AU667826B2 - System for assembling on a sole a device associated with shoe utilization - Google Patents

Abstract

The mounting system comprises, at least one interlock (7) and means for fixing and positioning the device on the sole. In the case of cycling footwear, such a sole, of the universal type, allows most existing toe-clip mean to be fitted.

Description

OPI DATE 16/03/93 APPLN. ID AO3P DATE 27/05/93 PCT NUMBER 24884/9 2 PCT/FR92/00790 III111111111 III II IE lID111 AU9224884

S(PCT)

(51) Classification internationale des brevets 5 (11) Numno de publication internationale: WNO 93/03638 A43B 5/14 Al (43) Date de publication internationale: 4 mars 1993 (04.03.93) (21) Numno de la demnande internationale: PCT/FR92/00790 (81) Etats d~sign~s: AU, CA, JP, US, brevet europ~en (AT, BE, CH, DE, DK, ES, FR, GB, OR, 1E, IT, LU, MC, NL, (22) Date de d~p6t international: 12 aoi~t 1992 (12.08.92) S E).

Donn~es relatives i la priorit6: Publiie 91/10426 14 aofit 1991 (14.08.9 1) FR Ai'ec rapport de recherche internationale.

(71)(72) D~posantet inventeur: POHU, Georges [FR/FR]; 19, rue du Petit-Manoir, F-48450 Villedieu-la-Blou~re (FR).

(74) Manda-taire: MICHELET, Alain; Cabinet Hark6 Ph~lip, 21, r~ie de la Rochefoucauld, F-75009 Paris (FR).

7 (54)Title: SYSTEM FOR ASSEMBLING ON A SOLE A DEVICE ASSOCIATED WITH SHOE UTILIZATION (54)Titre: SYSTEME D'ASSEMBLAGE SUR UNE SEMELLE, D'UN EQUIPEMENT LIE A L'UTILISATION DE LA

CHAUSSURE

(57) Abstract The mounting system comprises, at least one interlock and means for fixing and positioning the device on the sole. In the case of cycling footwear, such a sole, of the universal type, allows most existing toe-clip mean to be fitted.

(57) Abreg6 Le syst~me d'assemblage est constitu6, d'une part, d' au momns une emboiture et, d'autre part, de moyens de fixation et de positionnement de 1'6quipement sur Ia semelle. Dans le domaine de la chaussure de cyclisme, une telle semelle, du type universel, permet le montage d'une majorit& de moyens de calage existants.

This invention relates, in the field of the shoe as a whole, to a system enabling the assembly on the sole, of an equipment linked to the use of the shoe; obviously, it also relates to the pieces of equipment, the shoes as well as the soles fitted with this assembly system.

So, for instance in the field of sport shoes, for cycling in particular, there exists clips fastened to the sole which enable to connect the shoes to the pedals.

The soles are shaped according to the type of wedge fastening foreseen and the user must thus choose his shoes with respect to the wedge fastening equipment available. If he has several types of wedge fastenings available, he must foresee as any different pairs of shoes.

The purpose of the invention is to obviate this shortcoming while offering a shoe whose sole is "universal", i.e. liable to accommodate various types of clips 0o. and/or additional pieces of equipment used as interfaces.

Such a shoe can accommodate other types of equipment according to the .,field of use spikes for golf shoes or soccer shoes, etc.

,,oThe present invention provides a sports shoe, in which a portion of a sole of the shoe has an engagement portion adapted to cooperate with an additional or piece, the engagement portion also being adapted to cooperate with various types, of additional pieces, the additional piece providing an interface means between an engaging assembly and said sole, wherein the engagement portion and the 444. engaging assembly cooperate with said additional piece by fastening means located substantially: 4..4 at the front end of said engagement portion; SB- at the rear end of said engagement portion; and in the central part of said engagement portion.

The engagement portion may be any shape but in one form is a substantially ovoidal recess and the engaging assembly may be a piece of wedging equipment.

Further according to the invention, there is provided th, fastening means at the front of the engagement portion comprising at least a nest having a mortise arranged in said sole, said mortise wurking together with a bayonet-shaped lug arranged at the front end of the additional piece.

Preferably, the additional piece of equipment can be positioned on the sole and, at the same time, both parts can be tightened together, which strengthens the assembly and limits tearing or disconnection problems.

2 The use of a nest arranged preferably at the front of the sole enables to improve the resistance of the assembly in an area where the sole exhibits very small thickness. This nest also advantageously enables quick positioning of the additional piece of equipment on the sole and creating narrow contact between both elements.

