WO2010102633A1

WO2010102633A1 - Flexible horseshoe

Info

Publication number: WO2010102633A1
Application number: PCT/DK2010/050057
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Gustavsen
Original assignee: John Gustavsen
Priority date: 2009-03-11
Filing date: 2010-03-11
Publication date: 2010-09-16
Also published as: DK176994B1; DK201076994A

Abstract

There is provided a horseshoe (1) comprising two rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4) which are capable of being articulated relative to one another along the transverse plane about an elastic segment (2). The rigid segments are attachable to the horse's hoof in the conventional manner, by the use of nails. Each of these rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4) defines a recess adapted for supporting the elastic segment (2). The elastic segment is made from materials such as natural or synthetic rubber, or relatively flexible thermoplastic material, e.g., a polyurethane or thermoplastic rubber.

Description

Flexible horseshoe

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to horseshoes and more particularly to a flexible horseshoe allowing relative movements of the hoof of a horse.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Horseshoes have been used for centuries in order to protect the horse's foot and to enhance performance. Most horseshoes in use today are made of metal such as steel, aluminum alloys, and rarely, stainless steel or titanium. Aluminum alloys are most commonly used today in racing and are characterized by relatively low weight and expense. Horses engaged in training or racing are commonly reshoed every four to five weeks. This is done in consideration for the wear incurred by the horseshoes, but also by the desire to maintain healthy geometry with respect to the configuration of the foot and so facilitate optimal biomechanics, or way of going.

The surfaces on which horses train and perform also vary widely. Horses frequently train and compete on grass, sand, cinder, crushed stone, and sometimes on packed surfaces which nearly approach the hardness of asphalt or cement. The hardness of the training or racing surfaces can greatly increase the forces which the horse will experience. This can directly affect a horse's efficiency, athletic performance and the amount of trauma that will be experienced.

More recent studies of the gait of horses have shown that a horse's hoof, in the unshod natural state, will flex and widen somewhat when loaded. The use of relatively rigid, metallic horseshoes tends to prevent such natural movement, and thus impairs the horse's natural ability to absorb shocks. For this reason, it has been proposed to make horseshoes of flexible materials such as plastic, rubber, or composites. Horseshoes made of plastics or rubber or the like, have not been successful, in part because they do not have the durability of metal. Also bonded horseshoes exist, in which non-metallic materials, such as plastic or rubber, are combined with metal horseshoes in various ways. In general, such bonded horseshoes effectively provide one or more layers of plastic or rubber, in addition to the conventional metallic horseshoe. The added layer(s) will elevate the horse's hoof, beyond the elevation of the conventional horseshoe, and therefore places the horse's hoof in an unstable and more risky position, one which may be harmful to the health of the hoof.

US patent no 6,082,462 discloses a horseshoe, which has the ability to flex about at least one articulation point to assume a desired shape and width. The horseshoe disclosed in US patent no 6,082,462 is provided with inflexible segments that are capable of articulation relative to one another along a transverse plane about an articulation point that is based on either a wire or a hinge holding the inflexible segments together. Hence, US patent no 6,082,462 is dependent on an articulation point/wire being embedded in the relatively flexible material. In contrast thereto the present invention does not rely on such an arrangement and is exclusively based on a flexible material in the anterior part of the horseshoe; in order to achieve a robust yet flexible solution the present invention is dictated by specific dimensions of the flexible material not disclosed in US patent no 6,082,462.

The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present horseshoes. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above.

An object of the present invention is to provide something resembling the conformance and performance which the active horse's foot acquires in the natural unshod condition to a foot which is shod with a horseshoe.

An object of the present invention is to facilitate the natural flexing and widening of the horse's foot when weight bearing.

An object of the present invention is to provide a durable horseshoe, which has a life term at least as long as a conventional horseshoe. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The horseshoe of the present invention comprises two rigid horseshoe segments which are capable of being articulated relative to one another along the transverse plane about an elastic segment located proximate the anterior of the toe. The rigid segments are attachable to the horse's hoof in the conventional manner, by the use of nails. Each of these rigid horseshoe segments defines a recess adapted for supporting the elastic segment. The elastic segment is made from materials such as natural or synthetic rubber, or relatively flexible thermoplastic material, e.g., a polyurethane or thermoplastic rubber. Decisive is that the elastic segment can be bonded to the rigid horseshoe segments. In a preferred embodiment the elastic segment is molded in the gap between the rigid segments resulting in a complete horseshoe having the same dimensions as a conventional horseshoe.

Thus, according to the present invention there is provided a flexible horseshoe (1 ) comprising:

• two rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4) attachable to the horse's hoof by the use of nails; • an elastic segment (2) located between the rigid segments (3, 4) and proximate the anterior of the horse's toe when attached to the horse's hoof, said elastic segment (2) being non-releasably attached to the rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4), said elastic segment (2) being made of a material selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, polyurethane, and thermoplastic rubber; wherein each of said rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4) defines a recess adapted for supporting the elastic segment (2), said recess having a width between 1 and 2 cm, a length between 0.5 and 1 cm, and a depth of between 20 to 70 % of the thickness of said rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4), and said rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4) being separated with the elastic segment (2) by less than 0.7 cm.

