Method for controlling a shifting mechanism of a spike in a shoe and a shoe functioning according to this method

Abstract

 With a shifting mechanism spikes in the shoe sole are shifted either into a passive position, where the spikes are substantially completely inside the sole of the shoe, or into an active position, where part of the spike is protruding from the sole of the shoe. The function of the shifting mechanism is controlled with a magnetically activated throw-over switch (16) and an activation magnet (30) of the throw-over switch. The shoe user activates the shifting mechanism by bringing the activation magnet close to the throw-over switch. The throw-over switch can be in the heel part of the sole of the shoe and the activation magnet can be in the toe part of the sole of the shoe. The shifting mechanisms of the shoes are thus activated by bringing the toe of the left foot next to the heel part of the right foot and by bringing the toe of the right foot next to the heel part of the left foot. When activated, the shifting mechanism changes the position of the spikes from active to passive or vice versa. The shifting mechanism may comprise an electric motor (10) or an electrically functioning hydraulic or pneumatic pump, whereby the throw-over switch is used for controlling the function of the above-mentioned motor or pump. The shoe may have a power source, such as a chargeable battery (14) and means for receiving charging current for the battery. The above-mentioned means may comprise a receiving coil (18) in the shoe, into which charging current for the battery can be produced with a transmitting coil placed beside the shoe.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for controlling the function of a spike shifting mechanism in the shoe sole, with which shifting mechanism at least one spike in the sole of the shoe can be shifted into a passive position, where the spike is substantially completely inside the sole of the shoe, and into an active position, where part of the spike is protruding from the sole of the shoe. The invention also relates to a shoe, which has a sole, in which sole there is at least one spike arranged into the sole and a shifting mechanism for shifting the spike into the active and passive position.

[0002] The grip of shoes meant for outdoor use on different surfaces can be affected by means of raised pattern of the sole of the shoe or the material of the sole. In winter conditions the surfaces of streets are often covered by ice or snow drifts, whereby a sufficient grip is not achieved just by changing the properties of the sole. Different spike solutions, which are integrated in the sole of the shoe, have been developed for improving the grip of a shoe on slippery surfaces, which spike solutions are in a normal state hidden inside the sole, but which may when necessary be moved into a position protruding from the sole.

[0003] Publication US2010/0199525 A1 discloses a shoe sole, wherein spikes, which can be moved in and out, are integrated. Shifting the non-slip devices into the sole and out from the sole occurs by manually turning a handle arranged in the heel of the sole of the shoe.

[0004] Publication US 6125556 discloses a golf shoe, where spikes arranged in the sole of the shoe have been placed in cylinders, into which liquid can be pumped from a reservoir arranged inside the heel of the shoe. There may be a manually used pump in the heel of the shoe or there may be a membrane pump in the heel, which functions automatically when walking with the shoes. The flow of liquid to the cylinders is regulated with a spool valve in the heel of the shoe, the position of which spool valve is changed manually by turning.

[0005] Publication US 4873774 discloses a shoe sole, where spikes are arranged in a piston moving in a cylinder. The spikes are brought out by pumping air or liquid into the cylinder with a separate, manually used pump. The spikes pull back into the sole of the shoe when a valve in connection with the pump is opened.

[0006] Finnish registered utility model FI6772 discloses a shoe equipped with a non-slip device, which has spikes which protrude with the force of pressure cylinders. The movement of the spikes is controlled with a separate remote control.

[0007] A shifting of the spikes which requires manual procedures demands either crouching or lifting the foot into the air, which is difficult and involves a risk of falling especially for the elderly. A separate remote control can on the other hand easily be lost or not taken along, whereby shifting the spikes into the desired position is impossible.

[0008] It is an object of the invention to provide a method for controlling the function of a spike shifting mechanism in the shoe sole and a shoe, by which the drawbacks and disadvantages relating to the prior art can be decreased.

[0009] The objects of the invention are achieved with a method and a shoe, which are characterised in what is presented in the independent claims. Some advantageous embodiments of the invention are presented in the dependent claims.

