Patent Application
20110203142
This application claims priority to and the benefit of German patent application serial number 102004011680.6, filed on Mar. 10, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a modular shoe and components therefor.
Similar to other sports shoes, studded shoes, such as soccer shoes, are currently mass produced. During the early days of the game of soccer, the shoes were individually manufactured by a craftsman. The shoemaker did not only take the specific anatomy of the player into account, but also his preferences concerning, for example, the selection of material or the outer design of the shoe. Apart from being provided in a series of predetermined sizes, mass produced soccer shoes have, however, generally the same properties, such as color, shape, hardness of the sole, etc. An individual adaptation to anatomic requirements and aesthetic preferences of the player is, if at all, only possible to a limited extent.
Several approaches are known in the prior art to provide exchangeable studs that allow a wearer to adapt the gripping properties of a studded shoe to changing ground conditions. As an example, screw studs are mentioned, wherein the stud includes a screw-like projection that is releasably screwed into the threads of the shoe sole.
Apart from the exchange of studs, options for the individual adaptation of a studded shoe, such as a soccer shoe, are lacking. On the contrary, the prior art teaches that a studded shoe, which is subjected to high mechanical loads during use, has to be provided as a compact and stable arrangement of permanently interconnected components (sole, upper, etc.). Only the studs can be replaced in the described manner. Optionally, an additional inlay sole may be used. Properties, such as the shape, the hardness, and the weight of the sole, as well as properties of the upper, such as the lacing system, ventilation properties or—in case of soccer shoes—structural elements on the upper for improving the accuracy of a shot, are not modifiable. This distinguishes studded shoes fundamentally from certain other types of shoes, for example dress shoes for women, for which a kind of toolbox system is known from German patent no. DE 202 08 713 U1, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
It has been found, however, that there is a considerable need for the ability to individualize studded shoes to a greater extent, either due to biomechanical requirements or for accommodating the aesthetic preferences of a player. There is, therefore, a need for a studded shoe having a different and better construction than known in the prior art, the shoe being adaptable to the individual requirements and preferences of a player.
This problem is solved by a modular studded shoe including at least three essential modules or components. The first module is an upper that, in one embodiment, is shaped like a sock and encompasses a wearer's foot from all sides. In contrast to known studded shoes, however, the upper is not permanently glued, welded, or stitched to an outsole or a similar sole layer. Instead, a releasable chassis is arranged as a second module in an interior region of the upper. In one embodiment, the chassis loosely contacts, without attachment to, an interior portion of a lower side of the upper. A stable studded shoe is created by the interconnection of the third module, a plurality of studs that are attached through the lower side of the upper to the chassis. The lower side of the sock-like upper is preferably clamped between the chassis and at least one of the plurality of attached studs.
The described modular construction of a studded shoe leads to a great number of advantages for both the manufacturer and the athlete. The unlimited combinations of various embodiments of the three releasably combined modules (i.e., the upper, the chassis, and the studs) allow the manufacturer or the athlete or both to modify the design and the technical properties of the studded shoe over a wide range of possible characteristics. For example, the replacement of the sock-like upper allows the use of uppers with different colors and patterns, as well as the use of thicker or thinner embodiments depending on the season. Even a complete individualization is possible by imprinting the upper with a pattern or lettering unique to the individual athlete, for example a signature. It is also possible to use different materials for the upper, which lead to different properties during ball contact with the instep.
The releasable chassis generally determines the mechanical properties of the studded shoe. For example, it is possible to use, depending on the ground conditions, a chassis of a different hardness. Furthermore, the thickness and contour of the chassis can influence the positioning of the foot inside the shoe. In another embodiment of the invention, the shape of the upper side of the chassis can be custom made in accordance with the wearer's foot, for example, as determined by a three-dimensional scan. Also, the material properties of the chassis may be customized to take the individual needs of a wearer into account, for example to provide pronation control or increased cushioning.
The shape and arrangement of the studs determine the gripping properties of the studded shoe. In contrast to the prior art, the attachment of the studs provides additionally a rigid, but releasable, interconnection between the three modules of the studded shoe, i.e., the upper, the chassis, and the studs. It has been found that a studded shoe having the above described modular design has, in contrast to the above-mentioned prejudice in the prior art, the necessary stability to permanently withstand the loads arising during running and shooting a ball.
