FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to retractable spikes, cleats, studs, or similar protrusions (collectively referred to herein as piston cleats) which are configured to extend beyond the surface of an object or to be retracted into the object and “housed” within the body of the object.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At times, both children and adults desire specialized footwear for specific activities. For example, individuals wishing to play soccer desire soccer cleats for better performance on soccer fields. Similarly, individuals wishing to play football, typically desire football cleats for better traction on the football field. Many other types of specialize footwear are available including ice cleats for running, cleats for ice fishing, and cleats for ice and snow. However, one of the problems with specialized footwear is that it is difficult to perform different activities while wearing specialized footwear. Driving while wearing football cleats or ice cleats is difficult and dangerous and may cause damage to the brake or gas pedal. Additionally, specialized footwear may cause damage to incompatible surfaces when someone wearing that specialized footwear walks on the incompatible surface. Walking on marble tiles with ice cleats may cause irreparable damage to the marble tiles and may cause the user to slip and fall. The use of specialized footwear in some environments may be downright dangerous. Walking down a wooden staircase with football or soccer cleats may cause the individual to slide on the wooden stairs and to fall down the stairs. Walking on a carpeted staircase with ice cleats may cause the person to fall down the stairs if a cleat gets caught in the carpet.

In light of the inherent difficulties in wearing specialized footwear for other activities, many people wear non-specialized footwear until they arrive at the location where the use of specialized footwear is desired. Many adults will drive to their soccer game while wearing “normal” shoes (i.e., shoes without cleats), and once they arrive at the soccer field for their game or practice they will replace their normal shoes with their soccer cleats. Once the soccer practice or game is over, they typically change out of the specialized footwear and back to their normal shoes for the drive home. Even the act of changing from normal shoes to specialized shoes (or vice versa) is inconvenient and, in some cases, hazardous. Many times, one is forced to change shoes in the car (difficult at best), find another place to sit outdoors to change shoes, or attempt to balance on one foot while they change the shoe from their normal shoe to their specialized shoe on the other foot. Finding a suitable place to sit down outside to change shoes is also inconvenient in the rain, the cold, or in other non-ideal weather environments.

As a second example, when someone wishes to drive somewhere in icy conditions, they are forced (by safety concerns) to walk to the vehicle with specialized “ice cleats”, and then replace these ice cleats with normal shoes for driving. Once the user arrives at his/her location, they are then forced (by safety concerns) to replace their normal shoes with their ice cleats to safely walk from their car to their destination in the icy conditions. A perfect example is a mailman (or women) who walks from house to house where some of the sidewalks are icy and others are passable without ice cleats. The result is often that a person would rather contend with a period of possibly slipping and falling while walking in icy conditions with non-specialized footwear than go through the hassle of changing their shoes to use specialized footwear.

Similarly, different types of tires may be desired for different types of road conditions. A driver may prefer to drive on tires with cleats in icy conditions or a different type of cleat in snowy conditions. Similarly, a driver of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) may prefer to use cleats in icy conditions or different types of cleats in other conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A retractable piston cleat system comprising at least one inverted ramp wherein the at least one inverted ramp includes at least a first portion, a second portion and a third portion; at least one piston cleat is in contact with the inverted ramp, the piston cleat includes a spring positioned so that at least a portion of the spring is positioned around at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the piston cleat; and a lever arm which when activated causes the inverted ramp to transition between the first portion through the second portion and to the third portion thereby causing the piston cleat to move from a first position to a second position.

A method of moving a piston cleat between an extended position and a retracted position, the method comprising the steps of: positioning at least one inverted ramp such that the head of the piston cleat is in contact with a portion of the inverted ramp; connecting a lever arm to the inverted ramp such that movement of the lever arm causes movement to the inverted ramp; positioning a spring around a longitudinal axis of the piston cleat; wherein movement of the lever arm in a first direction causes the inverted ramp to move such that a highest portion of the inverted ramp is positioned above the head of the piston cleat; wherein movement of the lever arm in a second direction causes the inverted ramp to move such that a lowest portion of the inverted ramp is positioned above the head of the piston cleat; compressing a spring positioned around the longitudinal axis of the piston cleat when the lever arm is moved in such a way that the lowest portion of the inverted ramp is positioned above the head of the piston cleat; extending a bottom of the piston cleat such that a portion of the piston cleat is exposed when the lowest portion of the inverted ramp is positioned above the head of the piston cleat; and retracting the piston cleat such that no portion of the piston cleat is exposed when the highest portion of the inverted ramp is positioned above the head of the piston cleat.

A retractable piston cleat system comprising at least one ramp channel wherein the at least one ramp channel includes at least a first portion, a second portion and a third portion; at least one piston cleat including an oblong head wherein the oblong head of the at least one piston cleat is positioned within said ramp channel; and a lever arm which when activated causes said ramp channel to transition between the first portion through the second portion and to the third portion thereby causing the piston cleat to move from a first position to a second position.

