Abstract:
An elastic bandage for horses&#39; legs particularly suitable for protecting horses&#39; legs without limiting their movement and without preventing transpiration. The application of the bandage does not cause rubbing or abrasion of the horses&#39; legs.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an elastic bandage, particularly suitable for being worn as a bandage on a horse&#39;s leg. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The use of elastic bandages on the legs of horses, aimed at preventing traumas and injuries of the horses&#39; legs, especially when the animals are subjected to intense labor, is known of. 
         [0003]    Specifically, such bandages also set out to protect and contain the movement of the tendons of the horses&#39; legs. 
         [0004]    Known state-of-the-art bandages foresee the use of a first bandage strip, or under bandage made from non-allergic, soft material to avoid causing abrasions on the horse&#39;s coat. 
         [0005]    Such under bandage often fails to ensure the right compromise between protecting the leg and providing sufficient elasticity not to hinder the movements of the leg; as well as often causing excessive sweating of the horses&#39; legs. As a result of the excessive sweating, the bandages tend to loosen or to slide down the leg, slipping towards the hoof. 
         [0006]    Furthermore, in the known, state-of-the-art solutions, over the first bandage wound around the horse&#39;s leg a second elastic bandage in fabric is worn, able to cover the silicone portion and make the first bandage adhere more closely to the horse&#39;s leg. 
         [0007]    The known state-of-the-art solutions present numerous drawbacks. For example they are inconvenient and complicated to fit onto the horse&#39;s leg, given that the first bandage is initially wound around and anchored to the leg, in direct contact with the horse&#39;s coat, and then a second elastic bandage in fabric is wound over the first. As a result the second bandage often tends to shift in relation to the first, for example on account of the horse sweating, and thus to loosen the bandaging. If the bandaging becomes loose, the bandage is no longer able to compress the tendons of the horse&#39;s leg sufficiently and the risk of injury increases. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The aim of the present invention is to produce a bandage for horses which overcomes the drawbacks referred to in relation to the technical note. 
         [0009]    Such drawbacks and limitations are resolved by a bandage according to claim  1 . 
         [0010]    Other forms of embodiment of the bandage according to the invention are described in the subsequent claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be evident from the description below, made by way of an indicative and non-limiting example of its preferred embodiments, wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view in separate parts of a bandage according to a form of embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view, in an assembled configuration, of the bandage in  FIG. 1 , from an angle showing the side of the bandage designed to be in direct contact with the horse&#39;s coat; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the bandage in  FIG. 1 , in an assembled configuration, from an angle showing the side of the bandage opposite to that designed to be in direct contact with the horse&#39;s coat. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    The elements or parts of elements common to the forms of embodiment described below will be denoted using the same reference numeral. 
         [0016]    With reference to the aforesaid figures, reference numeral  4  globally denotes a bandage for horses&#39; legs, suitable for wrapping around the legs of the horse. 
         [0017]    According to one form of embodiment, said bandage  4  comprises a first bandage strip  8  suitable for winding directly onto the horse&#39;s coat, and to be covered by a second covering bandage strip  12 . 
         [0018]    Preferably, the first strip  8  is made from a silicone gel able to adhere to the horse&#39;s leg so as to conform to the morphology of the said limb. 
         [0019]    Preferably, the first strip  8  has a number of holes  16  able to permit the transpiration of the horse&#39;s coat. 
         [0020]    Advantageously, said holes  16  are of such a size as to improve the deformation capacity of the first strip  8  and the adaptation of the same to the morphology of the horse&#39;s leg. 
         [0021]    Preferably, said holes  16  are evenly distributed over said first strip and contribute to lightening the weight of the first strip  8 . 
         [0022]    According to one form of embodiment, the bandage  4  comprises a first bandage strip  8  suitable for winding directly onto the horse&#39;s coat and a second bandage strip  12  suitable for covering and strengthening the compression of said first strip  8 . 
         [0023]    Advantageously, the first and second strips  8 , 12  are joined to each other at their respective first and second upper extremities  20 , 24 . 
         [0024]    Advantageously, the joining of said upper extremities  20 , 24  is made so as to be seamless. 
         [0025]    According to one form of embodiment, the joining of said extremities  20 , 24  is performed by means of a co-molding technique. 
         [0026]    Preferably, said first and second upper extremities  20 , 24  overlay at least partially with the first and the second strip  12 , 8  respectively so that at the point of a hooking portion  28  of the strips  8 , 12 , said strips are at least partially overlaid. 
         [0027]    Preferably, the second upper extremity  24  of the second strip  12  is positioned on the part opposite the part of the strip placed against the horse&#39;s coat. 
         [0028]    Preferably, the first upper extremity  20  comprises a pair of slots  32 , on the side of the bandage suitable for placing directly against the horse&#39;s coat. 
         [0029]    According to one form of embodiment, the first upper extremity  20 , at the point of attachment with the second strip  12 , comprises a pair of tabs  36 , able to overlay at least partially the second strip  12 , on the side opposite the part of the strip placed against the horse&#39;s coat. 
         [0030]    Preferably, the width of the first strip  8  is greater or the same as the width of the second strip  12 . 
         [0031]    Advantageously, the second bandage strip  12  is an elastic strip. 
         [0032]    For example, the second strip  12  is a strip of medical sheepskin, or wool or acrylic, or fleece, lycra or similar. 
         [0033]    The method of producing a bandage according to the present invention will now be described. 
         [0034]    The method of making comprises the phases of predisposing a strip in silicone gel suitable for winding directly onto the horse&#39;s coat and making a number of holes in said strip in silicone gel so as to permit transpiration from the horse&#39;s coat. 
         [0035]    The first strip  8  is then laid over the second strip  12  in elastic material with the relative upper extremities  20 ,  24  laid directly against each other. 
         [0036]    Said upper extremities  20 , 24  are then joined so as to create a seamless joint. 
         [0037]    Preferably, the assembly phase of the strips  8 , 12  is performed by means of a co-molding technique of the said upper extremities  20 , 24 , so as to incorporate at least partially a portion of the second strip inside the first strip in silicone gel. 
         [0038]    As may be appreciated from this description, the bandage according to this invention makes it possible to overcome the drawbacks presented in the technical note. 
         [0039]    In fact, the first strip in silicone gel means that the bandage can be perfectly adapted to the morphology of the horse&#39;s leg. 
         [0040]    In addition, the presence of the holes limits the sweating of the horse and encourages transpiration from the leg. Moreover, the holes help to reduce the total weight of the bandage so as to reduce to a minimum the limitation of the movements of the horse. 
         [0041]    In addition, the holes increase the elasticity of the bandage and make it easier to deform so as to mold perfectly to the morphology of the horse&#39;s leg. 
         [0042]    In addition, the use of a seamless joint between the first and second strips prevents any rubbing or abrasion of the horse&#39;s leg. 
         [0043]    In addition, thanks to the fact that the first and second bandage strips are in a single piece, the chances of the covering strip loosening are reduced. 
         [0044]    According to a further advantage the bandage is easier to fit onto the leg than known state-of-the-art bandages, given that it is a single piece. 
         [0045]    A technician skilled in this area, may make numerous modifications and adjustments to the bandages described above so as to satisfy contingent and specific requirements, all contained within the sphere of the invention as defined by the following claims.