A novel IVC cage sampling device

Abstract

This utility model relates to the field of IVC cage sampling technology and discloses a novel IVC cage sampling device, including an IVC cage and a purification cage. Centralized air supply cages are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the top of the IVC cage, connected by pipes, with air supply valves at the connection points. Purification cages are arrayed at the front and back of the cage. A sampling component is installed inside the mounting block on the outside of the centralized air supply cage, including a filter and a double-layer aluminum filter screen with polyester fiber filter cotton sandwiched in between. A rectangular mounting hole is opened at the front of the mounting block, and a press-fit fixation is achieved through a U-shaped buckle and a buckle fixing block. External air enters through the air outlet, first passing through the sampling component to filter large particulate impurities, and then is transported to the purification cage through the pipes. During sampling, the surface of the filter screen is directly wiped with a cotton swab, eliminating the need to move the cage, avoiding the risk of opening the box, and providing convenient operation. A single person can quickly disassemble and maintain the device, extending the filter life, reducing biosafety risks, improving sampling efficiency, and reducing labor intensity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of IVC cage sampling technology, specifically a novel IVC cage sampling device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, for experimental rats and mice housed in IVC cages, regular health monitoring within the cages often involves sampling and testing the cage environment to assess the animals' health. The commonly used method involves transferring the IVC cage to a laminar flow hood, opening the cage, and taking samples with cotton swabs. Before sampling, the laminar flow hood surface must be wiped and sterilized with ultraviolet light for at least 30 minutes. Furthermore, the cage requires spray sterilization when removed from the cage rack and when placed back in, making the process relatively cumbersome and time-consuming.

[0003] Currently, environmental sampling of IVC cages generally adopts the traditional open-box operation, which requires transferring the cage to a clean bench and undergoing processes such as table wiping, UV irradiation sterilization, and spray sterilization. This operation is time-consuming and requires two people to complete the transfer and sampling, resulting in high labor costs and high labor intensity. In addition, the opening process may cause airflow disturbance in the cage, increasing the risk of microbial leakage. At the same time, frequent disassembly of the cage can easily increase the load on the HEPA filter and shorten the equipment maintenance cycle. The complexity and safety defects of traditional technology have become a bottleneck restricting the improvement of the efficiency of large-scale laboratory animal breeding. There is an urgent need to optimize the sampling process and control risks through structural innovation. To this end, we propose a new IVC cage sampling device. Summary of the Invention

[0004] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a novel IVC cage sampling device, which solves the aforementioned problems.

[0006] (II) Technical Solution

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a novel IVC cage sampling device, comprising:

[0008] Preferably, the IVC cage and the purification cage are arranged at the front and back of the IVC cage, and the purification cage is arranged in multiple horizontal and vertical arrays. The top two sides of the IVC cage are provided with symmetrical centralized air supply cages, which are connected by pipes and the two pipes are connected to each other. An air supply valve is provided at the top of the connection.

[0009] Preferably, a sampling component is provided on the outer end face of the centralized air supply cage located on the top of the IVC cage frame. The sampling component includes a filter and a filter screen. An installation block is provided on the outer end face of the centralized air supply cage, and the sampling component is located inside the installation block.

[0010] Preferably, the front end of the IVC cage frame is provided with a cage placement slot that extends through the back, wherein the cage placement slot is arranged in a plurality of horizontal and vertical arrays, and a purification cage is provided inside the cage placement slot.

[0011] Preferably, a pipe support plate is provided above the cage placement slot, and the pipe support plate is distributed horizontally in multiple ways above the cage placement slot.

[0012] Preferably, a centralized air supply cage is fixedly installed at the top of the IVC cage frame. The centralized air supply cage is symmetrically distributed on both sides of the top of the IVC cage frame. The outer end face of the centralized air supply cage is provided with a mounting block. The end face of the mounting block is provided with an exhaust port. The exhaust port is connected to the purification cage inside the IVC cage frame through a pipe. The pipe is located at the top of the pipe support plate.

[0013] Preferably, the front end of the mounting block has a rectangular mounting hole, the sampling component is disposed inside the mounting hole, and the filter screen in the sampling component is disposed inside both ends of the filter.

[0014] Preferably, the mounting block has snap-fit ​​fixing blocks on the upper and lower sides of its front end, and the snap-fit ​​fixing blocks have U-shaped snap-fits rotatably installed inside the snap-fit ​​fixing blocks, with one side of the U-shaped snap-fits corresponding to the two sides of the front end of the filter for snap-fit ​​fixing connection.

