Patent Publication Number: US-2005132546-A1

Title: Shoelace with variable decoration members

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is related to a shoelace with variable decoration members, comprising a shoelace, and two decoration members wherein both ends of the shoelace have an engagement piece attached thereto respectively, and the decoration member is provided with an engaging groove to be securely coupled with the engagement piece thereby; whereby, the decoration members attached at both ends of the shoelace are easily pulled by force to detach from the engagement pieces thereof for replacement of decoration members of different design such as fruit or balls, etc., achieving more variable decoration effect of the shoelace to suit the style of a user and boost the competitive power of the present invention in the market.  
      Please refer to FIGS.  1  to  2  inclusive. A conventional shoelace  10  is provided with a tying section  11  of smaller diameter compressed at both ends thereon respectively. A plastic plate  20  is bound around the tying section  11  thereof to form a tying end as shown in  FIG. 1 . A second conventional shoelace  10 ′ has a tying section  11 ′ of smaller diameter bound at both ends thereon respectively. A plastic cover  20 ′ is adapted to coat the tying section  11 ′ thereby as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
      Please refer to  FIG. 3 . In practical use, the above conventional shoelaces  10 ,  10 ′ are simply applied with plastic plates  20  or plastic covers  20 ′ at the tying sections  11 ,  11 ′ thereon respectively, which is rather plain and dull in decoration effect and lack competitive power in the market.  
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
      It is, therefore, the primary purpose of the present invention to provide a shoelace with variable decoration members, comprising a shoelace and two decoration members wherein both ends of the shoelace has an engagement piece attached thereto respectively and the decoration member has an engaging groove to be securely coupled with the engagement piece thereby, providing a shoelace with variable decoration members attached at both ends thereto to achieve more decoration effect of the shoelace to suit the style of a user and boost its competitive power in the market.  
      It is, therefore, the second purpose of the present invention to provide a shoelace with variable decoration members wherein the decoration members thereof attached at both ends of the shoelace are easily pulled by force to detach from the engagement pieces thereof for replacement of decoration members of different design such as fruit or balls, etc., facilitating the variety of the shoelace thereof in decoration effect.  
      It is, therefore, the third purpose of the present invention to provide a shoelace with variable decoration members wherein the engagement piece of the shoelace is securely coupled with the engaging groove of the decoration member thereof with consecutive registration portions and arc guide facets of the engagement piece thereof flexibly abutted against registration cavities and arc stop facets of the engaging groove thereof respectively, and each registration portion thereof held by each arc stop facet thereof for secure location of the engagement piece thereof at the engaging groove therein, precisely attaching the decoration members thereof at both ends of the shoelace without easily coming off therefrom to achieve the best using condition thereof.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional tying end of a shoelace.  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of another conventional tying end of a shoelace.  
       FIG. 3  is a diagram showing the first and the second conventional shoelace in practical use.  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective exploded view of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the present invention in assembly.  
       FIG. 6  is a diagram showing the present invention applied onto a shoe in practical use.  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a decoration member of the present invention in practical use. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Please refer to  FIG. 4 . The present invention is related to a shoelace with variable decoration members, comprising a shoelace  30 , and two decoration members  40  wherein both ends of the shoelace  30  have an engagement piece  31  attached thereto respectively. The engagement piece  31 , made of plastics of soft metal, includes a number of tapered registration portions  311  consecutively defining the outer periphery thereof, indented arc guide facets  312  dividing each registration portion  311  from the others thereof, and a conic guide portion  313  disposed at the end thereon. The outermost diameter of the engagement pieces  31  is smaller than the inner diameter of buttonholes A of a shoe as shown in  FIG. 6 , and the decoration members  40  thereof can be formed into articles of various designs such as fruit or balls, etc., as shown in  FIG. 7 . The decoration member  40 , also made of plastics of soft metal, is provided with an engaging groove  41  properly preset at one side thereof relative to the engagement piece  31  thereof wherein the engaging groove  41  has a thin flexible guide ring  411  defining the opening end thereon, a number of tapered registration cavities  412  consecutively formed at the inner wall therein, protruded arc stop facets  413  dividing each registration cavity  412  from the others thereof, and a conic engaging section  414  disposed at the other end thereof.  
      Please refer to FIGS.  5  to  6  inclusive. Both ends of the shoelace  30  are led through the buttonholes A of the shoe thereof respectively before the engagement pieces  31  attached at both ends of shoelace  30  thereof are forced into the engaging groove  41  of the decoration members  40  thereof to be engaged therewith respectively. Via the thin flexible guide ring  411  thereof, the engagement piece  31  is smoothly joined to the engaging groove  41  with the registration portions  311  thereof pressing through the arc stop facets  413  thereof till the conic guide portion  313  adapted at the conic engaging section  414  therein in abutting engagement therewith. Thus, the registration portions  311  and the arc guide facets  312  thereof are flexibly abutted against and located at the registration cavities  412  and the arc stop facets  413  therein respectively. Meanwhile, each registration portion  311  thereof is held by the arc guide facet  312  thereof to retain at the registration cavity  412  therein so as to securely attach the decoration members  40  onto the engagement pieces  31  of the shoelace  30 , forming a cute decoration effect thereon to complete the assembly of the present invention.  
      Please refer to  FIG. 7 . For replacement, the decoration members  40  are easily pulled by force to detach the engaging groove  41  thereof from the engagement pieces  31  of the shoelace  30  so as to withdraw the decoration members  40  for another decoration members  40 ′ of different design such as fruit or balls, etc. to be replaced onto the engagement pieces  31  of the shoelace  30  thereon, achieving variable decoration effect of the shoelace thereof in design.