GB2415594A

GB2415594A - Animal ear tag

Info

Publication number: GB2415594A
Application number: GB0414423A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Eric Robinson
Original assignee: TOPTAGS ID SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: TOPTAGS ID SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 2004-06-28
Filing date: 2004-06-28
Publication date: 2006-01-04
Also published as: GB0414423D0

Abstract

An animal ear tag has a male part and a female part. The male part comprises a base and an integral shaft formed from a first material and a head 30 formed from a second, harder material, the head being provided at the end of the shaft for pressing through the ear of an animal. The head has a piercing part 40 and an attachment part 42 which is embedded within the shaft such that the material of the shaft covers the attachment part and extends through an opening 46 in the attachment part.

Description

1 2415594

ANIMAL EAR TAG

This invention relates to animal ear tags in particular to tags having a piercing male component and a female component which retains the male component after it has been pressed through the animal ear.

The most commonly available design of ear tag has a male component in the fond of a conical head on the end of a shaft and this shaft is attached to a web on which animal identification data is written. The tip of the conical head punctures the animal ear and the ear stretches as the head is pushed through the ear.

The conical head of the male part needs to be sufficiently hard to pierce cleanly the animal ear and for this reason the male part is conventionally formed from two materials. A flexible plastic material is used for the web and the shaft and a harder plastic material is used for the head.

The male part of the animal ear tag of EP 0751707 has a hard head which defines a number of cutting lines. This head is embedded in the softer material of the shaft so that the head again has a conical shape and the tip of the cone as well as a number of blade lines running down the surface of the cone are fonned frown a harder material. The introduction of cutting surfaces into the head reduces tearing and makes application of the ear tag easier.

After the ear tag has been attached to the animal ear it must remain in place and be able to withstand external forces. For this reason one of the tests W]liC]1 animal ear tags must pass involves applying a force to separate the male and female parts and the tag must be able to withstand this force. One way in which the tags can fail this test is if the harder head component becomes separated from the softer shaft material. This is increasingly a problem as the size of the head is reduced which is desirable to reduce suffering of the animal and to make application of the tag easier. Another way in which the tag can fail is if the head can be withdrawn from the female component.

According to the invention there is provided an animal car tag comprising: a male part comprising: a base and an integral shaft fonned from a first material; and a head fonned from a second harder material the head being provided at the end of the shaft for pressing through the ear of an animal; and a female part having an opening for receiving and retaining the head, wherein the head comprises: a piercing part comprising a plurality of blades extending between a pointed end of the piercing part and a foot of the piercing part; and an attachment part extending frown the foot, wherein the attachment part comprises a wall defining a hollow body and having at least one opening in the wall, wherein the attachment part is embedded within the shaft such that the material of the shaft covers the attachment part and extends through the opening, and wherein the blades stand proud of the end of the shaft.

In this arrangement, the blades stand proud of the end of the head so that the amount of stretching required is kept to a minimum. In this way, the end of the shaft has a smaller width than the width of the base of the head. A secure connection is nevertheless provided between the shaft and the head by embedding an attachment part of the head into the material of the shaft, and this attachment part has an opening so that there is interlocking of the shaft material around the material of the head.

The ear tag of the invention thus provides a reliable connection between the head and the shaft, ninimises the risk of tearing and reduces the amount of stretching of the animal ear required. This can also enable the dimensions of the head to be reduced whilst still meeting the testing requirements.

Each blade preferably has an enlarged part at the base end of the blade, thereby defining a foot. The feet of the blades then define the base of the head which is retained against the opening of the female part when the ear tag is applied.

The blades of the head are preferably connected together at the pointed end where they converge, and then separate towards the base of the head. the base of the piercing part of the head then comprises the feet of the blades arranged in a circle. The feet of the blades are arranged outside the material of the shaft.

The male part is preferably fomled by an over-moulding process. In this process, the softer first material is provided into a would W]liC]1 Cannes the head.

During this over-moulding process, the softer first material flows into the opening of the attachment part, thereby providing a strong mechanical coupling.

in a preferred arrangement, the head has four blades.

The attachment part comprises a cylindrical tube, and the softer shaft material then extends within the hollow centre of the tube and around the outside of the tube, connected through the at least one opening The attachment part may additionally have at least one tab on the surface of the wall and defining a step for further resisting separation of the head from the shaft.

Preferably, a plurality of tabs are disposed around the outer surface of the attachment part.

