Shoe spike assembly having cushioning device

Abstract: A spike (10) includes a fastener (11) for securing to a shoe sole (70), and a lower stem (12) for securing a cap (20). A cushioning pad (30) is engaged between the cap (20) and the spike (10), or another cushioning pad (32) is engaged between the cap (20) and the stem (12) for the shocks transmitted from the cap (20) to the spike (10) or to the stem (12). The cap (20) includes one or more catches (22) for catching a head (14) of the stem (12) and for rotatably catching and securing the cap (20) to the stem (12).

Description: The invention relates to a spike for shoes or the like having a cushioning device for absorbing the shocks and vibrations transmitted to the shoes. Typical spikes for shoes are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and comprise a sleeve 4 engaged with the bottom of the shoe sole 2, and a fastener 3 engaged through the sleeve 4 and threaded to the shoe sole 2. The shocks and vibrations may be directly transmitted from the spikes to the shoes and then to the feet of the users. A spike comprising a cap-like extremity is known from EP-A-0 360 202, whereas spikes with cushioning means are known from DE-A-24 05 170, DE-A-40 14 064 and US-A- 2 911 738. The invention is to provide a spike for shoes having a cushioning device for absorbing the shocks and vibrations that may be transmitted to the shoes. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the typical spikes to the bottom of a shoe member; FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the typical spike; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a present spike; FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the spike; FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view showing the spike secured to the bottom of the shoe sole; FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the other embodiment of the spike; FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the spike in FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the spike in FIGS. 6 and 7 to the bottom of the shoe sole. Referring to FIGS. 3-5, a spike comprises a spike body 10 including a fastener 11, such as a clamp, a catch, a bolt 11 or the like provided on top for securing to the shoe sole 70, and including a stem 12 having an enlarged head 14 provided on the bottom and having a diameter smaller than that of the spike body 10 for forming a peripheral shoulder 13 between the stem 12 and the spike body 10. The head 14 includes a diameter greater than that of the stem 12 for forming a peripheral groove 16 between the stem 12 and the spike body 10 and the head 14. A ring-shaped cushioning pad 30 includes a bore 31 for receiving and attaching onto the stem 12 and for engaging with the spike body 10. A cap 20 includes a cavity 21 for receiving the head 14 and the stem 12, and includes one or more ratchet-shaped catches 22 extended inward of the cavity of the cap 20 and each having a wedge-shape and an inclined guiding surface 23 formed in top for guiding the engagement of the head 14 into the cavity 21 of the cap 20, and for rotatably securing the cap 20 to the stem 12 by the catches 22. Another cushioning pad 32 is selectively engaged between the cap 20 and the head 14. The cushioning pads 30, 32 are made of soft or resilient materials, such as plastic, gel, rubber, synthetic materials, or the like for absorbing the shocks and vibrations transmitted to the shoes. The pad 30 is engaged between the cap 20 and the spike body 10, and the pad 32 is engaged between the head 14 and the cap 20, such that the cushioning pads 30, 32 form in series a double layer cushioning structure for the spike. Referring next to FIGS. 6-8, instead of the catches 22, the head 14 may include an outer thread for threading with an inner thread 24 of the cap 20. The head 14 or the outer thread of the head 14 may be threaded beyond or disengaged from the inner thread 24 of the cap 20 and engaged into the cavity 21 of the cap 20 so as to be retained in the cap 20.

Claims: A spike comprising a spike body (10) for securing to a shoe sole (70), and a cap (20) for attaching to the spike body (10), whereby the spike body (10) includes a downward extending stem (12) having a lower end, characterized in that the cap (20) is secured to the lower end of the stem (12), and a cushioning means (30, 32) is further provided and engaged between the cap (20) and the spike body (10). A spike as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cushioning means (30, 32) includes a pad (30) engaged between the cap (20) and the spike body (10). A spike as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cushioning means (30, 32) includes a pad (32) engaged between the cap (20) and the stem (12). A spike as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means (22) for rotatably securing the cap (20) to the stem (12). A spike as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lower end of the stem (12) includes a head (14), the cap (20) includes a cavity (21) for receiving the stem (12), the rotatably securing means (22) includes at least one catch (22) extended inward of the cavity (21) of the cap (20) and engaged with the head (14). A spike as claimed in claim 5, wherein the catch (22) includes an inclined guiding surface (23).

Inventors: CANON LIAO
Applicants: CANON LIAO
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A43C15
IPC codes: A43B13, A43C15