Patent Publication Number: US-2012030977-A1

Title: One-piece ear tag

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/371,290 filed on Aug. 6, 2010. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to tags and more particularly to ear tags for use with animals. 
     BACKGROUND 
     This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. 
     Ear tags are used in a wide variety of applications to identify and differentiate between animals. Ear tags may be inserted into and through an ear of an animal and may include a number or other marking identifying the particular animal. 
     Conventional ear tags typically include either a one-piece construction or a two-piece construction. A conventional one-piece ear tag is inserted through a cut made in an ear of an animal formed by a blade or other installation tool. Once installed, the one-piece ear tag extends through the ear such that the tag remains in contact with the animal&#39;s ear. A conventional two-piece ear tag typically includes a male portion extending through a cut formed in an ear of an animal and a female portion matingly receiving the male portion to lock the two-piece ear tag relative to the animal&#39;s ear. The male portion and the female portion cooperate to prevent removal of the ear tag from the animal&#39;s ear once installed. 
     In each of the foregoing ear-tag configurations, a cut must be made through an ear of an animal prior to the ear tag being installed. As such, conventional ear tags require that the ear of the animal be pierced or otherwise cut prior to installation of the one-piece or two-piece tag into the animal&#39;s ear. Two-piece tags require an additional step yet in that a male component of the tag must be inserted not only through the animal&#39;s ear but into a female component to properly install the tag. As can be appreciated, requiring a piercing step prior to inserting the tag into the animal&#39;s ear and subsequently requiring installation of a male component into a female component increases the complexity and the time it takes in which to install an ear tag properly in an animal&#39;s ear. Given that the animal is conscious during installation of the tag, increasing the complexity and/or time required to install the ear tag increases the difficulty in properly attaching the tag to the animal&#39;s ear. 
     SUMMARY 
     This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. 
     An ear tag is provided and may include a main body and a stem extending from the main body and having a first bore formed therethrough. A head may be disposed at a distal end of the stem and may include a tip and a plurality of retention features. The tip may be received within the first bore and may overlap the plurality of retention features to transmit a force applied to the tip to the stem and the plurality of retention features. 
     In another configuration, an ear tag is provided and may include a main body and a stem extending from the main body and having a first bore formed therethrough. A head may be disposed at a distal end of the stem and may include a tip. The tip may be received within the first bore, may include a second bore in fluid communication with the first bore, and may be recessed into the stem within the first bore such that the second bore is substantially flush with the first bore. 
     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tag installed in an ear of an animal; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a tag in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial side view of the tag of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a partial cross-sectional view of the ear tag of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     With reference to the figures, a tag  10  is provided and may include a main body  12 , a stem  14 , and a head  16 . The stem  14  and head  16  cooperate to attach and retain the tag  10  in a position relative to an ear  18  of an animal  20  such that the main body  12  is visible from at least one side  22 ,  24  of the ear  18 . While the tag  10  will be described and shown with respect to an ear  18  of an animal  20 , the tag  10  could alternatively be installed in another location of the animal  20  and is not limited to installation in an ear. 
     The main body  12  may extend generally from the ear  18  ( FIG. 1 ) and may include a display portion  26  and an arm  28 . The display portion  26  may be integrally formed with the arm  28  and may include a first surface  30 , a second surface  32  formed on an opposite side of the display portion  26  than the first surface  30 , and a number or other marking  34 . The number or marking  34  may be formed on either the first surface  30  or the second surface  32  or, alternatively, may be formed on each of the first surface  30  and the second surface  32  such that the number or marking  34  is visible from each side  22 ,  24  of the ear  18 . 
     The arm  28  may extend generally from the display portion  26  and may include a first end  36  attached to the display portion  26 , a second end  38  having an arcuate surface  40 , and first and second surfaces  42 ,  44  extending generally between the first end  36  and the second end  38 . The first surface  42  may be positioned on an opposite side of the arm  28  than the second surface  44  and may be positioned on the same side of the main body  12  as the stem  14  and head  16 . The second surface  44  may be positioned on an opposite side of the arm  28  than the first surface  42  such that the second surface  44  is formed on an opposite side of the main body  12  than the stem  14  and head  16 . 
     The stem  14  may extend from the first surface  42  of the arm  28  and may include a cylindrical body  46  and a bore  48 . The cylindrical body  46  may extend generally between the first surface  42  of the arm  28  and the head  16  and may be integrally formed with the arm  28  and at least a portion of the head  16 . The bore  48  may be formed through the cylindrical body  46  and may include an outer surface  50 , an inner surface  52 , and an opening  54 . While the body  46  is described as being cylindrical, the body  46  could alternatively include any geometrical shape. For example, the body  46  may include a shape having at least one angle and/or at least one planar surface to prevent or otherwise restrict relative rotation between the stem  14  and the ear  18 . 
     The opening  54  is in fluid communication with the bore  48  and may extend from the second surface  44  of the arm  28  along a longitudinal axis  56  of the bore  48  ( FIG. 4 ). The opening  54  may include a taper  58  such that a diameter of the opening  54  proximate to the second surface  44  of the arm  28  is greater than the diameter of the bore  48  disposed generally between the first surface  42  of the arm  28  and the head  16 . 
     The head  16  may be disposed at a distal end of the stem  14  and may include a tip  60 , at least one retention feature  62 , and a bore  64 . The retention features  62  may be integrally formed with the stem  14  such that the retention features  62  and stem  14  are integrally formed with the main body  12 . In one configuration, the main body  12 , stem  14 , and retention features  62  include a uniform construction and are formed via an injection-molding process, for example. 