[0015] Preferably, the centralized air supply cage has an air outlet at the top center, and two symmetrical centralized air supply cages are connected to each other by a U-shaped pipe corresponding to the air outlet, wherein an air supply pipe is provided between the two pipes, and an air supply valve is provided on the air supply pipe.

[0016] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0017] Compared with the prior art, this utility model provides a novel IVC cage sampling device, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] 1. This new IVC cage sampling device eliminates the need to transfer the clean cage during sampling. Samples can be collected simply by wiping the filter surface with a sampling swab or cotton swab. The operation is simple and convenient, eliminating the cumbersome procedures of transferring the cage and disinfecting the ultra-clean workbench compared to traditional open-box sampling. This significantly reduces labor and labor intensity, improves work efficiency, and the sampling position is located at the front end of the exhaust high-efficiency duct, which can directly reflect the microbial status of the air inside the cage. The entire operation is closed-loop, and the sealed design reduces biosafety risks. At the same time, the sampling device also has a pre-filter function, which can intercept large particles of bedding, dust and other impurities, reduce the load on the high-efficiency filter and extend its service life. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model.

[0021] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of part A in the diagram.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the IVC cage structure of this utility model.

[0023] In the diagram: 1. IVC cage frame; 2. Purification cage; 3. Centralized air supply cage; 4. Exhaust outlet; 5. Filter; 6. U-shaped buckle; 7. Pipe; 8. Air supply valve; 9. Mounting block; 10. Mounting hole; 11. Buckle fixing block; 12. Filter screen; 13. Cage placement slot; 14. Pipe support plate; 15. Air supply outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0024] 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 of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0025] Please see Figure 1-4 A novel IVC cage sampling device includes:

[0026] Furthermore, the IVC cage 1 and the purification cage 2 are arranged at the front and back of the IVC cage 1, and the purification cage 2 is arranged in multiple horizontal and vertical arrays. The top two sides of the IVC cage 1 are provided with symmetrical centralized air supply cages 3, which are connected by pipes 7. The two pipes 7 are connected to each other, and the top of the connection is provided with an air supply valve 8.

[0027] Furthermore, a sampling component is provided on the outer end face of the centralized air supply cage 3 located at the top of the IVC cage frame 1. The sampling component includes a filter 5 and a filter screen 12. An installation block 9 is provided on the outer end face of the centralized air supply cage 3. The sampling component is located inside the installation block 9, which makes it easy to clarify the layout of the sampling device in the cage frame and the composition of the core components.

[0028] Furthermore, the front end of the IVC cage 1 is provided with a cage placement slot 13 that extends through the back. The cage placement slot 13 is arranged in multiple horizontal and vertical arrays. The cage placement slot 13 is equipped with a purification cage 2 to achieve orderly feeding of experimental animals.

[0029] Furthermore, a pipe support plate 14 is provided above the cage placement slot 13, and the pipe support plate 14 is distributed horizontally in multiple ways above the cage placement slot 13 to ensure the stability of airflow transmission inside the cage frame.

[0030] Furthermore, a centralized air supply cage 3 is fixedly installed on the top of the IVC cage 1. The centralized air supply cage 3 is symmetrically distributed on both sides of the top of the IVC cage 1. An installation block 9 is provided on the outer end face of the centralized air supply cage 3. An exhaust port 4 is provided on the end face of the installation block 9. The exhaust port 4 is connected to the purification cage 2 inside the IVC cage 1 through the exhaust port 4 via the pipe 7. The pipe 7 is located on the top of the pipe support plate 14, which forms the main frame of the cage air supply and exhaust system to ensure unobstructed airflow circulation.

[0031] Furthermore, the front end of the mounting block 9 is provided with a rectangular mounting hole 10, the sampling component is set inside the mounting hole 10, and the filter screen 12 in the sampling component is set inside both ends of the filter 5, providing a structural basis for the sampling operation and the implementation of the filtering function.

[0032] Furthermore, the front end of the mounting block 9 is provided with snap-fit ​​fixing blocks 11 on the upper and lower sides. Inside the snap-fit ​​fixing blocks 11, there are rotating snap-fit ​​buckles 6 in the shape of a loop. One side of the loop-shaped buckle 6 is connected to the front end of the filter 5. The snap-fit ​​design enables convenient disassembly and stable fixing of the sampling component, improving maintenance efficiency.