From the viewpoint of the manufacturer, the described modular design facilitates the production of the studded shoe. Instead of a complete shoe, only three modules are produced, which are later selected and assembled by the customer. Gluing, welding, or sewing the components of the shoe is no longer necessary, which reduces the number of production steps. Furthermore, there are no toxic solvent vapors involved in the manufacture of the shoe, which are typically a problem with respect to the environment.
In one aspect, the invention relates to a modular article of footwear. The article of footwear includes an upper having a lower side, a chassis releasably disposed in an interior of the upper, and a plurality of studs. Each stud is releasably attached to the chassis through an aperture formed in the lower side of the upper. The lower side of the upper can be clamped between the chassis and at least one of the mounted studs. The interior of the upper can be defined by an upper side of the upper.
In various embodiments, the upper optionally includes a reinforcement element disposed on at least one of a heel part or a toe part. This avoids premature abrasion of the upper in these parts, which are subjected to greater wear. The lower side of the upper can include a coating for resisting adhesion of dirt. Such coatings are today well-known from many fields of technology. In one embodiment, the article of footwear includes a seal at least partially disposed between the studs and the lower side of the upper for preventing penetration of dirt into the interior of the upper through the apertures formed in the lower side. The seal can be disposed along an upper rim of each of the plurality of studs. Thus, the opening in the lower side of the upper through which one or more studs are releasably attached to the chassis is effectively sealed against moisture or dirt particles on the playing field. Known stud systems, wherein the mounting mechanism is arranged outside of the interior of the upper, generally do not include such a sealing arrangement.
Further, the stud can include a first mounting means that corresponds in shape and mates with a second mounting means of the chassis. The stud is thereby secured against rotation when attached to the chassis. In one embodiment, the first mounting means and the second mounting means can include an oblong recess engaged by a mating projection, where the recess can be located in either the first mounting means or the second mounting means with the mating projection disposed on the corresponding mounting means. In another embodiment, the first mounting means includes a screw for engaging threads in the second mounting means. The screw can extend beyond an exterior portion of the stud. In various embodiments, the at least one stud has an oblong shape and several oblong studs can be disposed on the chassis and secured against rotation, the studs having differing orientations with respect to the chassis.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a stud for an article of footwear for releasably interconnecting an upper and a chassis. The stud includes a stud body for penetration of ground, a first mounting means adapted for interacting with a second mounting means of the chassis releasably disposable inside the upper, and a seal for sealing an interior of the upper on a lower side thereof. Due to its sealing, such a stud is particularly adapted to be used in connection with the above described modular studded shoe, since moisture and dirt cannot reach the interior of the upper. In various embodiments, the first mounting means corresponds in shape and mates with the second mounting means of the chassis. The stud is secured against rotation when attached to the chassis. The first mounting means can include at least one of an oblong recess or a corresponding projection. In one embodiment, the first mounting means includes a screw that extends beyond an exterior portion of the stud. The screw can extend beyond the stud body in a downward direction. The first mounting means of the stud can be designed to correspond in shape, so that it can mate with the second mounting means of the chassis. As a result, the stud can be attached to the chassis in a manner secured against rotation. To this end the stud body, in one embodiment, includes an oblong recess that can be engaged by a corresponding projection of the second mounting means.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a chassis for an article of footwear for releasably interconnecting an upper and a plurality of studs. The chassis includes a plurality of projections adapted to extend through a plurality of corresponding apertures in a lower side of the upper. In various embodiments, the shape of the projections can be a combination of polygonal and arcuate shapes; however, the shape could be polygonal, arcuate, or any combination thereof. In the present application, the term polygonal is used to denote any shape including at least two line segments, such as rectangles, trapezoids, triangles, etc. In one embodiment, the projection has a generally oblong shape and extends horizontally with respect to the article of footwear. In one example, the projection extends generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the article of footwear.
In various embodiments, the plurality of projections is adapted to correspond in shape and mate with corresponding recesses in a plurality of studs. In one embodiment, the plurality of projections have differing orientations with respect to the chassis. At least one end of the projections can be tapered. Additionally, the projections can include threads formed therein. Alternatively or additionally, the chassis can include recesses for mating with projections located on at least some of the studs.
