WO2007027062A1

WO2007027062A1 - Device and method of rapidly tying shoelaces

Info

Publication number: WO2007027062A1
Application number: PCT/KR2006/003457
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yun Su Cho
Original assignee: Yun Su Cho
Priority date: 2005-09-01
Filing date: 2006-08-31
Publication date: 2007-03-08
Also published as: US20090038128A1; KR100733024B1; KR20050093742A

Abstract

Provided is a shoe which is tied with a piece of shoelace, in which a pair of pulling string rings are provided in both left and right upper ends of the neck of the shoe, to thereby enable a user to pull or release a pair of pulling strings hooked on the rings one time in order to put on or take off the shoe. Double instep covers of the footwear are provided, and the exposed knots of the shoelace end portions are positioned between the double instep covers, so that the knots are not exposed and the knots which are not well untied can be smoothly adjusted. Moreover, a cover-type fastening locker or protection guard which protects the protruded latch from external impact is used to solve the conventional problems, and to furthermore provide a simple shoelace tying shoe having no knots of the end of the lower portion of the shoelaces.

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD OF RAPIDLY TYING SHOELACES

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a footwear tied by tightening a shoelace which is hereinbelow referred to as a shoestring, a footwear string, or a string, and more particularly, to a device for and method of rapidly tying a shoelace of a footwear in which a pair of pulling string annular portions are provided in both left and right upper ends of the neck of the footwear, and binders for binding the pair of the pulling string annular portions, respectively, to thereby enable a user to pull or release the pair of the pulling string annular portions to be bound on the binders one time in order to put on or take off the footwear conveniently.

Background Art

A general footwear which is tied by tightening a string includes a number of eyelets through which a string can smoothly pass in the footwear in which the eyelets are provided in an identical number in both sides of the instep strap cover in the footwear. The string is passed crossways from the lower eyelet to the upper eyelet. A wearer pulls a string to fit for the foot, and then tightens the footwear and makes a knot in the ends of the string when putting on or taking off the footwear. However, in the conventional footwear, the tightening force which is applied in pulling the ends of the string influences upon only the second eyelets from the upper-most eyelets, and is not delivered to the eyelets subsequent to the second eyelet. Accordingly, the string is not well tightened, and thus the footwear is not well tied. The tightened portions in the upper eyelets of the string fastened by the conventional shoelace tightening method becomes loosened by the margin of the string less fastened at the lower portions of the eyelets during the activity of the wearer. Thus, the footwear becomes loose, and the combined knots may be easily untied. Further, the conventional footwear has a number of defectives of causing inconveniences and consuming time to tie and untie the knots when putting on or taking off the footwear. In order to solve these disadvantages, the same applicant as that of this application disclosed Korean Patent Registration No. 0445965 entitled "Footwear for rapidly tying shoelaces and shoelace tying method thereof" as shown in FIG. 20, in which the footwear has a feature of enabling a wearer to easily perform tightening and binding of the string. That is, if an angle which is formed when the string passes through the respective eyelets is made large and the number of the eyelets which are used for making the strings pass through the respective eyelets is made as small as possible, the tightening force is greatly enhanced.

The string of FIG. 21 starts from lower eyelets 6a and 6b and both ends of the string is inserted into every other eyelet, that is, at an interval of two eyelets. In FIG. 22, both ends of the string are inserted into the upper-most eyelets Ia and Ib, respectively, to thereby form annular portions 9a and 9b along the string in the upper portion of the footwear. Then, both the ends of the string are inserted downwards into empty eyelets 3a and 3b, and then inserted into empty eyelets 5a and 5b to finish by making an end knot 8 near the eyelets 5a and 5b. As described above, in the case of the strings inserted into every other eyelet, that is, at an interval of two eyelets, in the middle portion, an angle which is formed between the string and the horizontal line widens, and four upper pulling strings extended from two pulling string annular portions 9a and 9b pass through only one eyelet 3a, 3b, 4a, or 4b down to the lowermost string.

As described above, the eyelet insertion angle of the string is two times as that of a general footwear. The number of the eyelets through which the string passes is one fourth as that of the general footwear, since four eyelets are passed through in every pulling string. Accordingly, there is no resistance by friction between the string and the eyelets . That is, when a wearer pulls the pulling string annular portions 9a and 9b in order to put on the footwear, and only if he or she pulls them slightly, the string is softly fastened up. In this way, the string which has been easily tightened with a small amount of the tightening force is engaged with latches 10a positioned at the upper ends of the right and left sides of the footwear using a fastening ring 10b connected to the pulling string annular portion 9a via an expansion band, as shown in FIG.20. Accordingly, like the general footwear, there is no need to make a knot in the form of a ribbon in the upper portion of the footwear, to thus tie the string simply. It is convenient for a wearer to use the footwear fabricated according to the above-described prior art but there are many partially insufficient points. That is, in the case of the footwear tied through the above-described procedure, a string end kn,ot 8 is exposed at the instep lower portion of the footwear as shown in FIG. 20 at the final finishing step of installation of the string. This exposure of the string end knot 8 cannot be seen in the conventional general footwear, to thereby cause the wearer to feel a difference in external appearance, and the string to be rigidly tied up according to the wearer's activity to thus make it difficult to adjust the string. Moreover, since the knot 8 is not fixed to the instep of the footwear, and if the pulling string annular portions are pulled from the upper portion of the footwear, the knot 8 moves to the left and right according to the balance of the pulling force and thus the lengths of the pulling string annular portions are varied. As a result, when the wearer pulls the pulling string annular portions to be respectively hooked up with the sides of the footwear, the movement of the string may cause inconveniences to the wearer.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 20, the latches 10a which are positioned in the left and right of the upper portion of the footwear are protruded to the outside. Accordingly, the protruded latches may be damaged during contacting the other objects and may hurt the wearer ' s ankle when one protruded latch collides with the wearer's ankle which is positioned at the other side opposing the one protruded latch, to thereby hurt the wearer's body.

Disclosure of the Invention To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for and method of rapidly tying shoelaces of a footwear, which employs double instep covers where each instep cover is formed of an existing footwear structure, and a lower end knot is positioned in the intermediate layer between the double instep covers, to thereby remove a difference of external appearance.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for and method of rapidly tying shoelaces of a footwear, which employs a dedicated adjuster for releasing an end knot according to a wearer's intention and adjusting the total length of the shoelaces, to thereby enable a wearer to put on or take off a footwear more conveniently. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a device for and method of rapidly tying shoelaces of a footwear, including no lower string end knot in which the string end is fixed to the inner portion of the instep strap cover of a footwear in correspondence to an eyelet through which the string finally passes, and providing The same effect as that of the general footwear by external appearance.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device for and method of rapidly tying shoelaces of a footwear, which includes protection guards in the upper and lower portions of each of latches protruded in the upper end of the left and right sides of a footwear, to thereby protect the latches from external shocks, and which includes a fastening locker to which a hook of the latch which can hurt the ankle portion of the wearer is attached. To accomplish the above object of the present invention, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for rapidly tying a string of a footwear comprising: a pair of left and right pulling string annular portions which are prepared using the string so as to be extended in a V-shaped form in the upper portion of an instep cover on which a plurality of eyelets are punched along left and right ends of the instep cover of the footwear, wherein both ends of the string are respectively inserted into intermediate eyelets crossways with every other eyelet to then be formed into a string end knot at the lower eyelet, and wherein both the ends of the string to which a pair of fastening units are respectively bounded are rapidly tied by pulling the pulling string annular portions so as to be engaged with latches crossways in the left and right sides of the footwear; and a double instep cover having two instep covers including an outer instep cover and an inner instep cover which are attached in the end of the footwear¹ s instep strap cover of the lower portion of the instep of the footwear by means of a sewing work, wherein the outer instep cover is approximately half the length of the inner instep cover, wherein a groove is formed between the outer and inner instep covers at which a string end knot is located so that the knot is not protruded to the outside, and wherein sticking members such as Velcro are adhered to the upper-inner portion of the outer and inner and instep covers, respectively.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a device for rapidly tying a string of a footwear comprising: a pair of left and right pulling string annular portions which are prepared using the string so as to be extended in a V-shaped form in the upper portion of an instep cover on which a plurality of eyelets are punched along left and right instep strands of the instep cover of the footwear, wherein both ends of the string are respectively inserted into intermediate eyelets crossways with every other eyelet to then be formed into a string end knot at the lower eyelet, and to complete installation of the string, wherein both the ends of the string to which a pair of fastening units are respectively bounded are rapidly tied by pulling the pulling string annular portions so as to be engaged with latches crossways in the left and right sides of the footwear, and wherein at the final step of completing the installation of the string, the string ends passing through the lowermost final eyelets are not formed into a knot and is fixed to the inner portion of the instep strand; and a string fixing double eyelet fixing the string ends, which is positioned in the intermediate portion between the lower eyelets on the same line of the left and right instep strands in the footwear, and which employs a structure of fixing the string end or adjusting the length of the string in which two string fitting holes are punched with a tilt angle in the lower direction of the footwear. According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is still also provided a device for rapidly tying a string of a footwear comprising: a pair of left and right pulling string annular portions which are prepared using the string so as to be extended in a V-shaped form in the upper portion of an instep cover on which a plurality of eyelets are punched along left and right instep strands of the instep cover of the footwear, wherein both ends of the string are respectively inserted into intermediate eyelets crossways with every other eyelet to then be formed into a string end knot at the lower eyelet, and to complete installation of the string, and wherein both the ends of the string to which a pair of fastening units are respectively bounded are rapidly tied by pulling the pulling string annular portions so as to be engaged with latches crossways in the left and right sides of the footwear; and a string fitting unit which is used to fit two strands of the strings into the eyelets which are located on the left and right instep strands, in which one strand passes through only even-numbered eyelets (56a, 56b, 54a, 54b, 52a, 52b) and the other strand passes through only odd-numbered eyelets (55a, 55b, 53a, 53b, 51a, 51b) , and wherein two strands of the strings passing through the eyelets (51a, 52a) on the same line as that of the left instep strand and two strands of the strings passing through the eyelets

(51b, 52b) on the same line as that of the right instep strand, form the pair of left and right pulling string annular portions which are positioned at the left and right portions of the upper portion of the footwear, and wherein the ends of the pulling string annular portions are inserted into and fixed to a connection pin, respectively, and the connection pin is divided into two compression portions which are connected with each other by a flexible band. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is still also provided a method for rapidly tying a string of a footwear comprising: preparing a pair of pulling string annular portions in an upper eyelet of the upper portion of the footwear, wherein both ends of the string are respectively inserted into intermediate eyelets crossways with every other eyelet in which the eyelets are formed in the left and right of the instep strand of the footwear, to then be formed into a string end knot at a lower eyelet of the lower portion of the footwear, and wherein both the ends of the string to which a pair of fastening units are respectively bounded are rapidly tied by pulling the pulling string annular portion; and using a double instep cover which protects the string end knot exposed to the lower portion of the footwear.

According to still yet another aspect of the present invention, there is still also provided a method for rapidly tying a string of a footwear comprising: preparing a pair of pulling string annular portions in an upper eyelet of the upper portion of the footwear, wherein both ends of the string are respectively inserted into intermediate eyelets crossways with every other eyelet in which the eyelets are formed in the left and right of the instep strand of the footwear, to then be formed into a string end knot at a lower eyelet of the lower portion of the footwear, and wherein both the ends of the string to which a pair of fastening units are respectively bounded are rapidly tied by pulling the pulling string annular portion; making the ends of the string pass through empty eyelets and then sequentially pass through the lower eyelets in the left and right sides of the lower portion of the footwear after having prepared the pulling string annular portions; and connecting the ends of the string having passed through the final left and right eyelets laterally and fixing the ends to the inner side of the instep strands without forming any strong end knot.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is still also provided a method for rapidly tying a string of a J- ό

footwear comprising: preparing a pair of pulling string annular portions in an upper eyelet of the upper portion of the footwear, wherein both ends of the string are respectively inserted into intermediate eyelets crossways with every other eyelet in which the eyelets are formed in the left and right of the instep strand of the footwear, to then be formed into a string end knot at a lower eyelet of the lower portion of the footwear, and wherein both the ends of the string to which a pair of fastening units are respectively bounded are rapidly tied by pulling the pulling string annular portion; and using a string fitting unit to fit two strands of the strings into the eyelets which are located on the left and right instep strands, in which one strand passes through only even-numbered eyelets (54a, 54b, 52a, 52b) starting from the lowermost eyelets (56a, 5βb) and the other strand passes through only odd-numbered eyelets (53a, 53b, 51a, 51b) starting from the second lowermost eyelets (55a, 55b), and wherein two strands of the strings passing through the eyelets (51a, 52a) on the same line as that of the left instep strand and two strands of the strings passing through the eyelets (51b, 52b) on the same line as that of the right instep strand, are connected with to a connection pin, to thereby form the pair -L o

of left and right pulling string annular portions (59a, 59b) .

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a shoe according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view schematically illustrating a double instep cover of the footwear according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a perspective view schematically illustrating an attachment unit of the double instep covers according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a footwear in which the end knot are shown at the state where a shoelace is inserted;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view which shows the state of using a shoelace adjuster;

FIG. 5 is a front view which shows a fixture unit at the state where a shoelaces has been inserted;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view which shows the configuration of the shoelaces end fixture unit; FIG. 7A is a perspective view showing a fastening locker according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG.7B is a perspective view which shows the fastening locker made of two or more detachable ring; FIG. 7C is a perspective view showing a fastening plate according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8A is a perspective view showing the state where an instep strap cover is pulled back; FIG. 8B is a front view which shows the state of using an elastic board which is built in the instep strap cover;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a footwear according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1OA is a partial perspective view which shows a footwear in which a double eyelet according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1OB is a cross-sectional view which shows the state of using the double eyelet;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a footwear in which a protrusion type string fixing eyelet is installed;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view which shows the state of using the protrusion type string fixing eyelet;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a fastening locker according to the second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a fastening plate in which a guard is installed according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a front view showing a footwear according to a 10

third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view which shows the state of using a connection pin;

FIG. 17A is a perspective view showing a fastening locker according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17B is a perspective view showing the fastening locker according to the third embodiment;

FIG.18 is a perspective view showing an integrated fastening device according to the third embodiment; FIG. 19A is a perspective view showing a footwear in which a keeping bag is installed;

FIG.19B is a perspective view which partially shows the state of using the keeping bag;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing the state where a shoelaces has been completely tied in a conventional footwear for rapidly tying shoelaces;

FIG. 21 is a front view showing the state where a shoelaces has been halfway tied in a conventional footwear for rapidly tying shoelaces; FIG. 22 is a front view showing the state where a shoelaces has been completely tied in a conventional footwear for rapidly tying shoelaces; and

FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing the state of using a fastening unit in a conventional footwear for rapidly tying shoelaces .

