Abstract:
A retaining clip for holding shoelaces and replacing standard footwear eyelets including one integral member formed with a base attached to the shoe upper with a curved member extending upwardly therefrom and an upper member extending back across the base. An abutment member extends outwardly from the upper member toward the base member to be in abutment therewith for retaining a shoelace therewithin and a prying tab extends upwardly from the abutment member. The shoelace when urged against the prying tab will cause the abutment member to separate from the base allowing the shoelace to snap into place. When the shoelace is pulled against the opposite side of the abutment member, release is achieved. The footwear construction includes a shoelace securement means having a cam cleat for firmly gripping of the shoelaces and facilitating extremely rapid operation of the overall footwear closure construction.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention deals with the field of footwear closure configurations and particularly provides a shoewear closure means usable for persons who would wish to have a quick and easy to close footwear closure securement means. Preferred is two cam cleats, wherein the shoewear design does not require any tieing of the laces and does not require placing of the lace through a successive series of individual eyelets. The high speed securement clips provided along with the cam cleats and the supplemental securement clips provide a very high speed and very secure foot securement construction. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Many prior art devices have been covered by previously issued patents designed primarily for the purpose of providing various types of apparatus for footwear such as boots, shoes, tennis shoes and the like for the purposes of tightening the lacing thereof in order to close the foot gripping opening and secure the footwear with respect to the foot of a wearer such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 630,984 patented Aug. 15, 1899 to Lovell on a “Guard For Lacing Hooks”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,287,985 patented Jun. 30, 1942 to Gookin and assigned to United Shoe Machinery Corporation on a “Laced Boot”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,545 patented Dec. 3, 1963 to Williams on a “Shoe Fastening Device”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,167 patented Jul. 26, 1966 to H. Martin on a “Closure For Footwear Having Interconnected Rotatable Members”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,279,015 patented Oct. 18, 1966 to L. M. Henning and assigned to Byron V. Curry, William J. Gribble and N. S. Henning on a “Shoelace Apparatus”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,304 patented Aug. 1, 1967 to Daddona, Jr. and assigned to Scovill Manufacturing Company on a “Lacing Device”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,425,408 patented Feb. 4, 1969 to M. Vinet and assigned to Vapor Corporation on a “Track Switch Heater”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,156 patented Jan. 20, 1970 to P. Lollmann et al and assigned to Rieker &amp; Co. on “Sports Footwear”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,775 patented Nov. 28, 1972 to J. Gouda on “Football Boots”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,644 patented May 7, 1974 to R. Schoch and assigned to Weinmann Aktiengesellschaft on a “Closure Device For Shoes, Particularly For Ski Shoes”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,048 patented Sep. 10, 1974 to Maurer on “Shoe Fastening”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,964 patented Feb. 7, 1978 to Vogiatzis on a “Footwear Fastening System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,320 patented Apr. 27, 1982 to T. Riedel and assigned to Sesamat Anstalt on a “Lever-Operable Fastener For A Shoe”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,548 patented Jan. 6, 1987 to Siskind et al on a “Speed Lace Structure”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,025 patented Feb. 3, 1987 to J. DeRenzo on a “Figure Eight Shoe Tie System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,352 patented Mar. 13, 1990 to J. Ginsberg on a “Shoe Lace Replacing And Shoe Fastening Device”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,833 patented Apr. 17, 1990 to Nwoko on an “Enhanced Speed Lacing Device With An Integrated Adjustable Width, Adjustable Tension System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,882 patented Jan. 12, 1993 to C. Berger and assigned to PUMA AG Rudolf Dassler Sport on a “Shoe With A Central Fastener”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,331 patented Jan. 26, 1993 to C. Berger and assigned to Puma Rudolf Dassler Sport on a “Shoe With Flexible Upper Material Provided With A Closing Device”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,055 patented Apr. 27, 1993 