U.S. patent application number 09/783198 was filed with the patent office on 2001-07-19 for spike for an athletic shoe.
Invention is credited to Fusco, Ciro, Luthi, Simon M., Prowse, Dayle.
Application Number | 20010008054 09/783198 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22925612 |
Filed Date | 2001-07-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010008054 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fusco, Ciro ; et
al. |
July 19, 2001 |
Spike for an athletic shoe
Abstract
A spike for an athletic shoe having a ground engaging portion
which is generally z-shaped in cross-section. A spike according to
the invention includes a first elongate portion having second and
third elongate portions extending angularly therefrom. The second
and third portions are parallel in one embodiment. In other
embodiment, the respective angles of the second and third portions
with respect to the central portion may vary slightly. The
invention is also embodied in a shoe having one or more spikes as
described above and arranged in a predetermined pattern.
Inventors: |
Fusco, Ciro; (Portland,
OR) ; Luthi, Simon M.; (Lake Oswego, OR) ;
Prowse, Dayle; (Portland, OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TESTA, HURWITZ & THIBEAULT, LLP
HIGH STREET TOWER
125 HIGH STREET
BOSTON
MA
02110
US
|
Family ID: |
22925612 |
Appl. No.: |
09/783198 |
Filed: |
February 14, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09783198 |
Feb 14, 2001 |
|
|
|
09245178 |
Feb 5, 1999 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/134 ; 36/129;
36/67A |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43C 15/162
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/134 ; 36/129;
36/67.00A |
International
Class: |
A43B 005/00 |
Claims
1. A shoe comprising: an upper; a ground-engaging surface; at least
one spike having a distal portion protruding from the
ground-engaging surface, the distal portion having a generally
Z-shaped cross-sectional shape.
2. A shoe according to claim 1 wherein the spike further comprises
a mounting portion engaged with the ground engaging surface of the
shoe.
3. A shoe according to claim 1 wherein: the shoe includes a
longitudinal axis; and at least one spike is elongated along the
longitudinal axis of the shoe.
4. A shoe according to claim 1 wherein the generally Z-shaped spike
distal portion comprises a central elongate portion and first and
second elongate portions extending at an angle from opposite ends
of the central elongate portion.
5. A shoe according to claim 4 wherein the included angle between
the first elongate portion and the central elongate portion is
between about 10.degree. and 170.degree..
6. A shoe according to claim 4 wherein the included angle between
the second elongate portion and the central elongate portion is
between about 10.degree. and 170.degree..
7. A shoe according to claim 1 wherein the ground engaging surface
comprises a spike plate.
8. A spike for a shoe comprising: a body having first, second, and
third elongate portions; a first elongate portion having first and
second ends; the second elongate portion extending at a first angle
from the first portion first end; and the third elongate portion
extending at a second angle from the first portion second end.
9. A spike according to claim 8 wherein the second and third
elongate portions are parallel.
10. A spike according to claim 8 further comprising a base
connected to the body.
11. A spike according to claim 8 wherein the first and second
angles are between about 10 and 170.degree..
12. A shoe according to claim 1 wherein the distal portion
comprises: a body having first, second, and third elongate
portions, the first elongate portion having first and second ends;
the second elongate portion extending at a first angle from the
first end; and the third elongate portion extending at a second
angle from the second end.
13. A shoe according to claim 1 wherein the distal portion
comprises: a body having first, second, and third elongate
portions, the first elongate portion having first and second sides;
the second elongate portion extending at a first angle from the
first side; the third elongate portion extending at a second angle
from the second side; and the first and second angles each being
between about 10 and 170.degree..
14. A shoe according to claim 12 wherein the second and third
elongate portions are parallel.
15. A shoe comprising: a sole; at least one spike protruding from
the sole, the spike including a body having first, second, and
third elongate portions; a first elongate portion having first and
second ends; the second elongate portion extending at a first angle
from the first portion first end; and the third elongate portion
extending at a second angle from the first portion second end.
16. A shoe according to claim 15 wherein said shoe has a toe
portion, a metatarsal portion, and the at least one spike includes
at least one spike underlying a toe portion of each shoe.
17. A shoe according to claim 15 wherein each shoe has a toe
portion, a metatarsal portion, and the at least one spike includes
at least one spike underlying a metatarsal portion of the shoe.
18. A shoe according to claim 15 wherein the at least one spike
includes two spikes underlying the toe portion of the shoe and at
least one spike underlying the metatarsal portion of the shoe.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to athletic shoes, and in
particular to spikes for athletic shoes that provide good traction
in the forward direction, resist twisting, and that minimize the
number of spikes which must be fitted to a shoe.
[0002] Athletic shoes for various sports, including track events,
are fitted with spikes to provide traction for accelerating and
stopping, and to resist twisting of the shoe. Athletic shoe spikes
are provided in various shapes and arrangements depending on the
requirements of the particular sport. Track shoes are typically
fitted with a large number of tapered spikes which may be conical
or wedge-shaped such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,559 to
Dassler, or in U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,142 to Koskela. As exemplified
by those references, prior art shoes typically include a relatively
large number of spikes due to inherent limitations in the traction
provided by the individual spikes. However, minimizing the weight
of an athletic shoe is always of primary importance. This is true
of track and field shoes in particular. Weight could be removed
from track and field shoes if an improved spike were available
which provided the required traction with fewer spikes. A need
therefore remains for an improved spike for athletic shoes which
provides improved traction and stability, and which provides for an
overall weight savings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a
spike for use in athletic shoes which provides improved
traction.
[0004] It is a second object of the invention to provide a spike
which reduces the overall number of spikes required to provide
adequate traction and stability in athletic shoes.
