Tieless shoe laces with eyelet-sized, attachable ends

Abstract

A tieless shoelace that consists of two strings for one shoe with attachable ends and limited loose string that can be used on any shoe that has standard shoe eyelets. The attachable ends are to be inserted into the first upper row of a typical shoe. The attachable ends cannot be extended out any further than 3.5 to 4.5 inches due to a sewn stitch to reduce the risk of tripping over loose shoe strings. Once the first row is inserted with the attachable ends, the remaining shoe eyelets, starting from the second row and moving from top to bottom until the end is reached, would be inserted with the lower part of the shoe string. When the desired tightness is met, a knot is made from the two lower ends of the shoe string and the installation is complete. Any excessive string at the bottom of the lace would be cut-off to eliminate the risk of tripping on it. When the upper, two attachable ends are pressed together, the two pieces are temporarily connected to one another. When they need to be disengaged, it can be done by pealing the two surfaces apart. The present invention offers a tieless, trip-proof shoelace that can universally fit to any shoe with standard size shoe eyelets.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/082,603, filed Jan. 11, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention consists of a typical shoe string and a hook and loop type Velcro to form a tieless, trip-proof shoelace. The hook and loop type Velcro is approximately 8 to 10 mm in width, similar to a typical size shoelace and has an eyelet sized tip to allow both the hook and loop side of the Velcro to fit through any standard sized shoe eyelet. Due to its width, this invention allows easy passage through the standard sized shoe eyelet and also mimics the appearance of a typical shoelace. The hook and loop type fabric extends out from the first, upper set of eyelets of the shoe to approximately 3.5 to 4.5 inches. Unlike a typical shoelace that normally have 8 to 12 inches of remaining shoe string hanging loose from a shoe, which is needed to tie two shoe strings together to form a traditional bow; the present invention limits the amount of shoe string to a maximum length of 4.5 inches. This eliminates the excessive amount of shoe string that is typically known to cause trips and falls. With opposing hook and loop Velcro on each side of the shoe string, the two ends can be attached together without tying, making this invention tieless as well.

Currently, there are many products that offer a tieless or trip proof function either from lock-type hardware or using elastic, coil type string to connect the ends together; though, there are few disadvantages that are involved with those designs. The coil type shoelaces works well for a tieless shoelace system and also offers a trip proof function but lacks the ability to tighten the shoe at a desired preference of the individual. A lock-type hardware, which is offered in many designs and features, typically secures the shoe but has the hassle of dangling shoelaces or complicating instructions that can possibly be confusing for some individuals. The lock-type devices also have the potential of getting lost or malfunctioning after excessive use. Furthermore, most of these products take the original appearance out of a typical shoelace which can be undesirable to many individuals.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,013 offers a similar shoe lace with a fabric joining apparatus which helps to secure shoelaces when they are tied by adding Velcro hooks to a woven type lace fabric. Unfortunately, the only advantage added from a traditional shoelace with this particular invention is that it offers extra security from shoelaces being untied. Although the invention offers a feature that secures a shoelace bow when it is tied, many would consider it equivalent to tying an additional knot to prevent the bows from becoming loose. While this invention adds extra security from shoelaces being untied and could decrease the possibility of trips and falls, it does not eliminate it. Since there is still an excessive amount of shoe string used with this invention, the potential of causing a fall, on the chance of the shoe strings becoming untied, still remains. In conclusion, this invention neither offers a tieless nor trip-proof function, but rather offers an extra security that a shoelace is not untied.

The present invention combines the simplicity of securing a shoe by offering a shoelace with a tieless function and eliminates the potential risk of tripping over untied shoelaces by limiting the excessive length that extends out from a shoe.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There are four main components of this invention; the shoe string, a sewed hem stopper, the hook side VELCRO, and the loop side VELCRO. The first component one is a braided, crisscross string that makes up the lower part of the shoelace. The braided crisscross string makes up the majority of the shoelace and has a shoe-eyelet sized tip at one end. The other end of the string is open since it is to be connected to either the hook or loop side of VELCRO. The hook and loop side VELCRO is the second and third component of this invention. The hook and loop side of Velcro will also have an eyelet sized tip on one of the ends. The hook and loop side VELCRO are both approximately 8 to 10 mm in width so that it universally fits into the standard size shoe eyelets. The two un-tipped ends from the braided crisscross shoelace string and the VELCRO are sewed together, creating a bulging mend of the two fabrics and forming a stopper, which is the fourth component of this present invention, to limit the amount of lace to go through the shoe eyelet.

