ANIMAL SHOE, IN PARTICULAR AN ORTHOPEDIC SHOE FOR ANIMAL FEET FOR THE RELIEF OF LAME CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS, AND SHOE BASE AND KIT FOR SUCH AN ANIMAL SHOE

Abstract

The invention relates to an animal shoe (1), in particular an orthopedic shoe for animal feet (2) for the relief of lame even-toed ungulates (3), as well as to a shoe base (11) and to a kit for such an animal shoe (1). In order to relieve the injured region of lame animals, such as even-toed ungulates, inexpensively and safely, quickly and easily even by inexperienced staff, the animal shoe (1) according to the invention comprises a shoe base (11) having an outsole (13) and an insole (14) that is disposed opposite to the outsole (13), and a fastening shaft (12) which can be customized accurately to the animal foot (2) and for affixing to the animal foot (2). The shoe base (11) according to the invention comprises an outsole (13) which is formed from closed-cell foam (18) and an insole (14) which is disposed opposite to the outsole (13). The kit according to the invention comprises the shoe base (11) according to the invention and a fastening shaft (12) which can be customized accurately to the animal foot (2) and comprises a fastening portion (15) for affixing to the animal foot (2) and an attachment region (16) for the connection to the shoe base (11).

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. Animal shoe, in particular an orthopedic shoe for animal feet for the relief of lame even-toed ungulates, comprising a shoe base which has an outsole and an insole that is disposed opposite to said outsole, and a fastening shaft which can be customized accurately to said animal foot and affixed to said animal foot.

17. Animal shoe according to claim 16, characterized in that said fastening shaft is made of shrinkable material.

18. Animal shoe according to claim 16, characterized in that said fastening shaft is connected to said shoe base such that it can be handled as one piece.

19. Animal shoe according to claim 18, characterized in that said fastening shaft and said shoe base are welded together, wherein they are preferably connected to each other by lamination.

20. Animal shoe according to claim 16, characterized in that said fastening shaft is configured to have a Y-shape.

21. Animal shoe according to claim 16, characterized in that the material of said insole is softer than the material of said outsole.

22. Animal shoe according to claim 16, characterized in that said outsole is formed from closed-cell material and/or said insole is formed from open-cell material.

23. Animal shoe according to claim 16, characterized in that a tread surface of said shoe base at its front cranial end and/or at its rear caudal end is bent upwardly in the direction of said insole.

24. Animal shoe according to claim 16, characterized in that said shoe base is constructed having two layers and comprises an outsole component and an insole component.

25. Animal shoe according to claim 24, characterized in that said outsole component and said insole component are welded together, wherein they are preferably connected to each other by lamination.

26. Animal shoe according to claim 16, characterized in that said outsole and/or said insole comprises a reinforcement zone.

27. Animal shoe according to claim 16, characterized by a ball protection.

28. Animal shoe according to claim 27, characterized in that said ball protection forms a bedding for said fastening shaft.

29. Shoe base for an animal shoe, in particular for an orthopedic shoe for animal feet for the relief of lame even-toed ungulates, where said shoe base comprises an outsole formed from closed-cell material and an insole that is disposed opposite to said outsole and formed from open-cell material.

30. Kit for an animal shoe, in particular an orthopedic shoe for animal feet for the relief of lame even-toed ungulates, comprising: a shoe base according to claim 29; and a fastening shaft which can be customized accurately to said animal foot and comprises a fastening portion for affixing to said animal foot and an attachment region for the connection to said shoe base.

Description

[0050] FIG. 1 shows an anatomical side view of an animal foot using the example of a cattle claw;

[0051] FIG. 2 shows an anatomical view of a cow claw from behind;

[0052] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an animal shoe according to the invention in a donned but non-affixed state according to a first embodiment;

[0053] FIG. 4 shows the first embodiment of the animal shoe according to the invention of FIG. 3 in its affixed configuration;

[0054] FIG. 5 shows a top view onto an animal shoe according to another embodiment viewed from below;

[0055] FIG. 6 shows a schematic side view of the animal shoe of the second embodiment of FIG. 5 in its affixed configuration in a perspective side view;

[0056] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of an animal shoe according to the invention in a donned but non-affixed state according to a third embodiment; and

[0057] FIG. 8 shows the embodiment of the animal shoe according to the invention of FIG. 7 in its affixed configuration.

