Abstract:
A long-wear equine diagnostic boot for use on the lower leg of a horse has a plurality of alignment ribs for locating a bladder against the horse&#39;s limb when the boot is secured to the horse&#39;s leg. An electronic diagnostic device retained and secured in the boot inflates the bladder upon activation to urge the bladder for engagement against the horse. The bladder transmits a signal via a pulse transmission tube to the electronic device. The boot is constructed of latex-free, breathable, lightweight, washable material which allows for safe, long-wearing of the boot.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/959,081 filed Aug. 13, 2013, and incorporates the same into this specification for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This present invention relates to equine boots. More particularly, the present invention relates to a long-wear equine diagnostic boot for the lower limbs of horses and, even more particularly, for use at the fetlock area of a horse. The fetlock is the common name for the metacarpolphalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints (MCPJ and MTPJ) of horses, large animals, and sometimes dogs. It is the projection of the leg of a horse behind the joint between the cannon bone and great pastern bone, often bearing a tuft of hair. 
     Equine boots are described in various ways to indicate their specific uses. A variety of such boots include, but is not limited to, equilibrium stretch and flex flatwork leg wraps, all-purpose galloping boots, shipping boots, single lock brushing boots, dressage sports boots, therapeutic no-bow wraps, etc. The present invention is a boot designed specifically to monitor and diagnose physiological conditions of the horse over an extended time period. Thus, it is referred to as a diagnostic boot. 
     The boot is designed to retain and secure a variety of wireless electronic devices. These devices may monitor and gather data such as pulse, pulse pressure, blood pressure, hydration, respiration, blood volume and hemorrhaging for diagnostic purposes. The devices also slave up to other devices, such as a temperature patch and pulse oximeter. The devices may be non-invasive and wireless physiological monitoring systems. They may be powered by lithium polymer batteries and include a high accuracy pressure sensor, an ARM processor, a flash memory and blue tooth communication (Bluetooth transceiver). 
     The prior art for horse boots is extensive and includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,443,763; 6,918,236; 5,579,627; 5,441,015; 5,363,632; 4,420,411; and 2,194,921. This prior art teaches and discloses flexible wraps and boots which support and restrict movement at the fetlock joint. 
     Most current equine boots are manufactured of dressing materials which hold heat and moisture against the horse&#39;s leg which may cause injury to the horse. The present invention is designed not only to secure and retain an electronic diagnostic device but also be designed for extended wear through the use of breathable, lightweight, and washable materials. This present invention provides fixed alignment ribs for disposition proximally along the outside of the deep digital flexor tendon in the groove formed in the horse&#39;s leg. This allows for enhanced capture of the digital pulse for use in diagnosis and for maintaining alignment of the electronic diagnosis device during use. The prior art does not teach the features and elements of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides a long-wear equine diagnostic boot which securely holds and retains a wireless electronic diagnostic apparatus on the horse&#39;s lower leg while protecting the horse&#39;s leg from heat retention. The invention utilizes fabrics that may be worn on the horse&#39;s leg for prolonged periods without sliding and chaffing the animal&#39;s skin during the horse&#39;s daily activities. A pneumatic bladder in contact with the horse&#39;s limb transmits a pulse to the electronic diagnostic device via a tube extending from the bladder to the electronic device. Alignment ribs ensure proper disposition of the boot on the horse&#39;s leg. Boot construction materials are easily washable and dried for repeated usage. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates the lower portion of a horse&#39;s leg showing the fetlock and the longitudinal groove extending along the outer side of the horse&#39;s leg proximal the deep digital flexor tendon. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side elevation view of the diagnostic boot showing the inner surface of the boot with the left edge partially folded for closure of the boot. 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates the boot of  FIG. 2  showing the placement of the bladder over the through hole and the alignment ribs and showing the distal end of the pulse transmission tube attached to the electronic device in the pocket. 
         FIG. 2B  shows the rear outside surface of the boot of  FIG. 2A  with the pulse transmission tube passing through the hole in the body of the boot. 
         FIG. 3  shows the boot wrapped securely about a horse&#39;s lower leg with the cup section of the fitted heel portion covering the fetlock of the horse and the electronic diagnostic device disposed within the mesh pocket of the central closure strap. 
         FIG. 4  is a top side perspective view of the bladder of the present diagnostic boot with the pulse transmission tube attached to the bladder. 
         FIG. 4A  is a top plan view of the bladder of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 4B  is a side elevation view of the bladder of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 4C  is a bottom plan view of the bladder of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Turning now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates the lower portion  10  of a horse&#39;s leg showing the fetlock joint  12 , the hoof  14  and the groove  16  extending longitudinally and downward proximal the deep digital flexor tendon. The front portion  18  of the leg  10  is forward the cannon bone. The long pastern bone and the short pastern bone are located in the lower most portion  20  of the leg above the coffin bone and hoof The rear of the leg  22  curves forward below the fetlock joint and this facilitates the fitting of a heel portion of the present diagnostic boot to conform to the joint area. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a side elevation view in partial perspective of the boot  30 . A foldable, flexible, latex-free wicking fabric panel  32  has a two-sided (dual laminated) soft surface. The inner surface  34  is shown in  FIG. 2 . Both the inner surface  34  and the outer surface  36  are covered with the soft loop portion of a “hook-and-loop” fastener fabric. 