[0010] The invention relates to a method for controlling the function of a spike shifting mechanism in the shoe sole. With the shifting mechanism at least one spike in the shoe sole is shifted either into a passive position, where the spike is substantially completely inside the sole of the shoe, or into an active position, where part of the spike is protruding from the sole of the shoe. The user of the shoe shifts the spikes into a desired position according to the slipperiness of the area he moves in. The spikes are meant to be shifted into the active position, when the area is icy or has drifts of snow, whereby spikes protruding from the sole of the shoe improve the grip of the shoe. The passive position of the spikes is suited for use when moving in a non-slippery area or indoors. Because the same shoes are often used for moving on surfaces with different grips, there is often a need for shifting the position of the spikes from the passive position to the active one or from the active position to the passive one. In the method according to the invention the function of the spike shifting mechanism is controlled with a magnetically activated throw-over switch and with an activation magnet of the throw-over switch. The shoe user activates the spike shifting mechanism by bringing the activation magnet close to the throw-over switch. When activated, the shifting mechanism changes the position of the spikes, i.e. spikes in the passive position move to the active position and spikes in the active position move to the passive position.

[0011] In an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention the throw-over switch controlling the function of the spike shifting mechanism in the first shoe is activated with an activation magnet in the second shoe. The shoe user can thus simply activate the shifting mechanism by placing the shoes on his feet in such a position in relation to each other that the activation magnet comes close to the throw-over switch.

[0012] In a second advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention said spike shifting mechanism comprises an electric motor or an electrically functioning hydraulic or pneumatic pump, and said throw-over switch is used for controlling the function of said electric motor or electrically functioning pump.

[0013] In a third advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention said spike shifting mechanism comprises a hydraulically or pneumatically functioning spike cylinder, a flow tube for leading liquid or gas to said spike cylinders and an electrically functioning motor valve regulating the flow of liquid or gas. Said throw-over switch is thus used for controlling the function of said motor valve. It is possible to implement different mechanically functioning pumps, with which liquid or gas is pumped into the flow tubes. For example hydraulic or pneumatic spike shifting mechanisms are previously known, where the flow of liquid or gas into the spike cylinders occurs with the aid of a membrane pump placed in the sole of the shoe. Such a pump obtains its driving force from the walking motion of the shoe user, i.e. the repeated compression directed at the sole of the shoe during walking makes the membrane pump pump liquid or gas into the spike cylinders. The filling and emptying of spike cylinders in spike shifting mechanisms functioning by means of such mechanical pumps, i.e. the shifting of the spikes into the active and passive position, can be controlled with the aid of a motor valve regulating the flow of liquid or gas.

[0014] The shoe according to the invention has a sole, in which there is at least one spike arranged into the sole. The sole further has a spike shifting mechanism for shifting said spike into a passive position, where the spike is substantially completely inside the sole of the shoe, and into an active position, where part of the spike is protruding from the sole of the shoe. The shoe has a magnetically activated throw-over switch for controlling the spike shifting mechanism. The spike shifting mechanism is activated by bringing the activation magnet close to the throw-over switch. The shoe may further have an activation magnet for activating the throw-over switch. The throw-over switch is advantageously in the heel part of the sole of the shoe and the activation magnet is in the toe part of the sole of the shoe. The shoe user can thus activate the shifting mechanisms of the shoes by bringing the toe of the left foot next to the heel part of the right foot and by bringing the toe of the right foot next to the heel part of the left foot. The activation magnets and throw-over switches can be placed in the outer edges of the heel parts of the shoes, whereby the throw-over switches are not activated by accident for example during walking. It is of course possible to arrange the above-mentioned parts in the shoes also in some other way, for example by placing the throw-over switch in the toe part of the sole and the activation magnet in the heel part of the sole. In an advantageous embodiment of the shoe according to the invention said throw-over switch is in the sole of the shoe and said activation magnet is in the top part of the shoe, advantageously in the leg of the top part. The activation magnet can naturally also be arranged in some part separate from the shoe, such as for example in the tip of a walking stick, which can easily be moved next to the throw-over switch in the shoe.

