Rat metabolism cage

Abstract

The utility model discloses a rat metabolism cage which comprises a supporting frame and a living cage arranged on the supporting frame, and a water supply device and a feeding device are arranged on the supporting frame and located on the side portion of the living cage. A separating funnel is arranged on the supporting frame and located below the living cage, a freezing constant temperature box is arranged on the supporting frame and located below the separating funnel, and a first test tube and a second test tube are inserted in the upper portion of the freezing constant temperature box; the top of the separating funnel is connected with the living cage, and the bottom is respectively connected with the test tube I and the test tube II; the separation funnel is arranged, the filter screen is arranged in the separation funnel, excrement and urine of a rat can be effectively separated, meanwhile, the freezing constant-temperature box is arranged, a one-way opening and closing seal is installed at the bottom of the round funnel, cold air can be prevented from overflowing, a low-temperature environment is provided for a test tube, and an excellent preservation effect is achieved; and sample properties can be maintained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of laboratory animal husbandry devices, and more particularly to a rat metabolic cage. Background Technology

[0002] A rat metabolic cage is a device used to collect rat feces and urine. During use, the rat is placed inside the cage, and it can be fed and given water. A urine collection funnel and a fecal isolation net are installed at the bottom of the cage to collect feces and urine.

[0003] In the existing rat metabolic cages, urine and feces cannot be separated in a timely manner, leading to contamination. Furthermore, since urine and feces are collected at room temperature, they cannot be refrigerated in a timely manner, which is not conducive to preservation.

[0004] Existing technologies also include placing ice blocks near the urine and feces collection points for preservation. However, the melting of the ice blocks brings a cold sensation to the rat cage, affecting the rats' activity and failing to guarantee their normal routine.

[0005] Therefore, this utility model proposes a novel rat metabolic cage. Utility Model Content

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to provide a rat metabolic cage that addresses the deficiencies in the prior art.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows:

[0008] A rat metabolic cage includes a support frame and a living cage mounted on the support frame. The support frame has a water supply device and a feeding device located on the side of the living cage. A separation funnel is located below the living cage on the support frame, and a cryogenic incubator is located below the separation funnel on the support frame. Test tube one and test tube two are inserted above the cryogenic incubator, and a foam board partition is installed on the top of the incubator. The top of the separation funnel is connected to the living cage, and its bottom is connected to test tube one and test tube two, respectively.

[0009] Furthermore, the separation funnel includes a main funnel and a branch funnel. The main funnel has three openings: a top opening, a waist opening, and a bottom opening. The branch funnel is connected to the waist opening. Inside the main funnel, a filter screen is inclinedly arranged between the top opening and the waist opening. The filter screen can separate rat feces and urine, making it easier to collect rat urine. At the same time, the filter screen is placed in the collection cage to prevent feces from remaining in the cage and contaminating the rat's living environment, keeping the rat's living environment in the cage clean and hygienic, and preventing the rat from getting sick.

[0010] Furthermore, the inner wall of the main funnel is provided with raised ribs to form a partition frame. The filter screen is placed on the raised ribs, and the outer diameter of the filter screen is larger than the inner diameter of the partition frame. The partition frame not only supports the filter screen, but also keeps the area around the filter screen sealed, avoiding the problem of gaps between the filter screen and the funnel caused by the screen being misaligned, thus preventing the passage of feces and ensuring the high efficiency of urine-feces separation.

[0011] Furthermore, the main funnel has supporting beams around the top opening, which abut against the living cage; this allows the living cage to be separated from the separation funnel, so that the living cage for raising rats can be used in other experimental fields without having to take the rats out and put them in repeatedly, saving time.

[0012] Furthermore, the top surface of the freezer is open and a foam board partition is installed, while the sides and bottom are closed; the front of the freezer is equipped with a switch door, and a foam board is installed at the top opening; the top of the freezer has two circular grooves for setting up the first and second sleeves, with the central axis of the circular grooves coinciding with the axis of the sleeves; the first and second test tubes are respectively embedded in the first and second sleeves.

