Source: http://www.patentsencyclopedia.com/app/20160143398
Timestamp: 2018-02-21 06:17:16
Document Index: 654795857

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DEVICE FOR TYING SHOES - Patent application
Patent application title: DEVICE FOR TYING SHOES
Inventors: Byung-Ki Kim (Goyang-Si, KR)
Assignees: DAE SUNG SILICONE IND CO., LTD.
IPC8 Class: AA43C1122FI
USPC Class: 24 727
Class name: Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc. t-head nongripping, fabric engaging type
Patent application number: 20160143398
The present invention relates to a footwear fastening structure. The footwear fastening structure is configured such that it is tieably engaged in shoelace holes or eyelets of a shoe or sports shoe so as to fasten the shoe or the sports shoe tightly on a user's foot when he or she wears the shoe, the footwear fastening structure comprising: a band member formed to have a predetermined length and having a pair of opposed engagement parts respectively formed at both ends thereof; and a pair of opposed pin members coupled to the engagement parts of the band member so as to be inserted into and hookingly fixed to the shoelace holes of the shoe.
1. A footwear fastening structure configured such that it is tieably engaged in shoelace holes or eyelets of a shoe or sports shoe so as to fasten the shoe or the sports shoe tightly on a user's foot when he or she wears the shoe, the footwear fastening structure comprising: a band member formed to have a predetermined length and having a pair of opposed engagement parts respectively formed at both ends thereof; and a pair of opposed pin members coupled to the engagement parts of the band member so as to be inserted into and hookingly fixed to the shoelace holes of the shoe, wherein the pin members are movable to the left and right.
2. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the engagement parts comprises through-holes respectively formed at both ends thereof and a through-passage formed therein to interconnect the through-holes, and the pin member is coupled to the engagement part in such a manner as to pass through the through-holes and the through-passage of the engagement part.
3. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 2, wherein the pin member comprises a pair of opposed heads formed at both ends thereof to have a diameter larger than that of the through-hole of the engagement part, and a rod-like body having a length larger than that of the engagement part.
4. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 3, wherein the rod-like body comprises a first annular protrusion and a second annular protrusion formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof to correspond to both ends of the engagement part in such a manner as to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval.
5. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 2, wherein the pin member comprises a head formed at one end thereof to have a diameter larger than that of the through-passage of the engagement part, a rod-like body having a length larger than that of the engagement part, and a stop element coupled to the other end thereof.
6. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 1, wherein the band member comprises a corrugated part formed at the intermediate portion thereof.
7. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 1, wherein the band member comprises a thick bent part formed at both ends thereof and a thin recessed part formed at an intermediate portion thereof.
8. A footwear fastening structure configured such that it is tieably engaged at both ends thereof in a pair of opposed shoelace holes or eyelets symmetrically formed on an upper of a shoe or sports shoe so as to fasten the shoe or the sports shoe tightly on a user's foot when he or she wears the shoe, the footwear fastening structure comprising: a band member formed of a flexible material having elasticity and bent at both ends thereof in one direction in such a manner as to be reduced in width toward distal ends to form narrow portions; and a pair of opposed pin members coupled to the narrow portions of the band member so as to be hookingly fixed to the lower portions of the shoelace holes of the shoe and brought into close contact with a top portion of the upper of the shoe to prevent the footwear fastening structure from escaping from the shoe.
9. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 8, wherein engagement parts are formed at ends of the narrow portions, wherein each of the engagement parts comprises through-holes respectively formed at both ends thereof and a through-passage horizontally formed therein to interconnect the through-holes, and wherein the pin member is coupled to the engagement part in such a manner as to pass through the through-holes and the through-passage of the engagement part.
10. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 9, wherein the engagement part is formed in an elliptical spherical shape or a cylindrical shape, and has a length that is larger than a diameter of the shoelace hole.
11. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 8, wherein the pin member comprises a pair of opposed heads formed at both ends thereof to have a diameter larger than that of the through-hole, and a rod-like body having a length larger than that of an engagement part so as to be movable to the left and right.
12. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 8, wherein the band member comprises a corrugated part formed at the intermediate portion thereof.
13. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 1, wherein the band member comprises a thick bent part formed at both ends thereof and a thin recessed part formed at an intermediate portion thereof.
14. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 8, wherein the band member comprises a thick bent part formed at both ends thereof and a thin recessed part formed at an intermediate portion thereof, the recessed part having a thick step formed at both edge ends thereof.
15. A footwear fastening structure configured such that it is applied to a shoe or sports shoe so as to fasten the shoe or the sports shoe tightly on a user's foot when he or she wears the shoe, the footwear fastening structure comprising: a band member formed to have a predetermined length and flexibility; and a pair of opposed stopper members vertically formed at both ends of the band member in such a manner as to be protruded upwardly and downwardly.
16. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 15, wherein inclined parts are formed between both ends of the band member and the stopper members, and wherein the inclined parts are formed slantly downwardly from both ends of the band member in such a manner as to be reduced in width toward the bottom from the top.
17. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 15, wherein the stopper member comprises a grasping part of a predetermined length, which is formed at one end or both ends thereof.
18. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 16, wherein the inclined part comprises a bending groove formed on an underside thereof.
19. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 15, wherein the band member includes a recess formed at a stretchable section thereof.
20. A footwear fastening structure configured such that it is applied to a shoe or sports shoe so as to fasten the shoe or the sports shoe tightly on a user's foot when he or she wears the shoe, the footwear fastening structure comprising: a band member formed to have a predetermined length and flexibility; a pair of opposed stopper members vertically protrudingly formed at both ends of the band member so as to be inserted into and hookingly fixed to the shoelace holes of the shoe; and a pair of opposed grasping part formed at one ends of the stopper members so as to allow a user to pull the band member therethrough.
21. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 20, wherein each of the stopper members comprises a stopper formed at an upper portion thereof in such a manner that the outer surface the stopper is formed in a round shape, and a fitting stopper formed at a lower portion thereof so as to be inserted into the shoelace tying hole.
22. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 20, wherein the stopper member further comprises a reinforcing member made of a metal or resin material disposed therein.
23. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 20, wherein inclined parts are formed between both ends of the band member and the stopper members.
24. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 20 wherein the band member is formed of a soft material with high flexibility, and the stopper member is formed of a hard material with low flexibility so that the band member and the stopper member are formed integrally with each other in a double-shot injection manner.
25. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 20, wherein the grasping part comprises a plurality of slipping prevention protrusion formed at one side or both sides thereof.
26. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 20, wherein the band member includes a recess formed at a stretchable section thereof.
27. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 19, wherein the band member comprises a thick bent part formed at both ends thereof and a thin recessed part formed at an intermediate portion thereof.
28. The footwear fastening structure according to claim 20, wherein the band member comprises bending grooves formed on the top and bottom surfaces of both sides thereof so as to allow the band member to be easily bent upwardly or downwardly.
[0001] This application is a Section 371 National Stage application of International Application No. PCT/KR2014/010413, filed Nov. 3, 2014, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
[0002] The present invention relates to a footwear fastening structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to footwear fastening structure which can be used in replacement of a shoelace used to be tied to footwear and can eliminate the necessity for knotting a shoelace.
[0003] In general, a band member tieably engaged in a plurality of shoelace holes or eyelets formed on footwear such as sports shoes or shoes has a circular or elliptical cross-section and is woven with fabric into a predetermined length.
[0004] The multiple shoelace holes or eyelets are formed on an upper portion of the footwear in such a manner as to be symmetrically arranged at both sides of the upper portion.
[0005] Thus, the band member is connected in a zigzag pattern while passing through the plurality of shoelace holes, and then is lastly tied and knotted.
[0006] However, such a conventional band member entails a problem in that after the band member is tied and knotted, its knot is easily loosened due to shaking caused by motion of a user's ankle while he or she is walking.
[0007] Numerous prior arts have been proposed in an attempt to prevent the band member from being easily untied. As one example, Korean Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 96-19744 (hereinafter, referred to as "prior art 1") discloses a band member that is not easily untied.
[0008] The prior art 1, however, encounters a problem in that the shoelace member has a plurality of resin projections attached to the top and bottom surfaces thereof at its entirety, thus making it difficult to manufacture and increasing the manufacturing cost.
[0009] Besides the above prior art 1, various prior arts have been proposed in an attempt to prevent the band member from being easily loosened. For example, Korean Utility Model Registration No. 0451160 (discloses (hereinafter, referred to as "prior art 2") discloses a device for preventing a band member from being untied.
[0010] The prior art 2 will be described hereinafter. The device of the prior art 2 includes: a shoelace knot loosing-preventive member 21 that is securely fixed at both ends to the top surface of a shoe tongue 11 of a shoe or footwear in the longitudinal direction of the shoe so as to allow a knot of the band member tightened on the shoe to be brought into close contact with the shoe tongue to prevent a knot of the band member from being untied due to motion of a user's ankle; a shoelace fixing member 22 fixed to the top surface of the shoe tongue, the shoelace fixing member having an insertion groove for allowing the shoelace knot loosing-preventive member to be inserted thereto in a transverse direction and an elastic member for securely fixing the shoelace knot loosing-preventive member inserted into the insertion groove using an elastic force; and a button member 23 coupled to the upper portion of the shoelace fixing member so that when the button member is pressed downwardly, the elastic member is pressurized to cause the shoelace knot loosing-preventive member to be released from its fixed state.
[0011] However, the prior arts 1 and 2 still involve problems in that since a shoelace knot loosing-preventive structure for tying the band member is complicated, the number of the manufacturing processes is increased, and in that it is required that the shoelace should be tieably engaged in all the shoelace holes or eyelets and then be lastly knotted, thus making the knotting process inconvenient.
[0012] Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the aforementioned problem occurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a footwear fastening structure configured such that it can be used in replacement of a shoelace by being simply engaged in shoelace holes or eyelets formed on the footwear in a press-fit manner so that the necessity for knotting the shoelace is eliminated, making it possible for a user to rapidly wear the footwear, and a risk of loosening of the shoelace knot is avoided, making it easy for the user to wear the footwear.
