Patent ID: 7363879

Claim:
A ventilated animal habitat comprising: a frame supporting a shelf; an animal enclosure defined by a front surface with a viewing window, a rear surface, a pair of opposing side surfaces, a floor surface, and a ceiling surface, said enclosure being supported by said shelf and surrounding a volume of habitat air; a ventilation control region in one of said surfaces, said region including an ambient air supply inlet for introducing a supply of fresh ambient air into said enclosure and an exhaust air outlet defined by a first perimeter for evacuating at least a portion of said volume of habitat air away from said enclosure; a ducting system supported by said frame and including an exhaust air collection chamber with an entry mouth abutting said ventilation control region of said enclosure and surrounding said first perimeter; a remote vacuum source operable to draw fresh ambient air into said ambient air supply inlet and draw habitat air into said exhaust air collection chamber; and a carry away duct having a first end connected to said exhaust air collection chamber and a second end in communication with said vacuum source to direct air drawn into said collection chamber to said vacuum source.