Enclosure Recess for Animal Nesting Material Enrichment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laboratory animals often experience sensory deprivation and depression due to lack of mental stimulation and thermal regulation, which affects their well-being and the validity of research studies. Existing enrichment materials, such as folded paper, have limited success in addressing these issues.
Innovation Solution
An animal enclosure with a recess for nest building enrichment material, such as paper strips or compressed paper pucks, that allows animals to engage in mental stimulation, physical activity, and thermoregulation, while being sterilizable and easy to set up.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If enrichment materials are provided to laboratory animals, then mental stimulation and well-being are improved, but the complexity of maintaining sterile conditions and managing multiple materials increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple enrichment functions (nesting material, stimulation elements, thermal regulation) into a single integrated enclosure structure. The recesses are built-in to the enclosure walls, merging the housing structure with enrichment materials, eliminating the need to manage separate enrichment items while providing comprehensive mental and physical stimulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides shelter, contains built-in nesting material in recesses, offers stimulation through textured surfaces and movable elements, and enables thermal regulation. This multi-functional design reduces the number of separate components needed while improving animal well-being.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple enrichment materials are introduced to stimulate animals, then behavioral abnormalities are reduced, but the difficulty of sterilization and contamination control increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating enrichment materials directly into the enclosure structure during manufacturing, the patent creates a single sterilizable unit. The recesses containing nesting material are formed as part of the enclosure, allowing the entire assembly to be sterilized together rather than requiring separate sterilization of multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The enrichment materials are pre-installed in the enclosure during manufacturing before sterilization. This preliminary action allows the materials to be sterilized together with the enclosure in a single process, eliminating the need for post-sterilization assembly and reducing contamination risk.
3Reliability
If complex enrichment programs are implemented, then animal behavior and psychology are improved, but the time and resources required for setup and maintenance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure is pre-configured with built-in recesses containing nesting material and stimulation elements during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming assembly and setup in the laboratory, allowing researchers to simply install the complete enclosure and provide bedding material.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure is designed to be self-contained with all enrichment features integrated into the structure. The recesses are built-in and require no additional assembly or configuration by the researcher, reducing maintenance time and effort while providing comprehensive enrichment.
Data Source
AI summary
An animal housing product is provided that includes an enclosure with at least one point of entry. A recess having a mouth is provided, the recess positioned on a surface of the enclosure. A recess material is provided within the recess, where the recess material induces extended play time in a laboratory animal by providing the animal the opportunity to relocate the enrichment material. A process for enriching a laboratory animal in a cage includes providing the animal with the enclosure with the recess containing recess material. The animal is allowed to move the recess material from the recess via the mouth.