A mouse feces collection device with an independent sampling channel

Abstract

This utility model relates to the field of laboratory animal equipment technology, and more particularly to a mouse feces collection device with an independent sampling channel. It includes a device body, an operating chamber and a collection chamber inside. An observation window is located above the operating chamber, and a through-hole is located above the collection chamber. The device body contains a slide rail, a feces collection component, a feces transfer component, and an odor inducer. The feces transfer component automatically transfers feces to a collection bucket via rotating wheels, a support rod, a slider, and a shaped block. The collection bucket, under the pressure of gravity, presses down on a support spring and moves along the slide rail to the operating chamber. A first odor inducer and a second odor inducer are connected to an odor release device via a shaft, guiding the mouse to defecate at the through-hole. This utility model improves feces collection efficiency, reduces odor diffusion, and facilitates operation and maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of laboratory animal equipment technology, and in particular to a mouse feces collection device with an independent sampling channel. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of biomedical research, mice serve as important experimental animal models, and the collection and analysis of their fecal samples are crucial for disease diagnosis, gut microbiota research, and drug development. Existing mouse fecal collection devices generally suffer from cumbersome operation, high risk of sample contamination, and low levels of automation, making it difficult to meet the demands for efficient and accurate experiments. Traditional methods typically rely on manual collection or simple collection containers, which are not only susceptible to external environmental interference but may also lead to cross-contamination between samples, affecting the accuracy of experimental results.

[0003] Meanwhile, existing devices lack effective designs for odor induction and fecal transfer, failing to fully simulate the natural defecation environment of mice, resulting in low defecation efficiency and untimely sample collection. In addition, existing fecal collection components are mostly fixed structures, lacking independent sampling channels and automated sample transfer mechanisms, making it difficult to achieve efficient separation and storage, further limiting their application in high-throughput experiments. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a mouse feces collection device with an independent sampling channel to solve the technical problems of low efficiency and inconvenient operation of existing mouse feces collection devices.

[0005] This utility model provides a mouse feces collection device with an independent sampling channel, including a device body. The device body has an operation chamber and a collection chamber inside, which are spatially spaced apart. An observation window is provided above the operation chamber, and a through hole is provided above the collection chamber. A slide rail is fixedly connected inside the device body, and a feces collection component is slidably connected to the slide rail.

[0006] In some embodiments, a first odor inducer and a second odor inducer are fixedly spaced above the interior of the device body. Both the first odor inducer and the second odor inducer contain odor releasers, which are connected to the interior of the device body via shafts.

[0007] In some embodiments, the odor emitter stores an inducing substance, and the odor emitter is threadedly connected to the shaft.

[0008] In some embodiments, a fecal transfer assembly is provided inside the device body. The fecal transfer assembly includes at least a rotating wheel, a connecting rod, a supporting rod, a slider, and a shaped block. The rotating wheel is fixed inside the device body, the connecting rod is fixedly connected to the rotating wheel, the supporting rod is rotatably connected to the rotating wheel, and the slider is fixed to the end of the supporting rod and slidably connected to the shaped block.

[0009] In some embodiments, the surface of the irregular block is specially treated to form a microporous structure, the diameter of the micropores is 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm, and the sliding stroke of the slider is 5 cm to 8 cm.

[0010] In some embodiments, the fecal collection assembly includes at least a collection bucket, a connecting plate, and a support spring. The collection bucket includes at least a collection sleeve and a sealing support pad. The sealing support pad is fixedly connected to the bottom of the collection sleeve. The surface of the connecting plate is provided with an annular slide rail. The support spring is flexibly connected to the connecting plate and its end is slidably connected to the slide rail.

[0011] In some embodiments, the sealing support pad is made of a polymer material with a thickness of 2 mm to 3 mm and a hardness range of Shore A30 to A50; the sealing support pad is fixed to the bottom of the collection sleeve by a snap-fit ​​structure.