[0058] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown hereinafter using the example of an animal shoe 1 for an animal foot 2 of an even-toed ungulate 3, for example cattle.

[0059] Before the individual embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures, the structure of the distal limbs, i.e. the animal feet 2 of cattle, shall first be discussed briefly with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0060] Cattle are so-called even-toed ungulates 3. Two toes which are referred to as claws 4 are disposed on each of their limbs or animal feet 2. They are referred to as the inner claw and the outer claw. The claw consists of a horny capsule comprising a sole horn 5 and a wall horn 6, where the point at which sole horn 5 and wall horn 6 meet is designated as white line 7. The bone, which is suspended in the horny capsule, so-called pedal bone 8, has digital cushion 9 as a natural cushioning protection which consists of the ball underlying dermis with fatty tissue cushions.

[0061] Digital cushion 9 protects pedal bone 8 when treading on the ground in the loading phase. Due to its share of fatty tissue, it deforms under load, which deformation is essential in order to absorb and cushion pressure loads from the body weight, which are symbolized in FIG. 2 by arrows pointing downwardly.

[0062] During the sequence of motion, the outer claw first treads on the ground because the associated bone projection 10 is longer by a few millimeters. Thereafter, the weight is first largely transferred to the inner claw, until it is finally distributed evenly onto both claws 4.

[0063] After this brief introduction to the anatomy of the limbs of cattle as examples of even-toed ungulates, a first embodiment of an animal shoe 1 according to the invention shall be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0064] Animal shoe 1 of the first embodiment according to the invention represents an orthopedic shoe for animal foot 2 for the relief of lame even-toed ungulates 3.

[0065] The animal shoe comprises a shoe base 11 and a fastening shaft 12 for affixing shoe base 11 to animal foot 2.

[0066] Shoe base 11 comprises an outsole 13 and an insole 14 that is disposed opposite to outsole 13. Outsole 13 is the part of shoe base 11 which faces away from animal foot 2 and which comes into contact with the ground. Insole 14 is the part of shoe base 11 which comes into contact with animal foot 2.

[0067] Fastening shaft 12 in the illustrated embodiment is configured hose-like, similar to a knee sock or stocking and can be slipped over the healthy claw 4 in a simple manner to raise healthy claw 4 by attaching shoe base 11 (which in the embodiment shown can also be referred to as a claw block) and to relieve the injured claw.

[0068] Fastening shaft 12 comprises a fastening portion 15 for affixing shoe base 11 to claw 4 of animal foot 2. Fastening portion 15 in the embodiment shown by way of example is disposed in the region of fastening shaft 12 that is disposed opposite to shoe base 11. It has an entry opening 16 through which claw 4 can be inserted into the interior of fastening shaft 12.

[0069] At the end opposite to fastening portion 15, fastening shaft 12 comprises an attachment region 16 for the connection to shoe base 11. This attachment region 16 can be connected, for example welded, to shoe base 11 preferably by way of lamination, so that animal shoe 1 according to the invention can be handled as one piece with its fastening shaft 12 and its shoe base 11.

[0070] In the embodiment shown, fastening shaft 12 is formed from shrinkable material, for example a shrink hose, such as a heat shrink hose. Such material is characterized by the fact that it shrinks when heated, i.e. it contracts and is thereby fitted accurately to the animal foot. While the dimensions of the interior of the animal shoe enclosed by fastening shaft 12 before shrinkage are dimensioned such that the part of animal foot 2 to be accommodated, a claw 4 in the embodiment shown, can be placed thereinto (FIG. 3), fastening shaft 12 abuts with a precise fit against the claw 4 after fixation (see FIG. 4), i.e., in a positive-fit manner, thereby affixing animal shoe 1 according to the invention to animal foot 2.

[0071] The embodiment of animal shoe 1 according to the invention with its fastening shaft 12 enables a secure and reliable fit of animal shoe 1 on animal foot 2, without having to use adhesives which often contain harmful ingredients and which are problematic in their handling.

[0072] Shoe base 11, which can be made, for example, of one or more extruded plastic materials, such as plastic foams, supports the fatty tissue in the digital cushion 9 and provides better damping which lessens the pressure forces acting on claw 4.

