Fastening devices and methods

• US 9,538,802 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hickies OPCO LLC
• Original Assignee: Hickies, Inc.
• Inventors: Frydlewski, Gaston, Waingarten, Maria R., Reeb, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavinder, Jack W
• Application Number:
  US14/493,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20150082588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0081 made at least partially of hook-and-loop type material hook and loop-type straps for fastening purpose A43C11/1493
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/006 Elastic fastenings
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/1493 Strap fastenings having hook and loop-type fastening elements
• 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 24/45251 Resilient element [e.g., with spring]

Abstract

A fastening device for connecting identified openings, including: an elongated main body member defining a longitudinal axis, the main body member having a first end portion and a second end portion at opposite ends of the longitudinal axis; first and second tip end members located at the first end portion and second end portion of the body, respectively, the first and second tip end members each adapted to fit through one of the identified openings; and a first deformable interference portion located between the main body member and the first tip end member, and a second deformable interference portion located between the main body and the second tip end member; where the first and second deformable interference portions are each normally located in a rest state where they define an outer dimension that prevents their passage through one of the identified openings. Other embodiments, features and methods are also described.

Claims

1. A fastening device for connecting two identified openings in an article of footwear, the fastening device comprising:

an elongated main body member defining a longitudinal axis, the main body member having a first end portion and a second end portion at opposite ends of the elongated main body member, the elongated main body member being solid between the first end portion and the second end portion and defining a main body member length along the longitudinal axis;

first and second tip end members, each of the first and second tip end members being adapted to fit through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear; and

a single first elastic interference portion connecting the main body member and the first tip end member, and a single second elastic interference portion connecting the main body member and the second tip end member, wherein the first elastic interference portion defines a first length along the longitudinal axis between the first end portion of the main body member and the first tip end member, the first length being shorter than the main body member length, and wherein the second elastic interference portion defines a second length along the longitudinal axis between the second end portion of the main body member and the second tip end member, the second length being shorter than the main body member length;

wherein the first and second elastic interference portions are each normally located in a rest state wherein the first and second elastic interference portions define an outer dimension that prevents their passage through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear, and each of the first and second elastic interference portions is elastically deformable into a stretched state that permits their passage through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear,

wherein the fastening device has a first reduced width neck region between the main body member and the first elastic interference portion and a second reduced width neck region between the main body member and the second elastic interference portion,

wherein each of the first and second tip end members has a substantially uniform width region that is smaller in width than the elastic interference portions, each substantially uniform width region of the first and second tip end members having a length along the longitudinal axis that is greater than the respective first and second lengths of the elastic interference portion in the rest state,

wherein the elongated main body member defines a height orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and a width orthogonal to the height and the longitudinal axis, wherein the width is larger than the height, and

wherein the main body member has a substantially uniform height.

2. The fastening device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second elastic interference portions extend in an orthogonal direction to the longitudinal axis of the elongated main body member.

3. The fastening device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second elastic interference portions has a first protruding region that protrudes to one side of the main body member and a second protruding region that protrudes to an opposite side of the main body member, and the first and second protruding regions being intersected by the longitudinal axis of the main body member.

4. The fastening device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic interference portions are made of an elastic material.

5. The fastening device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second elastic interference portions are substantially barb-shaped.

6. The fastening device according to claim 1, wherein the fastening device is symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis.

7. The fastening device of claim 1, wherein the elongated main body member, the first and second tip end members, and the first and second elastic interference portions are coplanar.

8. A fastening device for connecting two identified openings in an article of footwear, the fastening device comprising:

an elongated main body member defining a longitudinal axis, the main body member having a first end portion and a second end portion at opposite ends of the elongated main body member, the elongated main body member being solid between the first end portion and the second end portion and defining a main body member length along the longitudinal axis;

first and second tip end members, each of the first and second tip end members being adapted to fit through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear; and

a single first elastic interference portion connecting the main body member and the first tip end member, and a single second elastic interference portion connecting the main body member and the second tip end member, wherein the first elastic interference portion defines a first length along the longitudinal axis between the first end portion of the main body member and the first tip end member, the first length being shorter than the main body member length, and wherein the second elastic interference portion defines a second length along the longitudinal axis between the second end portion of the main body member and the second tip end member, the second length being shorter than the main body member length;

wherein the first and second elastic interference portions are each normally located in a rest state wherein the first and second elastic interference portions define an outer dimension that prevents their passage through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear, and each of the first and second elastic interference portions is elastically deformable into a stretched state that permits their passage through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear,

wherein the fastening device has a first reduced width neck region between the main body member and the first elastic interference portion and a second reduced width neck region between the main body member and the second elastic interference portion,

wherein each of the first and second tip end members has a substantially uniform width region that is smaller in width than the elastic interference portions, each substantially uniform width region of the first and second tip end members having a length along the longitudinal axis that is greater than the respective first and second lengths of the elastic interference portion in the rest state,

wherein each of the first and second elastic interference portions has a substantially convex surface and a substantially concave surface.

