Patent Publication Number: US-2006005431-A1

Title: Anti-twist cleat receptacle

Description:
This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/586,475, filed Jul. 8, 2004, entitled “Anti-Twist Cleat Receptacle,” which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The present invention relates to traction cleat receptacles mounted on the bottom of footwear, in particular, athletic footwear.  
     BACKGROUND  
      Conventional traction gear for footwear use a large number of individual traction elements, such as cleats, that are attached to the outsole of a shoe. The typical golf shoe, for example, includes seven cleats that are individually attached to the shoe by screwing the cleat into the mated receiving receptacle in the bottom of the footwear. Progress has been made in recent years in reducing the effort needed to attach and to remove traction elements from footwear by reducing the rotations needed to attach each traction element. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,809 describes a quick-release Q-LOK™ traction element connector. When inserted into a receptacle, a Q-LOK™ connector can be securely attached to an outsole by rotating the cleat less than a third of a turn.  
      Cleats receptacles are typically molded into footwear outsoles. If a cleat installer continues to twist a cleat after the cleat is fully inserted into the receptacle, the receptacle may rotate with respect to the outsole. This rotation may render the shoe unusable since the cleat can then rotate as the shoe is worn and various torques are applied to the cleat by ground contact. In addition, the cleat cannot be easily removed from the receptacle. A cleat receptacle is therefore needed that provides superior resistance to twisting in an outsole as a cleat is installed, removed or twisted by ground contact during use.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In certain embodiments of the present invention, a cleat receptacle is provided that resists twisting when mounted in a shoe outsole. Such twisting can occur when a cleat is inserted into or removed from the receptacle. The receptacle includes a structure for engaging a cleat by inserting the cleat into the structure and rotating the cleat about the structure&#39;s axis. The receptacle includes a flange or a group of flanges connected to the cleat-engaging structure. The flange includes a portion that is substantially sloped with respect to a plane that is perpendicular to the cleat-engaging structure&#39;s axis. When twisted, the sloped portion of the flange presses against adjacent outsole material, resisting the twisting. The slope of the flange can range from at least about 5 degrees in certain embodiments of the invention to at least about 20 degrees in other embodiments of the invention.  
      In other embodiments of the invention, the receptacle flange may include a wave, i.e., the slope of the flange with respect to a plane that is perpendicular to the cleat-engaging structure&#39;s axis changes the sign of at least one component of the slope between at least two portions of the flange.  
      In certain embodiments of the invention, a receptacle flange may have a perimeter that is non-circular, to further resist twisting in the shoe outsole. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The foregoing features of the invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  shows a cleat receptacle for a shoe according to an embodiment of the invention; and  
       FIG. 2  shows a side view of the cleat receptacle of  FIG. 1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS  
      Definitions. As used in this description and the accompanying claims, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless the context otherwise requires:  
      A “shoe” means any outer covering for a foot including, without limitation, athletic footwear, sandals, boots, and slippers.  
      In certain embodiments of the present invention, a cleat receptacle is provided that resists twisting when mounted in a shoe outsole. The receptacle includes a structure for engaging a cleat by inserting the cleat into the structure and rotating the cleat about the structure&#39;s axis. The receptacle includes a flange or a group of flanges connected to the cleat-engaging structure. The flange includes a portion that is substantially sloped with respect to a plane that is perpendicular to the cleat-engaging structure&#39;s axis. When twisted, the sloped portion of the flange presses against adjacent outsole material, resisting the twisting. The slope of the flange can range from at least about 5 degrees in certain embodiments of the invention to at least about 20 degrees in other embodiments of the invention.  
       FIG. 1  shows a cleat receptacle  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. A cleat-engaging structure  110  is provided at the center of the receptacle. The cleat-engaging structure defines an axis  140  about which the cleat is rotated when inserted or removed. A flange  120  surrounds the cleat-engaging structure  110 . The flange  120  is formed so that at least a portion of the flange is substantially sloped with respect to any plane perpendicular to axis  140 . When the receptacle  100  is molded into a shoe outsole and twisted, a portion of the shoe outsole adjacent to the sloped flange portion will exert pressure on the receptacle and resist twisting. In specific embodiments of the invention, the slope of the portion of the flange exceeds 5 degrees, 10 degrees, 15 degrees and 20 degrees respectively. In specific embodiments of the invention, the flange  120  can include slots  130  for mounting the receptacle to a shoe outsole. Mounting of the receptacle is by methods known in the art and may include forming sole material around the slots or by nailing the slots to the outsole and then forming material around the receptacle, including the flange.  FIG. 2  shows a side view of the receptacle of  FIG. 1 .  
      In further embodiments of the invention, a flange  120  includes two sloped portions where the sign of at least one component of the slope changes between the portions. This embodiment includes a wave within the flange. In further embodiments of the invention, the wave within the flange may include changes in slope that are abrupt. For example, the flange may include one or more step transitions, where the slope abruptly changes over a short distance. These transitions may be followed by a reverse transition within a short distance on the flange—that is a step-up and then a step-down transition. Alternatively, the flange may include a set of “staircase” steps. A reverse transition may be provided that mirrors the first transition or has a different pattern of sloped regions. All such patterns of flange slope transitions are within the scope of the invention.  
      In further embodiments of the invention, in any of the preceding embodiments, the flange or flanges may be shaped so that the perimeter of the flange or flanges is non-circular. The non-circular shape of the flange causes outsole material to be molded into portions around the flange perimeter that will resist receptacle twisting as cleats are inserted into or removed from the receptacle.  
      In further embodiments of the invention, in any of the preceding embodiments, the flange or flanges may have a radius bend at their perimeter. Such a radius bend serves to reduce cutting of the outsole material as the receptacle starts to twist.  
      In other embodiments of the invention, in any of the preceding embodiments of the invention, one or more projections may be attached to the flange to further retard receptacle twisting. The projections may be parallel to the cleat-engaging structure&#39;s axis. Alternatively, each projection may be individually inclined with respect to the cleat-engaging structure&#39;s axis at any angle.  
      The cleat-engaging structure of the receptacle may be of any shape that is suitable to mate with a corresponding cleat. The attachment structure may conform to the Q-LOK™ system sold by MacNeill Engineering, Inc. (as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,768,809, 6,151,805, 6,108,944, and 6,463,618), to the TRI-LOK™ system also sold by MacNeill Engineering, Inc., to the Fast Twist™ system sold by Softspikes, Inc. (as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,123,184, 5,524,367, 5,974,700 and 6,272,774), to a circumferentially threaded structure or to any other structure that may be attached to a receptacle. Each of the aforementioned patents is incorporated herein by reference.  
      While preferred embodiments have been described in which a receptacle for traction elements, such as cleats, can be attached to a shoe outsole, the use of such receptacles is not limited to attaching traction elements to shoes, but may be generally employed as a twist-resistant receptacle for rotatably attachable elements in other applications which require the attachment of one mechanical structure to another. Similarly, it is of course apparent that the present invention is not limited to the detailed description set forth above. Various changes and modifications of this invention as described will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.