An experimental mouse cage

Abstract

The utility model discloses an experimental mouse feeding cage, belongs to experimental animal feeding equipment technical field, an experimental mouse feeding cage, including box cover subassembly and with box cover subassembly adaptation box body subassembly, and box cover subassembly and box body subassembly cooperation form closed cage, the box cover subassembly is including box cover, mirror image inclined opening has the drinking bottle fixed groove on the box cover, and the drinking bottle fixed groove that mirror image sets up is installed with drinking bottle in, and the drinking bottle includes drinking water end, the box body subassembly is including box body, and the box body is installed with the intermediate baffle that divides the box body into two activity room, and each activity room corresponds a drinking bottle fixed groove, and the drinking water end of drinking bottle is inserted into the activity room through the drinking bottle fixed groove. Through optimizing the cage structure design and function configuration, provide clean, safe, comfortable feeding environment for experimental mouse, ensure the accuracy and reliability of experimental data, improve the scientificity and effectiveness of experimental research.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a cage for raising laboratory mice, belonging to the technical field of laboratory animal breeding equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of laboratory mouse rearing, cages are core equipment, and their performance directly affects the accuracy of experimental data. As biomedical research moves towards refinement and standardization, the limitations of traditional laboratory mouse rearing cages are becoming increasingly apparent.

[0003] From a structural design perspective, traditional cages mostly employ open or semi-open designs, lacking effective airflow isolation between cages. This makes them highly susceptible to cross-infection of microorganisms due to air circulation, failing to meet the feeding requirements of SPF-grade laboratory mice. Especially in long-term rearing or high-sensitivity experiments, cross-infection can lead to abnormal physiological indicators in laboratory animals, rendering experimental data invalid. Furthermore, existing cages have significant shortcomings in water management, typically providing only a single water source. This fails to meet the needs of mice within the same cage to drink different types of drinking water, making it difficult to meet the requirements for precise control of environmental variables (such as drinking water composition and additives) in nutritional and toxicological studies. This limits the ability to conduct research on the correlation between environmental factors and mouse physiological functions.

[0004] From a maintenance and operation perspective, the drinking systems of traditional cages rely heavily on frequent manual replacement of water bottles, which is cumbersome and prone to introducing the risk of contamination. In terms of data collection, there is a lack of automated monitoring methods, making it difficult to accurately record behavioral data such as drinking of mice, which cannot meet the requirements of modern experiments for refined and real-time data.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of breeding cage that is optimized from multiple dimensions such as structural design, functional configuration, and environmental control to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Utility Model Content

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a cage for raising laboratory mice. By optimizing the cage structure design and functional configuration, a clean, safe and comfortable breeding environment is provided for laboratory mice, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of experimental data and improving the scientific nature and effectiveness of experimental research.

[0007] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its existing problems is:

[0008] A cage for housing laboratory mice includes a lid assembly and a body assembly adapted to the lid assembly, the lid assembly and the body assembly working together to form a closed cage;

[0009] The box cover assembly includes a box cover, on which a water bottle fixing groove is mirrored and obliquely opened. A water bottle is installed in each of the mirrored water bottle fixing grooves, and the water bottle includes a drinking end.

[0010] The box assembly includes a box body, and a middle partition is installed inside the box body to divide the box body into two active chambers. Each active chamber corresponds to a water bottle fixing slot, and the water bottle fixing slot is connected to the active chamber. The drinking end of the water bottle is inserted into the active chamber through the water bottle fixing slot.

[0011] Preferably, the box cover includes a life window, a life window cover plate is installed on the life window, the life window cover plate has a sealing groove, a sealing strip is provided in the sealing groove, and filter paper is provided between the life window and the life window cover plate, the bottom surface of the filter paper abuts against the life window, and the top surface of the filter paper abuts against the sealing strip.

[0012] Preferably, the sealing strip is an inverted T-shaped structure made of silicone material, and is injected into the sealing groove using an integrated injection process.

[0013] Preferably, a feeding grid is installed on the end of the box away from the water bottle, and the feeding grid is made of reinforced nylon or PPSU material.

