WO2008067587A1

WO2008067587A1 - Removable spike for footwear

Info

Publication number: WO2008067587A1
Application number: PCT/AU2007/001840
Authority: WO
Inventors: Craig Leach
Original assignee: Craig Leach
Priority date: 2006-12-08
Filing date: 2007-11-28
Publication date: 2008-06-12
Also published as: AU2007201821C1; AU2007201821B1

Abstract

A removable spike assembly for footwear, said footwear including a sole, wherein said assembly comprises a spike constructed from an elastically deformable material and a mounting means adapted to engage with the sole, wherein the spike is adapted to engage with a projection located on said mounting means, the engagement between the spike and the projection being achieved by rotating the spike relative to the projection.

Description

Removable Spike for Footwear

Field of the Invention.

The present invention relates to a removable spike for footwear, particularly for athletic or sports footwear.

Background Art.

Many types of footwear, and particularly athletic footwear, are fitted with spikes or studs in order that the wearer may maintain their footing, even when the ground is wet or slippery. This type of footwear is commonly used by golfers, cricketers, sprinters and players of all football codes, amongst others.

Traditionally, the spikes or studs (hereinafter referred to collectively as "spikes") have been of the type that comprise a screw thread for screwing the spike into a threaded bore in the sole of a shoe. In order to accommodate the threaded bore, the sole of the shoe must be quite thick, hi turn, a thick sole makes the shoe heavy, less flexible, and therefore less comfortable for the wearer.

There is also an advantage to provide a spike that can be replaced, and especially a spike that can be replaced in a relatively easy manner.

It will be clearly understood that, if a prior art publication is referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia or in any other country.

Object of the Invention.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a removable spike for footwear which may overcome at least some of the abovementioned disadvantages, or provide a useful or commercial choice.

In one form, the invention resides in a removable spike assembly for footwear, said footwear including a sole, wherein said assembly comprises a spike and a mounting means adapted to engage with the sole, said assembly further comprising a hub adapted to connect to the spike and engage with a projection located on said mounting means.

In another form, the invention resides in a removable spike assembly for footwear, the spike assembly comprising a spike, and a mounting means, the mounting means comprising a base portion adapted for attachment to the footwear and particularly to the sole, and a projection extending from the base portion, and a hub adapted to be removably connected to the projection, the spike adapted to be held by the projection and the hub.

In yet another form, the invention resides in a removable spike assembly for footwear comprising a mounting means, said mounting means comprising a base portion and a projection, a spike and a hub.

In yet another form, the invention resides in a removable spike assembly for footwear comprising a spike, a hub and mounting means, said mounting means formed integrally with a sole of a shoe and comprising a base portion and a projection.

The base portion of the integrally-formed mounting means may be formed level with the sole of the shoe, slightly recessed in the sole of the shoe, or slightly proud of the sole of the shoe. It is preferred, however, that the base portion of the mounting means is formed level with the sole of the shoe.

In this manner, the spike can be releasably held in place by being "sandwiched" between the hub and the projection. Typically, the hub can be quite readily removed from the post thereby allowing the spike to be easily removed and replaced/cleaned etc.

An advantage of the particular arrangement is that the fastening mechanism that fastens the spike to the footwear is such that there is no need to have a thick sole to accommodate a threaded bore etc. Therefore, the golf shoe (or other footwear article) can have a relatively thin sole. Preferably, the mounting means is connected to the sole of the footwear.

In another embodiment of the invention, the sole of the shoe may be provided with at least one recess designed to accommodate at least one mounting means within the recess.

Preferably, the projection of the mounting means comprises a post. The mounting means may be substantially cylindrical and may be anchored or otherwise attached to or into or relative to the footwear and particularly relative to the sole. It is envisaged that the post will have a first portion which may form part of the sole, and a second portion which may extend upwardly and provide an attachment point for the hub. The second portion may be cylindrical and may have a height of between 2-10 mm and a diameter of between 2-10 mm. It is envisaged that the second portion need not be cylindrical and may comprise a rectangular cross-section and the like. The post may be provided with engagement means or something similar to assist in engagement (typically releasably engagement) of the hub relative to the post. The engagement means may comprise land sections or "ears". The mounting means may be provided with more than one post.

The spike assembly may be made from any suitable material. However, it is preferred that the spike assembly be constructed from lightweight materials such as plastic, fiberglass or a light metal such as aluminium. By making use of lightweight materials, the spike assembly does not add a great deal of weight to the shoe, making the shoe more comfortable for the wearer.

Preferably, the post is provided with at least one land portion. Preferably, the land portion is provided adjacent to the top of the post at the outermost part of the mounting means, furthest from the sole of the shoe.

