Patent Publication Number: US-6662415-B1

Title: Fastener for lace

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a fastener for a lace, string, rope or the like. 
     2. Related Prior Art 
     Referring to FIG. 11, a conventional fastener for laces, strings and ropes is shown. This conventional fastener includes a housing  2 , a spring  4  and a control element including a button  3  and a rod  6  extending from the button  3 . The housing  2  defines two holes  7 . The spring  4  is put in the housing  2 . The button  3  is located outside the housing  2 . The rod  6  defines a hole  8 . The rod  6  is inserted in the housing  2  and is biased by means of the spring  4 . In use, the rod  6  is pushed down via pressing the button  3  so that the axis of the holes  7  is aligned with the axis of the hole  8 . Two sections of a lace, string, rope or the like  5  are inserted through the holes  7  and  8 . Then, the push button  3  is released so that the sections of the lace, string, rope or the like  5  are fastened by means of the rod  6  and the housing  2 . However, when the sprig  4  is new, it exerts an inadequate force for fastening the sections of the lace, string, rope or the like  5 , and this problem is even worse after it is used for some time. Furthermore, the button  3  can be unintentionally pushed, thus loosening the lace, spring, rope or the like  5 . 
     The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an easy-to-use and secure fastener for lace. 
     According to the present invention, a fastener for lace includes an upper plate, a lower plate and fist second, third and fourth rods extending between the upper and lower plates. The upper and lower plates both include a front edge, a rear edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. The first and second rods extend between the first lateral edge of the upper plate and the first lateral edge of the lower plate. The third and fourth rods extend between the second lateral edge of the upper plate and the second lateral edge of the lower plate. A first length of lace is wound about the first rod and directed past the second rod. A second length of lace is wound about the third rod and directed past the fourth rod. 
    
    
     Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be described through detailed illustration of embodiments referring to the attached drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fastener according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a cutaway view of the fastener shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIGS. 3-5 are cross-sectional views of the fastener shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a fastener according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a basketball shoe with a shoelace fastened utilizing the fastener shown in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7, but showing the shoelace wound on the basket shoe in a different manner. 
     FIG. 9 is a front view of a hat with two strings fastened utilizing the fastener shown in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a pair of trousers with a string fastened utilizing the fastener shown in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional fastener for a lace, string, rope or the like. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-3, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a fastener  10  is a hollow element through which a lace, string, rope or the like, hereinafter referred to as lace  20 , can be inserted. 
     The fastener  10  includes an upper plate  11 , a lower plate  12 , a front portion (not numbered), a first lateral portion  14  and a second lateral portion  15 . The upper plate  11  and the lower plate  12  are both shaped as an equilateral trapezoid (or “trapezium” as used in the UK) with a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge as long as the first lateral edge, a front edge and a rear edge longer than the font edge. The first lateral portion  14  extends between the first lateral ed of the upper plate  11  and the first lateral edge of the lower plate  12 . The second lateral portion  15  extends between the second lateral edge of the upper plate  11  and tile second lateral edge of the lower plate  12 . The first lateral portion  14  defines two holes  16  and  17 , thus forming a first rod  31  between the holes  16  and  17  and a second rod  32  beside the hole  17 . The second lateral portion  15  defines two holes  18  and  19 , thus forming a third rod  33  between the holes  18  and  19  and a fourth rod  34  beside tie hole  19 . A space  13  is defined between the second and fourth rods  32  and  34 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the lace  20  includes a first end  21 , a second end  22  and a middle section  23  between the first end  21  and the second end  22 . The first end  21  of the lace  20  is inserted through the holes  16  and  17 . That is, the first end  21  of the lace  20  is wound about the first rod  31  and directed past the second rod  32 . The second end  22  of the lace  20  is inserted through the holes  18  and  19 . That is, the second end  22  of the lace  20  is wound about the third rod  33  and directed past the fourth rod  34 . 
     Referring to FIG. 4, an article  24  is shown. The middle section  23  of the lace  20  is wound around the article  24 . The first end  21  and the second end  22  of the lace  20  are pulled from each other, as indicated by means of two arrows. Thus, the article  24  is tightly wrapped via the middle section  23  of the lace  20 . 
     Referring to FIG. 5, the fastener  10  is pulled from the article  24 , thus removing the first end  21  of the lace  20  from another section of the lace  20 , and the second end  22  of the lace  20  from still another section of the lace  20 . Thus, the fastener  10  can be removed from the lace  20 . 
     Referring to FIG. 6, a fastener  10 ′ according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the upper plate  11  defines a first hole and a second hole and in that the lower plate  12  defines first hole and a second hole. After insertion through the space  13 , the first end  21  of the lace  20  is inserted through the first hole of the upper plate  11  into the first hole of the lower plate  12 . After inserting through the space  13 , the second end  22  of the lace  20  is inserted through the second hole of the upper plate  11  into the second hole of the lower plate  12 . 
     FIG. 7 shows the lace  20  used as a shoelace of a basketball shoe  30 . The lace  20  is fastened via the fastener  10 ′ shown in FIG.  6 . FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7, but showing the lace  20  wound on the basketball shoe  30  in a different manner 
     FIG. 9 shows a hat  40  with two hat strings  210  fastened by means of the fastener  10 ′ shown in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 10 shows the lace  20  for use as a trousers belt of a pair of trousers  50 . The lace  20  is fastened by means of the fastener  10 ′ shown in FIG.  6 . 
     The present invention has been described through detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.