Abstract:
A shoe can be tied using only one hand if provided with a tying aid in the form of a generally T-shaped unit comprising a leg having two laterally extending ears. The leg is secured between rows of eyelets on the opposed flaps of the shoe by one or more of the lengths of lace extending across the gap between the flaps. The lengths of shoelace that would otherwise be tied in a bow are instead wrapped around the ears of the tying aid in alternating fashion, preferably twice around each ear, in a manner similar to the manner in which a mooring line is secured to the cleat of a boat.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to footwear, and more particularly to a device for assisting an individual in tying a shoe and a method for tying a shoe. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional shoe utilizing a shoelace, has rows of eyelets on opposed flaps overlying a tongue. The shoelace is threaded back and forth from one row of eyelets to the other. When the end portions of the shoelace, protruding through the endmost eyelets remote from the toe of the shoe, are pulled, the flaps are drawn toward each other by tension in the portions of the shoelace bridging the gap between the flaps. The end portions are then tied, typically by forming an overhand knot and a bow. Usually the bow is one that can be released simply by pulling on one of the ends of the shoelace. A more secure bow can be formed by forming two loops in the sections of lace extending from the overhand knot and tying the two loops in another overhand knot. Various other shoelace tying techniques are known. 
     With the exception of some very skilled magicians most people need two hands to tie a satisfactory shoelace knot. This means that individuals who have lost the use of one hand through injury, because of a stroke, or as a result of some other cause, cannot tie shoes by themselves. Young children also lack the manual dexterity to tie their own shoes, even with two hands. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention affords a simple and effective way for an individual to tie a shoe with only one hand, and also makes it possible for a child who has not yet learned to tie one of the conventional bows referred to above to tie his or her shoes easily. 
     Briefly, the invention resides in the use of a tying aid in the form of a generally T-shaped unit comprising a leg having two laterally extending ears. The leg is secured between the two rows of eyelets on the opposed flaps of the shoe by one or more of the lengths of lace extending across the gap between the flaps. The lengths of shoelace that would otherwise be tied in a bow are instead wrapped around the ears of the tying aid in alternating fashion, preferably twice around each ear, in a manner similar to the manner in which a mooring line is secured to the cleat of a boat. 
     In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, an article of footwear comprises a pair of opposed flaps, each flap having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end being closer than the upper end to a toe portion of the article of footwear. Each flap also has a row of eyelets. The rows of eyelets extending in substantially parallel, opposed, relationship to each other in a direction extending from the lower ends of the flaps to the upper ends of the flaps. A lace is threaded through the eyelets and has plural portions, each extending from an eyelet on one of the flaps to an eyelet on another of the flaps. The lace has two end portions extending respectively from an eyelet in each row. The plural portions extending from one flap to the other exert tension on the flaps, thereby urging said flaps toward each other. A substantially rigid tying aid comprises a leg extending substantially parallel to and between the rows of eyelets, and a pair of ears, joined with, and extending laterally in opposite directions from, the leg at a location adjacent the eyelets from which the two end portions extend. The leg is engaged with, and held in place between, the rows of eyelets by at least one of the plural portions of the lace extending from one flap to the other. Each of said ears of the tying aid has a narrow inner part by which it is connected to the leg, and an enlarged outer part remote from the leg. Parts of the two end portions of the lace are disposed in parallel relation to each other and wrapped alternately about the narrow inner part of each ear, so that the lace is retained by the ears and the tension exerted on the flaps is maintained. 
     Preferably a slot is formed between each of the ears and the leg, and each slot extends from a junction of the narrow inner part of an ear with the leg to an open end constituted by a gap between the enlarged outer part of an ear and the leg. Each gap is narrower than the adjacent part of the slot at the open end of which it is located. The end portions of the lace extend through the part of each slot adjacent the gap thereof, and each gap is sufficiently narrow to resist passage of the end portions of the lace outward through the gap from the adjacent part of the slot. 
     The width of each gap is preferably less than the width of a part of each lace end portion extending through the adjacent part of the slot at the open end of which the gap is located. 
     The gap may be formed by a protrusion on an ear extending toward the leg. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the leg has a first portion extending from a location at which it meets the narrow parts of said ears toward an end of the leg remote from the ears, and this first portion of the leg has side edges that diverge with respect to each other from said location. Each slot is formed by one of the ears and an adjacent one of the edges of the first portion of the leg. 
     The leg can be formed with at least one through hole, and at least one of the plural portions of the lace that extend from one flap to the other is threaded through the through hole, so that the leg is engaged with, and held in place between, the rows of eyelets. Preferably the leg is formed with at least two such through holes, and at least one of the plural portions of the lace that extend from one flap to the other is threaded through each of the through holes. 
     The enlarged outer part of each ear can be advantageously formed with a spacer protruding therefrom and in engagement with an adjacent one of the flaps of the article of footwear. The spacer cause a gap to be formed between the inner part of each ear and an adjacent flap for receiving parts of the lace wound about the inner part of each ear. Preferably the parts of the two end portions of the lace disposed in parallel relation to each other are wrapped twice around the narrow inner part of each ear. 
