Standard size rat mechanical pain threshold test animal placement device
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202522364723.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-23
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-11-07
AI Technical Summary
[0003]目前这类设备难以有效隔绝环境温度波动,此类波动可能直接影响实验动物的生理状态,进而引入额外变异
1.通过鼠笼、温度调节器、卡接套和卡接槽的设置,温度调节器能够实现对鼠笼内部温度的精准控制。该温度调节器可维持实验平台持续处于设定的稳定温度区间,有效避免因环境温度波动所引发的实验动物应激反应或异常行为变化,从而显著提升了痛阈测定实验的可靠性与重复性,温度调节器可自由拆卸。
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Figure CN224875687U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of experimental devices for placing experimental animals with mechanical pain thresholds in animals, and particularly to a standard version of an experimental device for placing experimental animals with mechanical pain thresholds in rats and mice. Background Technology
[0002] The pain threshold is the minimum stimulus intensity required to elicit a pain response. In animal medical experiments, the mechanical pressure pain threshold measurement of mice is a commonly used method. This experiment typically involves placing the mouse in a transparent cage with a mesh bottom, exposing its paws. Then, a series of Von Frey fibers of varying calibrated weights are used to vertically stimulate the plantar region of the mouse's hind paw. A clear withdrawal motion is observed as an indicator of a pain response, and the corresponding fiber pressure value is recorded.
[0003] Currently, such devices struggle to effectively isolate environmental temperature fluctuations, which can directly impact the physiological state of laboratory animals, introducing additional variations. In prolonged experiments, animals expend significant energy without timely replenishment, potentially leading to fatigue or stress responses, resulting in systematic deviations in behavioral patterns. Furthermore, visual observation from external personnel can trigger alertness and avoidance behaviors in animals, disrupting their natural behavior. The material and aperture of the platform can cause unnecessary tactile stimulation, potentially inducing stress responses or abnormal behavior, further interfering with behavioral data collection. Simultaneously, loose connections between the platform and the cage can lead to escape, affecting experimental continuity and stability, and potentially introducing unnecessary confounding variables, reducing the reliability of experimental results. Therefore, those skilled in the art provide a standard mechanical pain threshold placement device for rats and mice to address the problems mentioned in the background. This device minimizes the influence of non-experimental variables, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of behavioral observations. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by proposing a standard version of a mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device for rats and mice.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A standard mechanical pain threshold testing animal placement device for rats and mice includes a platform, a support frame, and a cage. The platform is placed on the support frame, and the cage is placed on the platform. The three parts are combined to form a simplified mechanical pain threshold testing animal placement device for rats and mice. A food trough and a water trough are snapped into the inner wall of the cage. The food trough and the water trough are on the same side of the cage. A snap-fit groove is opened in the middle of the top surface of the cage. A snap-fit sleeve is snapped into the snap-fit groove, and a temperature regulator is inserted into the snap-fit sleeve.
[0006] As a further improvement of this invention, the temperature regulator, grain trough box, and water trough cylinder are all detachable.
[0007] As a further improvement of this utility model, the platform has a one-way perspective design and a special aperture. By optimizing the aperture of the platform, unnecessary stimulation of the soles of the feet is reduced, and stress or behavioral deviations caused by discomfort of the contact surface are eliminated.
[0008] As a further embodiment of this utility model, the material of the mouse cage is the same as that of the platform, both being one-way transparent material, and square blocks are fixedly connected to both sides of the mouse cage.
[0009] As a further embodiment of this utility model, the square block has an insertion groove inside, and a circular groove is formed on one side of the inner wall of the insertion groove. A spring is fixedly connected to the inner bottom wall of the circular groove.
[0010] As a further embodiment of this utility model, one end of the spring is fixedly connected to an inclined block, and both sides of the top surface of the wire mesh are fixedly connected to connecting blocks.
[0011] As a further embodiment of this utility model, a sliding rod is fixedly connected to the middle of the top surface of the connecting block, and a disc-shaped ring is slidably connected to the surface of the sliding rod.
[0012] As a further embodiment of this utility model, an elliptical locking block is fixedly connected to the end of the sliding rod, the bottom of the inclined block slides against the top of the elliptical locking block, and a stabilizing rod is fixedly installed on one side of the support frame.
