KNOT RETAINER

Abstract

The present invention provides a knot retainer apparatus. Said apparatus includes a first end, a second end, and at least three slots in the middle. A cord that is first threaded into a shoe is threaded into the slots of said apparatus wherein said cord is tied into a knot and said apparatus assists in keeping the knot from being untied.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/058,336, filed Oct. 1, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Shoelaces are generally used to secure shoes, boots and other footwear. Shoelaces typically consist of a pair of strings or cords, one for each shoe, having stiff end sections on both ends of the string or cord. Each shoelace is generally threaded through a series of slots or loops on both sides of the shoe, such that one end of the shoelace emerges from a side of the shoe and another end of the shoelace emerges from another side of the shoe. When a shoelace is loosened, the shoe can be placed on a foot. The shoelace is then tightened and tied in a knot to secure the foot with the shoe. However, over time, the shoelace knot can become untied, necessitating retying of the knot.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One or more embodiments of the present invention include a knot retainer apparatus, which may be formed from a sheet of plastic. Slots may open through the knot retainer apparatus to receive cords threaded through the slots of knot retainer apparatus.

From a common face of the knot retainer apparatus, a first cord end of a cord may be threaded through a first slot located at a first end of the knot retainer apparatus and a second cord end of the cord may be threaded through a second slot located at a second end of the knot retainer apparatus. From an opposing side of the knot retainer apparatus, both ends of the cord may be threaded into a slot located at the middle of the knot retainer apparatus. Both ends of the cords may then be tied in a knot. The knot retainer apparatus may then be rotated to twist the cord into a compact form, and may be inserted under the cord to secure the cord and prevent untying.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate plan views of a knot retainer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1C illustrates a plan view of a knot retainer apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A through 2E illustrate a method of using a detached knot retainer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a method of using an attached knot retainer system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate plan views of a knot retainer apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The knot retainer apparatus 100 has a body which has a top face 101 and a bottom face 102 opposite to each other, and which terminates lengthwise at a first end 110 and a second end 120 opposite to each other. A first slot 130, a second slot 131, and a third slot 132 open through the knot retainer apparatus 100.

The knot retainer apparatus 100 may be formed by cutting the body from a sheet of durable plastic, where the plastic material used may be rigid or minimally flexible. The knot retainer apparatus 100 may be formed by forming the body from a flexible metal, then coating the body in an outer layer of plastic. A first slot 130, a second slot 131, and a third slot 132 may be cut or bored through the body of the knot retainer apparatus 100.

The knot retainer apparatus 100 may be formed by forming the body through an injection molding process. Injection molding dies may be cut from two solid steel blocks to form a recess for holding molten plastic. The dies are made in two halves in order to facilitate the removal of the finished panels. Grooves are cut into the dies to form runners for molten plastic flow. Moveable ejector pins are machined into the dies to help push the finished panels out of the dies. When the panels are ready to be molded, the steel dies are secured into an injection molding machine. The injection molding machine holds each halves of each die together by exerting several tons of hydraulic pressure. Plastic pellets are poured into a hopper on top of the injection molding machine. The pellets are heated inside the injection molding machine until molten and forced inside a die using a screw shaft drive. Once inside the die, the plastic cools to form the body of the knot retainer apparatus 100. After the formation of the body, the die is opened and the ejector pin ejects the body of the knot retainer apparatus 100 from the die.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the body of the knot retainer apparatus 100 may be oblong in shape. The first end 110 of the body and the second end 120 of the body may be substantially equal in width to the width of the body. Alternately, the first end 110 of the body may be substantially equal in width compared to the width of the body and the second end 120 of the body may be substantially tapered in width compared to the width of the body. The first end 110 of the body may have one or more rounded corners and up to four raised or inverted grip grooves.

The first slot 130, the second slot 131, and the third slot 132 may be located along a medial axis aligned with the length of the body of the knot retainer apparatus 100, where the first slot 130 is located to a side of the second slot 131 nearer to the first end 110, and the third slot 132 is located to a side of the second slot 131 nearer to the second end 120.

The body of the knot retainer apparatus 100 may be substantially even in thickness throughout. Alternately, the body of the knot retainer apparatus 100 may be thickest along a medial axis aligned with the lengthwise edges of the body, and tapered in thickness towards a first lengthwise edge and towards a second lengthwise edge. Thus, the body of the knot retainer apparatus 100 may have an overall thickness that tapers at lengthwise edges.

