Cleat removal wrench

Abstract

A cleat removal wrench is provided having a pair of cleat engagement members projecting arced, terminal edges to a plane subjacent relative to a pair of handle portions. The terminal edges are disposed to distribute force applied at the handle portions to the base or shank of a cleat to garner purchase at the cleat base or shank and enable application of torque and thereby more easily remove and replace cleats on sporting footwear.

Claims

1. A cleat removal wrench comprising: a pair of coplanar, laterally adjacent arms, said pair of arms each having an inner edge bounding an interstitial space, said pair of arms pivotally connected at a distal end thereof, each of said pair of arms comprising: a handle portion; a cleat engagement member comprising: a sloped member disposed projected radially along a negative slope into the interstitial space; and a curved terminal edge disposed endwise upon the sloped member, said curved terminal edge projected to a position subjacent a lowermost surface of the pair of arms; wherein the pair of arms is wieldable at the respective handle portion between an open position and a closed position to situate each curved terminal edge against a cleat on an existing sporting footwear whereby said cleat is removable when each handle portion is thence squeezed toward the closed position and each curved terminal edge is engaged against the cleat and rotated counterclockwise.

2. The cleat removal wrench of claim 1 wherein each sloped member further comprises: an apical portion; an upper surface; an under surface; a first lateral edge; and a second lateral edge; wherein the upper surface is at least partially concave between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge, and from the apical portion to the terminal edge.

3. The cleat removal wrench of claim 2 wherein each sloped member forms a section of an inverted, truncated cone and each terminal edge is feathered upon the under surface.

4. The cleat removal wrench of claim 3 wherein the pair of arms further comprises a spring member disposed between the distal ends of each of the pair of arms, said spring member compressible when the pair of arms is moved to the closed position, whereby release of the pair of arms from the closed position is facilitated by action of the spring member and the wrench defaults to the open position when unhanded.

5. The cleat removal wrench of claim 4 wherein each terminal edge is feathered upon the under surface in a plane parallel with a longitudinal axis of each of the pair of arms.

6. The cleat removal wrench of claim 5 wherein each terminal edge is serrated.

7. The cleat removal wrench of claim 1 wherein the pair of arms further comprises a spring member disposed between the distal ends of each of the pair of arms, said spring member compressible when each of the pair of arms is moved to the closed position, whereby release of the pair of arms from the closed position is facilitated by action of the spring member and the wrench defaults to the open position when unhanded.

8. A cleat removal wrench comprising a pair of coplanar, laterally adjacent arms, each of said pair of arms having an inner edge bounding an interstitial space, said pair of arms comprising a first arm and a second arm: said first arm comprising; a longitudinal axis; a body potion disposed along the longitudinal axis; a handle portion; a distal end deflected off the longitudinal axis toward the second arm and configured to accommodate pivotal connection with the second arm; a cleat engagement member comprising: a sloped member disposed edgewise upon the inner edge of the body portion and projected radially along a negative slope into the interstitial space; a curved terminal edge disposed endwise upon the sloped member, said curved terminal edge projected to a position subjacent a lowermost surface of the pair of arms; said second arm, generally enantiomorphic with respect to the first arm but configured to distally seat under the first arm at the distal end, said second arm comprising: a longitudinal axis; a body potion disposed along the longitudinal axis; a handle portion; a distal end deflected off the longitudinal axis toward the first arm, said distal end configured to accommodate pivotal connection with the first arm while maintaining the handle portion and body of the second arm coplanar with the handle portion and body portion of the first arm; a cleat engagement member comprising: a sloped member disposed edgewise upon the inner edge of the body portion and projected radially along a negative slope into the interstitial space; and a curved terminal edge disposed endwise upon the sloped member, said curved terminal edge projected to a position subjacent a lowermost surface of the pair of arms; wherein the pair of arms is wieldable at the respective handle portion between an open position and a closed position to situate each curved terminal edge against a cleat on an existing sporting footwear whereby said cleat is removable when each handle portion is thence squeezed toward the closed position to engage each curved terminal edge against the cleat and rotated counterclockwise.

9. The cleat removal wrench of claim 8 wherein the distal end of the first arm is deflected upwards a distance approximately half the thickness of the body portion and wherein the distal end of the second arm is deflected downwards approximately half the thickness of the body portion whereby each of the first and second arm body portions and handle portions are thereby aligned coplanar despite the overlap of the said distal ends.

