Master control box for olfaction experiment

Abstract

The utility model provides an olfaction experiment master control box which comprises a main machine shell, an air outlet valve, an air inlet valve and a processing circuit, the air outlet valve, the air inlet valve and the processing circuit are arranged on the main machine shell, the processing circuit is electrically connected with the air inlet valve and the air outlet valve, and the air outlet valve and the air inlet valve are used for being connected into an odor supply air path. The air inlet valve and the air outlet valve are integrated in the main machine shell, the integration degree is improved, and the occupied space is reduced. And the valves, electronic devices and other components are integrated into a whole, so that the valves and the electronic devices can be transported together.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of scientific research instruments, and in particular to a main control box for olfactory experiments. Background Art

[0002] Olfactory behavioral training systems are commonly used in scientific research. The experimental principle generally involves immobilizing mice, delivering odors, and then rewarding or punishing them based on their response. However, current olfactory behavioral training systems suffer from low integration and inconvenient transportation. Utility Model Content

[0003] In order to solve the above problems, the present application provides an olfactory experiment main control box, which includes a main shell and an air outlet valve, an air inlet valve and a processing circuit arranged in the main shell. The processing circuit is electrically connected to the air inlet valve and the air outlet valve, and the air outlet valve and the air inlet valve are used to be connected to the odor supply air path.

[0004] The utility model integrates the air inlet valve and the air outlet valve into the main housing, thereby improving the integration and reducing the occupied space. Integrating these valves, electronic devices and other components into a whole is also convenient for transportation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the principle of the olfactory behavior training system;

[0006] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the principle of part of the air circuit of the olfactory behavior training system;

[0007] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the main control box for the olfactory experiment;

[0008] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the explosion structure of the olfactory experiment main control box;

[0009] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the olfactory experiment main control box;

[0010] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Exploded diagram.

[0011] Description of the accompanying drawings:

[0012] Olfactory behavior training system 1, olfactory experimental behavior box 10, odor supply device 20, reward and punishment device 30,

[0013] Odor supply air path 21, odor container 22, air path 23,

[0014] Inlet pipe 21a, air branch 21b, outlet pipe 21c,

[0015] Olfactory experiment main control box 100,

[0016] Main housing 110, first accommodating space 110a, second accommodating space 110b, base 111, first upper housing 112, main housing portion 1123, upper cover 1124, inspection cover 1125, locking screw 1126, second upper housing 113,

[0017] Outlet valve 121 , inlet valve 122 , first flow control valve 123 , second flow control valve 124 , mounting bracket 140 , first mounting surface 141 , second mounting surface 142 , pump body assembly 150 , external bracket 160 , auxiliary mounting bracket 170 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The present application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and some embodiments. The following embodiments are mainly used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, and therefore cannot be used to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0019] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as those commonly understood by technicians in the technical field to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are mainly used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "include", "have", "comprise" and other synonyms with the same or similar meanings in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0020] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "first" and "second" are primarily used to distinguish different objects and should not be understood as explicitly or implicitly indicating relative importance or implicitly indicating the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is more than two, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0021] In this document, the specific features, structures, or characteristics described in any embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application or a combination of at least two embodiments. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments in this document or other embodiments outside of this document.

[0022] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, technical terms used to indicate orientation or positional relationships, such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., are mainly used to facilitate the description of the embodiments of the present application and simplify the description, and are not considered to mean that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0023] In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "set," "install," "assemble," "connect," "connect," and "fix" should be understood broadly. For example, connection can include fixed connection, detachable connection, or integral molding; it can also include at least one of mechanical connection and electrical connection; and it can include direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0024] See also Figure 1 The olfactory behavior training system 1 includes an olfactory experimental behavior box 10 (hereinafter referred to as the behavior box 10), an odor supply device 20, and a reward and punishment device 30. The experimental process generally involves placing a mouse (or other animal) in the behavior box 10. Different gases are then introduced into the behavior box 10 via the odor supply device 20. The reward and punishment device 30 then administers rewards or punishments based on the mouse's response, completing the training. Some reward and punishment devices 30 can provide at least one of water rewards and electrical stimulation.