[0013] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a footwear fastening structure configured such that it is tieably engaged in shoelace holes or eyelets of a shoe or sports shoe so as to fasten the shoe or the sports shoe tightly on a user's foot when he or she wears the shoe, the footwear fastening structure including: a band member formed to have a predetermined length and having a pair of opposed engagement parts respectively formed at both ends thereof, and a pair of opposed pin members coupled to the engagement parts of the band member so as to be inserted into and hookingly fixed to the shoelace holes of the shoe.
[0014] The footwear fastening structure in accordance with the present invention as constructed above has the following advantages.
[0015] When a user wears shoes or sports shoes, the pin members provided at the band member are fittingly hooked in the shoelace holes of the shoes so that the band member can be securely fixed to the shoes to prevent the band member from being loosened from the shoes. In addition, the footwear fastening structure can be fastened to the shoes in a simple manner so that the band member tying time can be saved and the necessity for knotting a shoelace can be eliminated unlike the conventional prior art, making it possible for a user to conveniently and rapidly wear the shoes.
[0016] In addition, the footwear fastening structure can be manufactured to have various appearances and sizes, and various colors such as photic and aphotic colors.
[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a shoe to which a footwear fastening structure according to the present invention is applied;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a footwear fastening structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a mounting example of a footwear fastening structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a footwear fastening structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a footwear fastening structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a front view showing a footwear fastening structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a mounting example of a footwear fastening structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing another example of a pin member applied to the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing a footwear fastening structure according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a mounting example of a footwear fastening structure according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIGS. 11 to 13 are perspective views showing other examples of a band member of a footwear fastening structure according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a footwear fastening structure according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
[0030] FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a modification of a footwear fastening structure according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
[0031] FIGS. 16 to 18 are front views showing a footwear fastening structure according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
[0032] FIGS. 19 and 20 are side views showing an engagement process of a footwear fastening structure according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing a shoe to which a footwear fastening structure according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention is applied;
[0034] FIG. 22 shows side views of an engagement process of a footwear fastening structure A6-2 according to another example of a sixth embodiment of the present invention;
[0035] FIG. 23 shows side views of an engagement process of a footwear fastening structure A6-3 according to still another example of a sixth embodiment of the present invention;
[0036] FIGS. 24 and 25 are perspective views showing a footwear fastening structure according to seventh and eighth embodiments of the present invention;
[0037] FIG. 26 is a side view showing a footwear fastening structure according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention;
[0038] FIG. 27 is a top plan view showing a footwear fastening structure according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention;
[0039] FIG. 28 is a side cross-sectional view showing a footwear fastening structure according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention;
[0040] FIG. 29 is a bottom view showing a footwear fastening structure according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention;
[0041] FIG. 30 is a perspective view showing a shoe to which a footwear fastening structure according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention is applied; and
[0042] FIGS. 31 and 32 are side cross-sectional views showing an engagement process of a footwear fastening structure according to seventh and eighth embodiments of the present invention.
[0043] *Explanation on reference numerals of main elements in the drawings * 2: main body 4: stopper unit 100: band member 110: engagement part 112: through-hole 120: narrow portion 200: pin member 210: rod-like body 220,220'; head 231: first annular protrusion 232: second annular protrusion 520: shoelace holes or eyelets 10: band member 11: recess 20: inclined part 30: stopper member 31: stopper 32: fitting stopper 40: grasping part 41: slipping prevention protrusion 50 : reinforcing member S: shoe H: shoelace tying hole
[0044] Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The matters defined in the description, such as the detailed construction and elements, are nothing but specific details provided to assist those of ordinary skill in the art in a comprehensive understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed hereinafter.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 1, a shoe or sports shoe includes a pair of opposed eyelet flaps formed at an upper thereof. A shoe tongue 510 is attached to the undersides of the eyelet flaps to close a space defined between the eyelet flaps to cover the top side of a user's foot.
[0046] In addition, the eyelet flaps include a plurality of pairs of shoelace holes or eyelets 520 formed therein so as to be opposed to each other.
[0047] The shoelace holes 520 are generally coupled with eyelets so that they can be maintained in a circular shape and are formed to reduce abrasion of the shoelace.
[0048] Each of the footwear fastening structures A1, A2 and A3 according to the respective embodiments proposed in the present invention is engaged in a pairs of shoelace holes 520 to interconnect the pairs of shoelace holes 520. Thus, each of the footwear fastening structures A1, A2 and A3 may be engaged in plural numbers in a straight-line shape or may be engaged in plural numbers so as to intersect in an X shape.
[0049] The footwear fastening structure A1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is configured such that it is tieably engaged in shoelace holes or eyelets of a shoe or sports shoe so as to fasten the shoe or the sports shoe tightly on a user's foot when he or she wears the shoe, the footwear fastening structure including: a band member 100 formed to have a predetermined length and having a pair of opposed engagement parts 110 respectively formed at both ends thereof, and a pair of opposed pin members 200 coupled to the engagement parts 110 of the band member 100 so as to be inserted into and hookingly fixed to the shoelace holes 520 of the shoe 500.
