EP3996539A1

EP3996539A1 - Coupling element and sports shoe having such a coupling element

Info

Publication number: EP3996539A1
Application number: EP20767958.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dieter Schillinger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-09-04
Filing date: 2020-08-21
Publication date: 2022-05-18
Also published as: US20220183420A1; WO2021043367A1; DE102019123639A1; CN114423674A

Abstract

It has long been known to provide sports shoes with coupling elements in order to lock the sports shoes, as required, into receiving devices on sports apparatuses. This is conventional in particular in the case of bicycles, where the soles of sports shoes interact with receptacles attached to the pedals of the bicycles. Nevertheless, this is also a conventional procedure in other fields, for example for skis and snowboards. However, known coupling elements provide, inter alia, cleats which are longitudinally displaceably arranged on the soles, wherein this longitudinal displaceability is achieved via slots in which the cleats are anchored. This produces a cold bridge, however, which is disadvantageous in all conceivable types of sport in which such coupling elements are used. The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a cleat having precisely one rotationally symmetrical access opening, such that the position of the cleat fastened thereby can be adjusted in all directions, but the cleat can be attached to the sole of the sports shoe by means of a fastening receptacle that can be fully closed by the fastening means.

Description

CLUTCH ELEMENT AND SPORT SHOE WITH SUCH A CLUTCH ELEMENT

The present invention relates to a coupling element for connecting a sports shoe to a sports device, comprising a cleat for releasable engagement th on the sports device, as well as fastening means for fastening the cleat to an abutment arranged in a sole of the sports shoe, the cleat having exactly one opening for receiving Has fastening means, which is rotationally symmetrical, and a sports shoe with such a coupling element.

Such a coupling element is already known from US Pat. No. 4,377,952 A. There a cleat is described, which is rotatable around a fastening pin and engages in an abutment which is arranged in the sports shoe in a longitudinally displaceable manner. In this way, both the angle and the position of the cleat under the sole of the sports shoe can be influenced, although displacement is only possible along a groove in the shoe sole.

A wide variety of cleats are generally known from the prior art, in particular also from DE 4040728 A1. There a coupling element is be written, which can be mounted at different points below the sole of the sports shoe. Usually, the various components of the coupling element are assembled and easily attached screw in order to be able to align the coupling element first. Only when the desired position has been reached, if necessary with the aid of suitable means for alignment, the coupling element is firmly screwed on and can then also be used.

The exact positioning can be adjusted in two ways. The main possibility of adaptation is that the cleat is fastened to the sole by means of two screws, an abutment in the prior art being held loosely on the inside of the shoe as is the cleat itself. The connection between the abutment and the cleat is made through two parallel elongated holes through which the longitudinal position of the coupling element can be adjusted. The abutment slides forwards or backwards with the adjustment. As soon as the fastening means, such as screws, are firmly tightened, the cleat and abutment engage with a locking profile in the sole material and are fixed. In this solution, a cross bar is also achieved by a sliding element that is guided laterally so that the cleat can also be moved laterally with respect to the fastening means.

The second type of adaptation consists in that the passage openings are created with a considerable amount of play, so that they can also be inclined to a certain extent.

However, this solution has a significant disadvantage. The elongated holes, which remain largely free in every position of the coupling element on the sole, allow moisture to penetrate in adverse weather such as rain or even snow. Even if you step into the mud when you step off and it sticks under the shoe, moisture and cold penetrate the shoe through the elongated holes. Although this can be countered to a certain extent with an insole, this will also be soaked after a short time and this problem will tend to exacerbate this problem by acting as a heat sink. The material used for the cleat, which is made of metal and is connected to a metallic abutment via metallic fasteners, represents a cold bridge due to the choice of material, through which the user loses a lot of body heat to the environment. A largely similar solution is known from DE 4201 916 A1 or US 2014/0259796 A1.

Numerous other solutions are known from the prior art in which cleats are connected to the sole of a sports shoe using a two- or three-point attachment. For example, EP 1 293424 A2 shows a solution with two screws lying one behind the other, the screws being mounted in elongated holes which allow an angle change, but no shifting forwards or backwards.

