WO2006129939A1

WO2006129939A1 - Shoelace fitting ring and shoelace binding method

Info

Publication number: WO2006129939A1
Application number: PCT/KR2006/002040
Authority: WO
Inventors: Myoung Soo Park
Original assignee: Myoung Soo Park
Priority date: 2005-06-03
Filing date: 2006-05-29
Publication date: 2006-12-07
Also published as: KR100811402B1; KR20060126028A

Abstract

Provided is a footwear, and more particularly, to a shoelace fitting ring and a shoelace binding method in which shoelaces are rapidly united with and loosened from a shoe so as to make a wearer rapidly put on and take off the shoe.

Description

SHOELACE FITTING RING AND SHOELACE BINDING METHOD

Technical Field

The present invention relates to footwears such as sneakers, shoes, mountain-climbing boots, golf shoes, and military shoes, and more particularly to a shoelace fitting ring for tightening a footwear by supporting a shoelace or shoestring of footwears, and a shoelace binding method of binding a shoelace or shoestring using various kinds of arrangements of the shoelace fitting rings.

Background Art

In general, when a wearer binds a shoelace or shoestring to footwears in order to tighten a footwear, he or she makes the shoelace or shoestring pass through shoelace fitting holes disposed at the left and right sides of the outer sheath of each footwear, alternately, left and right, in a zigzag form, to thus tighten the footwear. But, in the case that the footwear is tightened using the above-described shoelace binding method, it takes very much time .

Also, since the shoelace or shoestring should be pushed in and pulled out from the shoelace fitting holes one by one, it may cause considerably burdensome and difficulty affairs . Accordingly, when most of wearers take off footwears at normal times, they would take off the footwears with the shoelace or shoestring slightly loosed.

But, in this case, since a tongue portion and the shoelace of the footwear surround the inner portion of the footwear, the inner portion of the footwear is not parched up, and thus stinks offensively. Bacteria, molds, etc., multiply to thus possibly cause the athlete's foot. In order to solve the conventional inconveniences, there have been proposed some solutions in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2002-25920 on April 4, 2002 (Application No. 10-2002-8629 on February 19, 2002) entitled "Footwear for binding shoelaces at a time and shoelace binding method, " Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1994-25510 on December 8, 1994 (Application No. 10-1993-22158 on October 25, 1993) entitled "Shoelacing apparatus for footwear, " and Korean Utility Model

Registration Publication No. 20-1999-37198 on October 5, 1999

(Application No.20-1999-12431 on June 30, 1999) entitled "Shoelace binding apparatus for tightening footwear at a time." However, remarkable effects have not been coming into practice.

Disclosure of the Invention

To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shoelace fitting ring, and a shoelace binding method using the shoelace fitting rings, and a footwear employing the same, in which a shoelace or shoestring can be tightened and released easily and speedily so that a wearer can put on and take off the footwear more easily and speedily.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a shoelace fitting ring, and a shoelace binding method using the shoelace fitting rings, and a footwear employing the same, in which a tongue portion is completely pulled toward the front of the footwear, and thus the inside of the footwear is much more opened, to thereby make the inside of the footwear parched up so that the bacteria or the molds do not breed and thus make the healthy foot always maintained.

To accomplish the above object of the present invention, according to the present invention, there is provided a shoelace fitting ring which is provided on a tongue portion of a footwear in order to tighten the footwear by binding a shoelace wherein mutually opposing ends of the shoelace fitting ring are opened by a gap through which the shoelace is barely pushed in the shoelace fitting ring, to then make the shoelace is supported by the shoelace fitting ring.

Here, it is preferable that the mutually opposing ends of the shoelace fitting ring cross each other with the gap therebetween.

