U.S. patent application number 11/475120 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-28 for lace end connector and method of use.
Invention is credited to Scott Crumrine, Jason Mendes.
Application Number | 20060288557 11/475120 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36716981 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060288557 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Crumrine; Scott ; et
al. |
December 28, 2006 |
Lace end connector and method of use
Abstract
The present invention discloses a lace end assembly having a
male end connector and a female end connector. The lace end
assembly uses an integrated magnet in one connector that interacts
with another magnet in the other connector to couple the
connectors. The male end connector is adapted to retain a knotted
end of a pair of laces, such as found in a wakeboard binding. The
female end connector is mounted on the wakeboard binding. The male
end connector includes a protrusion that houses a first magnet. The
female end connector includes a body portion that houses a second
magnet. The female end connector also includes a cavity. The cavity
receives the male end connector to allow the magnet to align and
link magnetically, thus securing the lace ends to the binding.
Inventors: |
Crumrine; Scott; (Carlsbad,
CA) ; Mendes; Jason; (Carlsbad, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CLARK & BRODY
1090 VERMONT AVENUE, NW
SUITE 250
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Family ID: |
36716981 |
Appl. No.: |
11/475120 |
Filed: |
June 27, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60693793 |
Jun 27, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
29/428 ;
24/712.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43C 9/06 20130101; Y10T
24/3703 20150115; Y10T 29/49826 20150115; A43C 7/02 20130101; A43B
1/0054 20130101; A43C 7/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
029/428 ;
024/712.1 |
International
Class: |
B21D 39/03 20060101
B21D039/03; A43C 7/00 20060101 A43C007/00 |
Claims
1. A lace end assembly for securing loose lace ends of a binding
comprising: a male end connector having means for retaining ends of
a pair of laces, the male end connector having a protrusion, the
protrusion including a first magnet; and a female end connector
having a body portion having a second magnet therein, the body
portion forming a second cavity, the second cavity adapted to
receive the protrusion of the male end connector for magnetic
holding as a result of interaction between the first and second
magnets, the female end connector adapted to be mounted to the
binding.
2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the binding comprises a shoe, a
wakeboard binding or the like or any other article that would use
laces for retention purposes.
3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the retaining means further
comprising a male end body having a first cavity sized to retain
the knotted end, the first cavity including an opening to allow the
pair of laces to pass therethrough.
4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first cavity is formed in
an underside of the male end body.
5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the female end connector
includes a unshaped extension that extends from the body portion
and is sized to surround a portion of a periphery of a male end
connector when the female and male end connectors are linked.
6. A binding including the lace end assembly of claim 1, wherein
the female end connector is mounted to a portion of the
binding.
7. The foot binding of claim 6, wherein the binding is a wakeboard
binding.
8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the male and female ends are
molded, and the first and second magnets are respectively
overmolded into the male and female end connectors.
9. A method of securing laces in a binding comprising the steps of:
securing a pair of laces to a male end connector of a lace end
assembly; and magnetically linking the male end connector to a
female end connector mounted to a binding to retain the lace ends
in place.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of using the
lace end assembly of claim 1 for the securing and magnetic linking
steps.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the lace ends are knotted and
the knot is held by the male connector.
Description
[0001] This application claims priority from provisional patent
application No. 60/693,793 filed on Jun. 27, 2005, which is hereby
incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to lace ends. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a lace end
connection to secure the laces using magnets.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Laces are used in a variety of devices. Laces can provide
light, low cost support for holding and securing items. Most
notably, laces are tied together to keep shoes on one's feet. Users
desire laces that are lightweight and sturdy.
[0004] One drawback with laces is that they can become unraveled
over time, use and exposure. Frayed laces make it very hard to
secure the laces or to tie them together. Eventually, one has to
buy new laces or somehow repair the old ones. Further, laces tend
to get caught or untied during physical activities. Some current
lace-end designs have a plastic clip that is clipped to the laces
on a binding to prevent these shortcomings. The clip, however,
tends to become unclipped during use, thereby causing problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Thus, a lace end connection is disclosed that is novel and
unobvious over known lace end connections, and solves the problems
and shortcoming discussed above. According to the disclosed
embodiments, a lace end assembly for securing loose ends of a foot
binding is disclosed. The lace end assembly includes a male end
connector having means for retaining a knotted end of a pair of
laces. The male end connector has a protrusion. The protrusion
includes a first magnet. The lace end assembly includes a female
end connector having a body portion having a second magnet therein.
