Experimental apparatus for studying anxiety behavior responses in animals

Abstract

This invention provides an experimental apparatus for studying animal anxiety behavior responses, comprising a test platform, a rectangular frame, a container, and a first driving component. The test platform has two sets of support rods arranged at intervals along a front-to-back direction on its top, extending upwards, with sliding sleeves extending along the same direction connected to their upper ends. The rectangular frame is horizontally positioned between the two sets of support rods, with sliding rods slidably passing through the sliding sleeves on both opposite outer walls of the frame. The container is located within the rectangular frame and has an upward-facing opening for accommodating animals. The container contains a color-changing light and a horn. The first driving component is located on the top of the test platform and is connected to the sliding rods on one set of support rods, driving the rectangular frame to move horizontally. This experimental apparatus for studying animal anxiety behavior responses allows for the combined dynamic and static stimulation of the animal through the horizontal shaking of the container in conjunction with the color-changing light and the horn, improving the experimental results.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of animal experimental equipment technology, and more specifically, relates to an experimental device for studying animal anxiety behavior responses. Background Technology

[0002] Anxiety is an emotional state, often referred to as "anxiety mood" or "anxiety syndrome" or "anxiety disorder." Symptoms include excessive worry, tension, and fear of future events. In animals, anxiety is a biological instinct, a stress response produced by the brain. To better study anxious behavior in animals, researchers typically place a group of animals in different environments to compare their anxiety responses. This requires appropriate experimental equipment. Most current experimental devices stimulate animals through light and loudspeakers to induce anxiety, allowing researchers to observe their behavioral responses.

[0003] However, this static stimulation method is relatively simple and cannot fully understand the animal's anxiety behavior response, thus reducing the experimental results. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides an experimental apparatus for studying anxiety behavior responses in animals. By using the horizontal shaking of the containment box in conjunction with a color-changing light and a horn, the apparatus can provide a combination of dynamic and static stimuli to the animal, thereby improving the experimental results.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: An experimental device for studying animal anxiety behavior responses is provided, comprising a test platform, a rectangular frame, a container, and a first driving assembly. The test platform has two sets of support rods arranged at intervals along the front-back direction on its top. The support rods extend upwards, and their upper ends are connected to sliding sleeves extending along the front-back direction. The rectangular frame is horizontally positioned between the two sets of support rods, and sliding rods that slide through the sliding sleeves are connected to the opposite outer walls of the rectangular frame. The container is located within the rectangular frame and has an upward-facing opening for accommodating animals. The container contains a color-changing light and a horn. The first driving assembly is located on the top of the test platform and is connected to the sliding rods on one set of support rods to drive the rectangular frame to move horizontally.

[0006] In one possible implementation, the container is embedded in a rectangular frame, and the top of the test bench is rotatably connected to a first rotating shaft that extends in the left-right direction and is located below the container. The first rotating shaft is provided with a cam for lifting the container.

[0007] In some embodiments, a spur gear is connected to one end of the first rotating shaft, and a second driving assembly for driving the spur gear is provided on the top of the test bench. The second driving assembly includes a driving shaft and a driving gear. The driving shaft is rotatably connected to the top of the test bench and is arranged parallel to the first rotating shaft. A motor is connected to one end of the driving shaft. The driving gear is sleeved on the driving shaft and is used to mesh with the spur gear to drive the spur gear to rotate.

[0008] In some embodiments, the drive gear is slidably mounted on the drive shaft, and the drive shaft is provided with a push-pull member for driving the drive gear to move axially along the drive shaft.

[0009] In some embodiments, the drive gear is fan-shaped, and a radially extending guide bar is provided on the outer end face of the spherical gear.

