Sole construction for shoe having self-pumping extendable spikes

Abstract

Golf shoe sole 10 having retractable plastic spikes 71 activated by compressed air from a pump 42 located inside sole of shoe. Pump 42 is operated by weight of wearer's heel on a bladder 41 located in heel of sole and check valves 51 maintain pressure in pneumatic system. Pushbutton switch 58 selects movement of spikes 71 between retracted and extended modes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sole assembly for a shoe having an upper portion, including:
 a sole body, including:
 a midsole for attachment to the upper portion of the shoe; and 
 an outsole attached to the bottom of said midsole for providing a walking surface with variable traction; including:
 a plurality of apertures through said outsole; 
 
   a plurality of spike assemblies, each having a retracted position substantially within said sole body and an extended position wherein a portion of said spike assembly protrudes from its said aperture so as to increase the traction of said outsole upon the ground; and   a pneumatic assembly for providing pressurized air for selectively moving said plurality of spike assemblies from retracted to extended position; including:
 selection means for selecting retracted or extended position of said spike assemblies; and 
 pump means powered by the wearer's walking, for providing the pressurized air for moving said spike assemblies from retracted to extended position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The sole assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said pump means comprises:
 a pump powered by the wearer's walking, for compressing and storing ambient atmosphere; and   means for conducting compressed air from said pump to said plurality of spike assemblies.   
     
     
         3 . The sole assembly of  claim 2 , said pump comprising:
 a compression body, including:
 an inlet for ambient air; and 
 an outlet for compressed air; 
   a compressed air reservoir connected to said outlet of said compression body;   a one-way flow valve connected between said compression body and said compressed air reservoir, for preventing compressed air from returning from said reservoir to said compression body; and   a one-way flow valve connected between said compression body and said inlet for ambient air, for preventing compressed air from returning from said compression body into the atmosphere.   
     
     
         4 . The sole assembly of  claim 1 , said pneumatic assembly further including:
 a plurality of plenum members disposed between said midsole and said outsole and in pneumatic communication with said pump means; each said plenum member attached above one said spike assembly such that each said plenum member moves from a contracted position to an everted position activated by compressed air; so as to move said spike assembly between retracted and extended positions.   
     
     
         5 . The sole assembly of  claim 1 , said pneumatic assembly further including:
 a resilient plenum membrane attached between said midsole and said outsole; such that a plurality of portions of said plenum membrane are disposed above said apertures of said outsole such that said portions are free to expand downwardly into said apertures upon activation by compressed air supplied by said pump means; said portions of plenum membrane exerting a downward force on said spike assemblies when expanded so as to move said spike assemblies from retracted to extended position.   
     
     
         6 . A sole assembly for a shoe having an upper portion, including:
 a sole body for attachment to the upper of the shoe for providing a walking surface with selectively variable traction; said sole body including:
 a plurality of apertures, recessed into the bottom face of said sole body; 
   a plurality of spike assemblies disposed substantially within said plurality of apertures; each said spike assembly including:
 a spike tip for increasing walking traction; said spike assemblies being disposed in said apertures such that each said spike assembly has a retracted position substantially within said sole body and an extended position with said spike tip extended below said sole body to provide increased traction; wherein the wearer's walking motion activates the movement of said spike assemblies between their retracted and extended positions. 
   
     
     
         7 . The sole assembly of  claim 6 , each said spike assembly comprising:
 a ferrule permanently connected within said sole body; and   a spike body removably connected to said ferrule such that said spike body can be removed and replaced without disassembling said sole body.   
     
     
         8 . The sole assembly of  claim 6 , further including:
 a plurality of expansion chambers, disposed within said sole body such that each said expansion chamber is above one said spike assembly such that expansion of each said expansion chamber by compressed air will press downwardly on one said spike assembly so as to move said spike assembly from its retracted position to its extended position; the compressed air being created by the wearer's walking motion.   
     
     
         9 . The sole assembly of  claim 8 , further sole assembly including:
 pump means for creating compressed air for expanding said expansion chambers; including:
 a compression bladder alternately compressed and released by a wearer's footsteps; 
 valve means for regulating the pressure of the compressed air; 
 an intake for ambient air; and 
 an outlet communicating with said expansion chambers for supplying compressed air from said compression bladder to said expansion chambers.