Drug-injection animal capture collar
First Claim
1. An animal capture collar comprising a collar of a size to encircle the neck of an animal to be captured, a power and control pack mounted at one end of said collar to cause the collar to move to position with the power and control pack toward the lower portion of the animal neck;
- a pair of needle injection dart assemblies mounted on said collar adjacent an opposite end thereof from the power and control pack, said dart assemblies being fixed to said collar and having end portions on the interior of said collar and at substantially equal angles on opposite sides of a vertical bisecting plane extending in direction of the length of the animal'"'"'s neck, said dart assemblies having end portions that are adjacent the neck of an animal on which the collar is mounted; and
explosive pyrotechnic means adapted to actuate said needle dart assemblies to first inject the needle into the neck of such animal and subsequently force a drug through said needle into the tissue of an animal on which the collar is mounted.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A drug-injection animal collar includes electrically operated drug injection darts or syringes that are controlled by control circuitry mounted on the collar which may be preset and self-timed and actuated, or may be remotely actuated by radio signals. The collar is placed on the neck of an animal and upon receipt of a signal, a suitable drug is injected into the neck muscles of the animal. The collar and its method of operation allow regular recapture of individual animals at will for research purposes. The collar and darts may be reconditioned and then reused. The power for operation is also contained in the control package carried by the collar.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An animal capture collar comprising a collar of a size to encircle the neck of an animal to be captured, a power and control pack mounted at one end of said collar to cause the collar to move to position with the power and control pack toward the lower portion of the animal neck;
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a pair of needle injection dart assemblies mounted on said collar adjacent an opposite end thereof from the power and control pack, said dart assemblies being fixed to said collar and having end portions on the interior of said collar and at substantially equal angles on opposite sides of a vertical bisecting plane extending in direction of the length of the animal'"'"'s neck, said dart assemblies having end portions that are adjacent the neck of an animal on which the collar is mounted; and explosive pyrotechnic means adapted to actuate said needle dart assemblies to first inject the needle into the neck of such animal and subsequently force a drug through said needle into the tissue of an animal on which the collar is mounted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18)
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9. An animal capture system for permitting the immobilization of animals at a selected time, including:
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a collar adapted to fit around the neck of an animal with at least a first portion of the collar substantially contiguous to skin of an animal on the upper sides of the neck and resting on muscle tissue; a remotely actuable drug injection dart assembly mounted on the first portion of said collar and having a needle portion with a needle axis positioned so that upon actuation the needle will penetrate the skin of an animal wearing the collar, said dart assembly including means causing a suitable material to be injected into the neck muscle tissue of such animal the needle axis lying substantially on the plane of the collar; control means for actuating said dart assembly upon the presence of a signal, said control means including a self contained power supply for actuating said dart assembly; and a housing mounted on said collar to enclose the collar at a side thereof opposite from the first portion, said control means being mounted within said housing to provide a weight ballast to tend to keep the collar oriented in a proper position on the neck of an animal on which the collar is mounted and to facilitate retention of the first portion of the collar and the dart assembly against the neck of such animal, the needle axis also being at an incline with respect to a diametral plane perpendicular to the collar plane and substantially bisecting the control housing. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 19, 20)
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13. A device for permitting immobilization of animals at a preselected time comprising a collar member of size to fit over the neck of an animal, said collar defining a central plane;
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a control housing mounted on said collar member and positioned to be at a first side of the collar member when mounted on an animal; at least one actuable dart assembly mounted on said collar at a location on an opposite side of the collar from the control housing and having a needle that will penetrate the skin and muscle tissue of an animal, and subsequently cause injection of a preselected material into the muscle tissue of such animal in response to an electrical signal; microcomputer timer means mounted in said control housing; power means mounted in said housing for powering said microcomputer timer means, the components in the control housing and the housing providing a weight ballast to facilitate friction retention of the dart against the neck of the animal with the control housing tending to move to position under the neck of an animal on which the1 collar is mounted; and means mounted on said collar operable by said timer means for causing an electrical signal to be provided to actuate said dart assembly. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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21. A method of obtaining information relating to animals comprising the steps of providing a collar on the neck of an animal;
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providing a pair of controllable dart assemblies on said collar positioned completely to the exterior of the skin on portions of the collar normally positioned near the top of the neck of the animal; mounting a control package including a microprocessor and power supply on said collar, said control package being opposite the dart assemblies and providing weight to tend to keep the dart assemblies near the upper portion of the neck of the animal; providing a timer mounted on said collar as part of said control package, and setting the timer to provide the desired signals at desired intervals from the time of placing the support on such animal; and sequentially triggering and firing said dart assemblies upon providing desired signals from the control package to immobilize the animal. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification