Patent Application
20120222871
The present invention is directed to a horseshoe, and more particularly to a horseshoe which is relatively inexpensive and provides a splaying feature as well as flexibility, to promote hoof-comfort and hoof structure regeneration for the horse.
It has been the object of many horseshoe designers and farriers to provide a horseshoe which is hoof-friendly and which mimics to some extent the movement of a horse's hoof when the horse is walking or running, especially on a hard surface. Various attempts have been made over decades to obviate the rigidity of conventional metallic horseshoes by introducing nonmetallic elements that provide selected degrees of flexibility and resilience.
Prior art includes examples of horseshoe designs incorporating shock absorbing materials (such as for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,098,) either in layers with metallic components or otherwise, without any provision for splaying. There are also examples of flexible horseshoe design in prior art, without any provision for splaying. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,076,607, 4,513,824, 4,333,532, and 3,628,608 are examples of flexible horseshoes. U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,962 describes a composite horseshoe with a resilient intermediate layer to fill out interspaces between rigid upper and lower parts.
There are also specialty type horseshoe designs in prior art to address specific design needs but not splaying. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,633 to Ovnicek describes a horseshoe designed for lame horses and has a closed end toe section provided with a concave depression sufficient to avoid contact with the sole of a horse's foot beneath the tip of the coffin bone. The Ovnicek patent describes essentially a “combination” of hoof pad (which is preferably wedge-shaped) with a frog insert and a horseshoe element which raises the horse's heel, to assist a lame horse. It also seems essential in the Ovnicek patent that in order for the “combination” to be effective, the elevated heels and the frog insert must be elongated (vide column 2 of the Ovnicek patent). Notably, the Ovnicek patent provides for no flexibility between left and right wings of the horseshoe, and no such flexibility seems envisaged therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,607 (Bergeleen) describes a composite horseshoe having left and right body portions and a selectable detachable and interchangeable centerpiece in the toe region, enabling the flexibility of the shoe to be adjusted as desired. The selected centerpiece is provided with tapped holes extending horizontally one on each side and is assembled and held in place by screws inserted in the left and right body portions. The horseshoe in this prior art patent is described as being provided with antisplay flanges which however need to be assembled, thus increasing the cost of using this type of prior art horseshoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,462 (to Lyden) describes a composite horseshoe which is made of flexible and relatively inflexible materials and which can include a resilient pad for attenuating shock and vibration. U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,232 describes a horseshoe having shock-absorbing qualities, the shoe having a resilient polymer that is sandwiched between metal plates. Yet another horseshoe described as having adherence and a grip over any kind of ground is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,288 (to Bourdieu), wherein, a rigid core piece may be partially coated with or encased in a rubber compound.
US Patent-publication 2005/0034877 A1 to Bergeleen, dated Feb. 17, 2005 provides a horseshoe that comprises a body made of a molded, flexible polyolefin plastic such as molded ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) or polypropylene, the body having a separate spring metal insert shaped similar to the horseshoe body, enabling the shoe to expand. The horseshoe in the foregoing preliminary publication 2005/0034877 A1 includes a molded-in perforated screen or mesh of steel, aluminum or other metal embedded in the horseshoe-body to add rigidity to the shoe and to constrain the shoe to movement in one plane. The spring metal insert in this prior art composite design is described as sufficiently strong as to pull the UHMWPE body back into its original configuration when weight on the hoof is relieved.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,293 B1 to Miller teaches a composite horseshoe with a sole made of resilient material (such as polyurethane, natural rubber, synthetic rubber or a combination thereof) and including a toe insert, two heel areas and two tapered hinges each connecting the toe insert and one of the heel areas. The tapered hinges are described as being made of the same material as the sole and are said to allow expansion and relaxation of the horseshoe to assist a horse in motion.
It has however been found that the prior art horseshoe designs which provide resilience are composite, or use several parts and components, and do not offer simplicity, reliability or cost effectiveness. Those prior art horseshoes which by design use predominantly resilient material are invariably generally less durable (-short life-) than the conventional rigid metallic designs which might however restrict expansion and thus cause increased stress in the hoof and legs of the horse, particularly during racing
Despite the availability of horseshoe designs providing shock absorption, flexibility and such features, there is still a need for a horseshoe design which is characterized by simplicity, economy and including controlled splaying without any need for a multiplicity of components and without the need for assembly of parts. The present invention intends to obviate certain less desirable aspects of prior art horseshoe design and provides a relatively less expensive and very simple design which aims at providing the much desired splaying for mitigating hoof-stress particularly during racing. The present invention also aims at providing structural features in the horseshoe to promote hoof-comfort and consequent hoof-wall-growth and hoof structure regeneration.
