CA2226525A1 - Snag resistant animal tag device - Google Patents
Snag resistant animal tag device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2226525A1 CA2226525A1 CA 2226525 CA2226525A CA2226525A1 CA 2226525 A1 CA2226525 A1 CA 2226525A1 CA 2226525 CA2226525 CA 2226525 CA 2226525 A CA2226525 A CA 2226525A CA 2226525 A1 CA2226525 A1 CA 2226525A1
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- post
- head
- petal
- animal
- petals
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- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 18
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 18
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 15
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 10
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- 229920002635 polyurethane Polymers 0.000 claims description 5
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- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 abstract description 8
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 abstract description 3
- 208000027418 Wounds and injury Diseases 0.000 description 15
- 206010052428 Wound Diseases 0.000 description 12
- 244000144972 livestock Species 0.000 description 5
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 4
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- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000006903 response to temperature Effects 0.000 description 2
- JOYRKODLDBILNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ethyl urethane Chemical compound CCOC(N)=O JOYRKODLDBILNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000004793 Polystyrene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 241000282898 Sus scrofa Species 0.000 description 1
- 206010048038 Wound infection Diseases 0.000 description 1
- UKNRLYWSGXUDAO-RGDJUOJXSA-N [(2r,3r,4s,5r,6s)-3,4,5-triacetyloxy-6-nitrosooxy-6-sulfanyloxan-2-yl]methyl acetate Chemical compound CC(=O)OC[C@H]1O[C@](S)(ON=O)[C@H](OC(C)=O)[C@@H](OC(C)=O)[C@@H]1OC(C)=O UKNRLYWSGXUDAO-RGDJUOJXSA-N 0.000 description 1
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- 210000005069 ears Anatomy 0.000 description 1
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A01K11/00—Marking of animals
- A01K11/001—Ear-tags
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Birds (AREA)
- Zoology (AREA)
- Animal Husbandry (AREA)
- Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
- Catching Or Destruction (AREA)
Abstract
A snag resistant animal tag device includes an improved stud having a head and post formed of elastically bendable plastic material. The head includes a multiplicity of flexible petals which extend outward from the intersection of the head and post, with each petal being extremely flexible and bendable. The post, which extends at a right angle from the head, is elastically bendable relative to the head through ninety degrees relative to the post axis is bendable and with equal ease in all radial directions from the post. The petals may be constructed and arranged to break away from the head when the petals become badly entangled with objects such as fence wire, branches, brush and the like. The flexibility and breakaway features of the stud decrease snagging of the device, reduce injuries to the animal caused by tearing of the animal body during snagging, allow faster healing of the insertion wound produced during tag installation, and reduce loss of the animal tags.
Description
Patent SNAG RESISTANT ANIMAL TAG DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the field of animal tag devices and provides an improved tag having a snag resistant stud with both a highly flexible post and highly flexible head formed of a multiplicity of petals.
Animal i:ag devices have been recognized as helpful for the identification of s livestock and other domestic and wild animals for well over a century.
During the late 19th century, livestock raisers developed two-part tag systems which could be mounted to the ears of livestock and carried identification information associated with owner and animal. The early devices utilized a piercing stud which was forcibly inserted through the animal's ear and which joined together a pair of rigid, usually ~o rr~etal, plates which loosely confined the ear of the animal therebetween.
Tt-~~;sE:
loosely fitted plates frequently snagged on fence wire, brush, tree branches, rope, confinement pens and other objects encountered by the animal, resulting in the tags being torn off the animals and at times badly tearing the animal ear. Examples of these early structures are shown in United Kingdom patent 15,055 issued to is Thomas 0. Turnbull in 1892, and U.S. Patent 25,481 issued April 1911 to Masberg.
Recognizing the shortcomings of the early, loosely fitted livestock tags, later tag developers concluded that tags should more snugly engage the animal ear and should provide little or no space between tag and ear in which fence wire, branches or other objects could become easily snagged. These improved tags are illustrated 2o in U.S, patents 't,159,593 to J. Lindberg (1915) and 1,347,868 to S.R.
Nichols Patent (1920). Each of these references utilized a pair of convex metal plates which quite securely engaged the front and rear sides of the animal's ear and are locked in place by a piercing stud that is forcibly inserted through the ear. While the structure substantially reduced the problems of snagging of the plates with branches, s fencewire and other objects, the tags still snagged at times. Thin objects like fencewire could still become wedged between plate and ear, and the animal ear could be badly torn when the animal tried to pull away from such objects.
These snugly fitted tags were found to have a still more important shortcoming in that they seriously interfered with normal blood circulation in the ear and significantly slowed ~o the healing of the insertion wound created by the piercing stud. Because the wound was now largely isolated from normal air flow by the snug metal plates, and because dirt, body fluids and other contaminants would collect under the plates, wound infections became more common and more severe, and healing of the insertion wound required significantly more time and treatment.
t s Developers eventually came to appreciate that placing unyielding rigid plates against the animal's ear was undesirable, and as modern plastics and molding techniques developed, animal tag devices were increasingly molded of plastic materials, with tt~e head of the piercing stud and the retainer unit which lockably engaged the stud having limited flexibility. These changes reduced the skin 2o irritation formally caused by rubbing between the hard, usually metal, plates and the animal's skin, bait the molded plastic tags still encountered problems with snagging and problems with irritation of and delayed healing of the insertion wound.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the field of animal tag devices and provides an improved tag having a snag resistant stud with both a highly flexible post and highly flexible head formed of a multiplicity of petals.
Animal i:ag devices have been recognized as helpful for the identification of s livestock and other domestic and wild animals for well over a century.
During the late 19th century, livestock raisers developed two-part tag systems which could be mounted to the ears of livestock and carried identification information associated with owner and animal. The early devices utilized a piercing stud which was forcibly inserted through the animal's ear and which joined together a pair of rigid, usually ~o rr~etal, plates which loosely confined the ear of the animal therebetween.
Tt-~~;sE:
loosely fitted plates frequently snagged on fence wire, brush, tree branches, rope, confinement pens and other objects encountered by the animal, resulting in the tags being torn off the animals and at times badly tearing the animal ear. Examples of these early structures are shown in United Kingdom patent 15,055 issued to is Thomas 0. Turnbull in 1892, and U.S. Patent 25,481 issued April 1911 to Masberg.
Recognizing the shortcomings of the early, loosely fitted livestock tags, later tag developers concluded that tags should more snugly engage the animal ear and should provide little or no space between tag and ear in which fence wire, branches or other objects could become easily snagged. These improved tags are illustrated 2o in U.S, patents 't,159,593 to J. Lindberg (1915) and 1,347,868 to S.R.
Nichols Patent (1920). Each of these references utilized a pair of convex metal plates which quite securely engaged the front and rear sides of the animal's ear and are locked in place by a piercing stud that is forcibly inserted through the ear. While the structure substantially reduced the problems of snagging of the plates with branches, s fencewire and other objects, the tags still snagged at times. Thin objects like fencewire could still become wedged between plate and ear, and the animal ear could be badly torn when the animal tried to pull away from such objects.
These snugly fitted tags were found to have a still more important shortcoming in that they seriously interfered with normal blood circulation in the ear and significantly slowed ~o the healing of the insertion wound created by the piercing stud. Because the wound was now largely isolated from normal air flow by the snug metal plates, and because dirt, body fluids and other contaminants would collect under the plates, wound infections became more common and more severe, and healing of the insertion wound required significantly more time and treatment.
t s Developers eventually came to appreciate that placing unyielding rigid plates against the animal's ear was undesirable, and as modern plastics and molding techniques developed, animal tag devices were increasingly molded of plastic materials, with tt~e head of the piercing stud and the retainer unit which lockably engaged the stud having limited flexibility. These changes reduced the skin 2o irritation formally caused by rubbing between the hard, usually metal, plates and the animal's skin, bait the molded plastic tags still encountered problems with snagging and problems with irritation of and delayed healing of the insertion wound.
