U.S. patent application number 10/733002 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-16 for lace trapping device.
Invention is credited to Gibson, John Scott.
Application Number | 20050125972 10/733002 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34652990 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050125972 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gibson, John Scott |
June 16, 2005 |
Lace trapping device
Abstract
A lace-trapping device is provided that comprises a strip of
material that has a closure means. It is either attachable to the
laces of a piece of footwear or built into the footwear at a point
well below the top of the laces where they are tied so the device
does not interfere with tying the laces. It is capable of closing
over the lace ends after the laces are tied. Laces are threaded
through a hole in the flexible material and then through the
footwear eyelets at the low point of the laces. Hook and loop
fasteners on overlapping strips, or flexible interlocking tensioned
arms, two overlapping parts of a tension ring with mating teeth, or
a pronged snap fastener secure the device to lock in the tied ends
of the lacing.
Inventors: |
Gibson, John Scott;
(Andersonville, TN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Donald W. Meeker
Patent Agent
924 East Ocean Front #E
Newport Beach
CA
92661
US
|
Family ID: |
34652990 |
Appl. No.: |
10/733002 |
Filed: |
December 11, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/712.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43C 7/02 20130101; Y10T
24/3711 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
024/712.4 |
International
Class: |
A43C 007/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A lace trapping device for retaining the tied ends of lacing on
footwear, the device comprising: a lace trapping element capable of
being attached to a piece of footwear adjacent to a lower threaded
portion of the lacing on the piece of footwear spaced from the tied
ends of the lacing a sufficient distance to permit unimpeded tying
of the ends of the lacing the lace trapping element capable of
opening to receive the tied ends of the lacing and capable of
closing over the tied ends of the lacing and trapping the tied ends
of the lacing; a securing means on the lace trapping element for
removably engaging at least one end of the lace trapping element
with at least one other end of the lace trapping element to bind
the lace trapping element over the tied ends of the lacing.
2. The lace trapping device of claim 1 wherein the lace trapping
element comprises a strip of flexible material having at least one
opening to admit the lacing through the opening while threading the
lacing through eyelets in the footwear to attach the lace trapping
element to the footwear.
3. The lace trapping device of claim 2 wherein the securing means
comprises mating hook and loop fasteners.
4. The lace trapping device of claim 3 wherein the lace trapping
device is a single strip of flexible material having a central
opening to receive the threaded lacing and a mating piece of hook
and loop fasteners at each end of the strip on opposite sides of
the strip so that the middle of the strip is threaded into the
lacing at a lower end of the lacing and the two ends of the strip
fold over the tied ends of the lacing and the mating hook and loop
fasteners are secured together.
5. The lace trapping device of claim 2 wherein the opening is
centrally positioned on the strip of flexible material and the lace
trapping element further comprises two tension arms attached to the
flexible material with one tension arm on each side of the opening,
the tension arms capable of interlocking around each other to trap
the tied ends of the lacing between the tension arms.
6. The lace trapping device of claim 5 wherein each of the two
tension arms further comprises an enlarged outer end which contacts
an enlarged outer end on the other of the tension arms to help
retain the two interlocking tension arms together.
7. The lace trapping device of claim 2 wherein the opening is
centrally positioned on the strip of flexible material and the lace
trapping element further comprises a tension ring segment attached
to the material one side of the opening and a tension ring segment
on the other side of the opening, the tension ring segments each
having mating teeth which tension ring segments are capable of
interlocking the mating teeth to trap the tied ends of the
lacing.
8. The lace trapping device of claim 2 wherein the flexible
material with the opening has a second sheet of flexible material
hinged thereto and the securing means comprises a pronged snap
element protruding from the flexible material adjacent to the
opening and the second sheet of flexible material has a mating snap
element opening therethrough so that the pronged snap element is
capable of snap fitting in the snap element opening to trap the
tied ends of the lacing between the two sheets of flexible
material.
