US20030177661A1

US20030177661A1 - Automatic tying shoelace

Info

Publication number: US20030177661A1
Application number: US10/138,827
Authority: US
Inventors: Cheng-Chung Tsai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-03-20
Filing date: 2002-05-06
Publication date: 2003-09-25
Also published as: TW517532U

Abstract

An automatic tying shoelace is disclosed. Thereby, the user does not need to tie the shoelace body is disclosed. The shoelace body can be fixed by two positioning devices at the lateral and rear sides. The shoelace has a long shoelace body and at least two positioning devices. A first positioning device and a second positioning device; one free end of the shoelace body has respective release-proof devices. A position of the first positioning device is lower than that of the second positioning device. The first positioning device serves for being inserted by the free end of the shoelace body and then after the shoelace body is tightened. The shoelace body is released in the second positioning device.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to shoelaces, and particularly to an automatic tying shoelace, thereby, the user need not tie the shoelace, while the shoelace can be fixed by two positioning devices at the lateral and rear sides.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In general, people fix shoes by shoelaces. However, it is convenient to tie a knot for fixing two ends of a shoelace. Moreover, the knots make some inconvenience, especially to exercisers. It is often that the knots are released so that the exercisers are stumbled. Furthermore, if the user kicks a ball by the shoe surface, the ball direction will be affected by the knot on the shoe upper surface.

Some automatic tying shoelaces are developed, such as those disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. 382914, “Automatic Tying Shoelace”, wherein two free ends of the shoelaces are formed with elastic tensional devices. However, this prior art cause that the shoelace can not be tightened, moreover, the elastic devices are left on the shoe surface. Therefore, the prior art problem can be not resolved.

In another Taiwan Patent No. 299587, “A shoelace with a tightening device”. This patent causes the shoe surface to be flat, no buckle is left on the shoe surface, while this prior art uses a prior tensional cord which is higher than the shoe surface. Moreover, many complicated buckles are used in the tightening device of the patent so that the price of the shoelace is expensive and is not accepted by most of the customers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a automatic tying shoelace, thereby, the user does not need to tie the shoelace body, while the shoelace body can be fixed by two positioning devices at the lateral and rear sides.

To achieve above objects, the present invention provides an automatic tying shoelace used to a shoe. The shoe includes a shoe upper surface, a shoe bottom, two lateral sides of the shoe upper surface, and a rear side of the shoe upper surface. A plurality of juxtaposed holes are formed on the shoe upper surface for being inserted by the shoelace body.

The shoelace has a long shoelace body and at least two positioning devices. A first positioning device and a second positioning device; and one free end of the shoelace body has respective release-proof devices. A position of the first positioning device is lower than that of the second positioning device. The first positioning device serves for being inserted by the free end of the shoelace body and then after the shoelace body is tightened. The shoelace body is released in the second positioning device.

