Logo-configured shoe cleat

Abstract

A traction cleat for footwear functions to both provide traction for the footwear to which it attaches and as a brand promotion medium. All or most of a shoe cleat is molded or otherwise configured in the form of a logo of the shoe manufacturer or other business entity. The logo may include alphanumeric characters, artistic designs, or both. Plural traction elements disposed on the cleat are arranged to be part of the logo. The traction elements are secured to and project from a substratum having a periphery configured to match the contour of the logo. If alphanumeric characters are incorporated into the logo design, the characters are raised to project from the substratum of the cleat. The characters may function to enhance the traction function that is primarily provided by the traction elements.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A cleat for attachment to footware and having at least one traction element for providing tractional engagement with the ground or other surface on which the footware is used, and further characterized in that the cleat is contoured at least in part to correspond to the configuration of a predetermined logo.  
     
     
         2 . The cleat of  claim 1  wherein the further comprising: 
 a substratum having an upper surface adapted to abut the footware to which the cleat attaches, and an opposite ground-facing surface; and  
 at least one traction element secured to and projecting from said ground-facing surface to provide said tractional engagement;  
 wherein said substratum has a peripheral contour corresponding to said predetermined logo.  
 
     
     
         3 . The cleat of  claim 2  wherein the cleat further comprises at least one design member defined in the cleat material and raised from the substratum.  
     
     
         4 . The cleat of  claim 3  wherein said design member is at least one alphanumeric character and projects from the substratum to have a depth of at least 0.2 mm.  
     
     
         5 . The cleat of  claim 4  wherein said alphanumeric character projects from said substratum sufficiently to assist in providing said tractional engagement.  
     
     
         6 . The cleat of  claim 4  wherein said at least one alphanumeric character is a plurality of characters and constitutes at least part of the name of an entity that owns said logo.  
     
     
         7 . The cleat of  claim 4  further comprising means for securing said cleat to a shoe, said means comprising a member secured to and projecting from said upper surface.  
     
     
         8 . The cleat of  claim 1  wherein the cleat further comprises at least one design member defined in and raised from the cleat material, said design member comprising at least one alphanumeric character projecting from the cleat to have a depth of at least 0.2 mm.  
     
     
         9 . The cleat of  claim 8  wherein said alphanumeric character projects from said substratum sufficiently to provide tractional engagement with the ground or other surface.  
     
     
         10 . The cleat of  claim 9  wherein said at least one alphanumeric character is a plurality of characters and constitutes at least part of the name of an entity that owns said logo.  
     
     
         11 . The cleat of  claim 9  wherein said at least one traction element comprises a tooth-like projection from said ground-engaging surface, said tooth-like projection forming an acute angle with said ground-engaging surface.  
     
     
         12 . The cleat of  claim 11  wherein said at least one traction element comprises a plurality of said tooth-like members projecting asymmetrically from said ground-engaging surface, each tooth-like member forming said acute angle with said ground-engaging surface, wherein all of said tooth-like members are oriented in the same direction to provide tractional engagement in said same direction.  
     
     
         13 . The cleat of  claim 12  wherein said tooth-like members are positioned in an array comprising at least part of said configuration of said predetermined logo.  
     
     
         14 . The cleat of  claim 1  wherein said at least one traction element comprises a plurality of traction elements projecting from a ground-engaging surface of said cleat, said plurality of traction elements being positioned in an array comprising at least part of said configuration of said predetermined logo.  
     
     
         15 . The cleat of  claim 14  wherein all of said traction elements are oriented in the same direction to provide tractional engagement in said same direction.  
     
     
         16 . The cleat of  claim 14  wherein said traction elements are sufficiently resilient to be flexible toward said ground-engaging surface under the weight of a wearer of said footware.  
     
     
         17 . The cleat of  claim 1  wherein said cleat is a one-piece molded plastic or rubber member including said traction element, and wherein said cleat has a peripheral edge bounding one plane of the cleat and contoured to match the contour of said predetermined logo.  
     
     
         18 . A cleat for attachment to footware characterized in that a plurality of traction elements are part of the cleat and are positioned on the cleat in an array corresponding to at least part of a predetermined logo.  
     
     
         19 . The cleat of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 a substratum having a predetermined peripheral contour comprising part of said predetermined logo;  
 wherein said traction elements project from said substratum at respective locations within said peripheral contour.  
 
     
     
         20 . A method for displaying a logo or trademark comprising the step of a providing a shoe cleat in the configuration of said logo.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising the step of positioning a plurality of traction elements on said cleat in an array corresponding to at least part of said logo.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the steps of: forming said cleat with a substratum supporting said traction elements; and providing said substratum with a peripheral contour corresponding to the contour of said logo.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising the steps of: forming said cleat with a substratum supporting a plurality of traction elements; and providing said substratum with a peripheral contour corresponding to the contour of said logo.