Animal sensor attaching tool

Abstract

To provide an animal sensor attaching tool capable of stably attaching a sensor unit to an animal without affecting behavior of the animal and always detecting biological information.SOLUTION: An animal sensor attaching tool attaches a sensor unit 40 for detecting biological information of an animal to the head of the animal, includes a nasal belt 10 that surrounds a nasal bone part and a lower jaw part around, a neck belt 20 suspended behind the head of the animal, and connection members 30A, 30B for forming a plurality of belt loop parts 31, 32, 33 with the nasal belt 10 and the neck belt 20 respectively inserted therethrough. A signal line 42 extending from the sensor unit 40 so as to go through internal spaces 34, 35 of the connection member 30A is arranged.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an animal sensor attaching tool for attaching a sensor unit to an animal, such as livestock, pets, or animals kept in zoos, to detect biological information of the animal. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, the acquisition and analysis of biological information from livestock, pets, and animals kept in zoos has been used to improve health management and husbandry methods. For example, body temperature is an important indicator of an animal's biological information that reflects its health, and measuring core body temperature is necessary to accurately determine its body temperature. Generally, measuring an animal's core body temperature requires restraining the animal and inserting a thermometer into its rectum, leaving it in place until the measurement is completed, which is a laborious and stressful process for both the person taking the measurement and the animal.

[0003] In the livestock industry, large numbers of livestock such as cows are raised and managed, so measuring the body temperature of each livestock and managing their physical condition requires a great deal of time and effort, and there are many cases where animals die due to delayed detection of illness or other abnormalities. Therefore, a technology has been developed that takes thermal images using a thermographic camera aimed at the head of a suckling calf from the nursing area, extracts correlated temperatures from areas of the calf's head that are considered to have a high correlation with deep body temperature, such as the eyeballs, the area around the eyes, and the inside of the ears, and manages the calf's health based on these correlated temperatures (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-58079 A (pages 4 to 6, Figure 1) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The technology of Patent Document 1 uses a thermographic camera to enable non-contact measurement of animal body temperature without affecting animal behaviors such as nursing or drinking water, significantly reducing the labor and stress of the person taking the measurement and the animal. However, because the technology of Patent Document 1 can only measure the animal's body temperature when it engages in predetermined behaviors such as nursing or drinking water, there is a risk that changes in body temperature due to a sudden deterioration in the physical condition of, for example, calves or adult cows before and after giving birth may be overlooked, and there is a risk that abnormalities may be discovered late.

[0006] Furthermore, methane gas emitted by ruminants such as cows is one of the greenhouse gases that contributes to global warming. Therefore, measuring methane gas emissions as an indicator of digestive efficiency is used in the development of livestock feed and nutritional supplements. Conventionally, methane gas emissions have been measured using a sniffer method, in which gas in a feed box is sucked in with a pump and the concentration is analyzed with a gas analyzer. However, this method can only measure methane gas emissions at the time of feeding. Another method for continuously monitoring methane gas emissions is the standard method of measuring breath gas using a large chamber. However, this method requires large-scale equipment and requires the operator to operate the equipment.

[0007] The present invention was made in response to these problems, and aims to provide an animal sensor attachment device that allows a sensor unit to be stably attached to an animal without affecting the animal's behavior, and that can constantly detect biological information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the animal sensor attachment device of the present invention comprises: A sensor unit for detecting biological information of an animal is attached to the head of the animal, The harness comprises a nose belt that surrounds the nasal bone and lower jaw of the animal, a neck belt that is hung behind the animal's head, and a connecting member that has a plurality of belt loops through which the nose belt and the neck belt are inserted, The connecting member is characterized in that a signal line extending from the sensor unit is arranged to pass through the internal space of the connecting member. According to this feature, the sensor unit is attached to an animal sensor attachment device that is attached to the animal's head using a nose belt and a neck belt connected by a connecting member, and the signal line extending from the sensor unit is arranged to pass through the internal space of the connecting member, so that the detection unit provided at the tip of the signal line can be placed near the animal's mouth or nose.This means that the sensor unit can be stably attached to the animal without affecting the animal's behavior, and biological information can be detected stably at all times.

