental outcomes.

[0065] One or more embodiments provide an automatic feeder device or system, which has better adaptability and higher compatibility with laboratory animal cages. According to some embodiments, a common food tray can be used, and the tray can be further modified if necessary. For example, mechanical components can be installed above the food tray and below the cover. According to some other embodiments, the design of the cylindrical food container can be well assembled in an independent ventilation cage (IVC). The mechanical components are installed above or on the side of the food container and are located below the cover. In these embodiments, the automatic feeder device or system can be suitable for assembly into animal cages of various types and sizes, including but not limited to independent ventilation cages, open cages, mouse cages and rat cages. Electronic components such as connecting cables and programmable controllers are located next to the animal feeding rack. Space use is improved or minimized, and is compatible with traditional animal feeding racks and ordinary animal feeding areas.

[0066] One or more embodiments provide an automatic feeder device or system that can improve animal welfare protection. Mechanical components such as motors and printed circuit boards (PCBs) are located in places that rodents cannot reach, wherein the circuits of the printed circuit boards include various electronic components, such as one or more of microcontrollers, user interfaces, memories, etc. This can prevent rodents from damaging the automatic feeder device or system and ensure the safety of rodents.

[0067] One or more embodiments provide an automatic feeder device or system that can reduce noise. Many existing feeders use a crude vertical drop mechanism to release food particles into a tray, which can generate a lot of noise. Such existing devices may interfere with experimental rodents and other rodents in the same animal breeding room, thereby generating unnecessary stress and affecting their behavior. In order to avoid such unnecessary noise and environmental stimulation, one or more embodiments are implemented to move (such as sliding, rotating, etc.) food particles into the feeding space. The noise generated during the movement can be reduced to less than 60 decibels, and will not cause any reaction from the rodents during operation.

[0068] One or more embodiments provide an automatic feeder device or system with improved waterproof properties. At least some components of the automatic feeder device or system are constructed to be waterproof and spark-proof. During operation, heat or sparks generated by the automatic feeder device or system can be reduced or even avoided, thereby improving the safety of rodents and other personnel in the animal feeding room.

[0069] Other embodiments of automatic feeder devices, systems and methods thereof will be discussed below. The details described herein in relation to the various figures are exemplary and not exhaustive. Various variations of these embodiments are possible.

[0070] Figure 2A and 2B 2 are a front view schematic diagram and a side view schematic diagram of a rodent cage 200a and an automatic feeder device 220, respectively. The rodent cage 200a shown in this embodiment is an independently ventilated cage (IVC), but other types of cages may also be used. The automatic feeder device 220 is mounted on the rodent cage 200a for feeding the rodents staying in the cage.

[0071] The automatic feeder device 220 includes a food container 220a for holding food, such as food pellets or food blocks (e.g., biscuits) suitable for rodents. The food pellets or food blocks can have various shapes, including but not limited to cylindrical or rectangular shapes. The food container 220a includes a contactable area 202 (such as a pellet access site) and a blocking area 204 (such as a pellet blocking site). The food container 220a is configured to automatically switch between an accessible state (wherein the food is accessible to rodents) and a blocking state (wherein the food is blocked and not accessible to rodents).

[0072] For example, the food container 220a includes a guard for forming the blocking area 204. The guard can be a physical barrier to protect the food from being taken by rodents. The material of the guard is preferably strong and durable to prevent rodents from damaging it, and is further preferably corrosion-resistant to maintain animal welfare. In one or more embodiments, the guard is made of stainless steel.

[0073] like Figure 2A and 2B As shown, the food container 220a includes a food compartment 212 (such as a pellet storage area) for holding food. In some embodiments, the food compartment 212 can be moved between the accessible area 202 and the blocking area 204 in the food container 220a, thereby switching the food container 220a between an accessible state and a blocking state. When a rodent stays in the rodent living area 208, when the food is in the accessible area 202, the rodent can take the food, but when the food is in the blocking area 204, the rodent will be blocked by the guard and cannot take the food.

