Experimental animal biological rhythm cage frame

Abstract

The utility model discloses an experimental animal biological rhythm cage frame, which relates to the technical field of animal experimental equipment, and comprises a storage area which is positioned between any two lifting whole bodies which are adjacent up and down and is used for accommodating cage boxes, and a light source is arranged in the storage area so as to provide illumination for the cage boxes in the storage area; the cage frame further comprises a control switch electrically connected with the light source, a cross beam used for installation of the control switch is fixedly arranged in the storage area, so that when the cage box is inserted into the storage area, the outer wall of the cage box abuts against the control switch, and conduction of the light source is achieved. Compared with the mode that illumination is provided through a top light source in the prior art, the light source is independently arranged in each storage area, the vertical attenuation problem of a traditional top light source is solved, illumination uniformity of each layer of cage box is ensured, and the requirement for light environment uniformity of biological rhythm research is met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of animal experimental equipment technology, specifically to experimental animal biological rhythm cages. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, large-scale and well-equipped laboratory animal centers in China possess thousands to tens of thousands of cages. These numerous cages are placed in the same room or, as needed, in multiple rooms. A cage typically consists of two parallel panels and uprights connecting the two panels. Multiple uprights are evenly and parallelly arranged, and each upright has multiple tracks. Two tracks arranged opposite each other between any two adjacent uprights form a support structure for the sliding installation of the cage. With multiple tracks on each upright, multiple support structures are formed, and these multiple support structures are evenly distributed in layers and columns.

[0003] Generally, cage lighting relies on ceiling light sources. According to the vertical attenuation law, the intensity of ceiling light (such as LED ceiling lights) follows an inverse square law; the further away from the light source, the more significant the intensity attenuation. For example, when the light source is 3 meters high, the difference in light intensity between the top layer of the cage (0.5 meters from the light source) and the bottom layer (2.5 meters from the light source) can be tens of times (e.g., 1000 lux vs. 50 lux). Furthermore, the stacking of multiple cages causes the upper cages to block the lower ones, further exacerbating the uneven light distribution. Additionally, the low reflectivity of the room walls and cage materials (e.g., stainless steel surfaces have approximately 60% reflectivity) cannot effectively compensate for the lower layer's lighting. Under these uneven lighting conditions, the differences in light intensity can lead to significant fluctuations in animal behavior (such as activity cycles and feeding rhythms) and physiological indicators (such as melatonin secretion), affecting the reproducibility of experimental results. Clearly, this uneven lighting situation is detrimental to the study of biological rhythms in experimental animals.

[0004] To address these issues, we propose a biorhythm cage for experimental animals. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems in the prior art by proposing an experimental animal biorhythm cage frame, which allows each placement area on the cage frame to be independently equipped with a light source, eliminating the vertical attenuation problem of traditional top light sources, ensuring the uniformity of illumination in each layer of the cage, and meeting the requirements of uniform light environment for biorhythm research.

[0006] To solve the above problems, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0007] The experimental animal biorhythm cage includes a storage area located between any two adjacent supporting units for accommodating cage boxes. A light source is provided in the storage area to provide illumination to the cage boxes within the storage area. The cage also includes a control switch electrically connected to the light source. A crossbeam is fixedly installed in the storage area for mounting the control switch, so that when the cage box is inserted into the storage area, the outer wall of the cage box abuts against the control switch, thereby enabling the light source to conduct.

[0008] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the light source is set as a light strip, and the light strip can be detachably installed in the storage area.

[0009] As a further embodiment of this invention, the control switch is configured as a pressure-sensitive switch.

[0010] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the lifting system is composed of two slides located on two columns respectively; two or more sets of storage areas are arranged horizontally; one side of the cage is a light-blocking side and the other side is a light-transmitting side, and the light sources are arranged one-to-one on the columns of the corresponding light-transmitting side of the cage.

[0011] As a further embodiment of this utility model, the cage frame also includes a locking element for limiting and fixing the cage box at a designated position on the slide.

[0012] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the locking component includes a ball bearing disposed on a slide rail, the slide rail being movably mounted on the column via a torsion spring seat, and the elastic recovery direction of the torsion spring seat being opposite to its pressure direction; a semi-circular recessed hole for accommodating the ball bearing is provided on the bottom wall of the cage box; the two slide rails have an initial state and a working state; when the two slide rails are in the initial state, the two slide rails are arranged in a figure-eight shape; when the two slide rails are in the working state, the cage box is placed on the two slide rails, at which time the ball bearing is positioned in the semi-circular recessed hole, and the two slide rails are on the same plane after being subjected to downward pressure, thus jointly forming the bearing surface of the cage box.

