Patent Application
20070226968
This invention relates, generally to shoe laces; more particularly to shoe laces that make it easier for children, and individuals who are physically challenged, to tie their shoes.
It has long been known that children often have trouble learning to tie their shoe laces because they do not possess the fine motor skills required. But even when they learn how to tie their shoe laces, they are often too lazy about how the shoe laces are tied. Such an attitude has led many to choose slip-ons, causal shoes, and shoes that have hook and eye straps instead of conventional tie up shoes.
Still, there are advantages to having shoe laces, and like it or not, children will be asked to tie shoe laces for the foreseeable future. Other than children, there is a need for shoe laces that are easier to tie by people who are either handicapped, or physically limited. For instance, people suffering with arthritis in their hands, or victims of stroke, may find it difficult, and uncomfortable to tie conventional shoe laces.
U.S. Pat. No. 579,943 disclosed a shoe lace composed of a sheath and core. However, because the shoe lace core is made of a non-metallic material, it is not easy to manipulate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,468 entitled “Training Shoelace” describes a shoe lace that has markings on the outside, and opposite end portions that are just stiff enough to retain the shape to which they are bent while permitting a child or handicapped person to easily bend them during the tying of a bow. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,522 discloses a shoe lace on which the opposite end portions are just stiff enough to substantially retain its shape. But because both of these patents rely on using just a single piece of uncoated copper wire as the lace core, these laces are more easily prone to breakage and can pierce the sheath making the shoe lace unsafe.
Accordingly, there is a long-felt need for an improved shoe lace that can be used easily by children, and persons with physical disabilities, to tie their shoes. There is also a need for an improved shoe lace that does not contain different markings, or mechanisms, on the outer sheath of the shoe lace, because such markings will only confuse these individuals once they have learned, and started using a conventional shoe lace.
This invention is directed towards overcoming the above shortcomings by disclosing a shoe lace having a plurality of bendable support elements permanently held within a limp material at each of the two end tips by an anchor.
In another embodiment of the invention, a shoe lace of the present invention is comprised of a plurality of bendable support elements permanently held within a limp material at each of the two end tips by a sleeve, wherein the limp material is made of fabric, wherein the limp material is cylindrical in shape, wherein the sleeve is made of metal, and wherein the support elements are comprised of three coated and fused wires.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, a shoe lace of the present invention is comprised of a plurality of bendable support elements permanently held within a limp material at each of the two end tips by a sleeve, wherein the limp material is made of fabric, wherein the limp material is cylindrical in shape, wherein the sleeve is made of plastic, and wherein the support elements are comprised of three coated and fused wires.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a method for assisting individuals to use shoe laces, is comprised of threading an improved shoe lace, comprising of a plurality of bendable support elements permanently held within a limp material at each of the two end tips by a sleeve, through a plurality of eyelets of a shoe, and tying said shoe lace ends together.
In another construction of the invention, an improved shoe lace is made by inserting a plurality of bendable support elements into a pre-selected length of a limp material with two end tips; securing the support elements to an metal anchor at each of the ends; permanently securing each anchor to the limp material to form a shoe lace with two metal end tips; whereby the two anchors hold the support elements within the limp material such that the support elements cannot be removed without removing the two end tips from the shoe lace.
In yet another construction of the invention, an improved shoe lace is made by weaving a limp material over a plurality of bendable support elements, so that the limp material completely covers the elements, inserting the ends of the limp material, containing the support elements, through a plastic sleeve, securing, permanently each plastic sleeve to the limp material to form a shoe lace with two plastic end tips; whereby the two sleeves hold the support elements within the limp material such that the support elements cannot be removed without first removing the two end tips from the shoe lace.
An advantage of the invention is that the invention is inexpensive and easy to use.
A further advantage is that the shoe lace is more resilient to breaking.
The foregoing, and other features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent from the following more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, the accompanying drawings, and the claims.
A plurality of bendable support elements 14 are inserted into the limp material 12. In the preferred embodiment (see
Two embodiments of the present invention are shown.
In the first embodiment of the invention, a metal sleeve 18 is used (see
Next, in this preferred embodiment, the limp material 12 is weaved over the bendable support elements 14 so that the limp material 12 completely surrounds the bendable support elements 14 (see
Once the limp material is weaved over the bendable support elements 14, the first wing 28 of the metal sleeve is folded over the limp material (containing the bendable support elements), and then the second wing 30 of the metal sleeve is folded over the first wing, and the metal sleeve is then compressed together, using a tool, to finally form the metal shoe lace tip 22. In the preferred embodiment, the metal sleeve is crimped to the limp material (see
In the second embodiment of the invention, a plastic sleeve 24 (see
It is especially preferred that the support elements 14 are held within the limp material 12 and secured to the tips (whether metal or plastic), such that the support elements 14 are not exposed and cannot be removed from shoe lace 12 without first removing the end tips 22, or 26. This is accomplished primarily by the method in which the support elements 14 are secured, whether crimped or fused, to the tips 22 or 26, respectively, but also by controlling the thickness of both the limp material 12 and support elements 14 chosen, and the procedure by which the limp material 12 is weaved over the support elements 14.
It should be understood that the invention has application far beyond the exemplary embodiments presented and described herein, and as such is not to be limited to those embodiments. In addition, the invention is not limited to the particular physical configuration, but instead is adaptable. All changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention.
