US20060064856A1

US20060064856A1 - Decorative shoelace tip holder

Info

Publication number: US20060064856A1
Application number: US10/949,588
Authority: US
Inventors: Chi-Chuan Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-09-27
Filing date: 2004-09-27
Publication date: 2006-03-30

Abstract

A decorative shoelace tip holder comprises a seamless decorative holder having a round top and mounted on a shoelace tip which is firstly bound around by plastic tubing. The decorative holder and the shoelace tip are engaged by punching. The rim of an open end of the decorative holder is ground into arced shape for protecting fingers holding there from being cut. The decorated holder is made of aluminum, whereby coloring it by electroplating can be easily provided so as to realize a colorful visual effect.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to decorative shoelace tip holders, more particularly to a decorative shoelace tip holder comprising a seamless decorative holder having a round top and mounted on a shoelace tip which is firstly bound around by plastic tubing. The present invention is characterized by the means for connecting the decorative holder and the shoelace tip being punching, the rim of an open end of the decorative holder being ground into arced shape for protecting fingers holding there from being cut, and the decorated holder being made of aluminum, whereby coloring it by electroplating can be easily provided so as to realize a colorful visual effect.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a decorative shoelace tip holder of the prior art is a holder 6 made of copper with a lateral seam 61 capable of engaging a shoelace tip that is firstly wound around by plastic tubing. The copper shoelace holder 6 has the disadvantages of high specific weight, low susceptibility to coloring by electroplating, and therefore high production cost and high failure rate. It is a further disadvantage that the lateral seam 61 has a sharp edge and could hurt the fingers of a person who is pulling the end of a shoelace having the conventional shoelace holder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A decorative shoelace tip holder comprises a seamless decorative holder having a round top and mounted on a shoelace tip which is firstly bound around by plastic tubing. The decorative holder and the shoelace tip are engaged by punching. The rim of an open end of the decorative holder is ground into arced shape for protecting fingers holding there from being cut. The decorated holder is made of aluminum, whereby coloring it by electroplating can be easily provided so as to realize a colorful visual effect.
The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a decorative shoelace tip holder of the prior art.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the decorative shoelace tip holder of the prior art in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a decorative shoelace tip holder of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a lateral cross-sectional view of the decorative shoelace tip holder of the present invention in FIG. 3.
FIGS. 5A and B illustrate the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 illustrates the third preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 7A and B illustrate the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 8A and B illustrate the fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a decorative shoelace tip holder according to the present invention comprises a seamless decorative holder 2 having a round top and mounted on a shoelace tip 1 which is firstly bound around by plastic tubing. The decorative holder 6 and the shoelace tip 1 are engaged by punching. Since that the rim 21 of an open end of the decorative holder 2 is ground into arced shape and that the decorative holder 6 is seamless, fingers holding the decorative holder 6 are protected from being cut. The decorated holder 2 is made of aluminum, whereby coloring it by electroplating can be easily provided so as to realize a colorful visual effect.
Please refer to FIG. 5 to 8 for the second to the fifth preferred embodiments of the present invention. 2. The second preferred embodiment of the present invention as a decorative shoelace tip holder has a rim 31 around the open end of the decorative holder 3 provided with a plurality of saw teeth, whereby, as the decorative holder 3 is punched onto said shoelace tip 1, the saw teeth of the rim are punched inward so that the decorative holder 3 can engage the shoelace tip 1 further, as shown in FIG. 5 A and B.
The third and the fourth preferred embodiments of the present invention as decorative shoelace tip holders 4 and 4A are provided with a plurality of pointed teeth 41 around the rim of an open end of the decorative holder 4, which tilt inward and point in a direction away from the rim. Thereby, as the decorative holder 4 and the shoelace tip 1 are connected, the pointed teeth 41 can engage the shoelace tip 1 and enhance the retaining effect of the decorative holder 4 on the shoelace tip 1, as shown in FIG. 7 A and B.
The fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention as a decorative shoelace tip holder comprises a seamless decorative holder 5 having a round top and mounted on a shoelace tip 1 which is firstly bound around by plastic tubing. The shoelace tip 1 is further provided with an upwardly tapered corkscrew retaining piece 11. The rim of an open end of said decorative holder 5 is further provided with an inward flange 51 for eventually engaging a portion of the corkscrew retaining piece 11 as the inward corkscrew retaining piece 11 spirals into the open end of said decorative holder 5, whereby the decorative holder 5 can be retained on the shoelace tip 1, as shown in FIG. 8 A and B.
The present invention is thus described, and it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A decorative shoelace tip holder, comprising:

a seamless decorative holder having a round top and mounted on a shoelace tip which is firstly bound around by a plastic tubing, said decorative holder and said shoelace tip being connected by punching, a rim of an open end of said decorative holder that is engaged with said shoelace tip being ground into arced shape for protecting fingers holding there from being cut, said decorated holder being made of aluminum, whereby coloring said decorated holder by electroplating can be easily provided so as to realize a colorful visual effect.

2. The decorative shoelace tip holder of claim 1 wherein said rim of said open end of said decorative holder mounted on said shoelace tip forms saw teeth, whereby, as said decorative holder is punched onto said shoelace tip, said saw teeth of said rim are punched inward so that said decorative holder can engage said shoelace tip further.

3. A decorative shoelace tip holder, comprising:

a seamless decorative holder having a round top and mounted on a shoelace tip which is firstly bound around by a plastic tubing, a rim of an open end of said decorative holder being provided with a plurality of pointed teeth tilting inward and pointing in a direction away from said rim of said open end, whereby, as said decorative holder and said shoelace tip are connected, said pointed teeth can engage said shoelace tip and enhance the retaining effect of said decorative holder on said shoelace tip.

4. The decorative shoelace tip holder of claim 3 wherein said pointed teeth are arranged into a pattern selected from transverse row, longitudinal row and a two-dimensional array.

5. A decorative shoelace tip holder, comprising:

a seamless decorative holder having a round top and mounted on a shoelace tip which is firstly bound around by a plastic tubing, said shoelace tip being provided with an upwardly tapered corkscrew retaining piece, a rim of an open end of said decorative holder being further provided with an inward flange for eventually engaging a portion of said corkscrew retaining piece as said inward corkscrew retaining piece spirals into said open end of said decorative holder, whereby said decorative holder can be retained on said shoelace tip.