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EP-4543195-B1 - PROTECTIVE BOOT FOR AN EQUINE

EP4543195B1EP 4543195 B1EP4543195 B1EP 4543195B1EP-4543195-B1

Inventors

  • WEBER, JAN
  • CHIAPETTA, JAMES, R.
  • AFRICA, Tom, Joseph
  • LORENZ, MICHAEL, ANTHONY
  • TOLLETT, Anne, Marie
  • VITITOE, Kevin, John
  • DALE, THEODORE

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230623

Claims (15)

  1. A protective boot (1100) for an animal, the protective boot (1100) comprising: a cage with a plurality of struts (1102, 1104, 1106) configured to contour to a distal limb (100) of the animal; a proximal connecting member (1108) coupling proximal ends of the plurality of struts (1102, 1104, 1106), the proximal connecting member (1108) including a proximal fastener (1113); and a distal connecting member (1110) coupling distal ends of the plurality of struts (1102, 1104, 1106), the distal connecting member (1110) including a distal fastener (1114), wherein the plurality of struts (1102, 1104, 1106) form at least a lateral, a palmar, and a medial protection on the distal limb (100), wherein the boot (1100) further comprises a contact surface material (1117a-1117c, 1118a-1118c) disposed at least partially on an inner surface of the cage, characterized in that the cage is configured to provide a gap (1116) between the struts (1102, 1104, 1106) and the limb (100) of the animal and in that the contact surface material (1117a-1117c, 1118a-1118c) is applied along the struts (1102, 1104, 1106) and configured to still maintain said gap (1116).
  2. The protective boot of claim 1, wherein first openings are defined at least partially between the plurality of struts, and at least one second opening is defined within at least one of the plurality of struts.
  3. The protective boot of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cage comprises: said struts, or said struts and reinforcing members, configured for providing protection to a leg and openings within the cage that provide permeability of air flow towards and/or around the leg through the protective boot, optionally wherein the openings present a diameter or largest dimension between 3 and 15 mm.
  4. The protective boot of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of struts, the proximal connecting member, and the distal connecting member define a surface area of the protective boot, and wherein at least 20% of the surface area of the protective boot has an air permeability of at least: 530 liters/meters squared/second (l/m 2 /s) at a 100 pascal (Pa) pressure drop, or 100 cm 3 /cm 2 /s at a 200 pascal (Pa) pressure drop, or 150 cm 3 /cm 2 /s at a 200 pascal (Pa) pressure drop, or 250 cm 3 /cm 2 /s at a 200 pascal (Pa) pressure drop.
  5. The protective boot of any one of the preceding claims, further including an additional component layer to reduce ingress of dirt or dust, provide brush protection, cushioning, impact dissipation, impact absorption impact, moisture wicking, or temperature modulation.
  6. The protective boot of claim 5, wherein the additional component layer is attached to at least a portion of the outer surface or the inner surface of the cage and covers cage openings to decrease likelihood of abrasion by sticks, brush, or other objects and/or to reduce accumulation of dirt, sand, or other debris within the protective boot while still facilitating air flow and allowing water to drain out.
  7. The protective boot of claim 6, wherein the additional component layer is a single fabric layer that facilitates air flow therethrough.
  8. The protective boot of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact surface material includes a plurality of protuberances, wherein the protuberances project from the contact material to contact the limb.
  9. The protective boot of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact surface material comprises at least one of: impact resistant performance foams, natural or synthetic rubber, viscoelastic polymers, elastic polymers such as ethylene vinyl acetate, closed cell materials, polyurethanes, thermoplastic polyurethanes, silicon, nonNewtonian shear thickening type fluids, and combinations thereof.
  10. The protective boot of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact surface material is provided as local padding in regions where anatomical features of the animal may benefit from increased padding.
  11. The protective boot of claim 10, wherein the local padding is positioned near a proximal edge of the protective boot or near a distal edge of the protective boot or is a fetlock padding inside a distal shield positionable around the fetlock joint of the animal.
  12. The protective boot of any one of the preceding claims comprising said proximal connecting member (1730), said distal connecting member (1731), a proximal attachment (1702), a distal attachment (1704), with the struts (1706) extending therebetween, wherein the distal connecting member (1731) includes a distal shield (1708) that is configured to extend over a fetlock region of the animal, and wherein the contact surface material (1710) is provided anywhere on the inside of the cage (1703).
  13. The protective boot of claim 12, wherein the contact surface material (1710) is constructed in a rotational pad (1712) configuration having protuberances (1750) oriented circumferentially around the rotational pad (1712), optionally wherein a central area (1752) of the rotational pad (1712) is void of protuberances (1750).
