Shoelace fastening device

Abstract

A shoelace fastening device includes a main part having two openings perpendicularly defined therethrough and a passage transversely defined through the main part. Two sliding members are slidably inserted into the passage from two ends of the main part and each sliding member has an enclosed hole and an opened recess. A first hole and a second hole are formed by the separation portion in each of the openings. The first and second holes have substantially the same diameters. Two end member are connected on two ends of the two sliding members and each end member has a stop located on an inside thereof and the stop is engaged with an inside of the passage to prevent the sliding member from sliding within the passage. The main part includes a notch defined in an underside thereof so as to partially accommodate the shoelaces.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a fastening device, and more particularly, to a shoelace fastening device which securely fastens the shoelaces and has thin profile.

(2) Description of the Prior Art

A conventional way to secure the shoelaces is to tie the two shoelaces on top of the flaps. However, the tie can be easily loosened during walking, jumping or jogging and the users have to stop and tie the shoelaces again and which is inconvenient for the users.

An improved string fastener is disclosed in U.S. Publication Patent Application 2008/0034555A1 which is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and generally includes a main part 10 which is composed of a top piece 11, a bottom piece 12 and two side pieces 13, two first holes 14 are defined through the top and bottom pieces 11, 12 and a passage 15 is defined transversely through the main part 10. The passage 15 communicates with the first holes 14. A separation portion 16 is located between the two first holes 14. Two positioning pieces each have an insertion 20 which extends into the passage 15 and includes a first protrusion 21 which is engaged with the hole 14 corresponding thereto. An opening 22 is defined through the insertion 20 and a recess 23 is defined in a distal end of the insertion 20. An end member 24 is connected to the other distal end of each insertion 20 and located outside of the passage 15. A second protrusion 25 is located between the opening 22 and the recess 23. Multiple spaces are defined between the second protrusion 25 and the separation portion 16 so that the shoelaces can extend therethrough.

Some drawbacks are experienced which are:

1. When the insertions 20 are inserted into the main part 10, the second protrusion 25 is not located at the center of the hole 14 of the main part 10 such that the two holes 14a, 14b on two sides of the second protrusion 25 do not have an even diameter. One of the shoelaces is tightened and the other is less tightened. Although this does not affect the securing of the shoelaces, one of the shoelaces can be stocked when loosened the shoelaces by lifting the main part 10

2. When the user walks or runs, the insertions 20 shifts inward or outward and this may tighten or loosen the shoelaces which will be gradually and eventually loosened. The insertions 20 do not have a positioning spring to keep their positions so that they are easily loosened.

3. When re-tightening the shoelaces again, because the drawbacks mentioned above, the shoelaces are tangled to each other and the users may pull the wrong one and have to check again.

4. The end members 24 are smooth and rounded and the users easily slip from the end members 24 when lifting the main part 10.

5. Each insertion 20 includes two ridges 26 on the bottom thereof which are supposed to guide the insertions 20 to be pulled away from the main part 10, nevertheless, the ridges 26 increase the thickness of the whole device and does not meet aesthetic purposes.

6. The device is bulky and ugly after the shoelaces are tightened.

The present invention provides a shoelace fastening device which has holes with even diameters so that the shoelaces can easily operated when being tightened or loosened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoelace fastening device which comprises a main part having two openings perpendicularly defined relative to a axis of the main part and a passage is defined through the main part in parallel with the axis of the main part. A notch is defined in an underside of the main part. Two sliding members are respectively and slidably inserted into the passage from two ends of the main part and located corresponding to the two openings. Each sliding member has a separation portion to form an enclosed hole and an opened recess. A first hole and a second hole are formed by the separation portion in each of the openings. The first hole communicates with the opened recess and the second hole communicates with the enclosed hole. The first and second holes have substantially the same diameters. Two end members are connected on two ends of the two sliding members respectively and located outside of the two ends of the main part. Each end member has a stop located on an inside thereof and the stop is engaged with an inside of the passage to prevent the sliding member from sliding within the passage.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a shoelace fastening device which includes two substantially the same holes for the shoelaces to extend so that the shoelaces are not stocked by the sliding members.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shoelace fastening device wherein the sliding members are not slid away from the main part during walking or jogging.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a shoelace fastening device wherein the main part includes a notch in the underside thereof so as to accommodate the shoelaces to reduce the thickness on the shoes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a shoelace fastening device wherein the end members each have a finger access for convenience of operation of the sliding members.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view to show a conventional shoelace fastening device;

FIG. 2 is a side cross sectional view to show the conventional shoelace fastening device;

FIG. 3 is an end cross sectional view to show the conventional shoelace fastening device;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view to show the shoelace fastening device of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view to show the shoelace fastening device of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a top view to show the shoelace fastening device of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an end cross sectional view to show the shoelace fastening device of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a partial cross sectional view to show the shoelaces tie to the shoelace fastening device of the present invention;

FIG. 9 shows that the main part is lifted to loosen the shoelaces;

FIG. 10 is a partial cross sectional view to show the shoelaces extend through the first and second holes which have the same sizes;

FIG. 11 shows that the two ends of the shoelaces are collected in the path of the main part;

FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of the path of the main part;

FIG. 13 shows yet another embodiment of the path of the main part;

FIG. 14 shows another embodiment of the shape of the main part of the shoelace fastening device;

FIG. 15 shows yet another embodiment of the shape of the main part of the shoelace fastening device;

