Method and system of providing sealed bags of fluid at the clean side of a laboratory facility

US 6,983,721 B2
Filed: 04/13/2004
Issued: 01/10/2006
Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2001
Status: Expired due to Term

- Alert
- Pin

First Claim

Patent Images

1. A method for facilitating the delivery of water to a plurality of cage level barrier-type cages, for housing animals for an animal study, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of cage level barrier-type cages for an animal study at a laboratory facility site; and

disposing a bag forming apparatus at a clean side of a laboratory washroom at the laboratory facility site;

wherein the bag forming apparatus provides sealed bags of water for use in the cage level barrier-type cages.

View all claims

5 Assignments

Timeline View

Assignment View

Litigations

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

A method for facilitating the delivery of water to a plurality of cage level barrier-type cages, for housing animals for an animal study, the method including; providing a plurality of cage level barrier-type cages for an animal study at a laboratory facility site, and disposing a bag forming apparatus at a clean side of a laboratory washroom at the laboratory facility site, wherein the bag forming apparatus is capable of providing sealed bags of water for use in the cage level barrier-type cages. The method can further include providing bag material to the laboratory facility site.

69 Citations

View as Search Results

46 Claims

1. A method for facilitating the delivery of water to a plurality of cage level barrier-type cages, for housing animals for an animal study, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of cage level barrier-type cages for an animal study at a laboratory facility site; and
  
  disposing a bag forming apparatus at a clean side of a laboratory washroom at the laboratory facility site;
  
  wherein the bag forming apparatus provides sealed bags of water for use in the cage level barrier-type cages.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- - 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing bag material to the laboratory facility site.
  - 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the bag forming apparatus forms a tube with the bag material.
  - 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the bag forming apparatus forms a vertical seal on the tube.
  - 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the bag forming apparatus adds a quantity of the water to fill the tube.
  - 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the bag forming apparatus forms a horizontal seal in the tube.
  - 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the bag forming apparatus cuts the tube at the horizontal seal to form individual bags of fluid.
  - 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the bag forming apparatus provides additives to the waters.
  - 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the bag forming apparatus heats the water before adding said quantity of water to said tube such that the water and the water bag become sterilized.
  - 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the water is heated to a temperature of about 180 F.
  - 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a disposable fluid valve for use with one of the sealed bags of water.
  - 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the disposable fluid valve is formed of plastic.
  - 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
    - providing a disposable fluid delivery valve assembly for use with one of the sealed bags of water, the valve assembly comprising;
      
      an upper member having a fluid channel defined therethrough;
      
      a base having a flange member and a base fluid channel definedtherethrough, wherein the base is designed to be matingly coupled to the upper member;
      
      wherein the fluid delivery valve assembly is adapted to be coupled to the fluid bag to facilitate the providing of the water to a cage level barrier-type cage.

14. A method for facilitating the delivery of water to a plurality of cage level barrier-type cages disposed at a laboratory facility site, for housing animals for an animal study, the method comprising:
- disposing a bag forming apparatus at a clean side of a laboratory washroom at the laboratory facility site;
  
  wherein the bag forming apparatus provides sealed bags of water for use in the cage level barrier-type cages.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- - 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing bag material to the laboratory facility site.
  - 16. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a disposable fluid valve for use with one of the sealed bags of water.
  - 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the disposable fluid valve is formed of plastic.
  - 18. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a ventilated rack and cage system comprising a plurality of cage level barrier-type cages for placement at the laboratory facility site.
  - 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing the bag material in rolls, the method further comprising providing a lift apparatus for handling the rolls of bag material.
  - 20. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a conveyor system at the clean side of the laboratory washroom at the laboratory facility site for transporting the sealed water bags.
  - 21. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing one or more totes for storing and transporting the sealed water bags.
  - 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a tote cart for transporting a plurality of the totes from the clean side of the washroom to a laboratory room containing one or more cage level barrier-type cages.
  - 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing a tote conveyor platform for transporting the totes with sealed water bags from a conveyor system to the tote cart.
  - 24. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a compacting apparatus for compacting the sealed water bags after they are removed from one or more cage level barrier-type cages.