[0013] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the locking element includes a stop bar rotatably mounted on the column. The stop bar has an initial state and a working state. When the stop bar is in the initial state, the stop bar is arranged along the length direction of the column. When the stop bar is in the working state, the stop bar intersects the entry and exit path of the cage and abuts against the outer wall of the cage.

[0014] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the baffle located on the middle column has its middle position as the rotation mounting point, so that when it is in working state, both ends can respectively abut against the outer walls of the two cages.

[0015] As a further embodiment of this utility model: a rubber pad is provided at the part of the baffle that interacts with the cage's entry and exit path, so that when the baffle is in working state, the rubber pad can be used to achieve contact with the outer wall of the cage.

[0016] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the stop bar is damped and rotates on the column.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] 1. Compared with the existing technology that relies on top light sources to provide illumination, this application eliminates the vertical attenuation problem of traditional top light sources by setting up light sources independently in each storage area, ensuring the uniformity of illumination in each layer of cages and meeting the requirements of uniform light environment for biological rhythm research.

[0019] 2. By designing a unique triggering mechanism, the control switch is automatically triggered when the cage is inserted, so that the light source can be turned on as needed, reducing the duration of ineffective lighting and effectively saving energy. At the same time, by using the outer wall of the cage to contact the control switch, it is ensured that the light source is lit only when the cage is in place, avoiding no-load power consumption or false triggering, and improving system reliability.

[0020] 3. The light source can be selected from point light source, line light source and surface light source, which can be effectively selected according to different experimental animals.

[0021] 4. By setting the locking mechanism, the cage can be locked in the in-position state, so that the cage can maintain a stable and lasting contact with the control switch, thereby achieving long-term conduction of the light source.

[0022] 5. The locking mechanism is designed with a baffle bar. Initially, the baffle bar is retracted along the column, saving space; during operation, it rotates to block light laterally, forming a physical barrier. The structure is simple and reliable. Considering that horizontally arranging multiple cages is common in daily operation, and adjacent cages inevitably result in each cage facing light sources on both sides, this invention preferably uses cages with single-sided light blocking to ensure reasonable lighting. The single-sided light-transmitting design also facilitates targeted lighting adjustment for specific cages by adjusting the corresponding light sources, achieving significant results.

[0023] 6. The baffle bar located on the middle column is designed to rotate in the middle position, which can fix the left and right cage boxes at the same time, reducing cost and maintenance complexity. Of course, the locking device can also be set as a structure such as ball bearings and torsion spring seats. The slide can be tilted by the reset action of the torsion spring seat, so that the ball bearings that are adapted to the semi-circular concave hole follow the slide. The ball bearings abut against the semi-circular concave hole to lock the position of the cage box. This will not be elaborated here. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present utility model;

[0026] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the storage area;

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the working state structure of the lock. Figure 1 ;

[0028] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the working state structure of the lock. Figure 2 ;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another locking mechanism in operation according to this utility model. Figure 2 ;

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another locking mechanism in operation according to this utility model. Figure 2 .

[0031] In the diagram: 1. Cage frame body; 101. Column; 2. Slide rail; 3. Storage area; 4. Light source; 5. Control switch; 6. Crossbeam; 7. Stop bar; 8. Ball bearing; 9. Torsion spring seat; 10. Semi-circular concave hole; a. Cage box. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0033] like Figures 1-4 As shown, the experimental animal biorhythm cage includes a cage body 1 with several wheels at the bottom. The cage body 1 has multiple parallel columns 101 evenly arranged so that any four adjacent columns 101 form a rectangular arrangement. A slide 2 is located between two adjacent front and rear columns 101, meaning there are two slides 2 for the four rectangular columns 101. The two adjacent left and right slides 2 form a supporting structure. Therefore, there are multiple supporting structures arranged vertically on the four columns 101. The area between any two adjacent supporting structures forms a storage area 3 for accommodating the cage box a. The cage box a can then be inserted horizontally into the storage area 3.