[0014] Preferably, a drinking water fitting device is mirror-mounted on the side wall of the box body. The drinking water fitting device includes an outer fixing plate and an inner fixing plate, which are interference-fitted together. The inner fixing plate has a joint fitting hole.

[0015] Preferably, a welding fixing plate is installed on the inner fixing plate, and a sealing plate, a shaft pin, and a torsion spring are installed on the welding fixing plate. The sealing plate is rotatably connected to the welding fixing plate through the shaft pin, and the torsion spring is sleeved on the shaft pin. One end of the torsion spring is fixedly connected to the welding fixing plate, and the other end of the torsion spring abuts against the sealing plate.

[0016] Preferably, the sealing sheet has a circular protrusion that matches the mating hole of the connector.

[0017] Preferably, the drinking water connection device can be connected to a drinking water system connector, one end of which is inserted into the active chamber through a connector mating hole, and the other end of which is connected to an automatic drinking water system.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0019] 1. Highly efficient isolation, reducing the risk of cross-infection: This cage adopts an independent ventilation cage (IVC) design. The lid component and the body component work together to form a sealed space. The air inlet and outlet ports achieve independent air supply and exhaust. Combined with the sealing structure of the life window and filter paper, it effectively blocks the intrusion of external pollutants and prevents cross-infection caused by airflow interaction between cages. It meets the breeding standards for SPF mice and provides a reliable microbial control environment for experiments.

[0020] 2. Flexible water supply to meet diverse experimental needs: The mirrored water bottle holder on one end of the lid, combined with the dual-chamber design of the box, allows mice in the same cage to drink different types of drinking water. By strictly controlling environmental variables and selecting experimental mice with similar physiological functions as subjects, it is easy to systematically observe the differences in physiological indicators after drinking different types of water, providing precise experimental conditions for drug activity evaluation, physiological research, and other studies.

[0021] 3. Optimized structure for enhanced stability and practicality: The cage support rails adopt an inverted "V" shape design, which precisely matches the cage frame rails. At the same time, the support plates on the side walls and the inner and outer support plates of the feeding grid work together to significantly improve the stability when multiple cages are stacked. The feeding grid is made of a material that is resistant to high-pressure sterilization and has a low thermal conductivity, which can maintain a stable surface temperature, avoid affecting the mice's feeding and basal metabolism, and facilitate cleaning and disinfection, thus extending the service life of the cages.

[0022] 4. Intelligent interconnection enhances experimental efficiency and data accuracy: The drinking device can be integrated with an automatic drinking system to accurately record the water intake of individual mice, set personalized water supply modes, and output data in real time. This design not only replaces the traditional manual operation of changing water bottles, reducing labor intensity, but also provides high-precision support for experimental data collection, reduces human error, and improves the efficiency and scientific rigor of experimental research. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a full sectional view of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a magnified view of point A in the full sectional view of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to this utility model;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the lid assembly of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the lid of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the life window cover plate of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a full sectional view of the life window cover plate of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of a sealing strip for a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a full sectional view of the sealing strip of a laboratory mouse cage according to the present invention;

[0032] Figure 10 This is a structural diagram of the housing component of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0033] Figure 11 This is a front view of the housing assembly of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0034] Figure 12 This is a top view of the housing assembly of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention.

[0035] Figure 13 This is a structural diagram of the feeding grid structure of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0036] Figure 14 This is a front view of the feeding grid of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0037] Figure 15 This is a right view of the feeding grid of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0038] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the stacked grids of a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0039] Figure 17 This is a structural diagram of a water supply device for a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0040] Figure 18 This is a full sectional view of a water supply device for a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention.

[0041] Figure 19 This is a structural diagram of a welding fixing piece for a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0042] Figure 20 This is a structural diagram of a sealing sheet for a laboratory mouse rearing cage according to the present invention;

[0043] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the stacked cages for raising laboratory mice according to this utility model.

