Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
C~IN0002P
1238779 PATENT
IMPROVED GOL~ SPIKE ASSEMBLY
Backnround
Thi~ invention relates to the field of athletic
shoe manufacture. More 6pecifically, it relates to an
improved a~gembly for providing 6piked soles on athletic
shoes, particularly on shoes de,siqned for golfer~
It ha~ long been under~stood that it i~
desirable to provide stability to the wearer of athletic
shoes de6igned for use in golf. Becau~e the motion of
the player in execution of drive6 in the course oP this
game results in instability of fooeing, footwear has
been provided which has a means to 6ecure the player to
the ground during ~his maneuver. Ordinarily, this i6
accomplished by providing, in the soles of ~hoes
designed for golfers, a pattern of metal ~pikes which
become embedded in the turf, and thus provide the player
with a firm ~ooting.
Traditionally, the spikes are 6ecured to a
rubber or ~ynthetic shoe sole by means of a flat metal
plate bearing a series of pronged fastene~6 around it~
periphery, and a tubular threaded ~emale connector
protruding from its center toward the bottom of the
~hoe. The spike it~elf i6 contiguou6 with a threaded
male connector, and is provided with a metal flange
containing two hole~ which per~it insertion of a
two-pronged key. The two-pronged key, then, i~ u~ed ~o
turn the fIange containing the ~pike and male connector
so as to securQ the spike a~sembly to the receptacle
assembly~ ;
Because of the required number of ~pikes, the
metal flange portions add con6iderable weight to the
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shoe. Therefore, improvements have been made in -the spike
assembly by using only a metal frame contiguous with the connector
and spike, and embedding the metal frame into a plastic or nylon
flange. In this version of the spike assembly, the lighter weight
of the plastic or nylon results in a lighter shoe. One design of
this modification utilizes a plastic thread on the male connector,
as well, but this has proved clearly unsatisfactory due to inade-
quate strength. Another design provides a metal male screw thread,
and stabilizes the spike assembly by a series of three fan blade
projections from the connector/spike. This design provides two
keyholes for tightening the spike onto the receptacle, thus
requiring large arc motions in tightening it down.
None of the foregoing designs is completely satisfactory.
The pronged receptacle relies on securing means which, because
they bear directly against the surrounding material, often cause
tearing and weakening of the soles and become loose. The metal
flanged spike is unduly heavy; the plastic threaded connector,
because of the weakness of the material, tends to strip; the tri-
bladed assembly has an uneven weight distribution with respect to
the two keyholes provlded to secure the spike. The present inven-
tion overcomes these deficiencies.
Summary of the Invention
The invention provides an improved receptacle for a golf
spike assembly, which comprises: an annular, slightly concave,
dish; a tubular, threaded, female connector disposed in the con-
cave face of said dish and contiguous with the center thereof; and
a series of cylindrical cavities disposed peripherally to the
connector, extending through the thickness of the dish, and each
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capped by a s-topper on the concave face of -the dish.
The receptacle is secured to the outer sole layer by
injection oE molding in-to cavities of the receptacle, thus per-
mitting the receptacle to be secured to an outer sole plate with-
out the shear forces associated with the pronged receptacle. The
golf spike assembly is light weight, is easily secured, and is
highly reliable.
The connector being disposed on the concave side of the
dish, will project outward from the sole of the shoe. Surrounding
the connector, cylindrical cavities or circular perforations in
the dish can accommodate injection molded plastic or nylon. The
cap or "stopper" prevents excess material from being extruded from
the outer face of the dish. These stoppers arej preferably,
integral with the base of the dish.
A Brief Description of the Drawings
Figures lA and lB are a facing view and side view,
respectively, of the receptacle.
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Figures 2A and 2B are, respecti~ely, facing
views of a ~ront and heel plate arrangement suitable for
containing the receptacles.
Figures 3A and 3B are, re6pectively, a facing
and ~ide view of the golf spike as6embly of the
invention.
Figure 4 is a facing view of the metal frame
embedded in the 6pike a66embly,
Detailed DescriPtion of a Preferred Embodiment
The invention can be6t be understood by
reference to a specific preferred embodiment, a6
illustrated in the drawinqs herein. This description,
however, i8 intended to be illustrative and not
limiting. Any design within the scope o~ the appended
claim~, although ~ot specifically 6hown in the drawings,
is to be con~idered a part of the invention.
