Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
ROTATABLE SHOE CLEATS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The following includes information that may be useful in
understanding the present
disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein
is prior art nor
material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any
publication or document
that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of footwear of
existing art and more
specifically relates to footwear for sporting purposes.
RELATED ART
[0003] Golf is a sport that involves a golfer using a selected golf club
and swinging the golf
club to strike a golf ball into a hole. When swinging the golf club during
shots requiring the golf
ball to travel a greater distance (shots further away from the hole), golfers
will typically swing, or
twist, their bodies to increase momentum and force applied to the golf ball;
thereby increasing
distance traveled by the golf ball when struck. It is important to perform
this movement correctly
to maximize the swing of the golf club and therefore maximize distance and
accuracy of the golf
ball.
[0004] However, this swing typically requires considerable effort and
places a lot of stress on
the golfer's body; particularly the back, hips and knees. As such, not only is
injury an ever
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prevalent threat for golfers, but this stress can also inhibit fluidity of the
swing and prevent the
golfer from striking the ball to the best of their ability. Thus, this results
in diminished accuracy
and decreased distance of the golf ball when struck. As such, a suitable
solution is desired.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known sport
footwear art, the
present disclosure provides novel rotatable shoe cleats. The general purpose
of the present
disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to
provide a rotatable cleat
system for one or more shoes, particularly golf shoes, to enable easier
rotation for a golfer during
a swing.
[0006] A rotatable cleat system for at least one shoe is disclosed herein.
The at least one shoe
includes a sole having a plurality of recessed apertures each defining a
rotational axis. The rotatable
cleat system may include a plurality of rotatable members configured for
attachment about the sole
of the at least one shoe. Each of the plurality of rotatable members may
include a bearing assembly
and a cleat. The bearing assembly may include an outer bearing race, an inner
bearing race and a
plurality of bearing balls. The outer bearing race may be configured for
insertion into one of the
recessed apertures in the sole of the at least one shoe; the inner bearing
race may be located within
the outer bearing race; and the plurality of bearing balls may be disposed
between the inner bearing
race and the outer bearing race.
[0007] The inner bearing race may define a center opening and may be
configured for rotation
about the rotational axis of the one of the recessed apertures (when attached
therein). The cleat
may be configured for insertion into the center opening of the inner bearing
race and placed into
contact therewith such that the cleat is also rotatable about the rotational
axis of the one of the
recessed apertures. Further, the cleat may include at least one spike for
piercing a ground surface.
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[0008] According to another embodiment, a method of installing a rotatable
cleat system to at
least one shoe is also disclosed herein. The method may include: providing the
rotatable cleat
system as above in addition to a locking tool including at least one bearing
engagement portion on
at least one end thereof; inserting the outer bearing race of one of the
plurality of rotatable members
into one of the recessed apertures in the sole of the at least one shoe;
engaging the at least one
bearing engagement portion of the locking tool with at least one tool
engagement portion of the
inner bearing race, thereby temporarily arresting rotation of the inner
bearing race; inserting the
cleat into the center opening of the inner bearing race; removing the locking
tool from the inner
bearing race, thereby enabling the inner bearing race and the cleat to rotate
about the rotational
axis of the one of the recessed apertures; and repeating previous steps (from
step two of inserting
the outer bearing race) until each of the plurality of rotatable members are
attached to a recessed
aperture.
[0009] For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects,
advantages, and novel
features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood
that not necessarily all
such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular
embodiment of the
invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that
achieves or
optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without
necessarily achieving
other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the
invention which are
believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in
the concluding portion
of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the
present invention will
become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed
description.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The figures which accompany the written portion of this
specification illustrate
embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, rotatable shoe
cleats, constructed and
operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a rotatable cleat system in use
on golf shoes,
according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a magnified view of the rotatable cleat system of FIG. 1
illustrating a plurality
of rotatable members attached to the golf shoes, according to an embodiment of
the disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 3A is a bottom view of a sole of a shoe including the plurality
of rotatable
members, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 3B is a bottom view of the sole of FIG. 3A and illustrating the
plurality of
rotatable members having been rotated, according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-section view of the rotatable cleat
system, according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a magnified view of the rotatable cleat system of FIG. 4
and illustrating each
of the plurality of rotatable members including a bearing assembly and a screw-
in cleat, according
to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
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[0017] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the rotatable cleat system
illustrating one of the plurality
of rotatable members, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the sole of the shoe and illustrating a
locking tool being
used to arrest rotation of an inner bearing race of one of the plurality of
rotatable members,
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 8 is a partial cross-section view of the rotatable cleat
system, according to another
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 9 is a magnified view of the rotatable cleat system of FIG. 8
and illustrating each
of the plurality of rotatable members including a bearing assembly and a clip-
in cleat, according
to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0021] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the rotatable cleat system
illustrating one of the plurality
of rotatable members, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of installing a
rotatable cleat system to
at least one shoe, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0023] The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be
described in
conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like
elements.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to
golf footwear and
more particularly to rotatable shoe cleats. Generally, the rotatable shoe
cleats may include golf
shoes with built in bearings, in which cleats can be screwed, clipped, or
otherwise inserted into the
bearings, thereby enabling the cleats to rotate. The rotatable shoe cleats may
enable a golfer to
increase their distance and accuracy of drives and limit injuries to hips and
knees.