[0074] In the current embodiment, the food container 220a is disposed on an upper or top portion of the rodent cage 200a, which is covered with a lid 206. The rodent cage 200a may be any rodent cage compatible with the automatic feeder device 220, such as a Figure 1A In some embodiments, in order to make full use of the laboratory space, dozens or even tens of rodent cages can be arranged on the rack system. The rack system can include several layers. On each layer, multiple rodent cages are arranged side by side. The rack system can be equipped with an independent ventilation system for ventilating and monitoring the air quality of dozens of rodent cages together. The ventilation system can also exhaust the dirty air inside the rodent cage to the outside of the laboratory.

[0075] For example, the food container 220a can occupy a portion of the top space of the rodent cage 200a to leave the rodent living area 208 below the food container 220a for the rodents to move around. In some embodiments, the food container 220a can be a food tray with a grid. The food container 220a can be provided with a mesh 209 for the rodents to grasp. When the food container 220a is in an accessible state, the grid allows the rodents to access the food at the accessible area 202 through the spacing of adjacent grids. Figure 2BAs shown, the accessible area 202 can be arranged at the bottom wall or side wall of the food container 220a. The food is in the form of food particles or food blocks. The spacing between adjacent grids is smaller than the size of the food, so that the food can be placed on the food tray without falling from the spacing. When the rodent intends to eat, it can pass through the spacing to obtain the food. The spacing can be smaller than the size of the food, but larger than the size of the rodent's nose or paw.

[0076] Figure 2C and 2D is a top view schematic diagram of a rodent cage 200 and an automatic feeder apparatus 220 having different arrangements according to certain embodiments. Figure 2C The automatic feeder device 220 is arranged along the shorter edge of the rodent cage 200 and includes a food compartment 212 and a water storage area 214. Figure 2D In the rodent cage 200, a food compartment 212 and a water storage area 214 are separately arranged. The larger food compartment 212 contains food, while the smaller water storage area 214 can hold a water container. The food compartment 212 can be arranged in different ways according to actual needs.

[0077] Figure 2E and Figure 2F Schematic diagrams of the front view and the side view of the open rodent cage 200b and the automatic feeder device 220 assembled to the open rodent cage 200b according to certain embodiments, respectively. The open rodent cage 200b has no cover. The automatic feeder device 220 covers the entire top of the rodent cage 200b, thereby preventing the rodents in the rodent living area 208 from escaping from the cage 200b. For example, the automatic feeder device 220 can have a mesh structure, which acts as a cover when assembled to the rodent cage. A water storage area 214 is set next to the food compartment 212. An accessible area 202 is provided so that the rodent can access the food stored in the food compartment 212 when the food compartment 212 is in an accessible state (blocking area is not shown). The rodent can obtain water and / or food through the food and water accessible portion 202a located at the bottom wall and / or side wall of the automatic feeder device 220.

[0078] Figure 3A An automatic feeder apparatus 300 and a rodent cage 300a are shown according to certain embodiments. Figure 3B According to some embodiments, Figure 3A The automatic feeder device 300 may be one or more specific embodiments of the automatic feeder device described above. The automatic feeder device 300 includes a food container 320a, which includes a contactable area 302 and a blocking area 304. Figure 3AAs shown, food container 320a includes a guard 310 for forming a blocking area 304. Guard 310 prevents rodents in rodent living area 308 from accessing food. Guard 310 can be made of a material that is not easily damaged by rodents and is corrosion-resistant to protect animal welfare. For example, such a material can be stainless steel. Accessible area 302 is not covered by guard 310, thereby allowing rodents to access food when food is placed in accessible area 302.

[0079] The food container 320a includes a food compartment 312 for holding food. Figure 3B As shown, the food compartment 312 is formed between a pair of plates 314, 316. In the current embodiment, the plates 314, 316 are arranged in parallel and extend downward from the guide rail 315. The guide rail 315 is attached or coupled to the pair of plates 314, 316, and directs or guides the movement of the two plates so that the plates 314, 316 can move (such as slide) along the guide rail 315 in either direction as shown by arrow 317. When the food compartment 312 moves with the plates 314, 316, the movement of the plates 314, 316 toward or away from the accessible area 302 or the blocking area 304 causes the food container 320a to switch between an accessible state (wherein the food can be taken by rodents) and a blocking state (wherein the food is blocked and not taken by rodents). In some embodiments, one or more openings are provided on the top of the space between the plates 314, 316 to facilitate food replenishment.