10. The cleat removal wrench of claim 9 wherein each sloped member further comprises: an apical portion; an upper surface; an under surface; a first lateral edge; and a second lateral edge; wherein the upper surface is at least partially concave between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge, and from the apical portion to the terminal edge.

11. The cleat removal wrench of claim 10 wherein each sloped member forms a section of an inverted, truncated cone.

12. The cleat removal wrench of claim 11 wherein the pair of arms further comprises a spring member disposed between the distal ends of each of the pair of arms, said spring member compressible when the pair of arms is moved to the closed position, whereby release of the pair of arms from the closed position is facilitated by action of the spring member and the wrench defaults to the open position when unhanded.

13. The cleat removal wrench of claim 12 wherein each terminal edge is feathered upon the under surface in a plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of each of the pair of arms.

14. The cleat removal wrench of claim 13 wherein each terminal edge is serrated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 is an isometric top view of an example embodiment.

(2) FIG. 2 is an isometric bottom view of an example embodiment.

(3) FIG. 3 is a top elevation view of an example embodiment.

(4) FIG. 4 is a bottom elevation view of an example embodiment.

(5) FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of an example embodiment.

(6) FIG. 6 is a rear elevation view of an example embodiment.

(7) FIG. 7 is a detail view of a top isometric view of an example embodiment of a pair of cleat engagement members.

(8) FIG. 8 is a detail view of a bottom isometric view of an example embodiment of a pair of cleat engagement members.

(9) FIG. 9 is an in-use view of an example embodiment engaged to an existing cleat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(10) With reference now to the drawings, and in particular FIGS. 1 through 9 thereof, example of the instant cleat removal wrench employing the principles and concepts of the present cleat removal wrench and generally designated by the reference number 10 will be described.

(11) Referring to FIGS. 1 through 9 a preferred embodiment of the present cleat removal wrench 10 is illustrated.

(12) The cleat removal wrench 10 includes a pair of coplanar, laterally adjacent arms 20, 30 having inner edges 29, 39, bounding an interstitial space 50. The pair of arms includes a first arm 20 and a second arm 30 pivotally connected at distal ends 28, 38 thereof. The first arm 20 includes longitudinal axis 22, body potion 24 disposed along the longitudinal axis 22, handle portion 26, and distal end 28 deflected off the longitudinal axis 22 toward the second arm 30 and configured to accommodate pivotal connection with the second arm 30. Cleat engagement member 100 is disposed upon the first arm 20 projected radially into the interstitial space 50 between the first and second arms 20, 30. The cleat engagement member 100 includes sloped member 102, disposed edgewise upon the body portion 24 and projected along a negative slope into the interstitial space 50 to a position subjacent the longitudinal axis 22, and curved terminal edge 104 disposed endwise upon the sloped member 102. The curved terminal edge 104 is projected to a position subjacent a lowermost surface 25, 35 of each of the pair of arms 20, 30 and is configured to engage circumferentially around the basal portion of a cleat 500 when the pair of arms 20, 30 are squeezed together, as will be described hereinbelow.

(13) The second arm 30 is generally enantiomorphic with respect to the first arm 20 but is configured to distally seat under the first arm 20 at the distal end 38. The second arm 30 likewise includes longitudinal axis 32, body potion 34 disposed along the longitudinal axis 32, handle portion 36, distal end 38 deflected off the longitudinal axis 32 toward the first arm 20, and cleat engagement member 200. Cleat engagement member 200 likewise includes sloped member 202 and curved terminal edge 204 devised enantiomorphically with respect to cleat engagement member 100. Distal end 38 is configured to accommodate pivotal connection with the first arm 20 while maintaining handle portion 36 and body portion 34 of the second arm 30 coplanar with handle portion 26 and body portion 24 of the first arm 20. In the example embodiment depicted in the accompanying figures, distal end 38 of the second arm 30 is deflected downwardly off longitudinal axis 32 and distal end 28 of the first arm 20 is deflected a corresponding distance upwardly off longitudinal axis 22, enabling pivotal connection of the distal ends 28, 38 while maintaining coplanar relation of each of the handle portions 26, 36 and the remainder of the arms 20, 30 to orient cleat engagement members 100, 200 side-by-side in parallel relation whereby the terminal edges 104, 204 are usable in conjunction to garner purchase upon a targeted cleat 500.

