Equine Halter Nose-Piece Attachment for Pressure-Controlled Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional halters and chain shanks used for horse handling can cause discomfort and difficulty in application, and may not provide effective control signals due to pressure on sensitive nasal bones.
Innovation Solution
A nose-piece harness strap with a specially designed attachment that bridges the nasal cavities of the horse, providing controlled pressure points and minimizing contact with the nasal bones, constructed from materials like thermoplastic or rubber, and featuring a flared design for easy attachment and enhanced control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a chain shank is attached to a lead rope to amplify handler signals by pressing on the horse's nasal bones, then control effectiveness is improved, but discomfort and potential harm to the horse is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a nose piece attachment as an intermediary device between the lead rope and the horse's nose. This attachment distributes the pressure across a broader area of the nasal bones rather than concentrating it at a single point, thereby maintaining control effectiveness while reducing discomfort and potential harm to the horse.
Solution Approach 2:
The nose piece attachment changes the pressure distribution parameters by spreading the force over a larger surface area. The attachment includes a first portion that contacts the horse's nose and a second portion that connects to the lead rope, creating a geometric transformation that converts concentrated pressure into distributed pressure, thus reducing harmful effects while preserving control.
2Device complexity
If traditional halters are used for basic functionality, then simplicity is maintained, but additional features and capabilities are lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The nose piece attachment serves multiple functions: it amplifies handler signals, distributes pressure to reduce discomfort, and can be attached to various halter designs. This multi-functional component allows the halter system to adapt to different handling needs while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment is divided into distinct segments (first portion contacting the horse's nose, second portion connecting to the lead rope) that can be independently optimized. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall device relatively simple and easy to attach to different halter types.
3Force
If pressure is applied to the lead rope to control the horse, then handler control is achieved, but pressure concentration on sensitive nasal bones causes discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The nose piece attachment transforms the pressure parameters by distributing the applied force across a broader area of the nasal bones. The geometric design of the attachment converts concentrated point pressure into distributed line or area pressure, reducing the stress intensity while maintaining the total control force needed for effective handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment acts as a pressure-distributing intermediary between the lead rope and the horse's nasal bones. It receives the control force from the handler and redistributes it in a manner that maintains control effectiveness while minimizing localized stress and discomfort to the horse.
Data Source
AI summary
An equine harness includes a nose-piece harness strap configured to at least partially surround a nose of a horse, and a nose-piece attachment coupled to an inner surface of the nose-piece harness strap to engage with the nose of the horse. The nose-piece attachment includes a first side segment at a first end of the nose-piece attachment, a second side segment at an opposite, second end of the nose-piece attachment, and a center segment coupled between the first side segment and the second side segment.