Again according to the invention, it is preferable if the positioning and immobilization means of the wedge fastening equipment on the pad, are made of nuts countersunk into the sole's thickness, which co-operate with screws fastened in recesses of said equipment. Other means can be contemplated such as a lock, a latch, even a clicking or a snapping device.

Again according to the invention, it is preferable if the sole comprises a recess in the main section of the pad, in order to centre and to accommodate the additional piece of equipment. This recess can advantageously comprise lateral openings, arranged on both sides of the pad, which co-operate with ears S arranged on the additional piece of equipment, thus offering some kind of o additional longitudinal locking system for the sole's equipment. These lateral openings are also interesting to provide an additional wedge fastening o possibility directly on a pedal, using a suitable additional piece of equipment.

The invention also relates to additional pieces of equipment fitted with the assembly system.

These parts comprise assembly means made of, on the one hand, of a bayonet-shaped lug, designed for integration into the sole's mortise and, on the other hand, of recesses for the passage of screws for instance in the case of a screw and nut assembly.

According to a first embodiment, the additionai piece of equipment comprises of a monoblock element fitted with lateral ears provided to fill up the reservation's lateral openings. This piece forms the pad and can be used for walking; it can also accommodate accessories such as cyclirA wedges for instance that can be connected onto it using fastening screws.

According to another embodiment, the additional piece comprises of a monoblock section, fitted at the level of the 3 sole's lateral openings, of a crosswise groove used for wedge fastening purposes for a cycling shoe.

According tonoth r embodiment, still in the field of cycling shoes, the~piece of equipment exhibits two sections one fixed, fitted with the nesting lug, and the other one, adjustable, comprising a crosswise groove designed for wedge fastening the pedal, located at the level of the sole's lateral openings. The adjustable section advantageously comprises two longitudinal oblong holes which can be positioned onto a hole of the fixed section while these holes enable to anchor both sections on the sole using fastening screws.

According to another embodiment, the cycling equipment section comprises, besides its fastening holes on the sole, longitudinal oblong holes which work together with a mobile metal part arranged between the sole and said equipment and which is used for adjustable anchoring of built-in wedge fastening elements.

According to an additional embodiment, the sole's pad O~ p~c does not exhibit any lateral borders to accommodate of equipment forming the pad properly speaking, said piece 11 comprises, besides the assembly system described above, lateral grooves in order to work with a pedal of the types described in the French patents FR-A-2 526 748 and FR-A-2 620 12.But the invention will be better illustrated, without being limited to the said, by the following description of a special sole embodiment, given only for exemplifying purposes, in connection with different types of.,pieces of equipment liable to be connected to it and represented on the appended drawings, on which figure 1 shows the sole according to the invention with a view seen from underneath, oo o i o aoou figure 2 shows a possible embodiment of an additional piece of equipment designed to be adapted to the sole's pad, seen from underneath, figure 3 is an enlarged section according to 3-3, of the piece of figure 2, mounted on the sole of figure 1, figure 4 shows another embodiment of the additional piece of equipment, in two sections, seen from underneath, figure 5 is an enlarged section according to 5-5 of the piece in two sections of figure 4, mounted on the sole, figure 6 is a plane view of another possible embodiment of the additional piece of equipment, seen from underneath, figure 7 is a section according to 7-7 of the additional piece of equipment of figure 6, mounted on the sole, figure 8 shows the metal piece integrated into the equipment represented on figure 6, figure 9 is a plane view of another additional piece of equipment, seen from underneath; figure 10 is a section according to 10-10 of figure 9; figure 11 is a plane view of an additional piece of equipment working together with a pedal fitted with rails; figure 12 is a section according to 12-12 of figure 11.

As represented on figure 1, the sole 1 according to the invention is a sole with a classical contour, associated with an upper skin not represented, to form 0 0 a cycling shoe.

0 This sole 1 comprises, quite classically, a pad 2 at the level of its front section and a heel 3 at the rear. The pad 2 and the heel 3 are connected by a beam 4 designed to improve its stiffness.

c0 00 The pad 2 comprises a recess 5, more or less oval in shape, arranged in the thickness of the sole and limited by a peripheral border 6. This recess comprises means to accommodate and position various types of additional pieces of equipment which, in the case of cycling shoes, consist of a toe clip selected according to the desired wedge fastening means some embodiments of which will be described later.

