FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention concerns a clip device for fixing the bow ends of a tied lace
on a shoe. In this specification the term shoe is used to denote any its of footwear
having a lace for securing the its of footwear in position on the foot of the wearer
and the term therefore includes for example boots.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] When a shoelace is tied to hold a shoe in position on the foot of a wearer, the tied
shoelace frequently forms loops or bows, the ends of which hang freely around the
lacing of the shoe. It is known that the freely hanging ends of the loops or bows
of the shoelace can be troublesome and can occasionally even be found to be dangerous.
For example, the fact that the ends of the loops or bows of the tied shoelace can
flap around when the wearer of the shoe is walking or running can very frequently
result in the loop or bow formed by the shoelace cling loose so that the shoe lacing
has to be re-tied. In any cases there is even the risk that the bows, by virtue of
flapping around as the wearer of the shoe moves, may become caught up on some obstacle
and as a result cause the wearer to trip or stumble. For that reason various proposals
have already been put forth in regard to holding the lace bow ends to the laced shoe,
but in practice such proposals have not proven successful partly because they have
been found to be too expensive and partly because they have been found to be a nuisance
in terms of use thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide a clip device for fixing the free
ends of a tied shoelace, which is of a simple structure and which is so designed that
it is easy to use.
[0004] Another object of the present invention is to provide a clip for holding the free
ends of a tied shoelace to the shoe, which is practically insignificant in terms of
price in relation to the cost of a shoe but which is effective in function and convenient
to use.
[0005] In accordance with the principles of the present invention the foregoing and other
objects are attained by a clip device for fitting the free ends of a tied shoelace
and in particular the bow end portions thereof to the shoe, comprising a base portion
having bans for fitting the base portion to the shoe. A spring clip portion is disposed
on the base portion at the side thereof which in the fitted condition on the shoe
is remote from the shoe. The spring clip portion is adapted to be lifted against its
spring force away fro said base portion, thereby to open an insertion opening for
insertion of the shoelace end portions.
[0006] As will be seen in greater detail from the following description of preferred embodiments
of the invention, the clip device according to the invention operates in the manner
of a clamping device which can be connected to the shoe in various ways. For example
the base portion of the clip device, which is in the general form of an elongate base
plate, can be sewn or glued to the shoe upper, preferably in front of the front end
of the lacing opening, or on the tongue of the shoe. In the latter case, the clip
device, in the laced condition of the lacing, projects upwardly through the lacing
between individual transversely extending portions of the lace where the lace extends
over the tongue of the shoe. It is also possible for the base plate, at the end parts
thereof, to be provided with thin projecting extension portions which can engage under
the side edges of the lacing opening in the shoe upper and sewn fast in that position.
In that case the clip device is desirably disposed at the front end of the lacing
opening in the shoe upper.
[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the clip device according to the invention however the
base portion, in the form of an elongate base plate, is not connected directly to
the shoe but is fitted in position by being threaded on to the shoelace. In that case,
the shoelace passes through eyes or openings in the region of each of the end parts
of the base plate so that the clip device is carried freely on the lacing, desirably
at the front end thereof, with the spring clip portion facing upwardly away fro the
shoe so that the insertion opening can receive the bow ends of the tied shoelace.
[0008] In all embodiments of the invention, after the shoelace has been tied to form a bow
or loop, the ends of the bows or loops and the free ends of the shoelace can be brought
together in a bunch or bundle and the bunch can be inserted, so-to-speak as a self-contained
assembly, under the spring clip portion. In that way the spring clip portion presses
the bunch of lace portions against the upwardly facing surface of the base plate and
holds it fast in position by friction even against vigorous movements, as for example
when the wearer of the shoe is running. Desirably the spring clip portion is disposed
at a certain spacing fro the surface of the base plate and, at its end towards the
insertion opening, has a thickened part which provides that the ends of the shoelace
and the bows are held within the insertion opening by a positively locking engagement,
that is to say by the thickened part constituting a form of abutment or stop to prevent
the lace portions from sliding out of the spring clip portion at the end thereof.
