Ant nest assembly and ant nest capable of being expanded and stacked

Abstract

The ant nest comprises a plurality of ant nest assemblies with the side faces tightly attached, each ant nest assembly comprises an ant nest body and a water box, and a transparent cover plate and a bottom plate are installed at the upper end and the lower end of each ant nest body respectively. A layer plate is horizontally arranged in the middle of the ant nest body and divides the ant nest body into an upper breeding area and a lower water storage area. The water box is arranged in the lower water storage area; the four corners of the outer side of the ant nest body are each provided with an installation notch with the square cross section, and two threaded holes which are distributed up and down and formed in the length direction of the side plate on the corresponding side are formed in each installation notch. A nest body connecting piece is mounted in each mounting notch through a positioning bolt, the nest body connecting piece is rectangular or rounded rectangular, the length of the nest body connecting piece corresponds to the height of the mounting notch, the ratio of the length to the width of the nest body connecting piece is 2: 1, and the outer side face of the nest body connecting piece is flush with the outer side face of the nest body on the corresponding side or is arranged in the mounting notch.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of artificial ant nests, specifically to an ant nest component and an expandable stackable ant nest. Background Technology

[0002] An ant nest mainly consists of a nest body and an activity area. The nest body provides shelter and breeding grounds for ants, while the activity area primarily provides feeding and watering. As ants reproduce, the colony size increases, making it inconvenient to replace the nest with a larger one. Therefore, many modern ant nests offer expansion capabilities, allowing nest bodies to be connected via connectors. For example, Chinese Patent Application No. 2024102908274 discloses an ant nest with a switchable, detachable water box, expandable, and stackable design. This ant nest mainly comprises the ant nest, a switch, an ant nest hole switch pin, an ant nest connecting pin, a water box, a water box connecting piece, and a stacking component. The ant nest hole switch pin and the ant nest connecting pin are fixed via ant nest hole slots; the switch is fixed in a switch fixing groove using switch screws and ant nest hexagonal nuts; the ant nest and water box are combined using ant nest-water box connecting screws and water box hexagonal nuts; the water boxes are combined using the water box connecting piece; and the ant nests are stacked using the stacking component. This invention features a switchable structure within the ant nest, allowing for adjustment based on the humidity requirements of different ant species and developmental stages. The nest openings utilize slots with switch and connecting pins, allowing for adjustment and replacement according to the size of the ants. Once assembled, any part of the nest can be removed for easy disassembly and cleaning. While the aforementioned ant nest can expand in multiple directions, it requires numerous expansion connectors. Installation is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and storage is inconvenient. Furthermore, to lay the nests flat between layers, each stacking component must be removed individually, making it extremely inconvenient to use. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide an ant nest component and an expandable stackable ant nest, which solves the problems of the complex structure of existing artificial ant nests, the large number of connectors required for expansion, and the inconvenience of installation and use.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] An ant nest assembly includes an ant nest body and a water box. The ant nest body is a rectangular box with a transparent cover detachably installed at the top and a bottom plate detachably installed at the bottom. A horizontal plate is provided in the middle of the ant nest body, dividing it into an upper breeding area and a lower water storage area. The water box is placed in the lower water storage area and is securely fixed between the plate and the bottom plate. A moisture-retaining component that can conduct water from the lower water storage area to the upper breeding area is detachably installed in the middle of the plate. A square-section installation notch is provided at each of the four corners of the outer side of the ant nest body and at the bottom of the ant nest body. Each installation notch has two threaded holes arranged vertically along the length of the corresponding side plate. A nest body connector is installed in each installation notch by a positioning bolt. The nest body connector is rectangular or rounded rectangular, with its length corresponding to the height of the installation notch, and the length-to-width ratio of the nest body connector is 2:1. The outer surface of the nest body connector is flush with the outer surface of the corresponding side of the nest body or placed within the installation notch.

[0006] Furthermore, the cross-section of the installation notch can also be L-shaped, and the vertical height of the installation notch is consistent with the length of the nest connector, the width of the notches on both sides is consistent with the width of the nest connector, and the thickness of the notch is consistent with the thickness of the nest connector; two threaded holes are provided on the two vertical sides of each installation notch, which are distributed vertically and perpendicular to the side.

