Method and apparatus for measuring the volume of an animal paw
AssigneeMerck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
InventorsGary S. Kath, Michael K. Wismer, Paul R. Augustine, Cordelia G. Rasa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is an improved method for measuring the volume of an animal paw, suitable for use in a rat paw edema assay. Also disclosed is a novel apparatus for measuring the volume of liquid displaced by the insertion of an object into a liquid filled cup (1) which is on a cup holder basin (3), the liquid filled cup and cup holder basin being inside a rectangular support assembly (5), the measurement obtained by determining the buoyant force produced as a result of the displacement of the liquid by the animal paw.
Claims11
An apparatus useful for measuring on a laboratory balance the volume of an object, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a mercury cup;
- (b) a cup holder basin;
- and
- (c) a support assembly;
- said mercury cup being an open container suitable for holding liquid mercury and having inside horizontal dimensions larger than the outside horizontal dimensions of said object;
- said cup holder basin having a top and a bottom;
- said top having a continuous sidewall and a continuous interior wall forming a spill basin for retaining said liquid mercury there between, said interior wall forming an interior space for holding said mercury cup;
- said bottom being suitable for resting said cup holder basin on the weighing mechanism of said laboratory balance;
- said support assembly comprising:
- (a′) a top plate, said top plate comprising an access port through which said mercury cup can be accessed and retrieved;
- (b′) at least two side supports, each of said side supports attached to said top plate;
- and
- (c′) at least two support brackets, each of said support brackets attached to one of said side supports and removably attached to a fixed member of said laboratory balance.
An apparatus useful for measuring on a laboratory balance the volume of a paw, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a mercury cup;
- (b) a cup holder basin;
- and
- (c) a rectangular support assembly;
- said mercury cup being an open cylindrical container suitable for holding liquid mercury and having inside horizontal dimensions larger than the outside horizontal dimensions of said paw;
- said cup holder basin being round and having a top and a bottom;
- said top having a continuous sidewall and an interior wall forming a spill basin for retaining said liquid mercury there between, said interior wall forming an interior space for holding said mercury cup;
- said bottom being suitable for resting said cup holder basin on the weighing mechanism of said laboratory balance;
- and
- said rectangular support assembly comprising:
- (a′) a top plate, said top plate comprising an access port through which said mercury cup can be accessed and retrieved;
- (b′) at least two side supports, said side supports removably attached to said top plate;
- and
- (c′) at least two support brackets, each of said support brackets removably attached to one of said side supports and removably attached to a fixed member of said laboratory balance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.