[0015] In an advantageous embodiment of the shoe according to the invention the spike shifting mechanism comprises an electric motor or an electrically functioning hydraulic or pneumatic pump, and said throw-over switch is arranged to control the function of said electric motor or electrically functioning pump. Using the electric motor or pump thus makes the spike move from the active position to the passive position or from the passive position to the active position.

[0016] In a second advantageous embodiment of the shoe according to the invention the spike shifting mechanism comprises a hydraulically or pneumatically functioning spike cylinder, a flow tube for leading liquid or gas to said spike cylinders and an electrically functioning motor valve regulating the flow of liquid or gas. The throw-over switch is in this embodiment arranged to control the function of the motor valve. The shifting of the spikes into the active and passive position is controlled by regulating the flow of liquid or gas into the spike cylinders. The liquid or gas pressure to the flow tubes can be produced for example with mechanical pumps obtaining their driving force from the movement of the shoe user.

[0017] A third advantageous embodiment of the shoe according to the invention further comprises a power source for the electric motor, the electrically functioning pump or the electrically functioning motor valve. The power source is advantageously a chargeable battery and the shoes have means for receiving charging current for the battery. The means for receiving charging current for the battery can comprise a receiving coil in the shoe, which coil is connected with conductors to the poles of the battery. Charging current for the battery can be produced in the receiving coil by bringing a transmitting coil next to the shoe, alongside the receiving coil, into which transmitting coil electric current is led. The battery in the shoe can thus be charged "wirelessly", i.e. without connecting it to an electric conductor.

[0018] In a fourth advantageous embodiment of the shoe according to the invention the electric motor, said electrically functioning hydraulic or pneumatic pump or said electrically functioning motor valve regulating the flow of liquid or gas and the power source are arranged in the sole of the shoe.

[0019] An advantage of the invention is that it is easy to use. The shifting of the spikes to the desired position occurs simply by activating the spike shifting mechanism with the aid of the activation magnet, which can be done completely without touching the shoes with the hand and without lifting the shoes from the ground.

[0020] A further advantage of the invention is that it decreases falling accidents. The easy shifting of the spikes increases their use, whereby fallings due to slipping decrease. Because the shoe does not need to be lifted from the ground for shifting the spikes, there is not a significant danger of falling even at the phase of shifting the spikes.

[0021] In the following, the invention will be described in detail. In the description, reference is made to the enclosed drawings, in which

Figure 1 a shows as an example a shoe sole according to the invention as a horizontal cross-sectional view,

Figure 1b shows as an example a spike cylinder belonging to the spike shifting mechanism and situated in the sole of the shoe of Figure 1 a as a vertical cross-sectional view,

Figure 2 shows as an example a charging station suitable for charging a battery of a shoe according to the invention seen from above,

Figure 3a shows as an example an advantageous embodiment of a shoe according to the invention seen from the side,

Figure 3b shows as an example a part of the sole of a second advantageous embodiment of the shoe according to the invention as a horizontal sectional view,

Figure 4a shows as an example the sole of a third advantageous embodiment of the shoe according to the invention as a horizontal sectional view and

Figure 4b shows as an example a spike cylinder belonging to the embodiment shown in Figure 4a as a vertical cross-sectional view.

[0022] Figure 1 a shows as an example a shoe sole according to the invention as a horizontal cross-sectional view. Inside the heel of the sole there is an electric motor 10, in one end of which there is an axis. To the axis has been attached a cylinder-like drum 12, on the outer surface of which there are threads. The motor is attached with conductors to a battery 14, from which the motor gets its driving force. The function of the motor is controlled with a magnetically controlled throw-over switch 16. By controlling the throw-over switch, electric current can be led from the battery to the motor, which electric current makes the axis of the motor rotate in a first direction or a second direction. When no electric current is led to the motor, the axis of the motor does not rotate. Inside the heel part there is a receiving coil 18, which is connected with conductors to the poles of the battery. In connection with the receiving coil there is a rectifier, by means of which the alternating current generated in the receiving coil is changed to direct current, which charges the battery. The receiving coil is arranged inside the heel part, close to the wall surface of the heel part.