[0007] Furthermore, a through hole is provided in the middle of the layer plate, and the moisturizing component is a metal mesh or a medium moisturizing component, which is installed at the through hole; when the through hole is installed as a medium moisturizing component, the lower end of the columnar water guide stone or water guide cotton set in the middle of the medium moisturizing component extends into the water box and is inserted into the water in the water box, so as to guide the water to the concrete medium of the medium moisturizing component and provide humidity for the upper breeding area.

[0008] Furthermore, a connecting through hole is provided on each of the four side plates corresponding to the breeding area on the main body of the ant nest. A slot communicating with the connecting through hole is provided at the upper end of each side plate. An insert is provided in each slot, and a through hole corresponding to the connecting through hole is provided at one end of the insert. When the insert is inverted in the slot, the insert can block the connecting through hole.

[0009] Furthermore, the outer edge of the main body of the ant nest extends upward to form a limiting frame, and the transparent cover is placed inside the limiting frame with its upper surface flush with the upper edge of the limiting frame. The transparent cover can be detachably installed inside the limiting frame by a magnetic structure, or a threaded vertical hole is provided at at least three corners on the upper surface of the main body of the ant nest. The transparent cover is fixed to the main body of the ant nest by screws that engage with the threaded vertical holes.

[0010] Furthermore, a pre-drilled hole is provided on the upper side wall of the ant nest body, and a guide tube connected to the pre-drilled hole is provided at the lower end of the shelf; a water-conducting hose with its end passing through the guide tube and placed in the water box is embedded in the pre-drilled hole.

[0011] Furthermore, the upper end of the water-conducting hose has an injection needle, and a hole corresponding to the injection port of the injection needle is provided on the transparent cover plate; the upper end of the water-conducting hose is located at any corner of the ant nest body.

[0012] Furthermore, the water box is made of transparent material, and each of the four side panels of the ant nest body has an observation hole corresponding to the water box at the lower end.

[0013] An expandable stackable ant nest includes multiple ant nest components with their sides tightly attached. As described above, the side plates of two adjacent ant nest components are connected by a nest body connector. The nest body connector is arranged horizontally, and its two ends are locked and fixed in the installation notch of the corresponding ant nest component by positioning bolts. When there are three ant nest components with their sides tightly attached on an adjacent side, the nest body connectors are staggered and cross-arranged.

[0014] Furthermore, the ant nest assembly has at least two layers, and the upper and lower layers are connected by at least two adapters. The adapters are placed on two opposite sides of the outer side of each ant nest assembly, and the adapters are set at an angle. The upper and lower ends are rotatably connected to the upper ant nest assembly and the lower ant nest assembly, respectively. When the upper ant nest assembly is pushed under the action of external force, the adapters rotate until the upper ant nest assembly and the lower ant nest assembly are at the same height, and then the adapters are in a horizontal state.

[0015] Furthermore, the end of the adapter corresponds to the connecting through hole on the corresponding side of the ant nest assembly, and the adapter is rotatably connected to the side plate via a rotating shaft assembly; the rotating shaft assembly includes a fixed plate detachably mounted on the side plate, and a rotating shaft rotatably mounted on the fixed plate at one end, the rotating shaft being sleeved and fixed to the end of the adapter. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the ant nest component in Example 1;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a front view of the ant nest component in Example 1;

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of BB;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the ant nest component in Example 1;

[0020] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the ant nest component in Example 2;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the ant nest installation structure in Example 3;

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the double-layer ant nest in Example 4;

[0023] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the adapter and the shaft assembly in Example 4;

[0024] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the rotating shaft assembly in Example 4. Detailed Implementation

[0025] 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 only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. The components of the embodiments of this utility model described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this utility model provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed utility model, but merely represents selected embodiments of the utility model. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0026] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures. In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the figures, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product is in use. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In addition, the terms "horizontal," "vertical," etc., do not indicate that the component is required to be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted. In the description of this utility model, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] Example 1