[0050] The band member 100 is formed to have a predetermined length using a material which is flexible and harmful to the human body such as rubber or silicon. The band member 100 can be largely divided into a rod shape and a strip shape depending on the kind of the shoe.
[0051] In other words, an elongated rod-like band member is applied to shoes, and a strip-like band member having a predetermined width is applied to sports shoes.
[0052] The band member 100 has an embossed pattern formed on a top surface thereof to improve a tactile sensation, and has a specific logo printed on the top surface.
[0053] In the embodiment proposed in the present invention, the band member 100 is formed of a flexible material having elasticity and has a flat strip shape. The band member 10 is downwardly bent at both ends thereof in such a manner as to be reduced in width toward the engagement parts 110 to form narrow portions 120 having a width enough to be inserted into the shoelace holes 520.
[0054] The narrow portion 120 is formed to have a width corresponding to a diameter of the shoelace hole 520, and is preferable formed to have width that is equal to or slightly smaller than the diameter of the shoelace hole 520.
[0055] Each of the engagement parts 110 is formed in a cylindrical shape which has through-holes 112 respectively formed at both ends thereof and a through-passage formed therein to interconnect the through-holes 112, and the pin member 200 is coupled to the engagement part 110 in such a manner as to pass through the through-holes 112 and the through-passage of the engagement part 110.
[0056] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the engagement part 110 is formed in a straight-line shape.
[0057] In addition, the straight-line shaped engagement part 110 is oriented horizontally with respect to the ground surface.
[0058] In the meantime, as shown in FIG. 4, a footwear fastening structure A2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is configured such that it is tieably engaged in shoelace holes or eyelets 520 of a shoe or sports shoe so as to fasten the shoe or the sports shoe tightly on a user's foot when he or she wears the shoe, the footwear fastening structure including: a band member 100 formed to have a predetermined length and having a pair of opposed engagement parts 110a respectively formed at both ends thereof, and a pair of opposed pin members 200 coupled to the engagement parts 110a of the band member 100 so as to be inserted into and hookingly fixed to the shoelace holes 520 of the shoe 500. The engagement part 110a is formed in a curved shape which is bent to have a low curvature.
[0059] Accordingly, the pin member 200a is formed in a curved shape which is bent to have a low curvature.
[0060] Thus, the bent engagement parts 110a are formed at the lower portions of the both ends of the band member 100.
[0061] Meanwhile, the pin member 200 includes a pair of opposed heads 220 and 220' formed at both ends thereof to have a diameter larger than that of the through-hole 112, and a rod-like body 210 having a length larger than that of the engagement part.
[0062] The heads 220 and 220' is preferable formed in any one shape selected from among a spherical shape, a conical shape, and a semi-spherical shape.
[0063] The pin member 200 is coupled to the engagement part 110 of the band member 100 in a press-fit manner or a double-shot injection manner. The double-shot injection is an injection molding technique which employs a difference in the hardness and a difference in the setting point based on the fact that the pin member 200 is formed of a hard plastic material and the band member 100 is formed of a soft resin material.
[0064] Generally, the double-shot injection is performed to fix a hard material and a soft material by applying an adhesive. The present invention is configured such that the pin member 200 can be freely moved to the left and right through the double-shot injection without applying the adhesive.
[0065] In case of the press-fit manner, the heads 220 and 220' are coupled through the through-holes 112 of the engagement part 110, and thus are preferably formed at front ends thereof in a spherical shape for the sake of facilitation of insertion. The heads 220 and 220' are preferably formed at rear ends thereof in a stepped shape so that after the heads 220 and 220' are coupled to the engagement part 110, the pin member 200 can be prevented from escaping from the engagement part 110.
[0066] The length of the pin member 200, particularly, the length of the rod-like body 210 is set to be approximately 1.5 fold larger than a length of the engagement part 110 so that after the pin member 200 is coupled to the engagement part 110, it can have a spare length enough to be movable to the left and right.
[0067] The rod-like body 210 includes a first annular protrusion 231 and a second annular protrusion 232 formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof to correspond to both ends of the engagement part 110 in such a manner as to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval.
[0068] The first annular protrusion 231 and the second annular protrusion 232 must be fittingly inserted into the through-passage of the engagement part 110. Thus, the cross-section of the first and second annular protrusions 231 and 232 is formed in any one shape selected from among a circular shape, an elliptical shape, and a rhomboidal shape. The diameter of the first and second annular protrusions 231 and 232 is set to be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the through-passage of the engagement part 110.
[0069] A process of fittingly inserting the pin member 200 into the engagement part 110 and then inserting the pin member 200 into the shoelace holes 520 is shown in FIG. 3.
