Method and device for anesthetizing slaughtered animals

Abstract

An anesthesia apparatus for anesthetizing a slaughtered animal prior to slaughtering wherein the anesthesia apparatus comprises a chamber for receiving the slaughtered animal, the chamber having an upper section, a lower section and a transition region separating the lower section from the upper section, and a first circulation system for circulating the chamber, each of the upper and lower sections is shaped and dimensioned to accommodate one or more slaughtered animals, the transition region allows the slaughtered animals to be transferred between the upper and lower sections, each section having a proximal end adjacent the transition region and a distal end opposite the proximal end, where the upper and lower sections are configured to be filled with a respective gas mixture, and a first circulation system for circulating a first one of the respective gas mixtures, the first gas mixture occupying a first one of the upper and lower sections, the second gas mixture occupying a second one of the upper and lower sections, the second gas mixture occupying a second one of the upper and lower sections, and the third gas mixture occupying a second one of the upper and lower sections, the first circulation system is configured to generate an airflow within the first section away from the transition region and toward a distal end of the first section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to equipment and corresponding methods for anesthetizing slaughtered animals, particularly quadrupedal animals such as ungulates, especially pigs and cattle. Background Technology

[0002] The concept of animal euthanasia is now highly respected, for example, in slaughterhouses. For instance, before slaughter, the purpose of anesthetizing animals is to render them insensitive to pain. The anesthesia procedure should ensure that the animal does not regain consciousness before, during, or after the slaughter process.

[0003] When animals are anesthetized with gases, there is a progressive loss of consciousness and anesthesia. The process can be described as a series of stages: starting with an analgesic stage, followed by an excitation stage, an anesthetized stage, and finally collapse.

[0004] Common methods of anesthesia for pigs involve exposure to CO2. The following can be observed in pigs anesthetized with CO2: during the analgesic phase, the pig remains standing; during the excitation phase, the pig lies down; during the anesthesia phase, the pig retains a corneal reflex, although this reflex disappears in deep anesthesia; and during the collapsing phase, the pig no longer exhibits any reflexes.

[0005] Despite previous efforts, further reductions in stress levels associated with anesthesia procedures in animals, such as pigs, remain necessary. In particular, improvements in animal euthanasia related to anesthesia procedures are desired. Furthermore, animal reactions can lead to bruising and reduced meat quality. In this context, and given that reactions observed during the initial stages of anesthesia are only short-lived, minimizing these reactions is desirable.

[0006] There is also a desire to provide effective and high-yield anesthesia equipment and procedures.

[0007] Additionally, a compact system is desired.

[0008] Additionally, there is a desire to provide a system that can be placed on the ground.

[0009] It is also expected that gas consumption will remain low.

[0010] WO 2021 / 165279 discloses a method for reducing animal reactions during exposure to pre-anesthesia relaxation gases and / or anesthetic gases during pre-anesthesia and / or anesthesia procedures. The method comprises: exposing at least one animal to the relaxation gases and / or anesthetic gases for a period of time; and exposing the at least one animal to at least one odor additive for at least a portion of said exposure time—particularly during the initial portion of said exposure time. The process may involve exposing the animal to the relaxation gases in a pre-anesthesia chamber, and then moving the animal to an anesthesia chamber where it is exposed to the anesthetic gases. While this method significantly reduces animal reactions, it remains desirable to provide a more efficient method without subjecting the slaughter animal to unnecessary stress and without affecting meat quality.

[0011] US6623347 discloses a method and apparatus for producing and maintaining a gas mixture in one or more stages, wherein these stages are generated in zones such as a stupor tunnel or stupor shaft. The gas mixture comprises carbon dioxide gas and oxygen gas, and the concentration of air is maintained at a level comparable to that in air. Carbon dioxide is added based on the carbon dioxide level measured in each zone.

[0012] When a slaughtered animal is exposed to a series of different gas mixtures by moving it between different sections of a chamber, it is desirable to ensure that a homogeneous gas mixture is maintained in one or more of the sections. It is also desirable to keep the gas mixtures in the different sections of the chamber separate from each other to prevent unintended leakage of one gas mixture from one section to another. Summary of the Invention

[0013] In general, at least some embodiments of the methods and apparatus disclosed herein seek to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages and / or other disadvantages of the prior art, or seek to serve as at least an alternative to prior art solutions.

[0014] According to one aspect, embodiments of anesthesia devices are disclosed herein for anesthetizing slaughter animals prior to slaughter, wherein the anesthesia devices include: - A chamber for containing a slaughtered animal, the chamber having an upper section, a lower section, and a transition zone separating the lower section from the upper section. Each of the upper and lower sections is shaped and sized to accommodate one or more slaughtered animals. The transition zone allows one or more slaughtered animals to be transferred between the upper and lower sections. Each section has a proximal end adjacent to the transition zone and a distal end opposite to the proximal end. The upper and lower sections are configured to be filled with corresponding gas mixtures to expose the slaughtered animal to different gas mixtures by transferring the slaughtered animal between the upper and lower sections. - A first circulation system for circulating a first gas mixture in a corresponding gas mixture, the first gas mixture occupying a first section in an upper section and a lower section, wherein the first circulation system is configured to generate an airflow in the first section away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the first section.

[0015] In some embodiments, the anesthesia device is configured to fill one of the sections with a relaxation gas mixture and the other section with an anesthetic gas mixture; that is, one section is operable as a decompression section and the other as an anesthesia section. Thus, during operation, the slaughtered animal can be initially positioned in the decompression section of the chamber, where it can be held for a sufficient period to allow the animal to calm down. The animal can then be transferred to the anesthesia section, where actual anesthesia is administered while the animal is exposed to the anesthetic gas mixture. The transfer between sections does not involve any long-distance transport because the animal only needs to pass through a transition zone, thus reducing the risk of the animal being disturbed again. In particular, the animal will not be disturbed by being transported from one chamber to another shortly before the anesthesia procedure or even by being pushed or otherwise urged to move from one chamber to another. Therefore, embodiments of the device described herein reduce or even prevent severe reactions that might otherwise be observed before or during the initial stages of anesthesia in animals such as pigs. Therefore, the animal's response is reduced during the anesthesia procedure, thereby increasing animal euthanasia and reducing the risk of meat degradation. The presence of a decompression section inside the chamber allows for careful control of the animal's environment immediately preceding the actual anesthesia procedure during decompression, and the animal is not disturbed by activities outside the chamber.

[0016] The first segment in the upper and lower sections can be either an upper segment or a lower segment. When the first segment is an upper segment, its distal end is the upper end of the upper segment, and the airflow within the first segment that is away from the transition zone and towards its distal end is an upward-directed airflow. When the first segment is a lower segment, its distal end is the lower end of the lower segment, and the airflow within the first segment that is away from the transition zone and towards its distal end is a downward-directed airflow.

[0017] The transition zone separates the lower and upper sections, meaning the slaughtered animal must pass through the transition zone to move or be moved between the upper and lower sections. At least during the movement or being moved between the upper and lower sections, there is a risk of gas leakage via the transition zone, i.e., the risk of gas flowing from the lower section into the upper section through the transition zone and / or gas flowing from the upper section into the lower section through the transition zone. Such gas leakage is undesirable because it is generally desirable to maintain different gas atmospheres in the various sections, particularly to ensure that each section has a well-defined gas atmosphere. In each section, the corresponding gas atmosphere should preferably be uniform throughout the entire section.

[0018] Various embodiments disclosed herein reduce the risk of such gas leakage or at least reduce the amount of such gas leakage. In particular, this reduces the risk of premature animal exposure to the anesthetic gas mixture, or the risk of reduced anesthetic efficiency due to unintended dilution of the anesthetic gas mixture. Additionally, a suitable gas mixture can be maintained with relatively low consumption of the gas components of the respective gas mixture. Because the circulation system provides an airflow away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the first section within the first section, it facilitates uniform mixing of the first gas mixture within the first section, while reducing gas leakage from the first section to the second section via the transition zone.

[0019] In some embodiments, the first circulation system includes one or more first set of outlet openings located at the proximal end of the first segment and one or more first set of inlet openings located at the distal end of the first segment. Accordingly, the first circulation system may be configured to remove gas from the first segment through the first set of inlet openings and introduce gas into the first segment via the first set of outlet openings to generate the airflow within the first segment away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the first segment. Thus, an airflow away from the transition zone is effectively generated within the first segment.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first circulation system includes one or more flow guiding members configured to guide airflow from a first set of outlet openings in a predetermined direction. Specifically, the one or more flow guiding members may guide airflow exiting the openings such that the vertical component of the flow is oriented away from the transition zone, and / or that the horizontal component of the flow is oriented at least primarily away from the sidewalls of the chamber and towards the center of the chamber, thereby facilitating airflow away from the transition zone and reducing turbulence in the airflow and / or reducing airflow toward the transition zone.

