Fastener for shoes

• US 4,733,439 A
• Filed: 06/03/1987
• Issued: 03/29/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keith B. Gentry
• Original Assignee: Keith B. Gentry
• Inventors: Gentry, Keith B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sakran, Victor N.
• Application Number:
  US07/057,616
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 24/143 R, 24/143 A, 24/143 B, 24/140, 24/141, 24/117, 24/122, 24/118, 24/306, 24/573, 36/1, 36/50, 40/2 E, 160/10, 160/166 A, 160/236
• US Class Current: 206/338
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/24 Ornamental buckles; Other ornaments for shoes without fastening function
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0078 provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration A43B23/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/004 Fastenings fixed along the upper edges of the uppers
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/22 Fastening devices with elastic tightening parts between pairs of eyelets, e.g. clamps, springs, bands
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/314 Elastic connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/318 Strap connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3787 having elastic segment in lacing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45021 including eyelet [e.g., shoes]

Abstract

Shoe (100) fasteners (10) which include multiple elastic strips (11 to 15) connected between spaced apart eyelets (101) in the shoe and which are provided with unitary indicia (20 or 21) on at least two of the strips are described. Preferably loops (19) are held in place in tension in the eyelets by pins (18) so that the strips remain on the shoe regardless of whether a foot is in the shoe.

Claims

1. In a shoe fastener combination which extends between multiple spaced apart eyelets on either side of a tongue of the shoe the improvement which comprises:

(a) multiple elongate flat strips of an elastic material each strip having opposed sides and opposed ends of the sides wherein each of the strips extends and stretches across the shoe when a foot is in the shoe between the opposed ends so that each of the opposed ends are to be positioned adjacent one of the spaced apart eyelets, wherein the opposed sides of the strips are adjacent to or overlap each other when on the shoe;

(b) indicia which combine together to form a unitary image provided across at least two of the multiple strips when a foot is in the shoe and the strips are stretched; and

(c) holding means mounted on the ends of each of the strips or securing the strips to the eyelets so that the strips are stretched and the indicia on at least two of the multiple strips provide the unitary image when the foot is placed in the shoe.

2. The fasteners of claim 1 wherein the eyelets are mounted on a display board by the holding means which stretches the strips so as to display the image on the strips in a package in the same manner as when the foot is in the shoe.

3. The fasteners of claim 1 mounted on the shoe.

4. The fasteners of claim 1 wherein the holding means are loops at each of the opposed ends of the strips which extend through each of the eyelets in the shoe and are held in place by pin means through each of the loops which engage each of the eyelets inside the shoe.

5. The fasteners of claim 4 wherein the loops are formed by extensions mounting fabric loop connectors at each of the ends of the strips which join together to form the loops and to surround the pin means and wherein the loops are in tension in the eyelet when the foot is not in the shoe.

6. The fasteners of claim 3 wherein the loops are formed by metal hooks at each of the opposed ends of the strips which extend through each of the eyelets and are held in place by the pin means and wherein the loops are in tension in the eyelet when the foot is in or out of the shoe.

7. The fasteners of claim 1 wherein the holding means are hooks at each of the opposed ends which engages the eyelets.

8. The fastener of claim 1 wherein the indicia form a picture including all of the multiple strips.

9. The fasteners of claim 1 wherein the strips overlap each other on the sides.

10. The fasteners of claim 1 wherein the strips abut each other on the sides.

11. In a shoe fastener combination which extends between multiple spaced apart eyelets on either side of a tongue of the shoe the improvement which comprises:

(a) multiple elongate flat strips of an elastic material each strip having opposed sides and opposed ends of the sides wherein each of the strips extends and stretches across the shoe when a foot is in the shoe between the opposed ends so that each of the opposed ends are to be positioned adjacent one of the spaced apart eyelets, wherein the opposed sides of the adjacent strips are adjacent to or overlap each other on the side when on the shoe;

(b) indicia which combine together to form a unitary image provided across at least two of the multiple strips when a foot is in the shoe and the strips are stretched;

(c) loops provided on the ends of the strip which go through the eyelets; and

(d) holding means which pass through the loops and engage the eyelets so that the loops are in tension when the foot is in or out of the shoe.

12. The fasteners of claim 11 wherein the eyelets are mounted on a display board by the holding means which stretches the strips so as to display the image on the strips in a package in the same manner as when the foot is in the shoe.

13. The fasteners of claim 11 mounted on the shoe.

14. The fasteners of claim 11 wherein the holding means are loops at each end of the opposed ends of the strips which extend through each of the eyelets in the shoe and are held in place by a pin means through each of the loops.

15. A shoe fastener combination which extends between multiple spaced apart eyelets on either side of a tongue of the shoe the improvement which comprises:

(a) an elongate flat strip of an elastic material having opposed sides and opposed ends of the sides, wherein the strip extends and stretches across the shoe when a foot is in the shoe between the opposed ends so that each of the opposed ends are to be positioned adjacent at least one of the spaced apart eyelets;

(b) indicia which provide at least part of a unitary image when a foot is in the shoe and the strip is stretched; and

(c) holding means on the ends of each of the strips for securing the strips to the eyelets so that the strips are stretched to provide at least part of a unitary image when the foot is placed in the shoe. .