Plastic Laminar Flow Cage Cabin With Adjustable Work Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laminar air flow cabins for cage changing are heavy, difficult to move, and pose ergonomic challenges due to their metal construction, making them costly and prone to damage from disinfectants, with issues in cleaning and accommodating cages of varying heights and active animals.
Innovation Solution
The cabin is designed with a lower polyurethane foam box-like portion and an upper ABS + PMMA box-like portion, featuring a supporting surface with adjustable height and a plastic construction that reduces weight, improves ergonomics, and facilitates easier cleaning and disinfection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the cabin is constructed of metal framework with press-bending and welding, then structural strength is ensured, but the weight becomes excessive (220-250 kg) and movement becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic (specifically polypropylene), fundamentally altering the weight-to-strength ratio. This material substitution reduces the cabin weight from 220-250 kg to a significantly lighter weight while maintaining structural integrity through the inherent properties of plastic material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by combining plastic material with foam insulation layers. This composite approach creates a lightweight yet structurally sound cabin that integrates thermal insulation and structural functions, achieving both weight reduction and strength requirements simultaneously.
2Strength
If metal plates are joined with welds and plates, then structural integrity is maintained, but cleaning becomes difficult due to numerous interstices and minimal radii of curvature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing method parameter from welding and plate assembly to injection molding or extrusion processes. This enables the creation of seamless, integrated plastic components without joints, welds, or crevices, making the surfaces easily cleanable while maintaining structural integrity through the molding process itself.
3Device complexity
If the working surface is fixed, then structural simplicity is maintained, but versatility is reduced when processing cages of varying heights
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustability to the previously fixed working surface. The height-adjustable working surface can be positioned at different levels to accommodate cages of varying heights, transforming the static structure into a dynamic, adaptable system that maintains versatility while preserving reasonable structural simplicity.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the cabin is made heavy for stability, then operational stability is improved, but operator ergonomics deteriorate and musculoskeletal problems increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the weight parameter by substituting metal with plastic material, reducing the cabin weight from 220-250 kg to a much lighter weight. This parameter change improves operator ergonomics and reduces musculoskeletal strain while maintaining operational stability through the design of the support structure and wheel system.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~3a
Figure 3b~5
AI summary
The present invention relates to a cage changing cabin (1) for replacing cages in which laboratory animals are housed, of the type comprising a supporting surface (21) supported by a lower box-like portion (20) and surmounted by a plenum or upper box- like portion (30), said lower box-like portion (20) and said upper plenum (30) comprising means for forced air circulation in laminar flow substantially tangent to the periphery of said supporting surface (21), characterized in that said lower box-like portion (20) and said upper plenum (30) are made of plastic material.