[0021] In some embodiments, the device includes a gas sensor for measuring the concentration of one or more gas components in one or more gas mixtures within a chamber, and a first circulation system is configured to circulate the first gas mixture in response to the measured concentration. This allows airflow within the first section to be kept as small as possible while ensuring uniformity of the first gas mixture throughout the first section and reducing gas leakage across transition zones, thereby reducing the risk of discomfort to slaughtered animals.

[0022] In some embodiments, the device includes an exhaust system configured to remove gas from a transition zone, particularly simultaneously with the circulation of a first gas mixture by a first circulation system. The exhaust system may include a set of exhaust inlet openings arranged at the transition zone. This further reduces the risk of gas leakage across the transition zone. In some embodiments, the anesthesia device includes a gas sensor for measuring the concentration of one or more gas components of one or more gas mixtures in the chamber, and the exhaust system is configured to remove gas from the transition zone in response to the measured concentration. Thus, by controlling the exhaust system based on sensor measurements, gas leakage can be reduced while maintaining low gas consumption.

[0023] In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a first filling system for blowing a first gas component of a first gas mixture into a first section. The first filling system may include a first set of filling outlet openings located at the distal end of the first section for distributing the first gas component. Therefore, the first gas mixture can be effectively formed by adding a suitable gas component to a gas atmosphere already present inside the first section. By placing the filling outlet nozzles at the distal end of the first section, unintended leakage of gas components blown into the first section across the transition zone into the second section is reduced.

[0024] In some embodiments, the exhaust system is also configured to remove gas from the transition zone simultaneously with the first filling system blowing the first gas component into the first section, thereby facilitating the formation of a desired first gas mixture by adding the first gas component to the existing gas atmosphere, while further reducing the risk of unwanted gas leakage across the transition zone. Specifically, when the first gas component is blown in at the distal end of the first section, the existing gas atmosphere is primarily extracted by the exhaust system at the transition zone. In this regard, in some embodiments, stopping the circulation operation of the first circulation system during the filling process may be preferred.

[0025] In some embodiments, the anesthesia device further includes a second circulation system for circulating a second gas mixture in a corresponding gas mixture, the second gas mixture occupying a second section in the upper and lower sections that differs from the first section. The second circulation system can be configured to generate an airflow within the second section away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the second section. Therefore, the corresponding gas mixture can be maintained in both sections of the chamber, such that the corresponding gas mixture is uniformly distributed in the respective sections, while reducing unintended gas leakage of the corresponding gas mixture across the transition zone. The second circulation system can be similar to the first circulation system. Specifically, the second circulation system may include one or more second sets of outlet openings located proximally at the second section and one or more second sets of inlet openings located distally at the second section. Therefore, the second circulation system can be configured to remove gas from the second section through the second set of inlet openings and introduce gas into the second section via the second set of outlet openings to generate the airflow within the second section away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the second section.

[0026] In some embodiments, the anesthesia device is configured such that an upper section is filled with an upper gas mixture, particularly a relaxation gas mixture, and a lower section is filled with a lower gas mixture, particularly an anesthetic gas mixture. Thus, the upper section can serve as a decompression zone for the slaughtered animal before anesthesia, while the lower section can serve as an anesthesia zone for the slaughtered animal. The slaughtered animal can be easily moved from the decompression zone to the anesthesia zone by lowering it across the transition zone.

[0027] Relaxation gas mixtures and anesthetic gas mixtures can be conveniently formed in their respective sections. Specifically, as mentioned above, the device can be configured to form an upper gas mixture by adding an upper gas component, particularly an upper gas component including a physiologically inert gas such as N2, to the upper section. Alternatively or additionally, the device can be configured to form a lower gas mixture by adding a lower gas component, particularly a lower gas component including CO2, to the lower section. Adding a physiologically inert gas such as N2 to the upper section allows for a reduction in the O2 concentration in the upper section, thereby forming a relaxation or decompression gas mixture. Similarly, adding CO2 to the lower section efficiently forms an anesthetic gas mixture in the lower section. Because N2 has a relatively low specific gravity, particularly lower than CO2, this further facilitates the separation of the upper and lower gas mixtures.

[0028] In some embodiments, the anesthesia device is configured to add an upper gas component through an upper filling outlet opening located at the upper end of the upper section and a lower gas component through a lower filling outlet opening located at the lower end of the lower section. Accordingly, gas leakage of the added component across the transition zone is reduced. When the upper section is initially filled with an upper gas component of low density, such as N2, this can advantageously be done by blowing the upper gas at the upper end of the upper section without operating the first circulation system, thereby pushing the existing gas atmosphere in the upper section downwards toward the transition zone, where the existing gas atmosphere in the upper section can be extracted with minimal mixing. This will require less upper gas component to be added for the initial filling because the displaced gas escaping from the transition zone will be almost entirely the existing gas atmosphere, rather than including some added upper gas component, which is typically air. Once filling is complete, homogenization and prevention of mixing with the lower gas are preferably performed by operating the first circulation system as described herein. Adding the lower gas component to the lower section can be done in a similar manner.

[0029] Generally, it should be understood that embodiments of the device can be constructed quite compactly, especially because the separation between the first and second sections can be kept small while still maintaining good separation of the corresponding gas mixtures. In particular, the vertical range of the transition zone can be kept relatively small.

[0030] The transition zone can extend across the entire cross-section of the chamber at the interface between the upper and lower sections. The transition zone can be considered as a band or gas layer at the interface between the upper and lower sections, where the respective gas mixtures occupying the upper and lower sections can mix.

[0031] In embodiments where both sections have circulation systems, the vertical dimension of the transition zone can be defined by the vertical offset between the outlet openings of the first and second circulation systems. In some embodiments, the first set of outlet openings and the second set of outlet openings are offset vertically by at least 10 cm, such as at least 20 cm, such as at least 30 cm, and / or no more than 2 m, such as no more than 1 m, such as no more than 60 cm. It should be understood that, in addition to being offset vertically relative to each other, the outlet openings of the first and second circulation systems can also be offset horizontally, i.e., they do not need to be directly above each other.

[0032] In an embodiment where a circulation system is present in only one of the sections and an exhaust system is present in the transition zone, the vertical dimension of the transition zone can be defined as the vertical deviation between a set of outlet openings of the circulation system and a set of exhaust inlet openings of the exhaust system.

[0033] In this respect, the vertical deviation between the two openings can be measured as the height difference between the centers of the corresponding openings (i.e., the difference in coordinates relative to the vertical axis), regardless of whether the two openings are also deviated in the horizontal direction. If the openings in at least one of the two groups are not all aligned in height within the group, the vertical deviation between the two groups of openings can be generally limited to the maximum vertical deviation between the two groups, that is, the vertical deviation between the highest opening in the uppermost group and the lowest opening in the lowermost group.

[0034] In embodiments where the circulation system is present only in the upper section and there is no exhaust system, the transition zone can be defined as a band or layer immediately below the outlet opening of the circulation system in the upper section, spanning the entire cross-section of the chamber, for example, a band or layer with a height of 10% of the chamber height. Similarly, in embodiments where the circulation system is present only in the lower section and there is no exhaust system, the transition zone can be defined as a band or layer immediately above the outlet opening of the circulation system in the lower section, spanning the entire cross-section of the chamber, for example, a band or layer with a height of 10% of the chamber height.

[0035] In various embodiments, the exhaust inlet openings are positioned above the outlet openings of the lower section of the recirculation system and below the outlet openings of the upper section of the recirculation system. More generally, in some embodiments, a set of exhaust inlet openings is vertically offset from a first set of outlet openings toward a second section, distinct from the first section, of the upper and lower sections. Accordingly, in some embodiments, a set of exhaust inlet openings is vertically located between the first and second sets of outlet openings. Similarly, it should be understood that the exhaust inlet openings may also be horizontally offset relative to the outlet openings of one or more recirculation systems.

[0036] Because the decompression and anesthesia sections can be stacked one on top of the other or otherwise positioned at different heights above, for example, the working floor of a slaughterhouse, the various embodiments of the anesthesia device disclosed herein can be constructed with a small footprint. Containing the decompression and anesthesia sections within a chamber having the circulation and / or exhaust systems described herein also avoids the need to arrange the anesthesia area in a pit below the working floor of the slaughterhouse, since any anesthetic gas is effectively contained within the chamber.

[0037] This disclosure relates to various aspects, including the devices, corresponding systems, methods, and / or products described above and below, each aspect in combination with one or more other aspects producing one or more benefits and advantages described, and each aspect having one or more embodiments corresponding to the embodiments described in combination with one or more other aspects and / or the embodiments disclosed in the appended claims.

[0038] In particular, according to another aspect, embodiments of a method for establishing corresponding gas mixtures in a lower and upper section of a chamber for accommodating one or more animals to be anesthetized prior to slaughter are disclosed herein. The chamber includes an upper section, a lower section, and a transition zone separating the lower and upper sections. Each of the upper and lower sections is shaped and sized to accommodate one or more animals to be slaughtered. The transition zone allows at least one animal to be transferred between the upper and lower sections. Each section has a proximal end adjacent to the transition zone and a distal end opposite to the proximal end. Embodiments of the method include: - The upper section and the lower section are filled with a corresponding gas mixture, wherein the first section of the upper section and the lower section is filled with a first gas mixture; - The first gas mixture is circulated to generate an airflow in the first section that is away from the transition zone and toward the far end of the first section.

