Traction Cleat and Receptacle

Abstract

A traction cleat applicable for use in field sports is provided with dynamic traction elements having larger radial thickness, cross-sectional area and mass than dynamic elements in golf shoe cleats. The strength of a locking arrangement for the cleat in a shoe-mounted receptacle is enhanced by providing an annular array of spaced locking stubs on the receptacle to engage a similar array of spaced locking posts on the cleat.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A traction cleat having a cleat axis and comprising:
 a hub having a perimetric edge, a top surface and a bottom surface;   a hub connection member extending from said top surface and disposed about said cleat axis; and   a plurality of spaced dynamic traction elements, each including a proximal section extending outward and slightly downward from a respective location substantially at said perimetric edge, and a distal section extending substantially downwardly from said proximal section, said distal section terminating in a turf-engaging end surface, said dynamic traction elements being sufficiently flexible relative to said hub as to be pivotally flexible in an upward direction about said perimetric edge;   wherein said proximal section has a transverse cross-sectional area that varies throughout its length and at a thickest part of said proximal section is between at least twenty square millimeters and thirty square millimeters.   
     
     
         2 . The traction cleat of  claim 1  further comprising a set of locking posts disposed in angularly spaced relationship in an annular array located concentrically about the cleat axis, each locking post having an outer surface and a radially inward facing surface disposed between first and second end walls, said inward facing surface having a length and said end walls being oriented approximately perpendicular to said radially inward facing surface. 
     
     
         3 . The traction cleat of  claim 1 , wherein said turf-engaging end surface has a surface area of at least twelve square millimeters. 
     
     
         4 . The traction cleat of  claim 3 , wherein said turf-engaging end surface has a surface area of approximately fifteen square millimeters. 
     
     
         5 . The traction cleat of  claim 1 , wherein said traction elements are made of thermoplastic material, and wherein the volume of thermoplastic material comprising each traction element is approximately one-hundred-ninety-seven cubic millimeters. 
     
     
         6 . The traction cleat of  claim 1 , wherein said hub connection member comprises an externally threaded attachment stem having a two-start thread which is adapted to be attachable within a socket of a receptacle having an interior cavity wall threaded with a two-start thread configured to receive and threadedly engage the external stem thread. 
     
     
         7 . The traction cleat of  claim 1 , wherein said hub connection member comprises an externally threaded attachment stem having a two-start thread which is adapted to be attachable within a socket of a receptacle having an interior cavity wall threaded with a two-start thread configured to receive and threadedly engage the external stem thread. 
     
     
         8 . A traction cleat having a cleat axis and comprising:
 a hub having a perimetric edge, a top surface and a bottom surface;   a hub connection member extending from said top surface and disposed about said cleat axis;   a plurality of spaced dynamic traction elements, each including a proximal section extending outward and slightly downward from a respective location substantially at said perimetric edge, and a distal section extending substantially downwardly from said proximal section, said distal section terminating in a turf-engaging end surface, said dynamic traction elements being sufficiently flexible relative to said hub as to be pivotally flexible in an upward direction about said perimetric edge;   wherein said traction elements are made of flexible thermoplastic material, and wherein the volume of thermoplastic material comprising each traction element is approximately one-hundred-ninety-seven cubic millimeters.   
     
     
         9 . The traction cleat of  claim 8  wherein said turf-engaging end surface has a surface area of at least twelve square millimeters. 
     
     
         10 . The traction cleat of  claim 9 , wherein said turf-engaging end surface has a surface area of approximately fifteen square millimeters. 
     
     
         11 . The traction cleat of  claim 8 , wherein said hub connection member comprises an externally threaded attachment stem having a two-start thread which is adapted to be attachable within a socket of a receptacle having an interior cavity wall threaded with a two-start thread configured to receive and threadedly engage the external stem thread. 
     
     
         12 . The traction cleat of  claim 11  further comprising a set of locking posts disposed in angularly spaced relationship in an annular array located concentrically about the cleat axis, each locking post having an outer surface and a radially inward facing surface disposed between first and second end walls, said inward facing surface having a length and said end walls being oriented approximately perpendicular to said radially inward facing surface.