to A. Harrell on a “Pneumatic Shoe Lacing Apparatus”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,398 patented Aug. 2, 1994 to Y. Seo on a “Lace Fastening Cleat And Shoe”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,697 patented Sep. 13, 1994 to Quellais and assigned to Salomon S. A. on a “Boot Tightened By A Flexible Link”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,764 patented Sep. 27, 1994 to S. Posner and assigned to Dan Lynn Industries, Inc. on a “Shoe Securement Apparatus”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,585 patented Jun. 18, 1996 to Brown et al on an “Attachment Device For Use With A Lace-Substitute Hand-Actuable Shoe-Closure System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,763 patented Jul. 23, 1996 to T. Donnadieu et al and assigned to Salomon S. A. on a “Boot With Tightening System With Memorization Of Tension”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,474 patented Oct. 22, 1996 to Leick et al and assigned to Salomon S. A. on a “Sport Boot Having A Fixed-Lace Closure System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,785 patented Jun. 24, 1997 to S. Egelja and assigned to Items International, Inc. on “Resilient Loops And Mating Hooks For Securing Footwear To A Foot”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,104 patented Jul. 15, 1997 to Laurence H. James and assigned to Laurence H. James on a “Cable Fastener”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,044 patented May 26, 1998 to Veylupek on a “Shoe Lacing System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,457 patented Dec. 15, 1998 to Silagy on a “Lacing System For Traditional Footwear”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,057 patented May 25, 1999 to Borsoi and assigned to Salomon S.A. on a “Sports Boot Including Flexible And Traction Resistant Return Elements”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,947 patented Jun. 8, 1999 to DeMarchi and assigned to Salomon S.A. on a “Sport Footwear Assembly”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,976 patented Jul. 27, 1999 to Cretinon et al and assigned to Salomon S. A. on a “Sport Boot”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,990 patented Aug. 24, 1999 to Barret and assigned to Salomon S. A. on a “Shoe With An At Least Partially Elastic Lining And Volume Adjusting System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,823 patented Sep. 28, 1999 to Borel and assigned to Salomon S. A. on a “Guide and Blocking Assembly For A Boot”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,080 patented Nov. 9, 1999 to Borsoi and assigned to Salomon S. A. on a “Lace Having Variable Sections For Sports Boots And Sports Boot Equipped With Such A Lace”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,256 patented Dec. 7, 1999 to Charles W. Zebe, Jr. on “Footwear Construction With Improved Closure Means”. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a unique configuration for a shoelace retaining clip allowing the lacing of a shoe or re-lacing of a shoe to be preformed quickly by preventing the necessity of extending the lacing through numerous individual holes or eyelets. The configuration of the shoelace retaining clip includes a base member which defines at least one mounting eyelet therein in order to facilitate securement thereof with respect to the footwear upper surface. An arcuate intermediate member is integral with the base member and extends outwardly away therefrom. This arcuate inner member is flexibly resilient preferably and includes a convexly curved interior wall section therein in order to minimize the damaging of a shoelace retained securely therein by limiting any sharp edges over which the lacing must extend. 
     An upper member is also included integral with the arcuate intermediate member and extending outwardly therefrom to a position spatially disposed from and yet extending over the base member in such a manner as to define a shoelace retaining hole. This shoelace retaining hole preferably is positioned adjacent to the convexly curved interior wall section in order to minimize damaging thereof by preventing the passing thereof over any sharp edges. This upper member is also preferably formed of a flexibly resilient material. An abutment member is also integral with respect to the upper member and extends outwardly away therefrom toward the base member in order to abut the base member at a position remote from the location of the arcuate intermediate member. In this manner the shoelace retaining hole means will be defined between the base member and the upper member in a vertical direction and between the arcuate intermediate member and the abutment member in the horizontal direction. The abutment member is preferably biased into abutment with the base member in the steady state position by the flexible resilience of the configuration of the arcuate intermediate member and the upper member. 