[0033] Furthermore, an air outlet 15 is provided at the top center of the centralized air supply cage 3. Two symmetrical centralized air supply cages 3 are connected to each other by a U-shaped pipe 7 corresponding to the air outlet 15. An air supply pipe is provided between the two pipes 7, and an air supply valve 8 is provided on the air supply pipe to realize the control of the overall air supply volume of the cage and the airflow distribution, ensuring the flexibility and controllability of the air supply system.

[0034] Structural Description:

[0035] IVC cage frame 1: As the core support structure, cage placement slots 13 are provided at the front and back, and a centralized air supply cage 3 is installed on the top to construct a framework for experimental animal husbandry and airflow circulation.

[0036] Purification cage 2: Arrayed in the cage placement slots 13 at the front and back of the IVC cage frame 1, used for breeding experimental mice and rats, providing independent breeding space;

[0037] Centralized air supply cage 3: Symmetrically installed on the top of IVC cage 1, connected by pipe 7, with air supply port 15 at the top and mounting block 9 on the outside to integrate sampling components.

[0038] Exhaust vent 4: Located at the end of the mounting block 9 on the outside of the centralized air supply cage 3, it is connected to the purification cage 2 through the pipe 7 to form an exhaust passage and transmit polluted air;

[0039] Filter 5: The core component of the sampling assembly, with filter screens 12 embedded at both ends and built-in polyester fiber filter cotton, serving as both a sampling carrier and a primary filter;

[0040] The U-shaped buckle 6 is rotated and installed on the front end of the mounting block 9 and the buckle fixing block 11, and presses to fix the filter 5, so as to realize the quick disassembly and stable connection of the sampling component;

[0041] Pipeline 7: It is in the shape of a gate and connects to the symmetrical centralized air supply cage 3. One end is connected to the air supply outlet 15, and the other end is connected to the purification cage 2 through the exhaust outlet 4 to transmit the supply and exhaust airflow.

[0042] Air supply valve 8: Located at the top of the connection of pipe 7, it controls the overall air supply volume of the cage, adjusts the airflow distribution, and ensures that the air supply system is flexible and controllable;

[0043] Mounting block 9: Fixed to the outer end face of the centralized air supply cage 3, with mounting holes 10 inside for mounting the sampling component, and a snap-fit ​​fixing block 11 at the front end for connecting the filter 5;

[0044] Mounting hole 10: Located at the front end of mounting block 9, rectangular in shape, used to embed the sampling component and position the filter 5 and filter screen 12.

[0045] Clip-on fixing block 11: Located on the upper and lower sides of the front end of the mounting block 9, with built-in U-shaped clips 6, which, together with the press-type structure, enable convenient fixing of the sampling component;

[0046] Filter 12: A double-layer aluminum mesh sandwiched with polyester fiber cotton, located at both ends of filter 5, serving as a sampling and wiping surface, while also intercepting large particulate impurities;

[0047] Cage placement slot 13: An array of slots extending from the front end of the IVC cage frame 1 to the back end, used to fix the purification cage 2, to achieve standardized installation of the experimental cage box;

[0048] Pipe support plate 14: Horizontally distributed above cage placement slot 13, supporting pipe 7, planning airflow path, and ensuring stable support for supply and exhaust pipes;

[0049] Air outlet 15: The central opening at the top of the centralized air supply cage 3 connects to the external clean air input and, together with the duct 7, forms the starting point for the cage air supply.