[0005] It is another object of the invention to provide a spike
which is omnidirectional.
[0006] It is another object of the invention to provide a spike
which is readily and economically manufactured.
[0007] It is yet another object of the invention to provide a spike
which can be affixed to an athletic shoe sole by conventional
means, or which in the alternative can be formed integrally with a
shoe sole.
[0008] The present invention is embodied in a spike for use with
athletic shoes which includes a distal portion with a generally
z-shaped cross-sectional shape. The z-shaped distal portion
includes a first, central elongate portion with second and third
elongate portions extending angularly therefrom. In the preferred
embodiment, the second and third portions are parallel, or nearly
so. However, the invention is not limited to a spike in which the
second and third portions extend from the central portion at any
particular angle, or at equal angles. A spike according to the
invention may be integrally molded with the sole, or may be a
separate structure that is attached to the sole by an adhesive, by
a or by a threaded base portion. The invention is not limited to a
spike formed of any particular material, although a metal-ceramic
or a polymeric material is preferred.
[0009] These and other objects and features of the invention will
be described with reference to preferred embodiments of the
invention, and with reference to the accompanying figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spike according to the
invention, showing in phantom a base portion embedded in a shoe
sole.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of a shoe sole having z-shaped
spikes beneath the toes, first and fifth metatarsals, and the heel
according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of a shoe sole having z-shaped
spikes beneath the toes, first and fifth metatarsals, and the heel
according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a spike according to
the invention and which includes a threaded base for engagement
with a threaded insert in the shoe sole.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] Turning now to FIG. 1, a spike according to a preferred
embodiment of the invention is shown generally at 10. Spike 10
includes a base portion 12, a flange 14, and a distal,
ground-engaging spike portion 16. Spike portion 16 is of an angular
design generally resembling the letter "z". Stated in a slightly
different way, spike portion 16 includes a central elongated
portion 16a, and elongated portions 16b and 16c which extend at an
angle from opposite ends of central portion 16a. In the preferred
embodiment, portions 16b and 16c are parallel, and extend from
central portion 16c at included angles .theta..sub.1 and
.theta..sub.2. .theta..sub.1 and .theta..sub.2 are preferably
between 75.degree. and 120.degree., and most preferably between
about 80 and 100.degree., although the invention is not limited to
any particular value of .theta..sub.1 or .theta..sub.2. In
alternate embodiments of the invention, portions 16b and 16c are
canted in the same general direction relative to central portion
16a but are not exactly parallel, i.e. .theta..sub.1 and
.theta..sub.2 are not equal. In another aspect of the invention,
central portion 16a is oriented in various directions, i.e.
parallel (not shown), perpendicular (FIG. 3), or at an intermediate
angle (FIG. 1) with respect to a longitudinal axis of the shoe.
Spike 12 is preferably about 5 mm in height, 4-5 mm in overall
length, and about 3.75 mm in overall width. While these overall
dimensions are preferred, the invention is not limited thereto.
Individual athletes could find that slightly different dimensions
are preferable for particular events. A spike according to the
invention is operable in any rotational position, and need not be
oriented in any particular rotational direction. Accordingly, the
multiple spikes on a single shoe need not be rotationally
aligned.
[0015] In the preferred embodiment described above, each spike
includes a base 12, a spike portion 16, and a flange 14. In that
embodiment, spike 10 is attached to the shoe by embedding base 12
in a sole 22. Base 12 is preferably threaded into a hole 24 in sole
22, or into a threaded insert 26 which is mounted in sole 22 (FIG.
4). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, flange 14 abuts sole 22. In
other embodiments, flange 14 may be fully or partially embedded in
sole 22. In those embodiments, flange 14 may be hexagonal or
otherwise shaped so that when embedded in sole 22, it will resist
rotational forces exerted on spike 10.
[0016] In other embodiments, a molded, unitary sole of a shoe
includes one or more integrally molded spikes protruding from the
sole and configured in one of the configurations of spike portion
16 as described above.
[0017] In each of the foregoing embodiments, the spikes are
preferably formed from an aluminum-ceramic mixed material. In the
alternative, the spikes could be made of polymeric materials or
metals, or any other material having suitable strength and forming
properties. The invention is not limited to any particular material
of construction, ceramic, polymeric or otherwise, or to a spike
formed by molding or any other particular manufacturing method.
[0018] In another aspect of the invention, the number and placement
of spikes on the sole of the shoe can vary for use in different
events. In each instance, the number and placement of spikes is
chosen to best accommodate the running style for a particular
event, e.g. whether the runner's foot lands on the heel or on the
metatarsals, and whether the track is curved or straight. For
example, in one preferred embodiment two spikes are mounted beneath
toes (26a, 26b), two beneath the metatarsal area of the foot (26c,
26d), and two spikes (26e-26f) are mounted beneath the heel. For
use in a 100 meter sprint, one preferred embodiment utilizes two
spikes under the toes and one spike under either the first or fifth
metatarsal head. (As used herein, the first metatarsal is located
nearest the medial side of the foot.) In embodiments having three
spikes, the third spike may be located under the first metatarsal
on the left shoe, and under the fifth metatarsal on the right shoe.
Conversely, the third spike may be located under either the fifth
metatarsal on the left shoe, and under the first metatarsal on the
right shoe. For intermediate length events, e.g. 200/400/800
meters, and for a 4.times.100 relay in which the runners run on
curved track sections, four spikes are preferred, two under the toe
region and one each under the first and fifth metatarsal heads.
[0019] Having described the invention with reference to the
foregoing illustrative embodiments, those skilled in the art will
recognize that numerous modifications in detail and arrangement are
possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the
following claims.
* * * * *