Winter golf shoe spikes

• US 5,367,793 A
• Filed: 08/13/1993
• Issued: 11/29/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Softspikes Incorporated (Medalist Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Warm Springs Golf Club, Inc.
• Inventors: McMullin, Faris W., Deacon, Ernie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATTERSON, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US08/106,205
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 36/59 R, 36/67 R, 36/67 A, 36/67 B, 36/67 D, 36/127, 36/134, 36/59 A, 36/59 B, 36/67 C, 36/25 R, 36/59 C, 36/59 D
• US Class Current: 36/127
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/001 Golf shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/162 characterised by the shape

Abstract

The invention is a replaceable golf shoe cleat or spike 10 for use in place of a standard metal spike 4. Winter golf shoe spike 10 preferably has a main cleat body 11 molded from a durable plastic type material in single unitary fashion. A threaded stud 13 is formed on the upper surface of generally concavo-convex flange 12 and protrudes axially therefrom. A plurality of traction ribs 15 are formed on the bottom traction surface of concavo-convex flange 12. While the ribs 15 may be present in a variety of configurations, they are preferably triangular ridges arranged in a radial fashion emanating from the center of concavo-convex flange 12.

Claims

1. A cleat for a shoe sole comprising:

a disk-like flange, having an upper surface for placement underneath and in contact with the shoe sole along at least the periphery of said flange, and having an opposing bottom surface;

a plurality of traction ribs formed on said bottom surface, said ribs being vertical ridges curved in a plane of projection parallel to the shoe sole, emanating out in radial fashion from the center of the disk-like flange, and being integrally formed with and extending down from said bottom surface for supplying traction against the ground.

2. A cleat for a shoe sole comprising:

a disk-like flange, having a concave upper surface for fitting in a snug and gripping manner against the shoe sole along at least the periphery of said flange, said flange having an opposing convex bottom surface;

a plurality of traction ribs formed on said bottom surface, said ribs being vertical ridges curved in a plane of projection parallel to the shoe sole, and emanating out in radial fashion from the center of the disk-like flange, said ribs being integrally formed with and extending down from said bottom surface, and being made of a resilient plastic material for supplying traction with the ground, and

a threaded stud, integrally formed with and extending up from the center of said upper surface, for removably attaching the cleat to the shoe sole, whereby the cleat provides traction, but does not damage the surface being walked upon.

3. A shoe cleat, comprising:

a disk-like flange for contacting with a sole of a shoe, the disk-like flange having an upper surface for placement underneath the sole of a shoe, said flange further including a bottom surface opposite the upper surface;

a plurality of crescent shaped ridges for supplying traction against the ground, the ridges being integrally formed with and projecting from the bottom surface, the ridges emanating in a radial fashion from near the center of the opposing bottom surface of the disk-like flange and being formed of a resilient material and

an attachment means extending from the upper surface, for removably attaching the cleat to a shoe, whereby the cleat provides traction while minimizing damage to surfaces walked upon.

4. A shoe cleat as claimed in claim 3, wherein the crescent shaped ridges are triangular in cross section.

5. A shoe cleat as claimed in claim 3, wherein the crescent shaped ridges are square in cross section.

6. A shoe cleat as claimed in claim 3, wherein the crescent shaped ridges are arcuate in cross section.

7. A shoe cleat as claimed in claim 3, wherein eight ridges are included on the bottom surface of the disk-like flange.

8. A shoe cleat as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bottom surface of the disk-like flange curves in a smooth, half-hemispherical shape.

9. A shoe cleat, comprising:

a circular disk-like flange, having an upper surface for placement underneath the sole of a shoe along at least the periphery of said flange, said flange further including an opposing bottom surface which curves outwardly from a plane defined by an outer periphery of the upper surface of the disk-like flange;

a plurality of crescent shaped ridges for supplying traction against the ground, said ridges having a cross sectional shape and being integrally formed with and projecting from the bottom surface, the ridges emanating out in a radial fashion from near the center of the opposing bottom surface of the disk-like flange and being formed of a resilient material; and

an attachment means extending from the upper surface for removably attaching the cleat to a shoe, whereby the cleat provides traction while minimizing damage to surfaces walked upon.

10. A shoe cleat as claimed in claim 9, wherein the ridges have a triangular cross sectional shape.

11. A shoe cleat as claimed in claim 10, wherein the crescent shaped ridges have a triangular shaped cross sectional area which is of variable width and is widest at a central portion thereof and progressively narrower toward each end thereof.

12. A shoe cleat as claimed in claim 9, wherein the curve in the bottom surface is such that a central portion of the bottom surface is located at a position the greatest perpendicular distance form the plane defined by the outer periphery of the upper surface.

13. A shoe cleat, comprising:

a circular disk-like flange, having an upper surface for placement underneath the sole of a shoe along at least the periphery of said flange, said flange further including an opposing bottom surface which curves outwardly from a plane defined by an outer periphery of the upper surface of the disk-like flange, wherein the curve in the bottom surface is such that a central portion of the bottom surface is located at a position the greatest perpendicular distance from the plane defined by the outer periphery of the upper surface;

a plurality of crescent shaped ridges for supplying traction against the ground, the ridges having a cross sectional shape and being integrally formed with and projecting from the bottom surface, the ridges emanating out in a radial fashion from near the center of the bottom surface, the ridges being formed of a resilient material and being triangular and variable in cross sectional shape and cross sectional area with the widest triangular shaped cross sectional area being at a central portion thereof and progressively narrower toward each end thereof; and

,

an attachment means extending from the upper surface for removably attaching the cleat to a shoe, whereby the cleat provides traction while minimizing damage to surfaces walked upon.