US20060288615A1

US20060288615A1 - Cleat Guard

Info

Publication number: US20060288615A1
Application number: US11/125,921
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter Scheufele; Darnell Nance
Original assignee: Peter Scheufele
Current assignee: PETER SCHEUFELE
Priority date: 2005-06-22
Filing date: 2005-06-22
Publication date: 2006-12-28

Abstract

The Cleat Guard is a device used to protect the sole, studs, and spikes of all athletic cleats; including, but not limited to, soccer, football, baseball, and golf. The Cleat Guard will also protect surfaces on which wearers of The Cleat Guard walk that would otherwise be harmed by the studs of cleats. The Cleat Guard can be made of a variety of materials and will be sized and shaped to fit securely onto the athletic cleat.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Cleat Guard is an accessory for all athletic cleats; including, but not limited to, soccer, football, golf, and baseball. Currently, there is no device used to protect the sole and studs of athletic cleats. The Cleat Guard would help protect cleat studs (which are usually rubber, metal, or plastic) from wearing down and/or rusting.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The body of The Cleat Guard is constructed out of a rubber, plastic, polymer, or any combination of the three. This body is shaped like the sole of a cleat and contains straps to hold itself on the cleat. These straps are attached to the side of the body of The Cleat Guard and are made of nylon, elastic, Velcro, or any combination of the three. The studs of the cleat either fit into specific holes in the body of The Cleat Guard or sit on top of a flat surface. The Cleat Guard can further be described as a molding approximately six to twelve inches long and two to five inches wide on average, although size and shape will vary depending on the corresponding cleat size. The depth of The Cleat Guard should be as thin as possible, but must not sacrifice protection in an effort to achieve a shallower depth. When attached to the bottom of the cleat, the molding provides a layer of protection against weathering for each stud and the sole of the cleat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1: The top view of The Cleat Guard with straps made of nylon and elastic. Each circle on the body of The Cleat Guard represents a hole into which a stud would fit.
FIG. 2: The bottom view of The Cleat Guard with straps made of nylon and elastic.
FIG. 3: The front view of The Cleat Guard with straps made of nylon and elastic.
FIG. 4: The back view of The Cleat Guard with straps made of nylon and elastic.
FIG. 5: The side view of The Cleat Guard with straps made of nylon and elastic. Above The Cleat Guard is a generic cleat. The three arrows between the generic cleat and The Cleat Guard represent how and where The Cleat Guard attaches to a cleat.
FIG. 6: The side view of The Cleat Guard with straps made of nylon and elastic while attached to a cleat.
FIG. 7: The top view of The Cleat Guard with Velcro straps. Each shape on the body of The Cleat Guard represents a hole into which a stud would fit.
FIG. 8: The side view of The Cleat Guard with Velcro straps while attached to a cleat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The Cleat Guard is meant to protect the studs on the bottom of cleats from wear and weathering. The Cleat Guard is shaped like the bottom of a cleat. There are indents on the top of The Cleat Guard that the studs will fit into (FIG. 1). The top surface of The Cleat Guard could also be flat, in which case the studs would rest on top of the surface. The bottom of The Cleat Guard will be similar to the sole of a sneaker in that it has traction on the ground so that the wearer will not slip (FIG. 2). Attached to the sides of The Cleat Guard are straps that will keep The Cleat Guard from falling off the cleat when the wearer is walking or moving. In one type of The Cleat Guard, there are two straps made of nylon and elastic that are long enough to be stretched around the front of the cleat and short enough to attach tightly around the top of the cleat (FIGS. 3 and 4). In another type of Cleat Guard, there is one Velcro strap (FIG. 7). One part of the strap is on the left side of The Cleat Guard and the other part of the strap is on the right side of The Cleat Guard. When attached together, the straps will hold The Cleat Guard on tightly. The Cleat Guard attaches to the bottom of the cleat and is secured by straps that come over the top of the cleat in conjunction with indents that the studs slide into, if those indents exist (FIG. 5). The wearer will pull the nylon and elastic straps around the front of the cleat, securing them on the top of the cleat (FIG. 6). Or, alternatively, the wearer will connect the Velcro straps on the top of the cleat (FIG. 8). Once connected, the wearer will be able to walk on any surface without wearing down the studs of his or her cleats. By wearing The Cleat Guard, the studs of the wearer's cleats will not damage any surface on which he or she walks.

Claims

1. The Cleat Guard is unlike any type of accessory currently available for athletic footwear.

2. The Cleat Guard will not only help protect the studs and soles of cleats, but it will also help protect the surface of any floor that would otherwise be damaged by cleats. The Cleat Guard allows its wearer to walk on any surface as if he or she were wearing sneakers, rather than worrying about damage to either the floor or the studs of his or her cleats.

3. The Cleat Guard is for all types of cleats with studs, regardless of the shape, size, or composition of the studs.

4. One type of The Cleat Guard will be made to fit individual cleats, by size and style. Another type of The Cleat Guard is a pre-made rubber (or some combination of rubber and other polymers or plastics) that could be molded to fit any cleat at the beginning of use of The Cleat Guard.