BACKGROUND
Field of Invention
An equine shoe assembly, comprising a dual density polymer shoe having a relatively soft bottom patterned section and a base section of harder polymer capable of holding nails and maintaining the shoe is relatively rigid and structurally intact during use on equine hooves fitted in a conventional metal equine shoe supporting the harder polymer base section.
Background
U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 issued Feb. 4, 2020 describes a number of polymer dual equine shoes having a relatively soft bottom patterned section and a base section of harder polymer capable of holding nails and maintaining the shoe is relatively rigid and structurally intact during use on equine hooves. For some applications and with some users it is desirable that the base section be supported by a metal equine shoe that provides greater rigidity and structural integrity. The present invention is, therefore such an assembly, comprising a dual density polymer shoe as described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 fitted in a conventional metal equine shoe. The disclosure and drawing of U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a shoe of U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 included herein for reference only.
FIG. 1B is a bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of a shoe of U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 included herein for reference only.
FIG. 1C is an end view of an exemplary embodiment of a shoe of U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 included herein for reference only.
FIG. 1D is an opposite end view of an exemplary embodiment of a shoe of U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 included herein for reference only.
FIG. 1E is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a shoe of U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 included herein for reference only.
FIG. 1F is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a shoe of U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 included herein for reference only.
FIG. 2A is an exploded view of assembly of an embodiment of the invention showing how a two component assembly of a modified exemplary polymer shoe of U.S. Ser. No. 10/548,304 (FIGS. 1-4) is fitted to a metal equine shoe.
FIG. 2B is a top view of the completed assembly of FIG. 2A.
FIG. 2C is a side view of the completed assembly of FIG. 2A.
FIG. 2E is an end view of the completed assembly of FIG. 2A1.
FIG. 2F is a perspective view of the completed assembly of FIG. 2A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention is an assembly of polymers shoes described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 (incorporated herein by reference for all purposes) with a metal equine shoe. This assembly provides the superior “breakover” qualities of the polymer shoes of the patent and the rigidity and attachment ability of a conventional metal equine shoe. Any of the polymer shoes described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 are suitable for this assembly as are any of the conventional equine open center shoes. The metal shoes may be any metal, such as iron, steel, aluminum and other more exotic metals.
In embodiment of this invention the polymer shoes as described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 are adapted so the softer bottom section (102 in FIG. 1A-1F) fits into the open space of the metal equine shoe and the harder base of the polymer modified to fit under the rim of a metal equine shoe and coextensive with its outer circumference.
Referring to the reference drawings of an embodiment, from U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304, the shoe 102, has a soft patterned section, 102, and a harder base support section, 103. The patterns, 104, of this embodiment are shown as is the edge, 105, where the soft section 102 connects to the base section 103.
Also referring to the drawings, FIG. 2A is an exploded view of the assembly of an embodiment of the invention. The metal shoe 203 fits over the base rim 206 of the dual density polymer shoe and the softer raised section 202 projects through the opening in the metal shoe to form the assembly, 201, shown in FIG. 2B-2E. This provided a metal rigid support for the polymer shoe that can be securely attached to the underside of an equine hook but retains the softer “breakover” structure of the softer polymer section 202.
The polymer shoe as described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 is “A shoe for an equine comprising a solid member that covers substantially the entire underside of a hoof, wherein the solid member has at least two strata, and wherein:
- (a) the at least two strata comprise an uppermost stratum of material of at least Shore A ninety (90) and a lowermost stratum of Shore A hardness of about forty-five to sixty-five (45-65);
- (b) the bottom surface of the solid member comprises a convex surface;
- (c) the convex surface and uppermost stratum are configured such that an equine hoof stepping down on the uppermost stratum causes at least a generally center portion of the uppermost stratum to flex upwards toward an underside of the equine hoof.” Thus, the assembly of the present invention is the structure defined above wherein the uppermost strata is adapted to be supported on the rim of a conventional metal equine shoe and the lowermost strata adapted to fit in the center opening of the conventional metal shoe. The uppermost strata may be somewhat softer in an embodiment of this invention because the metal shoe will provide support. Thus, the uppermost section may be, in some embodiments at least about 80 Shore A. Since it is customary that metal shoes be somewhat shaped by the applicator to fit the equine hoof to which they are to be attached, as by curving the toe upward, the softer uppermost polymer section bill allow the polymer to be more easily conformed to the metal shoe shape. In some embodiments, the uppermost section of the polymer shoe may be attached to the metal shoe by adhesive.
The polymer shoe will have the other attributes as described and claimed in claims 11-19 of U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 (incorporated herein by reference for all purposes). Such attributes include the embodiments shown if FIGS. 2A-2F, 3A-33C, 4A-4B, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and their respective descriptions in the specification, all of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Methods
The invention is also a methods of use of the equine shoe assembly. The methods is the same as that described and claimed for the equine shoes of U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 (incorporated herein by reference). Thus, broadly, an embodiment of the method is the assembly structure described above in the method “of therapy of an equine hoof comprising:
- (1) after an insult to the hoof, providing an equine boot and elastomeric orthotic pad, wherein:
- (i) the boot comprises: (a) an upper section made from flexible material, shaped to fit around the hoof and of a height to reach above the hoof, having fastening means to fasten a front and a rear of the upper section together around a leg of an equine, and (b) a bottom section, comprising an elastomer sole plate attached to the upper section and having a wall around a circumference of the sole plate,
- (ii) the elastomeric orthotic pad is disposed in the bottom of the boot, and
- (iii) the wall of the sole plate is of sufficient height and strength to constrain deformation of the elastomeric orthotic pad placed therein, and which is compressed by the weight of a horse's hoof;
- (2) once the acute or serious injury is abated, replacing the equine boot with an equine shoe assembly;
- wherein:
- the equine shoe assembly comprises a solid member that covers substantially the entire underside of a hoof, wherein the solid member has at least two strata, and wherein:
- (i) the at least two strata comprise an uppermost stratum of material of at least Shore A ninety (90) and a lowermost stratum of Shore A hardness of about forty-five to sixty-five (45-65); (ii) the bottom surface of the solid member comprises a convex surface;
- (iii) the convex surface and uppermost stratum are configured such that an equine hoof stepping down on the uppermost stratum causes at least a center portion of the uppermost stratum to flex upwards toward an underside of the equine hoof; wherein, the uppermost strata is adapted to be and is supported on the bottom rim of a conventional metal equine shoe having a top and bottom rim and a center opening and the lowermost strata adapted to fit in and fitted in the center opening of the conventional metal shoe.
Further limitations of the method described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,548,304 are applicable to the present assembly.
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however be evident that various modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the appended claims.
Patent Application
20210400942
