US20160150850A1

US20160150850A1 - Sole structure of light-weight golf shoe with detachable spikes

Info

Publication number: US20160150850A1
Application number: US14/556,832
Authority: US
Inventors: Li-Min Chu
Original assignee: RED FIRE INTERNATIONAL CO Ltd
Current assignee: RED FIRE INTERNATIONAL CO Ltd
Priority date: 2014-12-01
Filing date: 2014-12-01
Publication date: 2016-06-02

Abstract

A light-weight sole of golf shoe includes a plurality of thin TPU receptacles, a plurality of detachable spikes, a thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces, a mesh and a light-weight EVA middle sole. The thin TPU receptacles and the thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces pass through the mesh and anchor thereon via an injection process. The detachable spikes are removable and can be fastened into the thin TPU receptacles. The thin TPU receptacles mate shallow cavities formed and bond under the light-weight EVA middle sole. Thus, with the thin TPU receptacles and the thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces passing through the mesh via the injection process, the mesh functions as a bridge, the thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces functions as a framework to support the bottom surface to join the thin TPU receptacles to form a sheet.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a golf shoe, particularly to a light-weight structure of sole with detachable spikes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Golf is a sport that requires skills. It is not very strenuous in terms of physical action, and mainly requires golfers to walk on grass fields of various terrains and swing golf clubs. It is one of mainstream sports in the world at present, and suitable for all kinds of age groups such as old, middle age and young people. However, walking on the grass fields, especially the wet and slippery ones, if the shoe does not have a sufficient ground gripping force, people could easily slip and fall down. For old age people or people who suffer from osteoporosis serious injury could be inflicted.
Hence for safety reason, and to prevent slipping while walking on the grass fields that might cause sport injuries, golf shoes specially designed for golfing have been made which generally has a plurality of spikes under the sole to grip the grass fields, it can be increase ground gripping force to reduce the risk of slipping.
The conventional golf shoes now on the market mainly can be divided into exercise shoes (spikeless shoe) and tournament shoes (spike shoe), they can be distinguished by whether the spikes on the sole are replaceable. More specifically, after used for a period of time the spikes are worn out gradually. This is especially notable during tournament when the golfers have to walk for a prolonged duration and a longer distance, wearing of the spikes accelerates. Hence, the spikes of the tournament golf shoes are generally replaceable. On the other hand, doing exercises on the golf driving range, swinging of golf clubs is done on a fixed spot, hence wearing of the spikes is relatively small, and the exercise shoes can have fixed spikes of a lower cost.
On the tournament golf shoes, the receptacles be placed into the sole. Whether the receptacle be made by metal or plastic, the general approach is placing the receptacles in sole mold to combine with the sole in the fabrication process. In the market today, the golf sole be made by rubber, TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethanes) or TPR (thermoplastic rubber), and the receptacles have to be formed at a definite thickness to support the spikes to withstand the golf sport in action, the sole has to be formed at a thicker space to hold the receptacle, so, the sole becomes thicker and heavier. This not only increases user's burden, and also makes the cost of the sole higher.
At present, most of conventional golf shoes have the receptacles located in rubber sole which is heavy as everybody know (the weight of TPR sole is almost same as rubber sole). Hence, even if some design of golf sole try to reduce usage of rubber to match a portion of EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) middle sole, the weight reduction is limited, but got almost double cost. Hence, the conventional golf shoes with replaceable spikes are quite bulky and heavy, and become a heavy burden to golfers. Although some of golf soles put receptacles into TPU outer sole, and combine with a portion of EVA middle sole to finish golf sole, but TPU sole is too stiff and uncomfortable in wearing. Moreover, for bonding safety concern with the EVA middle sole assembly, the TPU generally be designed as big as possible to cover the sole bottom, also extend to the side border of the EVA middle sole. As a result, it does not help much on reducing the weight. In addition, a lot of TPU usage makes the sole hard and cost rise much. All this shows that there is still a room for improvement on the conventional sole of golf shoes with replaceable spikes in terms of cost, weight and wearing comfort, and they often make some kind of burden to the users.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a sole with detachable spikes to produce a light-weight golf shoe to meet use requirements.
To achieve the foregoing object the invention provides a light-weight sole equipped with detachable spikes that includes a light-weight EVA middle sole, a mesh, a thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces , a plurality of thin TPU receptacles, and a plurality of detachable spikes. The light-weight EVA middle sole has a plurality of shallow cavities suit for thin TPU receptacles. The mesh has a bonding plane and a mounting plane. The thin TPU receptacles be put into the opening grooves of thin TPU mold which be designed some spaces looks like be pierced while injection process to pass through the bonding plane of the mesh and anchor thereon to form a sheet as an outer sole, the back side of the outer sole shows receptacles-back up, and the front side get flat receptacles with helical cavity to lock spikes, and the thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces also make some bulgy granules design to help for anti-slip. By the way, each thin TPU receptacle has a helical cavity which can be fastened to one detachable spike so that the detachable spike is removable. The mesh be cut in a sole shape with the bonding plane bonded under the light-weight EVA middle sole. The shallow cavities can house the jutting TPU receptacles.
So, the structure set forth above, the thin TPU receptacles and the thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces, both of them be injected with mesh together and run through the mesh to be fused therewith via the injection process to form a joined structure be a sheet can be an outer sole which bonded under light-weight EVA middle sole to finish the golf sole. Namely, the mesh, the thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces, the thin TPU receptacles and the bonding plane of the EVA sole can be assembled in an integrated manner, hence the thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces and the thin TPU receptacles can be securely bonded under the light-weight EVA middle sole. The invention thus formed can provide at least the following features:
1. The thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces serves as a framework to collaborate with the thin TPU receptacles to run through the mesh via the injection process. Hence the mesh, the thin
TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces and the thin TU receptacles are fused together without notable interfaces formed among them to be an outer sole, thereby can provide improved bonding among themselves with the light-weight EVA middle sole to avoid the thin TPU receptacles by loosening off while shaking or impact during walking, also reduce chance of spikes losing.
2. The detachable spikes are removable, and can be fastened into thin TPU receptacles, also can be removed for replacement immediately whenever wearing off takes places to meet golfing requirement.
3. The lifespan of the thin TPU receptacles is almost same as the general receptacle, it does not decrease because of the thin design, and the thin material using can reduce the weight much.
4. The receptacles used on the conventional golf sole generally are formed at a height about 5.7 mm to 7 mm, and the sole needs cavities with an additional depth of 1.5 mm to 2 mm to safely encase the receptacles to form secure bonding of the receptacles and the sole, as a result the general golf sole becomes thicker and heavier. The invention employs the thin TPU receptacles that can be formed at a height less than 4 mm, and the shallow cavities on the light-weight EVA middle sole to hold the thin TPU receptacles can be formed by an extra depth of merely 1 mm to cover it. Hence, the sole can be made thinner and lighter. Compared with the conventional golf shoe weighted about 400 to 600 grams each piece, the golf shoe adopted the sole of the invention can reduce the weight much, it can get about 260 grams or less per piece of shoe.
5. The thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces formed at a thickness about 2 mm, it is thinner than the thin TPU receptacles, the carved out design also can reduce the weight of TPU and the cost, also can serve as a framework to encase the thin TPU receptacles to increase sporting power with the detachable spikes. Moreover, TPU running through the mesh by injection and forming fusion therewith can enhance bonding with the light-weight EVA middle sole, also make sure the golf sole lighter in weight and more secure without loosening off, also, to make some bulgy granules design on the thin TPU sheet to aid the ground griping force of the detachable spikes and prevent slipping.
6. The mesh mainly serves a bridge function to bridge the thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces and the thin TPU receptacles instead of the rubber sole, TPR sole or TPU sole to encase the receptacles that is adopted in the conventional golf sole, hence, the weight can be reduced much caused by thin and lighter materials. Moreover, the conventional rubber or TPU sole encased the receptacles to be glued under the EVA middle sole try to reduce weight, but can achieve only a limited efficacy, because of raw material is heavy. The invention, by using the mesh, thin receptacle, and the thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces to replace the conventional rubber or TPU sole for weight concern, the mesh function as a bridge, also allows the glue to seep in during bonding with the light-weight EVA middle sole, hence can form a cubical joined structure to provide a bonding force much better than the plane bonding of the conventional rubber or TPU sole to assemble with the EVA middle sole base. Moreover, the mesh and the thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces can provide different color variations, mating the light-weight EVA sole of varying colors, it can be made to be a colorful sole to enhance the value thereof.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plane view of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

