GB2430463A

GB2430463A - Shoe lace gripper including spike

Info

Publication number: GB2430463A
Application number: GB0519233A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Neil Snowden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-09-21
Filing date: 2005-09-21
Publication date: 2007-03-28
Also published as: GB0519233D0

Abstract

A shoelace gripper 4 comprising first and second gripping elements 4a, 4b, one of which is provided with at least one protrusion or spike 7 adapted to pass between strands of a portion of the shoelace 2. The gripper secures said portion between the first and second gripping elements 4a, 4b. The first and second gripping elements 4a, 4b may be slidably connected and releasably lockable in a securing position. More than one spike 7 may be provided, which may be aligned with the axis of the shoelace 2. Two grippers 4 may be provided, one either side of a final pair of eyelets on an item of footwear 1. This may allow the ends of a shoelace 2 to be removed on either side of the shoelace grippers to leave two stubs.

Description

A Shoe-lace Tension Retainer

Field of the Invention.

This invention relates to a gripper device and more particularly relates to a shoe-lace-gripper configured to grip a shoe-lace and prevent withdrawal of the shoe-lace through an eyelet of a shoe.

Description of the related art.

Most shoes make use of shoe-laces which are typically threaded through eyelets formed in the vamp region of the shoe. Pulling the free ends of the laces, once the shoe is on the foot of the wearer, draws the vamp part of the shoe upper tightly over the wearer's foot thus securing the shoe to the foot. The free ends of the laces are traditionally tied in a bow to ensure that the shoe remains secured to the foot.

However, it is becoming increasingly common for lace-up shoes such as training shoes to be worn with their laces left untied, in order to enable the shoes to be slipped on and off more easily. This leaves undesirable lengths of shoe-lace extending out of the final eyelets, which can be unsightly, cause the laces to become dirty and frayed, whilst also increasing the danger of the wearer tripping. To prevent this from happening, people wearing shoes in this way often tuck these free ends of the laces inside the shoe and under the foot. However, this can result in discomfort for the wearer and there is still the danger of tripping or entanglement, if the laces should work free during walking or running.

A known solution to this problem is to tie a knot in each free end of the shoe-lace at a point adjacent the final eyelet through which the free ends protrude. The surplus free length of shoe-lace is then cut off and the shoes may then be slipped on and off without any danger of tripping or entanglement when worn. A problem with this solution, however, is that through wear and tear the knots in each free end can gradually tighten up causing the shape of the shoe to distort from the preferred original shape, resulting in a poor shoe fitting and hence performance.

European patent application EPI 41 7903 describes a shoe-lace gripper device which seeks to address the above problems, however the disclosed mechanism for gripping a shoe lace has been found to operate under stress such that undesirable forces result which require the provision of excessive re-enforcement material. Without very considerable strengthening provisions the gripper has been found to either re-open or permit the shoe-lace to slip through the gripping mechanism.

The applicants have identified that when the shoe-lace is under tension, such as on impact with the ground during running, each segment of the tortuous path of the shoelace effects outward forces on the two gripping elements. The sum of these forces is very considerable and results in the outward flexing or movement of the gripper elements. The necessary reinforcement provisions are deleterious to the appearance, miniaturisation and desirability of the gripper.

Summary of the Invention.

It is an object of this invention to provide a shoe-lace gripper device which seeks to address these problems.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a shoe-lace gripper for use with a second shoe-lace gripper for retaining tension in a laced shoe-lace on an item of footwear, either side of a final pair of eyelets thereof, the shoe-lace gripper being adapted to grip a portion of the shoe-lace and prevent retraction thereof through a final eyelet under tension, and comprising first and second gripping elements for securing a portion of the shoe lace, wherein; at least one of the first and second gripping elements is provided with at least one protrusion or spike adapted to pass between strands of the portion of shoe-lace for securing said portion between said first and second gripping elements.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of securing two shoe-lace grippers of the first aspect, either side of a vamp region 3 of a shoe, to a shoe-lace laced through the eyelets of the shoe, and removing shoe-lace end material either side of the two shoe-lace grippers.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a laced shoe comprising two grippers of the first aspect attached to the shoe- lace of the shoe either side of the vamp region 3 of the shoe.

The present invention represents an inventive step over the prior art in addition to the inventive identification of the problems associated with the prior art, as a change to a gripper structure where the force retaining the shoe-lace gripper is transmitted by shear stress to the base and plate in a direction parallel to the shoe-lace portion, which force can be easily managed by comparison to the pressure force transmitted in a direction perpendicular to the shoe-lace portion to the base and plate in the prior art.