[0009] The internal space is formed by a through hole provided in the connecting member. According to this feature, the internal space of the connecting member is formed by the through hole, which makes it easy to route the signal wires in the internal space.

[0010] The through hole is characterized in that one end thereof is open toward the belt loop portion. According to this feature, the signal line can be routed within the thickness of the connecting member, and therefore the surface of the connecting member can be configured to be flat.

[0011] The belt inserted into the belt loop having one open end of the through hole is characterized by being bifurcated. According to this feature, the signal line that is passed through the through hole of the connecting member can be arranged linearly along the longitudinal direction of the belt without making a detour.

[0012] The belt is characterized in that a cover member through which the signal line can be inserted is attached. According to this feature, the exposed portion of the signal line can be reduced, thereby suppressing damage to the signal line.

[0013] The through-hole is characterized in that the other end is open toward the front of the animal's head. This feature makes it easier to position the detection unit at the tip of the signal line closer to the animal's mouth or nose.

[0014] The lower jaw belt extending along the lower jaw of the animal is characterized by being provided with a holder for attaching the sensor unit. According to this feature, the heavy sensor unit is held by the holder below the lower jaw, which is less affected by the animal's head-shaking movement, making it less susceptible to centrifugal force acting on the sensor unit, allowing the sensor unit to be stably attached to the animal. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an animal sensor attaching device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a side view showing a state in which the animal sensor attaching device in Example 1 is attached to the head of a cow. [Figure 3] 1(a) and 1(b) are perspective views showing the structure of a connecting member of the animal sensor attaching device in Example 1. FIG. [Figure 4] Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part of the animal sensor attaching device in Example 1. Fig. 4 is a view showing the inner surface of the animal sensor attaching device. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a side view showing a state in which an animal sensor attaching device in Example 2 of the present invention is attached to the head of a cow. [Figure 6] 10 is an enlarged view of a main part of the animal sensor attaching device in Example 2. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a main part showing a first modified example of the animal sensor attaching device. [Figure 8]FIG. 1(a) is an enlarged view of a main part showing a second modified example of the animal sensor attaching device, and FIG. 1(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 10(a) is an enlarged view of a main part showing a third modified example of the animal sensor attaching device, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in (a). [Figure 10] 10(a) and 10(b) are cross-sectional views showing the configuration of a connecting member in a fourth modified example of the animal sensor attaching device. [Figure 11] FIG. 10(a) is an enlarged view of a main part showing a fifth modified example of the animal sensor attaching device, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in (a). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A mode for carrying out an animal sensor attaching device according to the present invention will be described below based on examples. [Example]

[0017] The animal sensor attaching device according to Example 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. In the following description, the left side of Figure 1 will be the front side (front side) of the animal sensor attaching device, and the right side of the page will be the back side (rear side) of the animal sensor attaching device.

[0018] The animal sensor attachment device of the present invention is an attachment device for attaching a sensor unit that detects biological information of an animal to the head of livestock, pets, animals kept in zoos, etc. Depending on the type of sensor unit attached to the animal sensor attachment device, it becomes possible to constantly detect various types of biological information, such as the animal's body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, symptoms of the animal's respiratory disease (strength, frequency, number of coughs, etc.), methane gas concentration and carbon dioxide concentration contained in the animal's breath, components of the animal's saliva, oral pH, and rumination time of ruminants such as cows.

[0019] In this embodiment, an animal sensor attachment device is attached to a cow that is raised and managed as a livestock, and a thermometer is attached to the animal sensor attachment device as a sensor unit to detect the cow's body temperature, particularly the oral temperature, which is highly correlated with the cow's deep body temperature.

[0020] 1 and 2, the animal sensor attachment device 1 (hereinafter referred to as "attachment device 1") is mainly composed of a nose belt 10 that surrounds the nasal bone 100a and lower jaw 100b of the cow 100, a neck belt 20 that is hung on the back of the head of the cow 100, more specifically, on the back of the head 100d behind the ears 100c, and a pair of left and right connecting members 30A and 30B that have three belt loops 31, 32, and 33 through which the nose belt 10 and the neck belt 20 are inserted, respectively. In this embodiment, a thermometer 40 (sensor unit) is attached to the lower jaw side belt 50, which will be described later. In addition, a signal wire 42 extending from a thermometer main body 41 of the thermometer 40 is arranged to pass through through holes 34 and 35, which are internal spaces formed in the connecting member 30A on the right side when viewed from the front side of the attachment device 1.

