Animal weighing scale

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10765090-B2
Application number	US-201515559964-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2015
Priority date	Apr 24, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

Provided is an animal weighing scale that automatically measures a weight of an animal by a simple configuration. The animal weighing scale includes a breeding container for laboratory animals and a scale including a weighing pan supported by a weight sensor, the weighing pan is disposed inside a breeding space of the breeding container, and the weight sensor is disposed inside or outside the breeding space, and accordingly, based on a measurement value change when an animal inside the container is placed onto the pan, a weight change of the animal can be continuously recorded.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An animal weighing scale comprising:
a breeding container for laboratory animals; and
a scale including a weighing pan supported by a weight sensor,

wherein the scale includes
a pan supporting post to support the weighing pan,
a bottom surface of a breeding space of the breeding container has a bottom surface opening through which the pan supporting post is inserted,
the pan supporting post projects to the inside of the breeding space from the bottom surface of the breeding space,
the weighing pan is disposed inside the breeding space,
the weight sensor is disposed outside the breeding space, and
between the pan supporting post and the bottom surface opening, a circumferential wall surrounding the pan supporting post in the circumferential direction is formed, and an outer circumference of the circumferential wall substantially matches the bottom surface opening.

2. The animal weighing scale according to claim 1 ,
wherein between the circumferential wall and the bottom surface opening, a seal member is annularly disposed.

3. The animal weighing scale according to claim 2 ,
wherein between the circumferential wall and the pan supporting post, a diaphragm-shaped second seal member is disposed.

4. The animal weighing scale according to claim 2 ,
wherein at least a base end portion side of the circumferential wall is formed to increase in diameter downward.

5. The animal weighing scale according to claim 1 ,
wherein the breeding container is supported by a support member that supports a weight of the entire breeding container.

6. The animal weighing scale according to claim 5 ,
wherein the support member is a case that contains the scale, and has a case hole that corresponds to the bottom surface opening and is formed in an upper surface of the case.

7. The animal weighing scale according to claim 5 ,
wherein the support member is formed on a floor surface on which the scale is disposed and/or an upper surface of a main body of the scale.

8. The animal weighing scale according to claim 6 ,
wherein measurement data from the weight sensor is output by a radio transmitter to analyzation equipment, and the radio transmitter is fixed to a side surface of the case.

Assignees

• A&D Co Ltd

Inventors

• Izumo Naoto
• Ihara Ken
• KASAMATSU Shunsuke

Classifications

• G01G17/08

  for weighing livestock · CPC title

• A01K1/031

  Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals · CPC title

• G01G17/00

  Apparatus for or methods of weighing material of special form or property (determining weight by measuring volume G01F) · CPC title

• G01G21/28

  Frames, Housings · CPC title

• A01K29/00 Primary

  Other apparatus for animal husbandry · CPC title