Drug-injection animal capture collar
Abstract
A drug-injection animal collar includes electrically operated drug injection
darts or syringes that are controlled by control circuitry mounted on the collar
which may be preset and self-timed and actuated, or may be remotely actuated by
radio signals. The collar is placed on the neck of an animal and upon receipt of
a signal, a suitable drug is injected into the neck muscles of the animal. The
collar and its method of operation allow regular recapture of individual animals
at will for research purposes. The collar and darts may be reconditioned and
then reused. The power for operation is also contained in the control package
carried by the collar.
U.S. Patent Documents | |||
---|---|---|---|
1349665 | Aug., 1920 | Duncombe | 119/106. |
3043303 | Jun., 1962 | Still | 604/66. |
4180013 | Dec., 1979 | Smith | 119/29. |
4314560 | Feb., 1982 | Helfgoff et al. | 128/305. |
4335682 | Jun., 1982 | Gonda et al. | 119/29. |
4395259 | Jul., 1983 | Prestele et al. | 128/DIG. |
4474575 | Oct., 1984 | Eckenhoff | 604/131. |
Other References |
Trak Microwave Corporation, (Advertisement from) Outdoor Life, Oct. 1964. Van Citters, R. L. et al., The Baboon In Medical Research II, 1967, H. Vastbors, Ed., Univ. of Texas Press Austin pp. 473-492 (Article entitled: Radio Telementry of Blood Flow and Blood Pressure in Feral Baboons: A Preliminary Report). Van Citters, R. L. & D. L. Franklin, Radio Telemetry Techniques for Study of Cardiovascular Dynamics In Ambulatory Primates, Annals NY Acd. Sci. 162:137-155. Platt, Earl A., Dual Stage Piston Actuator, 1979 Defense Systems Division Honeywell, Inc. Hopkins MN. |
Primary Examiner: Truluck; Dalton L.
Assistant
Examiner: Kaechele; Karen L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kinney
& Lange
Claims
1. An animal capture collar comprising a collar of a size to encircle
the neck of an animal to be captured, a power and control pack mounted at one
end of said collar to cause the collar to move to position with the power and
control pack toward the lower portion of the animal neck;
a pair of
needle injection dart assemblies mounted on said collar adjacent an opposite end
thereof from the power and control pack, said dart assemblies being fixed to
said collar and having end portions on the interior of said collar and at
substantially equal angles on opposite sides of a vertical bisecting plane
extending in direction of the length of the animal's neck, said dart assemblies
having end portions that are adjacent the neck of an animal on which the collar
is mounted; and
explosive pyrotechnic means adapted to actuate said
needle dart assemblies to first inject the needle into the neck of such animal
and subsequently force a drug through said needle into the tissue of an animal
on which the collar is mounted.
2. The apparatus as specified in claim 1
wherein said power and control pack includes a transmitter providing a signal
capable of being received to identify location of the transmitter.
3.
The apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said dart assemblies each include
a pyrotechnic device capable of being initiated upon receipt of an electrical
detonation signal, and timer means contained in the power and control pack to
actuate at least one of the dart assemblies at a given time period after
initiation of the timer means.
4. The apparatus as specified in claim 3
wherein said timer means includes means to provide a second signal prior to the
first time signal that alters the state of the transmitter to provide
transmission of a different signal for a set time prior to the detonation of the
first dart assembly.
5. The apparatus as specified in claim 4 and means
sensitive to determining firing of said one dart assembly, said means sensitive
responding to a signal indicating a condition showing the first dart did not
fire, initiating the second dart assembly mounted on said collar substantially
simultaneously to determination that the first dart assembly has a condition
indicating a lack of operation.
6. The appartus as specified in claim 4
wherein said timer means provides an additional time signal operably connected
to said second dart assembly to detonate said second dart assembly a length of
time subsequent to the detonation of the first dart assembly.
7. The
apparatus as specified in claim 4 wherein said timer means provides separate
time signals to control said transmitter, switch means responsive to the
separate time signals to control power to said transmitter, said separate time
signals controlling said switch means to turn off said transmitter for
preselected intervals of time after initiation.
