Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SNAG RESISTANT ANIMAL TAG DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the field of animal tag devices and provides an
improved tag having a snag resistant stud with both a highly flexible post and
highly
flexible head formed of a multiplicity of petals.
Animal i:ag devices have been recognized as helpful for the identification of
s livestock and other domestic and wild animals for well over a century.
During the
late 19th century, livestock raisers developed two-part tag systems which
could be
mounted to the ears of livestock and carried identification information
associated
with owner and animal. The early devices utilized a piercing stud which was
forcibly
inserted through the animal's ear and which joined together a pair of rigid,
usually
~o rr~etal, plates which loosely confined the ear of the animal therebetween.
Tt-~~;sE:
loosely fitted plates frequently snagged on fence wire, brush, tree branches,
rope,
confinement pens and other objects encountered by the animal, resulting in the
tags
being torn off the animals and at times badly tearing the animal ear. Examples
of
these early structures are shown in United Kingdom patent 15,055 issued to
is Thomas 0. Turnbull in 1892, and U.S. Patent 25,481 issued April 1911 to
Masberg.
Recognizing the shortcomings of the early, loosely fitted livestock tags,
later
tag developers concluded that tags should more snugly engage the animal ear
and
should provide little or no space between tag and ear in which fence wire,
branches
or other objects could become easily snagged. These improved tags are
illustrated
2o in U.S, patents 't,159,593 to J. Lindberg (1915) and 1,347,868 to S.R.
Nichols
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(1920). Each of these references utilized a pair of convex metal plates which
quite
securely engaged the front and rear sides of the animal's ear and are locked
in
place by a piercing stud that is forcibly inserted through the ear. While the
structure
substantially reduced the problems of snagging of the plates with branches,
s fencewire and other objects, the tags still snagged at times. Thin objects
like
fencewire could still become wedged between plate and ear, and the animal ear
could be badly torn when the animal tried to pull away from such objects.
These
snugly fitted tags were found to have a still more important shortcoming in
that they
seriously interfered with normal blood circulation in the ear and
significantly slowed
~o the healing of the insertion wound created by the piercing stud. Because
the wound
was now largely isolated from normal air flow by the snug metal plates, and
because
dirt, body fluids and other contaminants would collect under the plates, wound
infections became more common and more severe, and healing of the insertion
wound required significantly more time and treatment.
t s Developers eventually came to appreciate that placing unyielding rigid
plates
against the animal's ear was undesirable, and as modern plastics and molding
techniques developed, animal tag devices were increasingly molded of plastic
materials, with tt~e head of the piercing stud and the retainer unit which
lockably
engaged the stud having limited flexibility. These changes reduced the skin
2o irritation formally caused by rubbing between the hard, usually metal,
plates and the
animal's skin, bait the molded plastic tags still encountered problems with
snagging
and problems with irritation of and delayed healing of the insertion wound.
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In recent years increased attention has been directed to solving these
problems with most such attention being directed to the head of the piercing
stud
and to reducing its tendency to snag with various objects. Where possible the
retainer unit, which lockably engages the piercing point of the stud, has been
made
s more streamlined and more flexible, but since it often must include a
somewhat
large tag for carrying of information, there are limits to how snag resistant
the
retainer unit can be made. Consequently, most attention continues to be
directed to
improvement of the piercing stud and its head.
As it became recognized that loosely attached tags would snag and overly
to snug tags prevented the insertion wound from healing properly, new stud
designs
were formulated to have their heads engage the animal ear with only a slight
bias
against the animal body. The expectation was that a slight bias would make the
tags more difficult to snag on adjacent objects but would not exert so much
pressure
on the ear that wound healing would be affected. This approach was suggested
in
~s Patent No. W086100498 to VanZeggeren, published January 30, .986.
U.S. Patent 5,643,284 to Hicks disclosed a stud whose head is supposed to
be slightly bias~sd or compressed against the animal ear so as to discourage
snagging of the stud but without so much force or compression as to affect
blood
circulation in the ear. The Hicks device proposed an improvement in which the
stud
2o head included a flexible, annular washer provided with four shallow petals
along the
outer periphery of the washer. These petals were curved and provided the bias.
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The Hicks stud used a rigid post with a rigid head which passed through an
aperture
in the washer.