Here, it is preferable that the mutually opposing ends of the shoelace fitting ring are a little bit overlapped with the gap top and bottom or in and out . Here, it is preferable that the mutually opposing ends of the shoelace fitting ring are replaced by a shoelace fitting iron plate which is obtained by slightly bending or rolling an end of an iron plate formed in a generally pointed isosceles triangle shape, in which the whole shape of the shoelace fitting ring. To accomplish the above object of the present invention, there is also provided a shoelace binding method for use in a footwear, the shoelace binding method comprising: preparing a number of shoelace fitting holes and a number of shoelace fitting rings which are disposed in an outer sheath and/or a tongue portion of the footwear; hooking the shoelace into the shoelace fitting rings without fitting the shoelace into the shoelace fitting holes disposed at the left and/or right side of the outer sheath of the footwear, to thereby make the outer sheath of the footwear bound together; and unhooking only the shoelace from the shoelace fitting rings without completely releasing the shoelace from the shoelace fitting holes, to then make a tongue portion completely pulled toward the front of the footwear, and thus make the inside of the footwear much more opened.

To accomplish the above object of the present invention, there is still also provided a footwear comprising a number of shoelace fitting holes and a number of shoelace fitting rings which are disposed in an outer sheath and/or a tongue portion of the footwear.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing the preferred embodiment thereof in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which shoelace fitting rings are installed in a tongue portion of the footwear according to the present invention and then a shoelace is bound with the shoelace fitting rings;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which the shoelace of FIG. 1 is fitted through only fitting holes but is not bound with the fitting rings;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which the shoelace fitting rings are installed on both side of the outer sheath of the footwear, and then a shoelace is bound with the shoelace fitting rings;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which the shoelace of FIG. 3 is fitted through only shoelace fitting holes but is not bound with shoelace fitting rings;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which shoelace fitting rings and shoelace fitting holes are alternately installed in the outer sheath of the footwear, and then a shoelace is bound with the shoelace fitting rings and the shoelace fitting holes;

FIG. β is a perspective view showing a footwear in which the shoelace of FIG. 5 is fitted through the shoelace fitting holes but is not fitted through the shoelace fitting rings;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which the shoelace fitting rings are installed only in one side of the outer sheath and the shoelace is bound with the shoelace fitting rings; FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which the shoelace of FIG. 7 is fitted through the shoelace fitting holes but is not bound with the shoelace fitting rings;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a shoelace fitting ring viewed in various directions; FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a shoelace fitting ring in which the end portions of the shoelace fitting ring of FIG. 9 are formed with a relationship of not top and bottom but in and out;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a shoelace fitting ring in which the outer section is more bent inwards than the inner section in the end portions of the shoelace fitting ring of FIG. 10 facing each other; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a shoelace fitting ring which is formed by bending iron plates formed in an isosceles triangle shape.

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

Hereinbelow, a shoelace fitting ring, a shoelace binding method using a number of shoelace fitting rings, and a footwear a number of shoelace fitting holes and a number of shoelace fitting rings which are disposed in an outer sheath and/or a tongue portion of the footwear, according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The like or same elements are assigned the like or same reference numerals all over the drawings, for convenience of explanation. Also, in the case that the detailed description of the relevant known functions or components may make the gist of the present invention unclear unnecessarily, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which shoelace fitting rings are installed in a tongue portion of the footwear according to an embodiment of the present invention and then a shoelace or shoestring (hereinafter simply referred to as only a shoelace) is bound with the shoelace fitting rings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a number of shoelace fitting rings 1 for fitting a shoelace are installed in a tongue portion 5 in a footwear. A number of shoelace fitting holes 2 are installed at the left and right sides of an outer sheath 4 of the footwear. At first, a wearer fits the shoelace 3 into the shoelace fitting holes 2 installed in the outer sheath 4. Then, the wearer takes the hold of the shoelace 3 between the shoelace fitting holes 2, and hooks the shoelace up the shoelace fitting ring 1 positioned in opposition to and between the shoelace fitting holes 2, through an opened portion of the shoelace fitting ring 1. In this way, the shoelace is completely hooked up into the other shoelace fitting rings 1, and then the ends of the shoelace are pulled up to thus make the footwear tightened.