     The tip  60  may include a first end  66 , a second end  68 , and a bore  70 . The first end  66  may include a cutting feature  72  that punctures the ear  18  when the head  16  initially engages the ear  18 . The second end  68  may be disposed at an opposite end of the tip  60  than the first end  66  and may include an opening  74  in fluid communication with the bore  70 . The first end  66  may be recessed into a portion of the stem  14  ( FIG. 4 ) such that an inner surface  76  of the bore  70  is substantially flush with the inner surface  52  of the bore  48 . 
     The tip  60  may be molded integrally with the retention features  62 . Specifically, when the retention features  62  are molded with the stem  14  and main body  12 , the tip  60  may be inserted into the mold such that when the main body  12 , stem  14 , and retention features  62  are formed, the tip  60  is integrally formed therewith. The tip  60  may be formed from a harder material than the main body  12 , stem  14 , and retention features  62  such that the tip  60  is relatively rigid. Providing the tip  60  with a rigid construction enhances the ability of the cutting feature  72  to puncture the ear  18  when the tag  10  is installed. 
     The cutting feature  72  may include a series of sloped surfaces  73  that cooperate with the cutting feature  72  to puncture the ear  18 . The sloped surfaces  73  may terminate at an end  75 , may engage a portion of each retention feature  62 , and may include pointed or sharp leading edges that cooperate with the cutting feature  72  to puncture the ear  18 . The ends  75  of the sloped surfaces  73  may overlap a portion of the retention features  62  such that when a force is applied to the cutting feature  72  via the ear  18 , the force may be transmitted along the sloped surfaces  73  of the tip  60  and into the retention features  62  at the ends  75 . Positioning the ends  75  relative to each retention feature  62 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , allows forces applied to the cutting feature  72  by the ear  18  to be transmitted along the tip  60  and dispersed into the retention features  62 . 
     The bore  70  may extend only partially into the tip  60  and may include a longitudinal axis  78  and a recess  80  having an arcuate surface  81 . The longitudinal axis  78  may be aligned with the longitudinal axis  56  such that the bore  48  of the stem  14  is concentric with the bore  70  of the tip  60  when the tip  60  is received within the bore  64  of the head  16 . The recess  80  may be disposed at a distal end of the bore  70  and may be positioned along the longitudinal axis  78  such that the recess  80  is aligned with the cutting feature  72  along the longitudinal axis  78 . While recess  80  is disclosed as having an arcuate surface  81 , the distal end of the bore  70  could include any shape and may take a different form to accommodate a distal end of an installation tool (not shown) received within the bore  70 . For example, the distal end of the bore  70  may include a shape that matingly receives a distal end of the installation tool. 
     The retention features  62  may extend generally between the stem  14  and the tip  60  and may each include a leading edge  82  and a trailing edge  84 . The leading edge  82  may include a sloped surface  86  that facilitates insertion of the retention features  62  into the ear  18 . The trailing edge  84  may include a clearance  88  that permits the retention features  62  to deflect generally towards the stem  14  when the head  16  is inserted into the ear  18 . Permitting the retention features  62  to flex and bend such that the trailing edge  84  moves toward the stem  14  reduces the opening required in the ear  18  to allow the head  16  to pass therethrough. In one configuration, the main body  12 , stem  14 , and retention features  62  are formed from a flexible material such that the retention features  62  are permitted to flex when a force is applied at the leading edge  82 , as the head  16  punctures and moves through an opening formed in the ear  18 . 
     With particular reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  3 , and  4 , operation of the tag  10  will be described in detail. The tag  10  may be inserted through the ear  18  of the animal  20  by applying a force to the tip  60  such that the cutting feature  72  punctures the ear  18 . Specifically, an installation tool (not shown) may be inserted into the bore  48  of the stem  14  at the opening  54  and may engage the recess  80  of the tip  60  to apply a force on the tip  60 . The force is applied substantially along the longitudinal axis  56  of the bore  48  and, thus, along the longitudinal axis  78  of the bore  64  of the tip  60  to apply the force directly on the cutting feature  72 . The applied force causes the cutting feature  72  to engage one side  24  of the ear  18 . The other side  22  of the ear  18  may be supported by a portion of the installation tool such as a pair of upwardly extending arms (neither shown) that both support the side  22  of the ear  18  and permit the head  16  to pass through the ear  18  and generally between the upwardly extending arms. 
     As described, the force applied along the longitudinal axes  56 ,  78  is applied in the direction of insertion. As such, the force applied to the recess  80  is directly transmitted to the cutting feature  72  to allow the cutting feature  72  to puncture the ear  18  and create an opening through which the head  16  may pass. Continuing to apply the force on the tip  60  once the cutting feature  72  punctures the ear  18  causes the retention features  62  to deflect and move toward the stem  14 . Specifically, the trailing edges  84  of each retention feature  62  move toward the stem  14  and into the clearance  88  to reduce the overall size of the head  16  as the head  16  passes through the ear  18 . Once the head  16  passes through the ear  18 , the retention features  62  automatically return to an extended position due to the flexible material of the retention features  62  to allow the trailing edge  84  to engage side  22  of the ear  18  and prevent removal of the tag  10  from the ear  18 . 
     Once installed, the trailing edge  84  of each retention feature  62  generally opposes the side  22  of the ear  18  while the first surface  42  of the arm  28  opposes the opposite side  24  of the ear  18 . Once installed, the ear  18  is essentially disposed between the first surface  42  of the arm  28  and the trailing edge  84  of each retention feature  62 . 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.