Footwear with retractable spikes

Abstract

An apparatus for selectively extending and retracting spikes includes spike actuating assemblies mounted to, and cooperating between, a first plate and a first slider frame, and a second plate and a second slider frame, pivotally mounted to the first plate and first slider frame respectively. Each spike actuating assembly contains a spike. The first slider frame is translatable to actuate the spike actuating assemblies to thereby extend and retract the spikes from the spike actuating assemblies. A cyclically alternating positioner is mounted on the first plate for moving the first and second slider frames relative to the first and second plates. The positioner has only a single actuating button adjacent the heel. Depressing the actuating button a first time causes the positioner to move the slider frames to extend the spikes. Depressing the actuating button a second time causes the positioner to move the slider frames to retract the spikes.

1 . An apparatus for selectively extending and retracting spikes from the sole of a footwear article, the sole having a heel section, a center under-the-arch of the foot section, a ball-of-the-foot section, and a toe section extending consecutively in a longitudinal direction along the sole, and a plurality of spike apertures through the heel, ball and toe sections, the apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of spike actuating assemblies, each spike actuating assembly of said plurality of spike actuating assemblies having a spike locatable within a corresponding one of the spike apertures;   a first plate having heel, center and ball portions sized to extend over so as to cover respectively the heel, center and ball sections of the sole when said first plate is mounted on the sole,   an elongate first slider frame translatable mounted flush on said first plate substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the sole and having heel, center and ball sub-frames covering respectively said heel, center and ball portions of said first plate and being moveable between first and second positions, said first slider frame operable to actuate said plurality of spike actuating assemblies to thereby extend said spikes from said plurality of spike actuating assemblies at said first position and to retract said spikes at said second position;   a cyclically alternating positioner mounted on said first plate for moving said first slider frame between said first and second positions, said positioner having only a single actuating button adjacent said heel portion, wherein depressing said actuating button a first time causes said positioner to move said first slider frame to said first position and wherein depressing said actuating button a second time causes said positioner to move said first slider frame to said second position,   a second plate adjacent a front end of said ball portion of said first plate so as to cover the toe section of the sole when said first and second plates are mounted on the sole, a second slider frame slidably mounted flush on said second plate, said second slider frame pivotally mounted to a front end of said ball sub-frame of said first slider frame, at least one of said spike actuating assemblies mounted on said second plate, wherein when said first slider frame is moved between said first and second positions, said second slider frame is correspondingly simultaneously moved relative to said second plate and correspondingly actuates said spike actuating assembly on said second plate to simultaneously extend and retract a corresponding said spike therefrom.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said each spike actuating assembly further comprises a rigid housing mounted to said first plate and slidably encasing a corresponding said spike, a knee-lever linkage pivotally mounted at a first end thereof to said rigid housing and at an opposite second end to said first slider frame, wherein said knee-lever linkage includes at least an upper link and a lower link pivotally mounted to one another at a mid-pivot between said first and second ends of said knee-lever linkage, and wherein said mid-pivot is connected to said corresponding spike, and wherein when said first slider frame is in said first position so as to extend said corresponding spike said upper and lower links are substantially linearly aligned and collectively upwardly inclined so as to transfer a substantial vector component of an upward force acting on said corresponding spike to said rigid housing via said mid-pivot and the linearity of said substantially linearly aligned upper and lower links. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said center portion of said first plate is waisted when viewed in planform relative to a width of said heel and ball portions, and wherein said center sub-frame of said first slider frame is correspondingly waisted so as to substantially conform in width when overlaid onto said center portion. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said positioner includes a cyclical actuator mounted both on said center portion and said center sub-frame so as to cooperate therebetween to drive said first slider frame between said first and second positions relative to said first plate, and wherein a drive member extends between said button and said cyclical actuator. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claims 1 - 4  wherein said plurality of spike actuating assemblies are mounted on said first plate in spaced apart array so as to provide a longitudinally extending unobstructed center corridor along said first plate extending substantially the entire length of said first plate, and so as to provide longitudinal spacing between said plurality of spike actuating assemblies, and wherein said first slider frame includes a center back-bone frame extending substantially completely along said heel, center and ball sub-frames so as to freely slide along said center corridor of said first plate, and wherein said first slider frame includes, said laterally extending arms from said center back-bone frame extending cooperating with said plurality of spike actuating assemblies so as to actuate said spikes. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said laterally extending arms further include longitudinally extending arms at the distal ends of said laterally extending arms so as to define substantially U-shaped brackets around said each spike actuating assembly, wherein said U-shaped brackets drive said each spike actuating assembly simultaneously from opposite sides thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said first plate further comprises guide members cooperating with said first slider frame to constrain sliding translation of said first slider frame between said first and second positions, and to constrain said translation to flush translation substantially flush along said first plate. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said flush translation is without vertical translation of said first slider frame relative to said first plate. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said actuating button comprises a plunger button acting against a return biasing spring. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said plunger button is cantilevered from a heel portion of said sole in a substantially horizontal plane. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein a portion of said sole covers said actuating button. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said actuating button is contained within said sole. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said positioner is cyclically actuated by single consecutive pushes of said button applied to rear of the sole against a return biasing force of a single resilient biasing spring. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said spring acts against and between said first plate and said button. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said spring is a helically coiled spring. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising a rod extending from said button along said heel portion to said center portion of said first plate, and wherein said rod is journalled through said helically coiled spring. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said rod is substantially parallel to said first plate and substantially longitudinally aligned. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein a third link in said knee-lever linkage is pivotally connected between said mid-pivot and an upper end of said corresponding spike. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein said upper link is mounted to said housing at an upper end of said housing, and wherein said lower link is mounted to said first slider frame. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said housing defines a substantially vertical silo for said corresponding spike to slide vertically therein as said mid-pivot is lowered or elevated upon translation of said first slider frame between said first and second positions respectively.