[0025] See also Figure 2 Since different odors need to be supplied, the odor supply device 20 may include multiple odor sources and / or odor supply paths 21. In order to avoid the influence of odor mixing, each odor source needs to work independently. For example, the odor supply path 21 includes multiple air path branches 21b connected to the odor sources, and each air path branch 21b is individually provided with a valve (such as the outlet valve 121 described below) for control. In some embodiments, if the number of odor sources is 8, the number of valves can be 8. If the number of odor sources is 16, the number of valves is also 16. Obviously, this will result in a large number of air pipes and valves being placed in the test area, which takes up a lot of space. These air pipes and valves are connected to each other or even entangled, which increases the difficulty of transportation.

[0026] In some embodiments, the odor supply device 20 further includes an inlet pipe 21a, an outlet pipe 21c, multiple air branches 21b, and multiple outlet valves 121. Both ends of the multiple air branches 21b are capable of communicating with the inlet pipe 21a and the outlet pipe 21c. The multiple outlet valves 121 are disposed within the air branches 21b, corresponding one-to-one with the multiple air branches 21b, to control the opening and closing of each air branch 21b. When one of the air branches 21b is open, the corresponding odor source outputs odorous gas, which is then delivered to the mouse via the air branch 21b and the outlet pipe 21c.

[0027] See also Figure 3 and Figure 4 The present application provides an olfactory experiment control box 100, which includes a main housing 110 and, disposed therein, an outlet valve 121, an inlet valve 122, and a processing circuit (not shown). The processing circuit is electrically connected to the inlet valve 122 and the outlet valve 121. The outlet valve 121 and the inlet valve 122 are connected to an odor supply circuit 21, which includes an inlet pipe 21a, a branch pipe 21b, and an outlet pipe 21c located near the experimental subject.

[0028] Optionally, the olfactory experiment control box 100 also includes an odor container 22. The odor container 22, the air inlet valve 122, and the air outlet valve 121 are connected to the air path branch 21b. For example, the odor container 22 is positioned between the air inlet valve 122 and the air outlet valve 121. The air outlet valve 121 connects to the portion between the odor container 22 and the air outlet line 21c, while the air inlet valve 122 connects to the portion between the odor container 22 and the air inlet line 21a. The odor container 22 is a container that can store odors, but it may also contain solids. When both the air outlet valve 121 and the air inlet valve 122 are open, the odor from the odor container 22 can be transported to the behavioral box 10 via airflow. When odor delivery is not required, the air outlet valve 121 can be closed to reduce the possibility of odor being transported to the subject via the air outlet line 21c. Closing the air inlet valve 122 reduces the possibility of odor flowing back to the outside world, minimizing odor loss. The utility model integrates the air inlet valve 122 and the air outlet valve 121 into the main housing 110, thereby improving the integration and reducing the occupied space. Integrating these valves, electronic devices and other components into a whole is also convenient for transportation.

[0029] Furthermore, there can be multiple odor containers 22, and the number of inlet valves 122 and outlet valves 121 corresponds to the number of odor containers 22, with each container corresponding one-to-one. Multiple odor containers 22 can provide mice with different odors during the experiment to test their responses to different odors. For example, the number of odor containers 22 can be 6, 8, 10, 12, or 16. Typically, the odor containers 22 are detachable for easy replacement.

[0030] The olfactory experiment control box 100 also includes a mounting bracket 140 disposed on the main housing 110. The mounting bracket 140 includes a first mounting surface 141 and a second mounting surface 142 that are not coplanar, so that when the air inlet valve 122 and the air outlet valve 121 are installed on the first mounting surface 141 and the second mounting surface 142, the corresponding pipelines can be staggered. For example, when the number of odor containers 22 is 16, 16 corresponding air inlet valves 122 and 16 air outlet valves 121 are required. If these air inlet valves 122 and air outlet valves 121 are arranged in a row, the arrangement length may be too long, which is not conducive to layout. If arranged in two or three rows, the corresponding air pipes can easily become tangled, increasing the difficulty of maintenance. Therefore, when the first mounting surface 141 and the second mounting surface 142 are staggered, the pipelines can be laid out on different planes, reducing the possibility of pipeline tangling and facilitating maintenance.

[0031] The first mounting surface 141 and the second mounting surface 142 can be arranged horizontally and parallel to each other. The first mounting surface 141 and the second mounting surface 142 are arranged horizontally to facilitate the production of the mounting frame 140 and the operation of maintenance personnel.

