GB2191677A

GB2191677A - Sports shoe stud

Info

Publication number: GB2191677A
Application number: GB08713779A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Reginald James Cannings
Original assignee: K P PLASTICS
Current assignee: K P PLASTICS
Priority date: 1986-06-17
Filing date: 1987-06-12
Publication date: 1987-12-23
Anticipated expiration: 2007-06-12
Also published as: GB8614719D0; GB2191677B; GB8713779D0

Abstract

A stud for a sports shoe, comprises a metal stud member 14 with a mounting thread 28; and a washer 12 carried on the stud member. The washer and the stud member are provided with opposing mating surfaces which are generally normal to the thread axis and which are brought into engagement upon axial movement of the stud member relative to the washer, to prevent relative rotation. The mating surfaces may be teeth 36 on the stud member engageable with recesses 26 on the washer, and the washer may also provide cam surfaces 24 to direct the teeth 36 into the recesses 26. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Stud for sports shoe This invention relates to studs for sports shoes and is particularly concerned with studs for golf shoes, these being often referred to as golf spikes.

The conventional form of golf spike comprises a metal stud member which is appropriately shaped at one end for engagement with the ground and which has at the opposite end a screw thread for engagement with a threaded aperture provided in the sole of a golf shoe. A metal washer is carried on the stud member, there being in the usual case a splined connection. To enable the golf spike to be inserted and when necessary removed from the golf shoe, the washer is formed with two diametrically opposed apertures which receive the spaced pins of a well known hand tool. For a number of reasons, including ligher weight, reduced manufacturing costs and greater resistance to corrosion, it would be preferable to have a washer formed of plastics material.If, however, it is intended for the spike to be usable with the well known hand tool, the plastics washer must be provided with two diametrically opposed apertures and must be keyed or locked to the stud to prevent relative rotation. Use of the known hand tool can produce relatively high torques and the form of interconnection between the stud and any plastics washer must in an acceptable design be able to withstand such torque without damage or slippage. It has been found as a practicai matter that a spline form of interconnection does not meet these requirements and great difficulty has been experienced in producing a commercially acceptable golf spike with a plastic washer.

It is an object of this invention to provide a stud for a sports shoe in which the washer is firmly locked against rotation with respect to the stud member. In a more particular form of the invention, the object is to produce an improved golf shoe spike having a plastics washer, the spike being usable with a well known spike removal tool.

Accordingly, the present invention consists in a stud for a sports shoe, comprising a metal stud member shaped at one end for ground engagement and provided at the other end with a mounting thread; and a washer carried on the stud member intermediate its ends; wherein the washer and the stud member are provided with opposing mating surfaces which are generally normal to the thread axis and which are brought into engagement upon axial movement of the stud member relative to the washer, to prevent relative rotation.

Preferably, one of said mating surfaces is provided with axially extending teeth, receivable in complementarily shaped recesses in the other mating surface.

Advantageously, the washer is provided with a formation which is engageable with a tool for insertion and removal of the stud, that formation suitably comprising a pair of diametrically opposed apertures.

Preferably, the washer is formed of plastics material.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa plan view of a washer forming part of a golf spike according to this invention, Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a side view of a stud member for use with the washer of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 is a plan view of a modified washer forming part of a golf spike according to another embodiment of this invention, Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 5--5 of Figure 4 and Figure 6 is a side view of a modified stud member for use with the washer of Figures 4 and 5.

The golf spike shown in Figures 1,2 and 3 of the drawings comprises a plastics washer 12 which is shown in Figures 1 and 2 and a metal stud member 14 shown in Figure 3. The washer 12 may for example be formed of nylon and the stud member of aluminium, though of course a wide range of other materials are also suitable.

The washer 12 is circular with a slightly cupped surface 16 that is intended to engage the undersole of the golf shoe, the other surface 18 being domed.

An aperture 20 extends through the washer on the axis and two smaller diametrically opposed apertures 22 are provided for engagement with the known spike removal tool. This tool (which is not shown) comprises a pair of spaced pins and a handle portion.