[0070] In other words, when the pin member 200 is engaged in the shoelace holes 520, one end thereof is first pushingly inserted into one shoelace hole 520 by pushing the pin member 200 to one side. The first annular protrusion 231 is inserted into the through-passage of the engagement part 110 in a press-fit manner.
[0071] Thereafter, the engagement part 110 passes through the shoelace hole 520 and then is disposed horizontally in the shoelace hole 520.
[0072] Subsequently, the pin member 200 is moved to an opposite side so that the pin member 200 is disposed balancedly with respect to the engagement part 110. In this case, the first annular protrusion 231 escapes from the through-passage of the engagement part 110, and the first annular protrusion 231 and the second annular protrusion 232 are maintained in a state of being close to both ends of the engagement part 110.
[0073] In the meantime, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, a footwear fastening structure A3 according to a third embodiment of the present invention is configured such that it is tieably engaged in shoelace holes or eyelets 520 of a shoe or sports shoe so as to fasten the shoe or the sports shoe tightly on a user's foot when he or she wears the shoe, the footwear fastening structure including: a band member 100 formed to have a predetermined length and having a pair of opposed engagement parts 110b respectively formed at both ends thereof, and a pair of opposed pin members 200 coupled to the engagement parts 110b of the band member 100 so as to be inserted into and hookingly fixed to the shoelace holes 520 of the shoe. The engagement part 110b is oriented vertically with respect to the ground surface.
[0074] Thus, the pin member 200b is fittingly coupled to the engagement part in a vertical direction and is moved vertically so that the pin member 200b can be fittingly engaged in the shoelace holes 520.
[0075] A method of fittingly engaging the pin member 200b in the shoelace holes 520 is the same as in the above-described method, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted to avoid redundancy.
[0076] The engagement part 110b is preferably formed in a vertical shape or a slightly inclined oblique shape in consideration of a curvature of the top side of a user's foot.
[0077] In the meantime, FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing another example of a pin member applied to the present invention.
[0078] Referring to FIG. 8, the pin member 200c comprises a head 220c formed at one end thereof to have a diameter larger than that of the through-passage 112c of the engagement part 110c, a rod-like body 210c having a length larger than that of the engagement part 110c, and a stop element 223c coupled to the other end thereof.
[0079] The stop element 223c has a through-hole 223-1 formed at the center thereof and a slit 223-2 opened at one side thereof. The stop element 223c is fittingly coupled around the outer peripheral surface of the rod-like body 210c in a press-fit manner so that the other side of the engagement part 110c is fixedly supported by the stop element 223c to prevent the pin member 200c from escaping from the engagement part 110c.
[0080] In addition, the pin member 200c includes a protrusion 225c formed at the other end thereof to have a diameter smaller than that of the head 220c and larger than that of the through-hole 223-1 of the stop element 223c so that the stop element 223c can be prevented from escaping from the pin member 200c and the pin member 200c can be easily inserted into the through-passage 112c of the engagement part 110c.
[0081] In the meantime, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in a footwear fastening structure A4 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the pin member 200 is formed of a plastic or metal material, and includes a pair of opposed heads 220 formed at both ends thereof to have a diameter larger than that of a through-hole of an engagement part 110, and a rod-like body 210 having a length larger than that of the engagement part 110. The pin member 200 is formed in a shape similar to an hourglass-shaped drum.
[0082] The head 220 is formed in a generally spherical shape so that the head can be fittingly inserted into a through-hole 112 of the engagement part 110 in a press-fit manner, and can be the rod-like body 210 can be coupled to a through-passage of the engagement part 110 through the through-hole 112. As such, after the pin member is coupled to the engagement part 110, the pin member does no escape from the engagement part 110 only by a force applied the shoe when a user is walking, and thus the pin member can be prevented from being lost.
[0083] Thus, the engagement part 110 of the band member 100 is first insertingly engaged in the shoelace hole 520 and then the pin member 200 is coupled so that fixation is completed. Since the rod-like body 210 has a length larger than that of the engagement part 110, the pin member 200 can have a spare length enough to be movable to the left and right. In addition, since the head 220 is formed in an oval shape like a lugby ball, it does not press the top side of a user's foot, thus leading to an improvement in a wearing feeling.
[0084] In the meantime, as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the band member may be implemented in various shapes.
[0085] In other words, when a user puts on/off his or her shoes, the band member is stretched to a great extent and simultaneously an excessive force is applied to the engagement parts 110 at both ends of the hand member, thus resulting in a damage or deformation of the pin member 200.
[0086] In order to complement this problem, there is a need for the band member 100 having a structure in which an intermediate portion of the band member 100 can be stretched to a great extent and durability of the engagement part at both ends of the band member can be increased by minimizing an extent to which both ends thereof is stretched.
[0087] As shown in FIG. 11, the band member 100a includes a corrugated part 2 formed at the intermediate portion thereof so that when the band member 100a is stretched, the corrugated part 2 is spread out and a force applied to the both ends of the band member can be minimized.
[0088] As shown in FIG. 12, the band member 100b includes a thick bent part 31 formed at both ends thereof and a thin recessed part 3 formed at an intermediate portion thereof so that when the band member 100b is stretched, the recessed part 3 can be extended to a great extent and a force applied to the bent part 31 can be minimized.