Unlike the typical shoelace that uses one single string with two eyelet sized tip ends for one shoe, the present invention uses two strings and a total of four eyelet sized tip ends. One side of the shoe string lace is made up of component one, a braided crisscross string, and a hook side of Velcro. The other side of the lace is also made up of component one, a braided crisscross string, and a loop side of Velcro. Both the hook and the loop side of Velcro are approximately 3.5 to 4.5 inches.

The paired shoe string will have a left and right side for each side of a shoe. The loop side Velcro will be inserted to the outer eyelets of the shoe, leaving the inner eyelets for the hook side Velcro so that the opposing sides do not interlock unintentionally. When the top lace is inserted into the first, top, eyelet of the shoe, it will only extend out 3.5 to 4.5 inches. Once the Velcro part of the lace is inserted into each side, the opposing side of the lace made up with shoestring and an eyelet sized tip would then be inserted into the second row of eyelets and followed thereafter until the last eyelet is reached at the bottom of the shoe. Once each lace has been inserted to each eyelet and reaches the bottom of the shoe, the two laces are then attached together with a knot. Adjustments should be made and the remaining shoestring from the bottom of the shoe would then be cut off leaving a maximum of 1.5 inch and tucked underneath the walls of the shoe.

The maximum lengths for the upper part of the laces are not to be cut. Since the allowable length of the hook and loop Velcro is set approximately 3.5 to 4.5 inches, it prevents the shoe string laces to reach the ground and possibly cause unsafe falls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the outer shoelace which is one half of the present invention that makes up one set for one shoe.

FIG. 2 shows the inner shoelace which the other half that makes up one set for one shoe.

FIG. 3 shows a typical shoe sneaker with 12 empty eyelets, numbered for later reference.

FIG. 4 shows the same image from FIG. 3 with the addition of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 inserted into the first two rows of shoe eyelets.

FIG. 5 shows the joining of material 1 from FIG. 1 and material 2 from FIG. 2 which is the Velcro hook and loop material.

FIG. 6 shows a magnified view of a note formed when FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is connected during the final steps when putting on the shoelace.

FIG. 7 shows the sneaker from FIG. 3 with the present invention installed.

FIG. 8 shows the sneaker in the trip-proof stage when the hook and loop Velcro is disengaged and the remaining loose string extends to only a limited length.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND BEST MODE OF IMPLEMENTATION

FIG. 1 shows one half of the present invention that consists of an upper aglet 20, an end aglet 21, a sewed hem stopper 24, and a braided, crisscross shoestring 26. The upper part of the shoestring that is made up of Velcro hook fabric 1 is approximately 3 to 4 inches in length. Upper aglet 20 and end aglet 21 is approximately 0.5 to 0.75 inches. Velcro hook fabric 1 is attached to a shoestring 26, made of braided cotton or polyester typically used in shoelaces. Velcro hook fabric 1 is attached to shoestring 26 by sewing approximately 0.25 to 0.5 inches of each material together which then forms a bulge to act as a stopper 24 that limits the amount of shoe string that can go into a shoe eyelet. The braided, crisscross shoestring 26 has a wide-ranging length of 9 to 40 inches. Upper aglet 20 and end aglet 21 has a diameter size of approximately 1.2 to 2.4 mm. Velcro hook fabric 1 has range width of approximately 8 mm to 10 mm. Braided, crisscross shoestring 26 has a range width of 3 mm up to 12 mm.

FIG. 2 shows the other half of the present invention that consists of an upper aglet 22, an end aglet 23, a sewed hem stopper 25, and a braided, crisscross shoestring 27. The upper part of the shoestring that is made up of Velcro loop fabric 2 is approximately 3 to 4 inches in length. Upper aglet 22 and end aglet 23 is approximately 0.5 to 0.75 inches. Velcro loop fabric 2 is attached to a shoestring 27, made of braided cotton or polyester typically used in shoelaces. Velcro loop fabric 2 is attached to shoestring 27 by sewing approximately 0.25 to 0.5 inches of each material together which then forms a bulge to act as a stopper 25 that limits the amount of shoe string that can go into a shoe eyelet. The braided, crisscross shoestring 27 has a wide-ranging length of 9 inches up to 40 inches. Upper aglet 22 and end aglet 23 has a diameter size of approximately 1.2 to 2.4 mm. Velcro loop fabric 2 has range width of approximately 8 mm to 10 mm. Braided, crisscross shoestring 27 has a range width of 3 mm up to 12 mm.