[0080] Figure 3C The food container 320a is shown in an accessible state ( Figure 3C The upper part of) and the blocking state ( Figure 3C ) between the lower part of the Figure 3C The area filled with horizontal stripes in the figure represents the blocking area 304. The process from top to bottom shows that the food compartment 312 for holding food 10 is moved from the accessible area 302 to the blocking area 304 through the movement of the plates 314, 316. When the food compartment 312 is located in the blocking area 304, the rodents in the rodent living area 308 cannot access the food due to the blocking of the guard. In contrast, the process from bottom to top shows that the food compartment 312 for holding food 10 is moved from the blocking area 304 to the accessible area 302 through the movement of the plates 314, 316. When the food compartment 312 is in the accessible area 302, the rodents can obtain the food for consumption.

[0081] Figure 4A , 4B 4C show an automatic feeder system and a rodent cage viewed from different angles according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. For the sake of illustration, only certain parts or components are shown, while other parts or components are omitted.

[0082] As shown, each figure shows a rodent cage 400a having a rodent living area 408 and an automatic feeder device 400 including a food container 420a, the food container including a food compartment 412, an accessible area 402, and a blocking area 404 covered by a guard 410. A pair of plates 414, 416 and a guide rail 415 are also shown. A mesh structure 409 is provided, which has a variety of uses, including being able to be grasped by a rodent, being used as a cover for a rodent cage, etc. In some embodiments, the mesh structure 409 is configured as a part of the rodent cage 400a, while in other embodiments, the mesh structure 409 is configured as a part of the automatic feeder device 400. Further, one or more openings can be provided at or adjacent to the accessible area 402 and / or the blocking area 404, so that food can be easily replenished.

[0083] In addition, if Figure 4A As shown, two printed circuit boards (PCBs) 450a and 450b are disposed on the top of the automatic feeder device 400. According to actual needs, the number of printed circuit boards can be less than two or more than two. Taking PCB 450a as an example, it includes a circuit 452 for applying various TRF schemes to the automatic feeder device 400.

[0084] The automatic feeder system is attached to the rodent cage 400a and can be modified to accommodate a variety of laboratory rodent cages (including but not limited to IVC or open cages). The automatic feeder system also includes a driver 454 for driving the automatic feeder device 400 so that the food container 420a can be switched between an accessible state and a blocked state. Figure 4C As shown, the driver can be implemented as a motor. In some embodiments, the driver can be a linear driver or an electromagnetic cylinder. Driver 454 is controlled by circuit 452. For example, circuit 452 controls the on / off state of driver 454 and its operating speed by monitoring the current flowing through the driver. Circuit 452 not only monitors the state of driver 454, but also adjusts the control of driver 454 based on the monitored information (such as load information). In the current embodiment, driver 454 can drive plates 414, 416 to move along guide rail 415 at a controllable speed such as 500μm / s, 1mm / s, 2mm / s, 5mm / s, 10mm / s or other customized speeds. In the current embodiment, the preferred speed is 1mm / s. In some embodiments, driver 454 drives the plate at a relatively slow speed to avoid rodents from being harmed.

[0085] In some embodiments, the automatic feeder system is provided with a rebound function. For example, the driver is a motor. A Hall sensor is provided to detect the current of the motor by measuring the magnetic field generated by the current flowing through the motor. As the load on the motor increases, the motor will consume more current to generate the necessary torque, which enhances the magnetic field. The Hall sensor can be placed near the current-carrying conductor or magnet in the motor and detects this change in the magnetic field and generates a corresponding voltage signal that can be detected by the circuit. When a rodent obstructs the movement of the food compartment, the load on the motor will increase. Therefore, the motor current will increase, which can be detected by the circuit through the Hall sensor. In this way, it can be detected whether the rodent obstructs the movement of the food compartment, and the safety of the system can be improved. For example, if a rodent attempts to contact the food tray during the movement of the plate, an increase in current caused by the increase in load caused by the rodent will be detected. In response, the circuit will first pause the motor and then drive the motor to rotate in reverse to move the plate back to its initial position. After a short pause, the plate will resume movement in the initial direction and eventually complete their cycle after the obstruction disappears. The rebound feature prevents injuries to rodents and users, thereby increasing the safety of the system.

