Abstract:
The cleat sole protection system comprises an auxiliary sole having an outer sole and a midsole, a first set of straps that attach around the toe region of the cleated shoe, a second set of straps that attach around the metatarsal region of the cleated shoe, and in some embodiments there may be a third set of straps attached to the second set of straps which wrap around the back of the heel area of the cleated shoe. The auxiliary sole may comprise a wedge profile that gives the appearance of a sandal and is easily placed on the bottom of a cleated shoe and quickly strapped into place for the protection of wood, tile, and other types of flooring that can be damaged by cleated sports shoes.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application is related to and claims priority from prior provisional application Ser. No. 61/373,369, filed Aug. 13, 2010 which application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
       [0002]    A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR 1.71(d). 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. 
       1. Field of the Invention 
       [0004]    The present invention relates generally to the field of cleated shoes and more specifically relates to cleat protection devices. 
       2. Description of the Related Art 
       [0005]    Many competitive sports in modern societies are performed outdoors on grassy or dirt surfaces and can cause the athlete to slip or slide because of the speed and directional changes required across the surfaces of loose materials. Cleat shoes were designed to prevent slippage while playing sports and to give the athlete every advantage in speed and maneuverability. During entry or exit of these playing fields an athlete should protect flooring from damage from the cleats, as well as protect themselves from falling and cleats from pre-mature wear. 
         [0006]    Cleats are protrusions or studs attached to the bottom of the sports shoe that can be replaceable using a tool to remove the worn cleats, or permanently molded into the outer sole of the shoe. Depending on the type of surface, kind of sport, and even the wearer&#39;s position or role in the game, different cuts of boot and particularly stud arrangements are available. For hard fields, amateur participants may wear a sneaker shoe or a plastic-stud boot (known as a “molded sole”). In most sports and positions this is adequate, although on a well-grassed or sodden field, a screw stud is recommended for more grip; these may be metal, rubber or plastic. Presently, boot designs are based on the criteria of speed, power, touch or control with some boots offering a combination of these. Some sports require a cleat that is completely metal. 
         [0007]    Cleat shoes are designed with a particular type of surface in mind. Use of the cleats on other surfaces can either cause damage to the surfaces or cause premature wear of the cleats requiring replacement of the studs or of the whole shoe. Metal cleats cause the most damage to almost all floor types and are usually forbidden on these surfaces. Changing shoes at the location of the sporting event is often inconvenient because traveling from the sports field to a non-sports area with hard flooring can be frequent during intermissions and the like. A ‘slip-on’ cleat or floor protector is needed that is quick and convenient to put on and will provide floor protection as well as protection of the cleat from the accelerated wear of hard surfaces and protection from the athlete from slipping. 
         [0008]    If an athlete has to wear sport cleats there is always an issue, (having to remove ones cleats) when leaving or entering the dressing room, locker room, a restroom, a gym, an office, (basically any inside flooring), walking across pavement, or walking home on the sidewalk. Removing one&#39;s cleats is a must to protect the flooring from the spikes, to protect the athlete from slipping, and prevents excessive cleat spike wear. Having to remove one&#39;s sport cleats may create many issues, and likewise leaving the locker room without cleats may cause inconvenience as well. Typically, an athlete will be required to remove his/her cleats before entering the locker room after an event requiring another pair of shoes, removing ones cleats for a quick restroom trip during a game, and having to have a second pair of shoes for inside, sidewalk, or pavement usage all create inconvenience and unnecessary expense for the athlete. An individual always has to have a second pair of shoes and take the time and deal with the hassle of changing shoes during a busy time. 
         [0009]    Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,821,858; D326,949; 4,055,005; 2004/0074113; 3,913,243; and 5,367,794. This prior art is representative of cleat protectors. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed. 