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention Hereinbelow, a device for and method of rapidly tying a shoelace of a footwear according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings .

A pair of pulling string annular portions are formed in the left and right upper portions of the neck portion of a footwear. Both ends of a string to which a pair of fastening units are respectively bounded are rapidly tied by pulling the pulling string annular portions so as to be engaged with latches crossways in the left and right sides of the footwear. As shown in FIG. 3, a string or shoelace 17 is fitted into eyelets crossways in the form of an X-shape, starting from the lowermost eyelets 16a and 16b to the third eyelets 14a and 14b, then to the fifth eyelets 12a and 12b, in every other eyelet, and is formed into a pair of pulling string annular portions 19a and 19b in connection with the uppermost eyelets 11a and lib. The pair of pulling string annular portions 19a and 19b are in a co-plane on the instep stands, and have a marginal length. The string ends of the formed pulling string annular portions 19a and 19b are fitted into the empty eyelets 13a, 13b, 15a and 15b in turn to be crossed in the form of an X-shape toward the lower portion of the instep of the footwear again, and then are made into a string end knot 18 which is formed by binding the string ends between the eyelets 15a and 15b, to thereby terminate an installation of the string.

A fastening locker is connected with the pulling string annular portion with an expansion band in one end of the pulling string annular portion, the A fastening plate connected with the fastening locker is adhered on the upper ends of the left and right sides of the footwear. As a result, a fastening unit for fastening the string is completed.

In order to prevent the name of the fastening unit from being used in redundancy in the structure of the present invention, the fastening unit of the known footwear, that is, "Method of tying a string by rapidly pulling the string" shown in FIG. 20 includes a fastening ring 10b and a latch 10a. The fastening unit in the structure of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 includes a fastening locker 43 and a fastening plate 48.

A double instep cover is provided as a protection unit for protecting the lower string end knot 18 protruded to the outside of FIG.3 in the structure of the footwear. The double instep cover covers the string end knot which is formed by passing through eyelets in the lateral direction which makes the footwear according to the present invention have the same shape as that of the general footwear. Moreover, the string end knot plays a role of controlling the length of the footwear whole string. However, such a knot is rigidly tied during making an action, and is not easily untied, which may cause an inconvenient use of the footwear. To solve this problem, an adjuster is used as a solution, and thus a smooth string control can be done.

The fastening unit of FIGS.7A, 7B or 7C helping the fastening in the present invention is a cover type fastening locker 43 to which the protruded hooks of the latch 10a of FIG. 20 are attached. That is, the fastening unit of FIGS. 7A, 7B or 7C plays an opposite role compared with the FIG. 20 operation and covers the fastening plate with the fastening locker to prevent a damage of the fastening plate. A guard is installed on top and bottom of the fastening plate to protect the fastening unit from the external impact to thereby achieve a more perfection. As described above, a preferable complementary fastening structure is achieved by not forming the string end knot itself at the lower portion of the footwear. That is, the string end having finished the installation of the string is not laterally connected but is bound or fixed to the inner side of the instep strand of the eyelet which passes through the final eyelets. Like this, the footwear according to the present invention is identical with the conventional footwear by appearance but provides the footwear having an improved functionality.

Since it is necessary to have a simple footwear fastening method for the old or the weak, two strands of strings are used and installed, and the ends of the pulling string annular portions are fixed by a connection pin. There is no means for adjusting the whole length of the string. As a supplementary unit, a fastening unit having a fastening locker and a fastening plate is provided, in which the fastening locker can be hung up with the fastening plate, with a large width of selection and with ease. Moreover, an integrated fastening unit can be fastened with one hand to thus give a more convenience and make anyone easily use the invention.

Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be illustrated in detail based on the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 through 5 show a footwear according to a first embodiment of the present invention. A plurality of eyelets are installed at intervals upwards and downwards in the instep strands of both sides of the footwear instep, so that the strings can be fitted into the eyelets in sequence. In the case of the footwear according to the embodiment of the present invention, six eyelets are installed in the footwear according to the embodiment of the present invention. For convenience, the six eyelets are called from the top to the bottom, first through sixth eyelets lla-16b. Here, the inserted string 17, as can be seen from FIG. 3, a pair of left and right pulling string annular portions 19a and 19b are formed in the upper portion of the footwear. The pair of left and right pulling string annular portions 19a and 19b are fitted into the left and right eyelets from the uppermost eyelets in every other eyelet crossways and reach up to the lowermost eyelets, to then be formed into a single knot 18 which are no need to be untied repeatedly at the ends of the string 17. The thus-formed knot 18 is exposed to the outside. The thus-exposed lower string end knot 18 may cause a visual difference of appearance and inconveniences of being untied with the string end knot 18 hung. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 2A, a double instep cover 21 can be used.

The double instep cover 21 has two instep covers including an outer instep cover 22 and an inner instep cover 23 which are attached in the end of the footwear's instep strap cover of the lower portion of the instep of the footwear by means of a sewing work. The outer instep cover 22 and the inner instep cover 23 in the double instep cover 21 are designed to have an identical width, respectively, but the outer instep cover 22 is approximately half the length of the inner instep cover 23. As shown in FIG. 2B, sticking members 24a and 24b such as Velcro are adhered to the upper-inner portion of the outer and inner and instep covers 22 and 23, respectively, so that there is no clearance between the outer and inner instep covers 22 and 23 in use. The string end knot having finally finished the string installation in the footwear is positioned between the inner and outer sides of the double instep cover 21. A small groove is formed between the outer and inner instep covers at which the string end knot 18 is located so that the knot is not protruded to the inside or outside of the instep. The double instep cover 21 does not appear at all in view of the external appearance of the footwear. Accordingly, the lower knot of the present invention looks like the conventional general footwear shown in FIG. 1, and provides an effect of preventing the string from being untied with the string end knot 18 hung. Moreover, the double instep cover 21 protects doubly the instep of the footwear to thereby mitigate the external impact. In the case of the footwear which rapidly ties the string, there is no need to repeatedly control the lower string end knot 18 whenever a wearer uses the footwear. However, in the case of being unavoidable, the total length of the string 17 is controlled. The pulling string annular portions 19a and 19b are fastened with an appropriate tension force to the fastening plate 48 at the side of the footwear, by controlling the lower string end knot 18. However, the strings end knot 18 positioned in the instep of the footwear according to the frequency at which a wearer uses the footwear is more and more rigidly tightened. In the case of desiring the adjustment of the string, the string is not easily untied, to thereby make the user embarrassed.

Therefore, the adjuster 25 shown in FIG. 4 can be regarded as a string length adjustment unit which can substitute for the lower string knot 18. The adjuster 25 includes a button 26 controlling the length of the string and a body in which string end parts 17a and 17b can be loaded and unloaded. On top of the body are provided a fixing latch 27a fixing the adjuster 25 to the instep and a fixing ring 27b which is positioned in the middle of the instep cover.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the adjuster 25 is used for the final step of installation of the footwear string 17, in which immediately after the string end portions 17a and 17b have passed through the fifth eyelets 15a and 15b in the upper portion of the footwear, the string is pulled out and fixed as far as the string is strained and fastened through the entrance and exit of the body at the state where the string control button 26 of the adjuster 25 has been raised upwards. The fixing latch 27a and the fixing ring 27b which are positioned in the upper portion of the body make the adjuster 25 not move to the left and right according to the balance of the power when pulling the string annular portions 19a and 19b. The adjuster 25 playing a role of an accessory can be exposed to the outside of the double instep cover 21 according to the taste of a user.