Patent In recent years increased attention has been directed to solving these problems with most such attention being directed to the head of the piercing stud and to reducing its tendency to snag with various objects. Where possible the retainer unit, which lockably engages the piercing point of the stud, has been made s more streamlined and more flexible, but since it often must include a somewhat large tag for carrying of information, there are limits to how snag resistant the retainer unit can be made. Consequently, most attention continues to be directed to improvement of the piercing stud and its head.
As it became recognized that loosely attached tags would snag and overly to snug tags prevented the insertion wound from healing properly, new stud designs were formulated to have their heads engage the animal ear with only a slight bias against the animal body. The expectation was that a slight bias would make the tags more difficult to snag on adjacent objects but would not exert so much pressure on the ear that wound healing would be affected. This approach was suggested in ~s Patent No. W086100498 to VanZeggeren, published January 30, .986.
U.S. Patent 5,643,284 to Hicks disclosed a stud whose head is supposed to be slightly bias~sd or compressed against the animal ear so as to discourage snagging of the stud but without so much force or compression as to affect blood circulation in the ear. The Hicks device proposed an improvement in which the stud 2o head included a flexible, annular washer provided with four shallow petals along the outer periphery of the washer. These petals were curved and provided the bias.
As it became recognized that loosely attached tags would snag and overly to snug tags prevented the insertion wound from healing properly, new stud designs were formulated to have their heads engage the animal ear with only a slight bias against the animal body. The expectation was that a slight bias would make the tags more difficult to snag on adjacent objects but would not exert so much pressure on the ear that wound healing would be affected. This approach was suggested in ~s Patent No. W086100498 to VanZeggeren, published January 30, .986.
U.S. Patent 5,643,284 to Hicks disclosed a stud whose head is supposed to be slightly bias~sd or compressed against the animal ear so as to discourage snagging of the stud but without so much force or compression as to affect blood circulation in the ear. The Hicks device proposed an improvement in which the stud 2o head included a flexible, annular washer provided with four shallow petals along the outer periphery of the washer. These petals were curved and provided the bias.
Patent The Hicks stud used a rigid post with a rigid head which passed through an aperture in the washer.
Consistently achieving this slight bias in practice has turned out to be almost unattainable. Typically the piercing stud is sold in a single length or limited number s of lengths. The thickness of the animal ear, even within a single species varies enough that a given stud length may prove to be too loose on one animal, too tight on another, and reasonably effective on still other animals. Like all tissue, ear tissue also changes in size, swelling somewhat in hot weather, and contracting in colder weather'. A piercing stud intended to achieve only a slight bias against the to ear and no interference with blood circulation may not function as intended as the ear thickness varies from animal to animal and in response to temperature change.
To better understand the more recently developed animal tag devices, reference is made to Figures 1 and 2, which illustrate the tag device and stud disclosed by the Hicks patent and the snagging problems which can occur with such 1 s stud.
Referring now to Fig. 1, a cow 12P is shown with an animal tag device 14P
installed in the cow's ear 16P, and wherein the device has become snagged on the barbed wire 18P of fence line 20P. In practice such snagging can easily occur when the animal extends its head 22P through the fence to graze, and subsequently 2o withdraws its head in such a way that the wire 18P slips between the ear 16P and the tag device 14P.
When the animal 12P senses the snagging of the wire 18P with the tag Patent device , the animal will commonly react by pulling its head 22P rearward in direction 24P. Such pulling by the animal can badly tear and injure the ear 16P and even pull the tag device from the ear.
As best seen in Fig. 2, the Hicks tag device 14P utilizes a stiff, rigid stud s which includes a rigid head 27P which is integral with a central, rigid post 28P. The post has a stiff, pointed insertion tip 30P designed to pierce the ear 16P of the animal and is used to create the insertion wound aperture 31 P in the ear 16P.
The post 28P has a central cylindrical chamber 32P, which receives a pin (not shown) which is common to most commercially available tag installation tools. A known to retainer unit 34P receives and lockably engages the tip 30P to keep the device 14P
on the ear and usually includes an information carrying surface 36P.
Referring again to Fig.2, the stud 26P has an annular washer 38P of the type disclosed in the Hicks patent. The washer includes a depression 40P which receives the head 27P of the stud 26P. Positioned around the outer periphery 1s of the washer 38P are four shallow petals 46P. The washer 38P is formed of a urethane material which is more flexible than the material comprising the post and head 27P and is intended to allow the flexible petals 46P to become lightly biased against the ear at the time of installation.
Because the animal ear thickness varies from animal to animal and even the Zo ear thickness of a particular animal changes somewhat in response to temperature, it is not always possible to have the petals 46P contact the ear with such closeness as to prevent objects, particularly thin objects like fence wire 18P from slipping s Patent between the petals 46P and the animal ear 16P and being captured behind the tag.
As illustrated in Fig 2, the annular washer 38P has an annular rear surface 48P which is oriented at a right angle to the post 28P, and surface 48P and the post define a generally right angled corner 50P therebetween in which objects such as s the wire 18P c:an be captured and retained. This corner 50P is present on most commercially available animal tag devices because the head 27P of most studs has a generally annular, rigid flange adjacent the stud post and that flange does not bend or flex easily. Whenever an animal tag uses a standard stud having a stiff rigid post of the type generally used for forcible insertion through the ear, the to combination of rigid head and rigid post create an angled corner 50P which will snag objects therein and can badly injure the animal ear as the animal tries to escape from the entanglement. The present invention provides a solution to this shortcoming of the prior art.
Haves Patent 5,024,013 discloses an animal tag having a stud formed of Is polyurethane whose head is provided with six hinged petals separated by slots which extend about two-thirds of the way from the outer periphery of the head toward its center. A flat blade like post extends at a right angle to the head and is forced through the animal ear. Haves' petals carry identification data for the animal.
The Haves device seems to be mounted in a manner in which the tag is quite snug 2o relative to the animal but does not apply any bias to the animal skin through its petals. The petals are flexible and are described as moveable through at least 90°
to allow objects to be released. While the flexible Haves petals are an improvement Patent over prior devices, the Hayes stud utilized an unusual flat, blade-like shaft which was somewhat flexible in directions perpendicular to its flat surface, but was relatively nonflexible in other directions. In effect, the Hayes shaft, which has a rectangular cross section measuring .4 inch by .07 inches simply was not uniformly s flexible and bendable in all radial directions about its center. Applicants have found that a stud head is far more resistant to snagging with objects when its post is equally bendable and flexible in all radial directions and can at all times cooperate with flexible petals to twist and bend to escape a snagged object. The unusual rectangular cross section of the Hayes post is also more resistant to free rotation to within the insertion wound, and when it does rotate in response to snagging of the petals, its blade is likely to enlarge and tear the insertion wound and aggravate the healing of the wound. Consequently, objects which slip behind the Hayes petals and become lodged in the corner defined by his shaft and intersecting head can not always be easily dislodged because of the limited flexibility of his shaft.
is SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A significantly improved snag resistant animal tag features an improved stud formed of elastically flexible and bendable plastic material which allows elastic bending of both the post of the stud and the multiplicity of petals which define the stud's head.
2o The post of the improved stud has a tapered hollow chamber positioned on the axis of the post at the intersection of post and head, and the resulting thin walled post surrounding the chamber is bendable at the intersection through substantially Patent ninety degrees in all radial directions about the post axis.
The improved stud has a head molded integrally with the post and made up of a multiplicity of radially outwardly extending petals positioned at a generally right angle to the post. These petals are elastically bendable relative to the post through s a wide range, and each petal is also highly flexible about its own axis.
Cooperation between the bendable post and the bendable petals allows the stud to bend and flex extensively to escape entanglement with objects such as wire, rope, branches, brush, pen enclosures, fencing and the like. The extensive flexibility of the stud allows the right angle corner region between head and post to be elastically flexed ~o to a level where the right angle corner can be reduced to a shallow depression from which a wire or other ensnared object can readily escape in response to normal pulling and tugging by an ensnared animal, As a result the improved stud is better able to release from ensnared objects, reduces injury to the animal and greatly diminishes the risk of the tag being torn from the ear of the animal and lost.