[0010] In some embodiments, the outer wall of the rectangular frame is provided with a mounting plate extending outward from the plate surface. The bottom surface of the mounting plate is provided with two guide rods spaced apart in the front-rear direction. The guide rods extend downward and a rack is provided between the two guide rods. The two ends of the rack are respectively connected to guide sleeves. The two guide sleeves are slidably sleeved on the outer periphery of the two guide rods. The rack is located above the sprocket and is used to mesh with the sprocket. An elastic element is sleeved on the outer periphery of the guide rod between the mounting plate and the guide sleeve for elastically pushing the guide sleeve downward.

[0011] In some embodiments, the upper edge of the rack is provided with a magnet, and the bottom surface of the mounting plate is provided with an electromagnet for attracting the magnet.

[0012] In some embodiments, the magnet is threadedly connected to the rack.

[0013] In some embodiments, several containers are spaced apart along the front-to-back direction, and the top of the test bench is provided with a first rotating shaft corresponding to each of the containers.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the first drive assembly includes a rotary drive member, a rotary block, an eccentric shaft, and a drive rod. The rotary drive member is located on the rear side of the rectangular frame and has a horizontally extending drive end. The drive end of the rotary drive member is connected to a second rotating shaft extending in the left-right direction. The rotary block is fixedly sleeved on the outer periphery of the second rotating shaft. The eccentric shaft is connected to the side of the rotary block away from the second rotating shaft. The drive rod is rotatably sleeved on the outer periphery of the eccentric shaft. The extended end of the drive rod is hinged to a hinge block, which is connected to the outer end of a slide rod located on the rear side of the rectangular frame.

[0015] The experimental apparatus provided in this embodiment for studying animal anxiety behavior responses, compared with the prior art, drives the slide bar to move horizontally back and forth through the first driving component, causing the container to move the animal horizontally. It can also be used in conjunction with color-changing lights and horns to achieve dynamic and static stimulation of the animal, so as to comprehensively understand the animal's anxiety behavior responses and improve the experimental results. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an experimental apparatus for studying animal anxiety behavior responses provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 A magnified schematic diagram of the local structure at point I;

[0019] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the experimental apparatus for studying animal anxiety behavior responses provided in an embodiment of the present invention, with one of the containers removed;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the experimental apparatus for studying animal anxiety behavior responses provided in an embodiment of the present invention, with the experimental table removed.

[0021] The following are the labeling elements in the figure:

[0022] 10. Test bench; 11. Frame; 12. Sliding sleeve; 20. Rectangular frame; 21. Sliding rod; 22. Upright pole; 30. Receiving box; 31. Color-changing light; 32. Horn; 33. Wing plate; 40. First drive assembly; 41. Rotary drive component; 42. Second rotating shaft; 43. Rotating block; 44. Eccentric shaft; 45. Drive rod; 46. Hinge block; 50. First rotating shaft; 51. Cam; 52. Circular gear; 521. Pointing bar; 60. Second drive assembly; 61. Drive shaft; 62. Motor; 63. Drive gear; 64. Push-pull component; 70. Mounting plate; 71. Guide rod; 72. Rack; 73. Guide sleeve; 74. Elastic component; 80. Magnet; 81. Electromagnet. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0024] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "set on" another element, it can be directly on or indirectly on the other element. It should be understood that the terms "length," "width," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of the invention, "a number" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0025] The forward and backward directions mentioned throughout the text are Figure 1 The direction indicated by the middle arrow.

[0026] Please see Figures 1 to 4 The experimental apparatus for studying animal anxiety behavior responses provided by the present invention will now be described. The experimental apparatus for studying animal anxiety behavior responses includes a test bench 10, a rectangular frame 20, a container 30, and a first driving assembly 40. The test bench 10 has two sets of support rods 11 arranged at intervals along the front-back direction on its top. The support rods 11 extend upwards, and their upper ends are connected to sliding sleeves 12 extending along the front-back direction. The rectangular frame 20 is horizontally positioned between the two sets of support rods 11, and sliding rods 21, which slide through the sliding sleeves 12, are connected to the opposite outer walls of the rectangular frame 20. The container 30 is located within the rectangular frame 20 and has an upward opening for accommodating animals. The container 30 contains a color-changing light 31 and a horn 32. The first driving assembly 40 is located on the top of the test bench 10 and is connected to the sliding rods 21 on one set of support rods 11, for driving the rectangular frame 20 to move horizontally.

