TRACTION ELEMENTS FOR ATHLETIC SHOES AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF
Various embodiments for a traction element used with athletic shoes having a stud body with a metal insert that extends axially from the stud body and methods for manufacturing such traction elements are disclosed.
This is a non-provisional application that claims benefit to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/637,259 filed on Mar. 1, 2018, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELDThe present disclosure generally relates to traction elements for shoes, and in particular to traction elements for athletic shoes having a reduced weight and methods of manufacturing such traction elements.
BACKGROUNDTraction elements for athletic shoes are used to provide a gripping surface that produces traction between the sole of the shoe and the athletic surface, such as a grass field. Typically, traction elements for athletic shoes used in sports, such as rugby, use metal studs made of a metallic material to accommodate the high shear forces applied to the metal studs during play. However, there is a desire for a traction element that also reduces the weight of the traction element while still meeting all of the performance, shape specifications and material requirements required by various official sports authorities.
It is with these observations in mind, among others, that various aspects of the present disclosure were conceived and developed.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding elements among the view of the drawings. The headings used in the figures do not limit the scope of the claims.
Various embodiments for traction elements used for athletic shoes are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the traction elements have reduced weight while still meeting existing industry performance standards for athletic shoes. In some embodiments, the traction element includes a stud body defining an interior cavity with a metal insert that is cast to the stud body and extends outwardly from hollow cavity. In some embodiments, the traction element includes a stud body defining an interior cavity and a metal insert that is mechanically coupled within the stud body and extends outwardly from the interior cavity. In some embodiments, the metal insert of the traction element is configured to be coupled to the sole of an athletic shoe for providing traction. In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing the traction element such that the metal insert is either cast to the stud body or mechanically coupled to the stud body prior to being engaged to the sole of an athletic shoe is disclosed. In some embodiments, the metal insert includes a bulbous middle portion that engages a plastic or like material retainer within the interior cavity of the stud body to provide further structural integrity between the metal insert and the stud body when the traction element is engaged to an athletic shoe. In one aspect, the traction element meets the current standards required of official governing sports bodies, such as the ROC, which governs international rugby regarding the performance, shape and material requirements set for athletic equipment, such as rugby studs used in athletic shoes including the traction element described herein. Referring to the drawings, various embodiments of a traction element used with athletic shoes are illustrated and generally indicated as 100, 200 and 300 in
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In one method of manufacturing the traction element 100, the stud body 102 may be first cast from a metallic material, such as aluminum, in which the metal insert 104 is directly cast to the stud body 102 such that the proximal threaded portion 132 of the metal insert 104 extends partially outward from the cast of the stud body 102. The interior cavity 120 is formed inside the stud body 102 by coring out the interior portion of the stud body 102 around the metal insert 104 to form the interior cavity 120 and opening 118. In some embodiments, the plurality of cutaways 114 are formed when the stud body 102 is cast within a mold, or in the alternative, the plurality of cutaways 114 may be machined out along the surface of the proximal end portion 112 after the cast of the stud body 102 is allowed to sufficiently cool. The method of manufacturing the traction element 100 as disclosed herein provides a strong structural connection between the stud body 102 and the metal insert 104 such that shear forces applied to the traction element 100 during use do not cause the metal insert 104 to break, bend or twist relative to the stud body 102.
In one aspect, the coring out of stud body 102 to form the interior cavity 120 during manufacture reduces the overall weight of the traction element 100 while still allowing the traction element 100 to meet all performance, shape specifications and material requirements required of a conventional traction element.
In some embodiments, the traction element 100 may be manufactured with the following dimensions used during manufacture. Referring to
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In one method of manufacture, the stud body 202 of the traction element 200 may be cast from a metallic material, such as aluminum, in which the metal insert 204 is directly cast to the stud body 202 such that the proximal threaded portion 232 of the metal insert 204 extends partially outward from the cast of the stud body 202. The interior cavity 220 is formed inside the stud body 202 by coring out the interior portion of the stud body 202 around the metal insert 204 to form the interior cavity 220 and opening 218. Once the interior cavity 220 is formed, nylon or other type of filler material 208 to form the retainer 206 is injected, poured or inserted into interior cavity 220 that surrounds the metal insert 204 to provide further structural integrity between the stud body 202 and the metal insert 204. During the injection of the filler material 208 into the interior cavity 220, the bulbous portion 233 is configured to provide a retention feature that adds further structural reinforcement between the stud body 202 and the metal insert 204. In some embodiments, the plurality of cutaways 214 are formed when the stud body 202 is cast within a mold, or in the alternative, the plurality of cutaways 214 may be machined out along the surface of the proximal end portion 212 after the cast of the stud body 202 is allowed to sufficiently cool. The method of manufacturing the traction element 200 as disclosed herein provides a strong structural connection between the stud body 202 and the metal insert 204 such that shear forces applied to the traction element 200 during a sporting activity do not cause the metal insert 204 to break, bend or twist relative to the stud body 202.
