Patent Publication Number: US-11396088-B2

Title: Cleat removal wrench

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Good footwear is essential to high performance on the field. Sporting footwear often includes spiked cleats on the shoe sole to increase traction when running on ground surfaces and prevent slipping during gameplay. Due to their position on the sole of the shoe, the ground surfaces they are worn upon, and the forces they are subjected to during gameplay, cleats often become damaged and deformed with extended use, or by contact with hard surfaces, such as stone or concrete, for example. To allow for frequent is replacement, most cleats are releasably attachable to the shoe by a threaded shank that is screwed into a hole recessed into the shoe sole. Cleats are therefore replaceable as needed, without a player having to discard an entire shoe for want of better cleats. 
     However, as any sporting enthusiast knows, removal of cleats can be troublesome. Cleats are desirously tautly engaged into the shoe sole to prevent loss during gameplay. Tools are frequently employed to leverage torque and ensure maximized tautness of engagement into the shoe sole to prevent loosening or loss during gameplay. This makes removing the cleats difficult, especially after extended use and wear in the outdoors. Soil particles often accumulate around the cleat, and in between the cleat and the shoe sole, increasing friction when turning the shank or attempting to drive the cleat. Some soils can become hard when dried, and effectively cement the cleats in place. This difficulty is exacerbated by a general inability to gain purchase upon the cleat to effectuate the torque required to drive the cleat and loosen the embedded shank, due to the size and shape of the cleat&#39;s base, and due to deformation that frequently results rendering the base an irregular shape. 
     As a result, various tools are known in the art for removing cleats and replacing cleats on shoe soles. Some are engineered to a specific cleat, and shaped to seat around, upon, or into an aperture of, specific cleats. Each extends a lever arm to assist in applying torque to remove the cleat. However, problems with these designs persist: deformed cleats do not seat into specially shaped receptacles disposed upon specialized tools which are prone to slip when the tool is turned. Soil buildup around the base can further confound the purchase such tools seek to advantage requiring cleaning the shoe sole to an extent that may not be available immediately prior to gameplay. 
     What is needed is a cleat removal wrench that is engineered specifically to engage against a variety of cleat shapes, that leverages torque at a pair of curved terminal edges devised to seat against a cleat to gain purchase at the cleat base and enable manual removal and replacement of even deformed cleats in an expedient manner. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a cleat removal wrench devised to apply torque to cleats in sporting footwear and enable more easy removal of the said cleats, even after extended use and wear. The present invention is configured to present curved terminal edges of each of a pair of cleat engagement members, projected subjacently from a pair of arms, to enable purchase against the base of cleats and increase torque to grip and drive the cleats and effectively remove them from the shoe sole, whether by turning to unscrew the cleat shank or to pull the cleat directly out of the shoe sole (as in some cleat designs). The design of the present invention enables use upon a variety of shaped and sized cleats, including studs (as used in rugby shoes, for example), pins (as used in golf shoes, for example), and spikes (as used in running shoes, for example), whether having round or polygonal shaped bases. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     As used herein throughout, the term “cleat” includes any removable projection devised to be oriented from a shoe sole to increase traction when engaging in sporting activities. The term “enantiomorphic” is taken according to its ordinary meaning as “mirror-imaged.” 
     The present cleat removal wrench has been devised to enable increased torque in removing the variety of shaped and sized cleats commonly employed upon sporting footwear. Such cleats are generally applied to increase traction during gameplay, to prevent slipping and sliding, and to facilitate the agility successful players naturally display in bypassing their opponents on the field. In use, such cleats can become embedded, encrusted, deformed, deteriorated and therefore generally difficult to replace when needed. 
     The present cleat removal wrench has been devised with novel structure that enables acquisition of purchase directly upon the base of a cleat to which it is applied, or to gain purchase at the shank sunk into the shoe sole, whereby removal of the said cleat is facilitated even where the cleat base is deformed, deteriorated, or rendered of an irregular shape following extended use. The present cleat removal wrench is therefore usable across a plurality of cleat designs. 
     The present cleat removal wrench, therefore, includes a pair of coplanar, laterally adjacent arms disposed bounding an interstitial space and pivotally connected at distal ends thereof. Along the length of the pair of arms, distally situated relative to a pair of handle portions, a pair of cleat engagement members is disposed. The pair of cleat engagement members is devised for clamping engagement against the base and/or shank of the targeted cleat, to increase pressure and therefore garner purchase at the cleat base and/or shank and apply increased torque to drive the cleat and effectuate removal of the cleat. 
