Replaceable Traction Cleat for Footwear

A traction cleat for use with an athletic shoe comprising:

• a hub;
• at least one resiliently flexible dynamic traction element extending from said hub and arranged to resiliently flex in response of application of force thereto to determine, at least in part, the nature and amount of traction provided by the cleat;
• and
• adjustment means for selectively adjusting the amount of flexure permitted for said dynamic element.

A traction cleat for use with an athletic shoe having a sole, said traction cleat having a hub, a cleat connection member on a top surface of the hub and at least one traction element extending from a bottom surface of the hub, wherein the cleat connection member is configured to rotatably engage a receptacle connection member secured in said shoe sole and having an annular array of locking teeth, said traction cleat further including a locking structure comprising:

• a plurality of dual locking posts extending from the top surface of said hub in an annular array arranged to be disposed concentrically with said annular array of locking teeth, each dual locking post having a locking surface arranged to radially face said locking teeth and including:
• first and second post sections joined by an angularly centered recess;
• said post sections each including respective interior ramp segments that converge to form said recess, and said post sections each further including respective exterior ramp segments;
• wherein the interior and exterior ramp segments of each post section converge to define an apex arranged to radially face said locking teeth;
• wherein the posts are positionally arranged such that, during rotational engagement of the cleat connection member and the receptacle connection member, at least one of said locking teeth contacts and moves along the exterior ramp segment of at least one of said post sections and, upon passing an adjacent apex, moves into and is retained in the recess adjacent said at least one post section;
• and
• wherein said interior ramp segments have a steeper slope than said exterior ramp segments.