WO2010072689A2

WO2010072689A2 - Male portion of a tag for tagging an animal, and corresponding storage system for at least two male portions

Info

Publication number: WO2010072689A2
Application number: PCT/EP2009/067592
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-Jacques Hilpert
Original assignee: Allflex Europe
Priority date: 2008-12-22
Filing date: 2009-12-18
Publication date: 2010-07-01
Also published as: FR2940009B1; FR2940009A1; WO2010072689A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a male portion of a tag for tagging an animal, including a rod (14) ending in a tip (18). According to the invention, such a male portion includes a removable cap (30) including a recess suitable for receiving at least said tip, and a retention means enabling said tip to be rigidly connected to said cap (30) such that a user must exert a force on the cap (30) in order to release the tip (18).

Description

Male part of a mark for the marking of an animal and set of storage of at least two corresponding male parts.

1. Field of the invention

The field of the invention is that of the identification and marking of animals.

More specifically, the invention relates to the packaging of a marking device, or mark, and in particular of a male part of such a device.

2. Prior Art

The identification of livestock has been made compulsory in many countries, in particular for monitoring livestock and guaranteeing the origin of animals intended especially for consumption. This marking may concern cattle as well as sheep, pigs, goats, birds, fish, or any other animal species.

Traditionally, a mark includes an identification number on a tag that tracks the animal throughout its life. For example, according to European Directive 1760/2000, all cattle must be identified by an ear tag affixed to each ear, both with the same unique identification code that identifies each animal individually, as well as exploitation where he was born. These marks must therefore be tamper-proof in order to ensure the traceability of the animal, ie it must not be possible to remove a mark affixed to a first animal to re-pose it on a second animal. animal.

Plastic brands are currently the most used. They comprise a loop bearing a label on which are mentioned all the legal data by printing or engraving, by laser marking, or any other means known to those skilled in the art. They are especially designed to be installed irreversibly, using a tamper-evident fastening system, locking a male part in a female part, for example by means of a ring, notches, and / or a fixing clip. An example of a classic ear tag is shown in Figure 1. Such a mark is affixed to an animal ear by interlocking a male part 10 with a female part 20 by interlocking or snapping together.

Conventionally, the male part 10 comprises a cylindrical hollow rod 14 extending from a support 12 intended to bear on one face of the animal's ear, perpendicularly (or substantially perpendicularly) to this support 12.

The rod 14 is terminated by a conical or frustoconical tip 18 (also called a head) delimiting an external shoulder 15. The tip 18 generally allows the skin of the animal to be punctured before the male part 10 is associated with the female part 20. In one embodiment, the tip 18 is truncated and allows the passage of a tissue removal member of the animal. In both cases, the outer shoulder 15 keeps the tip 18 in the female part 20.

More specifically, the female portion 20 comprises a receiving button 27 having an orifice 21 and a cavity 25 for the introduction of the tip 18 of the rod 3. The base of the female part can bear on the other side of the 'hear.

These brands are usually shipped and delivered to users (who are farmers for example) in an envelope. For example, the marks are arranged in a plastic package molded in rows of ten, the male portions forming a first row and the female portions forming a second row. Each mark includes a male part and the female part associated with it, that is to say bearing the same identification number.

Such packaging is generally made of polystyrene, but can also be made of high density polyethylene.

Unfortunately, this type of packaging has many disadvantages.

Firstly, it is not uncommon for the tip of the male part to pierce the wall of the molded plastic package, and possibly the envelope containing it, during the packaging, transport, and / or storage of the marks. . he There is therefore a risk of losing the marks during their transport.

In addition, upon receipt of the marks, the user may be injured if the plastic packaging and / or envelope have torn. Another disadvantage therefore lies in the fact that the manipulation of the marks is sometimes a source of injury, the tip of the male part constituting a risk of sting for the one who withdraws it from the packaging and / or which handles it during the setting place the mark on an animal, for example.