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The assembly system of the various<pieces of equipment on the sole comprises of a nest 7 arranged at the front end of the recess 5 of the sole and of said pieces. This nest comprises on the sole a mortise 8 more or less rectangular in shape, positioned crosswise on the middle axis XX' of said sole, at the level of the border 6 this mortise 8 can go through the sole completely and end on the upper face. On the pieces of equipment, the nest comprises, as detailed further, a shape similar to that of a bayonet.

The assembly system is completed by a set of fastening and immobilization devices 9 of the equipment, implemented after the nest and comprising, for instance, nuts countersunk into the thickness of the sole. A nut 10 is arranged at the level of the rear end of the recess 5, on the side opposite the nest 7. The centre part of the pad 2 and of the recess comprises a combination of three nuts 11, 12 and 13, arranged in a triangle. The bas of this triangle is defined by linking both nuts 12 and 13 this base has been arranged crosswise to the middle axis XX' of the sole and it is located to the rear on the heel side 3. The vertex of the triangle is defined by the nut 11 arranged at the front it is located more or less halfway between the nest 7 and the line linking the nuts 12 and 13, said line being more or less halfway between the nuts and 11.

Moreover, the recess 5 comprises two side openings 14 arranged in the border 6 and positioned just behind the nuts 12 and 13. These openings 14 are used for certain types of equipment in connection with wedge fastening means provided in the thickness of the sole, figure 3.

Figures 2 to 12 show different types of wedge fastening equipment, without being limited to the said, foreseen for positioning and locking in the recess 5. These.pieces of equipment constitute the wedge fastening and/or anchoring means properly speaking onto the pedal they exhibit dimensions suited to the recess 7- 4 iY?~ Ok The variousxpieces of equipment comprise an element of the nest 7 made of a bayonet-shaped lug 15, arranged at the level of their front end. This lug is designed for embedding into the mortise 8 of the sole and locking in said position.

Various hole-shaped recesses are provided equally and suitably cdovo~on thesepieces of equipment to complete the fastening on the sole this attachment is performed via screws working together with the countersunk nuts 10, 11, 12, 13 or a portion of said nuts.

Figures 2 and 3 show a first possible embodiment of this Apiece of equipment. This piece 16 is obtained by molding a PVC-type plastic material. It is more or less oval in shape and may comprise open cells on the top to gain weight. Its lower portion comprises a set of transversal streaks 17 or spikes, designed to facilitate contact with the ground or the positioning of wedge fastening elements. The lug 15 is centred on the extreme forward end and four holes 18, 19, 20, 21 are provided over its surface, each matching one of the countersunk nuts 10, 11, 12, 13 of the sole. The piece 16 also comprises two lateral ears 22 designed for embedding into the lateral openings 14 arranged in the border 6 of the recess Positioning the piece of equipment 16 into the recess is carried out by incorporating the front lug 15 into the mortise 8 of the sole. Toggling the piece to the bottom of the recess 5 causes the front section of said lug 15 to be blocked in the mortise 8 (figure The piece 16 is hugged against the bottom of the recess 5 and its assembly on the sole 1 is completed by fastening screws 100 located in the holes 18, 19, 21 and the nuts 10, 11, 12, 13 respectively. The ears 22 are integrated into the lateral openings 14. The thickness of the piece 16 is such that it enables filling up the recess of the sole it serves as a pad.

This type of piece allows levelling the lower face of the sole the shoe so fitted enables its user to walk normally.

Moreover, the assembly screws provided evenly on its surface I3 I~~-IJEBlrpn~nr; ~eyr~i;rX1Tn i may allow fastening at least one wedge fastener Cl, as represented in thin mixed lines on figure 3. The wedge fastening element thus built protrudes from the lower face of the sole 1. These wedge fastening elements can be of all types and they advantageously use the three centre holes 19, 20 and 21 of the intermediate piece 16 and the three nuts 11, 12 and 13 of the sole to fasten them.

According to another embodiment represented in the frame located on the left side of figure 3, the piece 16 comprises a 1 0 transversal groove 23. The width of this groove 23 corresponds to those of the lateral openings 14 arranged in the border 6 of the sole 1 it is used as a direct positioning and wedge fastening means of the sole on the pedal. The piece of equipment 16 is then used as such, without any additional 1 5 wedge fastening accessory.

Figures 4 and 5 show another type of.piece of equipment liable to be integrated to the recess 5 of the sole. This part 24 is made of two sections a front one 25 and rear one 26.