~ s The invention also provides a break away petal constructed and arranged to tear away from the head of the stud at a force level less than that required to tear the stud from the ear of the animal. This mechanism allows the animal to break itself loose from an object with which it becomes hopelessly entangled by ripping one or more petals away from the head of the stud, zo The invention is easily and inexpensively manufactured, provides a more reliable tag which is not easily pulled loose from the animal, and reduces injuries caused by the stud ripping the ear of the animal. The stud's overall design affords s Patent improved air circulation to the area of the insertion wound to promote faster and more complete healing of the wound. Because the improved design greatly reduces the chance of the tag being torn from the animal ear, the identification data carried by the tag is rarely separated from the animal and important identification, s ownership and medical history associated with the animal is reliably preserved.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily understood by reading the following description in conjunction with the accompanying figures of the drawings wherein like reference numerals have been applied to designate like elements throughout the several views.
to BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an animal with an attached animal tag device of a type known to the art and illustrating how such devices can become snagged with objects, such as fencing, commonly encountered by the animal.
Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken along cutting plane 2-2 of Fig 1 and is illustrating a prior art animal tag device.
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view, taken partly in section, of a first embodiment of a snag resistant animal tag embodying the invention.
Patent Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of the animal tag device of Fig. 3 and showing alternative positions of the petals and post in phantom.
Fig. 5 is an elevation view of the tag device of Fig 3 taken in the direction of cutting plan 5-5 of Fig. 3.
s Fig 6 is a cross sectional side view of the animal tag device of Fig 5 taken in the direction of cutting plan 6-6 of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the animal tag device of Fig 3 in operation on an animal ear and illustrating the operating of the stud when it becomes snagged with a fence wire.
~o Fig. 8 is a side view showing the tag device of Fig. 7, taken in cross section, and illustrating the bending action of the tag device and the manner in which the tag can disengage from snagged objects.
Fig. 9 is a cross sectional sideview illustrating how the tag device of Fig. 3 allows its petals to break away from the stud.
is Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective of a second embodiment of a snag resistant animal tag device embodying the invention and wherein identification indicia may be Patent carried on the petals.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to Figs. 3-6, a first embodiment 10 of a snag resistant animal tag utilizes a highly flexible stud 12 and a retainer unit 14. The stud 12 is an s integral unit preferably formed from polyurethane plastic by molding and includes a generally flat head 16 and a central post 18 integral with the head 16 and extending outwardly therefrom at a right angle. As known to the art, a piercing point 20, having a generally hard unyielding tip formed of a material such as polystyrene is fixed to the free end 19 of the post to facilitate forcing the post through the ear of the ~o animal during installation of the tag 10 on the animal.
Although placing the stud in the ear of the animal is usually the most effective installation site, it should be understood that the tag will at times be attached to other parts of the animal body. Such alternative placements are within the purview of the invention.
is The stud 12 is molded of an elastic, highly flexible, bendable, plastic material such as polyurethane. The piercing point 20 is preferably joined to the free end 19 of the post 18 during the molding process. Post 18 has a circular cross section chamber 22 (Fig. 6) beginning at aperture 23 located on the outer surtace 24 of the head 16 and extending along the central axis 26 of the post 18. The chamber is 2o tapered from aperture 23, reducing in diameter as the chamber approaches the piercing point 20. The larger diameter of the chamber at intersection 21 results in Patent the post sidewall 27 being thinner at the intersection area and allows the post to achieve greater flexibility and bendability at the intersection 21, as described infra.
The presence of the chamber 22 also allows known, commercially available stud installation tools to be used to insert the stud in the ear of the animal. A
standard s technique known to the art for installation calls for a rigid pin, which is part of the known plier-type installation tools, to be inserted within the chamber 22 to grip the post 18 when it and the associated piercing point 20 is forcibly urged through the ear of the animal by the tool and captured within the retainer unit 14 In a preferred embodiment of the stud 12, the post has an outer diameter of to approximately 0.21 inches where it joins intersection 21. The diameter of the aperture 23 of the chamber 22 is approximately 0.12 inches, making the sidewall thickness of the post 18 at the intersection 21 of post and head approximately 0.04 inches. This relatively thin sidewall dimension at intersection 21 and the presence of the hollow chamber 22 result in a post structure which is exceptionally flexible, Is permitting the post 18 to be elastically bendable through substantially ninety degrees at intersection 21 from a first rest position 28 (Fig. 4) to a deformed position 29. The configuration of the post allows it to be elastically deformed or bent with equal ease in all radial directions about axis 26.
A shoulder 30 is positioned along post 18 just rearward of piercing point 20 2o and provides a locking mechanism by which the shoulder 30 can engage and interlock with a ledge 32 (Fig. 3) located within socket 34 of the retainer unit 14, thereby locking the stud 12 to the retainer unit.
Patent The head 16 of the stud 12 includes a multiplicity of elastically bendable petals 36A, 36B, 36C, 36D, 36E, 36F, 36G, and 36H, here shown as eight petals.
Since each such petal is substantially identical to the remaining petals, only petal 36A will be described in detail. Petal 36A, being integral with the stud 12 is also s formed of the same highly flexible material as the post 18 and preferably has a thickness of approximately 0.066 inches as measured between outer surface 24 and inner surface 25. Each petal extends from the intersection 21 to the outer periphery 38 of the head and is generally triangular in overall configuration. Adjacent petals are separated by spacer gaps 39 which extend radially relative to post axis 26, to beginning at intersection 21 and extending to outer periphery 38. If desired, the radius of the petals may be varied so as to suit the needs of individual tagging. A
radius of approximately one-half inch to one inch, as measured from axis 26 to outer periphery 38, has proven effective) and the radius of all petals need not be identical.
Each petal is sufficiently flexible and bendable as to be moveable through a is first arc of approximately ninety degrees to a position 42 (Fig. 4) contacting post 18 and through a second arc of approximately 180 degrees to position 44, thereby providing exceptional movement through a wide range calculated to cause the stud to be easily releasable from objects with which it could become snagged. The petal may even be flexed from position 42 through a further ninety degrees to contact 2o inner surface 25 of the head often moving the petal laterally to avoid striking the post 18. In addition each petal, such as 36A is also rotatable and bendable through an arc of at least 180° in direction 45 and direction 47 (Fig. 3) about a central axis Patent 40 of the petal 36A to further enhance its flexibility and ability to escape objects on which one or more petals might become snagged.
While tf~e device 10 has been illustrated as having eight petals, it should be understood that a greater or lesser number of such petals may be substituted and is s within the purview of the invention.
Positioned on each petal such as 36A is a breakaway slot 46 (Figs. 3 and 5) which extends completely across the neck 48 at intersection 21, the slot 46 having a depth of appro;~cimately 0.003 inches. This slot 46 has been found highly effective in permitting a petal to literally be torn from or pulled away from the head if it should ~o not be possible to free the petal by reason of the great flexibility and bendability of the petals and post. The depth and placement of the slot 46 is constructed and arranged to assure breakaway of the petal at a level of applied force less than that required to tear' the animal tag from the animal ear. It has been found that a force level for breakaway of the petal in the range of 12-15 pounds. has been highly ~ s effective and is achieved by the shown structure. Tests conducted on the embodiment 10 indicate that force levels on the order of 40 to 50 pounds are required to tear the stud from the ear of an animal.
While thE~ shown breakaway slot is preferred as the best device for producing the described breakaway result, it should be understood that other constructions of 2o the petal which would produce an effective breaking away, such as narrowing of the cross section of the neck 48 are contemplated and are within the purview of the invention. With the neck having a width of approximately 0.11 inches and a Patent thickness of 0.066 inches, breakaway will occur at a force level of about 15 pounds even when no slot 46 is present.