[0012] In some embodiments, the slide rail adopts a double-layer structure design, with the outer layer being made of metal and the inner layer being a wear-resistant plastic coating with a coating thickness of 1mm to 1.5mm, and limit blocks are provided at both ends of the slide rail.

[0013] In some embodiments, the viewing window is made of a transparent material, allowing users to directly view the interior.

[0014] In some embodiments, the through hole is coaxial with the irregular block.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, this utility model has the following advantages: the combination of the fecal transfer component and the fecal collection component enables the fecal matter to be automatically transferred from the collection chamber to the operating chamber, which significantly improves work efficiency; secondly, the separation design of the operating chamber and the collection chamber not only facilitates user observation and operation, but also reduces the possibility of cross-contamination; thirdly, the design of the first odor inducer and the second odor inducer, combined with the use of the sealing support pad, effectively reduces the risk of odor diffusion.

[0016] Furthermore, the slide rail features a double-layer structure: an outer metal layer and an inner wear-resistant plastic coating with a thickness of 1mm to 1.5mm to reduce friction and extend service life. Limit blocks are installed at both ends of the slide rail to prevent the fecal collection component from detaching from the track during movement. Finally, the surface of the shaped block undergoes a special treatment to form a microporous structure with a pore diameter of 0.1mm to 0.2mm, designed to absorb moisture from the feces, thereby reducing the possibility of odor diffusion. The shaped block is connected to the support rod via a slider with a sliding stroke of 5cm to 8cm, ensuring that the shaped block accurately delivers the feces into the collection bucket. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of the mouse feces collection device of this utility model;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the mouse feces collection device of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a top view of the collection bucket of the mouse feces collection device of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall collection bucket of the mouse feces collection device of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the odor release device of the mouse feces collection device of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the working process of the mouse feces collection device of this utility model.

[0024] In the diagram: 1-Operating chamber; 2-Collection chamber; 3-Device body; 4-Observation window; 5-Through hole; 6-Slide rail; 7-Rotating wheel; 8-First odor inducer; 9-Connecting rod; 10-Second odor inducer; 11-Irregular block; 12-Slider; 13-Bearing rod; 14-Collection bucket; 15-Connecting plate; 16-Support spring; 17-Annular slide rail; 18-Sealing support pad; 19-Collection sleeve; 20-Shaft; 21-Odor releaser; 22-Mice feces; Some feature lines are shown as dashed lines to avoid interference with technical features. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The following will refer to the appendix in the embodiments of this utility model. Figure 1-6 The technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described together. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments.

[0026] In practical use, this invention will be used in conjunction with existing mouse experimental devices, that is, it can be used alone or in conjunction with other devices, the method of use depending on the actual object being used.

[0027] Example

[0028] This embodiment provides a mouse feces collection device with an independent sampling channel, including a device body 3, whose interior is divided into an operation chamber 1 and a collection chamber 2 by a spatial partition design. An observation window 4 is provided above the operation chamber 1 for real-time monitoring of the device's internal working status. The observation window 4 is made of transparent material, allowing the user to directly view the internal situation. A through-hole 5 is provided above the collection chamber 2 as a designated location for mouse defecation. The design of the through-hole 5 takes into account the behavioral habits of mice, ensuring that they can naturally enter and complete the defecation action. A slide rail 6 is fixedly connected to the lower interior of the device body 3. A feces collection component is slidably connected to the slide rail 6. The slide rail 6 adopts a double-layer structure design: the outer layer is made of metal, and the inner layer is a wear-resistant plastic coating with a coating thickness of 1mm to 1.5mm, effectively reducing friction and extending service life.