[0021] In addition, "hanging" means being attached in a hanging state, and in this embodiment, when the attachment device 1 is attached to the head of the cow 100, a part of the neck belt 20 (the occipital belt 23 described later) is supported on the occipital area 100d of the cow 100, and the other part of the neck belt 20 is attached in a hanging state.

[0022] 1 and 2, the nose belt 10 is composed of a nasal bone-side nose belt 11 that is inserted through belt loops 31, 31 provided on the upper side of the connecting members 30A, 30B, and a mandibular side nose belt 12 that is inserted through belt loops 32, 32 provided on the lower side of the connecting members 30A, 30B. A belt adjuster 13 is provided on the mandibular side nose belt 12, making it possible to adjust the length of the mandibular side nose belt 12. Note that a belt adjuster may also be provided on the nasal bone-side nose belt 11.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the neck belt 20 is inserted through belt loops 33, 33 (belt loops with through holes open at one end) provided on the rear side of the connecting members 30A, 30B.

[0024] In this embodiment, the neck belt 20 is composed of cheek belts 21A, 21B that are inserted into the belt loops 33, 33, respectively, and an occipital belt 23 that is inserted into rings 22A, 22B that are provided at the rear ends of the cheek belts 21A, 21B. The occipital belt 23 is provided with a belt adjuster 24, which allows the length of the occipital belt 23 to be adjusted.

[0025] 4, the cheek belt 21A (the belt inserted into the belt loop with one open end of the through hole) inserted into the belt loop 33 has a bifurcated front end. More specifically, the front end of the cheek belt 21A has a notch 25 formed in the widthwise center thereof, so that it is bifurcated into upper and lower parts.

[0026] In addition, a cover member 26 is attached to the cheek belt 21A, through which the signal line 42 can be inserted. In this embodiment, the cover member 26 is a rectangular woven fabric, and both ends in the width direction thereof are sewn to the inner surface of the cheek belt 21A, i.e., the surface facing the cow 100, so that the signal line 42 can be inserted into a cylindrical gap formed between the inner surface of the cheek belt 21A and the cover member 26 so as to extend in the front-to-rear direction, i.e., in the longitudinal direction of the cheek belt 21A.

[0027] A lower jaw side belt 50 is connected to rings 22A, 22B provided at the rear end portions of cheek belts 21A, 21B, and extends along the underside of the lower jaw 100b of the cow 100 at a position rearward of the lower jaw side nose belt 12. A holder 51 for attaching the thermometer main body 41 is provided on the lower jaw side belt 50. A fastener 52 is provided on the right end portion of the lower jaw side belt 50, allowing it to be easily attached to and detached from the ring 22A of the cheek belt 21A. A belt adjuster 53 is provided on the lower jaw side belt 50, allowing the length of the lower jaw side belt 50 to be adjusted.

[0028] For ease of explanation, although not shown in the drawings, a cover member through which the signal line 42 extending from the thermometer main body 41 passes is attached to the inner surface of the lower jaw side belt 50, similar to the cheek belt 21A, through which the signal line 42 can be inserted.

[0029] In addition, in this embodiment, the nose belt 10, neck belt 20, lower jaw side belt 50 and cover member 26 are formed by plain weaving chemical fibers such as nylon or polyester in a strip shape, so they are lightweight yet have excellent strength.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the connecting members 30A and 30B have the same configuration except for the presence or absence of through holes 34 and 35. Therefore, in this embodiment, the connecting member 30A, which is provided with through holes 34 and 35, will be described in detail, and a description of the connecting member 30B will be omitted.

[0031] 3(a) and 3(b), the connecting member 30A is formed in the shape of a flat plate having a predetermined thickness from a synthetic resin such as polyacetal. The connecting member 30A is provided with belt loops 31, 32, and 33 each formed by a rectangular through-hole that penetrates the connecting member 30A in the thickness direction, and circular through-holes 34 and 35 that penetrate the connecting member 30A in the front-rear direction.

