1. A decking fastener comprising:
a first joist connector, the first joist connector having a first side edge, a second side edge, a bottom edge and a top edge, the first and second side edges being opposite one another, wherein each of the first and second side edges has at least one anchoring tab formed therein;
a second joist connector, the second joist connector having a first side edge, a second side edge, a bottom edge and a top edge, the first and second side edges being opposite one another, wherein each of the first and second side edges has at least one anchoring tab formed therein; and
a board connector, the board connector having a first side, a second side and a bottom, wherein the first side and the second side of the board connector are operatively coupled to opposite sides of the bottom and are arranged in a substantially parallel manner to one another,
wherein the remaining sides of the bottom of the board connector are operatively coupled to at least a portion of the top edges of the first and second joist connectors so that the first and second joist connectors are arranged in a substantially perpendicular manner to the first and second board connector sides.
2. The decking fastener of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second sides of the board connector have curved top edges so as to form first and second slightly downwardly curved flanges.
3. The decking fastener of claim 2, wherein first and second slightly downwardly curved flanges further comprise at least one tooth formed therein.
4. The decking fastener of claim 3, wherein the at least one tooth is triangular-shaped.
5. The decking fastener of claim 2, wherein first and second slightly downwardly curved flanges further comprise at least two teeth formed therein.
6. The decking fastener of claim 5, wherein the at least two teeth are each triangular-shaped.
7. The decking fastener of claim 1, wherein the each of the first and second side edges have at least two anchoring tabs formed therein.
8. The decking fastener of claim 1, wherein the first and second joist connectors and the first and second sides of the board connector form two perpendicularly transposed U-shaped components of the decking fastener.
9. The decking fastener of claim 1, wherein the decking fastener is formed from titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, or hardened steel.
10. The decking fastener of claim 1, wherein the bottom of the board connector further comprises at least one aperture formed therein.
11. A decking system comprising:
a frame;
at least one joist, the at least one joist being secured to the frame;
at least one decking board, the at least one decking board having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side having formed therein at least one slotted opening, wherein the at least one decking board is secured to the at least one joist via at least one decking fastener, the decking fastener comprising:
a first joist connector, the first joist connector having a first side edge, a second side edge, a bottom edge and a top edge, the first and second side edges being opposite one another, wherein each of the first and second side edges has at least one anchoring tabs formed therein;
a second joist connector, the second joist connector having a first side edge, a second side edge, a bottom edge and a top edge, the first and second side edges being opposite one another, wherein each of the first and second side edges has at least one anchoring tabs formed therein; and
a board connector, the board connector having a first side, a second side and a bottom, wherein the first side and the second side of the board connector are operatively coupled to opposite sides of the bottom and are arranged in a substantially parallel manner to one another and wherein the board connector is designed to operatively engage the slotted opening in the bottom of the at least one decking board,
wherein the remaining sides of the bottom of the board connector are operatively coupled to at least a portion of the top edges of the first and second joist connectors so that the first and second joist connectors are arranged in a substantially perpendicular manner to the first and second board connector sides.
12. The decking system of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second sides of the board connector have curved top edges so as to form first and second slightly downwardly curved flanges.
13. The decking system of claim 12, wherein first and second slightly downwardly curved flanges further comprise at least one tooth formed therein.
14. The decking system of claim 13, wherein the at least one tooth is triangular-shaped.
15. The decking system of claim 12, wherein first and second slightly downwardly curved flanges further comprise at least two teeth formed therein.
16. The decking system of claim 15, wherein the at least two teeth are each triangular-shaped.
17. The decking system of claim 11, wherein the each of the first and second side edges have at least two anchoring tabs formed therein.
18. The decking system of claim 11, wherein the first and second joist connectors and the first and second sides of the board connector form two perpendicularly transposed U-shaped components of the decking fastener.
19. The decking system of claim 11, wherein the decking fastener is formed from titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, or hardened steel.
20. The decking system of claim 11, wherein the bottom of the board connector further comprises at least one aperture formed therein.
