Integrated experimental mouse rearing cage

Abstract

The utility model provides an integrated laboratory mouse rearing cage, and relates to the technical field of mouse cages. The cage comprises a cage body, the excretion collecting part is mounted at the bottom of the cage body and is communicated with the bottom of the cage body; the cage comprises a cage body, a plurality of rotating partitions are arranged in the cage body, the rotating partitions are rotationally connected to the inner side of the cage body, the interior of the cage body is divided into a plurality of feeding cavities through the rotating partitions, and water and food are supplied to the feeding cavities through the rotating partitions. On the whole, the mouse is convenient to manage, five welfare, especially behavior welfare, of experimental animals are met, enough activity space is provided for the mouse, the nature of free expression is displayed, experimental errors caused by different feeding environments are reduced, and then the accuracy and reliability of experimental results are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of mouse cage technology, and in particular to an integrated laboratory mouse rearing cage. Background Technology

[0002] Laboratory mice serve as a fundamental support element in life science research, playing an irreplaceable role in scientific research and biomedicine. In most current experiments, mice are typically divided into six groups: a control group, a model group, low-, medium-, and high-dose groups, and a positive control group, with approximately 6 to 8 mice in each group. The standardized breeding conditions of laboratory mice directly affect the scientific value of the experimental data.

[0003] A common flaw in commercially available cages is that, in terms of animal welfare, traditional single-layer cages often fail to meet EU standards (minimum base area ≥330 cm² for adult mice). 2 The confined space restricts their natural behaviors such as running and climbing; in terms of feeding and management, multi-group experiments require 6-8 independent cages, which not only causes repeated installation of drinking water systems and time-consuming and laborious feed delivery, but also results in significant differences in environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity and ventilation in each group's cages, affecting the experimental results.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for an integrated laboratory mouse cage that facilitates mouse management, meets the five welfare requirements of laboratory animals, especially behavioral welfare, reduces experimental errors caused by different housing environments, and thus ensures the accuracy and reliability of experimental results. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an integrated laboratory mouse cage, which solves the technical problems of existing technologies that fail to meet the natural behavioral expression needs of mice and are inconvenient to manage. The various technical effects of the preferred solutions among the many technical solutions provided by this invention are detailed below.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0007] The integrated laboratory mouse rearing cage provided by this utility model includes:

[0008] Cage;

[0009] An excrement collection device is installed at the bottom of the cage and communicates with the bottom of the cage.

[0010] A rotating partition is rotatably connected to the inside of the cage body. The cage body is divided into several feeding chambers by the rotating partition, and water and food are supplied to the feeding chambers through the rotating partition.

[0011] Preferred options also include:

[0012] A stoppered water bottle, which is connected to the top of the rotating partition and located on the outside of the cage.

[0013] Preferably, the rotating partition includes:

[0014] The partitions are arranged vertically and at equal intervals around the perimeter. The centripetal ends of the partitions are fixedly connected and rotatably connected at the center of the inner side of the cage. The feeding chambers are divided by the partitions. The stoppered water bottle supplies water to the feeding chambers through the centripetal ends of the partitions.

[0015] Preferably, the rotating partition further includes:

[0016] A hollow rotating shaft is vertically arranged and rotatably connected to the inner center of the cage. A stoppered water bottle is connected to the top of the hollow rotating shaft. The centripetal ends of several partitions are fixedly connected to the side wall of the hollow rotating shaft. The stoppered water bottle supplies water to several feeding cavities through the hollow rotating shaft.

[0017] Preferably, the rotating partition further includes:

[0018] A drinking spout is provided, with several drinking spouts arranged circumferentially on the hollow rotating shaft, and a set of drinking spouts corresponding to adjacent partitions in the circumferential direction.

[0019] Preferably, the rotating partition further includes:

[0020] A water bottle connector is fixedly connected to the top end of the hollow rotating shaft and passes through the cage.

[0021] Preferably, the cage includes:

[0022] A barrel-shaped fence and a perforated grid at the bottom of the cage, wherein the perforated grid at the bottom of the cage is fixedly connected to the bottom of the barrel-shaped fence;

[0023] A mesh cover is installed on top of the barrel-shaped fence.

[0024] Preferably, the excrement collection device includes:

[0025] Collection boxes, two sets of collection boxes are radially slidably connected to the bottom of the perforated grid at the bottom of the cage;

[0026] The collection box slots are symmetrically arranged at the bottom of the hollow grid at the bottom of the cage, and the two sets of collection boxes are adapted to fit into the collection box slots.

[0027] In the technical solution provided by this utility model, mice are housed in cages, ensuring effective ventilation. Mouse excrement falls directly into a collection container through holes at the bottom of the cage, facilitating unified treatment and improving the rearing environment. A rotating partition divides the cage interior into several rearing chambers, allowing for group rearing. Water and food are simultaneously supplied to these chambers through the rotating center of the partition, improving experimental efficiency. The partition can also rotate within the cage, allowing the mice to push it around. Overall, this application facilitates mouse management, satisfies the five welfare requirements of laboratory animals, particularly behavioral welfare, providing mice with sufficient space to move, allowing them to express themselves freely, reducing experimental errors caused by varying rearing environments, and thus ensuring the accuracy and reliability of experimental results. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the explosion of the bottle stopper and the body of the bottle of this utility model;

[0031] Figure 3 This is an exploded schematic diagram of the water bottle connector, hollow rotating shaft, partition and feeding trough of this utility model;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the installation direction of the stoppered water bottle and the water bottle connector of this utility model;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the opening of the fan-shaped cover of this utility model;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the collection box being removed from the collection box slot of this utility model.

[0035] In the diagram: 1. Water bottle with stopper; 101. Stopper; 102. Bottle body; 2. Rotating shaft; 201. Water bottle connector; 202. Hollow rotating shaft; 203. Partition; 204. Feeding trough; 205. Water inlet; 3. Mesh cover; 301. Buckle; 302. Fan-shaped cover; 4. Cage body; 401. Cage bottom perforated grid; 5. Excrement collection component; 501. Fixed handle; 502. Vent hole; 503. Collection box; 504. Collection box slot. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of this utility model will be described in detail below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this utility model, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other implementation methods obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0037] refer to Figure 1-6 A specific embodiment of this utility model provides an integrated laboratory mouse rearing cage, comprising:

[0038] Cage 4;

[0039] Excretion collection component 5 is installed at the bottom of cage body 4 and is connected to the bottom of cage body 4;

[0040] The rotating partition is rotatably connected to the inside of the cage body 4. The cage body 4 is divided into several feeding chambers by the rotating partition, and water and food are supplied to several feeding chambers through the rotating partition.

[0041] Current commercially available cages generally have shortcomings: in terms of animal welfare, traditional single-layer cages fail to meet EU standards, and the confined space restricts natural behaviors such as running and climbing; in terms of husbandry and management, multi-group experiments require 6-8 independent cages, which not only results in repeated installation of water systems and time-consuming and labor-intensive feed delivery, but also leads to significant differences in environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, and ventilation among the cages, affecting experimental results. In this application, mice are housed in cage 4, ensuring effective ventilation; mouse excrement falls directly into the excrement collection device 5 through the holes at the bottom of cage 4, facilitating unified treatment and improving the husbandry environment; rotating partitions divide the interior of cage 4 into several feeding chambers, facilitating group husbandry. Water and food are supplied to several feeding chambers simultaneously through the rotating partitions, improving experimental efficiency. Furthermore, the rotating partitions can be rotated within cage 4, allowing mice to push them around, increasing the overall activity area sixfold. Mice can run and explore freely, providing both activity space division and engaging exercise, promoting their healthy growth. Overall, this application facilitates the management of mice, meets the five welfare requirements of laboratory animals, especially behavioral welfare, provides mice with sufficient space to move around, allows them to express themselves freely, reduces experimental errors caused by different breeding environments, and thus ensures the accuracy and reliability of experimental results.