8. The apparatus as
specified in claim 1 wherein said dart assembly comprises an outer housing, a
dart cartridge mounted in said housing, said cartridge including a needle
portion, and container means forming a container chamber, said container fitting
within said housing, and said needle being carried by said container at one end
thereof and mountable within said housing adjacent an end thereof close to the
collar, said container having a sealing means to seal it relative to the housing
to form a first slidable piston, said container being sealingly fitted in said
housing at locations spaced from said end, a second piston mounted in said
container and movable from a first position to a second position, said first
position being remote from said needle and said second position being adjacent
said needle;
detent means to retain said second piston in said first
remote position, said container chamber and said needle defining a receptacle
for holding a desired liquid drug; and
means to generate a propellant
gas at an end of said housing opposite from the end adjacent the collar,
electrical signal receiving means for initiating operation of said propellant
gas, said gas generating a force to move said container in the housing and force
the needle outwardly of said housing by providing a pressure between the sealing
means between said container and said housing until said container is moved to
an actuated position with the needle protruding from said housing, means to
permit said detent means to release when the container reaches its actuated
position, thereby permitting said second piston to move within said container
chamber, said propellant gas thereafter forcing said second piston in direction
toward said needle to expel the drug held in the container chamber out through
the needle, until said piston reaches its second position.
9. An animal
capture system for permitting the immobilization of animals at a selected time,
including:
a collar adapted to fit around the neck of an animal with at
least a first portion of the collar substantially contiguous to skin of an
animal on the upper sides of the neck and resting on muscle tissue;
a
remotely actuable drug injection dart assembly mounted on the first portion of
said collar and having a needle portion with a needle axis positioned so that
upon actuation the needle will penetrate the skin of an animal wearing the
collar, said dart assembly including means causing a suitable material to be
injected into the neck muscle tissue of such animal the needle axis lying
substantially on the plane of the collar;
control means for actuating
said dart assembly upon the presence of a signal, said control means including a
self contained power supply for actuating said dart assembly; and
a
housing mounted on said collar to enclose the collar at a side thereof opposite
from the first portion, said control means being mounted within said housing to
provide a weight ballast to tend to keep the collar oriented in a proper
position on the neck of an animal on which the collar is mounted and to
facilitate retention of the first portion of the collar and the dart assembly
against the neck of such animal, the needle axis also being at an incline with
respect to a diametral plane perpendicular to the collar plane and substantially
bisecting the control housing.
10. The apparatus as specified in claim 9
wherein said control means comprises a self contained timer capable of being
preset at the time the support is placed on such an animal, and including
counter means to control actuation of the dart assembly after a predetermined
elapsed time.
11. The apparatus as specified in claim 9 wherein there
are a pair of remotely actuable dart assemblies mounted on said collar and means
to mount said dart assemblies to position said dart assemblies, respectively,
adjacent the first portion of the collar and at substantially equal and opposite
angles with respect to the diametral plane.
12. The apparatus as
specified in claim 9 wherein said housing comprises a housing that is
hermetically sealed before placing the collar on an animal.
13. A device
for permitting immobilization of animals at a preselected time comprising a
collar member of size to fit over the neck of an animal, said collar defining a
central plane;
a control housing mounted on said collar member and
positioned to be at a first side of the collar member when mounted on an animal;
at least one actuable dart assembly mounted on said collar at a location
on an opposite side of the collar from the control housing and having a needle
that will penetrate the skin and muscle tissue of an animal, and subsequently
cause injection of a preselected material into the muscle tissue of such animal
in response to an electrical signal;
microcomputer timer means mounted
in said control housing;
power means mounted in said housing for
powering said microcomputer timer means, the components in the control housing
and the housing providing a weight ballast to facilitate friction retention of
the dart against the neck of the animal with the control housing tending to move
to position under the neck of an animal on which the1 collar is mounted; and
means mounted on said collar operable by said timer means for causing an
electrical signal to be provided to actuate said dart assembly.
14. The
apparatus as specified in claim 13 wherein the dart assembly is mounted by
mounting means comprising a dart assembly housing mounted on said collar, said
dart assembly housing having an interior chamber, said dart assembly having an
outer dart housing of size to fit within said chamber, and an annular seal
mounted at an end of said dart assembly housing adjacent said collar comprising
a resilient ring frictionally engaging the outer surface of said dart housing
when the dart housing is inserted into said chamber to hold said dart housing in
position and seal the chamber from the exterior.
15. The apparatus as
specified in claim 14 and a coating of an elastomeric sealant material
surrounding the outer end of said dart assembly housing to seal the interior
chamber and said dart housing with respect to said collar.