In addition the present invention eliminates the mechanical advantage provided by the prior art in multiplying the tension force and applying it to separate the base and plate.

Brief Description of the Drawings.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an illustration of a laced shoe suitable for use with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is an illustration of a laced shoe provided with two shoe-lace grippers of the invention in suit for retaining shoe-lace tension; Figure 3 is a diagram of a shoe-lace gripper of the present invention arranged with a shoe-lace portion, prior to closing the gripper; Figure 4 is a diagram of a shoe-lace gripper of the present invention arranged with a shoe-lace portion, during closing of the gripper; Figure 5 is an illustration of a shoe-lace gripper of the present invention closed around a portion of a shoe-lace; Figure 6 is a side view of the shoe-lace gripper of figure 4 showing the path of the shoe-lace portion and the gripping mechanism; and Figure 7 is a side view of the shoe-lace gripper of figure 4 showing the path of the shoe-lace portion and the gripping mechanism according to another embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention.

In the following description, various aspects of the present invention will be described. For purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details.

Furthermore, well known features may be omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the present invention.

According to a general embodiment of the invention there is provided a shoe-lace gripper for use with a second shoe-lace gripper for retaining tension in a laced shoe-lace on an item of footwear 1, either side of a final pair of eyelets thereof, the shoe-lace gripper being adapted to grip a portion of the shoe-lace and prevent retraction thereof through a final eyelet under tension, and comprising first and second gripping elements 4a, 4b for securing a portion of the shoe lace, wherein; at least one of the first and second gripping elements 4a, 4b is provided with at least one protrusion or spike 7 adapted to pass between strands of the portion of shoe-lace for securing said portion between said first and second gripping elements 4a, 4b.

Alternately there may be provided a shoe-lace gripper for preventing withdrawal of a shoe-lace through an eyelet of a shoe, comprising a base 4b provided with a spike 7 suitable for passing between and separating strands of a portion of the shoe lace, and a plate for opposing the base and retaining the shoe-lace portion impaled upon the spike 7, means to retain the base and plate together to secure the shoe-lace gripper to the shoe-lace at a fixed position along the shoe-lace, at least a part of the shoe-lace gripper being sized to prevent the shoe-lace gripper being withdrawn through an eyelet of a shoe The present invention is for use with footwear but is intended particularly for a shoe, such as sports shoes (E.g. sneakers or trainers). It is intended that two such tension retainers may be used jointly either side of a final pair of eyelets of the shoe, and that excess shoe-lace material should be removed (E.g. by a wearer), and that optionally the remaining stubs should be tucked into a cavity in the tension retainer (E.g. between the first and second element) .

The at least one spike 7 is preferably at least two spikes, more preferably at least three spikes, and where there are multiple spikes they may be substantially aligned with the portion of the shoe-lace.

It is further intended that in a closed configuration the end of the spike(s) 7 meets and presses against the plate such that on tension strands of the shoe-lace portion may not pass between any spike 7 and the plate 4a.

In order to prevent any strand of the shoe-lace passing between the spike(s) 7 and the plate 4a, the spike(s) may be provided with a substantially blunt point.

In order to prevent any strand passing between the spike(s) 7 and the plate 4a the spike(s) may be provided with a concave curvature on a side where the shoe-lace portion may apply pressure when under tension. Such curvature may be associated with the spike(s) being formed in a curve or being substantially hook shaped.

The base 4b and plate 4a are preferably arranged to be slidably connectable (this may be achieved by means of guide rails 8). They are provided such that they may be brought together and remain together by means of a click-fit connection, however being preferably separable when desired for re-adjustment. They are preferably releasably lockable.

In the case that the base and plate are slideably connectable, they are preferably slidably connectable in the direction of the axis of the portion of shoe-lace, and any guide rails 8 are similarly parallel to said direction.

Preferably such sliding motion is such that on closing the distance between the spike 7 and the plate decreases during the closing of the shoe-lace gripper. Preferably they are provided such that tension of the shoe-lace serves only to retain the base and plate slideably connected (E. g. by means of a guide rail(s) 8).

Optionally the spike 7 may be provided so as to be bent into a hook shape by the plate sliding over it to a closed position.

In order to help prevent any strand passing between any spike 7 and the plate 4a, the plate may be provided with a ridge aligned with the axis of the shoe-lace portion for pressing upon (but not penetrating) the shoelace portion and the spike(s) 7.

Optionally an opposing ridge may be provided with outer guide ridges such that the whole ridge substantially has an "M" cross-section, or alternately as two ridges, so as to form a guide for the spike 7 particularly for ensuring that strands of the shoe-lace portion may not reach or pass over the end of the spike(s) 7.