[0028] The ant nest assembly 10 provided in this embodiment includes an ant nest body 11 and a water box 13. The ant nest body 11 is a rectangular box. A transparent cover plate 12 is detachably installed on the upper end of the ant nest body 11, and a bottom plate 14 is detachably installed on the lower end of the ant nest body 11. A layer plate 111 is horizontally arranged in the middle of the ant nest body 11, which divides the ant nest body 11 into an upper breeding area and a lower water storage area. The water box 13 is placed in the lower water storage area and is clamped and fixed between the layer plate 111 and the bottom plate 14. A device that can conduct water from the lower water storage area to the upper breeding area is detachably installed in the middle of the layer plate 111. The ant nest assembly 15 includes a moisture-retaining component 15. At each of the four outer corners and the lower end of the ant nest body 11, there is a square-shaped installation notch 112. Within each installation notch 112, there are two threaded holes 113 arranged vertically along the length of the corresponding side plate. Within each installation notch 112, a nest connector 16 is installed using positioning bolts. The nest connector 16 is a rounded rectangle with a length corresponding to the height of the installation notch 112, and its length-to-width ratio is 2:1. The outer surface of the nest connector 16 is flush with the outer surface of the corresponding side of the nest. Using the ant nest assembly 10 in this embodiment, the ant nest body 11 is a single-piece structure, and the breeding area and water storage area are separated by a shelf 111 to achieve partitioning. The installation notch 112 allows for the placement of the nest connector 16. In its single state, the nest connector 16 is vertically positioned and connected to the four corners of the outer side of the ant nest body 11 via positioning bolts. When expansion is needed, the positioning bolts are rotated in the opposite direction, rounding the ends of the nest connector 16. With the positioning bolts not tightened, it can be rotated to a horizontal position, allowing the other end to extend and be fixedly connected to another ant nest body 11. Since the length-to-width ratio of the nest connector 16 is 2:1, after rotation, its protruding portion matches the thickness of the notch, ensuring that adjacent sides of the two ant nest components 10 fit tightly together without gaps after installation. The nest connector 16 is located at all four corners, providing connectors for connection to other ant nest bodies 11 in all four directions, thus satisfying the purpose of multi-directional expansion. The water box 13 in the ant nest assembly 10 has a detachable base plate 14, facilitating the replacement of the water box 13. The water box 13 is positioned between the shelf 111 and the base plate 14, clamped and secured, ensuring it won't shake during transport and be damaged. This design, with an installation notch 112 within which the nest connector 16 is placed, facilitates transport while ensuring the connector doesn't protrude outwards during nest expansion, thus maintaining the tightness of the connections between nests. The cover 12 is transparent, allowing the keeper to easily observe the ants in the upper breeding area.

[0029] In a specific implementation, the nest connector 16 can be rectangular. By making it rectangular, compared to a rounded rectangular nest connector 16, the positioning bolts cannot be loosened before rotating the nest connector 16. Instead, the bolts must be removed, and the nest connector 16 can be placed horizontally and fixed to the other ant nest bodies 11. In this embodiment, the thickness of the nest connector 16 is the same as the thickness of the installation notch 112, but in a specific implementation, it can also be less than the thickness of the installation notch 112.

[0030] To facilitate the installation of the humidifying component 15, a through hole is provided in the middle of the shelf 111. The humidifying component 15, which can be a metal mesh or a medium humidifying component, is installed at the through hole. When the medium humidifying component 15 is installed at the through hole, the lower end of the columnar water-guiding stone or water-guiding cotton in the middle of the medium humidifying component 15 extends into the water box 13 and is inserted into the water in the water box 13, guiding the water onto the concrete medium of the medium humidifying component 15 to provide humidity for the upper breeding area. During use, users can choose between medium humidification and air humidification according to their preferences. If air humidification is used, a metal mesh is installed at the through hole; if medium humidification is used, the medium humidifying component 15 is selected and installed. During installation, the metal mesh or the medium humidifying component 15 can be fixed to the through hole with screws or fasteners. By providing a through hole in the middle of the shelf 111 and installing the humidifying component 15 there, multiple options can be selected according to user preferences to meet the needs of different users.