As shown in FIG. 5, a case type string end fixture 28 can be used as the adjuster 25 which is presented as an alternative of the lower string end knot 18. That is, the pulling string annular portions 19a and 19b are formed at the uppermost eyelets, and the strings 17a and 17b having passed through the fifth eyelets 15a and 15b via the third eyelets 13a and 13b towards the bottom of the lowermost eyelets are laterally connected and directly fixed to the fixing case without forming the knot 18. The fixture 28 includes pressers 29a and 29b fixing the ends of the string 17 and locking units 41a and 41b which can open and close the lid of the case, as shown in FIG. 6. A space receiving a part of the string 17 is provided in the inside of the case. Protrusions 42 are provided in both the ends of the outside of the case, which control movement of the fixture 28 positioned between the instep strands at the fifth eyelet 15a and 15b. That is, when pulling the string annular portions 19a and 19b from the top, -the fixture 28 moves to the left and right according to the balance of the power, to thus prevent the fixture 28 from being pushed into the inside of the instep strands. Moreover, at least one character and at least one motif or pattern can be put on the outer surface of the fixture case. It is possible to bring an effect which emphasizes simplicity on a wearer and control the length of the string 17 at least.

The conventional footwear of rapidly tying a string shown in FIG. 20, has a problem that the latches 10a which are located in the upper portions of the left and right sides of the footwear are exposed to thus cause the danger of damage and injury.

The use of the hooks formed on the latch 10a and the ring portions located at the end of the fastening ring in the fastening unit according to the present invention may be oppositely modified into a cover type fastening locker 43 to avoid the danger of damage and injury. The fastening units shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C include a fastening locker 43 and a fastening plate 48, respectively. The fastening locker 43 includes a detachable ring 47, an expansion band 46, and a handle 44. The detachable ring 47 is formed of a curved surface so that a string can smoothly flow back and forth. Vanes are formed on the side of the detachable ring 47 so as to be easily fitted into the pulling string annular portions 19a and 19b. Simultaneously, as shown in FIG. 7B, two or more detachable rings 47a and 47b having vanes which can allow the string to come in and out to adjust the length of the pulling string annular portions can be attached to the fastening locker 43. A fitting nail 45 is installed at the center of the handle 44 connected with the expansion band 46. The fastening plate 48 which is paired with the fastening locker 43 has a linear body on which a plurality of fitting holes 49 are bent and cut. The fitting holes 49 have a tilt angle of 45°so that the fitted nail 45 would not be easily pulled out. In the fastening unit, a wearer pulls the pulling string annular portions 19a and 19b in order to put on a footwear and tightens the string 17 appropriately, and fits the fastening locker 43 into the fitting holes 49 of the fastening plate 48. In this case, the fastening locker 43 can be selectively fitted into the plurality of the bent fitting holes 49. Here, the fastening locker 43 is fastened over the fastening plate 48 while covering the fastening plate 48, to thereby protect the protruded fastening plate 48. However, the above-described fastening unit may cause a burden to persons who make intense exercises. An instep strap cover 50 is provided as a protection unit for protecting the fastening unit as shown in FIG. 8, to thereby cover the whole fastening unit exposed to the footwear side.

The width range using the instep strap cover 50 is from the side portion of the upper eyelet to the upper portion of the heel of the footwear. A sufficient space is provided in the longitudinal up-and-down portion from the end of the upper instep strand of the footwear side portion to the bottom of the fastening unit. Here, the instep strap cover 50 and the end of the instep strand of the footwear side are integrally connected with each other. An elasticity board 50a which is a little bit longer than the horizontal length of the instep strap cover 50 is built in the inside of the fastening unit. The embedded elasticity board 50a is longer than the width of the instep strand cover 50 and thus inserted into the inside thereof in a bent or curved state 50b or 50c. When the instep strap cover 50 is pulled up toward the upper portion 50b or is covered downwards at the lower portion 50c, the elasticity board 50a is bent to play a role of a spring, so that the instep strap cover is rigidly opened and closed. A groove is formed in the footwear lateral portion where the instep strap cover 50 is positioned to thereby give a more gap. The instep strap cover 50 perfectly protects the fastening unit.

FIGS. 9 through 11 shows a footwear according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the fastening mechanism and the structure of the string is the same as those of the first embodiment of the present invention. Here, the pulling string annular portions 39a and 39b are formed on the footwear top, and ends of the string 37 passing through the fifth eyelets 35a and 35b from the upper end via the intermediate eyelets 33a and 33b so as to be crossed in an X-shape are made to be formed into the string end knot 18 or are fixed by means of an adjuster or a fixture. However, the footwear does not have any knot 18 in the lower portion of the footwear, as shown in FIG. 9.

In view of requiring for simplicity, as shown in FIG. 9, both string ends 37a and 37b which pass through the eyelets 35a and 35b, respectively are not connected laterally and are fixed on the inside of the instep strand of the footwear of an eyelet tap by means of a sewing machine. Both the string ends 37a and 37b sewed in the inside of the instep strand are fastened with the fastening plate 73 in which a wearer pulls the string ends 37a and 37b from the top to be crossed with the annular portions 39a and 39b, and thus the string ends 37a and 37b are tensely pulled by the pulling force from the top. This results in that the instep strand portion of the fifth eyelets 35a and 35b from the top are pulled inwards facing each other, so that the instep strand of the instep portion does not become open. In other words, the left pulling string annular portion 39a makes the string 37a hung up with the fifth eyelet 35a from the top pulled inside. Simultaneously, the right pulling string annular portion 39b makes the string 37b hung up with the fifth eyelet 35b from the top via the intermediate eyelet 33a pulled inside. As a result, the strings 37a and 37b are tightened so that the eyelet taps 35a and 35b face each other, and thus fastened without the protection of the laterally connected string to accordingly show an identical form by appearance of the footwear of the first embodiment. ^

The laterally connected string in the conventional footwear gives an oppressive sensation to the instep since the instep does not become well open by the tension of the string. That is, since a wearer bends repeatedly the instep when he or she makes an exercise, the oppressive sensations applied to the instep whenever the instep is bent may give a pain to the wearer. Thus, the wearer may make the string a little bit loose to try to avoid the oppressive sensation. In this case, the loosely fastened footwear causes the lowering of the exercise efficiency and gives inconveniences to the wearer.

Meanwhile, in the case that the laterally connected string does not exist, there is no tension by a string when the instep is bent. Accordingly, the instep strand portions become open flexibly, thereby providing the comfortable footwear in which a functionality is improved. The expansion band 71 of FIG. 13 continuously pulls the lower edge strings 37a and 37b from the upper portion and thus the eyelet tap 35a and 35b of the instep do not become open more than the need or greater.

Moreover, the string of the above-described footwear is fastened using the footwear in which the six eyelets are respectively punched in the left and right instep strands of the footwear around the instep cover. However, the number of the eyelets punched in the left and right instep strands of the footwear is determined according to various kinds of uses. The string of the footwear is fastened using the footwear in which a plurality of eyelets from two are punched.

