WO1998003056A1

WO1998003056A1 - An animal ear tag

Info

Publication number: WO1998003056A1
Application number: PCT/NZ1997/000093
Authority: WO
Inventors: Petrus Augustinus Van Amelsfort; Lionel Leslie Peter Sheridan; Bernard Arthur Albert Vandeputte
Original assignee: Allflex New Zealand Ltd
Current assignee: Allflex New Zealand Ltd
Priority date: 1996-07-24
Filing date: 1997-07-23
Publication date: 1998-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 1999-01-24
Also published as: AU3560197A

Abstract

An animal ear tag for the identification of animals. The ear tag (10) has a female opening (12) for reception of a headed stem (S). An open-ended annular boss (16) is located about the opening (12). The boss (16) has restricting means (18) which limit the extent by which the headed end (H) of the stem (S) can move axially relative to the opening (12). The restrictor means (18) can be provided by a pair of opposed inwardly directed protuberances located at or adjacent the end (17) of the annular boss (16) which is remote from the opening (12).

Description

AN ANIMAL EAR TAG

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to improvements in animal identification tags, more particularly ear tags.

The present invention more particularly relates to an animal ear tag which includes in its construction a headed stem which is passed through the animal's ear so that the headed end thereof engages through a female opening which forms part of the tag. In one form of such an ear tag the headed stem forms part of a male component of the tag while the opening forms part of a separate female component.

Variations on this type of two-piece tag are known in the art. For example, the headed stem can be a separate component which is combined or combinable with a disc or panel component to form a male component. In another arrangement the tag is of a one-piece construction where a flexible panel, strip or the like incorporates both a male stem and a female opening, the tag being able to be bent about the animal's ear so that the headed stem can pass through the ear and engage at the opposite side of the ear with the female opening. Further types of identification tags having a headed stem engaging with a female opening to provide the means of attaching the tag to the animal will be known to those skilled in the art.

The animal ear tag can also provide visual identification or electronic identification (a transponder being associated with the tag) or a combination of both. The present invention relates to an animal ear tag having a headed stem which engages with a female opening irrespective of whether the tag is of one, two or more components and irrespective of whether it is intended for visual and/or electronic identification .

It is important that once an animal ear tag is installed in the animal's ear it remains in place as the loss of the tag is, at the very least, inconvenient due to the means of readily identifying the animal either visually or electronically being lost. Therefore, over the years different constructions of tags have been devised in order to minimise the possibility of a tag becoming lost.

For example, with visual identification tags it is desirable that the tag be fully flexible so that if the tag becomes snagged on an obstacle such as a fence wire, vegetation or the like, the tag can flex such that the animal's efforts to free itself does not result in the tag being ripped from the ear. With tags which are of a substantially rigid or at least partially rigid nature other means of reducing snagging have been proposed including the male stem (and whatever is attached to it) being able to at least rotate relative to the female opening or that part of the tag incorporating the female opening.

If the tag tightly bears against one or both sides of the animal's ear, eg tightly sandwiches the ear between the male and female components, air cannot freely access the area of the wound in the animal ' s ear formed when the tag is installed. This can result in the wound not healing correctly. As a result the wound can become enlarged to the point where the tag can be pulled through the wound. In extreme cases the wound can enlarge such that where the part of the tag passing through the animal's ear, eg the headed stem, migrates through the ear to a point where it passes through the edge of the ear and the tag drops away from the ear.

This tight bearing on the opposing sides of the ear or sandwiching of the ear can occur in a number of ways . For example, with fully flexible two-piece tags a known construction is to ensure that the head or a part is tightly engaged with a boss surrounding the female opening and/or a tight interference fit is achieved between a part of the stem and the female opening. However, if during or after the application procedure the headed stem is pushed too far the male and female components are drawn too close together with resultant sandwiching of the ear therebetween. Due to the inability of the head and/or stem to freely move relative to the female component the tight fitting of the or parts of the male and female components against opposite sides of the animal's ear can result in the aforementioned healing problems .

To overcome this difficulty it has been proposed to provide a shoulder on the stem, this shoulder engaging against that part of the tag which surrounds the female opening so as to prevent the shoulder from moving through the opening. This provides a limit to the axial extent by which the headed stem can pass through and beyond the female opening. However, it is not always the case that the shoulder prevents over application of the male component relative to the female component. Also the waisting of the stem to provide the shoulder may lead to weaknesses in the stem with the result that the stem can fracture upon any force being applied to the tag by, say, an animal trying to free itself from a snagging obstacle. The shoulder may also form a stress area which is prone to microbial attack resulting in the stem breaking in the area of the shoulder.

With tag constructions where freedom of movement of the head/stem relative to the part of the tag containing the female opening is required the aforementioned shoulder construction is not always a practical means of preventing over application. However, the problem identified above which arises when there is a close interference fit between the head/stem and the part of the tag having the female opening does not arise due to the loose fitting of the head/stem.

What does arise, however, is the possibility of the head being pushed too far through the boss which normally surrounds the female opening so that the underside or shoulder of the head where it meets with the stem locates over the terminal end of the boss. This can prevent return axial movement of the head to its correct position where the head engages with the material surrounding the edge of the female opening. This incorrect placement of the head can arise from incorrect or over application therefore resulting in the sandwiching effect which can lead to healing problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an animal ear tag whereby the head of a headed stem part of the tag is restricted from moving axially beyond the female opening to a point where undesirable pressure is applied by a part or parts of the tag located adjacent the animal's ear. Broadly, according to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an animal ear tag having a female opening for reception of a headed stem, there being an open ended annular boss located about the opening, the boss being characterised by having restricting means which limit the extent by which the headed end of the stem can move axially relative to the opening.

In a preferred form of the invention the restrictor means is provided by a pair of opposed inwardly directed protuberances located at or adjacent the end of the annular boss remote from the opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a plan view of a female component of a two- piece animal ear tag incorporating the present invention,

Figure 2 is a section on line A-A of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a further sectioned view showing a headed stem engaged with the female component. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The female component 10 shown in the drawings is moulded from a plastics material which can be either rigid, semi-rigid or resilient. The tag component 10 as illustrated is of a configuration more particularly suited for moulding from a substantially rigid material and housing an electronic identification device. Therefore, the tag component 10 is of a "button" or disc like configuration. Other constructions known to those skilled in the art can be employed, eg a tag component which incorporates a panel for visual identification data to be marked thereon.

The tag component 10 comprises a body 11 with a centrally disposed opening 12. In the preferred form of the invention as illustrated the opening 12 includes an inwardly tapering entry or mouth portion 13 which opens in from the surface 14 of the tag which will be located with or adjacent the surface of the animal's ear.

Projecting from the other side 15 of the tag component 10 is an open ended annular boss 16. This boss is disposed concentrically with the opening 12. The boss 16 has an outer or distal end 17.

As can be seen from Figure 3 the head H located at the end of the stem S is of substantially conical shape, the greatest cross-sectional area thereof being greater than that of the opening 12 and in the preferred form less than the internal diameter of the boss 16. The diameter of the stem S is also less than the diameter of the opening 12. Thus the head and stem are not a tight fit in the boss 16 and opening 12 respectively.

In accordance with normal procedure the head H is pushed through the animal's ear and passes through mouth 13 and opening 12 to become located within the confines of boss 16. In such position the undercut U formed by the greater diameter of the head H relative to the stem S engages against a land L formed by the material surrounding the opening 12 thereby preventing reverse axial movement of the head through the opening 12.

It will be appreciated that due to the free fit of the head H in the boss 16 and that part of the stem S which passes through opening 12 axial movement of the head relative to the boss can occur such that the undercut U does not sit against land L. However, according to the present invention the extent of axial movement through boss 16 is limited by restricting means formed or provided with the boss 16.

