WO1996004783A1

WO1996004783A1 - Animal identification tag

Info

Publication number: WO1996004783A1
Application number: PCT/GB1995/001907
Authority: WO
Inventors: Brian Kenneth Mcgregor Eadie; Peter Scott Eadie
Original assignee: Brian Kenneth Mcgregor Eadie; Peter Scott Eadie
Priority date: 1994-08-11
Filing date: 1995-08-11
Publication date: 1996-02-22
Also published as: GB9606000D0; GB2297527A; GB9416267D0; AU3261795A

Abstract

An animal identification tag comprises an elongate member (1) of a first material such as metal, having means (10, 15, 35, 36) adapted for fastening the opposite ends of the member together through, for example the ear of an animal, and an information bearing member (2), formed from a relatively flexible plastics material. The elongate member is secured to the information bearing member by means of sleeves and loops (43-50) moulded as part of the information bearing member. In one embodiment the elongate member is a conventional type of metal tag. In an alternative embodiment the elongate member is formed from plastics materials. The tag combines secure fastening with large information bearing surfaces allowing identification marks and other information to be printed with good legibility.

Description

Animal Identification Tag

The present invention relates to an animal identification tag, especially, but not exclusively an identification tag for use in the identification of livestock, such as cattle.

Identification tags have been used for many years in order to facilitate identification of livestock such as cattle. Such tags are frequently fitted to an animal by means of a pillar or post which passes through a hole made in an animal's ear for the purpose.

A first known type of tag is illustrated in Figs 7(a), ⁷(fc>) and 7(c), appended hereto, and consists of a shaped metal strip, having a first portion 10 which forms a post to be located in a hole in an animal's ear, a second portion 20 which, in use, extends along a first side of the ear between the hole and the edge of the ear, and a third portion 30 which, in use, extends from the edge of the ear, along a second side of the ear, back towards the hole. The tag as a whole is securely located in the ear by fastening the first 10 and third 30 portions together so that tag forms a closed loop enclosing a part of the ear and passing through the hole. Identification symbols are typically stamped onto the surface of the metal strip before fitting to the animal and it is these symbols (typically letters and numbers) which facilitate identification of the animal. Such tags are typically designed and fitted so that the tag closely follows the shape of the ear, minimising the chance of it being caught or snagged and thus pulled from the animal.

A second known type of identification tag comprises a rod made of a plastics material which is adapted to pass through a hole in the ear of the animal to be tagged, and which is, in use, attached at either side of the hole to a flat plastics portion which is unable to pass through the hole. Typically the rod is formed as a modular unit with one of the flat plastic portions and is fastened to the other flat plastic portion after being passed through the ear.

Each of the known types of tag suffers from certain disadvantages.

The first type of tag, comprising a metal strip, fits snugly to the ear and is therefore relatively unobtrusive and, in use, is relatively unlikely to be snagged or pulled from the animal's ear. However, such tags include only a relatively small area upon which identifying information may be printed, and such information is therefore less conspicuous, and more difficult to read, than the information printed on the tags with larger information carrying areas.

Also, such tags, being made from metal, do not hold ink very well and information is thus generally stamped into the metal surface rather than printed on. This contributes to the information being less conspicuous and less easy to read than is desirable, since the information does not contrast sharply with the background.

The second type of tag comprises a plastic post fastened to a flat plastic portion on which information may be carried. The flat plastic portion may be made large enough to carry information in a conspicuous and clear format, and may be brightly coloured so that the tag itself is easily visible and so that, for example, black printing contrasts well with the background colour. Various colours may be used to provide additional identification information. However, such tags rely on the fastening of the plastic post to the flat plastic portion to retain the tag in the ear, and such plastic fastenings are generally unreliable. It has been estimated that the rate of loss of such plastic tags is about ten times as great as the rate of loss of the metal tags described above.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an animal identification tag comprising: an elongate member having a first portion adapted to pass through an aperture in a part of an animal to which the tag is to be fitted, and a second elongate portion adapted to retain an information bearing member; and an information bearing member coupled to the second portion of the elongate member by loop means forming part of said information bearing member, through which said second portion of said elongate member passes.