The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the shoelace body of the present invention. [0009]
FIG. 2 shows an operation that the shoelace body tightens a shoe according to the present invention. [0010]
FIG. 3 shows one application of the present invention, where the shoelace body tightens the shoe. [0011]
FIG. 4 shows the perspective view of the first positioning device of the shoelace body according to the present invention. [0012]
FIG. 5 is a lateral view of FIG. 4. [0013]
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the second positioning device of the present invention. [0014]
FIG. 7 shows a reference view of FIG. 6. [0015]
FIG. 8 shows the shoelace body in the second embodiment of the present invention. [0016]
FIG. 9 shows the shoelace body in the third embodiment of the present invention. [0017]
FIG. 10 shows the shoelace body in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. [0018]
FIG. 11 shows the shoelace body in the fifth embodiment of the present invention. [0019]
FIG. 12 is an exploded view showing another embodiment of the second positioning device of the shoelace body in the present invention. [0020]
FIG. 13 is an assembled view of the second positioning device in another embodiment of the present invention. [0021]
FIG. 14 shows the sixth embodiment of the shoelace body of the present invention. [0022]
FIG. 15 is a complete view of the operation of FIG. 14. [0023]
FIG. 16 shows the seventh embodiment of the shoelace body of the present invention. [0024]
FIG. 17 shows the eighth embodiment of the shoelace body of the present invention. [0025]
FIG. 18 is a complete view of the operation of FIG. 17. [0026]
FIG. 19 shows the ninth embodiment of the shoelace body of the present invention. [0027]
FIG. 20 shows the operation of the adjuster of the second positioning device of the shoelace body in FIG. 19.[0028]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, the automatic tying shoelace of the present invention is illustrated. The automatic tying shoelace is mainly used to a [0029] shoe 1. The shoe 1 includes a shoe upper surface 10, a shoe bottom 11, two lateral sides 12 of the shoe upper surface 10, and a rear side of the shoe upper surface 10. A plurality of juxtaposed holes 101 are formed on the shoe upper surface 10 for being inserted by the shoelace body 2.
The shoelace of the present invention has a conventional [0030] long shoelace body 2 and at least two positioning devices, a first positioning device 3 and a second positioning device 4, appended on the shoe 1 for being positioned by the two free ends of the shoelace body 2.
The free end of the [0031] shoelace body 2 has respective release-proof devices 21. The position of the first positioning device 3 is lower than that of the second positioning device 4. The first positioning device 3 serves for being inserted by the free end of the shoelace body 2 and then after the shoelace body 2 is tightened, as shown in the FIG. 2, the shoelace body 2 is released from the second positioning device 4.
In above description, the preferred position for positioning the [0032] first positioning device 3 at the two lateral sides 12 of the shoe upper surface 10. The preferred position of the second positioning device 4 is at a rear side of the shoe upper surface 10. It is preferred that the first positioning device 3 is located near the shoe bottom 11 and the second positioning device 4 is positioned at the rear side 13 of the shoe so that the positioning devices will not retard the use of the shoe surface.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the release-[0033] proof device 21 of the shoelace body 2 is tied at the distal end of the shoelace in advance so as to adjust the position of the release-proof device 21 properly. Thereby, the tightness of the shoelace body 2 and the shoe 1 can be at a preferred condition. The structures of the first positioning device 3 and second positioning device 4 are illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 7, each of these two positioning devices include at least one axial portion 31, 41 for being connected to the shoe 1. One end of the axial portion far away from the shoe 1 must be extended with an bending portion 32 (42), which is vertical to the axial portion 31 (41) or has an acute angle with respect to the axial portion 31 (41). Preferably, another end of the bending portion 32 (42) has a protruding stop 33 (43) which faces toward the shoe 1. Thereby, the shoelace body 2 may pass through the bending portion 32 of the first positioning device 3 of the shoe 1. Then the axial portion 31 is used as a fulcrum for tightening the shoelace body 2. Then the shoelace body 2 passes through a space between the bending portion 42 of the second positioning device 4 and the shoe 1. Then the release-proof device 21 is used to cause the shoelace body 2 to be hindered by the stop 43 and thus do not be released.
Referring to FIGS. [0034] 8 to 11, another embodiment showing the different arrangements of the first positioning device 3 and second positioning device 4. The object of this embodiment is to cause that the positioning devices with not effect the use of the shoe surface so that in exercising, the user will not be interfered. In this embodiment, the first positioning device 3 can be positioned as illustrated in FIG. 9. Namely, the first positioning device 3 a has two ends which are installed to the shoe. Thereby, the shoelace body 2 passing through the first positioning device 3 a can be bent. Furthermore, the second positioning device 4 is formed as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. The second positioning device 4 has two cambered pieces 4 a, 4 b which are connected to the shoe 1 and the two cambered pieces 4 a and 4 b are not connected to one another. The two cambered pieces 4 a, 4 b are formed with a space 4 c therebetween for being passed by the shoelace. One end of the shoelace body 2 passing through the space 4 c has a release-proof device 21 for preventing the shoelace body 2 from releasing (referring to FIG. 13). Preferably, the mask 211 covers the release-proof device 21.
With reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. A protecting [0035] piece 14 is used to cover the first positioning device 3 and has a sticky end 142 with respect to the sticky end 143 on the shoe 1 so that the first positioning device 3 will not protrudes out.
As shown in FIG. 16, in another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of [0036] bags 15 are installed near the second positioning device 4. By these bags 15, the second positioning device 4 can be fixed by insertion. Thereby, the position of the positioning device is selectable, causing the shoelace body 2 can be adjusted in tightness conveniently.
Referring to FIG. 17, the [0037] rear side 13 of the shoe 1 has a track 16 two sides of which have teeth 161. A center of the track can contain an adjuster 40. Two sides of the adjuster 40 facing toward the teeth 161 have elastic positioning rods 401, 402. One end of each positioning rod 401, 402 with respect to the teeth 161 has a positioning portion 403, 404 which can slide into the teeth 161. Thereby, the tightness of the second positioning device 4 can be adjusted (referring to FIG. 18).
Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, an [0038] elastomer 5 with two sides having respective hooks 51 are added to the rear side of the shoe 1. The hook 51 serves to hook the shoelace body 2 of the second positioning device 4 and the release-proof device 21 serves to prevent the second positioning device 4 from releasing. Thereby, the tightness of the shoelace body can be adjusted.
The present invention is thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. [0039]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic tying shoelace used to tie a shoe; the shoe including a shoe upper surface having two lateral sides and a rear side, and a shoe bottom; a plurality of juxtaposed holes being formed on the shoe upper surface for being inserted by a shoelace; characterized in that:

