PROTECTOR FOR ANIMAL HOOVES

Abstract

Animal hoof protector, comprising a base (1) coupled onto the animal hoof, having a supporting sole (4); a rear shield (2) closing the base at the back; a protecting skin (3), attached and fixed onto the inner surface of the rear shield; and means for pivotally connecting the rear shield (2) to the base (1),

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. An animal hoof protector, comprising a base coupled onto the animal hoof, having a lower supporting sole; a rear shield closing the base at the back; a protecting skin, attached and fixed onto the inner surface of the rear shield; and means for connecting the rear shield to the base, wherein: the sole of the base has, from the rear edge and up to the neighbourhood of the front edge, an elastically flexible longitudinal central area, which allow transverse deformation of said sole; the rear shield has a central opening which is limited at the upper and lower part thereof by a flexible upper stripe and lower stripe, and is provided with upper and lower front expansions, through which said shield is related to the walls of the base; the connecting means between the rear shield and base comprise two upper side connectors and two lower anchoring elements; whose upper side connectors comprise corresponding flexible bands featuring limited elasticity, which are pivotally connected to upper front extensions of the shield and to upper connecting areas of the wall of the base, and whose lower side anchoring elements consist of at least one screw bolt passing through and fixing each lower front extension of the shield to lower connecting areas of the base wall, wherein the sole of the base has in the outer area, a longitudinal central area of a lower thickness than said sole so as to define the flexible longitudinal central area, the bottom of the longitudinal central area of the sole of lower thickness is longitudinally crossed by alternate grooves and ribs, the sole of the base has a curved configuration, with convexity oriented towards the inner side of the base, and the stripe that limits at the lower part thereof, the central opening of the shield, follows an upward angular layout, and is riveted by a spherical broadening on the vortex.

15. The animal hoof protector according to claim 14, wherein the base is made of a thermoformable material.

16. The animal hoof protector according to claim 14, wherein the wall of the base is grooved with ribs which allow a better adaptation by opening through holes without this is compromised.

17. The animal hoof protector according to claim 14, wherein the sole of the base has two grooves through which straps pass through upwardly, running over inner slots, and projecting from the rear edge thereof to be anchored in buckles configured in the lower part of the rear shield, at both sides of the central opening of said shield.

18. The animal hoof protector according to claim 14, wherein the lower front extensions of the shield feature limited deformation elastic capacity, increasing towards the end of said extension.

19. The animal hoof protector according to claim 14, wherein the lower front extensions of the shield have, at the inner surface thereof, a longitudinal slot through which holes facing holes of the base wall are drilled for the screw or screw nuts to pass through, defining the lower side anchoring elements between the rear shield and the base wall.

20. The animal hoof protector according to claim 14, wherein the wall of the rear shield is provided, at both sides of the central opening, with air vents.

21. The animal hoof protector according to claim 14, wherein the pivoting connection between upper side connectors and upper front extensions of the shield consists of a screw and a nut.

22. The animal hoof protector according to claim 14, wherein the upper front extensions of the shield have, at the inner surface thereof and in coincidence with the connecting point with the upper side connectors, an inner slot, of a polygonal contour, coinciding with that of the nut being part of the pivoting connection between said upper side connectors and upper front extensions of the shield.

23. The animal hoof protector according to claim 14, wherein the bands forming the upper side connectors have a longitudinal alignment of connecting holes, two of which are selected for being passed through by screws forming the pivotally connections between said bands and the base wall and upper side extensions of the shield, and a closed contour elastically deformable by traction.

24. The animal hoof protector according to claim 23, wherein the closed contour is located at one of the ends of the upper side connectors and through said contour it anchors to locking levers being pivotally fixed to upper connecting areas of the wall of the base.

25. The animal hoof protector according to claim 14, wherein the locking levers comprise two arms, an upper one and a lower one, articulated to each other at one of their ends by means of a pin, whose lower arm is pivotally fixed to the upper connecting area of the base wall, and whose upper and lower arms are provided, at facing surfaces thereof, with mutual interlocking conformations in its closed position, and a passage for receiving and retaining the closed contour of the band forming the upper side connectors

26. The animal hoof protector according to claim 14, further comprising a front shield which is anchored at the lower part thereof by means of screws to the base wall and defining the upper areas to which the upper side connectors are pivotally connected.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] The attached drawings show a non-limiting embodiment, wherein:

[0045] FIG. 1 is a front perspective of a horse hoof wearing the protection of the invention.

[0046] FIG. 2 is a similar view to FIG. 1 showing an embodiment variant.

[0047] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective of the protection mounted in FIG. 2.

[0048] FIGS. 4 and 5 are lower and upper perspectives, respectively, of the base of the protection.

[0049] FIG. 6 is a perspective exploded view of the rear shield and skin.

[0050] FIG. 7 is a front elevated view of the rear shield.

[0051] FIG. 8 is a perspective exploded view of the rear shield and skin.

[0052] FIG. 9 is a perspective exploded view of the locking lever.

[0053] FIG. 10 is a plan view of an upper side connector.

[0054] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the strap connecting the base and the rear shield.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

[0055] Constitution, characteristics and advantages of the protection of the invention may be better understood with the following description, referring to the embodiment shown in the above listed drawings.

[0056] As it can be appreciated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the protector of the invention comprises a base (1), configured to be coupled onto the animal hoof on which is to be mounted, a rear shield (2), closing the base (1) at the rear part thereof, a protecting skin (3) associated with and fixed to the inner surface of the protecting shield, and means for connecting the rear shield (2) to the base (1).

[0057] The base (1) will be of an elastically flexible nature, featuring great abrasion resistance and will be preferably made of a thermoformable material, which will enable permanent conformation thereof onto the hoof, by applying heat.

[0058] As it can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the base (1) comprises a sole (4) and a side wall (5). The sole (4) is preferably slightly curved, with its concavity oriented inwardly. It is intended for producing the closure of the wall (5) and shield (2) over the animal hoof during the gait phase.

[0059] At the outside, the sole (4) has a longitudinal central area (6) of a lower thickness which is elastically flexible in a transverse direction, and it may have an accordion-like structure, having alternate longitudinal grooves (7) and ribs (8), thus providing the protector with a flexibility that allows it to adapt to all natural deformations which are produced in the hoof horn of the animal hoof during the different gait phases.

[0060] The wall (5) surrounds the sole along the front and side edges thereof, being also possible for it to be partially surrounded at its rear edge.

[0061] In the sole (4) two through grooves (9) are drilled through which corresponding toothed straps (10) are introduced, FIG. 11, running over the inner side of the sole along the slots (11), FIG. 5, from which these project for being attached to the rear shield (2), as it will be set forth below.

[0062] The rear shield (2), FIGS. 6 and 7, is designed for fitting to and covering the rear hoof of the animal, and it comprises a wall having a central opening (12), being limited by an upper stripe (13) and a flexible lower stripe (14) flexible, the upper one (13) preferably featuring a circular section, and the lower one (14) having an upward angular layout and being finished by a spherical broadening (15) at the vortex. The rest of the shield wall have air vents (16). Inside, the wall of the rear shield has two pairs of passages (17), located at both sides of the central opening (12), with a cogged portion (18) between them, configuring buckles through which cogged straps (10) are introduced and fixed. The wall of the rear shield is also provided with upper (20) and lower (21) front extensions, through which the shield is related to the base walls by pivotally connecting means. The lower front extensions (21) will preferably be of flexible and slightly elastic nature, for example, by reducing thickness thereof.

[0063] The skin (3) is attached and fixed onto the inner surface of the rear shield, for example by means of elastic rivets (22), FIGS. 1 to 3, introduced through coinciding holes of both components. This skin is also provided with air vents (16′).

[0064] The rear shield (2) relates to the base wall through two upper side connectors (23) and two lower side anchoring elements (24), FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0065] The upper side connectors (23), FIG. 10, consist of bands of an elastically flexible nature, having a longitudinal alignment of connecting holes (25) and an end or intermediate closed contour (26).

[0066] The upper front extension (20) of the rear shield (2) also have, FIG. 6, a connecting hole (25) from the bottom of an inner slot (27) featuring a polygonal contour, in which a nut is housed, not shown, wherein a screw defining a pivoting connection is screwed.

[0067] The lower front extension (21) of the rear shield (2) is also provided, FIG. 6, with an alignment of connecting holes (25) from the bottom of a longitudinal slot (28) having said extensions inside.

[0068] In turn, the base wall (1) has, FIG. 5, upper connecting areas (29) having connecting holes (25), and lower connecting areas (30), also with connecting holes (25).

[0069] With the constitution described, the rear shield (2) is associated to the base wall (1) through pivoting connections made up of a screw (31), FIGS. 1 to 3, introduced through connecting holes (25) being selected from the lower front extension (21) of the shield (2), FIG. 6, and the lower connecting area (30) of the base wall, FIG. 5, on one side. On the other side, the upper side connectors (23) are connected, FIG. 3, also pivotally, by means of a screw (31) introduced through one of the connecting holes (25), FIG. 10, of said connectors, and the connecting hole (25) of the upper front extension (20) of the rear shield (2), FIG. 6. Through the closed contour (26), the upper side connectors (23), FIG. 10, are connected to locking levers (32), FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0070] These locking levers (32), as shown in FIG. 9, comprise an upper arm (33) and a lower arm (34), articulated to each other at one end through a pin (35). The lower arm (34) has a connecting hole (25) which faces one of the connecting holes (25) of the upper connecting area (29), FIG. 5, of the base (1), for a connecting screw to pass through, not shown, which constitutes a pivoting attachment or connection between the locking lever (32) and the base (1).

[0071] The upper (33) and lower (34) arms have, at the opposing surface thereof, FIG. 9, conformations (36) for their mutual interlocking, upon attaching both arms. They are also provided, also the upper arm (33), with a passage (37) intended to receive the rib forming the closed contour (26) of the upper side connector (23), FIG. 10, for holding it.

[0072] As it is shown in FIG. 2, the protector can also include a front shield (38), to the inner surface of which a front skin (39) is attached and fixed, FIG. 8, similarly to the arrangement described for the rear shield (2). This front shield is configured for coupling and fixing, at a side thereof, to the base wall, and for fixing to the locking lever (32), as it is shown in FIG. 2. For that, the front shield (38) is provided with lower extensions (40) carrying rivets (41) which are introduced through the connecting holes (25) of the upper connecting area (29), FIG. 5, of the base (1). Near the upper edge, this front shield (38) is provided with two connecting holes (25′) for fixing by means of screws (41) of the lower arm (34) of the locking lever (32). Both the front shield (38) and the front skin (39) are provided with air vents (16-16′) on its wall.

[0073] The locking lever (32), FIG. 9, may be provided, as an extension of the lower arm (34), of a strip (42) being introduced through the groove (42″), so as to secure the closing position, wherein both arms, upper (33) and lower (34), are attached and anchored through the conformations (36).

[0074] All the components described will be preferably made of thermoplastic materials, which provide certain flexibility to said components.

[0075] The front (39) and rear (3) skins will be breathable and having anti-frictional wear, made of, for instance, neoprene or materials with similar characteristics.