In doing so, since angle of an apex of a triangle to be formed by two shoelace fitting holes 2 positioned in the outer sheath 4 of the footwear and the shoelace fitting ring 1 positioned in the tongue portion 5 becomes large, a frictional coefficient becomes reduced. As a result, although the shoelace 3 is pulled up only onetime, the shoelace 3 is easily tightened. In the case that the shoelace 3 is unfastened, the shoelace 3 is slightly loosened from the shoelace fitting holes 2 and then unhooked from the shoelace fitting rings 1. Accordingly, the wearer can pull the tongue portion 5 toward the front end of the footwear and easily take off the footwear.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which the shoelace of FIG. 1 is fitted through only fitting holes 2 but is not bound with the fitting rings 1. That is, FIG. 2 shows the shoelace bound shape of the footwear before proceeding to the shoelace bound state of FIG. 1. Here, the fitting holes 2 can be made by perforating holes directly in the outer sheath 4 of the footwear, or can be all replaced by a corresponding number of fitting rings 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a footwear according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which the shoelace fitting rings 1 are installed on both side of the outer sheath 4 of the footwear, and then a shoelace 3 is bound with the shoelace fitting rings 1. In FIG. 3, the fitting rings 1 and the fitting holes 2 are disposed reversely to the case of FIG. 1. That is, the shoelace fitting rings 1 are installed at the left and right sides of the outer sheath 4 of the footwear, and the shoelace fitting holes 2 are installed in the tongue portion 5.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which the shoelace of FIG. 3 is fitted through only shoelace fitting holes 2 but is not bound with shoelace fitting rings 1. That is, FIG. 4 shows the shoelace bound shape of the footwear before proceeding to the shoelace bound state of FIG. 3, that is, before the shoelace

3 is hooked up with the shoelace fitting rings 1. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which shoelace fitting rings 1 and shoelace fitting holes 2 are alternately installed at left and right sides of the outer sheath

4 of the footwear, and then a shoelace is bound with the shoelace fitting rings 1 and the shoelace fitting holes 2. When a wearer fits the shoelace 3 into the shoelace fitting holes 2 installed in the outer sheath 4 of the footwear, the wearer takes the hold of the shoelace 3 between the shoelace fitting holes 2, and hooks the shoelace up the shoelace fitting ring 1 positioned in opposition to and between the shoelace fitting holes 2, through an opened portion of the shoelace fitting ring 1. That is, the shoelace 3 positioned between the shoelace fitting holes 2 in the right-hand outer sheath 4 is fitted into the shoelace fitting ring 1 positioned at the left-hand outer sheath 4, while the shoelace 3 positioned between the shoelace fitting holes 2 in the left-hand outer sheath 4 is fitted into the shoelace fitting ring 1 positioned at the right-hand outer sheath 4. In this way, the shoelace 3 is completely hooked up into the other shoelace fitting rings 1, and then the ends of the shoelace 3 are pulled up to thus make the footwear tightened. Here, it is obvious that all the shoelace fitting holes 2 may be configured into new shoelace fitting rings 1. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which the shoelace 3 of FIG. 5 is fitted through only the shoelace fitting holes 2 but is not fitted through the shoelace fitting rings 1.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which the shoelace fitting rings 1 are installed only in one side of the outer sheath 4 of a footwear and the shoelace 3 is bound with the shoelace fitting rings 1. Here, it is also obvious that all the shoelace fitting holes 2 may be configured into new shoelace fitting rings

1. In addition, the shoelace fitting holes 2 may be perforated directly in the outer sheath 4.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which the shoelace 3 of FIG. 7 is fitted through only the shoelace fitting holes 2 but is not bound with the shoelace fitting rings 1.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a shoelace fitting ring 1 viewed in various directions (a) through (c) . Here, the open ends of the shoelace fitting ring 1 are a little bit overlapped over each other with a gap on a top and bottom relationship between the open ends .