     Each cleat engagement member is disposed to extend an arced terminal edge to a plane subjacent each of the pair of arms, said terminal edge presenting an acute curved extent devised to engage against a base and/or shaft of a cleat to which the tool is applied. The force applied to squeeze the handle portions of the wrench together is therefore distributed through the pair of arms, through the cleat engagement members, to the arced terminal edges, whereby pressure is increased thereat appropriate for garnering purchase against the cleat base and/or shank. Once purchase is achieved, the cleat removal wrench is devised to apply increased torque to the cleat to drive the cleat with relative ease and therefore effectuate removal of the cleat from a sporting shoe sole. Once a new cleat has been fitted to the now vacated hole, the new cleat may be tightened into place by use of the same cleat removal wrench applied in like capacity, with the exception of the direction of rotation. 
     Each cleat engagement member includes a sloped member disposed projected along a negative slope into the interstitial space between the pair of arms. In a preferred embodiment, each said sloped member forms a section of an inverted, truncated cone. When the arms are moved to a closed position, the terminal edge of each of the cleat engagement members is brought to close proximity, creating a generally circular aperture therebetween, bounded by an acute linear extent. Each terminal edge may thus be brought to close proximity whereby the circular aperture is positionable approximal and surrounding a cleat, either at its base or underlying its base at the shank head at the juncture with the shoe sole, whereby the terminal edges are engaged against the base or shank of the cleat. Thus, even deformed, degraded, and hard-to-remove cleats are readily grasped by the wrench and torque thereafter readily applied to drive the cleat and effectuate removal of the cleat, or to tighten newly installed cleats, as desired. 
     Each cleat engagement member includes and a top surface that is at least partially concave between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge, and from an apical portion down to the terminal edge. The concavity thus bounded by each said cleat engagement member is therefore seatable around a cleat upon a shoe sole, accommodating the cleat therein, and enabling approximation of the terminal edges to grip against the base of the cleat and, in some embodiments, directly to the shank of the cleat at its juncture with the shoe sole underlying the cleat base. 
     The pair of arms is therefore wieldable at a respective handle portion between an open position and a closed position to situate each curved terminal edge in taut contact against a cleat on an existing sporting footwear, to apply pressure and garner purchase at the cleat base or shank, whereby said cleat is removable when each handle portion is thence squeezed toward the closed position and each curved terminal edge is engaged against the cleat and thence rotated counterclockwise. 
     In a preferred embodiment set forth and depicted herein, the pair of arms include a first arm and a second arm. Each arm includes a longitudinal axis, a body potion disposed along the longitudinal axis, a handle portion, and a distal end deflected off the longitudinal axis to accommodate pivotal connection with the other said arm. The second arm is generally enantiomorphic (that is, mirror-imaged) with respect to the first arm but is configured to distally seat under the first arm at the distal end. The distal end of each of the first and second arms is deflected off the longitudinal axis appropriately to accommodate pivotal connection thereat while enabling each of the handle portions, arms, and cleat engagement members to remain in parallel configuration. 
     A lever arm distance from the cleat engagement members to the ends of the handle portions applies torque to a cleat when engaged at the terminal edges, and the terminal edges increase pressure applied through the cleat engagement members from the pair of arms to increase purchase upon the cleat base or shank, as case may be, to readily facilitate removal and replacement of cleats. 
     In at least one embodiment set forth herein, the cleat removal wrench includes a spring member between the distal ends of each of the pair of arms. The spring member is devised to assist in wielding the device by a user and compresses when the pair of arms is moved to the closed position. Release of the pair of arms from the closed position is thereby facilitated by action of the spring member. The spring member thus maintains the wrench in the open position, until squeezed to the closed position by a user, whereby application of the wrench around a targeted cleat is facilitated without a user necessarily having to first position the wrench in the open position. 
     In at least one embodiment contemplated herein, each terminal edge is feathered upon the under surface in a plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of each of the pair of arms. This feathered, horizontal portion enables seating of the cleat engagement member flush to the shoe sole and orients the terminal edge acutely for contact with the cleat, increasing pressure at the terminal edge. In some embodiments contemplated herein, each terminal edge may also be serrated, having a plurality of teeth oriented upon the terminal edge for increase traction when engaged against the cleat base or shank. 