[0023] The throw-over switch is activated to operate by bringing the activation magnet next to the throw-over switch. When the throw-over switch enters the magnetic field, it switches the axis of the electric motor to rotate for a specified time in a first rotating direction, whereafter the electric motor stops. When the throw-over switch enters the magnetic field the next time, it switches the axis of the electric motor to rotate for a specified time in a second rotating direction, whereafter the motor again stops. The next switching-on again makes the electric motor rotate in the first rotating direction for a pre-specified time. The function of the electric motor is thus controlled by means of a magnetic field working outside the shoe, so that the axis of the electric motor in turns rotates for a specified time either in a first or a second rotating direction anytime when the throw-over switch is activated.

[0024] Inside the sole of the shoe, close to the toe of the sole, there is an activation magnet 30, which creates a magnetic field around it. The magnetic field created by the activation magnet is so strong that it makes the throw-over switch activate, when the activation magnet is placed right next to the throw-over switch. The user of the pair of shoes according to the invention can thus control the spike shifting mechanism with the aid of the shoes he has on his feet. The spike shifting mechanism of the left foot shoe is controlled by placing the toe of the right foot shoe right next to the heel of the left foot shoe, and the spike shifting mechanism of the right foot shoe is controlled by placing the toe of the left foot shoe next to the heel of the right foot shoe. The activation magnet 30 and throw-over switch 18 in the sole of the same shoe are so far from each other that the magnetic field formed by the activation magnet cannot "reach" to activate the throw-over switch. The activation magnets and throw-over switches are placed in the soles of the shoes so that the activation magnet and the throw-over switch are on the outer edge side of the sole of the shoe. Activation of the throw-over switch can thus also not occur during normal walking or running, where the shoes pass close by each other. In practice the activation of the throw-over switch of the first shoe requires that the toe of the second shoe is placed in contact with the heel of the first shoe, so that the throw-over switch and the activation magnet are as close as possible to each other.

[0025] The shoe shown in Figure 1 a has spiking, the spikes of which are normally in a passive position substantially completely inside spike cylinders 100 integrated into the sole of the shoe, but which can, when necessary, be shifted into an active position, where the tips of the spikes are protruding from the surface of the sole. For shifting the spikes there is a shifting mechanism in the shoe, which shifting mechanism is used by means of a motor 10 in the heel part of the sole. The shifting mechanism comprises two flexible threaded bars 20, which extend from the heel part of the shoe close to the toe of the shoe. The threaded bars are arranged in cavities running inside the sole part of the shoe. The threaded bars settle in the heel part of the shoe on opposite sides of the motor 10 and the drum 12 attached to the axis of the motor, so that the surface of the threaded bar settles against the surface of the drum. The threads on the outer surface of the threaded bar are compatible with threads on the outer surface of the drum, so the rotation of the drum also makes the threaded bars rotate around their horizontal axis.

[0026] Figure 1b shows as an example a spike cylinder 100 in the shoe sole, belonging to a spike shifting mechanism. The spike cylinder has a casing 102, inside which an in-and-out moving spike 110 has been fitted. The spike is a cylindrical part, in the middle of which there is a longitudinal hole 112 extending from the first end of the spike close to the second end of the spike. In the second end of the casing, which end points downward in Figure 1b, there is a channel 106, in which the cylindrical part of the spike is fitted to move. As a continuation of the channel there is a cavity 104, the diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the channel. In the first end of the spike there are two control protrusions 114 protruding in opposite directions from the level of the cylindrical outer surface, the free ends of which protrusions are fitted into spiral-shaped grooves 116 in the inner wall of the cavity. In the first end of the casing, which end points upward in Figure 1b, there is a hole opening into the cavity, wherein is fitted a spike control disc 108. The control disc has a circular plate-like base part, in the outer edge of which there is cogging, which is compatible with the threads on the outer surface of the threaded bar. On the surface of the heel part, which is toward the casing, there is a pin 118, the free end of which extends into the hole 112 in the middle of the spike. The outer surface of the pin has a shape, which is compatible with the inner surface of the hole of the spike, so that the pin can move in the hole in the longitudinal direction of the pin, but it cannot rotate inside the hole around its longitudinal axis. Rotating the control disc thus also makes the spike rotate around its longitudinal axis. Depending on the rotating direction of the control disc, the spike 110 thus moves, as forced by control protrusions 114 of the spike running in the spiral grooves of the cavity walls, either upwards toward the passive position or downwards toward the active position.

