^• 'ANIMAL RFID TAG"

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an animal RFID tag.

[0002] More particularly, the present invention relates to an animal RFID tag to assist in animal identification wherein the tag encloses radio frequency identification means and is preferably attachable to an ear of the animal.

BACKGROUND 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 and livestock,

[0004] It is known to use ear tags equipped with radio frequency identification ("RFID' ^* ) devices to allow for easier infonnation capture regarding a herd or a single animal. The RFID 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 tag can be updated to incorporate further information regarding the individual animal. Such information may include 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] An example of one known tag design comprises a male portion and a separate female portion wherein an RFID component is housed inside the male portion. The male and female portions are arranged to engage with each other in a complementary manner to attach the tag to the animal. During manufacture, the RFID component is placed inside a cavity formed within the male portion and the cavity is then over-moulded, commonly using a polymer composite material such as glass filled nylon, to enclose the RFID component. Tags manufactured this way often suffer from several shortfalls. For example, if the RFID component is not aligned centrally within the cavity when the over-moulding step is performed, then the male portion will be unevenly balanced and lop-sided which may cause the tag to come loose easily from the animal's ear during use. Further, if the RFID component is not properly aligned, then the over-mould material will not uniformly surround the RFID component and encapsulate it within the cavity. The RFID component will then be vulnerable to damage as the tag impacts and comes into contact with objects as the animal browses.

[0006] The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part the aforementioned disad vantages of previous RFID capable ear tags.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tag for attachment to an ear of an animal, wherein the tag comprises a cavity that:

houses an RFID component; and

has an internal surface with a plurality of inwardly extending raised protuberances on the internal surface,

wherein the protuberances ensure that there is at least one gap between the internal surface and the RFID component when the RFID component is placed into the cavity during manufacture of the tag.

[0008] The tag may comprise a male portion and a female portion arranged to engage with the male portion, the cavity being formed inside the male portion.

[0009] The male portion and the female portion may be integrally formed and joined together by a flexible strip to form a single unitary piece.

[0010] The protuberances may comprise a plurality of elongate ribs formed on the internal surface, each rib extending longitudinally along a length of the internal surface.

[001 1] The protuberances may comprise a plurality of raised studs formed on the internal surface.

[0012] The protuberances may comprise a plurality of elongate fingers, each elongate finger projecting from the internal surface inwardly into the cavity. [0013] The protuberances may be arranged such that when the RFID component is placed inside the cavity during manufacture of the tag, the RFID component is held in a substantially central position within the cavity.

[0014] The female portion may engage irremovably on the male portion when attached thereto.

[0015] The male portion may have a shaft with an enlarged head, wherein the shaft is cylindrical in shape and the enlarged head is conical in shape, and wherein a base of the head extends annularly beyond a circumference of the shaft.

[0016] The female portion may have an aperture for receiving the male portion, wherein the aperture is frustoconical in shape having sloped side walls leading into the aperture.

[0017] The male portion may be manufactured, at least partially, from a polymer composite such as a glass filled nylon.

[0018] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for manufacturing a tag for attachment to an ear of an animal, the tag comprising a cavity for securing therein an RFID component, the cavity having an internal surface with a plurality of inwardly extending raised protuberances on the internal surface, the process comprising the steps of:

moulding an intermediate preform comprising the male portion;

inserting an RFID component into the cavity of the male portion, the protuberances causing at least one gap to be formed between the internal surface of the cavity and the RFID component; and

over-moulding the male portion to enclose the, or each, gap and secure the RFID component within the male portion.

[0019] The preform may be moulded from a synthetic polymer such as nylon. [0020] The over-moulding may be performed using a polymer composite such as glass filled nylon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021 ] The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 is a first perspective view of a first embodiment of a tag according to the invention shown in a fully moulded state;

[0023] Figure 2 is a second perspective view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 ;

[0024] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1, shown in an operative folded over position;

[0025] Figure 4(a) is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 , shown as a preform in a partially moulded state to permit insertion of an RFID component;

[0026] Figure 4(b) is a bottom view of the tag shown in Figure 4(a); and

[0027] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a tag according to the invention, shown as a preform in a partially moulded state to permit insertion of an RFID component.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a tag 10 in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention being moulded as a single unitary item from a plastics material.

[0029] The tag 10, also referred to hereafter as an ear tag, comprises a male portion 12 and a female portion 14. The female portion 14 has a central aperture 16. The male portion 12 and the female portion 14 are spaced apart from each other and are integrally formed with, and joined together by, an elongate joining portion 18 to form a single unitary piece.

[0030] The male portion 12 comprises a shaft 20 with an enlarged head 22 that may be manufactured, at least partially, from a polymer composite such as a glass filled nylon. The shaft 20 is substantially cylindrical in shape and the enlarged head 22 is substantially conical in shape. A base of the head 24 extends annularly beyond a circumference of the shaft 20.