[0032] In this embodiment, the internal space of the connecting member 30A is formed by through holes 34, 35 drilled in the front-rear direction of the connecting member 30A. It goes without saying that the diameter and position of the through holes 34, 35 are determined in consideration of the extent to which the strength of the connecting member 30A can be sufficiently ensured.

[0033] Specifically, the through-holes 34, 35 have the same diameter and are arranged linearly in the front-to-rear direction with the belt loop 33 therebetween. One end of the through-hole 34, i.e., a rear-end opening 34b of the through-hole 34, is open toward the belt loop 33 (see FIG. 3(b)), and the other end of the through-hole 34, i.e., a front-end opening 34a of the through-hole 34, is open toward the front of the head of the cow 100 (see FIG. 3(a)). Furthermore, one end of the through-hole 35, i.e., a front-end opening 35a of the through-hole 35, is open toward the belt loop 33 (see FIG. 3(a)), and the other end of the through-hole 35, i.e., a rear-end opening 35b of the through-hole 35, is open toward the rear of the head of the cow 100 (see FIG. 3(b)). In other words, the rear-end opening 35b of the through-hole 35 is open toward the cutout portion 25 of the cheek belt 21A that is inserted into the belt loop 33 (see FIG. 4).

[0034] In this embodiment, a tube 60 made of flexible synthetic resin is press-fitted into the through-holes 34, 35. That is, the signal line 42 extending from the thermometer main body 41 is arranged so as to pass essentially through the inside of the tube 60 press-fitted into the through-holes 34, 35 of the connecting member 30A (see FIG. 1). Furthermore, by inserting the signal line 42 into the inside of the tube 60, the detection unit 43 provided at the tip of the signal line 42 can be brought close to the mouth or nose of the cow 100 while the signal line 42 is protected.

[0035] The front end of the tube 60 extending from the front opening 34a of the through-hole 34 is bent inward at an angle of approximately 180 degrees to form a hook 60a (see FIG. 1). This allows the hook 60a of the tube 60 to be engaged with the corners of the mouth of the cow 100 and maintain a stable engagement state (see FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 1, a detection unit 43 provided at the tip of the signal line 42 is disposed at the tip of the hook 60a, and the temperature inside the mouth of the cow 100 can be detected by the detection unit 43.

[0036] The corners of the mouth are the areas where the upper and lower lips join on either side of the animal's mouth, the inner cheeks are the areas on the inside of the mouth between the upper and lower jaws, and the outer cheeks are the areas on the outside of the mouth.

[0037] Furthermore, the rear end of the tube 60 extending from the rear end opening 34b of the through-hole 34 passes through the belt loop 33 via the cutout 25 of the cheek belt 21A, enters the front end opening 35a of the through-hole 35, and extends from the rear end opening 35b of the through-hole 35 to the vicinity of the cover member 26 attached to the cheek belt 21A. This makes it possible to reduce the exposed portion of the signal wire 42 that is arranged to pass through the through-holes 34, 35. Note that by inserting not only the signal wire 42 but also the tip portion of the rear end of the tube 60 into the cylindrical gap formed between the inner surface of the cheek belt 21A and the cover member 26, the exposed portion of the signal wire 42 can be further reduced.

[0038] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the thermometer 40 in this embodiment is a so-called digital thermometer, and is composed of a thermometer main body 41 that has a built-in battery, wireless module, etc. (not shown), a signal line 42 that extends from the thermometer main body 41 and is arranged to pass through the through holes 34, 35 of the connecting member 30A, and a detection unit 43 that is provided at the tip of the signal line 42.

[0039] In this embodiment, the detection unit 43 is a contact temperature sensor, and detects the temperature inside the mouth of the cow 100. The detection unit is not limited to a contact temperature sensor, and may be a non-contact temperature sensor such as an infrared temperature sensor. When the detection unit is configured as an infrared temperature sensor, for example, the amount of infrared rays emitted from inside the oral cavity of the cow 100, such as the inner cheek, tongue, or throat, may be measured using a detection surface visible through an opening at the tip of the hook-shaped part 60a, and the temperature inside the mouth may be detected by converting this amount of infrared rays into temperature.

[0040] Here, an example of a procedure for attaching the attachment 1 to the cow 100 will be described. Note that the description will be given on the assumption that the hook-shaped part 60a at the front end of the tube 60 is bent in advance.