Preferably, the hub is provided with at least one projection that engages with the land portion provided on the post.

Preferably, the at least one projection is located on an underside of the hub. Preferably, the hub and post engage by connecting all components of the spike assembly and then rotating the hub to cause the at least one projection on the hub to engage with the at least one land portion on the post.

Preferably, the hub is rotated no more than 90° in order to achieve a fixed engagement with the post, although it may be that the hub is rotated more than 90° in order to achieve engagement with the post. However, there is no continual rotation of the hub in the manner of a threaded screw.

Preferably, the hub is provided with means to assist the user in causing the rotation of the hub. The means may comprise any suitable means for permitting the rotation of the hub, such as, for instance, a channel to allow said hub to be rotated using a screwdriver, coin, fingernail or the like, or one or more holes adapted to receive a tool, the tool being used to cause rotation of the hub. By providing means to allow the user to rotate the hub, the spike assembly may be quickly and easily attached and removed for cleaning, maintenance or replacement as required.

Preferably, said means is provided on the outermost surface of the hub.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hub comprises two projections.

Li another preferred embodiment of the invention, the post comprises two land portions. These land portions are preferably placed opposite one another on the post. When the hub is engaged with the post and is rotated, the projections on the hub slide under the land portions of the post, thus locking the spike assembly in place.

Preferably, the base of the mounting means comprises a plate, said plate being rigidly held in place on the sole of the shoe or within a recess in the sole of the shoe. More preferably, the plate is in the form of a flat disc. Alternatively, the post may be attached directly to the sole of the shoe, hi a further embodiment of the invention, the mounting means may be integrally moulded with the sole of the shoe. The location of the mounting means on the sole of the shoe is not critical. However, the mounting means will typically be placed in positions on the sole that provide the user with the best comfort and grip.

The sole of the shoe may be manufactured using any suitable process. However, it is preferred that the sole of the shoe is moulded from plastic, rubber or other like substance. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sole of the shoe is formed in two parts. The first part, or skeleton, may be formed of a hard material, such as, but not limited to, polyurethane, while the second part may be formed of a softer material. Typically, the skeleton will be at least partially surrounded by the second part. In use, the skeleton may comprise one or more of the mounting means integrally formed within it.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the spike comprises at least one projection for engaging with the ground when the shoe is in use.

Preferably, the spike comprises an annular ring, with said at least one projection located on said annular ring.

Preferably said hub fixedly engages with said spike by pushing said hub into said annular ring.

Preferably said hub is held in place in said annular ring by a snap-lock connection.

Preferably, when said hub and said annular ring are engaged by a snap-lock connection, said hub may still rotate independently of said annular ring.

Preferably, said spike further comprises at least one key for engagement with at least one keyhole. Preferably the keyholes are located on the base portion of the mounting means. More preferably, the spike assembly comprises six keys and six keyholes. When the keys and keyholes are connected, no lateral movement of the spike is possible. Thus, when the spike assembly is in use, it is not possible for the hub to loosen as no lateral movement of the assembly is possible. In another form, the invention resides in a removable spike assembly for footwear, said footwear including a sole, wherein said assembly comprises a spike constructed from an elastically deformable material and a mounting means adapted to engage with the sole, wherein the spike is adapted to engage with a projection located on said mounting means, the engagement between the spike and the projection being achieved by rotating the spike relative to the projection.

The mounting means may comprise any suitable form. However, it is preferred that the mounting means comprises a base portion adapted for attachment to the footwear, and particularly the sole of the footwear, and a projection extending from the base portion. The base portion of the mounting means may be formed separately and adapted for engagement with the sole of the shoe, or may be formed integrally with the sole of the shoe. While the projection may be of any suitable configuration, it is preferred that the proj ection comprises a post.

The spike may be adapted to engage with the post located on the mounting means using any suitable method. However, it is preferred that the spike comprises one or more projections. In a most preferred embodiment of the invention, the spike comprises two projections.

In another embodiment of the invention, the post comprises one or more land portions. Preferably, the post comprises two land portions. These land portions are preferably placed opposite one another on the post. When the spike is engaged with the post and is rotated, the projections on the spike slide under the land portions of the post, thus locking the spike assembly in place.

The spike may be constructed from any suitable material, such as plastic, rubber, metal and the like. However, it is preferred that the spike is constructed from a material that is elastically deformable under pressure. In a most preferred embodiment of the invention, the spike may be constructed so as to elastically deform under manual pressure applied by the user, or by pressure applied by a tool, such as a pair of pliers. In order to make the application of manual pressure to the spike easier for the user, the spike may further comprise one or more pressure points adapted for a user's fingers or a tool. Preferably, the spike comprises two pressure points. More preferably, the two pressure points are located opposite one another. Still more preferably, the pressure points are located at approximately a 90° angle to the location of the projections on the spike.