9. The lace trapping device of claim 1 wherein the lace trapping
element comprises two strips of flexible material each secured at
one end to one side of the lacing at a lower end of the threaded
lacing and an outer end capable of overlapping the other strip;
wherein the securing means comprises mating hook and loop fasteners
on each outer end of the strips.
10. The lace trapping device of claim 1 wherein the lace trapping
element comprises a single strips of flexible material secured at
one end to one side of the lacing at a lower end of the threaded
lacing and further comprising a loop of flexible material secured
to the footwear on an opposite side of the threaded lacing, wherein
the securing means comprises mating hook and loop fasteners with
one mating element of the hook and loop fasteners attached to an
outer end of the strip and another element of the mating hook and
loop fasteners attached to the end of the strip adjacent to the
footwear, so that the strip is capable of looping under the loop
and bending back over itself to engage the mating hook and loop
fasteners with the tied ends of the lacing under the strip.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates, in general, to shoe lace retainers,
and, in particular, to a lace trapping device for securing the tied
ends of the lacing which device can be attached to any type of
footwear having laces.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Conventional footwear is provided with laces or other
fasteners to act as closure means. Professional athletes, joggers,
young children and, in fact, all who wear shoes fastened with laces
are often faced with the annoyance of bow-knots which become untied
at inconvenient or hazardous times which might cause tripping over
the loose laces or catching them on something.
[0005] Ordinary laces readily loosen and become undone because they
are formed of relatively smooth woven yarn materials. Only the
inherent friction of the lace surface and the snugness of the knot
formed by the wearer determine the period of time that a knot will
remain tied.
[0006] Prior art devices attempting to address this problem are
generally elaborate, difficult to work with or ineffective.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. D453,413, issued Feb. 12, 2002 to Tsujino,
describes an ornamental design for a shoelace cover.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,854, issued Feb. 25, 1986 to Edens,
concerns a knot latch device for footwear that has a structure
readily adapted to receive a shoelace. The shoelace is then bowed
about a portion of the knot latch device, and the knot latch device
then folded about the bowed lace. The knot latch device includes a
plurality of mating hook and loop elements to fasten the device
securely about the bowed lace. Structure is included to mask at
least a portion of the knot latch device when the device is secured
about a bowed lace of the footwear.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,888, issued Mar. 19, 1991 to Miller, is
for a shoelace retainer that includes a flexible, elongated strap
member having a plurality of hook fastener elements on one surface
thereof and a plurality of complementary loop fastener elements on
an opposite surface thereof. A tab member having an elongated slot
is disposed at a first end of the strap member for attaching the
strap member to the footwear. The free ends of the shoelace are
passed through the slot and the ends are tied in a conventional bow
knot. The bow loops and free ends of the shoelace are placed on top
of the strap member and the strap member is rolled up and onto
itself, whereby the hook fastener elements become interlocked with
the loop fastener elements, thereby confining the bow loops and
free ends between convoluted layers.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,573, issued Dec. 15, 1992 to Clinch,
provides a miniature pouch device which is removably attachable to
the instep of a shoe for captivating the lace and bow used to tie
the shoe, and retain them in a neat small package which sits in the
location where the bow would normally reside on a conventional pair
of shoes.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,177, issued Jul. 20, 1999 to Jongejan,
shows a shoelace retention device for removably securing the loops
and tails of a bow tie knot of a shoelace in a close relationship
to the shoe. The inventive device includes the shoe lace retention
device comprising an elongate base member for mounting the shoe
lace retention device on a shoe, a central riser mounted on the
base member, and an elongate securing member mounted to the central
riser for holding the loops and tails of a bow tie knot of a shoe
lace in a position adjacent to the shoe.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,517, issued Sep. 30, 1997 to Gourley,
claims a shoelace safety guard that covers and retains the shoe
laces to prevent inadvertent snagging or other interference with
the laces when wearing shoes. An inner fastener element is attached
by a tab to the shoe lace at the furthest lace away from the point
at which the laces are tied. The shoelaces are then tied by a bow
over the inner fastener element. An outer fastener element attached
at a fold is then folded over onto the inner fastener element and
retained by a hook and loop material to cover and retain the laces.
The outer fastener element may have hook and loop material to allow
attachment of emblems, reflectors and other objects.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,787, issued Nov. 14, 1989 to Walls,
describes a shoelace knot securing device that comprises a body, a
pair of straps each having two ends wherein one end of each strap
is permanently attached to one end of the said body and the other
end of each strap is free and wherein the said straps extend
outward from the said end of the said body, and an anchor loop
provide at the other end of the said body. The said body is
provided with a fastener adapted to coact with a fastener on each
of the said straps to detachably couple the free end of each of the
said straps to the said body, and wherein each of the said straps
is provided with a fastener adapted to coact with a fastener on the
said body to detachably couple the said free ends of the said
straps to the said body.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,682, issued Aug. 30, 1988 to Malloy,
indicates a removable lace cover strap adapted for use about the
instep of a shoe having a knotted lace to prevent the untying
thereof. The lace cover has an elongated strap with an elastic
medial portion and opposite end portions with hook and loop
fastener patches for attaching the opposite end portions to each
other.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,483, issued Oct. 11, 1994 to Louviere,
puts forth a method and apparatus for lacing and securing a shoe
onto the foot using an elongated lace and the five spaced apart
holes in the shoe's collar on each side of the shoe's tongue. A two
part fastening clip includes a flat rectangular clip base having
spaced apart eyelets and an elongated slot and a clip lever
designed to mate in hinged relation with the clip base by insertion
of an enlarged cylindrical edge portion of the clip lever into the
elongated slot of the clip base and also having spaced apart
eyelets. The shoe lace passes through the shoe's holes on opposite
sides of the tongue, through the eyelets in the clip base, through
the eyelets in the base, through the eyelets in the clip lever, and
finally through the adjacent hole in the shoe collar. Then the two
ends of the lace are securely tied together leaving sufficient
slack to permit the foot to be inserted into the shoe. The clip
base and the clip lever are hingedly joined together by inserting
the clip lever's enlarged cylindrical edge into the slot in the
clip base and the clip lever is secured flat against the clip base
by locking means, thereby securing the laced shoe onto the
foot.
[0016] U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,936, issued Nov. 1, 1988 to Brecher,
illustrates footwear such as shoes, sneakers and the like with a
pair of flexible band members, one end of each flexible band member
being secured to a tongue of the footwear in the vicinity of a knot
tying together ends of laces for the footwear; the other, free ends
of the band member being movable between an unfastened position and
a releasably fastened position about a bow-knot formed in the tied
together shoe laces to impede the loosening of the bow-knot.
[0017] U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,500, issued Jul. 14, 1998 to
Illingworth, shows a knot securing device of particular benefit in
securing shoelace knots. The securing device is made from a
flexible material with a region having hook elements, a region
having loop elements and a pair of apertures in the flexible
material for allowing the open ends of a shoelace to pass through
from one surface of the material to the opposite surface of the
material, wherein the shoelace is then tied in a knot and the
regions with the hook and loop elements are brought into contact to
form a secure, but releasable, lock around the knot.
[0018] U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,119, issued Aug. 27, 1991 to Williams,
describes devices and methods for containing tied lace ends on
footwear. Each tied lace ends containment device comprises members
which affix the device to a shoe, enclose otherwise loose tied lace
ends including the bow to eliminate or greatly alleviate the
danger, annoyance of freely dangling lace ends, and firmly securely
engage the tie lace containment. A pocket is disclosed provided for
conveniently carrying valuables or other small items on the
footwear during an activity. Opportunity for placement of
fashionable designs or personal identification or the like is
provided.
