Patent ID: 8601725

Claim:
A removable cleat comprising: a coupling element; and a ground-engaging element having a base with a rim, the rim having a downward protrusion extending from the base to a bottom-most surface, and a plurality of flexible projections, each of the flexible projections being outwardly and downwardly angled and being sufficiently thin to permit bending, each of the flexible projections having a central end and an outer end, the central end being connected to the base, wherein a gap is maintained between the outer end and the rim's downward protrusion when the flexible projections are not bent toward the base, wherein the central end of each of the flexible projections contacts the base at a first point above the bottom-most surface of the downward protrusion, and wherein each of the flexible projections bends in a manner for the outer end to contact the base at a second point above the bottom-most surface when engaged against the ground.