A spacer rib 54 is positioned on the inner surface 25 of the petal and adjacent the outer periphery 38 thereof and preferably extends outward from the surface 25 a s distance of ap;aroximately 0.086 inch in the preferred embodiment so as to assure that the inner surface 25 does not get substantially closer to the animal body than the thickness of the spacer rib, thereby increasing air circulation between the animal body and the inner surface 25 of the petals. Each spacer rib is provided with a smoothly curvf~d cross section to minimize any destructive rubbing or irritation to the ~o animal body. -fhe spacer gaps 39 between petals also encourage increased petal flexibility, and the gaps 39 enhance air circulation between and under the petals.
Such air circul;~tion deters the development of tissue necrosis and decreases the time required for the insertion wound 31 P to heal.
Referring now to Fig. 3, the retainer unit 14 includes a socket 34 formed in Is boss 35, the socket having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of post 18 but smaller than the maximum diameter of shoulder 30. The socket 34 is provided with an interior ledge 32, and when shoulder 30 of the post has been forced past ledge 32, the IE~dge permanently engages shoulder 30 and locks the stud within the socket 34. Preferably the retainer unit is formed integrally with an identification data 2o surface 56 on which owner and animal information may be recorded. The retainer unit 14 may be formed of polyurethane plastic material to increase its flexibility and resistance to snagging.
Patent The stud 12 is formed with an overall length from outer surface 24 to piercing paint tip 58 such that the inner surface 25 of the petals and the surface 60 of the retainer unit da not exert pressure on the animal body. It is preferred to have an additional five sixteenths to three eighths inch of clearance available along the post s 18 so that this extra space may separate the animal body from the surfaces 25 and 60 to further enhance air flow to the animal body. In practice a total length of approximately one inch works well for the stud 12, and allows the above clearances to be achievecl with most livestock.
In operation, when the animal tag device 10 (Fig. 3) is attached to the animal ~o body, the stud 12 is forced, usually through the animal's ear, and the shoulder 30 is then forced into the socket 34 of retainer unit 14 to lock the stud 12 to the unit 14.
Referring now to Fig. 7, if an object such as fence wire 18P should become caught behind the head 16 of the device 10, such wire or object usually lodges in the corner defined by the intersection of head 16 and post 18.
is As shown in Fig. 7) when the animal attempts to escape from the wire 18P, which is caught in the described corner, the animal instinctively pulls away from the wire, and the wire exerts forces 62 and 63 which cause the wire loop snagged behind the head 16 to begin to elastically twist and bend the post 18 and the petals of the stud 12 which are affected by the loop. As a result of the shown 2o entanglement, the petals 36A, 36B, 36C and 36D begin to bend outwardly from the ear 16P.
Referrin~~ now to Fig. 8, the forces 62 and 63 continue to apply twisting force Patent to the corner region 68 adjacent the petals 36A - 36D. As a result the post 18 elastically beads at the intersection 21 to a deformed position 64 and the petals 36A
- 36D are urgE~d to position 66. As a result the right angled corner normally found between the post 18 and head 16 is reconfigured to a relatively shallow depression s 67 from which the wire 18P can easily escape. As the wire 18P leaves the depression 67, the animal becomes free of the wire, and the elastic post 18 and elastic petals 36A - 36D return to the undeformed rest positions shown in Fig.
3.
Referring next to Fig. 9, the animal tag device 10 is shown with one of its petals 36A hopelessly caught or snagged with an object such as a length of twine l0 70, or the like. The petals, such as petal 36A, are designed to break away from the head 16 at a f~~rce level less than that required to pull the tag device 10 from the ear 16P of the animal. Consequently, when the animal begins to pull away from the object to which the petal 36A has become hopelessly snagged, the petal 36A
will break away from the head 16 at the narrow neck 48 of the petal. Typically such rs breaking away will occur at a force level between 12 and 15 pounds. The use of a breakaway slot 46 decreases the force level needed to break away the petal to a force in the lower part of the described range. As the petal 36A separates from the head 1 C, the animal is no longer snagged with the object and may again move freely. In Fig. 9 the head 16 is shown as having a second petal detached at zo location 72 as a result of a previous snagging incident from which the animal has successfully eacaped. So long as two to three petals remain on the head 16, the stud 12 will remain reliably attached to the animal.
Patent Accordingly it will be understood that the invention provides an improved tag device which reduces injury to the animal and permits escape of the animal from a wide variety of objects and situations from which the animal might otherwise be injured or as ~~ result of which the tag device 10 might be lost.
s Referring now to Fig. 10, a second embodiment 80 of a stud for a snag resistant animal tag is illustrated. The stud 80 may be used for various animals, but is particularly well suited for swine. The stud 80 is used with a retainer unit 84 functionally identical to the unit 14 except that the retainer unit 84 may be smaller and need not carry a data surface because the stud 80 will carry its data on its to larger petals. The stud 80 is identical in overall structure and operation to the stud 12 described earlier except for the differences described hereafter.
Stud 80 has a head 86 with six petals marked as petals 82A, 82B, 82C, 82D, 82E, and 82F with petal 82A being slightly larger in radius than the other petals to specifically make that petal more visually distinctive to an operator. The petals of is the stud 80 ar~~ all of a larger diameter than the petals of stud 12, and thus have greater surface area than was the case for the petals of embodiment 12, in order that numbers or other data may be entered on the outer surface 88 of one or more petals and be easily readable by the operator. The single larger petal 82A
defines an index by which the operator knows that petal contains the first number or 2o character for any data entered. Since data is carried on the petals of stud 80, this stud is not constructed or arranged to have its petals break or tear away from the stud.
Patent Each p~stal 82A-F is provided with a spacer rib 89 which serves the same purpose as th~~ spacer ribs 54 described in association with the petals of stud 12.
Preferably the thickness of the petals as measured between outer and inner surfaces 88 and 91, respectively is approximately 0.66 inches.
s A further difference between the stud 80 and stud 12 is that the spacer gaps 90 of head 86 do not extend fully to the intersection 92 between the post 94 and the head 86. This change creates a wider, stronger neck 96 where the petal joins the head 86 to assure that the petal will not tear or break away but allows substantially the same elastic bendability achieved with stud 12.
to A further difference between the stud 80 and the stud 12 is that the stud 80 is intended to be mounted on the animal with the petals 82A-F being positioned behind the ear of the ;animal and the retainer unit 84 being on the front of the ear.
Aside from the differences described, the stud 80 has the same overall flexibility poss~sssed by the stud 12. The post 94 is also provided with a tapered, Is hollow chamber 98 like the chamber 22 described in association with the stud 12 so as to further enhance the bendability of the post 94 at intersection 92. As a result the post 94 is capable of bending through a ninety degree angle relative to the head 86, and each of the petals 82A-F of stud 80 can be elastically bent through an arc of 360° without damage to the petals just as described for the stud 12.
Each petal, 2o such as petal f32A, is also extremely flexible and rotatably elastically bendable about its own axis 1 C~0 and can be elastically twisted or rotated about petal axis through an arc of at least 180 degrees in either direction 102 or 104 about the axis Patent 100. BecausE~ of the exceptional bendability of the post and petals of the stud 80, the stud exhibits substantially the same high performance as the stud 12 in its ability to slip from and disengage from most objects that the animal might encounter and with which it might become entangled.
s It is anticipated that various changes, variations Gnd modifications may be made in the construction, arrangement, operation and method of construction of the invention disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
Consistently achieving this slight bias in practice has turned out to be almost unattainable. Typically the piercing stud is sold in a single length or limited number s of lengths. The thickness of the animal ear, even within a single species varies enough that a given stud length may prove to be too loose on one animal, too tight on another, and reasonably effective on still other animals. Like all tissue, ear tissue also changes in size, swelling somewhat in hot weather, and contracting in colder weather'. A piercing stud intended to achieve only a slight bias against the to ear and no interference with blood circulation may not function as intended as the ear thickness varies from animal to animal and in response to temperature change.
To better understand the more recently developed animal tag devices, reference is made to Figures 1 and 2, which illustrate the tag device and stud disclosed by the Hicks patent and the snagging problems which can occur with such 1 s stud.