In addition, the user sometimes uses only part of the proposed brands (for example four brands while the packaging offers ten), and leaves the other six brands aside in their packaging, sometimes without putting them back in the box. envelope or in a clean place. The marks, especially the tips of the male parts if they tear the packaging, are then exposed to dust, moisture, bacteria, etc., for a longer or shorter period (until the birth of a new animal for example). But the tip of the male part being intended to pass through the skin (ear) of the animal, it can when dirty or damaged cause infection or poor healing of the wound of the animal.

There is therefore a need for a solution to overcome these problems. 3. Presentation of the invention

The invention proposes a novel solution that does not have all of these disadvantages of the prior art, in the form of a male part of a mark for the marking of an animal, comprising a rod ending in a point. According to the invention, such a male part comprises a removable cap comprising a housing adapted to receive at least said tip, and retaining means for securing said tip to said cap, so that a user must exert a force on the cap to be able to release the tip.

The invention thus proposes to protect the tip of a male part of a mark, the male part being able to cooperate with a female part. For this, the tip of the male part, and possibly all or a portion of the rod, are housed in a cavity, or housing, internal to a protective element, in the form of a cap, comprising retaining means , which allow the fastening of the cap to the male part, reversibly. The cap can thus be removed from the tip before the mark is affixed to the animal, by pulling the cap and the male part in opposite directions.

Such a solution is particularly economical since it does not require expensive packaging, an envelope or a flexible plastic bag that can be used to package and ship the marks to users.

In addition, the use of a protective element on the tip of the male part avoids any risk of tearing of the packaging by the tip.

The piercing properties / qualities of the tip are also preserved until the mark is applied to the animal. Moreover, this solution avoids any risk of injury (sting) for the person who handles these marks before they are affixed to an animal.

The protective element also protects the tip of the male part against the external environment (dust, moisture, bacteria, etc.) and avoids any risk of dirt and / or contamination of the tip.

In particular, it is noted that the removable protection element can be applied to a male part comprising a rod ending in a conical tip, as illustrated in FIG. 1, or to a male part comprising a rod ending in a point truncated, known to those skilled in the art, whose hollow stem allows the passage of a tissue removal member of the animal.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, the retaining means comprise at least one return cooperating with a shoulder delimited by a base of the tip of the male part.

Thus, a return provided at the base of the protective element allows, when it cooperates with the shoulder of the tip of the male part, to lock the tip of the male part in the housing. The shoulder of the tip of the male part also allowing the locking of the male part in a female part (as underlined in relation with FIG. 1), such a solution is advantageous since it does not require any structural modification of the part. male.

According to one variant, the retaining means comprise at least one flexible lip.

Preferably, said lips define lamellae or tongues. This allows easy insertion of the tip of the male part into the housing of the protective element, as well as easy removal of the tip of the housing.

According to another particular aspect of the invention, said cap contains a disinfecting and / or healing agent. Thus, the tip of the male part is in contact with a disinfectant or antiseptic agent (such as hydrogen peroxide) and / or healing (example?) When it is housed in the protective element. In addition to protecting the user from the tip, this feature allows the tip to be sanitized prior to brand placement, thereby reducing the risk of wound contamination once the animal's ear is pierced by the tip. , and allows improved healing.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, the agent is integrated in a gel or a cream.

Alternatively, said housing contains a foam impregnated with a disinfecting agent (antiseptic) and / or healing. According to yet another particular aspect of the invention, said housing has a shape of revolution, and has an opening of diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the base of said tip.

Thus, the housing of the protective element "marries" the shape of the tip of the male part which prevents an agent contained in the housing, if it is in particular liquid form, escapes when the tip is retained in the accommodation. In other words, the housing of the protection element is waterproof according to this embodiment. At the same time, this embodiment reduces the risk that the protective element and the tip of the male part will accidentally disengage, during the transport of the mark, for example. In another embodiment, the invention relates to a set of storage of at least two male parts of marks for the marking of an animal, each comprising a rod ending in a tip.

