Automatic Cleaning Rodent Rearing Cage with Carousel Tray System

The problem

Maintaining rodent enclosures requires frequent tray changes to remove excreta. In facilities with many cages, staff spend considerable time pulling out dirty trays, washing them, drying them and sliding them back into place. If trays are not changed often enough, waste builds up, creating odor and sanitation issues that affect the animals’ living conditions. Manual handling also increases the chance of disturbing the rodents during their feeding period.

The solution

This patent describes a cage system that automates the entire tray-handling cycle.

1. The cage body (1) sits directly on top of a cleaning box (2). Inside the cleaning box, an annular slide rail guides a set of trays (3) arranged in a circle.
2. A drive box (213) mounted on one side of the cleaning box houses a motor that turns a continuous disk (210). A continuous rod (211) on this disk engages intermittent rods (209) fixed to an intermittent disk (208), advancing the carousel one step at a time.
3. As the carousel steps, each tray moves sequentially through four zones: a receiving part beneath the cage, a cleaning part, a sterilizing part and a drying part.
4. The cleaning part uses a nozzle (221) connected to a water supply and a cleaning brush (225). Both are mounted on a slider (220) that travels along a screw rod (219) via a ball screw pair.
5. The sterilizing part relies on an ultraviolet lamp (232) positioned at the bottom of the cleaning box to treat the tray rotated into that zone.
6. The drying part features ventilation holes (233) on one wall surface, which connect to a fan to dry the tray before it returns under the cage.

Who it is for

• Laboratory animal equipment manufacturers supplying research facilities that house mice or rats and need automated sanitation to reduce technician workload.
• Pet product brands developing advanced rodent habitats for retail sale, offering owners a self-maintaining enclosure.
• University and agricultural research centers running long-term rodent breeding programs where consistent hygiene supports study parameters.
• Contract manufacturers for veterinary suppliers looking for a mechanical platform to build upon for professional animal-housing lines.

How it works

The main parts

Operating steps

1. Receiving - Excreta falls from the cage body onto the tray currently positioned in the receiving part.
2. Indexing - The motor in the drive box turns the continuous disk. Its continuous rod pushes one of the four intermittent rods, rotating the intermittent disk and stepping the carousel forward by one tray position.
3. Washing - The start-stop assembly engages the screw rod. The slider moves along the through groove, carrying the nozzle and the cleaning brush across the tray. The swing sprockets and intermittent racks convert the linear travel into a brushing action. Water sprays from the nozzle to wash away waste.
4. Sterilizing - The next index step places the washed tray over the ultraviolet lamp at the bottom of the cleaning box.
5. Drying - Another step moves the tray to the drying part, where a fan blows air through the ventilation holes to dry the surface.
6. Return - The clean, dry tray indexes back to the receiving part under the cage body.

Applications

Research laboratories

Facilities maintaining large colonies of mice require strict sanitation protocols. Technicians can rely on the automated cycle instead of manually swapping trays between dozens of cages, saving time during daily checks.

University breeding rooms

Agricultural and biological departments running long-term rodent studies benefit from consistent tray hygiene. The fixed-point feeders and water kettles at each cage position keep feeding schedules intact while the cleaning box operates below.

Specialty pet retail

Brands targeting rodent enthusiasts can offer an enclosure that manages waste without owner intervention. The sealed cleaning box keeps the washing and drying mechanisms out of sight, reducing noise and visual clutter in a home setting.

Veterinary quarantine units

When isolating rodents for observation, minimizing human contact with waste lowers cross-contamination risks. The UV lamp and enclosed washing path handle sanitation within the unit itself.

Where it is less suitable

• Large livestock or non-rodent animals - the carousel dimensions and tray sizes described are built for murine subjects.
• Outdoor field enclosures - the motor, UV lamp and water supply connections require a controlled indoor environment with power access.
• Disposable-tray operations - facilities that prefer single-use liners rather than washing reusable trays will not use the cleaning mechanism.