     Thus, has been broadly outlined the more important features of the present cleat removal wrench so that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
     Objects of the present cleat removal wrench, along with various novel features that characterize the invention are particularly pointed out in the claims forming a part of this disclosure. For better understanding of the cleat removal wrench, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, refer to the accompanying drawings and description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric top view of an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric bottom view of an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a top elevation view of an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom elevation view of an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a front elevation view of an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a rear elevation view of an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a detail view of a top isometric view of an example embodiment of a pair of cleat engagement members. 
         FIG. 8  is a detail view of a bottom isometric view of an example embodiment of a pair of cleat engagement members. 
         FIG. 9  is an in-use view of an example embodiment engaged to an existing cleat. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular  FIGS. 1 through 9  thereof, example of the instant cleat removal wrench employing the principles and concepts of the present cleat removal wrench and generally designated by the reference number  10  will be described. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 9  a preferred embodiment of the present cleat removal wrench  10  is illustrated. 
     The cleat removal wrench  10  includes a pair of coplanar, laterally adjacent arms  20 ,  30  having inner edges  29 ,  39 , bounding an interstitial space  50 . The pair of arms includes a first arm  20  and a second arm  30  pivotally connected at distal ends  28 ,  38  thereof. The first arm  20  includes longitudinal axis  22 , body potion  24  disposed along the longitudinal axis  22 , handle portion  26 , and distal end  28  deflected off the longitudinal axis  22  toward the second arm  30  and configured to accommodate pivotal connection with the second arm  30 . Cleat engagement member  100  is disposed upon the first arm  20  projected radially into the interstitial space  50  between the first and second arms  20 ,  30 . The cleat engagement member  100  includes sloped member  102 , disposed edgewise upon the body portion  24  and projected along a negative slope into the interstitial space  50  to a position subjacent the longitudinal axis  22 , and curved terminal edge  104  disposed endwise upon the sloped member  102 . The curved terminal edge  104  is projected to a position subjacent a lowermost surface  25 ,  35  of each of the pair of arms  20 ,  30  and is configured to engage circumferentially around the basal portion of a cleat  500  when the pair of arms  20 ,  30  are squeezed together, as will be described hereinbelow. 
     The second arm  30  is generally enantiomorphic with respect to the first arm  20  but is configured to distally seat under the first arm  20  at the distal end  38 . The second arm  30  likewise includes longitudinal axis  32 , body potion  34  disposed along the longitudinal axis  32 , handle portion  36 , distal end  38  deflected off the longitudinal axis  32  toward the first arm  20 , and cleat engagement member  200 . Cleat engagement member  200  likewise includes sloped member  202  and curved terminal edge  204  devised enantiomorphically with respect to cleat engagement member  100 . Distal end  38  is configured to accommodate pivotal connection with the first arm  20  while maintaining handle portion  36  and body portion  34  of the second arm  30  coplanar with handle portion  26  and body portion  24  of the first arm  20 . In the example embodiment depicted in the accompanying figures, distal end  38  of the second arm  30  is deflected downwardly off longitudinal axis  32  and distal end  28  of the first arm  20  is deflected a corresponding distance upwardly off longitudinal axis  22 , enabling pivotal connection of the distal ends  28 ,  38  while maintaining coplanar relation of each of the handle portions  26 ,  36  and the remainder of the arms  20 ,  30  to orient cleat engagement members  100 ,  200  side-by-side in parallel relation whereby the terminal edges  104 ,  204  are usable in conjunction to garner purchase upon a targeted cleat  500 . 
     Cleat engagement member  200  is disposed projected from the second arm  30 , enantiomorphic with respect to the cleat engagement member  100  of the first arm  20 . A sloped member  202  is disposed edgewise upon body portion  34  and projected along a negative slope into the interstitial space  50  to culminate at curved terminal edge  204  disposed endwise upon the sloped member  202 . The curved terminal edge  204  is projected to a position subjacent the pair of arms  20 ,  30 . The cleat engagement members  100 ,  200  of each of the first and second arms may conjunct each other at ends  106 ,  206  of each said curved terminal edge  104 ,  204  when the wrench  10  is moved to a closed position. The curved terminal edges  104 ,  204  are configured to engage circumferentially against the base or basal portion of a cleat  500  installed to a sporting footwear to exact purchase thereagainst and enable application of torque when the wrench  10  is rotated to effectively remove the cleat  500  from the shoe sole  550 , even when the cleat  500  is damaged or deformed. 