EP 1 442670 A1 solves the problem with an abutment with three screw points that is positively received in a recess on the inside of the sole. The position of the cleat in relation to the shoe sole cannot be adjusted here.

A coupling element is similarly attached in EP 2238849 A1. Here, however, elongated holes are assigned to the cleat itself, which nevertheless allow the cleat to be displaced in the case of defined, local fastening mountings. A rotation or a lateral offset can only be achieved to a limited extent. This also applies analogously to WO 2013/077912, JPH 4-117902 A or US 4,876,808 A. In WO 97/09228 A2, rotatable eccentric supports are also used here.

WO 88/06315 A1 in turn provides for a screw connection at three points, which takes place via curved elongated holes. These allow a rotation, but again no shift forwards or backwards. In addition to screwing at three points with the aid of elongated holes, an inclined position can be achieved in WO 2016/041021 A2 by relining the cleat with wedge-shaped intermediate layers.

The US documents US 4,907,469 A, US 5,079,968 A, US 5,199,192 A, US 2012/066935 A1 and US 2012/227287 A1 provide for further three-point screw connections, some with elongated holes, in which a screw connection takes place in a stationary abutment. WO 87/07120 A1 provides a fastening with a screw and two fastening clips.

However, all these solutions document that an improvement in the tightness of the shoe goes hand in hand with restrictions with regard to the adaptability of the position. The tighter the screw connection, the more immobile the cleats are.

Based on this prior art, the present invention is based on the object of creating a coupling element and a sports shoe with such a coupling element, which combine good tightness and good insulation properties with great flexibility in positioning and from the direction of the cleat on the sole.

This is achieved by a coupling element according to the features of claim 1, and by a sports shoe with such a coupling element according to the features of the independent claim 6. Further, meaningful configurations of the coupling element or the sports shoe can be found in the subsequent dependent claims.

According to the invention, it is provided that the coupling element also has a cleat here which, depending on its shape and position, can engage in an anchorage that can connect a sports shoe to which it can be attached to a piece of sports equipment. It can be particularly preferred in the case of the sports The device is a bicycle with the cleats of two sports shoes on the pedals. However, it is expressly intended to transfer the technology to other sports equipment such as snowboards or skis, surfboards and the like. As far as the use on bicycles is mainly mentioned in the following, other sports equipment should be read casually.

Also, the cleat is provided within the scope of the invention to cooperate with a Wi derlager that is mounted in the sports shoe. In order to obtain the greatest possible flexibility, however, it is provided that the cleat has exactly one rotationally symmetrical penetration opening through which fastening means can be anchored in the abutment of the sports shoe. This makes it possible for the cleat to be completely freely rotatable around the fastening means, so that it can be aligned in absolutely any angular position. There is no restriction by a given game, which would only lead to a poorer attachment. Rather, when the fastening means are fully engaged, the cleat can be freely aligned.

A rotationally symmetrical penetration opening can initially mean that it is round, but other shapes are also covered, such as hexagonal or polygonal, cross or star-shaped penetration openings. In addition, the penetration opening can preferably be arranged in the center of gravity of the cleat, so that the Holding force applies as centrally as possible and acts equally strong in all directions.

In order to further increase the flexibility of the attachment, the handle opening can also be assigned a concentric step on which an eccentric rotary element adapted to the shape of the penetration opening rests, which is rotatably mounted in the penetration opening. This within the scope of its possibilities, so that a round eccentric rotary element can be freely rotated in a round access opening, a polygonal eccentric rotary element in a multi-channel term penetration opening is gradually relocatable and so on. As a result, an eccentrically arranged passage opening of the eccentric rotary element can be brought into different positions depending on the rotational position, with the effect that depending on the rotational position of the eccentric handle opening, the overall position of the coupling element can be shifted around the fastening means. Due to the step formation, the rotary element can nevertheless be received flush in the cleat, that is to say without protruding beyond the surface of the cleat. Flush in this context expressly includes that the rotary element can be designed lower than the surface of the cleat.

