WO2007147973A1

WO2007147973A1 - Ear tag for identifying an animal

Info

Publication number: WO2007147973A1
Application number: PCT/FR2007/001023
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mohieddine Boubtane; Jean-Jacques Legat
Original assignee: A. Raymond Et Cie
Priority date: 2006-06-20
Filing date: 2007-06-20
Publication date: 2007-12-27

Abstract

The ear tag (10) for identifying an animal according to the invention comprises a female part (11), containing an opening engaging with a conical tip (23) of a tubular body (22) of a male part (12), comprising a shell (28) for carrying information about said animal. The shell (28) of the male part (12) has a flexible elastic end (29) overmoulded onto a fastening member connected to the tubular body (22). The male part (12) comprises a break region connecting the fastening member to the tubular body (22) of the male part (12) and the tubular body (22) has a necked section (35) between the free end (23) of the tubular body (22) and the fastening member.

Description

Animal Identification Ear Tag

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to an animal identification ear tag, comprising a female element, pierced with an opening cooperating with a free end of a tubular body of a male element, comprising a support shell of relative information. to said animal.

State of the art

For the identification of animals, in particular of the bovine, ovine type, it is known to use such identification ear tags. These are put in place by special pliers, with a first jaw comprising a support for fixing the female element and a second jaw provided with a rod intended to be engaged axially in the tubular body of the male element. . A label is placed on the ear by positioning the clamp, previously filled, so that the flag of the ear of the animal is inserted between the jaws of the clamp. Then, the branches of the clamp are brought together, so that the free end of the tubular body of the male element passes through the cartilage and the opening of the female element, causing an elastic deformation of the opening, and so that the body tubular remains wedged by a shoulder of the free end of the tubular body, against the edge of the opening of the female element.

In addition, the regulations impose increasing dimensions on the hulls, which become more and more troublesome. The will of the animals getting rid of such labels, rubbing against trees and barriers, also increases. In addition, large hulls naturally engage more easily in these external elements, which facilitates their attachment and tearing after rupture.

In order not to injure the animal, the rupture appears very easily with the labels according to the prior art, with male and female elements generally made by molding a rigid plastic material which is easily brittle. Thus, when an external force is applied to the shell of the male element, the label breaks especially at the junction between the opening of the female element and the tubular body of the male element, which may injure the male element. 'animal. In this case, the male and female elements fall to the ground and the label is lost.

However, the rigor concerning the traceability on the origin of the animals imposes that in case of loss of the two labels, the animal can not be sold, which represents then a consequent loss for the breeder and the obligation to reboop quickly .

Object of the invention

The object of the invention is to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks and is aimed at producing an animal identification ear tag, which allows a sharp break in the event of snagging and which can not be reused, while permitting reduced risk of breakage by hanging on external elements.

The object of the invention is characterized in that the shell of the male element comprises a flexible end and elastic overmolded on an anchoring member integral with the tubular body. According to preferred features of the invention:

the male element comprises a breaking zone connecting the anchoring member to the tubular body of the male element; the tubular body comprises a sectional narrowing formed between the free end of the tubular body and the body of the tubular body; anchor,

- The female element has flexible non-return tabs protruding towards the opening and bending only in the direction of introduction of the free end of the tubular body of the male element.

The break zone, the section narrowing and the flexible legs thus form preferential zones of breakage of the label, resulting in a clear break of the elements constituting the label and at specific locations, while preventing the reuse of the label. .

Brief description of the drawings

Other advantages and features will emerge more clearly from the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention given by way of nonlimiting example and represented in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a particular embodiment of an animal identification ear tag according to the invention, with the male and female elements represented before assembly.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the label according to Figure 1, shown without the shell of the male element.

Figure 3 is a front view in section of the label according to Figure 1, showing the assembled male and female elements. Figures 4 to 6 show different perspective views of the male element of the label according to Figures 1 to 3, shown respectively without its shell (Figure 4) and with its shell (Figures 5 and 6).

Description of a preferred embodiment of the invention

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, an animal identification ear tag 10 according to the invention comprises a female element 11 and a male element 12, intended to be assembled using a special clamp. In Figures 1 and 2, the male elements 12 and female 11 of the label 10 are shown before assembly, while in Figure 3, the male elements 12 and female 11 of the label 10 are shown assembled.