[0013] Furthermore, each of the test tubes is equipped with a circular funnel, and the bottom of the circular funnel is fitted with a one-way opening and closing seal to prevent cold air from rising; the bottom of the main funnel and the branch funnel of the separation funnel are respectively connected to the circular funnels on the test tubes, so that the test tubes have no physical contact with the outlet of the separation funnel, ensuring airtightness while avoiding contamination; the foam board partition is fitted to the outer diameter of the bottom of the circular funnel to prevent cold air from escaping from the test tubes.

[0014] Furthermore, the water supply device includes a water bottle and a water bottle support frame. The water bottle is placed at an angle on the water bottle support frame. The living cage has a drinking spout on the side corresponding to the water supply device. The end of the drinking spout is a mesh metal plate. The water bottle is connected to the drinking spout.

[0015] Furthermore, the feeding device includes a feeding cage and a balance. The feeding cage is located on one side of the living cage, and the balance is located at the bottom of the feeding cage, which can record the amount of food consumed by the rats at all times.

[0016] Furthermore, a monitor is installed at the top of the cage, which can record the rat's activity status after feeding in real time, including activity trajectory, amount of exercise, exercise mode, activity time, etc., and record the real-time data.

[0017] Furthermore, the top of the cage is hinged with a cover, which, when closed, forms a closed space within the cage. Placing the cover at the top of the cage makes it difficult for the rats to escape. The bottom plate of the cage consists of a set of spaced square bars to reduce the reaction pressure on the rats' feet.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0019] 1) This utility model is equipped with a separation funnel, which can effectively separate rat feces and urine through the filter screen inside. At the same time, by setting up a freezing incubator, this utility model can not only provide a low temperature environment for urine, but also fix the position of the test tube and keep the test tube installation airtight; providing a low temperature environment for the test tube has an excellent preservation effect and is conducive to maintaining the properties of the sample.

[0020] 2) This utility model seals the gaps at the edge of the filter screen by setting a rib plate, thereby enabling complete separation of feces and urine and avoiding gaps between the filter screen and the separation funnel caused by the screen being misaligned.

[0021] 3) This utility model sets up a sleeve to prevent physical contact between the test tube and the separation funnel, thus avoiding contamination while ensuring the airtightness of the collection process.

[0022] 4) The separation funnel is equipped with a supporting beam inside, which abuts against the living cage; this allows the living cage to be separated from the separation funnel, and the living cage for raising rats can be used in other experimental fields without having to take the rats out and put them in repeatedly, saving time. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Enlarged view of the separation funnel;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the trapezoidal filter structure of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the funnel of this utility model;

[0028] In the diagram: 1. Support frame; 2. Freezing incubator; 3. Circular funnel; 4. Separation funnel; 5. Living cage; 6. Monitor; 12. Filter screen; 7. Water supply bottle; 8. Water bottle support frame; 9. Feeding cage; 10. Balance; 11. Pad; 12. Filter screen; 13. Test tube one; 14. Test tube two; 15. Support beam; 16. Rib plate; 17. Support funnel; 21. Mouth cover one; 22. Mouth cover two; 23. Foam board partition; 31. One-way opening and closing sealing gasket. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are some embodiments of this utility model, but not all embodiments.

[0030] A rat metabolic cage, combined with Figure 1 , Figure 3 The components include: 1. support frame; 2. freezer; 3. round funnel; 4. separation funnel; 5. living cage; 6. monitor; 7. water bottle; 8. water bottle support frame; 9. feeding cage; 10. balance; 11. pad; 12. filter screen; 13. test tube one; 14. test tube two.

[0031] The living cage 5 is placed on the upper part of the support frame 1. The separation funnel 4 is fixed inside the support frame 1. The filter screen 12 is placed inside the separation funnel 4. The top opening of the separation funnel 4 abuts against the living cage 5. The bottom opening of the separation funnel 4 is embedded and connected to the round funnel 3. Test tube 13 and test tube 2 14 are respectively inserted into the freezer 2. The freezer 2 has a U-shaped cross section. Test tube 13 and test tube 2 14 are located in the space between the U-shaped walls on both sides of the freezer 2. The U-shaped inner wall of the freezer 2 has a cooling and temperature control function. The foam board partition 23 is attached to the bottom outer diameter of the round funnel 3, which can effectively prevent cold air from overflowing from the test tube opening. A one-way opening and closing sealing gasket 31 (equivalent to a one-way valve) is installed at the bottom of the round funnel 3 to prevent cold air from rising.