[0039] According to another aspect, embodiments of a method for anesthetizing slaughtered animals prior to slaughter are disclosed herein. Various embodiments of this method include: - Provides a chamber for accommodating one or more animals to be anesthetized before slaughter, wherein the chamber comprises an upper section, a lower section, and a transition zone separating the lower section from the upper section. - The upper and lower sections are filled with a corresponding gas mixture, wherein the first section of the upper and lower sections is filled with an anesthetic gas mixture. - Place the slaughtered animal in a second section, which is different from the first section, within the upper and lower sections. - The animal to be slaughtered is transferred from the second section to the first section via a transition zone to anesthetize it. - Remove the anesthetized animal from the chamber. The method further includes circulating an anesthetic gas mixture to generate an airflow within the first section that is away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the first section.

[0040] Any embodiment of the method disclosed herein may be implemented using any embodiment of the anesthesia device disclosed herein, or otherwise.

[0041] Various embodiments of this device and method can be used for a wide variety of slaughtered animals, particularly quadrupedal animals such as ungulates. They are especially suitable for anesthetizing swine, bovine, and / or goat animals before slaughter. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1 An embodiment of anesthesia equipment is illustrated schematically.

[0043] Figure 2Another embodiment of anesthesia equipment for anesthetizing animals before slaughter is illustrated schematically.

[0044] Figures 3A to 3B Different examples of anesthesia devices used to anesthetize animals before slaughter are illustrated.

[0045] Figure 4 Another embodiment of the anesthesia device is illustrated schematically.

[0046] Figure 5 A more detailed view of an embodiment of an anesthesia device for anesthetizing slaughtered animals prior to slaughter is shown.

[0047] Figures 6A to 6B Another embodiment of the anesthesia device is illustrated schematically.

[0048] Figure 7 Another embodiment of the anesthesia device is illustrated schematically.

[0049] Figure 8 Another embodiment of the anesthesia device is illustrated schematically. Detailed Implementation

[0050] Figure 1 An embodiment of an anesthesia device—generally indicated by reference numeral 1—is schematically shown for anesthetizing animals before slaughter.

[0051] The anesthesia device 1 includes a chamber 100 for receiving an animal to be slaughtered. The chamber 100 may be defined by a respective wall defining the chamber. The chamber 100 may have one or more openings configured to allow the animal to be transported into and / or removed from the chamber. The one or more openings may be in the form of one or more doors, gates, roller shutters, fabric doors, or other forms of barriers that prevent or at least reduce the inflow and / or outflow of gas into the chamber, such as those described below. Figure 7 As described. In some embodiments, the barrier has an open state and a closed state, and is configured to prevent or at least reduce the inflow and / or outflow of gas into the chamber, at least when the barrier is in the closed state, and to allow the slaughtered animal to move into or out of the chamber when the barrier is in the open state. The slaughtered animal can be transported into the chamber by allowing it to enter the chamber on its own or by means of a suitable transport mechanism. Transporting the slaughtered animal into and out of the chamber by a suitable transport mechanism allows the anesthesia process to be carried out efficiently because the loading time required to receive a new batch of animals is minimized. Furthermore, since the animal is already on or in the transport mechanism when received by the device, it is already accustomed to being on or in the transport mechanism and may even have had the opportunity to rest. The animal will not be disturbed by being pushed or otherwise urged into the chamber shortly before the anesthesia process.

[0052] The chamber 100 has a lower section 110, an upper section 120, and a transition zone 130 separating the lower and upper sections. Each of the upper and lower sections is shaped and sized to accommodate one or more slaughtered animals, and the transition zone 130 allows one or more slaughtered animals to be transferred between the upper and lower sections. Specifically, one or more slaughtered animals pass through the transition zone when transferring from one section to another. In some embodiments, all slaughtered animals accommodated in one section can be transferred to another section simultaneously. In other embodiments, slaughtered animals are transferred one at a time or in groups. The transfer of slaughtered animals can be performed by a suitable transfer mechanism, particularly a lifting mechanism, such as those described below. Figure 7 As described.

[0053] In some embodiments, the upper and lower sections are not separated by any door or other section divider, while in other embodiments, the upper and lower sections may be separated by a section divider that can be selectively opened and closed to allow one or more slaughter animals to be transferred between the upper and lower sections.

[0054] Each of the upper and lower segments has a proximal end adjacent to the transition region 130 and a distal end opposite to the proximal end. The proximal end 111 of the lower segment 110 is the upper end of the lower segment 110, and the distal end 112 of the lower segment 110 is the lower end of the lower segment 110. Similarly, the proximal end 121 of the upper segment 120 is the lower end of the upper segment 120, and the distal end 122 of the upper segment 120 is the upper end of the upper segment 120.

[0055] The upper and lower sections are configured to be filled with corresponding gas mixtures to expose the slaughtered animal to different gas mixtures by transferring the animal between the upper and lower sections. Generally, the upper section 120 may be filled with an upper gas mixture, and the lower section 110 may be filled with a lower gas mixture. When the specific gravity of the upper gas mixture is lower than that of the lower gas mixture, undesirable gas leakage across the transition zone 130 between the sections can be reduced.

[0056] In some embodiments, one of the sections—e.g., upper section 120—comprises air, while the other section—e.g., lower section 110—comprises a mixture of anesthetic gases. In other embodiments, one of the sections—e.g., upper section 120—comprises a mixture of relaxation gases, while the other section—e.g., lower section 110—comprises a mixture of anesthetic gases. Accordingly, one of the sections—e.g., upper section 120—can operate as a depressurization section, in which the slaughtered animal is exposed to a depressurized environment before being transferred to another section—e.g., lower section 110—for anesthesia.

[0057] In some embodiments, the anesthesia device is configured to fill an upper section 120 with an upper gas mixture, particularly a relaxation gas mixture, and a lower section with a lower gas mixture, particularly an anesthetic gas mixture. Filling the section with the gas mixture can be achieved by adding one or more selected gas components to a gas atmosphere already present in the section—e.g., existing air.

[0058] In some embodiments, the anesthetic gas mixture may include CO2 or other anesthetic gases at a sufficiently high concentration to have a physiological effect—particularly an anesthetic effect. The remaining components (balance) may be other gases normally present in the atmosphere. The remaining components may include a large amount of physiologically inert gases, such as nitrogen or argon. The remaining components may include small amounts of oxygen and / or other gases normally present in small amounts in the atmosphere. These other gases may have relative concentrations relative to each other, corresponding to or different from their relative concentrations in the atmosphere. Therefore, an anesthetic gas mixture can be provided in the section by blowing CO2 or other anesthetic gases into or otherwise distributing them into one of the sections—e.g., the lower section 110—such that the added CO2 or other anesthetic gas mixes with the gaseous atmosphere—particularly air—already present in the section.

[0059] The concentration of CO2 or other anesthetic gases in the anesthetic gas mixture may be at least 30%, such as at least 40%, such as at least 50%, such as at least 70%, such as at least 80%, such as between 80% and 90%. Generally, unless otherwise stated, relative concentration is intended to refer to relative concentration by volume. It should be understood that a suitable CO2 concentration may depend on the type of animal to be anesthetized. Other examples of gases to be included in the gas mixture include nitrogen and argon or mixtures thereof, or mixtures of nitrogen and / or argon with CO2.

[0060] The relaxation gas mixture can be selected such that it does not cause anesthesia, i.e., such that the animal is fully conscious and not pre-anesthetized when it leaves the decompression section—e.g., the upper section—where it is exposed to the relaxation gas mixture. In some embodiments, the relaxation gas mixture is a gas mixture with a low O2 concentration, particularly a gas mixture containing less than 10% O2. The O2 concentration is preferably above a minimum level of oxygen concentration, and preferably above a concentration that would cause anesthesia in the animal being treated. The minimum level of oxygen concentration in the relaxation gas mixture can vary depending on the animal species and can be between 3% and 10%. Preferably, the oxygen concentration is less than 10% and more than 4%, such as more than 5%, such as more than 6%. Especially for pigs, the minimum level of oxygen concentration in the relaxation gas mixture should preferably be about 6% to ensure that the animal is at a reduced stress level and is not anesthetized. The relaxation gas mixture may include one or more other gases normally present in the atmosphere, such as nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, and combinations thereof. The relaxation gas mixture may also include small amounts of other gases, such as gases normally present in small amounts in the atmosphere. Preferably, the relaxation gas or gas mixture comprises a large quantity of one or more physiologically inert gases, such as nitrogen and / or argon and / or xenon. The term "physiologically inert gas" is intended to refer to any gas that is physiologically inert to the animal to be treated. In this regard, CO2 is generally not a physiologically inert gas. Therefore, an anesthetic gas mixture can be obtained by adding a physiologically inert gas, such as N2, to the gas atmosphere initially occupying the section to be filled with the relaxation gas mixture—e.g., the upper section. The gas atmosphere initially occupying the section is typically air or the gas atmosphere remaining in the section after the previous operation of the equipment. In this way, a relaxation gas mixture with a reduced O2 concentration below the atmospheric O2 concentration is obtained in the section where the physiologically inert gas has been added. In particular, this is achieved without increasing the concentration of any gaseous component that itself has an anesthetic effect. N2 is less dense than the atmosphere and will tend to accumulate towards the upper end of the section where N2 has been added. Therefore, when the upper section is filled with a relaxation gas mixture—having a high concentration of N2 or another suitable physiologically inert gas with a low specific gravity—as part of the upper gas mixture, the risk of undesirable N2 leakage into the lower section due to the addition of N2 to the upper section is reduced. In some embodiments, the upper gas mixture therefore includes N2 at a concentration higher than that in air, i.e., at least 79% by volume.

