Cleat Covers By Nilu Faiz Joseph Maiorana Joseph Schneider

Problem Statement Spikes/ Cleats become worn out when walking on asphalt to a field/stadium/track.

Identifying the Problem Surveys Interviews Patent Search

Surveys Do you use metal, rubber, or plastic spikes?  Metal  Rubber  Plastic What do you use spikes/ cleats for? Check all that apply  Football  Baseball  Track & Field  Soccer  Golf  Work  Other

Surveys Cont’d Do your spikes/cleats become damaged because of walking on asphalt/ sidewalks?  Yes  No On a scale of 1-5, do you believe your performance decreases because of worn down spikes? Would you use a device that protects the spikes/cleats from becoming worn down?  Yes  No

Survey Results 13 people agreed that spikes wear down to the point where it should be considered a problem 8 people agreed that spikes were not worn down enough to be called a problem

Nilu’s Expert Interviews

Joey’s Expert Interviews ExpertLocationContact Greg BakerDick Pond Athletics (Schaumburg) Mike JoycePlay it Again Sports (Schaumburg) (847) Matt WilhiteDick Pond Athletics (Carol Stream) Phone: (630) Fax: (630)

Joe’s Expert Interviews

Expert’s thoughts Nilu’s Joey’s Joe’s

Patent Research

Interviews Nilu Joey – Interviewed 3 people – All said that there was a problem with cleats becoming worn down Joe

Justified Problem Statement Athletes need to wear a different pair of shoes while walking on anything other than their playing field, otherwise their spikes will become damaged or dulled.

Solution should… Protect spikes from becoming dull Protect surfaces from damages Eliminate the need to bring multiple pairs of shoes to events Take less time than switching between shoes

Possible Solutions Each team member came up with 3 different solutions The team decided on the best solution

Solution A: Spike Covers Blocks fit completely over the spikes Keeps spikes elevated above ground Reduces wear

Solution B: Spike Sandals Sandal placed under cleat Velcro belt holds in place

Solution C: Rubber Sole A rubber sole slips on the bottom of cleat Keeps spikes off the ground Pros Ease in use Easily put on/off Comfortable to walk in Cons Special size for cleat required

Solution D: Spike Plugs Rubber plugs put on spikes Keep spikes from touching ground Pros Easy to put on Small Fits on any sized shoe Cons Easy to lose May take too much time to put on

Solution E: Retractable Cover Rubber membrane on outside Stretchy rubber material extended over sole Covers heel, kicking portion Rubber sleeve covers entire bottom

Final Solution: F Spike Plug with Retractable Cover – Spike plugs easily attach to bottom of athletic spike shoe – Retractable stretchy sleeve holds together spike plugs Allows attachment of all five plugs without effort Retractable cover provides tight support all around shoe Prevents shoe laces from becoming untied

Decision Matrix SolutionEffectiveness of design Durability Min. Effort More impact Cost to manufacture Practicality (appealing to consumer) Total Solution A: Solution B: Solution C: Solution D: Solution E: Solution F:

Final Solution Based on the scores on the decision matrix, we chose our solution

The Spike Cover A protective covering for the front and the back of the cleat Keeps spikes from coming in contact with the ground Has rubber bottoms for safety Easy to use Easy to store

The Spike Cover

Specifications WeightLess than 8 oz. MaterialRubber UsabilityCan be used with one hand StorageCan fit into sports bags Usability on Various Cleats Can be used on various types of cleats SizeVarious on foot size ColorBlack UseOn Cleats

Refining the design There should be two layers to the shoe – Plastic: serves as the protection of the spike – Rubber: serves as a safety precaution and increases durability of the product There was no way of making a solution that could fit all spikes We chose the Nike Haurachi as our model shoe

Design Development 2 Parts to the solution – The front of the shoe – The sole of the shoe Each part is divided into 2 layers – Top Layer: made of plastic – Bottom Layer: made of rubber

Design Parameters

Expert Analysis

Assembly Part NamePart Description A1Front, Top layer. Made from plastic. A2Front, Bottom layer. Made from Rubber B1Sole, Top layer. Made from plastic. B2Sole, Bottom layer. Made from rubber.

Assembly (Cont’d) Major Tools  Prototype Machine  Belt Saw Material  Prototype Material  Rubber  Shoe Glue

Assembly (Cont’d) Suggested time of assembly: 1 day Assembly procedure 1. Gather Materials 2. Use prototype machine to make layer 1 of both parts 3. Cut out layer 2 with belt saw 4. Use shoe glue to attach parts Part A1 to A2 Part B1 to B2

Drawings

Material List MaterialCost Proto-type MaterialProvided Flip-flopsProvided Guerilla GlueProvided

Test Procedure Fit  Does the spike cover fall off?  Do the spikes fit within the holes?  Do the covers fit the portion of the shoe? Safety  Is it slippery?  Is the cleat still balanced? Weight Capacity Appearance

Test Procedure (Cont’d) Does the spike cover protect the spikes? Do spikes become damaged when wearing the spike cover? Does it eliminate the need to change shoes? Is it faster to use the spike cover than to bring an extra pair of shoes?

Test Results Failed the fit test  Dimensions were not correct  Spikes are different sizes  Angles were incorrect

Fixing the Problem Redo the measurements and drawings Realized that pressure is not the best way to make the spike cover stay on. – Over time, it will become loose. New Solution = Magnets

Magnets Magnets will be implanted into the second layer of the product. They will make the fit of the product more efficient.