The body portion forms a second cavity. The second cavity is
adapted to receive the protrusion of the male end connector for
magnetic holding as a result of interaction between the first and
second magnets. The female end is adapted to be mounted to the foot
binding.
[0006] The invention also entails a method of securing laces in a
foot binding. The method includes passing a pair of laces through
an opening in a male end connector of a lace end assembly. The
method also includes knotting ends of the pair of laces. The male
end connector has a cavity to retain the knot. The method also
includes magnetically linking the male end connector to a female
end connector mounted to a foot binding to retain the knotted lace
end in place.
[0007] With the male and female components, lace end connections
will not become unclipped or separate during use. The male end
connector includes a hole and a cavity to accept the laces. The
male end connector also provides a space to hold the knot of the
laces in the hole. The male end connector also includes a magnet
that has been overmolded.
[0008] The female end connector is stitched into an item to secure
the lace end assembly to a product. The female end connector
includes a magnet as well. The female end connector is configured
to accept the male end connector. The magnets hold the connectors
together to prevent the laces from coming loose during use or
becoming frayed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide
further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and
further constitute a part of the specification, illustrate
embodiments of the present invention. Together with the
description, the figures listed below serve to explain and disclose
the principles of the invention.
[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a male end connector of a lace end
assembly according to the disclosed embodiments.
[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates a bottom view of the male end connector
of FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 3 illustrates a female end connector of a lace end
assembly according to the disclosed embodiments.
[0013] FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the female end connector
of FIG. 3.
[0014] FIG. 5 illustrates a lace end assembly attached to a binding
according to the disclosed embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of
the present invention. Examples of the embodiments are illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
[0016] FIG. 1 depicts a male end connector 106 of a lace end
assembly according to the disclosed embodiments. Male end connector
106 may be made of plastic or other materials that are lightweight
and durable. Male end connector 106 is broken into several sections
that allow connector 106 to be fitted with a female end connector
of the lace end assembly, disclosed in greater detail below.
[0017] Laces 102 and 104 have ends that are enclosed by male end
connector 106. Laces 102 and 104 may be comprised of known
materials used for making laces, such as nylon, cotton, and the
like. Laces 102 and 104 may extend away from male end connector to
join together as one single item or stay separate. Laces 102 and
104 also may tie together. No matter the configuration or
composition, laces 102 and 104 are used to tie something down, or
hold something. Laces 102 and 104 also are used to tie shoes
together.
[0018] The present invention enables the ends of laces 102 and 104
to be secured. For example, laces 102 and 104 may be part of a
wakeboard binding that acts as a boot for use on wakeboards. Loose
lace end can be uncomfortable or pose as a safety threat to
boarders by flying around or getting caught on equipment. An
assembly to secure laces keeps the lace ends from becoming loose or
breaking during use. The present invention, however, is not limited
to wakeboard bindings, and is applicable to any use where lace ends
need to be secured, such as shoes, snowboarding boots, combat
boots, sneakers, athletic shoes and the like that employ laces.
Thus, in the present invention, a binding refers to any article
that uses laces, whereby the lace ends need to be secured.
[0019] Male end connector 106 includes protrusion 107 and upper
portion 110. Protrusion 107 is located at the end of male end
connector 106 opposite laces 102 and 104. Protrusion 107 has a flat
shape that is inserted into the appropriate section of female end
connector, disclosed below. The height of protrusion 107 is smaller
when compared to other sections of male end connector 106.
Protrusion 107 also encloses a magnet 108.
[0020] Protrusion 107 is connected to slope 116, which leads into
ridge portion 114. Slope 116 and ridge portion 114 also help secure
male end connector 106 into the female end connector. Upper portion
110 connects to ridge portion 114 via slope 112. Upper portion 110
is the highest portion of male end connector 106. Upper portion 110
preferably is large enough to house the ends of laces 102 and 104.
Upper portion 110 also may be the part of male end connector 106
that is not placed in contact with a female end portion, as
disclosed below.