[0041] First, with the nose belt 10 unfolded in a circular shape (see Figure 1), the attachment device 1 is passed around the tip of the cow's 100 nose. Next, the neck belt 20 is hung around the back of the head 100d behind the ears 100c of the cow 100. Next, the lower jaw side belt 50 is passed around the underside of the lower jaw 100b of the cow 100, and the fastener 52 is connected to the ring 22A of the cheek belt 21A. Finally, the hook-shaped portion 60a is fastened to the corner of the cow's 100 mouth (see Figure 2).

[0042] According to this, the attachment device 1 of the present invention has a thermometer 40 attached to the attachment device 1 attached to the head of the cow 100 by a nose belt 10 and a neck belt 20 connected by connecting members 30A and 30B, and the signal wire 42 extending from the thermometer main body 41 constituting the thermometer 40 is arranged to pass through the through holes 34 and 35 which are the internal space of the connecting member 30A, so that the detection unit 43 provided at the tip of the signal wire 42 can be arranged near the mouth or nose of the cow 100. Therefore, the thermometer 40 can be stably attached to the cow 100 without affecting the behavior of the cow 100, and biological information can be detected stably at all times.

[0043] Furthermore, since the internal space of the connecting member 30A is formed by the through holes 34 and 35, it is easy to route the signal line 42 and the tube 60 in the internal space.

[0044] Furthermore, because the rear end opening 34b of the through-hole 34 and the front end opening 35a of the through-hole 35 are open toward the belt loop portion 33, the signal line 42 can be routed within the thickness of the connecting member 30A. In other words, because the through-holes 34 and 35 are provided within the thickness range that is essentially required for the connecting member 30A, the surface of the connecting member 30A can be configured to be flat. As a result, no protruding parts are formed on the inner surface of the connecting member 30A, making it less likely to injure the skin of the cow 100 to which the attachment 1 is attached. Furthermore, because no protruding parts are formed on the outer surface of the connecting member 30A, when the attachment 1 is applied to an adult cow, for example, the head cannot slip out, making it less likely to interfere with a fastener such as a stanchion used to tether the cow, and thus preventing damage to the connecting member 30A.

[0045] In this way, since the surfaces of the connecting members 30A and 30B are configured to be flat, the attachment device 1 can be safely and stably attached to the animal's head regardless of whether the thermometer 40 and the tube 60 are attached or not.

[0046] Furthermore, the cheek belt 21A, which is inserted through the belt loop 33 in which the rear end opening 34b of the through-hole 34 and the front end opening 35a of the through-hole 35 are open, has a bifurcated front end, so that the signal line 42, which is passed through the through-holes 34 and 35 of the connecting member 30A, can be arranged linearly along the longitudinal direction of the cheek belt 21A via the cutout 25 without having to detour. This allows the signal line 42 and the tube 60 to be routed within the thickness of the connecting member 30A, thereby preventing damage to the signal line 42.

[0047] Furthermore, by attaching a cover member 26 to the cheek belt 21A, through which the signal line 42 can be inserted, the exposed portion of the signal line 42 can be reduced, thereby suppressing damage to the signal line 42. In addition, in the attachment 1, the signal line 42 is protected by the cover member 26 made of woven fabric in the portion that is likely to come into contact with the skin of the cow 100, and the signal line 42 is protected by the tube 60 made of synthetic resin in the portion that is unlikely to come into contact with the skin of the cow 100, thereby ensuring safety for both the cow 100 and the signal line 42.

[0048] In addition, the front end opening 34a of the through hole 34 is open toward the front of the head of the cow 100, making it easier to position the detection unit 43 at the tip of the signal line 42 closer to the mouth and nose of the cow 100.

[0049] Furthermore, by holding the heavy thermometer body 41 by the holder 51 below the lower jaw 100b, which is less affected by the bobbing motion of the cow 100, centrifugal force is less likely to act on the thermometer body 41, allowing the thermometer 40 to be stably attached to the cow 100. Furthermore, when the attachment device 1 is applied to adult cattle, it is possible to prevent interference between the thermometer body 41 and fixing devices such as stanchions.