[0034] like Figures 1-2As shown, several light sources 4 are installed in the storage area 3 to illuminate the cages a within the storage area 3. When the ceiling lights are turned off, the light sources 4 in the storage area 3 illuminate the cages a placed in that storage area 3. The positions and types of the light sources 4 in each storage area 3 are identical, thus ensuring that the cages a in each storage area 3 receive the same illumination, facilitating the normal conduct of experimental research. Furthermore, to accommodate a wide range of applications, an adjustment knob for controlling the illuminance of the light sources 4 can be provided, and a timer switch can be set to turn the light sources 4 on and off at specified times. It should be noted that the electrical connections and logic control between the adjustment knobs and timer switches in this application and the light sources 4 and control switches 5 are conventional technical means, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0035] The designed light source type 4 can be a point light source, such as an undiffused LED bead or an incandescent bulb; it can also be a line light source, such as an undiffused linear light strip or a fluorescent tube; or it can be a surface light source, such as an LED panel light or an OLED screen. In this application, considering practical use, a light strip is preferred.

[0036] like Figures 2-4 As shown, furthermore, in order to automatically turn on the light source 4 after the cage a is inserted into the storage area 3, this application adds a crossbeam 6 in the storage area 3, and installs a control switch 5 on the crossbeam 6. The control switch 5 is electrically connected to the light source 4 to control the opening and closing of the light source 4. During the process of the cage a sliding into the storage area 3 on the two slide rails 2, when the cage a slides to the end of the two slide rails 2, the cage a will be completely placed in the storage area 3. At this time, the outer wall of the cage a will be in contact with the control switch 5, thereby turning on the light source 4. When the cage a is moved out of the storage area 3, the contact between the outer wall of the cage a and the control switch 5 is released, and the light source 4 is turned off. The control switch 5 used to achieve this function can be a conventional technology in the prior art, such as a pressure-sensitive switch. The electrical connection between this pressure-sensitive switch and the light strip is a conventional design in this field, and will not be described in detail here to avoid cumbersome writing.

[0037] like Figure 1 As shown, further, two or more sets of storage areas 3 are arranged horizontally, with one side of cage a being the light-blocking side and the other side being the light-transmitting side, and light sources 4 are arranged one-to-one on the columns 101 on the light-transmitting side of the corresponding cage a.

[0038] For example Figures 2-4As shown, based on the above-mentioned principle of enabling the light source 4 to conduct through the cage a into the storage area 3, this application, in order to maintain a persistent contact between the cage a and the control switch 5, provides a locking device on the cage frame for limiting and fixing the cage a. When the cage a is inserted into the designated position in the storage area 3 and is in contact with the control switch 5, the locking device can be used to lock the position of the cage a, thus ensuring the proper maintenance of this contact state. Specifically, the locking device can be any component with a locking function in the prior art, such as a buckle. This application provides a locking device including a stop bar 7 rotatably mounted on a column 101. In the initial state, the stop bar 7 is arranged along the length of the column 101, i.e., in a drooping state, and the stop bar 7 will not interfere with the path of the cage a entering or exiting the storage area 3. In the working state, when the cage a is inserted into the storage area 3, i.e., after the outer wall of the cage a abuts against the control switch 5, the stop bar 7 can be driven to rotate at a certain angle until the stop bar 7 interferes with the path of the cage a entering or exiting and abuts against the outer wall of the cage a, thereby limiting and locking the position of the cage a, i.e., limiting and maintaining the contact state between the outer wall of the cage a and the control switch 5. For the stop bar 7 on the column 101 in the middle position, in order to enable a single stop bar 7 at this position to simultaneously abut and lock the cages a on both storage areas 3, the stop bar 7 at this position is set with its middle position as the rotation mounting point. Therefore, when the stop bar 7 is in the working state, both ends can abut against the outer walls of the two cages a respectively.

[0039] To allow the stop bar 7 to remain in any position, this application incorporates built-in damping in the stop bar 7. This damping allows the stop bar 7 to remain in any rotated position, thus maintaining its working state. To enhance the contact between the stop bar 7 and the outer wall of the cage a, a rubber pad (not shown in the figure) can be installed at the point where the stop bar 7 intersects with the entry / exit path of the cage a. This rubber pad ensures contact with the outer wall of the cage a when the stop bar 7 is in the working state. Of course, the temporary position of the stop bar 7 is not limited to the damping design described above. A fastening bolt can also be added to lock the position of the stop bar 7 after it has rotated to the designated position.