[0027] The spike shifting mechanism in a shoe according to the invention comprises at least one spike cylinder 110 as described above, arranged in the sole of the shoe. Advantageously there is more than one spike cylinder in the sole of the shoe. There may for example be 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 spike cylinders in the sole of the shoe, some of which are placed in the heel of the sole part of the shoe and some in the part of the sole part, which is under the ball of the foot. The spike cylinders are arranged in connection with threaded bars, so that the control disc 108 of each spike cylinder is via a threaded bar 20 connected to a drum 12 rotated with a motor. The cogging of the control discs of the spike cylinders in connection with the threaded bars is placed into contact with the threads of the threaded bars. Using the motor thus makes all the spikes integrated in the sole of the shoe shift at the same time either into the passive position pulled into the sole and into the active position protruding from the sole.

[0028] Figure 2 shows as an example a charging station 50 for batteries of shoes belonging to the invention. The charging station has a sole plate 52, which has two spaces 56 delimited by a border 54 for receiving the heel part of two shoes according to the invention. Into the border delimiting both spaces has been arranged its own transmitting coil 58, which are connected to an electric conductor 60 leading outside the charging station. When the electric conductor of the charging station is connected to the electricity network, voltage is formed in its transmitting coils. The charging station may have a transformer 62, by means of which the voltage of the electricity network is altered into suitable charging voltage led into the transmitting coils. The transmitting coil of the charging station and the receiving coil 18 of the shoe installed into the charging station function together as a transformer, i.e. the voltage of the transmitting coil generates a voltage in the receiving coil of the shoe installed in the charging station, with which voltage the battery in the heel part of the shoe is charged. In connection with the receiving coil in the shoe there is a rectifier, by means of which the alternating current generated in the receiving coil is changed to direct current, which charges the battery. The batteries of the shoes according to the invention can thus easily be charged full by placing them in the charging station when the shoes are not being used.

[0029] Figure 3a shows as an example an advantageous embodiment of the shoe according to the invention seen from the side. This embodiment differs from the invention described above in that the battery 14 is now placed in the top part of the shoe instead of in the sole. The battery is more precisely placed in a space arranged in the leg part of the shoe and connected with conductors running inside the top part of the shoe to the motor 10 in the sole of the shoe. A particular advantage of this embodiment is that the size of the heel of the shoe does now not pose a limit for the size of the battery. Additionally the other functional parts of the spike shifting mechanism, such as the motor 10, the throw-over switch, the spike cylinders and the threaded bars, as well as the receiving coil needed for charging the battery, are easier to fit inside the sole.

[0030] In the embodiment shown in Figure 3a the activation magnet 30 is placed in a closed pocket formed in the leg part of the shoe, at a distance from the sole of the shoe. The activation magnet is thus sewn into the fabric making up the top part. The throw-over switch activating the spike shifting mechanism is placed in the sole of the shoe, either in the toe part or in the heel part of the sole. In this embodiment the user of the shoe pair controls the spike shifting mechanism of the left foot shoe by lifting the throw-over switch in the sole of the left foot shoe next to the activation magnet in the leg part of the right foot shoe. Correspondingly the shifting mechanism of the right foot shoe is controlled by lifting the throw-over switch in the sole of the right foot shoe next to the activation magnet in the leg part of the left foot shoe. The activation magnet 30 in the leg part and the throw-over switch 18 in the sole of the same shoe are so far from each other that the magnetic field formed by the activation magnet cannot "reach" to activate the throw-over switch. Activation of the throw-over switch can also not occur during normal walking or running, where the shoes pass close by each other.

