ANTI-SLIDE SHOE

The invention relates to a sole arrangement (10) for an anti-slid shoe (1). Said sole arrangement (10) comprises an upper and a lower sole member (20, 50) wherein the lower sole member (50) is vertically movable in relation to the upper sole member (20). Spike holding units (15) are arranged at the upper sole member (20) and are configured to hold spike members (8) extending in a vertical direction inside the sole arrangement (10). The sole arrangement (10) further comprises a locking system comprising spacing means (12) and a movable locking plate (30) arranged between the upper and lower sole members (20, 50), configured to control the vertical distance between the sole members (20, 50) to prevent the spike member (8) from protruding through the lower sole member (50). The spike holding unit (15) extends downwards through an opening (17) in the locking plate towards a spike opening (16) in the lower sole member (20).

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Description
TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a sole arrangement with retractable spikes for an anti-slid shoe.

BACKGROUND ART

Anti-slid shoes with retractable spikes are known as such. WO2007/037731 and WO2009/110822 disclose a particular variant where an upper and a lower sole are vertically moveable in relation to each other allowing the spikes to protrude through the lower sole and where a slidable locking plate is used to lock the soles in relation to each other so as to prevent the spikes from protruding.

Although the principle of the shoes disclosed in these documents is promising there is a need for improvements, for instance with regard to stability of the sole arrangement and the capability to prevent leakage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a sole arrangement for an anti-slid shoe, said sole arrangement comprising

    • an upper and a lower sole member wherein the lower sole member is positioned closer to the ground during normal use of the sole arrangement and may form an outer sole of the shoe, wherein the lower sole member is movably arranged in relation to the upper sole member allowing the lower sole member to move in a vertical direction in relation to the upper sole member,
    • at least one spike holding unit configured to hold a spike member in such a way that the spike member extends in a substantially vertical direction inside the sole arrangement and is movable in relation to the lower sole member,
    • at least one spike opening in the lower sole member allowing a spike member arranged in the spike holding unit to protrude downwards through the lower sole member,
    • a locking system comprising spacing means and a movable locking plate arranged between the upper and lower sole members, said locking system being configured to control the vertical distance between the upper and lower sole members so as to, when set in a locked mode, prevent the spike member from protruding through the lower sole member.

The invention is characterized in that the spike holding unit is arranged at the upper sole member, wherein the spike holding unit extends downwards through an opening in the locking plate or at a side thereof towards the spike opening.

This provides for the possibility to attach a spike member to the spike holding unit from an outside (underside) of the lower sole member, i.e. through the outer sole of shoe into the spike holding unit. In turn this simplifies sealing of the spike compared to e.g. WO2007/037731 in that a spike sealing member can press onto the underside of the lower sole member/outer sole. This arrangement also enables an enhanced stability of the structure as the upper and lower sole members can be connected via the spike holding unit, and via the spike member.

In an embodiment of the invention the spike holding unit is provided with attachment means allowing a spike to be detachably attached to the spike holding unit. This provides for the possibility to replace broken or worn out spikes.

In an embodiment of the invention the locking plate is fixed in a vertical direction in relation to the upper sole member, preferably the locking plate is attached to upper sole member.

In an embodiment of the invention the spike holding unit is fixed to an underside of the upper sole member, preferably the spike holding unit forms an integrated part of the upper sole member.

In an embodiment of the invention the lower sole member comprises a flexible membrane, wherein the spike opening is arranged in the membrane.

In an embodiment of the invention the spacing means are arranged between the locking plate and the lower sole member.

In an embodiment of the invention a spike member is attached to the spike holding unit.

In an embodiment of the invention the spike holding unit comprises an inner element provided with threads for connection to corresponding threads of the spike member.

In an embodiment of the invention the upper sole member comprises an upper part and a lower part, wherein the lower part is made of a more rigid material than the upper part, wherein the two parts are moulded together.

In an embodiment of the invention the spike holding unit forms an integral part of the lower part of the upper sole member.

In an embodiment of the invention the locking plate is movable in a longitudinal direction of the sole arrangement between at least a first and a second position, wherein the spacing means defines a minimum distance between the upper and lower sole members in one of these positions.

In an embodiment of the invention the upper sole member is provided with at least one connection element and wherein the lower sole member is provided with a corresponding connection element configured to be connected with the connection element on the upper sole member to provide a stabilizing connection between the two sole members.

The invention also concerns a shoe provided with a sole arrangement of the above type.

