Ingestible animal temperature sensor

• US 6,371,927 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2000
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Innotek Pet Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Innotek Pet Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Williams, Matthew R., Brune, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US09/621,919
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 600/548, 600/551, 600/591, 119/174
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/007 Boluses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1473 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6861 Capsules, e.g. for swallowing or implanting

Abstract

A system and ingestible boluses for monitoring physiological parameters of animals. The boluses include circuitry for storing a selectable identification code, for sensing a physiological parameter, and for transmitting a data burst signal which includes information corresponding to the identification code and a sensed physiological parameter. In addition to the boluses, the system includes a receiver for receiving data burst signals transmitted from the boluses. According to one mode of operation, the bolus transmits data burst continuously at a preselected rate. The receiver can be coupled to a processor which can process data from the data burst signals.

Claims

1. An ingestible bolus for ingestion in a stomach of a ruminant animal, comprising:

a housing including two housing halves, each of said halves comprised of a biologically inert material;

a plurality of electrical components disposed within said housing, said electrical components including a power source, an air-borne signal transmitter for transmitting a data burst, at least one sensor for sensing a physiological parameter, each said sensor monitoring a selected physiological parameter, and an antenna connected with said transmitter, said antenna disposed entirely within one said housing half; and

means for ballasting said housing with a weight sufficient to maintain said bolus within the stomach of the ruminant animal, said ballasting means being disposed entirely within an other said housing half, said ballasting means including a ferric metal material.

2. The ingestible bolus of claim 1, wherein said ballasting means provides said bolus with an effective density of at least 1.75 grams per cubic centimeter.

3. The ingestible bolus of claim 2, wherein said ballasting means provides said bolus with an effective density of between 1.75 and 2.0 grams per cubic centimeter.

4. The ingestible bolus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said housing halves consists essentially of plastic, said plastic being one of polyphenylene oxide and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

5. The ingestible bolus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said housing halves consists essentially of metal.

6. The ingestible bolus of claim 5, wherein said metal consists essentially of stainless steel.

7. The ingestible bolus of claim 6, wherein said stainless steel is one of magnetic and magnetizable.

8. The ingestible bolus of claim 6, wherein said stainless steel consists essentially of 416 stainless steel.

9. The ingestible bolus of claim 1, wherein said ballasting means comprises a ballast weight disposed within said housing.

10. The ingestible bolus of claim 1, wherein said antenna is disposed entirely within said plastic housing half and said ballasting means is associated with the other said housing half.

11. The ingestible bolus of claim 1, wherein one of said housing halves consists essentially of a plastic and an other of said housing halves consists essentially of a metal.

12. The ingestible bolus of claim 11, wherein said metal defines said ballasting means.

13. The ingestible bolus of claim 11, wherein each of said housing halves include an open end, said open ends being configured to snap-lock together in a substantially fluid-tight manner.

14. The ingestible bolus of claim 13, wherein one of said housing halves defines at least one annular groove at an inside diameter of a corresponding said open end, and an other of said housing halves defines at least one mating annular groove at an outside diameter of a corresponding said open end, and further comprising at least one fluid seal, each said fluid seal disposed in a corresponding mating pair of said annular grooves.

15. The ingestible bolus of claim 14, wherein each said fluid seal comprises an elastomeric O-ring.

16. The ingestible bolus of claim 15, wherein each said mating pair of annular grooves conjunctively define a crush seal groove with a substantially triangular cross-section, each said O-ring substantially filling said corresponding crush seal groove.

17. The ingestible bolus of claim 14, wherein said one housing half includes two annular grooves, said other housing half includes two mating annular grooves, and said at least one fluid seal comprises two fluid seals, each said fluid seal disposed in a corresponding mating pair of said annular grooves.

18. The ingestible bolus of claim 1, wherein each said sensor monitors one of temperature, pH, a level of a specific chemical component, and pressure.