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US 7,877,844 B2Granted
Tag attachment apparatus
AssigneeUP Country, Inc.
InventorsAlice M. Nichols, Khipra J. Nichols, Mark Sousa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for attaching a tag to an object. The apparatus may include a body. The apparatus may also include an attachment arm, the attachment arm having a locked position and an unlocked position, and the attachment arm lockably closing to form a first closed loop with the body when the attachment arm is in the locked position. The apparatus may also include a tag loop mechanically coupled to the body. The apparatus may also include a detent arm mechanically engaged with the attachment arm in the locked position of the attachment arm, the detent arm configured so that an application of a force to the detent arm simultaneously unlocks the attachment arm and opens the tag loop.
Claims24
A pet tag holder, comprising:
- a pet collar attachment arm rotatable about a first axis, the pet collar attachment arm having a locked position and an unlocked position;
- a detent arm including an actuating arm and a lower seating recess, the detent arm being rotatable about a second axis approximately parallel to the first axis and engaging with the pet collar attachment arm when the pet collar attachment arm is in the locked position;
- an actuator mechanically coupled to the actuating arm, the actuator movable between an open position and a closed position;
- a front plate having a retention element;
- a rear plate having an upper seating element, the pet collar attachment arm forming a first closed loop with the front and rear plates in the locked position;
- a tag loop rigidly coupled to the rear plate at one end of the tag loop and forming a second closed loop with the detent arm when the actuator is in the closed position;
- and
- a compressible spring supported in a prestressed manner between the upper seating element of the rear plate and the lower seating recess of the detent arm;
- wherein moving the actuator from the closed position to the open position causes the detent arm to disengage from and unlock the collar attachment arm and simultaneously open the tag loop.
6 more elements
An apparatus for attaching a tag to an object, comprising:
- a body;
- an attachment arm, the attachment arm having a locked position and an unlocked position, and the attachment arm lockably closing to form a first closed loop with the body when the attachment arm is in the locked position;
- a tag loop mechanically coupled to the body;
- and
- a detent arm mechanically engaged with the attachment arm in the locked position of the attachment arm and retaining the attachment arm in the locked position, the detent arm configured so that an application of a force to the detent arm simultaneously unlocks the attachment arm and opens the tag loop.
2 more elements
An apparatus for attaching a tag to an object, comprising:
- a body;
- an attachment arm, the attachment arm having a locked position and an unlocked position, and the attachment arm lockably closing to form a first closed loop with the body when the attachment arm is in the locked position;
- a tag loop mechanically coupled to the body;
- a detent arm mechanically engaged with the attachment arm in the locked position of the attachment arm, the detent arm configured so that an application of a force to the detent arm simultaneously unlocks the attachment arm and opens the tag loop, the detent arm including an actuating arm and a lower seating recess;
- an attachment arm bearing and a detent arm bearing, the attachment arm being rotatable on the attachment arm bearing about a first axis, and the detent arm being rotatable on the detent arm bearing about a second axis approximately parallel to the first axis;
- a compressible spring mechanically connected to the detent arm in a prestressed manner and resisting rotation of the detent arm about the second axis;
- and
- an actuator mechanically coupled to the actuating arm and having an open position and a closed position
- wherein
- the body comprises a front plate and a rear plate;
- the attachment arm and the detent arm being situated at least partially between the front plate and the rear plate;
- the attachment arm and the detent arm are rotatable in approximately the same plane;
- the compressible spring is an annular spring, a z-shaped spring, or a zigzag-shaped spring;
- the detent arm, the attachment arm and the compressible spring are situated at least partially between the front plate and the rear plate;
- the tag loop is rigidly coupled to the rear plate at one end of the tag loop and forms a second closed loop with the detent arm when the actuator is in the closed position;
- the attachment arm includes a c-shaped engagement recess, and the detent arm includes an engagement protuberance;
- the engagement protuberance engages with the c-shaped engagement recess when the actuator is in the closed position and the attachment arm is in the locked position;
- when the actuator is in the closed position, the compressible spring exerts a force on the detent arm to retain the detent arm in the closed position of the actuator;
- when the actuator is moved into the open position, a first portion of the detent arm including the engagement protuberance is rotated in a direction away from the attachment arm, the engagement protuberance disengages from the c-shaped engagement recess of the attachment arm, and, a second portion of the detent arm including the actuating arm is rotated away from a second end of the tag loop to form a first open loop;
- when the actuator is moved into the open position and the attachment arm is in the locked position, a portion of the attachment arm including the c-shaped engagement recess may be rotated in a direction away from the detent arm into an unlocked position of the attachment arm to form a second open loop;
- the portion of the attachment arm including the c-shaped engagement recess includes a cam surface;
- and when the actuator is in the closed position and the attachment arm is rotated from the unlocked position to the locked position, the cam surface exerts a force on the engagement protuberance and causes the detent arm to rotate until the engagement protuberance engages with the c-shaped engagement recess.
19 more elements
An apparatus for attaching a tag to an object, comprising:
- a body;
- a means for attaching the body to the object, the means for attaching the body to the object having a locked position and an unlocked position, and the means for attaching the body to the object lockably closing to form a first closed loop with the body when the means for attaching the body to the object is in the locked position;
- a means for attaching the tag to the body;
- and
- a means for locking and unlocking the means for attaching the body to the object and for opening and closing the means for attaching the tag to the body;
- the means for locking and unlocking the means for attaching the body to the object and for opening and closing the means for attaching the tag to the body being mechanically engaged with the means for attaching the body to the object in the locked position of the means for attaching the body to the object so that the means for locking retains the means for attaching in the locked position;
- the means for locking and unlocking the means for attaching the body to the object and for opening and closing the means for attaching the tag to the body being configured so that an application of force to the means for locking and unlocking the means for attaching the body to the object and for opening and closing the means for attaching the tag to the body simultaneously unlocks the means for attaching the body to the object and opens the means for attaching the tag to the body.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.