In another aspect, the invention relates to an upper for an article of footwear for releasably interconnecting a chassis and a plurality of studs. The upper includes a lower side adapted to at least partially extend below a wearer's foot and a plurality of apertures formed through the lower side for receiving a plurality of corresponding projections of the chassis. The shape of the apertures can be polygonal, arcuate, or combinations thereof. In various embodiments, the upper optionally includes a reinforcement element disposed on at least one of a heel part or a toe part. The lower side can include a coating to reduce adhesion of dirt to the lower side of the upper.
These and other objects, along with advantages and features of the present invention herein disclosed, will become apparent through reference to the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the claims. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the features of the various embodiments described herein are not mutually exclusive and can exist in various combinations and permutations.
In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. Also, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the following description, various embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following drawings, in which:
Embodiments of the present invention are described below. It is, however, expressly noted that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, but rather the intention is that modifications that are apparent to the person skilled in the art are also included. In particular, the present invention is not intended to be limited to a soccer shoe, but rather it is to be understood that the present invention can also be used for other types of studded shoes, such as spiked track and field shoes and footwear used for grass and turf-based sports, such as golf, rugby, hockey, football, and baseball, as well as climbing or the like. Further, only a left shoe is depicted in any given figure; however, it is to be understood that the left and right shoes are typically mirror images of each other and the description applies to both left and right shoes. In certain activities that require different left and right shoe configurations or performance characteristics, the shoes need not be mirror images of each other.
The upper 1 forms the above-mentioned interior by including an upper side 2 as well as a lower side 3, which combined at least partly encompasses a wearer's foot like a sock. Several openings 4 are provided in the lower side 3. The arrangement of these openings corresponds to the distribution of a plurality of separately arranged studs 30 on the lower side 3. As indicated by the dashed line in
Furthermore, as shown in
Due to the attachment of the plurality of studs 30 to the chassis 10, the modular soccer shoe 50 obtains the required stability. Any additional sole layers disposed between the chassis 10 and the stud 30 are held in place together with the lower side 3 of the upper 1, which is, in the embodiment shown in
In addition to the upper 1, additional elements of the shoe may be held in place between the studs 30 and the chassis 10, for example, an external torsion bar, an external heel counter, and/or an exchangeable sole plate disposed below the upper 1 to protect against abrasion. These optional shoe elements are also removable and, therefore, customizable similar to the studs 30 and the chassis 10.
The chassis 10 provides the necessary stability for the shoe, i.e., this module forms the “spine” for the overall shoe. It is, therefore, desirable to make the chassis from stable plastic materials, such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or from carbon fibers. In one embodiment, the chassis 10 can be manufactured out of substantially compression resistant plastic materials, which have the advantage of withstanding the mechanical loads arising during contact of the shoe with the ground and also have the required flexibility not to hinder movements of the foot, such as those that occur during the rolling-off and pushing-off phase of the gait cycle. It is also possible to use a thin metal plate or a composite material. Since the chassis is an exchangeable module of the overall soccer shoe, the player can alter the mechanical properties of the shoe by using a different chassis according to his needs and/or the environmental conditions. For example, it is possible to produce several chassis having different hardnesses or different weights in order to meet these requirements. Further, variations in the shape of the chassis (in the case of an identical shoe size) are possible, for example to adapt to narrower or wider feet or the provision of a plurality of chassis with different flex zones. Accordingly, the chassis can have grooves, apertures, cut-outs, or other features formed therein to provide tailored flexibility or preferential mechanical properties in predetermined zones or areas of the shoe.
The chassis 10, which is shown enlarged in
The studs 30 are attached to the projections 11. In one embodiment, each stud 30 includes a recess that corresponds in shape, so that it can mate with the respective projection 11 of the chassis 10, thus securing the stud 30 to the chassis 10 to prevent rotation of the stud 30 with respect to the chassis 10. This is particularly desirable where the studs used are not rotationally symmetric, but which are oblong or asymmetric, so that a correct orientation is achieved. This is shown in
Furthermore, it is also possible to individually design the projections 11 so that only one stud 30 fits to a corresponding projection 11. This is desirable where the studs 30 are not only differently oriented at different positions of the chassis 10, but also have individual shapes. The use of numbers or color coding can facilitate the assignment of studs 30 to projections 11 during assembly of the modular soccer shoe.