According to the invention, such an assembly comprises at least two caps each comprising a housing adapted to receive at least said tip of one of said male parts, and retaining means for securing said tip to said corresponding cap, so that The user must exert a force on the cap to release the tip.

The invention thus proposes a set of protection elements which are interconnected, so as to form a row ("bar"), a circle, or a block for example. Each protection element comprises a housing and retaining means adapted to receive and respectively retain the tip of a male part.

Such a solution makes it possible to simplify the assembly of the male parts and the protective elements, to facilitate their shipment to the users and to improve their storage. According to a particular aspect of the invention, the assembly comprises breakable portions, so as to allow the separation of the caps.

4. List of figures

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a particular embodiment, given as a simple illustrative and nonlimiting example, and the appended drawings, among which: FIG. 1 illustrates a known ear tag comprising a male part and a female part according to the prior art; Figure 2 is a sectional view of a protection element according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 3A illustrates the male part of a mark whose tip is covered by the protective element of Figure 2; Figure 3B is a longitudinal sectional view along the line AA of Figure 3A; FIG. 4 illustrates several protection elements interconnected by breakable portions according to one embodiment of the invention.

5. Description of an embodiment of the invention

The general principle of the invention relies on the use of a protective element (cap type) which (re) covers the tip of the male part of a mark for the marking of an animal. This protective element is removable, and can be removed just before the establishment of the mark.

In this way, the tip of the male part, and possibly all or a portion of the stem, are preserved from the external environment. In addition, the tip does not pose a risk of injury to the person handling the mark, and no longer risk tearing the envelope that contains it during transport and / or storage.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, the protection element is an individual element, which takes for example the form of a cap 30 that can cover the tip of the male part to its base. In order to fulfill its protective role, the protective element is made of hard plastic material, for example of the polyethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene or other type.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the cap 30 comprises a base 31A of tubular shape and an upper part IB 3 of semi-spherical shape. The cap 30 comprises an inner surface 331 and an outer surface 332 separated by a wall 33 of substantially constant thickness. The wall 33 thus delimits a hollow housing or hollow cavity 36 having a shape of revolution and which is intended to receive the conical tip 18 of the male part 10, a substantially circular opening 35 allowing the passage of the tip 18 of the male part. 10 to the cavity 36. According to the invention, such a cap 30 is intended to "cap" removably the tip 18 of the male portion 10, as shown in Figure 3A. According to this embodiment, the opening 35 has a diameter slightly greater than that of the base of the tip 18 or a frustoconical portion of the tip 18 (corresponding to the widest part of the tip), so that once positioned on the tip, the cap is secured to the tip. Thus, even if we return the male part of the cap, it does not fall. It is then necessary for a user to exert a force on the cap in order to release the tip. The cap 30 and the male part 10 are assembled and packaged and shipped to users in a flexible plastic bag, for example.

In particular, it is possible to connect by "torque" a male part provided with such a cap with a corresponding female part (that is to say a female part carrying an identification number identical to that of the male part) by a support plastic.

As illustrated in FIG. 3B, according to one embodiment, the wall 33 can thicken around the opening 35 so as to form a circular return 34 directed towards the inside of the cavity 36. Such a return 34 cooperates with the shoulder 15 delimited by a base of the tip 18 of the male part 10 and thus allows the reversible locking of the cap 30 on the tip 18, when the cap 30 is fitted or clipped on the male part. As pointed out above, this shoulder 15 of the male part 10 also allows the locking of the male part in the female part. The removal of the cap 30 is effected by pulling the cap 30 and the male portion 10 in opposite directions. In another embodiment, the cap 30 may, in place of the return 34, comprise slats or tongues (not shown) flexible which deviate when the tip 18 of the male portion 10 is introduced into the cavity 36 of the cap 30. These strips then resume their initial position and cooperate with the shoulder 15 of the male part 10, thus reversibly locking the cap 30 on the tip 18 of the male part 10. These strips are for example made of deformable plastic. They take the form of isosceles triangles (for example five triangles) taking their base along the substantially circular edge defined by the opening 35.

