Customized Ungulate Foot Protection Devices and Related Assemblies and Methods
This disclosure includes customized ungulate foot protection devices and related methods. Some methods of protecting an ungulate foot include capturing a three-dimensional image of a portion of the ungulate foot, producing a three-dimensional image of an overmold, wherein the overmold includes a cavity that is complementary in shape to the captured three-dimensional image of the portion of the ungulate foot, assembling a three-dimensional image of a protective shoe element with the three-dimensional image of the overmold, and manufacturing the assembled three-dimensional images of the protective shoe element and the overmold. Some methods comprise coupling the manufactured overmold to the ungulate foot.
1 . A method of protecting an ungulate foot, the method comprising:
capturing a three-dimensional image of a portion of the ungulate foot;
producing a three-dimensional image of an overmold, wherein the overmold includes a cavity that is complementary in shape to the captured three-dimensional image of the portion of the ungulate foot;
assembling a three-dimensional image of a protective shoe element with the three-dimensional image of the overmold; and
manufacturing the assembled three-dimensional images of the protective shoe element and the overmold.
2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising coupling the manufactured overmold to the ungulate foot.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein manufacturing the assembled three-dimensional images of the protective shoe element and the overmold includes converting the assembled three-dimensional images into physical form by additive manufacturing.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein capturing the three-dimensional image of the portion of the ungulate foot includes scanning the portion of the ungulate foot in three dimensions.
5 . The method of claim 2 , comprising injecting a substance into the cavity of the manufactured overmold, wherein the substance comprises a thermosetting polymer and/or a polyurethane resin.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein, after coupling the manufactured overmold to the ungulate foot, the substance is injected into the cavity of the manufactured overmold.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional image of the portion of the ungulate foot is captured by a three-dimensional scanner.
8 . A method of protecting an ungulate foot, the method comprising:
capturing a three-dimensional image of a portion of the ungulate foot;
producing a three-dimensional image of a mold pattern, wherein the mold pattern includes a surface that corresponds in shape to the captured three-dimensional image of the portion of the ungulate foot;
manufacturing the three-dimensional image of the mold pattern;
disposing the manufactured mold pattern into a casing;
providing a molding material having silicone between the manufactured mold pattern and the casing, wherein the molding material includes properties such that, after a first amount of time, the molding material is capable of hardening into a solid mold that replicates a volume between the manufactured mold pattern and the casing.
9 . The method of claim 8 , comprising:
coupling the mold to the ungulate foot;
injecting a protective material between the mold and the ungulate foot; and
removing the mold from the ungulate foot.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the protective material remains coupled to the ungulate foot after removing the mold from the ungulate foot.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the protective material is injected through one or more apertures extending through the mold.
12 . The method of claim 8 , comprising degassing the molding material before providing the molding material between the manufactured mold pattern and the casing.
13 . The method of claim 12 , comprising degassing the molding material after providing the molding material between the manufactured mold pattern and the casing.
14 . The method of claim 8 , comprising degassing the molding material after providing the molding material between the manufactured mold pattern and the casing.
15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein manufacturing the three-dimensional image of the mold pattern includes converting the three-dimensional image into physical form by additive and/or subtractive manufacturing.
16 . The method of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the mold is translucent.
17 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the mold is flexible.
18 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the protective material includes a topical medication.
19 . An assembly for producing an ungulate foot protection device, the assembly comprising:
a casing having a sidewall and a bottom wall that cooperate to define a cavity;
a mold pattern that is configured to be removably disposed within the cavity of the casing, wherein the mold pattern includes a surface that is configured to correspond in shape to a portion of an ungulate foot.
20 . The assembly of claim 19 , comprising a molding material configured to be disposed in the cavity between the casing and the mold pattern, wherein the molding material includes silicone.