A further embodiment is also possible, where the chassis 10 does not include projections, but instead, each stud 30 has an upper projection extending through the opening 4 on the lower side 3 of the upper 1 and engaging a recess in the chassis 10. The recess is designed to correspond in shape, so that it can mate with the projection of the stud 30. In this embodiment, a sufficient stability of the shoe 50 is similarly assured by clamping the lower side 3 of the upper 1 of the shoe 50 between the stud 30 and the chassis 10. In a further embodiment, neither the chassis 10 nor the stud 30 includes a projection. Only the screw 31 or another mounting means penetrates the opening 4 and anchors the stud 30 to the chassis 10. Such a simplified embodiment is, for example, desirable for rotationally symmetric screw studs, as shown for example in
Known uppers, however, typically only encompass the foot from above and on the sides. The upper 1 in accordance with the invention includes a lower side 3 that at least partly encompasses the foot from below. As a result, the upper 1 has a sock-like shape. Apart from the already mentioned openings 4 for attaching the studs 30, the lower side 3 may have further openings, for example for an improved ventilation of the interior of the shoe. One example of openings for ventilation can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,112, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Furthermore, the exterior of the lower side 3 of the upper 1 can include an optional coating 6 that serves to resist the adhesion of dirt. This coating 6 may, for example, be made from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) based materials, such as those sold under the trademark Teflon®. In
Apart from the form-fit to the projection 11, the stud 30 shown in
In the embodiment of
Generally, the various components can be manufactured by, for example, injection molding or extrusion. Extrusion processes may be used to provide a uniform shape. Insert molding can then be used to provide the desired geometry of the open spaces, or the open spaces could be created in the desired locations by a subsequent machining operation. Other manufacturing techniques include melting or bonding portions together. For example, the projections 11 may be adhered to the chassis 10 with a liquid epoxy or a hot melt adhesive, such as EVA, or they may be formed integrally therewith. In addition to adhesive bonding, portions can be solvent bonded, which entails using a solvent to facilitate fusing of the portions.
In addition to the materials described hereinabove, the various components can also be manufactured from other suitable polymeric material or combination of polymeric materials, either with or without reinforcement. Suitable materials include: polyurethanes, such as TPU; EVA; thermoplastic polyether block amides, such as the Pebax® brand sold by Elf Atochem; thermoplastic polyester elastomers, such as the Hytrel® brand sold by DuPont; polyamides, such as nylon 12, which may include 10 to 30 percent or more glass fiber reinforcement; silicones; polyethylenes; and equivalent materials. Reinforcement, if used, may be by inclusion of glass or carbon graphite fibers or para-aramid fibers, such as the Kevlar® brand sold by DuPont, or other similar method. Also, the polymeric materials may be used in combination with other materials, for example rubber or metal alloys. Other suitable materials will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The specific materials used will depend on the particular application for which the shoe is designed, but generally should be sufficiently compression-resistant, supportive, and flexible to the extent necessary for a particular sport.
The described modular design of a soccer shoe in accordance with the invention offers individual modules (upper, chassis, and studs) that are interchangeable independently from each other, so that the player himself can combine modules to customize his shoe. A customer could, for example, interactively select the individual components on a website on the internet wherein the selected combination of modules or only single modules can subsequently be ordered. The components of the studded shoe in accordance with the invention can, however, also be sold by retail shops, thereby providing additional options for a custom manufacture of the components, in particular the chassis 10 and the upper 1, or individual replacement of worn modules. In addition, retail shops could collect used components of the described shoe, which due to its modular design, can easily be separated into its individual modules, which are made from substantially only one material (for example the upper being made from leather, the chassis being made from a composite material, and the studs being made from a metal). Accordingly, the studded shoe of the invention facilitates its own recycling.
Having described certain embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments incorporating the concepts disclosed herein may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as only illustrative and not restrictive.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102004011680.6 | Mar 2004 | DE | national |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12769825 | Apr 2010 | US |
| Child | 13098936 | US | |
| Parent | 12164654 | Jun 2008 | US |
| Child | 12769825 | US | |
| Parent | 11064439 | Feb 2005 | US |
| Child | 12164654 | US |