[0086] In one or more embodiments, the automatic feeder system is designed to be waterproof and spark-proof. The system can operate at a voltage not greater than DC 12V. The motor is drip-proof and is protected by an additional cover. In one or more embodiments, the circuit, motor and other electronic equipment are arranged on the top of the rodent cage or other locations away from the rodent's touch. This can prevent the electronic equipment from being damaged by rodents on the one hand, and on the other hand, it can also avoid causing harm to the rodents. In addition, one or more other sensors can be added to the automatic feeder system. For example, a temperature sensor can sense high temperature conditions and can transmit temperature information to the circuit. A weight sensor can sense the weight of food placed in the food compartment and can transmit weight information to the circuit. The automatic feeder system can monitor food consumption during each feeding and fasting cycle.

[0087] Figure 5A is a schematic diagram of a food container 520a in (a) an accessible state and (b) a blocking state according to some embodiments. Figure 5B According to some embodiments, Figure 5A Operation of the food container 520a in (a) an accessible state and (b) a blocking state.

[0088] The food container 520a may be a food container of the automatic feeder device in one or more embodiments as described above. The food container 520a includes a contactable area 502 and a blocking area 504. The blocking area 504 is formed by covering a portion (such as 50%) of the inner surface or outer surface (such as a circumferential surface) of the food container 520a with a protective member 510. The blocking area may be formed by other means, such as a protective member integrally formed as a part of the food container 520a.

[0089] The food container 520a is capable of automatically switching between an accessible state, in which the food can be accessed by rodents in the rodent living area 508, and a blocked state, in which the food is blocked from being accessed by rodents in the rodent living area 508. Switching between these two states can be achieved by rotating the food container 520a around the rotation axis in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction (as indicated by the double-headed arrow). The state switching involves the rotation of the accessible area 502 and the blocking area 504. Only when the accessible area 502 is rotated to the lower position and exposed to the rodent living area 508 can the rodents access the food in the food container 520a because there is no guard blocking the food. For example, during feeding, the food container 520a is rotated to the point where the food particles 20 are exposed to the rodents ( Figure 5B (a)) and accessible to the rodent. During the fasting period, the food container 520a is rotated until the food particles 20 are located on top of the guard 510 ( Figure 5B (b)) and prevent the animal from taking the food particles 20. Note that due to gravity, the food particles 20 are always located in the lower part of the food container 520a, as shown in FIG. Figure 5B shown.

[0090] It can be understood that the rotation of the food container is driven by a driver, such as an electric motor, a linear drive or an electromagnetic cylinder. The driver can be controlled by a circuit with pre-stored instructions, thereby realizing automatic state switching of the food container. In some embodiments, a slow rotation function is provided. The rotation speed of the food container can be very slow, preset to 6 revolutions per minute (RPM) in the current embodiment, and can be adjusted according to actual needs, thereby avoiding damage to rodents.

[0091] Fig. 6A is a schematic diagram of an automatic feeder device 600 according to some embodiments, wherein a food container 620a is in a blocked state. Figure 6B yes Fig. 6ASchematic diagram of an automatic feeder device 600, wherein a food container 620a is in an accessible state. The food container 620a includes a cylindrical body 601 and a guard 610, which is used to cover the circumferential portion of the cylindrical body 601 to form a blocking area 604. The accessible area 602 is not covered by any guard. The guard 610 prevents rodents below from accessing the food in the food container 620a. The guard 610 can be made of a material such as stainless steel. As shown in the figure, the cylindrical body 601 can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around the rotation axis L along the rotation direction 617. During operation, due to gravity, the food is always located in the lower part of the cylindrical body 601, regardless of the rotation of the cylindrical body 601. That is, in the current embodiment, the physical position of the food compartment for holding food remains unchanged, but as the food container 620a rotates, the food compartment is alternately formed by the accessible area 602 or the blocking area 604. Only when the food compartment is formed by the accessible area 602 can the rodent access the food. Fig. 6A and 6B As further shown in the figure, a mesh structure 609 is provided and has a plurality of grids. The mesh structure 609 has a variety of uses, including being able to be grasped by a rodent, being used as a cover for a rodent cage, etc. Although the mesh structure 609 is shown as part of the automatic feeder device 600, this structure can also be configured in a different manner, such as as part of a rodent cage.