That is, an installation and fastening of a string are possible in the footwear needing a plurality of eyelets having the complicated structure of ten units or greater from the simple footwear having the left and right two eyelets, or in the footwear having a long neck. Here, the string installation method is identical irrespective of when the number of the left and right eyelets of the footwear is the odd number or even number.

Even with the effect described above, as shown in FIG. 9, the end portions 37a and 37b of the inside of the instep strand of the footwear can be protected by a string fixing eyelet 61 of FIG. 1OA. The string fixing eyelet 61 is located between the fifth eyelets 35a and 35b from the top and the fourth eyelets. Two string fitting holes 62a and 62b are punched in the string fixing eyelet 61 in the lower direction of the footwear with approximately a tilt angle of 30°.

As shown in FIG.1OB, the string ends 37a and 37b having passed through the fifth eyelets 35a and 35b in the double eyelet 61 are fitted into burn of the first hole 62a in the double eyelet, and are again continuously inserted into the second hole 62b, so as to be put in or pulled into the inside of the instep strand of the footwear to be safely loaded. In this procedure, The holes 62a and 62b of the double eyelet 61 have a tilt angle and create pressure against the power of the string pulled out from the top, to then be rigidly fixed. The string fixing double eyelet 61 plays a role of fixing of the string as well as adjusting the whole length of the footwear string 37.

FIG. 11 shows a footwear to which protruded eyelets are adhered without punching the eyelets in both instep strands of the footwear. Under the environment which needs to protect the foot more strongly, the thicker footwear should be required and the eyelets have to be strong and firm.

As shown in FIG. 12, the string fixing eyelet 63 has a structure that a little bit wide hole 64 is formed in a body so that two strands of footwear strings 37 can come in and out. Here, the middle portion of the hole 64 becomes narrow. Moreover, an internally inserted pin 65 with a handle is provided at the entrance of the hole 64 in order to fix the string, and is formed of a hole through which the string can be fitted.

The string 37 forming the annular portions at the top of the footwear finally passes through the fifth eyelet 35a and 35b from the top, that is, the string fixing eyelet 63. The string ends 37a and 37b having passed through the string fixing eyelet 63 are inserted into the hole 66 of the internally inserted pin 65, to ^

then be inserted again into the string fixing eyelet 63. The string ends 37a and 37b are inserted into the eyelet 67 punched in the instep strand which is located just above the eyelet 63. Here, when the two strands of the strings 37 having passed through the string fixing eyelet 63 is pulled, the internally inserted pin 65 through which the string has been passed is rigidly fitted into the wide hole 64 of the string fixing eyelet 63 like a wedge, and is adamantly positioned even in the action of any power without having a mobility. In the case that the length of the string 37 need to be controlled, the handle of the internally inserted pin 65 is pulled. In this case, the string 37 can be easily seceded from the string fixing eyelet 63 to thereby adjust the length of the string 37.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a fastening unit where a guard is installed is needed as a protection unit for protecting a fastening plate 73 protruded in the upper end of the left and right ankle of the footwear according to the second embodiment of the present invention. On the fastening plates 73 respectively positioned in the upper ends of the left and right sides of the footwear are installed guards 76a and 76b top and bottom. A fitting plate 75 in which a plurality of fitting grooves 74 are formed is positioned at the center between the guards. The projection height of the central fitting plate 75 and the guards 76a and 76b are substantially same. When central fitting plate 75 and the guards 76a and 76b are adhered to the footwear, the guards 76a and 76b are covered with the instep strand and thus the heights of the guards 76a and 76b are higher than that of the central fitting plate 75 by thickness of the instep strand. Accordingly, the fastening unit is safely protected from the external impact. Here, the fastening locker 68 which is paired with the fastening plate 73 includes a ring 71 with which the string can be connected, an expansion band 71, and a handle in which a hook 69 which is bent in the form of a U-shape is adhered. In the fastening unit, even if a wearer uses the fastening unit under the stringent condition, the fastening plate is protected by the guards 76a and 76b from the external impact, and thus the wearer can use the footwear with the sense of safety and security. FIGS. 15 to 19A showing a method of rapidly tying a string and a structure of the footwear according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, first through sixth eyelets 51a-5βb are formed in both instep strands of the footwear from above to below. The two strands of strings 57 and 58 are fitted into the eyelets starting from the lowermost eyelet to the uppermost eyelet in every other eyelet crossways, to thus form the pulling string annular portions 59a and 59b. ^

This third embodiment helps comprehending a principle of a method of tying the strings according to the present invention. Two strands of the strings 57 and 58 are fitted into the eyelets which are located on the left and right instep strands. Here, one strand 57 passes through only even-numbered eyelets 54a, 54b, 52a and 52b starting from the sixth eyelets 56a and 5βb and the other strand 58 passes through only odd-numbered eyelets 53a, 53b, 51a and 51b starting from the fifth eyelets 55a and 55b. Two strands of the strings 57 and 58 passing through the eyelets 51a and 52a on the same line as that of the left instep strand and two strands of the strings 57 and 58 passing through the eyelets 51b and 52b on the same line as that of the right instep strand, are internally inserted into the connection pins 60a and 60b, respectively and then compressed, to thereby form the pair of left and right pulling string annular portions 59a and 59b. The connection pin 60 is divided into two compression portions 80a and 80b, and the two compression portions 80a and 80b are connected with each other via a flexible band 80c.

As described above, except for the location of the string end knot, the third embodiment is same as those of the above-described first and second embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 9. In other words, the lower knot 18 is moved to the connection pins 60a and 60b of the end of the upper annular portions 59a and 59b, and thus provides a simplicity of the structure of no need to control the knot 18.

As described above, the third embodiment has no string length adjustment unit which can control the footwear whole binding state of the footwear through the string end knot 18 at the lower portion of the footwear. Nevertheless, a minimum string length adjustment unit is required for at the binding states which are respectively appropriate according to the thicknesses of the insteps of wearers . The string length of the appropriate binding state, becomes different according to the size of the instep of the wearer, in which the length difference is slight.

That is, the footwear string fastening length depends on the lengths of the pulling string annular portions 59a and 59b connected in the footwear side. Two strands of strings 57 and 58 are overlapped in the pulling string annular portions 59a and 59b. Here, the annular portion of 1 cm corresponds to two strands of string of 1 cm. Accordingly, if the two annular portions are fastened by 1 cm at the fastening plates 86 which are located in the left and right sides of the footwear, the total length of the string is controlled as much as 4 cm. In view of the size of the instep, the string length of 4 cm becomes a considerable adjustment length. Accordingly, if the fastening plate 86 is prolonged a bit to the width, to thus widely select the fastening locker 81, it is possible to fasten the string without the need to control the string length at the lower portion of the footwear.

As shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, a fastening plate 86 and a fastening locker 81 are necessary to satisfy the above-described adjustment unit . The fastening unit having a pair of the fastening plate 86 and fastening locker 81c includes locking pieces 82 and 87 which are protruded with an inclination to the opposite direction to each other and Velcro 83 and 88 formed in the neighborhood of the locking pieces 82 and 87. A plurality of locking pieces 87 are protruded with an inclination in the form of a curved surface toward the rear portion of the heel of the foot transversely and lengthily at the center portion of the fastening plate 86. The Velcro 88 is sewed on top and bottom of the locker surface. Here, the fastening locker 81 which is paired with the fastening plate 86 includes: a ring 85 through which the pulling string annular portions 59a and 59b are surrounded and into which the pulling string annular portions 59a and 59b are fitted so that the pulling string annular portions 59a and 59b can move; an expansion band 84 which is integrally connected to one end of the ring 85 to maintain the tensile force of the string elastically; and a handle which is connected to the other end of the expansion band 84, in which the handle includes a protruded locking piece 82 which can engage with the locking piece 87 of ^

the fastening plate 86 in the opposite direction, and Velcro 83 which freely sticks to the upper and lower portion of the handle.