[0029] A first odor inducer 8 and a second odor inducer 10 are fixedly connected to the upper part of the device body 3, arranged at intervals. Both the first odor inducer 8 and the second odor inducer 10 contain an odor releaser 21, which is connected to the inside of the device body 3 via a shaft 20. The odor releaser 21 stores a specific inducing substance, which has been experimentally verified to have a significant attraction effect on mice. The rotation of the shaft 20 causes the odor releaser 21 to uniformly release the inducing odor, thereby guiding the mouse to defecate at the through-hole 5. The odor releaser 21 is threadedly connected to the shaft 20 for easy replacement or replenishment of the inducing substance.

[0030] The device body 3 contains a fecal transfer assembly, which includes a rotating wheel 7, a connecting rod 9, a support rod 13, a slider 12, and a shaped block 11. The rotating wheel 7 is fixed inside the device body 3, and the connecting rod 9 is fixedly connected to the rotating wheel 7 for transmitting power. The support rod 13 is rotatably connected to the rotating wheel 7, and in a static state, the support rod 13 remains perpendicular to the connecting rod 9. The slider 12 is fixed to the end of the support rod 13 and slidably connected to the shaped block 11. When mouse feces fall onto the shaped block 11, the support rod 13 rotates around the rotating wheel 7, and the slider 12 drives the shaped block 11 to slide downwards along a set trajectory, ultimately delivering the feces into the fecal collection assembly.

[0031] The surface of the irregularly shaped block 11 is specially treated to form a microporous structure with a micropore diameter of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm, which is used to absorb moisture in the feces, thereby reducing the possibility of odor diffusion. The sliding stroke of the slider 12 is 5 cm to 8 cm, ensuring that the irregularly shaped block 11 can accurately deliver the feces into the collection bucket 14.

[0032] The fecal collection assembly includes a collection bucket 14, a connecting plate 15, and a support spring 16. The collection bucket 14 consists of a collection sleeve 19 and a sealing support pad 18, with the sealing support pad 18 fixedly connected to the bottom of the collection sleeve 19 to prevent the diffusion of fecal odor. The sealing support pad 18 is made of a polymer material with a thickness of 2mm to 3mm and a hardness range of Shore A30 to A50, ensuring good durability while maintaining sealing performance. The sealing support pad 18 is fixed to the bottom of the collection sleeve 19 by a snap-fit ​​structure for easy disassembly and cleaning. An annular slide rail 17 is circumferentially provided on the surface of the connecting plate 15, providing guidance for the movement of the collection bucket 14. The support spring 16 is flexibly connected to the connecting plate 15, with its end slidably connected to the slide rail 16. When the collection bucket 14 presses down on the support spring 16 due to the increased weight of the feces, the support spring 16 applies pressure to the slide rail 6, thereby moving the fecal collection assembly from the collection chamber 2 along the slide rail 6 to the operating chamber 1. In some preferred embodiments, the collection bucket 14 in this embodiment can be replaced with a cryopreservation tube placement device.

[0033] The operating principle of this utility model is as follows:

[0034] First, after the mouse defecates through the through hole 5, the feces fall onto the irregular block 11;

[0035] Next, the support rod 13 rotates around the rotating wheel 7, and the slider 12 drives the irregular block 11 to slide down along the set trajectory, sending the feces into the collection bucket 14;

[0036] Finally, the collection bucket 14 presses down on the support spring 16 due to the increased weight of the feces. The support spring 16 applies pressure to the slide rail 6, driving the feces collection assembly to move along the slide rail 6 from the collection chamber 2 to the operating chamber 1.

[0037] During this process, the first odor inducer 8 and the second odor inducer 10 continuously release inducing odors to ensure that the mouse completes the defecation action at the through-hole 5. After the feces collection assembly is moved to the operating chamber 1, the user can monitor the collection situation in real time through the observation window 4 and remove the collection bucket 14 for further processing as needed.

[0038] Limit blocks are installed at both ends of the slide rail 6 to prevent the fecal collection component from detaching from the track during movement. The design of the limit blocks, combined with the double-layer structure of the slide rail 6, further enhances the stability and reliability of the device.