[0044] In the picture:

[0045] 1. Cage lid assembly, 101. Cage lid, 10101. Air inlet, 10102. Life window, 10103. Water bottle fixing slot, 10104. Teardrop-shaped protrusion, 10105. Snap-fit ​​body, 10106. Exhaust vent, 102. Life window cover, 1021. Snap-fit, 1022. Sealing groove, 103. Filter paper, 104. Sealing strip; 2. Cage body assembly, 201. Cage body, 20101. Cage support plate, 20102. Cage support rail, 20103. Partition fixing block, 20104. Support groove, 202. Feeding grid 20201, Grille fixing plate; 20202, Inner support plate; 20203, Outer support plate; 203, Middle partition plate; 20301, Partition hole; 204, Drinking water fitting device; 20401, Outer fixing plate; 20402, Inner fixing plate; 2040201, Joint fitting hole; 20403, Welding fixing plate; 20404, Sealing plate; 2040401, Circular protrusion; 20405, Shaft pin; 20406, Torsion spring; 205, Drinking water system connector; 20501, Conical sealing head; 3, Drinking water bottle; 301, Drinking end. Detailed Implementation

[0046] This specification and claims do not distinguish components by differences in name, but by differences in function. In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that terms such as "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," and "horizontal" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are used only for the convenience of describing the 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. In this utility model, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, terms such as "installed," "connected," "joined," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0047] like Figures 1-21 The experimental mouse cage shown includes a lid assembly 1 and a body assembly 2 adapted to the lid assembly 1. The lid assembly 1 and the body assembly 2 cooperate to form a closed cage.

[0048] The lid assembly 1 includes a lid 101. One end of the lid 101 is provided with a mirror-image inclined water bottle fixing groove 10103. The inner surface of the water bottle fixing groove 10103 is provided with a water droplet-shaped protrusion 10104. A water bottle 3 is installed in each of the mirror-image water bottle fixing grooves 10103. The water bottle 3 is held between two water droplet-shaped protrusions 10104. The water droplet-shaped protrusions 10104 are used to fix and support the water bottle 3. The water bottle 3 includes a drinking end 301 to ensure that the liquid in the water bottle 3 is completely drunk by the mouse.

[0049] The other end of the cage cover 101 is provided with a life window 10102, on which a life window cover plate 102 is installed. The life window cover plate 102 has a sealing groove 1022, and a sealing strip 104 is provided in the sealing groove 1022. Filter paper 103 is provided between the life window 10102 and the life window cover plate 102. The bottom surface of the filter paper 103 abuts against the life window 10102, and the top surface of the filter paper 103 abuts against the sealing strip 104. The sealing strip 104 is an inverted T-shaped structure made of silicone, and is injected into the sealing groove 1022 using an integrated injection molding process, fusing it with the life window cover plate 102 to press the filter paper 103 covering the life window 10102 more tightly, achieving a seal in the cage and thus ensuring stable pressure differential inside the cage.

[0050] The life window 10102 has snap-fit ​​bodies 10105 on both sides, and the life window cover 102 has snap-fit ​​bodies 1021 on both sides. The snap-fit ​​bodies 1021 engage with the snap-fit ​​bodies 10105 to fix the life window cover 102 onto the box cover 101.

[0051] The end of the cage cover 101 near the life window 10102 is provided with an air inlet 10101 and an air outlet 10106. The air inlet 10101 can be connected to ambient air that meets specific experimental requirements, that is, it can be connected to the target experimental environment, such as a constant temperature chamber, a sterile room, a gas mixing device, etc., through a pipeline to introduce air that meets the experimental conditions. The air outlet 10106 is used to expel air from the cage.

[0052] The box assembly 2 includes a box 201, and a middle partition 203 is installed inside the box 201 to divide the box 201 into two activity chambers. The middle partition 203 can physically separate experimental mice with the same physiological functions. The middle partition 203 has several partition holes 20301, which ensure that the airflow in the cage can flow normally and that the gas composition in the cage is the same, thereby ensuring that the experimental environment of the experimental mice is the same. Each activity room corresponds to a water bottle fixing slot 10103, which is connected to the activity room. The drinking end 301 of the water bottle 3 is inserted into the activity room through the water bottle fixing slot 10103. The purpose of setting up two water bottles 3 is to allow experimental mice in the same cage to drink different types of drinking water. Under the premise of strictly controlling environmental variables (such as temperature, humidity, and light cycle), mice with consistent physiological functions are selected as experimental subjects. Different water sources are provided through two water bottles 3, and then the changes in physiological indicators (such as metabolism and immune function) of mice after drinking different water bodies are systematically observed.