A wearer pulls the pulling string annular portions 59a and

59b in order to put on a footwear to then attempt a fastening operation so that the footwear is crossed in the left and right sides of the footwear. Here, the fastening unit is a binder which can selectively bind the fastening locker 81 with a little wide fastening plate 86. The double fastening unit made of Velcro 83 and 88 can freely fasten the string. Here, the fastening locker 81 is possibly broken away from the fastening plate 86 by the power which is pulled out when bending the instep of the foot. To prevent this problem, the locking pieces 82 and 87 are provided to be transversely in gear with the center of the fastening unit. In this way, the fastening unit is duplex to thereby obtain a more strong fastening force.

Here, the present invention provides a method of easily fastening a string in view of requiring a further simplicity. FIG. 18 shows a footwear which can be fastened by pulling a string of the footwear with one hand. The fastening unit positioned at the upper end of the footwear neck is configured into an integrated form. If a handle is pulled and rotated by 180°, to then be combined with a snap fastener which is positioned at both instep strands, a fastening work is finished. An integrated type fastening unit ^

91 includes: a body in which two tunnel portions 92a and 92b are formed; and snap fasteners 93a and 93b which are adhered to the end portion having a little marginal portion beside both the lateral sides of the two tunnel portions. An interval between the two tunnel portions 92a and 92b is identical with the interval between the uppermost eyelets 51a and 51b which are located in the instep strands of the left and right sides of the instep at the state where the footwear has been fastened. The linear type elastic band which is a little bit bent inwards is built in the central portion of the fastening unit.

The left pulling string annular portion 59a passes through the left tunnel portion 92a of the integrated fastening unit, and the right pulling string annular portion 59b passes through the right tunnel portion 92b thereof. When the fastening unit at this state is pulled upwards, in order to put on the footwear, the two pulling string annular portions 59a and 59b having passed through the left and right tunnel portions are pulled simultaneously and the four strands of the strings are uniformly tightened. Subsequently, the pulled integrated fastening unit 91 is rotated by 180°, the left side the pulling string annular portion 59a is located above the right upper eyelet 51b, and the right side the pulling string annular portion 59b is located above the left upper eyelet 51a. Accordingly, the third embodiment shows the same ^

tightening state as those of the cases using the fastening locker in the first and second embodiments. Finally, when the footwear buttons 93a and 93b which are in both ends of the integrated fastening unit 91 are fitted into buttons 94b and 94a which are in the upper eyelet portion of the instep strand of the footwear, the fastening work for the footwear is completed.

In the fastening process, snap fasteners 93a, 93b, 94a and 94b are made of emboss type magnets. Accordingly, the snap fasteners 93a, 93b, 94a and 94b are attracted with each other by the magnetic force when they are in the neighborhood thereof. The elastic band which is built transversely and lengthily in the central portion of the integrated fastening unit 91 is bent inwards like a spring of an automobile car. Accordingly, the elastic band provides a flexibility which bends or spreads out the pulling of the string which is tightened when the instep is bent, and thus plays a role of an expansion band of the fastening locker. All the processes like this can be fastened with one hand to thereby provide a little more improved aspect of the fastening unit. That is, the present invention provides for conveniences that the kids or the disabled can also manipulate the fastening unit with one hand, and provides a simplicity that there is no need of the fastening plate which are located in the left and right sides of the footwear. The third embodiment shows the footwear and the fastening unit for fastening or tying the footwear most simply. FIGS. 17A and 17B show the fastening unit whose selection can be freely performed. The integrated fastening unit of FIG. 18 can be easily pulled by one hand and fastened by the old and the weak, or the kids, to thereby provide convenience. Additionally, the pulling string tightening mechanism 9 proposed in the Korean Patent Registration No. 0445965 entitled "Footwear for rapidly tying a string" to the same applicant as that of the present invention, which is an alternative for substituting for the ribbon type knot of the conventional footwear as shown in FIG. 23, can be applied in the present invention, irrespective of the long or short pulling string annular portions 9a and 9b.

Among the various kinds of the fastening methods as described above, the fastening locker, the integrated fastening unit 91, or the pulling string tightening mechanism 9 can be selectively used according to the tastes of wearers. When replacing the fastening unit according to a situation, it may be convenient to provide the footwear with a place keeping the accessories which has been replaced. The fastening unit keeping bag is provided at the upper end of the instep cover 95 as shown in FIG. 19A, in which the keeping bag is comprised of a pocket 96 and a cover 97. The cover is designed to be slightly longer downwards than the pocket, ^

to thereby safely cover the pocket.

In use, the cover 97 is slightly pushed up above the instep cover 95, so that the content is kept in the keeping bag. Then, the pocket 96 is covered again by the cover 97, and thus the content is not exposed nor seceded. When a wearer replaces the fastening unit according to a need, the contents can be immediately kept in the keeping bag and used with convenience without the concern of losing the contents.

The pulling string tightening mechanism 9 shown in FIG. 23 can be applied in the present invention, to fasten and tighten the string irrespective of the long or short pulling string annular portions 9a and 9b. However, when the fastened string is untied in order to take off the footwear at the state where the footwear string has been fastened and tightened in the case of the pulling string tightening mechanism 9, the pulling string annular portions 9a and 9b may be completely dismantled from the pulling string tightening mechanism 9. A connecting belt 9e for anti-secession in the pulling string tightening mechanism 9 which plays a role of a fastener is connected with the footwear. However, it is possible to achieve an anti-secession only when the lengths of the pulling string annular portions are in the appropriate range, but it is not possible to achieve an anti-secession when the lengths of the pulling string annular portions 9a and 9b are short. ^

Moreover, if the connection belt 9e is short, the left and right instep strands of the footwear do not become open sufficiently when taking off the footwear, to thereby cause inconveniences to the wearer. As an alternative, anti-secession rings 9c and 9d are adhered to the ends of the pulling string annular portion 9a and 9b. The anti-secession rings 9c and 9d are plastic rings which are wound in a circle like a spring. The roundly wound plastic rings are spread out and then the spread-out rings are fitted into the string. Then, the plastic rings return to the original shaped rings to surround the string. The rings located around the string is larger in volume than the string hole of the pulling string tightening mechanism 9, to thereby perfectly prevent the secession of the pulling string annular portions 9a and 9b from the pulling string tightening mechanism 9 playing a role of a fastener.

As described above, the present invention has been described with respect to the 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. Thus, the protective scope of the present invention is not defined within the detailed description thereof but is defined by the claims to be described ^

later and the technical spirit of the present invention.