[0009] Desirably, the clip device can be integrally made from a resiliently bendable plastic
material, for example polyamide, and it can be so small and light, for example of
the order of magnitude of 1 gram, that it does not give rise to any fear of use of
the shoe being adversely affected in terms of weight. Handling of the clip device
is very simple for the reason that the bunched ends of the shoelace can be fixed with
a single movement in the longitudinal direction of the spring clip portion, and there
is no need for a fixing arrangement to be subsequently closed or locked after the
lace portions have been inserted. The clip device also permits individual choice in
regard to the location in the lacing, which is suited to the length of the free lace
and bow ends. Desirably the clip device can be fixed to the foremost transverse portion
of the lacing where it is drawn through the lacing eyes, as generally the wearer of
the shoe does not have to loosen that part of the lacing in order to make it easier
to put the shoe on or take it off. It will be appreciated however that the clip device
can also be mounted in one of the adjacent transverse portions of the lacing by suitable
displacement on the shoelace and rethreading it into the lace eyes.
[0010] Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent
from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0011]
Figure 1 is a perspective plan view of a sports shoe with a clip device according
to the invention fitted thereto,
Figure 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of the clip device shown in Figure 1, and
Figure 3 shows two views in longitudinal section through the clip illustrated in Figure
2 and through a modified form thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] Referring firstly to Figure 1, shown therein is a sports shoe such as for example
a tennis shoe which has lacing that is generally indicated by reference numeral 1.
The lacing includes a lacing opening 2 in the shoe upper, a row of lace eyes 3 at
the oppositely disposed parts of the shoe upper, which form the edges of the lacing
opening 2, and a shoelace 4 which is suitably passed through the lace eyes 3. In the
illustrated embodiment in Figure 1 the shoelace 4 is so threaded through the lace
eyes 3 over the entire length of the lacing opening 2 that the individual portions
of the shoelace, which extend from one part of the shoe upper to the opposite part
of the shoe upper, extend precisely transversely across the lacing opening 2. At the
upper end of the lacing opening 2 the shoelace 4 is tied to form bows as indicated
at 5, together with the loose shoelace end portions.
[0013] A clip device 6 for fixing the bow ends and if appropriate the loose end portions
of the shoelace 4 is fixed on the foremost shoelace portion which is therefore towards
the toecap of the shoe 1. The clip device 6 comprises a base portion in the form as
illustrated of an elongate, substantially rectangular base plate 7 which is slightly
curved to adapt it to the instep of the foot, as can be best seen from Figure 3. Near
its mutually oppositely disposed ends the base plate 7 has respective openings 8 which
serve as eyes for the shoelace 4 to be passed therethrough. Reference numeral 10 denotes
a spring clip portion which extends in the longitudinal direction of the base plate
7 and which is connected thereto in one piece therewith on the top side of the base
plate 7, that is to say the side which, in the fitted condition of the clip device
6, faces upwardly away from the shoe 1. The spring clip portion 10 is integrally joined
by its one end to the base plate 7 while its other free end has a thickened part 12
by way of which the spring clip portion 10 resiliently bears against the adjoining
surface of the base plate 7. In that way an intermediate space is formed between the
surface of the base plate 7 and the underside of the spring clip portion 10. The thickened
part 12 is bevelled towards the adjoining surface of the base plate 7 thereby to form
a guide surface 13 which extends inclinedly relative to the surface of the base plate
7 and towards the above-mentioned intermediate space, to guide the shoelace into the
insertion opening defined by the spring clip portion and the base plate 7.
[0014] As can be seen from Figure 1, the clip device 6 is threaded on to the shoelace 4
in such a way that the shoelace 4 passes through the openings 8 at the end parts of
the base plate 7 from above, and extends transversely under the base plate 7. As a
result, the end of the spring clip portion 10 with the thickened part 12 is free and
easily accessible, and this freedom of access is further promoted by the above-mentioned
curved configuration of the base plate 7, as can be clearly seen from Figure 3. For
the purposes of fixing the ends of the bow 5 they are brought together to form a bunch
or bundle which is inserted under the guide surface 13 and into the insertion opening
defined between the base plate 7 and the spring clip portion 10. As a result of this,
the spring clip portion 10 is lifted away from the adjoining surface of the base plate
7, against its spring action or elasticity, so that the ends of the bows can then
pass into the space under the spring clip portion 10. By virtue of its spring resiliency,
the spring clip portion 10 then presses the bow ends firmly against the surface of
the base plate 7 and thus holds the fast in position. Lateral forces which would possibly
produce sideways movement of the bow ends cannot cause the bow ends to come loose
fro the spring clip portion 10 because that is partly prevented by friction and at
any event by virtue of the presence of the thickened part 12 which acts as a stop
at the end of the spring clip portion 10 to retain the lace bow ends in the insertion
opening.