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a shoelace fitting ring 1 viewed in various directions (a) through (c), in which the end portions of the shoelace fitting ring 1 of FIG. 9 are a little bit overlapped horizontally with respect to each other with a gap not on a top and bottom relationship therebetween but on an in and out relationship therebetween. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a shoelace fitting ring 1 viewed in various directions (a) through (c) , in which the outer section is more bent inwards than the inner section in the end portions of the shoelace fitting ring 1 of FIG. 10 facing each other. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a shoelace fitting iron plate 1 viewed in various directions (a) through (c) , which is formed by bending iron plates formed in an isosceles triangle shape. Here, a shoelace fitting iron plate 1 which is obtained by slightly bending or rolling an end of an iron plate formed in a generally pointed isosceles triangle shape, with a gap through which a shoelace 3 can be barely fitted, is replaced into the shoelace fitting ring 1 of FIGs. 9 through 11, in which the whole shape of the shoelace fitting ring.

As described above, a shoelace fitting ring, a shoelace binding method using a number of shoelace fitting rings, and a footwear employing a number of shoelace fitting rings 1 and a number of shoelace fitting holes 2 according to the present invention enable a wearer to easily bind or release the shoelaces 3. Accordingly, the wearer can put on and take off the footwear. As well, the wearer can pull the tongue portion 5 completely toward the front end of the footwear. Thus, the inner portion of the footwear is opened very much, and thus the inner portion of the footwear can be always maintained at a dry state. As a result, the offensive smell as well as the foot disease such as the athlete foot can be prevented. As described above, the present invention has been described with respect to particularly preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and it is possible for one who has an ordinary skill in the art to make various modifications and variations, without departing off the spirit of the present invention.

Industrial Applicability

As described above, the present invention provides footwears such as sneakers, shoes, mountain-climbing boots, golf shoes, and military shoes, and more particularly to a shoelace fitting ring for tightening a footwear by supporting a shoelace or shoestring of footwears, and a shoelace binding method of binding a shoelace or shoestring using various kinds of arrangements of the shoelace fitting rings.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A shoelace fitting ring which is provided on a tongue portion of a footwear in order to tighten the footwear by binding a shoelace wherein mutually opposing ends of the shoelace fitting ring are opened by a gap through which the shoelace is barely pushed in the shoelace fitting ring, to then make the shoelace is supported by the shoelace fitting ring.

2. The shoelace fitting ring according to claim 1, wherein the mutually opposing ends of the shoelace fitting ring cross each other with the gap therebetween.

3. The shoelace fitting ring according to claim 1, wherein the mutually opposing ends of the shoelace fitting ring are a little bit overlapped with the gap top and bottom or in and out.

4. The shoelace fitting ring according to claim 1, wherein the mutually opposing ends of the shoelace fitting ring are replaced by a shoelace fitting iron plate which is obtained by slightly bending or rolling an end of an iron plate formed in a generally pointed isosceles triangle shape, in which the whole shape of the shoelace fitting ring.

5. A shoelace binding method for use in a footwear, the shoelace binding method comprising: preparing a number of shoelace fitting holes and a number of shoelace fitting rings which are disposed in an outer sheath and/or a tongue portion of the footwear; hooking the shoelace into the shoelace fitting rings without fitting the shoelace into the shoelace fitting holes disposed at the left and/or right side of the outer sheath of the footwear, to thereby make the outer sheath of the footwear bound together; and unhooking only the shoelace from the shoelace fitting rings without completely releasing the shoelace from the shoelace fitting holes, to then make a tongue portion completely pulled toward the front of the footwear, and thus make the inside of the footwear much more opened.

6. A footwear comprising a number of shoelace fitting holes and a number of shoelace fitting rings according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which are disposed in an outer sheath and/or a tongue portion of the footwear.