[0050] Working principle: The IVC cage frame 1 serves as the core carrier, employing a centralized air supply and exhaust design suitable for breeding laboratory mice and rats. Multiple purification cages 2 are arranged in a horizontal and vertical array at its front and back. Centralized air supply cages 3 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the top, connected by pipes 7. Air supply valves 8 at the top of the connection point control the air supply volume. The cage frame has a through-hole 13 for fixing the purification cages 2. A pipe support plate 14 above it supports the air supply pipes 7, forming a stable airflow path. External clean air is introduced through the air outlet 15 at the top center of the centralized air supply cage 3. First, the sampling component inside mounting block 9 is used. This component includes a filter 5 and a double-layer aluminum filter screen 12, with polyester fiber filter cotton sandwiched in between. This intercepts large particles of bedding material, dust, and other impurities, serving as a primary filtration layer. The filtered air enters pipe 7 through exhaust port 4 and is guided by pipe support plate 14 to be evenly delivered to each purification cage 2, providing a clean environment for the laboratory animals. The rectangular mounting hole 10 at the front of mounting block 9 houses the sampling component, with the double-layer filter screen 12 embedded at both ends of its filter 5. The connection is sealed with a soft sealing gasket to prevent air leakage. The upper and lower sides of mounting block 9... The snap-fit ​​fixing block 11 presses the filter 5 with the U-shaped snap-fit ​​6, providing a press-type snap-fit ​​fixation effect and facilitating quick disassembly. During sampling, there is no need to move the purification cage 2; simply wipe the surface of the filter screen 12 with a sampling swab or cotton swab to collect environmental microbial samples from inside the cage. The operating position is located at the front end of the exhaust high-efficiency duct, which can directly reflect the air condition inside the cage. The polluted air inside the purification cage 2 flows through the internal pipes of the cage frame into the exhaust port 4 of the centralized air supply cage 3, and then passes in the reverse direction through the sampling component. The polluted air first passes through the filter screen 12 to intercept large particulate pollutants such as dust and animal hair, and then passes directly through the sampling component. The operation avoids the risk of exposure when opening the box, reduces the probability of personnel coming into contact with contaminants, and also reduces airflow disturbance caused by equipment movement. The sampling component is easy to disassemble, clean, and disinfect, removing shavings and dust from the filter screen 12 to restore filtration performance. This reduces the impact of large particles on the HEPA filter and extends its replacement cycle. The U-shaped buckle 6 and handle design make the sampling component easy to disassemble, and maintenance can be completed by a single person. Compared with the traditional cage box transfer and disinfection process, it is more convenient. In addition, the sampling device also has a pre-filter function, which can initially filter large particles, reduce the load on the HEPA filter, and extend its service life.

[0051] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A novel IVC cage sampling device, characterized in that: include: The IVC cage (1) and the purification cage (2) are arranged at the front and back of the IVC cage (1) and the purification cage (2) is arranged in multiple horizontal and vertical arrays. The top two sides of the IVC cage (1) are provided with symmetrical centralized air supply cages (3). The symmetrical centralized air supply cages (3) are connected by pipes (7) and the two pipes (7) are connected to each other. An air supply valve (8) is provided at the top of the connection. A sampling component is provided on the outer end face of the centralized air supply cage (3) set on the top of the IVC cage (1). The sampling component includes a filter (5) and a filter screen (12). An installation block (9) is provided on the outer end face of the centralized air supply cage (3). The sampling component is located inside the installation block (9).

2. The novel IVC cage sampling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front end of the IVC cage (1) is provided with a cage placement slot (13) that extends through the back. The cage placement slot (13) is arranged in multiple horizontal and vertical arrays. A purification cage (2) is installed inside the cage placement slot (13).

3. The novel IVC cage sampling device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cage placement slot (13) is provided with a pipe support plate (14) above it, and the pipe support plate (14) is distributed horizontally in multiple ways above the cage placement slot (13).

4. The novel IVC cage sampling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A centralized air supply cage (3) is fixedly installed at the top of the IVC cage (1). The centralized air supply cage (3) is symmetrically distributed on both sides of the top of the IVC cage (1). An installation block (9) is provided on the outer end face of the centralized air supply cage (3). An exhaust port (4) is provided on the end face of the installation block (9). The pipe (7) is connected to the purification cage (2) inside the IVC cage (1) through the exhaust port (4). The pipe (7) is located on the top of the pipe support plate (14).

5. A novel IVC cage sampling device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The front end of the mounting block (9) is provided with a rectangular mounting hole (10), the sampling component is disposed inside the mounting hole (10), and the filter screen (12) in the sampling component is disposed inside both ends of the filter (5).

6. A novel IVC cage sampling device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The mounting block (9) has a snap-fit ​​fixing block (11) on the upper and lower sides of its front end. The snap-fit ​​fixing block (11) has a loop-shaped snap-fit ​​(6) inside it. One side of the loop-shaped snap-fit ​​(6) is snap-fitted and fixedly connected to the front two sides of the filter (5).

7. A novel IVC cage sampling device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The central air supply cage (3) has an air outlet (15) at the top center. Two central air supply cages (3) that are symmetrical to each other are connected by a door-shaped pipe (7) corresponding to the air outlet (15). An air supply pipe is provided between the two pipes (7), and an air supply valve (8) is provided on the air supply pipe.

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