In the preferred form of the invention as illustrated the restricting means is formed by a pair of opposed protuberances, ribs or the like, 18 which extend inwardly toward each other from the sides of the boss 16. These protuberances 18 are preferably located at the distal end 17 of the boss 16. Thus the head H is free to move axially to a point (as shown in dotted detail in Figure 3) where the protuberances 18 engage with the head H. Therefore, the head is not able to move axially through the boss 16 such that the undercut U engages over the distal end 17 and lead to the possibility that head H is prevented from being drawn back into the boss 16.

While in the preferred form of the invention a pair of opposed protuberances 18 are shown the restricting means could be formed in other ways. For example, a single continuous protuberance or more than two protuberances could be provided. Also the protuberances could be provided inwardly of the distal end 17. By having the pair of opposed protuberances 18, however, the ability of the head H and stem S to freely move in the boss 16 and opening 12 is not inhibited despite any contact which may occur between the protuberances 18 and the surface of the head H.

The tag component according to the present invention can be reused. This is achieved by cutting the stem of the male part so that the female component will be left with the head of the stem and a small section of the stem located in the boss/opening. The remainder of the stem and the head can then be removed by inserting the pin of the male jaw of the applicator tool so as to engage with the part of the stem within the boss . This can be achieved by firstly putting the female component into the female jaw of the applicator and then closing the applicator to the point where the male pin can engage through the opening in the female component to engage with the stem. Upon further closing of the applicator the head can be forced with sufficient pressure to "pop" out through the end of the boss passed the protuberances.

The tag component can also be produced in a tamper-proof version. This can be achieved by closing over the distal end of the boss. With such an arrangement the protuberances would ideally be located a distance away from the closed end or formed by the closed end. To achieve this it may be necessary to extend the length of the boss.

Thus, according to the present invention, the provision of the restricting means limits the extent of axial movement of the head through the boss 16. This prevents parts of the tag located on opposite sides of the animal's ear and associated with the female opening and the stem respectively from not tightly sandwiching or engaging with the ear and thereby adversely affect the healing of the wound in the animal's ear.

Claims

An animal ear tag having a female opening (12) for reception of a headed stem (S), there being an open- ended annular boss (16) located about the opening (12), the boss (16) being characterised by having restricting means (18) which limit the extent by which the headed end (H) of the stem (S) can move axially relative to the opening ( 12 ) .

2. An animal ear tag as claimed in claim 1 wherein the restrictor means is provided by a pair of opposed inwardly directed protuberances (18) located at or adjacent the end (17) of the annular boss (16) remote from the opening (12).

3. An animal ear tag as claimed in claim 1 wherein the restrictor means is provided by a single inwardly directed protuberance (18) located at or adjacent the end (17) of the annular boss (16) remote from the opening (12) .

4. An animal ear tag as claimed in claim 1 wherein the restrictor means is provided by two or more spaced apart inwardly directed protuberances (18) located peripherally about the internal wall surface at or adjacent the end (17) of the annular boss (16) remote from the opening (12).

5. An animal ear tag as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the restricting means (18) define a space which is less than the greatest cross-sectional area of the head (H) of the stem (S).

6. An animal ear tag as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tag (10) is formed of a rigid plastics material.

7. An animal ear tag as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the tag (10) is formed from a resilient plastics material.

8. An animal ear tag as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein there is provided an inwardly tapering mouth (13) leading from the exterior of the tag to the opening ( 12 ) .

9. An animal ear tag as claimed in claim 8 wherein the boss (16) is concentric with the opening (12).

10. An animal ear tag as claimed in claim 9 wherein the diameter of the stem (S) is less than the diameter of the opening (12).

11. An animal ear tag as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein the head (H) is of a diameter which is less than the internal diameter of the annular boss (16).

12. An animal ear tag as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the distal end (17) of the boss (16) is closed.