The improved receptacle of the invention i~
shown in Figure6 lA and lB. Figure lA shows a facing
view of the metal dish which contains at its center a
protruding threaded connector, 101. The connector is
surrounded by a ~eries of cavitie~ ~paced at positions
equidi6tant from each other and from the center of the
dish, a~ 6hown at 102. The dish is cut in an irregular
pattern to minimize weight, ~ut other overall 6hapes,
such, as a circular dish, are consistent with the
invention.
The feature~ of the receptacle a~e shown in
Figure lB, which i~ a 6ide view of the receptacle. As
~hown, the dish itself, 103, is slightly concave. The
di6h i~ approximately 2-3 cm in its longest dimension,
104, and i~ approximately 1-3 mm thick, a6 shown at
105. The dimen6ion 105 need not be completely uniform
acro~s the face of the dish. The cavitie6, 106, are
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~hown capped with stoppers, loZ. The cavitie~ extend
through the thickne6~ of the dish, and the stoppers are
contiguous thereto. These cavitie~ are mo~t
conveniently formed by ~tamping the metal dish 80 that
the stoppers are derived from the ~ame blank a~ the
remainder of the ba~e. ~till referring to Figure lB,
the connector, 101, i8 threaded internally, 107, 80 a~
to provide a receptacle connector with the ~pike
a~sembly.
The receptacles shown in Figure 1 are mounted
on the shoe by mean~ of a nylon or other ~ynthetic ~ole
plate, a~ shown in Figures 2A and 2B. Figures 2A shows
a suitable de~ign for the front portion of the sole,
designed to bear seven receptacles at po~itions 201.
The heel plate in thi~ design is able to accommodate
four receptacles at po6itions Z02 as shown in Figure
2B. The receptacle~ are secured to the plate~ by
injection molding of the plate material into the capped
cavitie6, 106. The molded projections thu~ maintain the
integrity of the a~6embly, and because they do not rely
on pun~turing the plate, as do traditional receptacles,
the tendency of the plate ~o tear i~ le~s. The diameter
of the cavitie6 de6igned to receive the injection mold
is approximately 2-5 mm.
Figures 3A and 3B 6how the front and side view
of the finished spike as64mbly; Figure 4 shows the inner
frame, which stabilize6 it. RePerriny to Figure 4, 401
show~ the ~pike projecting from the center of the Prame
toward the viewer; not shown, but in the ~ame position
- 30 away from the ~iewer on the other side of the frame i8
the threaded;male connector. The ~rame it~elP, 402, i8
approximately 2-3 cm in dia~eter, as shown at 403, and
i8 approximatlely l-4 mm in thickness (dimension not
shown). The periphery of the frame is provided with a
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serie~ of 4 perforation6, 404, which are shown at equal
di6tances from each other and from the center, and which
are designed to accommodate the turnkey used to tighten
the spike a6sembly. In addition, the frame perforation6
contain perpendicular extensions at 405 to prevent
movement of the frame within the assembly.
Po6ition 401 in Figure 4 corre~ponds to
position 301 in Figures 3A and 3B. 3A and 3~ show the
frame embedded~in the outer nylon dish, which provide~
the appropriate 6urface area and finish, but with less
increase in weight than a metal analog. Figure 3B ~hows
a 6ide view where the pike, 301, i6 indicated
protruding from the convex facle of a curved nylon outer
di6h: and the threaded connector projects from the
concave face of thi6 dish. The dimension~ of the
connector, 302, are matched to thosa of the receptacle,
6hown in Figure lB. Typically, the connector 302 has an
outer diameter of 3 6 mm, and the inner diameter of the
receptacle connec~or shown in lB at 107, has an inner
dia~eter correspondin~ to this dimen6ion. Both
connectors are about 0.4-1 cm long. The curved nylon
ba~e, 303, separates the connector from the ~pike, a~
shown in Figure 3B.
Figure 3A shows the arrangements of the
installation hole~, 304, in the nylon base. The~e are
also arran~ed radially ~rom the center, and at equal
distances. When the frame of Figure 4 i~ embedded in
tha fini~hed asfiemblr of Figure 3~, the in~tallation
hole 304, and in aommunication with the perforation~,
404, in the frame. Thu~ the entire as~embly ca~ be
tighte~ed onto ths receptacle by inserting a key into
the installation holes. As there are four such holes, a
double-pronged key can be turned throu~h a very shallow
arc in effecting the fa6tening of the as~embly.
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Further, as the perforations are provided with
perpendicular edge~, 40~, the frame i8 precluded from
moving within the nylon outer dish.
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