In Figures 1 to 3, the female element 11 comprises a blind receptacle 13, for example in the form of substantially ogival revolution, made of a rigid material. The receptacle 13 has a circular opening 14 at a first end (FIG. 2), providing communication between the inside and the outside of the receptacle 13. At this same end, the receptacle 13 comprises an annular flange 15, which extends radially from the outer surface 16 of the receptacle 13 (Figure 3). Axial perforations 17 pass through the annular flange 15 in its thickness, in the direction of the axis of revolution of the receptacle 13 (FIG. 2). An electronic element of the transponder type, for example an RFID radio frequency tag, may be integrated into the annular flange 15 by any appropriate means, for example by overmolding.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, the contour of the circular opening 14 is provided with flexible tabs 18, projecting towards the center of the opening 14. The flexible tabs 18 have sufficient rigidity, allowing unidirectional bending in the direction axial receptacle 13. More in particular, the tabs 18 may flex towards the cavity delimited by the receptacle 13, but can not bend in the opposite direction, that is to say towards the outside of the receptacle 13.

A first shell 19 is overmolded on the annular collar 15 of the receptacle 13 of the female element 11 and has for this purpose, at a first end, a coupling disk 20, coating the annular flange 15 (Figure 3). The material of the coupling disc 20 is inserted into the axial perforations 17 of the flange 15, during the overmolding of the first shell 19, which reinforces the rigidity of the attachment of the first shell 19.

In FIG. 2, the coupling disc 20 is extended by a flared skirt 21 directed towards the side opposite the receptacle 13. The flared skirt 21 delimits a circle attached to the edge of the coupling disc 20 and substantially a larger rectangle. dimensions as the circle. The first shell 19 is preferably made of a flexible and elastic material and is intended in particular to support information relating to the animal, on which the label 10 is attached.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, the male element 12, cooperating with the female element 11, comprises a tubular body 22, preferably of cylindrical shape and, preferably hollow (FIG. 3), made in a rigid material and acting fastening element cooperating with the female element 11, more particularly being fixed in the circular opening 14 of the female element 11.

The tubular body 22 has a free end shaped conical tip 23, intended to be inserted into the opening 14 of the receptacle 13 of the female element 11, and having a base of circular shape and diameter greater than the diameter of the body tubular 22 (Figures 1 to 6). The junction between the base of the conical tip 23 and the outer surface, preferably cylindrical, of the tubular body 22 and defines a shoulder 24, intended in particular to block the conical tip 23 against the flexible tabs 18, placed in the opening 14 of the female element 11 (Figures 2 and 3). The conical tip 23 preferably has a peripheral surface with a plurality of concave zones 25, in particular to facilitate progressive piercing of the cartilage of the ear of the animal, when attaching the ear tag 10.

As shown more particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the shoulder 24 of the tubular body 22 of the male element 12 is intended to cooperate with the flexible tabs 18 projecting into the opening 14 of the female element 11. flexible tabs 18 are deformed only in the direction of introduction of the conical tip 23 of the tubular body 22 into the opening 14 of

The female element 11 (Figure 3). The shoulder 24 thus comes into rear abutment against the flexible lugs 18 (Figure 3), which then prevent the withdrawal of the male element 12 in the opposite direction to the introduction of the conical tip 23. Forcing on the flexible legs 18, to remove the male element 12, either the flexible tabs 18 break, or the conical tip 23 is

20. breaks in an area 35 formed by a narrowing of the tubular body section, as described below. This then results in the impossibility of reusing the tag 10, one of its male 12 or female 11 has broken. The number of flexible tabs 18 and the plastic material used for the latter notably prevent any manual disassembly or with the aid of a

25 tool, without any visible deterioration of the assembly.

In FIGS. 4 to 6, representing more particularly the male element 12 of the ear tag 10 according to the invention, the male element 12 comprises an anchoring member 26 defining the end opposite the conical tip 23. of the tubular body 22. The anchoring member 26 is connected to the tubular body 22 by a breaking zone 27 (FIGS. 3 and 4), forming in particular a zone preferential breakage of the male element 12, in response to a predetermined effort, especially in the case where the animal has jammed the tag 10 in a fence. The break zone 27 is formed by a decrease in the thickness of the tubular body 22 and has, for example, a substantially triangular section (Figures 2 and 3).

In FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 6, the male element 12 further comprises a second shell 28, preferably made of flexible and elastic material, having a flexible and elastic end 29 molded onto the anchoring member 26, at the end of the tubular body 22. Advantageously, the anchoring member 26 has the shape substantially of a disc, with two flat edges (FIGS. 2 and 6), and comprises anchoring holes 30, notably allowing the overmolding material to pass through the anchoring member 26 (Figure 6), so that the shell 28 is firmly connected to the tubular body 22 of the male element 12.

In FIG. 6, the overmolded end 29 of the second shell 28 has the shape, for example, of a substantially rectangular frame, encasing the anchoring member 26 (FIG. 6), and is extended downwards by a panel 31, preferably of flexible and elastic material, slightly oriented towards the conical tip 23 of the tubular body 22 (Figure 1). The rear of the panel 31 is also intended to support information relating to the animal, on which the label 10 is attached.