     A prying tab may also be included preferably extending outwardly with respect to the abutment member in a direction away from the base member in order to define a prying slot therebetween facing outwardly away from the shoelace retaining hole. This prying tab preferably extends at an acute angle of approximately 45% away from the base member to facilitate leverage of force biased against the prying tab. The prying tab is responsive to a force being exerted thereon by a shoelace being forcibly urged into the prying slot to move away from the base member and to urge movement of the abutment member away from contact with the base member to allow entry of the shoelace into the shoelace retaining hole to be removably retained therewithin. 
     This unique configuration for a shoelace securement means is preferably utilized with a footwear construction which includes a footwear sole extending below the foot of wearer and a footwear upper attached to the footwear sole and extending upwardly therefrom around the foot of a wearer. This footwear upper preferably defines a foot opening therein to allow entry and exit of the foot of a wearer. The footwear upper also preferably defines an elongated lacing gap extending therealong and adjacent the foot opening to facilitate entry and exit of the foot of a wearer into the footwear upper. A shoelace is also preferably included which is attachable with respect to the footwear upper along the elongated lacing gap for tightening thereof for selectively securing the footwear upper about the foot of a wearer. 
     Preferably the shoelace securement means will include a first cam cleat and a second cam cleat for detachably securing the shoelace with respect to the shoe upper without requiring the shoelace to be tied to itself. Also it is preferable that supplemental shoelace retaining clips be included behind each of the cam cleats to allow the extra portion of the shoelace not used for securement of the elongated lacing opening to be firmly secured with respect to the shoe upper. To further facilitate this securement an enlarged end portion may be preferably included in the shoelace of a size larger than the retaining aperture for the shoelace defined in the supplemental clip means. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration which is both simple as well as relative inexpensive. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration wherein tightening of footwear is achieved by extending the shoelace thereof through a plurality of high speed clips or hooks to provide an overall enhanced and high speed shoe tightening mechanism. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration wherein attachment about the foot of a wearer is enhanced by preventing the laces on any kind of shoe from becoming loose which would cause the user to step on, trip over or entangle these loose laces and possibly result in serious injury. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration wherein a safe shoe securement apparatus is provided by firming securing any excess shoelace material. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration wherein attachment of a shoe to the foot of a wearer is enhanced for young children and other persons which have difficulty tieing shoelaces. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration wherein re-lacing of a shoe is capable of being performed in a much more rapid fashion. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration wherein the cost of manufacture is minimized. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration wherein invalids and other persons with debilitating problems such as arthritis can more easily put on their own shoes. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration wherein the re-lacing as well as tightening of shoelaces is made much more simple and quick to perform. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration wherein usage with various different types of footwear configuration is made possible. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration wherein more accurate control of the tension and securement of shoelaces with respect to a footwear upper is achieved. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration wherein the undesirable loosening of shoelaces is prevented by the firm securement with respect to the high speed clipping system, cam cleats and supplemental clipping arrangement shown herein. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration wherein it is not necessary to make perforations extending through a conventional footwear upper to form eyelets therein thereby enhancing waterproof characteristics of footwear made with this configuration. 
     It is an object of the footwear closure apparatus and shoelace retaining clip of the present invention to provide a “bowless” shoelace tightening configuration wherein shoelaces do not at any point extend below the uppermost surface of the shoe upper. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     While the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portions herein, a preferred embodiment is set forth in the following detailed description which may be best understood when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of a footwear construction of the present invention showing the improved closure apparatus used with the improved shoelace retaining clips of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration of an embodiment of the shoelace retaining clip of the present invention shown with a shoelace retained therewithin; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the shoelace retaining clip of the present invention shown with a shoelace retained therewithin; 
     FIG. 4 is a side plan view of an embodiment of the shoelace retaining clip of the present invention shown with a shoelace retained therewithin; 
     FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view showing a shoelace exerting biasing against a tab as it is inserted into an embodiment of the shoelace retaining clip of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view showing a shoelace exerting biasing against a tab as it is removed from the embodiment of the shoelace retaining clip of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective illustration of an embodiment of the shoelace retaining clip of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention provides a new and improved shoelace retaining clip configuration  10  which preferably includes a base member  12  securable to a conventional footwear upper  40 . Base member  12  preferably defines one or more preferably two individual mounting eyelets  30  which can receive rivets or other securement means for fixedly attaching the base member  12  of the shoelace retaining clip  10  with respect to the footwear upper  40 . A conventional footwear  34  such as a shoe, boot or tennis shoe will define a foot opening  42  designed for receiving the foot  36  of a wearer extending therethrough. It also includes a sole  38  extending below the footwear to encapsulate the user&#39;s foot  36 . An elongated lacing gap  44  extends outwardly from the foot opening  42  along the footwear upper  40  to facilitate entry and removal of the foot  36  of a wearer into the footwear  34 . 
