(19) |
|
|
(11) |
EP 0 518 437 B1 |
(12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
(45) |
Mention of the grant of the patent: |
|
14.09.1994 Bulletin 1994/37 |
(22) |
Date of filing: 09.06.1992 |
|
|
(54) |
Birth alarm for livestock
Vieh-Geburtsmelder
Dispositif d'alarme de parturition pour animaux d'élevage
|
(84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
|
BE DE FR GB NL |
(30) |
Priority: |
10.06.1991 NL 9100994
|
(43) |
Date of publication of application: |
|
16.12.1992 Bulletin 1992/51 |
(73) |
Proprietor: Bleijenberg, Marcus Cornelis Kuno |
|
NL-2902 LG Capelle a/d IJssel (NL) |
|
(72) |
Inventor: |
|
- Bleijenberg, Marcus Cornelis Kuno
NL-2902 LG Capelle a/d IJssel (NL)
|
(74) |
Representative: Smulders, Theodorus A.H.J., Ir. et al |
|
Vereenigde Octrooibureaux
Nieuwe Parklaan 97 2587 BN 's-Gravenhage 2587 BN 's-Gravenhage (NL) |
(56) |
References cited: :
WO-A-82/00952 US-A- 4 055 839
|
GB-A- 2 221 161
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
|
[0001] This invention relates to a wireless birth alarm for livestock, such as mares, cows
or ewes, comprising position sensing and signal emitting means to be secured to the
animal, which means close a contact and emit a signal when the animal takes up a position
that may be characteristic of the onset of parturition for that animal, as well as
a signal receiver comprising a circuit which, upon receiving an uninterrupted signal,
after a settable threshold interval has elapsed, can activate an alarm.
[0002] Such birth alarms are described in applicants' older NL patent application No. 9000528
and also in WO 82/00952 (PARK).
[0003] In the known birth alarms, which are based on signalling the position of the animal
during parturition, it is assumed that, for example, horses in most cases either sleep
standing up or sleep in a semi-erect lying position with the head virtually straight
up. This means that in the known birth alarms a contact of the position sensing means
is closed and a signal is emitted as soon as the animal takes up a lying position,
and to avoid false alarm in the event of incidental motions such as running, rolling
and the like, which causes the contacts to be closed for a short time, a threshold
interval is built into the receiver, which interval must elapse before the alarm goes
off at all.
[0004] Although this manner of signalling is already much more animal-friendly and more
universally applicable than other conventional signalling techniques, in which sensors
are used which are responsive to the humidity of the skin or are attached to the vulva
of a mare and can be operated by the birth sack, an important disadvantage is inherent
to the known birth alarms. The fact is there are a substantial number of animals that
do tend to sleep in a lying position, at any rate in the period before parturition.
[0005] These cases are provided for by the birth alarm according to the present invention,
which has the characteristics of the main claim
[0006] The invention is based on the principle that in the case of a contraction a lying
sleeping animal after the contraction partly raises herself. In horses, a contraction
lasts less than 90 seconds and the birth alarm thus signals the occurrence of contractions.
[0007] In the case of animals that tend not to sleep in a lying position, the receiver can
be set in a position which signals as soon as the animal lies down. If it turns out
the lying position is not connected with the onset of labour, the circuit can be switched
to the position that signals contractions.
[0008] In further elaboration of the invention, to conserve the power source (battery) of
the transmitter, the position sensing and signal emitting means can be automatically
deactivated after elapse of a settable transmission time of for instance 3 minutes
and, after a temporary interruption of contact in the sensing means, when the contact
is closed again, be reactivated after a very short lapse of time of the order of one
second.
[0009] According to the invention, to guarantee that the detection of any changes in the
position is exact and the position sensing and signal emitting means remain in place,
in the case of horses, the position sensing and signal emitting means, comprising
liquid switches such as mercury switches, can be embedded and be confined in a protective
casing which can be attached between the withers of a horse by coupling it to the
projecting bracket of an anti-roll girth positioned behind the forelegs of a horse.
[0010] According to the invention, in the case of sheep, the position sensing and signal
emitting means can be attached behind the head of the sheep through coupling to the
buckle of a girth positioned behind the forelegs of a sheep, this girth being fitted
with a girth plate provided with Velcro at the underside thereof for adherence to
the fleece.