[0013] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: 1. Through the design of the rat cage, temperature regulator, snap-fit sleeve, and snap-fit slot, the temperature regulator enables precise control of the temperature inside the rat cage. This temperature regulator can maintain the experimental platform within the set stable temperature range, effectively avoiding stress responses or abnormal behavioral changes in experimental animals caused by fluctuations in ambient temperature, thereby significantly improving the reliability and repeatability of pain threshold determination experiments. The temperature regulator is also easily detachable.
[0014] 2. By setting up food troughs, rat cages, and water troughs, food and water are provided continuously and stably during the experiment, effectively ensuring the energy and water supply of the experimental rats and avoiding interference with the pain threshold measurement results caused by physiological stress such as hunger and dehydration. This design not only maintains the stability of energy metabolism and physiological state of the animals over a long period of time, but also significantly reduces the operational interruptions and external interference caused by artificial feeding and watering in traditional experiments.
[0015] 3. This invention uses a one-way transparent material to construct a visual isolation barrier. This design effectively prevents experimental animals from noticing the movement of experimental personnel and the surrounding environment, thereby significantly reducing the interference of external visual dynamics on animal behavior patterns. By eliminating animal alertness, exploration, or stress responses induced by human observation and activity, the objectivity of behavioral experiments and the accuracy of measurement results are further improved. The experimental contact interface is optimized, ensuring that the stimulation applied to the animal's feet is limited to the target mechanical stimulation, eliminating unnecessary stimulation to the animal's feet from cage bottom mesh or other contact surfaces, thus improving the precision and specificity of stimulation application. 4. The design of the latch between the platform and the mouse cage is designed with a special latch structure at the joint of the platform and the mouse cage. This enables a stable and detachable connection between the mouse cage and the platform, which can effectively prevent the mice from escaping during the experiment. This is of great value in maintaining the stability and continuity of the experiment. Attached Figure Description
[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the standard version of the mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device for rats and mice proposed in this utility model; Figure 2 This is a second-view structural diagram of the standard version of the rat and mouse mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device proposed in this utility model. Figure 3 This is a side cross-sectional view of the standard version of the rat and mouse mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device proposed in this utility model; Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the rat cage structure of the standard version of the mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device for rats and mice proposed in this utility model; Figure 5 This invention provides a standard version of the experimental animal placement device for mechanical pain threshold testing in rats and mice. Figure 3 Enlarged structural diagram at point A in the middle.
[0017] In the diagram: 1. Platform; 2. Support frame; 3. Mouse cage; 4. Food trough; 5. Water trough; 6. Load-bearing rod; 7. Wire mesh; 8. Clip-on sleeve; 9. Temperature regulator; 10. Square block; 11. Spring; 12. Slanted block; 13. Connecting block; 14. Sliding rod; 15. Disc ring; 16. Oval clip-on block; 17. Stabilizing rod. Detailed Implementation
[0018] 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. It should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", and "setting" should be interpreted broadly. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this patent can be understood according to the specific circumstances.
[0019] Reference Figures 1-5 The standard version of the mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device for rats and mice includes a platform 1, a support frame 2, and a mouse cage 3. The platform 1 is placed on the support frame 2, and the mouse cage 3 is placed on the platform 1. The three parts are combined to form a simplified version of the mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device for rats and mice. The inner wall of the platform 1 is fixedly connected with load-bearing rods 6 at equal intervals, and the top of the load-bearing rods 6 is provided with a wire mesh 7 of a special material.
[0020] With the support frame 2 and the platform 1 in place, when the experimental personnel place the experimental animals, they can use the platform 1 to assemble them onto the surface of the support frame 2. Then, the personnel can use the load-bearing rod 6 to tie and fix the wire mesh 7 with external iron wire, thus facilitating the quick assembly of the platform 1 by the experimental personnel.
[0021] In this utility model, a food trough box 4 and a water trough tube 5 are snapped onto the inner wall of the rat cage 3, and the food trough box 4 and the water trough tube 5 are on the same side of the rat cage 3. By setting up the food trough 4 and the water trough 5, when the experimental personnel are observing the experimental animals, they can place the food and water of the experimental animals inside the food trough 4 and the water trough 5 respectively, so as to replenish the animals without disturbing them and prevent interference with the castration test results.