Referring now to Fig. 1, a cow 12P is shown with an animal tag device 14P
installed in the cow's ear 16P, and wherein the device has become snagged on the barbed wire 18P of fence line 20P. In practice such snagging can easily occur when the animal extends its head 22P through the fence to graze, and subsequently 2o withdraws its head in such a way that the wire 18P slips between the ear 16P and the tag device 14P.
When the animal 12P senses the snagging of the wire 18P with the tag Patent device , the animal will commonly react by pulling its head 22P rearward in direction 24P. Such pulling by the animal can badly tear and injure the ear 16P and even pull the tag device from the ear.
As best seen in Fig. 2, the Hicks tag device 14P utilizes a stiff, rigid stud s which includes a rigid head 27P which is integral with a central, rigid post 28P. The post has a stiff, pointed insertion tip 30P designed to pierce the ear 16P of the animal and is used to create the insertion wound aperture 31 P in the ear 16P.
The post 28P has a central cylindrical chamber 32P, which receives a pin (not shown) which is common to most commercially available tag installation tools. A known to retainer unit 34P receives and lockably engages the tip 30P to keep the device 14P
on the ear and usually includes an information carrying surface 36P.
Referring again to Fig.2, the stud 26P has an annular washer 38P of the type disclosed in the Hicks patent. The washer includes a depression 40P which receives the head 27P of the stud 26P. Positioned around the outer periphery 1s of the washer 38P are four shallow petals 46P. The washer 38P is formed of a urethane material which is more flexible than the material comprising the post and head 27P and is intended to allow the flexible petals 46P to become lightly biased against the ear at the time of installation.
Because the animal ear thickness varies from animal to animal and even the Zo ear thickness of a particular animal changes somewhat in response to temperature, it is not always possible to have the petals 46P contact the ear with such closeness as to prevent objects, particularly thin objects like fence wire 18P from slipping s Patent between the petals 46P and the animal ear 16P and being captured behind the tag.
As illustrated in Fig 2, the annular washer 38P has an annular rear surface 48P which is oriented at a right angle to the post 28P, and surface 48P and the post define a generally right angled corner 50P therebetween in which objects such as s the wire 18P c:an be captured and retained. This corner 50P is present on most commercially available animal tag devices because the head 27P of most studs has a generally annular, rigid flange adjacent the stud post and that flange does not bend or flex easily. Whenever an animal tag uses a standard stud having a stiff rigid post of the type generally used for forcible insertion through the ear, the to combination of rigid head and rigid post create an angled corner 50P which will snag objects therein and can badly injure the animal ear as the animal tries to escape from the entanglement. The present invention provides a solution to this shortcoming of the prior art.
Haves Patent 5,024,013 discloses an animal tag having a stud formed of Is polyurethane whose head is provided with six hinged petals separated by slots which extend about two-thirds of the way from the outer periphery of the head toward its center. A flat blade like post extends at a right angle to the head and is forced through the animal ear. Haves' petals carry identification data for the animal.
The Haves device seems to be mounted in a manner in which the tag is quite snug 2o relative to the animal but does not apply any bias to the animal skin through its petals. The petals are flexible and are described as moveable through at least 90°
to allow objects to be released. While the flexible Haves petals are an improvement Patent over prior devices, the Hayes stud utilized an unusual flat, blade-like shaft which was somewhat flexible in directions perpendicular to its flat surface, but was relatively nonflexible in other directions. In effect, the Hayes shaft, which has a rectangular cross section measuring .4 inch by .07 inches simply was not uniformly s flexible and bendable in all radial directions about its center. Applicants have found that a stud head is far more resistant to snagging with objects when its post is equally bendable and flexible in all radial directions and can at all times cooperate with flexible petals to twist and bend to escape a snagged object. The unusual rectangular cross section of the Hayes post is also more resistant to free rotation to within the insertion wound, and when it does rotate in response to snagging of the petals, its blade is likely to enlarge and tear the insertion wound and aggravate the healing of the wound. Consequently, objects which slip behind the Hayes petals and become lodged in the corner defined by his shaft and intersecting head can not always be easily dislodged because of the limited flexibility of his shaft.
is SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A significantly improved snag resistant animal tag features an improved stud formed of elastically flexible and bendable plastic material which allows elastic bending of both the post of the stud and the multiplicity of petals which define the stud's head.
2o The post of the improved stud has a tapered hollow chamber positioned on the axis of the post at the intersection of post and head, and the resulting thin walled post surrounding the chamber is bendable at the intersection through substantially Patent ninety degrees in all radial directions about the post axis.
The improved stud has a head molded integrally with the post and made up of a multiplicity of radially outwardly extending petals positioned at a generally right angle to the post. These petals are elastically bendable relative to the post through s a wide range, and each petal is also highly flexible about its own axis.
Cooperation between the bendable post and the bendable petals allows the stud to bend and flex extensively to escape entanglement with objects such as wire, rope, branches, brush, pen enclosures, fencing and the like. The extensive flexibility of the stud allows the right angle corner region between head and post to be elastically flexed ~o to a level where the right angle corner can be reduced to a shallow depression from which a wire or other ensnared object can readily escape in response to normal pulling and tugging by an ensnared animal, As a result the improved stud is better able to release from ensnared objects, reduces injury to the animal and greatly diminishes the risk of the tag being torn from the ear of the animal and lost.
~ s The invention also provides a break away petal constructed and arranged to tear away from the head of the stud at a force level less than that required to tear the stud from the ear of the animal. This mechanism allows the animal to break itself loose from an object with which it becomes hopelessly entangled by ripping one or more petals away from the head of the stud, zo The invention is easily and inexpensively manufactured, provides a more reliable tag which is not easily pulled loose from the animal, and reduces injuries caused by the stud ripping the ear of the animal. The stud's overall design affords s Patent improved air circulation to the area of the insertion wound to promote faster and more complete healing of the wound. Because the improved design greatly reduces the chance of the tag being torn from the animal ear, the identification data carried by the tag is rarely separated from the animal and important identification, s ownership and medical history associated with the animal is reliably preserved.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily understood by reading the following description in conjunction with the accompanying figures of the drawings wherein like reference numerals have been applied to designate like elements throughout the several views.
to BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an animal with an attached animal tag device of a type known to the art and illustrating how such devices can become snagged with objects, such as fencing, commonly encountered by the animal.
Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken along cutting plane 2-2 of Fig 1 and is illustrating a prior art animal tag device.
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view, taken partly in section, of a first embodiment of a snag resistant animal tag embodying the invention.
Patent Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of the animal tag device of Fig. 3 and showing alternative positions of the petals and post in phantom.
Fig. 5 is an elevation view of the tag device of Fig 3 taken in the direction of cutting plan 5-5 of Fig. 3.
s Fig 6 is a cross sectional side view of the animal tag device of Fig 5 taken in the direction of cutting plan 6-6 of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the animal tag device of Fig 3 in operation on an animal ear and illustrating the operating of the stud when it becomes snagged with a fence wire.
~o Fig. 8 is a side view showing the tag device of Fig. 7, taken in cross section, and illustrating the bending action of the tag device and the manner in which the tag can disengage from snagged objects.
Fig. 9 is a cross sectional sideview illustrating how the tag device of Fig. 3 allows its petals to break away from the stud.
is Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective of a second embodiment of a snag resistant animal tag device embodying the invention and wherein identification indicia may be Patent carried on the petals.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to Figs. 3-6, a first embodiment 10 of a snag resistant animal tag utilizes a highly flexible stud 12 and a retainer unit 14. The stud 12 is an s integral unit preferably formed from polyurethane plastic by molding and includes a generally flat head 16 and a central post 18 integral with the head 16 and extending outwardly therefrom at a right angle. As known to the art, a piercing point 20, having a generally hard unyielding tip formed of a material such as polystyrene is fixed to the free end 19 of the post to facilitate forcing the post through the ear of the ~o animal during installation of the tag 10 on the animal.