Coaxialiy with the aperture 20, there is formed an annular shoulder 24. The axial thickness at this shoulder is approximately two thirds the total thickness of the washer. Four generally rectangular recesses 26 are cut into the shoulder 24, these recesses being equally angularly spaced around the axis of the washer.

The stud member 14 is formed at one end with a screw thread 28 of conventional diameter and thread size. A central portion 30 of the stud member carries a flange 32 of increased diameter, the opposite side of that flange merging with a tapered spike portion 34. Around the central portion 30, there are provided four teeth 36 which extend axially over approximately half the length of the central portion 30 and which have a maximum radial dimension which is equal to that of the flange 32. As seen in Figure 3, the corner of the tooth remote from the flange is somewhat rounded.

In assembly of the illustrated golf spike, the threaded portion 28 of the stud is inserted through the aperture 20 to bring into opposition the shoulder 24 of the washer carrying the recesses 26 and the face of the flange 32 carrying the teeth 37.

Continued axial movement then serves to bring the teeth into engagement into the recesses to provide an effective key against relative rotation. It will be seen that the engagement between the stud member and the washer is after the fashion of a dog clutch.

In a preferred method of manufacture, the stud member is inserted into a washer blank using an ultrasonic or cold-forming technique. In this case, it will be appreciated that Figures 1 and 2 show the shape of the washer after sonic or pressure insertion of the stud member.

The metal or ceramic stud member can be finished (i.e. hardened, plated, coloured) before final assembly. This is in contrast to the prior art technique in which the stud member often has to be left soft for riveting, even if it is ultimately intended to be hardened.

Referring now to Figures 4, 5 and 6, a further embodiment of this invention will be described.

Parts common to the first embodiment will retain the same reference numeral (but primed) and will not be described again in detail.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the shoulder 24' carries four triangular cam portions 40' equiangularly spaced around the aperture 20', alternating with the recesses 26'. At the opposite face of the washer 12', four arcuate projections 42' are arranged in alignment with respective cam portions 40'.

The thread 28' on the stud member 14', as shown in Figure 6, is rolled onto the member in blank form and the diameter of the central portion 30' is accordingly less than that of the thread.

In assembly of the golf spike according to this embodiment, the washer is first aligned with the stud member (the teeth 36' being loosely located in the recesses 26') and the arcuate projections 42' then driven inwards by a suitably shaped tool to engage behind the first thread. The cam portions 40' serve to ensure that there is correct angular alignment between the stud member and the washer during this operation and in the finai stage the cam portions themselves are caused to flow underthe high tool pressure into the recesses 26'.

This approach provides a secure bond in a comparatively simple operation lending itself well to high speed automation.

This invention has been described by way of examples only and a variety of modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. It has already been noted that a variety of materials could be employed for both the washer and the stud member. The described example is a golf shoe spike but similar principles could be employed to manufacture a running shoe spike or other studs for sports shoes. Modification could be made to the shape of the mutually engaging surfaces on the washer and the stud member, it being merely necessary that there are provided opposing surfaces generally normal to the screw thread axis which surfaces are brought into engagement through axial movement to inhibit relative rotation of the washer and stud member.

The number of teeth and recesses in appropriate cases could be increased or decreased and the shape could be widely varied.

Claims

1. A stud for a sports shoe, comprising a metal stud member shaped at one end for ground engagement and provided at the other end with a mounting thread; and a washer carried on the stud member intermediate its ends; wherein the washer and the stud member are provided with opposing mating surfaces which are generally normal to the thread axis and which are brought into engagement upon axial movement of the stud member relative to the washer, to prevent relative rotation.

2. A stud according to Claim 1, wherein one of said mating surfaces is provided with axially extending teeth, receivable in complementarily shaped recesses in the other mating surface.

3. A stud according to Claim 2, wherein said other of the mating surfaces is provided with sloping camming surfaces intermediate said recesses.

4. A stud according to Claim 1, wherein the washer is provided on a face remote from said mating surfaces with projection means engageable with said mounting thread to lock the stud member relative to the washer.

5. A stud according to Claim 1, wherein the washer is provided with a formation which is engageable with a tool for insertion and removal of the stud.

6. A stud according to Claim 5, wherein said formation comprises a pair of diametrically opposed apertures.