Consistently achieving this slight bias in practice has turned out to be
almost
unattainable. Typically the piercing stud is sold in a single length or
limited number
s of lengths. The thickness of the animal ear, even within a single species
varies
enough that a given stud length may prove to be too loose on one animal, too
tight
on another, and reasonably effective on still other animals. Like all tissue,
ear
tissue also changes in size, swelling somewhat in hot weather, and contracting
in
colder weather'. A piercing stud intended to achieve only a slight bias
against the
to ear and no interference with blood circulation may not function as intended
as the
ear thickness varies from animal to animal and in response to temperature
change.
To better understand the more recently developed animal tag devices,
reference is made to Figures 1 and 2, which illustrate the tag device and stud
disclosed by the Hicks patent and the snagging problems which can occur with
such
1 s stud.
Referring now to Fig. 1, a cow 12P is shown with an animal tag device 14P
installed in the cow's ear 16P, and wherein the device has become snagged on
the
barbed wire 18P of fence line 20P. In practice such snagging can easily occur
when
the animal extends its head 22P through the fence to graze, and subsequently
2o withdraws its head in such a way that the wire 18P slips between the ear
16P and
the tag device 14P.
When the animal 12P senses the snagging of the wire 18P with the tag
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device , the animal will commonly react by pulling its head 22P rearward in
direction
24P. Such pulling by the animal can badly tear and injure the ear 16P and even
pull
the tag device from the ear.
As best seen in Fig. 2, the Hicks tag device 14P utilizes a stiff, rigid stud
26P
s which includes a rigid head 27P which is integral with a central, rigid post
28P. The
post has a stiff, pointed insertion tip 30P designed to pierce the ear 16P of
the
animal and is used to create the insertion wound aperture 31 P in the ear 16P.
The
post 28P has a central cylindrical chamber 32P, which receives a pin (not
shown)
which is common to most commercially available tag installation tools. A known
to retainer unit 34P receives and lockably engages the tip 30P to keep the
device 14P
on the ear and usually includes an information carrying surface 36P.
Referring again to Fig.2, the stud 26P has an annular washer 38P of the type
disclosed in the Hicks patent. The washer includes a depression 40P which
receives the head 27P of the stud 26P. Positioned around the outer periphery
44P
1s of the washer 38P are four shallow petals 46P. The washer 38P is formed of
a
urethane material which is more flexible than the material comprising the post
28P
and head 27P and is intended to allow the flexible petals 46P to become
lightly
biased against the ear at the time of installation.
Because the animal ear thickness varies from animal to animal and even the
Zo ear thickness of a particular animal changes somewhat in response to
temperature,
it is not always possible to have the petals 46P contact the ear with such
closeness
as to prevent objects, particularly thin objects like fence wire 18P from
slipping
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between the petals 46P and the animal ear 16P and being captured behind the
tag.
As illustrated in Fig 2, the annular washer 38P has an annular rear surface
48P which is oriented at a right angle to the post 28P, and surface 48P and
the post
define a generally right angled corner 50P therebetween in which objects such
as
s the wire 18P c:an be captured and retained. This corner 50P is present on
most
commercially available animal tag devices because the head 27P of most studs
has
a generally annular, rigid flange adjacent the stud post and that flange does
not
bend or flex easily. Whenever an animal tag uses a standard stud having a
stiff
rigid post of the type generally used for forcible insertion through the ear,
the
to combination of rigid head and rigid post create an angled corner 50P which
will
snag objects therein and can badly injure the animal ear as the animal tries
to
escape from the entanglement. The present invention provides a solution to
this
shortcoming of the prior art.
Haves Patent 5,024,013 discloses an animal tag having a stud formed of
Is polyurethane whose head is provided with six hinged petals separated by
slots
which extend about two-thirds of the way from the outer periphery of the head
toward its center. A flat blade like post extends at a right angle to the head
and is
forced through the animal ear. Haves' petals carry identification data for the
animal.
The Haves device seems to be mounted in a manner in which the tag is quite
snug
2o relative to the animal but does not apply any bias to the animal skin
through its
petals. The petals are flexible and are described as moveable through at least
90°
to allow objects to be released. While the flexible Haves petals are an
improvement
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over prior devices, the Hayes stud utilized an unusual flat, blade-like shaft
which
was somewhat flexible in directions perpendicular to its flat surface, but was
relatively nonflexible in other directions. In effect, the Hayes shaft, which
has a
rectangular cross section measuring .4 inch by .07 inches simply was not
uniformly
s flexible and bendable in all radial directions about its center. Applicants
have found
that a stud head is far more resistant to snagging with objects when its post
is
equally bendable and flexible in all radial directions and can at all times
cooperate
with flexible petals to twist and bend to escape a snagged object. The unusual
rectangular cross section of the Hayes post is also more resistant to free
rotation
to within the insertion wound, and when it does rotate in response to snagging
of the
petals, its blade is likely to enlarge and tear the insertion wound and
aggravate the
healing of the wound. Consequently, objects which slip behind the Hayes petals
and
become lodged in the corner defined by his shaft and intersecting head can not
always be easily dislodged because of the limited flexibility of his shaft.
is SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A significantly improved snag resistant animal tag features an improved stud
formed of elastically flexible and bendable plastic material which allows
elastic
bending of both the post of the stud and the multiplicity of petals which
define the
stud's head.