         [0010]    Ideally, a cleated shoe protection system should be user-friendly such that its use provides convenience and may be put on quickly and, yet would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable cleat protection system to protect floors from damage and cleats from unnecessary wear and to avoid the above-mentioned problems. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known cleated shoe protection art, the present invention provides a novel cleat protection system. The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide greater speed and convenience in putting on cleat protectors to protect cleats, the athlete, and surfaces from incurring damage. Basically the cleat sole usage as described herein is for an individual to use while wearing athlete cleats for an event and use of the soles provided is for transporting the player(s) to and from the field without causing damage to surfaces, the athlete, or the cleats on the athletic shoes. 
         [0012]    Generally, the “cleat sole pad” (auxiliary sole) turns sport cleats into an inside shoe or walking shoe. This cleat sole pad may comprise a compressed rubber composition sole which will attach to the bottom of a sports cleat via the stretch and Velcro® straps, making the cleat spikes a non issue. The cleat sole pad is intended to have holes to match the spikes on the bottom of an athlete&#39;s cleats or can be left as a pad with the cleat spikes setting on top of the pad. When an inside shoe or walking shoe is needed by an athlete wearing sport cleats, the cleat sole pad will be placed on the bottom of the user&#39;s sport cleats and held on via the stretch and Velcro® straps; creating an inside shoe or walking shoe. The present invention is designed to convert sporting cleats into an inside shoe or walking shoe which protects the athlete from slipping while walking on a hard surface, protects the user&#39;s sport cleats from excessive wear, protects inside flooring, speeds up any time exiting or entering of a sporting event or complex, and allows an athlete to focus on the event, not managing the complications of sport cleats usage. 
         [0013]    More specifically, the present invention comprises a cleat sole protection system as disclosed herein preferably comprising an auxiliary sole having: an outer sole and a midsole, at least a first set of straps that attach around the toe region of the cleated shoe, at least a second set of straps that attach around the metatarsal region of the cleated shoe, and in some embodiments there may be a third set of straps attached to the second set of straps which may wrap around the back of the heel portion of the cleated shoe. The auxiliary sole may be flexible or may be non-flexible in certain embodiments and may comprise a wedge profile such that the heel portion of the cleat sole protection system is thicker than a toe portion. The auxiliary sole preferably comprises a profile that gives the appearance of a sandal. This featured profile is easily placed on the bottom of a cleated shoe and quickly strapped into place for the protection of wood, tile, and other types of flooring that can be damaged by cleated sports shoes. The auxiliary sole also substantially protects the cleats from excessive wear from walking on hardened surfaces such as pavement or rocks. The outer sole may comprise a grip design or in some embodiments, a non-grip surface texture. 
         [0014]    The midsole of the present invention may comprise cleat receiving apertures preferably matching the arranged pattern of cleats on the cleated shoe(s). The cleat receiving apertures may comprise cubic profile apertures and/or cylindrical apertures (to match cleat profile on cleated shoes) and are located in the midsole and in an upper portion of the outer sole (a portion of the outer sole remaining is an isolator thereby preventing the cleats from contacting surfaces and from the surfaces contacting the cleats.) As a result the cleats may only contact portions of the auxiliary sole when worn. In most embodiments, the auxiliary sole may not comprise indented recesses for accepting the portions of the sports shoe (such as the heel or outer sole), but rather has a substantially smooth upper surface of the midsole wherein the cleated shoe may ‘ride’ on the upper surface of the auxiliary sole such that the cleated shoe is not recessed within the auxiliary sole (only the cleated are contained within the confines of the auxiliary sole, everything else is located adjacent.) 
         [0015]    The first set of straps and the second set of straps are preferably non-removably attached to the auxiliary sole and are removably attached around the cleated shoe such that relative movement between the auxiliary sole and the cleated shoe is effectually minimized In this way auxiliary sole contact is insulatably-prevented between the cleated shoe and a walking planar surface. The third set of straps may be coupled to the second set of straps (or optionally to the first set in other embodiments) to prevent movement of the cleated shoe in relation to the auxiliary sole. The auxiliary sole does not comprise side engaging portions, toe inclusive portions, or heel inclusive portions so as to define front and backwards movement of the cleated shoe in relation to the auxiliary sole. 
