GB2325328A

GB2325328A - Animal medicament reminder apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2325328A
Application number: GB9709676A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ava Barrell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-05-14
Filing date: 1997-05-14
Publication date: 1998-11-18
Also published as: GB9709676D0

Abstract

A farm animal medicament reminder apparatus comprising a display panel 2 fitted with a dosage monitor 3 wherein the display panel and the dosage monitor are capable of movement relative to each other, between first and second disengageable positions; the reminder information being displayed, in use, on the panel and/or the monitor and relating or being relatable to animal dosage requirements. The apparatus may be provided with a fitment means 7, e.g. of magnetic material so that it can be secured to a support. The apparatus may include areas 4 capable of receiving written information. The relative movement may be rotary (Figures 2 - 4).

Description

ANIMAL MEDICAMENT REMINDER APPARATUS Field of the Invention The present invention relates to medicament reminder apparatus, in particular, animal medicament reminder apparatus.

Background Art Known to the Applicant The welfare of livestock has been headline news across the world over recent years as a direct result of "BSE" and its connection with the human form of the disease, "CJD". The outbreak of so-called "mad-cow" disease originated in the UK and has had a deleterious effect on beef consumption and the livelihoods of many beef farmers.

One of the repercussions to result from this tragic disease has been the refusal of certain food retail outlets within the United Kingdom to buy livestock from farms unless those farms meet strict codes of welfare based upon a "bonuspoints" system.

As far as the retail outlet is concerned, they will buy from those farms that have the highest code of animal welfare, ie the highest number of bonus points.

One way in which a farm can achieve added bonus points is through the use of a recognised veterinary programme for the livestock. Such a programme will comprise visits by the veterinary surgeon together with the administering of medicaments to the livestock when required to ensure that the livestock are disease free and healthy throughout their farm life.

Traditional methods of ensuring that animal medicaments are administered on a regular basis have usually revolved around chalk boards placed outside the pen of the animal(s) with some form of reminder system (eg the medicament and the dosage) chalked on to the board. Typically, such rudimentary animal medicament reminder apparatus is unsatisfactory as the moment the weather takes a turn for the worse and it begins to rain, the chalked information is lost.

Other forms of animal welfare information boards are known, for example, the so-called Bray board used to monitor fertility of certain animals but no satisfactory animal medicament reminder apparatus has yet been found to solve the problems associated with the know prior art.

The present invention seeks to overcome the problems of the prior art and other problems that will be made apparent as the reader works there way through the specification.

Summarv of the Invention According to the present invention in its broadest aspect, there is provided a farm animal medicament reminder apparatus comprising a display panel fitted with a dosage monitor wherein the display panel and the dosage monitor are capable of movement relative to each other, between first and second disengageable positions; the reminder information being displayed, in use, on the panel and/or the monitor and relating or being relatable to animal dosage requirements.

Preferably, the apparatus is further provided with a fitment means to enable the apparatus to be secured to a substantially vertical frame or structure.

More preferably still, the fitment means is a magnetic strip or panel integral with the apparatus.

Still more preferably, the display panel is made of plastics material for example, polypropylene or polythene.

More preferably still, the apparatus is substantially blue in colour.

More preferably still, the apparatus is provided with indelibly marked areas capable of receiving written information.

Preferably, that area of the apparatus that is to be subjected to written information can be wiped clean to remove that written information through the use of a solvent soaked applicator.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 illustrates a front perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates two further embodiments of the present invention detailed "Option A" and "Option B".

Figure 3 illustrates a front view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the present invention viewed from the front.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments Throughout this specification, the use of the word "integral" is intended to cover not only something which is formed from the outset as one single-entity component, but also anything which, whilst being assembled from a plurality of initially disparately-produced integers, ends up as one overall and normally nondismantleable structure.

Figure 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention and the farm animal medicament reminder apparatus is generally referenced 1. The apparatus 1 illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a display panel 2 fitted with a dosage monitor 3. The dosage monitor 3 is slideable between the ends of the lip 5 in a friction/fit type arrangement, in other words, the dosage monitor 3 is capable of movement relative to the display panel 2 but friction needs to be overcome to move the monitor 3 from a first position to a second position. Once the monitor 3 has been moved, it needs to be positively disengaged from its friction-fit position to move it to a second position. The monitor 3 appears to be pointed when the obverse face of the apparatus 1 is viewed from the front (see Figure 1).

The apparatus 1 is also provided with a fitment means 7 to enable the apparatus 1 to be secured to a substantially vertical frame or structure. In this particular instance, the fitment means 7 is an aperture substantially centrally located along the top peripheral edge of the apparatus 1 in its normal attitude of operation.

Each of the separate components 2 and 3 that form the integral apparatus 1 are made of plastics material and in this particular embodiment, the components are each formed from polypropylene.