[0031] To facilitate the separation or connection of the upper breeding areas of two adjacent ant nests after later expansion, a connecting through hole 117 is provided on each of the four side plates corresponding to the breeding area on the main body 11 of the ant nest. A slot 116 communicating with the connecting through hole 117 is provided at the upper end of each side plate. An insert 17 is provided in each slot 116, with a perforation 171 at one end corresponding to the connecting through hole 117. When the insert 17 is inverted in the slot 116, it can block the connecting through hole 117. In use, to expand the breeding area and activity range of the ant colony, the insert 17 is inserted so that its perforation 171 corresponds to the connecting through hole 117. At this time, the connecting through hole 117 can serve as a connecting channel between the two nests. Meanwhile, in order to prevent ants from crawling out of the nest through the outermost connecting hole, to plan and clear the ants' path, and to reduce the impact of air humidity on the seeds, the end with the perforation 171 is inserted upwards and in reverse into the insert 17, so that the insert 17 blocks the connecting hole 117.

[0032] Furthermore, the outer edge of the ant nest body 11 extends upward to form a limiting frame 114 (the thickness of the limiting frame 114 is less than the thickness of each side plate of the ant nest body 11). The transparent cover plate 12 is placed inside the limiting frame 114, with its upper end face flush with the upper edge of the limiting frame 114. A threaded vertical hole 115 is provided at three corners of the upper end face of the ant nest body 11. The transparent cover plate 12 is fixed to the ant nest body 11 by screws engaging with the threaded vertical holes 115. In this way, the limiting frame 114 formed by the upward extension of the outer edge allows the transparent cover plate 12 to be inserted, achieving initial positioning of the transparent cover plate 12. Simultaneously, the method of fixing the transparent cover plate 12 with screws facilitates replacement of the cover plate, and the fixing structure is more stable. Of course, in specific implementation, the transparent cover plate 12 can also be fixed by a magnetic attraction mechanism. Specifically, multiple magnets are embedded along the upper edge of the ant nest body 11, and multiple strong magnetic blocks corresponding one-to-one with the magnets are embedded inside the transparent cover plate 12, thus achieving magnetic fixation. This method of using a limiting frame 114 for positioning, followed by fixing with screws or magnets, ensures that the cover plate will not shift during transportation and use.

[0033] At each corresponding location of the slot 116, the limiting frame 114 has a notch. After the insert 17 is inserted into the slot 116, its upper end extends out of the slot 116 and is positioned at the notch, with its upper surface flush with the upper surface of the limiting frame 114. The width of the notch is greater than the width of the slot 116. The insert 17 has at least two insertion holes, located near the outer edge of the insert 17. This allows the insert 17 to be easily pulled out by hand after installation, with one end extending out of the slot 116. The insertion holes on the insert 17 can be used to pull out the insert 17 by inserting a thin roller and then lifting the roller.

[0034] Furthermore, a pre-drilled hole 119 is provided on the upper side wall of the ant nest body 11, and a guide tube 1191 communicating with the pre-drilled hole 119 is provided at the lower end of the shelf 111. A water-conducting hose 18, with its end passing through the guide tube 1191 and placed inside the water box 13, is embedded in the pre-drilled hole 119. In this way, when water needs to be added to the water box 13, water can be directly introduced into the water box 13 through the water-conducting hose 18. The pre-drilled hole 119 can position the water-conducting hose 18, and it can be arranged in an L-shape or serpentine shape. The guide tube 1191 can guide the end of the water-conducting hose 18 to align it with the water box 13. Of course, in specific implementation, the guide tube 1191 can be omitted, and the end of the water-conducting hose 18 can be directly placed into the water box 13 after passing through the pre-drilled hole. The water guide hose 18 is installed by setting a reserved hole 119. The water guide hose 18 is not exposed, which is more aesthetically pleasing and will not affect the subsequent expansion of the nest.