16. The
apparatus as specified in claim 13 wherein said control means further includes a
locating transmitter member mounted in said control housing for providing a
transmitted signal for tracking purposes.
17. The apparatus as specified
in claim 7 wherein there are a pair of dart assemblies mounted on said collar at
substantially equal and opposite positions with respect to a generally diametral
plane of the collar passing through the effective center of mass of the control
housing, the dart assemblies both being generally on an opposite side of the
collar from the control housing.
18. The apparatus as specified in claim
17 wherein said collar member is made up of a plurality of collar sections,
including a section for mounting the control housing at the lower portion
thereof, and a removable section at the upper side positioned between the pair
of dart assemblies, said removable section being selectable in length to change
the effective size of said collar member.
19. The apparatus as specified
in claim 11 wherein said dart assemblies include a dart housing comprising a
piston chamber having two chamber sections of different diameters, the larger
diameter chamber section being adjacent the end of the dart housing that is
adjacent the animal wearing the collar;
a two stage piston mounted in
said dart housing, including a first sealing ring comprising a first piston
sealingly mounted for movement in said larger diameter chamber, a container
mounted on said sealing ring and extending into the smaller diameter chamber of
said dart housing, the container having an interior chamber, the needle being
attached to the container, a second piston member having a second chamber
defined therein open to an end facing in opposite direction from the needle
mounted in said container chamber, detent means to hold said second piston at a
remote end of said container chamber with respect to the collar until the
sealing ring and container have moved toward the collar to position wherein said
detent means releases and permits said second piston to move in the container
chamber toward the collar and push material in the container chamber outwardly
through the needle; and
means for providing a propelling force to move
the first and second pistons toward the collar.
20. The apparatus of
claim 19 wherein the means for providing a propelling force comprises a
pyrotechnic device mounted in said second chamber of said second piston for
providing gas under pressure to act against said first and second pistons upon
receipt of said electrical signal, stop means at the remote end of said
container chamber to prevent said second piston from moving outwardly from the
container chamber.
21. A method of obtaining information relating to
animals comprising the steps of providing a collar on the neck of an animal;
providing a pair of controllable dart assemblies on said collar
positioned completely to the exterior of the skin on portions of the collar
normally positioned near the top of the neck of the animal;
mounting a
control package including a microprocessor and power supply on said collar, said
control package being opposite the dart assemblies and providing weight to tend
to keep the dart assemblies near the upper portion of the neck of the animal;
providing a timer mounted on said collar as part of said control
package, and setting the timer to provide the desired signals at desired
intervals from the time of placing the support on such animal; and
sequentially triggering and firing said dart assemblies upon providing
desired signals from the control package to immobilize the animal.
22.
The method of claim 21 including the further step of tracking the animal by
means of a transmitter located on said support.
23. The method of claim
21 including the step of triggering and firing a first dart assembly in response
to a signal, and sensing the circuit of the dart assembly so triggered to
determine if there is an abnormality, and immediately triggering and firing the
second dart assembly in response to the sensing of an abnormality.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the
Invention.
The present invention relates to a capture collar placed on
the neck of an animal that mounts darts for injection of drugs for immobilizing
the animal in response to signals.
2. Prior Art
Radio tracking
further studies of wildlife ecology by allowing investigators to find and
identify individual animals at will. Radio tracking using transmitters attached
to the animal has been done extensively in wild animal studies but difficulty is
encountered in recapture. The result is a one-time examination of the study
animal's nutritional and physiological condition followed by surveillance and a
history of the creature's survival and behavioral and ecological interactions.
Simultaneously blood sampling, hair sampling, and other physiological testing
provide insight into the physiological state and nutritional condition of wild
animals.
Radio-tracking and physiological testing are readily combined
because to attach a radio-transmitter collar to an animal, the investigator must
capture the creature and the researcher can then also conduct physiological
tests.
However, because an animal's physiology and nutritional condition
changes constantly, samples and tests taken only at initial capture, or at
infrequent recaptures of study animals, provide an incomplete assessment of the
animals condition. In addition, such procedures as the sodium-turnover technique
for determining food consumption in carnivores and other procedures require that
individuals be recapturable at certain preselected intervals. Thus a method is
needed to recapture animals at will.
Mehods used to capture and
recapture animals include live-traps, nets, rifles and pistols firing anesthetic
darts, drug-laced food stuffs, etc. For the most part, these methods are
unpredictable as to when an animal will be captured, and require proximity to
the animal and intensive effort, or else constant monitoring. Furthermore, the
methods now used are usually totally unreliable in taking any given animal at
will.