[0022] In particular, a snap-fit groove is provided in the middle of the top surface of the rat cage 3, and a snap-fit sleeve 8 is snapped into the inside of the snap-fit groove, and a temperature regulator 9 is inserted into the inside of the snap-fit sleeve 8.
[0023] With the setting of snap-fit sleeve 8 and temperature regulator 9, when the experimental personnel observe the experimental animals, the temperature regulator 9 can be used to keep the temperature inside the rat cage 3 constant, so as to maintain the mood of the experimental animals and avoid abnormal behavioral changes in the experimental animals, and improve the reliability and repeatability of the castration test. Secondly, when the experimental personnel are not using it, the temperature regulator 9 can be directly pulled out from the inside of snap-fit sleeve 8, making it convenient for the experimental personnel to quickly disassemble the temperature regulator 9. In particular, the temperature regulator 9, the grain trough box 4, and the water trough cylinder 5 are all detachable; The experimenters need to adjust the settings of the temperature regulator 9 and the grain trough 4 to facilitate their removal. In particular, the platform 1 features a one-way perspective design and a special aperture.
[0024] By optimizing the aperture of the plate 1, unnecessary stimulation of the soles of the feet is reduced, eliminating stress or behavioral deviations caused by discomfort of the contact surface; In particular, the material of the mouse cage 3 is the same as that of the table 1, which is a one-way transparent material. Square blocks 10 are fixedly connected to both sides of the mouse cage 3. The inside of the square blocks 10 is provided with a plug-in groove. A circular groove is provided on one side of the inner wall of the plug-in groove. A spring 11 is fixedly connected to the inner bottom wall of the circular groove. An inclined block 12 is fixedly connected to one end of the spring 11. Connecting blocks 13 are fixedly connected to both sides of the top surface of the wire mesh 7. This invention employs a one-way transparent material to construct a visual isolation barrier. This design effectively prevents experimental animals from noticing the movement of personnel and the surrounding environment, thereby significantly reducing the interference of external visual dynamics on animal behavior patterns. By eliminating animal alertness, exploration, or stress responses induced by human observation and activity, the objectivity of behavioral experiments and the accuracy of measurement results are further improved. The experimental contact interface is optimized, ensuring that stimulation applied to the animal's foot is limited to the target mechanical stimulus, eliminating unnecessary stimulation to the animal's foot from the mesh 7 or other contact surfaces, thus improving the precision and specificity of stimulus application.
[0025] In particular, a sliding rod 14 is fixedly connected to the middle of the top surface of the connecting block 13, a disc ring 15 is slidably connected to the surface of the sliding rod 14, an elliptical snap-fit block 16 is fixedly connected to the end of the sliding rod 14, the bottom of the inclined block 12 slides against the top of the elliptical snap-fit block 16, and a stabilizing rod 17 is fixedly installed on one side of the support frame 2. By using the square block 10, spring 11, inclined block 12, and elliptical locking block 16, when the experimenter installs the mouse cage 3, they can use the insertion slot to align with the elliptical locking block 16 and press down, causing the bottom of the inclined block 12 to slide against the top of the elliptical locking block 16. This compresses the spring 11, moving the inclined block 12 to the bottom of the elliptical locking block 16, whereby the top of the inclined block 12 locks into place with the elliptical locking block 16. This facilitates quick assembly of the mouse cage 3. When the experimenter needs to remove the mouse cage 3, they can simply press down on it, causing the bottom of the inclined block 12 to slide against the disc ring 15. Then, pulling upwards causes the inclined block 12 to move the disc ring 15 upwards to the bottom of the elliptical locking block 16. The top of the inclined block 12 then slides upwards along the bottom of the disc ring 15, releasing the spring 11 and facilitating quick disassembly of the mouse cage 3. Working Principle: First, when placing the experimental animals, the personnel can assemble the cage onto the surface of the support frame 2 using the platform 1. Then, the personnel use the load-bearing rod 6 to secure the wire mesh 7 with external wire. Next, the personnel can place the animal's food and water in the food trough 4 and water trough 5 respectively, allowing for replenishment without disturbing the animal and preventing interference with the castration test results. Secondly, when observing the experimental animals, the temperature regulator 9 can be used to maintain a constant temperature inside the cage 3, helping to maintain the animal's mood and prevent abnormal behavioral changes, thus improving the reliability and repeatability of the castration test. When not in use, the temperature regulator 9 can be directly pulled out from the locking sleeve 8. Furthermore, because the cage 3 is made of one-way transparent material, it effectively prevents the experimental animals from noticing changes in the movement of the personnel or the surrounding environment, thereby significantly reducing external visual animal behavior patterns. Interference is eliminated by removing animal perception, exploration, or stress responses induced by human observation and living animals, further improving the objectivity of behavioral experiments and the accuracy of measurement results. Finally, when the experimenter installs the rat cage 3, the experimenter can use the insertion slot to align with the elliptical locking block 16 and press it down, causing the bottom of the inclined block 12 and the top of the elliptical locking block 16 to slide against each other, compressing the spring 11 and moving the inclined block 12 to the bottom of the elliptical locking block 16, so that the top of the inclined block 12 and the elliptical locking block 16 slide against each other. The interlocking blocks 16 interlock with each other, which facilitates the quick assembly of the mouse cage 3 by the experimenter. When the experimenter needs to remove the mouse cage 3, he can directly press down on the mouse cage 3, so that the bottom of the inclined block 12 slides against the disc ring 15. Then, he pulls it upward, and the inclined block 12 drives the disc ring 15 to move upward to the bottom of the elliptical interlocking block 16. Then, the top of the inclined block 12 slides upward along the bottom of the disc ring 15, so that the spring 11 is released from the constraint, thus facilitating the quick disassembly of the mouse cage 3 by the experimenter.
[0026] In this application, the structures and connections not described in detail are all prior art, and their structures and principles are well known, so they will not be described again here.
[0027] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model, but the protection scope of the present utility model is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or changes made by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present utility model, based on the technical solution and the inventive concept of the present utility model, should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.
Claims
1. A standard mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device for rats and mice, comprising a platform (1), a support frame (2), and a cage (3), characterized in that, The platform (1) is placed on the support frame (2), and the mouse cage (3) is placed on the platform (1). The three parts are combined to form a simplified mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device for mice and rats. The inner wall of the mouse cage (3) is fitted with a food trough (4) and a water trough (5). The food trough (4) and the water trough (5) are on the same side of the mouse cage (3). A snap-fit groove is opened in the middle of the top surface of the mouse cage (3). A snap-fit sleeve (8) is snap-fitted inside the snap-fit groove. A temperature regulator (9) is inserted inside the snap-fit sleeve (8).
2. The standard rat and mouse mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature regulator (9), grain trough (4) and water trough (5) are all detachable.
3. The standard rat and mouse mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the platform (1) is fixedly connected with load-bearing rods (6) at equal intervals, and the top of the load-bearing rods (6) is provided with a wire mesh (7) of a special material.
4. The standard version of the rat and mouse mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The platform (1) has a one-way perspective design and a special aperture.
5. The standard rat and mouse mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The material of the mouse cage (3) is the same as that of the platform (1), both being one-way transparent materials. Square blocks (10) are fixedly connected to both sides of the mouse cage (3).
6. The standard version of the rat and mouse mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The square block (10) has an insertion groove inside, and a circular groove is provided on one side of the inner wall of the insertion groove. A spring (11) is fixedly connected to the inner bottom wall of the circular groove. An inclined block (12) is fixedly connected to one end of the spring (11). Connecting blocks (13) are fixedly connected to both sides of the top surface of the wire mesh (7).
7. The standard rat and mouse mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device according to claim 6, characterized in that, A sliding rod (14) is fixedly connected to the middle of the top surface of the connecting block (13), and a disc ring (15) is slidably connected to the surface of the sliding rod (14).
8. The standard version of the rat and mouse mechanical pain threshold experimental animal placement device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The end of the sliding rod (14) is fixedly connected to an elliptical snap-fit block (16), the bottom of the inclined block (12) slides against the top of the elliptical snap-fit block (16), and a stabilizing rod (17) is fixedly installed on one side of the support frame (2).