[0061] Accordingly, the upper gas mixture may include physiologically inert gases, such as N2, at a higher concentration in the upper gas mixture than in the lower gas mixture and / or in the atmosphere. The lower gas mixture may include anesthetic gas components, such as CO2, at a higher concentration in the lower gas mixture than in the upper gas mixture and / or in the atmosphere.

[0062] Device 1 includes a first circulation system 210 for circulating a first gas mixture in a corresponding gas mixture, the first gas mixture occupying a first section of an upper section and a lower section, wherein the first circulation system is configured to generate an airflow 211 within the first section away from the transition zone 130 and toward the distal end of the first section. Figure 1 In one embodiment, the first circulation system 210 is used to circulate the lower gas mixture occupying the lower section 110, and the first circulation system 210 is configured to generate a downward airflow 211 within the lower section 110 away from the transition zone 130 and toward the lower end 112 of the lower section 110. It should be understood that in other embodiments, as an alternative or supplement to the circulation system for circulating the gas mixture occupying the lower section, the device may include a circulation system for circulating the upper gas mixture occupying the upper section.

[0063] Preferably, the first circulation system 210 also provides a circulation return path 216 via a return duct or otherwise, which is separated from the first gas mixture occupying the first section 110. Accordingly, within the first section 110, airflow toward the transition zone 130 is avoided or at least reduced.

[0064] An embodiment with circulation systems in the upper and lower sections respectively. Figure 2 As shown in the figure, the Figure 2 Another embodiment of anesthesia equipment for anesthetizing animals before slaughter is illustrated schematically.

[0065] Figure 2 The device 1 includes a chamber 100 and a first circulation system 210, wherein the chamber 100 has a lower section 110, an upper section 120 and a transition zone 130, all of which are combined as shown in the figure. Figure 1 As described.

[0066] Figure 2 The device 1 also includes a second circulation system 220 for circulating a second gas mixture in the corresponding gas mixture, the second gas mixture occupying a second section in the upper and lower sections that differs from the first section. Figure 2In the example, the second segment is the upper segment 120. The second circulation system 220 is configured to generate an airflow 221 within the second segment 120 that is away from the transition zone 130 and toward the distal end 122 of the second segment 120. Accordingly, in Figure 2 In the example, airflow 221 is an upwardly directed airflow within the upper section 120, away from the transition zone 130 and toward the upper end 122 of the upper section 120. Therefore, the first and second circulation systems generate opposing, mutually distant airflows in their respective sections, thereby suppressing undesirable gas leakage from one section to another via the transition zone 130.

[0067] Preferably, the second circulation system 220 also provides a circulation return path 222 via a return duct or otherwise, which is separated from the second gas mixture occupying the second section 120. Accordingly, within the second section 120, airflow toward the transition zone 130 is avoided or at least reduced.

[0068] Figures 3A to 3B Different examples of anesthesia devices used to anesthetize animals before slaughter are shown schematically—generally indicated by reference numeral 1 in the figures. Figures 3A to 3B Examples are similar to Figure 1 In some embodiments, the chamber 100 has a different shape.

[0069] Although previously Figure 1 In this embodiment, the upper segment 110, lower segment 120, and transition region 130 are directly stacked on top of each other in the vertical direction and all have the same horizontal cross-section, but... Figures 3A to 3B In the example, the arrangement of each section and transition zone is different. Specifically, in... Figure 3A In the example, chamber 100 has inclined sidewalls 103. Figure 3B In the example, the upper segment 110 has a larger lateral range than the lower segment 120.

[0070] Generally, in some embodiments, the chamber 100 has a total height defined between the uppermost ceiling 101 and the lowermost floor 102 of the chamber, and has a horizontal cross-section that can be defined by the transverse sidewalls 103 of the chamber. The chamber may have a uniform cross-section along its entire height, or the cross-section may vary, for example as... Figure 3B As shown. For example, one segment may be narrower than another segment, and / or the chamber may have a reduced cross-section at the transition zone, and / or the cross-section may vary in other ways.

[0071] It should be understood that other embodiments described herein, in particular Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figures 4 to 7The embodiments may also have different chamber geometries, for example, such as Figures 3A to 3B As shown or otherwise.

[0072] Figure 4 Another embodiment of an anesthesia device for anesthetizing slaughter animals prior to slaughter is shown. Figure 4 The device 1 includes a chamber 100, a first circulation system 210, and a second circulation system 220, and the chamber 100 has a lower section 110, an upper section 120, and a transition zone 130, all of which are combined as shown in the figure. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As described. Figure 4 equipment and Figure 2 The difference in the equipment is that, Figure 4 The device also includes an exhaust system 300 configured to remove gas from the transition zone 130, particularly by applying a suction force, as indicated by arrow 301. The removed gas can be distributed to the external environment, optionally after filtration or additional cleaning processes. In some embodiments, the removed gas can be treated, for example, by separating one or more gas components from the removed gas, such that the separated one or more gas components can be reused, for example, reintroduced into the chamber. In some embodiments, the exhaust system 300 operates simultaneously with a first circulation system circulating a first gas mixture and / or with a second circulation system circulating a second gas mixture, thereby further reducing the risk and / or amount of gas leakage from one section across the transition zone 130 to another section. Even if gas leaks from one section into the transition zone 130, the leaked gas is at least partially removed from the chamber, thereby preventing the leaked gas from entering another section. It should be understood that... Figure 1 The embodiments may also include an exhaust system.

[0073] Figure 5 A more detailed view of an embodiment of an anesthesia device for anesthetizing slaughtered animals prior to slaughter is shown. Figure 5 equipment and Figure 4 The similarity of the devices lies in the fact that the devices accordingly have a chamber 100, a first circulation system 210, a second circulation system 220, and an exhaust system 300, and the chamber has an upper section 120, a lower section 110, and a transition zone 130, all in combination Figure 4 As described.

[0074] The first circulation system 210 includes one or more first set of outlet openings 214 at the proximal end of the first section 110 (i.e., the upper end of the lower section in this example) and one or more first set of inlet openings 212 at the distal end of the first section 110 (i.e., the lower end of the lower section in this example). The first circulation system 210 is configured to remove gas from the first section 110 through the first set of inlet openings 212, particularly by applying suction, and to introduce—particularly by blowing—gas into the first section 110 via the first set of outlet openings 214, to generate an airflow within the first section 110 away from the transition zone 130 and toward the distal end of the first section 110. The first circulation system 210 may be configured to recirculate the removed gas back into the first section via one or more return conduits 216, optionally after filtering or cleaning the removed gas. The inlet opening 212 can be formed as a simple orifice, such as a round hole, an elongated hole, or a nozzle, or in another suitable manner. Similarly, the outlet opening 214 can be formed as a simple orifice, such as a round hole, an elongated hole, or a nozzle, or in another suitable manner.

[0075] exist Figure 5 In one embodiment, the first circulation system includes a gas receiving conduit 211, specifically a conduit, which extends horizontally along a corresponding sidewall of the chamber 100 at the distal end of the first section 110—in this embodiment, the bottom end of the lower section 110. The gas receiving conduit 211 is provided with an inlet opening 212 distributed along the gas receiving conduit 211. The inlet opening may be configured as an orifice in the peripheral wall of the gas receiving conduit, such as on the periphery of the gas receiving conduit facing the center of the chamber. However, other opening arrangements and / or other forms of gas receiving conduits may be selected. For example, the inlet opening 212 may be located in the sidewall of the chamber, or in the floor of the chamber, allowing air to be drawn into a gas receiving conduit integrated into the sidewall and / or floor, or the gas receiving conduit may be arranged on the outward-facing side of the sidewall and / or floor. Figure 5 Two gas receiving conduits of the first circulation system are shown. However, it should be understood that the first circulation system may include a single gas receiving conduit or other form of conduit, or more than two gas receiving conduits or conduits. For example, inlet openings may be arranged along all four sidewalls and / or distributed across the entire floor, or otherwise distributed along the entire distal end of the first section to provide suction throughout the distal end.