As described above, the present invention supplements several defective points of the technical teachings proposed in the Korean Patent Registration No. 0445965 entitled "Footwear for rapidly tying a string" to the same applicant as that of the present invention. In the footwear of the present invention, the double instep cover which is attached on the instep of the footwear makes the exposed string end knot positioned in the intermediate layer to thus make the footwear according to the present invention identically appeared in the same appearance as that of the conventional footwear. The adjuster or the fixture rapidly controls the total length of the strings. The cover type fastening locker or the guards, and the instep strap cover perfectly protect the fastening locker located in the lateral side of the footwear which raised the problem, to thereby protect the footwear from being damaged or the ankle of the wearer from being hurt.

Moreover, the string installation method in which the string end knot is not formed, but the string end is adhered to the inside of the footwear instep strand, provides the simplicity and flexibility in wearing the footwear. The upper double fastening unit widens the selection of a fastening work. The integrated fastening unit provides an easy method of allowing the disabled to fasten it with one hand. A wearer can use the footwear a little ^

more safely and conveniently with the fastening unit which is improved in various forms .

Industrial Applicability

As described above, the present invention provides a device for and method of rapidly tying a shoelace of a footwear in which a pair of pulling string annular portions are provided in both left and right upper ends of the neck of the footwear, and binders for binding the pair of the pulling string annular portions, respectively, to thereby enable a user to pull or release the pair of the pulling string annular portions to be bound on the binders one time in order to put on or take off the footwear conveniently.

Claims

^What is claimed is:

1. A device for rapidly tying a string of a footwear comprising: a pair of left and right pulling string annular portions which are prepared using the string so as to be extended in a V-shaped form in the upper portion of an instep cover on which a plurality of eyelets are punched along left and right ends of the instep cover of the footwear, wherein both ends of the string are respectively inserted into intermediate eyelets crossways with every other eyelet to then be formed into a string end knot at the lower eyelet, and wherein both the ends of the string to which a pair of fastening units are respectively bounded are rapidly tied by pulling the pulling string annular portions so as to be engaged with latches crossways in the left and right sides of the footwear; and a double instep cover having two instep covers including an outer instep cover and an inner instep cover which are attached in the end of the footwear' s instep strap cover of the lower portion of the instep of the footwear by means of a sewing work, wherein the outer instep cover is approximately half the length of the inner instep cover, wherein a groove is formed between the outer and inner instep covers at which a string end knot is located so that the knot is not protruded to the outside, and wherein sticking ^ R2006/003457

members such as Velcro are adhered to the upper-inner portion of the outer and inner and instep covers, respectively.

2. The footwear string rapidly tying device according to claim 1, further comprising an adjuster substituting for the string end knot which comprises a body through which the string end horizontally connected to the lower eyelets is passed in which a button is installed at the body to control the input and output of the string, and a fixing latch which is formed in the upper portion of the body so as to be fixed to the instep cover.

3. The footwear string rapidly tying device according to claim 1, further comprising a fixture substituting for the string end knot which is a locking unit whose lid can be opened and closed, to thereby fix the input and output of the string, in which the string end which is horizontally connected to the lower eyelets is passed through a compression unit of a case of the locking unit, and which comprises a space where the string can be accommodated in the case, and a protrusion which is provided in both ends of the outer portion of the case thereby preventing the body from rushing into the inner side of an eyelet tap of both sides of the body. 40

4. The footwear string rapidly tying device according to claim 1, wherein the fastening unit comprises: a fastening locker; and a fastening plate which are paired, wherein the fastening locker comprises: a detachable ring which covers the fastening plate during fastening and which is bent in a curved surface with a cover type to thereby protect the fastening plate from external impact, and to the side of which vanes are attached to then be easily attached to and detached from the string; and a fitting nail which is installed at the center of a handle connected to an expansion band, and wherein the fastening plate which is positioned at the side of the footwear is bent with the tilt angle of approximately 45° behind the footwear, to thus prevent the fitting nail of the fastening locker from seceding.

5. The footwear string rapidly tying device according to claim 4, wherein the fastening locker comprises two or more detachable rings each having vanes which enable the string to go in and out in order to adjust the length of the pulling string annular portions.

6. The footwear string rapidly tying device according to claim 4, wherein the instep strap cover protecting the fastening ^

unit which is positioned at the side of the footwear comprises: an elastic board whose length is slightly longer than the horizontal length of the instep strand cover and which is crookedly inserted into the instep strand cover; and a groove which is formed as a single layer at the side of the footwear in the same area as that of the instep strand cover, and wherein the instep strand cover is connected with the upper-most instep strand positioned at the side of the footwear.

7. A device for rapidly tying a string of a footwear comprising: a pair of left and right pulling string annular portions which are prepared using the string so as to be extended in a V-shaped form in the upper portion of an instep cover on which a plurality of eyelets are punched along left and right instep strands of the instep cover of the footwear, wherein both ends of the string are respectively inserted into intermediate eyelets crossways with every other eyelet to then be formed into a string end knot at the lower eyelet, and to complete installation of the string, wherein both the ends of the string to which a pair of fastening units are respectively bounded are rapidly tied by pulling the pulling string annular portions so as to be engaged with latches crossways in the left and right sides of the footwear, and wherein at the final step of completing the installation of the string, the string ends passing through the lowermost final eyelets are not formed into a knot and is fixed to the inner portion of the instep strand; and a string fixing double eyelet fixing the string ends, which is positioned in the intermediate portion between the lower eyelets on the same line of the left and right instep strands in the footwear, and which employs a structure of fixing the string end or adjusting the length of the string in which two string fitting holes are punched with a tilt angle in the lower direction of the footwear.

8. The footwear string rapidly tying device according to claim 7, wherein the protrusion type string fixing double eyelet has a structure that a body front hole is a little bit wide and the middle portion or lower of the body becomes narrow, wherein an internally inserted pin which is fitted into a wide hole is formed of a hole through which a handle and the string pass, wherein the upper eyelet just above the fixing double eyelet is punched with the eyelets so that the string which is interpolated into the body can be inserted into the inner side of the instep strand.

9. A device for rapidly tying a string of a footwear comprising: ^

a pair of left and right pulling string annular portions which are prepared using the string so as to be extended in a V-shaped form in the upper portion of an instep cover on which a plurality of eyelets are punched along left and right instep strands of the instep cover of the footwear, wherein both ends of the string are respectively inserted into intermediate eyelets crossways with every other eyelet to then be formed into a string end knot at the lower eyelet, and to complete installation of the string, and wherein both the ends of the string to which a pair of fastening units are respectively bounded are rapidly tied by pulling the pulling string annular portions so as to be engaged with latches crossways in the left and right sides of the footwear; and a string fitting unit which is used to fit two strands of the strings into the eyelets which are located on the left and right instep strands, in which one strand passes through only even-numbered eyelets (5βa, 5βb, 54a, 54b, 52a, 52b) and the other strand passes through only odd-numbered eyelets (55a, 55b, 53a, 53b, 51a, 51b) , and wherein two strands of the strings passing through the eyelets (51a, 52a) on the same line as that of the left instep strand and two strands of the strings passing through the eyelets (51b, 52b) on the same line as that of the right instep strand, form the pair of left and right pulling string annular portions _∞

which are positioned at the left and right portions of the upper portion of the footwear, and wherein the ends of the pulling string annular portions are inserted into and fixed to a connection pin, respectively, and the connection pin is divided into two compression portions which are connected with each other by a flexible band.

