Studded footwear

• US 7,107,708 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2004
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trisport Limited (Medalist Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Trisport Limited (Medalist Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Shuttleworth, Lee Paul, Kelly, Paul Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): KAVANAUGH, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US10/898,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20040255489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 361/34, 36/67.D, 361/27, 361/28
• US Class Current: 36/134
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/161 characterised by the attachment to the sole

Abstract

A shoe stud for a sports shoe has a ground-engaging part and a multi-start threaded spigot for engagement in a complementary socket on a receptacle secured in the shoe sole or heel. The stud and receptacle also have a locking device which inter-engages when the spigot is fully inserted into the socket, to resist unscrewing. In order to ensure that the stud takes up a precise position relative to the receptacle, which may be needed if the stud is not rotationally symmetrical, the stud and receptacle have means to determine the initial position of the stud relative to the receptacle, and means to determine the final position of the stud relative to the receptacle. Determination of the initial position may be provided by a thread and complementary groove of the screw-thread connection which are of different dimensions from the others.

Claims

1. A stud for use with an article of studded footwear having a receptacle with a multi-start screw-threaded socket, having a spigot with a multi-start screw thread complementary to the screw thread of the socket, such that rotary insertion of the spigot into the socket secures the stud in the receptacle, characterized in that the spigot has one component of a helical key and complementary keyway of which the other component is provided on the receptacle, the helical key and keyway defining the initial position of the spigot relative to the receptacle at the start of the insertion of the spigot into the socket, wherein said initial position is the only rotational position in which the screw-threaded spigot and the screw threaded socket can start to engage.

2. The stud of claim 1, further characterized in that the keyway is provided on the spigot.

3. The stud of claim 2, further characterized in that the keyway comprises a groove of the screw-thread on the spigot which is of different dimensions from the other groove or grooves.

4. The stud of claim 3, further characterized in that the keyway comprises an enlarged groove.

5. The stud of claim 4, further characterized in that the groove is enlarged radially.

6. The stud of claim 4, further characterized in that the enlarged groove is formed by removal of a screw-thread.

7. The stud of claim 1, further characterized in that the stud includes one component of a locking means of which a complementary component is provided on the receptacle.

8. The stud of claim 1, further characterized in that the stud is a specifically-oriented stud.

20. The stud of claim 1, further characterized in that the stud includes one component of a locking means of which a complementary component is provided on the receptacle.

9. A receptacle for incorporation in an article of studded footwear having a multi-start screw-threaded socket adapted to receive a spigot of a shoe stud, the spigot having a multi-start screw thread complementary to the screw thread of the socket, such that rotary insertion of the spigot into the socket secures the stud in the receptacle, characterized in that the receptacle has one component of a helical key and complementary keyway of which the other component is provided on the spigot, the helical key and keyway defining the initial position of the spigot relative to the receptacle at the start of the insertion of the spigot into the socket, wherein the initial position is the only rotational position in which the screw-threaded spigot and the screw threaded socket can start to engage.

10. The receptacle of claim 9, further characterized in that the key is provided in the socket.

11. The receptacle of claim 10, further characterized in that the key comprises a thread of the screw-thread on the socket which is of different dimensions from the other thread or threads.

12. The receptacle of claim 11, further characterized in that the key comprises an enlarged thread.

13. The receptacle of claim 12, further characterized in that the thread is enlarged radially.

14. The receptacle of claim 12, further characterized in that the enlarged thread is formed by a bridged thread.

15. The receptacle of claim 9, further characterized in that the receptacle has one component of a locking means, of which a complementary component is provided on the stud.

16. A removable stud for a shoe comprising:

a spike structure for engaging the ground, and an attachment structure for removably attaching the spike structure to a socket in a shoe, the socket including one component of a helical key and complementary keyway of which the other component is provided on the spike attachment structure, the helical key and keyway defining the initial position of the spigot relative to the receptacle at the start of the insertion of the spigot into the socket, wherein the initial position is the only rotational position in which the screw-threaded spigot and the screw threaded socket can start to engage.

17. The stud of claim 16, further characterized in that the keyway is provided on the spigot.

18. The stud of claim 17, further characterized in that the keyway comprises a groove of the screw-thread on the spigot which is of different dimensions from the other groove or grooves.

19. The stud of claim 18, further characterized in that the keyway comprises a radially enlarged groove.