Chute for use with an animal evaluation system

• US 5,644,643 A
• Filed: 05/09/1996
• Issued: 07/01/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Destron Fearing Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: C-Scan, LLC
• Inventors: Engelstad, Mark A., Scofield, Wayne W.
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNS, ANDREW W
• Application Number:
  US08/647,221
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/110, 382/286, 382/312, 382/318, 348/89, 348/135, 348/137, 119/840, 119/841, 119/842, 119/843, 193/2 R
• US Class Current: 382/110
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0613 Devices for immobilisation or restraint of animals, e.g. chutes pens for animals while being shod A01L13/00; appliances for supporting or fettering animals for operative purposes A61D3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30108 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/60 Analysis of geometric attributes

Abstract

The present invention evaluates an animal to determine characteristics or traits thereof. The invention evaluates the animal as it moves through first and second scenes that correspond to different first and second fields of view.

Claims

1. A chute for an animal evaluation system for evaluating animals with each such animal during its evaluation moving through first and second scenes in said chute corresponding to differing first and second fields of view in a manner so as to partially cover first and second background surfaces provided in each of said first and second scenes, respectively, as viewed in said first and second fields of view, respectively, at a selected time, said chute comprising:

a first side wall supported in a substantially vertical position and supporting said first background surface;

a second side wall supported in a substantially vertical position spaced apart from said first side wall and further positioned so that said first field of view from outside that space between said first and second side walls, in extending past said second side wall, has said first background surface therein, said first field of view being of at least a portion of said first background surface when a said animal is undergoing evaluation at said selected time; and

a first guide structure provided in that space between said first and second side walls and positioned in said space to provide a passageway for a said animal moving through said space in undergoing evaluation, said first guide structure supporting said second background surface in a position elevated above a bottom of at least one of said first and second side walls so that said second field of view, in extending between said first and second side walls into said space, has said second background surface therein, said second field of view being of at least a portion of said second background surface when a said animal is undergoing evaluation at said selected time.

2. The chute of claim 1 wherein said second side wall defines at least portions of a vertical limit and a horizontal limit to a portion of said first side wall present in said first field of view.

3. The chute of claim 1 further comprising a second guide structure provided in that space between said first and second side walls and positioned in said space to assist in providing said passageway for said animal moving through said space in undergoing evaluation, said second guide structure supporting a third background surface in a position elevated above a bottom of at least one of said first and second side walls so that said second field of view, in extending between said first and second side walls into said space, has said second and third background surfaces therein, said second field of view being of at least a portion of said second and third background surfaces when a said animal is undergoing evaluation at said selected time.

4. The chute of claim 1 wherein said first and second background surfaces each having a visual appearance which contrasts with a visual appearance of a said animal undergoing evaluation.

5. The chute of claim 4 wherein first background surface has a visual appearance which contrasts with those visual appearances of animals being evaluated by being of a color which differs from those colors of said animals.

6. The chute of claim 4 wherein first background surface has a visual appearance which contrasts with those visual appearances of animals being evaluated by having a periodic pattern thereon.