[0011] In the category of cows that calve standing up, the position of the back is characteristic
inasmuch as during parturition, as well as during urination, the back is curved, while
normally it is straight and horizontal. By adding to the liquid switches, which are
mounted on the withers of the cow via an anti-roll girth and can signal a lying (parturient)
position, a switch that signals longitudinal curving of the back, the cow's taking
up a position indicative of either calving or urination is signalled. By further setting
the threshold interval in the receiver at a value which is greater than the normal
urinating time of a cow (of the order of 14 seconds), false alarm in the event of
urination is precluded.
[0012] According to the invention, therefore, for cows of the category that tend to give
birth standing up, the position sensing and signal emitting means, comprising liquid
switches, such as mercury switches, which signal the cow's taking up a lying position
and further comprising a switch which signals the curving of the back in longitudinal
direction, can be embedded and be confined in a protective casing which can be attached
to the withers of the cow by coupling it to the buckle of a girth.
[0013] To prevent the anti-roll girth from shifting forward, according to the invention,
use can be made of a tail strap which can be positioned around the tail and which
on the back splits into two parts which are secured laterally to the girth. During
parturition, when the cow curves her back, the lateral parts of the tail strap pull
the lateral parts of the girth rearwardly, so that the change of inclination when
the back is curved is further enhanced and the longitudinal switch can function more
reliably.
[0014] To clarify the invention, some embodiments of the birth alarm will now be described,
by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0015] In principle, the operation of the birth alarm is as follows. When for the actual
birth the mother animal lies down during the contractions and starts to push, the
angle of the animal's lying position is different from the angle of its normal rest
position. The meridian line (Fig. 5, no. 1) through the body of a mare, cow or ewe
that is standing up, lying normally or walking, makes an angle of 90° (Fig. 5) to
about 65° (Fig. 7) relative to the ground. During the contractions, the angle of a
mother animal in labour is from about 2° (Fig. 6) to about 40° relative to the ground,
depending on the animal species. Now, when two mercury switches are attached to the
back of the mother animal in such a manner that they make contact to the right or
to the left at an angle that is characteristic for the animal species in question,
such contact can be passed on as a signal to the receiver via a transmitter.
[0016] The receiver is so constructed that is can be switched to two positions: Position
I is for mother animals (i.e. 90% of the mother animals) who, before parturition,
tend not to rest or sleep in stretched position, i.e., at an angle smaller than 40°.
When, in the case of this category of animals, the receiver receives signals from
the transmitter, the alarm will not be set off until a so-called threshold interval,
characteristic of the animal species in question, has elapsed. This prevents the occurrence
of false alarm as a result of running or rolling motions of the mother animal.
[0017] Now, when the alarm is actuated by a mother animal resting or sleeping in stretched
position, position II of the receiver must be switched on by means of a knob. The
transmitter is so designed that, for instance in the case of mares resting in stretched
position, it does not transmit for a period longer than about three minutes. A circuit
provides that the transmitter then switches off automatically but remains standby
without appreciable power consumption. When the contact is broken, i.e., when the
mother animal rises again, the transmitter will reset in about one second and again
be capable of transmitting continuously for three minutes, if necessary.
[0018] The receiver in position II operates as follows. When a horizontally resting mother
animal wakes up and contractions start, the transmitter will reset because the mother
animal raises herself between contractions and the mercury contact will be broken.
The receiver has been set in such a manner that it only sets off the alarm if it receives
a signal for a period of time longer than the animal-specific threshold interval and
this signal is interrupted for a minimum time span, for instance one second. This
interruption, however, must occur before a predetermined maximum interval, for instance
of 90 seconds, has elapsed. If the receiver receives a signal continuously for a period
longer than the predetermined interval (for instance 90 seconds), the alarm is not
set off and the receiver regards the signal as coming from a horizontally resting
animal. An interruption of one second of the transmitted signal (i.e., for a short
time no transmission takes place) between threshold interval (for instance three seconds)
and the set maximum transmitted signal interval (for instance 90 seconds), registered
by the receiver, results in an actual alarm signal produced by the receiver. A disadvantage
of position II is that a small percentage of false alarms will occur in the case of
mother animals that are sleeping in stretched position and are restless. The number
involved here, however, is quite acceptable.
[0019] Essential is the combination of the following characteristics of the wireless birth
alarm:
- Mercury switches of sufficient length having a small contact angle.
- The angle which the two mercury switches make relative to the meridian line of the
mother animal. The angle is specific for each animal species.
- The maximum and minimum threshold intervals which are built into the receiver and
which are specific for each animal species.
- Safe installation of the mercury switches, i.e., embedded in a buffer of insulating,
shock-absorbing material, for instance polyurethane foam (Fig. 4, no. 3).
- The embedded mercury switch (Fig. 4, no. 3), the antenna (Fig. 4, no. 4), the battery
(Fig. 4, no. 5) and the transmitter (Fig. 4, no. 2) are mounted in a plastics casing
(Fig. 4, no. 1).
- A LED is arranged on the casing for monitoring the operation of the transmitter.
- The entire transmitter section (Fig. 3, no. 3) is mounted in a simple manner in a
plastics holder (Fig. 3, no. 1) designed especially for this purpose.
- In the case of mares and cows, the assembly can be mounted universally on the most
commonly used anti-roll girths (Fig. 3, no. 2) and as such cannot be damaged by the
mother animal. For sheep, a special girth (Fig. 1) has been developed for this purpose.
By widening the top side of the girth by means of an oval plastics 4 mm plate (Fig.
1, no. 1), the transmitter (Fig. 1, no. 3) can be mounted thereon and by providing
so-called Velcro under this plastic plate, the girth will remain exactly in place
owing to the adherence of the Velcro to the wool of the sheep.
- As regards the transmitter, the automatic switch-off is of crucial importance. The
transmitter is fitted with a circuit which provides that the maximum consecutive transmission
time is three minutes. This occurs when the mercury switch makes contact constantly
for three minutes. After these three minutes, the transmitter switches off automatically
and remains standby, i.e., the circuit referred to also provides that the transmitter
is switched on again when the mercury circuit is interrupted for more than one second.
The circuit referred to prevents exhaustion of the battery in the case of animals
that rest in stretched position. The circuit is so designed that the battery which
supplies the transmitter with energy can keep the transmitter standby for over two
months without being exhausted.
[0020] Figs 8 and 9 show a cow having a straight and a curved back, respectively. The transmitter
3 comprises, in addition to the two transversely slanting mercury switches sensing
the lying positions of the cow, a third mercury switch which is arranged in the longitudinal
direction and which accordingly measures the changes in the inclination of the back.
This last-mentioned switch, therefore, senses a change in position indicative of either
calving or urination. The average urination time of a cow is of the order of 14 seconds
and therefore a corresponding threshold interval must be set in the receiver so as
to prevent false alarm. Figs 8 and 9 further show a tail strap 5 which splits into
two lateral parts 5a connecting laterally to the girth 2.
1. A wireless birth alarm for livestock, such as mares, cows or ewes, comprising position
sensing and signal emitting means to be secured to the animal, which means close a
contact and emit a signal when the animal takes up a position that may be characteristic
of the onset of parturition for that animal, as well as a signal receiver comprising
a circuit which, upon receiving an uninterupted signal, after a settable threshold
interval has elapsed, can activate an alarm, characterized in that at the receiver
the circuit can be set in a position where the alarm is only activated if the continuously
received signal is interrupted for a period of time the length of which depends on
the animal species which period occurs after the threshold interval has elapsed and
before lapse of a second period of time the length of which also can be set depending
on the animal species, and then resets again.
2. A birth alarm as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that for horses that tend to
sleep lying down, said period of interruption is 6-120 seconds.
3. A birth alarm as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the position sensing
and signal emitting means are automatically deactivated after a settable transmission
time of for instance 3 minutes, and, after a temporary break of contact in the sensing
means, when the contact is closed again, are reactivated after a very short lapse
of time of the order of 1 second.
