Patent CA-2296780-A1 (CA)
IPC: A43B23/26
Filed: 2000-01-21
Abstract: The invention relates to a shoe clip and, in particular, a shoe clip for attachment of articles to the laces of a shoe. It is often desired to attach small components, such as coins, keys, identification and race chips to boots, sandals, running-shoes will be collectively referred to as shoes a shoe. This relieves the user of carrying those articles around in their hand or prevents the annoyance of having those articles flop around in their pant, short or shirt pockets. In some cases, like that for the race chip, the device needs to be attached to their shoe to properly function with the road race tracking monitors.   The bulk of shoe attachment mechanisms consist of simple shoe-lace tie-ins.  These tie-ins devices have lace holes built into them. To use them, the user must unlace the shoe three or four eyelets and then relace the shoe through the provided lace holes in the device to be attached. This method is cumbersome for several reasons: (i) the continual unlacing and relacing of the shoe when the device is taken on and off, and (ii) depending on the fit of the shoe (i.e. how tightly both sides of the shoe's upper come together when tightening them up) and the construction of the device to be attached, it may not possible to get a snug fit of the device on the shoe and thus the device flops around on the shoe.   Other attachment mechanisms consist of Velcro loops, which are easy to take on and off, but are loose fitting.     metal or plastic) is slid beneath some hair and the bigger part of the barrette is folded down on top of the hair and is snapped into the first piece. This means of attachment is effective because the barrette is securely fixed to the hair.   The shoe clip is very similar. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the shoe clip comprises a first rigid member 10 and a second member 12 connected by a hinge 14. The hinge is disposed to permit the second member to fold down and overlie the first member. Coacting fastening devices 16 such as for example a catch or a snap are positioned on first member 10 and second member 12 to releasably secure them in a folded arrangement.   The second member can be formed integral with or attached to an article 18 such as a pouch or a race clip. The first member is sized to permit sliding up under the laces 20 of a shoe 22.   In operation, first member 10 is slipped beneath the shoe laces and above the shoe's tongue (as shown in Figure 1 ). Then the second member is pivoted on hinge 14 and folded down on top of the laces until coacting fastening devices 16 engage and catch each other. To facilitate clipping of the clip to the shoe, the laces can be loosened.      This concept has two distinct advantages over the previously discussed shoe attachment devices: (i) the laces do not need to be undone when attaching or removing the device; and (ii) the attached device has a very secure and rigid fit because to the attachment to the laces.   The device consists of two primary parts, a) the clip that fits beneath the laces, and b) the body which carries the article to be attached.   Numerous modifications, variations and adaptations may be made to the particular embodiments of the invention described above without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.