     Discussing now particularly the figures,  FIG. 1  illustrates an isometric top view of an example embodiment of the present cleat removal wrench  10 . The first arm  20  and the second arm  30  occupy parallel positions in a like plane. Distal ends  28 ,  38  are pivotally joined at pivot point  70 . Handle portions  26 ,  36  enable comfort in use when grasping in the hand and may include a rubberlike or polymeric covering, thermally insulated, and suited to increase traction in the hand and comfort when wielding, even during cold days on the field. Spring member  80  is disposed proximal distal ends  28 ,  38  to assist restoration of the wrench  10  to the open position once closed whereby the wrench  10  defaults to the open position when unhanded. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an isometric bottom view of an example embodiment of the present cleat removal wrench  10 . In this embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , distal end  28  of the first arm  20  is deflected upwards a distance approximately half the thickness of the body portion  24  and distal end  38  of the second arm  30  is deflected downwards approximately half the thickness of the body portion  34  whereby each of the first and second arm body portions  24 ,  34  and handle portions  26 ,  36  are thereby aligned co-planarly. 
     The cleat engagement members  100 ,  200  are disposed to project curved terminal edges  104 ,  204  subjacent to the handle portions  26 ,  36 , at a distance h underlying the respective arms  20 ,  30  approximately greater than the height of a typical cleat  500  when seated into a corresponding footwear  550 . Thus, each cleat engagement member  100 ,  200  may be engaged against the base of the cleat  500  while enabling rotation of the handle portions  26 ,  36  without abutting up against other cleats as may otherwise confound the turning of the wrench  10  were the terminal edges  104 ,  204  of the cleat engagement members  100 ,  200  disposed more adjacent to the handle portions of the arms  20 ,  30 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a top elevation view of an example embodiment and  FIG. 4  illustrates a bottom elevation view of an example embodiment of the cleat removal wrench  10 . As shown, each cleat engagement member  100 ,  200  includes apical portion  300 , upper surface  302 , under surface  304 , first lateral edge  306 , and second lateral edge  308 . In this example embodiment, upper surface  302  is at least partially concave, rendering the cleat removal members  100 ,  200  as frustoconical sections. As shown, each terminal edge  104 ,  204  is feathered upon the under surface  302 , providing a horizontal section  310  adapted for approximal contact with the shoe sole  550  upon which the wrench  10  is situated in removing the cleat  500  therefrom. 
     The distance sloped members  102 ,  202  project subjacent the respective first and second arms  20 ,  30  is best shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Depth h corresponds with a length greater than the height of typical cleats when inserted into the shoe sole, whereby rotation of the wrench  10  when engaged to a cleat  500  base is not impeded by other cleats upon the shoe sole. (See for example  FIG. 9 .) 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  show detail views of the cleat engagement members  100 ,  200 . In some embodiments, the curved terminal edge  104 ,  204  of each of the cleat engagement members may be serrated, toothed, or include other features or structures devised to increase traction and/or pressure against a cleat base or shank when the said curved terminal edge  104 ,  204  is engaged against the cleat base or, in some cases, shank. As best represented in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , in some embodiments the curved terminal edge  104 ,  204  may be seatable between the cleat  500  base and the shoe sole  550  by action of the horizontal section  310  on the under surface  304  of each corresponding sloped member  102 ,  202 , to drive the cleat and to gain purchase directly at the shank of the cleat. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an in-use view with the cleat removal wrench  10  engaged against a cleat  500 . Cleat engagement members  100 ,  200  have been secured to the cleat  500  base to garner purchase thereat. Rotation of the wrench  10  thence effects rotation of the cleat  500  for removal, by distributing the force applied in bringing the handle portions  26 ,  36  to the closed position directly to the cleat  500  base, or shank as case may be, and increasing the pressure there applied, while increasing torque along the lever arm distance applied by the handle portions  26 ,  36 .