The front section 25 comprises the lug 15 at its front section and comprises three assembly holes 27, 28 and 29 matching the nuts 11, 12 and 13 respectively of the sole. The hole 27 is located more or less on the middle axis of the body of the part 25 both holes 28 and 29 are arranged laterally, in a recess 30 open to the rear and closed laterally by rims 31 and 32. The lower face of the part 25, designed for contacting the ground, advantageously comprises a set of transversal grooves 33. The part 25 should lock onto the front section of the recess 5 via the lug 15 and a fastening screw integrated to the front hole 27, matching the nut 11. The part 25 is fixed and fills up only a section of the recess 5 the lateral rims 31 and 32 stop before the lateral openings 14 of the sole. The rear section 26 of the piece of equipment 24 is designed for partial integraticn into the recess 30 of the front counterpart 25. This rear section 26 shows a requirement smaller than the non-filled space of the recess 5. It

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1 1-t c 8 comprises two longitudinal oblong holes 34 and 35 and, on the rear, a transversal groove 36. The oblong holes 34 and 35 are designed for correct positioning on the holes 28 and 29 of the front section 25 and on the nuts 12 and 13 of the sole.

Fastening screws 100' enable assembling the various sections amongst themselves the oblong holes 34 and 35 enable adjusting the position of the part 26 in the recess 5. This position adjustment can be made from the front to the rear and also at an angle the transversal groove 36 used for wedge fastening the shoe on the pedal can thus be positioned practically without any restrictions according to the user's choice. In all cases, this transversal groove 36 matches the lateral openings 14 arranged in the sole. There is thus a wedge fastening part integrated to the sole which allows the user to walk normally. As regards this embodiment, it can be noticed that the nut 10 located at the rear end of the recess is unused.

,Figures 6 to 8 show another possible embodiment of the ,piece of equipment. ero[l The overall shape and the sizes of this,.piece of equipment 37 correspond to those of piece 16 of figure 2. It has been enlarged on figure 6 to show the structural details better.

The body of the piece 37 is extended to the front by the lug 15 of the nest and it comprises, on the sides, two ears 38 designed for embedding into the openings 14 arranged in the rim 6 of the sole. The piece of equipment 37 is designed to fill up the recess 5 completely. It comprises four assembly holes 39, 40, 41 and 42 arranged respectively to match the nuts 10, 12, 13 and 11 of the sole, for the passage of fastening screws 100. The piece of equipment 37 also comprises four longitudinal oblong holes 43, 44, 45 and 46 arranged on lines which are parallel to each other. These oblong holes end with a recess 47 arranged on the upper face of the piece 37 and whose contour is represented in dotted lines, figure 6.

/'yT 9 This recess 47 is designed for receiving a sliding metal plate 48 arranged between the bottom of the recess 5 of the sole 1 and the piece of equipment 37. This metal plate 48, represented on figure 8, comprises four threaded holes 49, 51 and 52, arranged for positioning opposite the oblong holes 43, 44, 45 and 46 of the piece 37. The couples of holes 43-49, 44-50, 45-51 and 46-52 enable fastening wedge accessories C2, C'2, attached using anchoring screws 100". The wedge accessories C2, C'2, represented in thin mixed lines protrude under the sole, from the piece of equipment 37 their position can be adjusted as required over the length of the oblong holes 43 to 46. An opening 53 has been arranged in the centre section of the plate 48, at the level of the assembly hole 41, to allow said pla e 48 to slide in the recess 47.

cxwli\O<V\a p'ee Figures 9 and 10 show-=epe. of equipment 55 of the same type as that described previously in relation to figures 6 to 8. However, the wedge accessory C3 is different because it is integrated to a recess 56 arranged on the lower face. The depth of the recess 56 is at least equal to the height of the accessory C3 so that the user can walk normally, bearing on the piece of equipment 55 used as a pad Figures 11 and 12 show another,<piece of equipment suited to a sole 1 provided without the rim 6, at least on the front section of the pad.

This piece of equipment 60 is accommodated in the recess and is used as a pad. It also comprises lateral grooves 61 arranged as hollow sections against the sole 1 and used as recesses for rails 62 represented in thin mixed lines on figure 12. These rails 62 are part of a fastening device for shoes on pedals detailed in the French patents FR-A-2 526 748 and FR-A-2 620 412. "i The various embodiments ofepieces of equipment described above are not exhaustive and it is quite possible to contemplate other types of parts used either directly as wedge accessories or for c.nchorinc built-in wedge fastening means.

i rr~ -sura The structure of the means described above is particularly suited to cycling shoes, but other fields of application can also be contemplated (golf,, soccer, etc.) for which the wedge means will be replaced with spikes etc.

