Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43C—FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
  • A43C3/00—Hooks for laces; Guards for hooks

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a lacing hook for laced fastenings according to the preamble to the main claim.
• lacing hooks are used widely for guiding the laces suitably on the upper of the footwear .
• One of the problems encountered with known lacing hooks lies in the resistance due to friction which these hooks offer to the sliding of the lace, which may make it difficult to fasten the footwear with the desired tension.
• the problem upon which the present invention is based is that of providing a lacing hook which is designed structurally and functionally to prevent all of the problems complained of with reference to the prior art mentioned.
• An advantage achieved by the hook of the present invention is that it permits effective and rapid sliding of the lace with low sliding friction during both fastening and unfastening, at the same time forming a particularly strong hook which is free of sharp surfaces, and which can hold the lace in position once it is housed in the channel of the hook.
• Another advantage is that of providing a lacing hook with a monolithic structure such that it requires no pre-assembly operations .
• Figures 1 and 2 are a plan view and a side elevational view, respectively, of a first embodiment of the lacing hook according to the invention
• Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 of a second embodiment of the lacing hook according to the invention.
• Figures 4 and 5 are views corresponding to Figures 1 and 2, respectively, of a third embodiment of the lacing hook according to the invention.
• Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 5 of a fourth embodiment of the lacing hook according to the invention.
• Figures 7 and 8 are a plan view and a side elevational view, respectively, of a fifth embodiment of a lacing hook according to the present invention.
• Figure 9 and 10 are views corresponding to Figures 7 and 8, respectively, of a sixth embodiment of the lacing hook according to the invention.
• a first embodiment of a lacing hook formed in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated 1.
• the hook 1 comprises an attachment plate 2 having through-holes 3 for the fixing of the hook 1 to a respective portion 4 of a footwear upper, shown only partially ( Figure 2) , by means of rivets 5 or similar fixing means.
• the plate 2 is extended to form a first cheek 6 and a second cheek 7 together defining a channel 8 which has a closed base 9 and is open on the opposite side with a mouth 10.
• the surface of the base 9 defines a lacing surface over which a lace 11 can be guided for sliding and which has a substantially toroidal shape.
• the toroidal surface of the base 9 is defined by the rotation of a first arc of a circle, indicated 12 in Figure 2, about an axis on which a second arc of a circle, indicated 13 in Figure 1, is centred. It should be noted that both arcs 12 and 13 extend through respective angles of between approximately 15° and 180° and preferably in the region of the higher value indicated above.
• the lace 11 is thus guided on the curved base of the channel 9 without breaks in continuity, particularly in the regions in which the lace enters and leaves the hook ( Figure 1) , thus offering the best possible sliding and preventing damage to the lace due to repeated changes in its curvature. It is envisaged that the curvature of the arc 14 may be variable along its length.
• the base 9 with the toroidal surface is formed integrally with the hook 1 during the formation thereof, for example, by the stamping technique.
• the hook 1 thus produced therefore has a monolithic structure which can make it particularly strong.
• a narrow portion formed at the mouth 10 of the channel 8 is defined by a lip 14 at the end of the cheek 7, facing the opposite cheek 6 and projecting towards the latter in order to restrict the mouth.
• the narrow portion of the mouth 10 constitutes restraining means for holding the lace 11 close to the lacing surface of the base 9 once the lace is engaged in the channel 8.
• the peripheral edge 15 of the hook is turned over towards the outside of the channel and is bent onto the corresponding cheek so as to allow for ample sliding of the lace engaged in the hook, at the same time eliminating any regions in which there is friction and consequently wear of the lace against the lacing surfaces of the hook.
• a second embodiment of the lacing hook formed in accordance with the present invention is indicated 20. Details similar to those of the previous embodiment are indicated by the same reference numerals.
• the hook 20 differs from the hook 1 in that a narrow portion at the mouth 10 is produced by the bending of an end lip 21 of the cheek 7 towards the inside of the channel to form an eye.
• Figures 4 and 5 show a third embodiment of the lacing hook according to the invention, generally indicated 30.
• the hook 30 has a rivet- shaped appendage 31 formed integrally with the hook and projecting from the cheek 6 in order to engage a corresponding hole formed in the footwear upper in order to fix the hook to the footwear.
• FIG 6 a variant of the hook of Figures 4 and 5 is indicated 40 and differs in that, as in the hook 20, it has a narrow portion at the mouth 10 formed by bending of the end lip of the cheek 7 towards the inside of the channel 8 to form an eye.
• the hook 50 comprises a first portion and a second portion articulated to one another.
• the first portion comprises an attachment plate 52 having a single hole 53 for the fixing of the hook to the footwear upper by means of a rivet or the like.
• the second portion comprises a pair of opposed cheeks 56, 57 together defining a duct 58 having, on one side, a base 59 the toroidal-shaped surface of which constitutes a lacing surface for the sliding of a lace, not shown in the drawings.
• the duct 58 is closed on the opposite side by an extension of the cheek 57 which extends as far as the opposite cheek 56.
• Figures 9 and 10 show a sixth embodiment of the lacing hook according to the invention, generally indicated 60.
• the hook 60 differs from the hook of the previous embodiment substantially in that it has a monolithic structure in which the two hook portions are formed as a single piece.
• a plurality of projections, indicated 61, serve to improve the anchorage of the hook to the portion of the upper on which it is fitted.
• the invention thus solves the problem set, achieving the advantages indicated above in comparison with known solutions.

Landscapes

• Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)
• Knitting Of Fabric (AREA)
• Braiding, Manufacturing Of Bobbin-Net Or Lace, And Manufacturing Of Nets By Knotting (AREA)
• Decoration Of Textiles (AREA)
• Materials For Medical Uses (AREA)
• Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)
• Surgical Instruments (AREA)
• Slide Fasteners, Snap Fasteners, And Hook Fasteners (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=11391914

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (47)

Family Cites Families (9)

• 1997
  • 1997-09-19 IT IT97PD000211A patent/IT1294665B1/it active IP Right Grant
• 1998
  • 1998-09-03 AU AU94397/98A patent/AU9439798A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-09-03 DE DE69801005T patent/DE69801005T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-09-03 EP EP98947511A patent/EP1014822B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-09-03 CA CA002304053A patent/CA2304053A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-09-03 WO PCT/EP1998/005593 patent/WO1999015043A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1998-09-03 AT AT98947511T patent/ATE202457T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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