US 5,000,120 AGranted

Animal caging assembly with a ventilation system

AssigneeAllentown Caging Equipment Co., Inc.

InventorsMichael A. Coiro, Sr., Dale R. Murray

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Abstract

The rack and cage combination includes a forced air ventilation system which is automatically coupled to the cage when it is placed for storage on the rack. The forced air system includes means for directing air down onto the floor of the cage whereby vapors that normally settle at the bottom of the cage are circulated vertically toward a bonnet filter. Ventilation passages are provided around the periphery of the open top under the skirt of the filter bonnet so that gases, vapors and particulate matter can freely pass out the cage. When in the static mode, wherein the cage is disconnected from the forced air source or the forced air source is not in operation, these ventilation passages will permit air, but not particles, to freely enter the cage from the macro-environment.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An animal caging system comprising:

a plurality of animal cage holding racks;
a plurality of animal isolation cages mounted on said racks, each having an air port therein and each including a box having an open top, a filter bonnet having a skirt that overlaps the periphery of said open top, and a wire lid extending across said open top and mounted between said skirt and the periphery of said open top, wherein said wire lid defines openings that extend from the interior of said cage to the exterior of said cage under said skirt;
a filtered H.E.P.A. blower;
a main air manifold means for distributing air from said blower to a plurality of spaced output locations;
a rack air manifold means mounted on each of said racks wherein each said air rack manifold means has an input coupled to said main air manifold means and a plurality of outputs with each output having an air tube extending into a cage via said air ports, for distributing air from said main manifold means to said cages for producing positive pressure therein;
and
sealing means mounted in each said port for closing said port when said cage is removed from said rack, and for opening said port to permit the entrance of air into said cage via said air tube, and for forming a seal with said air tube to prevent the entrance of particles into said cage when it is mounted on said rack and positive pressure is in said cage.

4 more elements

An animal caging assembly comprising:

a source of pressurized air;
an animal cage holding rack;
an air manifold means mounted on said rack having a plurality of air supply pipes mounted at spaced locations on said rack for providing pressurized air from said source to said air supply pipes;
a plurality of animal isolation cages mounted on said rack at said spaced locations, each said cage including:
a box having a bottom wall, side walls, and an open top;
a grated lid extending across the open top, said lid having a periphery resting on said side walls;
a filter bonnet extending over said lid and having a peripheral skirt that rests on said lid and extends down over said lid and a portion of said side walls, and wherein said lid, side walls and skirt form peripheral openings that extend from the interior of said cage, past said lid and under said skirt to the exterior of said cage;
and
an air supply port formed in said cage having sealing means for slidably engaging one of said air supply pipes when said cage is mounted on said rack and when said pipe extends through said air supply port, and for closing said air supply port when said cage is removed from said rack and said pipe is removed from said air supply port,
whereby the interior of said cages, when said cages are mounted on said rack, are ventilated by air from said source via said manifold and said air supply pipe while being isolated from the ambient air, and, when said cages are removed from said rack, are ventilated by said ambient air said filter bonnet and said peripheral openings while being isolated from ambient particles.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.