The invention also concerns a spike member for an anti-slid shoe, wherein the spike member comprises a gripping spike, a threaded attachment part for attachment to the shoe and a washer/plate arranged between the gripping part and the attachment part for providing sealing around a spike opening of the shoe.

In an embodiment, the threaded attachment part and the washer/plate form an integral unit provided with an axial hole into configured to receive an end portion of the gripping part spike.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an anti-slid shoe according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows, in an exploded view, a sole arrangement of the shoe according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of an assembled sole arrangement according to FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a spike member and a part of a spike holding unit according to the sole arrangement.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an anti-slid shoe 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 also shows parts of an upper sole member 20 connected via resilient bellows 7 to a lower sole member 50, and a handle 11 for controlling the position of a locking plate 30 (not shown in FIG. 1).

FIG. 2 shows, in an exploded view, a sole arrangement 10 of the shoe 1 according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of an assembled sole arrangement 10 according to FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a spike member 8 and an inner part 19 of a spike holding unit 15 according to the sole arrangement 10.

The sole arrangement 10 comprises in general an upper sole member 20, a locking plate 30 and a lower sole member 50. The lower sole member 50 is positioned closer to the ground during normal use of the shoe 1 and forms an outer sole of the shoe 1. The lower sole member 50 is movably arranged in relation to the upper sole member 20 allowing the lower sole member (50) to move in a vertical direction in relation to the upper sole member (20).

The upper sole member 20 comprises two major parts: an upper sole part 20a in this example made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and a lower sole part 20b made of a more rigid material, in this case polyoxymethylene (POM, also known as acetal). The upper and lower parts 20a, 20b form an integral part produced by placing the lower part 20b in the mould when producing/moulding the upper part 20a. Although the lower part 20b is more rigid it is designed to be sufficiently flexible to be bent and to provide for a comfortable sole member for a user of the shoe 1.

The underside of the upper sole member 20 is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending spike holding units 15. These units 15 form integral parts of the lower part 20b of the upper sole member 20. The spike holding units 15 comprises an inner unit 19 that is moulded in place inside detail 15 and that is provided with threads 22 corresponding to outer threads 18 provided onto an upper part of a spike member 8 (see FIGS. 3-4).

Each spike holding unit 15, 19 is configured to hold the spike member 8 in such a way that the spike member 8 extends in a substantially vertical direction inside the sole arrangement 10 and is movable in relation to the lower sole member 50.

Spike openings 16 are arranged in the lower sole member 50 allowing a corresponding spike member 8 arranged in the spike holding unit 15, 19 to protrude downwards through the lower sole member 50 (see FIG. 3). Each spike opening 16 is arranged in a corresponding flexible membrane 4 arranged in the lower sole member 50.

Also the lower sole member 50 comprises two major parts: an upper sole part 50a made of a more rigid material, in this case polyamide (PA), and a lower sole part 50b made of TPU. The upper and lower parts 50a, 50b of the lower sole member 50 form an integral part produced by placing the upper part 50a in the mould when producing/moulding the lower part 50b. Although the upper part 50a of the lower sole member 50 is more rigid it is designed to be sufficiently flexible to be bent and to provide for a comfortable sole member for a user of the shoe 1.

The flexible membranes 4 form part of the more flexible lower part 50b of the lower sole member 50.

Upper part 50a of lower sole member 50 is provided with holes 9 adapted to surround the flexible membrane 4.

The sole arrangement 10 further comprises a locking system comprising spacing means 12 and the movable locking plate 30 arranged between the upper and lower sole members 20, 50. The locking plate 30 is attached to the upper sole member 20 by means of screws (not shown in figures) arranged in longitudinally extending openings (not shown in the figures) in the locking plate 30 to allow the locking plate 30 to move back and forth in the longitudinal direction of the shoe 1.

The spacing means 12 are arranged both on the lower side of the locking plate 30 and on the upper side of the lower sole member 50, more specifically on the upper side of the upper part 50a of the lower sole member 50, so as to face each other.