Preferably, said loop means extends around the elongate member at a plurality of points spaced apart along the length of said elongate member. h Said loop means may comprise a plurality of loop members or may comprise at least one sleeve member, said sleeve member extending along the direction of elongation of said second portion.

Preferably, the information bearing member is made of a material substantially more flexible than the material from which the elongate member is made.

Preferably, the information bearing member is made of a first plastics material, such as polyurethane.

Preferably, the elongate member is made of metal.

Alternatively, the elongate member may be made of a second plastics material, which is tougher and more resilient than the material from which the identification bearing material is made. In this case, said first portion of the elongate member comprises a post formed from a third, relatively inflexible plastics material, having a point adapted to engage an eye formed adjacent the end of the elongate member remote from said post.

Preferably, the elongate member, in use, forms a substantially closed loop about a part of the animal to which the tag is fitted.

Preferably, the elongate member includes fastening means, on portions adjacent its ends, enabling said portions adjacent its ends to be fastened together.

Preferably, most of the elongate member is covered by the information bearing member.

The information bearing member may be formed as a cover member adapted to be coupled to said elongate member.

Alternatively, the information bearing portion may be formed by moulding directly onto said elongate member.

Preferably, said information bearing member includes at least one substantially flat surface adapted to bear information.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a cover made of a plastics material adapted to be fitted onto an animal identification tag made of metal and to remain so located in use.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of an animal identification tag according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the animal identification tag of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the tag of Figs. 1 and 2 ready for use.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the tag of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an illustration of the tag of Figs. 1 to 4 in use;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of an identification tag according to the present invention; Figs. 7(a), 7(b) and 7(c) are views of a known type of identification tag.

Figs. 8(a) and 8(b) are respectively, side and plan views of an alternative embodiment of an identification tag in accordance with the invention.

With reference to the drawings, a first embodiment of an animal identification tag according to the present invention comprises a metal elongate member 1 which is used to locate the tag and a plastic information bearing member 2, attached to the elongate member 1, upon which information may be displayed.

The elongate member 1 comprises a first portion 10 adapted to include a post portion and a male part 15 of a fastening device, a second, substantially flat, portion 20, and a third portion 30 which is generally flat and includes a female part 35, 36 of the fastening device adapted to receive and retain the male part 15 of the fastening device. In this embodiment the metal elongate member 1 corresponds to a known identification tag as illustrated in Figs. 7(a), 7(b) and 7(c).

The plastic information bearing member 2 comprises first and second plastic portions 40, 41 each providing a substantially flat surface upon which information may be printed and/or displayed, and a sleeve member 43 and a plurality of loop members 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 which accommodate the second 20 and third 30 portions of the metal elongate member 1 and locate said elongate member 1 securely with respect to the information bearing member 2.

In use the tag is fitted to an animal in a similar manner to that in which a conventional metal tag, as illustrated in Figs. 7(a), 7(b) and 7(c), is fitted. An animal's ear is placed between the third portion 30 and the first 10 and second 20 portions of the elongate member 1, such that the edge of the ear is adjacent to the join between the second 20 and third 30 portions. Using an appropriate tool the first portion 10 is passed through the animal's ear and the male part 15 of the fastening device is forced into the female part 35, 36. In this embodiment the female part comprises a shaped portion 35, which, in use, provides a concave surface which engages the male part 15 and causes said male part 15 to bend so as to assume a hook shape passing around a bar member 36. The fastening device is therefore secure since the now hook-shaped male part 15 cannot be disengaged from the bar member 36 except by subsequent bending of the male member 15 or breaking of the bar member 36. In use, identification tags are rarely subject to forces great enough to effect such bending or breaking.