[0089] As shown in FIG. 13, the band member 100c includes a thick bent part 31' formed at both ends thereof and a thin recessed part 3' formed at an intermediate portion thereof, the recessed part 3' having a thick step 32 formed at both edges thereof.
[0090] Thus, when the band member 100 is stretched, the recessed part 3' can be extended to a great extent and a force applied to the bent part 31' at both ends of the band member can be minimized.
[0091] In addition, the engagement part 110 includes a convex part 119 convexingly protruded from the outer periphery of one side thereof so that the engagement part 110 can be easily fittingly inserted into the shoelace hole.
[0092] Meanwhile, as shown in FIGS. 14 to 23, a footwear fastening structure A5 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is configured such that it is applied to a shoe or sports shoe so as to fasten the shoe or the sports shoe tightly on a user's foot S when he or she wears the shoe, the footwear fastening structure including: a band member 10 formed to have a predetermined length and flexibility; and a pair of opposed stopper members 30 vertically formed at both ends of the band member 100 in such a manner as to be protruded upwardly and downwardly.
[0093] The band member 10 is formed to have a predetermined length using a material which is flexible and harmful to the human body such as rubber or silicon. The band member 100 can be largely divided into a rod shape and a strip shape depending on the kind of the shoe S.
[0094] In other words, an elongated rod-like band member is applied to shoes, and a strip-like band member having a predetermined width is applied to sports shoes.
[0095] In the embodiments of the present invention, an example of the strip-like band member will be described.
[0096] The band member 10 includes a recess 104 lengthily formed at a stretchable section thereof.
[0097] Thus, the thin recess 104 is formed at an intermediate portion of the band member 10 so that when the band member 10 is stretched, the intermediate portion thereof can be expanded to a great extent and a force applied to an inclined part 20 at both ends of the band member can be minimized.
[0098] The band member 10 includes bending grooves 25 formed on the top and bottom surfaces of both sides thereof so as to allow the band member to be easily bent upwardly and downwardly so that the stopper member 30 can be easily bent (see FIG. 22).
[0099] The stopper member 30 is integrally formed at both sides of the band member 10. The stopper member 30 is generally formed in an elliptical shape having a major axis and a minor axis. The major axis is arranged vertically and the stopper member is formed in an ovate shape or an inverted droplet sharp shape which is gradually sharpened toward the bottom from the top.
[0100] Inclined parts 20 are formed between both ends of the band member 10 and the stopper members 30 so as to facilitate insertion of the stopper members 30 into the shoelace tying holes H.
[0101] The inclined parts 20 are formed slantly downwardly from both ends of the band member 10 in such a manner as to be reduced in width toward the bottom from the top so that the width of a distal end of the inclined part 20, i.e., a portion of the inclined part 20, which is connected to the stopper member 30 is set to be equal to or slightly smaller than a diameter l of the shoelace tying hole H.
[0102] The inclined part 20 and the stopper member 30 have various connection positions.
[0103] As one example, the inclined part 20 is connected to a central portion of the stopper member 30 so that an upper length h1 of the stopper member 30 and a lower length h2 of the stopper member 30 are set to be equal to each other based on the connected portion (see FIG. 16).
[0104] In addition, the inclined part 20 is connected to an upper portion of the stopper member 30 so that the lower length h2 of the stopper member 30 is set to be larger than the upper length h1 of the stopper member 30 based on the connected portion (see FIG. 17).
[0105] Further, the inclined part 20 is connected to a lower portion of the stopper member 30 so that the upper length h1 of the stopper member 30 is set to be larger than the lower length h2 of the stopper member 30 based on the connected portion (see FIG. 18).
[0106] Of course, it is to be noted that the connection position between the inclined part 20 and the stopper member 30 may be modified in various manners, if necessary.
[0107] In meantime, referring to FIG. 14, the stopper members 30 are lengthily formed in a vertical direction at both ends of the band member 10, and have a flat plate shape having a uniform thickness. A major axis length L1 of the stopper members 30 is set to be larger than a diameter of a general shoelace tying hole H.
[0108] Thus, the stopper member 30 passes through the shoelace tying hole H and then is laid down by being pressed against the top side of a user's foot, and both ends of the stopper member 30 are hooked to the outside of the shoelace tying hole H to exhibit a fixing force.
[0109] In addition, the stopper member 30 formed in a generally ovate shape when viewed from the front, and it is gradually sharpened toward the bottom from the top. The upper and lower portions of the stopper member 30 are uniform in the thickness, and the minor axis length L2 of the central portion of the stopper member 30 is set to be larger than the diameter of the shoelace tying hole H.