[0092] Figure 7 An automatic feeder system 700 according to some embodiments is shown. The automatic feeder system 700 includes an automatic feeder device 710, a driver 720, and a circuit 730. The automatic feeder device 710, the driver 720, and the circuit 730 may be specific embodiments of the automatic feeder device, the driver, and the circuit described above with reference to one or more embodiments, respectively.

[0093] The driver 720 is configured to drive the automatic feeder device 710 so that the food container of the automatic feeder device 710 can be switched between a contactable state and a blocked state, as shown in one or more embodiments described above. The circuit 730 applies the TRF scheme to the automatic feeder device 710. For example, researchers or users can design various TRF schemes according to certain needs or purposes. The TRF scheme can define fasting and / or feeding cycles with different time points or time intervals. The TRF scheme can include various variables related to the corresponding physical parameters or indicators of the rodent under study. The TRF scheme can be programmed into the circuit 730 in the form of computer instructions. The TRF scheme can be corrected, modified, preset and written into the above-mentioned system. The TRF scheme included in the system can be further programmed, updated or changed according to actual needs. When in operation, the circuit 730 executes the instructions thereon, and the driver 720 actuates the automatic feeder device 710, so that the automatic feeder device 710 can automatically switch to the desired state according to the preset scheme, so as to automatically complete the experiment based on the scheme without manual intervention.

[0094] The circuit 730 or a portion of the circuit 730 may be implemented on a local PCB and / or on a remote device connected by wire or wirelessly. The remote device may be implemented as a server, a computer, a laptop, a mobile device, etc. In some embodiments, a Hall sensor is provided for monitoring the current flowing through the driver 720, and the generated voltage signal is transmitted to the circuit 730, so that the circuit 730 can monitor the operation of the driver 720 and provide necessary instructions.

[0095] In one or more embodiments, the automatic feeder system 700 performs the method 70 for feeding rodents. At frame 72, a TRF scheme is preset. The TRF scheme can be any rodent feeding scheme according to actual needs. At frame 74, the TRF scheme is applied to the automatic feeder device by executing the circuit to feed rodents. In some embodiments, at a first preset time point, a driver is executed by the circuit, whereby the driver drives the automatic feeder device to switch the food container to a contactable state so as to feed rodents. For example, according to the specific structural design of the automatic feeder device, this can be achieved by linearly moving the food compartment of the food container between the contact area and the blocking area in the food container, or by rotating the food container to move food between the contactable area and the blocking area. At a second preset time point, the driver is started by the circuit, whereby the driver actuates the automatic feeder device to switch the food container to a blocking state, thereby preventing rodents from being fed.

[0096] One or more other methods may also be implemented. For example, one or more methods include implementing a rebound function or a slow rotation function on the automatic feeder device as described above to thereby improve system safety.

[0097] One or more methods described herein automatically experiment or investigate the feeding and fasting patterns of rodents within a limited time period. One or more methods described herein can automatically provide available food to rodents at the beginning of the feeding period, and automatically remove the leftover food of rodents at the end of the feeding period, thus effectively avoiding rodents from eating during the fasting period. One or more methods described herein can automatically carry out real TRF research, reduce or minimize human interaction, or do not need human interaction. One or more methods described herein allow TRF schemes to be programmable and can be applied to various situations to meet various industrial and scientific needs.

[0098] Figure 8 An example of a user interface 800 for an automatic feeder system for implementing a desired periodic fasting and feeding cycle according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The automatic feeder system may be an automatic feeder system as described above with reference to one or more embodiments. Through the user interface 800, one or more parameters associated with the automatic feeder system may be displayed for viewing by a user, and / or a user may control or preset one or more operations associated with the automatic feeder system.

[0099] For example, start (open) 812 indicates that the food container is in a contactable state at the beginning of a feeding cycle. Start (close) 822 indicates that the food container is in a blocked state at the beginning of a feeding cycle. Open hh:mm 814 indicates the length of the feeding time in the feeding cycle. Close hh:mm 824 indicates the length of the fasting time in the feeding cycle. Open / Close 830 is a button for manually placing the food container in a contactable state (open) or a blocked state (closed). hh:mm:ss (count) 860 is used as a counter to display the duration of the current feeding or fasting. Error 850 indicates a system error. For example, when the automatic feeder device fails to completely switch to a blocked state or a contactable state at a specified time point, an error signal will appear. After pressing reset 840, the feeding cycle will terminate. The drive will not start another movement of the food container. The user needs to press "start (open)" 812 or "start (close)" 822 to restart a new feeding or fasting cycle. It is understood that the user interface 800 is for illustration purposes only and can be modified according to actual needs. For example, the user interface can be configured to provide multiple functions, such as displaying feeding and fasting statistics or experimental reports of rodents.

