US 11,937,571 B2
Animal identification system
Mark Swope, San Francisco, CA (US); Bretton Mark Swope, San Francisco, CA (US); and Vanessa Lai, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to RapID Lab, Inc., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed by RapID Lab, Inc., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 9, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/300,310.
Prior Publication US 2023/0040460 A1, Feb. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. A01K 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC A01K 11/002 (2013.01) 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An applicator comprising:
a set of pliers in a grip-to-close configuration and including:
an upper jaw, distal of a pivot, defining a tag ejection boss proximal a tip of the upper jaw; and
a lower jaw, distal of the pivot, defining a backing plate ejection boss proximal a tip of the lower jaw;
an upper tongue comprising:
a proximal end mounted to the upper jaw proximal the pivot;
a distal end;
defining a pair of upper forks extending on each lateral side of the tag ejection boss and configured to splay outwardly to receive a tag;
defining a lower seat configured to engage opposing lateral sides of the tag; and
biased downwardly off of the tip of the upper jaw; and
a set of upper stops extending downwardly from the pair of upper forks between the proximal end and the distal end of the upper tongue;
a lower tongue comprising:
a proximal end mounted to the lower jaw proximal the pivot;
a distal end:
defining a pair of lower forks extending on each lateral side of the backing plate ejection boss and configured to splay outwardly to receive a backing plate;
configured to insert into a pocket of a tag receptacle in a tray;
defining a lower seat configured to engage opposing lateral sides of the backing plate; and
biased upwardly off of the tip of the lower jaw; and
a set of lower stops:
extending upwardly from the pair of lower forks between the proximal end and the distal end of the lower tongue; and
configured to engage the set of upper stops during actuation of the set of pliers to:
drive the distal end of the upper tongue toward the tag ejection boss to eject the tag from the pair of upper forks; and
drive the distal end of the lower tongue toward the backing plate ejection boss to eject the backing plate from the pair of lower forks; and
wherein, during actuation of the set of pliers, the tag ejection boss and the backing plate ejection boss cooperate to:
retain the tag following ejection from the pair of upper forks;
retain the backing plate following ejection from the pair of lower forks; and
drive a barb of the tag into a receiver of the backing plate to seat the barb within the receiver.