FIG. 16 shows yet another embodiment of the shape of the main part of the shoelace fastening device;

FIG. 17 shows a front view of the main part in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 shows yet another embodiment of the main part of the shoelace fastening device, and

FIG. 19 shows a front view of the main part in FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 7, the shoelace fastening device of the present invention comprises a main part 30 which is an elongate part and has two openings 32 perpendicularly defined relative to a axis of the main part 30 and a passage 31 defined through the main part 30 in parallel with the axis of the main part 30. The passage 31 communicates with the two openings 32. A notch 33 (FIG. 7) is defined in an underside of the main part 30 so as to at least accommodate the shoelaces to reduce the height above the shoes. The notch 33 also provides a stable feature to the main part 30 such that the main part 30 does not flip on the shoes. A protrusion 34 extends from a front end of the main part 30 and a path 341 is defined through the protrusion 34. The room that the path 341 encloses is slightly smaller than the two shoelaces 50 and the distal ends of the two shoelaces 50 can be collected in the path 341 or the two shoelaces 50 can be tied as a butterfly knot.

Two sliding members 40 are respectively and slidably inserted into the passage 31 from two ends of the main part 30 and located corresponding to the two openings 32. The sliding members 40 each have a flat underside which keeps the sliding member 40 to be slim and the passage 31 does not need to increase its height, thereby obtaining a thin and compact fastening device. Each sliding member 40 has a separation portion 42 so as to form an enclosed hole 43 and an opened recess 44. Further referring to FIGS. 6 and 10, a first hole 321 and a second hole 322 are formed by the separation portion 42 in each of the openings 32. The first hole 312 communicates with the opened recess 44 and the second hole 322 communicates with the enclosed hole 43. The first and second hole 321, 322 have substantially the same diameters.

Two end members 41 are connected on two ends of the two sliding members 40 respectively and located outside of the two ends of the main part 10. Each end member 41 has a stop 45 located on an inside thereof and the stop 45 contacts an inside of the passage 31 to prevent the sliding member 40 from sliding within the passage 31. The end members 41 each have a finger access 46 (FIG. 5) defined in an underside thereof such that when the user operates the end members 41, his or her fingers can engage with the finger accesses 46 to easily pull or push the sliding members 40.

As shown in FIGS. 8, 10 and 11, the two shoelaces 50 extend through the first holes 321 from the underside of the main part 30 and then extend through the second holes 322 from the top of the main part 30. The separation portions 42 are located within the turn portions of the shoelaces 50. The user then pulls the distal end of the shoelaces 50 to move the sliding member 40 outward. The shoelaces 50 are tightened by the second holes and the enclosed holes 43, while the first holes 321 are larger than the second holes 322. The shoelaces 50 are tightened as shown in FIG. 8.

When loosening the shoelaces 50, the user pushes the end members 41 to move the sliding members 40 inward, the first and second holes 321, 322 become the same size, such that the shoelaces 50 can be smoothly loosened.

The stops 45 on the end members 41 ensure that the sliding members 40 do not slide during walking or jogging.

As shown in FIG. 11, the two distal ends of the shoelaces 50 extend through the path 341 of the protrusion 34 to form a specific tie shape such as a butterfly knot and the user can tell which shoelace is the one he or she wants to pull.

As shown in FIG. 5, the path 341 is a circular hole which is used for the shoelaces 50 with circular cross section. The path 342 can also be an oval hole as shown in FIG. 12 for use of the flat shoelaces 50. As shown in FIG. 13, the path 343 can be a notch which has an opening facing downward, a width of an entry of the notch is smaller than that of the rest portion of the notch such that the shoelaces 50 can be retained within the notch.

FIG. 14 shows that the shape of the main part 30a can be made as an elephant by adding strips on the protrusion 34a or the main part 30b is made as a cat face by shaping the lower portion 341b (FIG. 15) to be a curved part and two ear-like parts 301 on the top of the main part 30b.

FIGS. 16 and 17 show that the main part 34c is shaped as a mouse face by shaping the lower portion to be a substantially triangular part and two ear-like parts 302 on the top of the main part 30b.

FIGS. 18 and 19 show that the main part 30d includes a recessed area 301d and a ridge 302d extends along a periphery of the recessed area 301d. A sticker may be attached to the recessed area 301d and can show specific patterns or a logo.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A shoelace fastening device comprising:

a main part having two openings perpendicularly defined relative to a axis of the main part and a passage defined through the main part in parallel with the axis of the main part, a notch defined in an underside of the main part;

two sliding members respectively and slidably inserted into the passage from two ends of the main part and located corresponding to the two openings, each sliding member having a separation portion so as to form an enclosed hole and an opened recess, an first hole and a second hole formed by the separation portion in each of the openings, the first hole communicating with the opened recess and the second hole communicating with the enclosed hole, the first and second hole having substantially the same diameters, and

two end members connected on two ends of the two sliding members respectively and located outside of the two ends of the main part, each end member having a stop located on an inside thereof and the stop contacting an inside of the passage to prevent the sliding member from sliding within the passage.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sliding members each have a flat underside.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end members each have a finger access defined in an underside thereof.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a protrusion extends from a front end of the main part and a path is defined through the protrusion.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the path is a circular hole.

6. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the path is an oval hole.

7. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the path is a notch which has an opening facing downward, a width of an entry of the notch is smaller than that of the rest portion of the notch.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main part includes a recessed area and a ridge extends along a periphery of the recessed area, a sticker is attached to the recessed area.