Athletic shoe cleat

• US 6,023,860 A
• Filed: 07/28/1998
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Softspikes Incorporated (Medalist Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Softspikes Incorporated (Medalist Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: McMullin, Faris W.
• Primary Examiner(s): KAVANAUGH, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US09/123,310
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 36/127, 36/134, 36/59 R, 36/67 R, 36/67 D
• US Class Current: 36/127
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/162 characterised by the shape

Abstract

A cleat provides traction in golf shoes (and shoes for other turf sports) without adversely affecting turf, while providing a desired level of traction under as many different conditions as possible, is resistant to being worn down on hard surfaces. The cleat has a hub with an attachment stud for attaching to a receptacle in a shoe sole, and at least one traction element extending substantially laterally from the flange to engage grass blades to provide traction without damaging turf. The traction element is deflectably attached to the hub, preferably by a resilient arm having a turf-engaging portion at the end thereof. The traction element is preferably cantilevered out of the plane of the hub, and in any event preferably deflects when a hard surface is encountered, to protect the turf-engaging portion from abrasion.

Claims

1. A removable cleat for use with an athletic shoe for providing to a user traction on a turf surface, said athletic shoe having a sole, said sole having a plurality of sole attachment means for attachment of removable cleats, said removable cleat comprising:

a hub having a perimeter, a first side facing said sole and a second side facing away from said sole;

hub attachment means extending from said first side for attaching said hub to one of said sole attachment means;

a plurality of traction elements, each of said traction elements extending substantially laterally substantially from said perimeter of said hub and having a turf-engaging portion projecting away from, and substantially perpendicularly to, said second side of said hub for engagement with turf blades to provide traction without puncturing turf; and

a respective gusset extending from each respective traction element toward said hub;

said traction element being deflectably attached substantially to said perimeter of said hub so that said turf-engaging portion deflects when it encounters a hard surface, to minimize wear of said turf-engaging portion by said hard surface.

2. The removable cleat of claim 1 wherein:

each of said traction elements comprises an arm extending substantially laterally from said perimeter of said hub; and

said turf-engaging portion is attached to said arm.

3. The removable cleat of claim 2 wherein said arm is resilient, said turf-engaging portions being deflectably attached substantially to said perimeter of said hub by virtue of said arm being resilient.

4. The removable cleat of claim 2 wherein said arm extends away from said second side of said hub, such that when said removable cleat is attached to a shoe sole, said arm is cantilevered away from said shoe sole.

5. The removable cleat of claim 4 wherein said arm is substantially resilient, whereby when said removable cleat is used on a hard surface, said arm deflects toward said shoe sole.

6. The removable cleat of claim 2 wherein said respective gusset extends between said turf-engaging portion and said arm.

7. The removable cleat of claim 6 wherein said gusset extends between said turf-engaging portion and said arm in a direction toward said hub.

8. The removable cleat of claim 6 wherein said gusset is resilient.

9. The removable cleat of claim 2 wherein said hub, said arm and said turf-engaging portion are made from a single material.

10. The removable cleat of claim 9 wherein said single material is substantially resilient.

11. The removable cleat of claim 2 wherein said hub and said arm are made from a first material and at least a portion of said turf-engaging portion is made from a second material more resistant to abrasion than said first material.

12. The removable cleat of claim 11 wherein said turf-engaging portion has a tip for engaging said turf blades and said tip is made from said second material.

13. The removable cleat of claim 12 wherein said turf-engaging portion is made substantially entirely from said second material.

14. The removable cleat of claim 1 wherein said gusset is resilient.

15. The removable cleat of claim 1 wherein said hub and said at least one traction element are made from a single material.

16. The removable cleat of claim 15 wherein said single material is substantially resilient.

17. The removable cleat of claim 1 wherein said hub is made from a first material and at least a portion of said at least one traction element is made from a second material more resistant to abrasion than said first material.

18. The removable cleat of claim 17 wherein said at least one traction element has a tip for engaging said turf blades and said tip is made from said second material.

19. The removable cleat of claim 18 wherein said at least one traction element is made substantially entirely from said second material.

20. An athletic shoe comprising:

a sole;

a plurality of sole attachment means on said sole for attachment of removable cleats; and

a plurality of removable cleats for use with said athletic shoe for providing to a user traction on a turf surface, said removable cleat comprising;

a hub having a perimeter, a first side facing said sole and a second side facing away from said sole,

hub attachment means extending from said first side for attaching said hub to one of said sole attachment means,

a plurality of traction elements, each of said traction elements extending substantially laterally substantially from said perimeter of said hub and having a turf-engaging portion projecting away from, and substantially perpendicularly to, said second side of said hub for engagement with turf blades to provide traction without puncturing turf, and

a respective gusset extending from each respective traction element toward said hub,

said traction element being deflectably attached substantially to said perimeter of said hub so that said turf-engaging portion deflects when it encounters a hard surface, to minimize wear of said turf-engaging portion by said hard surface.

21. The athletic shoe of claim 20 wherein:

each of said traction elements comprises an arm extending substantially laterally from said perimeter of said hub; and

said turf-engaging portion is attached to said arm.

22. The athletic shoe of claim 21 wherein said arm is resilient, said turf-engaging portions being deflectably attached substantially to said perimeter of said hub by virtue of said arm being resilient.

23. The athletic shoe of claim 21 wherein said arm extends away from said second side of said hub, such that when said removable cleat is attached to said shoe sole, said arm is cantilevered away from said shoe sole.

24. The athletic shoe of claim 23 wherein said arm is substantially resilient, whereby when said removable cleat is used on a hard surface, said arm deflects toward said shoe sole.

25. The athletic shoe of claim 21 wherein said respective gusset extends between said turf-engaging portion and said arm.

26. The athletic shoe of claim 25 wherein said gusset extends between said turf-engaging portion and said arm in a direction toward said hub.

27. The athletic shoe of claim 25 wherein said gusset is resilient.

28. The athletic shoe of claim 21 wherein said hub, said arm and said turf-engaging portion are made from a single material.

29. The athletic shoe of claim 28 wherein said single material is substantially resilient.

30. The athletic shoe of claim 21 wherein said hub and said arm are made from a first material and at least a portion of said turf-engaging portion is made from a second material more resistant to abrasion than said first material.

31. The athletic shoe of claim 30 wherein said turf-engaging portion has a tip for engaging said turf blades and said tip is made from said second material.

32. The athletic shoe of claim 31 wherein said turf-engaging portion is made substantially entirely from said second material.

33. The athletic shoe of claim 20 wherein said gusset is resilient.

34. The athletic shoe of claim 20 wherein said hub and said at least one traction element are made from a single material.

35. The athletic shoe of claim 34 wherein said single material is substantially resilient.

36. The athletic shoe of claim 20 wherein said hub is made from a first material and at least a portion of said at least one traction element is made from a second material more resistant to abrasion than said first material.

37. The athletic shoe of claim 36 wherein said at least one traction element has a tip for engaging said turf blades and said tip is made from said second material.

38. The athletic shoe of claim 37 wherein said at least one traction element is made substantially entirely from said second material.