[0050] Furthermore, the front end of the tube 60 is formed with a hook-shaped portion 60a that can be latched onto the corners of the mouth of the cow 100, thereby preventing displacement of the detection unit 43 that is placed on the inner cheek of the cow 100. Furthermore, the attachment 1 can stably attach the thermometer 40 to the cow 100, preventing the bent portion of the hook-shaped portion 60a from lifting the corners of the mouth of the cow 100 and preventing the tip of the tube 60 from digging into the inner cheek of the cow 100, and reducing the stress on the cow 100 that has the attachment 1 attached to its head.

[0051] Furthermore, the attachment tool 1 in this embodiment has a lower jaw side belt 50 that extends along the lower jaw 100b of the cow 100, so that the thermometer 40 can be attached to the cow 100 more stably.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mode of detecting the temperature inside the mouth of the cow 100 using the detection unit 43 of the thermometer 40 placed on the inner cheek of the cow 100 has been described, but this is not limited to this. For example, the detection unit of an infrared temperature sensor having a signal line arranged to pass through the through holes 34, 35, which are the internal space of the connecting member 30A, may be fixed to an appropriate position on the nasal bone side nose belt 11 to detect the temperature at the eyeball area of ​​the cow 100. [Example]

[0053] Next, an animal sensor attaching device according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Note that a description of the same configuration as in the previous embodiment will be omitted.

[0054] In this second embodiment, an animal sensor attachment device is attached to a cow that is raised and managed as a livestock, and a gas sensor that detects the methane gas concentration and carbon dioxide concentration contained in the cow's breath is attached to the animal sensor attachment device as a sensor unit.

[0055] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the animal sensor attachment device 201 of this embodiment 2 (hereinafter referred to as "attachment device 201") is mainly composed of a nose belt 210 that surrounds the nasal bone 100a and lower jaw 100b of the cow 100, a neck belt 220 that is hung on the back of the head 100d behind the ears 100c of the cow 100, and a pair of left and right connecting members 230A, 230B that have three belt loops 231, 232, 233 through which the nose belt 210 and the neck belt 220 are respectively passed, and in this embodiment, a gas sensor 240 (sensor unit) is attached to the lower jaw side nose belt 212 (lower jaw side belt) described later.

[0056] 6, the nose belt 210 is composed of a nasal bone-side nose belt 211 inserted through belt loops 231, 231 provided on the upper side of the connecting members 230A, 230B, and a mandible-side nose belt 212 (a belt inserted through a belt loop with one open end of a through hole) inserted through belt loops 232, 232 (belt loops with one open end of a through hole) provided on the lower side of the connecting members 230A, 230B. A belt adjuster (not shown) is provided on the nasal bone-side nose belt 211, making it possible to adjust the length of the nasal bone-side nose belt 211.

[0057] The mandibular side nose belt 212, which is inserted into the belt loop 232 of the connecting member 230A, is configured to be bifurcated into two parts, front and back, by forming a notch 225 in the widthwise center of its right side end.

[0058] In addition, the mandibular side nose belt 212 is fitted with a cover member 26 through which the signal line 242 can be inserted.

[0059] Furthermore, the mandibular side nose belt 212 is provided with a holder 51 for attaching the gas sensor main body 241 of the gas sensor 240 (see FIG. 5).

[0060] 5, the neck belt 220 is inserted into the belt loops 233, 233 provided on the rear side of the connecting members 230A, 230B. In this embodiment, the neck belt 220 is provided with a belt adjuster (not shown) so that the length of the neck belt 220 can be adjusted.

[0061] As shown in Figure 6, the internal space of connecting member 230A is formed by a substantially L-shaped through hole 234 that extends in the front-to-rear direction from the front side of connecting member 230A and bends downward at approximately the center in the front-to-rear direction, and a through hole 235 that is drilled in the vertical direction from the lower side of connecting member 230A so as to align with rear end opening 234b of through hole 234.