         [0016]    A method of use for a cleat sole protection system is also disclosed herein comprises the steps of: slipping on an auxiliary sole; attaching a first set of straps about a cleated shoe; attaching a second set of straps about the cleated shoe; wearing the auxiliary sole of the cleat sole protection system to prevent touch-contact between the cleated shoe and the planar surface; uncoupling the second set of straps; uncoupling the first set of straps; and removing the cleat sole protection system from the cleated shoe(s) such that a wearer-user is able to engage in at least one (sporting or the like) activity. 
         [0017]    The method of use for a cleat sole protection system may further comprise the step of attaching a third set of straps around the cleated shoe when preparing to wear the cleat sole protection system to prevent forward and backward movement of the cleated shoe in relation to the auxiliary sole. The method of use for a cleat sole protection system may additionally comprise the step of uncoupling the third set of straps from around the cleated shoe before removing the cleat sole protection system. 
         [0018]    The present invention holds significant improvements and serves as a cleated shoe protection system. For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, cleat sole protection system, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view illustrating an in-use condition of a cleat sole protection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating an instep view of the cleat sole protection system comprising a non-grip (outer sole) bottom surface according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a perspective outer side view illustrating the cleat sole protection system with a grip (outer sole) bottom surface according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a top view of a midsole of the cleat sole protection system according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a method of use of the cleat sole protection system according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIGS. 1-4 . 
       
    
    
       [0025]    The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to cleated shoes and more particularly to a cleat sole protection system as used to improve the protection of flooring, the athlete, and to reduce wear to cleats on cleated shoes. 
         [0027]    Generally, cleat sole protection system  100  prevents undue wear on cleats  180  of cleated shoe(s) 104  and to surfaces that cleated shoe(s) 104  may come into contact with. Cleat sole protection system  100  of the present invention preferably comprises removable cleat sole  102  that is preferably made of compressed rubber  112  but in certain alternate embodiments may be made of leather or another resilient material(s) suitable to protect flooring  190  from cleated shoe(s)  104 . Metal versions of cleats  180  or sharper non-metal versions of cleats  180  may dictate the need for a more resilient composition of midsole  130 . Cleat sole  102  is preferably molded to fit the shape of cleated shoe(s) 104 , and is designed to allow athletes to walk freely indoors without causing damage to flooring  190  or to their cleats  180 . 
         [0028]    Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference there is shown in  FIG. 1 , a perspective view illustrating an in-use condition of cleat sole protection system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0029]    Referring more specifically now to the present invention, cleat sole protection system  100  preferably comprises at least one auxiliary sole  110  (normally to be sold in pairs) each having outer sole  120  and midsole  130 ; at least one first set of straps  140 ; at least one second set of straps  150 ; and in some embodiments, at least one third set of straps  160 . Auxiliary sole  110  may be flexible or non-flexible and comprise a sandal profile wherein first set of straps  140  and second set of straps  150  are removably attached around (about) cleated shoe(s)  104  with adhesive fabric  194  or other suitable coupling means, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The present invention serves to substantially ensure that contact is insulatably-prevented between cleated shoe(s)  104  and at least one planar surface (such as flooring  190 ). 
         [0030]    Third set of straps  160  (used within certain embodiments) couples to second set of straps  150  to effectively prevent movement of cleated shoe(s) 104  in relation to auxiliary sole  110  since auxiliary sole  110  does not comprise side engaging portions, toe inclusive portions, or heel inclusive portions so as to define front and backwards movement. This is preferable since auxiliary sole  110  is more easily coupled and uncoupled from cleated shoe(s)  104 . Outer sole  120  comprises protector  185  such that cleats  180  of cleated shoe(s)  104  are protected from wear and planar surface is protected from damage from cleats  180  while auxiliary sole  110  is removably attached to cleated shoe(s) 104  during a non-cleat-use period. 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , illustrating an inside view of cleat sole protection system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . Auxiliary sole  110  comprises wedge profile  200  such that heel portion  106  of cleat sole protection system  100  is thicker than toe portion  108  (inclining upwardly sloping from toe towards the heel portion.) Cleat receiving apertures  170  are preferably located in midsole  130  and in an upper portion of outer sole  120 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The sandal profile provides that cleated shoe(s) 104  ‘rides’ on an upper surface of auxiliary sole  110  such that cleated shoe(s) 104  is not recessed within auxiliary sole  110 , also providing for ease of coupling and uncoupling, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The straps are designed to be fastened via adhesive fabric  194  or other similar means around the toe portion  108  and metatarsal area  210 . First set of straps  140  and second set of straps  150  are non-removably attached to auxiliary sole  110  and removably attached at distal end(s)  220  of the straps, as alluded to in  FIG. 4 . It should be appreciated that other suitably equivalent fastening means such as snaps, clips, clasps and other may be used to secure straps in place. 