A further flexibility can in turn be achieved if the eccentric rotary element forms a longitudinal slot above the recess in which the fastening means are not only held in an eccentric position with respect to the eccentric rotary element, but can be moved from a central to an ex centric position. This can be achieved in that the passage opening of the eccentric rotary element is designed in the plane of the recess as a half-open or closed elongated hole, the edges of which protrude from the walls of the longitudinal slot. This creates an anchoring option in the longitudinal slot, in which fastening means can in turn be used flush with the cleat.

Furthermore, a sliding element can be inserted into the longitudinal slot for the defined positioning of the fastening means, which functions as a sliding carriage for the fastening means. It is preferably a slidable plate in the longitudinal slot, the outer contours of which run parallel in the longitudinal direction and can slide in the longitudinal slot and in the transverse direction simulate the inner contour of the passage opening of the cleat. A passage opening of the sliding element can preferably be formed eccentrically and be aligned in the longitudinal direction with the elongated hole of the eccentric rotary element. Finally, it is preferably provided that the fastening means ge precisely comprise a fastening pin, the shaft of which engages in a fastening recording on an abutment of a sports shoe, while its head is received flush in the passage opening of the cleat. This is particularly preferably a threaded pin, a screw or the like.

This combination results in maximum freedom of adjustment of the coupling element, which can be displaced in any position and angular position by an eccentric or, due to the sliding element, also centric rotation of the cleat in a circumference around a fastening receptacle of an abutment and thus a polar shift around the fastening acquisition enabled. At the same time, the coupling element with its centrally arranged fastening means can be firmly attached to a sports shoe, so that a secure hold is guaranteed.

A sports shoe, which is provided with such a coupling element as described above, has an abutment in the area of its sole which comprises one or more fastening receptacles for positively receiving the shaft of a fastening means, in particular a fastening pin. By arranging several mutually offset fastening recordings, the range of positioning that can be achieved with the coupling element can be increased significantly. The fact that the fastening receptacles are provided for a form-fitting engagement of the fastening means makes it difficult for water, snow, mud and cold air to penetrate, in contrast to the first-mentioned prior art. Such a sports shoe will therefore only be accessible from the underside through one or more mostly round fastening receptacles in the form of threaded bores, instead of through elongated holes as in the prior art. Unused fastening receptacles can be assigned sealing means with particular advantage, which close the fastening receptacles in a sealing manner. For this purpose, grub screws can be used, for example, which can also be made of an insulation material that on the one hand seals the threads in a watertight manner and on the other hand does not itself act as a cold bridge. Such a material can also be used for the fastening medium and the abutment itself.

The fastening means are connected to an abutment that is assigned to the sports shoe, and hence its sole. The arrangement can provide that the abutment can be reached through openings in the sole in an inside recess in the sole material, preferably in a form-fitting manner, or even embedded directly in the material of the sole, in particular encapsulated with it, if the sole is produced in an injection molding process.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the sports shoe, the sole also has conical projections around the fastening receptacles of the abutment, which allow the cleat to rest conically on the sole. Such a solution can also be used completely detached from the specific shape of the coupling element in all centrally fastened coupling elements from the prior art. Here, the center of the cleat rests on the tip of the cone and, on the one hand, seals as well as possible around the fastening receptacle arranged centrally in the cone, and on the other hand, this further improves the alignment of the coupling element. This compensates for the different depths of engagement due to the clamping force acting eccentrically from a cleat axis, especially when the shoe is tilted about a longitudinal axis, and helps the cleat to better align with the sole support plane.

The invention described above is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment. Show it

Figure 1 shows a sole of a sports shoe with a coupling element according to the known prior art in a perspective view,

FIG. 2 shows the coupling element of the known prior art as a detail of FIG. 1 in a perspective view,

Figure 3 shows a sole of a sports shoe with a coupling element according to the present invention in a perspective view,

FIG. 4 shows the coupling element according to the present invention as a detail of FIG. 3 in a perspective illustration,

FIG. 5 shows the sole of the sports shoe according to FIG. 3 in one

Partial section through the sole with a perspective exploded view of the coupling element according to the invention, as well as

FIG. 6 shows a lateral cross section through the sole according to a variant of the invention with a conical bulge.