In FIGS. 2 to 6, the male element 12 also comprises a plate 32, integral with the tubular body 22, extending substantially perpendicular to the tubular body 22 and interposed between the conical tip 23 of the tubular body 22 and the body 26. As shown in FIG. 5, the plate 32 is intended in particular to form a limit for the overmolded end 29 of the shell 28, so that the shell 28 completely covers the anchoring member. 26 and the breakout zone 27 and so that a face 32a of the plate 32, facing the conical tip 23 (Figure 5), remains visible and thus closes the overmolded end 29 of the shell 28.

Furthermore, the anchoring holes 30 made in the thickness of the anchoring member 26 allow in particular to connect the shell 28 securely to the plate 32, to ensure good mechanical strength of the shell 28 on the male element 12, more particularly on the plate 32 of the male element 12. The visible face 32a of the plate 32 then has a plane connection with the shell 28 and, in this area, the plate 32 and the shell 28 are connected by a simple adhesion of their two constituent materials.

In FIGS. 2 to 6, the plate 32 comprises an upper edge 32b truncated, that is to say having a flat surface, and a lower portion 32c, oriented substantially like the panel 31 of the shell 28 (FIG. 3) and mobile, as described below. The plate 32 also has a plurality of openings 33, formed throughout the thickness of the plate 32 and oriented perpendicular to each other (Figures 2, 5 and 6). By way of example, the openings 33 are of oblong shape and the plate 32 has two rows of openings 33a positioned longitudinally, that is to say parallel to the upper edge 32b of the plate 32, and two rows of openings. 33b positioned transversely, that is to say perpendicular to the openings 33a (Figures 2 and 6).

In Figure 5, the plate 32 has a series of grooves 34, for example, of triangular section, formed on the visible face 32a of the plate 32 and connecting the openings 33 between them. The grooves 34 are obtained by a local reduction in the thickness of the plate 32, determined in particular so that the remaining thickness of the plate 32, at the bottom of the groove 34, allows local and elastic deformation of the material of the plate 32 The grooves 34 then constitute fold lines for the plate 32, allowing in particular to articulate the lower portion 32c of the plate 32, in case of external stress, as described below.

In the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the plate 32 comprises two longitudinal grooves 34a, connecting the openings 33a, placed longitudinally in the plate 32, and two transverse grooves.

34b, connecting the openings 33b, placed transversely in the plate 32.

The lower portion 32c of the plate 32 is thus articulated around a groove 34a, having a permanent deformation, such that the lower portion 32c of the plate 32, located below the corresponding groove 34a, is oriented parallel to the panel 31 of the hull 28

(Figure 3).

Such folding lines thus constitute favored folding zones, reinforcing the elasticity of the plate 32 and therefore of the second shell 28. This results in a greater deformation of the shell 28, in the case of hooking of the label. 10, for example in a fence or other. This also results in better resistance to breakage and tearing of the label 10.

Furthermore, the male element 12 advantageously comprises a narrowing of section 35 in the tubular body 22 (FIGS. 1 and 4), formed between the free end of the tubular body 22, namely the conical tip 23, and the body of the tubular body 22. In particular, the section narrowing 35 is formed between the conical tip 23 of the tubular body 22 and the plate 32, forming the limit of overmolding of the shell 28 of the male member 12.

Such a section narrowing 35 allows in particular, in case of excessive tensile stress in the direction of the tubular body 22, to achieve a clean break of the tubular body 22. Thus, the conical tip 23, inserted into the opening 14 of the 1 1 female element, remains blocked at the inside, after breaking of the tubular body 22, and can not be disassembled, except to damage the female element 11. As a result, the label 10 can not be reused.

Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the tubular body 22 of the male element 12 is advantageously hollow and comprises a duct 36, opening into a bore 37, made in the overmoulding of the shell 28, at the level of the Flexible and resilient end 29 of the shell 28. The conduit 36 and the bore 37 are in particular intended to facilitate the attachment of the tag 10 to the ear of an animal, as described below.

Indeed, the fixing of the label 10 is practiced as follows. The female element 11 is attached to one jaw of a special clamp, the other jaw being provided with a rod intended to be engaged axially in the conduit 36, passing through the bore 37. The clamp previously lined with 10 is arranged so that the flag of the ear of the animal is inserted between the female elements 11 and male 12. Then, the branches of the clamp are brought together, so that the conical tip 23 passes through firstly the cartilage of the animal's earlobe, then the circular opening 14 of the receptacle 13, by elastic deformation of the flexible tabs 18. The tubular body 22 then remains stuck in the opening 14, thanks to the support of the shoulder 24 against the flexible legs 18, after their automatic return due to the elasticity of their constituent material.