[0076] Similarly, the first circulation system includes a gas distribution conduit 213, specifically a pipe, which extends horizontally along the corresponding sidewall of the chamber at the proximal end of the first section 110—in this embodiment, the upper end of the lower section 110. Figure 5 In the example, the gas distribution conduit 213 is arranged adjacent to and immediately below the transition zone 130. The gas distribution conduit 213 is provided with an outlet opening 214 distributed along the gas distribution conduit 213. The outlet opening can be configured as a hole or slit in the peripheral wall of the gas distribution conduit, such as on the periphery of the gas distribution conduit facing the center of the chamber and away from the transition zone, i.e., such that the distributed gas flow exiting the outlet opening has a horizontal velocity component toward the center of the chamber 100 and a vertical velocity component away from the transition zone 130. However, other opening arrangements and / or other forms of gas distribution conduits can be selected. For example, the outlet opening can be located in the sidewall of the chamber, and the gas distribution conduit can be arranged in the sidewall or on the outward-facing side of the sidewall. Figure 5 Two gas distribution conduits of a first circulation system are shown. However, it should be understood that the first circulation system may include a single gas distribution conduit or more than two gas distribution conduits. For example, inlet openings may be arranged on all four sidewalls, or otherwise distributed along the entire proximal end of the first section, to provide airflow away from the transition zone across the entire horizontal cross-section of the first section 110, or at least a large portion of the cross-section. Outlet openings may all have the same shape and / or size, or their shape and / or size may vary, for example, along the length of the gas distribution conduit, to provide a uniform airflow of the distributed gas along the gas distribution conduit. Similarly, outlet openings 214 may be uniformly or non-uniformly distributed along the gas distribution conduit.

[0077] The first circulation system also includes one or more connecting conduits 216 that fluidly connect the gas receiving conduit 211 to the gas distribution conduit 213. The first circulation system also includes one or more fans 217, such as one or more blowers, ventilators, or other means for generating suction at the inlet opening 212 and for generating airflow exiting the outlet opening 214. The one or more fans 217 can be operatively coupled to the return path of the first circulation system, particularly to the connecting conduit 216. Therefore, in Figure 5 In one embodiment, the first circulation system 210 draws gas out of the first section 110 at its distal end and recirculates the drawn gas back into the first section 110 at its proximal end, thereby generating an airflow away from the transition zone 130 within the first section. The connecting conduit 216 thus forms the return path of the circulation system 210. Figure 5In the example, the first circulation system has two separate return paths, each including a corresponding fan, which serve as the inlet and outlet openings for a respective group of the first circulation system, thereby facilitating better control of airflow in the first section. However, it should be understood that other embodiments may include combined return paths, optionally with a single fan, while other embodiments may include additional separate return paths and / or additional fans.

[0078] Such as combination Figure 4 The first circulation system may optionally include additional components such as suitable filters, gas cleaning systems, gas storage tanks, etc.

[0079] like Figure 5 As shown, the first circulation system may optionally include one or more flow guiding members 215 configured to guide airflow from a first set of outlet openings 214 in a predetermined direction. Figure 5 In the example, the flow guide member is provided in the form of a plate that extends radially outward from the gas distribution duct in a downward-inward direction relative to the chamber—that is, in the direction of the desired airflow away from the outlet opening 214, particularly away from the transition zone. Therefore, the flow guide member 215 facilitates downward and inward flow of gas relative to the chamber and prevents the airflow from the corresponding outlet opening from generating undesired turbulence, thereby facilitating the generation of a primary cascaded airflow away from the transition zone. Specifically, the flow guide member 215 is operable to guide the airflow leaving the outlet opening in a radial direction away from the gas distribution duct (relative to the longitudinal direction of the gas distribution duct 213), thereby suppressing any axial flow along the direction of the duct that might otherwise cause undesired turbulence. It should be understood that other embodiments may include additional or alternative flow guide members, such as deflector plates for downward deflecting any upward-directed airflow from the outlet opening 214. Other examples of flow guide members include directional outlet openings, such as nozzles, cylindrical flow guide members, etc. The flow guide member may be configured to generate a uniform airflow across the entire cross-section of the chamber, or at least operable to reduce airflow variation across the entire cross-section.

[0080] The second circulation system 220 is similar to the first circulation system 210 and includes a gas receiving conduit 221 and a gas distributing conduit 223. The gas receiving conduit 221 has a second set of inlet openings 222, and the gas distributing conduit 223 has a second set of outlet openings 224 and is fluidly connected to the gas receiving conduit 221 via a connecting conduit 226, both as described in conjunction with the first circulation system 210, except that the gas receiving conduit 221 is arranged at the upper end of the upper section 120, and the gas distributing conduit 223 is arranged at the lower end of the upper section 120 of the chamber, for example, immediately above the transition zone 130. Therefore, the second circulation system 220 is configured to remove gas from the second section—in this case, the upper section 120—through the second set of inlet openings 222 and introduce gas into the second section 120 via the second set of outlet openings 224 to generate an airflow within the second section away from the transition zone 130 and toward the distal end of the second section 120—that is, the upper end of the upper section 120 in this case. The second circulation system can be configured to recirculate the removed gas back to the second section via connecting conduit 226, optionally after filtering or cleaning the removed gas.

[0081] As described in conjunction with the first circulation system, the inlet opening 222 and outlet opening 224 of the second circulation system 220 can be provided in various ways. The inlet opening 222 can be disposed along or integrated into the sidewalls and / or ceiling of the chamber. The outlet opening 224 of the second circulation system 220 can be arranged such that the airflow exiting the outlet opening of the second circulation system has a horizontal velocity component toward the center of the chamber and a vertical velocity component away from the transition zone 130, both as described in conjunction with the first circulation system. The second circulation system may also include one or more fans 227, such as one or more blowers, ventilators, or other means for generating suction at the inlet opening 222 of the second circulation system and for generating airflow exiting the outlet opening 224 of the second circulation system. The one or more fans 227 may be operatively coupled to a return path of the second circulation system, particularly to a connecting duct 226. The second circulation system 220 may also include a flow guiding member 225 configured to guide the airflow from the second set of outlet openings 224 in a predetermined direction—particularly an upward-inward direction relative to the chamber. Therefore, the flow guiding member 225 can facilitate upward and inward flow of gas relative to the chamber and prevent undesirable turbulence from the airflow from the corresponding outlet opening 224, thereby facilitating the generation of a primary cascaded airflow away from the transition zone 130. It should be understood that other embodiments may include additional or alternative flow guiding members, such as deflectors for upward deflecting any downward-directed airflow from the outlet opening 224 of the second circulation system.

[0082] The first and second circulation systems are preferably fluid-separated systems to avoid undesirable mixing of the corresponding gas mixtures in the return path of the respective circulation systems.

[0083] The first and / or second circulation systems are preferably configured, particularly during equipment operation, to generate airflow velocities of less than 3 m / s, such as less than 2 m / s, or less than 1 m / s, at locations within the chamber where the slaughtered animal is positioned. The airflow can be controlled by controlling the fans 217 and 227 of the circulation systems.

[0084] Figure 5 The exhaust system 300 of one embodiment includes a gas receiving conduit 310 having a set of exhaust inlet openings 311. The exhaust inlet openings 311 can be formed as simple orifices, such as round holes, elongated holes, or as nozzles, or formed in other suitable ways. The exhaust inlet openings 311 are arranged at, preferably within, a transition zone 130 and are arranged to extract gas from the transition zone 130. For this purpose, the gas receiving conduit 310 of the exhaust system 300 can be arranged along one or more sidewalls of a chamber and have an inlet opening horizontally facing the center of the transition zone 130. As described in conjunction with the first and second circulation systems, the gas receiving conduit 310 and the exhaust inlet openings 311 can be integrated into the sidewall and / or partially arranged along the outward-facing side of the sidewall, wherein the exhaust inlet openings extend through the sidewall of the chamber. Furthermore, the number, arrangement, and size of the exhaust inlet openings can vary. Preferably, the exhaust inlet opening is arranged such that gas can be drawn out uniformly from the entire transition zone, for example by positioning the exhaust inlet opening along the entire periphery of the transition zone or at least along the main portion of the periphery of the transition zone.

[0085] The exhaust system may also include an exhaust fan 320, such as a blower, ventilator or other suitable device, which is used to generate a suction force at the exhaust inlet opening 311 and to remove the extracted gas from the chamber, for example to a suitable external exhaust outlet 330, to a tank or other exhaust storage container, to an exhaust separation station and / or the like.

[0086] In some embodiments, the anesthesia device 1 includes a gas sensor for measuring the concentration of one or more gas components in one or more gas mixtures within a chamber, for example, combined with... Figure 8 As described.

[0087] Figures 6A to 6B Another embodiment of the anesthesia device is illustrated schematically. Figures 6A to 6B equipment and Figure 4The similarity of the device lies in the fact that it accordingly has a chamber 100, a first circulation system 210, a second circulation system 220, and an exhaust system 300, wherein the chamber has an upper section 120, a lower section 110, and a transition zone 130, all in combination Figure 4 and / or combination Figure 5 As described.