[0035] Furthermore, the upper end of the water-guiding hose 18 has an injection needle (not shown in the figure; the diameter of this injection needle is larger than the diameter of the water-guiding hose, matching the pre-drilled hole to prevent it from falling off). A hole corresponding to the injection port of the injection needle is provided on the transparent cover plate 12. The upper end of the water-guiding hose 18 is located at a corner of the ant nest body 11, outside the three vertical threaded holes 113 (in specific implementations, it can also be located on one side of one of the vertical threaded holes 113, thus increasing the thickness of the nest body side plate of the ant nest body 11). This allows the injection needle to be easily connected to a syringe, enabling water to be injected into the water-guiding hose 18 via the syringe, making it convenient to use. The water-guiding hose 18 is located at one corner, and the thickness at the corner is greater than at other locations, facilitating installation and not affecting the space of the upper breeding area.

[0036] Furthermore, the water box 13 is made of transparent material, and each of the four side panels of the ant nest body 11 has an observation hole 118 corresponding to the water box 13. In this way, after setting the observation hole 118, the water level in the water box 13 can be observed through the observation hole 118, so that water can be injected into the water box 13 in time through the water guide hose 18 when the water level is low, thus avoiding the ants getting sick or dying due to low humidity.

[0037] Example 2

[0038] The ant nest assembly 10 provided in this embodiment differs from that in Embodiment 1 only in the installation structure of the mounting notch 112 and the nest connector 16. Specifically, the cross-section of the mounting notch 112 in this embodiment can also be L-shaped, and the vertical height of the mounting notch 112 is consistent with the length of the nest connector 16, the width of the notches on both sides is consistent with the width of the nest connector 16, and the thickness of the notches is consistent with the thickness of the nest connector 16; two threaded holes 113 are provided on the two vertical sides of each mounting notch 112, which are distributed vertically and perpendicular to the side. With this structure, the nest connector 16 can also be stored in the mounting notch 112 without expansion. When expansion is required, the positioning bolts are loosened, and the nest connector 16 is placed horizontally to connect with the ant nest body 11 of another ant nest assembly 10.

[0039] Example 3

[0040] This embodiment provides an expandable stackable ant nest, comprising multiple ant nest components 10 with their sides tightly attached. As described above, adjacent ant nest components 10 are connected on the same side by nest body connectors 16. The nest body connectors 16 are arranged laterally, and their two ends are locked and fixed in the mounting notches 112 of the corresponding ant nest components 10 by positioning bolts. When three ant nest components 10 with their sides tightly attached are provided on adjacent sides, the nest body connectors 16 are staggered and cross-arranged. The ant nest is composed of multiple ant nest components 10 connected together, and multiple independent ant nest breeding areas can be formed by connecting through holes 117. The size of the ant nest breeding area can be controlled according to the number of inserts 17 inserted and corresponding to the connecting through holes 117. Each ant nest component 10 has four nest body connectors 16. As needed, after the nest body connectors 16 of each ant nest component 10 are arranged laterally, the ends of the nest body connectors 16 are placed in the mounting notches 112 of the adjacent ant nest components 10 and locked and fixed by positioning bolts. After connection, each connection point of two adjacent ant nest components 10 is provided with two nest body connectors 16. The two nest body connectors 16 are parallel to each other and are arranged vertically. Both ends are fixed in the installation notch 112 of the two adjacent ant nest components 10 by positioning bolts.