     The panel  32  has three separate closure straps  37 ,  38 , and  39  securely attached to the outer surface  36  of the panel. Upper  38  and lower  39  straps shown in  FIG. 2  are only shown partially to provide a clearer illustration. It should be understood that straps  38  and  39  are of sufficient length to wrap around to the rear, outer surface  35  ( FIG. 2B ) when the panel is closed around the horse&#39;s leg. The straps  38  and  39  have hook fastener portions on distal ends of the straps for engagement and attachment to the soft loop surface of the panel when the panel is wrapped to form the boot on the horse&#39;s leg. 
     The inner surface  34  of panel  32  is provided with two vertically aligned, spaced-apart, longitudinal ribs  40  and  42 . Each rib is a short length of rubber or polyurethane tubing (non-metallic) approximately ½ inches in length. Each tubing section is covered with latex-free neoprene fabric member  43  slightly larger than the tubing sections to enable the tubing to be covered so as to affix the ribs to the inner surface of the panel. Normally the covered ribs will be sewn onto the fabric panel  32 , but other fastening methods may be utilized (such as gluing). 
     The ribs  40  and  42  are spaced apart approximately 1 ¾″-2″ and project inwardly from the inner surface  34 . In the space between the ribs, and in longitudinal alignment, is a pass through hole  44  sized to allow a ⅛ inch pulse transmission tube to pass there through as will be explained below. 
     Near the lower margin  50  of the panel  30  several darts or pleats  52  are formed in the panel  30 . The panel  30  has, by virtue of these stitched pleats, a concave-convex or cup-like section A adjacent the lower margin to receive and comfortably accommodate the horse&#39;s fetlock joint. Thus, area A between pleats  52  forms an indented pocket or cup portion for accommodating the ankle of the horse. The use of the pleats or darts avoids the problem of wrinkling at the base of the ankle and provides a deep pocket to conform to the ankle joint. 
       FIG. 2  also discloses a central closure strap  37  disposed between straps  38  and  39 . Central strap  37  is securely attached, by stitching or the like, to the outer soft loop surface  36  of the boot  30 . The central strap  37  is a dri-cut piece of latex-free neoprene approximately 11-12″ long and 3″ wide with a hook fastener portion  41  sewn on the inside, distal end of the strap. 
     A mesh pocket  60  measuring approximately 3-3 ½ inches×2-2 ½ inches is sewn on the inner surface of the strap  37 . This pocket  60  is sized to securely hold and retain a wireless electronic diagnostic device  70 . The pocket  60  has a pulse transmission tubing opening  62  in the bottom adapted to receive a second end  84  of the pulse transmission tubing  82  running from a pulse bladder  90 , as well as described further below, to the electronic device  70 . 
     In  FIG. 2A , it may be seen that a pulse bladder  90  has been disposed over the ribs  40  and  42  and the pass through hole  40 . The bladder  90  will be described in detail below. Because the pneumatic bladder  90  overlays the ribs  40  and  42 , when the panel  32  is wrapped about and secured to the horse&#39;s lower leg with the ribs aligned within the groove  16  in the horse&#39;s leg, the bladder will be urged into contact with the surface of the horse&#39;s leg. This engagement and contact is further enhanced when the electronic device  70  is activated and inflates the bladder to a low pressure that does not restrict blood flow. 
       FIG. 2B  illustrates the rear, outer surface  35  of the boot  30  showing how the pulse transmission tub  82  passes through hole  44  and extends around to the front of the boot and is connectable to the underside of the electronic device  70  ( FIG. 2A ). 
       FIG. 3  illustrates how the diagnostic boot  30  may be fitted to the horse&#39;s lower leg  10 . Once the bladder  90  is secured to the inner surface  34  by the hook portion of material  93  on the top of the bladder  90 , it overlaps the ribs  40  and  42 . 
     The tube  82  is passed through hole  44  and extends to the outside of the boot. This tube will be connected to the electronic device  70  in the pocket  60  on the inside of the central strap  37 . 
     The boot  30  is placed on the horse&#39;s leg such that the ribs  40  and  42  align with the groove  16  in the horse&#39;s leg. The panel  32  is wrapped around the horse&#39;s leg and tightened against the leg by the upper and lower strap  38  and  39 . The cup section A of the boot conforms to the fetlock joint. 
     Next, the distal end  84  of tube  82  is passed through hole  62  in the mesh pocket  60  on the inside of the central strap  37  and is connected to the electronic device  70 . 
     The central strap  37  is pulled tightly around the outer surface  36  of the panel  32  securing the device  70  at the front side of the horse&#39;s leg proximal to pastern bone. Upon activation of the electronic device, the bladder  90  is inflated ensuring contact of the natural urethane bottom  95  of the bladder  90  with the horse&#39;s leg. The electronic diagnostic device  70  senses the pulse from the bladder and compiles physiological data from it. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 4-4C , the pulse bladder  90  is shown. In  FIG. 4 , the bladder  90  is shown with a straight urethane connector  91  attaching a length of flexible pulse transmission tubing  82  (⅛″ OD× 1/16″ ID×12″ long). The top surface  93  is a sealable hook portion of material for attaching the bladder  90  over the ribs  40  and  42  and against the inner surface  34  of the panel  32  with the tube  82  passing through hole  44  (See  FIG. 2A ). The bottom surface  95  of the bladder  90  is a 2 mil piece of natural urethane which is bonded and sealed to the hook portion of material  93  to form the bladder  90 . 
     Although the disclosed subject matter and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the claimed subject matter is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition, or matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods or steps.