[0088] Figure 6A and Figure 6B The device also includes a first filling system 410 for blowing a first gas component of the first gas mixture into the first section 110.

[0089] For this purpose, the first filling system 410 may receive a first gas component from a suitable first gas reservoir—for example, from a tank for storing pressurized gas. The first filling system 410 may include a first set of filling outlet openings 411 for dispensing the first gas component. The first filling outlet openings 411 are preferably located at the distal end 112 of the first segment 110. The first filling system 410 may be completely separate from the first circulation system 210, or the first filling system 410 may be at least partially integrated into the first circulation system. For example, the first set of filling outlet openings 411 may be a separate set of openings different from the inlet or outlet openings of the first circulation system. Alternatively, the first filling system may utilize the inlet opening of the first circulation system—for example… Figure 5 The inlet opening 212 of this embodiment serves as a filling outlet opening for dispensing the first gas component into the first section 110. For this purpose, the inlet opening of the first circulation system can be fluidly connected to the first gas reservoir via a first valve and fluidly connected to the outlet opening of the first circulation system via a second valve. During filling of the first section, the first valve can be opened, the second valve can be closed, and one or more fans of the circulation system can be stopped. During operation of the first circulation system, the first valve can be closed, the second valve can be opened, and one or more fans of the circulation system can be operated.

[0090] Figures 6A to 6BThe device also includes a second filling system 420 for blowing a second gas component of the second gas mixture into the second section 120. For this purpose, the second filling system 420 may receive the second gas component from a suitable second gas reservoir—e.g., from a tank for storing pressurized gas. The second filling system 420 may include a second set of filling outlet openings 421 for dispensing the second gas component. The filling outlet openings 421 are preferably located at the distal end 122 of the second section 120. The second filling system may be completely separate from the second circulation system 220, or the second filling system may be at least partially integrated into the second circulation system. For example, the second set of filling outlet openings 421 may be a separate set of openings different from the inlet or outlet openings of the second circulation system. Alternatively, the second filling system may utilize the inlet opening of the second circulation system—e.g. Figure 5 The inlet opening 222 of the embodiment serves as a filling outlet opening for distributing the second gas component into the second segment 120, for example, in a manner similar to that described for the first filling system 410. It should be understood that some embodiments may include only one filling system, for example, when one of the segments is filled with air.

[0091] Preferably, the anesthesia device is configured to form a lower gas mixture in a lower section by adding a lower gas component to the upper section, wherein the lower gas component has a higher specific gravity than an upper gas component added to the upper section to form an upper gas mixture in the upper section, and / or wherein the lower gas component has a higher specific gravity than the upper gas mixture. As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the lower section is an anesthesia section filled with an anesthetic gas mixture formed by adding CO2 (or another anesthetic gas component) to the lower section—that is, to the air or other gas atmosphere already present in the lower section. In such embodiments, the risk of CO2 leakage into the upper section 120 via the transition zone 130 is reduced by distributing CO2 through a first filling system 410 located at the lower end 112 of the lower section 110, because the heavier CO2 tends to remain at the lower end 112 of the lower section 110. Similarly, in some embodiments, the upper section 120 is a depressurized section filled with a relaxation gas mixture formed by adding N2 to the upper section—that is, to the air or other gas atmosphere already present in the upper section—through a second filling system. This reduces the O2 concentration in the upper section. In such embodiments, the distribution of N2 by the second filling system 420 located at the upper end 122 of the upper section 120 reduces the risk of N2 leakage into the lower section 110 via the transition zone 130, because the lighter N2 tends to remain at the upper end 112 of the upper section 120. Similar considerations apply when other relatively lighter gas components are added to the upper section and / or other relatively heavier gas components are added to the lower section.

[0092] When gas components are added to one or both distal ends 112 and 122 of chamber 100 via filling system 410 and / or filling system 420 respectively, exhaust system 300 can simultaneously remove gas from transition zone 130, i.e., simultaneously with the first filling system 410 blowing the first gas component into the first section 110 and / or simultaneously with the second filling system 420 blowing the second gas component into the second section 120. When the corresponding gas components are added to the two sections, the first filling system and the second filling system preferably operate simultaneously with each other and simultaneously with the exhaust system. In this way, the gas already present in the first and second sections is displaced from the upper and lower sides toward the transition zone and extracted from the transition zone by the exhaust system.

[0093] Therefore, gas leakage between sections via the transition zone is avoided, and the potential waste of large quantities of newly introduced one or more gas components due to re-extraction is also prevented. This is in Figure 6A As shown in the figure, Figure 6AThe operation of the apparatus is illustrated during the filling of the corresponding gas mixtures into the upper and lower sections. The filling of the sections can be performed before the slaughtered animal enters the chamber, or while the slaughtered animal is already present in the relaxation section.

[0094] Once an appropriate amount of one or more gas components has been added to the corresponding section, the filling system can stop introducing the gas components, and the first and second circulation systems can begin operation to provide a homogeneous gas mixture in both sections while minimizing gas leakage across the transition zone 130. The amount of gas component to be added can be determined based on measurements of the relevant gas concentration by a suitable gas sensor before and / or during the distribution of the gas component into the section, for example by combining... Figure 8 The gas sensor described. This is in Figure 6B As shown in the figure, Figure 6B The operation of the equipment during the circulation system is illustrated. As explained above, the simultaneous operation of the exhaust system and the circulation system further reduces gas leakage across the transition zone 130.

[0095] In some embodiments, once a sufficiently homogeneous gas mixture is obtained in both sections, the animal can be placed into the chamber for slaughter.

[0096] Figure 7 Another embodiment of the anesthesia device is illustrated schematically. Figure 7 The device is similar to any of the devices in the previous embodiments having one or more circulation systems and optional exhaust systems and optional first and / or second filling systems, as described above (although...). Figure 7 (Not explicitly shown in the text). The device includes a chamber 100 having an upper section 120, a lower section 110, and a transition zone 130, all as described above.

[0097] Figure 7 The embodiments also include an entrance door 140, a lifting mechanism 150, a section divider 160, and an exit door 170. It should be understood that some embodiments may have only some of these components, rather than all of them. For example, some embodiments may lack the section divider and / or have only a single door that serves as both an entrance and an exit door. Additionally, some embodiments may have an exit door and / or an entrance door in the lower section.

[0098] Each of the entrance door 140 and the exit door 170 may be a sliding door, a gate, a curtain door, a segmented door, a fabric door, a roller shutter door, or other form of barrier that prevents or at least reduces gas leakage from the chamber when the door is closed.

[0099] Similarly, the section divider 160 can be configured to selectively block the passage between the upper and lower sections. For this purpose, the section divider can be a sliding door, gate, segmented door, fabric door, roller shutter, or other form of barrier that can be selectively opened to allow the lifting mechanism to pass through, and when the divider is closed, prevent or at least reduce gas leakage between sections.

[0100] The lifting mechanism 150 may be, for example, a lift, such as a scissor lift, which is configured to lower slaughter animals from the upper section 120 to the lower section 110 and then transport them back up to the upper section 120.

[0101] During operation, once each section is filled with the desired gas mixture, as shown in the reference above... Figures 6A to 6B As described, one or more slaughter animals can enter the upper section 120 through a temporarily opened entry door 140. Alternatively, the section can be filled after the animals have entered the upper section 120. Animals can walk into the upper section or be transported into the upper section via a suitable transport mechanism—e.g., in a box or cage.

[0102] The animals to be slaughtered can then remain in the upper section 120 for a period of time, where they are in a depressurized environment, specifically immersed in a relaxation gas mixture as described herein. Thus, the upper section serves as a depressurization section prior to anesthesia.

[0103] The animals to be slaughtered can then be lowered into the lower section 110 via the lifting mechanism 150, where they are immersed in a mixture of anesthetic gases. For this purpose, the section divider 160 can be temporarily opened to allow the lifting mechanism 150 carrying the animals to pass between sections via a transition zone.

[0104] After the anesthesia process is completed, the slaughtered animal can be raised back into the upper section 120 and transported out of the upper section 120 from there through the exit gate 170.

[0105] Preferably, while the animal is being slaughtered inside the chamber, one or more circulatory systems operate throughout the process, for example, as described in the context of any of the previous embodiments.

[0106] Figure 8 Another embodiment of the anesthesia device is illustrated schematically. Figure 8The device is similar to any of the devices in the previous embodiments, which respectively have one or more circulation systems 210 and 220 and an optional exhaust system 300 and respectively have an optional first filling system 410 and a second filling system 420, as described above. The device includes a chamber 100 having an upper section 120, a lower section 110 and a transition zone 130, also as described above.