2o The post of the improved stud has a tapered hollow chamber positioned on
the axis of the post at the intersection of post and head, and the resulting
thin walled
post surrounding the chamber is bendable at the intersection through
substantially
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ninety degrees in all radial directions about the post axis.
The improved stud has a head molded integrally with the post and made up
of a multiplicity of radially outwardly extending petals positioned at a
generally right
angle to the post. These petals are elastically bendable relative to the post
through
s a wide range, and each petal is also highly flexible about its own axis.
Cooperation
between the bendable post and the bendable petals allows the stud to bend and
flex
extensively to escape entanglement with objects such as wire, rope, branches,
brush, pen enclosures, fencing and the like. The extensive flexibility of the
stud
allows the right angle corner region between head and post to be elastically
flexed
~o to a level where the right angle corner can be reduced to a shallow
depression from
which a wire or other ensnared object can readily escape in response to normal
pulling and tugging by an ensnared animal, As a result the improved stud is
better
able to release from ensnared objects, reduces injury to the animal and
greatly
diminishes the risk of the tag being torn from the ear of the animal and lost.
~ s The invention also provides a break away petal constructed and arranged to
tear away from the head of the stud at a force level less than that required
to tear
the stud from the ear of the animal. This mechanism allows the animal to break
itself
loose from an object with which it becomes hopelessly entangled by ripping one
or
more petals away from the head of the stud,
zo The invention is easily and inexpensively manufactured, provides a more
reliable tag which is not easily pulled loose from the animal, and reduces
injuries
caused by the stud ripping the ear of the animal. The stud's overall design
affords
s
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improved air circulation to the area of the insertion wound to promote faster
and
more complete healing of the wound. Because the improved design greatly
reduces
the chance of the tag being torn from the animal ear, the identification data
carried
by the tag is rarely separated from the animal and important identification,
s ownership and medical history associated with the animal is reliably
preserved.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily
understood by reading the following description in conjunction with the
accompanying figures of the drawings wherein like reference numerals have been
applied to designate like elements throughout the several views.
to BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an animal with an attached animal tag device
of a
type known to the art and illustrating how such devices can become snagged
with
objects, such as fencing, commonly encountered by the animal.
Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken along cutting plane 2-2 of Fig 1 and
is illustrating a prior art animal tag device.
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view, taken partly in section, of a first
embodiment of a snag resistant animal tag embodying the invention.
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Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of the animal tag device of Fig. 3 and showing
alternative positions of the petals and post in phantom.
Fig. 5 is an elevation view of the tag device of Fig 3 taken in the direction
of cutting
plan 5-5 of Fig. 3.
s Fig 6 is a cross sectional side view of the animal tag device of Fig 5 taken
in the
direction of cutting plan 6-6 of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the animal tag device of Fig 3 in operation on
an
animal ear and illustrating the operating of the stud when it becomes snagged
with a
fence wire.
~o Fig. 8 is a side view showing the tag device of Fig. 7, taken in cross
section, and
illustrating the bending action of the tag device and the manner in which the
tag can
disengage from snagged objects.
Fig. 9 is a cross sectional sideview illustrating how the tag device of Fig. 3
allows
its petals to break away from the stud.
is Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective of a second embodiment of a snag
resistant
animal tag device embodying the invention and wherein identification indicia
may be
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carried on the petals.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to Figs. 3-6, a first embodiment 10 of a snag resistant animal
tag utilizes a highly flexible stud 12 and a retainer unit 14. The stud 12 is
an
s integral unit preferably formed from polyurethane plastic by molding and
includes a
generally flat head 16 and a central post 18 integral with the head 16 and
extending
outwardly therefrom at a right angle. As known to the art, a piercing point
20,
having a generally hard unyielding tip formed of a material such as
polystyrene is
fixed to the free end 19 of the post to facilitate forcing the post through
the ear of the
~o animal during installation of the tag 10 on the animal.