     This elongated lacing gap  44  needs to be secured by a shoelace  46 . Attachment of the shoelace  46  with respect to each side of the elongated lacing gap  44  is achieved by the shoelace retaining clip  10  of the present invention. With the base  12  of each of the shoelace retaining clips  10  secured at spaced relation with respect to one another along both sides of the lacing gap  44  an improved lacing configuration is provided. 
     In particular the shoelace securement means  48  provided by the present invention will preferably include multiple shoe retaining clips  10  with their base member  12  secured to the footwear upper  40  along both opposite sides of the elongated lacing gap  44  as well as a lowermost shoelace retaining clip  50  positioned below the end of the elongated lacing gap  44  immediately behind the toe area  64  of the shoe. 
     The detailed configuration of the shoe retaining clip  10  of the present invention to form this overall improved shoelace securement configuration  48  is a very important aspect of the present invention. In particular an arcuate intermediate member  14  is included extending upwardly from the base member  12 . An upper member  16  is attached to the arcuate intermediate member  14  and extends outwardly therefrom over the base member  12  at a position spatially disposed therefrom. An abutment member  20  extends from the upper member  16  toward the base member  12  in such a manner as to be brought into abutment therewith. The base member  12 , the arcuate intermediate member  14 , the upper member  16  and the abutment member  20  are preferably formed as a single integral unit formed of a flexibly resilient material. Preferably this material would be a spring steel such as a blue spring steel or stainless spring steel. The base member  12  and the upper member  16  define the lower and upper limits, respectively, of a shoelace retaining hole  18 . In a similar manner the abutment member  20  and the arcuate intermediate member  14  define the lateral limits of the shoelace retaining hole  18 . As such, base member  12 , arcuate intermediate member  14 , upper member  16  and abutment member  20  together define a shoelace retaining hole  18  extending therethrough which is defined to selectively retain or release a shoelace  46  easily and rapidly as desired by a user. 
     To facilitate operation of the shoelace retaining clip  10  a prying tab  22  will extend upwardly away from the abutment member  20 . Such prying tab  22  will preferably be integral with the abutment member  20  and will define a prying slot  24  along with the base member  12 . That is, base member  12  and prying tab  22  which extends upwardly at an acute angle from the base member  12  will define this prying slot  24  therebetween. The 45% angle  28  at which the prying tab  24  is preferably configured with respect to the base member  12  is shown best in FIG.  4 . 
     When the shoelace  46  is placed within the shoelace retaining hole  18  it is preferable that the arcuate intermediate member  14  include a convexly curved interior wall section  26 . This is shown best in FIG.  3 . Normally the shoelace  46  will extend away from the mounting eyelets  30  of the clip  10  and, as such, it is preferable that sharp or form edges be rounded over to prevent wear or damage to the shoelace  46  itself. This is achieved by forming of the interior wall of the arcuate intermediate member  14  with a convexly curved interior wall section  26 . 
