FR2862842A1 - Ankle boot for hydro-massaging limbs of e.g. horse, has inner layer perforated on its surface to constitute outlet openings that allow continuous and regular water flow, and tabs with elastic bands fixed on fastening band to lock boot - Google Patents

Abstract

The boot (1) has inner and outer layers (2, 3) made of rubber, where water circulates between the layers. A connection unit (5) connects the boot to a pressurized water source. The layer (2) is perforated on a major part of its surface to constitute multiple outlet openings (6) that allow a continuous and regular water flow. Tabs (9) have elastic bands (10) that are fixed on a fastening band (11) for locking the boot. An independent claim is also included for a horse harness having an ankle boot.

Description

Hydromassage gaiter and associated harness Technical field of the invention

  The invention relates to a cooling gaiter having an inner layer and an outer layer of hermetic material, between which a cooling liquid circulates, and means for connection to a source of liquid under pressure.

  The invention also relates to a harness comprising at least one gaiter. STATE OF THE ART Animals, particularly horses, generally experience significant pain, particularly of the muscular, tendonous, osseous, or inflammatory type, on their forelimb and hindquarters after the accomplishment of important efforts. It is therefore advisable to cool the animal's limbs to relieve it.

  It is known to simply use a garden hose and direct the jet of water on the painful limb of the animal for about a quarter of an hour to cool the limb and relieve the animal. However, this manual cooling operation proves to be tedious and tiring, because it requires the presence of a full-time person to hold the hose and shower the limb to be treated.

  It has also been proposed automatic cooling devices. FR-A-2392659 and US 3905367 disclose cooling devices for relieving the horse members after a major effort. They consist of a gaiter or a sleeve and a device for circulating water inside the gaiter. These gaiters are installed on the painful limbs of the animal and are connected to a source of water under pressure to provide a sufficient amount of cooling liquid. The devices are then started by a person, who can leave the animal alone. The gaiter generally comprises an inner layer and an outer layer, between which water circulates, through flexible or non-flexible hoses, to generate a cooling effect and to relieve the members of the animal. However, even if these devices do not require continuous manual action from a person, such cooling devices provide only incomplete and uneven treatment of pain.

  OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide a gaiter which does not have these disadvantages and, in particular, a cooling gaiter improving the pain treatment devices for the painful limbs of an animal.

  According to the invention, this object is achieved by the fact that the inner layer is perforated over most of its surface, so as to form a plurality of flow orifices allowing a continuous and regular flow of the cooling liquid. This characteristic flow causes not only a cooling of the painful limb of the animal, but also a hydromassage effect, through a multitude of small streams of water under pressure.

  According to a characteristic of the invention, the flow orifices are arranged so as to form a regular network over the entire perforated surface of the inner layer.

  According to a development of the invention, the diameter of the flow orifices disposed in an upper part of the gaiter is greater than the diameter of the flow orifices arranged in a lower part of the gaiter.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the inner layer and the outer layer of hermetic material are heat-sealed around the inner layer.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the gaiter comprises means for closing and adjusting its size.

  The invention also relates to a harness comprising a central liquid distribution connection element, intended to be connected to the source of liquid under pressure, and connected to four ducts, each having at its free end a connecting member complementary connection means of a gaiter.

Brief description of the drawings

  Other advantages and features will emerge more clearly from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention given by way of non-limiting example and represented in the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a first embodiment of a gaiter according to the invention.

  FIG. 2 diagrammatically represents the front limb of a horse equipped with a gaiter according to FIG.

  Figure 3 is an alternative embodiment of the gaiter according to the invention.

  FIG. 4 schematically represents the posterior limb of a horse 10 equipped with a gaiter according to FIG.

  Figure 5 shows an embodiment of a harness according to the invention.

  Figure 6 shows schematically a horse equipped with a harness and four gaiters according to Figures 1 to 5.

  Description of particular embodiments

  In Figure 1, a cooling gaiter 1 for hydromassage, has an inner layer 2 and an outer layer 3 of hermetic material. The two layers 2 and 3 are made of flexible material, preferably rubber, which is a flexible material having good sealing characteristics and resistance to deformation. The layers 2 and 3 are preferably heat-sealed around the periphery 4 of the inner layer 2, in order to create a pocket for receiving a cooling liquid. For this purpose, a source or reservoir of pressurized liquid (not shown) preferably containing water (which is the most suitable liquid for the situation), is connected to the gaiter 1 via connecting means. These connecting means comprise a connecting element 5, hermetically inserted in the heat-sealed periphery 4 of the inner layer 2. The coupling element 5 is preferably a universal type connection allowing a quick and secure clipping on a pipe. flow (not shown) connecting the source or the reservoir of liquid under pressure to the gaiter 1.