[0032] Multiple air path branches 21b are all connected to the outlet pipe 21c, allowing the gas to flow out through the same outlet pipe 21c. However, in this way, odors left over from the previous experiment may remain in the outlet pipe 21c, which may affect the training results. Therefore, the odor supply device 20 also includes an air pump and an air path 23. The air path 23 is also connected to the outlet pipe 21c. The air pump can send air into the air path 23 and the outlet pipe 21c, so that after each experiment, the residual gas remaining in the outlet pipe 21c can be discharged with air.

[0033] See also Figure 5 and Figure 6 The olfactory experiment control box 100 may also include a first flow control valve 123 . This valve is located within the main housing 110 and electrically connected to the processing circuit. It is connected to the air path 23 , which in turn connects to the outlet pipe 21 c . A common mass flow controller (MFC) can be used to control gas quality and flow.

[0034] Similarly, the olfactory experiment main control box 100 also includes a second flow control valve 124, which is arranged in the main housing 110 and electrically connected to the processing circuit. The second flow control valve 124 can be connected to the air intake pipe 21a. The second flow control valve 124 can also be an MFC. When there are multiple air branches 21b, the second flow control valve 124 can also be respectively arranged in multiple air branches 21b. However, this is more expensive. When multiple air branches 21b are connected to the air intake pipe 21a, arranging the second flow control valve 124 in the air intake pipe 21a can significantly reduce costs.

[0035] See also Figure 5 and Figure 6 The olfactory experiment control box 100 also includes a pump assembly 150 disposed at the bottom of the main housing 110 and electrically connected to the processing circuit. Pump assembly 150 is used to pump fluid from a liquid container. The liquid in the liquid container can be water or milk. Pump assembly 150 can specifically be a peristaltic pump. The pump assembly 150 and liquid container of the present application can be used to reward mice, specifically providing water when the mice correctly identify the target odor.

[0036] Mounting frame 140 comprises two layers, upper and lower, to reduce floor space. The upper layer forms a first mounting surface 141 and a second mounting surface 142, which house the inlet valve 122 and outlet valve 121, facilitating maintenance by maintenance personnel. The lower layer houses the first and second flow control valves 123, 124, and pump assembly 150. The relatively heavy pump assembly 150 lowers the center of gravity of the main control box 100, providing greater stability during placement.

[0037] See also Figure 3 and Figure 4 The olfactory experiment control box 100 also includes an external bracket 160, which is magnetically connected to the main housing 110. The external bracket 160 is used to place liquid containers, and of course other items can also be placed. The external bracket 160 includes a bottom plate and side walls, and magnets are provided on the side walls. The advantage of the magnetic connection is that the external bracket 160 can be adsorbed on any side wall of the main housing 110, and can even be adsorbed on other metal devices, greatly improving the flexibility of position adjustment.

[0038] See also Figure 4 The olfactory experiment main control box 100 may include an auxiliary mounting rack 170, which is disposed in the second accommodating space 110b and is used to place the odor container 22. The auxiliary mounting rack 170 may limit the odor container 22 to prevent it from falling over.

[0039] The main housing 110 includes a base 111, a first upper shell 112, and a second upper shell 113. The first upper shell 112 and base 111 are fixedly connected or integrally formed, forming a first accommodating space 110a between them. The first accommodating space 110a can be housed within the aforementioned mounting bracket 140, pump assembly 150, inlet valve 122, outlet valve 121, first flow control valve 123, and second flow control valve 124. The second upper shell 113 is detachably attached to the base 111 and, together with the base 111, forms a second accommodating space 110b. The odor container 22 can be placed in the second accommodating space 110b. In other words, the first accommodating space 110a can hold parts that don't require frequent replacement, while the second accommodating space 110b can hold parts that require frequent replacement, such as the odor container 22. By dividing the space into two distinct areas based on the frequency of component replacement, the replacement of the odor container 22 can minimize the impact on components in the other area.

[0040] The first upper shell 112 has a partition (not shown) that separates the first accommodating space 110a from the second accommodating space 110b. The partition defines a connecting hole (not shown) that connects the first accommodating space 110a and the second accommodating space 110b. The partition further reduces the risk of disturbing components within the first accommodating space 110a when replacing the odor container 22, while also improving the aesthetics. The connecting hole allows for the passage of an air tube. The projections of the first accommodating space 110a and the second accommodating space 110b on the base 111 do not overlap. In this case, the second upper shell 113 can be removed from the top or side, simplifying assembly and disassembly. As another embodiment of the present application, the first accommodating space 110a and the second accommodating space 110b can be physically separated, with the odor container 22 in the second accommodating space 110b connected to the components in the first accommodating space 110a via piping.