(14) Cleat engagement member 200 is disposed projected from the second arm 30, enantiomorphic with respect to the cleat engagement member 100 of the first arm 20. A sloped member 202 is disposed edgewise upon body portion 34 and projected along a negative slope into the interstitial space 50 to culminate at curved terminal edge 204 disposed endwise upon the sloped member 202. The curved terminal edge 204 is projected to a position subjacent the pair of arms 20, 30. The cleat engagement members 100, 200 of each of the first and second arms may conjunct each other at ends 106, 206 of each said curved terminal edge 104, 204 when the wrench 10 is moved to a closed position. The curved terminal edges 104, 204 are configured to engage circumferentially against the base or basal portion of a cleat 500 installed to a sporting footwear to exact purchase thereagainst and enable application of torque when the wrench 10 is rotated to effectively remove the cleat 500 from the shoe sole 550, even when the cleat 500 is damaged or deformed.

(15) Discussing now particularly the figures, FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric top view of an example embodiment of the present cleat removal wrench 10. The first arm 20 and the second arm 30 occupy parallel positions in a like plane. Distal ends 28, 38 are pivotally joined at pivot point 70. Handle portions 26, 36 enable comfort in use when grasping in the hand and may include a rubberlike or polymeric covering, thermally insulated, and suited to increase traction in the hand and comfort when wielding, even during cold days on the field. Spring member 80 is disposed proximal distal ends 28, 38 to assist restoration of the wrench 10 to the open position once closed whereby the wrench 10 defaults to the open position when unhanded.

(16) FIG. 2 illustrates an isometric bottom view of an example embodiment of the present cleat removal wrench 10. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, distal end 28 of the first arm 20 is deflected upwards a distance approximately half the thickness of the body portion 24 and distal end 38 of the second arm 30 is deflected downwards approximately half the thickness of the body portion 34 whereby each of the first and second arm body portions 24, 34 and handle portions 26, 36 are thereby aligned co-planarly.

(17) The cleat engagement members 100, 200 are disposed to project curved terminal edges 104, 204 subjacent to the handle portions 26, 36, at a distance h underlying the respective arms 20, 30 approximately greater than the height of a typical cleat 500 when seated into a corresponding footwear 550. Thus, each cleat engagement member 100, 200 may be engaged against the base of the cleat 500 while enabling rotation of the handle portions 26, 36 without abutting up against other cleats as may otherwise confound the turning of the wrench 10 were the terminal edges 104, 204 of the cleat engagement members 100, 200 disposed more adjacent to the handle portions of the arms 20, 30.

(18) FIG. 3 illustrates a top elevation view of an example embodiment and FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom elevation view of an example embodiment of the cleat removal wrench 10. As shown, each cleat engagement member 100, 200 includes apical portion 300, upper surface 302, under surface 304, first lateral edge 306, and second lateral edge 308. In this example embodiment, upper surface 302 is at least partially concave, rendering the cleat removal members 100, 200 as frustoconical sections. As shown, each terminal edge 104, 204 is feathered upon the under surface 302, providing a horizontal section 310 adapted for approximal contact with the shoe sole 550 upon which the wrench 10 is situated in removing the cleat 500 therefrom.

(19) The distance sloped members 102, 202 project subjacent the respective first and second arms 20, 30 is best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Depth h corresponds with a length greater than the height of typical cleats when inserted into the shoe sole, whereby rotation of the wrench 10 when engaged to a cleat 500 base is not impeded by other cleats upon the shoe sole. (See for example FIG. 9.)

(20) FIGS. 7 and 8 show detail views of the cleat engagement members 100, 200. In some embodiments, the curved terminal edge 104, 204 of each of the cleat engagement members may be serrated, toothed, or include other features or structures devised to increase traction and/or pressure against a cleat base or shank when the said curved terminal edge 104, 204 is engaged against the cleat base or, in some cases, shank. As best represented in FIGS. 7 and 8, in some embodiments the curved terminal edge 104, 204 may be seatable between the cleat 500 base and the shoe sole 550 by action of the horizontal section 310 on the under surface 304 of each corresponding sloped member 102, 202, to drive the cleat and to gain purchase directly at the shank of the cleat.

(21) FIG. 9 illustrates an in-use view with the cleat removal wrench 10 engaged against a cleat 500. Cleat engagement members 100, 200 have been secured to the cleat 500 base to garner purchase thereat. Rotation of the wrench 10 thence effects rotation of the cleat 500 for removal, by distributing the force applied in bringing the handle portions 26, 36 to the closed position directly to the cleat 500 base, or shank as case may be, and increasing the pressure there applied, while increasing torque along the lever arm distance applied by the handle portions 26, 36.