[0019] What is needed is a simple lace guard which is inexpensive
to manufacture and easy to apply and use or one that is already
built into the footwear and that is easy to use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0020] A primary object of the present invention is to offer a
simple, inexpensive means for locking bow-knots in place.
[0021] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
lacing retainer to prevent the lacings from loosening after tying
and to prevent tripping or catching the lacings.
[0022] One more object of the present invention is to provide a
short strap device with a single slot for lacing the bottoms of the
lacing through the slot to attach the device to the footwear and a
cross-over hook and loop closure at the bottom of the lacings that
is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
[0023] An additional object of the present invention is to provide
a lacing retainer strap with a single slit that is easy to apply to
footwear by threading the lacings through the slit.
[0024] A further object of the present invention is to provide a
built-in Mating hook and loop fastener closing strap at the bottom
of the lacings on the footwear that is readily available and easy
to use.
[0025] An added object of the present invention a lacing guard
strap positioned at the bottom of the lacings so that it does not
interfere with the lacing operation.
[0026] In brief, a lace trapping device comprises a strip of
material having a closure means is either attachable the lacings of
a piece of footwear or built into the footwear at a point well
below the top of the laces where they are tied so that the device
does not interfere with tying the laces and yet is capable of
closing over the lace ends after the laces are tied.
[0027] The lace trapping device of the preferred after market
embodiment of the present invention is a piece of material with a
slit in the middle for the each end of the shoelace to pass through
as the shoe is being laced up (typically in the forward 1/3 of lace
area) to attach the device to the shoe and hook fasteners to one
side of the slit and loop fasteners on the other side of the slit
and opposite face of the material as the hooks so that when the two
ends overlap with the device in a closed loop configuration the
hook and loop fasteners adhere to one another. The lacing process
then continues as normal. After the device is attached to the shoe,
the user would tie the laces in a bow, open the device so that it
is lying flat on top of the shoe, then lay the tied ends of the
lacing on the open device. The user would then grab each end of the
lace trapping device and form a loop that traps them and is secured
by the hook and loop fasteners.
[0028] One OEM built-in embodiment of the present invention would
involve a strip of material about 2 inches long attached by the end
on one side of the shoe near the lace area with hook fasteners on
it about 1 inches long on what would be the bottom when the strip
is pushed down on over the top of the laces. There would be a patch
of loop fasteners attached on the top of the shoe on the opposite
side of the laces. After the user ties a bow, the loops and ends
would then be held together and brought toward the toe of the shoe
so that the strip, when pushed down to allow the hook fasteners to
engage with the loop fastener patch on the other side would again
"trap" the laces.
[0029] Alternate embodiments of the present invention include a
pair of flexible strips with enlarged ends which are normally
spaced apart but cross over each other and overlap with a tension
fit to retain the laces underneath the overlapping strips, two
flexible pieces normally spaced apart with holding tabs and mating
interlocking teeth on each piece that mutually engage when
overlapped to retain the laces underneath the interlocking strips,
and a flexible piece of material having two plates normally spaced
apart connected by a living hinge with mating click lock components
on each piece so that the two plates may be interlocked with the
laces inbetween thereby retaining the laces.
[0030] An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a
simple, inexpensive means for locking bow-knots in place.
[0031] Another advantage of the present invention is that it
prevents the lacings from loosening after tying and to prevent
tripping or catching the lacings.
[0032] One more advantage of the present invention is that it is
easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
[0033] An additional advantage of the present invention is that it
is easy to apply to existing footwear.
[0034] A further advantage of the present invention is that it may
be built into the footwear.