Although placing the stud in the ear of the animal is usually the most
effective
installation site, it should be understood that the tag will at times be
attached to
other parts of the animal body. Such alternative placements are within the
purview
of the invention.
is The stud 12 is molded of an elastic, highly flexible, bendable, plastic
material
such as polyurethane. The piercing point 20 is preferably joined to the free
end 19
of the post 18 during the molding process. Post 18 has a circular cross
section
chamber 22 (Fig. 6) beginning at aperture 23 located on the outer surtace 24
of the
head 16 and extending along the central axis 26 of the post 18. The chamber is
2o tapered from aperture 23, reducing in diameter as the chamber approaches
the
piercing point 20. The larger diameter of the chamber at intersection 21
results in
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the post sidewall 27 being thinner at the intersection area and allows the
post to
achieve greater flexibility and bendability at the intersection 21, as
described infra.
The presence of the chamber 22 also allows known, commercially available stud
installation tools to be used to insert the stud in the ear of the animal. A
standard
s technique known to the art for installation calls for a rigid pin, which is
part of the
known plier-type installation tools, to be inserted within the chamber 22 to
grip the
post 18 when it and the associated piercing point 20 is forcibly urged through
the
ear of the animal by the tool and captured within the retainer unit 14
In a preferred embodiment of the stud 12, the post has an outer diameter of
to approximately 0.21 inches where it joins intersection 21. The diameter of
the
aperture 23 of the chamber 22 is approximately 0.12 inches, making the
sidewall
thickness of the post 18 at the intersection 21 of post and head approximately
0.04
inches. This relatively thin sidewall dimension at intersection 21 and the
presence of
the hollow chamber 22 result in a post structure which is exceptionally
flexible,
Is permitting the post 18 to be elastically bendable through substantially
ninety
degrees at intersection 21 from a first rest position 28 (Fig. 4) to a
deformed position
29. The configuration of the post allows it to be elastically deformed or bent
with
equal ease in all radial directions about axis 26.
A shoulder 30 is positioned along post 18 just rearward of piercing point 20
2o and provides a locking mechanism by which the shoulder 30 can engage and
interlock with a ledge 32 (Fig. 3) located within socket 34 of the retainer
unit 14,
thereby locking the stud 12 to the retainer unit.
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The head 16 of the stud 12 includes a multiplicity of elastically bendable
petals 36A, 36B, 36C, 36D, 36E, 36F, 36G, and 36H, here shown as eight petals.
Since each such petal is substantially identical to the remaining petals, only
petal
36A will be described in detail. Petal 36A, being integral with the stud 12 is
also
s formed of the same highly flexible material as the post 18 and preferably
has a
thickness of approximately 0.066 inches as measured between outer surface 24
and
inner surface 25. Each petal extends from the intersection 21 to the outer
periphery
38 of the head and is generally triangular in overall configuration. Adjacent
petals
are separated by spacer gaps 39 which extend radially relative to post axis
26,
to beginning at intersection 21 and extending to outer periphery 38. If
desired, the
radius of the petals may be varied so as to suit the needs of individual
tagging. A
radius of approximately one-half inch to one inch, as measured from axis 26 to
outer
periphery 38, has proven effective) and the radius of all petals need not be
identical.
Each petal is sufficiently flexible and bendable as to be moveable through a
is first arc of approximately ninety degrees to a position 42 (Fig. 4)
contacting post 18
and through a second arc of approximately 180 degrees to position 44, thereby
providing exceptional movement through a wide range calculated to cause the
stud
to be easily releasable from objects with which it could become snagged. The
petal
may even be flexed from position 42 through a further ninety degrees to
contact
2o inner surface 25 of the head often moving the petal laterally to avoid
striking the
post 18. In addition each petal, such as 36A is also rotatable and bendable
through
an arc of at least 180° in direction 45 and direction 47 (Fig. 3) about
a central axis
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40 of the petal 36A to further enhance its flexibility and ability to escape
objects on
which one or more petals might become snagged.
While tf~e device 10 has been illustrated as having eight petals, it should be
understood that a greater or lesser number of such petals may be substituted
and is
s within the purview of the invention.