The present invention provides a simple and economical horseshoe design, unitary in construction and preferably of metallic material, which permits splaying and flexibility, thus permitting natural hoof expansion in use, for the horse, enabling improved blood circulation in the hoof area and reducing hoof-stress which is otherwise caused in prior art conventional-type rigid horseshoes. Additionally, the present invention provides a horseshoe which is intended to promote hoof-comfort and consequent hoof-wall-growth and hoof structure regeneration.
A first embodiment of the invention in its broad form resides in a horseshoe capable of accommodating splaying of a horse hoof in use, said horseshoe having a generally U shaped unitary metallic body including a heel-region and including left and right body portions having undersurfaces lying on a common bottom plane of the horseshoe, and a central toe area connected to the left and right body portions in a location away from the heel-region, the central toe area acting like a spring element and being generally of a crescent shape including a convex outer edge and a concave inner edge, the convex outer edge being substantially in said common bottom plane, the concave inner edge projecting below said common bottom plane by a chosen designed dimension, whereby when said central toe area of the horseshoe in use impacts ground, the central toe area acts like a spring element whereby the concave inner edge of the central toe area flattens by being resiliently pushed up, thereby allowing the left and right body portions of the horseshoe to splay, whereby when the central toe area is not impacting the ground, the left and right body portions of the horseshoe are restored to their original positions without splay. Optionally, the left and right wings, on their undersurface may have serrations or similar formations to facilitate flexing of said left and right wings in a direction substantially at right angles to the common bottom plane, whereby hoof-comfort can be enhanced. Preferably, the horseshoe of the present invention is non-composite in construction.
A second embodiment resides in a generally U shaped compliant metallic horseshoe having left and right wings and a central toe area integral with the left and right wings and including an open recess facing the left and right wings in a substantially horizontal plane, the horseshoe including a compliant leaf-spring portion disposed proximate to the central toe area and integrally bridging the left and right wings, the leaf-spring having a first unstressed state and a second stressed state, the leaf-spring in its unstressed state having an arch shape projecting downwards of the left and right wings and below said horizontal plane, the leaf-spring attaining its said second stressed state upon loading of the horseshoe in use by ground-impact to cause the arch shape to resiliently deform vertically upwards and thus exert horizontal pressure sideways on the left and right wings so as to splay apart the left and right wings by a desired predetermined dimension, the leaf-spring portion being restored to its first unstressed state when the horseshoe in use is not loaded or not impacting ground, when the left and right wings are restored to their positions without splay. Optionally, the left and right wings, on their undersurface may have serrations to facilitate enhancing ground-grip and to assist flexing of the left and right wings in a direction substantially at right angles to the horizontal plane, whereby hoof-comfort can be enhanced.
A third embodiment in its broad form resides in a metallic horseshoe capable of accommodating splaying of the horse hoof in use, the horseshoe having a generally U shaped unitary body and including left and right body portions lying on a bottom plane of the horseshoe, the left and right body portions adjacent the bottom plane including serrations permitting flexing of the left and right body portions in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom plane, the U shaped unitary body including a central toe portion bridging the left and right body portions, the left and right body portions being capable of being splayed in directions parallel to said bottom plane, the central toe portion being configured to function as a leaf-spring and having a first unstressed state and a second stressed state, the central toe portion in its unstressed state having a substantially central convex formation projecting below the identified bottom plane, the central toe portion attaining its stressed state by loading of the horseshoe caused when the horse shoe in use impacts ground, the central convex formation of the leaf spring tending to be flattened in its second stressed state thereby enabling the left and right body portions of the horseshoe to splay apart by a predetermined dimension, whereby the central toe portion alternately and successively goes through its second stressed state and its first state respectively when the horse hoof in use impacts/touches ground and is off ground.
A more detailed understanding of the invention may be had from the following description of preferred embodiments which are exemplary and not intended to be limiting, and to be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below in the context of the accompanying figures that illustrate by way of example the principles of the invention. While the invention is described in connection with such embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular embodiment. On the contrary, the scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents. For the purpose of example, numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention
The present invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the present invention is not unnecessarily obscured.
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made. The embodiments included herein are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized including changes that may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The description herein is by way of example only, and is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Described hereinafter are embodiments of a unitary non-composite horseshoe which is preferably metallic and having a configuration intended to promote hoof-comfort and consequent hoof-wall-growth and hoof structure regeneration
Optionally, the first embodiment may have the following features:
The concave inner edge in the first embodiment may have its ends substantially in level with the common bottom plane and wherein the chosen design dimension occurs at substantially a center region of the concave inner edge. The chosen designed dimension may be determined by a desired magnitude of splay of the left and right body portions. The central toe area of the horseshoe may be integral with the left and right body portions, or may be joined to the left and right body portions by welding, brazing, or mechanical joining. Alternatively, the entire horseshoe may be obtained by forging or casting, or a combination of casting and forging, or by welding.
