GB2465973A - A quick release device for a laced boot or shoe - Google Patents

Abstract

An article, typically a boot or shoe 10, has a laced edge portion 11 attached to the article by a release member 17 having a retainer 18 and a pull 19. In use the article may be tightly laced, but opened rapidly by removal of the release member. The retainer ensures that inadvertent removal of the pin is resisted.

Description

Improvements in Laced Closures This invention relates to improvements in laced closures, and is particularly concerned with a quick release system for footwear.

Work boots and many other kinds of boot and shoe rely upon lacing to achieve a tight and secure fastening. Secure fastening is often essential, especially in an industrial environment, or for example in hiking boots and climbing shoes.

One disadvantage of tight lacing is the relative slowness of loosening the fastening to permit removal of a foot. Typically each ioop of the lace must be loosened-off in turn.

Some lacing designs loop the lace around hooks, rather than through a series of eyelets, and these laces are a little quicker to release.

Nevertheless, tightly secured lacing can be a serious impediment to safety, especially if the boot or shoe becomes trapped. Work boots and hiking boots in particular are rather rigid, and typically have with a significantly protruding sole. Instances of boots being retained in a narrow aperture, or being trapped by machinery are well-documented. In such circumstances it may be imperative to release the foot without delay, so as to prevent the wearer being subjected to pain and/or injury, or in extreme cases putting life at risk.

What is required is a means of quickly releasing a tight lacing on demand, preferably without the use of blades or other kinds of tool.

According to the invention there is provided an article having two edge portions, and a lacing between said portions, one of said edge portions being attached to said article by a release member having a pull and a retainer.

On removal of the release member, one edge portion separates from the article so as to provide an alternative line of opening close to that which is closed by the lacing. As a result the part which is confined by the lacing is released.

An essential element of the release member is the retainer, which co-operates in use with the relevant edge portion and/or article so as to securely hold the release member in position until removal is required. An inadvertent or accidental removal of the release member must be avoided because a loose or free lacing may be at least as dangerous as a lacing which cannot be released on demand.

In one example, the invention is incorporated in a work boot so that the edge portions incorporate lacing eyelets, and one edge portion is attached at the side of the boot by a generally upright removable pin. Successive loops of the edge portion and boot may be interdigitated so as to be engaged by the pin In use the boot is laced and tightened normally, but can be released by an upward pull on the pin so as to permit rapid removal of the foot. In this example, the pin is substantially cylindrical and includes a wider portion or shoulder along the length thereof, which engages against the distal side of a loop of the boot or edge portion; this wider portion may be a relatively tight fit through the loop(s) or may break away on application of a predetermined force. In this respect it will be appreciated that in normal wearing, forces acting along the length of the pin are minimal, so that the pre-determined pulling force can be low.

The invention is applicable to many kinds of laced closure other than footwear.

In the case of a removable pin, the distal side of the retainer may be shaped, for example by tapering, to permit easy entry through the loops of the edge portion and article. The proximal side of the retainer may comprise an abutment or shoulder adapted to resist accidental displacement of the release pin, but may also be shaped to facilitate removal at the pre-determined pulling force.

Preferably the removable pin should have a cross-section, or portion thereof, shaped to encourage it to lie flat against the article, thus minimizing sideways protrusion. The pull may be in the form of a flag terminal, and moulded so that it too lies flat against the article.

The pull and edge portion andlor article may be shaped to urge the pull into a preferred position. For example the pull may fit within a suitably shaped recess formed by the edge portion andlor article, such as a cut-out of the edge portion. The shaping may urge the pull to a single position when installed, for example with a rearward facing, flag-like pull. The shape of the pull is not important provided that it is adapted to be easily gripped between finger and thumb and gives sufficient purchase. The pull preferably lies within the shadow envelope of the article so as not to protrude.

In one embodiment having interdigitated loops for the release member, more loops are provided on the edge member than on the article. The edge member may be constituted by a folded fabric element defining loops, the fold being secured by the lacing eyelets.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a laced work boot.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a laced work boot according to the invention.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a release pin for use in the embodiment of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a laced boot with release pin removed.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of an edge portion for lacing.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a retainer for the portion of Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 s a side section through the retainer of Fig. 6 on line 7-7'.

With reference to the drawings a work boot 10 comprises edge portions 11,12 having eyelets 13 through which a lace 14 is threaded in any suitable pattern.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the left side edge portion 11 is a separate component which co-operates with an element 15 forming part of or affixed to the upper side 16 of the boot.

The side portion 11 and element 15 include loops which interdigitate in the manner of a piano hinge, and are secured together by a release pin 17. The loops are typically formed by stitching or riveting, and fit closely without substantial play to ensure accurate positioning of the left edge portion 11 with respect to the right edge portion 12.

The release pin is cylindrical and has a ring-like bulge 18 at the lower end, which is arranged to be a tight push fit through at least the bottom most ioop so that it can prevent inadvertent or accidental upwards movement thereof At the upper end the release pin includes a handle or grip 19 of any suitable form, which can be grasped to pull out the pin 17. In use the main diameter of the pin 17 is selected to be a sliding fit within the loops so as to minimize relative lateral movement of the edge portion 11, yet permit smooth upward movement.

Fig. 4 illustrates the boot with pin 17 removed. The lacing swings open with the edge portion 11, so as to immediately give maximum opening to the boot, and thus easy and quick removal of the foot.

Another example of an attachable edge portion I Ia is shown in Fig. 5, and having three loops 21a and three eyelets 13a. The edge portion ha is formed by doubling over a fabric or leather blank, for attachment to an article, such as the side wall of a boot or shoe, by stitching or riveting.

A release pin 17a suitable for the edge portion 1 Ia is shown in Fig. 6 and has a flat oval section (see Fig. 7) so as to lie close to the side of the article. The retainer I 8a comprises a flat annulus, and the pull 19a comprises a rearwards facing flag. The edge portion 11 a is cut-away at the top and bottom corners 22a of the end loops so as to provide a quadrant-like recess for the retainer I 8a and for the pull 1 9a, so that they are less likely to protrude and catch upon other articles. The cut-away portions also minimize any potential discomfort caused by the retainer pressing through the article onto a wearer thereof.

The flat oval section and flat annulus I 8a also ensure that the release pin tends to lie flat against the article, and thus less likely to be dislodged.

The pull I 9a is ribbed in order to give good purchase, and unapertured so as to minimize the risk of catching on another article.

Claims (10)

1. Claims 1. An article having two edge portions and a lacing between said portions, one of said edge portions being attached to said article by a release member having a pull and a retainer.
2. 2. An article according to claim I wherein said release member comprises a pin, and said retainer comprises a widened part of said pin.
3. 3. An article according to claim 2 wherein said widened part is at one end of said pin.
4. 4. An article according to claim 3 wherein said widened part comprises an annulus.
5. 5. An article according to any of claims wherein said pin substantially comprise a cylindrical member of constant diameter.
6. 6. An article according to any preceding claim wherein said pull comprises a flag portion at one end thereof.
7. 7. An article according to any preceding claim wherein said article and one of said edge portions comprise interdigitated loops engaged by said release member.
8. 8. An article according to claim 7 wherein said loops have a length at least twice the approximate diameter thereof.
9. 9. An article according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein said loops interdigitate tightly.
10. 10. An article according to any preceding claim and comprising laced footwear.