4. A birth alarm as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that,
with horses, the position sensing and signal emitting means comprising liquid switches
such as mercury switches are embedded and are confined in a protective casing, which
casing can be attached between the withers of a horse by coupling to the projecting
bracket of an anti-roll girth which is positioned behind the forelegs of a horse.
5. A birth alarm as claimed in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, with sheep,
the position sensing and signal emitting means comprising liquid switches such as
mercury switches are embedded and are confined in a protective casing, which casing
can be attached behind the head of a sheep by coupling to the buckle of a girth which
is positioned behind the forelegs of a sheep, said girth comprising a girth plate
fitted with Velcro for adherence to the fleece.
6. A birth alarm as claimed in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, with cows
tending to giving birth standing up, the position sensing and signal emitting means
comprising liquid switches such as mercury switches, which signal the cow's taking
up a lying position and further comprising a switch signalling the curving of the
back in longitudinal direction, are embedded and are confined in a protective casing,
which casing can be attached to the withers of the cow by coupling to the buckle of
a girth.
7. A birth alarm as claimed in claim 6, characterized by a tail strap which can be positioned
about the tail and which on the back splits into two parts which are laterally attached
to the girth.
1. Drahtloser Vieh-Geburtsmelder, z.B. für Stuten, Kühe oder Mutterschafe, welcher eine
auf dem Tier zu befestigende Positionswahrnehmungs- und signalemittierende Einrichtung,
bei der ein Kontakt geschlossen und ein Signal ausgesendet wird, sobald das Tier eine
für das Einsetzen des Geburtsvorganges charakteristische Haltung einnimmt, sowie einen
Signalempfänger, welcher mit einer Schaltung versehen ist, über die bei Empfang eines
ununterbrochenen Signales nach Verstreichen eines voreinstellbaren Ansprechzeitraumes
ein Alarm ausgelöst werden Kann, aufweist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Schaltung
des Empfängers in eine Position gebracht werden kann, in welcher eine Aktivierung
des Alarmes nur dann erfolgt, wenn das kontinuierlich empfangene Signal für eine bestimmte,
von der jeweiligen Tierart abhängigen Zeitspanne nach Verstreichen des Ansprechzeitraumes
und vor Ablauf einer zweiten, ebenfalls in Abhängigkeit von der jeweiligen Tierart
einstellbaren Zeitspanne, unterbrochen wird und sodann wieder eine Deaktivierung erfolgt.
2. Geburtsmelder nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die genannte Unterbrechungsphase
bei Pferden, die gewöhnlich im Liegen schlafen, 6-120 Sekunden beträgt.
3. Geburtsmelder nach den Ansprüchen 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Positionswahrnehmungs-
und signalemittierende Einrichtung nach einer zuvor einstellbaren übermittlungsdauer,
z.B. 3 Minuten, automatisch deaktiviert und nach einer zeitweiligen Unterbrechung
des Kontaktes der Sensoreinrichtung, bei erneuter Schließung des Kontaktes, nach Verstreichen
einer sehr kurzen Zeitspanne von 1 Sekunde reaktiviert wird.
4. Geburtsmelder nach einem der vorangegangenen Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß
bei Pferden die Flüssigkeitsschalter, wie z.B. Quecksilberschalter, aufweisende Positionswahrnehmungs-
und signalemittierende Einrichtung von einem Schutzgehäuse umgeben und umschlossen
ist, welches auf dem Widerrist des Pferdes durch Ankupplung an die vorstehende Halterung
eines hinter den Vorderbeinen eines Pferdes angebrachten Anti-Roll-Gurtes befestigt
werden kann.
5. Geburtsmelder nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß bei Schafen
die Flüssigkeitsschalter, wie z.B. Quecksilberschalter, aufweisende Positionswahrnehmungs-
und signalemittierende Einrichtung von einem Schutzgehäuse umgeben und umschlossen
ist, welches hinter dem Kopf eines Schafes durch Ankupplung an die Schnallen eines
hinter den Vorderbeinen eines Schafes angebrachten Gurtes, der eine zwecks Haftung
am Fell mit Velcro versehene Gurtplatte aufweist, befestigt werden kann.