[0025] Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of
reference, there is
shown in FIGS. 1-10, various views of a rotatable cleat system 100. As shown,
the rotatable cleat
system 100 may include a plurality of rotatable members 110 each having a
bearing assembly 120
and a cleat 130 for attachment to at least one shoe 5. The at least one shoe 5
may include a sole 6
having a plurality of recessed apertures 7 each defining a rotational axis 8
(which is substantially
vertical relative to a ground surface 10 when the shoe(s) 5 are worn) around
which each of the
plurality of rotatable members 110 rotate (when attached thereto).
[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, the at least one shoe 5 may preferably be one or
more golf shoes.
In some embodiments, the rotatable cleat system 100 may be designed for
application to only one
shoe 5. For example, a left handed golfer may benefit from just their right
shoe 5 including the
plurality of rotatable members 110; or a right handed golfer may benefit from
just their left shoe 5
including the plurality of rotatable members 110. However, it should be
appreciated that the
rotatable cleat system 100 is not limited to just one shoe. It should also be
appreciated that the
rotatable cleat system 100 is not limited for use with golf shoe(s). In some
embodiments, the at
least one shoe 5 may be a custom shoe designed specifically for acceptance of
the rotatable cleat
system 100. In other embodiments, the rotatable cleat system 100 may be
designed for use with
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any existing shoe(s). In some examples, the plurality of recessed apertures 7
may be pre-existing
apertures in the sole 6. In other examples, the plurality of recessed
apertures 7 may be formed by
a user.
[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1-10, the plurality of rotatable members 110 are
configured for
attachment in various locations about the sole 6 of the at least one shoe 5.
Particularly, the plurality
of rotatable members 110 may be spaced apart about an entirety of the sole 6.
Alternatively, in
other embodiments, the plurality of rotatable members 110 may be located at a
particular section
of the sole 6; for example, toward a heel section or a toe section.
[0028] The cleat 130 may include at least one spike 131 configured for
piercing the ground
surface 10 (FIG. 1) and thereby providing stability to a wearer (a section of
the plurality of
rotatable members 110 that are piercing the ground surface 10 are shown via
broken lines in FIG.
2 for clarity). As shown in FIGS. 1-6 and FIGS. 8-10, in some embodiments, the
cleat 130 may
include a cluster of spikes 131 arranged about a center point 132 (FIG. 6).
[0029] As above, the plurality of rotatable members 110 are configured to
rotate, thereby
enabling the wearer to comfortably rotate their foot during a swing. To enable
rotation of the
plurality of rotatable members 110, each of them may include a bearing
assembly 120, as discussed
above. As shown in the figures, each of the plurality of rotatable members 110
are identical and as
such, only one of the bearing assemblies will be discussed below and
demonstrated in these figures
via one set of reference numbers.
[0030] As shown in FIGS. 4-6 and FIGS. 8-10 particularly, each bearing
assembly 120 may
include an outer bearing race 121, an inner bearing race 122 and a plurality
of bearing balls 123.
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In some embodiments, each bearing assembly 120 may be made from plastic
material. As shown
in FIGS. 4-10, the outer bearing race 121 may be configured for insertion into
one of the recessed
apertures 7 in the sole 6 of the at least one shoe 5, thereby attaching the
rotatable member 110 to
the sole 6 of the at least one shoe 5. In some embodiments, the outer bearing
race 121 may be
fixedly attached to the one of the recessed apertures 7. For example, the
outer bearing race 121
may be adhesively attached to the one of the recessed apertures 7.
[0031] The inner bearing race 122 may be located within the outer bearing
race 121 and the
plurality of bearing balls 123 may be disposed between the inner bearing race
122 and the outer
bearing race 121, bordering an outer circumference of the inner bearing race
122. The inner bearing
race 122 may be configured for rotation about the rotational axis 8 of the one
of the recessed
apertures 7 and the plurality of bearing balls 123 may aid in this rotation by
reducing rotational
friction.
