FR2768835A1 - Identification mechanism for animals or baggage - Google Patents

Abstract

The mechanism provides a sealed electronic tagging system which can be placed in position and sealed on a cow's ear

Description

IDENTIFICATION DEVICE
The invention relates to an identification device.

 Although the device according to the invention is more particularly intended for the identification of animals, it can be used to identify any other element such as, for example, luggage or golf bags, or any other object.

 Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings which are given only by way of nonlimiting examples.

 FIG. 1 represents a cow provided with the identification device according to the invention.

 Figure 2 is a detail view showing how the identification device is attached to the ear of a cow.

 Figure 3 is a perspective view of the identification device before mounting.

 Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views of the element or female loop.

 Figures 7 and 8 are sectional views showing more particularly the means for retaining the identification device.

 Figures 9 and 10 are respectively a view before placing the identification label, and after filling the cavity.

 According to the embodiment given by way of example and bearing the general reference (1), the identification device is intended for the identification of an animal (2). The latter is commonly called an identification loop and is fixed to one of the ears (3) of said animal (2).

The loop consists of two elements: a first element called the female element (4), and a second element called the male element (5).

These two elements are fixed to the ear (3) of the animal (2) using manual or other pliers.

 The attachment to the ear of the animal is done by cooperation of a projection (6) of the male element (5) with a hollow housing (7) of the female element (4).

 One of the elements such as, for example, the first element or female element (4), includes the information relating to the identification proper. According to the invention, the identification consists of an information medium (8) such as an electronic label, for example. According to the embodiment given by way of example, this electronic label (8) consists of a semi-rigid thin support, of synthetic material on which are printed or fixed metal turns connected to an electronic chip, which contains the identification data. To access this data, the label must be subjected to an electromagnetic field emitted by an external "reader". The induced current activates the electronic chip which can then send back the information it contains to the reader.

 According to the invention, the electronic label (8) is fixed in a tamper-proof and sealed manner on one of the flexible elements such as, for example, the female element (4). To this end, the electronic label (8) is housed in a cavity (9) intended to receive a filling material (10) such as, for example, a curable resin.

 Said cavity (9) is constituted by a projecting peripheral wall (lia, llb, lic, 11d) and, according to the invention, retaining means for the filling material are provided in said peripheral walls. Thus, there is provided in the peripheral wall a set of several recessed retention profiles (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f, 12g, 12h).

 Each of the hollow profiles is produced in undercut and has, for example, the shape of a dovetail. Note that this undercut shape is achievable by injection of the elements thanks to the flexibility of the material which allows it to be removed from the mold.

 For the production of the element comprising the identification label, the said label is placed at the bottom of the cavity and the hardenable resin is poured which, by its fluidity, penetrates into the hollow profiles of the retaining then polymerizes. Once the polymerization has been done, the resin is rigid (or semi-rigid depending on the grade chosen) and constitutes a "homogeneous part". The parts of this captive part of the hollow recess profiles are blocked by the undercut and dovetail shapes and cannot be removed from their housing. The "homogeneous part" is trapped in all of the hollow reservoirs.

 Because the moldings of the hollow retainers (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f, 12g) are located all around the "homogeneous part", the latter "grips" the parts of the corresponding loop and participates in the blocking of the entire area around it, making it removable from the flexible loop. This blocking is all the more important as the shrinkage of the material during the polymerization is important.

 Furthermore, there is provided a peripheral edge (13) advantageously continuous creating an additional undercut ensuring the holding and the general tightness between the element proper (4) and the homogeneous part.

 The cavity can be fitted either on one or the other of the faces of one of the two male (5) or female (4) elements.

However, in order to preserve the electronic tag as much as possible from attack, it is preferable to locate it on the back of the female element (4) opposite the male element (5), which has the advantage of preserving a surface visible beam on which one can write visual data complementary to the identification.

 The polymerizable resins used can be of variable nature, rigidity and composition. In the case of flexible resin, the latter follows the deformations under stress of the loop.

 In order to increase the overall performance of the assembly, it is possible, firstly, to introduce a very small amount of adhesive resin, then, secondly, the electronic label, and finally, the resin curable by above. In this case, the intrinsic capacities of each of the components are combined.

 Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown by way of examples, but it also includes all the technical equivalents as well as their combinations.

Claims (2)

 1. Identification device (1), characterized in that it comprises an information medium (8), such as, for example, an electronic identification label.  2. Identification device (1) according to claim 2,  characterized in that the information carrier (8) is arranged in a  cavity (9) filled with a filling material (10).