Patent ID: 7784429
Filing Date: 2010-08-31
Classification: A01K,A61D

Abstract:
1. An animal holder for securely holding a laboratory animal in a predetermined position in an imaging machine, the laboratory animal having a head, first and second front legs, first and second rear legs, a body including an upper body portion including a back and rump portion and a lower body portion, said holder comprising: a first animal restraining portion comprising first and second front recesses securely receiving the laboratory animal's first and second front legs, first and second rear recesses securely receiving the laboratory animal's first and second rear legs, a head restraining portion receiving and supporting the laboratory animal's head and a body receiving portion receiving and supporting at least one of the upper body portion and the lower body portion of the laboratory animal; a second animal restraining portion coacting with said first animal restraining portion so as to define an animal retention cavity there between, said first and second restraining portions configured to clamp the laboratory animal's first and second front legs in a predetermined position on said holder, to clamp the laboratory animal's first and second rear legs in a predetermined position in said holder, to clamp the laboratory animal's head in a predetermined position in the holder, and to clamp the laboratory animal's body in a predetermined position in the holder; and a hermetic seal provided between said first and second animal restraining portions preventing contamination of said animal retention cavity.