[0035] An added advantage of the present invention is that it does
not interfere with the lacing operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] These and other details of my invention will be described in
connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only
by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and
in which drawings:
[0037] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of
the lace trapping invention applied to a shoe;
[0038] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of
the lace trapping invention of FIG. 1 applied to a shoe in an
inverted position from that of FIG. 1;
[0039] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of
the lace trapping invention of FIG. 1 applied to a shoe with the
lace trapping invention closed over the tied lacings;
[0040] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of
the lace trapping invention of FIG. 1 showing the various parts of
the invention;
[0041] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the
lace trapping invention of FIG. 1 showing the various parts of the
invention;
[0042] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the preferred
embodiment of the lace trapping invention of FIG. 1 showing the
various parts of the invention;
[0043] FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the preferred embodiment of
the lace trapping invention of FIG. 1 showing the various parts of
the invention;
[0044] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of
the lace trapping invention built into a shoe with two parts to the
strap;
[0045] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the alternate embodiment of
the lace trapping invention of FIG. 8 with the strap closed over
the tied lacings;
[0046] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another alternate
embodiment of the lace trapping invention built into a shoe with a
single strap, attached to one side of the lacings, that passes
through a loop on the other side of the lacings and folds back to
fasten to itself;
[0047] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the alternate embodiment of
the lace trapping invention of FIG. 10 with the strap closed over
the tied lacings;
[0048] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another alternate
embodiment of the lace trapping invention having two tension arms
which interlock over each other to trap the tied lacings;
[0049] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the alternate embodiment of
the lace trapping invention of FIG. 12 with the two tension arms
interlocked over each other trapping the tied lacings;
[0050] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another alternate
embodiment of the lace trapping invention having a tension ring
with teeth which interlocks with mating teeth on another small ring
segment to trap the tied lacings;
[0051] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the alternate embodiment of
the lace trapping invention of FIG. 14 with the tension ring teeth
interlocking with mating teeth on another small ring segment
trapping the tied lacings;
[0052] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another alternate
embodiment of the lace trapping invention having two hinged
flexible tabs which interlock with a pronged snap element in one
tab snap fitting into an opening in the other tab to trap the tied
lacings between the tabs;
[0053] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the alternate embodiment of
the lace trapping invention of FIG. 16 with the two hinged flexible
tabs interlocked with a pronged snap element in one tab snap fit
into an opening in the other tab trapping the tied lacings between
the tabs.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0054] In FIGS. 1-17 a lace trapping device 20 and 20A-20K for
retaining the tied ends 31 of lacing on footwear 40 comprises a
lace trapping element 25, 25A-25F, and 16A-16D capable of being
attached to a piece of footwear 40 adjacent to a lower threaded
portion of the lacing 30 on the piece of footwear spaced from the
tied ends 31 of the lacing a sufficient distance to permit
unimpeded tying of the ends of the lacing. The lace trapping
element is capable of opening, as in FIGS. 1 and 2 to receive the
tied ends 31 of the lacing and capable of closing over the tied
ends 31 of the lacing and trapping the tied ends of the lacing as
in FIG. 3.
[0055] A securing means 21 and 22, 17, 14A and 14B, and 11 and 13
on the lace trapping element removably engages at least one end of
the lace trapping element with at least one other end of the lace
trapping element to bind the lace trapping element over the tied
ends 31 of the lacing.
[0056] The lace trapping device 20 has a lace trapping element
comprising a strip of flexible material 25, 25A-25E, and 16A-16D
having at least one opening 23, 23A and 23B to admit the lacing 30
through the opening while threading the lacing through eyelets in
the footwear 40 to attach the lace trapping element to the
footwear, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0057] In the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1-7, the lace trapping
element is a single strip of flexible material 25 having a central
opening 23 to receive the threaded lacing 30 and a mating piece of
hook and loop fasteners 21 and 22 at each end of the strip on
opposite sides of the strip so that the lacing is threaded into the
opening 23 in the middle of the strip 25, as in FIGS. 1 and 2 and
the two ends held open to receive the tied ends 31 of the lacing at
a lower end of the lacing and the two ends of the strip 25 held
open as in FIGS. 1 and 2 to receive the tied ends 31 of the lacing
and then the ends of the strip overlapped over the tied ends 31 of
the lacing and the mating hook and loop fasteners 21 and 22 are
secured together to form a loop around the tied ends 31 of the
lacing trapping them therein as in FIG. 3.