[0027] This application provides an experimental device for studying animal anxiety behavior responses. In actual use, the animal is first placed in the containment box 30, and the slide bar 21 is driven to move horizontally back and forth by the first drive component 40, so that the containment box 30 moves the animal horizontally. It can also be used in conjunction with the color-changing light 31 and the horn 32 to achieve dynamic and static stimulation of the animal, so as to comprehensively understand the animal's anxiety behavior responses and improve the experimental results.

[0028] The experimental apparatus provided in this embodiment for studying animal anxiety behavior responses, compared with the prior art, drives the slide bar 21 to move horizontally back and forth through the first driving component 40, causing the container 30 to move the animal horizontally. It can also be used in conjunction with the color-changing light 31 and the horn 32 to achieve dynamic and static stimulation of the animal, comprehensively understand the animal's anxiety behavior responses, and improve the experimental results.

[0029] In one possible implementation, the aforementioned container 30 adopts, as shown in... Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The structure shown is described in the following document. Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The container 30 is embedded in the rectangular frame 20. The top of the test bench 10 is rotatably connected to a first rotating shaft 50 that extends in the left and right direction and is located below the container 30. The first rotating shaft 50 is provided with a cam 51 for lifting the container 30.

[0030] Specifically, the container 30 can slide up and down within the rectangular frame 20. The first drive assembly 40 drives the slide bar 21 to move horizontally back and forth, causing the container 30 to shake the animal horizontally. Then, the first rotating shaft 50 is rotated to make the cam 51 repeatedly push the container 30 upwards, thereby realizing the simultaneous horizontal and vertical shaking of the container 30. It can also shake horizontally or vertically independently, achieving a variety of shaking motions, that is, to fully understand the animal's anxiety behavior response to dynamic stimuli.

[0031] Furthermore, the upper end face of the rectangular frame 20 is provided with an upwardly extending upright post 22, and the upper end of the receiving box 30 is provided with an outwardly extending wing plate 33, the upright post 22 passes through the wing plate 33 upward, and the wing plate 33 is slidably connected to the upright post 22.

[0032] In some embodiments, see Figures 1 to 4 One end of the first rotating shaft 50 is connected to a spur gear 52. The top of the test bench 10 is provided with a second driving assembly 60 for driving the spur gear 52. The second driving assembly 60 includes a driving shaft 61 and a driving gear 63. The driving shaft 61 is rotatably connected to the top of the test bench 10 and is arranged parallel to the first rotating shaft 50. One end of the driving shaft 61 is connected to a motor 62. The driving gear 63 is sleeved on the driving shaft 61 and is used to mesh with the spur gear 52 to drive the spur gear 52 to rotate.

[0033] Specifically, the motor 62 drives the drive shaft 61 to rotate, which in turn drives the drive gear 63 to rotate. The drive gear 63 rotates until it meshes with the spur gear 52, thereby driving the cam 51 to rotate and realize the automatic up-and-down swaying of the container 30.

[0034] The first drive assembly 40 can also drive the slide bar 21 to move horizontally back and forth, causing the container 30 to move the animal horizontally. At the same time, the motor 62 drives the drive shaft 61 to rotate, causing the cam 51 to repeatedly push the container 30 upward, so that the container 30 can move horizontally and vertically at the same time.

[0035] In some embodiments, see Figures 1 to 4 The drive gear 63 is slidably sleeved on the drive shaft 61, and the drive shaft 61 is provided with a push-pull member 64 for driving the drive gear 63 to move along the axial direction of the drive shaft 61.

