Equine Ice Boot Segmentation for Cryotherapy Portability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for equine cryotherapy are cumbersome, imprecise, and lack portability, making it difficult to effectively prevent and treat laminitis and performance stress in horses, especially since they often only cool one leg for a short time.

Innovation Solution

A lightweight, portable boot system with a sole plate and elastomeric pad assembly that allows for simultaneous cooling of all four hooves, providing balanced cushioning and prolonged cryotherapy treatment, utilizing a coolant reservoir that can be filled with crushed ice or other coolants and features a semi-automatic circulation system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If walk-in Equine Spas are used for cryotherapy, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but portability and cost are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidportability

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the equine leg into multiple segments (distal lower leg, hoof, and coronary band areas) and applies separate cooling chambers to each segment. This segmentation allows the system to achieve effective cooling of the entire leg while maintaining portability, as each chamber can be independently sized and positioned rather than requiring a single large walk-in spa.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling chambers are designed to nest within each other or be stacked vertically, with the distal lower leg chamber positioned above the hoof chamber. This nesting arrangement maximizes cooling coverage within a compact, portable structure that can be easily transported and stored, resolving the contradiction between cooling effectiveness and portability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional icing methods are used, then portability is maintained, but cooling precision and duration are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveportabilityVSAvoidcooling precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Each cooling chamber is specifically designed to target a particular anatomical region of the equine leg with appropriate cooling intensity. The distal lower leg chamber, hoof chamber, and coronary band chamber can be independently filled with coolant to different temperatures and durations, providing precise localized cooling rather than generic icing. This allows accurate temperature control for each body part while maintaining portability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The chambers can be filled with coolant and sealed to provide continuous cooling over extended periods without requiring repeated application. The sealed chambers maintain consistent cooling temperature and duration, eliminating the intermittent nature of traditional icing methods while keeping the system portable and easy to apply.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Device complexity

If one leg is cooled at a time, then equipment simplicity is maintained, but treatment productivity is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment simplicityVSAvoidtreatment productivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The boot assembly is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate multiple cooling chambers simultaneously. The structure allows four hooves to be cooled at the same time using identical chamber designs, enabling the system to treat multiple legs concurrently. This multi-functionality increases productivity without significantly increasing device complexity, as the same basic chamber design is replicated and integrated into a single boot assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If prolonged cryotherapy is applied, then laminitis prevention effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption and complexity are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelaminitis prevention effectivenessVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The chambers are pre-filled with coolant before application to the equine leg, establishing the cooling action in advance. This preliminary preparation allows the cooling system to operate passively for extended periods without requiring active refrigeration or continuous energy input during the actual treatment phase, thereby maintaining prolonged cryotherapy effectiveness while minimizing energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively cools the equine leg and hoof, providing necessary support and preventing laminitis by maintaining a consistent cooling temperature for extended periods, thus reducing the risk of injury and stress-related issues in horses.

Implementation Method 1

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS9055732B1Equine ice boot

Publication Date: 2015.06.16 RUETENIK MONTY L

AI summary

An assembly of a reservoir with a solid sole and an orthotic pad to provide a relatively simple, light weight portable system to allow equine hoof and leg cooling together with proper hoof support. The assembly and method is useful for preventive treatment for performance stress and lameness, including laminitis.