IES980830A2 - Animal Ear Tags - Google Patents

Abstract

An ear tag comprising interfitting male and female parts (11,18) for fixing the tag to an animal's ear, each part having a separate tab (13,20) for carrying identification indicia, wherein the male part comprises a rivet integrally moulded with a tab (13) extending in one direction from the rivet and substantially at right angles thereto, the rivet having a hollow stem (11) and a head (17) for piercing an animal's ear, and the tab has edges (15) which converge towards the stem (11) and merge with it at or close to the diameter of the stem which is at right angles to the extension direction of the tab, so that no flange is formed at the sides of the stem. The tab has a reinforcing throat portion (16) in the region adjacent to the stem (11), the throat portion increasing in thickness towards the stem. The male part may have a flexible nose which projects from the face of the stem remote from the tab. <Figure 5>

Description

"ANIMAL EAR TAGS" An ear tag comprising interfitting male and female parts (11,18) for fixing the tag to an animal's ear, each part having a separate tab (13,20) for carrying identification indicia, wherein the male part comprises a rivet integrally moulded with a tab (13) extending in one direction from the rivet and substantially at right angles thereto, the rivet having a hollow stem (11) and a head (17) for piercing an animal's ear, and the tab has edges (15) which converge towards the stem (11) and merge with it at or close to the diameter of the stem which is at right angles to the extension direction of the tab, so that no flange is formed at the sides of the stem. The tab has a reinforcing throat portion (16) in the region adjacent to the stem (11), the throat portion increasing in thickness towards the stem. The male part may have a flexible nose which projects from the face of the stem remote from the tab.

IE 9 8 0 8 5 0 OPEN TO PUBLIC INSPECTION UNDER SECTION 28 AND RULE 23 | JNL No..... IW OF.Q?.. 1 SKIT Ci 6 1 A-olK Il &G i > GroR P' J Technical Field ANIMAL EAR TAGS This invention relates to ear tags for animals, particularly for use in marking farm animals in disease eradication programmes or in control of stock or movement of animals.

Background Art Various forms of animal ear tags are commercially available and/or are described in the patent literature, for example WO 91/10982 and W0 95/04455 of the present inventors.

A form of ear tag which is widely used in officially approved animal marking schemes comprises interfitting male and female parts for fixing the tag to an animal's ear in which the male part comprises a rivet integrally moulded with a tab. The tab forms a flange.around the stem of the rivet. There is a problem resulting from twine, wire or the like becoming snagged on this flange as described below.

Disclosure of Invention The present invention provides an ear tag comprising interfitting IE 9 8 0 8 3 Β - 2 male and female parts for fixing the tag to an animal's ear, each part having a separate tab for carrying identification indicia, wherein the male part comprises a rivet integrally moulded with a tab extending in one direction from the rivet and substantially at right angles thereto, the rivet having a hollow stem and a head for piercing an animal's ear, the tab having edges which converge towards the stem and merge with it at or close to the diameter of the stem which is at right angles to the extension direction of the tab, so that no flange is formed at the sides of the stem.

Preferably the tab has a reinforcing throat portion in the region adjacent to the stem, the throat portion increasing in thickness forwards the stem.

In one embodiment the male part has a flexible nose which projects from the face of the stem remote from the tab.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying diagrams in which: Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a male part of a conventional tag, viewed from the rear; Figure 2 is a similar elevation partly in section, of the male part of a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is an elevation, viewed from the rear of the male part of the first embodiment; Figure 4 is a vertical cross section of the interfitting male and female parts of the tag of the first embodiment.

Figure 5 is a pictorial view of the male part of the first embodiment; Figure 5 is an elevation, similar to Figure 3 of a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 is a vertical cross section similar to Figure 4, of the interfitting male and female parts of the second embodiment.

IE 9 8 0 8 3 0 - 3 The conventional tag shown in Figure 1 has a male part comprising a rivet with a hollow stem 1 and a tab 3 at right angles thereto. The stem 1 defines an axial passage 2 therein. The tab 3 surrounds the base of the stem 1 and forms a flange 4 extending radially therefrom.

The flange 4 has an upper portion 6 which is above the stem.

It has been found in practice that string, twine or wire can become snagged behind the upper portion 6 of the flange and that this can cause fracture of the stem 1, usually adjacent to the head, because of the thin wall thickness of the stem around the passage 2.

The problem is particularly associated with baler twine which has been stripped off a bale of hay or other feed and left lying on or beside a pasture. The twine often has a closed loop which can easily become snagged behind the flange 4. If the other end of the twine is caught around something immovable, or if the animal stands on it, movement of the animal's head causes the snagged twine to become tensioned on the stem 1 of the tag. The flange 4 does not flex and so the twine is snagged behind the upper portion 6. If too much pressure is applied on the stem 1 it will fracture and/or the tag will be pulled out of the animal's ear. A small but significant number of animals lose the tags from both ears. In recent years, less importance has been attached to the tamper-proof qualities of ear tags because computerised records of animal history and movements have reduced the temptation for unscrupulous persons to tamper with and switch tags. However it is inreasingly important that the tags applied to an animal's ear shortly after birth should be retained there for the whole of the animal's life.

