Patent ID: 6776158
Filing Date: 2004-08-17
Classification: A01K,A61D,A61M

Abstract:
An apparatus for anesthetizing a first laboratory animal having a breathing passage, the apparatus, comprising:a source of a pressurized gas; a vaporizer fluidly connected to said source and adapted to introduce an anesthetic component into the pressurized gas stream to create an anesthetic gas mixture; a manifold connected to said vaporizer receiving said gas mixture and having multiple outlet ports operable to deliver the gas mixture through said ports simultaneously; a first breathing device connected to a first of said outlet ports, said first breathing device comprising a shroud forming an air-exchange chamber for transferring gas to and from the first animal's breathing passage, said shroud comprising an inlet port for permitting gas to flow into the chamber, and an exhaust port for permitting gas to evacuate the chamber; and a check valve connected with the inlet port and extending within the shroud in operable communication with the animal's breathing passage, said check valve being operable in an open position only when the first animal inhales to permit anesthetic gas mixture to flow into the chamber, and in a closed position when the first animal exhales to prevent the anesthetic gas mixture from entering the chamber, wherein said exhaust port is operable to evacuate substantially all exhaust and accumulated gas from the chamber when the check valve is in the closed position to minimize the animal's re-inhailing of carbon-dioxide and anesthetic gas mixture exhaled into the chamber.