Hoof balancer and limb alignment tool
First Claim
1. A measuring and assessing device for use in bringing an equine hoof into correct position and balance relative to an adjoining pastern and upper limb, said device being directly applied to an equine hoof wall, parallel to a coronet band, in the manner of a template or pattern, said device comprising:
- (a) a flexible, malleable, and resilient material more or less ovate in shape being continuous and rounded at one end and open and discontinuous at the opposite end, and having a first side and an opposing second side, an upper edge and an opposing lower edge, a medial aspect, a lateral aspect, an anterior aspect which is the continuous, rounded end, and a posterior aspect which is the opposing open end;
(b) a set of markings and measurement indices which are indelibly inscribed on the anterior, medial, lateral, and posterior aspects of the device and which describe dimensions and locations of anatomical structures affecting the balance and alignment of said hoof,(c) an attaching system located in the area of said open ended, posterior portion of the device, which joins the terminal portions of the medial and lateral aspects of the device by which the said resilience of said flexible and resilient material may be reinforced thereby providing a means of temporarily affixing said device to the equine hoof.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a visual aid for balancing and aligning the equine hoof. Unlike previous devices that consider only the ground surface when balancing the hoof capsule, this invention utilizes coronet band and hoof capsule deformation as the start point for rebalancing giving it a top down approach. This wrap-around device is superimposed upon a live hoof capsule for measurement and visualization. The invention is flexible, resilient, and adjustable allowing for proper placement and utilization on all equine hooves. A posterior attaching mechanism may be incorporated into the device for added stability. On the surface of the device are various markings with which measurements are made.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A measuring and assessing device for use in bringing an equine hoof into correct position and balance relative to an adjoining pastern and upper limb, said device being directly applied to an equine hoof wall, parallel to a coronet band, in the manner of a template or pattern, said device comprising:
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(a) a flexible, malleable, and resilient material more or less ovate in shape being continuous and rounded at one end and open and discontinuous at the opposite end, and having a first side and an opposing second side, an upper edge and an opposing lower edge, a medial aspect, a lateral aspect, an anterior aspect which is the continuous, rounded end, and a posterior aspect which is the opposing open end; (b) a set of markings and measurement indices which are indelibly inscribed on the anterior, medial, lateral, and posterior aspects of the device and which describe dimensions and locations of anatomical structures affecting the balance and alignment of said hoof, (c) an attaching system located in the area of said open ended, posterior portion of the device, which joins the terminal portions of the medial and lateral aspects of the device by which the said resilience of said flexible and resilient material may be reinforced thereby providing a means of temporarily affixing said device to the equine hoof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A tool for measuring a hoof attached to an adjoining pastern and upper limb;
- the hoof including a ground surface, a toe, an upper edge, a medial pillar, and a lateral pillar;
the upper edge of the hoof defined by a coronet band;
the ground surface of the hoof and the coronet band having balanced configurations when the hoof is correctly positioned relative to the adjoining pastern and upper limb, the balanced configurations including a hoof angle between the ground surface and the hoof at an anterior apex of the toe, the tool comprising;flexible material configured to wrap around the hoof, the flexible material including an upper edge and an opposing lower edge, a first side and an opposing second side, the first side of the tool for contacting the hoof; the upper edge of the tool having a configuration that imitates the balanced configuration of the coronet band when the hoof is correctly positioned relative to the adjoining pastern and upper limb; and the lower edge of the tool having a configuration that imitates the balanced configuration of the ground surface of the hoof when the hoof is correctly positioned relative to the adjoining pastern and upper limb. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- the hoof including a ground surface, a toe, an upper edge, a medial pillar, and a lateral pillar;
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17. A tool for measuring a hoof attached to an adjoining pastern and upper limb;
- the hoof including a ground surface, a toe, an upper edge, a medial pillar, and a lateral pillar;
the upper edge of the hoof defined by a coronet band;
the tool comprising;flexible material configured to wrap around the hoof, the flexible material including an upper edge and an opposing lower edge, a first side and an opposing second side, the first side of the tool for contacting the hoof, the second side of the tool including markings to indicate at least one line that is substantially parallel to the lower edge of the tool; the upper edge of the tool including markings to indicate the toe, the medial pillar, and the lateral pillar of the hoof; and the lower edge of the tool having a larger circumference than the upper edge and lying substantially in a single plane wherein an angle between the single plane and the second side of the tool, at the marking that indicates the toe of the hoof, is approximately a same angle as a hoof angle between the ground surface and a balanced hoof at the anterior apex of the toe of the balanced hoof. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
- the hoof including a ground surface, a toe, an upper edge, a medial pillar, and a lateral pillar;
Specification