Figure 1 shows a sole 14 of a sports shoe, in particular a cycling shoe, as is known from the prior art. The sole 14 has a coupling element 1 with which a wearer of a shoe with such a sole 14 engages in a bicycle pedal and thus for his comfort can be connected directly to the pedals of his bike. Here, however, it can be seen in particular from FIG. 2, which shows the coupling element 1 as a detail, that the mounting of the coupling element 1 takes place in this case via two elongated holes which are made in the sole. Two screws engage in these elongated holes and interact with an abutment (not shown in the drawing) on the other side of the elongated holes. By shifting along the elongated holes and shifting the screws in the cleat shown transversely, a cross bar is implemented, where an angular position can also be achieved due to a certain amount of play. On the one hand, however, the freedom of such an arrangement is limited; on the other hand, moisture and cold can enter the interior of the shoe through the elongated holes.

FIG. 3 shows a sole 14 according to the present invention, which has a coupling element 1 according to the invention. In order to be able to achieve a coupling to identical pedals, the coupling element 1 has the same outer contours, but the inner contour is formed fundamentally differently. In particular, only a single fastening pin is provided, around which a polar, eccentric displacement of the coupling element 1 is made possible. Shown in Figure 3 and the detail in Figure 4 is a displacement of the coupling element 1 in a top left position in the plan view of Figure 3, from the perspective of the wearer, this corresponds to a right front position under the foot.

Figure 5 illustrates the structure of the coupling element according to the invention. First of all, it can be seen that the sole 14 of the sports shoe is assigned a recess into which an abutment 16 is inserted or pressed in a form-fitting manner. In particular, when the abutment 16 is completely enclosed in the sole material, the lowest possible heat exchange with the interior of the shoe results, which can be further improved by selecting an Isolatorma material for the abutment 16. Towards the outside, the abutment 16 has three fastening receptacles 19, to which the coupling element 1 located above can alternatively be fastened. Depending on Desired positioning of the coupling element 1, a front, middle or rear mounting receptacle 19 is selected and the other two loading mounting receptacles 19 each with a sealant 17, here in the form of a grub screw made of an insulator material, completed.

First of all, in order to fasten the coupling element 1 to the sole 14, the cleat 2 is placed on the sole 14. On its underside, the cleat 2 has latching means which claw with the material of the sole 14 as soon as it is firmly tightened. The cleat 2 also has a penetration opening 3 with a circular inner contour, which is stepped in itself, so that a step 4 for supporting an eccentric rotary element 5 is formed. The inner contour of the cleat 2 allows the eccentric rotating element to be supported at the same time on step 4 of the cleat 2, but still with its upper edge flush with the cleat 2, i.e. not protruding beyond its surface.

The eccentric rotary element is freely rotatably mounted in the passage opening 3 of the cleat 2 and has a half-open slot 8, which in the Ebe ne of a recess 6 formed by the eccentric rotary element, which receives the step 4, from an edge to over the Center of the eccentric rotary element 5 extends out. Parallel to the longitudinal extension of the elongated hole 8, a longitudinal slot 7 is formed in the plane above the recess 6, which serves as a longitudinal guide for a sliding element 9. This can be moved along the longitudinal slot 7 up to the limits of the inner contour of the opening 3 of the cleat 2 and, in turn, has an eccentric opening 10, which enables a fastening pin 11 to be positioned from a central to an edge position within the eccentric rotary element 5 and thus allowed within cleat 2. The fastening pin 11 has a shaft 13, which can be screwed into the fastening receptacle 19, which is kept free from sealing means 17, thereby sealing it and creating a force-fit connection of the cleat 2, the eccentric rotary element 5 and the sliding element 9 with the abutment 16, with the interposition of the sole 14 produces. Before the fastening pin 11 is but is tightened, by rotating the eccentric rotary element 5 in the opening 3 of the cleat 2, as well as by longitudinally sliding the sliding element 9 in the longitudinal slot 7 of the eccentric rotary element 5, the position of the coupling element 1 around the fastening receptacle 19 as well as the Angular position can be freely determined. Finally, the fastening pin 11 is tightened to fix the position of the coupling element.