The horseshoe might comprise ferrous material such as for example hardened stainless steel 17-4 PH or any other suitable grade, or nonferrous material such as for example, Titanium, or a suitable Aluminum alloy. The central toe area of the horseshoe may be obtained by a separate forging operation. Alternatively, the central toe area, and left and right body portions may all be cast together (with optional forging followed) from material comprising Titanium, or Aluminum alloy or any desired grade of stainless steel, e.g., hardened stainless steel 17-4 PH.
As a variation, the central toe area of the horseshoe might include an elongated recess 111 adjacent the convex outer edge. Preferably, the central toe area is devoid of nail-holes 107 which may be generally limited to the left and right body portions of the horseshoe.
In a second embodiment, the invention provides a generally U shaped compliant horseshoe having left and right wings and a central toe area integral with the left and right wings and including an optional open recess facing the left and right wings, the horseshoe including a compliant leaf-spring disposed proximate to the central toe area, but not at the central toe area, and attachedly bridging said left and right wings. An example of the second embodiment may be seen in
In another preferred form shown in
Another horseshoe embodiment illustrated in
The toe area 405 shown in
With or without the serrations, the toe area (405) leaf-spring along with the polyurethane filler in use functions in such a manner that the resilient deformation of the leaf-spring causes the left and right wings of the horseshoe to splay by a predetermined amount. As aforesaid, the splaying provision enhances hoof comfort and hoof regeneration.
In any of the above embodiments, the generally U shaped body of the horseshoe could comprise a single piece which is obtained by any process chosen from forging, casting, blanking, welding, brazing or a combination of casting and forging. Other methods of obtaining the U shaped body are within the purview of the invention. The horseshoe might comprise a U shaped body obtained by a forging operation using precipitation hardened stainless steel 17-4 PH. Alternatively, the U shaped body may be obtained from Titanium.
In one embodiment, serrations/notches are provided on an undersurface of the left and right body portions. In a preferred variation, serrations are provided on arcuate sides of said left and right body portions as well as on an undersurface of said left and right body portions
Advantageously, the central toe portion of the horseshoe may include an arcuate configuration (with a convex outer edge and a concave inner edge) formed contiguously with the left and right body portions/wings, the central convex formation being located along said concave inner edge. In a preferred embodiment, the central toe portion includes an arcuate elongated aperture substantially in a middle portion of the convex outer edge.
For affixing the horseshoe to the horse hoof, the left and right body portions include a plurality of nail-holes for driving nails in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom plane, and the central toe portion may include a provision for inserting nails in a direction parallel to the bottom plane. It is also noted that the convex outer edge projects below said bottom plane by a chosen design dimension, taking into account material properties of the horseshoe metal and an average value of envisaged hoof loading.
In all the embodiments and their modifications in the present inventions, the material for the horseshoe might comprise suitable metallic material chosen from Titanium, Aluminum alloy, or ferrous material such as a suitable grade of steel, or stainless steel e.g., hardened stainless steel 17-4 PH.
Preferred embodiments described above selectively offer one or more of the following advantages:
1. The preferred embodiment of the inventive horseshoe as described is of unitary construction and requires no assembly, and accordingly eliminates additional assembly costs.
2. The preferred embodiment being of unitary-construction, may be mass produced by forging, casting, blanking or a combination thereof, the mass production serving to lower the manufacturing costs.
3. The inventive horseshoe is metallic, and lasts at least as long as other prior art metallic horseshoes.
4. The inventive horseshoes when offered in precipitation hardened stainless steel 17-4 PH are rustproof and more desirable than prior art metallic ferrous based horseshoes.
5. The splaying action provided in all the embodiments provides significant hoof-comfort and improved blood circulation in the hoof area, thereby promoting hoof-regeneration.
6. The serrations provided selectively on the undersurface of the horseshoe serve to enhance the ground-grip for the horseshoe in use.
7. The serrations provided in the side regions of the left and right wings, as well the undersurface of the left and right wings are conducive to create flexing of the horseshoe in a vertical direction at right angles to the undersurface, thus enhancing hoof comfort.
In the foregoing detailed description of embodiments of the invention, various features may have been grouped together in a single exemplary embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments of the invention require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description of embodiments of the invention, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. It is understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. It is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should therefore be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” where present, are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein,” respectively. Moreover, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc., if used, are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2010/003264 | 12/31/2010 | WO | 00 | 1/9/2012 |
