US 7,320,294 B2 | ||
Cage and rack system for housing animals in cages having different widths | ||
Lynn Irwin, Seaford, Del. (US); Chinsoo Park, Salisbury, Md. (US); Rodney Gerringer, Belcamp, Md. (US); Dale Murray, Elkton, Md. (US); John Huss, Jarrettsville, Md. (US); and Neil E. Campbell, Eden, Md. (US) | ||
Assigned to Lab Products, Inc., Seaford, Del. (US) | ||
Filed on Oct. 27, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/694,654. | ||
Claims priority of provisional application 60/510717, filed on Oct. 11, 2003. | ||
Claims priority of provisional application 60/421367, filed on Oct. 25, 2002. | ||
Prior Publication US 2005/0205017 A1, Sep. 22, 2005 | ||
Int. Cl. A01K 1/02 (2006.01) |
U.S. Cl. 119—455 [119/417; 119/418] | 36 Claims |
1. A ventilated cage and rack system for housing at least one cage assembly, said system comprising:
a ventilated rack having a height, a width and a depth, wherein the rack is constructed and arranged to support a plurality
of cages along the width of the rack, the rack including at least one air exhaust plenum running along the width of the rack;
and
at least one canopy supported by said rack, the canopy having a length and a width, the canopy being adapted to receive one
or more cage assemblies below the canopy while maintaining a gap between the canopy and the top of said cage assembly so as
to permit air to be drawn into the air exhaust plenum from the interior of said cage assembly through the top of said cage
assembly and to also permit ambient air to be drawn across the top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum;
wherein said cage assembly comprises at least one of a first cage having a first width at or about the width of the canopy
or a plurality of second cages having at least a second width, said second width being less than said first width, wherein
the combined widths of the second cages positioned side by side along the width of the canopy is at or about the width of
the canopy;
wherein the canopy further comprises a centrally disposed channeling element having left and right channel walls extending
downwardly from an interior surface of said canopy to facilitate said drawing of ambient air across said top of said cage
assembly into the air exhaust plenum when said cage assembly comprises a plurality of said second cages, the canopy also including
a front channel wall and a rear channel wall perpendicular and disposed in direct contact with the left and right channels
walls and adapted to facilitate said drawing of ambient air across said top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum
when said cage assembly comprises a plurality of said second cages.
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