Patent Application
20150296962
Not applicable
Not applicable
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to shoelaces and to survival equipment.
2. Description of Related Art
Shoelaces are an accessory that has little to no added function. They are comprised of a piece of string with a hardened tip to facilitate lacing. Designing a shoelace so that it can double as a piece of survival equipment would increase the functionality of the shoelace.
It is common to carry high-strength, durable paracord as a bracelet, necklace, belt, or other item to provide access to the cord wherever it is worn in the event an emergency situation arises. It is also common to carry an item used to start a fire, commonly a Ferrocerium rod or flint, in the event an emergency situation arises, so that fire can be made. Designing a shoelace to incorporate these elements within the shoelace itself will transform the otherwise single function lace into a desired survival tool.
One aspect of the present disclosure is to make a shoelace out of a useful material, paracord.
Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide an additional useful item used to make fire, which element is contained inside the shoelace and can be used by removing the item from the shoelace.
This combination of materials give the user a means to make a fire whenever the shoelace is worn, as well as a length of durable cord to be used in any situation.
The illustration provides an exploded view of the shoelace, including the paracord, fire starting material, and cap.
Referring first to the illustration included which is an exploded view of the present disclosure; a shoelace is made of a length of paracord 1. It is to be understood that the shoelace could be of any length; no limitation to the length of the shoelace is intended or should be inferred. The shoelace has two ends, both mirrors of the illustration included and the description below. A piece of fire starting material 2 is placed inside the end of the paracord strand. A cap 3 is placed over the paracord strand 1 covering where the fire starting material 2 is inserted.
The integration of the fire starting material is of particular value to the present disclosure. The prior art has failed to develop any added functionality having no value other than its original intended use, but adding a fire starting material brings an added function to a product that is used on a daily basis. The paracord may be used in a survival situation for climbing, creating a shelter, trapping, fishing, etc. The fire starting material may also be used in a survival situation by cutting it out of the shoelace, and using it to start a fire.
The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, or the inventive concept thereof. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiment, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to, and that such modifications and adaptations are considered to be within the spirit and scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims set forth.
This application is a non-provisional application of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/980,464 filed Apr. 16, 2014.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61980464 | Apr 2014 | US |
