SELF-ADJUSTING STUDS

• US 20110197478A1
• Filed: 02/18/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Baker, Brian D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,533,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/59.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/12 Soles with several layers of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/187 Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/005 Nails, pins
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/02 attached to the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/14 with outwardly-movable spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/16 Studs or cleats for football or like boots
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/168 with resilient means, e.g. shock absorbing means

Abstract

Articles of footwear may include self-adjusting studs that adjust to various types of conditions, environmental changes, and applied forces. The self-adjusting studs may have a first portion and a second portion of different levels of compressibilities and/or retractabilities that compress and extend based on the type of surface on which the wearer is walking or running This footwear with self-adjusting studs may easily transition between surfaces of varying hardness without causing damage to the surface, but also providing the wearer with the necessary amount of traction on each type of surface. Wearers will enjoy the benefit of being able to move on various surfaces without the need to change their footwear multiple times to accommodate the wearer'"'"'s varying traction needs on different surfaces.

Claims

1. A self-adjusting stud, comprising:

a first portion having a first compressibility; and

a second portion having a second compressibility that is greater than the first compressibility, wherein the second portion surrounds the first portion;

wherein the first portion and the second portion are substantially uncompressed when the self-adjusting stud comes into contact with a surface of a first hardness and the first portion is substantially uncompressed and the second portion is compressed when the self-adjusting stud comes into contact with a surface of a second hardness, and wherein the first hardness is less than the second hardness.

2. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 1, wherein the first portion includes thermoplastic polyurethane.

3. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 1, wherein the first portion includes a metal.

4. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 1, wherein the first portion is a pin.

5. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 4, wherein a free end of the pin is flush with an exterior surface of the second portion when the second portion is substantially uncompressed.

6. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 4, wherein the pin is recessed into the second portion when the second portion is substantially uncompressed.

7. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 1, wherein the second portion includes a compressible foam material.

8. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 1, wherein the second portion includes a two plate structure comprising a first plate and a second plate that are spaced apart such that when a force is applied to the first plate, the space between the first plate and the second plate is decreased.

9. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 8, wherein the space between the first plate and the second plate is at least partially filled with a compressible foam material.

10. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 8, wherein a spring is positioned in the space between the first plate and the second plate, and wherein the spring is caused to be compressed when second first portion is compressed.

11. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 10, wherein the spring includes a leaf spring.

12. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 1, wherein a size of the compressed second portion is at least 5% smaller than a size of the uncompressed second portion.

13. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 1, wherein a size of the compressed second portion is at least 25% smaller than a size of the uncompressed second portion.

30. A sole structure, comprising:

a sole base member; and

at least one self-adjusting stud as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one self-adjusting stud is attached to the sole base member.

31. The sole structure recited in claim 30, further comprising at least two self-adjusting studs including a first self-adjusting stud as recited in claim 1 and a second self-adjusting stud as recited in claim 1.

32. The sole structure recited in claim 31, wherein the first self-adjusting stud is attached to the sole base member along a medial edge of a forefoot region of the sole structure and the second self-adjusting stud is attached to the sole base member along a lateral edge of the forefoot region of the sole structure.

33. The sole structure recited in claim 30, wherein the self-adjusting stud is attached to the sole base member in a heel region of the sole structure.

14. A self-adjusting stud, comprising:

a stud body having a hole extending through a center region thereof; and

a pin extending through the hole in the stud body, wherein at least a portion of the stud body and a tip of the pin form a ground-contact surface of the self-adjusting stud;

wherein the stud body is in a first, extended position when the self-adjusting stud contacts a surface having a first hardness and the stud body is in a second, retracted position when the self-adjusting stud contacts a surface having a second hardness that is greater than the first hardness.

15. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 14, wherein the stud body includes a thermoplastic polyurethane material.

16. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 14, wherein the stud body includes a compressible foam material.

17. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 14, wherein the pin includes a metal material.

18. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 14, wherein the stud body includes a two-plate structure comprising a first plate and a second plate, and a space defined therebetween, wherein the space between the first plate and the second plate is a first distance when the stud body is in the first, extended position and the space between the first plate and the second plate is a second distance when the stud body is in the second, retracted position, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

19. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 18, wherein the space is at least partially filled with a compressible foam material.

20. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 18, further comprising a spring that is positioned within the space between the first plate and the second plate.

21. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 20, wherein the spring is a leaf spring.

22. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 14, wherein the hole in the stud body is sized to have a radius that is slightly greater than the radius of the pin so that the stud body is capable of sliding along the length of the pin when the stud body is refracted.

23. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 14, wherein the pin has a length that extends through the hole of the stud body, wherein the length of the pin exceeds a width of the pin.

24. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 14, wherein the pin is a first pin, and wherein the stud body has a second hole extending therethrough, and further comprising a second pin extending through the second hole in the stud body.

25. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 14, wherein the tip of the pin is rounded.

26. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 14, wherein the pin has a length that extends through the hole of the stud body, and wherein the length of the pin exceeds a height of the stud body when the stud body is in the second, retracted position.

27. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 14, wherein the pin has a length that extends through the hole of the stud body, and wherein the length of the pin exceeds a height of the stud body when the stud body is in the first, extended position.

28. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 14, wherein the stud body has a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first portion retracts a first amount and the second portion retracts a second amount that is greater than the first amount when the stud body is in the second, retracted position.

29. The self-adjusting stud recited in claim 28, wherein the first portion is a first end of the stud body and the second portion is a second end of the stud body that is opposite the first end.