Sealed Animal Ear Tag Housing for Battery and Circuit Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing active animal ear tags are prone to damage in harsh environments due to rough handling and extreme conditions, posing risks to the battery and electronic circuit.
Innovation Solution
The ear tag design includes a seamless first housing portion that encloses the battery and electronic circuit on multiple sides, protected by a potting material, with a configuration that minimizes exposure to moisture and harmful substances, and features a protruding member for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a traditional ear tag with a separate attachment mechanism is used, then the ear tag can be attached to the animal's ear, but the attachment process is time-consuming and requires specialized equipment or personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ear tag body and the attachment mechanism into a single integrated unit. The ear tag includes a body portion and a needle portion that are merged into one structure, allowing the entire ear tag to be inserted directly into the animal's ear without requiring separate attachment steps or specialized equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the attachment function from complex external mechanisms and incorporates it directly into the ear tag structure itself. The needle portion is extracted as a separate functional element that can be manually inserted, eliminating the need for external attachment devices or specialized personnel.
2Productivity
If a conventional ear tag design is used, then the ear tag can be read, but the reading process requires specialized equipment or personnel and is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or electronic reading systems with a simple visual reading mechanism. The ear tag includes a code portion that can be directly viewed and read by human eyes, eliminating the need for specialized scanning equipment or trained personnel to interpret the identification information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a visual code representation that can be directly copied or read without requiring complex decoding systems. The code portion contains identification information that can be manually transcribed or viewed, simplifying the reading process compared to encrypted or electronically coded tags requiring specialized equipment.
3Ease of manufacture
If the ear tag body is made from a single material, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the ear tag cannot provide both structural support and comfortable wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials to construct the ear tag body and needle portion. The ear tag body is made from a biocompatible material suitable for prolonged wear, while the needle portion is made from a material providing structural support and ease of insertion. This composite approach allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Data Source
Figure 1a~2b
Figure 3
Figure 4a~5d
AI summary
The disclosure concerns an animal ear tag (2) comprising a housing (6), a battery (20), and an electronic circuit (22) powered by the battery (20). A coupling portion (8) of the housing (6) is provided with an opening (10) configured to receive therein a head portion of a male tag portion. The housing (6) comprises a first housing portion (14) formed in one piece and comprising a main portion of an outer surface (16) of the housing (6). The first housing portion (14) forms a cavity (18) in which the battery (20) and the electronic circuit (22) are arranged. The electronic circuit (22) extends in a circuit plane (28), and the first housing portion (14) extends on both sides of the circuit plane (28).