         [0032]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a perspective view illustrating an outer side view of cleat sole protection system  100  with a grip surface  250  and non-grip surface  260  (encircled view) of outer sole  120  bottom surface according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . Outer sole  120  may have grip surface  250  (grooved—shown in  FIG. 3 ) or non-grip surface  260  (non-grooved—shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) on the bottom of outer sole  120  for traction on various walking surfaces. Midsole  130  may be reasonably soft and formable to cleats  180  and/or may comprise cleat receiving apertures  170  for receiving cleats  180  of cleated shoe(s)  104 . Cleats  180  are shown in dotted lines to indicate how they are received within auxiliary sole  110 . First set of straps  140 , second set of straps  150  and third set of straps  160  are shown in a coupled condition such that forward and backward relative movement is limited. 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , illustrating a top perspective view of midsole  130  of cleat sole protection system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0034]    As shown, cleat receiving apertures  170  are located in midsole  130  and in an upper portion of outer sole  120 . Auxiliary sole  110  comprises cleat receiving apertures  170  preferably comprising a pattern matching the arrangement of cleats  180  on cleated shoe(s)  104 . Cleat receiving apertures  170  may comprise cubic profile apertures  230  and/or cylindrical profile apertures  240 . Apertures  230  comprise inner volumes to receive cleats  180 . Only cleats  180  portions of the bottom of cleated shoe(s)  104  are contained partially within auxiliary sole  110 . First set of straps  140  and second set of straps  150  are shown in an uncoupled condition, other embodiments as shown in previous  FIGS. 1-3  may have third set of straps  160  for controlling movement of cleat sole  102  in relation to cleated shoe(s)  104 . 
         [0035]    Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as user preferences, design preference, structural requirements, marketing preferences, cost, available materials, technological advances, etc., other fastening arrangements such as buckling strap systems, other fractioning arrangements, ties, elastics, etc., may be sufficient. 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a flowchart illustrating a method of use  300  of cleat sole protection system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . A method of use  300  for cleat sole protection system  100  may comprise the steps of: step one  301 , slipping on an auxiliary sole  110 ; step two  302 , attaching a first set of straps  140  about cleated shoe(s) 104 ; step three  303 , attaching a second set of straps  150  about cleated shoe(s) 104 ; step four  304 , wearing auxiliary sole  110  of cleat sole protection system  100  to prevent touch-contact between cleated shoe(s) 104  and a planar surface; step five  305 , uncoupling second set of straps  150 ; step six  306 , uncoupling first set of straps  140 ; and step eight  308 , removing cleat sole protection system  100  from cleated shoe(s) 104  such that a wearer-user is able to engage in at least one activity. 
         [0037]    The method of use for a cleat sole protection system  100  may further comprise the step of: step seven  307 , uncoupling third set of straps  160  from around cleated shoe(s) 104  before removing cleat sole protection system  100 . 
         [0038]    It should be noted that step  307  is an optional step and may not be implemented in all cases. Optional steps of method  300  are illustrated using dotted lines in  FIG. 5  so as to distinguish them from the other steps of method  300 . 
         [0039]    It should be noted that the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different orders according to user preference. Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods of use arrangements such as, for example, different orders within above-mentioned list, elimination or addition of certain steps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps, etc., may be sufficient. 
         [0040]    The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.