[0036] Specifically, the drive gear 63 is slidably connected to the drive shaft 61, and the push-pull component 64 drives the drive gear 63 to move along the axial direction of the drive shaft 61, thereby separating it from the spur gear 52. This allows the experimenter to manually rotate the spur gear 52, enabling both automated and manual rotation of the cam 51, thus avoiding the situation where the rotation of the spur gear 52 cannot be controlled if the second drive component 60 is damaged.

[0037] Furthermore, the outer peripheral wall of the drive shaft 61 is provided with a mounting platform that protrudes outward, and the push-pull member 64 is connected to the side of the mounting platform near the drive gear 63. The push-pull member 64 extends towards the side near the drive gear 63 and is connected to the drive gear 63.

[0038] Furthermore, push-pull component 64 is a cylinder.

[0039] In some embodiments, see Figures 1 to 4 The drive gear 63 is fan-shaped, and the outer end face of the spherical gear 52 is provided with a radially extending guide bar 521.

[0040] Specifically, when the drive gear 63 and the spur gear 52 are in a non-meshing state, the push-pull member 64 drives the drive gear 63 to move axially along the drive shaft 61, which facilitates the separation of the drive gear 63 and the spur gear 52. This allows the experimenter to manually rotate the spur gear 52, realizing the automatic and manual rotation of the cam 51, and avoiding the situation where the rotation of the spur gear 52 cannot be controlled when the second drive component 60 is damaged.

[0041] Furthermore, when the drive gear 63 needs to re-drive the sprocket 52, the push-pull member 64 moves the drive gear 63 to a position where the sprocket 52 can be driven, and then the sprocket 52 is manually rotated so that the guide bar 521 is in position. Figure 1 The vertically downward pointing state allows the drive gear 63 to rotate to a state of perfect meshing with the sprocket 52, avoiding jamming when the drive gear 63 and the sprocket 52 re-mesh, eliminating the need for repeated meshing adjustments and improving ease of use.

[0042] In some embodiments, see Figures 1 to 4The outer wall of the rectangular frame 20 is provided with a mounting plate 70 extending outward from the plate surface. The bottom surface of the mounting plate 70 is provided with two guide rods 71 ​​spaced apart in the front-back direction. The guide rods 71 ​​extend downward and a rack 72 is provided between the two guide rods 71. The two ends of the rack 72 are respectively connected to guide sleeves 73. The two guide sleeves 73 are slidably sleeved on the outer periphery of the two guide rods 71. The rack 72 is located above the spur gear 52 and is used to mesh with the spur gear 52. An elastic element 74 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the guide rod 71 between the mounting plate 70 and the guide sleeves 73 for elastically pushing the guide sleeves 73 downward.

[0043] Specifically, the lower end of the guide rod 71 is provided with a limiting platform that protrudes outward and is used to abut against the lower end surface of the guide sleeve 73.

[0044] When the container 30 needs to be swayed horizontally and vertically simultaneously, the push-pull component 64 is activated to drive the drive gear 63 away from the sprocket 52. The elastic component 74 pushes the guide sleeve 73 downwards, ensuring that the rack 72 and the sprocket 52 remain in contact, i.e., stably engaged. The animal is placed inside the container 30, and the first drive assembly 40 drives the slide rod 21 to move horizontally back and forth, causing the container 30 to sway horizontally with the animal. Simultaneously, the rack 72 drives the sprocket 52 to rotate, which in turn rotates the cam 51, causing the container 30 to sway vertically. This can be combined with a color-changing light 31 and a horn 32 to comprehensively understand the animal's anxiety behavior, improving the experimental results.

[0045] When the container needs to be held horizontally and shaken, the push-pull component 64 is activated to drive the drive gear 63 away from the sprocket 52. A flexible C-shaped clip can be attached to the guide rod 71. The C-shaped clip is located between the guide sleeve 73 and the limiting stage, which allows the rack 72 to disengage from the sprocket 52. The first drive assembly 40 drives the slide rod 21 to move horizontally back and forth, causing the container 30 to shake horizontally with the animals. It can also be used in conjunction with the color-changing light 31 and the horn 32 to comprehensively understand the animals' anxiety behavior and improve the experimental results.