Such an ear tag 10 according to the invention, as described above, has the main advantage of being able to be used only once, in particular thanks to the presence of the different zones of privileged breaks, resulting in breakage of the label in specific areas (break zone 27, section narrowing 35). Moreover, thanks to the section narrowing 35 formed on the tubular body 22 of the male element 12, the shell 28 of the male element can be very easily disengaged. of the conical point 23, in the case where the shell 28 is blocked by an external element.

The coupling disk 20 of the first shell 19 of the female element 11 and the overmolded end 29 of the second shell 28 of the male element

12 also constitute fuse rupture zones, able to break beyond a predetermined internal stress. This arrangement allows the shell 19 to separate from the coupling disk 20, when an external force is applied which would generate, without the presence of the fuse breaking zone, an internal stress greater than said predetermined stress and which could cause breaking of the label 10.

In the same way, the break zone 27 of the male element 12 makes it possible to separate the shell 28 before the label 10 breaks. Since the plate 32 is larger than the diameter of the hole made in the horn of the animal's ear, the tag 10 remains in place despite the loss of the shell 28 of the male element 12. As the female element It also generally comprises an identification means (a radiofrequency tag and / or a hull), the traceability of the animal is preserved.

The invention is not limited to the various embodiments described above. The shape and dimensions of the two female 11 and male 12 elements of the ear tag 10 may be different, as long as they allow the tag 10 to snap it cleanly, in order to properly locate the broken tags and prevent reuse.

In an alternative embodiment not shown, an electronic element of the transponder type can be inserted into the duct 36, before the overmolding of the second shell 28 of the male element 12 of the label 10. In another embodiment not shown, a jumper, made of an antiseptic active ingredient, insecticide or animal disease treatment, may overlap the male element 12 of the ear tag 10. More specifically, the rider may include a rear plate, from which extends perpendicularly a centraliser, adapted to be inserted into the conduit 36 of the tubular body 22, and a front plate, parallel to the rear plate and connected to it by an upper edge. The front plate has, for example, a vertical central groove through which the centering device passes. The junction between the front plate and the back plate is elastically deformable. By pulling on the back plate, it can therefore tilt relative to the front plate, in order to be able to move the centering device, during the introduction of the jumper, in a manner sufficient to allow the end overmolded 29 to fit between the front and back plates. By elastic return of the rider to its natural configuration, when the force on the rear plate stops, on the one hand, the centralizer is inserted into the conduit 36 through the bore 37 and, on the other hand, the end overmold 29 of the shell 28 of the male element 12 is pressed between the front and rear plates of the rider.

Claims

claims

1. Animal identification ear tag (10), comprising a female element (11), pierced with an opening (14) cooperating with a free end (23) of a tubular body (22) of a male element (12), comprising an information carrier shell (28) relating to said animal, label characterized in that the shell (28) of the male element (12) has an end (29) flexible and elastic overmolded on a anchoring member (26) integral with the tubular body (22).

2. Label according to claim 1, characterized in that the male element (12) comprises a breaking zone (27) connecting the anchoring member (26) to the tubular body (22) of the male element (12). ).

3. Label according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the tubular body (22) comprises a narrowing section (35) formed between the free end (23) of the tubular body (22) and the anchoring member (26).

4. Label according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the anchoring member (26) comprises anchor holes (30) receiving the material of the overmolding of the end (29) flexible and elastic of the shell (28) of the male element (12).

5. Label according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a plate (32) integral with the tubular body (22) of the male element (12) disposed substantially perpendicular to the tubular body ( 22) and interposed between the free end (23) of the tubular body (22) and the anchoring member (26), the plate (32) forming substantially one end of the overmolding of the shell (28) of the element male (12).

6. Label according to claim 5, characterized in that the plate (32) has a plurality of openings (33) formed in the thickness of the plate (32) and oriented perpendicular to each other.

7. Label according to claim 6, characterized in that the openings (33) are connected by grooves (34) of triangular section, formed by a local decrease in the thickness of the plate (32) and defining fold lines for the plate (32).

8. Label. according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the female element (11) has flexible nonreturn tabs (18) protruding towards the opening (14) and bending only in the direction of introduction of the free end (23) of the tubular body (22) of the male element (12).

9. Label according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the female element (11) comprises a radiofrequency tag.

10. Label according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the female element (11) comprises an information carrier shell (19) relating to said animal, said shell (19) having an end ( 20) flexible and resilient overmolded on an annular flange (15) of the female element (11).