21. A method of assembling a decking system comprising the steps of:
forming a frame;
securing at least one joist to at least a portion of the frame;
securing at least one decking board to at least a portion of the at least one joist via at least one decking fastener, the at least one decking board having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side having formed therein at least one slotted opening, the decking fastener comprising:
a first joist connector, the first joist connector having a first side edge, a second side edge, a bottom edge and a top edge, the first and second side edges being opposite one another, wherein each of the first and second side edges has at least one anchoring tabs formed therein;
a second joist connector, the second joist connector having a first side edge, a second side edge, a bottom edge and a top edge, the first and second side edges being opposite one another, wherein each of the first and second side edges has at least one anchoring tabs formed therein; and
a board connector, the board connector having a first side, a second side and a bottom, wherein the first side and the second side of the board connector are operatively coupled to opposite sides of the bottom and are arranged in a substantially parallel manner to one another and wherein the board connector is designed to operatively engage the slotted opening in the bottom of the at least one decking board,
wherein the remaining sides of the bottom of the board connector are operatively coupled to at least a portion of the top edges of the first and second joist connectors so that the first and second joist connectors are arranged in a substantially perpendicular manner to the first and second board connector sides.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the first and second sides of the board connector have curved top edges so as to form first and second slightly downwardly curved flanges.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein first and second slightly downwardly curved flanges further comprise at least one tooth formed therein.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one tooth is triangular-shaped.
25. The method of claim 22, wherein first and second slightly downwardly curved flanges further comprise at least two teeth formed therein.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least two teeth are each triangular-shaped.
27. The method of claim 21, wherein the each of the first and second side edges have at least two anchoring tabs formed therein.
28. The method of claim 21, wherein the first and second joist connectors and the first and second sides of the board connector form two perpendicularly transposed U-shaped components of the decking fastener.
29. The method of claim 21, wherein the decking fastener is formed from titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, or hardened steel.
30. The method of claim 21, wherein the bottom of the board connector further comprises at least one aperture formed therein.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An athletic shoe having cleats comprising an upper and an outsole, said outsole having a front portion capable of receiving the front of a foot, a central portion capable of receiving the middle of the foot, and a rear portion capable of receiving the heel;
wherein said rear portion of said outsole includes a hollow shell and a heel pad, said heel pad being removably arranged in a recess formed by said hollow shell and wherein said rear portion has a portion that is thickened relative to said front portion, said thickened portion being adjustable by modifying the thickness of said removable heel pad.
2. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, characterized in-that-the wherein said heel pad (33) fills up the whole of the heel surface of said shoe.
3. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, wherein said heel pad is removable from the interior of said upper.
4. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, the wherein said thickened portion is comprised between 1 and 25 mm.
5. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, comprising a retaining device configured to retain said removable heel pad in position in said recess.
6. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 5, wherein said retaining device comprises an H-shaped protuberance capable of cooperating with an impression of complementary shape to ensure a locking in longitudinal and transverse translation of said heel pad in said recess.
7. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, wherein said heel pad comprises a pull tab to facilitate its extraction from said recess.
8. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, wherein said shell and said heel pad extend in the central portion of said outsole.
9. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, wherein said heel pad is made from a more flexible and more deformable material than that constituting said shell
10. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, wherein said heel pad is made from several superimposed layers of materials having different mechanical properties.
11. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, wherein said heel pad has in its width at least two materials provided with different mechanical properties.
12. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, wherein said heel pad has an upper face forming a horizontal plane or an inclined plane of angle \u03b1.
13. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 12, wherein said inclined plane of angle \u03b1 forms an inclination in the transverse direction of said shoe andor an inclination in the longitudinal direction of the shoe.
14. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, wherein said angle \u03b1 is comprised between 1 and 10 degrees.
15. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, wherein said heel pad has an upper face having a concavity.
16. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, wherein said central portion comprises an incurved exterior profile.
17. The athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1, wherein said central portion comprises an incurved interior profile and capable of fitting the shape of the plantar arch of the foot.
18. A pair of athletic shoes having cleats, comprising two shoes according to claim 1, and wherein the removable heel pads of said shoes have different characteristics.
19. A removable heel pad having a shape adapted to cooperate in a complementary manner with the shape of a hollow recess formed by the hollow shell of an athletic shoe having cleats according to claim 1.