[0107] Figure 8 The anesthesia device 1 shown also includes a control unit 500, such as a controller, PLC, appropriately programmed computer, etc., which is correspondingly communicatively connected to the first circulation system 210 and the second circulation system 220, the exhaust system 300, and the first filling system 410 and the second filling system 420. The control unit 500 is configured—for example, appropriately programmed—to control the operation of the respective systems, such as fan speed, valve opening or closing, and / or similar operations. It should be understood that the control unit 500 can alternatively be implemented as a distributed control unit, for example, through separate control units for the circulation system and / or the exhaust system, or even through separate control units for the fans and / or other controllable components of the circulation system and / or the exhaust system.

[0108] The control unit 500 is communicatively connected to a gas concentration sensor 510, which is configured to measure the concentration of one or more gas components, such as O2 and CO2, in the upper and lower sections of a chamber. Therefore, the control unit 500 can be configured to control the operation of various systems based at least in part on the measured gas concentrations.

[0109] For example, the device can detect when a gas mixture in one or two sections deviates from a target range. The device may even include sensors located at different locations within one or two sections to detect the uniformity of the gas mixture within each section. In some embodiments, one or more gas sensors may be positioned within the transition zone 130. It should be understood that in some embodiments, the device may include a gas sensor only in one of the sections.

[0110] Based on the measured concentrations of one or more gases, the control unit 500 can control the first circulation system 210 or the second circulation system 220, for example, to facilitate better mixing of the respective gas components of the gas mixture, and / or to control the airflow within one or both sections away from the transition zone 130. Specifically, in some embodiments, the first circulation system 210 and / or the second circulation system 220 are configured to control the removal of gas from the first section 110 or the second section 120 and / or the introduction of gas into the first section 110 or the second section 120 in response to the measured gas concentrations.

[0111] Various embodiments can be configured to control the rate at which gas is introduced, for example, by controlling the fan speed of one or more fans and / or by controlling a throttle valve, and / or similar operation. In some embodiments, even the direction of the airflow can be controlled, for example, by providing a movable flow guide member, by providing a rotatable gas distribution duct that allows the outlet opening to be selectively oriented in different directions, and so on.

[0112] Alternatively or additionally, the control unit 500 may control the exhaust system 300 based on one or more measured gas concentrations. Specifically, in some embodiments, the exhaust system 300 is configured to remove gas from the transition zone 130 in response to a measured gas concentration. For example, when Figure 5 When the device is equipped with the gas sensor and control unit of this embodiment, the exhaust system 300 can be controlled based on the CO2 concentration measured in the upper section to prevent or reduce CO2 leakage from the lower section into the upper section. For this purpose, the control unit 500 can control the suction intensity and / or the direction along which the exhaust inlet opening receives gas from the transition zone. The latter can be controlled by providing a repositionable exhaust inlet opening to the gas receiving duct of the exhaust system, by providing a movable flow guiding member, and / or similar methods.

[0113] In summary, the various aspects disclosed in this article can be summarized as follows: Example 1: An anesthesia device for anesthetizing animals before slaughter, wherein the anesthesia device includes: - A chamber for containing slaughtered animals, the chamber having an upper section, a lower section, and a transition zone separating the lower section from the upper section. Each of the upper and lower sections is shaped and sized to accommodate one or more slaughtered animals. The transition zone allows one or more slaughtered animals to be transferred between the upper and lower sections. Each section has a proximal end adjacent to the transition zone and a distal end opposite to the proximal end. The upper and lower sections are configured to be filled with corresponding gas mixtures to expose the slaughtered animals to different gas mixtures by transferring them between the upper and lower sections. - A first circulation system for circulating a first gas mixture in a corresponding gas mixture, the first gas mixture occupying a first section in an upper section and a lower section, wherein the first circulation system is configured to generate an airflow in the first section away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the first section.

[0114] Example 2: Anesthesia device according to Example 1; wherein, the first circulation system includes one or more first set of outlet openings located at the proximal end of the first section and one or more first set of inlet openings located at the distal end of the first section; wherein, the first circulation system is configured to remove gas from the first section through the first set of inlet openings and introduce gas into the first section via the first set of outlet openings to generate the airflow within the first section away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the first section.

[0115] Example 3: Anesthesia device according to Example 2, wherein the first circulation system is configured to recirculate the removed gas back into the first section, optionally after filtering and / or cleaning the removed gas, the gas is recirculated back into the first section.

[0116] Example 4: An anesthesia device according to Example 2 or 3, wherein the first circulation system includes one or more flow guiding members configured to guide airflow from a first set of outlet openings in a predetermined direction, such as away from the transition zone.

[0117] Example 5: An anesthesia device according to any of the foregoing embodiments, the anesthesia device including a gas sensor for measuring the concentration of one or more gas components of one or more gas mixtures in a chamber, wherein a first circulation system is configured to circulate a first gas mixture in response to the measured concentration.

[0118] Example 6: An anesthesia device according to any of the foregoing embodiments, the anesthesia device further includes an exhaust system configured to remove gas from the transition zone, particularly removing gas from the transition zone simultaneously with the circulation of the first gas mixture in the first circulation system.

[0119] Example 7: The anesthesia device according to Example 6, wherein the exhaust system includes a set of exhaust inlet openings arranged in the transition zone.

[0120] Example 8: Anesthesia device according to Example 7, when directly or indirectly subordinate to any one of Examples 2 to 4, wherein a set of exhaust inlet openings is offset at least vertically relative to the first set of outlet openings toward the second section of the upper and lower sections, the second section being different from the first section.

[0121] Example 9: An anesthesia device according to any one of Examples 6 to 8, the anesthesia device including a gas sensor for measuring the concentration of one or more gas components of one or more gas mixtures in a chamber, wherein an exhaust system is configured to remove gas from a transition zone in response to the measured concentration.

[0122] Example 10: Anesthesia device according to Example 9, wherein the exhaust system is configured to control the suction direction in response to a measured concentration, the exhaust system drawing gas from a transition zone into a set of exhaust inlet openings along the suction direction.

[0123] Example 11: An anesthesia device according to any one of Examples 6 to 10, the anesthesia device includes an exhaust separation system for separating at least one gaseous component from exhaust gas.

[0124] Example 12: An anesthesia device according to any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the first circulation system is configured to generate an airflow with a velocity of less than 3 m / s, such as less than 2 m / s, such as less than 1 m / s.

[0125] Example 13: An anesthesia device according to any of the foregoing embodiments, the anesthesia device includes a first filling system for blowing a first gas component of a first gas mixture into a first section.

[0126] Example 14: An anesthesia device according to Example 13, wherein the first filling system includes a first set of filling outlet openings located at the distal end of a first section, the first set of filling outlet openings being used to dispense a first gas component.

[0127] Example 15: An anesthesia device according to Example 13 or 14, when directly or indirectly subordinate to any one of Examples 6 to 11, wherein the exhaust system is further configured to remove gas from the transition zone simultaneously with the first filling system blowing the first gas component into the first section.

[0128] Example 16: An anesthesia device according to any of the foregoing embodiments, the anesthesia device further includes a second circulation system for circulating a second gas mixture in a corresponding gas mixture, the second gas mixture occupying a second section in the upper and lower sections that is different from the first section; wherein the second circulation system is configured to generate an airflow in the second section away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the second section.

[0129] Example 17: An anesthesia device according to Example 16, wherein the second circulation system includes one or more second sets of outlet openings located at the proximal end of the second section and one or more second sets of inlet openings located at the distal end of the second section; wherein the second circulation system is configured to remove gas from the second section through the second sets of inlet openings and introduce gas into the second section via the second sets of outlet openings to generate the airflow within the second section away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the second section.

[0130] Example 18: Anesthesia device according to Example 17, wherein the second circulation system is configured to recirculate the removed gas into the second section, optionally after filtering and / or cleaning the removed gas, the gas is recirculated into the second section.

[0131] Example 19: An anesthesia device according to Example 17 or 18, wherein the second circulation system includes one or more flow guiding members configured to guide airflow from a second set of outlet openings in a predetermined direction, such as away from the transition zone.

[0132] Example 20: An anesthesia device according to any one of Examples 17 to 19, when directly or indirectly subordinate to Examples 2 and 7, wherein a set of exhaust inlet openings is located vertically between a first set of outlet openings and a second set of outlet openings.

[0133] Example 21: An anesthesia device according to any one of Examples 17 to 20, when directly or indirectly subordinate to Example 2, wherein the first set of outlet openings is offset in the vertical direction from the second set of outlet openings by at least 10 cm, such as at least 20 cm, such as at least 30 cm, and / or no more than 2 meters, such as no more than 1 meter, for example no more than 60 cm.

[0134] Example 22: An anesthesia device according to any one of Examples 16 to 21, the anesthesia device including a gas sensor for measuring the concentration of one or more gas components of one or more gas mixtures in a chamber, wherein a second circulation system is configured to circulate a second gas mixture in response to the measured concentration.

[0135] Example 23: An anesthesia device according to any one of Examples 16 to 22, wherein the second circulation system is configured to generate an airflow with a velocity of less than 3 m / s, such as less than 2 m / s, such as less than 1 m / s.

[0136] Example 24: An anesthesia device according to any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the anesthesia device is configured to fill the upper section with an upper gas mixture, particularly a relaxation gas mixture, and to fill the lower section with a lower gas mixture, particularly an anesthetic gas mixture.