It is intended that, on closing the gripper, the portion of shoe-lace held by the spike(s) 7 is also placed under pressure between the base and plate so as to limit the freedom of movement of the portion of shoe-lace.

Conveniently, said shoe-lace-gripper is moulded from plastics material which may be achieved by injection moulding.

Preferably, one the base and plate is provided with at least one aperture to allow the passage of the shoe-lace therethrough. This may be useful to permit secure arrangement of the shoe-lace portion against a gripper element prior to fastening the other gripper element thereto.

Conveniently, said shoe-lace-gripper is provided in combination with a shoe-lace.

Advantageously, said shoe-lace-gripper is provided in combination with a shoe having a shoe-lace.

Any combination of any of the features and embodiments hereinbefore and hereafter described may be combined to form a new embodiment.

Additionally any such combination may form a single feature from which either one or at least one item thereof must be provided, which may be combined with any embodiment to form a new embodiment. A description of every possible permutation has not been attempted here for the sake of brevity.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an illustration of a conventional training shoe 1, illustrating the free ends of the shoe-lace extending out of the final eyelets. The present invention will be described with particular reference to this training shoe, but it should be appreciated that the present invention is equally suited for use with other types of shoes, providing they have a shoe-lace.

The shoe 1 is provided with a shoe-lace 2. The upper of the shoe is provided with two opposed rows of eyelets in the vamp region 3 of the upper, the rows of eyelets running along either side of the tongue which is located below the free edges of the upper. The shoe-lace 2 is threaded in a conventional manner, through the eyelets, from one row to the other, in an alternate manner, until each free end of the shoe-lace 2 exits a final eyelet at the end of each row of eyelets in the region of the shoe opening. Tension applied to both free ends of the shoe-lace 2 draws the two rows of eyelets together over the tongue, thus tightening the vamp region 3 of the shoe 1 around the wearer's foot (not illustrated). This increases the length of free shoe-lace extending from each final eyelet.

In order that the free ends of the shoe-lace 2 are not drawn back through the final eyelets, thereby loosening the vamp region 3 from around the wearer's foot, it is proposed to provide a pair of shoe-lace-grippers, as illustrated in Figure 2, in order to grip each free end of the shoe-lace 2 exiting from the final eyelet, on each side of the shoe. The body of each shoe- lace- gripper 4 is larger than the internal dimensions of the final eyelet hole, and therefore prevents the free end of the shoe-lace 2 being drawn through the final eyelet. As there is now no longer a need to tie the free ends of the lace into a bow, the surplus free-ends of the lace may be cut off to leave a stub.

An inlet aperture 5 is provided through the base 4b in the end region of the base 4b. As illustrated in Figures 3 to 5, the inlet aperture 5 is preferably provided between a gripping formation and a gripper periphery, and is located substantially on the major axis of the oval defining the base 4b. The provision of an inlet aperture 5 enables a user to position a portion of a shoe-lace firmly upon one gripper element (the base 4b) prior to closing the shoe-lace gripper.

An outlet aperture 6 is provided through the wall at the opposite end of the base 4b. The outlet aperture 6 is also located substantially on the major axis of the base 4b so as to be aligned with the inlet aperture 5.

A shoe-lace-gripper 4 is illustrated in Figure 5 in its closed configuration, for gripping a length of shoe-lace 2 extending out of the final eyelet of the shoe. As the body of each shoe-lace-gripper 4 is larger than the internal dimensions of the final eyelet hole, it prevents the free end of the shoe-lace 2 being drawn through the final eyelet, thereby obviating the need to tie the shoe-lace in a bow as is conventional.

Any surplus length of shoe-lace extending from the outlet aperture 6 of the base 4b may, if desired, be cut off to leave a stub. The stub may be subsequently pushed back through the outlet aperture 6 into a recess so as to be out of sight. The recess is located inside the body of the shoelace-gripper 4 between the outlet aperture 6 and the gripping formation 7.

The shoe-lace gripper may be provided such that the closing of the gripper to secure it to the shoe-lace is achieved by sliding the two elements of the gripper together in a direction parallel to the gripped portion of shoe-lace.

Note that of course a small deviation from parallel is to be expected, and that in fact a small but significant deviation from parallel may be utilized to assist a clamping mechanism whereby the gripper elements become closer together in a direction perpendicular to the gripped shoelace portion during such sliding. Such variations are contemplated and included in the phrase "substantially parallel".

Preferably the shoe-lace-gripper 4 would be made from plastics material, and ideally by injection moulding.