[0021] FIG. 2 depicts a bottom view of male end connector 106 of
FIG. 1 according to the disclosed embodiments. Male end connector
106 includes all the portions disclosed above as well as cavity
206. Cavity 206 is sized to fit within upper portion 110 and to
retain knotted end 202 of laces 102 and 104. Cavity 206 also
includes opening 204. Opening 204 preferably is circular in shape,
with a diameter large enough to fit the knotted end 202. Opening
204 should be large enough to allow access to knotted end 202.
Opening 205 within male end connector 106 allow laces 102 and 104
to enter cavity 206. Opening 205 should be large enough to
accommodate knotted end 202.
[0022] Protrusion 107 includes magnet 108, as disclosed above.
Thus, male end connector 106 includes magnet 108 to facilitate a
connection with a female end connector, and a cavity to enclose
lace ends 202.
[0023] FIG. 3 depicts a female end connector 300 of a lace end
assembly according to the disclosed embodiments. Female end
connector 300 is the part of assembly 100 that is attached to the
shoe, clothing or other article to which male end connector 106 is
to be secured. Female end connector 300 may be attached to the
binding, by any means known. For example, female end connector 300
may be attached to fabric using an adhesive, with the fabric then
stitched to the binding.
[0024] Female end connector 300 includes aperture 302 along one
side. Preferably, aperture 302 is along the widest side of female
end connector 300 to fit the wider end of male end connector 106
that is opposite protrusion 107. Aperture 302 acts as a hole in the
bottom of female end connector 300. Aperture 302 and female end
connector 300 are defined by base 304, which surrounds the
connector. Base 304 represents a border for female end connector
300 that is attached to the article.
[0025] Slope 308 tapers up female end connector 300 from base 304
to upper portion 306. Slope 308 may be a gradual slope to accept
protrusion 107 and slope 116 of male end connector 106, shown in
FIG. 1. Upper portion 306 represents the top portion of female end
connector 300. Upper portion 306 also houses magnet 310. Magnet 310
corresponds to magnet 108 within male end connector 106. The
polarity or configuration of magnet 310 is such that magnet 108 is
attracted by the magnetic forces of magnet 130.
[0026] Once aligned, magnets 108 and 310 will couple together to
secure male end connector 106 and female end connector 300. Thus,
magnet 310 should be located in upper portion 306 so that it is
aligns with magnet 108 when protrusion 107 is within female end
connector 300 for coupling male end connector 106 with female end
connector 300.
[0027] FIG. 4 depicts a side view of female end connector 300 shown
in FIG. 3. Base 304, slope 308 and upper portion 306 are shown.
Further, aperture 302 is shown as extending out from underneath
upper portion 306 to provide a through hole in female end connector
300. Magnet 310 also is shown in female end connector 300.
[0028] Female end connector 300 also includes a cavity 400 that is
formed by slope 308 and upper portion 306. Slope 308 extends around
the narrower side of base 304 to upper portion 306 to form cavity
400. Aperture 302 and cavity 400 join to provide an open area along
the bottom of female end connector 300 that is surrounded by base
304. Thus, protrusion 107, slope 116 and ridge 114 fit inside
cavity 400. Male end connector 106 is secured within female end
connector 300. Moreover, cavity 400 is of a size to allow magnets
108 and 310 to be aligned with each other. Female end connector 300
is sized to surround the periphery of male end connector 106 so
that portions of each connector are connectable.
[0029] Besides the physical fit provided by connectors 106 and 300,
the present invention holds the connectors together magnetically as
a result of the interaction between magnets 108 and 310. The
magnetic forces of the present invention prevents connectors 106
and 300 from being separated, but without the need of plastic
connectors, hooks or any other device that may break, be worn down
or broken off.
[0030] Thus, when male end connector 106 is secured with female end
connector 300, laces, such as laces 102 and 104 shown in FIG. 1,
may be held in place. Further, the ends of laces 102 and 104 may be
prevented from fraying or unraveling. Laces 102 and 104 are not
loose so as to get caught on anything or become untied during
activities. For example, lace ends of laces for a binding are
placed within the lace end assembly to secure the laces. The
magnetic coupling provided by connectors 106 and 300 prevent the
laces from coming loose.