Alternatively, the separation of the cap 30 and the male portion 10 may cause the slats to break. The cap 30 can therefore be reused and can be discarded or recycled.

Of course, other retaining means for securing the tip to the protective element are envisaged, such as grooving a frustoconical portion of the tip and a thread of a portion of the inner wall 331 of the element. protection for example.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3B, the cavity 36 of the cap 30 contains an agent carrying a specific substance, such as a disinfecting, antiseptic, healing or other substance 32 which is, for example, in the form of a gel, a fat, a cream or a liquid. In an alternative, the cavity 36 contains a foam (of polyurethane or polyethylene type for example) impregnated with such an agent.

The diameter of the cavity 36 of the cap 30 is here substantially equal to the diameter of the base of the tip 18 of the male part 10 so as to make the cavity 36 substantially sealed. Thus, once the cap 30 is fixed on the male part 10, the substance 32 contained in the cavity 36 can not flow towards the outside of the cap 30.

In the case where the cavity 36 does not contain a disinfectant and / or healing solution, the diameters of the cavity 36 and the base of the tip 18 can be chosen so that the male part 10 and the cap 30 can rotate. relative to each other when assembled.

FIG. 4 illustrates several caps 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D as previously described which are interconnected by breakable portions 41, 42,

43 so as to allow the separation of these caps, and therefore the male parts, as and when the needs of the user. We can thus condition the male and female parts by "couple", in connecting a couple to another by a breakable portion.

The invention also applies to the protection of a male part whose tip is truncated. In this case, the tip is not used to pierce the skin of the animal, but to maintain the male part in the female part once the mark is placed. The piercing of the skin of the animal is for example carried out by a punch which passes through a longitudinal channel formed in the stem of the male part, making it possible to take a tissue sample from the animal.

The shape of the protective element is obviously not limited to the form illustrated in the figures. Another advantage of the invention lies in the manufacturing process and packaging of such brands, which is easy to implement.

It is possible to provide two separate production lines, a first conventional production line for producing the male and female parts and a second production line for generating protection elements according to the invention, and an assembly line for assembling the protective elements on the male parts. All that remains is to insert the protected male parts and the female parts in a plastic bag, or to arrange the protected male parts and the female parts in a flexible plastic packaging, such as those used conventionally, before shipment.

Claims

A male part of a mark for the marking of an animal, comprising a rod (14) ending in a point (18), characterized in that said male part comprises a removable cap (30) comprising a housing adapted to receiving at least said tip (18), and retaining means for securing said tip (18) to said cap (30), so that a user must exert a force on the cap (30) to release the tip ( 18).

2. Male part according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining means comprise at least one return cooperating with a shoulder delimited by a base of said tip.

3. Male part according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining means comprise at least one flexible lip.

4. Male part according to claim 3, characterized in that said lips define lamellae or tongues.

5. Male part according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said cap (30) contains a disinfecting agent and / or healing.

6. Male part according to claim 5, characterized in that said agent is embedded in a gel or a cream.

7. Male part according to claim 5, characterized in that said housing contains a foam impregnated with said agent.

8. Male part according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said housing has a shape of revolution, and has an opening of diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the base of said tip.

9. An assembly for storing at least two male parts of marks for the marking of an animal, each comprising a rod (14) terminating in a tip (18), characterized in that it comprises at least two caps ( 30) each comprising a housing adapted to receive at least said tip (18) of one of said male parts, and retaining means for securing said tip corresponding cap, so that a user must exert a force on the cap (30) to release the tip (18).

10. The assembly of claim 9, characterized in that it comprises breakable portions, so as to allow the separation of said caps (30).