One method used employed a radio-triggered drug capsule implanted
in baboons carrying backpacks (R. L. Van Citters, O. A. Smith, D. L. Franklin,
W. S. Kemper, and N. W. Watson, 1967, in The Baboon In Medical Research II, H.
Vastbors, Ed., University of Texas Press, Austin pp. 473-492; R. L. Van Citters
and D. L. Franklin, 1969, Radio Telemetry Techniques For Study Of Cardiovascular
Dynamics In Ambulatory Primates, Annals N.Y. Acad. Sci. 162: 137-155). A
needleless "syringe" was implanted subcutaneously on baboons with wire leads
running from it to the electronic unit in the backpack. The "syringe" consisted
of a stainless-steel cylinder with a small hole at one end stoppered by silicon
rubber. A rubber piston was friction-fitted into the opposite end, and the
chamber filed with a tranquilizing agent. A wad of nitrocellulose was placed
behind the piston and secured by a model airplane engine glow-plug. When the
device was triggered by remote radio transmission the hot glow-plug exploded the
nitrocellulose, driving the piston forward, and injecting the tranquilizer
subcutaneously.
Shortcomings of the backpack method are that it required
an implanted "syringe" with transcutaneous leads to the triggering mechanism
within the backpack. This type of design can lead to infection at the site of
entrance of the wire leads through the skin, and breakage of the leads upon
movement of the backpack. The leads are also subject to breakage and deliberate
removal by associate animals. Furthermore, it requires a surgical operation,
with attendant difficulties and potential complications, following each capture
to remove the spent "syringe" and replacing it with a fresh "syringe". The
backpack was not used to recapture individual animals repeatedly. Animals were
recaptured primarily to remove the backpack since it contained expensive
physiological measuring electronics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to frequent recapture at will or at
desired time intervals of wild and captive animals. The collar may be used on
captive animals if they are difficult to capture by other means or if they are
in large enclosures. The capture collar includes an electronic control and power
system and its holder, and one or more "dart" or syringe assemblies. The dart
assemblies are held in a suitable position on the neck of the animal and are
actuated with pyrotechnic squibs to force a needle into the neck muscle of the
animal and then to deposit a desired drug into the muscle.
Different
types of electronic control systems may be used with the capture collar.
Transmitters for locating the animal are used and may have receivers to pick up
remotely transmitted triggering signals. Such triggering signals may be codes to
change the transmitted signals, and/or to fire the darts.
Other control
systems may be microcomputer based. The operation then will depend on the
program residing in its memory chip. For example, the normal tracking signal
pulse rate presently used is about 60 pulses per minute. The receiver on the
collar may be turned on for several milliseconds every second to determine if a
code from a remote transmitter is being transmitted to it. The microcomputer may
be programmed to transmit status information periodically and to change behavior
if conditions warrant. Each collar is programmed to accept a unique
frequency-code combination for activation as is known in the art.
Signal
encoders to activate the electronic modules can be plugged into microphone jacks
of conventional communication radios. The encoders can also be used with
handheld commercial aircraft transmitters or with special transmitters
manufactured for the purpose. The radio signal used to trigger a capture collar
can be as simple or as complicated as needed and a wide range of transmitting
and receiving (telemetry) equipment is available commercially to accomplish the
purposes. Once the objective of operation is established, transmitters and
receivers may be selected to accomplish the purposes, including the broadcast of
a single carrier frequency, modulated carrier, pulse interval, pulse width, AM
or FM, etc.
Simplified controls are shown, because the programming of
signals is primarily a matter of the desires of the biologist or person
interested in capturing the animal.
In a preferred form the control
includes a microcomputer based timer actuated sequence. The timer and controls
are mounted on the collar and may be preset to actuate the darts or syringes at
known intervals. A transmitter mounted on the collar may be used for tracking
the animals and may be controlled by the microcomputer to provide information as
to imminent firing of the darts and information indicating any malfunction.
It is readily apparent that several control systems can work with the
capture collar thus greatly increasing its utility under many different
conditions. The programmable timer controls may have a set dart firing time thus
eliminating the need for a receiver on the collar and any remote triggering
transmitter. Models used for captive animals, (for example in zoos where the
animals are in compounds) may not require the location transmitter.