The locking system is configured to control the vertical distance between the upper and lower sole members 20, 50 so as to, when set in a locked mode, prevent the spike members 8 from protruding through the lower sole member 50. The principle for how the locking system works is similar to what is described in WO2007/037731 and WO2009/110822: The locking plate 30 can be moved, using the handle 11, between a first and a second longitudinal position. In one of these positions the upper and lower spacing means 12 are arranged at least partly on top of each other (which alternatively may be seen such as a certain spacing means and its corresponding spacing means receiving opening on the corresponding sole member are at least partly displaced in relation to each other) so that the spacing means 12 define a minimum distance between the locking plate 30 (and thus the upper sole member 20) and the lower sole member 50. In this position the spike member 8 is prevented from protruding out downwards from the lower sole member 50. In the other position of the locking plate 30 the upper and lower spacing means 12 are longitudinally displaced in relation to each other (which alternatively may be seen such as a certain spacing means and its corresponding spacing means receiving opening on the corresponding sole member are aligned with each other) so that, when the upper sole member 20 is pressed downwards towards the lower sole member 50 by, for instance, the weight of a user of the shoe, the upper and lower sole members 20, 50 come closer to each other than the minimum distance with the corresponding spacing means 12 positioned more or less side by side (or with one of the spacing means positioned in the corresponding spacing means opening). In this position the spike member 8 is allowed to protrude downwards from the lower sole member 50. This position of the locking plate 30 is depicted in FIG. 3.

The locking plate 30 is made of a rather rigid material such as polyamide (PA) (but is designed to be bendable to allow the sole arrangement 10 to bend during use of the shoe 1). The spacing means 12 form integral parts of either the locking plate 30 or the upper part 50a of the lower sole member 50 which also is made of a more rigid material. Thus the spacing means act distinctly onto each other when forming the minimum distance. Also the lower part 20b of the upper sole member 20 is made of a more rigid material which has the advantage that the friction between the locking plate 30 and the upper sole member 20 is low when moving the locking plate 30 between the two longitudinal positions.

The spacing means 12 include transversal bars and a system of smaller parts distributed over a larger area (see part 50a in FIG. 2). An advantage of distributing the spacing means 12 over a larger area is that the pressure onto the sole of the foot of a user also becomes distributed over a larger area which reduces the risk of discomfort.

Each spike holding unit 15 is arranged at the upper sole member 20 and extends downwards through an opening 17 in the locking plate or at a side thereof towards the spike opening 16 arranged in the membrane 4.

As shown in FIG. 3 the spike member 8 is connected to the spike holding member 15, 19 via the spike opening 16, wherein the membrane 4 is used as a sealer.

The upper and lower sole members 20, 50 are also connected via two pairs of connection elements 3a, 3b and 13a, 13b. The front pair 13a, 13b is arranged in front of the locking plate 30. The more centrally positioned pair 3a, 3b connects to each other via a longitudinally elongated opening (not clearly shown in FIG. 2) in the locking plate 30 (to allow longitudinal movement of the locking plate 30). The upper connection elements 3a, 13a form integral parts of the rigid material making up the lower part 20b of the upper sole member 20 (similar to the spike holding units 15). The lower connection elements 3b, 13b form integral parts of the rigid material making up the upper part 50a of the lower sole member 50. Each pair of connecting elements is configured to receive the corresponding element so as to improve the stability of the sole arrangement 10. The central connecting elements 3a, 3b are configured to be hold together by means of a screw (not shown in the figures).

The inner unit 19 of the spike holding unit 15 is provided with attachment means in the form of threads 22 allowing a spike member 8 provided with corresponding threads to be detachably attached to the spike holding unit 15, in this example to the inner part 19 of the spike holding unit 15.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 the spike member comprises at one end an outwardly extending spike/stud/gripping part 6, at an opposite end a threaded attachment part 18 and a washer/plate 9 between the gripping part 6 and the attachment part 18. The threaded attachment part 18 and the washer/plate 9 form an integral unit made of stainless steel. This integral unit has an axial hole into which the gripping part 6 is inserted/press fitted. The gripping part is made of hard metal (tungsten carbide).

In this example the spike member 8 comprises a collar 26 arranged at the washer/plate 9 that surrounds a part of the spike 6 and supports the spike 6.

As the spike member 8 is inserted through the spike opening 16 and attached by threading into the spike holding unit 15, 19, the washer/plate 9 is pressed onto the outer/lower side of the membrane 4 around the spike opening 16 which in turn presses onto the outer/lower side of the spike holding unit 15 so as to form a sealing around the spike member 8 and avoid that water or dirt enters the sole arrangement 10. The washer/plate 9 is hexagonal to make it easy to attach and detach the spike member 8, which is useful, for instance, if worn put spike members 8 are to be replaced.

As can be seen or at least understood from FIG. 3, the flexible membrane 4 allows the spike member 8 to move vertically in relation to the lower sole member 50 together with the upper sole member 20.