Positioned on each petal such as 36A is a breakaway slot 46 (Figs. 3 and 5)
which extends completely across the neck 48 at intersection 21, the slot 46
having a
depth of appro;~cimately 0.003 inches. This slot 46 has been found highly
effective in
permitting a petal to literally be torn from or pulled away from the head if
it should
~o not be possible to free the petal by reason of the great flexibility and
bendability of
the petals and post. The depth and placement of the slot 46 is constructed and
arranged to assure breakaway of the petal at a level of applied force less
than that
required to tear' the animal tag from the animal ear. It has been found that a
force
level for breakaway of the petal in the range of 12-15 pounds. has been highly
~ s effective and is achieved by the shown structure. Tests conducted on the
embodiment 10 indicate that force levels on the order of 40 to 50 pounds are
required to tear the stud from the ear of an animal.
While thE~ shown breakaway slot is preferred as the best device for producing
the described breakaway result, it should be understood that other
constructions of
2o the petal which would produce an effective breaking away, such as narrowing
of the
cross section of the neck 48 are contemplated and are within the purview of
the
invention. With the neck having a width of approximately 0.11 inches and a
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thickness of 0.066 inches, breakaway will occur at a force level of about 15
pounds
even when no slot 46 is present.
A spacer rib 54 is positioned on the inner surface 25 of the petal and
adjacent
the outer periphery 38 thereof and preferably extends outward from the surface
25 a
s distance of ap;aroximately 0.086 inch in the preferred embodiment so as to
assure
that the inner surface 25 does not get substantially closer to the animal body
than
the thickness of the spacer rib, thereby increasing air circulation between
the animal
body and the inner surface 25 of the petals. Each spacer rib is provided with
a
smoothly curvf~d cross section to minimize any destructive rubbing or
irritation to the
~o animal body. -fhe spacer gaps 39 between petals also encourage increased
petal
flexibility, and the gaps 39 enhance air circulation between and under the
petals.
Such air circul;~tion deters the development of tissue necrosis and decreases
the
time required for the insertion wound 31 P to heal.
Referring now to Fig. 3, the retainer unit 14 includes a socket 34 formed in
Is boss 35, the socket having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of
post 18
but smaller than the maximum diameter of shoulder 30. The socket 34 is
provided
with an interior ledge 32, and when shoulder 30 of the post has been forced
past
ledge 32, the IE~dge permanently engages shoulder 30 and locks the stud within
the
socket 34. Preferably the retainer unit is formed integrally with an
identification data
2o surface 56 on which owner and animal information may be recorded. The
retainer
unit 14 may be formed of polyurethane plastic material to increase its
flexibility and
resistance to snagging.
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The stud 12 is formed with an overall length from outer surface 24 to piercing
paint tip 58 such that the inner surface 25 of the petals and the surface 60
of the
retainer unit da not exert pressure on the animal body. It is preferred to
have an
additional five sixteenths to three eighths inch of clearance available along
the post
s 18 so that this extra space may separate the animal body from the surfaces
25 and
60 to further enhance air flow to the animal body. In practice a total length
of
approximately one inch works well for the stud 12, and allows the above
clearances
to be achievecl with most livestock.
In operation, when the animal tag device 10 (Fig. 3) is attached to the animal
~o body, the stud 12 is forced, usually through the animal's ear, and the
shoulder 30 is
then forced into the socket 34 of retainer unit 14 to lock the stud 12 to the
unit 14.
Referring now to Fig. 7, if an object such as fence wire 18P should become
caught behind the head 16 of the device 10, such wire or object usually lodges
in
the corner defined by the intersection of head 16 and post 18.
is As shown in Fig. 7) when the animal attempts to escape from the wire 18P,
which is caught in the described corner, the animal instinctively pulls away
from the
wire, and the wire exerts forces 62 and 63 which cause the wire loop snagged
behind the head 16 to begin to elastically twist and bend the post 18 and the
petals
of the stud 12 which are affected by the loop. As a result of the shown
2o entanglement, the petals 36A, 36B, 36C and 36D begin to bend outwardly from
the
ear 16P.
Referrin~~ now to Fig. 8, the forces 62 and 63 continue to apply twisting
force
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to the corner region 68 adjacent the petals 36A - 36D. As a result the post 18
elastically beads at the intersection 21 to a deformed position 64 and the
petals 36A
- 36D are urgE~d to position 66. As a result the right angled corner normally
found
between the post 18 and head 16 is reconfigured to a relatively shallow
depression
s 67 from which the wire 18P can easily escape. As the wire 18P leaves the
depression 67, the animal becomes free of the wire, and the elastic post 18
and
elastic petals 36A - 36D return to the undeformed rest positions shown in Fig.
3.