[0062] Specifically, the through-holes 234, 235 have the same diameter and are arranged in an L-shape with the belt loop 232 sandwiched between them. One end of the through-hole 234, i.e., a rear-end opening 234b of the through-hole 234, opens toward the belt loop 232, and the other end of the through-hole 234, i.e., a front-end opening 234a of the through-hole 234, opens toward the front of the head of the cow 100. Furthermore, one end of the through-hole 235, i.e., an upper-end opening 235a of the through-hole 235, opens toward the belt loop 232, and the other end of the through-hole 235, i.e., a lower-end opening 235b of the through-hole 235, opens downward. In other words, the lower-end opening 235b of the through-hole 235 opens toward the cutout 225 of the mandibular side nose belt 212 that is inserted into the belt loop 232.

[0063] 5, a hook-shaped portion 260a is formed at the front end of the tube 260 extending from the front end opening 234a of the through-hole 234. This allows the hook-shaped portion 260a of the tube 260 to be engaged with the nostril of the cow 100 and maintain a stable engagement state. In addition, a detection unit 243 provided at the tip of the signal line 242 is disposed at the tip of the hook-shaped portion 260a, and the detection unit 243 can constantly detect the methane gas concentration and carbon dioxide concentration contained in the exhaled breath of the cow 100, and can be used to measure the amount of methane gas emitted.

[0064] The detection unit 243 of the gas sensor 240 is not limited to being placed inside the nostrils of the cow 100, but may be placed near the nostrils of the cow 100.

[0065] Furthermore, the front end of the tube 260 is not limited to having a hook-shaped portion 260a formed therein and fastened to the nostril of the cow 100, but may also be configured so that the detection portion 243 of the gas sensor 240 is positioned within or near the nostril of the cow 100, for example, by inserting the front end of the tube 260 through a through-hole formed in the nasal septum of the cow 100 to attach a nose ring.

[0066] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes modifications and additions that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0067] For example, in the first and second embodiments, a single signal line is arranged to pass through a through hole that is the internal space of the connecting member. However, this is not limiting, and multiple signal lines extending from different types of sensor units may be arranged to pass through a single through hole. For example, as shown in Modification 1 of Fig. 7, two linear through holes 334, 335 and 434, 435 may be provided in a single connecting member, and signal lines 342, 442 extending from different types of sensor units may be arranged to pass through each through hole. Alternatively, a linear through hole (see the first embodiment) and an L-shaped through hole (see the second embodiment) may be provided in a single connecting member, and signal lines extending from different types of sensor units may be arranged to pass through each through hole.

[0068] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, a through hole that is an internal space is provided in only one of the left and right connecting members, but this is not limiting, and a through hole may be provided in both the left and right connecting members.

[0069] Furthermore, in the above-described first and second embodiments, the left and right connecting members have been described as having the same configuration except for the presence or absence of a through hole, but this is not limited to this, and the connecting member through which the signal line does not pass may be simply configured, for example, using a ring or the like.

[0070] In addition, in the first and second embodiments, one end of the through-hole is open toward the belt loop and the other end is open toward the front of the animal's head, but this is not limiting, and one end of the through-hole may be open toward the belt loop and the other end may be open upward or downward. Furthermore, both ends of the through-hole may be open toward different belt loops, or neither end may be open toward a belt loop.

[0071] Furthermore, as shown in Modification 2 of FIG. 8 , for example, the through hole 534 may be formed in an L-shape bent in the thickness direction at the center of the connecting member in the front-rear direction so that one end of the through hole 534 opens toward the belt loop and the other end of the through hole 534 opens toward the inner surface of the connecting member. In Modification 2 of FIG. 8 , a detection unit 543 provided at the tip of a signal line 542 is disposed within the through hole 534. The other end of the through hole 534 may open toward the outer surface of the connecting member, or may open to both the inner and outer surfaces of the connecting member. In Modification 2 of FIG. 8 , the tube 560 is press-fitted only into the portion of the through hole 534 extending in the front-rear direction.

[0072] Furthermore, the detection unit of the sensor unit may be placed in an appropriate position relative to the internal space of the connecting member or the tube, based on the type of biological information to be detected, the detection method (contact or non-contact), etc. For example, if the sensor unit is for detecting an animal's electroencephalogram or ear empyema, the detection unit may be placed in an appropriate position relative to the neck belt.

[0073] In addition, the internal space of the connecting member may be formed by combining through holes 634, 635 provided in the connecting member and grooves 636, 637 formed on the inner surface of the connecting member and communicating with the through holes 634, 635, as shown in variant example 3 of Figure 9.