The display panel 2 is provided with indelible areas 4 that relate to or are relatable to the animal dosage requirements. Furthermore, som. of these areas 4, are to be subjected to written information that can be wiped clean to remove that information through the use of a solvent soaked applicator. For example, the solvent could be water, washing up liquid or alternatively, an organic based solvent that does not affect the nature of the plastics material in any detrimental manner, eg swelling or dissolution.

The channel 5 that forms part of the display panel 2 is open-ended.

In this particular embodiment, the treatment details for two animals can be monitored with this single hand-held piece of apparatus 1. Furthermore, the "treatment details 1" and the "treatment details 2" are in different colours to the rest of the display panel 2 and are also in different colours with respect to each other. The corresponding dosage monitor 3 under each of the respective "treatment details" correspond to the colour of each of the respective "treatment detail" areas 4. Figure 2 illustrates 2 alternative embodiments to that illustrated in Figure 1 and shows both "Option A" and "Option B". In Option A, the dosage monitor is a large back panel with a simple arrow centrally located along the top peripheral edge of the apparatus 1 in its normal attitude of operation.

The dosage monitor 3 is integral with the display panel 2 through a split pin 6.

The display panel 2 in this particular embodiment moves relative to the dosage meter 3. which is a difference between these two particular embodiments.

Furthermore, in Figure 2, the movement of the display panel 2 relative to the dosage monitor 3 is through a rotary motion. The display panel 2 as can clearly be illustrated in Figure 2 has a bevelled circumferential peripheral edge containing details of the start and finish of the "check-periods" which relate to the animal dosage requirements.

Furthermore, in this particular embodiment, the apparatus 1 is made from polyethylene and the fitment means comprises a number of integral magnetic strips located on the obverse face of the dosage monitor 3. In Option B, the dosage monitor comprises a single strip of plastics material (as indicated), again fastened or secured via a split pin 6. In this particular embodiment, the display panel can be "dry" wiped clean through the use of friction rubbing with an appropriate material, for example cloth.

Figure 3 illustrates yet a further alternative embodiment to the present invention and comprises a display panel formed of two independent parts, panels 2 and 2a, in this particular embodiment, the panel 2 is concentric with 2a and the display panels 2 and 2a are integral with the dosage meter 3 through the use of a rivet 6. The display panel 2 is one colour and the display panel 2a is a different colour. The display panels 2 and 2a are capable of movement in a rotary fashion relative to the dosage meter 3 and they are also capable of movement through a rotary motion relative to each other.

Figure 4 shows yet a further alternative embodiment of the present invention, again showing panels 2 and 2a as concentric and capable of relative rotation with respect to each other in the claim of the dosage monitor 3 and about the axis 6 that secures the panels 2 and 2a to the dosage meter 3.

In an alternative embodiment not illustrated, the dosage monitor 3 as shown in Figure 1, need not necessarily be of the friction-fit type arrangement when in contact with the lip 5. In an alternative embodiment, the dosage monitor 3 could be free to slide along the length of the lip 5 however the dosage monitor 3 could incorporate a resiliently biased pin designed to locate in cut-outs along the length of the lip 5. Disengagement of the dosage monitor 3 would be then effected by pulling of the pin to disengage it from the cut-out in the lip 5 thereby, releasing the dosage monitor 3 from its engaged position and allowing it to be slideable along the lip until the pin re-engages into the next cut-out thereby engaging the monitor 3 once again.

In a further alternative embodiment, the fitment means 7 could comprise a number of pins fitted to the reverse face of the apparatus 1 so that the apparatus could be placed onto, for example, a wooden post and literally thumped into position.

In a further alternative embodiment, the indelible areas 4 need not necessarily be indelible areas but could comprise raised or recessed areas.

Finally, the embodiment in Figure 1 could all be one colour preferably blue as this provides the positive advantage that the apparatus 1 could clearly be seen by those looking for it as the colour blue is a non-natural colour in the environment of a farm yard.

Claims

1. A farm animal medicament reminder apparatus comprising a display panel fitted with a dosage monitor, wherein the display panel and the dosage monitor are capable of movement relative to each other, between first and second disengagable positions; the reminder information being displayed, in use, on the panel and/or the monitor and relating or being relatable to animal dosage requirements.

2. A farm animal medicament reminder apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that the apparatus is further provided with a fitment means to enable the apparatus to be secured to a substantially vertical frame or structure.

3. A farm animal medicament reminder apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 characterised in that the fitment means is a magnetic strip or panel integral with the apparatus.

4. A farm animal medicament reminder apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 characterised in that the display panel is made of plastics material for example, polypropylene or polyethylene.

5. A farm animal medicament reminder apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding Claims characterised in that the apparatus is substantially blue in colour.

6. A farm animal medicament reminder apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the apparatus is provided with indelibly marked areas capable of receiving written information.

7. A farm animal medicament reminder apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding Claims characterised in that that area of the apparatus that is to be subjected to written information can be wiped clean to remove that written information through the use of a solvent soaked applicator.

8. A farm animal medicament reminder apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any appropriate selection or combination of Figures 1 - 4 of the accompanying diagrams.