SHOELACE LOCKING STRUCTURE

Abstract

A shoelace locking structure used in a shoe for locking two opposite ends of a shoelace is disclosed to include a locating plate affixed to a tongue of the shoe, two locating rods arranged on the locating plate for the winding of the ends of the shoelace respectively, and two strips of hook and loop materials located on the shoe at two opposite lateral sides relative to the locating plate for securing the ends of the shoelace.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to shoelace positioning technology and more particularly, to a shoelace locking structure for easily and rapidly securing the ends of the shoelace of a shoe. 2. Description of the Related Art:

When wearing a shoe, the ends of the shoelace of the shoe must be tied up. The most common way to join the ends of the shoelace of a shoe is to tie up the ends of the shoelace into a butterfly knot. This method has drawbacks: (1) it takes much time and labor to tie up the ends of the shoelace of a shoe into a butterfly knot: (2) To a young child, it is difficult to tie up the ends of the shoelace of a shoe into a butterfly knot; (3) The butterfly knot tends to come loose; and (4) The butterfly knot seems to become an unwanted fixture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide a shoelace locking structure, which facilitates rapid locking of the ends of a shoelace of a shoe without tying up the ends of the shoelace into a knot. It is another object of the present invention to provide a shoelace locking structure, which enables a young child to lock the ends of a shoelace of a shoe and to untie the ends of the shoelace rapidly and easily. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a shoelace locking structure, which can lock the ends of a shoelace of a shoe positively, avoiding loosening.

To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, a shoelace locking structure is used in a shoe for locking two opposite ends of a shoelace, comprising a locating plate affixed to a tongue of the shoe, two locating rods arranged on the locating plate for the winding of the ends of the shoelace respectively, and two strips of hook and loop materials located on the shoe at two opposite lateral sides relative to the locating plate for securing the ends of the shoelace.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a shoelace locking structure used in a shoe in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 corresponds to FIG. 1, illustrating the shoelace locking structure assembled.

FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. 2, illustrating the ends of the shoelace wound round the first locating rod and the second locating rod.

FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG. 3, illustrating the ends of the shoelace locked to the strips of hook and loop materials.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate form of the shoelace locking structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 corresponds to FIG. 5, illustrating the ends of the shoelace locked.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of another alternate form of the shoelace locking structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an assembly view of the shoelace locking structure shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a part of still another alternate form of the shoelace locking structure in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a shoelace locking structure in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a locating plate 10 affixed to the tongue 2 of a shoe and defining a transversely extending insertion hole 11, a strip of hook and loop materials 16 located on each of two opposing flaps 1 of the shoe, a first locating rod 12, a connection rod 14 formed integral with one end of the first locating rod 12 and inserted into the insertion hole 11 of the locating plate 10 and a second locating rod 13 fastened to the distal end of the connection rod 14 with a screw 15.

The operation and effects of the present invention will be outlined hereinafter. At first, wound the two ends of the shoelace 3 of the shoe round the first locating rod 12 and the second locating rod 13 respectively (see FIG. 3), and then attach the ends of the shoelace 3 to the two trips of hook and loop materials 16 respectively (see FIG. 3), and then fasten up each strip of hook and loop material 16 (by attaching the hook materials to the associating loop materials) to let the two ends of the shoelace 3 be firmly secured to the two trips of hook and loop materials 16 respectively (see FIG. 4). Thus, the ends of the shoelace 3 are locked. When wishing to untie the shoelace 3, pull out each strip of hook and loop material 16 to disengage the hook materials from the associating loop materials, or directly move the winding part of the shoelace 3 out of the first locating rod 12 and the second locating rod 13 without opening the strips of hook and loop material 16.

Thus, the invention has advantages: (a) simply by winding the ends of the shoelace 3 round the first locating rod 12 and the second locating rod 13 and fastening up each strip of hook and loop material 16, the ends of the shoelace 3 are rapidly and positively locked; (b) loosening the ends of the shoelace 3 is also easy and rapid; (c) before opening the strips of hook and loop material 16, the ends of the shoelace 3 are positively locked and will not come loose; and (d) it is not necessary to tie up the ends of the shoelace 3 into a knot, and the ends of the shoelace 3 are kept from sight.

Further, the invention can be variously embodied. FIGS. 5-9 show various alternate forms of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the strips of hook and loop material 16 are located on the locating plate 10 for securing the ends of the shoelace 3 after winding of the ends of the shoelace 3 round the first locating rod 12 and the second locating rod 13 respectively. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the first locating rod 12, the locating plate. referenced by 17, carries a design, and the second locating rod 13 and the connection rod 14 are made in integrity and affixed to the locating plate 17 by a screw 15. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the first locating rod 12 and the second locating rod 13 are reversely curved.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A shoelace locking structure used in a shoe for locking two opposite ends of a shoelace. comprising:

a locating plate affixed to a tongue of said shoe;

two locating rods arranged on said locating plate for the winding of the ends of said shoelace respectively; and

two strips of hook and loop materials located on said shoe at two opposite lateral sides relative to said locating plate for securing the ends of said shoelace.

2. The shoelace locking structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locating rods are respectively curved in one direction.

3. The shoelace locking structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said two locating rods are connected together by a connection rod.

4. The shoelace locking structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locating plate carries a design.

5. The shoelace locking structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said strips of hook and loop materials are bilaterally arranged on said locating plate.