[0031] Figure 3b shows as an example a part of a shoe sole according to a second advantageous embodiment of the invention as a cross-sectional view. In this embodiment the battery 14 is a detachable part, which is placed in a battery space 70, which is closed with a plug 72 which can be opened, in the heel part of the sole. In the wall of the battery space there are contact spots 74, which are fitted to settle automatically into contact with the poles of a battery 14 to be fitted into the battery space. The contact spots are connected with conductors via the throw-over switch 16 to the motor 10. The detachable battery solution according to the embodiment of Figure 3b can be applied also in the embodiment shown in Figure 3a by placing the battery in a pocket, which can be opened and closed, arranged in the top part of the shoe, advantageously in the leg part of the shoe. A particular advantage of detachable batteries is that broken batteries are easy to exchange. Detachable batteries can also be charged in other charging stations than those according to the invention, and suitable disposable batteries can also be used in the shoes instead of the chargeable batteries.

[0032] Figures 4a and 4b show as an example a third advantageous embodiment of the shoe according to the invention as cross-sectional views. Figure 4a shows the shifting mechanism of the shoe as a horizontal cross-sectional view and Figure 4b shows the spike cylinder belonging to the shifting mechanism as a vertical cross-sectional view. In this embodiment there is a reservoir 250 in the heel of the shoe, wherein there is liquid and in connection with which an electronically functioning pump 260 has been arranged. The pump is connected by means of flow tubes 270 to the spike cylinders 200, which are in this embodiment hydraulically functioning cylinders. In the heel there is, as described above, further a battery 14, a throw-over switch 16 controlling the function of the pump, a receiving coil 18 and an activation magnet 30 in the toe of the sole. In this embodiment the movement of the spikes into the active or passive position is controlled in the exact same way as in the above-described invention, i.e. by bringing the activation magnet sufficiently close to the throw-over switch, whereby the throw-over switch is activated and switches the pump to function for a specified amount of time. When the pump is started it pumps liquid from the reservoir along the tubes 270 into the spike cylinders 200, whereby the spikes are pushed out of the surface of the sole into the active position. When the pump is started again, it pumps the liquid from the spike cylinders back into the reservoir, whereby the spikes pull back into the spike cylinders into the passive position.

[0033] Figure 4b shows the spike cylinder belonging to the shifting mechanism as a vertical cross-sectional view. The spike cylinder is a cylindrical space, inside which there is an in-and-out moving spike 210. The spike has a base 212 substantially the size of the inner diameter of the cylinder, on one surface of which base there is a bar-like shaft 214. The base 212 of the spike functions as a piston moving inside the cylinder. In the first end of the spike cylinder there is a flow opening 216, to which is connected a flow tube 270 coming from the pump 260. In the second end of the cylinder there is a hole 218, wherein the shaft of the spike is fitted. Inside the cylinder around the shaft there is a coil spring 220, which pushes with its spring force the base of the spike upwards, i.e. the coil spring strives to return the spike to the pulled-in, passive position. When the user of the shoe starts the pump, liquid flows into the spike cylinder above the base of the spike, whereby the liquid pressure in the spike cylinder forces the spike into the protruded active position. Correspondingly, when the pump is started again, the liquid pressure in the spike cylinder decreases and the coil spring lifts the spike back into the pulled-in passive position.

[0034] Figures 4a and 4b describe only the operating principle of hydraulically functioning spike cylinders. A corresponding principle can be used also in spike shifting mechanisms functioning with pressurised air, where pressurised air is pumped into the spike cylinders by means of an electrically functioning pump. The pump function control mechanism according to the invention can also be used in connection with spike shifting mechanism functioning with pressurised air. The above-mentioned systems can be supplemented with various valve arrangements, among other for preventing backflow of liquid or air. The spike shifting mechanisms functioning with liquid or pressurised air are prior art as such, hence they are not described in more detail in this context.