FIG. 1C illustrates a plan view of a knot retainer apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The knot retainer apparatus 100 has a body which has a top face 101 and a bottom face 102 opposite to each other, and terminates lengthwise at a first end 110 and a second end 120 opposite to each other. A first slot 130, a second slot 131, a third slot 132, and a fourth slot 133 open through the knot retainer apparatus 100.

The knot retainer apparatus 100 may be formed by cutting the body from a sheet of durable plastic, where the plastic material used may be rigid or minimally flexible. The knot retainer apparatus 100 may be formed by forming the body from a flexible metal, then coating the body in an outer layer of plastic. A first slot 130, a second slot 131, a third slot 132, and a fourth slot 133 may be cut or bored through the body of the knot retainer apparatus 100.

The knot retainer apparatus 100 may be formed by forming the body through an injection molding process. Injection molding dies may be cut from two solid steel blocks to form a recess for holding molten plastic. The dies are made in two halves in order to facilitate the removal of the finished panels. Grooves are cut into the dies to form runners for molten plastic flow. Moveable ejector pins are machined into the dies to help push the finished panels out of the dies. When the panels are ready to be molded, the steel dies are secured into an injection molding machine. The injection molding machine holds each halves of each die together by exerting several tons of hydraulic pressure. Plastic pellets are poured into a hopper on top of the injection molding machine. The pellets are heated inside the injection molding machine until molten and forced inside a die using a screw shaft drive. Once inside the die, the plastic cools to form the body of the knot retainer apparatus 100. After the formation of the body, the die is opened and the ejector pin ejects the body of the knot retainer apparatus 100 from the die.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the body of the knot retainer apparatus 100 may be oblong in shape towards the second end 120. Towards the first end 110 of the body, the body may be broader in width than towards the second end 120 of the body. A wing may protrude from each lengthwise side of the first end 110 of the body. The first end 110 of the body may have one or more rounded corners and up to four raised or inverted grip grooves.

The first rear slot 133 and the first forward slot 134 may be located at a wing of the first end 110 of the body, and the second rear slot 135 and the second forward slot 136 may be located at another wing of the first end 110 of the body, where the first rear slot 133 and the second rear slot 135 are located nearer to the first end 110, and the first forward slot 134 and the second forward slot 136 are located nearer to the second end 120.

The body of the knot retainer apparatus 100 may be substantially even in thickness throughout. Alternately, the body of the knot retainer apparatus 100 may be thickest along a medial axis aligned with the lengthwise edges of the body, and tapered in thickness towards a first lengthwise edge and towards a second lengthwise edge. Thus, the body of the knot retainer apparatus 100 may have an overall thickness that tapers at lengthwise edges.

FIG. 2A through 2E illustrate a method for using a detached knot retainer apparatus 100 with a shoe 200. A shoe 200 includes a first set of eyelets 210 on a side of the shoe and a second set of eyelets 220 on another side of the shoe. A cord 140 having a first cord end 141 and a second cord end 142 may be laced through the first set of eyelets 210 and the second set of eyelets 220 (not visible) in a configuration such that either the first cord end 141 emerges from an eyelet of the first set of eyelets 210 and the second cord end 142 emerges from an eyelet of the second set of eyelets 220, or the first cord end 141 emerges from an eyelet of the second set of eyelets 220 and the second cord end 142 emerges from an eyelet of the first set of eyelets 210. The configuration may be any known shoe lacing pattern that results in one of these configurations for the first cord end 141 and the second cord end 142.

While the cord 140 is laced, the cord 140 crosses the upper face of the shoe 200 between the first set of eyelets 210 and the second set of eyelets 220 at least once. Each portion of the cord 140 running between the first set of eyelets 210 and the second set of eyelets 220 is herein referred to as a “crossing portion.”

In accordance with a step as illustrated in FIG. 2A, from the bottom face 102 of the knot retainer apparatus 100, either the cord 140 at the first cord end 141 is threaded through the first slot 130 and the cord 140 at the second cord end 142 is threaded through the third slot 132, or the cord 140 at the first cord end 141 is threaded through the third slot 132 and the cord 140 at the second cord end 142 is threaded through the first slot 130. Alternately, from the bottom face 102 of the knot retainer apparatus 100, either the cord 140 at the first cord end 141 is threaded through the first rear slot 133 and the cord 140 at the second cord end 142 is threaded through the second rear slot 135, or the cord 140 at the first cord end 141 is threaded through the second rear slot 135 and the cord 140 at the second cord end 142 is threaded through the first rear slot 133.

