Abstract:
A lace including a stitched or printed center point indicator enables a user to visually locate the center point of the lace. The lace further having a pair of aglets affixed on the distal ends thereof.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention was first described in and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/898,699, filed Nov. 1, 2013, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to laces for footwear including a center point indicator. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     When lacing footwear or other articles with lace, where it is imperative that the ends of the lace are equidistant, it is important to locate the center point. This is especially true when lacing long tongued and high top footwear, where the lace is threaded through a large number of eyelets. In these cases in particular, if the center pint of the lace is unknown or moves, or is otherwise lost during the lacing of the footwear the lace must be rethreaded with time and energy lost to the effort. Further, a mis-lacing can cause snagging or unwanted unraveling of the tied lace, which hampers the ability to retain the footwear on the foot of the user. Therefore, there exists a need to provide a lace with some manner of indicator of its center point that is easily visible to the user before the footwear is laced. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention in providing a lace including a stitched or printed center point indicator that enables a user to quickly and easily locate the center point. The lace further has a pair of aglets on the distal ends thereof. This enables the user to evenly thread the lace through the eyelets and then subsequently tie the lace together while ensuring the end points of the lace are equidistant from the center location of the footwear. This prevents snagging or unwanted unraveling of the tied lace and helps to retain the footwear on the foot of the user. In this manner, the present invention overcomes the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a mid-point indicator lace  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an environmental view of the mid-point indicator lace  10  depicting installation upon a hockey skate  100 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is another environmental view of the mid-point indicator lace  10  depicting installation upon a tennis shoe  105 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the mid-point indicator lace  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the mid-point indicator lace  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 6  is an end view of the mid-point indicator lace  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  lacing assembly 
               20  lace 
               22  terminal end 
               25  indicator 
               30  aglet 
               35  indicia 
               40  eyelet 
               45  first pass section 
               55  tying section 
               100  hockey skate 
               102  first forwardmost eyelet 
               103  first row of eyelets 
               104  second forwardmost eyelet 
               105  second row of eyelets 
               106  tennis shoe 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 6 . However, the invention is not limited to the specifically described embodiment. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention. Any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. While only one particular configuration is shown and described that is for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The present invention describes a lacing assembly (herein described as the “device”)  10 , which provides a visual mid-point indicator  25  at a center point thereof. The device  10  can be provided in multiple embodiments such as, but not limited to a: shoe lace, shoestring, rope, cord, twine, or the like. The device  10  reduces time required and improves centering accuracy while installing the lace  20  into a shoe, tying a rope around an object, and other applications. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of the device  10  depicting a shoe lacing assembly, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The shoe lacing assembly of the device  10  includes a length of a textile lace  20  having two (2) distal or terminal ends  22  with one of a pair of plastic or metal aglets  30  affixed at each of the terminal ends  22 . The aglets  30  are affixed to the lace  20  by using a crimping procedure, an adhesive, or a heat bonding process that is intended to prevent a fraying of the terminal ends  22  of the lace  20 . 
     It is envisioned that the lace  20  may be introduced in various natural and synthetic textile materials such as cotton, polyester, leather and the like. The lace  20  has different cross-sectional shapes such as flat, round, and ovular, and sold in pairs having various matching lengths. Each device  10  includes an easily identified indicator  25  which is accurately positioned equal-distantly between each terminal end  22 . The indicator  25  is formed on the lace  20  in a manner that causes it to be visually distinguishable upon the length of the lace  20 . In one (1) embodiment, the indicator  25  is in a form of a short line segment and is to be applied to the lace  20  using a sewing or printing process. It is understood that the indicator  25  may be introduced in various additional embodiments such as, but not limited to: various shapes, sizes, colors, relief characteristics, and the like, all allowing a user to quickly identify a mid-point of the lace  20 , and as such should not be interpreted as a limiting factor of the device  10 . 
     The indicator  25  is to be applied to at least one (1) side of the lace  20  and include various colors which contrast that of the lace  20  to enable quick location and observation by a user. Additionally, the lace  20  is envisioned to include various indicia  35  being sewn or printed along outer surfaces which may appear at specific locations such as adjacent to the terminal ends  22 , or may appear more generally along the length of the lace  20 . The indicia  35  may provide script or logos based upon a user&#39;s preference and may include images such as, but not limited to: sports names/logos, personal names, symbols, pictures, and the like, in a variety of colors and patterns to further customize and personalize the device  10 . It is further envisioned that the indicia  35  may work in conjunction with, or independently of, the indicator  25  to aid in identifying the mid-point of the lace  20 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , environmental views of the device  10  depicting installation upon ice skates  100  and tennis shoes  105 , respectively, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, are disclosed. The device  10  is envisioned to comprise various embodiments such as longer lengths of lace  20  for applications such as ice skates  100  or the like, and shorter lengths for applications such as tennis shoes  105  and the like, and so on. Each device  10  includes a pair of aglets  30  which provide easy insertion of the terminal ends  22  through a pair of distal eyelet portions  102  and through remaining pairs of proximal eyelet portions  103  of existing shoes  100 ,  105  in a conventional manner. 
     Additional embodiments of the device  10  such as lengths of rope, twine, or the like, which are used in certain applications which require location of a mid-point during use, and as such should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the device  10 . Referring now to  FIGS. 4 through 6 , various views of the device  10 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, are disclosed. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the device  10 , it would be installed in an existing shoe such as an ice skate  100  or a tennis shoe  106  as indicated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the method of installing and utilizing the device  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: procuring a model and embodiment of the device  10  having a desired textile material, length, color, and indicia  35 ; installing a device  10  in an existing shoe such as a tennis shoe  105  by passing the first end  22  of the lace  20  through the first forwardmost eyelet  102  of the first row of eyelets  103 ; then passing the second end  22  of the lace  20  through the second forwardmost eyelet  104  of the second row of eyelets  105  to form a first pass portion  45 ; then drawing the first and the second lace ends  22  upward and moving the lace  20  through the forwardmost eyelets  102  and  104  until the indicator  25  is positioned in the first pass portion  45  midway between the first and second forwardmost eyelets  102  and  104 ; continue threading the lace  20  by inserting the first end  22  of lace  20  into a next eyelet in the second row  105  of the show  106  and drawing the first end  22  through; then inserting the second end  22  of the lace  20  into a next eyelet in the first row  103  of the shoe  106  and drawing the second end  322  through; the rest of the eyelets are laced, or threaded by repeating the last two (2) steps sequentially until the first and second ends  22  of the lace  20  have exited the last eyelets in each row. The shoe can be secured by drawing the first and second ends tightly from the shoe and tying the ends  22  of the lace  20  in a conventional manner. In this manner, the user receives the benefit of a reduction of time and improved centering accuracy while installing lace  20  into a shoe  100 ,  105 . Alternate embodiments of the device  10  may provide lengths of rope, cord, twine, or the like, being equipped with the mid-point indicator  25  so as to aid in certain applications which require location of a mid-point during use. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention and method of use to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions or substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but is intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.