In one aspect, as noted above the coring out of stud body 202 to form the interior cavity 220 during manufacture reduces the overall weight of the traction element 200 while still allowing the traction element 200 to meet all performance, shape specifications and material requirements required of a conventional traction element for an athletic shoe.
In some embodiments, the traction element 200 may be manufactured with the following dimensions. Referring to
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In one method of manufacture, the stud body 302 of the traction element 300 may be cast from a metallic material, such as aluminum. The interior cavity 320 is formed inside the stud body 302 by coring out the interior portion of the stud body 302 during manufacturing. In other embodiments, the interior cavity 320 may be machined when the stud body 302 has cooled. Once the interior cavity 320 is formed, a drive tool (not shown) is used to engage the plurality of drive grippers 333 of the metal insert 302 which are then rotated by the drive tool when the metal insert 304 is manually driven into the interior cavity 320 of the stud body 302. The rotating action of the drive tool allows the external threads 350 of the metal insert 304 to act as a standard or reverse thread head that cuts directly into the interior surface of the stud body 302 to establish a secure engagement between the metal insert 304 and the stud body 302. The engagement between the metal insert 304 and the stud body 302 produces a strong structural connection between the metal insert 304 and the stud body 302 such that shear forces applied to the traction element 300 during a sporting activity do not cause the metal insert 304 to break, bend or twist relative to the stud body 302.
In some embodiments, the traction element 300 may be manufactured with the following dimensions used during manufacture. Referring to
It should be understood from the foregoing that, while particular embodiments have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teachings of this invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.
Claims
1. A method of manufacturing a traction element comprising:
- casting a stud body with a metal insert, the stud body having a distal head portion and a proximal end portion, wherein the metal insert defines a shaft portion formed between a distal cap portion and a proximal threaded portion, wherein the metal insert is cast with the stud body such that the proximal threaded portion of the metal insert extends axially outwardly at a predetermined distance from the stud body; and
- coring out the proximal end portion of the stud body to form an interior cavity.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- forming a plurality of cutaways along an outer surface of the stud body.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- filling the interior cavity with a filler material to form a retainer that provides structural integrity to the metal insert relative to the stud body.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the filler material comprises a nylon material.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein the metal insert comprises a bulbous portion formed between the shaft portion and the proximal threaded portion of the metal insert and being configured to engage the retainer for retaining the metal insert to the stud body.
6. A method of manufacturing a traction element comprising:
- casting a stud body, the stud body having a distal head portion and a proximal end portion;
- coring out the proximal end portion of the stud body to form an interior cavity;
- driving a metal insert into the interior cavity such that the metal insert cuts into an interior surface of the interior cavity to securely engage the metal insert with the stud body.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the metal insert comprises a distal head portion, a proximal threaded portion and a plurality of drive grippers extending radially outward from the proximal threaded portion adjacent the distal head portion.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein driving the metal insert into the interior cavity comprises engaging the plurality of drive grippers with a driving tool and rotating the metal insert into the interior cavity.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of drive grippers comprises a plurality of radially extending arms.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein the distal head portion forms a standard or reverse thread head configured for cutting into a surface of the stud body when engaging the metal insert with the stud body.
11. A traction element comprising;
- a cored out stud body defining an interior cavity, a distal head portion, and a proximal end portion, the stud body configured to be attached to a sole of a shoe; and
- the interior cavity of the cored out stud body comprising a light weight filler material; and
- a metal insert coupled to the stud body, the metal insert extending axially from the stud body.
12. The traction element of claim 11, wherein the stud body is thimble shaped, the thimble shaped configured to provide traction and gripping strength along a ground surface.
13. The traction element of claim 11, wherein the metal insert is configured to mechanically couple the traction element to the sole of the shoe.
14. The traction element of claim 11, wherein the proximal end portion of the stud body tapers away from the distal head portion and forms a peripheral flange that defines an opening in communication with an interior cavity formed within the stud body.
15. The traction element of claim 11, wherein the metal insert comprises at least a steel or aluminum material.
16. The traction element of claim 11, wherein the metal insert further defines a bulbous portion formed between a shaft portion and a proximal threaded portion, the bulbous portion configured to provide an engagement surface for a retainer or liner disposed inside an internal cavity.
17. The traction element of claim 11, wherein a plurality of cutaways may be formed axially along an outer surface of the stud body, the plurality of cutaways collectively configured to receive a driving tool.
18. The traction element of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of cutaways define an elongated slot configuration forming a base proximate to a peripheral flange of the stud body.
19. The traction element of claim 11, wherein the plurality of cutaways define at least one of a triangularly-shaped slot, a rectangular shaped slot, a symmetrically shaped slot, an asymmetrically shaped slot, and a circular shaped slot.
20. The traction element of claim 11, wherein the metal insert is cast to the stud body.
21. The traction element of claim 11, wherein the metal insert is mechanically coupled to the stud body.
22. The traction element of claim 11, wherein the light weight filler material comprises nylon.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 1, 2019
Publication Date: Sep 5, 2019
Inventors: John Robert Burt (Brentwood, TN), Lee Shuttleworth (Brentwood, TN)
Application Number: 16/290,460