Abstract:
The present invention provides a knot retainer apparatus. Said apparatus includes a first end, a second end, and at least three slots in the middle. A cord that is first threaded into a shoe is threaded into the slots of said apparatus wherein said cord is tied into a knot and said apparatus assists in keeping the knot from being untied.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/058,336, filed Oct. 1, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Shoelaces are generally used to secure shoes, boots and other footwear. Shoelaces typically consist of a pair of strings or cords, one for each shoe, having stiff end sections on both ends of the string or cord. Each shoelace is generally threaded through a series of slots or loops on both sides of the shoe, such that one end of the shoelace emerges from a side of the shoe and another end of the shoelace emerges from another side of the shoe. When a shoelace is loosened, the shoe can be placed on a foot. The shoelace is then tightened and tied in a knot to secure the foot with the shoe. However, over time, the shoelace knot can become untied, necessitating retying of the knot. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    One or more embodiments of the present invention include a knot retainer apparatus, which may be formed from a sheet of plastic. Slots may open through the knot retainer apparatus to receive cords threaded through the slots of knot retainer apparatus. 
         [0004]    From a common face of the knot retainer apparatus, a first cord end of a cord may be threaded through a first slot located at a first end of the knot retainer apparatus and a second cord end of the cord may be threaded through a second slot located at a second end of the knot retainer apparatus. From an opposing side of the knot retainer apparatus, both ends of the cord may be threaded into a slot located at the middle of the knot retainer apparatus. Both ends of the cords may then be tied in a knot. The knot retainer apparatus may then be rotated to twist the cord into a compact form, and may be inserted under the cord to secure the cord and prevent untying. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate plan views of a knot retainer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1C  illustrates a plan view of a knot retainer apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIGS. 2A through 2E  illustrate a method of using a detached knot retainer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrate a method of using an attached knot retainer system according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate plan views of a knot retainer apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The knot retainer apparatus  100  has a body which has a top face  101  and a bottom face  102  opposite to each other, and which terminates lengthwise at a first end  110  and a second end  120  opposite to each other. A first slot  130 , a second slot  131 , and a third slot  132  open through the knot retainer apparatus  100 . 
         [0010]    The knot retainer apparatus  100  may be formed by cutting the body from a sheet of durable plastic, where the plastic material used may be rigid or minimally flexible. The knot retainer apparatus  100  may be formed by forming the body from a flexible metal, then coating the body in an outer layer of plastic. A first slot  130 , a second slot  131 , and a third slot  132  may be cut or bored through the body of the knot retainer apparatus  100 . 
         [0011]    The knot retainer apparatus  100  may be formed by forming the body through an injection molding process. Injection molding dies may be cut from two solid steel blocks to form a recess for holding molten plastic. The dies are made in two halves in order to facilitate the removal of the finished panels. Grooves are cut into the dies to form runners for molten plastic flow. Moveable ejector pins are machined into the dies to help push the finished panels out of the dies. When the panels are ready to be molded, the steel dies are secured into an injection molding machine. The injection molding machine holds each halves of each die together by exerting several tons of hydraulic pressure. Plastic pellets are poured into a hopper on top of the injection molding machine. The pellets are heated inside the injection molding machine until molten and forced inside a die using a screw shaft drive. Once inside the die, the plastic cools to form the body of the knot retainer apparatus  100 . After the formation of the body, the die is opened and the ejector pin ejects the body of the knot retainer apparatus  100  from the die. 
         [0012]    According to embodiments of the present invention, the body of the knot retainer apparatus  100  may be oblong in shape. The first end  110  of the body and the second end  120  of the body may be substantially equal in width to the width of the body. Alternately, the first end  110  of the body may be substantially equal in width compared to the width of the body and the second end  120  of the body may be substantially tapered in width compared to the width of the body. The first end  110  of the body may have one or more rounded corners and up to four raised or inverted grip grooves. 
         [0013]    The first slot  130 , the second slot  131 , and the third slot  132  may be located along a medial axis aligned with the length of the body of the knot retainer apparatus  100 , where the first slot  130  is located to a side of the second slot  131  nearer to the first end  110 , and the third slot  132  is located to a side of the second slot  131  nearer to the second end  120 . 
         [0014]    The body of the knot retainer apparatus  100  may be substantially even in thickness throughout. Alternately, the body of the knot retainer apparatus  100  may be thickest along a medial axis aligned with the lengthwise edges of the body, and tapered in thickness towards a first lengthwise edge and towards a second lengthwise edge. Thus, the body of the knot retainer apparatus  100  may have an overall thickness that tapers at lengthwise edges. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1C  illustrates a plan view of a knot retainer apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The knot retainer apparatus  100  has a body which has a top face  101  and a bottom face  102  opposite to each other, and terminates lengthwise at a first end  110  and a second end  120  opposite to each other. A first slot  130 , a second slot  131 , a third slot  132 , and a fourth slot  133  open through the knot retainer apparatus  100 . 