In all cases, the shoe can be suited as required according to the wedge accessory, or equivalent, as desired. The shoe thus shows a universal character since it can accommodate various wedge fastening means or equivalent it also enables quick, easy and efficient modification of the wedge structure.

The shoe fitted with such a universal sole can advantageously be suggested in conjunction with a selection of at least two different pieces of wedging equipment. The user can thus install the equipment matching the equipment available he does not need to change the whole shoe when he uses a different material.

The reference signs inserted after the technical characteristics mentioned in the claims solely aim at facilitating the understanding of the said and do not limit their extent whatsoever.

Claims (14)

1. A sports shoe, in which a portion of a sole of the shoe has an engagement portion adapted to cooperate with an additional piece, the engagement portion also or slao ea, being adapted to cooperate with various typeso additional pieces, the additional piece providing an interface means between an engaging assembly and said sole, wherein the engagement portion and the engaging assembly cooperate with said additional piece by fastening means located substantially: at the front end of said engagement portion; at the rear end of said engagement portion; and in the central part of said engagement portion.

2. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the engagement portion is a recess.

3. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 2 wherein the recess is substantially ovoidal.

4. A sports shoe as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the shoe is a cycling shoe and the engaging assembly a piece of wedging equipment. Sport shoe according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that the fastening means provided at the front of the engagemei portion comprises at least a nest having a mortise arranged in said sole, said mortise working together with a bayonet-shaped lug (15) arranged at the front end of the additional piece.

6. Sport shoe according to any one of claims I to 5 characterized in that complementary fastening means are made of nuts countersunk in the thickness of the sole and particularly of a first nut (10) located at the rear end of the engagement portion and of three further nuts (11, 12 and 13) arranged in a triangle and located between the next and said first nut in the central part of the engagement portion.

7. Sport shoe according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characteized in that it r 12 comprises lateral openings (14) on both sides of the engagement portion

8. An additional piece adapted to cooperate with the sports shoe as defined in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it is shaped to be introduced without clearance into said engagement portion so as to constitute a pad of the shoe and in that it comprises fastening means working with those provided on the sole and reception means of a specific wedging relating to a wedging system.

9. An additional piece according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand, a bayonet-shaped lug (15) located at the front end constituting a first assembly mode and, on the other hand, at least one recess to accommodate assembling screws working with the nuts countersunk into the sole. An additional piece according to one of claims 8 or 9 when appended to claim 7, characterized in that it is made of a monoblock element (16) fitted with ears designed for embedding in the lateral openings (14) on both sides of the engagement portion

11. An additional piece according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that it comprises a monoblock element (16) fitted with a transversal groove (23) used as a wedge fastening means, said groove is located at the level of the lateral openings (14) on both sides of the engagement portion

12. An additional piece according to ore of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that it comprises two sections, one is fixed (25) and fitted with the nesting lug (15) and the other (26) is fitted, on the one hand, with a transversal groove (36) designed for wedge fastening and, on the other hand, longitudinal oblong holes (34,35), each of which can be positioned on a hole (28,29) of the fixed section (25) to enable its anchoring on the sole by means of fastening screws (100') with the possibility of adjustment.

13. An additional piece according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that besides its fastening holes on the sole, it comprises longitudinal oblong holes ,it (43,44,45,46) working together with a mobile metal plate arranged between 13 the sole and said part and used for adjustable anchoring of built-in wedge fastening elements.

14. An additional piece according to one of claims 8 or 9 when appended to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises lateral grooves (61). An additional piece as claimed in claim 13 wherein the lateral grooves are used for accommodating fastening rails on a pedal.

16. A shoe comprising a universal sole for fastening the engaging assembly according to any one of claims 8 to

17. A shoe as claimed in claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 16 substantially as herein Sdescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. 14. An additional piece as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 15, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 29th day of November, 1995. GEORGES POHU WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS i 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA AU2488492.WPC [DOC. 3] RCTS/SMM:EK:JZ:BB '7| DE S C RIPTIVE ABSTRACT ASSEMBLY SYSTEM ON A SOLE OF AN EQUIPMENT LINKED TO THE USE OF THE SHOE Georaes POHU The assembly system is made, on the one hand, of at least a nest and, on the other hand, of fastening and positioning means for the equipment on the sole. In the field of the cycling shoe, such a sole, of universal type, enables to install most existing wedge fastening means. Fig. 3