Locking Boot Fastening Device and Method

A locking system for boots, attaches laces to male and female portions of a quick connect connector, wraps it around the boots, and connects the portions together. A pull tab on one of the portions of the connector can allow the boots to be tightened by pulling in one direction and loosened by pulling in the other direction.

BACKGROUND

Our previous U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/301,267, filed Jun. 7, 2021 describes using a quick connect device to secure laces of a shoe.

This device works well for shoes, however does not work as well for boots, that typically require longer laces.

SUMMARY

The inventors recognized a new way of tying boots using a tension device, formed using a quick connect connector. The system uses the quick connect connector to hold tension on the laces while wrapping the laces around the boot. Once so wrapped, the tightness can be adjusted by pulling a pull tab connection that is attached to the quick connect connector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present application describes a system for securing footwear and laces and more specifically relates to securing laces on a boot. Embodiments can be used on a boot having eyelets for the laces, or eyelets with top hooks for the laces. The footwear according to the embodiments can use, and is intended to include, all kinds of items worn on users' feet, including skates and roller blades, sports shoes and other shoes and all other footwear.

In an embodiment, the system uses elastic style laces, although this system could operate alternately with conventional laces/paracord that do not stretch like the elastic laces.

In an embodiment, the locking mechanism uses a separate male and female quick release locking mechanism as shown with reference to the drawings.

The boot100is shown inFIG.1. The boot has laces105passing through eyelets110,111in the boot. The laces emerge at the top of the boot, with both sides120,121of the laces emerging through eyelets123,124respectively both on the same side of the boot.

The laces120,121are connected through openings in a female part130of a quick connect connector. The first lace side120goes through a first opening131in the female part130of the quick connect connector, and the second lace side121goes through a second opening132in the female part the female part130of the quick connect connector.

In another embodiment, the laces emerge on opposite sides of the boot, as conventional.

The laces can also be held in hooks or pegs or D rings, rather than eyelets.

The quick connect connector also has a male part150shown inFIG.1. The male part150attaches into and connects to the female part130.

A holding ring135is connected to the connector female portion130. This ring135can be a pole or split ring.

A cinching action is created when the laces are cinched between the male part150and female part130of the quick connect connector once connected together, as shown inFIG.2. There is enough cinching action that the laces of the boot can be securely tightened and loosened, without disconnecting the male female portions of the locking mechanism from one another, as described herein.

In operation, the boot100is placed on the foot, in the condition shown inFIG.1. There is some slack portion199in the laces between the eyelets123,124and the female portion130of the quick connect connector. The laces further extend from the female portion130of the quick connect connector, in a lace area149, terminating in the male portion150of the quick connect connector.

Once placed on the foot, the slack portions199of the laces are wound in the direction198from the direction of the eyelets from which they are emerging, toward the other eyelets on the opposite side of the boot, from left to right in the perspective ofFIG.1, around the top portion101of the boot. The laces may be wound around the top portion101of the boot, one time or multiple times.

After the laces are wound around the top portion of the boot and the slack in the laces is relaxed, the male portion150of the quick connect connector is connected to the female portion130of the quick connect connector.

FIG.2illustrates how the slack in the laces120is wound around the top portion101of the boot101, until the male portion150of the quick connector can be attached to the female portion130of the quick connector. This has the effect of cinching the laces120,121as they pass through and underneath the female portion130of the quick connect connector and thus holding the laces in place.

Once connected, the pole ring pulling part135can be used to tighten the tension on the laces, by pulling the quick connect connector: both male150and female130portions as attached together to one another, more tightly about the boot.FIG.3shows the quick connect connector assembly being moved from the position250inFIG.2to a tightened position300inFIG.3. The pole ring135can also be pulled in the opposite direction, to loosen the tension.

That is, the tension around the top101of the boot can be tightened and loosened by moving the quick connect connector130/150to the left or right using the pole ring135, overcoming the cinching force of the connector(s) against the laces.

Once tightened, ring135can be attached to the adjacent elastic laces for additional security and elimination of the ring flapping while walking/running.

It should also be noted that the current invention can also be used as a stand alone fastening device. The fastening device can be used as an additional fastener for securing footwear with hooks, pegs, eyelets/“D” rings or the like. The fastening device can be fitted with hooks or rings to reduce chafing on the laces. The decrease in chafing may also help to increase the overall tension.

The hooks or rings can be of different sizes depending on the number of hooks, pegs or eyelets/“D” ring being fastened.

The fastening device can also be guided through, under or at the back of the sole of a footwear in order to increase heel support (heel lock) of the footwear.

The fastening device can also be used to fasten multiple objects together or used as a tourniquet, belt etc.

The fastening device can be used as an additional fastener for securing the top hooks on a hiking boot/skate (while still having the regular laces on lower part of boot/skate) or to fasten multiple objects together etc.