Preferably the rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4) are separated with the elastic segment (2) by less than 0.5 cm and preferably less than 0.35 cm.

The rigid segments (3, 4) are preferably made of a relatively inflexible material such as metal, e.g., steel or aluminum. Alternately, the segments (3, 4) can be made of a relatively inflexible thermoplastic material, e.g., polyphenylsulfate. As recited above the elastic segment (2) is preferably made of a relatively flexible material, e.g., a natural or synthetic rubber, or relatively flexible thermoplastic material, e.g., a polyurethane or thermoplastic rubber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the flexible horseshoe showing one anterior articulation point including a relatively flexible resilient material, which is supported by recesses (not shown).

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a horseshoe similar to that shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a horseshoe similar to that shown in FIG. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a flexible horseshoe including a flexible point which permits natural flexing and widening of the foot and horseshoe when loaded, but also enable the horseshoe to be easily fitted to a foot having a given shape and width.

The preferred horseshoe is generally U-shaped and substantially made of a relatively inflexible material such as steel, stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum alloys, titanium, and the like. The preferred horseshoe is configured so as to imitate in combination with the horse's foot the conformance attained by an active and healthy unshod horse's foot when living in a natural environment. The preferred horseshoe is formed by two segments, 3 and 4, consisting of a relatively inflexible material. The segments, 3 and 4, are flexible about an articulation point 2 (made from a flexible material) along one or more planes, and in particular, substantially along the transverse plane prior to the preferred horseshoe being affixed to the foot with nails or other means. This can enable the preferred horseshoe to be properly fitted to a horse without the need to heat or forge the horseshoe, and can save both the owner of the horse and the blacksmith time, effort and expense.

The preferred flexible material is made of a plastic or rubber material, e.g., natural rubber, neoprene rubber, nitrile rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, silicone, other natural and synthetic rubbers, and polyurethane. Fillers such as organic or inorganic microspheres, carbon black, and other conventional fillers can be used therein. Plasticizing agents such as fluids or oils can be used to modify the physical and mechanical properties of the relatively flexible material. A wide variety of plastic or thermoplastic materials can be used. Thermoplastic rubber materials can be used.

However, thermoplastic materials and thermoplastic rubber materials, and the like, can be easier, faster, and less expensive to produce as such can be readily injection molded or injection/compression molded, as opposed to being compression molded using relatively time and energy consuming vulcanization processes.

Natural or synthetic rubber materials, plastics, or combinations thereof can be effectively bonded to metal and plastic materials by various means, such as by mechanical bonding, chemical bonding, and/or the use of adhesives. It can sometimes be advantageous to clean or prime the metal material that is to be bonded using conventional materials and techniques. In this regard, reference is made to a book written by Souheng Wu, entitled Polymer Interface and Adhesion, published by Marcel Dekker: New York, 1982. Further, numerous primer and adhesive systems are made, e.g., by the Lord Corporation, Industrial Adhesives Division, Erie, Pa. 16514. Bonding of plastic to rubber materials is also possible using various techniques, e.g., see WO 94/13164 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,954 to Lyden et al. entitled "Chemical Bonding of

Rubber to Plastic in Articles of Footwear," granted Jan. 1 , 1998, and assigned to Nike International Ltd, hereby incorporated by reference herein.

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a horseshoe 1 according to the present invention. The horseshoe comprises an articulation point including a relatively flexible material 2 which substantially interrupts the segments 3 and 4 made of a relatively inflexible material.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a horseshoe 1 similar to that shown in FIG. 2. As appears from this figure the segments 3 and 4 support the flexible material 2 by virtue of recesses made in the segments on the upper side thereof.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a horseshoe 1 similar to that shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Shown are relatively flexible material 2 supported by the upper sides of the segments 3 and 4.

Claims

1. A flexible horseshoe (1 ) comprising:

• two rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4) attachable to the horse's hoof by the use of nails;

• an elastic segment (2) located between the rigid segments (3, 4) and proximate the anterior of the horse's toe when attached to the horse's hoof, said elastic segment (2) being non-releasably attached to the rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4), said elastic segment (2) being made of a material selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, polyurethane, and thermoplastic rubber; wherein each of said rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4) defines a recess adapted for supporting the elastic segment (2), said recess having a width between 1 and 2 cm, a length between 0.5 and 1 cm, and a depth of between 20 to 70 % of the thickness of said rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4), and said rigid horseshoe segments being separated with the elastic segment (2) by less than 0.7 cm.

2. The flexibe horseshoe according to claim 1 , wherein the rigid segments (3, 4) are made of a material selected from steel, aluminum, and polyphenylsulfate.

3. The flexibe horseshoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4) are separated with the elastic segment (2) by less than 0.5 cm.

4. The flexibe horseshoe according to any one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the rigid horseshoe segments (3, 4) are separated with the elastic segment (2) by less than

0.35 cm.