Disposable Animal Cage Conical Corners Gnawing Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal cages are prone to gnawing damage from rodents, and there is a need for a design that prevents such damage while maintaining low manufacturing costs and ensuring effective air exchange within the caging system.
Innovation Solution
The design features a disposable animal cage with conical sections or splines on interior corners and edges, constructed from polymer materials with specific thicknesses, which prevent gnawing and includes a water housing mount pocket and feed tray configuration to protect filters and allow air exchange, with snap-fitting assembly for easy installation on ventilated or static racks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional animal cages with straight edges and corners are used, then manufacturing is simple and成本低, but rodents can gnaw and damage the cage surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing sharp corners and straight edges with conical sections and splines on the cage interior surfaces. This curvature modification prevents rodents from gaining purchase with their incisors, thereby eliminating gnawing damage while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard molding techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The conical sections and splines are applied specifically to interior corners and edges that are accessible to rodents, while the rest of the cage structure maintains its conventional design. This localized application of anti-gnawing features targets the problem areas without unnecessarily complicating the overall manufacturing process.
2Ease of operation
If disposable single-use cages are used, then washing and sterilization are not required, but gnawing damage still occurs on thin-walled cages
Solution Approach 1:
The conical sections and splines are integrated into the thin-walled disposable cage design, providing anti-gnawing protection without requiring thicker walls or additional protective components. The curved geometry prevents rodent incisors from finding purchase points, protecting the thin walls throughout the single-use period.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conical sections or splines are added to prevent gnawing, then rodent damage is prevented, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conical sections and splines are defined by specific geometric parameters (angles, radii, positions) that can be directly programmed into injection molding or extrusion processes. This parameter-based definition allows complex anti-gnawing geometries to be manufactured using standard processes without requiring additional assembly steps or tooling complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A disposable animal cage which can be used in a ventilated or static caging rack system includes a cage top and a cage base. Any corner or edge present in the interior of the cage base or the cage top that is accessible to an animal that can be contained in the cage is defined by surfaces having a conical section which is non-circular to prevent gnawing of the cage. A perforation section including a plurality of small apertures adjacent to one another can be formed in the cage for ventilation and prevention of gnawing by the animals.