[0100] Fig. 9A system 900 for feeding rodents in multiple cages according to some embodiments is shown. Each cage may hold one rodent for a specific purpose such as experimental research.

[0101] As shown, the system 900 includes automatic feeder systems 900-1, 900-2, ..., and 900-N, where N is a natural number. Each automatic feeder device can be a specific embodiment of the automatic feeder device described above with reference to one or more embodiments. The system 900 also includes a computer system 930, which communicates with each automatic feeder device through one or more networks 910.

[0102] The network 910 may include one or more of a cellular network, the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a personal area network (PAN), a home area network (HAM), and other public and / or private networks. In addition, the computer system need not communicate with each automatic feeder device via a network. As an example, they may be coupled together via one or more wires (e.g., a direct wired connection). As another example, they may communicate directly via a wireless protocol, such as Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), or other wireless communication protocols.

[0103] The computer system 930 controls the operation of the automatic feeder devices 900-1, 900-2, ... and 900-N. The computer system 930 may include one or more of a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a microcomputer, etc. The computer system 930 may be any suitable computing device that can perform one or more functions described herein. In a preferred embodiment, the computer system 930 is implemented as a programmable logic controller (PLC). In some embodiments, the computer system 930 may include multiple computers or computing devices that are physically adjacent or remote and communicate with each other through one or more networks (wired or wireless) to jointly perform one or more functions described herein.

[0104] As shown, the computer system 930 includes a memory 932, a processor 934, a display 936, and a time-limited feeding (TRF) application 938. The computer system 930 can receive data from one or more of the automatic feeder systems 900-1, 900-2, ..., and 900-N, store the received data in the memory 932, process the received data using the processor 934 and the TRF application 938, and display the results on the display 936 for viewing, adjustment, and / or other necessary operations. It is understood that a TRF application (such as the TRF application 938 or the TRF application 926 described below) is one or more software programs or instructions that are designed to perform a set of specific tasks or functions related to TRF for a user.

[0105] The computer system 930 can apply a TRF protocol to the rodents in a plurality of cages by simultaneously switching the states of the automatic feeder devices of the plurality of automatic feeder systems 900-1, 900-2, ... and 900-N. The TRF protocol is programmable and can be stored in the system as a subroutine so as to be executed according to actual needs (such as certain experimental purposes).

[0106] In some embodiments, system 900 includes server 920. Server 920 can be a local computer server or a cloud computer server. Server 920 includes one or more components of a computer readable medium (CRM) or memory 922, a processing unit or processor 924 (such as one or more processors, microprocessors and / or microcontrollers) and a TRF application 926. Server 920 communicates with automatic feeder systems 900-1, 900-2, ... and 900-N and computer system 930 via network 910. Server 920 can extract data, and execute one or more methods described herein, and send the results to computer system 930 for output, storage, viewing and adjustment, etc. In some embodiments, server 920 can be connected to a local interface, such as an iPad, a tablet computer, a smart phone, a display monitor with a keyboard and a mouse, to make adjustments. In some embodiments, server 920 can be combined with artificial intelligence (AI) functions, and a machine learning algorithm is developed using data to program the TRF protocol, thereby improving experimental research in rodents.

[0107] It can be further understood that any features in the above embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined together, and not necessarily used in isolation from each other. Those skilled in the art can easily make similar combinations of two or more features in the above embodiments or preferred forms of the present disclosure.

[0108] As used herein, the term "circuit" should be broadly understood to include various components that work together to achieve one or more functions described herein according to one or more embodiments. For example, a circuit may include various interconnected components, including but not limited to conductive paths (such as wires or printed circuit traces), and functional components such as controllers (such as PLCs), memories, and processors. The controller controls the operation of the circuit by executing programming instructions stored in the memory, while the processor processes data or signals according to the requirements of the system application. In addition, additional components such as switches, sensors, transmitters, resistors, capacitors, and inductors may be integrated to regulate, measure, or modify the amount of current or perform specific tasks. The circuit operates by maintaining electrical continuity between these components to facilitate controlled energy distribution and signal processing to complete the desired electrical or computing tasks.