[0041] Example 4

[0042] The expandable stackable ant nest provided in this embodiment is based on embodiment 3. The ant nest component 10 is provided with two layers, upper and lower, which are connected by at least two adapters 30. The adapters 30 are placed on two opposite sides of the outer side of each layer of ant nest component 10 and are set at an angle. The upper and lower ends are rotatably connected to the upper layer ant nest component 10 and the lower layer ant nest component 10, respectively. When the upper layer ant nest component 10 is pushed under the action of external force, the adapter 30 rotates until the upper layer ant nest component 10 and the lower layer ant nest component 10 are at the same height, and then the adapter 30 is in a horizontal state. In this way, within the same space area, the ant nest is set up in two layers, each layer is composed of multiple ant nest components 10 connected together, and the upper and lower ant nests are connected by a connector 30. The connector 30 is set at an angle, and its upper and lower ends are respectively connected to one of the ant nest components 10 in that layer, which can ensure the stability between the upper and lower layers. At the same time, the connector 30 can also rotate under the action of external force. The upper ant nest component 10 is fixed as a whole by the ant nest connector. When the user pushes the upper ant nest to one side, the upper ant nest component 10 will drive the connector 30 to move along with it and push the connector 30 to rotate. Then, after the connector 30 rotates to the horizontal position, it is at the same height as the lower ant nest component 10, which makes it easy to fill water and manage each ant nest component 10 in the lower layer. The upper and lower ant nests are connected only by an adapter 30 on the outside, which reduces the number of connecting parts to be installed between the upper and lower layers. At the same time, the interior of each ant nest is connected and fixed by the adapter 30, so no further fixing is required. The external connection is sufficient to meet the connection strength.

[0043] With a two-layer structure, the transparent cover 12 at the top of the lower ant nest is blocked. To facilitate observation of the reproduction of ants in the lower layer, the insert 17 can be made of transparent material, so that the activity and reproduction of ants in the lower ant nest can be observed through the connecting hole 117.

[0044] Furthermore, the end of the adapter 30 corresponds to the connecting through hole 117 on the corresponding side of the ant nest assembly 10, and the adapter 30 is rotatably connected to this side plate via a rotating shaft assembly 20. The rotating shaft assembly 20 includes a fixing plate 201 detachably mounted on the side plate, and a rotating shaft 202 rotatably mounted on the fixing plate 201 at one end. The rotating shaft 202 is sleeved and fixed to the end of the adapter 30. In this way, the adapter 30 is rotatably connected to the ant nest assembly 10 via the rotating shaft assembly 20. The rotating shaft assembly 20 is flexibly configured, including the fixing plate 201 fixed to the ant nest assembly 10, and the rotating shaft 202 capable of rotating under external force. The end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the end of the adapter 30, thereby pushing the ant nest assembly 10. After the upper ant nest moves, the adapter 30 and the rotating shaft 202 can rotate. The rotating shaft assembly 20 is installed outside the connecting through hole 117 and does not interfere with the insert 17 inside the connecting through hole 117.

[0045] Specifically, the adapter 30 is a rounded rectangle, mainly composed of an outer frame 301 and reinforcing ribs 302 located on the inner sides of the two long sides of the outer frame 301. A connecting plate (not shown in the figure) is detachably installed inside the outer frame to cover the inner side of the outer frame. A circular stepped hole is provided in the middle of the fixing plate 201, and a ring that mates with the stepped hole is provided at one end of the rotating shaft 202. The rotating shaft is cylindrical, with a notch on the side facing the adapter 30, which abuts against the reinforcing rib. Two threaded holes 113 are provided on the end face of the rotating shaft. One end of the rotating shaft is embedded in the circular stepped hole. After the main body of the rotating shaft extends into the adapter 30, the notch abuts against the inner end of the reinforcing rib, and the end is fixedly connected to the connecting plate by fasteners.

[0046] 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 the technical solutions. Those skilled in the art should understand that any modifications or equivalent substitutions to the technical solutions of this utility model that do not depart from the spirit and scope of this technical solution should be covered within the scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. An ant nest assembly, comprising an ant nest body and a water tank, characterized in that, The ant nest body is a rectangular box. A transparent cover is detachably installed on the upper part of the ant nest body, and a bottom plate is detachably installed on the lower part of the ant nest body. A plate is horizontally installed in the middle of the ant nest body, which divides the ant nest body into an upper breeding area and a lower water storage area. The water box is placed in the lower water storage area and is clamped and fixed between the plate and the bottom plate. A moisture-retaining component that can conduct water from the lower water storage area to the upper breeding area is detachably installed in the middle of the plate. There is a square installation notch at each of the four corners of the outer side of the ant nest body. There are two threaded holes arranged vertically and along the length of the corresponding side plate in each installation notch. A nest body connector is installed in each installation notch by positioning bolts. The nest body connector is rectangular or rounded rectangular in shape, and its length corresponds to the height of the installation notch. The length-to-width ratio of the nest body connector is 2:

1. The outer side of the nest body connector is flush with the outer side of the corresponding side of the nest body, or is placed in the installation notch.