By fabricating the spike from an elastically deformable material, the spike may be deformed during attachment to or removal from the post. The ability to manually deform the spike makes its removal or attachment simple, fast and does not require the wearer to remove the shoe to clean or replace a spike.

hi an alternative embodiment of the invention, the post may be provided with one or more ridges. The one or more ridges may be adapted to engage with the projections on the spike when the spike is connected to the post. Preferably, the one or more ridges may be adapted to prevent the rotation of the spike once the spike is connected to the post, hi a preferred embodiment of the invention, the spike may only be removed from the post by elastically deforming the spike so that it may be rotated in its deformed state past the one or more ridges on the post. It is preferred that the one or more ridges are constructed from a more rigid material than the spike.

IQ another aspect of the present invention there is provided a shoe comprising at least one spike assembly as hereinbefore described.

Brief Description of the Drawings. An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure Ia illustrates a top plan view of a shoe sole in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure Ib illustrates a side elevation of a shoe sole in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure Ic illustrates a bottom plan view of a shoe sole in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an installed spike assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 illustrates an exploded view of a spike assembly and shoe sole seen from above in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 illustrates an exploded view of a spike assembly and shoe sole seen from below in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 illustrates an exploded view of a spike assembly seen from below in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 illustrates a top plan view of a shoe sole in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 illustrates a side elevation of a shoe sole in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 8 illustrates a side elevation of a shoe sole in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 9 illustrates an exploded view of a spike assembly and shoe sole seen from above in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 10 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a spike assembly and shoe sole in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 11 illustrates a top plan view of a shoe sole in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 12 illustrates a side elevation of a spike in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 13 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a spike assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 14 illustrates an exploded view of a spike assembly seen from above in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 15 illustrates an exploded view of a spike assembly seen from below in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 16 illustrates a perspective view of the sole of a shoe in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 17 illustrates an exploded view of a shoe sole and spike assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. Detailed Description of the Drawings.

Referring to Figure Ia of the drawings there is shown a shoe sole 10. Figure Ib illustrates a side elevation of the shoe sole 10 including a number of spike assemblies 11 according to the present invention. Figure Ic illustrates the bottom of the shoe sole 10. The spike assemblies 11 comprise a spike 12 and a rotatable hub 13 engagable with the spike 12.

In Figure 2 there is shown a cross-sectional view of the spike assembly 11 when fully assembled. The hub 13 engages with the spike 12 in a snap-lock configuration. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the spike 12 is provided with a plurality of projections 14 which, when in use, provide the user with improved grip and stability, particularly on a wet or slippery surface. A post 15 is provided in a recess 16 in the sole 10 of the shoe.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 3, it may be seen that the spike 12 comprises an annular ring provided with a plurality of projections 14. The hub 13 engages the spike 12 by being pressed into the centre of the annular ring. Once engaged, the hub 13 may still be rotated independently of the spike 12. A channel 17 is provided in the outermost surface of the hub 13, allowing the hub 13 to be rotated within the spike 12 using a screwdriver, coin, or the like. The maximum rotation of the hub 13 required to secure the spike assembly 11 in place is 90°. The post 15 comprises two land sections 18 which engage with projections on the hub 13.

On the opposite side of the annular ring of the spike 12 to the projections 14, there is provided a plurality of keys 19 which slot into corresponding keyholes 20 located inside the recess 16. By slotting the keys 19 into the keyholes 20, no lateral movement of the spike 12 is permitted. The advantage of this is that the spike assembly may be simply attached and detached from the shoe for replacement or cleaning, but will not come loose during periods of use.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 4 shows two projections 21 located on the underside of the hub 13. When connecting the spike assembly 11, the rotation of the hub 13 causes these two projections 21 to slide under the lands (not shown) located on the post (not shown), thereby locking the spike assembly 11 in place.

Figure 5 illustrates an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention using a plate 22. The plate 22 may be rigidly fixed within the recess (not shown). The plate 22 comprises a plurality of keyholes 20 designed to engage with a plurality of keys 19 located on the annular ring of the spike 12. Once the plate 22 and the spike 12 are correctly aligned, the hub 13 may be pressed into place in the centre of the annular ring of the spike 12. Once pressed into place, the hub 13 maybe rotated.