         [0016]    The knot retainer apparatus  100  may be formed by cutting the body from a sheet of durable plastic, where the plastic material used may be rigid or minimally flexible. The knot retainer apparatus  100  may be formed by forming the body from a flexible metal, then coating the body in an outer layer of plastic. A first slot  130 , a second slot  131 , a third slot  132 , and a fourth slot  133  may be cut or bored through the body of the knot retainer apparatus  100 . 
         [0017]    The knot retainer apparatus  100  may be formed by forming the body through an injection molding process. Injection molding dies may be cut from two solid steel blocks to form a recess for holding molten plastic. The dies are made in two halves in order to facilitate the removal of the finished panels. Grooves are cut into the dies to form runners for molten plastic flow. Moveable ejector pins are machined into the dies to help push the finished panels out of the dies. When the panels are ready to be molded, the steel dies are secured into an injection molding machine. The injection molding machine holds each halves of each die together by exerting several tons of hydraulic pressure. Plastic pellets are poured into a hopper on top of the injection molding machine. The pellets are heated inside the injection molding machine until molten and forced inside a die using a screw shaft drive. Once inside the die, the plastic cools to form the body of the knot retainer apparatus  100 . After the formation of the body, the die is opened and the ejector pin ejects the body of the knot retainer apparatus  100  from the die. 
         [0018]    According to embodiments of the present invention, the body of the knot retainer apparatus  100  may be oblong in shape towards the second end  120 . Towards the first end  110  of the body, the body may be broader in width than towards the second end  120  of the body. A wing may protrude from each lengthwise side of the first end  110  of the body. The first end  110  of the body may have one or more rounded corners and up to four raised or inverted grip grooves. 
         [0019]    The first rear slot  133  and the first forward slot  134  may be located at a wing of the first end  110  of the body, and the second rear slot  135  and the second forward slot  136  may be located at another wing of the first end  110  of the body, where the first rear slot  133  and the second rear slot  135  are located nearer to the first end  110 , and the first forward slot  134  and the second forward slot  136  are located nearer to the second end  120 . 
         [0020]    The body of the knot retainer apparatus  100  may be substantially even in thickness throughout. Alternately, the body of the knot retainer apparatus  100  may be thickest along a medial axis aligned with the lengthwise edges of the body, and tapered in thickness towards a first lengthwise edge and towards a second lengthwise edge. Thus, the body of the knot retainer apparatus  100  may have an overall thickness that tapers at lengthwise edges. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2A through 2E  illustrate a method for using a detached knot retainer apparatus  100  with a shoe  200 . A shoe  200  includes a first set of eyelets  210  on a side of the shoe and a second set of eyelets  220  on another side of the shoe. A cord  140  having a first cord end  141  and a second cord end  142  may be laced through the first set of eyelets  210  and the second set of eyelets  220  (not visible) in a configuration such that either the first cord end  141  emerges from an eyelet of the first set of eyelets  210  and the second cord end  142  emerges from an eyelet of the second set of eyelets  220 , or the first cord end  141  emerges from an eyelet of the second set of eyelets  220  and the second cord end  142  emerges from an eyelet of the first set of eyelets  210 . The configuration may be any known shoe lacing pattern that results in one of these configurations for the first cord end  141  and the second cord end  142 . 
         [0022]    While the cord  140  is laced, the cord  140  crosses the upper face of the shoe  200  between the first set of eyelets  210  and the second set of eyelets  220  at least once. Each portion of the cord  140  running between the first set of eyelets  210  and the second set of eyelets  220  is herein referred to as a “crossing portion.” 
         [0023]    In accordance with a step as illustrated in  FIG. 2A , from the bottom face  102  of the knot retainer apparatus  100 , either the cord  140  at the first cord end  141  is threaded through the first slot  130  and the cord  140  at the second cord end  142  is threaded through the third slot  132 , or the cord  140  at the first cord end  141  is threaded through the third slot  132  and the cord  140  at the second cord end  142  is threaded through the first slot  130 . Alternately, from the bottom face  102  of the knot retainer apparatus  100 , either the cord  140  at the first cord end  141  is threaded through the first rear slot  133  and the cord  140  at the second cord end  142  is threaded through the second rear slot  135 , or the cord  140  at the first cord end  141  is threaded through the second rear slot  135  and the cord  140  at the second cord end  142  is threaded through the first rear slot  133 . 
         [0024]    In accordance with a step as illustrated in  FIG. 2B , the knot retainer apparatus  100  may be slid along the first cord end  141  and positioned at any point along the length of cord  140  between the first cord end  141  and the shoe  200 , and may be slid along the second cord end  142  and positioned at any point along the length of cord  140  between the second cord end  142  and the shoe  200 . From the top face  101  of the knot retainer apparatus  100 , both the first cord end  141  and the second cord end  142  may be threaded through the second slot  131 . Alternately, from the top face  101  of the knot retainer apparatus  100 , either the cord  140  at the first cord end  141  is threaded through the first forward slot  134  and the cord  140  at the second cord end  142  is threaded through the second forward slot  136 , or the cord  140  at the first cord end  141  is threaded through the second forward slot  136  and the cord  140  at the second cord end  142  is threaded through the first forward slot  134 . 