25. A method for eliminating the use of water bottles at an animal laboratory facility having a plurality of cage level barrier-type cages disposed at a laboratory facility site, for housing animals for an animal study, the method comprising:
- disposing a bag forming apparatus at a clean side of a laboratory washroom at the laboratory facility site;
  
  wherein the bag forming apparatus provides sealed bags of water for use in the cage level barrier-type cages.
- View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
- - 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing bag material to the laboratory facility site.
  - 27. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing a disposable fluid valve for use with one of the sealed bags of water bags.
  - 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the disposable fluid valve is formed of plastic.
  - 29. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing a ventilated rack and cage system comprising a plurality of cage level barrier-type cages for placement at the laboratory facility site.
  - 30. The method of claim 26, further comprising providing the bag material in rolls, the method further comprising providing a lift apparatus for handling the rolls of bag material.
  - 31. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing a conveyor system at the clean side of the laboratory washroom at the laboratory facility site for transporting the sealed water bags.
  - 32. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing one or more totes for storing and transporting the sealed water bags.
  - 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising providing a tote cart for transporting a plurality of the totes from the clean side of the washroom to a laboratory room containing one or more cage level barrier-type cages.
  - 34. The method of claim 33, further comprising providing a tote conveyor platform for transporting the totes with sealed water bags from a conveyor system to the tote cart.
  - 35. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing a compacting apparatus for compacting the sealed water bags after they are removed from one or more cage level barrier-type cages.

36. A system for facilitating the delivery of water to a plurality of cage level barrier-type cages disposed at a laboratory facility site, for housing animals for an animal study, the system comprising:
- a bag forming apparatus designed and configured for placement at a clean side of a laboratory washroom at the laboratory facility site;
  
  wherein the bag forming apparatus is designed and configured to provide sealed bags of water for use in the cage level barrier-type cages.
- View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
- - 37. The system of claim 36, further comprising bag material that is provided to the laboratory facility site.
  - 38. The system of claim 36, further comprising a disposable fluid valve provided at the laboratory facility site for use with one of the sealed bags of water.
  - 39. The system of claim 38, wherein the disposable fluid valve is formed of plastic.
  - 40. The system of claim 36, further comprising a ventilated rack and cage system comprising a plurality of cage level barrier-type cages for placement at the laboratory facility site.
  - 41. The system of claim 36, further comprising rolls of bag material and a lift apparatus for handling the rolls of bag material.
  - 42. The system of claim 36, further comprising a conveyor system for placement at the clean side of the laboratory washroom at the laboratory facility site for transporting the sealed water bags.
  - 43. The system of claim 36, further comprising one or more totes for storing and transporting the sealed water bags.
  - 44. The system of claim 43, further comprising a tote cart for transporting a plurality of the totes from the clean side of the washroom to a laboratory room containing one or more cage level barrier-type cages.
  - 45. The system of claim 44, further comprising providing a tote conveyor platform for transporting the sealed water bags from a conveyor system to the tote cart.
  - 46. The system of claim 36, further comprising a compacting apparatus for compacting the sealed water bags after they are removed from one or more cage level barrier-type cages.

Specification

Resources

Litigation Campaign Assessment

Litigation Data

Current Assignee
Hydropac LLC
Original Assignee
Hydropac/Lap Products Incorporated
Inventors
Gabriel, George S., Campbell, Neil E., Park, Chinsoo
Primary Examiner(s)
Luu, Teri Pham
Assistant Examiner(s)
MICHENER, JOSHUA J

Application Number

US10/823,868
Publication Number

US 20050022750A1
Time in Patent Office

637 Days
Field of Search

119/456, 119/72.5, 119/454, 119/73, 137/383, 251/298, 251/339, 222/80, 222/81, 222/83, 222/90
US Class Current

119/456
CPC Class Codes

A01K 1/031   Cages for laboratory animal...

A01K 1/0356   Feeding or drinking devices...

A01K 39/0213   Nipple drinkers

A01K 7/02   Automatic devices ; Medicat...

A01K 7/06   actuated by the animal for ...

Method and system of providing sealed bags of fluid at the clean side of a laboratory facility

First Claim

5 Assignments

Litigations

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

69 Citations

46 Claims

Specification

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links

Method and system of providing sealed bags of fluid at the clean side of a laboratory facility

First Claim

5 Assignments

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

Litigations

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

69 Citations

46 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links