Figure 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The sole 10 of the shoe is of a two part construction, comprising a hard skeleton 23 and a softer material 24 moulded around the skeleton 23. In this embodiment of the invention, the mounting means comprises a plate 22 and post 15 integrally formed with the skeleton 23.

Figure 7 shows a side elevation of this alternative embodiment of the invention in which it may be seen that the plates 22 are formed integrally with the sole 10 of the shoe, and sit level with the sole 10 of the shoe, with posts 15 extending outwardly from the sole 10 of the shoe. Figure 8 illustrates a more detailed view of the plates 22 and posts 15 integrally formed with the shoe sole 10. While in the embodiment illustrated, the plates 22 sit level with the shoe sole 10, in alternative embodiments of the invention the plates 22 may be slightly recessed within the shoe sole 10 or may be located slightly proud of the surface of the shoe sole 10.

In Figure 9, a portion of the shoe sole 10 of the alternative embodiment of the invention is shown. The skeleton 23 is largely surrounded during the manufacturing process by the softer material 24. The mounting means, comprising a plate 22 and a post 15, are formed integrally with the skeleton 23. The plate 22 comprises a series of keyholes 20 which engage with corresponding keys 19 located on the spike 12. A hub

13 is pressed into the annular ring of the spike 12 and is rotated so that projections (not shown) on the hub 13 engage with a pair of land section 18 on the post 15. Thus, the hub is prevented from coming loose during periods of use of the shoe. Figure 10 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a spike assembly 11 and shoe sole 10 according to one embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the spike assembly 11 comprises a spike 12 and a post 15 to which the spike 12 may be directly attached.

In Figure 11 there is illustrated the sole 10 of a shoe comprising a number of spike assemblies 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Each spike assembly 11 comprises a spike 12 connected directly to a post (not shown). The spike 12 may be provided with a pair of pressure points 25. Applying pressure to the pressure points 25 elastically deforms the spike 12 allowing for its removal from the post (not shown). The spike 12 may further be provided with instructions 26 for instructing the user as to how the spike 12 may be removed. The instructions 26 may be moulded with the spike 12 or may be added after forming the spike 12 by painting, or applied as a sticker and so on.

Figure 12 illustrates a side elevation of the spike 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention, hi Figure 13, the spike 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in cross-section when connected to a post 15 and viewed from below.

When the spike 12 is attached to the post 15, the spike 12 is rotated so that a pair of projections 27 slides underneath a corresponding pair of lands 18 on the post 15. Thus, the spike 12 may be held in place. To remove the spike 12 from the post 15, pressure may be applied to a pair of pressure points 25 in the direction indicated by the pair of arrows 28. As the spike 12 is constructed from an elastically deformable material, the application of pressure will deform the spike 12 in the direction indicated by a second pair of arrows 29. As the spike 12 deforms, the projections 27 will move out from underneath the lands 18, thus allowing the spike 12 to be removed from the post 15 through the rotation of the spike 12. The spike 12 may also be attached to the post 15 in the same manner.

Figure 14 illustrates an exploded view of a spike assembly 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention when viewed from above. In this embodiment of the invention the post 15 is attached to a plate 22, which may be formed separately from, or integrally with, the sole of a shoe (not shown). The pair of projections 27 on the spike 12 slide underneath the pair of lands 18 on the post 15 in order to hold the spike 12 in place. The spike 12 may be provided with a recess 30 into which the post 15 fits. When the spike 12 is attached to the post 15 the point at which the spike 12 and the post 15 connect may be entirely contained within a sealed chamber whose boundaries are defined by the recess 30 and the plate 22. Housing this connection point between the spike 12 and the post 15 in a sealed chamber prevents dirt, mud, grass or other debris from clogging the connection between the spike 12 and the post 15, thereby making the spike 12 much easier to remove or replace. The recess 30 may be provided with a protrusion 31 that engages with a corresponding hole (not shown) on the post 15 to ensure the correct alignment of post 15 and spike 12. In general, existing removable spike assemblies do not seek to prevent mud, grass and other debris from clogging their connection mechanisms. Thus, over time, debris will build up on the surface of the spike, clogging the spike removal means and making prior art spikes extremely difficult to remove and replace.

The post 15 of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 14 may further be provided with a series of ridges 36. During connection of the spike 12 to the post 15 the spike 12 is brought into engagement with the post 15 and then rotated so that the projections 27 slide under the lands 18 of the post 15. As the spike 12 rotates, the elastically deformable projections 27 deform as they slide past the ridges 36. Once past the ridges 36 the projections 27 return to their normal shape. The spike 12 cannot be removed from the post 15 by rotation, as the ridges 36 prevent the rotation of the spike

12, thus locking the spike 12 in place. In order to remove the spike 12 from the post 15 it is necessary to cause the elastic deformation of the spike 12 so that the projections 27 may again slide past the ridges 36 on the post 15.

