US-12622414-B2 - Animal tag

US12622414B2US 12622414 B2US12622414 B2US 12622414B2US-12622414-B2

Abstract

A tag for an animal is disclosed. The tag comprises a first part for permanently attaching to a part of the animal and a second, removeable part for removably attaching to the first part. The first and second parts are arranged such that the second part is releasably securable to the first part.

Inventors

Jose CHITTY
Veena ADITYAN

Assignees

Cambridge Animal Technologies Ltd

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20220307
Priority Date: 20210315

Claims (17)

1 . A tag for an animal, the tag comprising: a first part for permanently attaching to a part of an animal, the first part including at least one male mating member having a resilient member supporting a protrusion; and a second part for removably attaching to the first part, the second part being removable from the first part and including at least one corresponding female mating part configured to snap-fit separably and including a depression for receiving the protrusion, wherein: the first part and the second part are arranged such that the second part is releasably securable to the first part; and the at least one male mating member and the at least one corresponding female mating part are configured to snap-fit separably.
2 . The tag of claim 1 , wherein the first part includes two male mating members and the second part comprises two corresponding female mating parts.
3 . The tag of claim 1 , further comprising: a visual identification tag permanently attached to or forming part of the first part for visually and/or human-readably identifying the animal.
4 . The tag of claim 1 , further comprising: a machine-readable identification tag for machine-readably identifying the animal, the machine-readable identification tag configured to one or more of be permanently attached to the first part or form part of the first part.
5 . The tag of claim 1 , wherein the first part comprises: a stud; and a stud back; wherein the stud and stud back are configured to snap-fit inseparably.
6 . The tag of claim 5 , wherein: the stud back comprises a base and a spike upstanding from the base, the spike comprising a shaft and an arrow head; and the stud comprises an annular portion and one or more inwardly-projecting members from the annular portion such that in response to the arrow head passing in a first direction beyond the one or more inwardly-projecting members, the one or more inwardly-projecting members prevent the spike from being withdrawn past the one or more inwardly-projecting members in a second, opposite direction.
7 . The tag of claim 1 , wherein: the first part comprises: an annular base; first and second facing arcuate walls extending away the annular base; and first and second protrusions extending outwardly laterally; and the second part comprises: a tube having first and second slots on opposite sides of the tube for receiving the first and second protrusions.
8 . The tag of claim 1 , wherein the first part comprises: first and second resilient members for cooperating with corresponding parts on the second part for releasably securing the second part to the first part, the first and second resilient members arranged such that in response to the first and second resilient members being urged inwardly and sufficiently close together, the first part and the second part are released; and first and second apertures for receiving first and second correspondingly shaped parts of a tool for inwardly urging the first and second resilient members.
9 . The tag of claim 8 , wherein the first part comprises: a wall between the first and second apertures for discouraging or preventing the tool from urging the first and second resilient members too closely.
10 . The tag of claim 1 , wherein the second part comprises: a connector for removably attaching the second part to the first part of the tag; a main tag portion; and a tab joining the connector and the main tag portion.
11 . The tag of claim 10 , wherein the tab is formed of a sufficiently flexible material to be bendable such that the main tag portion is bendable through an angle of at least 90 degrees relative to the connector from a first angular position to a second angular position.
12 . The tag of claim 10 , wherein the main tag portion comprises: a housing; and a sensor system and a battery system contained in the housing of the main tag portion, wherein the sensor system includes a temperature sensor for sensing animal temperature and a wireless network interface.
13 . The tag of claim 12 , wherein the temperature sensor is an infrared sensor and the housing includes a window which is transparent to infrared radiation.
14 . The tag of claim 12 , wherein the sensor system further includes one or more of: an accelerometer; a gyroscope; a second temperature sensor for sensing ambient temperature; a heart rate monitor; a magnetometer; an energy harvesting unit; or a positioning unit.
15 . A tool comprising: first and second arms having first and second tips; and first and second stubs protruding from inwardly-facing surfaces of the first and second arms; wherein the first and second stubs are positioned and dimensioned so as to engage first and second apertures respectively of a tag for an animal, the tag comprising a first part for permanently attaching to a part of an animal, and a second part that is removable for removably attaching to the first part; wherein the first part and the second part are arranged such that the second part is releasably securable to the first part, and the first part comprises: first and second resilient members for cooperating with corresponding parts on the second part for releasably securing the second part to the first part, the first and second resilient members arranged such that in response to the first and second resilient members being urged inwardly and sufficiently close together, the first part and the second part are released, and the first and second apertures for receiving first and second correspondingly shaped parts of the tool for inwardly urging the first and second resilient members; the tool further comprising: first and second engagement surfaces disposed on the inwardly-facing surfaces of the first and second arms; wherein the first and second engagement surfaces are positioned and dimensioned so as to engage with the first and second resilient members and to urge the first and second resilient members inwardly.
16 . The tool of claim 15 , wherein the first and second engagement surfaces slope outwardly towards ends of the first and second arms.
17 . A tag for an animal, the tag comprising: a first part for permanently attaching to a part of an animal, the first part including at least one male mating member having at least one resilient side wall supporting a barb; and a second part for removably attaching to the first part, the second part being removable from the first part and including at least one corresponding female mating part having a side wall including one or more of a slot or a notch for receiving the barb, wherein: the first part and the second part are arranged for the second part to be releasably securable to the first part; and the at least one male mating member and the at least one corresponding female mating part are configured to snap-fit separably.