  The inner layer 2 is perforated over most of its surface, so as to form a plurality of flow orifices 6 making it possible to obtain a continuous and regular flow of the cooling liquid, in order to obtain a hydromassage effect on the limb to treat the animal. The flow orifices 6 are arranged to form a regular network over the entire perforated surface of the inner layer 2. By way of example, the spacing between two adjacent flow orifices 6 is of the order of 10 to 30 mm. The diameter of the flow orifices 6, arranged at the top of the gaiter 1 at the level of the connecting element 5, is preferably greater than that of the flow orifices 6 arranged at the bottom of the gaiter 1. a better distribution of water and a more regular and more effective massage of the limb to be treated.

  The gaiter 1 preferably comprises two free ends 7 and 8, intended, on the one hand, to fold over one another to close the gaiter 1 and, on the other hand, to cooperate during the positioning of the gaiter 1 on the animal to adapt the size of the gaiter 1 to the size of the member to be treated. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the inner layer 2 may be narrower than the outer layer 3, so that a first free end 7 of the gaiter 1 has only the outer layer 3. Thus, no orifice 6 of flow is disposed on this end 7 of the gaiter 1 which can be folded on the other end 8 in the closed position.

  The closure and adjustment means of the gaiter 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 comprise at least one tongue 9 of rapid attachment, integral with the first end 7 of the outer layer 3. A plurality of tongues 9 are fixed, of preferably, side by side along the end 7 to obtain a better closure (Figure 1). In addition, the tabs 9 preferably comprise elastic strips 10, located between their end integral with the outer layer 3 and their free end, to refine the adjustment of the closure of the gaiter 1. The closure and adjustment means also comprise fixing elements integral with the second end 8 of the ratchet and intended to cooperate with the tongues 9 of fast attachment.

  o The fastening elements are preferably constituted by at least one fast fastening strip 11, integral with the end 8 and arranged vertically. The free ends of the tongues 9 are fixed on the band 11 during the closing of the gaiter 1. The band 11 is shaped like the loop part of a Velcro-type quick-fastener and the tongues 9 are shaped like the hook parts of the band. Velcro type quick coupler.

  As represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, the gaiter 1 may be constituted by a substantially rectangular band 11, in order to be able to adapt to the front limbs of an animal, in particular a horse whose lower part of the front limbs is substantially cylindrical (FIG. ), between the joints (between the knee and the ball).

  The embodiment variant shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 differs essentially from the previous embodiment in the form of the gaiter 1.

  Indeed, as shown in Figure 3, the gaiter 1 is preformed so as to match the shape of the hind limbs of the animal, including a horse. The gaiter 1 forms a border with a boss, so as to match the shape of the hock of the horse's leg (Figure 4).

  The size of the gaiter 1, according to Figure 3, is preferably provided to be complementary to a gaiter 1 according to Figure 1. It is thus possible to install two complementary gaiters 1 on the hind limb of the horse, namely a first gaiter 1, according to Figure 3, on the hock and a second gaiter 1, according to Figure 1, between the ball and the first gaiter 1.

  In FIG. 3, the fastening elements comprise two strips 12 and 13 of fast attachment, situated on either side of the boss of the gaiter 1. The tongues 9 are distributed in two zones on the end 7, on the other hand. and other boss, so as to cooperate with the strips 12 and 13 during the closure of the gaiter 1. The tabs 9 and the strips 12 and 13 are of the same type of quick coupler as the previous embodiment ( Velcro type).

  According to a preferred use shown in Figures 5 and 6, it is possible to combine the different embodiments of the gaiter 1 described above to a harness 14. In Figure 5, the harness 14 comprises a central connecting member 15 , intended to connect the harness 14 to the source of pressurized liquid (not shown) via a flow pipe (not shown). Four flow ducts 16, flexible or not, are connected to the central coupling element 15 via two central flow ducts 17, located on either side of the central coupling element 15. Each duct 16 has at its free end, opposite to the central flow duct 17, a connecting member 18, complementary to the connecting element 5 of a gaiter 1. Thus, the harness 14 offers the possibility of connecting four gaiters 1, more particularly two leggings 1, according to FIG. 1, shaped for the front limbs and two leggings 1, according to FIG. 3, shaped for the hind limbs, in order to treat at the same time the four members of the animal (FIG. ).