[0137] Example 25: Anesthesia device according to Example 24, wherein the upper gas mixture comprises a physiologically inert gas, particularly N2, at a concentration greater than that in the lower gas mixture, and / or wherein the lower gas mixture comprises CO2 at a concentration greater than that in the upper gas mixture.

[0138] Example 26: An anesthesia device according to Example 24 or 25, wherein the anesthesia device is configured to form an upper gas mixture and a lower gas mixture by adding an upper gas component to an upper section and / or adding a lower gas component to a lower section, wherein the upper gas component particularly includes an upper gas component containing a physiologically inert gas such as N2, and the lower gas component particularly includes a lower gas component containing CO2.

[0139] Example 27: Anesthesia device according to Example 26, wherein the proportion of the upper gas component is lower than that of the lower gas component.

[0140] Example 28: An anesthesia device according to Example 26 or 27, wherein the anesthesia device is configured to add an upper gas component through an upper filling outlet opening located at the upper end of the upper section, and to add a lower gas component through a lower filling outlet opening located at the lower end of the lower section.

[0141] Example 29: Anesthesia device according to any of the foregoing embodiments, the anesthesia device includes a lifting mechanism for transporting slaughtered animals between an upper section and a lower section via a transfer area.

[0142] Example 30: An anesthesia device according to any of the foregoing embodiments, the anesthesia device includes a movable segment separator disposed in a transition zone, the movable segment separator being configured to selectively enter a closed state for separating an upper segment from a lower segment and an open state for allowing one or more slaughter animals to be transferred between the upper segment and the lower segment.

[0143] Example 31: A method for establishing corresponding gas mixtures in a lower and upper section of a chamber for accommodating one or more animals to be anesthetized prior to slaughter, wherein the chamber includes an upper section, a lower section, and a transition zone separating the lower and upper sections, each of the upper and lower sections being shaped and sized to accommodate one or more animals to be slaughtered, the transition zone allowing at least one animal to be transferred between the upper and lower sections, each section having a proximal end adjacent to the transition zone and a distal end opposite to the proximal end. - Fill the upper and lower sections with the appropriate gas mixture. - A first gas mixture in the corresponding circulating gas mixture occupies the first section of the upper and lower sections to generate an airflow in the first section away from the transition zone and toward the far end of the first section.

[0144] Example 32: A method for anesthetizing slaughtered animals prior to slaughter, wherein the method includes: - Provides a chamber for accommodating one or more animals to be anesthetized before slaughter, wherein the chamber comprises an upper section, a lower section, and a transition zone separating the lower section from the upper section. - The upper and lower sections are filled with a corresponding gas mixture, wherein the first section of the upper and lower sections is filled with an anesthetic gas mixture. - Place the slaughtered animal in a second section, which is different from the first section, within the upper and lower sections. - The animal to be slaughtered is transferred from the second section to the first section via a transition zone to anesthetize it. - Remove the anesthetized animal from the chamber. The method further includes circulating an anesthetic gas mixture to generate an airflow within the first section that is away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the first section.

[0145] While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail in the accompanying drawings and the foregoing description, such illustrations and descriptions are intended to be illustrative or exemplary rather than restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations of the disclosed embodiments can be understood and implemented by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention by studying the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite articles "a" or "an" do not exclude multiple. The mere fact that certain measures are described in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that combinations of these measures cannot be advantageously used.

Claims

1. An anesthesia device for anesthetizing animals before slaughter, wherein, The anesthesia equipment includes: - A chamber for containing a slaughtered animal, the chamber having an upper section, a lower section, and a transition zone separating the lower section from the upper section, each of the upper and lower sections being shaped and sized to accommodate one or more slaughtered animals, the transition zone allowing one or more of the slaughtered animals to be transferred between the upper and lower sections, each section having a proximal end adjacent to the transition zone and a distal end opposite to the proximal end, wherein the upper and lower sections are configured to be filled with corresponding gas mixtures to expose the slaughtered animal to different gas mixtures by transferring the slaughtered animal between the upper and lower sections. - A first circulation system for circulating a first gas mixture in the respective gas mixture, the first gas mixture occupying a first section of the upper section and the lower section, wherein the first circulation system is configured to generate an airflow within the first section away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the first section.

2. The anesthesia device according to claim 1, wherein, The first circulation system includes one or more first set of outlet openings located at the proximal end of the first section and one or more first set of inlet openings located at the distal end of the first section; wherein the first circulation system is configured to remove gas from the first section through the first set of inlet openings and introduce gas into the first section via the first set of outlet openings to generate the airflow within the first section away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the first section.

3. The anesthesia device according to claim 2, wherein, The first circulation system includes one or more flow guiding members configured to guide airflow from the first set of outlet openings in a predetermined direction, such as away from the transition zone.

4. The anesthesia device according to any one of the preceding claims, the anesthesia device comprising a gas sensor for measuring the concentration of one or more gas components of one or more of the gas mixture in the chamber, wherein, The first circulation system is configured to circulate the first gas mixture in response to a measured concentration.

5. The anesthesia device according to any one of the preceding claims, the anesthesia device further comprising an exhaust system configured to remove gas from the transition zone, particularly removing gas from the transition zone simultaneously with the circulation of the first gas mixture in the first circulation system, and specifically, the exhaust system comprising a set of exhaust inlet openings disposed in the transition zone.

6. The anesthesia device according to claim 5, wherein the anesthesia device includes a gas sensor for measuring the concentration of one or more gas components of one or more of the gas mixture in the chamber, and wherein, The exhaust system is configured to remove gas from the transition zone in response to a measured concentration.

7. The anesthesia device according to any one of the preceding claims, the anesthesia device comprising a first filling system for blowing a first gas component of the first gas mixture into the first section, particularly, the first filling system comprising a first set of filling outlet openings located at the distal end of the first section, the first set of filling outlet openings for dispensing the first gas component.

8. The anesthesia device according to claim 7, when directly or indirectly subordinate to claim 5, wherein, The exhaust system is also configured to remove gas from the transition zone simultaneously with the first filling system blowing the first gas component into the first section.

9. The anesthesia device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a second circulation system for circulating a second gas mixture in the respective gas mixture, the second gas mixture occupying a second section of the upper section and the lower section that is different from the first section; wherein, The second circulation system is configured to generate an airflow within the second section that is away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the second section.

10. The anesthesia device according to claim 9, wherein, The second circulation system includes one or more second sets of outlet openings located at the proximal end of the second section and one or more second sets of inlet openings located at the distal end of the second section; wherein the second circulation system is configured to remove gas from the second section through the second sets of inlet openings and introduce gas into the second section via the second sets of outlet openings to generate the airflow within the second section away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the second section.

11. The anesthesia device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the anesthesia device is configured to fill the upper section with an upper gas mixture, particularly a relaxation gas mixture, and to fill the lower section with a lower gas mixture, particularly an anesthetic gas mixture.

12. The anesthesia device according to claim 11, wherein the anesthesia device is configured to form the upper gas mixture and the lower gas mixture by adding an upper gas component to the upper section and / or adding a lower gas component to the lower section, wherein the upper gas component particularly comprises an upper gas component of a physiologically inert gas such as N2, and the lower gas component particularly comprises a lower gas component of CO2.

13. The anesthesia device of claim 12, wherein the anesthesia device is configured to add the upper gas component through an upper filling outlet opening located at the upper end of the upper section, and to add the lower gas component through a lower filling outlet opening located at the lower end of the lower section.

14. A method for establishing corresponding gas mixtures in a lower and upper section of a chamber for containing one or more animals to be anesthetized prior to slaughter, wherein, The chamber includes the upper segment, the lower segment, and a transition zone separating the lower segment from the upper segment. Each of the upper and lower segments is shaped and sized to accommodate one or more slaughter animals. The transition zone allows at least one of the slaughter animals to be transferred between the upper and lower segments. Each segment has a proximal end adjacent to the transition zone and a distal end opposite to the proximal end. The method includes: - Fill the upper section and the lower section with a suitable gas mixture. - A first gas mixture in the corresponding gas mixture is circulated, the first gas mixture occupying a first section of the upper section and the lower section, to generate an airflow in the first section away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the first section.

15. A method for anesthetizing an animal before slaughter, wherein, The method includes: - A chamber is provided for accommodating one or more animals to be anesthetized before slaughter, wherein the chamber includes an upper section, a lower section, and a transition zone separating the lower section from the upper section. - The upper section and the lower section are filled with a corresponding gas mixture, wherein the first section of the upper section and the lower section is filled with an anesthetic gas mixture. - The slaughtered animal is placed into a second section, which is different from the first section, in the upper and lower sections. - The animal to be slaughtered is transferred from the second section via the transition zone to the first section to anesthetize the animal. - Remove the anesthetized animal from the chamber. The method further includes circulating the anesthetic gas mixture to generate an airflow within the first section that is away from the transition zone and toward the distal end of the first section.

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