Self-cleaning golf-shoe cleat

• US 4,146,979 A
• Filed: 10/25/1977
• Issued: 04/03/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Self-Cleaning Golf-Shoe Cleat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gilbert R. Fabbrie
• Inventors: Fabbrie, Gilbert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kee Chi, James
• Application Number:
  US05/844,894
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 36/67 R, 36/67 A, 36/67 B, 36/67 C, 36/67 D, 36/59 R, 36/59 A, 36/127, 36/134, D 2/311, D 2/317
• US Class Current: 36/67.00D
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/167 frusto-conical or cylindrical

Abstract

The present invention provides a self-cleaning golf-shoe cleat that is threadably secured to a conventional golf shoe, wherein the sole of the shoe includes typical threaded plugs. The self-cleaning golf-shoe cleat comprises a cleat having a main circular body member formed as a shallow, truncated cone with a spike member extending outwardly from the central plane thereof in the well-known cleat arrangement, and with a rearward extending threaded boss adapted to be received in the threaded plug of the shoe, the circular body and the spike being encapsulated within a resilient rubber-like material wherein the resilient material is formed having at least one hollow cavity, so as to collapse about the spike under the weight of the wearer, and being movable generally axially of the spike during recovery from the collapsed position, whereby foreign material adhered to the spike is removed therefrom.

Claims

1. In combination with a golf shoe tht has a sole in which a plurality of spaced plugs are embedded, each of which plugs includes a tapped bore substantially normal to said sole, a plurality of golf cleats that are operatively associated with said plugs, each of said golf cleats including:

a. a rigid flange of substantially greater transverse cross-section than that of said plug;

b. an externally threaded rigid boss tht extends outwardly from said flange and engages said tapped bore;

c. a rigid spike that extends outwardly from said flange and engages said tapped bore;

c. a rigid spike that extends outwardly from said flange in a direction opposite to that of said boss, said spike having a tapered external surface and a free end portion;

d. a molded body of resilient material that includes a first portion in the form of a flat wall in which said flange is embedded and from which said threaded boss projects, and a second wall portion that projects from said first wall portion and cooperates therewith to define a cavity across which said spike extends, and a circular lip opening in said second wall portion that snugly engages said external tapered surface of said spike adjacent said free end thereof when there is no pressure exerted on said resilient body in a direction towards said first wall portion thereof, with said second wall portion deforming towards said first wall portion when subjected to upward pressure as occurs when the user of said golf shoe walks on earth sufficiently soft as to be penetrated by said spike, and said second wall portion when said upward pressure is relieved by said shoe being lifted from the ground returning to its initial configuration and in so doing said lip wiping foreign material from said spike.

2. A golf cleat as defined in claim 1 in which said flange is circular, and said flange having a plurality of spaced openings therein into which said resilient material extends to prevent said flange, threaded boss and spike rotating relative to said molded body.

3. A golf cleat as defined in claim 2 in which said flange is truncated, with said second wall portion being of minimum thickness adjacent said spike, with said lip opening expanding in cross section as said second wall portion deforms towards said first wall, and said lip opening contracting in cross section as said body returns towards its initial configuration.

4. A golf cleat as defined in claim 3 in which said second wall portion is of a dome shaped configuration.