US 6,644,000 B2Granted

Protective device for hoofed animals

OwnerJames Clark, James B. Hart +1inventors

InventorsJames Clark, James B. Hart, William Hart

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Abstract

A protective device 104 for hoofed and shod animals fabricated of a durable and flexible material is presented. The protective device 104 includes a base 106 and a wall 108, with the wall designed to enclose a hoof 100 of a bare or shod animal such as a horse or cow. The protective device 104 includes a means for size adjustment 216 such as a sizing opening 214 in combination with a plurality of tread grooves 304, which assists in the adjustment of the size and shape of the hoof to fit a variety of hoofs. The protective device 104 preferably includes a shear-relief portion 302 formed such that the front of a hoof has minimal contact with the device 104. Ease of installation, decreased impact, and improved traction are all benefits provided by the protective device 104 disclosed.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A protective device for shod animals comprising:

a. a body portion including,
i. a base portion formed in an approximately ring-like fashion around a central opening;
ii. a wall portion formed on the base portion and extending upward and inward at an angle toward the central opening;
iii. a sole portion extending inward toward the central opening, the sole portion including a customized impression to snugly fit with a horseshoe of a shod animal and forming a support surface for the hoof upon application of the device, said sole portion including a ground surface on the bottom of the base portion to provide a walking surface when the device is applied;
iv. a groove-like shear-relief portion at the intersection of the wall portion and the base portion, said groove-like shear-relief portion opening roughly toward the central opening to prevent the front of the hoof from cutting into the protective device;
and
b. a means for detachably attaching the body portion to a hoof of a shod animal, whereby a hoof may be placed in the body portion and held in place by a combination of the base portion, the wall portion, and the means for detachably attaching the body portion, and whereby this combination creates a hold via significantly conform to the circumference of a hoof of a shod animal, whereby the shear-relief portion prevents the hoof from cutting into the device, and whereby the customized impression allows the device to be customized for use with a particular type of horseshoe.

4 more elements

A protective device for hoofed animals including:

a. a body portion including,
i. a base portion formed in an approximately ring-like fashion around a central opening;
ii. a wall portion formed on the base portion and extending upward and inward at an angle toward the central opening;
iii. a sole portion extending inward toward the central opening, such that it forms a support surface for the hoof upon application of the device, said sole portion including a ground surface on the bottom of the base portion to provide a walking surface when the device is applied;
iv. a means for size adjustment formed in the body in order to allow for adjustment to varying hoof sizes;
v. a groove-like shear-relief portion at the intersection of the wall portion and the base portion, said groove-like shear-relief portion opening roughly toward the central opening to prevent the front of the hoof from cutting into the protective device;
and
b. a means for detachably attaching the body portion to a hoof, whereby a hoof may be placed in the body portion and held in place by a combination of the base portion, the wall portion, and the means for detachably attaching the body portion, and whereby this combination creates a hold via significantly conform to the circumference of a hoof of a hoofed animal and whereby the shear-relief portion prevents the hoof from cutting into the device.

5 more elements

A protective device for shod animals including:

a. a body portion including,
i. a base portion formed in an approximately U-shaped fashion around a central opening;
ii. a wall portion formed on the base portion and extending upward and inward at an angle toward the central opening;
iii. a sole portion extending inward toward the central opening, the sole portion including a customized impression to snugly fit with a horseshoe of a shod animal and forming a support surface for the hoof upon application of the device, said sole portion including a ground surface on the bottom of the base portion to provide a walking surface when the device is applied;
iv. a means for size adjustment formed in the body in order to allow for adjustment to varying hoof sizes of shod animals;
and
v. a groove-like shear-relief portion at the intersection of the wall portion and the base portion, said groove-like shear-relief portion opening roughly toward the central opening to prevent the front of the hoof from cutting into the protective device;
and
b. a means for detachably attaching the body portion to a hoof of a shod animal, whereby a hoof may be placed in the body portion and held in place by a combination of the base portion, the wall portion, and the means for detachably attaching the body portion, and whereby this combination creates a hold via significantly conform to the circumference of a hoof of a shod animal, whereby the shear-relief portion prevents the hoof from cutting into the device, and whereby the customized impression allows the device to be customized for use with a particular type of horseshoe.

6 more elements

A protective device for hoofed animals including:

a. a body portion including,
i. a base portion formed in an approximately U-shaped fashion around a central opening;
ii. a wall portion formed on the base portion and extending upward and inward at an angle toward the central opening;
iii. a sole portion extending inward toward the central opening, such that it forms a support surface for the hoof upon application of the device, said sole portion including a ground surface on the bottom of the base portion to provide a walking surface when the device is applied;
and
iv. a means for size adjustment formed in the body in order to allow for adjustment to varying hoof sizes;
v. a groove-like shear-relief portion at the intersection of the wall portion and the base portion, said groove-like shear-relief portion opening roughly toward the central opening to prevent the front of the hoof from cutting into the protective device;
and
vi. and
b. a means for detachably attaching the body portion to a hoof, whereby a hoof may be placed in the body portion and held in place by a combination of the base portion, the wall portion, and the means for detachably attaching the body portion, and whereby this combination creates a hold via significantly conform to the circumference of a hoof of a hoofed animal and whereby the shear-relief portion prevents the hoof from cutting into the device.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.