the shoelace has a long shoelace body; at least two positioning devices, a first positioning device and a second positioning device are positioned on the shoe upper surface; one free end of the shoelace body has respective release-proof device; a position of the first positioning device is lower than that of the second positioning device; the first positioning device serves for being inserted by the free end of the shoelace body and then after the shoelace body is tightened; and then the shoelace body is fixed to the second positioning device.

2. The automatic tying shoelace as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first positioning device is positioned at two lateral sides of the shoe surface and the second positioning device is positioned at a rear side of the shoe.

3. The automatic tying shoelace as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first positioning device is positioned near or at the shoe bottom.

4. The automatic tying shoelace as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first positioning device and second positioning device have respective axial portions for being connected to the shoe; one end of each axial portion far away from the shoe is extended with an bending portion which is vertical to the axial portion or has an acute angle with respect to the axial portion; one end of the bending portion has a protruding stop which faces toward the shoe.

5. The automatic tying shoelace as claimed in claim 1, wherein the release-proof device of the shoelace body is formed at a distal end of the shoelace body.

6. The automatic tying shoelace as claimed in claim 5, wherein a protecting mask covers the release-proof device.

7. The automatic tying shoelace as claimed in claim 1, wherein a protecting piece covers the first positioning device and has a sticky end with respect to a sticky end on the shoe so that the first positioning device will not protrudes out.

8. The automatic tying shoelace as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first positioning device has two ends fixed to the shoe.

9. The automatic tying shoelace as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of bags are installed near the second positioning device; by these bags, the second positioning device is fixed by being inserted into the bags.

10. The automatic tying shoelace as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear side of the shoe has a track two sides of which have teeth; a center of the track contains an adjuster; two sides of the adjuster facing toward the teeth have elastic positioning rods; one end of each positioning rod with respect to the teeth has a positioning portion which can slide into the teeth.

11. The automatic tying shoelace as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second positioning device has two cambered pieces which are connected to the shoe and the two cambered pieces are not connected to one another; the two cambered pieces are formed with a space therebetween for being passed by the shoelace; one end of the shoelace body passing through the space has the release-proof device for preventing the shoelace body from releasing.

12. The automatic tying shoelace as claimed in claim 1, wherein an elastomer with two sides having respective hooks are added to the rear side of the shoe; the hook serves to hook the shoelace body of the second positioning device and the release-proof device serves to prevent the second positioning device from releasing.