[0032] Combination Figure 1 , Figure 2 The living cage 5 is a square mesh metal frame. A square ring-shaped support is fixed to the bottom of the living cage 5. The bottom end of the support abuts against the top end of the separation funnel 4, so that the living cage 5 and the separation funnel 4 can have better and more stable contact. The top of the separation funnel 4 is provided with a support beam 15, which allows the living cage 5 to be placed directly on the separation funnel 4, so that the living cage 5 can be quickly separated from the collection cage 2. The living cage 5 for raising rats can be applied to other experimental fields without having to take the rats out and put them in multiple times, saving time.

[0033] The bottom plate of the living cage 5 is a square rod shape, which reduces the reaction pressure on the rat's feet and improves the rat's living comfort. At the same time, it allows feces and urine to leak out of the living cage 5, preventing feces or urine from breeding bacteria and causing disease in the rat. A square drinking spout is fixed to one side inside the living cage 5, and the end of the drinking spout is a mesh metal plate with a hole diameter of less than 0.5 mm. An inclined water supply bottle 7 is threadedly connected to one side outside the living cage 5. The angle between the length direction of the water supply bottle 7 and the vertical direction is between 70° and 90°, preferably 80°. The water supply bottle 7 is fixed by a water bottle support frame 8. Location; A water bottle with a large tilt angle has relatively low water pressure. Utilizing water surface tension in conjunction with a small-aperture mesh metal plate, water is not easily allowed to flow continuously from the drinking spout. Water can seep through under the rat's tongue, achieving a continuous water supply for the rat. This makes it easier for the rat to produce urine. Providing only drinking water reduces fecal excretion and effectively lowers the probability of urine contamination. The top of the living cage 5 is hinged with a square cover. The outer diameter of the cover is the same as the diameter of the opening at the top of the living cage 5. When the cover is closed, the living cage 5 forms a closed space. Placing the cover at the top of the living cage 5 makes it difficult for the rat to escape.

[0034] Combination Figure 1 , Figure 3 The separating funnel 4 is a shell with a square top and a four-sided pyramidal bottom. The filter screen 12 is a mesh-like perforated plate with small pores that allow urine to leak through while blocking feces. The filter screen 12 is fixed to the middle of the inner side of the separating funnel 4. The filter screen 12 separates rat feces and urine, making it easy to collect rat urine. The convex rib plate 16 not only supports the filter screen 12 but also keeps the filter screen 12 sealed, preventing gaps from forming between the filter screen 12 and the separating funnel 4 due to the filter screen 12 being tilted, thus preventing feces from passing through. This ensures efficient urine-feces separation and also makes it easy to remove the filter screen 12 for cleaning for the next use.

[0035] Combination Figure 1 , Figure 3 Test tube 13 and test tube 2 are connected to a drawer-type cryogenic incubator 2, with a refrigeration temperature of 2-8℃, preferably 4℃. The cryogenic incubator 2 is closed on all sides. Two circular slots are provided at the top opening of the cryogenic incubator 2, with sleeve 1 21 and sleeve 2 22 placed on them respectively. The bottoms of the two test tubes are embedded in the two sleeves. Test tube 13 and test tube 2 14 communicate with the inner cavity of the cryogenic incubator 2, providing excellent preservation and helping to maintain sample properties. Furthermore, the top opening of the cryogenic incubator 2 allows for temperature control, enabling it to provide a low-temperature environment for test tube 13 and test tube 2 14 for extended periods, making it highly practical. In this embodiment, a foam board with circular slots can also be added to the cryogenic incubator 2 to position test tubes of different lengths, improving the applicability of the metabolic cage.

[0036] Combination Figure 3 , Figure 5 The central axis of the circular groove on the freezing incubator 2 coincides with the axis of the separation funnel 4. The circular groove ensures that the test tube axis is vertical, providing good positioning and preventing gaps caused by test tube tilting, which would affect the sealing.

[0037] The drawer-type cryogenic incubator 2 has a switch door on the front, which allows for the replacement of ice cubes and enables the cryogenic incubator to provide a low-temperature environment for test tubes for a long time, making it highly practical; it has an excellent preservation effect and helps to maintain the properties of the samples.

[0038] The upper middle section of the cryogenic incubator 2 can also accommodate an additional foam board. The top of the foam board also has a circular groove. Adding a foam board with a circular groove allows for positioning of shorter test tubes, improving the applicability of the metabolic cage; combined with... Figure 1 The freezing incubator 2 is located at the bottom of the end face outside the separation funnel 4, thus better achieving the effect of maintaining low temperature.

[0039] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and not to limit it. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. A rat metabolic cage comprising a support frame (1) and a living cage (5) arranged on the support frame (1), characterized in that, The support frame (1) is provided with a water supply device and a feeding device on the side of the living cage (5); the support frame (1) is provided with a separation funnel (4) below the living cage (5); the support frame (1) is provided with a refrigerated constant temperature box (2) below the separation funnel (4); the refrigerated constant temperature box (2) is provided with a test tube I (13) and a test tube II (14) above; the separation funnel (4) is connected to the living cage (5) at the top and connected to the test tube I (13) and the test tube II (14) at the bottom.

2. The rat metabolic cage according to claim 1, wherein The separation funnel (4) comprises a main funnel and a branch funnel (17); the main funnel is provided with three openings, including a top opening, a waist opening and a bottom opening; the waist opening is provided with the branch funnel (17); the filter screen (12) is arranged obliquely in the main funnel between the top opening and the waist opening.

3. The rat metabolic cage according to claim 2, wherein, The main funnel is provided with a rib plate (16) around the inner wall; the filter screen (12) is placed on the rib plate (16).

4. The rat metabolic cage according to claim 2, wherein, The main funnel is provided with a support beam (15) at the top opening; the support beam (15) is in abutment with the living cage (5).

5. The rat metabolic cage according to claim 1, wherein, The refrigerated constant temperature box (2) is open at the top and closed around the periphery and at the bottom; the refrigerated constant temperature box (2) is provided with a switch door at the front; the refrigerated constant temperature box (2) is provided with a foam board partition (23) at the top opening; the refrigerated constant temperature box (2) is provided with two circular grooves at the top opening for setting a mouthpiece I (21) and a mouthpiece II (22); the test tube I (13) and the test tube II (14) are embedded in the mouthpiece I (21) and the mouthpiece II (22) respectively.

6. The rat metabolic cage according to claim 5, wherein, The test tube I (13) and the test tube II (14) are respectively provided with a circular funnel (3); the bottom of the circular funnel (3) is provided with a one-way opening and closing sealing pad (31) to prevent cold air from rising; the foam board partition (23) is in close contact with the outer diameter of the bottom of the circular funnel (3) to prevent the overflow of cold air in the test tube.

7. The rat metabolic cage according to claim 1, wherein The water supply device comprises a water bottle (7) and a water bottle support frame (8); the water bottle (7) is inclinedly placed on the water bottle support frame (8); the living cage (5) is provided with a drinking port on the side corresponding to the water supply device; the drinking port is provided with a grid metal plate at the end; the water bottle (7) is connected to the drinking port.

8. The rat metabolic cage according to claim 1, wherein, The feeding device comprises a feeding cage (9) and a balance (10); the feeding cage (9) is arranged on one side of the living cage (5); the balance (10) is arranged at the bottom of the feeding cage (9) to record the food intake of the rat at any time.

9. The rat metabolic cage according to claim 1, wherein, The living cage (5) is provided with a monitor (6) at the top to record the activity of the rat after eating in real time.

10. The rat metabolic cage according to claim 1, wherein, The living cage (5) is hingedly connected to a cover at the top; the cover is closed to form a closed space in the living cage (5); the bottom plate of the living cage (5) is a group of square rods arranged at intervals to reduce the reaction pressure on the feet of the rat.

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