     Another aspect of the invention is the tying aid itself. The tying aid comprises a unitary, substantially rigid, element having a leg extending in a first direction, and a pair of ears, joined with, and extending laterally in opposite directions from, the leg. Each ear has a narrow inner part by which it is connected to the leg, and an enlarged outer part remote from the leg. A slot is formed between each ear and the leg, the slot extending from a location at which the ear joins the leg to an end opening, which is narrower than a portion of the slot adjacent the end opening. 
     Still another aspect of the invention is a method of tying the lace of an article of footwear having a pair of opposed flaps, each flap having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end being closer than the upper end to a toe portion of the article of footwear, and each flap also having row of eyelets, the rows of eyelets extending in substantially parallel, opposed, relationship to each other in a direction extending from the lower ends of the flaps to the upper ends of the flaps, and a lace threaded through the eyelets and having plural portions, each extending from an eyelet on one of the flaps to an eyelet on the other flap, the lace having two end portions extending respectively from an eyelet in each row. In the article of footwear the plural portions of the lace, extending from one flap to the other, exert tension on the flaps, thereby urging the flaps toward each other. The method comprises installing in the article of footwear a substantially rigid tying aid comprising a leg and a pair of ears joined with, and extending laterally in opposite directions from, the leg, each of the ears having a narrow inner part by which it is connected to said leg, and an enlarged outer part remote from the leg. Installation is carried out by positioning the leg so that it extends substantially parallel to and between the rows of eyelets, and so that the junction of the ears with the leg is located adjacent the eyelets from which the two end portions extend, and causing the tying aid to be held in place between the rows of eyelets by at least one of the plural portions of the lace. The two end portions of the lace are then wrapped, in parallel relation to each other, alternately about the narrow inner part of each ear, so that the lace is retained by the ears, and the tension exerted on the flaps by the plural portions of the lace is maintained. 
     Further details and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a shoe tying aid in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view taken on plane  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear elevational view of the shoe tying aid; 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view; 
         FIG. 5  is an oblique perspective view of the front side; 
         FIG. 6  is an oblique perspective view of the rear side; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged perspective view of a shoe in which the shoe tying aid has been installed, illustrating a first step in the tying process; 
         FIG. 8(   a ) is a top plan view of the shoe as shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIGS. 8(   b )- 8 ( i ) are top plan views showing successive steps in the tying process; and 
         FIG. 9  is an enlarged perspective view of the completely tied shoe, corresponding to  FIG. 8(   i ). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As mentioned above, the invention is practiced by the use of a tying aid. The tying aid  10 , shown in  FIGS. 1-6  is preferably a unitary, substantially rigid, element molded from a suitable low friction polymer such as recycled ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) or recycled polycarbonate. It comprises a leg  12  having ears  14  and  16  protruding laterally from one of its ends. The ears have narrow inner parts  18  and  20  connected to the leg, and larger outer parts  22  and  24 . For weight reduction, the ears can be formed with openings  26  and  28 . 
     The leg is formed with a tapered portion  30  which extends from a location at which it meets the narrow parts  18  and  20  of said ears toward the end of the leg remote from the ears. The side edges  32  and  34  of portion  30  of the leg diverge with respect to each other from the location at which it meets the narrow parts of the ears. An oblique slot  36  is formed between side edge  32  and ear  14 , and a similar oblique slot  38  is formed between side edge  34  and ear  16 . 
     The openings  40  and  42  of the slots are made narrower than the adjacent inner parts of the slots by protrusion  44  on ear  14  and protrusion  45  on ear  16 . Preferably the width of each of these openings is about 2 mm, slightly less than the diameter of a typical shoelace, but the openings should not be so narrow that a shoelace cannot be made to pass through the opening by the manual application of a force sufficient to deform the shoelace. 
     The leg is provided with a first through hole  46 , and a second hole  48  space longitudinally from hole  46 . Each of these holes should be large enough that two portions of shoelace can be threaded through it, and rounded as shown in  FIG. 2  to reduce friction. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4  and  6 , the rear sides of the ears are formed with arc-shaped protrusions  50  and  52 , which are positioned to bear against the flaps of a shoe or other article of footwear, and thereby space the central portion of the tying aid between the ears from the flaps. The spacing of the portion of the tying aid from the flaps of the article of footwear provides room for portions of the laces wound around the ears so that they do not exert excessive, localized, pressure against the wearer&#39;s foot. The arc-shaped protrusions  50  and  52  have a relatively large sufficient surface area for contacting the flaps of the article of footwear so that they do not exert excessive pressure. 
     Protrusions  44  and  45 , which reduce the widths of the openings of the slots are extensions of protrusions  52  and  50  respectively. The protrusions  50  and  52  also have overhanging parts  54  and  56  at their opposite ends, as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 6 . These overhanging parts facilitate wrapping of the shoelaces around the upper part of the tying aid. 