Although placing the stud in the ear of the animal is usually the most effective installation site, it should be understood that the tag will at times be attached to other parts of the animal body. Such alternative placements are within the purview of the invention.
is The stud 12 is molded of an elastic, highly flexible, bendable, plastic material such as polyurethane. The piercing point 20 is preferably joined to the free end 19 of the post 18 during the molding process. Post 18 has a circular cross section chamber 22 (Fig. 6) beginning at aperture 23 located on the outer surtace 24 of the head 16 and extending along the central axis 26 of the post 18. The chamber is 2o tapered from aperture 23, reducing in diameter as the chamber approaches the piercing point 20. The larger diameter of the chamber at intersection 21 results in Patent the post sidewall 27 being thinner at the intersection area and allows the post to achieve greater flexibility and bendability at the intersection 21, as described infra.
The presence of the chamber 22 also allows known, commercially available stud installation tools to be used to insert the stud in the ear of the animal. A
standard s technique known to the art for installation calls for a rigid pin, which is part of the known plier-type installation tools, to be inserted within the chamber 22 to grip the post 18 when it and the associated piercing point 20 is forcibly urged through the ear of the animal by the tool and captured within the retainer unit 14 In a preferred embodiment of the stud 12, the post has an outer diameter of to approximately 0.21 inches where it joins intersection 21. The diameter of the aperture 23 of the chamber 22 is approximately 0.12 inches, making the sidewall thickness of the post 18 at the intersection 21 of post and head approximately 0.04 inches. This relatively thin sidewall dimension at intersection 21 and the presence of the hollow chamber 22 result in a post structure which is exceptionally flexible, Is permitting the post 18 to be elastically bendable through substantially ninety degrees at intersection 21 from a first rest position 28 (Fig. 4) to a deformed position 29. The configuration of the post allows it to be elastically deformed or bent with equal ease in all radial directions about axis 26.
A shoulder 30 is positioned along post 18 just rearward of piercing point 20 2o and provides a locking mechanism by which the shoulder 30 can engage and interlock with a ledge 32 (Fig. 3) located within socket 34 of the retainer unit 14, thereby locking the stud 12 to the retainer unit.
Patent The head 16 of the stud 12 includes a multiplicity of elastically bendable petals 36A, 36B, 36C, 36D, 36E, 36F, 36G, and 36H, here shown as eight petals.
Since each such petal is substantially identical to the remaining petals, only petal 36A will be described in detail. Petal 36A, being integral with the stud 12 is also s formed of the same highly flexible material as the post 18 and preferably has a thickness of approximately 0.066 inches as measured between outer surface 24 and inner surface 25. Each petal extends from the intersection 21 to the outer periphery 38 of the head and is generally triangular in overall configuration. Adjacent petals are separated by spacer gaps 39 which extend radially relative to post axis 26, to beginning at intersection 21 and extending to outer periphery 38. If desired, the radius of the petals may be varied so as to suit the needs of individual tagging. A
radius of approximately one-half inch to one inch, as measured from axis 26 to outer periphery 38, has proven effective) and the radius of all petals need not be identical.
Each petal is sufficiently flexible and bendable as to be moveable through a is first arc of approximately ninety degrees to a position 42 (Fig. 4) contacting post 18 and through a second arc of approximately 180 degrees to position 44, thereby providing exceptional movement through a wide range calculated to cause the stud to be easily releasable from objects with which it could become snagged. The petal may even be flexed from position 42 through a further ninety degrees to contact 2o inner surface 25 of the head often moving the petal laterally to avoid striking the post 18. In addition each petal, such as 36A is also rotatable and bendable through an arc of at least 180° in direction 45 and direction 47 (Fig. 3) about a central axis Patent 40 of the petal 36A to further enhance its flexibility and ability to escape objects on which one or more petals might become snagged.
While tf~e device 10 has been illustrated as having eight petals, it should be understood that a greater or lesser number of such petals may be substituted and is s within the purview of the invention.
Positioned on each petal such as 36A is a breakaway slot 46 (Figs. 3 and 5) which extends completely across the neck 48 at intersection 21, the slot 46 having a depth of appro;~cimately 0.003 inches. This slot 46 has been found highly effective in permitting a petal to literally be torn from or pulled away from the head if it should ~o not be possible to free the petal by reason of the great flexibility and bendability of the petals and post. The depth and placement of the slot 46 is constructed and arranged to assure breakaway of the petal at a level of applied force less than that required to tear' the animal tag from the animal ear. It has been found that a force level for breakaway of the petal in the range of 12-15 pounds. has been highly ~ s effective and is achieved by the shown structure. Tests conducted on the embodiment 10 indicate that force levels on the order of 40 to 50 pounds are required to tear the stud from the ear of an animal.
While thE~ shown breakaway slot is preferred as the best device for producing the described breakaway result, it should be understood that other constructions of 2o the petal which would produce an effective breaking away, such as narrowing of the cross section of the neck 48 are contemplated and are within the purview of the invention. With the neck having a width of approximately 0.11 inches and a Patent thickness of 0.066 inches, breakaway will occur at a force level of about 15 pounds even when no slot 46 is present.
A spacer rib 54 is positioned on the inner surface 25 of the petal and adjacent the outer periphery 38 thereof and preferably extends outward from the surface 25 a s distance of ap;aroximately 0.086 inch in the preferred embodiment so as to assure that the inner surface 25 does not get substantially closer to the animal body than the thickness of the spacer rib, thereby increasing air circulation between the animal body and the inner surface 25 of the petals. Each spacer rib is provided with a smoothly curvf~d cross section to minimize any destructive rubbing or irritation to the ~o animal body. -fhe spacer gaps 39 between petals also encourage increased petal flexibility, and the gaps 39 enhance air circulation between and under the petals.
Such air circul;~tion deters the development of tissue necrosis and decreases the time required for the insertion wound 31 P to heal.
Referring now to Fig. 3, the retainer unit 14 includes a socket 34 formed in Is boss 35, the socket having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of post 18 but smaller than the maximum diameter of shoulder 30. The socket 34 is provided with an interior ledge 32, and when shoulder 30 of the post has been forced past ledge 32, the IE~dge permanently engages shoulder 30 and locks the stud within the socket 34. Preferably the retainer unit is formed integrally with an identification data 2o surface 56 on which owner and animal information may be recorded. The retainer unit 14 may be formed of polyurethane plastic material to increase its flexibility and resistance to snagging.
Patent The stud 12 is formed with an overall length from outer surface 24 to piercing paint tip 58 such that the inner surface 25 of the petals and the surface 60 of the retainer unit da not exert pressure on the animal body. It is preferred to have an additional five sixteenths to three eighths inch of clearance available along the post s 18 so that this extra space may separate the animal body from the surfaces 25 and 60 to further enhance air flow to the animal body. In practice a total length of approximately one inch works well for the stud 12, and allows the above clearances to be achievecl with most livestock.
In operation, when the animal tag device 10 (Fig. 3) is attached to the animal ~o body, the stud 12 is forced, usually through the animal's ear, and the shoulder 30 is then forced into the socket 34 of retainer unit 14 to lock the stud 12 to the unit 14.
Referring now to Fig. 7, if an object such as fence wire 18P should become caught behind the head 16 of the device 10, such wire or object usually lodges in the corner defined by the intersection of head 16 and post 18.
is As shown in Fig. 7) when the animal attempts to escape from the wire 18P, which is caught in the described corner, the animal instinctively pulls away from the wire, and the wire exerts forces 62 and 63 which cause the wire loop snagged behind the head 16 to begin to elastically twist and bend the post 18 and the petals of the stud 12 which are affected by the loop. As a result of the shown 2o entanglement, the petals 36A, 36B, 36C and 36D begin to bend outwardly from the ear 16P.
Referrin~~ now to Fig. 8, the forces 62 and 63 continue to apply twisting force Patent to the corner region 68 adjacent the petals 36A - 36D. As a result the post 18 elastically beads at the intersection 21 to a deformed position 64 and the petals 36A
- 36D are urgE~d to position 66. As a result the right angled corner normally found between the post 18 and head 16 is reconfigured to a relatively shallow depression s 67 from which the wire 18P can easily escape. As the wire 18P leaves the depression 67, the animal becomes free of the wire, and the elastic post 18 and elastic petals 36A - 36D return to the undeformed rest positions shown in Fig.