[0109] Technical and scientific terms used herein have the common meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the example embodiments belong, unless otherwise defined. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many variations and / or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the broad general scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present embodiments should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. An automatic feeder device for feeding rodents in a cage, the automatic feeder device comprising a food container for holding food, the food container comprising an accessible area and a blocking area, in, The food container is configured to automatically switch between an accessible state in which the food is accessible to rodents and a blocked state in which the food is blocked from rodents.

2. The automatic feeder device according to claim 1, wherein: The food container comprises a guard for forming the blocking area.

3. The automatic feeder device according to claim 1, wherein: The food container comprises a food compartment for holding food, The food compartment is movable within the food container between the accessible area and the blocking area to switch the food container between the accessible state and the blocking state.

4. The automatic feeder device according to claim 3, wherein: The food compartment is formed between a pair of plates.

5. The automatic feeder device according to claim 4, wherein: The food container includes a guide rail for guiding the movement of the pair of plates, Wherein, the pair of plates are movable along the guide rail between the contactable area and the blocking area.

6. The automatic feeder device according to claim 4, wherein: One or more openings are provided on the top of the space between the pair of plates for storing food into the food compartment.

7. The automatic feeder device according to claim 1, wherein: The food container is rotatable to switch between the accessible state and the blocking state.

8. The automatic feeder device of claim 7, wherein the food container comprises: Cylindrical body; as well as A guard is provided, wherein the guard is used to cover a circumferential portion of the cylindrical body to form the blocking area.

9. The automatic feeder device according to claim 1, wherein: The food container includes a food tray with a grid for enabling rodents to access food in the accessible area.

10. The automatic feeder device according to claim 9, wherein: The spacing between adjacent grids is smaller than the size of the food, so that the food can be placed on the food tray.

11. An automatic feeder system comprising: The automatic feeder device according to claim 1; a driver for driving the automatic feeder device so that the food container of the automatic feeder device can be switched between the accessible state and the blocked state; as well as Circuitry for implementing a time-restricted feeding (TRF) protocol of the automatic feeder device.

12. The automatic feeder system according to claim 11, wherein: The driver comprises a motor, a linear driver and an electromagnetic cylinder.

13. The automatic feeder system according to claim 11, wherein: The food container comprises a food compartment for holding food, The food compartment is formed between a pair of plates, The food container includes a guide rail for guiding the pair of plates to move so that the pair of plates can move along the guide rail, and The automatic feeder system further includes a Hall sensor for detecting the driver current.

14. The automatic feeder system according to claim 13, wherein: The circuit is configured to control the driver such that the pair of plates applies a spring-back function when an increase in current of the driver is detected by the Hall sensor.

15. The automatic feeder system according to claim 11, wherein: The food container is rotatable to switch between the accessible state and the blocking state, and the rotation speed of the food container is 6 revolutions per minute (RPM).

16. The automatic feeder system of claim 11, wherein: The automatic feeder system is configured to operate at a voltage no greater than 12V.

17. A method of feeding rodents by using the automatic feeder system according to claim 11, the method comprising: Preset time-restricted feeding (TRF) program; as well as The TRF protocol is applied to the automatic feeder device by executing the circuit to feed rodents.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein: Application of the TRF protocol includes: At a first preset time point, driving the automatic feeder device by executing the driver through the circuit to switch the food container to the accessible state for feeding rodents; and At a second preset time point, the driver is executed by the circuit to drive the automatic feeder device to switch the food container to the blocking state, thereby stopping feeding the rodents.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein: Actuating the automatic feeder device to switch the food container to the accessible state comprises: Linearly moving the food compartment causes the food container containing the food to switch between the accessible area and the blocking area; or The food container is rotated to move food between the accessible area and the blocked area.

20. A system for feeding a plurality of caged rodents, the system comprising: a plurality of automatic feeder systems, each automatic feeder system being the automatic feeder system according to claim 11 and corresponding to a respective cage of the plurality of cages; and A computer system including a time-restricted feeding (TRF) application for applying a TRF regimen to the rodents in the plurality of cages by simultaneously switching states of the automatic feeder devices of the plurality of automatic feeder systems.

Images