         [0025]    In accordance with a step as illustrated in  FIG. 2C , the first cord end  141  and the second cord end  142  may be tied together in a knot at the bottom face  102  of the knot retainer apparatus  100 . 
         [0026]    In accordance with a step as illustrated in  FIG. 2D , the knot retainer apparatus  100  may be slid along the cord  140  away from the top of the shoe  200  to reduce the length of the cord  140  over the top face  101  and increase the length of the cord  140  under the bottom face  102 . The knot retainer apparatus  100  may be rotated at least once about the cord  140  clockwise or counterclockwise, may be rotated twice, and may be rotated thrice, thus twisting the first cord end  141  and the second cord end  142  about each other to secure the cord  140  in a compact form. 
         [0027]    In accordance with a step as illustrated in  FIG. 2E , the knot retainer apparatus  100  may be inserted under at least one crossing portion of the cord  140  running over the tongue of the shoe  200 . The knot retainer apparatus  100  may be inserted under the cord  140  with the top face  101  facing up, or may be inserted under the cord  140  with the bottom face  102  facing up. By inserting the knot retainer apparatus  100  between the cord  140  and the shoe  200 , the knot tying the first cord end  141  and the second cord end  142  may be secured to prevent untying. Alternatively, a sheath may be attached to the tongue of shoe  200  and the knot retainer apparatus  100  may be inserted within the sheath. A cover may be mated to the top face  101  to shield the portion of the cord  140  threaded through the knot retainer apparatus  100  from disturbance. The cover may be secured to the knot retainer apparatus  100  by a suitable attachment member such as a clip or a hinge. A decorative image may be applied to the cover. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrate a method for using an attached knot retainer system  300  according to an embodiment of the present invention. A shoe  200  includes a first set of eyelets  210  on a side of the shoe and a second set of eyelets  220  on another side of the shoe. A cord  140  having a first cord end  141  and a second cord end  142  may be laced through the first set of eyelets  210  and the second set of eyelets  220  (not visible) in a configuration such that either the first cord end  141  emerges from an eyelet of the first set of eyelets  210  and the second cord end  142  emerges from an eyelet of the second set of eyelets  220 , or the first cord end  141  emerges from an eyelet of the second set of eyelets  220  and the second cord end  142  emerges from an eyelet of the first set of eyelets  210 . The configuration may be any known shoe lacing pattern that results in one of these configurations for the first cord end  141  and the second cord end  142 . 
         [0029]    From the bottom face  102  of the knot retainer apparatus  100 , either the cord  140  at the first cord end  141  is threaded through the first slot  130  and the cord  140  at the second cord end  142  is threaded through the third slot  132 , or the cord  140  at the first cord end  141  is threaded through the third slot  132  and the cord  140  at the second cord end  142  is threaded through the first slot  130 . A stopper  310  may be attached to either or both of the first cord end  141  or the second cord end  142 . A stopper  310  may prevent the knot retainer apparatus  100  from sliding off an end of the cord  140 . A stopper  310  may be removably attached to the cord  140 , in which case the knot retainer apparatus  100  may slide off an end of the cord  140  while the stopper  310  is removed, or a stopper  310  may be non-removably attached to the cord  140 . 
         [0030]    The knot retainer apparatus  100  may be slid along the first cord end  141  and positioned at any point along the length of cord  140  between the first cord end  141  or any stopper  310  attached thereto and the shoe  200 , and may be slid along the second cord end  142  and positioned at any point along the length of cord  140  between the second cord end  142  or any stopper  310  attached thereto and the shoe  200 . From the top face  101  of the knot retainer apparatus  100 , both the first cord end  141  and the second cord end  142  may be threaded through the second slot  131 . The first cord end  141  and the second cord end  142  may be tied together in a knot at the bottom face  102  of the knot retainer apparatus  100 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 3A  illustrates the performance of a step in accordance with  FIG. 2D  where a stopper  310  is attached to the cord  140 .  FIG. 3B  illustrates the performance of a step in accordance with  FIG. 2E  where a stopper  310  is attached to the cord  140 . 
         [0032]    The knot retainer apparatus  100  presents several advantages. The knot retainer apparatus  100  may allow a user to secure the shoe  200  to a foot with one hand. When the knot retainer apparatus  100  is inserted between the cord  140  and the shoe  200 , the knot retainer apparatus  100  may eliminate the appearance of a bow shaped knot that may occur when the first cord end  141  and the second cord end  142  are tied together. 
         [0033]    While particular elements, embodiments, and applications of the present invention have been shown and described, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto because modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teaching. It is therefore contemplated by the appended claims to cover such modifications and incorporate those features which come within the spirit and scope of the invention.