FIG. 3 show a typical shoe that has a total of 12 shoe eyelets. There are inner eyelets 5,7,9,11,13,15 on one side of the shoe and outer eyelets 6,8,10,12,14,16 on the other side of the shoe.

FIG. 4 shows the same shoe from FIG. 3 with the addition of the present invention inserted into the first two rows of the shoe. On the first row inner eyelet 5, upper aglet 20 is inserted into that eyelet allowing Velcro hook fabric 1 to enter through and stops when the sewed hem stopper 24 reaches the first row inner eyelet 5. On the opposing side, first row outer eyelet 6, upper aglet 22 is inserted into that eyelet allowing Velcro loop fabric 2 to enter through and stops when the sewed hem stopper 25 reaches the first row outer eyelet 6. Then, end aglet 21 is inserted into second row outer eyelet 8 allowing shoestring 26 to enter through and stops when the desired tightness of the shoe is met without excessively pulling too much that the stopper 24 is pulled away from the first row inner eyelet 5. End aglet 23 is inserted into second row inner eyelet 7 allowing shoestring 27 to enter through and stops when the desired tightness of the shoe is met without excessively pulling too much that the stopper 25 is pulled away from the first row outer eyelet 6. If completing the insert of the present invention shoelace, end eyelet 21 would be inserted to third row inner eyelet 9, fourth row outer eyelet 12, fifth row inner eyelet 13, and finally sixth row outer eyelet 16. End eyelet 23 would be inserted to third row outer eyelet 10, fourth row inner eyelet 11, fifth row outer eyelet 14, and finally sixth row inner eyelet 15.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 shows a partial view of how the upper two halves are connected together and how the lower two halves are connected together in order to make one complete shoelace for one side of a shoe. FIG. 5 shows Velcro hook fabric 1A attaching to Velcro loop fabric 2A. When the two components are pressed together, Velcro hook fabric 1A catches Velcro loop fabric 2A and the two pieces are temporarily connected to one another. When they need to be disengaged, it can be done by pealing the two surfaces apart. FIG. 6 shows the lower halves of the present invention where one half of the shoestring 27A is tied to the other half of the shoestring 26A, therefore making a knot 28A when connected.

FIG. 7 show a completed insertion of the present invention to a typical shoe with reference to the first row of eyelets where Velcro hook fabric 1 and Velcro loop fabric 2 are engaging one another to show connection between the two shoelaces. On the sixth row of the shoe eyelets, a knot 28 is shown to indicate how the two strings are connected to make one shoestring for one shoe.

FIG. 8 shows Velcro hook fabric 1 and Velcro loop fabric 2 disengaged. Velcro hook fabric 1 hangs from the first row inner eyelet 5 while only exceeding out to “x” number of inches. Velcro loop fabric 2 hangs from the first row outer eyelet 6 while also only exceeding out to “x” number of inches. The “x” number of inches is approximately 3.5 to 4.5 inches. This shows the present invention limiting the amount of loose shoestring that dangles from a shoe when it is not tied. A knot is not present in the image since any excessive shoestring is cut-off and a remaining knot is tucked under row six inner eyelet 15 to hide the knot.

Claims

1. A tieless shoelace for one shoe consisting: two shoestrings, VELCRO type Hook side fabric and loop side fabric, wherein one said shoestring is connected to said hook side fabric and second said shoestring connects to said loop side fabric and both connected points forms a bulged hem intended to limit the amount of shoestring to pass a standard sized shoe eyelet; means of attach and detach said hook to said loop side of each shoestring as tieless shoelace with limited loose shoestring from shoe.

2. A tieless shoelace to claim 1 wherein one shoe can be adjusted for snugness by connecting said hook side fabric to said loop side fabric ends attached to said shoestring to upper eyelet row of shoe wherein remaining eyelet of lower shoe is connected with remaining said shoestring and joined by making knot with each side of said shoestring.

3. A tieless shoelace to claim 1 to be used on any shoe with eyelets wherein attachable said hook and said loop fabric ends is inserted into each side of upper eyelet row as means of tightness and lower eyelet rows connected with shoe string end as means of connecting string one to string two with formed knot to lower part of shoe.