[0015] In the modified embodiment of the clip device as shown in Figure 3, there are two
spring clip portions 10' on the base plate 7'. The spring clip portions 10' are integrally
joined to the base plate 7' at the oppositely disposed end parts thereof, and extend
towards each other. Their free ends are at a small spacing from each other, thus defining
an insertion opening as indicated at 14. In this embodiment, for the purposes of fixing
the free shoelace bow ends in position on the shoe, the bow ends are brought together
to form a bunch or bundle which is either pressed through the insertion opening 14
or on to one of the two spring clip portions 10' and then pushed laterally under the
opposite spring clip portion 10'.
[0016] It will be appreciated that the above-described embodiments of the clip device according
to the invention have been set forth solely by way of example and illustration of
the principles of the present invention which is not restricted thereto. Thus, the
eyes in the base plate 7 for threading in the lace do not have to be in the form of
through openings, but can be provided by downwardly extending tongue portions with
openings formed therethrough. It is also not necessarily the case that the clip device
is connected to a single one of the lacing portions extending across the lacing opening
2, and accordingly extends transversely relative to the lacing opening 2. On the contrary,
it is also possible, if the eyes in the base plate 7 are suitably oriented by being
turned through 90°, for the clip device to be fixed to two successively disposed shoelace
portions extending across the lacing opening 2, so that the clip device extends in
the longitudinal direction of the lacing opening. In this case the spring clip portion
10 also extends lengthwise of the lacing opening 2 and the free bow ends are then
pushed under the spring clip portion in the longitudinal direction of the shoe, in
a forward or rearward direction, for the purposes of fixing them in position.
1. A clip device for fixing bow end portions of a tied shoelace to a shoe comprising
a base portion, bans on the base portion for fitting it to the shoe, and a spring
clip portion on the base portion at the side thereof which in the fitted condition
on the shoe is remote from the shoe, the spring clip portion being adapted to be lifted
against its spring action away from said base portion to open an insertion opening
for insertion of the shoelace bow end portions.
2. A clip device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base portion is adapted to be sewn
on the shoe upper outside the lacing opening.
3. A clip device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base portion is adapted to be sewn
on the shoe tongue.
4. A clip device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base portion is adapted to be glued
to the shoe upper outside the lacing opening.
5. A clip device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base portion is adapted to be glued
to the shoe tongue.
6. A clip device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base portion comprises end parts
adapted to engage under oppositely disposed edges of the lacing opening and to be
sewn to said edges.
7. A clip device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base portion comprises end parts
adapted to engage under oppositely disposed edges of the lacing opening and to be
glued to said edges.
8. A clip device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base portion comprises end parts
having eyes adapted to be threaded on to the shoelace.
9. A clip device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base portion comprises resiliently
bendable plastic material and the spring clip portion is in one piece with the ball
portion.
10. A clip device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the spring clip portion extends along
the base portion at a spacing from the surface at said side thereof.
11. A clip device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the spring clip portion has a thickened
part in the region of the insertion opening.
12. A clip device as set forth in claim 11 wherein the thickened part is bevelled towards
the adjoining surface of the base portion to form a guide surface for the insertion
opening.
13. A clip device as set forth in claim 11 wherein the thickened part bears against the
adjoining surface of the base portion.
14. A clip device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base portion has two end parts and
the insertion opening is disposed in the vicinity of one end part of the base portion.
15. A clip device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base portion has two end parts and
wherein a respective spring clip portion is connected to the base portion in the region
of each of the end parts of the base portion and the spring clip portions form an
insertion opening at least adjacent the longitudinal center of the base portion.
16. A clip device as set forth in claim 8 wherein the eyes in the base portion are through
openings in the end parts thereof.
17. A clip device as set forth in claim 8 wherein the eyes in the base portion are apertured
tongue portions projecting downwardly from the underside of the base portion.
18. A clip device as set forth in claim 17 wherein the base portion is elongate and the
tongue portions are directed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base portion.
19. A clip device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base portion is an elongate generally
rectangular plate portion.