[0032] Further, as shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 7 and FIG. 9, the inner bearing
race 122 may define
a center opening 124 that is coaxial with the rotational axis 8 of the one of
the recessed apertures
7 when the bearing assembly 120 is inserted therein. Further, the cleat 130
may be configured for
insertion into the center opening 124 of the inner bearing race 122 and placed
into contact
therewith. As such, the center point 132 may also be placed coaxial with the
rotational axis 8 and
the cleat 130 is thus rotatable about the rotational axis 8 of the one of the
recessed apertures 7.
[0033] In some embodiments, as demonstrated in FIGS. 4-6, the cleat 130 may
be screwed
into the center opening 124 of the inner bearing race 122. As such, an inner
circumference of the
inner bearing race 122 may include threads, and the center point 132 of the
cleat 130 may also
include threads to mate with the inner bearing race 122. The cleat 130 may be
screwed into the
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inner bearing race 122 using a golf spike wrench/cleat wrench (not
illustrated). To facilitate the
attachment of the cleat 130, it is contemplated that the rotation of the inner
bearing race 122 may
be temporarily arrested. As such, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, a
locking tool 140
may be provided.
[0034] The locking tool 140 may include at least one bearing engagement
portion 141 on at
least one end thereof. In this embodiment, the inner bearing race 122 may
include at least one tool
engagement portion 125 configured to engage with the at least one bearing
engagement portion
141 (FIG. 5-6). Engagement of the at least one bearing engagement portion 141
with the at least
one tool engagement portion 125 arrests rotation of the inner bearing race
122, such that a user is
able to utilize the golf spike wrench/cleat wrench to screw the cleat 130 into
the inner bearing race
122 (without the rotation of the inner bearing race 122 preventing the cleat
130 from being screwed
into the center opening 124).
[0035] As shown in FIG. 7, the locking tool 140 may include a body 142
having a first end
143 opposite a second end 144. Each of the first end 143 and the second end
144 may include a
pair of bearing engagement portions 141, or more particularly, a pair of tabs
145 located opposite
each other; and the at least one tool engagement portion 125 may include a
pair of openings 126
(FIGS. 5-6) located opposite each other and each configured to receive one of
the pair of tabs 145,
as shown in FIG. 7. Preferably, the locking tool 140 may lay flat against the
sole 6 of the at least
one shoe 5 when the at least one bearing engagement portion 141 is engaged
with the at least one
tool engagement portion 125, so as to not obstruct the golf spike wrench/cleat
wrench. As such,
the body 142 of the locking tool 140 may be substantially flat.
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[0036] Referring more specifically to FIGS. 8-10, there is shown an
alternative embodiment
wherein the cleat 130 may be 'clipped' into the center opening 124 of the
inner bearing race 122.
In this embodiment, the center point 132 of the cleat 130 may include a male
member 133; and the
center opening 124 may include a female member 127 configured to receive and
retain the male
member 133 therein.
[0037] Referring now to FIG. 11 showing a flow diagram illustrating a
method 200 of
installing a rotatable cleat system to at least one shoe, according to an
embodiment of the present
disclosure. In particular, the method 200 may include one or more components
or features of the
rotatable cleat system 100 as described above. As illustrated, the method 200
may include the steps
of: step one 201, providing the rotatable cleat system as above; step two 202,
inserting the outer
bearing race of one of the plurality of rotatable members into one of the
recessed apertures in the
sole of the at least one shoe; step three 203, engaging the at least one
bearing engagement portion
of the locking tool with the at least one tool engagement portion of the inner
bearing race, thereby
temporarily arresting rotation of the inner bearing race; step four 204,
inserting the cleat into the
center opening of the inner bearing race; step five 205, removing the locking
tool from the inner
bearing race, thereby enabling the inner bearing race and the cleat to rotate
about the rotational
axis of the one of the recessed apertures; and step six 206, repeating
previous steps (from step two
202) until each of the plurality of rotatable members are attached to a
recessed aperture.
[0038] In some embodiments, step two 202, may include adhesively attaching
the outer
bearing race to the one of the recessed apertures. Further, in some
embodiments, step four 204 may
include one of screwing or clipping the cleat into the center opening of the
inner bearing race.
Further, as discussed above, in some embodiments, the plurality of recessed
apertures may be
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created by the user. As such, in some embodiments, prior to step two 202, the
user may form the
plurality of recessed apertures in the sole of the at least one shoe.
[0039] It should be noted that certain steps are optional and may not be
implemented in all
cases. It should also be noted that the steps described in the method of use
can be carried out in
many different orders according to user preference. The use of "step of'
should not be interpreted
as "step for", in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the
provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
It should also be noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering
such issues as design
preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural
requirements, available
materials, technological advances, etc., other methods for using and/or
installing a rotatable cleat
system to a shoe are taught herein.
[0040] The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and
numerous
modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to
achieve substantially
equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit
and scope of the
invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the
Patent and Trademark
Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and
practitioners in the art
who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine
quickly from a cursory
inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the
application.
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