In accordance with a step as illustrated in FIG. 2B, the knot retainer apparatus 100 may be slid along the first cord end 141 and positioned at any point along the length of cord 140 between the first cord end 141 and the shoe 200, and may be slid along the second cord end 142 and positioned at any point along the length of cord 140 between the second cord end 142 and the shoe 200. From the top face 101 of the knot retainer apparatus 100, both the first cord end 141 and the second cord end 142 may be threaded through the second slot 131. Alternately, from the top face 101 of the knot retainer apparatus 100, either the cord 140 at the first cord end 141 is threaded through the first forward slot 134 and the cord 140 at the second cord end 142 is threaded through the second forward slot 136, or the cord 140 at the first cord end 141 is threaded through the second forward slot 136 and the cord 140 at the second cord end 142 is threaded through the first forward slot 134.

In accordance with a step as illustrated in FIG. 2C, the first cord end 141 and the second cord end 142 may be tied together in a knot at the bottom face 102 of the knot retainer apparatus 100.

In accordance with a step as illustrated in FIG. 2D, the knot retainer apparatus 100 may be slid along the cord 140 away from the top of the shoe 200 to reduce the length of the cord 140 over the top face 101 and increase the length of the cord 140 under the bottom face 102. The knot retainer apparatus 100 may be rotated at least once about the cord 140 clockwise or counterclockwise, may be rotated twice, and may be rotated thrice, thus twisting the first cord end 141 and the second cord end 142 about each other to secure the cord 140 in a compact form.

In accordance with a step as illustrated in FIG. 2E, the knot retainer apparatus 100 may be inserted under at least one crossing portion of the cord 140 running over the tongue of the shoe 200. The knot retainer apparatus 100 may be inserted under the cord 140 with the top face 101 facing up, or may be inserted under the cord 140 with the bottom face 102 facing up. By inserting the knot retainer apparatus 100 between the cord 140 and the shoe 200, the knot tying the first cord end 141 and the second cord end 142 may be secured to prevent untying. Alternatively, a sheath may be attached to the tongue of shoe 200 and the knot retainer apparatus 100 may be inserted within the sheath. A cover may be mated to the top face 101 to shield the portion of the cord 140 threaded through the knot retainer apparatus 100 from disturbance. The cover may be secured to the knot retainer apparatus 100 by a suitable attachment member such as a clip or a hinge. A decorative image may be applied to the cover.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a method for using an attached knot retainer system 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A shoe 200 includes a first set of eyelets 210 on a side of the shoe and a second set of eyelets 220 on another side of the shoe. A cord 140 having a first cord end 141 and a second cord end 142 may be laced through the first set of eyelets 210 and the second set of eyelets 220 (not visible) in a configuration such that either the first cord end 141 emerges from an eyelet of the first set of eyelets 210 and the second cord end 142 emerges from an eyelet of the second set of eyelets 220, or the first cord end 141 emerges from an eyelet of the second set of eyelets 220 and the second cord end 142 emerges from an eyelet of the first set of eyelets 210. The configuration may be any known shoe lacing pattern that results in one of these configurations for the first cord end 141 and the second cord end 142.

From the bottom face 102 of the knot retainer apparatus 100, either the cord 140 at the first cord end 141 is threaded through the first slot 130 and the cord 140 at the second cord end 142 is threaded through the third slot 132, or the cord 140 at the first cord end 141 is threaded through the third slot 132 and the cord 140 at the second cord end 142 is threaded through the first slot 130. A stopper 310 may be attached to either or both of the first cord end 141 or the second cord end 142. A stopper 310 may prevent the knot retainer apparatus 100 from sliding off an end of the cord 140. A stopper 310 may be removably attached to the cord 140, in which case the knot retainer apparatus 100 may slide off an end of the cord 140 while the stopper 310 is removed, or a stopper 310 may be non-removably attached to the cord 140.

The knot retainer apparatus 100 may be slid along the first cord end 141 and positioned at any point along the length of cord 140 between the first cord end 141 or any stopper 310 attached thereto and the shoe 200, and may be slid along the second cord end 142 and positioned at any point along the length of cord 140 between the second cord end 142 or any stopper 310 attached thereto and the shoe 200. From the top face 101 of the knot retainer apparatus 100, both the first cord end 141 and the second cord end 142 may be threaded through the second slot 131. The first cord end 141 and the second cord end 142 may be tied together in a knot at the bottom face 102 of the knot retainer apparatus 100.