Referring next to Fig. 9, the animal tag device 10 is shown with one of its
petals 36A hopelessly caught or snagged with an object such as a length of
twine
l0 70, or the like. The petals, such as petal 36A, are designed to break away
from the
head 16 at a f~~rce level less than that required to pull the tag device 10
from the ear
16P of the animal. Consequently, when the animal begins to pull away from the
object to which the petal 36A has become hopelessly snagged, the petal 36A
will
break away from the head 16 at the narrow neck 48 of the petal. Typically such
rs breaking away will occur at a force level between 12 and 15 pounds. The use
of a
breakaway slot 46 decreases the force level needed to break away the petal to
a
force in the lower part of the described range. As the petal 36A separates
from the
head 1 C, the animal is no longer snagged with the object and may again move
freely. In Fig. 9 the head 16 is shown as having a second petal detached at
zo location 72 as a result of a previous snagging incident from which the
animal has
successfully eacaped. So long as two to three petals remain on the head 16,
the
stud 12 will remain reliably attached to the animal.
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Accordingly it will be understood that the invention provides an improved tag
device which reduces injury to the animal and permits escape of the animal
from a
wide variety of objects and situations from which the animal might otherwise
be
injured or as ~~ result of which the tag device 10 might be lost.
s Referring now to Fig. 10, a second embodiment 80 of a stud for a snag
resistant animal tag is illustrated. The stud 80 may be used for various
animals, but
is particularly well suited for swine. The stud 80 is used with a retainer
unit 84
functionally identical to the unit 14 except that the retainer unit 84 may be
smaller
and need not carry a data surface because the stud 80 will carry its data on
its
to larger petals. The stud 80 is identical in overall structure and operation
to the stud
12 described earlier except for the differences described hereafter.
Stud 80 has a head 86 with six petals marked as petals 82A, 82B, 82C, 82D,
82E, and 82F with petal 82A being slightly larger in radius than the other
petals to
specifically make that petal more visually distinctive to an operator. The
petals of
is the stud 80 ar~~ all of a larger diameter than the petals of stud 12, and
thus have
greater surface area than was the case for the petals of embodiment 12, in
order
that numbers or other data may be entered on the outer surface 88 of one or
more
petals and be easily readable by the operator. The single larger petal 82A
defines
an index by which the operator knows that petal contains the first number or
2o character for any data entered. Since data is carried on the petals of stud
80, this
stud is not constructed or arranged to have its petals break or tear away from
the
stud.
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Each p~stal 82A-F is provided with a spacer rib 89 which serves the same
purpose as th~~ spacer ribs 54 described in association with the petals of
stud 12.
Preferably the thickness of the petals as measured between outer and inner
surfaces 88 and 91, respectively is approximately 0.66 inches.
s A further difference between the stud 80 and stud 12 is that the spacer gaps
90 of head 86 do not extend fully to the intersection 92 between the post 94
and the
head 86. This change creates a wider, stronger neck 96 where the petal joins
the
head 86 to assure that the petal will not tear or break away but allows
substantially
the same elastic bendability achieved with stud 12.
to A further difference between the stud 80 and the stud 12 is that the stud
80 is
intended to be mounted on the animal with the petals 82A-F being positioned
behind
the ear of the ;animal and the retainer unit 84 being on the front of the ear.
Aside from the differences described, the stud 80 has the same overall
flexibility poss~sssed by the stud 12. The post 94 is also provided with a
tapered,
Is hollow chamber 98 like the chamber 22 described in association with the
stud 12 so
as to further enhance the bendability of the post 94 at intersection 92. As a
result
the post 94 is capable of bending through a ninety degree angle relative to
the head
86, and each of the petals 82A-F of stud 80 can be elastically bent through an
arc of
360° without damage to the petals just as described for the stud 12.
Each petal,
2o such as petal f32A, is also extremely flexible and rotatably elastically
bendable about
its own axis 1 C~0 and can be elastically twisted or rotated about petal axis
100
through an arc of at least 180 degrees in either direction 102 or 104 about
the axis
19
CA 02226525 1998-02-16
Patent
ON 50535
100. BecausE~ of the exceptional bendability of the post and petals of the
stud 80,
the stud exhibits substantially the same high performance as the stud 12 in
its ability
to slip from and disengage from most objects that the animal might encounter
and
with which it might become entangled.
s It is anticipated that various changes, variations Gnd modifications may be
made in the construction, arrangement, operation and method of construction of
the
invention disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention as defined in the following claims.
