Traction Cleat for Field Sports

Abstract

A cleat for use with an athletic shoe includes a hub, a stud of substantially non-flexible material and extending downwardly and away from a lower surface of the hub, a cleat connector extending upwardly and from an upper surface of the hub and configured to engage a shoe-mounted mating connector disposed on a sole of the shoe, the upper surface opposing the lower surface of the hub, and at least one dynamic traction element extending downwardly from the lower surface of the hub and adapted to flex upwardly when the cleat is connected to a shoe and the at least one dynamic traction element is forced downwardly to contact a ground surface due to a weight load applied to a shoe. The distal end of the stud extends further from the lower surface of the hub than the distal end of each unflexed dynamic traction element such that, when the shoe to which the cleat is connected is forced downward toward the ground surface, the stud contacts and/or begins to penetrate the ground surface to provide initial traction before each dynamic traction element makes contact with the ground surface.

1 . A cleat for use with an athletic shoe, the cleat comprising:
 a hub;   a stud of substantially non-flexible material and extending downwardly and away from a lower surface of the hub;   a cleat connector extending upwardly and from an upper surface of the hub and configured to engage a shoe-mounted mating connector disposed on a sole of the shoe, the upper surface opposing the lower surface of the hub; and   at least one dynamic traction element extending downwardly from the lower surface of the hub and adapted to flex upwardly when the cleat is connected to a shoe and the at least one dynamic traction element is forced downwardly to contact a ground surface due to a weight load applied to a shoe;   wherein the distal end of the stud extends further from the lower surface of the hub than the distal end of each unflexed dynamic traction element such that, when the shoe to which the cleat is connected is forced downward toward the ground surface, the stud contacts and/or begins to penetrate the ground surface to provide initial traction before each dynamic traction element makes contact with the ground surface.   
     
     
         2 . The cleat of  claim 1 , wherein the stud has a configuration that tapers in a direction toward a terminal end of the stud. 
     
     
         3 . The cleat of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the cleat connector comprises a connecting portion of the stud that is configured to engage with the shoe-mounted mating connector. 
     
     
         4 . The cleat of  claim 3 , wherein the connecting portion of the stud comprises a threaded section that engages with a corresponding threaded section of the shoe-mounted mating connector. 
     
     
         5 . The cleat of  claim 3 , wherein the connecting portion of the stud is configured to extend through an aperture in the hub to engage with the shoe-mounted mating connector and secure the hub and stud to the shoe. 
     
     
         6 . The cleat of  claim 5 , wherein the stud is releasably securable to the hub when the connecting portion of the stud is engaged with the shoe-mounted mating connector. 
     
     
         7 . The cleat of  claim 5 , wherein the cleat connector further comprises connecting structure disposed on the upper surface of the hub. 
     
     
         8 . The cleat of  claim 1 , wherein the cleat connector comprises connecting structure disposed on the upper surface of the hub, and the stud includes a connecting section that releasably secures the stud to the hub. 
     
     
         9 . The cleat of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of dynamic traction elements disposed along a perhiphery of the hub. 
     
     
         10 . The cleat of  claim 9 , wherein the stud extends from a central location of the hub lower surface. 
     
     
         11 . The cleat of  claim 9 , wherein the hub has a symmetrical geometry. 
     
     
         12 . The cleat of  claim 9 , wherein the hub has an asymmetrical geometry. 
     
     
         13 . The cleat of  claim 12 , wherein the hub has a geometry of an irregular ellipse. 
     
     
         14 . The cleat of  claim 13 , wherein the dynamic traction elements are arranged in two arrays extending along opposing curved sides of the hub periphery and in a longitudinal direction of the hub. 
     
     
         15 . The cleat of  claim 1 , further comprising a boss formed on the upper surface of the hub, wherein the boss has a geometry configured to engage with a corresponding recess in the shoe sole so as to facilitate different orientations of the cleat on the shoe sole upon connection of the cleat with the shoe. 
     
     
         16 . A shoe comprising a sole and a plurality of cleats as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes a plurality of mating connectors disposed at different locations along the sole and to which the cleat connectors of the cleats are secured. 
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the hub of each cleat has an asymmetrical geometry, and the cleats are arranged on the shoe such that the hub of each cleat has a different orientation on the shoe sole with respect to the hub of at least one other cleat. 
     
     
         18 . The cleat of  claim 1  wherein said dynamic traction element also extends outwardly from the lower surface of said hub. 
     
     
         19 . A method of using a cleat with a shoe, the cleat comprising a hub, a stud of substantially non-flexible material and extending downwardly and away from a lower surface of the hub, a cleat connector extending upwardly and from an upper surface of the hub, the upper surface opposing the lower surface of the hub, and at least one dynamic traction element extending downwardly from the lower surface of the hub, wherein the distal end of the stud extends further from the lower surface of the hub than the distal end of each unflexed dynamic traction element, the method comprising:
 securing the cleat to the shoe by connecting the cleat connector of the cleat to a shoe-mounted mating connector disposed on a sole of the shoe; and   pressing the shoe toward a ground surface such that the stud contacts and/or begins to penetrate the ground surface to provide initial traction before each dynamic traction element makes contact with the ground surface and each dynamic traction element flexes upwardly toward the shoe sole when the dynamic traction element engages the ground surface due to a weight load applied to the shoe.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the cleat connector comprises a securing portion disposed on the stud, and the securing the cleat to the shoe comprises:
 connecting the securing portion of the stud to the shoe-mounted mating connector of the shoe.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the stud is removably securable to the hub, and the securing the cleat to the shoe further comprises:
 inserting the securing portion of the stud through an aperture in the hub prior to connecting the securing portion to the shoe-mounted mating connector of the shoe;   wherein the connection of the securing portion of the stud to the shoe-mounted mating connector secures the hub to the shoe sole.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the cleat connector comprises a securing portion disposed on the hub, and the securing the cleat to the shoe comprises:
 connecting the securing portion of the hub to the shoe-mounted mating connector of the shoe.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the stud is removably securable to the hub, and the method further comprises:
 securing the stud to the hub by connecting a securing portion of the stud to a corresponding stud securing portion of the hub.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the stud is removably securable to the hub, and the hub is configured to be connected to the shoe sole with studs having different lengths. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the hub has an asymmetrical geometry, and the method further comprises:
 securing a plurality of cleats with hubs having asymmetrical geometries to the shoe such that the hub of each cleat has a different orientation on the shoe sole with respect to the hub of at least one other cleat.