FIG. 3A illustrates the performance of a step in accordance with FIG. 2D where a stopper 310 is attached to the cord 140. FIG. 3B illustrates the performance of a step in accordance with FIG. 2E where a stopper 310 is attached to the cord 140.

The knot retainer apparatus 100 presents several advantages. The knot retainer apparatus 100 may allow a user to secure the shoe 200 to a foot with one hand. When the knot retainer apparatus 100 is inserted between the cord 140 and the shoe 200, the knot retainer apparatus 100 may eliminate the appearance of a bow shaped knot that may occur when the first cord end 141 and the second cord end 142 are tied together.

While particular elements, embodiments, and applications of the present invention have been shown and described, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto because modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teaching. It is therefore contemplated by the appended claims to cover such modifications and incorporate those features which come within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A knot retainer apparatus comprising a body having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of slots numbering at least three opening through the body;

wherein each slot of the plurality of slots opens through the body between the first end and the second end.

2. The knot retainer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body is oblong in shape.

3. The knot retainer apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first end of the body and the second end of the body are each substantially equal in width to the width of the body.

4. The knot retainer apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first end of the body is substantially equal in width to the width of the body and the second end of the body is substantially tapered in width compared to the width of the body.

5. The knot retainer apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of three slots of the plurality of slots opens through the body along an axis aligned with the length of the body.

6. The knot retainer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body is oblong in shape towards the second end, and a wing protrudes from each lengthwise side of the first end.

7. The knot retainer apparatus of claim 6, wherein a first two slots of the plurality of slots each opens through the body at a first wing, and a second two slots of the plurality of slots each opens through the body at a second wing.

8. A knot-retaining shoe system, comprising:

a shoe comprising a first set of eyelets and a second set of eyelets;

a knot retainer apparatus comprising a body having a first end, a second end, a first face, a second face, and a plurality of slots numbering at least three opening through the body; and

a cord having a first cord end and a second cord end;

wherein each slot of the plurality of slots opens through the body between the first end and the second end;

wherein the cord is threaded through the first set of eyelets and the second set of eyelets;

wherein the first cord end is threaded from the first face of the knot retainer apparatus through a first slot of the plurality of slots;

wherein the second cord end is threaded from the first face of the knot retainer apparatus through a second slot of the plurality of slots;

wherein the first cord end and the second cord end are each threaded from the second face of the knot retainer apparatus through a slot of the plurality of slots other than the first slot and other than the second slot; and

wherein the first cord end and the second cord end are tied together at the first face of the knot retainer apparatus.

9. The knot-retaining shoe system of claim 8, wherein the first cord end and the second cord end are both threaded through a third slot of the plurality of slots from the second face of the knot retainer apparatus.

10. The knot-retaining shoe system of claim 8, wherein the first cord end is threaded through a third slot of the plurality of slots from the second face of the knot retainer apparatus, and the second cord end is threaded through a fourth slot of the plurality of slots from the second face of the knot retainer apparatus.

11. The knot-retaining shoe system of claim 8, further comprising a stopper;

wherein the stopper is attached to one of the first cord end and the second cord end preventing the knot retainer apparatus from sliding off the cord.

12. A knot retention method comprising:

threading a cord through a first set of eyelets and a second set of eyelets of a shoe;

threading the cord at a first cord end from a first face of the knot retainer apparatus through a first slot of a plurality of slots numbering at least three opening through a knot retainer apparatus;

threading the cord at a second cord end from the first face of the knot retainer apparatus through a second slot of the plurality of slots opening through the knot retainer apparatus;

threading the cord at the first cord end from the second face of the knot retainer apparatus through a slot of the plurality of slots other than the first slot and other than the second slot;

threading the cord at the second cord end from the second face of the knot retainer apparatus through a slot of the plurality of slots other than the first slot and other than the second slot;

tying said first cord end and second cord end together at the first face of the knot retainer apparatus;

rotating the knot retainer apparatus to twist the first cord end and the second cord end about each other; and

inserting the knot retainer apparatus between the cord and a tongue of the shoe.

13. The knot retention method of claim 12, wherein the first cord end and the second cord end are both threaded through a third slot of the plurality of slots from the second face of the knot retainer apparatus.

14. The knot retention method of claim 12, wherein the first cord end is threaded through a third slot of the plurality of slots from the second face of the knot retainer apparatus, and the second cord end is threaded through a fourth slot of the plurality of slots from the second face of the knot retainer apparatus.