[0053] The box body 201 is provided with multiple support grooves 20104. A feeding grid 202 is installed on the end of the box body 201 away from the water bottle. The feeding grid 202 is provided with multiple grid fixing pieces 20201 that are adapted to the support grooves 20104. The grid fixing pieces 20201 can be completely sunk into the support grooves 20104, and the upper surface of the grid fixing pieces 20201 is flush with the top surface of the box body 201. The feeding grid 202 is also provided with multiple inner support plates 20202 and multiple outer support plates 20203. When multiple feeding grids 202 are stacked, the inner support plates 20202 and the outer support plates 20203 can horizontally support the upper feeding grid 202. The feeding grid 202 is made of reinforced nylon or PPSU engineering plastic, which has the characteristic of being able to withstand high-pressure steam sterilization (or high-temperature sterilization) without deformation. As a food carrier for laboratory mice, the low thermal conductivity of the feeding grid 202 can maintain the stability of the surface temperature during environmental temperature changes. This characteristic can effectively avoid changes in the feeding behavior and basal metabolism of laboratory mice caused by temperature fluctuations, thereby providing a reliable environmental basis for experiments such as drug activity evaluation and physiological function research of laboratory animals, and minimizing the impact of non-experimental factors on the results.

[0054] Each side wall along the length of the box 201 is provided with a cage support rail 20102, and each side wall along the width of the box 201 is provided with a set of support structures. Each set of support structures includes two cage support plates 20101 arranged opposite to each other. The cage support rail 20102 adopts an inverted "V" shape design, which can precisely match the guide rail support structure of the cage frame on the one hand, and provide stable support for the cage when multiple cages are stacked on the other hand. In addition, the cage support plate 20101 is also used to enhance the structural support strength when stacked, ensuring the stability when multiple cages are stacked.

[0055] The inner surface of the box 201 is provided with multiple sets of partition fixing structures. The partition fixing structure includes partition fixing blocks 20103 arranged in a mirror image. There is an installation gap of intermediate partition 203 between the mirror-arranged partition fixing blocks 20103. The intermediate partition 203 is interference-fitted with the mirror-arranged partition fixing blocks 20103.

[0056] A drinking water fitting device 204 is mirror-mounted on the side wall of the box body 201. The drinking water fitting device 204 includes an outer fixing plate 20401 and an inner fixing plate 20402, which are interference-fitted together. The inner fixing plate 20402 has a joint fitting hole 2040201. A welding fixing piece 20403 is mounted on the inner fixing plate 20402. A sealing piece 20404, a shaft pin 20405, and a torsion spring 20406 are mounted on the welding fixing piece 20403. The sealing piece 20404 is rotatably connected to the welding fixing piece 20403 via the shaft pin 20405. The torsion spring 20406 is sleeved on the shaft pin 20405. One end of the torsion spring 20406 is fixedly connected to the welding fixing piece 20403, and the other end of the torsion spring 20406 abuts against the sealing piece 20404. The sealing sheet 20404 has a circular protrusion 2040401 that matches the mating hole 2040201 of the connector. The end of the torsion spring 20406 that abuts against the sealing sheet 20404 is the force-applying end. The torsion spring 20406 drives the sealing sheet 20404 to rotate around the shaft pin 20405 through the force generated by the elastic deformation, thereby realizing the opening and closing action of the sealing sheet 20404.

[0057] The drinking water connection device 204 can be connected to the drinking water system connector 205. One end of the drinking water system connector 205 is inserted into the movable chamber through the connector mating hole 2040201, and the other end of the drinking water system connector 205 is connected to the automatic drinking water system. The drinking water system connector 205 includes a conical sealing head 20501, which is used to abut against the connector mating hole 2040201 when the drinking water system connector 205 is inserted into the movable chamber, thereby sealing the cage.