The locking plate 30 is fixed in a vertical direction in relation to the upper sole member 20 by means of being attached to the upper sole member 50 using screws.

The material of the locking sole plate 30 and the lower part 20b of the upper sole member 20 is suitable for bringing about a low friction between these two details and for making integrated spike holding units 15 (for housing the inner part 19 of the holding units).

The membranes 4 are dome-shaped and have a centrally located spike opening 16 and are integrated with the (lower part 50b of) the lower sole member 50.

The resilient bellows 7, which forms an integral part of the lower sole member 50, is connected to the upper sole members 20. The bellows 7 is flexible and allows the upper sole member 20 to come closer to the lower sole member 50 so that the spikes 8 can protrude through the underside of the lower sole member 50.

The invention is not limited by the embodiment described above but can be varied within the scope of the claims. For instance, the locking plate may be movable in other directions than the longitudinal direction.

Claims

1. Sole arrangement (10) for an anti-slid shoe (1), said sole arrangement comprising an upper and a lower sole member (20, 50) wherein the lower sole member (50) is positioned closer to the ground during normal use of the sole arrangement and may form an outer sole of the shoe (1), wherein the lower sole member (50) is movably arranged in relation to the upper sole member (20) allowing the lower sole member (50) to move in a vertical direction in relation to the upper sole member (20),

at least one spike holding unit (15) configured to hold a spike member (8) in such a way that the spike member (8) extends in a substantially vertical direction inside the sole arrangement (10) and is movable in relation to the lower sole member (50),
at least one spike opening (16) in the lower sole member (50) allowing a spike member (8) arranged in the spike holding unit (15) to protrude downwards through the lower sole member (50),
a locking system comprising spacing means (12) and a movable locking plate (30) arranged between the upper and lower sole members (20, 50), said locking system being configured to control the vertical distance between the upper and lower sole members (20, 50) so as to, when set in a locked mode, prevent the spike member (8) from protruding through the lower sole member (50),
characterized in
that the spike holding unit (15) is arranged at the upper sole member (20),
wherein the spike holding unit (15) extends downwards through an opening (17) in the locking plate or at a side thereof towards the spike opening (16).

2. Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the spike holding unit (15) is provided with attachment means (22) allowing a spike to be detachably attached to the spike holding unit.

3. Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the locking plate is fixed in a vertical direction in relation to the upper sole member, preferably the locking plate is attached to upper sole member.

4. Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the spike holding unit (15) is fixed to an underside of the upper sole member (20), preferably the spike holding unit (15) forms an integrated part of the upper sole member (20).

5. Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the lower sole member (50) comprises a flexible membrane (4), wherein the spike opening (16) is arranged in the membrane (4).

6. Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the spacing means (12) are arranged between the locking plate (30) and the lower sole member (50).

7. Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a spike member (8) is attached to the spike holding unit (15).

8. Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the spike holding unit (15) comprises an inner element (19) provided with threads (22) for connection to corresponding threads of the spike member (8).

9. Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the upper sole member (20) comprises an upper part (20a) and a lower part (20b), wherein the lower part is made of a more rigid material than the upper part, wherein the two parts are moulded together.

10. Sole arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the spike holding unit (15) forms an integral part of the lower part (20b) of the upper sole member (20).

11. Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the locking plate (30) is movable in a longitudinal direction of the sole arrangement between at least a first and a second position, wherein the spacing means (12) defines a minimum distance between the upper and lower sole members (20, 50) in one of these positions.

12. Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the upper sole member (20) is provided with at least one connection element (3a, 13a) and wherein the lower sole member (50) is provided with a corresponding connection element (3b,13b) configured to be connected with the connection element on the upper sole member to provide a stabilizing connection between the two sole members.

13. Shoe (1) comprising a sole arrangement (10) according to claim 1.

14. Spike member (8) for an anti-slid shoe (1), said spike member (8) comprising a gripping spike (6), a threaded attachment part (18) for attachment to the shoe (1) and a washer/plate (9) arranged between the gripping part (6) and the attachment part (18) for providing sealing around a spike opening (16) of the shoe (1).

15. Spike member (8) according to claim 14, wherein the threaded attachment part 18 and the washer/plate (9) form an integral unit provided with an axial hole configured to receive an end portion of the gripping part spike (6).

Patent History
Publication number: 20210330038
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 20, 2017
Publication Date: Oct 28, 2021
Inventor: Lars NILSSON (Munka-Ljungby)
Application Number: 16/470,665
Classifications
International Classification: A43C 15/14 (20060101); A43C 15/02 (20060101);