[0031] FIG. 5 depicts a lace end assembly 518 attached to a binding
500. Binding 500 includes binding portion 502, heel portion 506 and
sole 504. Portions 502 and 504 may be stitched together, along with
sole 504. Preferably, binding 500 is a binding made for sporting
activities, particularly, wakeboard activities. Binding 500 may
attach to a board or other equipment while the user is wearing
binding 500.
[0032] Lace end assembly 518 secures loose ends of laces 102 and
104. Laces 102 and 104, as disclosed above, may tie together to
keep binding 500 on the foot of a user. Lace end assembly 518
includes female end connector 300 and male end connector 106 that
are coupled magnetically with each other. Magnets, like magnets 108
and 310 disclosed above, secure the connectors to each other. Base
304 extends from female end connector 300 to seat male end
connector 106. In other words, male end connector 106 sits within
the area defined by base 304 and the cavity defined by female end
connector 300.
[0033] Lace end assembly 518 is attached to binding portion 502 by
fabric 520. Fabric 520 may be stitched together with binding
portion 502. Base 304 is secured to fabric 520 to hold lace end
assembly 518 in place.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 5, female end connector 300 and male end
connector 106 are separate and divided by line 532. When uncoupled,
male end connector 106 should not be in contact with binding 500,
and is unseated from base 304. Male end connector 106 may be
uncoupled from female end connector 300 by simply pressing male end
connector 106 into the hole defined by base 304 on fabric 520. Male
end connector 106 then may be pulled out from female end connector
300 so that laces 102 and 104 disconnect from binding 500.
[0035] Laces 102 and 104 still have their ends enclosed by male end
connector 106 through hole 205. Male end connector 106 also
includes a cavity to fit the ends of laces 102 and 104. When a user
wishes to remove male end assembly 106 from laces 102 and 104, the
knotted ends within male end connector 106 are untied so that each
lace can be removed via hole 205.
[0036] In accordance with the above description, the present
invention also provides for a method of securing laces in a
binding, such as a wakeboard binding. The method can be used by a
wearer of the binding that would like to keep the laces from coming
loose. Referring to FIGS. 1-5 above, the method includes passing a
pair of laces, such as laces 102 and 104, through opening 205 in
male end connector 106 of lace end assembly 518. The method also
includes knotting ends of the pair of laces 102 and 104, as shown
by knotted end 202 above. Male end connector 106 includes cavity
206 to retain knotted end 202. The method also includes
magnetically linking male end connector 106 to female end connector
300 mounted on binding 500 to retain knotted end 202 in place.
[0037] Although the shapes of male end connector 106 and female end
connector 300, as well as the overall shape of lace end assembly
518, are as shown above, the embodiments of the present invention
are not so limited. The male end connector and female end connector
have complementary shapes that may take any form as long as the
connectors can engage each other. Further, the cavities within the
connectors may be of any shape or size, and are not limited to the
cavities disclosed above. The alignment of the magnets also is not
limited to being in the middle of the lace end assembly. The
magnets may be located within the respective connectors so as the
magnets can align with each other. In turn, the connectors and
cavities may be any shape or size as long as the magnets are
aligned with each other when the lace end assembly is
connected.
[0038] Moreover, the present invention may incorporate the magnets
in the male end connector and the female end connector in any
manner known to those skilled in the art. FIGS. 1-5 disclose that
the magnets are placed in the connectors by overmolding. The
embodiments of the present invention are not so limited. The
magnets can be made part of the connectors in any way. For example,
an alternative may be gluing the magnets to the connectors. The
present invention also is not limited to any specific configuration
with regard to the type or shape of the magnets.
[0039] While the lace ends are shown as being knotted in a cavity
of the male connector for retaining purposes, the lace ends could
be secured to the male connector in any known fashion, just as long
as they are retained in the connector so that the lace ends can
then be secured to the binding. For example, the male connector
could have spring clip that would engage the ends of the laces and
retain them to the male connector. As another example, the male
connector could have a loop that the ends of the laces tie to for
retention purposes.
[0040] While one pair of connectors is shown, the binding could
have two pairs of connectors, one on each side of the binding to
accommodate two sets of lace pairs.
[0041] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
modifications and variations can be made of the present invention
without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus,
it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications
and variations of the subject matter disclosed above provided that
they come within the scope of the claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *