Assembly of an activity meter and a fastening strap for fastening the activity meter to the neck or the leg of an animal

• US 7,287,491 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2004
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek "Nedap"
• Original Assignee: N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek "Nedap"
• Inventors: Zents, Otto Theodorus J., Verstege, Albertino Bernardo M., Te Riet O.G. Scholten, Jan Kees
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Son T.
• Application Number:
  US10/884,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20050005878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 119/856, 119/858, 119/863, 119/654, D30/152, 212/9, 231/9, 2321-322
• US Class Current: 119/863
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/00 Marking of animals marking poultry or other birds A01K35/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/005 Identification bracelets, e.g. secured to the arm of a person

Abstract

An assembly of an identification unit, more particularly an activity meter for identifying an animal and possibly measuring movements of an animal to which the identification unit, in use, is fastened, and a fastening strap, connected with the identification unit, for fastening the identification unit to the neck or a leg of the animal, the fastening strap being provided with a first and second free end, the assembly being further provided with a closing member comprising a slotted tunnel, while, in use, the strap forms a loop and at a position where a first part and a second part of the strap overlie each other, is enclosed by the tunnel, the assembly being further provided with first fastening means for connecting the first part and the closing member with each other, and second fastening means for fastening the second part to the first part and/or the closing member, with at least a part of the second fastening means, in use, being situated in the tunnel.

Claims

1. An assembly of an identification unit for identifying an animal to which the identification unit, when in use, is fastened, and a fastening strap connected with the identification unit, the fastening strap being provided with a first free end and a second free end, the identification unit being provided with an identification means which responds by emitting an identification code when the identification means is introduced into an electromagnetic interrogation field, characterized in that the assembly is further provided with a closing member comprising a slotted tunnel, so that, when in use, the strap forms a loop and a first part and a second part of the strap overlie each other and are enclosed by the tunnel, the assembly being further provided with a first fastening means for connecting the first part and the closing member with each other, and a second fastening means for fastening the second part to at least one of the first part and the closing member, so that, at least a part of the second fastening means that provides the fastening of the second part to at least one of the first part and the closing member is located within the tunnel, when the second part is fastened to at least one of the first part and the closing member, wherein the tunnel is arranged in a housing of the identification unit and wherein the first fastening means comprise a recess and a projection which engage one into the other, the closing member being provided with the recess or the projection and the first part being provided with the projection or the recess, respectively, wherein an outer side of the strap and an outer side of the housing are situated in one plane at a transition between the strap and the housing.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first fastening means are formed by the tunnel clampingly enclosing the first and second part.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the strap is made at least substantially of polyurethane.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the strap is made at least in part of transparent design.

5. An assembly of an identification unit for identifying an animal to which the identification unit, when in use, is fastened, and a fastening strap connected with the identification unit, the fastening strap being provided with a first free end and a second free end, the identification unit being provided with an identification means which responds by emitting an identification code when the identification means is introduced into an electromagnetic interrogation field, characterized in that the assembly is further provided with a closing member comprising a slotted tunnel, so that, when in use, the strap forms a loop and a first part and a second part of the strap overlie each other and are enclosed by the tunnel, the assembly being further provided with a first fastening means for connecting the first part and the closing member with each other, and a second fastening means for fastening the second part to at least one of the first part and the closing member, so that, at least a part of the second fastening means that provides the fastening of the second part to at least one of the first part and the closing member is located within the tunnel when the second part is fastened to at least one of the first part and the closing member, wherein the tunnel is arranged in a housing of the identification unit and wherein the first fastening means comprise a recess and a projection which engage one into the other, the closing member being provided with the recess or the projection and the first part being provided with the projection or the recess, respectively, wherein:

the second fastening means are provided with at least one opening in the second part of the strap and at least one resilient lip which is connected with the first part of the strap and which, in use, reaches into the opening of the second part, or

the second fastening means are provided with at least one opening in the first part of the strap and at least one resilient lip which is connected with the second part of the strap and which, in use, reaches into the opening of the first part, or

the second fastening means are provided with at least one opening in the second part of the strap and at least one resilient lip which is connected with an inner side of the tunnel and which, in use, reaches into the opening of the second part of the strap, or

the second fastening means are provided with at least one resilient lip which is connected with the second part of the strap and at least one opening on an inner side of the tunnel, with the lip, in use, reaching into the opening of the tunnel, and

wherein an outer side of the strap and an outer side of the housing are situated in one plane at a transition between the strap and the housing.

6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the second fastening means are provided with at least one opening in the second part of the strap and at least one resilient lip which is connected with the first part of the strap and which, in use, reaches into the opening of the second part wherein in use a free end of the resilient lip points in a direction of the second free end of the strap.

7. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the strap is provided with multiple openings mutually separated at a regular distance in the longitudinal direction of the strap.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein the regular distance between the openings is equal to the regular distance between the lips.

9. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the strap is provided with multiple lips mutually separated at a regular distance in the longitudinal direction of the strap.

10. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the number of openings is greater than the number of lips.

11. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the openings extend over a greater part of the strap than the lips.

12. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the openings are arranged in groups, with each group comprising at least two openings.

13. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein the number of groups of openings is greater than the number of groups of lips.

14. The assembly according to claim 13, wherein the groups of openings extend over a greater part of the strap than the groups of lips.

15. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein a pattern of a mutual arrangement of openings within the group of openings is equal to a pattern of a mutual arrangement of the lips within the group of lips.

16. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein each group of lips comprises at least two lips which are separated at a distance from each other in a direction traverse to the longitudinal direction of the strap.

17. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the lips are arranged in groups, with each group comprising at least two lips.

18. The assembly according to claim 17, wherein each group of lips comprises at least two lips which are separated at a distance from each other in a direction traverse to the longitudinal direction of the strap.

19. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the first fastening means are formed by the tunnel clampingly enclosing the first and second part.

20. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the strap is made at least substantially of polyurethane.

21. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the strap is provided with an antibacterial additive.

22. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the lip reaches into the at least one opening with play.

23. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the strap is made at least in part of transparent design.

24. An assembly of an identification unit for identifying an animal to which the identification unit, when in use, is fastened, and a fastening strap connected with the identification unit, the fastening strap being provided with a first free end and a second free end, the identification unit being provided with an identification means which responds by emitting an identification code when the identification means is introduced into an electromagnetic interrogation field, characterized in that the assembly is further provided with a closing member comprising a slotted tunnel, so that, when in use, the strap forms a loop and a first part and a second part of the strap overlie each other and are enclosed by the tunnel, the assembly being further provided with a first fastening means for connecting the first part and the closing member with each other, and a second fastening means for fastening the second part to at least one of the first part and the closing member, so that, at least a part of the second fastening means that provides the fastening of the second part to at least one of the first part and the closing member is located within the tunnel, when the second part is fastened to at least one of the first part and the closing member, wherein the tunnel is arranged in a housing of the identification unit and wherein the first fastening means comprise a recess and a projection which engage one into the other, the closing member being provided with the recess or the projection and the first part being provided with the projection or the recess, respectively, and wherein the second fastening means are provided with at least one opening on the one hand and at least one resilient lip on the other hand, which, in use, reaches into the at least one opening for fastening.

25. An assembly of an identification unit for identifying an animal to which the identification unit, when in use, is fastened, and a fastening strap connected with the identification unit, the fastening strap being provided with a first free end and a second free end, the identification unit being provided with an identification means which responds by emitting an identification code when the identification means is introduced into an electromagnetic interrogation field, characterized in that the assembly is further provided with a closing member comprising a slotted tunnel, so that, when in use, the strap forms a loop and a first part and a second part of the strap overlie each other and are enclosed by the tunnel, the assembly being further provided with a first fastening means for connecting the first part and the closing member with each other, and a second fastening means for fastening the second part to at least one of the first part and the closing member, so that, at least a part of the second fastening means that provides the fastening of the second part to at least one of the first part and the closing member is located within the tunnel when the second part is fastened to at least one of the first part and the closing member, wherein the tunnel is arranged in a housing of the identification unit and wherein the first fastening means comprise a recess and a projection which engage one into the other, the closing member being provided with the recess or the projection and the first part being provided with the projection or the recess, respectively, wherein:

the second fastening means are provided with at least one opening in the second part of the strap and at least one resilient lip which is connected with the first part of the strap and which, in use, reaches into the opening of the second part, or

the second fastening means are provided with at least one opening in the first part of the strap and at least one resilient lip which is connected with the second part of the strap and which, in use, reaches into the opening of the first part, or

the second fastening means are provided with at least one opening in the second part of the strap and at least one resilient lip which is connected with an inner side of the tunnel and which, in use, reaches into the opening of the second part of the strap, or

the second fastening means are provided with at least one resilient lip which is connected with the second part of the strap and at least one opening on an inner side of the tunnel, with the lip, in use, reaching into the opening of the tunnel, and

wherein a recess is provided in an inner side of the tunnel for receiving a part of the lip reaching through the opening.

26. An assembly of an identification unit for identifying an animal to which the identification unit, when in use, is fastened, and a fastening strap connected with the identification unit, the fastening strap being provided with a first free end and a second free end, the identification unit being provided with an identification means which responds by emitting an identification code when the identification means is introduced into an electromagnetic interrogation field, characterized in that the assembly is further provided with a closing member comprising a slotted tunnel, so that, when in use, the strap forms a loop and a first part and a second part of the strap overlie each other and are enclosed by the tunnel, the assembly being further provided with a first fastening means for connecting the first part and the closing member with each other, and a second fastening means for fastening the second part to at least one of the first part and the closing member, so that, at least a part of the second fastening means that provides the fastening of the second part to at least one of the first part and the closing member is located within the tunnel when the second part is fastened to at least one of the first part and the closing member, wherein the tunnel is arranged in a housing of the identification unit and wherein the first fastening means comprise a recess and a projection which engage one into the other, the closing member being provided with the recess or the projection and the first part being provided with the projection or the recess, respectively, wherein:

the second fastening means are provided with at least one opening in the second part of the strap and at least one resilient lip which is connected with the first part of the strap and which, in use, reaches into the opening of the second part, or

the second fastening means are provided with at least one opening in the first part of the strap and at least one resilient lip which is connected with the second part of the strap and which, in use, reaches into the opening of the first part, or

the second fastening means are provided with at least one opening in the second part of the strap and at least one resilient lip which is connected with an inner side of the tunnel and which, in use, reaches into the opening of the second part of the strap, or

the second fastening means are provided with at least one resilient lip which is connected with the second part of the strap and at least one opening on an inner side of the tunnel, with the lip, in use, reaching into the opening of the tunnel, and

wherein the at least one opening is provided with a bevel surface which includes an angle deviating from 90 degrees with the normal to the plane of the at least one opening and against which the at least one lip abuts more or less in surface-to-surface contact.