The stem of the male part of a tag of this type is hollow so that a mandrel can be inserted into the passage to support the head during piercing of the animal's ear and insertion of the head into the female part of the tag. As the stem is moulded integrally with the tab (which should be of soft relatively flexible material) the insertion of a mandrel to support the stem is necessary. Strength is required at the junction of the stem and the male part. In the conventional tag this is achieved by having material of the tab all around the stem. However IE 3 8 0 8 3 (J - 4 the resultant flange causes the snagging of bailer twine as described above. Fencing wire can also create a similar problem. It is difficult to attach the stem to the tab in a strong enough fashion while allowing twine or the like to become disentangled.

As shown in Figures 2-5, the problem is solved by making the edge of the tag flush with the outer edge of the rivet. In the second embodiment of Figure 6-7 there is a nose 30 which extends upwardly beyond the stem 11 but the nose 30 is thin and flexible enough to allow twine or the like to slip over it instead of becoming snagged.

The male part of the tag shown in Figures 2-5 comprises a rivet with a hollow stem 1 which is of substantially greater wall thickness (e.g. about 7mm) at its junction with the tab 13 as compared to the conventional tag of Figure 1. The rivet is homogeneously moulded of one plastics material.

The stem 1 is at right angles to the tab 13, on which identification indicia e.g. numbers and/or letters will be applied (not shown). The tab 13 is generally of conventional shape but its edges 15 converge towards the stem 11 and merge with it so that the width of the tab at the sides of the stem is not significantly greater than the external diameter of the stem at its junction with the tab. In the embodiment of Figures 2-5, the tab does not project above the stem 11. There is no flange projecting from the stem for the upper half of its circumference. This is a clearly different structure from that of the tab of Figure 1.

The tab 13 is generally of uniform thickness in accordance with the prior art but it has a reinforcing throat portion 16 which increases in thickness towards the stem 11 so that the thickest part defines a junction line 21 with the stem. This strengthens the integration of the stem with the tab. For example, the tab may be of a thickness in the range 1 - 1.5mm while the throat may increase up to a thickness of 1.5 - 2 mm at the junction line.

The stem 11 tapers rearwardly from the junction line towards a waist portion 22 beyond which is the head 17 of greater diameter. As - 5 IE9 8 08 39 shown in Figure 4, the head is received in a cavity 19 in a female part 18 which is integrated with a second tab 20. The second tab 20 will also carry identification indicia in accordance with the prior art. An axial passage 12 extends rearwardly inside the stem 11 as far as the waist portion 22. The passage 12 has stepped walls to engage with a mandrel (not shown) or an applicator of known type.

The male part is most suitably moulded of a moderately soft plastics material comparable to that of the tabs of some commercially available ear tags e.g. a polyurethane elastomer such as a polyesterurethane sold by Bayer aG under the Trade Mark DESMOPAN 359. The female part is most suitably moulded of a soft plastics material as in conventional tags e.g. the polyurethane elastomer sold under the Trade Mark DESMOPAN 795 U.

If desired, the male part may be moulded of two types of compatible material : a harder plastics material for the rivet (the stem 11 and head 17) and a softer plastics material for the tab 13.

The two types of material may suitably be fed into the mould from two different gates but at the same temperature so that they fuse in the mould.

The stem 11 is generally cylindrical forwardly of the junction line 21. The face 23 of the stem remote from the tab is generally semi-cylindrical. Therefore if any twine or the like is caught in the tag(, it can easily slip off the front edge of the stem which is on the outside of the animal's ear. If the twine becomes caught around the tab 13, it slips past the smooth shoulders 24 and rounded corners 25, facilitated by possible folding of the wings of the tab which is flexible. If desired, the face of the stem remote from the tab 13 may be tapered forwardly.

The second embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7 differs from the first embodiment in that it has a narrow nose 30 extending from the upper face of the stem 11 with its front face generally in line with the front face of the tab 13. The nose 30 is thinner than the tab. The nose 30 provides security against a risk of the rivet turning through the hole in the animal's ear.

IE 9 8 Ο 8 3 9 - 6 10 However the nose 30 is sufficiently thin and flexible to bend if twine or the like becomes caught behind it, so that the twine or the like can slip off the front of the tag as described for the first embodiment. Because there are no flange portions at the sides of the stem 11, the nose 30 is not held in a rigid manner and it can flex sufficiently to release the twine or the like.

If desired, a metal insert may be included in the head 17. Also, if desired, a split washer or speed clip or other spring retaining means may be inserted in the female part.

Claims (5)

1.CLAIMS 5 1. An ear tag comprising interfitting male and female parts for fixing the tag to an animal's ear, each part having a separate tab for carrying identification indicia, wherein the male part comprises a rivet integrally moulded with a tab extending in one direction from the rivet and substantially at right angles thereto, the rivet having a 10 hollow stem and a head for piercing an animal's ear, and the tab has edges which converge towards the stem and merge with it at or close to the diameter of the stem which is at right angles to the extension direction of the tab, so that no flange is formed at the sides of the stem.

2. An ear tag according to Claim 1 wherein the tab has a reinforcing throat portion in the region adjacent to the stem, the throat portion increasing in thickness towards the stem. 20

3. An ear tag according to claim 1 or claim 2 where the male part has a flexible nose which projects from the face of the stem remote from the tab.

4. An ear tag substantially as described herein with reference to and 25 as illustrated in Figures 2 to 5.

5. An ear tag substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.