The
preferred dart assemblies comprise a barrel enclosing an electrically triggered
explosive (squib) that propels a two stage piston-dart with an attached needle.
The two stage piston insures that the drug is not expelled until the dart's
needle has nearly extruded its full length. Any suitable explosive or ignitable
substance could be used in liquid, powder, pellet, or solid form. The expanding
gases from the explosion or burning of the charge propel the dart downward
forcing the needle into the neck muscle of the animal and then the second stage
piston moves to force drugs contained in the dart to be deposited in the muscle.
Single stage darts may be used, and the drug may be in powdered, solid or liquid
form, as desired. Liquid form is disclosed.
Other potential dart driving
methods include solenoids, or expansion of CO.sub.2 or other compressed gases,
expansion of butane or other volatile substances, or spring-loaded darts that
release their contents upon receiving a signal that releases the mechanism.
Various combinations of the following anesthetic drugs have been used in
the darts: phencyclidine hydrochloride; promazine hydrochloride, xylazine,
ketamine hydrochloride, and etorphine. Additionally, propylene glycol has been
added to these drugs to prevent freezing of the drugs during cold weather use of
the collar. Other drugs or combinations of drugs are visible and are dictated by
the needs of the species in question.
The electronic system and power
supply carrier and dart holders have been of aluminum or synthetic material such
as "Delrin", Boltron, nylon or acrylic plastics. The dart holders or housings
provide water-proofing and mechanical protection (from chewing for example). The
size and material used are generally dictated by the type of animal and
environmental conditions. Machine belting and nylon belting and webbing have
been used as collar materials. The collar is placed snugly around the animal's
neck and closed to secure it in place. The power pack and electronic controls
provide counterweight to keep the collar properly positioned. Also, a suitable
silicon based sealant is used to encapsulate the dart assemblies and housings
after assembly to a collar to insure weatherproofing. The housing for the power
pack and controls is also sealed to prevent weather damage.
The collar
of the present invention has several advantages over the prior art. It is easier
to use, lighter, cheaper, and has modern, high-reliability electronic circuits.
It does not require surgical operation for use, and it does not have an
infection risk.
The collar allows regular recapture of individual
animals which otherwise would not be possible. The use will allow
laboratory-quality physiological studies of elusive wild animals which
heretofore have not been undertaken because of the extreme difficulty of
recapturing animals predictably.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an animal capture collar made
according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view
taken as on line 2--2 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of
circuitry utilized for a type of remote control used with the present invention;
and
FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a modified form of the
control system of the present invention illustrating essentially a
self-contained, self-powered timer arrangement included on a microcomputer chip
or logic chip.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An animal capture collar indicated generally at 10 comprises layers of
belting 11, which form side collar sections and an upper belting section 12.
These sections are connected to thin metal or plastic support sections 14,
which, as will be explained are used to support dart assemblies. The lower end
of the collar is closed by attaching collar sections 11 to ears 13 which are an
integral part of a battery and control housing or case 15. As shown the inner
surfaces of the collar may be covered with suitable foam or padding 16. The
padding can be adhesively fastened in place and will further enhance positional
stability, as well as accommodating changes in the size of the neck. The battery
and control case 15 provides a weight, which tends to keep the collar properly
oriented. The collar sections and control case may be held together with any
suitable fasteners. As shown, bolts 17 are used.
The upper end of the
collar 10 is indicated at 20, and is rounded to fit comfortably over an animal's
neck. At suitable angles indicated at .crclbar. relative to a fore and aft
vertical bisecting plane 21 thereto, there are a pair of dart-hypodermic syringe
and needle assemblies 25 (called dart assemblies). Each of these dart assemblies
25 has a central axis. As shown the dart assemblies are inserted into outer dart
assembly housings 26, which are attached with screws and a silicone based
adhesive to the metal sections 14. The outer housings 26 have open ends and dart
assemblies 25 are as shown frictionally held in place with "O" rings 24 that are
compressed as the dart assemblies are installed with their ends on the inside of
the collar 10. The dart assemblies may be held in place with a silicone based
adhesive.
