Footwear including a universal cleat assembly

Abstract

An article of footwear including an upper, an outsole defining an opening, a midsole attached to said outsole and defining an opening and a support plate defining a recessed area having a pair of elongated openings, where the support plate is attached to the midsole and the pair of elongated openings are aligned with the openings in the midsole and the outsole. A fastening plate is seated in the support plate and includes non-threaded openings aligned with the elongated openings of the support plate and the openings of the midsole and the outsole. A cleat assembly is removably connected to a designated position on the outsole by inserting threaded ends of a pair of fasteners through the non-threaded openings of the fastening plate, the elongated openings of the support plate, the openings of the midsole and the outsole and into threaded engagement with the cleat assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an outsole including an upper surface and a bottom surface and defining an opening;   a midsole including an upper surface and a bottom surface and defining an opening, said upper surface having a recessed area, wherein said bottom surface of the midsole is connected to said upper surface of said outsole and said opening of said midsole is aligned with said opening of said outsole;   a support plate defining a recessed area having a pair of elongated openings, said support plate being configured to fit in said recessed area of said midsole such that said pair of elongated openings are aligned with said openings in said midsole and said outsole;   a fastening plate including a pair of non-threaded openings and configured to be seated in said recessed area of said support plate, said non-threaded openings being aligned with said elongated openings of said support plate and said openings of said midsole and said outsole;   an upper attached to said midsole; and   a cleat assembly removably connected to a designated position on said outsole by inserting threaded ends of a pair of fasteners through said non-threaded openings of said fastening plate, said elongated openings of said support plate, said openings of said midsole and said outsole and into threaded engagement with said cleat assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said cleat assembly includes a removable spacer having a pair of threaded openings, and wherein said threaded ends of said fasteners threadingly engage said threaded openings of said spacer to secure said cleat assembly to said outsole. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said support plate includes a pair of opposing support ears, said openings in said midsole and said outsole being configured to have a size and shape to receive said support ears. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a rubber gasket positioned between said fastening plate and said support plate, wherein said rubber gasket includes a pair of openings aligned with said non-threaded openings of said fastening plate. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a footbed configured to be inserted within and removably connected to said upper. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a bottom member attached to said upper, said bottom member defining an access opening aligned with said fastening plate seated in said support plate for allowing access to said fastening plate. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein said bottom member includes an access flap hingedly connected to said bottom member, said access flap being movable between an open position away from said access opening and a closed position covering said access opening. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said upper includes a tool opening for receiving a tool configured to rotate said fasteners. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 8 , wherein said upper includes a cover hingedly connected to said upper, said cover being movable between an open position away from said upper and a closed position covering said tool opening. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said outsole includes a plurality of lateral openings and said midsole includes a bottom surface and a plurality of lugs extending downwardly from said bottom surface and configured to extend through said lateral openings. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said cleat assembly includes a cleat defining a recess and a removable spacer seated in said recess, said spacer including a pair of threaded openings, wherein said threaded ends of said fasteners threadingly engage said openings of said spacer to secure said cleat assembly to said outsole. 
     
     
         12 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an outsole including an upper surface and a bottom surface and defining an opening, said upper surface defining a recessed area;   a support plate defining a recessed area having a pair of elongated openings, said support plate being configured to fit in said recessed area of said outsole such that said pair of elongated openings are aligned with said opening in said outsole;   a fastening plate including a first pair of non-threaded openings and a second pair of threaded openings, said fastening plate being configured to be seated in said recessed area of said support plate, one of said first pair and second pair of openings being aligned with said elongated openings of said support plate and said opening of said outsole;   an upper attached to said outsole; and   a cleat assembly removably connected to a designated position on said outsole by either:   inserting threaded ends of a pair of fasteners through said first pair of openings of said fastening plate, said elongated openings of said support plate, said opening of said outsole and into threaded engagement with said cleat assembly; or   inserting said threaded ends of said pair of fasteners through said cleat assembly, said opening in said outsole, said elongated openings of said support plate and into threaded engagement with said second pair of openings of said fastening plate.   
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein said support plate includes a pair of opposing support ears, said opening in said outsole being configured to have a size and shape to receive said support ears. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , further comprising a rubber gasket positioned between said fastening plate and said support plate, wherein said rubber gasket includes a pair of openings aligned with said non-threaded openings of said fastening plate. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , further comprising a footbed configured to be inserted within and removably connected to said upper. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , further comprising a bottom member attached to said upper, said bottom member defining an access opening aligned with said fastening plate seated in said support plate for allowing access to said fastening plate. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein said bottom member includes an access flap hingedly connected to said bottom member, said access flap being movable between an open position away from said access opening and a closed position covering said access opening. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein said upper includes a tool opening for receiving a tool configured to rotate said fasteners. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said upper includes a cover hingedly connected to said upper, said cover being movable between an open position away from said upper and a closed position covering said tool opening. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein said outsole includes a plurality of lateral openings and said midsole includes a bottom surface and a plurality of lugs extending downwardly from said bottom surface and configured to extend through said lateral openings.