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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         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, wherein at least one section has pockets formed therein, and that section having a plurality of spike apertures through the corresponding pockets, the apparatus comprising:
 a first spike actuating assembly comprising a lower plate having heel, center and ball-of-the-foot portions sized to extend over so as to cover respectively the heel, center and ball-of-the-foot sections of the sole when said lower plate is mounted on the sole,   a plurality of spike actuating linkage assemblies mounted recessed in said lower plate so as to extend above and beneath said lower plate, each spike actuating linkage assembly of said plurality of spike actuating linkage assemblies having a spike guide and a spike locatable within a corresponding bore in each said spike guide for alignment with one of the spike apertures,   an elongate first slider plate translatably mounted flush on said lower plate substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the sole and being moveable between first and second positions, said first slider plate 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 top plate sandwiching said first slider plate between said top plate and said lower plate so as to permit sliding of said first slider plate relative to said top plate and lower plate, said top plate and said lower plate forming a rigid frame, each said spike guide also mounted to said top plate to collectively within said frame resist a bending moment applied to each said spike when extended downwardly from said lower plate;   a cyclically alternating positioner mounted within said frame for moving said first slider plate between said first and second positions, said positioner having an actuating button adjacent said heel portion, wherein depressing said actuating button a first time causes said positioner to move said first slider plate to said first position and wherein depressing said actuating button a second time causes said positioner to move said first slider plate to said second position.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a second spike actuating assembly comprising a second lower plate and a second top plate forming a second rigid frame and sandwiching therebetween a second slider plate, said second spike actuating adjacent a front end of said first spike actuating assembly so as to cover the toe section of the sole when said first and second spike actuating assemblies are mounted on the sole, said second slider plate slidably mounted flush on said second lower plate, said second slider plate pivotally mounted to a front end of said first slider plate, at least one of said spike actuating assemblies mounted on said second plate, wherein when said first slider plate is moved between said first and second positions, said second slider plate is correspondingly simultaneously moved relative to said second lower plate and correspondingly actuates said spike actuating linkage assemblies on said second lower plate to simultaneously extend and retract corresponding said spikes therefrom. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said each spike actuating linkage assembly further comprises a knee-lever linkage pivotally mounted at a first end to each of said spike guides and at an opposite second end to said first slider plates, wherein said knee-lever linkage includes at least an upper link and a lower link pivotally mounted to one another at a mid-pivot position between said first and second ends of said knee-lever linkage, and wherein said mid-pivot position has a mid-point linkage pivotally mounted at substantially said mid-pivot position, and wherein said lower link is connected to said corresponding spike, and wherein when said first slider plate is in said first position so as to extend said corresponding spike said upper and lower links are aligned to transfer substantially linearly therealong a compressive force applied upwardly thereto, said upper and lower links collectively upwardly inclined when so aligned so as to transfer a substantial vector component of said compressive force acting on said corresponding spike to a corresponding said spike guide via said upper and lower links. 
     
     
         4 . 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 a center sub-frame of said first slider plate is waisted so as to substantially conform in width when overlaid onto said center portion of said lower plate. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said positioner includes a cyclical actuator mounted both on said frame and said slide plate so as to cooperate therebetween to drive said first slider plate between said first and second positions relative to said frame, and wherein a drive member extends between said button and said cyclical actuator. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claims 1 - 5  wherein said plurality of spike actuating assemblies are mounted on said lower plate in spaced apart array so as to provide a longitudinally extending unobstructed center tunnel along said frame, and so as to provide longitudinal spacing between said plurality of spike actuating assemblies, and wherein said first slider plate includes a center back-bone frame extending substantially completely along said heel, center and ball portions so as to freely slide along said center corridor of said lower plate, and wherein said first slider plate 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. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said lower plate further comprises guide members cooperating with said first slider plate to constrain sliding translation of said first slider plate between said first and second positions, and wherein said top plate constrains said translation to flush translation substantially flush along said lower plate. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said flush translation is without vertical translation of said first slider plate relative to said lower plate. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6  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 6  wherein a portion of said sole covers said actuating button. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said actuating button is contained within said sole. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 6  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 13  wherein said spring acts against and between said frame 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 lower 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 1  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 spike guides at an upper end of said spike guides, and wherein said lower link is mounted to said first slider plate. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said spike guides define 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 plate between said first and second positions respectively. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said each spike includes a shear point whereby when said bending moment is applied above a shear threshold, said each spike shears. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein said shear point is substantially at a lowermost end of said spike guides when said spikes are extended therefrom. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said each spike includes a removable tip. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein said each spike includes a base portion and wherein said removable tip is threadably coupled to said base portion. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a gasket assembly mounted to a lowermost end of each said spike guide, said gasket assembly providing a lowermost wear surface and providing for screening of foreign matter from ingress into said spike guides. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein said gasket assembly includes a rigid outer shell and a resilient gasket mounted therein, said shell and said gasket each having an aperture therein aligned with said each spike guide for journaling of a corresponding said spike therethrough. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26  wherein said shell provides a coarse wiper and said gasket provides a fine wiper of said spikes.