Patent ID: 9538802
Date: 2017-01-10
CPC Classifications: A43B,A43C,Y10T

Claim:
1. A fastening device for connecting two identified openings in an article of footwear, the fastening device comprising: an elongated main body member defining a longitudinal axis, the main body member having a first end portion and a second end portion at opposite ends of the elongated main body member, the elongated main body member being solid between the first end portion and the second end portion and defining a main body member length along the longitudinal axis; first and second tip end members, each of the first and second tip end members being adapted to fit through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear; and a single first elastic interference portion connecting the main body member and the first tip end member, and a single second elastic interference portion connecting the main body member and the second tip end member, wherein the first elastic interference portion defines a first length along the longitudinal axis between the first end portion of the main body member and the first tip end member, the first length being shorter than the main body member length, and wherein the second elastic interference portion defines a second length along the longitudinal axis between the second end portion of the main body member and the second tip end member, the second length being shorter than the main body member length; wherein the first and second elastic interference portions are each normally located in a rest state wherein the first and second elastic interference portions define an outer dimension that prevents their passage through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear, and each of the first and second elastic interference portions is elastically deformable into a stretched state that permits their passage through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear, wherein the fastening device has a first reduced width neck region between the main body member and the first elastic interference portion and a second reduced width neck region between the main body member and the second elastic interference portion, wherein each of the first and second tip end members has a substantially uniform width region that is smaller in width than the elastic interference portions, each substantially uniform width region of the first and second tip end members having a length along the longitudinal axis that is greater than the respective first and second lengths of the elastic interference portion in the rest state, wherein the elongated main body member defines a height orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and a width orthogonal to the height and the longitudinal axis, wherein the width is larger than the height, and wherein the main body member has a substantially uniform height.