  Preferably, as shown in Figure 6, the harness 14 has substantially the shape of an H to fit the shape of the back of the animal. The two central flow ducts 17, representing the horizontal bar of the H, are positioned longitudinally on the back of the animal and thus, the four flow ducts 16, representing the four branches of the H, hang laterally along the legs of the animal. The harness 14 thus remains alone on the animal. The animal is thus much more free of its movements when it is equipped with the harness 14 holding the leggings 1. The flow ducts 16 and the central ducts 17 of the harness 14 are preferably made of flexible rubber, which is a material having good sealing characteristics and resistance to deformation.

  The various embodiments described above therefore propose a harness 14 and a cooling gaiter 1 making it possible to improve the treatment of the animal's pain, by performing a regular massage, on the limb (s) to be treated, by the projection a multitude of jets of water, thanks to the regular network of the outlets 6 of the gaiter 1. The gaiter 1 and the harness 14 provide, in particular, the following advantages: - the possibility of treating at the same time the four members of an animal thanks to the use of the harness 14, the possibility, thanks to the harness 14, to prevent the slipping of the gaiters 1 and the possible injuries during the movements of the animal, the possibility of reducing the water consumption, taking into account the better distribution of water in the gaiter 1 and in the ducts 16 and 17 of the harness 14.

  The invention is not limited to the embodiments of the gaiter 1 described above. In particular, the tongues 9 may be shaped into a belt having a plurality of orifices arranged one after the other and corresponding to different adjustment positions. The fastening elements 11 are then formed by belt loops to be able to cooperate with the tongues 9. This configuration allows a more secure closure and a more effective clamping, in the case of nervous animals and stirring enormously.

  Similarly, the gaiter 1 can be declined in all shapes and sizes to fit, for example, different types of equines (horses, ponies, donkeys, zebras etc ...). It is also possible to make a gaiter 1 without closing means, the gaiter 1 slipping down the leg of the animal.

  The invention is also not limited to the embodiment of the harness 14 described above. In particular, the flow ducts 16 and 17 of the harness 14 may comprise valves to more or less close the ducts and to obtain an additional adjustment of the flow of water and the pressure of the water. The harness 14 may also include a strap surrounding the flanks of the animal to more effectively maintain the harness 14 on the back of the animal.

  A preferred application for gaiter 1 and harness 14 is for the animals. However, it is possible to adapt them to people, in particular the gaiter 1 can be shaped to fit an arm or a leg.

Claims (11)

claims   1. Cooling gaiter (1) having an inner layer (2) and an outer layer (3) of hermetic material, between which a cooling liquid circulates, and means for connection to a source of liquid under pressure, gaiter characterized in that that the inner layer (2) is perforated over most of its surface, so as to form a plurality of flow orifices (6) allowing a continuous and regular flow of the coolant.   2. gaiter according to claim 1, characterized in that the flow orifices (6) are arranged to form a regular network over the entire perforated surface of the inner layer (2).   3. Gaiter according to claim 2, characterized in that the diameter of the flow orifices (6) disposed in an upper part of the gaiter (1) is greater than the diameter of the flow orifices (6) arranged in a lower part. the gaiter (1).   4. Gaiter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the inner layer (2) and the outer layer (3) of hermetic material are heat-sealed on the periphery (4) of the inner layer (2).   5. Gaiter according to claim 4, characterized in that the connecting means comprise a connecting element (5) inserted hermetically in the periphery (4) heat-welded.   6. gaiter according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the inner layer (2) and outer (3) are of flexible material.   7. Gaiter according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises means for closing and adjusting the size of the gaiter (1).   8. Gaiter according to claim 7, characterized in that the closing and adjusting means comprise at least one tongue (9) of fast attachment, secured to one end (7) of the gaiter (1) and intended to cooperate with a fastening element (11) integral with the other end (8) of the gaiter (1).   9. Gaiter according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the gaiter (1) is constituted by a substantially rectangular strip.   10. gaiter according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is preformed to substantially adapt to the shape of a member of an animal.   11. Harness (14) comprising at least one gaiter (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises a central coupling element (15) liquid distribution, intended to be connected to the source of pressurized liquid, and connected to four conduits (16), each having at its free end a connecting member (18) complementary means for connecting a gaiter (1).