3.
Referring next to Fig. 9, the animal tag device 10 is shown with one of its petals 36A hopelessly caught or snagged with an object such as a length of twine l0 70, or the like. The petals, such as petal 36A, are designed to break away from the head 16 at a f~~rce level less than that required to pull the tag device 10 from the ear 16P of the animal. Consequently, when the animal begins to pull away from the object to which the petal 36A has become hopelessly snagged, the petal 36A
will break away from the head 16 at the narrow neck 48 of the petal. Typically such rs breaking away will occur at a force level between 12 and 15 pounds. The use of a breakaway slot 46 decreases the force level needed to break away the petal to a force in the lower part of the described range. As the petal 36A separates from the head 1 C, the animal is no longer snagged with the object and may again move freely. In Fig. 9 the head 16 is shown as having a second petal detached at zo location 72 as a result of a previous snagging incident from which the animal has successfully eacaped. So long as two to three petals remain on the head 16, the stud 12 will remain reliably attached to the animal.
Patent Accordingly it will be understood that the invention provides an improved tag device which reduces injury to the animal and permits escape of the animal from a wide variety of objects and situations from which the animal might otherwise be injured or as ~~ result of which the tag device 10 might be lost.
s Referring now to Fig. 10, a second embodiment 80 of a stud for a snag resistant animal tag is illustrated. The stud 80 may be used for various animals, but is particularly well suited for swine. The stud 80 is used with a retainer unit 84 functionally identical to the unit 14 except that the retainer unit 84 may be smaller and need not carry a data surface because the stud 80 will carry its data on its to larger petals. The stud 80 is identical in overall structure and operation to the stud 12 described earlier except for the differences described hereafter.
Stud 80 has a head 86 with six petals marked as petals 82A, 82B, 82C, 82D, 82E, and 82F with petal 82A being slightly larger in radius than the other petals to specifically make that petal more visually distinctive to an operator. The petals of is the stud 80 ar~~ all of a larger diameter than the petals of stud 12, and thus have greater surface area than was the case for the petals of embodiment 12, in order that numbers or other data may be entered on the outer surface 88 of one or more petals and be easily readable by the operator. The single larger petal 82A
defines an index by which the operator knows that petal contains the first number or 2o character for any data entered. Since data is carried on the petals of stud 80, this stud is not constructed or arranged to have its petals break or tear away from the stud.
Patent Each p~stal 82A-F is provided with a spacer rib 89 which serves the same purpose as th~~ spacer ribs 54 described in association with the petals of stud 12.
Preferably the thickness of the petals as measured between outer and inner surfaces 88 and 91, respectively is approximately 0.66 inches.
s A further difference between the stud 80 and stud 12 is that the spacer gaps 90 of head 86 do not extend fully to the intersection 92 between the post 94 and the head 86. This change creates a wider, stronger neck 96 where the petal joins the head 86 to assure that the petal will not tear or break away but allows substantially the same elastic bendability achieved with stud 12.
to A further difference between the stud 80 and the stud 12 is that the stud 80 is intended to be mounted on the animal with the petals 82A-F being positioned behind the ear of the ;animal and the retainer unit 84 being on the front of the ear.
Aside from the differences described, the stud 80 has the same overall flexibility poss~sssed by the stud 12. The post 94 is also provided with a tapered, Is hollow chamber 98 like the chamber 22 described in association with the stud 12 so as to further enhance the bendability of the post 94 at intersection 92. As a result the post 94 is capable of bending through a ninety degree angle relative to the head 86, and each of the petals 82A-F of stud 80 can be elastically bent through an arc of 360° without damage to the petals just as described for the stud 12.
Each petal, 2o such as petal f32A, is also extremely flexible and rotatably elastically bendable about its own axis 1 C~0 and can be elastically twisted or rotated about petal axis through an arc of at least 180 degrees in either direction 102 or 104 about the axis Patent 100. BecausE~ of the exceptional bendability of the post and petals of the stud 80, the stud exhibits substantially the same high performance as the stud 12 in its ability to slip from and disengage from most objects that the animal might encounter and with which it might become entangled.
s It is anticipated that various changes, variations Gnd modifications may be made in the construction, arrangement, operation and method of construction of the invention disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
Claims (30)
1. A snag resistant animal tag device attachable to an animal body through an insertion wound in the animal and better able to disengage from an entangled object without tearing the animal body, comprising:
a stud having a generally flat head with an outer periphery, said stud molded of a first plastic material which is elastically bendable;
said elastically bendable stud including a central elastically bendable post integral with said head and extending outwardly from an intersection with said head, said post including a free end and a locking mechanism adjacent said free end;
said head and said post defining a generally right angle corner therebetween when said post and said head of said stud are in an undeformed rest position;
said post having a generally circular cross section centered a central axis substantially perpendicular to said head, said post constructed and arranged to elastically bend laterally relative to said central axis with substantially equal ease of bending in every radial direction about said axis;
a piercing point having a generally hard, inflexible tip formed of a second material, and fixed to said free end of said post to facilitate the insertion of said post through the animal body;
a retainer unit having a socket therein to lockably engage said point and said locking mechanism of said post and cooperating with said stud to confine the animal body between said head and said retainer unit when said post has been passed through the animal body;
said head including a multiplicity of elastically bendable petals, each said petal extending radially outward relative to said axis, each said petal forming said right angle corner with said post when said head and said post are in said undeformed rest position; and said bendable petals and said bendable post cooperating, when the object becomes entangled in said corner, to bend and deform from said first position to a second deformed position in response to forces generated by movement of the animal body, wherein said right angled corner is reduced to a small depression too shallow to retain the object, such bending and deforming of said post and said petals thereby allowing the object to slip from said corner and thereby disengage from the tag device without tearing of the animal body.
a stud having a generally flat head with an outer periphery, said stud molded of a first plastic material which is elastically bendable;
said elastically bendable stud including a central elastically bendable post integral with said head and extending outwardly from an intersection with said head, said post including a free end and a locking mechanism adjacent said free end;
said head and said post defining a generally right angle corner therebetween when said post and said head of said stud are in an undeformed rest position;
said post having a generally circular cross section centered a central axis substantially perpendicular to said head, said post constructed and arranged to elastically bend laterally relative to said central axis with substantially equal ease of bending in every radial direction about said axis;
a piercing point having a generally hard, inflexible tip formed of a second material, and fixed to said free end of said post to facilitate the insertion of said post through the animal body;
a retainer unit having a socket therein to lockably engage said point and said locking mechanism of said post and cooperating with said stud to confine the animal body between said head and said retainer unit when said post has been passed through the animal body;
said head including a multiplicity of elastically bendable petals, each said petal extending radially outward relative to said axis, each said petal forming said right angle corner with said post when said head and said post are in said undeformed rest position; and said bendable petals and said bendable post cooperating, when the object becomes entangled in said corner, to bend and deform from said first position to a second deformed position in response to forces generated by movement of the animal body, wherein said right angled corner is reduced to a small depression too shallow to retain the object, such bending and deforming of said post and said petals thereby allowing the object to slip from said corner and thereby disengage from the tag device without tearing of the animal body.
2. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 1 wherein each said petal is bendable at said corner and relative to said head through an arc of at least ninety degrees without damage to said petal.
3. Tree snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 2 wherein said post is elastically bendable at said corner in every radial direction about said axis through an arc of substantially ninety degrees relative to said head.
4. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 3 wherein said post has a hollow chamber commencing at said head and extending along said axis to enhance the bendability of said post.
5. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 4 wherein said hollow chamber is of circular cross section and has its greatest diameter adjacent said intersection.
6. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 5 wherein said chamber is tapered and of predetermined length with said diameter decreasing as the distance from acid head increases.
7. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 1 wherein said post is bendable at said corner in every radial direction about said axis through an arc of substantially ninety degrees relative to said head.
8. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 1 wherein said post has a hollow chamber commencing at said head and extending along said axis to enhance the bendability of said post.
9. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 1 wherein each said petal is bendable at said corner through an arc of substantially 180°
without damage to said petal.
without damage to said petal.
10. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 1 wherein each said petal is bendable at said corner through an arc of at least 270°
without damage to said petal.
without damage to said petal.
11. The snag resistant animal tag of Claim 1 wherein each said petal is constructed and arranged to break away from said head adjacent said corner at an applied force level less than that required to tear said stud from the animal body.
12. The snag resistant animal tag of Claim 11 wherein each said petal is constructed and arranged to break away from said head at a force level of 12 to 15 pounds.
13. The snag resistant animal tag of Claim 11 wherein each said petal has a breakaway slot adjacent said intersection to thereby weaken each said petal to enhance breaking away of the petal from said head.
14. The snag resistant animal tag of Claim 11 wherein each said petal has a narrow neck at said intersection to thereby weaken the petal to enhance breaking away of the petal from said head.
15. The snag resistant animal tag of Claim 1 wherein said post has a predetermined length such that the maximum distance from said corner to said lockably engaged retainer unit exceeds the thickness of the animal body to be contained therebetween to assure that said petals are not forced against said animal body.
16. The snag resistant animal tag of Claim 15 wherein said maximum distance exceeds the thickness of the animal body by five sixteenths inch to three-eighths inch.
17. The snag resistant animal tag of Claim 15 wherein:
each said petal has an outer surface and an inner surface; and each petal includes a spacer formed on said inner surface of said petal adjacent said outer periphery to deter said inner surface of each said petal from contacting the animal body, thereby promoting improved air circulation between said animal body and said inner surface and early healing of the insertion wound.
each said petal has an outer surface and an inner surface; and each petal includes a spacer formed on said inner surface of said petal adjacent said outer periphery to deter said inner surface of each said petal from contacting the animal body, thereby promoting improved air circulation between said animal body and said inner surface and early healing of the insertion wound.
18. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 1 wherein said multiplicity of petals is at least six petals.
19. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 1 wherein said multiplicity of petals is at least eight petals.
20. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 1 wherein each said petal is elastically bendable at said corner through an arc of substantially 360°
without damage to said petal.
without damage to said petal.
21. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 1 wherein:
said post is elastically bendable at said corner in every radial direction about said axis through an arc of substantially ninety degrees relative to said head;
said post has a hollow chamber commencing at said head and extending along said axis to enhance the bendability of said post;
the material from which said head and post are formed is polyurethane;
each said petal has an outer surface and an inner surface;
each petal includes a spacer formed on said inner surface of said petal adjacent said outer periphery to deter said inner surface of each said petal from contacting the animal body; and wherein said multiplicity of petals is at least six petals.
said post is elastically bendable at said corner in every radial direction about said axis through an arc of substantially ninety degrees relative to said head;
said post has a hollow chamber commencing at said head and extending along said axis to enhance the bendability of said post;
the material from which said head and post are formed is polyurethane;
each said petal has an outer surface and an inner surface;
each petal includes a spacer formed on said inner surface of said petal adjacent said outer periphery to deter said inner surface of each said petal from contacting the animal body; and wherein said multiplicity of petals is at least six petals.
22. A snag resistant animal tag device attachable to an animal body through an insertion wound in the animal and better able to disengage from an entangled object without tearing the animal body, comprising:
a stud having a head with an outer periphery and molded of a first plastic material which is elastically bendable;
said elastically bendable stud including a central elastically bendable post integral with said head and extending transversely outwardly from an intersection with said head, said post including a free end and a locking mechanism adjacent said free end;
a piercing point having a generally hard, inflexible tip formed of a second material, and fixed to said free end of said post to facilitate the insertion of said post through the animal body;
a retainer unit having a socket therein to lockably engage said point and said locking mechanism of said post and cooperating with said stud to confine the animal body between said head and said retainer unit when said post has been passed through the animal body;
said head including a multiplicity of elastically bendable petals, each said petal extending radially outward from said central post; and each said petal being constructed and arranged to breakaway from said head at an applied force level less than that required to tear said stud from the animal body.
a stud having a head with an outer periphery and molded of a first plastic material which is elastically bendable;
said elastically bendable stud including a central elastically bendable post integral with said head and extending transversely outwardly from an intersection with said head, said post including a free end and a locking mechanism adjacent said free end;
a piercing point having a generally hard, inflexible tip formed of a second material, and fixed to said free end of said post to facilitate the insertion of said post through the animal body;
a retainer unit having a socket therein to lockably engage said point and said locking mechanism of said post and cooperating with said stud to confine the animal body between said head and said retainer unit when said post has been passed through the animal body;
said head including a multiplicity of elastically bendable petals, each said petal extending radially outward from said central post; and each said petal being constructed and arranged to breakaway from said head at an applied force level less than that required to tear said stud from the animal body.
23. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 22 wherein each said petal has a breakaway slot adjacent said intersection to thereby weaken each said petal to enhance breaking away of the petal from said head.
24. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 22 wherein each petal is constructed and arranged to breakaway from said head when said petal is subjected to tension forces in the range of 12 to 15 pounds.
25. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 22 wherein each said petal has a reduced neck thickness at said intersection to enhance breakaway of said petals.
26. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 22 wherein said post has a generally circular cross section centered on a central axis substantially perpendicular to said head, said post constructed and arranged to elastically bend laterally relative to said central axis with substantially equal ease of bending in every radial direction about said axis.
27. The snag resistant animal tag device of Claim 26 wherein said head and said post define a generally right angle corner therebetween when said post
28 and said head of said stud are in an undeformed rest position; and said bendable petals and said bendable post cooperating, when an object becomes entangled in said corner, to cooperatively bend and deform from said rest position to a second position wherein said right angled corner is reduced to a small depression too shallow to retain the object, such bending and deforming of said post and said petals caused by forces resulting from movement of the animal body, thereby allowing the object to slip from the notch and thereby disengage the tag device without tearing of the animal body.
28. A snag resistant animal tag device for attachment to an animal body comprising:
a stud having a generally flat head with an outer periphery, a central post extending transversely from said head and having a free end, and including a piercing point having a hard generally inflexible tip fixed to the free end of said post to facilitate insertion of the shaft through the animal body;
a receiver unit having a socket therein to lockably receive said point and confine the animal body between said head and said receiver until after said shaft has passed through the animal body; and wherein :>aid head and said post other than said tip are molded of a flexible, resilient plastic material and said head includes a multiplicity of flexible
28. A snag resistant animal tag device for attachment to an animal body comprising:
a stud having a generally flat head with an outer periphery, a central post extending transversely from said head and having a free end, and including a piercing point having a hard generally inflexible tip fixed to the free end of said post to facilitate insertion of the shaft through the animal body;
a receiver unit having a socket therein to lockably receive said point and confine the animal body between said head and said receiver until after said shaft has passed through the animal body; and wherein :>aid head and said post other than said tip are molded of a flexible, resilient plastic material and said head includes a multiplicity of flexible
29 petals extending radially outward from said post said head including a multiplicity of spacer gaps separating said petals and extending from said outer periphery of said head and terminating substantially at said post to increase the flexibility of said petals at said post so as to allow the stud to escape ensnarement with objects Without tearing of the animal body.
30
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US2253598A | 1998-02-12 | 1998-02-12 | |
| US09/022,535 | 1998-02-12 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2226525A1 true CA2226525A1 (en) | 1999-08-12 |
Family
ID=29418152
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2226525 Abandoned CA2226525A1 (en) | 1998-02-12 | 1998-02-16 | Snag resistant animal tag device |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2226525A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN113229167A (en) * | 2021-06-04 | 2021-08-10 | 重庆御芯微信息技术有限公司 | Intelligent ear tag for pigs |
-
1998
- 1998-02-16 CA CA 2226525 patent/CA2226525A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN113229167A (en) * | 2021-06-04 | 2021-08-10 | 重庆御芯微信息技术有限公司 | Intelligent ear tag for pigs |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| FZDE | Dead |