Medical application system for animals

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to medical application systems and more particularly pertains to a new medical application system for animals for delivering topical medication to the skin of an animal.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The use of medical application systems is known in the prior art. More specifically, medical application systems heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.

Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,449,982; 4,682,546; 993,023; 3,948,263; 3,982,536; 3,980,023; 1,695,228; 4,395,259; 2,348,337; 3,911,824; 2,920,566; 3,745,682; 3,701,533; 5,639,526; 5,009,164; 3,003,418; 5,353,712; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 359,529.

While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a medical application system for animals. The inventive device includes a propulsion device and a frangible capsule containing topical medication mixed with a liquid.

In these respects, the medical application system for animals according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of delivering topical medication to the skin of an animal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of medical application systems now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new medical application system for animals construction wherein the same can be utilized for delivering topical medication to the skin of an animal.

The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new medical application system for animals apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the medical application systems mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new medical application system for animals which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art medical application systems, either alone or in any combination thereof.

To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a propulsion device and a frangible capsule containing topical medication and a liquid.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new medical application system for animals apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the medical application systems mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new medical application system for animals which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art medical application systems, either alone or in any combination thereof.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new medical application system for animals that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new medical application system for animals which is of a durable and reliable construction.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new medical application system for animals that is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such medical application system for animals economically available to the buying public.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new medical application system for animals which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new medical application system for animals for delivering topical medication to the skin of an animal.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new medical application system for animals which includes a propulsion device and a frangible capsule containing topical medication in liquid form.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new medical application system for animals that can be used for medicating livestock including cattle, buffalo, swine, horses, sheep, goats, or any other livestock typically raised.

Wherein it has been found that typical processes of applying wormer to livestock that include shuttling the animals through a chute traumatizes the animal resulting in a typical loss of three days of weight gain when in a feedlot system, even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new medical application system for animals that reduces trauma to the animals by allowing the medication of a herd of animals without having to send the animals through a chute.

Yet even another object of the invention is to provide an economical method for medicating animals that simultaneously provides a temporary mark on the animal when a dye or paint is introduced into the liquid contained within the frangible capsule thus preventing overdoses.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1

is a side view of a pellet gun and capsule used for the medical application system for animals according to the present invention.

FIG. 2

is a side view of an alternate embodiment of the pellet gun.

FIG. 3

is a bottom view of the pump action pellet gun.

FIG. 4

is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line

4

—

4

in FIG.

2

.

FIG. 5

is a cross sectional view of the capsule taken along line

5

—

5

of FIG.

1

.

FIG. 6

is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the capsule.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to

FIGS. 1 through 6

thereof, a new medical application system for animals embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral

10

will be described.

As best illustrated in

FIGS. 1 through 6

, the medical application system for animals

10

generally comprises a pellet gun

12

, a 70 caliber frangible capsule

20

containing an animal medication

30

in liquid form.

The capsule

20

is positionable within the pellet gun

12

such that the capsule

20

is ejectable from the pellet gun

12

such that the capsule

20

breaks upon impacting the animal whereby the medication

30

is topically delivered to the animal. Most preferably, a pellet

22

is positioned within the frangible capsule

20

both for facilitating breakage of the capsule

20

when the capsule

20

strikes a surface and for agitation of the medication within the capsule to facilitate even distribution of the medication to the skin of the animal for better absorption of the medication by the animal.

The medication

30

is mixed with a coloring agent

36

, the coloring agent

36

is designed for marking the animal when the capsule

20

breaks upon impacting the animal for facilitating the prevention of delivering multiple doses of medication to a single animal. The coloring agent

36

is most preferably an oil based paint designed for prevention of the premature removal of the medication

32

from the skin of the animal by rain. Alternately, a water based paint is used and designed for facilitating the removal of the coloring agent from the animal to prevent permanent staining of the animals coat. This is particularly preferred for the medication of sheep to prevent staining of the wool prior to shearing.

The pellet gun

12

is preferably a pump action pellet gun

12

A for allowing adjustment of the propulsion force provided to the capsule

20

such that the capsule

20

will impact the animal with sufficient force to break the capsule

20

upon impact without harming the animal. Thus each animal in a herd or group can be safely medicated from varying distances whereby a number of animals can be medicated from one position. Alternately, a pellet gun of the type utilizing a gas cartridge

12

B can be used but a minimum distance from the animal to be medicated is necessary to minimize trauma and potential damage to the animal.

The capsule

20

preferably includes a transparent shell

24

to expose the color of the coloring agent

36

. The color of the coloring agent within each capsule is associated with a pre-determined dosage of medication for providing a visual indication of the dosage level and facilitating the prevention of overmedicating an animal. Alternately, the capsule

20

can be constructed of an opaque material and colored to indicate an associated dosage level of medication within the capsule

20

. Lettering or numbering

66

can also be employed to differentiate dosages for those unable to distinguish colors visually.

Although any topical medication is applicable using the present inventive system and method, the preferred use is for the application of insecticides to prevent worms, flies and lice.

The pellet gun

12

B preferably comprises a handle portion

40

having a trigger mechanism

42

. A barrel

44

extends from the handle portion

40

and a spring mechanism

46

is positioned within a first end of the barrel

44

proximate the handle portion

40

.

A plurality of protrusions

52

extend from a slide member

50

. Each protrusion

52

being for engaging the trigger mechanism

42

such that the spring mechanism

46

is compressed. A slide grip

54

is coupled to the barrel

44

for moving the slide member

50

into engagement with the trigger mechanism

42

such that a selected one of the protrusions

52

is engaged to the trigger mechanism

42

whereby a selectable amount of compression of the spring mechanism

46

is achieved.

A removable capsule chamber

58

is coupled to the barrel

44

by insertion of the capsule chamber through a loop

92

proximate one end of the capsule chamber. The capsule chamber includes a shoulder

94

for abutting the loop to facilitate holding the capsule chamber

58

in position. A clip

48

for holding the opposite end of the capsule chamber

58

is positioned proximate the handle portion

40

. The capsule chamber

58

is designed for holding the plurality of capsules

20

within an interior of the capsule chamber

58

. The interior of the capsule chamber

58

is in communication with an interior of the barrel

44

such that one of the capsules

20

is delivered to the barrel

44

such that the capsule

20

abuts the slide member

50

when the slide member

50

is moved into engagement with the trigger mechanism

42

.

The trigger mechanism

42

is disengagable from the slide member

50

whereby the capsule

20

is propelled out of the barrel

44

.

In use, a plurality of capsules

20

are loaded into the pellet gun

12

. The gun is aimed at the animal to be medicated and one of the plurality of capsules is ejected from the pellet gun such that the capsule impacts the animal whereby the capsule breaks open to dispense the medication onto the skin of the animal.

As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.