EP2499927A1

EP2499927A1 - Decorated lacing

Info

Publication number: EP2499927A1
Application number: EP11158327A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lien-Chun Tai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-03-15
Filing date: 2011-03-15
Publication date: 2012-09-19

Abstract

A decorated lacing includes: a lacing element (3); a connection member (4) fixed to an end of the lacing element (3) and formed with a screw thread (421); and an ornament (5) having an ornamental piece (50) and a coupler (51) disposed on the ornamental piece (50) and connected threadedly to the screw thread (421).

Description

This invention relates to a lacing, more particularly to an assembled type decorated lacing.
Referring to Fig. 1, as disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model No. M349208 , a lacing 1 used as a shoestring has a lacing element 11 which includes two free ends 111 (only one of the free ends 111 is shown) . The lacing 1 further includes a plastic or metallic sleeve 12 to surround the free end 111 of the lacing element 11 by wrapping or integrally-forming techniques. The sleeve 12 has a cylindrical shape with an opening 121 to allow the free end 111 of the lacing element 11 to be fitted thereinto.
However, because the lacing 1 of Taiwanese Utility Model No. M349208 has a monotonous and unattractive appearance, a lacing with ornaments has been proposed. Referring to Fig. 2, as disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model No. M363227 , a decorated lacing 2 used as a shoestring has a lacing element 20 which includes two free ends 201 (only one of the free ends 201 is shown) . The decorated lacing 2 further includes a sleeve 22 having a hollow cylindrical portion 221 to allow the free end 201 of the lacing element 20 to be fitted therein, and an ornament-connecting portion 222 extending from the hollow cylindrical portion 221 and formed with a loop 223. An ornament 200 may be hangingly engaged with the loop 223 by passing therethrough so as to provide a changeable appearance to the decorated lacing 2.
However, since the hollow cylindrical portion 221 and the ornament-connecting portion 222 have different shapes, the engagement between the lacing element 20 and the sleeve 22 cannot impart the decorated lacing 2 with an integral and harmonious appearance- Moreover, the ornament 200 is easily removed from the loop 223 of the ornament-connecting portion 222 due to hanging engagement therebetween.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a decorated lacing that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks associated with the prior art.
According to this invention, there is provided a decorated lacing, comprising:

a lacing element;
a connection member fixed to an end of the lacing element and formed with a screw thread; and
an ornament having an ornamental piece and a coupler disposed on the ornamental piece and connected threadedly to the screw thread.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a lacing disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model No. M349208 ;
Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a decorated lacing disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model No. M363227 ;
Fig. 3 is a fragmentary partly exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a decorated lacing according to the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a fragmentary partly exploded perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of a decorated lacing according to the present invention;
Fig.5 is a perspective view to illustrate the second preferred embodiment of a decorated lacing according to the present invention when applied to a shoe;
Fig.6 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of a decorated lacing according to the present invention; and
Fig. 7 is a side view of the fourth preferred embodiment of a decorated lacing according to the present invention.