[0041] See also Figure 3 and Figure 4 The first upper housing 112 may include a main housing portion 1123, an upper cover 1124, and an inspection cover 1125. The upper cover 1124 covers the opening above the main housing portion 1123. The inspection cover 1125 is disposed in an opening on a sidewall of the main housing portion 1123. The upper cover 1124 and the inspection cover 1125 are located in different positions to facilitate maintenance personnel to inspect internal components from different angles.

[0042] See also Figure 3 and Figure 4Access cover 1125 is provided with a locking screw 1126, which is rotatably mounted on access cover 1125 and threadedly connected to main housing portion 1123. Locking screw 1126 may be riveted to access cover 1125. In this case, when access cover 1125 is removed, locking screw 1126 and access cover 1125 will not separate, reducing the risk of losing locking screw 1126.

[0043] Finally, it should be noted that: the above embodiments are mainly used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, and should not be understood as limiting the present application; the above embodiments exemplarily provide a detailed and specific description of the present application, and ordinary technicians in this field can modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein; and these modifications or replacements cannot make the corresponding technical solutions and the technical solutions of the present application constitute different inventions, and therefore should all be included in the scope of the claims and description of the present application. In particular, in the absence of structural conflicts or combination obstacles, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way, and the technical solutions formed by these combinations should not be considered to be outside the scope of the technical solutions of the present application.

Claims

1. An olfactory experiment main control box, characterized in that: include: A main housing and an air outlet valve, an air inlet valve and a processing circuit are arranged on the main housing. The processing circuit is electrically connected to the air inlet valve and the air outlet valve. The air outlet valve and the air inlet valve are used to be connected to the odor supply air path.

2. The olfactory experiment main control box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air supply system further comprises an odor container, wherein the odor supply air circuit comprises an air inlet pipe and an air outlet pipe; the odor container is arranged between the air inlet valve and the air outlet valve on the air circuit, the air outlet valve is connected between the odor container and the air outlet pipe, and the air inlet valve is connected between the odor container and the air inlet pipe; There are multiple odor containers, and there are multiple air inlet valves and air outlet valves correspondingly, and they correspond one to one with the odor containers.

3. The olfactory experiment main control box according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: A mounting bracket is provided on the main housing, and the mounting bracket includes a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface that are not coplanar, so that when the air inlet valve and the air outlet valve are installed on the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface, the corresponding pipelines can be staggered.

4. The olfactory experiment main control box according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first mounting surface and the second mounting surface are arranged horizontally and parallel to each other.

5. The olfactory experiment main control box according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a second flow control valve connected to the air intake pipeline. The second flow control valve is arranged on the main housing and is electrically connected to the processing circuit and connected to the air intake pipeline.

6. The olfactory experiment main control box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The invention also includes a pump assembly disposed at the bottom of the main housing and electrically connected to the processing circuit, wherein the pump assembly is used to pump out the fluid in the liquid container.

7. The olfactory experiment main control box according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an external bracket, which is magnetically connected to the main housing.

8. The olfactory experiment main control box according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The main housing includes a base, a first upper shell and a second upper shell. The first upper shell and the base are fixedly connected or integrally formed, and a first accommodating space is formed between the first upper shell and the base. The second upper shell is detachably arranged on the base and forms a second accommodating space with the base.

9. The olfactory experiment main control box according to claim 8, characterized in that: The first upper shell has a partition separating the first accommodating space from the second accommodating space, and the partition is provided with a communication hole connecting the first accommodating space and the second accommodating space; and / or, A projection of the first accommodating space on the base and a projection of the second accommodating space on the base do not overlap.

10. The olfactory experiment main control box according to claim 8, characterized in that: The first upper shell includes a main shell portion, an upper cover plate and an inspection cover plate, wherein the upper cover plate covers an opening above the main shell portion, and the inspection cover plate is disposed in an opening of a side wall of the main shell portion. The inspection cover plate is provided with a locking screw, which is rotatably disposed on the inspection cover plate and is threadedly connected to the main shell portion. and / or, An auxiliary mounting frame is also included, which is arranged in the second accommodating space and is used to install the odor container.

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