The tag of the invention enables the size of the head to be reduced. For example, the maximum width of the head (which is is at the foot of the piercing part) can be less than or equal to lOmm, preferably in the range is 8.5mm -- lOmm. The length of the piercing part of the head can be in the range 5mm - 1 5mm, and the length of the attachment part of the head is then in the range 5mm - lOmm.

An example of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a known animal ear tag with the male and female parts connected together; Figure 2 shows the male parts of an animal ear tag of the invention; Figure 3 is a second view of the male part of Figure 2; Figure 4 shows three views of the head of the male part of Figures 2 and 3; Figure 5 shows an underside view of the head of Figure 4; Figure 6 shows the female part of the tag of the invention; and Figure 7 is another view of the female part of Figure 6.

Figure 1 shows an animal ear tag 10 comprising a male part 12 and a female part 14. The male part 12 has a base 16 which defines a surface onto which information may be printed. Integral witll the base 16 is a shaft 18 which passes through the animal ear. A head is fowled on the end of the shaft 18, which is not shown in Figure]. This head is pushed through an opening 20 in the female part 14 so that the head is retained in a cavity 22. The head deIonns the opening 20 as it is inserted through the opening, and the head cannot then be pulled out. Thus, the animal ear is sandwiched securely between the male and female parts 12, 14.

The head on the end of the shaft 18 is designed to pierce the animal ear, but to cause a minimum amount of tearing.

To the extent described above, the ear tag 10 of Figure 1 is known. The invention concerns specifically the head on the end of the shaft 18.

Figure 2 shows one view of the male part l 2 of the invention. At the end of the shalt 18 is provided the head SO, which has four blades 32 which converge to a pointed end 34 where they are all connected together. The end of the shaft l 8 has an enlarged portion 36, and the blades 32 stand proud of this enlarged portion 36 of the shaft 38.

The blades 32 taper outwardly from a blade surface so that they are triangular in cross section. The blades end in a flat surface (perpendicular to the axis ofthe shaft 18) and this flat surface defines a foot 38.

When the head 30 is pressed through the animal ear and into the cavity 22 of the female part 14 (as shown in Figure 1) it is the feet 38 which retain the head 30 in the cavity 22. The pointed end 34 of the head provides a cutting action when the head is pushed through the animal ear, and because the enlarged part 36 of the shaft 18 is smaller in diameter than the envelope of the blades, stretching of the animal ear is kept to a minimum. As shown in Figure 2, a cylindrical bore 40 passes from the back of the base 16 through to the head 30, and this is for receiving a pin of a tool for the application of the ear tag.

Figure 3 shows a different view of the male part 12 of Figure 2. Figure 3 shows more clearly the pointed end 34 of the head, where the blades 32 converge and are connected together.

The invention concerns in particular the way in which the head 30 is connected to the softer material of the shaft 18. Figure 4 shows in greater detail three views of the head 30, which is made from a harder material, but again preferably a plastic material suitable for injection moulding.

As shown in Figure 4, the head has a piercing part 40 comprising the blades 32, and an attachment part 42, extending frown the foot of the piercing part 40, opposite the pointed end 34.

The attachment part 42 comprises a wall 44 defining a hollow cylinder, and at least one opening 4G is provided in the wall 44. In the example shown, two diametrically opposed openings 46 are provided. s

When the male part is formed, the attachment part 42 is embedded within the shaft 18 such that the material of the shaft covers the attachment part 42 and extends through the openings 46. Most of the piercing part 40 is also embedded, but the blades 32 stand proud of the end 36 of the shaft 18.

The openings 46 enable a connection to be formed between the softer shaft material inside and outside the hollow body defined by the attaclnent part 42, and this resists separation of the components. The number and size of the openings are selected to fmd a compromise between the connection strength and the structural integrity of the head.

In the example shown, the attachment part 42 also has an arrangement of tabs 48 on the surface of the wall 44 and these each define a step for further resisting separation of the head 30 from the shaft 18. Each tab has a ramp surface which converges at the end of the attachment part opposite the pointed end 34, and has a step portion 50 at the opposite end. Four such tabs 48 are shown disposed around the outer ] 5 surface of the attachment part 42.

The blades 32 can also be provided with openings 52 to provide further resistance to the separation of components. In the example shown, two diamterically opposite blades are provided with openings, and these are angularly staggered with the two diametrically opposed openings 46 in the wall of the attachment part 42.