Description

FIELD The present invention relates to a tag for an animal, such as, for example, a cow or bull, pig or sheep. BACKGROUND Animal identification ear tags are widely used in animal farming. U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,030 A discloses an animal identification ear tag formed of hard plastics material, such as nylon. The ear tag comprises a male member having a tab and spike, and a female member with an aperture for receiving the head of the spike. The aperture in the female member is slightly smaller than the size of the head with the pointed tip such that the head can be forced through by the resilience of the plastics materials so as to be retained thereon after the shoulder has passed the aperture. Electronic ear tags are becoming increasingly more common. U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,807 A discloses animal ear tag houses a passive electronic transponder for use in the identification of the animal by a low frequency radio wave reading system. The ear tag is formed of a generally flat, flexible plastic body member includes an integral ear attaching arrangement in an upper portion and an integral, hollow half cylinder shaped cavity. The cavity is filled and sealed with an insert member that holds the electronic transponder US 2018/098521 A1 describes an animal ear tag comprising an active part which contains a battery and electronic circuit and a counter plate having a monolithically-formed spike. When the animal ear tag is fitted, the active part lies against one side of the outer ear of the animal, and the counter plate lies on the other side. The spike connects the two parts to each other, running through a passage opening in the outer ear of the animal. These types of tags tend to be used for permanent marking and identification. However, it is also possible to mark animals temporarily. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,218 A describes a marking device capable of dispensing indicia or identifying indicia to livestock confined in, for example, sale barns and in circumstances where it is important to apply identifying means to livestock individually. Such markings can, however, be unintentionally removed, for example, by rubbing, washing or through weather erosion. SUMMARY According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a tag for an animal. The tag comprises a first part for permanently attaching to a part of an animal (such as an ear) and a second, removeable part for removably attaching to the first part. The first and second parts are arranged such that the second part is releasably securable to the first part. Thus, the second, removeable part (which may contain a sensor system) can be affixed to the first part, but can be removed without damaging or destroying either the first or second parts. The second part, once removed, can be reused with another, different first part. Additionally, or alternatively, a new second part can be attached to the first part. The first part of tag can be used for permanent marking (or tagging) an animal and/or the second part of the tag can be used for temporary marking (or tagging) an animal. The tag may be an ear tag for attaching to the ear of an animal. The animal may be a farm animal such as a cow, bull, steer and heifer, calf, sheep, pig or horse (or other livestock) or a bird. The tag may further comprise a visual identification tag permanently attached to or forming part of the first part for visually and/or human-readably identifying the animal. The visual identification tag may take the form of a lobe or leaf extending from a point of attachment of the first tag. The visual identification tag may be generally flat and have a planar area of between 4 cm2 to 50 cm2. The tag may further comprise a machine-readable identification tag permanently attached to or forming part of the first for machine-readably identifying the animal. The machine-readable identification tag may be an RFID tag. The machine-readable identification tag may be a barcode. The first part may comprise a first portion, such as a stud, and second portion, such as a stud back. The stud and stud back may be configured to snap-fit inseparably. The stud back may comprise a base and a spike upstanding from the base, the spike comprising a shaft and an arrow head and the stud comprises an annular portion and one or more members inwardly-projecting from the annular portion such that in response to the head passing in a first direction beyond the one or more inwardly-projecting members, the inwardly-projecting members prevent the spike from being withdrawn past the inwardly-projecting members in a second, opposite direction. The first portion may comprise a base and a spike upstanding from the base, the spike comprising a shaft and an arrow head. In other words, the stud may also include the spike for inseparably snap-fit with another female mating portion, for permanently securing the stud to the animal. The first part may include at least one male mating member and the second part comprise at least