[0031] Preferably, the diameter of the shaft 20 is such that the shaft 20 will not pass through an average sized comb used in trade by a shearer whilst shearing sheep. In this manner, the shaft 20 should be immune from incidental damage while an animal wearing the ear tag 10 is being shorn.

[0032] The aperture 16 in the female portion 14 is preferably frustoconical in shape and has sloped side walls 26 leading into the aperture 16. The aperture 16 is arranged to receive and engage the enlarged head 22 of the male portion 12.

[0033] As the enlarged head 22 is pressed through the aperture 16, the sloped side walls 26 ride up against the enlarged head 22 until the walls 26 pass over the base of the head 24 and engage against a back of the base of the head 24. As best illustrated in Figure 3, the base of the head 24 prevents the enlarged head 22 from being withdrawn from the aperture 16 thereby irremovably attaching the male portion 12 to the female portion 14.

[0034] Referring to Figures 4(a) and 4(b), there is shown an ear tag 10 in an intermediate preform in a partially moulded state during manufacture. The preform is moulded from a plastics material, preferably from a synthetic polymer such as nylon or any other similarly flexible polymer. [0035] After the preform has been created, an RFID component 30 is inserted into a cavity 28 preferably formed in the male portion 12 of the ear tag 10. The RFID component 30 performs the same functions as demonstrated in prior art ear tags.

[0036] The cavity 28 is preferably substantially cylindrical in shape and has a plurality of inwardly extending raised protuberances 32 on an internal surface 34 of the cavity 28. In the embodiment shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the protuberances 32 comprise a plurality of elongate ribs 36 disposed on the internal surface 34. Each elongate rib 36 is preferably arranged such that the longitudinal length of each elongate rib 36 is aligned with, and is substantially parallel to, the longitudinal length of the cylindrical cavity 28.

[0037] Three elongate ribs 36 are shown in the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b). It will be appreciated, however, that an alternative number of elongate ribs 36 may be used (for example, four, five or six ribs, etc.).

[0038] The elongate ribs 36 provide that when the RFID component 30 is placed inside the cavity 28 of the male portion 12 during the manufacturing process, at least one gap will exist between the internal surface 34 of the cavity 28 and the RFID component 30. Further, the elongate ribs 36, preferably, provide that the RFID component 30 is held in a substantially central position within the cavity 28 such that empty space uniformly surrounds the RFID component 30.

[0039] Once the RFID component 30 is secured in position, the male portion 12 is then subjected to an over-moulding step to secure the RFID component 30 within the male portion 12. The over-moulding step is, preferably, performed with a hardened or strengthened composite polymer, such as glass-filled nylon.

[0040] The over-moulding step fills the cavity 28, including any gaps or empty spaces formed between the internal surface 34 of the cavity 28 and the RFID component 30, so as to form a solid cylindrical shaft. As illustrated in Figure 2, after the over-moulding step has been completed, the base surface of the male portion 12 will be flush with the surface of the elongate joining portion 18. [0041 ] In use, the ear tag 10 of the present invention is brought into contact with the ear or ears of the animal to be tagged. The ear tag 10 is applied to the animal by forcing the male portion 12 through the animal ^* s ear and subsequently inserting the male portion 12 into the aperture 16 so that the enlarged head 22 passes through the aperture 16.

[0042] Once the enlarged head 22 passes through the aperture 16, the enlarged head 22 is substantially restrained such that removal of the male portion 12 from the aperture 16 is only possible through deformation of the male portion 12 or the female portion 14. Figure 3 shows the ear tag 10 in a folded over secured state as it would be after attachment to an animal's ear.

[0043] The protuberances 32 on the internal surface 34 of the cavity 28 used in the present invention are not limited to the elongate ribs shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b). Referring to Figure 5, there is shown a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. This shows an ear tag 50 in an intermediate preform in a partially moulded state during manufacture. The ear tag 50 is identical to the one shown in Figures 1 to 4 except that the protuberances used in this embodiment comprise a plurality of raised studs 52 each formed on the internal surface 54 of the cavity 56 of the male portion 58.

[0044] Similar to the elongate ribs used in the first embodiment in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the raised studs 52 in the second embodiment ensure that at least one gap exists between the internal surface 54 of the cavity 56 and the RFID component 60 when the RFID component 60 is placed inside the cavity 56 during manufacture.

[0045] Preferably, a plurality of raised studs 52 will be used to ensure that the RFID component 60 is held in a substantially central position within the cavity 56 while the over-moulding step of the manufacturing process is carried out.

[0046] It will also be appreciated that further alternative forms of protuberances 32 may be used for the present invention. For example, in a further exemplary embodiment, the protuberances 32 may comprise a plurality of elongate fingers (not shown) each made of an extruded plastics material projecting away from the internal surface 34 of the cavity 28. The elongate fingers ensure that the RFID component 30 is held in a substantially central position within the cavity 28 while the over-moulding step of the manufacturing process is carried out.

[0047] Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.