[0001] The invention pertains to a replaceable lacing means, usable to two elements together
in an easy and fast manner and especially usefull in those cases where the lacing
means is expected to have a shorter life than the elements to be tied together.
[0002] A typical application of the invention is the shoe industry and especially in the
field of leisure wear where use is often made of hook and loop fasteners, instead
of shoelaces, buckles or similar.
[0003] Although known hook and loop fasteners are quite efficient, they have generally a
shorter usefull life than that of the shoes themselves. As at least one part of said
fastener is sewn to the shoes, this poses a problem.
[0004] The object of the invention is to solve said problem by providing a hook and loop
type lacing means which can easily be replaced whenever necessary.
[0005] To this end, the replaceable lacing means according to the invention comprises a
ribbon made of two parts fixed to one another such as by sewing, the first of said
parts being one part of a hook and loop fastener and the second of said parts being
the other part of said fastener, said ribbon being intended to be slid through two
slots provided to this end in the element to be tied together, one end of said ribbon
being provided with an abutment means, at least one dimension of which being larger
than the corresponding dimension of said slots.
[0006] For more clarity, one embodiment of the invention is described hereinafter by way
of non limitative example, with reference to the appended drawings wherein :
figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe equipped with a replaceable lacing means
according to the invention; and
figure 2 shows at an enlarged scale, the part of figure 1 indicated by F2.
[0007] The shoe 1 shown in figure 1 has an upper having two sides 2 and 3 which have to
be tied or laced together. Each side is provided with a slot, 4 and 5 respectively.
[0008] The lacing means according to the invention is generally indicated as 6 and has the
general shape of a ribbon intended to be slid through said slots 4 and 5. The ribbon
6 is made of two parts 8 and 9 respectively, fixed together for instance by sewing,
as indicated in 7. Parts 8 and 9 correspond to the two parts of a well known hook
and loop fastener.
[0009] The free extremity of part 8 is provided with an abutment 10, the length of which
being greater than that of the slots 4 and 5. In another embodiment, the width of
abutment 10 could be greater than that of said slots.
[0010] It will be seen that the lacing means according to the invention is particularily
easy to use and to replace when necessary. Due to abutment 10, the sides of the shoe
upper can be easily drawn together with one hand.
[0011] It is clear that the use of the invention is not limited to shoes, numerous other
applications being possible.
1.- Replaceable lacing means, comprising a ribbon made of two parts (8-9) fixed to
one another such as by sewing, the first of said parts being one part of a hook and
loop fastener and the second of said parts being the other part of said fastener,
said ribbon being intended to be slid through two slots (4-5) provided to this end
in the elements (2-3) to be tied together, one end of said ribbon being provided with
an abutment means (10), at least one dimension of which being larger than the corresponding
dimension of said slots (4-5).
2.- Replaceable lacing means according to claim 1, wherein the length of said abutment
means (10) is greater than that of said slots (4-5).
3.- Replaceable lacing means according to claim 1, wherein the width of said abutment
means (10) is greater than that of said slots (4-5).