[0073] In the embodiment shown, the material of insole 14 is softer than the material of outsole 13. The softer layer of insole 14 serves to protect against rubbing on the sole of animal foot 2 and additionally turns insole 14 into an adaptive layer. This adaptability enables animal shoe 1 according to the invention to adapt to the animal-specific anatomy and, for example, to compensate for unevenness caused by the irregular claw sole.

[0074] Outsole 13 in the embodiment shown also has damping properties which support the damping properties of digital cushion 9. Tread surface 17 of outsole 13 is the contact surface of animal shoe 1 to the ground. A higher degree of strength as compared to insole 14 is more advantageous in that it makes outsole 13 more resistant to wear.

[0075] In one embodiment, outsole 13 can be formed from closed-cell foam 18 and insole 14 from open-cell foam 19. Open-cell foam 19, for example open-cell plastic foam, can simultaneously serve as a moisture protection because unwanted fluid can penetrate into the cells. At the same time, closed-cell foam 18 prevents impurities from undesirably reaching the interior of animal shoe 1 via shoe base 11.

[0076] In the exemplary embodiment of animal shoe 1 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, shoe base 11 is structured having two layers. It comprises an outsole component 20, which constitutes a first damping element, and an insole component 21, which constitutes a second damping element. Outsole component 20 and insole component 21 are joined to each other in the exemplary embodiment of shoe base 11. For this purpose, they are welded to each other at their boundary surface 22, which in the embodiment shown is configured to be planar on account of the planar surfaces of sole components 20, 21. They can be joined to each other, for example, by way of lamination.

[0077] A second embodiment of an animal shoe 1 according to the invention shall be explained hereafter in more detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. Where only the differences/peculiarities of animal shoe 1 according to the invention of the second embodiment shall be described in detail in comparison to the animal shoe of the first embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 and further details of animal shoe 1 according to the invention which are not readily apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4 shall be described.

[0078] It is evident from FIG. 6 that fastening shaft 12 does not completely enclose shoe base 11, but that a large portion of tread surface 17 of outsole 13 is exposed. In particular, the portion of tread surface 17 which is provided with a tread pattern 23 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is not covered by fastening shaft 12.

[0079] On the one hand, tread 23 serves as a better support and additionally compensates for irregularities in the ground. A tread 23 on tread surface 17 can also be configured in such a way that outsole 13 comprises a reinforcement zone 36 on its bearing or wall edge 24. The outsole in reinforcement zone 36 can either be hardened, i.e. harder than the remainder of outsole 13, or can protrude out from tread surface 17. In this way, the geometry of outsole 13 is adapted to the anatomy of the claw of a cow. Animal shoe 1 according to the invention therefore simulates the natural supporting components and allows for the natural sequence of motion of cattle. Reinforcement zone 36 supports the body's own damping cushion and serves to maintain a physiological sequence of motion, as well as the distribution of weight of the animal feet.

[0080] Animal shoe 1 of the second embodiment according to the invention also accounts for another feature of the sequence of motion, specifically of cattle, but which can also be found with other animals, especially even-toed ungulates.

[0081] The front and rear limbs differ in terms of the foot placement phases of the cattle. The reason for this is the different position of these limbs. The front hooves first tread down with the claw or toe 25a facing the cranial direction. With the rear limbs, by contrast, the cattle first treads down with foot ball or bulb 25b at the caudal end.

[0082] In consideration of the different foot placement phase, tread surface 17 is bent upwardly at its front caudal end 27. Tread surface 17 is likewise bent upwardly at its cranial end 26, as can be seen particularly well in FIG. 6. Curves 28 and 29, as well as curves 26 at the cranial and 27 at the caudal end allow the animal, when using one and the same animal shoe 1, to tread down with both its front and rear limbs on a larger force-transmitting surface, namely curves 28, 29. As a result, the animals can roll from one end of the tread surface 17 to another in a pressure-optimized manner, according to their natural sequence of motion, and distribute the weight evenly over the entire claw, which is indicated by the curved arrows in FIG. 6. The weight distribution corresponds to the physiological distribution when walking on a soft surface.