[0046] When the container 30 needs to be shaken up and down, the push-pull component 64 drives the drive gear 63 to move to a position where it can drive the spur gear 52. The motor 62 drives the drive shaft 61 to rotate, which in turn drives the drive gear 63 to rotate. The drive gear 63 rotates until it meshes with the spur gear 52, thereby driving the cam 51 to rotate, realizing the automated up and down shaking of the container 30. It can also be used in conjunction with the color-changing light 31 and the horn 32 to comprehensively understand the animal's anxiety behavior response and improve the experimental results.

[0047] In summary, the above combinations can achieve diverse contrasts of dynamic stimuli in animals, thereby improving experimental results.

[0048] In some embodiments, see Figures 1 to 4The upper edge of the rack 72 is provided with a magnet 80, and the bottom surface of the mounting plate 70 is provided with an electromagnet 81 for attracting the magnet 80.

[0049] Specifically, when the box containing 30 items needs to be horizontally swayed, the push-pull component 64 is activated to drive the drive gear 63 away from the sprocket 52, energizing the electromagnet 81. The electromagnet 81 attracts the magnet 80 upwards, causing the rack 72 to disengage from the sprocket 52, thus achieving rapid disengagement between the rack 72 and the sprocket 52.

[0050] It should be noted that, except for magnet 80, all other components involved in this application are made of materials that do not attract electromagnet 81.

[0051] In some embodiments, see Figures 1 to 4 Magnet 80 is threadedly connected to rack 72.

[0052] Specifically, in order to ensure stable meshing between the rack 72 and the spur gear 52, the magnet 80 can be removed, its two end faces flipped and swapped, and then reinstalled so that the pole of the magnet 80 that repels the electromagnet 81 is facing the electromagnet 81. When the electromagnet 81 is energized, the electromagnet 81 repels the magnet 80, thereby pressing down on the rack 72. The elastic element 74 and the electromagnet 81 apply dual pressure to the rack 72, enabling the rack 72 to mesh more stably with the spur gear 52.

[0053] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The container 30 is provided with several compartments spaced apart in the front-to-back direction, and the top of the test bench 10 is provided with a first rotating shaft 50 corresponding to each of the several container boxes 30.

[0054] Specifically, the rectangular frame 20 has several accommodating cavities, which correspond one-to-one with several accommodating boxes 30. Each first rotating shaft 50 is equipped with a cam 51 and a spur gear 52. Each spur gear 52 is driven by a corresponding second driving component 60 and a rack 72, which facilitates comparison of different accommodating boxes 30 with different shaking patterns and improves the convenience of the experiment.

[0055] In one possible implementation, the first driving component 40 described above adopts as follows: Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The structure shown is described in the following document. Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4The first drive assembly 40 includes a rotary drive member 41, a rotary block 43, an eccentric shaft 44, and a drive rod 45. The rotary drive member 41 is located on the rear side of the rectangular frame 20 and has a horizontally extending drive end. The drive end of the rotary drive member 41 is connected to a second rotating shaft 42 extending in the left-right direction. The rotary block 43 is fixedly sleeved on the outer periphery of the second rotating shaft 42. The eccentric shaft 44 is connected to the side of the rotary block 43 away from the second rotating shaft 42. The drive rod 45 is rotatably sleeved on the outer periphery of the eccentric shaft 44. The extended end of the drive rod 45 is hinged to a hinge block 46, which is connected to the outer end of the slide rod 21 located on the rear side of the rectangular frame 20.