Figure 6 shows a variant of the invention after tightening the fastening pin 11. It can be seen that in this position the head 12 of the fastening pin 11 does not protrude beyond the surface of the cleat 2, so that a flush surface of the coupling element 1 results, flush is also to be understood to include falling below the full height of the cleat. The embodiment of FIG. 6 shows a conical bulge 18 which is embossed around each of the fastening receptacles 19. It can be seen that latching means below the cleat 2 claw with the material of the sole 14, this effect being particularly pronounced around the fastening receptacle 19. This improves the support tion on the surface of the sole 14 and at the same time increases the tightness around the fastening receptacle.

A coupling element and a sports shoe with such a coupling element are thus described above, which combine good tightness and good insulation properties with great flexibility in the positioning and alignment of the cleat on the sole. I REFER TO ENLIST

1 coupling element

2 cleat

3 access opening

4 stage

5 eccentric rotating element

6 Return

7 longitudinal slot

8 elongated hole

9 sliding element

10 access opening

11 fixing pin

12 head

13 shaft

14 sole

15 deepening

16 abutments

17 sealant

18 poses

19 mounting bracket

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Coupling element for connecting a sports shoe (14) to a sports device, comprising a cleat (2) for releasable engagement on the sports device, as well as fastening means for fastening the cleat (2) to an abutment (16) arranged in a sole (15) of the sports shoe ), wherein the cleat (2) has exactly one passage opening (3) for receiving fastening means, which is rotationally symmetrical, characterized in that the rotationally symmetrical passage opening (3) has at least one concentric step (4), this step (4 ) with an eccentric rotary element (5) which is positively inserted into the through-opening (3) and which has an eccentric through-opening, cooperates, which forms a recess (6) for non-positive reception of the step (4) and preferably with a surface of the Cleats (2) flush.

2. Coupling element according to claim 1, characterized in that the eccentric rotary element (5) above the recess (6) has a longitudinal slot (7) for receiving a sliding element (9) and in the Ebe ne of the recess (6) a semi-open or closed Has elongated hole (8), the edges of which protrude relative to the walls of the Längschlit zes (7).

3. Coupling element according to claim 2, characterized in that in the longitudinal slot (7) a sliding element (9) is inserted, which has a, preferably eccentric, passage opening (10) for receiving the fastening means.

4. Coupling element according to claim 1, characterized in that the eccentric rotary element (5) above the recess (6) has a loading plus the eccentric rotary element (5) eccentric, round and at least partially surrounded by a circular segment wall on receiving for a round sliding element.

5. Coupling element according to claim 4, characterized in that a round sliding element is inserted in the receptacle, which has an eccentric passage opening for receiving the fastening means.

6. Coupling element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening means comprise exactly one fastening pin (11), the head (12) of which is flush with the surface of the cleat (2), preferably in a state of use.

7. Sports shoe with a coupling element according to one of the preceding claims, with a sole (14), which is assigned an abutment (16) with at least one fastening receptacle (19) for positively receiving a shaft (13) of the fastening means.

8. Sports shoe according to claim 7, characterized in that the abutment (16) is assigned a plurality of fastening receptacles (19), unused fastening receptacles (19) preferably being closed with the aid of sealing means (17).

9. Sports shoe according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the abutment (16) is inserted without play in a recess (15) of the sole (14) or, with the exception of the fastening receptacles (19), is completely made of the material of the sole (14) ) is overmolded.

10. Sports shoe according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the fastening receptacles (19) of the abutment (16) these surrounding raised areas (18) to form a conical position of the cleat (2) on the sole (14) are assigned.

11. Sports shoe according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the abutment (16) is designed as a thermal insulator.