[0058] In FIGS. 12 and 13, an alternate embodiment of the lace
trapping device 20C, which also can be applied to existing
footwear, comprises a strip of flexible plastic material 25C having
an opening 23A centrally positioned on the strip of flexible
material 25C to receive the lacing 30 threaded through the opening
in a similar fashion to the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.
The lace trapping element comprises two tension arms 16A and 16B
attached to the flexible material 25C with one tension arm on each
side of the opening 23A. The tension arms 16A and 16B are normally
positioned apart and are capable of interlocking around each other
to trap the tied ends 31 of the lacing between the tension arms as
seen in FIG. 13. The tension of the arms trying to return to their
original separated positions holds them together. Each of the two
tension arms 16A and 16B further comprises an enlarged outer end 17
which contacts an enlarged outer end 17 on the other of the tension
arms to help retain the two interlocking tension arms together.
[0059] In FIGS. 14 and 15 another alternate embodiment of the lace
trapping device 20D, which also can be applied to existing
footwear, comprises a strip of flexible plastic material 25D having
an opening 23A centrally positioned on the strip of flexible
material 25D to receive the lacing 30 threaded through the opening
in a similar fashion to the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2,
and the lace trapping element comprises a tension ring segment 16C
attached to the material one side of the opening and a smaller
tension ring segment 16D on the other side of the opening. The
tension ring segments each have mating teeth 14A and 14B and the
tension ring segments are capable of interlocking the mating teeth
14A and 14B to form a ring around the tied ends 31 of the lacing to
trap the tied ends 31 of the lacing therein, as in FIG. 15.
[0060] In FIGS. 16 and 17 another alternate embodiment of the lace
trapping device 20E, which also can be applied to existing
footwear, comprises a strip of flexible plastic material 25E having
a series of openings 23B centrally positioned on the strip of
flexible material 25E to receive the lacing 30 threaded through the
opening in a similar fashion to the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1
and 2 but with the lacing 30 cross threaded through the holes 23B,
wherein the strip of flexible material 25E with the openings has a
second sheet of flexible material 25F hinged thereto by a living
hinge 12 and the securing means comprises a pronged snap element 13
protruding from the strip of flexible material 25E adjacent to the
openings and the second sheet of flexible material 25 F has a
mating snap element opening 11 therethrough so that the pronged
snap element 13 is capable of snap fitting in the snap element
opening 11 to trap the tied ends 31 of the lacing between the two
sheets of flexible material as seen in FIG. 17.
[0061] In FIGS. 8 and 9, an alternate embodiment of the lace
trapping device 20A to be applied to a new shoe by a manufacturer
has a lace trapping element comprising a single strip of flexible
material 25A secured by sewing or other means at one end 18 to one
side of the lacing at a lower end of the threaded lacing on the
piece of footwear 40. An outer end of the strip of material 25A has
a hook side 21 of a mating hook and loop fastener and a strip
having the loop side 22 of the mating hook and loop fastener is
attached by sewing or other means to an opposite side of the
lacing. After placing the tied ends 31 of the lacing over the
threaded lacing 30, the strip of flexible material 25A is capable
of overlapping the tied ends 31 of the lacing and the hook side 21
on the strip of material 25A is capable of connecting with the
mating loop strip 22 of the mating hook and loop fastener to secure
the tied ends 31 of the lacing under the strip of material 25A, as
in FIG. 9.