[0083] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, curves 28, 29 are formed in that the thickness of shoe base 11 tapers towards cranial end 26 and caudal end 27. In the embodiment shown, specifically the thickness of outsole 13 tapers, which can have a thickness, for example, at the center where it is thickest, in the range of 10-45 mm.

[0084] FIG. 6 shows that a flat boundary surface 22 is formed between outsole component 20 and insole component 21 of the illustrated embodiment, which enables good transmission of forces between the two components 20, 21. It can also be seen that insole 14 with exemplary 3-15 mm in the embodiment illustrated is thinner than the thickness of outsole 13, with one exception, which shall now be discussed in greater detail.

[0085] Animal shoe 1 according to the invention of the second embodiment has a bulb or ball protection 30. Ball protection 30 covers the sensitive tissue part of the digital cushion 9 not surrounded by a horny layer which is located at the caudal end of animal foot 2. Ball protection 30 protects the region of the bulb and forms a bedding 31 for fastening shaft 12, so that the latter does not directly contact digital cushion 30. In this way, ball protection 30 protects, in particular, sensitive parts of animal foot 2 that are arranged inside animal shoe 1 according to the invention.

[0086] In the exemplary embodiment of animal shoe 1 according to the invention, insole 14 forms ball protection 30. For this purpose, insole 14 is thickened in the region of ball protection 30 and additionally protrudes beyond outsole 13 at caudal end 27. In animal shoe 1 of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is apparent that the length of animal shoe 1 measured from its tip at cranial end 26 to its caudal end 27 is longer than the foot length of the animal. This makes it possible to apply the portion of animal shoe 1 located at caudal end 27 to the digital cushion 9 as a ball protection 30 between fastening shaft 12 and the heel of the animal foot. Under certain circumstances, outsole 13 also encloses ball protection 30 formed by insole 14 for protection against soiling.

[0087] In order to protect further sensitive parts of animal foot 2, which can come into direct contact with the fastening shaft, insole 14 can be continued according to the invention on soft horn locations, for example, between the claws.

[0088] Finally, a third embodiment of an animal shoe 1 according to the invention shall be discussed with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0089] Shoe base 11 of animal shoe 1 of the third exemplary embodiment corresponds to the shoe base of one of the preceding embodiments.

[0090] Animal shoe 1 of the third embodiment comprises a fastening shaft 12 which is configured having a Y-shape. Due to the Y-shape, fastening shaft 12 comprises a trunk 33 which is arranged substantially in the upper region or above the claws and, for example, can cover and/or affix dressing material 32 at least in part. The trunk can include a fastening portion 15. Fastening shaft 12 of the Y-shaped configuration further comprises two fastening arms 34, 35 branching off from trunk 33, in each of which a claw 4 can be accommodated.

[0091] With the specially configured fastening shaft 12 of the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, it is possible to affix shoe base 11 onto the healthy claw, as described in the preceding embodiments. At the same time, the injured claw can be accommodated in one of fastening arms 34. This accommodation enables protecting the injured claw against external influences. For example, the injured claw can be bandaged and the bandage be accommodated in fastening arm 34 and affixed by the latter. In this case, it is possible to completely close fastening arm 34, in which the injured claw is accommodated, at its end facing the claw tip, so that this fastening arm 34 completely encapsulates the injured claw and protects it against soiling or other undesired external influences.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0092] 1 animal shoe [0093] 2 animal foot [0094] 3 even-toed ungulate [0095] 4 claws [0096] 5 sole horn [0097] 6 wall horn [0098] 7 white line [0099] 8 pedal bone [0100] 9 digital cushion [0101] 10 bone projection [0102] 11 shoe base [0103] 12 fastening shaft [0104] 13 outsole [0105] 14 insole [0106] 15 fastening portion [0107] 16 entry opening [0108] 17 tread surface [0109] 18 closed-cell foam [0110] 19 open-cell foam [0111] 20 outsole component [0112] 21 insole component [0113] 22 bordering surface [0114] 23 tread pattern [0115] 24 bearing edge [0116] 25a tip of the foot [0117] 25b ball [0118] 26 cranial end [0119] 27 caudal end [0120] 28 curvature [0121] 29 curvature [0122] 30 bulb protection [0123] 31 bedding [0124] 32 dressing [0125] 33 trunk [0126] 34 fastening arm [0127] 35 fastening arm [0128] 36 reinforcement zone