[0056] Specifically, the second rotating shaft 42 is driven to rotate by the rotating drive component 41, the second rotating shaft 42 drives the rotating block 43 to rotate, and the rotating block 43 drives the eccentric shaft 44 to rotate along a fixed arc trajectory, thereby fixing the horizontal reciprocating distance of the drive rod 45 and effectively controlling the stroke of the rectangular frame 20.

[0057] Furthermore, a stabilizing block is connected to the side of the rotating block 43 away from the eccentric shaft 44. The stabilizing block is used to counteract the wobbling force generated by the push-pull drive rod 45 during the rotation of the rotating block 43, so that the rotating block 43 rotates smoothly.

[0058] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An experimental apparatus for studying anxiety behavioral responses in animals, characterized in that, include: The test bench has two sets of support rods arranged at intervals along the front-back direction on the top. The support rods extend upward and the upper ends of the support rods are connected to sliding sleeves that extend along the front-back direction. A rectangular frame is horizontally positioned between the two sets of support rods, and sliding rods that slide through the sliding sleeve are connected to the opposite two outer side walls of the rectangular frame. A container, set within the rectangular frame and having an upward opening, is used to hold animals. The container is equipped with a color-changing light and a horn. as well as A first driving component is disposed on the top of the test bench. The first driving component is connected to the slide bar on one of the sets of the frame rods and is used to drive the rectangular frame to move horizontally. The receiving box is embedded in the rectangular frame, and the top of the test bench is rotatably connected to a first rotating shaft that extends in the left and right direction and is located below the receiving box. The first rotating shaft is provided with a cam for pushing the receiving box upward. One end of the first rotating shaft is connected to a spherical gear, and the top of the test bench is provided with a second driving assembly for driving the spherical gear. The second driving assembly includes: A drive shaft is rotatably connected to the top of the test bench and is arranged parallel to the first rotating shaft. One end of the drive shaft is connected to a motor. as well as A drive gear is sleeved on the drive shaft and is used to mesh with the spherical gear to drive the spherical gear to rotate; The drive gear is slidably sleeved on the drive shaft, and the drive shaft is provided with a push-pull member for driving the drive gear to move along the axial direction of the drive shaft; The drive gear is fan-shaped, and the outer end face of the spherical gear is provided with radially extending guide strips; The outer wall of the rectangular frame is provided with a mounting plate extending outward. The bottom surface of the mounting plate is provided with two guide rods spaced apart in the front-back direction. The guide rods extend downward and a rack is provided between the two guide rods. The two ends of the rack are respectively connected to guide sleeves. The two guide sleeves are slidably fitted on the outer periphery of the two guide rods. The rack is located above the sprocket and is used to mesh with the sprocket. An elastic element is fitted on the outer periphery of the guide rod between the mounting plate and the guide sleeve, which is used to elastically push the guide sleeve downward.

2. The experimental apparatus for studying anxiety behavioral responses in animals as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The upper edge of the rack is provided with a magnet, and the bottom surface of the mounting plate is provided with an electromagnet for attracting the magnet.

3. The experimental apparatus for studying anxiety behavioral responses in animals as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The magnet is threadedly connected to the rack.

4. The experimental apparatus for studying anxiety behavioral responses in animals as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The container is provided with several compartments spaced apart in the front-to-back direction, and the top of the test bench is provided with a first rotating shaft corresponding to each of the several containers.

5. The experimental apparatus for studying anxiety behavioral responses in animals as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first driving component includes: A rotary drive component is disposed on the rear side of the rectangular frame and has a horizontally extending drive end. The drive end of the rotary drive component is connected to a second rotating shaft extending in the left-right direction. A rotating block is fixedly sleeved on the outer circumference of the second rotating shaft; An eccentric shaft is connected to the side of the rotating block away from the second rotating shaft; and A drive rod is rotatably sleeved on the outer periphery of the eccentric shaft. The extended end of the drive rod is hinged to a hinge block, which is connected to the outer end of the slide rod located on the rear side of the rectangular frame.

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