Athletic shoe cleat
First Claim
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 having a relaxed configuration in absence of outside force on said cleat and being deflectable out of said relaxed configuration under action by outside force on said cleat, said 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;
an arm extending when in said relaxed configuration substantially laterally substantially from said perimeter of said hub; and
a turf-engaging portion attached to said arm and projecting when in said relaxed configuration away from, and substantially perpendicularly to, said second side of said hub for engagement with turf blades to provide traction without puncturing turf;
wherein;
said arm is deflectably attached substantially to said perimeter of said hub so that said arm deflects when said turf-engaging portion encounters a hard surface, to minimize wear of said turf-engaging portion by said hard surface.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
142 Citations
26 Claims
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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 having a relaxed configuration in absence of outside force on said cleat and being deflectable out of said relaxed configuration under action by outside force on said cleat, said cleat comprising:
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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;
an arm extending when in said relaxed configuration substantially laterally substantially from said perimeter of said hub; and
a turf-engaging portion attached to said arm and projecting when in said relaxed configuration away from, and substantially perpendicularly to, said second side of said hub for engagement with turf blades to provide traction without puncturing turf;
wherein;
said arm is deflectably attached substantially to said perimeter of said hub so that said arm deflects when said turf-engaging portion encounters a hard surface, to minimize wear of said turf-engaging portion by said hard surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An athletic shoe comprising:
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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 having a relaxed configuration in absence of outside force on said cleat and being deflectable out of said relaxed configuration under action by outside force on said cleat, said 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;
an arm extending when in said relaxed configuration substantially laterally substantially from said perimeter of said hub; and
a turf-engaging portion attached to said arm and projecting when in said relaxed configuration away from, and substantially perpendicularly to, said second side of said hub for engagement with turf blades to provide traction without puncturing turf;
wherein;
said arm is deflectably attached substantially to said perimeter of said hub so that said arm deflects when said turf-engaging portion encounters a hard surface, to minimize wear of said turf-engaging portion by said hard surface. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification