GB1564903A - Socket for a stud for footwear - Google Patents

Description

(54) A SOCKET FOR A STUD FOR FOOTWEAR (71) We, TRIMAN LIMITED, a British Company, of Silica Road, Amington Industrial Estate, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B77 4DT, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a socket for a stud for footwear and to an article of footwear incorporating such a socket.

Articles of footwear for use in various games, sports and other out-door activities are often provided with studs to prevent or reduce the tendency for them to slip on the ground. The studs are of various shapes and sizes, some being in the shapes of spikes and being often referred to as spikes; it is to be understood, however, that the term studs for footwear as used in this specification is intended to include such spikes within its scope.

The present invention was largely developed in connection with sockets for studs for golf shoes, but the invention is not limited to sockets for that purpose and is of general applicability to sockets for a wide variety of footwear.

A common form of golf shoe is provided with eleven sockets, each similar in shape to the others. Each socket is made from metal and includes a radially outwardly directed flange. The sole of the shoe is moulded from a plastics material such as P.V.C., and the sockets form inserts in the mould so that the sockets are embedded in the finished sole and retained there by the flanges. The stud may be secured to the socket either before or after the socket has been incorporated into the moulded sole. The stud may also be removable and replaceable so that a worn stud can readily be replaced by a new stud.

From one aspect the present invention consists in a socket for a stud for footwear, as hereinbefore defined, comprising a unitary moulding of a plastics material in the form of an internally screw-threaded tube, for receiving an externally screw-threaded portion of a stud for footwear, fins projecting from the outside of the tube, the fins being tapered so that their axial extent reduces with increasing distance from the tube, and an annular part to which parts of the fins spaced radially outwards from the tube are integrally united, there being apertures between the fins and between the annular part and the tube, the carrier being such that it can be incorporated in the sole of an article of footwear by having the sole moulded around it, the material from which the sole is formed flowing through said apertures and round said fins and said annular part to secure the socket in the sole.

From another aspect the present invention consists in an article of footwear having a sole made as a moulding, and having moulded into it at least one socket in accordance with that aspect of the present invention outlined in the last preceding paragraph.

In use an externally screw-threaded portion of a stud engages the screw-threaded opening in the socket.

The socket is preferably made from a thermoplastics material so that it can be made by an injection-moulding process, but the material is preferably such that while it is being moulded into the sole of the article of footwear it does not soften sufficiently to become malformed. Where the sole is made from P.V.C., which is moulded at substantially 140"C, the socket may for example be made from an acetal resin such as that sold under the Trade Mark "Delrin" or polyurethane, which do not become malformed while becoming embedded in or anchored in the sole.

The internal screw-thread in the tube is preferably formed during the moulding of the socket. The form and size of the internal screw-thread may be such as to enable the socket to be used with a stud of a conventional kind which has a screw-thread with a diameter of substantially 6 mm.

Two types of socket embodying the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of a socket of the first type, Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, Figure 4 is an inverted plan view of a socket of the second type, Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 4, and Figure 7 is a section through a stud suitable for releasable engagement with either of the embodiments of sockets shown in Figures 1 to6.

The sockets shown in Figures 1 to 6 are suitable for moulding into the sole of an article of footwear during formation of the sole, and the stud shown in Figure 7 is suitable for releasable engagement in the sockets.

Once the sockets are moulded into the sole of the article of footwear they are secured against either axial or rotational movement and cannot be removed from the sole without damaging the sole irreparably. The stud on the other hand can be removed and replaced as necessary.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3 the socket shown comprises a unitary moulding of a plastics material in the form of a tube 1 and integral retaining means 2.

The inner end of the tube is closed by an end plate 3 integral with tube 1. The end plate 3 is disc-shaped and of a uniform thickness similar to the thickness of the tube. The end plate serves several useful purposes.

Firstly it enables the socket to be moulded in such a manner that there is a reduced tendency for the plastics material during the filling of the mould cavity to pass around the tube from an inlet port in two opposite directions from the port and to meet at a line diametrically opposite the inlet port and there to form a joint which might prove a source of weakness in the finished socket, the plastics material instead tending to flow axially of the tube so that there is no such line of weakness. Secondly when the socket is moulded into the sole of an article of footwear the end plate prevents material from which the sole is formed entering the interior of the tube during formation of the sole.

Thirdly the end plate strengthens the tube and tends to resist forces tending to open out the tube and thus release the stud; and fourthly it can provide an abutment for the stud as will be described later.

The tube 1 is internally screw-threaded to receive the externally screw-threaded portion of the stud shown in Figure 7. The internal screw-thread is preferably formed during moulding of the socket but may be formed after moulding. The inner surface of the tube is chamfered at the outer, open end as shown at 4 to assist location of the stud during assembly.

The retaining means 2 comprises fins 5 projecting radially outwards from the tube 1 and interconnected at their outer ends by an integral ring 6. The fins 5 extend lengthwise of the tube and are spaced uniformly around the periphery of the tube. As best shown in Figures 2 and 3 the fins are of triangular shape so that their axial extent reduces with increasing distance from the tube. The fins are arranged in two layers; there are six fins in each layer and each fin has a surface 7 the main part of which lies in a common plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube 1. The layers of fins are angularly offset relative to each other so that each fin in one layer bisects the angle between two adjacent fins in the other layer.

The tube 1 is formed with an annular collar 9 of the cross-section illustrated and the lower inner edge of the ring 6 is formed with an annular rebate 10. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the arrangement is such that the surface 7 of each fin is rounded at the inner and outer end as illustrated. Thus there are no sharp interior angles between the fins and the tube 1, and between the fins and the ring 6, which might prove a source of weakness.

When the socket is moulded into the sole of an article of footwear the retaining means 2 is entirely embedded inside the sole. The fins strongly resist any tendency to axial or radial movement of the socket, while the ring 6 resists any tendency to expand or burst under the influence of the forces applied to it by the stud in use.

The arrangement of the retaining means is such that during formation of the sole the material from which the sole is formed can flow around and between the fins to assist in locking the carrier to the sole to prevent its rotating in the sole or being pulled out of the sole.

In the embodiment of the socket shown in Figures 4 to 6, the socket comprises an internally screw-threaded tube 11 closed at its inner end by an end plate 12, and retaining means 13 including a radially outwardly directed annular flange 14. The flange 14 is formed with uniformly spaced rectangular apertures 15. Fins 16 of triangular shape extend lengthwise of the tube 11 and lie on the side of the flange nearer the open end of the tube. There are six apertures and six fins and each fin extends across an associated one of the apertures so that those parts of the fins that are united with the flange are spaced outwards from the tube.

Referring now to Figure 7 the stud shown comprises a unitary pin holder 20 and a metal pin 21. The holder 20 is made as a moulding from a suitable plastics material and comprises a sleeve 22 having an axial hole 23, an externally screw-threaded portion 24 complementary to the screw-threaded portion of the socket previously described and an outwardly directed annular flange 25 which, when the screw-threaded portion 24 is fully engaged with a socket, engages the underside of the tube and/or the sole of the article of footwear in which the socket is moulded. The flange 25 is formed with two pairs of diametrically opposed holes 26 suitable for engagement by a spanner-like tool provided with complementary pegs for rotating the stud and thus securing the stud to the socket.

The pin 21 is preferably formed from hardened steel and has a cylindrical stem 27 which exactly fits the axial hole 23 in the pin holder, and a flat head 28 at its inner end, which engages the end of the screw-threaded portion of the holder. When the holder is screwed fully into the socket the head 28 of the pin abuts the end plate of the socket so the pin is prevented from axial movement. The stud can be removed and replaced by a new stud as desired.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1 A socket for a stud for footwear, as hereinbefore defined, comprising a unitary moulding of a plastics material in the form of an internally screw-threaded tube, for receiving an externally screw-threaded portion of a stud for footwear, fins projecting from the outside of the tube, the fins being tapered so that their axial extent reduces with increasing distance from the tube, and an annular part to which parts of the fins spaced radially outwards from the tube are integrally united, there being apertures between the fins and between the annular part and the tube, the carrier being such that it can be incorporated in the sole of an article of footwear by having the sole moulded around it, the material from which the sole is formed flowing through said apertures and around said fins and said annular part to secure the socket in the sole.

2. A socket according to claim 1 in which the tube is open at one end and closed at the other end.

3. A socket according to either of claims 1 and 2 in which the tube extends beyond the annular part in both axial directions.

4. A socket for a stud for footwear substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A socket for a stud for footwear substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

6. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims in combination with a stud for footwear as hereinbefore defined, said stud comprising a pin holder made from a plastics material and having an externally screw-threaded portion suitable for releasable engagement in the internally screw-threaded tube, and a metal pin held by the holder and such that when said externally screwthreaded portion is in screw-threaded engagement with the tube the pin extends axially beyond the socket.

7. An article of footwear having a sole made as a moulding, and having moulded into it at least one socket in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. engaged with a socket, engages the underside of the tube and/or the sole of the article of footwear in which the socket is moulded. The flange 25 is formed with two pairs of diametrically opposed holes 26 suitable for engagement by a spanner-like tool provided with complementary pegs for rotating the stud and thus securing the stud to the socket. The pin 21 is preferably formed from hardened steel and has a cylindrical stem 27 which exactly fits the axial hole 23 in the pin holder, and a flat head 28 at its inner end, which engages the end of the screw-threaded portion of the holder. When the holder is screwed fully into the socket the head 28 of the pin abuts the end plate of the socket so the pin is prevented from axial movement. The stud can be removed and replaced by a new stud as desired. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1 A socket for a stud for footwear, as hereinbefore defined, comprising a unitary moulding of a plastics material in the form of an internally screw-threaded tube, for receiving an externally screw-threaded portion of a stud for footwear, fins projecting from the outside of the tube, the fins being tapered so that their axial extent reduces with increasing distance from the tube, and an annular part to which parts of the fins spaced radially outwards from the tube are integrally united, there being apertures between the fins and between the annular part and the tube, the carrier being such that it can be incorporated in the sole of an article of footwear by having the sole moulded around it, the material from which the sole is formed flowing through said apertures and around said fins and said annular part to secure the socket in the sole.

2. A socket according to claim 1 in which the tube is open at one end and closed at the other end.

3. A socket according to either of claims 1 and 2 in which the tube extends beyond the annular part in both axial directions.

4. A socket for a stud for footwear substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A socket for a stud for footwear substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

6. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims in combination with a stud for footwear as hereinbefore defined, said stud comprising a pin holder made from a plastics material and having an externally screw-threaded portion suitable for releasable engagement in the internally screw-threaded tube, and a metal pin held by the holder and such that when said externally screwthreaded portion is in screw-threaded engagement with the tube the pin extends axially beyond the socket.

7. An article of footwear having a sole made as a moulding, and having moulded into it at least one socket in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.