Embodiment

Please referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention includes a light-weight EVA middle sole 10, a mesh 20, a thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces 40, a plurality of thin TPU receptacles 30, and a plurality of detachable spikes 31. The light-weight EVA middle sole 10 has a plurality of shallow cavities 11. The mesh 20 can be a fiber fabric, a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, textile, or the like, and has a bonding plane 21 and mounting plane 22. The thin TPU receptacles 30 and the thin TPU piece which be pierced some spaces 40 are formed via an injection process to pass through the mounting plane 22 and fuse with the mesh 20 to form a sheet to be an outer sole. The detachable spikes 31 are removable and can be fastened into thin TPU receptacles 30. The mesh 20 be cut in a sole shape. The bonding plane 21 be glued to bond under the light-weight EVA middle sole 10. The shallow cavities 11 house the thin TPU receptacles 30.
The thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces 40 also has a plurality of opening grooves 41 to hold the thin receptacles 30 and be formed via the injection process to pass through the mounting plane 22 of the mesh and anchor on the mesh 20. The thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces 40 can be designed a plurality of bulged granules to increase anti-slipping efficacy, the design to cut out some spaces 42 can reduce weight much, thereby, become one of important factors to make the golf sole lighter in weight.
As a conclusion, the thin TPU receptacles uses a thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces as a framework, and pass through and anchor on the mesh via an injection process. Hence, the mesh, the thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces and the tin TPU receptacles are fused together without notable interfaces among them. In other words, the thin TPU receptacles can be firmed anchored under the light-weight EVA middle sole without loosening off by shaking or impact during walking. As a result, the light-weight EVA middle sole of a thinner thickness can be chosen as desired. This is not only can save the usage of material, also make the golf sole lighter in weight to meet use requirements.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A light-weight sole of golf shoe equipped with detachable spikes, comprising:

a light-weight EVA middle sole including a plurality of shallow cavities to be a skeleton of the light weight golf sole ;

a mesh including a bonding plane and a mounting plane to be a bridge between TPU and EVA ;

a thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces to reduce weight and some bulgy granules design for anti-slip ;

a plurality of thin TPU receptacles be incorporated into a plurality of opening grooves of thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces to pass through the mounting plane of the mesh via an injection process to fuse and bond with the mesh together to get an outer sole sheet, the bonding plane facing the light-weight EVA middle sole, the TPU receptacles being housed in the shallow cavities of the light-weight EVA middle sole, and the outer sole be bonded under the light-weight EVA middle sole to finish the golf sole; and

a plurality of detachable spikes which are removable and fastenable to the thin TPU receptacles.

2. The light-weight sole of golf shoe be equipped with detachable spikes of claim 1, wherein the thin TPU sheet which be pierced some spaces includes a plurality of opening grooves to hold the thin TPU receptacles, and it be anchored on the mounting plane of the mesh.