[0039] In some preferred embodiments, a cleaning component is also provided inside the device body 3, allowing the user to periodically clean the interior through the control chamber 1, ensuring the hygiene of the device after long-term use. The cleaning component includes a detachable brush head and a water spray device; the brush head and water spray device work together to efficiently remove residues inside the device.

[0040] In practical applications, the device of this invention is suitable for the efficient collection and processing of mouse feces in a laboratory environment. During metabolic research or drug development, researchers need to frequently collect mouse fecal samples for analysis. Traditional methods often rely on manual operation, which is inefficient and prone to cross-contamination. This invention, through optimized structural design and modular functionality, achieves automated transfer and independent sampling of feces, significantly improving work efficiency. Simultaneously, the separation design of the operating chamber 1 and the collection chamber 2 reduces the possibility of cross-contamination, and the combined use of the sealing support pad 18 and the odor inducer effectively reduces the risk of odor diffusion, making the device more suitable for long-term operation.

[0041] In summary, this invention provides an efficient and convenient method for collecting mouse feces through the coordinated operation of the feces transfer component, the feces collection component, and the odor inducer. Furthermore, the independence and close cooperation between the various parts of the device make maintenance and replacement easier, making it particularly suitable for laboratory research scenarios requiring frequent sampling.

[0042] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of this utility model. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this utility model is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that it can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or basic characteristics of this utility model. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects. The scope of this utility model is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and thus all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within this utility model. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0043] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A mouse fecal collection device with independent sampling channels, comprising: The device includes a main body (3), which has an operating room (1) and a collection room (2) inside. The operating room (1) and the collection room (2) are arranged at intervals in space. An observation window (4) is provided above the operating room (1), and a through hole (5) is provided above the collection room (2). A slide rail (6) is fixedly connected inside the main body (3), and a fecal collection component is slidably connected to the slide rail (6).

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The device body (3) is provided with a first odor inducer (8) and a second odor inducer (10) at fixed intervals on the upper part of the device body (3). Both the first odor inducer (8) and the second odor inducer (10) contain an odor releaser (21). The odor releaser (21) is connected to the inside of the device body (3) through a shaft (20).

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The odor releaser (21) stores an inducing substance, and the odor releaser (21) is connected to the shaft (20) by a thread.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The device body (3) is equipped with a fecal transfer assembly, which includes at least a rotating wheel (7), a connecting rod (9), a bearing rod (13), a slider (12), and a shaped block (11). The rotating wheel (7) is fixed inside the device body (3), the connecting rod (9) is fixedly connected to the rotating wheel (7), the bearing rod (13) is rotatably connected to the rotating wheel (7), and the slider (12) is fixed to the end of the bearing rod (13) and slidably connected to the shaped block (11).

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein, The surface of the irregular block (11) is specially treated to form a microporous structure, the diameter of the micropore is 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm, and the sliding stroke of the slider (12) is 5 cm to 8 cm.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The fecal collection assembly includes at least a collection bucket (14), a connecting plate (15), and a support spring (16). The collection bucket (14) includes at least a collection sleeve (19) and a sealing support pad (18). The sealing support pad (18) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the collection sleeve (19). The surface of the connecting plate (15) is provided with an annular slide rail (17). The support spring (16) is flexibly connected to the connecting plate (15) and its end is slidably connected to the slide rail (6).

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, The sealing support pad (18) is made of polymer material with a thickness of 2mm to 3mm and a hardness range of Shore A30 to A50. The sealing support pad (18) is fixed to the bottom of the collection sleeve (19) by a snap-fit ​​structure.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slide rail (6) adopts a double-layer structure design. The outer layer is made of metal and the inner layer is made of wear-resistant plastic coating with a coating thickness of 1mm to 1.5mm. Limiting blocks are provided at both ends of the slide rail (6).

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The observation window (4) is made of transparent material, which makes it easy for users to directly view the internal situation.

10. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The through hole (5) is coaxial with the irregular block (11).

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