     The manner in which the tying aid is installed in an article of footwear is illustrated in  FIG. 7 , which shows a shoe  58  having a toe  60 , an instep  62 , a tongue  63  extending upward and rearward from the instep, and a pair of flaps  66  and  68  in opposed, spaced, relationship to each other and partly overlying the tongue  64 . 
     Flap  66  has a row of eyelets  70 ,  72 ,  74 , and a fourth eyelet (not seen in  FIG. 7 ). Flap  68  has a similar row of eyelets  76 ,  78 ,  80  and  82 , parallel to the row of eyelets in flap  66 . Each eyelet in flap  68  is directly opposite a corresponding eyelet in flap  66 . 
     A shoelace  84  is threaded through the eyelets alternately from one flap to the other so that a pulling force exerted on the end portions  86  and  88  of the lace will place the portions of the lace that extend from one flap to the other in tension, thereby tensioning the flaps and tightening the shoe on the wearer&#39;s foot. As shown in  FIG. 7 , a bottom portion  90  of the lace extends from one flap to the other on the top side of the flaps and downward through eyelets  70  and  76 . A second portion  92  of the lace extends from eyelet  76 , underneath flap  68 , upward through the gap between the flaps, and across the top side of flap  66  and into eyelet  72 . A third portion  94  similarly extends from eyelet  70 , underneath flap  66 , upward through the gap between the flaps, and across the top side of flap  68 , into eyelet  78 . As seen in  FIG. 7 , both portions  92  and  94  of the lace extend through the hole  48  in the leg of the tying aid  10 . Further portions of the lace (not shown) cross over underneath the flaps and the lace emerges through eyelets  74  and  80 , from which portions extend downward through hole  46  in the tying aid, crossing over to eyelet  82  and its opposite counterpart, from which the end portions  88  and  86  of the lace emerge. 
     A shoe, of course, can be laced in any of several patterns. Regardless of which lacing pattern is adopted the lacing preferably passes though at least one of holes  46  and  48  in the tying aid in order to hold the tying aid in place when the shoe not being worn. It is possible, however, to slip the leg of the tying aid underneath lace elements that extend across the gap between the flaps without threading the lace through one or both holes in the leg  12 . 
     The steps of wrapping the lace portions  86  and  99  around the ears of the tying aid are shown in sequence in  FIGS. 8(   a )- 8 ( i ).  FIG. 8(   a ) corresponds to  FIG. 7 , and shows the lace end portions  86  and  88  in their initial position. The user can tighten the flaps of the shoe to the desired degree by grasping and pulling on the lace end portions with one hand. Then, using that same hand, the user can bend the lace ends forward through the gap between the upper parts of the ears as in  FIG. 8(   b ), wrapping them around ear  16  and pulling the lace into the slot  38  ( FIG. 1)  between ear  16  and leg  12  by overcoming the resistance imposed by the narrowed opening of the slot, thereby reaching the configuration shown in  FIG. 8(   c ). 
     The end portions of the lace are than moved behind the ears to the opposite side, as shown in  FIG. 8(   d ), and pulled into slot  36  ( FIG. 1)  so that they are wrapped in a first direction around ear  14  and extend upward over the top of the tying aid, as shown in  FIG. 8(   e ). 
     The end portions are then wrapped around ear  16  once again as illustrated in  FIGS. 8(   f ) and  8 ( g ), this time in the direction opposite to the direction in which they were wrapped around ear  16  previously. In  FIG. 8(   g ), the end portions of the lace are shown pulled into slot  38  ( FIG. 1)  and extending upward toward the opposite side of the shoe. Then, as shown in  FIGS. 8(   h ) and  8 ( i ), the end portions of the lace are wrapped a second time around ear  14  in the same direction in which they were previously wrapped around ear  14 , and pulled into the slot  36 , by exerting sufficient tension to overcome the resistance to entry imposed by the narrow opening of the slot. The shoe is then securely tied and in the condition shown in  FIGS. 8(   i ) and  9 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 9 , the lace is wrapped twice around each of ears  14  and  16  and held in the slot between ear  14  and the leg of the tying aid by the protrusion that narrows the opening of the slot. Each slot should be sufficient in size to accommodate four sections of lace, preferably with a relatively tight fit so the lace will not slide through the slots. 
     As will be apparent, the shoe can be tied using one hand, in a motion that is easily learned and easily carried out. Untying the shoe is simply a matter of grasping the end portions of the lace as seen in  FIG. 9 , pulling them out of slot  36 , and reversing the steps shown in  FIGS. 8(   a )- 8 ( h ). 
     Although the tying procedure shown in  FIG. 8(   a )- 8 ( i ) is preferred, other tying techniques can be utilized. For example, if the slots in the tying aid are designed to hold two sections of lace with a relatively tight fit, the lace can be wrapped only once around each ear as in  FIG. 8(   e ). Here, where the lace is wrapped only once around each ear, the tightness of the fit of the lace in the slots is more important. 
     Other tying aid configurations can also be adopted. For example, one skilled in the art will be able to vary the shapes and sizes of the ears, the leg, and the holes in the leg, and make various other changes while still retaining many or all of the advantages of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.