[0035] Some advantageous embodiments of the method and shoe according to the invention have been described above. The invention is not limited to the solutions described above, but the inventive idea can be applied in different ways within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the function of a shifting mechanism (12, 20, 100, 200, 250, 270) of a spike (110, 210) in a shoe sole, with which shifting mechanism at least one spike (110, 210) in the shoe sole can be shifted into a passive position, where the spike is substantially completely inside the sole of the shoe, and into an active position, where part of the spike is protruding from the sole of the shoe, characterised in that the function of said shifting mechanism is controlled with a magnetically activated throw-over switch (16) and an activation magnet (30) of the throw-over switch.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the throw-over switch (16) controlling the function of the spike (110, 210) shifting mechanism (12, 20, 100, 200, 250, 270) in the first shoe is activated with the activation magnet (30) in the second shoe.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said spike shifting mechanism (12, 20, 100, 200, 250, 270) comprises an electric motor (10) or an electrically functioning hydraulic or pneumatic pump (260), and said throw-over switch (16) is used for controlling the function of said electric motor or electrically functioning pump.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said spike shifting mechanism (12, 20, 100, 200, 250, 270) comprises a hydraulically or pneumatically functioning spike cylinder (200), a flow tube (270) for leading liquid or gas to said spike cylinders and an electrically functioning motor valve regulating the flow of liquid or gas, and said throw-over switch is used for controlling the function of said motor valve.

5. A shoe, which has a sole, in which sole there is at least one spike (110, 210) arranged into the sole, and a spike shifting mechanism (12, 20, 100, 200, 250, 270) for shifting said spike into a passive position, where the spike is substantially completely inside the sole of the shoe, and into an active position, where part of the spike is protruding from the sole of the shoe, characterised in that it has a magnetically activated throw-over switch (16) for controlling the spike shifting mechanism.

6. The shoe according to claim 5, characterised in that it further has an activation magnet (30) for activating the throw-over switch.

7. The shoe according to claim 6, characterised in that said throw-over switch (16) is in the heel part of the sole of the shoe and said activation magnet (30) is in the toe part of the sole of the shoe.

8. The shoe according to claim 6, characterised in that said throw-over switch (16) is in the sole of the shoe and said activation magnet (30) is in the top part of the shoe, advantageously in the leg of the top part.

9. The shoe according to any of the claims 5-8, characterised in that said spike shifting mechanism (12, 20, 100, 200, 250, 270) comprises an electric motor (10) or an electrically functioning hydraulic or pneumatic pump (260), and said throw-over switch (16) is arranged to control the function of said electric motor or electrically functioning pump.

10. The shoe according to any of the claims 5-8, characterised in that said spike shifting mechanism (12, 20, 100, 200, 250, 270) comprises a hydraulically or pneumatically functioning spike cylinder (200), a flow tube (270) for leading liquid or gas to said spike cylinders and an electrically functioning motor valve regulating the flow of liquid or gas, and said throw-over switch is arranged to control the function of said motor valve.

11. The shoe according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that it further comprises a power source (14) for the electric motor (10), the electrically functioning pump (260) or the electrically functioning motor valve.

12. The shoe according to claim 11, characterised in that said power source is a chargeable battery (14) and the shoe has means for receiving charging current for the battery.

13. The shoe according to claim 12, characterised in that said means for receiving charging current for the battery (14) comprise a receiving coil (18) in the shoe, which is connected with conductors to the poles of the battery (14).

14. The shoe according to any of the claims 9-13, characterised in that said electric motor (10), said electrically functioning hydraulic or pneumatic pump (260) or said electrically functioning motor valve regulating the flow of liquid or gas and the power source (14) are arranged into the sole of the shoe.

Drawing