  14. The protective boot of any one of the preceding claims in combination with claim 4, wherein at least 30% of the surface area of the protective boot has the air permeability value, or at least 40% of the surface area of the protective boot has the air permeability value, or at least 50% of the surface area of the protective boot has the air permeability value.
  15. Use of the protective boot according to any one of the preceding claims to protect an equine leg while facilitating air flow circulation around the equine leg.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to protective devices. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a protective system for an appendage of a human or an animal. The system can be configured as a boot for an animal, including, for example, a leg of an equine. BACKGROUND Existing limb protective systems typically wrap around the limb fully enclosing the area covered, and thus, reducing airflow to and around the limb. For example, in the case of horses, "boots" are often used to encompass some or a portion of a lower region of a horse's leg for protection. GB 2 444 770 A discloses a protective horse boot of the related art. Often times, the protective boot is made from or includes a neoprene wrap that helps reduce injury to the limb due to interference or impact trauma to skin, tendons, and bone on one or more of the dorsal, palmar (plantar), medial or lateral aspects of a front or rear leg. Interference generally refers to hitting a region of the leg of the horse by a hoof (or other part of the anatomy) of a different leg. Injury can also occur due to impact of a region of the front or rear limb with, for example, an object such as a barrel, jump standard, stick, polo mallet, trees, bushes, rocks, and the like. However, a significant disadvantage to known protective boots is that they thermally insulate the lower portion of the horse's leg and trap heat inside the boot. Excessive heating of horses' lower limbs can contribute to, exacerbate, or directly cause tissue damage that may require prolonged periods of rest, therapy, or retirement from competition or exercise. Improvements to protective boot and leg systems are therefore desired. SUMMARY A protective boot according to the invention is disclosed in any one of claims 1-14. The use of a protective boot according to the invention is disclosed in claim 15. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The following drawing figures, which form a part of this application, are illustrative of the described technology and are not meant to limit the scope of the disclosure in any manner. FIG. 1 is a schematic of equine distal front limb anatomy.FIG. 2 is a side view of an exemplary protective boot for an equine leg in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the protective boot and equine leg shown in FIG. 2 and taken along line 3-3.FIG. 4 is a side view of another exemplary protective boot for an equine leg in accordance with the present disclosure.FIG. 5 is a side view of another exemplary protective boot for an equine leg in accordance with the present disclosure.FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the protective boot shown in FIG. 5.FIG. 6a is an embodiment of a cross-section of the protective boot shown in FIG. 6 taken along line 6a-6a.FIG. 6b is another embodiment of a cross-section of the protective boot shown in FIG. 6 taken along line 6b-6b.FIG. 6c is another embodiment of a cross-section of the protective boot shown in FIG. 6 taken along line 6c-6c.FIG. 6d is another embodiment of a cross-section of the protective boot shown in FIG. 6 taken along line 6d-6d.FIG. 7 is a side view of another exemplary protective boot for an equine leg in accordance with the present disclosure.FIG. 8 is a proximal end view of the protective boot shown in FIG. 7.FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the protective boot shown in FIG. 7.FIG. 10 is a side view of another exemplary protective boot for an equine leg in accordance with the present disclosure.FIG. 11 is a side view of another exemplary protective boot for an equine leg in accordance with the present disclosure.FIG. 12 includes schematic views of exemplary surface structures that may be included with the protective boots described herein.FIG. 13 is another schematic view of a surface structure that can be included with the protective boots described herein.FIG. 14 is a schematic view of a strut or reinforcing member having different cross-sectional profile sections.FIG. 15 is a schematic view of another strut or reinforcing member having a plurality of rings.FIGS. 16a-d are perspective views of another exemplary protective boot in accordance with the present disclosure.FIGS. 17a-d are perspective views of another exemplary protective boot in accordance with the present disclosure.FIGS. 18a-e are perspective views of another exemplary protective boot in accordance with the present disclosure.FIGS. 19a-f are perspective views of another exemplary protective boot in accordance with the present disclosure.FIGS. 20a-d are perspective views of another exemplary protective boot in accordance with the present disclosure.FIG. 21 is a perspective view of another exemplary protective boot in accordance with the present disclosure.FIG. 22 is a schematic view of a protective boot on an equine leg in accordance with the present disclosure.FIGS. 23, 24, 25, and 26a and b are schematic views of contact material for a rotational pad.FIGS. 27a-c are perspective views of another exemplary p