Before the present invention is described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying preferred embodiments, it should be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
Referring to Fig. 3, the first preferred embodiment of a decorated lacing according to the present invention includes a lacing element 3, a connection member 4 and an ornament 5.
The lacing element 3 may be made of a material selected fromametal, a plastic, a fabric and the like. Preferably, the lacing element 3 is elastic and is made of a plastic or fabric material.
The connection member 4 is fixed to an end of the lacing element 3 and is formed with a screw thread 421. Preferably, the connection member 4 includes a tubular portion 41 fixed to the lacing element 3, and a protrusion 42 protruding from the tubular portion 41 and opposite to the lacing element 3, and the screw thread 421 is formed around the protrusion 42. The connection member 4 is made from a metal in this embodiment.
The ornament 5 has a tubular ornamental piece 50 and a coupler 51 disposed on the ornamental piece 50 and connected threadedly to the screw thread 421. Preferably, the coupler 51 is formed as a female thread to engage the screw thread 421 of the protrusion 42. By virtue of the threaded engagement between the coupler 51 and the protrusion 42, the coupler 51 of the ornament 5 and the connection member 4 are able to present a one-piece appearance. The ornament is also made from a metal in this embodiment.
Alternatively, the thread engagement between the coupler 51 and the connection member 4 may be achieved by forming the coupler 51 as a protrusion that protrudes from the ornamental piece 50 and that is formed with a screw thread therearound, and forming a female thread instead of the protrusion 42 on the tubular portion 41. Moreover, by means of this kind of more reliable threaded engagement, untimely disengagement of the ornament 5 from the connection member 4 can be alleviated.
Fig- 4 illustrates the second preferred embodiment of a decorated lacing according to the present invention. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in that the ornamental piece 50 is formed in the shape of a butterfly. As mentioned above, the lacing element 3 of the decorated lacing of this invention may be made from different raw materials, such as a metal, fabric or plastic material. Hence, the assembly of the connection member 4 and the ornament 5 may be applied to various kinds of lacing elements 3 dependent upon the intended applications, such as a shoestring, a hair strap, an elastic strap of a trouser or a skirt and the like. Besides, the ornament 5 may be manually separated from the connection member 4 due to the threaded engagement therebetween. Hence, the user may select one ornament 5 having a preferable design of the ornamental piece 50 from a plurality of ornaments 5 having various designs of the ornamental pieces 50, as long as all the ornaments 5 have the couplers 51 adapted to be threadedly engaged with the connection member 4.
Fig. 5 illustrates an example of the application of the second preferred embodiment of this invention, wherein the decorated lacing is used as a shoestring. The ornaments 5 are at first manually separated from connection members 4 fixed on two ends of the lacing element 3. The lacing element 3 together with the connection members 4 is subsequently strung through the holes of a shoe, and finally the ornaments 5 are threadedly engaged with the corresponding connection members 4, respectively.
Fig. 6 illustrates the third preferred embodiment of a decorated lacing according to the present invention. The third embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that the ornament 5 has a plurality of the ornamental pieces 50, which are interconnected to each other, the coupler 51 being formed on one of the ornamental pieces 50. Preferably, the ornamental pieces 50 are interconnected through male and female screw fasteners 52, 53. Moreover, the plurality of the ornamental pieces 50 may have different shapes from each other.
Fig. 7 illustrates the fourth preferred embodiment of a decorated lacing according to the present invention. The fourth embodiment differs from the third embodiment in that one of the ornamental pieces 50 has an inverted Y shape, and two ends of the inverted Y shaped ornamental piece 50 are interconnected through male and female screw fasteners 52, 53 with two other ornamental pieces 50 that each have a butterfly shape, respectively.
In view of the foregoing, by virtue of the threaded engagement between the coupler 51 of the ornament 5 and the connection member 4, the coupler 51 and the connection member 4 may have a one-piece appearance, and the ornament 5 can be firmly yet detachably secured to the connection member 4. Furthermore, the connection member 4 may match a plurality of ornaments 5 having different ornamental pieces 50 such that the ornament 5 of the decorated lacing of this invention is replaceable based on the user's preference.

Claims

A decorated lacing, comprising:
a lacing element (3);

a connection member (4) fixed to an end of said lacing element (3) and formed with a screw thread (421); and

an ornament (5) having an ornamental piece (50) and a coupler (51) disposed on said ornamental piece (50) and connected threadedly to said screw thread (421).
The decorated lacing of Claim 1, wherein said connection member (4) includes a tubular portion (41) fixed to said lacing element (3), and a protrusion (42) protruding from said tubular portion (41) and opposite to said lacing element (3), said screw thread (421) being formed around said protrusion (42), said coupler (51) being formed as a female thread to engage said screw thread (421) of said protrusion (42).
The decorated lacing of Claim 2, wherein said ornament (5) has a plurality of said ornamental pieces (50), which are interconnected to each other, said coupler (51) being formed on one of said ornamental pieces (50).
The decorated lacing of Claim 3, wherein said ornamental pieces (50) are interconnected through male and female screw fasteners (52, 53).
The decorated lacing of Claim 1, wherein said lacing element (3) is elastic.
The decorated lacing of Claim 1, wherein said lacing element (3) is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a plastic, and a fabric.