The angles and locations of the joins between the first 10 and second 20 portions, and second 20 and third 30 portions of the elongate member 1, must be formed accurately in order to ensure that the male 15 and female 35, 36 parts of the fastening engage correctly when the third portion 30 and the first 10 and second 20 portions are forced together.

Once in place in an animal's ear, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the tag is configured so that the first and second plastic portions 40, 41 lie snugly against the ear 51 and so that their information bearing surfaces may be easily observed.

The first and second plastic portions 40, 41 are separated by a waist 55 which corresponds to the position of the join between the second 20 and third 30 portions of the elongate metal member 1. This configuration, in use, avoids the creation of a large fold, protruding over the edge of the ear 51, which may be easily snagged. The plastic information bearing member 2 also includes apertures 38, 39 at points where, if no apertures were provided, the plastic material would be stretched by the configuration of the elongate member 1. A first aperture 38 is provided in the position corresponding to the shaped part 35 of the female part of the fastening and a second aperture 39 is provided in the position corresponding to the join between the second 20 and third 30 portions of the elongate member 1.

The location of the tag in the ear is made secure by the elongate metal member 1, and benefits from the advantages provided by the known metal tags illustrated on Figs 7(a), 7(b) and 7(c). The plastic information bearing member 2 may therefore be made from a very flexible plastics material such as polyurethane, since the plastic member 2 is securely attached to the elongate member 1 by means of the loops 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 and sleeve 43. Thus, use of such a flexible plastic will not adversely affect the security of the location of the tag. The information bearing member 2, as illustrated, may be cheaply and effectively moulded by a known injection moulding process.

It is desirable for the information bearing member 2 to be made from a very flexible plastics material in order to reduce the likelihood of its being snagged and in order to prevent breakage of the portion 40,41 if snagging should occur. However, in previously known plastic tags, the information bearing portion generally included a part of the fastening, and to maximise security of the fastening it is desirable to make this portion from a relatively rigid material. Thus in previous plastic tags a compromise between rigidity and flexibility of the plastic used has had to be made. To date this compromise has resulted in such tags being both more prone to snagging or snapping of the information bearing portion, and also more prone to accidental dislocation of the fastening than is desirable. The described embodiments of the present invention avoid or mitigate these problems.

Clearly, different shapes of information bearing member may be used, and Fig. 6 illustrates an identification tag for use where a relatively small information bearing surface is required. The information carrying member is smaller than in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5. The rest of the tag is similar to the tag of Figs. 1 to 5 and corresponding reference numerals are used.

The plastic information bearing member 2 may be configured with various alternative configurations of sleeve members and/or loop members in order to locate the elongate metal member 1. In the illustrated embodiments the metal elongate member 1 and information bearing member 2 are fitted together after their manufacture but an alternative embodiment might involve the information bearing member 2 being moulded directly onto the metal elongate member 1. In such an embodiment the elongate member 1 could be configured to make the connection with the information bearing member 2 even more secure with, for example, apertures adapted to accommodate and retain parts of the plastic information bearing member 2.

The described embodiments of the present invention provide an animal identification tag combining secure location on an animal with a high level of legibility and conspicuousness of the information provided thereon. In addition, if the metal elongate member is stamped with identification information on a surface which is, in use, covered and protected by the plastic member, such information will remain available and legible (although the plastic member may have to be removed in order to read it) for a much longer period than is presently possible for conventional tags. A further benefit of the present invention over known plastic tags is that it can provide two information bearing surfaces, one on each side of the animal's ear, on a single piece of plastic. Under some current regulations this allows the information provided to be split between the two surfaces enabling larger symbols to be used. Conventional plastic tags, having two distinct substantially flat surfaces for bearing information which are joined by a rod which passes through the ear, may be required to have all the required information printed on one or both of the information bearing surfaces.

Although a specific design of metal elongate member, corresponding to a known type of tag, is described as part of the preferred embodiment, other forms of elongate member, adapted to function in a similar manner, may be used.

For example, Figs 8(a) and 8(b) show an alternative embodiment in which the elongate member 100 is formed from plastics material which is tougher and more resilient than the material of the identification bearing member 102. The elongate member 100 is retained by first and second sleeves 104, 106 extending from either end of the identification bearing member 102 towards the middle thereof, and a loop 108 at the mid-point thereof, about which the tag will be folded in use. The thickness of the elongate member 100 is also reduced in this region, providing a hinge. The sleeves 104, 106 and loop 108 are moulded integrally as part of the identification bearing member 102, as in previous embodiments .

In this case the arrangement for fastening the tag comprises an eye 110 formed at one end of the elongate member 100, which in this example includes a cruciform central aperture 112, and a pointed post 114, adapted to securely engage the eye 110 and formed from a third material which is relatively rigid and inflexible in comparison with the material of the elongate member 100. The post 114 is preferably preformed and incorporated into the elongate member 100 during moulding thereof, and is securely connected thereto by means of a constriction 116 and flange 118 at the base of the post 114. The identification bearing member 102 is preferably moulded onto the elongate member 100, and includes a domed portion 120 which encloses the outer side of the eye 110 and the projecting end of the post 114 when inserted therethrough in use of the tag.

The information bearing member 102 is again preferably formed from soft, flexible plastics such as polyurethane, the elongate member 100 is formed from relatively tough, less flexible, more resilient plastics such as polyethylene, and the post 114 from relatively rigid, strong plastics such as nylon.

In this example, the tag includes a single, flat information bearing portion 122, as compared with the two portions 40, 41 of the first embodiment. As previously noted, the size, shape and number of such portions may vary.

Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An animal identification tag comprising: an elongate member having a first portion adapted to pass through an aperture in a part of an animal to which the tag is to be fitted, and a second elongate portion adapted to retain an information bearing member; and an information bearing member coupled to the second portion of the elongate member by loop means forming part of said information bearing member, through which said second portion of said elongate member passes.

2. An animal identification tag as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said loop means extends around the elongate member at a plurality of points spaced apart along the length of said elongate member.

3. An animal identification tag as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said loop means comprises a plurality of loop members.

4. An animal identification tag as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said loop means comprises at least one sleeve member, said sleeve member extending along the direction of elongation of said second portion.

5. An animal identification tag as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the information bearing member is made of a material substantially more flexible than the material from which the elongate member is made.

6. An animal identification tag as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the information bearing member is made of a first plastics material.

7. An animal identification tag as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said first plastics material is polyurethane.

8. An animal identification tag as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the elongate member is made of metal.

9. An animal identification tag as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7 , wherein the elongate member is made of a second plastics material, which is tougher and more resilient than the material from which the identification bearing material is made.

10. An animal identification tag as claimed in Claim 9, wherein said first portion of the elongate member comprises a post formed from a third, relatively rigid and inflexible plastics material, having a point adapted to engage an eye formed adjacent the end of the elongate member remote from said post.

11. An animal identification tag as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the elongate member, in use, forms a substantially closed loop about a part of the animal to which the tag is fitted.

12. An animal identification tag as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the elongate member includes fastening means, on portions adjacent its ends, enabling said portions adjacent its ends to be fastened together.

13. An animal identification tag as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein most of the elongate member is covered by the information bearing member.

14. An animal identification tag as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the information bearing member is formed as a cover member adapted to be coupled to said elongate member.

15. An animal identification tag as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 13, wherein the information bearing portion is formed by moulding directly onto said elongate member.

16. An animal identification tag as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said information bearing member includes at least one substantially flat surface adapted to bear information.

17. A cover member as defined in Claim 14, made of a plastics material, adapted to be fitted onto an animal identification tag made of metal and to remain so located in use.