[0074] Furthermore, as shown in variant example 4 of Figure 10, for example, the connecting member may be configured as a nested structure consisting of two divided sections 730, 730', which are fixed using pins, adhesive, etc. so that they cannot move relative to each other, thereby forming an internal space by combining a groove 731 extending in the front-to-rear direction provided in a flat plate-shaped section 730 having a predetermined thickness with a pair of front-to-rear cutouts 731', 731' provided in a lid-shaped section 730'.

[0075] Alternatively, a groove may be provided on the inner or outer surface of the connecting member, and the opening of the groove may be closed with tape or the like to form an internal space.

[0076] In addition, in the first and second embodiments, each belt is described as being made of a woven fabric in which chemical fibers are plain woven in a strip shape, but this is not limiting, and each belt may be made of a strip-shaped synthetic resin, leather, etc. Furthermore, each belt is not limited to being strip-shaped, and may be string-shaped or chain-shaped.

[0077] Furthermore, the cover member is not limited to a rectangular woven fabric, but may be, for example, cylindrical, and the signal line of the sensor unit may be inserted through the cover member alone.

[0078] The shape and size of the through-holes of the belt loops provided on the connecting member may be freely selected as long as the belts can be passed through them. The belt loops are not limited to those formed by through-holes, and may be formed by, for example, metal fittings fixed to the connecting member.

[0079] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, for example, the cheek belt 21A inserted into the belt loop 33 is bifurcated by forming a notch 25 in the widthwise center of its front end, and the signal line 42 is configured to be inserted into a cylindrical gap formed between the inner surface of the cheek belt 21A and the cover member 26 sewn to the inner surface of the cheek belt 21A. However, this is not limiting, and as shown in the fifth modified example in FIG. 11 , a cheek belt 821A inserted into the belt loop 33 may be configured such that a through-hole 825 is formed in the widthwise center of its front end, and both widthwise ends of the cheek belt 821A are sewn to the folded-back portions of the cheek belt 821A to form a cylindrical gap inside the cheek belt 821A, and the signal line 42 is inserted into the cylindrical gap formed inside the cheek belt 821A through the through-hole 825, thereby minimizing the exposed portion of the signal line 42.

[0080] Furthermore, even when the sensor unit cannot be attached, the animal sensor attaching tool of the present invention can be used as a bridle (a so-called "bridle") for managing animals. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1,201 Animal sensor attachment 10 Nose Belt 11 Nasal bone side nasal belt 12 Mandibular nasal belt 20 Belt 21A Cheek belt (a belt inserted through a belt loop with one end of the through hole open) 21B Cheek Belt 22A, 22B Ring 23 Back of head belt 25 Notch 26 Cover member 30A, 30B connecting member 31,32 Belt loop 33 Belt loop (one end of the through hole is open) 34, 35 Through hole (internal space) 40 Thermometer (sensor unit) 41 Thermometer body 42 Signal line 43 Detector 50 Lower jaw belt 51 Holding body 60 tubes 60a Uncinate

Claims

1. A sensor unit for detecting biological information of an animal is attached to the head of the animal, The animal harness comprises a nose belt that surrounds the nasal bone and lower jaw of the animal, a neck belt that is hung behind the animal's head, and a connecting member that has a plurality of belt loops through which the nose belt and the neck belt are inserted, The animal sensor attaching device is characterized in that a signal line extending from the sensor unit is arranged to pass through the internal space of the connecting member.

2. 2. The animal sensor attaching device according to claim 1, wherein the internal space is formed by a through-hole provided in the connecting member.

3. 3. The animal sensor attaching device according to claim 2, wherein one end of the through-hole is open toward the belt loop portion.

4. 4. The animal sensor attaching tool according to claim 3, wherein the belt inserted into the belt loop having one open end of the through hole is bifurcated.

5. 5. The animal sensor attaching tool according to claim 4, wherein a cover member through which the signal line can be inserted is attached to the belt.

6. 3. The animal sensor mounting tool according to claim 2, wherein the other end of the through-hole is open toward the front of the animal's head.

7. 7. An animal sensor mounting tool according to claim 1, wherein a lower jaw side belt extending along the underside of the animal's lower jaw is provided with a holder for mounting the sensor unit.

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