[0062] In FIGS. 10 and 11, an alternate embodiment of the lace
trapping device 20B to be applied to a new shoe by a manufacturer
has a lace trapping element comprising a single strip of flexible
material 25B secured by sewing or other means at one end 18 to one
side of the lacing at a lower end of the threaded lacing on the
piece of footwear 40. And the device further comprises a loop 19 of
flexible material secured to the footwear 40 on an opposite side of
the threaded lacing. The securing means comprises mating hook and
loop fasteners with one mating element 22 of the hook and loop
fasteners attached to an outer end of the strip and another element
21 of the mating hook and loop fasteners attached to the end of the
strip adjacent to the footwear, so that the strip 20B is capable of
looping under the loop 19 and bending back over itself to engage
the mating hook and loop fasteners with the tied ends 31 of the
lacing under the strip.
[0063] In practice, the user would thread the shoelaces 30 through
the first eyelets of the shoe, thread the laces 30 through the hole
23 of the device 20 as the shoe 40 is being laced up, typically in
the forward 1/3 of lace 30 area (as shown in FIG. 1-3), and
continue to thread the laces 30 through the remaining shoe 40
eyelets. Once the lace trapping device 20 is attached to the shoe
40, the user would tie the laces 30, open the Mating hook and loop
fastener 21 and 22 so that the lace trapping device 20 is laying
flat on top of the shoe 40 (as shown in FIG. 2). The tied ends 31
of the lacing are then laid on top of the lace trapping device 20.
The user would then overlap the ends of the lace trapping device 20
and form a loop that traps the tied ends 31 of the lacing, thereby
securing them with the hook 21 and loop 22 fasteners (as shown in
FIG. 3).
[0064] In practice, the OEM built-in embodiment of the present
invention 20C (as shown in FIG. 10 and 11) would be used by
threading the strip 25C through a loop 19, located on the opposite
side of the laces 30 from the attachment end 18 of the strip 25C.
Then, while leaving the device 20C open, the user would tie the
laces 30. There would be a patch of loop fasteners 22 attached on
the top of the strip 25C, near the attachment end 18. After the
user ties a bow, the loops and-ends of the laces 31 would then be
held together and brought toward the toe of the shoe 40 so that the
strip 25C, when pushed down to allow the hook fasteners 21 to
engage with the loop fastener 22 patch on the other side would
again "trap" the laces ends 31 (as shown in FIG. 11).
[0065] In practice, the embodiment represented in FIG. 8 and 9
would be used by first tying the lacing. The tied ends 31 of the
lacing would then be held together and brought toward the toe of
the shoe 40 so that the strip 25A could overlap the tied ends 31 of
the lacing and the hook fasteners 21 on the strip 25A would engage
the loop fastener 22 patch on the other side (as shown in FIG. 9)
to trap the tied ends 31 of the lacing.
[0066] In practice, the embodiment represented in FIG. 12 and 13
would be used by first tying the lacing. Next, the user would draw
the tied ends 31 of the lacing between two tension arms 16A and 16B
with enlarged ends 17 that are normally spaced apart (as shown in
FIG. 12). The two tension arms 16A and 16B cross over each other
and overlap with a tension fit (as shown in FIG. 13) to retain the
tied ends 31 of the lacing.
[0067] In practice, the embodiment represented in FIG. 14 and 15
would be used by first tying the lacing. Next, the user would draw
the tied ends 31 of the lacing between the tension ring segments
16C and 16D that are normally spaced apart (as shown in FIG. 14).
By pressing the holding tabs 15 bringing tension ring segments 16C
and 16D together, the interlocking teeth 14A and 14B mutually
engage when overlapped to retain the tied ends 31 of the lacing
therebetween (as shown in FIG. 15).
[0068] In practice, the embodiment represented in FIG. 16 and 17
would be used by first tying the lacing. Next, the user would place
the tied ends 31 of the lacing inbetween the two hinged strips of
flexible material 25E and 25F. The pronged snap element 13 is snap
fit into the snap element opening 11 to trap the tied ends 31 of
the lacing between the two sheets of flexible material as seen in
FIG. 17.
[0069] It is understood that the preceding description is given
merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the
invention and that various modifications may be made thereto
without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.
* * * * *