A typical dart assembly 25 is shown in FIG. 2, and includes a
dart housing 29 forming an interior chamber 30 and having a cap 27 thereon with
a center opening 28 through which a drug injection needle can be propelled. The
outer housing may form the dart housing if desired, so only one housing would be
used. The chamber 30 has two chamber portions 33 and 33A which mounts a first
piston comprising a container 31. The container 31 has an annular piston flange
32 that fits within a chamber portion 33 at the lower or outlet end of the
housing 29. A suitable O ring 34 seals piston flange 32 with respect to the
inner surface 35 of the chamber portion 33. The container 31 and flange 32 form
a primary piston. The container 31 slides into chamber portion 33A and has a
hypodermic needle fixed thereto at one end. The needle 40 opens to an interior
chamber 41 of the container 31. Hypodermic needle 40 is, in the initial position
retracted within the end cap 27.
The interior chamber 41 of container 31
is cylindrical, and a secondary piston member 42 is slidably mounted therein.
The remote end of chamber 41, (the end farthest from needle 40) is open to
permit piston 42 to be inserted. The secondary piston member 42 as shown is
retracted toward the open end of the chamber 41, and has a suitable O ring or
seal 43 around its periphery to form the piston seal. A snap ring 42A provides a
stop to prevent the piston 42 from rebounding out of the chamber before it
operates.
The secondary piston 42 is detented in the retracted position
with one or more suitable detent balls 45 that fit into a groove 45A on the
outside of the secondary piston. Ball 45 protrudes through a provided detent
opening in the wall of the container 31 and rides against the inner surface of
the chamber section 33A. When the piston 42 and container 31 are both retracted,
as shown, the secondary piston cannot move axially relative to the container.
At the upper or remote end of the secondary piston 42 there is a solid
propellant chamber 46 in which a suitable pyrotechnic material 47 of known
consistency is placed. A "squib" or detonator indicated generally at 50 is
positioned adjacent the pyrotechnic powder and held in place with a removable
cap 51 which forms a squib holder. A "squib" is a device that will detonate or
ignite the pyrotechnic powder and cause burning, or in other words, a controlled
explosion, to provide a gas pressure within the chamber 30 to act on both the
container-piston 31 (through secondary piston 42) and flange 32. The cap 51 is
on the outside of the housing 29 to hold the squib in place against the
propellant 47 when the piston 42 is retracted. The squib may be glued in place
in the cap 51. Suitable electric leads 52,52 from the squib provide for
detonation. The leads 52,52 extend through a slot 53 in the outer housing 26.
The leads may be held in place with a suitable sealant. The leads also extend
along the collar sides to the control housing 15.
The lower end of the
hypodermic needle 40 has a sharpened point portion indicated generally at 44
that is closed with a suitable plug 44A, such as a wax or an elastomer, to
prevent the drug in the chamber 41 from escaping until it is forced out.
Each of the dart assemblies 25 is preferably controlled by microcomputer
based control circuitry indicated at 60, and upon detonation of either one of
the darts, the controlled squib will fire the pyrotechnic material 47 which will
result in gas pressures being formed in the upper end of the chamber 30, above
secondary piston 42. The pressure will act on the upper surface of the piston
42, and on the upper surface of flange 32, above seal 34. Because the detent
ball 45 will hold the secondary piston, the container 31 and the needle 40 will
be forced outwardly through the provided opening 28, and into the neck of an
animal wearing the collar. As the container 31 moves toward the cap 27 it will
move to a position where the hypodermic needle is inserted a desired amount into
the neck muscles of an animal. The container 31 will then have moved to a
position where the ball 45 will align with release shoulder 54 that forms the
junction between chamber sections 33 and 33A and the ball will be permitted to
move radially outwardly, clearing the annular groove 45A in the piston 42. The
pressure in the upper chamber section 33A then will act to force the secondary
piston to move within the interior chamber 41 of container 31. The secondary
piston 42 will force the drug out through the pointed end 42 of the hypodermic
needle 40, forcing the plug 44A out of the way to inject the drug from the
container chamber 41 into the neck muscle into which the hypodermic needle has
been inserted. This will initiate the drug action and will cause the animal to
be capturable.
The remote radio controls utilized for remote actuation
of the darts can be of any desired form. Locating transmitters, which are well
known, may be used to provide a signal to a remote receiver indicating the
location of the animal. A remote transmitter would provide a coded signal (much
like existing aircraft transmitters, but with different codes) that would, at a
particular time fire one or both of the darts in the collar to immobilize the
animal.
