Shoe cleats

• US 6,810,608 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2001
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trisport Limited (Medalist Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Trisport Limited (Medalist Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Kelly, Paul Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): KAVANAUGH, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US09/909,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20010047598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 361/34, 36/67.D, 36/59.R
• US Class Current: 36/134
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/26 projecting beyond the sole surface
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/001 Golf shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/161 characterised by the attachment to the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/165 pointed or conical, e.g. calks, spikes, pins

Abstract

In a combination of shoe cleat and holder, a screw-threaded spigot (12) on the cleat is inserted with rotation into a complementary socket (18) of the holder, and has a ring of free-standing posts (34, 42) extending axially from the cleat and a ring of radially-projective teeth (26) on the holder, the rings being co-axial with the screw axis so that during at least later stages of insertion of the spigot (12) into the socket (18), on relative rotation of the rings, engagement of the teeth (26) with the posts (34, 42) causes the posts (34, 42) to deflect resiliently and engagement of the teeth (26) between the posts (34, 42) causes interengagement of the locking means.

Claims

1. A shoe cleat having a screw-threaded spigot for rotary insertion into a socket of a holder to secure said cleat and holder together, wherein said cleat has a body member and a plurality of free-standing posts projecting axially from said body member and disposed equidistant from a longitudinal axis of said body member, said posts each having a base secured to said body member and being resiliently deflectable in a generally radially outward direction from said axis in response to outwardly applied forces applied to said posts during rotary insertion thereof into said socket, wherein a generally annular well is defined between said spigot and said posts, said well being sized and configured to receive a portion of said holder during said rotarty insertion.

2. A shoe cleat having a screw-threaded spigot for rotary insertion into a socket of a holder to secure said cleat and holder together, wherein said cleat has a body portion and at least two free-standing posts projecting axially from said body portion and disposed equidistant from a longitudinal axis of said body portion, each post having one end formed integrally with said body portion and being resiliently deflectable in a generally radially outward direction from said axis in response to outwardly applied forces applied to said posts during rotary insertion thereof into said socket, said spigot and said posts defining an annular space therebetween for receiving a portion of said holder during said rotary insertion.

3. A shoe cleat having a screw-threaded spigot for rotary insertion into a socket of a Holder to secure said cleat and holder together, wherein said cleat has a body portion and at least one free-standing post formed integrally with said body portion and projecting axially from said body portion, said post being radially spaced from a longitudinal axis of said body portion and having a radially inner surface with at least one convex profiled adapted to engage a portion of said holder received between said spigot and said post during insertion of said spigot into said socket and said holder, said post being resiliently radially deflectable in response to radially outward forces applied thereto during said rotary insertion.

4. A shoe cleat adapted for rotary threaded insertion into a threaded socket of a cleat holder to secure the cleat and holder together, the cleat holder being of the type wherein the threaded socket is internal of a holder hub having a plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth projecting radially outward from the hub to a predetermined radial location, said cleat comprising:

a body portion;

an externally threaded spigot secured to and extending axially from said body portion and adapted to be coaxially received and threadedly engaged in the threaded socket;

at least one resiliently deflectable locking member extending when in an undeflected position generally axially from said body portion, said locking member being located in radially spaced relation to said spigot and having a proximal end secured to said body portion such that said locking member is resilitently deflectable in a generally radially outward direction from said undeflected position in response to a predetermined force level applied to said locking member, said locking member providing resistance to rotation of said spigot relative to said hub by projecting toward said hub inwardly of said predetermined location, such that forced rotation of said spigot in the threaded socket causes successive teeth of said hub to apply force to said locking member in excess of said predetermined force level and thereby resiliently deflect said locking member generally radially outward;

wherein said locking member is sufficiently resistive to applied forces less than said predetermined force level to resist radially outward deflection and prevent inadvertent rotational movement of said teeth and hub past said locking member.

5. The shoe cleat of claim 4 wherein said cleat includes at least two of said locking members, said two locking members being angularly spaced from one another at a common radial distance from said spigot.

6. The shoe cleat of claim 4 wherein said cleat has a plurality of said locking members disposed at successive angularly spaced locations at a common radial distance from said spigot.

7. The shoe cleat of claim 5 wherein said two locking members are free-standing.

8. The shoe cleat of claim 5 wherein each of said plurality of locking members is individually and independently resiliently radially deflectable.

9. The shoe cleat of claim 8 wherein said locking members extend longitudinally from a cleat surface from which said spigot axially extends, and wherein said locking members are more resistive to radial deflection from radial forces applied thereto at locations closer to said surface than from radial forces applied thereto at more distal locations along the locking members.

10. The shoe cleat of claim 4 wherein said locking member is an elongated post that extends longitudinally from said body portion, and wherein said locking member is more resistive to radial deflection from radial forces applied thereto at locations closer to said body portion than from radial forces applied thereto at more distal locations along the locking member.

11. A shoe cleat adapted for rotary threaded insertion into a cleat holder about a threaded engagement axis, said cleat being characterized by at least a first locking member that is resiliently deflectable in a radially outward direction in response to radially outward forces above a predetermined level applied thereto during rotary insertion of said cleat relative to said holder, said locking member having a radially undeflected position in which it is resistive to forces applied thereto below said predetermined level to prevent deflection tangentially of the direction of rotation of said cleat relative to said holder.

12. The shoe cleat of claim 11 further including a second locking member substantially identical to said first locking member but spaced angularly therefrom at a common radial distance from said axis.

13. The shoe cleat of claim 12 wherein said first and second locking members are free-standing and independently radially deflectable.

14. A shoe cleat for rotary threaded insertion into a socket of a holder to secure said cleat and holder together, said cleat comprising:

a body member;

a screw-threaded spigot extending axially from said body member; and

a plurality of free-standing posts projection axially from said body member and disposed equidistantly spaced from a longitudinal axis of said body member, said posts each having a base secured to said body member and being resiliently deflectable in a generally radially outward direction from said axis in response to outwardly applied forces applied to said posts;

wherein a generally annular well is defined between said spigot and said posts.

15. A shoe cleat for rotary threaded insertion into a socket of a holder to secure said cleat and holder together, said cleat comprising:

a body portion;

a screw-threaded spigot extending axially from said body portion; and

at least two free-standing posts projecting axially from said body portion and disposed equidistant from a longitudinal axis of said body portion, each post having one end formed integrally with said body portion and being resiliently deflectable in a generally radially outward direction from said axis in response to outwardly applied forces applied to said posts, said spigot and said posts defining a generally annular space therebetween for receiving a portion of said holder during said rotary insertion.

16. A shoe cleat for rotary threaded insertion into a socket of a holder to secure said cleat and holder together, said cleat comprising:

a body portion having a longitudinal axis;

a screw-threaded spigot extending axially from said body portion; and

at least one free-standing post formed integrally with and projecting axially from said body portion, said post being radially spaced from said longitudinal axis and having a radially inward-facing inner surface with at least one convex profile, said post being resiliently radially deflectable in response to radially outward forces applied thereto.

17. A shoe cleat adapted for rotary threaded insertion into a cleat holder about a threaded engagement axis, said cleat being characterized by at least a first locking member that is resiliently deflectable in a radially outward direction in response to predetermined forces applied thereto, said locking member having a radially undeflected position in which it is relatively resistant to radially outward deflection in response to force applied thereto in one tangential direction and less resistant to radially outward deflection in response to force applied thereto in a second tangential direction.