[0040] like Figures 5-6As shown below, another type of locking device is proposed. In this design, the slide rail 2 is movably mounted on the column 101 via the torsion spring seat 9, and the movement direction of the slide rail 2 is opposite to its pressure direction. Specifically, the locking device includes a ball bearing 8 set on the slide rail 2. The ball bearing 8 can adopt a common spherical hinge structure, etc. Correspondingly, a semi-circular recess 10 for accommodating the ball bearing 8 needs to be opened in the bottom wall of the cage a. In the initial state, the cage a is not set on the two slide rails 2, and the two slide rails 2 are arranged in a figure-eight shape. During the process of placing the cage a on the two slide rails 2, the two slide rails 2 rotate closer to each other until they are in a horizontal collinear working state. At this time, the cage a abuts against the control switch 5, and the ball bearing 8 on the slide rail 2 is naturally placed in the semi-circular recess 10 in the bottom wall of the cage a. Under the reset action of the torsion spring seat 9 on the slide rail 2, the ball bearing 8 will abut against the semi-circular recess 10, thereby limiting the position of the ball bearing 8. After cage a is removed from the two slide rails 2, the two slide rails 2 can be rearranged into a V-shape in the reset state of the torsion spring seat 9. The advantage of this method is that when the upper storage area 3 is empty because the upper cage a has not yet been placed in, the cage a located on the current layer will have more space to be taken out and put in due to the initial state of the slide rails 2 on the upper layer. This not only avoids collision problems, but also facilitates more efficient storage and retrieval of cage a on site, achieving multiple benefits.

[0041] The above description provides a detailed account of one embodiment of the present invention. However, this description is merely a preferred embodiment and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. All equivalent variations and improvements made within the scope of the claims of the present invention should still fall within the patent coverage of the present invention.

Claims

1. A biological rhythm cage for laboratory animals, characterized in that, The cage frame comprises a storage area (3) for accommodating the cage box (a) between any two adjacent lifting units, a light source (4) is arranged in the storage area (3) to provide light for the cage box (a) in the storage area (3), and a control switch (5) electrically connected with the light source (4) is arranged in the storage area (3).

2. The biological rhythm cage for experimental animals according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light source (4) is arranged in the form of a lamp strip which is detachably installed in the storage area (3).

3. The biological rhythm cage for experimental animals according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control switch (5) is a pressure-sensitive switch.

4. The biological rhythm cage for experimental animals according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterized in that, The lifting unit is composed of two slides (2) respectively arranged on two vertical columns (101), and the storage area (3) is horizontally arranged in two groups or more.

5. The biological rhythm cage for experimental animals according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterized in that, One side of the cage box (a) is a light-blocking side, and the other side is a light-transmitting side, and the light source (4) is arranged on the vertical column (101) corresponding to the light-transmitting side of the cage box (a).

6. The biological rhythm cage for experimental animals according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cage frame further comprises a locking piece for limiting and fixing the cage box (a) at a specified position of the slide (2).

7. The biological rhythm cage for experimental animals according to claim 5, characterized in that, The locking piece comprises a ball (8) arranged on the slide (2), the slide (2) is movably arranged on the vertical column (101) through a torsion spring seat (9), the elastic return direction of the torsion spring seat (9) is opposite to the direction of the pressure, and a semicircular recess (10) for accommodating the ball (8) is arranged on the bottom wall of the cage box (a).

8. The biological rhythm cage for experimental animals according to claim 7, characterized in that, The two slides (2) have an initial state and a working state, when the two slides (2) are in the initial state, the two slides (2) are arranged in the shape of an eight, and when the two slides (2) are in the working state, the cage box (a) is arranged on the two slides (2), at this time, the ball (8) is positioned in the semicircular recess (10), and the two slides (2) are in the same plane under the pressure, thereby forming a bearing surface for bearing the cage box (a).

9. The biological rhythm cage for experimental animals according to claim 7, characterized in that, The locking piece comprises a blocking strip (7) rotatably arranged on the vertical column (101), the blocking strip (7) has an initial state and a working state, when the blocking strip (7) is in the initial state, the blocking strip (7) is arranged along the length direction of the vertical column (101), and when the blocking strip (7) is in the working state, the blocking strip (7) interferes with the access path of the cage box (a) and abuts against the outer wall of the cage box (a).

10. The biological rhythm cage for experimental animals according to claim 7, characterized in that, The blocking strip (7) arranged on the middle vertical column (101) is rotatably arranged at the middle position, so that when the blocking strip (7) is in the working state, the two ends can abut against the outer wall of the cage box (a), respectively. The part of the blocking strip (7) which can interfere with the access path of the cage box (a) is provided with a rubber pad, so that when the blocking strip (7) is in the working state, the rubber pad abuts against the outer wall of the cage box (a). The blocking strip (7) is rotatably arranged on the vertical column (101) in a damping mode.

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