As shown in FIG. 3, a simplified schematic representation of a
typical, simple remote transmitter arrangement is shown. The housing 15 would
contain a power supply 70, and a receiver/transmitter 71 which would include the
suitable code receivers, in a conventional manner. When the receiver receives a
suitable preselected signal it provides an output on a line 72 through a control
73 from the power supply 70 to fire dart number one, which is indicated at 74,
through leads 52. Dart 74 can be either on the right or left hand side of the
collar. The firing as shown comprises the actuation of the squib, but for other
types of darts other actuators for injecting the drug may be used.
The
signal to the receiver/transmitter 71 is provided from a remote transmitter
indicated at 75 which could be on an aircraft, hand held or the like, and which
would provide a coded signal to the receiver/transmitter 71 to fire the dart.
The antenna for receiver/transmitter 71 comprises the leads 52, which serve
double duty.
If the animal was not then captured by ground personnel, or
if there was an indication, either visually from aircraft observance, or from
indication of bodily functions that might be monitored by the
receiver/transmitter 71, a second coded signal would be fired to the
receiver/transmitter 71 to provide a signal along a line 76 through a switch 77
to provide power to the squib on dart number two indicated at 78. When both
darts have been fired, the animal would normally be sufficiently drugged to
permit capture, or at least to permit approaching within a range wherein a
separate dart gun could be used for immobilizing the animal for scientific
research.
A more preferred embodiment, with the advent of solid state
microprocessors of low power consumption, and with the ability to be programmed
in a wide variety of ways, is shown schematically in FIG. 4. All of the
components on the microcomputer based control 60 could be on one or more chips
of a microprocessor having a sufficient memory to provide the necessary
functions. For example an RCA CDP1802D 301R microprocessor will fulfill the
necessary requirements for use. Also, a one chip computer such as an MC1468705G2
may be used. Custom designed chips for accomplishing desired results also are
within the skill of the art. The microprocesser is housed in a simple small dual
in-line package. An EPROM 99 included in the instant package provides the
control program and memory for the microprocessor based control 60.
Essentially, a power supply, again a battery of suitable design,
indicated at 100 would be provided to provide power to the various components.
The microprocessor includes a counter 101 which has a number of individual
counter sections, and dividers to comprise a timer that provides a number of
output signals at set times in a conventional way. As part of the controls, a
"set" and on/off control 102 is used to set the timer 101 at desired intervals,
and to power it. In addition controls 103 can be used for setting the elapsed
time for each of the individual outputs. The hour and day of the elapsed time
for providing each of the time outputs is individually set, again in a
conventional manner. Normally, the counter would provide beeps indicating a
particular elapsed time period and then by setting the control after the desired
number of beeps have been heard the time signals at the different time intervals
can be controlled. Alternately, the periods are preprogrammed into the EPROM 99.
The counters are solid state counters which count down from the time of setting
and when the counting down is completed a time signal is provided. The timer may
be reset by the program in EPROM 99 if desired.
In this form of the
invention, a transmitter providing a pulse signal is indicated generally at 105
is part of the instrumentation package, and it is made so that it can have a
pulse rate control 106. The pulse rate control normally is a divider that would
divide the set transmitted pulse rate by a selected integer.
An on/off
solid state switch indicated at 107 would be used for turning on or off the
transmitter as desired. The transmitter is powered from the power supply 100 in
a conventional way. At a time T.sub.1 from timer 101, the transmitter could be
turned on, and at a time T.sub.1A the transmitter could be turned on through the
switch 107. These times may be cycled as desired. The transmitter could be
turned off to conserve power if a long period of time was to elapse between the
initial placing of the collar on the animal and the first firing. In this way,
the transmitter could be turned on and off for a short period of time each day,
or each hour, so that persons observing the animal would be able to keep track
with a remote receiver.
At a time T.sub.2 indicated generally along a
line 111 the pulse rate control 106 could be made to alter the transmitter pulse
rate to aid in identifying the particular animal that is being tracked, or for
other reasons of simplification of tracking.
In one specific operational
example, at time T.sub.2 which was selected to be fifteen minutes before the
firing of the first dart, the pulse rate was changed to be two pulses per
second, but unevenly spaced, as a warning signal. That is two quick pulses were
provided each second, with a longer lapse between the sets of two pulses. This
signal was a warning and would continue that way until a dart was fired.