     Also preferably the abutment member  20  will include a convexly shaped abutment surface  32  to facilitate maintaining a firm contact thereof with respect to the base member  12  when the abutment member  20  is biased in the steady state position in contact therewith. In the normal configuration due to the flexible resilience in the materials of which the elements of the spring retaining clip  10  of the present invention are made, the convexly shaped abutment surface  32  of the abutment member  20  will be biased into contact with the base member  12 . This biasing force will help retain the shoelace  46  within the shoelace retaining hole  18 . However, if it is desired to remove the shoelace  46  from this hole  18 , this can be quickly achieved merely by exerting force upon the shoelace in the upper direction as shown in FIG. 1 which will cause force to be exerted against the abutment member  20  causing it to separate from abutment with the base member  12  by overcoming the spring resilient force urging these members to separate allowing release of the shoelace as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     This same flexible resilience can be overcome in order to place the shoelace  46  in position retained within the shoelace retaining hole  18  as shown in FIG.  5 . In this drawing we see that the shoelace  46  is being urged to the left, that is, urged into the prying slot  24 . As the shoelace is brought in contact with the prying tab  22  it exerts a bias against this tab and against the base member  12  therebelow causing the prying tab  22  to be pried away from the base member  12  as shown in FIG.  5 . This allows the shoelace  46  to be quickly snapped into position within the shoelace retaining hole  18 . As soon as the shoelace  46  enters the hole  18  the abutment member  20  snaps back to the steady state position in abutment with the base member  12  due to the flexible resilience of the various members of the shoelace retaining clip  10 . 
     The advantages of this configuration are clearly appreciated when comparing this quick snap in and snap out high speed clipping configuration to the time consuming and onerous process of threading a shoelace through a plurality of as many as fourteen or more individual shoelace holes defined in the footwear upper  40  along the elongated lacing gap  44 . This is an advantage in speed of attachment and disengagement which is useful for retaining any type of string or lacing configuration and such use is contemplated in accordance with the present invention. 
     To further provide a fast and convenient shoelace securement apparatus  40  for the present invention it may further include a first cam cleat  58  and a second cam cleat  60  as shown in FIG.  1 . The use of these cam cleats as an apparatus for footwear securement to replace the requirement of tying the shoelaces was first disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,256 filed Feb. 26, 1998 as Ser. No. 09/031,034 by the same inventor as herein. The entire text of that issued patent is now incorporated by reference into the present application. With the positioning of a cam cleat  58  and  60  on each opposite side of the elongated lacing gap  44  high speed tightening of the laces is achievable immediately after high speed lacing of the shoes using the improved shoelace retaining clip  10  of the present invention. Such cam cleats  58  and  60  are enhanced in operation by the inclusion of a guide ring  62  therewith which holds the shoelace  46  in position at all times such that it is extending through each of the cam cleats. 
     To further enhance the convenience and safety of use of the shoelace securement apparatus  48  of the present invention, a first supplemental shoelace retaining clip  52  will be positioned immediately behind the first cam cleat  58  and a second supplemental shoelace retaining clip  54  will be positioned immediately behind the second cam cleat  60 . In this manner any extra lacing which is left over after tightening of the laces by tying thereof or by securement to the cam cleats can be retained closely and securely and safely along the lateral sides of the footwear upper  40  immediately adjacent to the foot opening  42 . Each of the supplemental shoelace retaining clips will adopt the same basic configuration as the shoelace retaining clips  10  utilized along both sides of the elongated lacing gap  44  to facilitate speed of securement therebetween. Also preferably the shoelace  46  will include enlarged end members  56  which will prevent the ends of the shoelace from passing through the shoelace retaining holes  18  defined in the supplemental shoelace retaining clips  52  and  54 . In order to achieve this reliable attachment the size of the enlarged end members  56  must be larger than the diameter of the shoelace retaining hole  18 . 
     With this configuration the present invention discloses a unique configuration for a lacing retaining clip and a unique configuration utilizing this clip with respect to footwear. Neither of these combinations are shown or suggested in any of the prior art. As such, the present invention is deemed to be a distinct advantage over prior art footwear securement designs currently available. 
     While particular embodiments of this invention have been shown in the drawings and described above, it will be apparent, that many changes may be made in the form, arrangement and positioning of the various elements of the combination. In consideration thereof it should be understood that preferred embodiments of this invention disclosed herein are intended to be illustrative only and not intended to limit the scope of the invention.