US20150296925A1

US20150296925A1 - Shoe fastener

Info

Publication number: US20150296925A1
Application number: US14/441,179
Authority: US
Inventors: Gi youn PARK
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-10-30
Filing date: 2013-12-09
Publication date: 2015-10-22
Also published as: WO2015064823A1; KR200472841Y1; DE212013000313U1

Abstract

Disclosed is a fastener provided at an upper surface of a shoe. The shoe fastener is easily inserted through eyelets and is not easily separated once fastened. The fastener is formed of flexible silicone or synthetic rubber and includes a center connection portion and eyelet insertion portions formed at both sides of the connection portion. Each eyelet insertion portion is composed of upper and lower extension portions and a center outwardly bulged portion, and the bulged portion has a length equal to a diameter of the eyelet.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a fastener provided at an upper surface of a shoe and, more particularly, to a shoe fastener, which is easily fastenable and is not unfastened once mounted to a shoe, thereby assisting a user in very conveniently wearing shoes such as sneakers or dress shoes, and which enables a reduction in manufacturing costs owing to a simplified manufacturing process thereof and may arouse children's interest via insertion of a cartoon character.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, a shoe is provided at the top thereof with a plurality of eyelets. As such, a user can wear the shoe to conform to their foot by threading a shoelace through the eyelets so as to tighten the top of the shoe.
Conventionally, a linear woven shoelace has been threaded through eyelets of a shoe. However, this shoelace tends to be frequently untied due to pressure applied in use and, therefore, needs to be repeatedly tied.
Considering Korean Utility Model Application No. 20-2011-0009649 as one example of the related art, a disclosed shoe fastener generally has the same configuration as a conventional shoelace, but additionally includes a metal material inserted into both ends thereof to prevent separation of the shoe fastener once inserted through eyelets.
The shoe fastener having the above-described configuration requires an additional process of inserting the metal material into both ends thereof and has been manufactured using a combination of metal and silicon, thus suffering from increase in manufacturing costs.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a shoe fastener for use with shoes such as sneakers and dress shoes, which is manufactured using only a synthetic resin and is shaped so as to be easily inserted into eyelets formed in a shoe without a risk of unintentional separation from the eyelets, thereby achieving functionality as a fastener via simple change in structure and reducing manufacturing costs owing to a very simplified manufacturing process thereof.
In addition, it is another object of the present invention to provide a shoe fastener which may arouse children's interest in shoes via decoration of a cartoon character familiar to children.

Technical Solution

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a shoe fastener having an improved configuration to ensure that the shoe fastener is easily inserted through eyelets and is not easily separated from the eyelets once fastened.
The shoe fastener may be formed of silicone or synthetic resin without requiring metal to achieve functionality as a fastener, which results in a reduction in manufacturing costs.
In addition, decorating one side of the fastener with a character familiar to children may arouse children's interest in shoes.

Advantageous Effects

As described above, according to the present invention, a fastener for shoes such as sneakers or dress shoes may be easily manufactured with reduced manufacturing costs.
The present invention enables the manufacture of a product using only silicone or synthetic rubber via a single process. In addition, the fastener may be easily inserted through eyelets of a shoe and reliably remain fastened without a risk of unintentional separation.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating use of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a process of inserting a fastener into an eyelet according to an embodiment the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating the fastener fastened through the eyelet according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating separation of the fastener from the eyelet according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating another embodiment of the shoe fastener according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating a further embodiment of the shoe fastener according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a front view illustrating coupling of an ornament according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating coupling of an ornament according to the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating coupling of an ornament according to the present invention.

BEST MODE

A plurality of fasteners 3, which are separated from one another, is fastened through eyelets 2 of a shoe 1. Each of the fasteners 3 includes a center connection portion 4 and eyelet insertion portions 5 formed at both sides of the center connection portion.
Each eyelet insertion portion is composed of upper and lower extension portions 6 and a center outwardly bulged portion 7.
The bulged portion 7 has a length equal to a diameter of the eyelet 2, which allows the eyelet insertion portion 5 to be easily inserted into the eyelet 2 and prevents separation of the eyelet insertion portion 5 from the eyelet 2 once fastened.

Mode for Invention

When attempting to separate the eyelet insertion portion 5 from the eyelet 2, the eyelet insertion portion 5 is first turned by 90 degrees and then pushed into the eyelet 2 until it is completely separated by passing through the eyelet 2.
Owing to the bulged portion 7 of the eyelet insertion portion 5 that normally functions to prevent unintentional bending of the eyelet insertion portion 5, insertion of the eyelet insertion portion 5 through the eyelet 2 is easy, but the eyelet insertion portion 5 once fastened has difficulty in being separated from the eyelet 2.
According to the present invention, the shoe fastener is formed of only silicone or synthetic rubber and is manufactured via a simplified manufacturing process, which may result in a reduction in manufacturing costs.
In addition, as exemplarily illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, by adding an ornament 10 having a cartoon character or aesthetically pleasing shape to the center of the connection portion 4, the shoe fastener may arouse children's interest.
The ornament 10 has an inner space 11 such that a pattern 12 is inserted into the inner space and epoxy 13 is charged in a region above the pattern. This configuration may ensure safe protection of the pattern 12.

Claims

1. A shoe fastener 3 configured to be fastened to each of a plurality of eyelets 2 formed in the top of a shoe 1,

wherein the fastener 3 is wholly formed of flexible silicone or synthetic rubber and includes a center connection portion 4 and eyelet insertion portions 5 formed at both sides of the connection portion, and

wherein each eyelet insertion portion is composed of upper and lower extension portions 6 and a center outwardly bulged portion 7, and the bulged portion 7 has a length equal to a diameter of the eyelet 2.

2. The shoe fastener according to claim 1, wherein an ornament 10 having a cartoon character or aesthetically pleasing shape is inserted to a central portion of the connection portion 4, and

wherein the ornament 10 has an inner space 11 such that a pattern 12 is inserted into the inner space and epoxy 13 is charged in a region above the pattern.