2. The ant nest assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross-section of the installation notch can also be L-shaped, and the vertical height of the installation notch is consistent with the length of the nest connector. The width of the notches on both sides is consistent with the width of the nest connector, and the thickness of the notch is consistent with the thickness of the nest connector. Two threaded holes are provided on the two vertical sides of each installation notch, which are distributed vertically and perpendicular to the side.

3. The ant nest assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that; A through hole is provided in the middle of the shelf. The moisture-retaining component is a metal mesh or a medium moisture-retaining component, which is installed at the through hole. When the through hole is installed as a medium moisture-retaining component, the lower end of the columnar water-guiding stone or water-guiding cotton set in the middle of the medium moisture-retaining component extends into the water box and is inserted into the water in the water box, so as to guide the water to the concrete medium of the medium moisture-retaining component and provide humidity for the upper breeding area.

4. The ant nest assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each of the four side panels corresponding to the breeding area on the main body of the ant nest has a connecting through hole. Each side panel has a slot at the top that communicates with the connecting through hole. Each slot has an insert piece with a perforation at one end corresponding to the connecting through hole. When the insert piece is inverted in the slot, it can block the connecting through hole.

5. The ant nest assembly according to claim 1, 2, or 4, characterized in that, The outer edge of the main body of the ant nest extends upward to form a limiting frame. The transparent cover is placed inside the limiting frame, with its upper surface flush with the upper edge of the limiting frame. The transparent cover can be detachably installed inside the limiting frame by a magnetic structure, or a threaded vertical hole is provided at at least three corners on the upper surface of the main body of the ant nest. The transparent cover is fixed to the main body of the ant nest by screws that engage with the threaded vertical holes.

6. The ant nest assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, A pre-drilled hole is provided on the upper side wall of the ant nest body, and a guide tube connected to the pre-drilled hole is provided at the lower end of the shelf; a water-conducting hose with its end passing through the guide tube and placed in the water box is embedded in the pre-drilled hole.

7. The ant nest assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The upper end of the water-conducting hose has an injection needle, and a hole corresponding to the injection port of the injection needle is provided on the transparent cover plate; the upper end of the water-conducting hose is located at any corner of the ant nest body.

8. A scalable, stackable ant nest comprising multiple ant nest components with their sides tightly attached, characterized in that, As described in any one of claims 1-7, the side plates of two adjacent ant nest components are connected by a nest body connector. The nest body connector is arranged horizontally, and its two ends are locked and fixed in the installation notch of the corresponding ant nest component by positioning bolts. When there are three ant nest components with their sides closely attached on the adjacent side of the ant nest component, the nest body connector is staggered and cross-arranged.

9. The scalable stackable ant nest according to claim 8, characterized in that, The ant nest assembly has at least two layers, and the upper and lower layers are connected by at least two adapters. The adapters are placed on two opposite sides of the outer side of each ant nest assembly and are set at an angle. The upper and lower ends are rotatably connected to the upper ant nest assembly and the lower ant nest assembly, respectively. When the upper ant nest assembly is pushed by an external force, the adapters rotate until the upper ant nest assembly and the lower ant nest assembly are at the same height, after which the adapters are in a horizontal state.

10. The scalable stackable ant nest according to claim 9, characterized in that, The end of the adapter corresponds to the connecting through hole on the corresponding side of the ant nest assembly, and the adapter is rotatably connected to the side plate via a rotating shaft assembly; the rotating shaft assembly includes a fixed plate that is detachably mounted on the side plate, and a rotating shaft that is rotatably mounted on the fixed plate at one end, and the rotating shaft is sleeved and fixed to the end of the adapter.

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