Abstract:
Enhanced lace tightening system including a plurality of apertures extending through the main body of a shoelace and smoothly finished end caps allowing unimpeded passage therethrough. A process includes a finishing step whereby end caps are generated without frayed edges to facilitate passage of the same through apertures to position appropriate aspects of the laces rapidly in a position from whence little tension loss occurs when properly disposed. Products by the process incorporate silicone, metallic elements, and related enhancements providing specifically improved shoelaces for any number of applications for a stated goal of drawing and fixing together two opposite edges.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to cords, ribbons or strings used to draw and tie together two opposite edges, in a modern sense mostly used to used to adorn and secure various items. In particular, the present invention relates to shoelaces, particularly those used with shoes designed for athletics and the skateboarding arts. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Shoelaces are commonly used to replace other rigid or quasi-rigid means for keeping feet inside of shoes. Likewise, given the shoes that large specialized groups of athletes, children and skateboarders use today, which are to a certain extent ‘elastically deformable’, often a need arises for lacing structures and systems which either appear to maintain tension, or are not easily “untied” depending on the specific case. 
   Known among those skilled are different varietes of materials and mechanisms for these and related purposes. However, to date no system has been perfected allowing a user to have laces disposed, for example, on the front of shoes without losing tension without deleterious aesthetics—or simple failures of function or design. 
   In light of the above, there remains a need for a novel enhanced lacing system which corrects for a variety of existing shortcomings and is less sensitive to decentration, torque, tilt and the other things that generally make laces loose tension, while being pleasing to the eye. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a conventional skateboarding type of shoe showing holes through which laces may be arrayed to achieve appropriate tensioning; 
       FIG. 2  is an outside view of a conventional skateboarding type of shoe showing holes through which laces may be arrayed to achieve appropriate tensioning; 
       FIG. 3  is an inside view of a conventional skateboarding type of shoe showing holes through which laces may be arrayed to achieve appropriate tensioning; 
       FIG. 4  is a frontal view of a conventional skateboarding type of shoe showing holes through which laces may be arrayed to achieve appropriate tensioning; 
       FIG. 5  is a back view of a conventional skateboarding type of shoe showing holes through which laces may be arrayed to achieve appropriate tensioning; 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view of a shoelace according to the present invention for use with prior art shoes (or other items) and conventional skateboarding types of shoes having holes through which laces may be arrayed to achieve appropriate tensioning; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a shoelace, such as that shown in  FIG. 6 , according to the present invention; and 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a shoelace, such as that shown in  FIG. 6 , according to the present invention, with a detailed view of either end-cap showing the smoothly finished treatment allowing unimpeded passage through aperture means. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a conventional skateboarding shoe  1  showing a plurality of through-holes on an inside portion  3 , and a plurality of through-holes on outside portion  5 . Prior art lacing schemes have relied upon adjusting relative tensions between a first set of through holes on inside edge  3 , and second set on outside portion  5 , to maintain shoe  1  in the desired relationship to a user&#39;s foot. This is done by decreasing the space  2 , by shortening the length of lace (not shown) between respective through-holes on inside portion  3  and outside portion  5 . 
   Turning to  FIG. 2 , shoe  1 , with plurality of through-holes on outside portion  5 , serves to draw and fix together two opposite edges  3  (not shown) and  5  of shoe  1 . This is generally done by using a pair of through-hole of each one of opposite edge  3  (not shown) and  5  which are tensioned by shortening the relative distance  2  between them (see  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 ). 
   However, there are shoes and desired configurations whereby a user does not necessarily desire to impact the relative distance  2 (see  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 ) between opposite edges  3  and (not shown)  5  of the shoe  1 . 
     FIG. 3 , for example, shows gusset  7  of edge  3  which may be stiffened, re-inforced, or otherwise made resistant to flexible change or deformation. In such a case, over-tensioning laces between edge  3 , and outside edge  5  can change the shape of shoe  1  in a way that is not desired. Likewise, other characteristics of shoe  1 , may create a need to maintain relative distance  2 (see  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 ) at a fixed dimension. 
     FIG. 4  presents such a case, where a user may wish to maintain relative distance  2  in a fixed relationship to the other component parts of the shoe. Prior to the advent of the present invention, edges  3  and  5  could not been maintained in a fixed positional relationship to the remainder of shoe  1 , without tensioning issues. 