The tag of the invention enables the size of the head to be reduced. For example, the maximum width of the head at the foot of the piercing part 40 can be less than or equal to l Omm, and is preferably in the range is 8.5mm - I Omm. The length of the piercing part of the head can be in the range 5mm - 15mm, and the length of the attachment part of the head is then in the range Smm - l Omm.

Figure 4 shows more clearly the feet of the blades 32, and shows that at the base end of each blade 32 the blade no longer dchnes a cutting line, but instead the blade has a flat outer surface 54 which widens towards the foot 38. Thus, the flat surface 54 has a triangular shape as shown.

As mentioned above, the shaft]8 is connected to the head 30 by an over moulding process. In this process, the material of the shaft flows into and around the annular opening defined by the attachment part 42. As the material passes beyond each strut opening 46, a connection is made.

The blades may converge to a point, as shown, or else an opposite pair of the blades can define a continuous cutting edge. The other two blades can then terminate before the tip to give a small height difference.

Figure 5 shows a view of the base of the head 30 of Figure 4. The ovennoulding process provides the softer material into the hollow within the wall 44 and around the outside, so that material covers the tabs 48 and fonns a circle which just encapsulates the tabs as well as the remainder of the attachment part 42.

The female part of t]lC tag of the invention may be conventional. Two views of the female part are shown in Figures 6 and 7. The female part can be made from the same flexible plastics material as the base 16 and shaft] 8 of the male part. The size and design of the opening 20 is the main design feature of the female part 14.

In a preferred implementation, the female part can also have a two-piece ovennoulded construction, with a soft base 14 fonned from the first material, and a ring defining the opening 20 formed from the second material.

The material of the head 30 and the ring for the female part may be acetal, and the softer flexible material of the remainder of the made part and of the female part may be polyurethane. Other plastics may be used, as wi]] be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The shaft may typically have a diameter of 5mm and the widest part of the head, which is the distance between diametrically opposed faces 48 can be less than ] 0mm. This reduction in this dimension reduces the discomfort for the animal, and the arrangement of the invention enables this size reduction when compared to conventional animal ear tags.

The b]adcs may project]atera]ly beyond the surface of the enlarged part of the head by] -3mm at the base end of the head.

In the example above, the end of the shaft is shown with an enlarged portion 36.

This is of course not essential, and the end of the shaft can simply taper inwardly into the spaces between blades.

Although a design with tour blades has been shown, it is possible to apply the same principles to a design with a different number of blades. Other modifications NN'i also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An animal ear tag comprising: a male part comprising: a base and an integral shaft formed from a first material; and a head formed from a second, harder material, the head being provided at the end of the shaft for pressing through the ear of an animal; and a female part having an opening for receiving and retaining the head, wherein the head comprises: a piercing part comprising a plurality of blades extending between a pointed end of the piercing part and a foot of the piercing part; and an attachment part extending from the foot, wherein the attachment part comprises a wall defining a hollow body and having at least one opening in the wall, wherein the attachn1ent part is embedded within the shaft such that the material of the shaft covers the attachment part and extends through the opening, and wherein the blades stand proud of the end of the shaft.

2. A tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein each blade has an enlarged part at the base end of the blade, thereby defining a foot.

3. A tag as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plurality of enlarged parts define the base of the head which is retained against the opening of the female part when the male and female parts are connected together.

4. A tag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the blades are connected together at the pointed end.

5. A tag as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the head comprises tour blades.

6. A tag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first matcria] is a mouldable flexib]c plastic material and the second material is a mouldable flexible plastic material.

7. A tag as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the male and/or female part comprises a web for the printing of identification information.

8. A tag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the female part comprises a cavity for receiving the head, the opening defining an entrance to the cavity and sized to retain the base of the head.

9. A tag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the attachment part comprises a cylindrical tube.

10. A tag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the attachment part comprises at least one tab on the surface of the wall and defining a step for resisting separation of the head from the shaft.

11. A tag as claimed in claim 10, wherein the attachment part comprises a plurality of tabs disposed around the outer surface of the attachment part.

12. A tag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the blades is provided with an opening which is embedded within the material of the shaft.

13. A tag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the female part comprises a base forned from the first material and a ring defining the opening and formed from the second material.

14. A tag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the maximum width of the head is at the foot of the piercing part and is less than or equal to lOmm.

15. A tag as claimed in claim] 4, wherein the maximum width is 8.5mm -1 Omm.

16. A tag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the length of the piercing past of the head is approximately 1 Omn1 and the length of the attac]mlcnt part of the head is in the range 5mm - lOmm.