[0110] Thus, since both ends of the stopper member 30, i.e., an upper end and a lower end of the stopper member 30 on the drawing sheet are formed in a round shape, the stopper member 30 can easily pass through the shoelace tying hole H. In particular, the width L1 of the central portion of stopper member 30 is set to be larger than the diameter l of the shoelace tying hole H so that the stopper member 30 can be maintained in an engagement state without escaping from the shoelace tying hole H after insertion of the stopper member 30 into the shoelace tying hole H. In addition, the outer surface of the stopper member 30 is formed in a flat plate shape. Thus, although the stopper member 30 touches the top side of the user's foot, no stimulus is given to the user's foot and he or she does not get a wound.
[0111] The minor axis length L2 of the central portion of the stopper member 30 is set to be larger than the diameter of the shoelace tying hole H so that the stopper member 30 is pressed at both sides thereof and is inserted into the shoelace tying hole H in an arcuately narrowed shape. After insertion the stopper member 30 into the shoelace tying hole H, the stopper member 30 is widened laterally beyond the width of the shoelace tying hole H by an elastic restoring force, thus leading to a hooked state.
[0112] In the meantime, as shown in FIG. 15, the stopper member 30 includes a grasping part 36 of a predetermined length formed at both ends or one end thereof in such a manner as to be sharpened toward the outside.
[0113] The grasping part 36 is formed lengthily so as to be easily grasped by a user's hands. Thus, the grasping part 36 can be a guide means which is first passed through the shoelace tying hole H and then is pulled from an opposite side so that the stopper member 30 can pass through and engage in the shoelace tying hole H.
[0114] The grasping part 36 is subjected to surface roughness so that the user can easily grip the grasping part 36 with his or her fingers. Further, when the user grips the grasping part 36 with his or her fingers, the grasping part 36 is prevented from slipping from the user's fingers, thereby improving convenience in use.
[0115] In the meantime, FIG. 22 shows side views of an engagement process of a footwear fastening structure A6-2 according to another example of a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
[0116] As shown in FIG. 22, the footwear fastening structure A6-2 includes: a band member 10 formed to have a predetermined length and flexibility; a pair of opposed stopper members 30 vertically formed at both ends of the band member 10 in such a manner as to be protruded upwardly and downwardly; and a pair opposed inclined parts 20 slantly downwardly formed between both ends of the band member 10 and the stopper members 30, each of the inclined parts having a bending groove 25 formed on an underside thereof.
[0117] Thus, the grasping part 36 is first inserted into the shoelace tying hole H (FIG. 22(a)) and then is bent inwardly from the shoelace tying hole H (FIG. 22(b)) to cause the stopper member 30 to be laid down horizontally, thus leading to a state in which the stopper member 30 is hooked to the shoelace tying hole H (FIG. 22(c)).
[0118] In this case, the bending grooves 25 can further facilitate the bending operation of the inclined parts 20.
[0119] In the meantime, FIG. 23 shows side views of an engagement process of a footwear fastening structure A6-3 according to still another example of a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
[0120] As shown in FIG. 23, the footwear fastening structure A6-3 includes: a band member 10 formed to have a predetermined length and flexibility; and a pair of opposed stopper members 30 vertically formed at both ends of the band member 10 in such a manner as to be protruded upwardly and downwardly, each of the stopper member 30 including a pair of opposed grasping parts 36a and 36b of a predetermined length, which are symmetrically formed at both ends thereof.
[0121] The band member 10 includes a pair of bending grooves 19 formed on the top surfaces and the undersides of both sides so as to allow the band member 10 to be easily bent downwardly and upwardly.
[0122] The band member 10 may include a thick bent part formed at both ends thereof and a thin recessed part formed at an intermediate portion thereof (see FIG. 12).
[0123] The stopper member 30 is formed lengthily vertically in an elliptical shape, and includes grasping parts 36a and 36b vertically protruded at the upper end and the lower end thereof to have a predetermined length.
[0124] The grasping parts 36a and 36b are formed in an elongated rod shape so as to be stretched easily, and have elasticity so that the grasping parts 36a and 36b can return to their original states.
[0125] The grasping parts 36a and 36b can be easily bent upwardly and downwardly by the bending grooves 19 formed at both sides of the band member 10.
[0126] In other words, the grasping parts 36a and 36b may be pulled upwardly or downwardly so as to be engagingly inserted into the shoelace tying hole H.
[0127] For example, the grasping part 36a or the grasping part 36b is inserted into the shoelace tying hole H (FIG. 23(a)) and then is bent downwardly from the shoelace tying hole H (FIG. 23(b)) to cause the stopper member 30 to be laid down horizontally, thus leading to a state in which the stopper member 30 is hooked to the shoelace tying hole H (FIG. 23(c)).
[0128] In addition, the grasping part 36a or the grasping part 36b is inserted into the shoelace tying hole H (FIG. 23(a)) and then is bent upwardly from the shoelace tying hole H (FIG. 23(d)) to cause the stopper member 30 to be laid down horizontally, thus leading to a state in which the stopper member 30 is hooked to the shoelace tying hole H (FIG. 23(e)).