     FIG. 5  also presents a situation whereby stiffened back portion  8 , would cause logo  9  to be stretched in an unfavorable way with current lacing systems. 
     FIG. 6  shows an embodiment of the present invention having any number of apertures  12  disposed within body of lace  10  such that end cap  16  can easily pass through aperture  12 , within becoming inconveniently lodged therein. Reinforcement  14  may optionally be aligned along the top or bottom or both edges of lace  10  peripheral to each aperture  12 . 
   Lace  10  diverges from known shoelaces in that each outer side surface  13  bulges slightly outward proximate to each aperture  12  and pinches inward in the space directly adjacent to each aperture  12 . End cap  16 , with outer portion  18  re-inforced and smoothed to enable ready passage of end cap  16  and outer portion  18  through any one of apertures  12 , without becoming enmeshed in the same. 
     FIG. 7  show a cross-sectional view of lace body  10 , showing aperture  12  positioned such that end cap  16  with outer portion  18  may pass therethrough without frictional engagement until distal border  15  is reached. By having specially treated and process end cap  16  outer portion  18 , the method of tightening of the present invention is achieved. Namely, smooth passage through lace body  10  at aperture  12  can be achieved for tensioning purposes until an area of lace  10  downstream of distal border  15  is at a position to engage the inside portion of aperture  12 . By allowing rapid and smooth passage of end cap  16  through aperture  12  a desired tension level can be set, which then permits maintenance of said tension level by the fabric to fabric friction which is maintained. 
     FIG. 8  likewise shows end cap  16  with outer portion  18  that has been processed such that no frayed or loosened fabric or plastic pieces exist. Accordingly it is an aspect of the present invention to teach a process whereby a lacing member is created comprising the step of process finishing the end cap  16 , by at least one of chemical, mechanical, thermal and a combination of these types of treatments whereby outer portion  18  does not present roughened elements along the entiety of its peripheral surface  19 . 
   Peripheral surface  19  of end cap  16 , likewise including outer portion  18  passes readily through aperture  12  of smooth passage through lace body  10 . By passing peripheral surface  19  of end cap  16  leading with outer portion  18 , effective passage through aperture  12  can be achieved for tensioning purposes until an area of lace  10  downstream of distal border  15  is at a position to engage the inside portion of aperture  12 . By allowing rapid and smooth passage of end cap  16  through aperture  12  a desired tension level can be set, which then permits maintenance of said tension level by the fabric to fabric friction which is maintained respectively between inside and outside faces of lace body  19 . 
   There has been no teaching among the existing arts whereby apertures  12  can both permit ready passage and selective tensioning of aspects of lace body  10 , in compliance with a user&#39;s wishes. According to the present invention there is disclosed an improvement in the science of lace-making whereby enhanced utility and user friendlyness is achieved by smoothly finishing peripheral surface  19  by known chemical processing means such that outer portion  18  of end cap  16  does not become lodged inadvertendly in aperature  12 . 
   Referring now to reinforcement strip  14 , silicone or any materials having appropriate properties within the normal skill level of artisans line aspects of lace body  10 , either at an edge of any respective aperture  12 , or any other location along lace body  10 . Often reinforcement strip  14  is a material such as a silicone, cast in a color, topical surface feature, or other gross geometrical fashion differentiating the same from lace body  10 . 
   A process for creating silicone reinforced lacing members with holes extending through the members and chemically treated end caps allowing for ready passage is taught. New fashion shoelaces styled EYELETE MAGIC LACES (MSL-173) and MAGIC LACES (MSL-501/MSL-502) are available from Trion Corporation (16100 Gundry Avenue, Paramount Calif. 90723) which products embody this process. 
   Essentially, the instant teachings can be used for any known systems used to draw and tie together two opposite edges, in a modern sense mostly used to used to adorn and secure various items. For example, skateboard shoe laces can be threaded through conventional eyelets and placed in a position whereby with or without securement by traditional knotting schemes. 
   Further uses of the benefits of the instant teahcings will become known to those skilled in the art by studying the figures in combination with the claims which are appended hereto. 
   While this invention has been described with respect to various specific examples and embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that it can be variously practiced within the scope of the following claims.