"TAG" FIELD OF INV ENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a tag.

[0002] More particularly, the present invention relates to a tag to assist in animal identification wherein the tag has provision of radio frequency identification tracking and the tag preferably being attachable to an ear of the animal,

BAC KGROUND TO INVENTION

[0003] The use of ear tags as identifiers for animals is common practice around the world, particularly in the management of herd animals for human consumption such as bovine, ovine or porcine.

[0004] In recent years there has been a considerable movement to the use of radio frequency identification (hereinafter "RFID") capable ear tags to allow for easier information capture regarding a herd or a single animal. The RFID ear tags deployed usually incorporate a duplexing transmitter that is capable of receiving and transmitting information simultaneously and a means of storing information. In this manner the information contained within the ear tag can be updated to incorporate further information regarding the individual animal. Such information may include the information on the feed being allocated to an animal or the amount of medical or preventative treatment that has been administered to the animal.

[0005] Such an ear tag normally comprises a male portion and a separate female portion which are arranged to engage with each other in a complementar manner to secure the ear tag to the animal A great number of different ear tag designs have been used with each proponent claiming that their specific design adds features that offer benefits over the others. However, it is a common feature of all these designs that RFID components, in particular the requisite aerial, are generally mounted On or around the female portion.

[0006] Such ear tags can be seen in the PCT application O2009/074659, wherein a button style ear tag is disclosed, wherein the RFID components are housed in the female portion, having a cavity arranged to engage with the male portion to secure the ear tag.

[0007] Another alternative embodiment of a widely Used ear tag is described in PCT application WO2012 019956, wherein attached to the female portion is a planar antenna.

[0008] The prior art ear tags as discussed above are faced with a number of deficiencies, such as tending to become loose from the ear as the tag is generally unbalanced and lopsided. Also, the increased size of the female portion to incorporate the RFID components generally increases the size of the ear tag and therefore makes it more vulnerable to becoming entangled and pulled out of the ear inadvertently.

[0009] Ear tags demonstrated in the prior art are also widely known to consist of two separate portions which are brought together by an applicator to apply the ear tag to an animal. Two piece ear tags commonly require their own specific applicator which may be somewhat difficult to use, due to the need to insert two separate pieces into the applicator before applying it to the a imal. The delays caused by this can lead to stress in the animal and are therefore best avoided.

[0010] The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part the aforementioned disadvantages of previous RFID capable ear tags.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[001 i ] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a tag for attachment to an ear of an animal, comprising a male portion; and a female portion being arranged to engage with the male portion, wherein the male portion houses suitable RFID components. [0012] Preferably the male portion and the female portion are integrally formed with and joined together by a flexible strip to form a single unitary piece.

[0013] Preferably the female portion engages irremovably on the male portion when attached thereto.

[0014] Preferably the male portion is manufactured, at least partially, from a polymer composite such as a glass filled nylon.

[00 i 5] Preferably the male portion has a shaft with an enlarged head, wherein the shaft is cylindrical in shape and the enlarged head is conical in shape, and wherein the base of the head extends annularly beyond the circumference of the shaft.

[0016] Preferably the female portion includes an aperture for receiving the male portion, herein the aperture is frustoconical in shape having sloped side walls leading into the aperture.

[0017] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a tag having a male port ion and a female portion being arranged to engage with the male portion, the method comprising the steps of:

moulding an intermediate preform, wherein the male portion comprises a cage; inserting RFID components into the cage; and

over-moulding the male portion to enclose the cage and secure the RFID components within the male portion.

[0018] Preferably the preform is moulded from a synthetic polymer such as nylon.

[001 ] Preferably the over-moulding is performed using a polymer composite such as glass filled nylon.

BRIEF DESCRI PTION ^' OF DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention will now be described, by way of example, With reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a tag according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an ear tag according to the invention, shown as a preform in a partially moulded state to permit insertion of RFID components;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the second embodiment shown in Figure 3, shown in a fully moulded state; and

Figure 4 is a view of the second embodiment shown in Figure 4, shown in a operative folded over position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021 ] Referring to the drawings _* there is shown in Figure 1 a tag 100 in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention being moulded as a single unitary item from a plastics material. The tag 100, also referred to hereafter as an ear tag, comprises a male portion 102 and a female portion 104 that has a central aperture 106. The male portion 102 and female portion 104 are spaced apart from each other and joined together by an elongate joi ning portion 108. The male portion 102 comprises a shaft 110, a stepped ridge 112 and a terminal point 1 13. Suitable RFID components 114 (shown in dotted lines) are located and contained within the shaft 1 10.

[0022] The RFID components 114 perform the same functions as demonstrated in the prior art examples, however, unlike prior art examples the RFID antenna is wrapped around a billet in a longitudinal manner and thereby has a significantly smaller cross section than previous examples.

[0023] Preferably, the diameter of the shaft 1 ,10 is such that the shaft 1.10 will not pass through an average sized comb used in trade by a shearer whilst shearing sheep. In this manner the shaft 110 should be immune from incidental damage while an animal wearing the ear tag 100 is being shorn.