[0129] In the meantime, as shown FIGS. 24 to 32, the footwear fastening structures A7 and A8 according to a seventh embodiment and an eighth embodiment of the present invention is configured such that it is applied to a shoe or sports shoe so as to fasten the shoe or the sports shoe tightly on a user's foot S when he or she wears the shoe, the footwear fastening structure including: a band member 10 formed to have a predetermined length and flexibility; a pair of opposed stopper members 30 vertically protrudingly formed at both ends of the band member 10 so as to be inserted into and hookingly fixed to the shoelace holes H of the shoe S; and a pair of opposed grasping part 40 formed at one ends of the stopper members 30 so as to allow a user to pull the band member 10 therethrough.
[0130] The stopper members 30 are integrally formed at both sides of the band member 10, and the stopper member 30 is formed in a flat plate shape. Thus, the stopper member 30 is configured such that although it is touches the top side of the user's foot, no stimulus is given to the user's foot and he or she does not get a wound.
[0131] The stopper members 30 are protrudingly formed vertically at both ends of the band member 10 such that each of the stopper members 30 includes a fitting stopper 32 formed lengthily at a lower portion thereof so as to allow one side of the stopper member 30 based on the band member 10 to be easily inserted into the shoelace tying hole, and a stopper 31 formed at an upper portion thereof in such a manner that the outer surface the stopper 31 is formed in a round shape.
[0132] The fitting stopper 32 is disposed at a lower side of the stopper member 30 and the stopper is disposed at an upper side of the stopper member 30. The fitting stopper 32 and the stopper 31 are inserted into the shoelace tying hole H and then are bent vertically to be maintained in a state of being juxtaposed with the band member 10 so that the stopper member 30 is hooked to the shoelace tying hole H.
[0133] The band member 10 and the stopper member 30 are made of a silicon material having the same flexibility.
[0134] The width of the stopper member 30 is set to be equal to that of the band member 10. The fitting stopper 32 is formed in a shape which is gradually reduced in width toward the outside and a distal end of the fitting stopper 32 is generally formed in an arrowhead shape to have a width smaller than the inner diameter of the shoelace tying hole H.
[0135] The stopper 31 has the same width as that of the band member 10 and an outer end thereof is formed in a round shape so that when the stopper 31 is viewed from the front together with the fitting stopper 32, the outer appearance of the stopper member appears like an exclamation mark.
[0136] The stopper member 30 further includes a reinforcing member 50 made of a metal or resin material disposed therein.
[0137] The reinforcing member 50 disposed in the stopper member 30 is formed in a pin shape or a plate shape.
[0138] The grasping part 40 of the stopper member 30 is formed in a shape which is gradually sharpened toward one side from the other side
[0139] The grasping part 40 includes a plurality of slipping prevention protrusion 41 formed at one side or both sides thereof so as to prevent the stopper member from being slipping in a direction of pulling the band member 10.
[0140] The band member 10 includes a recess 11 formed at one side, i.e., a stretchable section thereof to perform a smooth stretching operation. The recess 11 is formed to have a thickness smaller than that of both ends of the band member 10, which are hooked to the shoelace tying holes H, i.e., half the thickness of both ends of the band member 10.
[0141] A pair of opposed inclined parts 20 are formed between both ends of the band member 10 and the stopper members 30 so as to facilitate the insertion of the stopper member 20 into the shoelace tying holes H.
[0142] The engagement of the footwear fastening structure of the present invention as constructed above will be described hereinafter.
[0143] First, the fitting stopper 32 of the stopper member 30 is inserted into the shoelace tying hole H of the shoe S. In this case, since the fitting stopper 32 is formed in an arrowhead shape, it can be easily inserted into the shoelace tying hole H.
[0144] Since the reinforcing member 50 is disposed in the stopper member 30 in a direction where the fitting stopper 32 is inserted, the stopper member 30 made of a silicon material can be easily inserted into the without being deformed.
[0145] In a state in which a distal end of the fitting stopper 32 passes through the shoelace tying hole H, the fitting stopper 32 protruded at an opposite side of the shoelace tying hole H, i.e., the grasping part 40 is pulled. In this case, the grasping part 40 is pulled at one time without slipping by the slipping prevention protrusion 41 so that the stopper member 30 can be fittingly inserted into the shoelace tying hole H.
[0146] Thereafter, the stopper member 30 is maintained in a state of being juxtaposedly oriented in parallel with the band member 10 while being naturally bent inwardly by the inclined part 20 to form a right angle with the shoelace tying hole H so that the stopper member 30 is maintained in a state of not escaping easily from the shoelace tying hole H, thereby preventing the stopper member 30 from being disengaged in the shoelace tying hole H.
[0147] According to the present invention, a user can tie the footwear fastening structure to shoes in a rapid and convenient manner in replacement of a shoelace. In addition, the footwear fastening structure of the present invention is formed in various shapes, and thus can be used depending on the user's taste.
[0148] While the present invention has been described in connection with the specific embodiments illustrated in the drawings, they are merely illustrative, and the invention is not limited to these embodiments. It is to be understood that various equivalent modifications and variations of the embodiments can be made by a person having an ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the true technical scope of the present invention should not be defined by the above-mentioned embodiments but should be defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
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