In the form shown in FIG. 4 at time T.sub.3, which is the dart firing
time preprogrammed into the timer or counter 101, a signal would appear along a
line 112 to a solid state switch 113 that provides an electrical signal to the
squib of one of the darts, for example, dart one, indicated at 74, to fire the
dart. The lead 52 leading to the squib has an integrity check current sensor 116
or similar conventional sensor for checking for an open circuit. Under normal
circumstances, after dart one has fired, at a time T.sub.4, which would be an
interval after T.sub.3 a signal would appear along a line 120 to switch 122 to
fire dart two. For example, in actual cases intervals of 30 minutes and 60
minutes between times T.sub.3 and T.sub.4 have been used. If the first dart 74
immobilizes the animal sufficiently to permit capture during that interval,
before time T.sub.4, then the second switch 122 can be manually disabled so that
the second dart 78 would not fire at all.
Sensor 116 is part of the
microcomputer control 60 and if dart one developed an open circuit after firing
or there was another malfunction detected, a signal is provided along a line 121
to the switch 122 that controls power to dart 78 to immediately fire that dart.
If a sensor indicated at 124 indicates that there is an open circuit in the line
to dart 78 as well, a signal is provided along a line 125 to the pulse rate
control 106 to change the pulse rate of the transmitter (lower it) to provide an
indication that there are open circuits to the darts and to conserve power to
increase the time available for recapture. The microprocessor memory and EPROM
99 program will provide for these control functions.
Using two lithium C
size cells in series for power supply 100, the transmitter 105, transmitting 60
pulses per minute, twenty four hours a day has a theoretical life of seven
months under normal temperature conditions. By programming the transmitter to be
switched on and off through switch 107 so that it was on from 8:00 A.M. to 8:00
P.M. each day and off for the other half of the day, the battery life can be
increased to about twelve months.
The microcomputer components, the
transmitter, and the batteries are housed in the housing 15. The housing is
hermetically sealed, but may be opened to change batteries or to change the
program of EPROM 99 to alter operation of the microcomputer. The entire collar
weighs about 680 grams, although it could be made to weigh up to 250 grams less
if smaller batteries and/or smaller darts are used. A one chip computer version
(MC1468705G2) may weigh as little as 120 grams. Then, the firing interval can be
easily changed with the existing microcomputer technology, and the ability to
set a schedule of firing of the darts provides for ability to closely monitor
the animal activity, and its physiological state.
The microcomputer also
can be radio triggered merely by the addition of a miniature radio signal
receiver, such as that shown schematically in FIG. 3, and with proper coding of
signals the transmitter set up can be used to check circuitry and provide a
readout on the status of the components in a normal telemetry operation.
The target animal is captured by conventional means and anesthetizing
drugs are loaded into each dart container chamber and assembled on the collar. A
layer of sealant may be used to weatherproof the dart housing as shown at 27A in
FIG. 2.
The microcomputer is programmed to provide the desired functions
including the timer signals. The timer is set to run for time of recapture by
simply throwing a switch after the time sequences have been set. In the case of
a transmitter/receiver control the power is turned on and the components placed
in the housing 15. The control housing is sealed and the lead wires to the squib
are attached. The wires also can be sealed with a suitable sealant.
The
collar is placed around the animal's neck and the animal is released. The
transmitted signal is monitored as often as necessary for location data or
accumulated activity data of the animal.
For on-command operation, as
shown in FIG. 3, a triggering signal is sent to the collar by the ground crew or
from an operator in an aircraft when the animal is to be recaptured. For the
self-contained timer operation as shown in FIG. 4, before the preprogrammed time
and day of recapture, the animal is located by conventional tracking methods and
a ground crew moves near the animal. The signal is monitored and an appropriate
period is allowed to elapse after dart one fires before the ground crew moves to
the animal. If the first dart was unsuccessful in immobilizing the animal, the
second dart is fired after a known interval (at T.sub.4).
When the
animal is examined, the collar is removed and placed in reset mode by opening
the case and throwing a switch, which will also disable the second dart (FIG. 4
version). Following appropriate processing of the animal for physiological or
other types of data, a new or refurbished collar is placed on the animal and the
animal is released, and monitored until the next recapture period arrives. The
collar is refurbished by replacing spent dart assemblies, batteries, damaged
components and the like as needed.
As shown, each dart contains a
desired volume of the drug selected to immobilize the animal on which the collar
is used. The collar has been used on deer, wolves, black bear, and captive
cougars and tigers with satisfactory results.
The collar is a preferred
support because it is easily put on, is not easily rubbed off or chewed off and
can be sized by using different length collar sections 12 shown in FIG. 1.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to
preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes
may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of
the invention.
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