[0024] The inventor has found that incorporating the RFID components 114 within the shaft 1 0 permits the ear tag 100 to be produced having a similar visual appearance to existing non RFID tags. Further, the inclusion of the RFID components 114 in the shaft 1 10 allows for a significant reduction in the amount of material used in the manufacture of the ear tag 100 thus leading to reduced production costs and to a substantial reduction in weight.

[0025] The inventor has also found that the reduction in size of the ear tag 100 leads to a reduced chance of the tag being snagged or entangled on objects and inadvertently being pulled out and lost. Further benefits will also be apparent to a person skilled in the art. The ear tag 100 has been found to be resistant to tampering as any attempt to remove the tag surreptitiously would likely result in damage to the shaft 1 10, the female portion 1 4 surrounding the aperture 106 or the RFID components 1 14.

[0026] The inventor has also found that by applying this invention to known tag designs, it is possible to produce an ear tag that may be attached to an animal's ear using existing ear tag applicators. Further, the unitary design of the ear tag 100 allows for easy fitting into an ear tag applicator.

[0027] hi use, the ear tag 100 of the present invention would be inserted into an ear tag applicator (not shown). The ear tag 100 and applicator would then be brought into contact with the ear or ears of the animal to be tagged. The ear tag 100 is applied to the animal by forcing the point 1 13 of the male portion 102 through the animal's ear and subsequently inserting the male portion 102 into the aperture 1 6 so that the stepped ridge 112 passes through the aperture 106.

[0028] Once the stepped ridge 112 passes through the aperture 1 6 the stepped ridge is substantially restrained such that removal of the male portion 102 from the aperture 106 is only possible through deformation of the male portion 102 or the female portion 104. [0029] Referring now to Figures 3 to 5, there is shown a second exemplary embodiment of a tag (or ear tag) in accordance with the present invention. Figure 3 shows the ear tag 200 as an intermediate preform in a partially moulded state during manufacture. Figure 4 shows the ear tag 200 being fully moulded and ready for application, while Figure 5 shows the ear tag 200 in a folded over secured state as it would be after attachment to an animal's ear.

[0030] Figure 3 shows the ear tag 200 comprising an elongate flatstrip 202 having a male portion 204 at one end thereof and a female portion 206 at an opposite end thereof. The female portion 206 is provided with a frustoconical aperture 208 having a sloped internal side wall 210 leading into the aperture 208 to assist during insertion of the male portion 204 through the aperture 208.

[0031 ] In the preform, the male portion 204 comprises three Support Columns 212 supporting a conical head 214 spaced apart from the strip 202. The support columns 212 are equidistantly spaced annularly around the base of the head 214, with the latter extending outwardly beyond, the support columns 212. The support columns 212 define a cage-liie open-sided cylindrical enclosure 216 having an opening 218 at its end distal from the head 214 and leading through the strip 202. The enclosure 216 is adapted to receive RFID components 220 through the opening 218, whic are subsequently held in place within the enclosure 216 by frietional engagement with the support columns 212.

[0032] A number of exhaust outlets 222 pass through the head 214 into the enclosure 216.

[0033] During manufacture, the ear tag 200 preform is moulded in a first moulding step. The preform is moulded from plastics, preferably from a synthetic polymer such as nylon or any other similarly flexible polymer. Thereafter the RFID components 220 are inserted into the enclosure 216 and the male portion 204 is subsequently subjected to an over-moulding step to secure the RFID components 220 within the male portion 204. The over-moulding step is preferably performed with a hardened or strengthened composite polymer, such as glass-filled nylon. [0034] As shown in Figure 4. the over-moulding step fills the enclosure 216 with the composite polymer up to the outer extent of the support columns 212 and closes off the opening 218 so as to form a solid cylindrical shaft 224 extending from the strip 202 to the head 214. During the over-moulding step, the composite polymer also flows into and closes off the exhaust outlets 222 to thereby strengthen the head 214 for easier application during use as described hereafter. The exhaust outlets 222 also avoid air being trapped within the head 214 during the over-moulding step that may cause structural weaknesses.

[0035] The base of the head 214 forms a stepped ridge 226 extending annularly beyond the shaft 224. The stepped ridge 226 has a larger outer diameter than me minimum inner diameter of the aperture 208.

[0036] In use, the ear tag 200 is inserted into an ear tag applicator (not shown). The ear tag 200 and applicator would then be brought into contact with an ear of the animal to be tagged and the male portion 204 is forcibly pierced through the ear so that the ear surrounds the shaft 224. The piercing ability of the male portion 204 is improved by the strengthening of the head 214 due to the presence of the polymer composite therein. The strip 202 is subsequentl folded over to bring the female portion 206 towards the male portion 204 and secured thereto by insertion of the head 214 and shaft 224 through the aperture 208.

[0037] As the head 214 is pressed through the aperture 208, the sloped side wall 210 rides up the conical head 214 until it passes over the stepped ridge 226 and engages against the back of the stepped ri dge 226. Accordingly, the stepped ridge 226 prevents the head 214 from being withdrawn from the aperture 208 unless the stepped ridge 226 or side wall 210 is deformed.

[0038] Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.