The present invention relates to an anti-skid spiked sole.

Nowadays the use of shoes with spiked soles is widespread, in order to improve grip on the ground.

In particular, the need is felt to use shoes with a spiked sole on slippery and/or inclined ground, such as hilly ground.

The aim of the present invention is to provide an anti-skid spiked sole that is easy to provide and comfortable in use.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide an anti-skid spiked sole that is capable of ensuring a secure grip on slippery and inclined ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anti-skid spiked sole that is highly reliable and can be provided easily and at low cost.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by an anti-skid spiked sole comprising an outer layer made of plastic material, characterized in that it comprises at least one insert, a plurality of spikes which protrude from said insert in the direction of the ground, said spikes being at least partially inserted into said at least one insert, said at least one insert being at least partially embedded in said outer layer, said spikes protruding from said outer layer in the direction of the ground.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description that follows of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the spiked sole according to the invention, which is illustrated for the purposes of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spiked sole according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a plan view of the spiked sole in Figure 1, seen from the portion directed toward the ground in the configuration for use; - Figure 3 is a specific cross-sectional view of the spiked sole in Figure 1 ;

- Figure 4 is a perspective view of a first detail of the spiked sole in Figure 1 ;

- Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second detail of the spiked sole in Figure 1.

With reference to the figures, a spiked sole according to the invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10.

The sole 10 comprises an outer layer 11 from which protrudes a plurality of spikes 12 which are designed to interact with the ground.

In the example shown in Figures 1 to 3, such layer 11 comprises the tread of a shoe (not shown in the figures).

The outer layer 11 is made of plastic material.

One of the peculiarities of the invention consists in that the sole 10 comprises one or more inserts 13, 14, from which the above-mentioned plurality of spikes 12 protrude in the direction of the ground, during use.

In particular, the spikes 12 are partially inserted in such inserts 13, 14.

The inserts 13, 14 are for example made of plastic material and the spikes 12 are partially embedded therein.

These inserts 13, 14 are, in turn, at least partially embedded in the outer layer 11.

The sole can be provided by injection overmolding of plastic material on the spikes 12.

With reference to Figures 4 and 5, the inserts 13, 14 have a substantially flat body 16a, 16b from which first protrusions 15a, 15b extend, from each one of which a respective spike 12 protrudes.

The first protrusions 15a, 15b take the form of thicker zones of the inserts 13, 14, in order to ensure a stable coupling between these and the spikes 12. Furthermore, the outer layer 11 has, in the zone of interaction with the ground, a plurality of second protrusions 17, at the first protrusions 15a, 15b.

These second protrusions 17 take the form of thicker zones of the outer layer 11 , in order to ensure a stable coupling between the latter, the first protrusions 15a, 15b, and the spikes 12.

Such first protrusions 15a, 15b and second protrusions 17, and the way in which the spikes 12 protrude therefrom, are clearly visible in the views in Figure 1 and in Figure 3.

The spikes 12 are preferably metallic and have a shank of total length preferably comprised between 18 mm and 30 mm, and a diameter of 4 mm.

Each spike 12 advantageously has an extraction-preventing head 18 in a portion thereof which is inserted and/or embedded in the outer layer 11. The extraction-preventing head 18 has a diameter of 8 mm.

In particular, each one of the spikes 12 is inserted with the extraction preventing head 18 at the respective first protrusion 15a, 15b of the respective insert 13, 14.

The spikes 12 used in a same spiked sole 10 can all be identical or can be different as a function of the position in which they are arranged in the layer 11.

In particular, as illustrated in the example sole 10 shown in the figures, there are:

- four spikes 12, distributed at the comers of the body 16a of a first insert 13, which is applied in the zone of the layer 11 corresponding to the heel, where the grip of the ground is maintained during the walking step,

- six spikes 12, distributed in rows of three on the body 16b of a second insert 14, which is applied in the zone of the layer 11 corresponding to the forefoot, where the grip of the ground occurs with each walking step.

The spikes 12 used have:

- a pointed end, for contact and interaction with the ground, in the heel portion and in the row of the forefoot that is directed toward the heel;

- a flat end, for contact and interaction with the ground in the zone of the forefoot in the row that is directed toward the toe cap.

The spiked sole 10 according to the invention can be used, in a conventional manner, in order to make shoes, not shown in the figures, by joining an upper to it.

The spiked sole 10 has, in the zone of interaction with the ground, at least one first anti-skid protrusion 19 in the zone of the toe cap and at least one second anti-skid protrusion 20 in the zone of the waist, both made of elastically deformable plastic material.

There is a plurality of such protrusions 19 and 20.

The protrusions 19 and 20 extend from respective plates 19a and 20a which are made of soft, elastically deformable plastic material, in order to reduce the possibility of slipping on the ground.

Such plates 19a and 20a can be substituted with other plates having different protrusions.

The plates 19a and 20a are applied within a respective frame 19b and 20b which is present in the layer 11 in the zone of the toe cap and in the zone of the waist, and which is preferably made of plastic material overmolded on the layer 11.

Such plates 19a and 20a can be associated with the layer 11 by way of adapted screws or by snap-action within the respective frame 19b, 20b.

Use of the spiked sole, according to the invention, is evident from the foregoing description and explanation.

The spikes 12 are stably associated with the layer 11 and, conveniently positioned and of suitable length, they are capable of ensuring the grip on the ground, especially if it is slippery and if the area is hilly.

It should be noted that the protrusions 19 and 20 contribute to preventing slipping on the ground.

In practice it has been found that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects by providing a spiked sole that is easy to provide, comfortable in use and capable of ensuring a secure grip on the ground over time.

In practice the materials employed, provided they are compatible with the specific use, and the contingent dimensions and shapes, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102018000021307 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.