In Figure 15, an exploded view of a spike assembly 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention when viewed from below is shown. The post 15 comprises a hole 32 that engages with a protrusion (not shown) on the spike 12. The main shaft of the post 15 may be shaped such that when the spike 12 is connected to the post 15, the projections (not shown) on the spike 12 align with a pair of slots 33 located between a corresponding pair of ridges 36 adapted to retain the spike in place when in use. When connecting the spike 12 to the post 15, the elastically deformable projections (not shown) on the spike, will deform as they slide over the ridges 36, allowing the spike 12 to be rotated into place on the post 15. As the projections (not shown) slide past the ridges 36, the projections (not shown) will return to their undeformed state and will align with the pair of slots 33 in the post. Once connected in this manner, the spike 12 will be prevented from rotating, as the projections (not shown) will be held in place against the ridges 36. To remove the spike 12 from the post 15 it is necessary to elastically deform the spike 12 by applying pressure to the spike 12 in the direction indicated by the instructions 26. The projections (not shown) will be deformed, allowing the spike 12 to be rotated back past the ridges 36, enabling the spike 12 to be replaced.

Figure 16 illustrates the sole 10 of a shoe with a plurality of posts 15 attached according to one embodiment of the present invention. The sole 10 is of a two part construction, comprising a hard skeleton 23 and a softer material 24 moulded around the skeleton 23.

Figure 17 illustrates an exploded view of the sole 10 of a shoe according to one embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the mounting means comprises a plate 22 and post 15 formed separately from the skeleton 23, although in some embodiments of the invention, the mounting means may be formed integrally with the skeleton 23. The softer material 24 of the sole 10 may be moulded to comprise a number of raised features 34 adapted to engage with corresponding voids 35 in the skeleton 23, thus assisting in holding the skeleton 23 in place on the sole 10 of the shoe.

Throughout the specification and the claims (if present), unless the context requires otherwise, the term "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to apply the inclusion of the stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. Throughout the specification and claims (if present), unless the context requires otherwise, the term "substantially" or "about" will be understood to not be limited to the value for the range qualified by the terms.

Any embodiment of the invention is meant to be illustrative only and is not meant to be limiting to the invention. Therefore, it should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications can be made to any embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims.

1. A removable spike assembly for footwear, said footwear including a sole, wherein said assembly comprises a spike constructed from an elastically deformable material and a mounting means adapted to engage with the sole, wherein the spike is adapted to engage with a projection located on said mounting means, the engagement between the spike and the projection being achieved by rotating the spike relative to the projection.

2. A removable spike assembly for footwear according to claim 1 wherein the spike is in a non-elastically deformed state when connected to the projection.

3. A removable spike assembly for footwear according to claims 1 or 2 wherein the spike may be disengaged from the mounting means by producing an elastic deformation of the spike.

4. A removable spike assembly for footwear according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the projection comprises a post.

5. A removable spike assembly for footwear according to claim 4 wherein the post comprises one or more land portions.

6. A removable spike assembly for footwear according to claims 4 or 5 wherein the post comprises two land portions.

7. A removable spike assembly for footwear according to claims 5 or 6 wherein the one or more land portions of the post are adapted for engagement with one or more projections located on the spike.

8. A removable spike assembly for footwear according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the spike is provided with one or more pressure points, the application of pressure to the pressure points causing the elastic deformation of the spike.

9. A removable spike assembly according to claim 8 wherein the spike is provided with a pair of pressure points.

10. A removable spike assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the projection located on the mounting means further comprises one or more ridges, the one or more ridges adapted to prevent further rotation of the spike when the spike is engaged with the projection located on the mounting means.

11. A removable spike assembly according to claim 10 wherein the one or more ridges are constructed from a more rigid material than thee spike.

12. A removable spike assembly for footwear according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said mounting means is formed integrally with the sole of a shoe.

13. A removable spike assembly for footwear according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the mounting means is formed separately from the sole of a shoe and is adapted for connection to the sole of a shoe.

14. A removable spike assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the mounting means further comprises a base portion.

15. A shoe comprising at least one removable spike assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1-14.

16. A shoe according to claim 15 comprising a sole having an outer surface, said outer surface comprising a hard skeleton and a softer material surrounding said skeleton.

17. A shoe according to claim 16 wherein the mounting means of the at least one removable spike assembly is formed integrally with said skeleton.