6. Geburtsmelder nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß bei Kühen,
die gewöhnlich im Stehen gebären, die Flüssigkeitsschalter, wie z.B. Quecksilberschalter,
welche die liegende Haltung bei Kühen signalisieren, sowie einen, die Krümmung des
Rückens in Längsrichtung signalisierenden Schalter aufweisende Positionswahrnehmungs-
und signalemittierende Einrichtung von einem Schutzgehäuse, welches am Widerrist der
Kuh durch Ankupplung an die Schnallen eines Gurtes befestigt werden kann, umgeben
und umschlossen ist.
7. Geburtsmelder nach Anspruch 6, gekennzeichnet durch einen Schwanzriemen, welcher um
den Schwanz herum geführt wird und sich auf dem Rücken in zwei Teile teilt, die seitlich
an dem Gurt befestigt werden.
1. Dispositif d'alarme de parturition sans fil pour bétail, tel que des juments, des
vaches ou des brebis, comprenant des moyens de détection de position et d'émission
de signal qui sont à fixer sur l'animal, lesquels moyens ferment un contact et émettent
un signal lorsque l'animal prend une position qui peut être caractéristique du début
de la parturition de cet animal, ainsi qu'un récepteur de signal comprenant un circuit
qui, sur réception d'un signal ininterrompu, après qu'un intervalle de temps de seuil
réglable s'est écoulé, peut activer un dispositif d'alarme, caractérisé en ce qu'au
niveau du récepteur, le circuit peut être réglé dans une position où l'alarme est
seulement activée si le signal reçu en continu est interrompu pendant un intervalle
de temps dont la durée est fonction des espèces d'animaux, lequel intervalle de temps
se produit après que l'intervalle de temps de seuil s'est écoulé et avant l'écoulement
d'un second intervalle de temps dont la durée est également fonction de l'espèce d'animal,
avec ensuite une remise à l'état initial.
2. Dispositif d'alarme de parturition selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que
pour les juments qui tendent à dormir couchées, ledit intervalle de temps d'interruption
est de 6 à 120 secondes.
3. Dispositif d'alarme de parturition selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce
que les moyens de détection de position et d'émission de signal sont automatiquement
désactivés après un temps d'émission réglable de par exemple 3 minutes et, après une
rupture temporaire du contact dans le moyen de détection, lorsque le contact est de
nouveau fermé, ces moyens sont réactivés après un très court intervalle de temps de
l'ordre de 1 seconde.
4. Dispositif d'alarme de parturition selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes,
caractérisé en ce que, avec les juments, les moyens de détection de position et d'émission
de signal, qui comprennent des contacts à liquide, tels que des contacts à mercure,
sont incorporés et sont enfermés dans un boîtier protecteur, lequel boîtier peut être
fixé entre le garrot d'une jument par le raccordement à la bride en saillie d'une
sangle anti-roulis qui est positionnée derrière les jambes antérieures de la jument.
5. Dispositif d'alarme de parturition selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3,
caractérisé en ce que, avec les brebis, les moyens de détection de position et d'émission
de signal, qui comprennent des contacts à liquide, tels que des contacts à mercure,
sont incorporés et sont enfermés dans un boîtier protecteur, lequel boîtier peut être
fixé derrière la tête d'une brebis par le raccordement à la boucle d'une sangle qui
est positionnée derrière les pattes antérieures de la brebis, ladite sangle comprenant
une plaque de sangle avec une bande Velcro pour l'adhérence à la toison.
6. Dispositif d'alarme de parturition selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3,
caractérisé en ce que, avec les vaches tendant à mettre bas en position debout, les
moyens de détection de position et d'émission de signal, qui comprennent des contacts
à liquide, tels que des contacts à mercure, signalant que la vache prend une position
couchée et comprenant de plus un interrupteur signalant la courbure du dos selon une
direction longitudinale, sont incorporés et sont enfermés dans un boîtier protecteur,
lequel boîtier peut être fixé au garrot de la vache par le raccordement à la boucle
d'une sangle.
7. Dispositif d'alarme de parturition selon la revendication 6, caractérisé par une courroie
de queue, qui peut être placée autour de la queue et qui sur le dos se sépare en deux
parties qui sont latéralement fixées à la sangle.