Patent Abstract:
The devices sole function is to aid the shoelace once tied in obtaining its ultimate purpose of securing the shoe about the foot. This is done by the device being placed on both sides of the knot and fastening the excess lace in a manner to alleviate slippage of the knot, the bow and the excess lace.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the most troubling occurrences to shoes and their function is the frequency of the slippage of the shoelace knot once it has been tied. This is dangerous when participating in any type of athletic activity or something as fundamental as walking. Moreover, most young children are unaware of the danger of an untied shoe and the severity of the injury it can cause when they inadvertently step on the loose lace with their other foot and cause themselves to trip. Needless to say it is quite painful especially when the front teeth are lost in the process. In Stanfield U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,510 where a device was designed to aid handicapped children in tying a bow in a shoelace that is mounted to a shoe. In short, prior art does not provide a remedy for slippage of the knot on both sides of the knot once the shoelace has been tied, nor address the semi or permanent need for placement of the device on the shoe itself to eliminate loss or destruction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary function of the present invention is to keep shoelaces that have been tied in the traditional knot with bows on each side securely fastened in the tied state. The device has two clamping members, with a locking system to add strength and reliability, which are joined together by a flexible arm. Once in place, the device will secure the excess laces and bow on both sides of the knot. This will keep the knot tightly affixed. Also the device has an adjoining flexible arm in the shape of an oval with a stiff end or tip to aid in the device being placed through the top shoelace hole. Once through the shoelace hole the device will be inserted through the oval flexible arm forming a noose around the surrounding shoe material, semi affixing the device to the shoe. The following drawings accompanied by the preferred embodiments will fully describe the unique, practical usefulness of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top view of a shoe with the device incorporated and engaged. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of a shoe and the device hanging unengaged. 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the device. 
     FIG. 4 is an open view of the device. 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of one of the clamps unengaged showing the teeth and the locking mechanism. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the bottom half of a clamp displaying its teeth and twist lock. 
     FIG. 7 is an open view of a clamp displaying the teeth, hole, locking apparatus and flexible arm that connects one clamp to the other. 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of a clamp with a tie shoelace in-between the clamp. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a shoe  2  and the position of the apparatus with the clamps  10  and  20  engaged and fastened about the shoelace  16 , the bows  12 , and  14 . Clamps  10  and  20  are placed one on either side of the knot  8  to keep the knot  8 , the bows  14  and  12  and the shoelace  16  tightly bound to preclude slippage of the knot  8  and bows  12  and  14 . FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a shoe  2  and the apparatus hanging unengaged through a hole  4  displaying the apparatuses semi permanent position when it is not in use. FIG. 3 illustrates the entire apparatus removed from the shoe  2  and how clamps  10  and  20  are connected by an arm  6  which viers off to form a loop  5  with a tip  3  on its end to aid the device in being inserted through the upper hole  4  of a shoe  2 . Once the tip  3  and the loop  5  have been inserted through the hole  4 , clamps  10  and  20 , and the arm  6  will be inserted through the loop  5  to form a noose through and around the upper hole  4  and the upper material of the shoe  2 . The apparatus, by being semi attached, allows it to be readily available when needed and to avoid loss or misplacement. FIG. 4 Illustrates the apparatus with clamps  10  and  20  open to display the teeth  9  whose purpose is to bite into the shoelace  16  to keep it from slipping through clamps  10  and  20 . FIG. 4 also illustrates the prongs  11  and  13  whose main function is to engage a latch  17  to keep the clamping parts of 10 and 20 securely fastened. Both clamps have a hole  3  in-between latches  11  and  13 . Stem  7  serves as a back up or safety locking mechanism that inserts through the hole  3  of both clamp members  10 , and  20 . Once the stem  7  is inserted through the hole  3  the head of stem  7  will swivel to a locking position in a groove  25 . FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the clamp  10  and the apparatuses members responsible for the effectiveness of holding the shoelace in a tied state. FIG. 5 further illustrates the Stem  7  and how it will be inserted through the hole  3  and locked in place in the groove  25 , with a prong  11  engaging the latch  17 . Once the clamp  10  is closed the teeth  9  will hold the knot  8 , the bows  12  and  14 , and the shoelace  16  tightly fastened. FIG. 6 illustrates the bottom half of the clamp  10  and the location of the teeth  9 , the latch  13  and the stem  7 . FIG. 7 illustrates an open view of the inventions members to further demonstrate the positions of the clamp  10 , the teeth  9 , the prongs  11 , the hole  3 , the stem  7 , the latch  13  and the arm extension  6 . The clamps  10  and  20  will snap together the same as a traditional hair barrette except for the added feature of a stem  7  and a hole  3  in the top of the clamps  10  and  20 . The stem  7  once inserted through the hole  3  will pivot or turn until it comes to rest in the groove  25 . This locking system will securely fasten the shoelace  16  and bows  12  and  14  and the knot  8  in place. This invention allows the shoelace  16  to fulfill its ultimate purpose of securely tightening the shoe  2  about the foot. FIG. 8 illustrates a clamp  20  with a tied shoelace bow  14  and excess lace  16  resting in-between and on the teeth  9 . Once the stem  7  is inserted in the hole  3  and twisted and locked in place in the groove  25 , the force of the closure of the clamp  20  will fixate the bow  14  and the lace  16  in place and preserve the integrity of the knot  8 .

Technology Classification (CPC): 0