[0058] When the water system connector 205 is not inserted into the connector mating hole 2040201, the force-applying end of the torsion spring 20406 drives the sealing plate 20404 through torque, causing it to press against the connector mating hole 2040201. At this time, the circular protrusion 2040401 forms a seal with the edge of the connector mating hole 2040201, sealing the cage. When the water system connector 205 is inserted into the connector mating hole 2040201, the water system connector 205 pushes open the sealing plate 20404, and the sealing plate 20404 rotates around the shaft pin 20405. The conical sealing head 20501 abuts against the connector mating hole 2040201, sealing the cage and completing the airtight closure of the cage. The water system provides specific drinking water for the mice.

[0059] The automatic drinking water system can be an intelligent system that relies on RFID and sensor technology to accurately record individual water consumption, set water supply modes, and output data, providing precise data support for scientific research experiments.

[0060] The drinking device 204 works in conjunction with the automatic drinking system to accurately record the amount of water consumed by mice through a flow sensor, providing support for experimental data collection, replacing the traditional water bottle replacement operation, reducing the frequency of manual intervention, significantly improving experimental efficiency and reducing labor intensity.

[0061] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cage for housing laboratory mice, characterized in that: It includes a lid assembly (1) and a body assembly (2) adapted to the lid assembly (1), the lid assembly (1) and the body assembly (2) together form a closed cage; The box cover assembly (1) includes a box cover (101), on which a water bottle fixing groove (10103) is opened in a mirror angle. A water bottle (3) is installed in each of the mirrored water bottle fixing grooves (10103). The water bottle (3) includes a drinking end (301). The box assembly (2) includes a box (201), and a middle partition (203) is installed inside the box (201) to divide the box (201) into two activity chambers. Each activity chamber corresponds to a water bottle fixing slot (10103). The water bottle fixing slot (10103) is connected to the activity chamber. The drinking end (301) of the water bottle (3) is inserted into the activity chamber through the water bottle fixing slot (10103).

2. The laboratory mouse rearing cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The box cover (101) includes a life window (10102), on which a life window cover plate (102) is installed. The life window cover plate (102) has a sealing groove (1022), and a sealing strip (104) is provided in the sealing groove (1022). A filter paper (103) is provided between the life window (10102) and the life window cover plate (102). The bottom surface of the filter paper (103) abuts against the life window (10102), and the top surface of the filter paper (103) abuts against the sealing strip (104).

3. The laboratory mouse rearing cage according to claim 2, characterized in that: The sealing strip (104) is an inverted T-shaped structure made of silicone material, and is injected into the sealing groove (1022) using an integrated injection process.

4. The laboratory mouse rearing cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: A feeding grid (202) is installed on the end of the box (201) away from the water bottle. The feeding grid (202) is made of reinforced nylon or PPSU material.

5. The laboratory mouse rearing cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: A drinking water fitting device (204) is mirror-mounted on the side wall of the box body (201). The drinking water fitting device (204) includes an outer fixing plate (20401) and an inner fixing plate (20402). The outer fixing plate (20401) and the inner fixing plate (20402) are interference-fitted. The inner fixing plate (20402) has a connector fitting hole (2040201).

6. The laboratory mouse rearing cage according to claim 5, characterized in that: A welding fixing plate (20403) is installed on the inner fixing plate (20402). A sealing plate (20404), a shaft pin (20405), and a torsion spring (20406) are installed on the welding fixing plate (20403). The sealing plate (20404) is rotatably connected to the welding fixing plate (20403) through the shaft pin (20405). The torsion spring (20406) is sleeved on the shaft pin (20405). One end of the torsion spring (20406) is fixedly connected to the welding fixing plate (20403), and the other end of the torsion spring (20406) abuts against the sealing plate (20404).

7. The laboratory mouse rearing cage according to claim 6, characterized in that: The sealing sheet (20404) is provided with a circular protrusion (2040401) that is adapted to the mating hole (2040201) of the connector.

8. The laboratory mouse rearing cage according to claim 5, characterized in that: The drinking water connection device (204) can be connected to the drinking water system connector (205). One end of the drinking water system connector (205) is inserted into the active chamber through the connector mating hole (2040201), and the other end of the drinking water system connector (205) is connected to the automatic drinking water system.

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