Patent ID: 7818952

Claim:
A hoof boot, the hoof boot comprising a hoof-enveloping casing, the casing having an inner surface, an outer surface, a bottom casing portion, an intermediate casing portion, and an upper casing portion, the inner and outer surfaces being non-parallel at the upper and intermediate casing portions for effecting axially varied inwardly directed radial forces through the upper and intermediate casing portions, the inner and outer surfaces being substantially parallel at the bottom casing portion for effecting substantially uniform upwardly directed return forces at the bottom casing portion, the upper casing portion comprising a beaded band, the beaded band having axially and periodically spaced regions of increased and reduced material thickness intermediate the inner and outer surfaces thereby forming circumferentially extending beads at the outer surface, the axially and periodically spaced, circumferentially extending beads for effecting axially and periodically spaced regions of greater and lesser boot-retentive forces, the beads comprising a rounded cross-section at the outer surface, the rounded cross-sections for reducing stress concentration development.