Although the reader may be led to believe that according to the present invention a provided spike or protrusion 7 should be sharp, the author has found that in practice such spikes 7 should be substantially blunt, in so far as this does not interfere with the ability of the spike to penetrate a shoe-lace.

Preferably the spike's 7 point has a radius of curvature of at least 0.1 mm, more preferably at least 0.2 mm and more preferably at least 0.4 mm. It has been found that such a blunt shape is useful in both for preventing a fibre of the shoe lace from passing between the spike and the plate, and for aiding the production of the gripper by injection moulding.

Conveniently the gripper elements may be secured together by a living hinge or by at least one guard rail stop.

Although the figures show the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be appreciated that other configurations of shoe-lace-gripper are possible. For example, instead of a generally ovoid configuration, the gripper device could alternatively be substantially, square, rectangular, circular, trapezoidal or any other convenient or aesthetically desirable shape.

It is also envisaged that the outermost surfaces, or any other convenient part of the gripper device could be provided with a logo or other indicia marking the arrangement particularly suitable, for example, for use as a potential item.

In the present specification "comprises" means "includes or consists of" and "comprising" means "including or consisting of'.

In the present specification "eyelet" includes any shoe-lace retaining conduit provided on a shoe or other footwear for retaining a shoe-lace in a laced configuration across a vamp region 3 of the shoe 1 or other footwear, and includes a shoe-lace hook, as is provided on some types of footwear, (notably climbing boots), where such conduit is provided such that a shoe- lace gripper as hereinbefore described, being held adjacent to the conduit by shoe-lace tension would tend to be stably positioned such that the shoe-lace would not escape the conduit during use.

In the present specification the term "final eyelet" or "final eyelets" refers to the or one of the eyelets from which an end or the ends of the shoe- lace extend, or which has such function in use.

Further embodiments of the invention are set out in the claims.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

The apparatus and methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the apparatus and methods of this invention have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations may be applied to the apparatus, methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit and scope of the invention. All substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A shoe-lace gripper for use with a second shoe-lace gripper for retaining tension in a laced shoe-lace on an item of footwear (1), either side of a final pair of eyelets thereof, the shoe-lace gripper being adapted to grip a portion of the shoe-lace and prevent retraction thereof through a final eyelet under tension, and comprising first and second gripping elements (4a, 4b) for securing a portion of the shoe lace, wherein; at least one of the first and second gripping elements (4a, 4b) is provided with at least one protrusion or spike (7) adapted to pass between strands of the portion of shoe-lace for securing said portion between said first and second gripping elements (4a, 4b).

2. The shoe-lace gripper of claim 1 wherein the first and second gripping elements (4a, 4b) are adapted to be slidably connectable or slidably moveable for movement to a shoe-lace portion securing arrangement.

3. The shoe-lace gripper of claim 2 wherein a slidably connecting or slidably moving movement includes moving the at least one protrusion or spike (7) substantially parallel to a central axis of a portion of shoelace to be gripped, and such movement serves to increase the tension of the shoe-lace in the vamp region (3) of the item of footwear.

4. The shoe-lace gripper of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the at least one protrusion or spike (7) comprises at least two protrusions or spikes each adapted to pass between strands of the portion of shoe-lace.

5. The shoe-lace gripper of claim 4 wherein the at least two protrusions or spikes comprise at least three protrusions or spikes each adapted to pass between strands of the portion of shoe-lace.

6. The shoe-lace gripper of claim 4 or 5 wherein the at least two protrusions or spikes are substantially aligned with the axis of the portion of shoe-lace.

7. The shoe-lace gripper of any preceding claim wherein the at least one protrusion or spike is substantially blunt, having an end radius of curvature greater than 0.2 mm.

8. The shoe-lace gripper of any preceding claim wherein the first and second gripping elements (4a, 4b) are releasably lockable in said securing arrangement.

9. The shoe-lace gripper of any preceding claim wherein one of said first and second gripping elements is provided with at least one aperture to allow the passage of the shoe-lace therethrough.

10. The shoe-lace gripper of any preceding claim being of plastic, and being formed by injection moulding.

11. A shoe-lace for an item of footwear provided with the at least one shoe-lace gripper of any one of claims I to 10.

12. At least one item of footwear provided with the at least one shoelace gripper of any one of claims I to 10.

13. A method of retaining tension in an item of footwear having the steps of attaching two shoe-lace grippers of any one of claims I to 10 to a threaded shoe-lace, either side of a final pair of eyelets, and removing the ends of the shoe-lace either side of the two shoe-lace grippers to leave two stubs.