[0042] Further optimizations to the plan include:

[0043] A stoppered water bottle 1 is connected to the top of the rotating partition and is located on the outside of the cage body 4.

[0044] A water bottle with a stopper is installed on the top of the rotating partition, which supplies water to the mice in each feeding chamber by rotating the partition.

[0045] Further optimization of the design includes the following rotating baffles:

[0046] A partition 203 is vertically arranged and equidistant in the circumference. The centripetal ends of the partitions 203 are fixedly connected and rotatably connected to the inner center of the cage body 4. Several feeding chambers are divided by the partitions 203. A stoppered water bottle 1 supplies water to the feeding chambers through the centripetal ends of the partitions 203.

[0047] The cage 4 is divided into several feeding chambers by several partitions 203. Each feeding chamber houses mice of a corresponding group. A water bottle 1 with a stopper supplies water to the mice in each feeding chamber through the centripetal ends of the partitions 203. The partitions 203 can be transparent, allowing the experimenter to observe the status of six groups of mice simultaneously without checking each feeding chamber individually, thus improving the efficiency of recording behavioral data. A feeding trough 204 is installed on the side wall of the partitions 203. The first side of the feeding trough 204 is fixed to the partition 203, the second side of the feeding trough 204 is a fence, and the top of the feeding trough 204 is an opening for feeding. The side wall of the feeding trough 204 has a perforated structure (fence) to facilitate feeding for the mice, and it can rotate with the rotation of the partitions 203, ensuring that the mice have food regardless of which feeding chamber they are in.

[0048] Further optimizations to the design include:

[0049] A hollow rotating shaft 202 is vertically arranged and rotatably connected to the inner center of the cage body 4. A stoppered water bottle 1 is connected to the top of the hollow rotating shaft 202. The centripetal ends of several partitions 203 are fixedly connected to the side wall of the hollow rotating shaft 202. The stoppered water bottle 1 supplies water to several feeding chambers through the hollow rotating shaft 202.

[0050] The hollow shaft 202 has a hollow structure inside, which can be connected to the stoppered water bottle 1. After the water in the stoppered water bottle 1 enters the hollow structure, it supplies water to the mice in each feeding chamber.

[0051] Further optimizations to the design include:

[0052] Drinking inlets 205, a number of drinking inlets 205 are arranged circumferentially on the hollow rotating shaft 202, and a set of drinking inlets 205 is corresponding between circumferentially adjacent partitions 203.

[0053] The drinking spout 205 can use a conventional pet water dispenser outlet pipe, such as the pet water dispenser outlet pipe with a water-stopping structure disclosed in CN 208129179U. This is also suitable for the experimental mice in this application, where water is dispensed by licking the ball bearing. There are six sets of drinking spouts 205, corresponding to six sets of partitions 203, ensuring water supply to each mouse in the feeding chamber. Compared with the traditional method of changing water in each cage individually, this saves time and effort, and also avoids the possibility of water leakage.

[0054] Further optimizations to the design include:

[0055] The water bottle connector 201 is fixedly connected to the top of the hollow rotating shaft 202 and passes through the cage body 4.

[0056] The stoppered water bottle 1 includes a stopper 101 and a bottle body 102. Both ends of the bottle body 102 are open structures. The stopper 101 is inserted into and seals the first end of the bottle body 102. The second end of the bottle body 102 is inserted into the water bottle connector 201. After the stopper 101 is pulled out, water is added to the bottle body 102.

[0057] Further optimization of the design, cage 4 includes:

[0058] The barrel-shaped fence and the perforated grid 401 at the bottom of the cage are fixedly connected to the bottom of the barrel-shaped fence.

[0059] Net cover 3 is installed on top of the barrel-shaped fence.

[0060] The net cover 3 includes a buckle 301 and a fan-shaped cover 302. The centripetal end of the fan-shaped cover 302 is rotatably connected to the center of the barrel-shaped fence. The buckle 301 is installed on the arc-shaped edge of the fan-shaped cover 302 and can engage with the edge of the barrel-shaped fence. This achieves a tight fastening between the fan-shaped cover 302 and the barrel-shaped fence, preventing the mice in the cage 4 from escaping from the top. By opening the buckle 301 and lifting the fan-shaped cover 302, the experimenter can grab the experimental mice.

[0061] The scheme has been further optimized, and the excrement collection component 5 includes:

[0062] Collection box 503, two sets of collection boxes 503 are radially slidably connected to the bottom of the cage bottom hollow grid 401;

[0063] Collection box slots 504, two sets of collection box slots 504 are symmetrically arranged at the bottom of the hollow grid 401 at the bottom of the cage, and two sets of collection boxes 503 are adapted to the collection box slots 504.

[0064] The collection box 503 is used to collect excrement that leaks down from the perforated grid 401 at the bottom of the cage. The collection box 503 has a fixed handle 501 installed on its side wall for easy pulling. The collection box 503 has several ventilation holes 502 on its side wall to keep the air inside the cage fresh and provide a cleaner environment for the mice.

[0065] It should be noted that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., used herein to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the equipment or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0066] In this description, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0067] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An integrated experimental mouse cage, characterized by, include: Cage body (4); Excretion collection device (5), which is installed at the bottom of the cage (4) and communicates with the bottom of the cage (4); A rotating partition is rotatably connected to the inside of the cage (4). The cage (4) is divided into several feeding chambers by the rotating partition, and water and food are supplied to the feeding chambers by the rotating partition.

2. The integrated laboratory mouse rearing cage according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A stoppered water bottle (1) is connected to the top of the rotating partition and is located outside the cage (4).

3. The integrated experimental mouse cage of claim 2, wherein, The rotating partition includes: A partition (203) is vertically arranged and equidistant in the circumference. The centripetal ends of the partitions (203) are fixedly connected and rotatably connected at the center of the inner side of the cage (4). The feeding chambers are divided by the partitions (203). The stoppered water bottle (1) supplies water to the feeding chambers through the centripetal ends of the partitions (203).

4. The integrated experimental mouse cage of claim 3, wherein, The rotating partition also includes: A hollow rotating shaft (202) is vertically arranged and rotatably connected to the inner center of the cage (4). A stoppered water bottle (1) is connected to the top of the hollow rotating shaft (202). The centripetal ends of several partitions (203) are fixedly connected to the side wall of the hollow rotating shaft (202). The stoppered water bottle (1) supplies water to several of the feeding cavities through the hollow rotating shaft (202).

5. The integrated experimental mouse cage of claim 4, wherein, The rotating partition also includes: A drinking spout (205) is circumferentially arranged on the hollow rotating shaft (202), and a set of drinking spouts (205) is correspondingly arranged between circumferentially adjacent partitions (203).

6. The integrated experimental mouse cage of claim 4, wherein, The rotating partition also includes: A water bottle connector (201) is fixedly connected to the top of the hollow rotating shaft (202) and passes through the cage (4).

7. The integrated experimental mouse cage of claim 6, wherein, The cage (4) includes: A barrel-shaped fence and a perforated grid at the bottom of the cage (401), wherein the perforated grid at the bottom of the cage (401) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the barrel-shaped fence; Net cover (3), which is installed on top of the barrel-shaped fence.

8. The integrated experimental mouse cage of claim 7, wherein, The excrement collection device (5) includes: Collection box (503), two sets of collection boxes (503) are radially slidably connected to the bottom of the cage bottom perforated grid (401); Collection box slots (504), two sets of collection box slots (504) are symmetrically arranged at the bottom of the cage bottom hollow grid (401), and two sets of collection boxes (503) are adapted to the collection box slots (504).

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