10. The footwear string rapidly tying device according to any one of claims 1, 7 and 9, wherein the fastening unit is a double fastening unit comprising: a fastening locker; and a fastening plate which are paired, wherein the fastening locker comprising a detachable ring, an expansion band, and a handle, comprises: a plurality of locking pieces which are protruded in the form of a curved surface transversely at the center of the handle; and Velcro which is adhered to the top and bottom of the respective locking pieces, and wherein the fastening plate which is paired with the fastening locker comprises: a plurality of locking pieces which are protruded facing in opposition to the locking pieces of the fastening locker; and Velcro which is adhered to the top and bottom of the respective locking pieces. ^ 6 003457

11. The footwear string rapidly tying device according to any one of claims 1, 7 and 9, wherein the fastening unit comprises: a fastening locker; and a fastening plate which are paired, wherein the fastening plate which is positioned at the upper portion of the left and right sides of the footwear comprises a fitting plate having a plurality of fitting holes which is positioned transversely at the center of the fastening plate; and guards which are installed in the top and bottom of the fitting plate to protect the fastening unit, wherein the fastening locker which is paired with the fastening plate, comprises a detachable ring, an expansion band, and a handle to which hooks are fixed.

12. The footwear string rapidly tying device according to any one of claims 1, 7 and 9, wherein the fastening unit is an integrated fastening unit which is formed in an upper eyelet portion of the footwear in the form of a linear handle shape, wherein a space in which the pulling string annular portions can move is prepared in a respective tunnel formed in both sides of the integrated fastening unit, wherein an interval between both the tunnels is defined as an interval of the case of being fastened to the first upper eyelet, and ^ 457

wherein the integrated fastening unit comprises: an expansion band which is transversely and lengthily formed therein; and a snap fastener which is prepared in both ends of the integrated fastening unit, respectively, and paired with a snap fastener which is respectively formed in the instep strands which are formed in the left and right of the footwear.

13. The footwear string rapidly tying device according to any one of claims 1, 7 and 9, wherein a keeping bag positioned at the upper portion of the instep cover of the footwear comprises a pocket and a cover, and wherein the pocket has the same width as the horizontal width of the instep cover and the cover covers the pocket downwards at a little lower height than the heights of the inlet and outlet of the pocket.

14. A method for rapidly tying a string of a footwear comprising: preparing a pair of pulling string annular portions in an upper eyelet of the upper portion of the footwear, wherein both ends of the string are respectively inserted into intermediate eyelets crossways with every other eyelet in which the eyelets are formed in the left and right of the instep strand of the footwear, to then be formed into a string end knot at a lower eyelet of the lower portion of the footwear, and wherein both the ends of the string to which a pair of fastening units are respectively bounded are rapidly tied by pulling the pulling string annular portion; and using a double instep cover which protects the string end knot exposed to the lower portion of the footwear.

15. The footwear string rapidly tying method according to claim 14, wherein the length of the string can be adjusted using an adjuster which can substitute for the string end knot formed in the lower portion of the instep of the footwear.

16. The footwear string rapidly tying method according to claim 14, wherein the string is fixed using a fixture which can substitute for the string end knot formed in the lower portion of the instep of the footwear.

17. The footwear string rapidly tying method according to claim 16, wherein at least one character and/or at least one pattern are printed on the surface of the fixture.

18. A method for rapidly tying a string of a footwear ^

comprising: preparing a pair of pulling string annular portions in an upper eyelet of the upper portion of the footwear, wherein both ends of the string are respectively inserted into intermediate eyelets crossways with every other eyelet in which the eyelets are formed in the left and right of the instep strand of the footwear, to then be formed into a string end knot at a lower eyelet of the lower portion of the footwear, and wherein both the ends of the string to which a pair of fastening units are respectively bounded are rapidly tied by pulling the pulling string annular portion; making the ends of the string pass through empty eyelets and then sequentially pass through the lower eyelets in the left and right sides of the lower portion of the footwear after having prepared the pulling string annular portions; and connecting the ends of the string having passed through the final left and right eyelets laterally and fixing the ends to the inner side of the instep strands without forming any strong end knot.

19. The footwear string rapidly tying method according to claim 18, wherein a double eyelet is used as means for adjusting length of the string and fixing the string at the ends of the string having passed through the final left and right eyelets. ^ 2006/003457

20. The footwear string rapidly tying method according to claim 18, wherein a protrusion type string fixing eyelet is used as means for adjusting length of the string and fixing the string at the ends of the string having passed through the final left and right eyelets.

21. A method for rapidly tying a string of a footwear comprising: preparing a pair of pulling string annular portions in an upper eyelet of the upper portion of the footwear, wherein both ends of the string are respectively inserted into intermediate eyelets crossways with every other eyelet in which the eyelets are formed in the left and right of the instep strand of the footwear, to then be formed into a string end knot at a lower eyelet of the lower portion of the footwear, and wherein both the ends of the string to which a pair of fastening units are respectively bounded are rapidly tied by pulling the pulling string annular portion; and using a string fitting unit to fit two strands of the strings into the eyelets which are located on the left and right instep strands, in which one strand passes through only even-numbered eyelets (54a, 54b, 52a, 52b) starting from the lowermost eyelets ^ 03457

(5βa, 56b) and the other strand passes through only odd-numbered eyelets (53a, 53b, 51a, 51b) starting from the second lowermost eyelets (55a, 55b) , and wherein two strands of the strings passing through the eyelets (51a, 52a) on the same line as that of the left instep strand and two strands of the strings passing through the eyelets (51b, 52b) on the same line as that of the right instep strand, are connected with to a connection pin, to thereby form the pair of left and right pulling string annular portions (59a, 59b) .

22. The footwear string rapidly tying method according to one of claims 14, 18 and 21, wherein the fastening ring connected to the pulling string annular portion and the fastening plate positioned on the upper end of the side surface of the footwear, form a pair of fastening units each comprising a fastening locker and a fastening plate, and wherein a handle of the fastening locker, a plurality of locking pieces which are protruded transversely on the fastening plate, and Velcro which is adhered to the top and bottom of the respective locking pieces, perform a double fastening operation.

23. The footwear string rapidly tying method according to one of claims 14, 18 and 21, wherein the fastening locker connected ^

to the pulling string annular portion comprises a detachable ring on which vanes are attached.

24. The footwear string rapidly tying method according to one of claims 14, 18 and 21, wherein the fastening units exposed in the upper portion of the left and right sides of the footwear are protected using the instep cover connected to the uppermost instep strand of the left and right sides of the footwear.

25. The footwear string rapidly tying method according to one of claims 14, 18 and 21, wherein the fastening plate of the fastening unit is positioned in the upper portion of the left and right sides of the footwear, and a linear guard is installed in the top and bottom of the fastening plate, to thereby protect the fastening units.

26. The footwear string rapidly tying method according to one of claims 14, 18 and 21, wherein an integrated fastening unit which is formed of a linear handle in the upper portion of the footwear instep performs a fastening operation by pulling the pulling string annular portions to be made to rotate by 180°.

27. The footwear string rapidly tying method according to ^

one of claims 14, 18 and 21, wherein a keeping bag prepared in the upper portion of the footwear instep cover keeps accessories of the fastening unit.

28. The footwear string rapidly tying method according to one of claims 14, 18 and 21, wherein the string is installed and fastened in the footwear having an instep cover on which two eyelets to a plurality of eyelets are punched along left and right instep strands of the instep cover of the footwear.

29. The footwear string rapidly tying method according to claim 27, wherein the pulling string annular portion uses an anti-secession ring as a pulling string fastening mechanism.