9. A fastening device for connecting two identified openings in an article of footwear, the fastening device comprising:

an elongated main body member defining a longitudinal axis, the main body member having a first end portion and a second end portion at opposite ends of the elongated main body member, the elongated main body member being solid between the first end portion and the second end portion and defining a main body member length along the longitudinal axis;

first and second tip end members, each of the first and second tip end members being adapted to fit through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear; and

a single first elastic interference portion connecting the main body member and the first tip end member, and a single second elastic interference portion connecting the main body member and the second tip end member, wherein the first elastic interference portion defines a first length along the longitudinal axis between the first end portion of the main body member and the first tip end member, the first length being shorter than the main body member length, and wherein the second elastic interference portion defines a second length along the longitudinal axis between the second end portion of the main body member and the second tip end member, the second length being shorter than the main body member length;

wherein the first and second elastic interference portions are each normally located in a rest state wherein the first and second elastic interference portions define an outer dimension that prevents their passage through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear, and each of the first and second elastic interference portions is elastically deformable into a stretched state that permits their passage through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear,

wherein the fastening device has a first reduced width neck region between the main body member and the first elastic interference portion and a second reduced width neck region between the main body member and the second elastic interference portion,

wherein each of the first and second tip end members has a substantially uniform width region that is smaller in width than the elastic interference portions, each substantially uniform width region of the first and second tip end members having a length along the longitudinal axis that is greater than the respective first and second lengths of the elastic interference portion in the rest state,

wherein the first and second elastic interference portions protrude in an interference axis that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and

wherein the main body member in a rest state has a substantially uniform width portion in a width axis parallel to the interference axis, the substantially uniform width portion being the widest region in between the first and second interference portions.

10. A fastening device for connecting two identified openings in an article of footwear, the fastening device comprising:

an elongated main body member defining a longitudinal axis of the fastening device, the main body member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite of the first end portion;

first and second tip end members, each of the first and second tip end members being adapted to fit through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear; and

a first elastic interference portion connecting the main body member and the first tip end member, and a second elastic interference portion connecting the main body member and the second tip end member, each of the first and second elastic interference portions defining an aperture therethrough,

wherein the first and second elastic interference portions are each normally located in a rest state wherein the first and second elastic interference portions define an outer dimension that prevents their passage through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear, and the first and second elastic interference portions are each elastically deformable into a stretched state that permits their passage through one of the identified openings in the article of footwear, and

wherein each of the first and second tip end members has a substantially uniform width that is smaller in width than the elastic interference portions, wherein the first and second tip end members are coplanar with the first and second end portions, respectively, of the main body member.

11. The fastening device according to claim 10, wherein the first and second elastic interference portions extend in an orthogonal direction to the longitudinal axis of the main body member.

12. The fastening device according to claim 10, wherein the main body member defines a height orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and a width orthogonal to the height and the longitudinal axis, wherein the width is larger than the height.

13. The fastening device according to claim 12, wherein the main body member has a substantially uniform height.

14. The fastening device according to claim 10, wherein each of the first and second elastic interference portions has a first protruding region that protrudes to one side of the main body member and a second protruding region that protrudes to an opposite side of the main body member, and the first and second protruding regions being intersected by the longitudinal axis of the main body member.

15. The fastening device according to claim 10, wherein the elastic interference portions are made of an elastic material.

16. The fastening device according to claim 10, wherein each of the first and second elastic interference portions has a substantially convex surface and a substantially concave surface.

17. The fastening device according to claim 10, wherein the first and second elastic interference portions are substantially barb-shaped.

18. The fastening device according to claim 10, wherein the fastening device is symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis.

19. The fastening device of claim 10, wherein the first and second elastic interference portions protrude in an interference axis that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and

wherein the main body member in a rest state has a substantially uniform width portion in a width axis parallel to the interference axis, the substantially uniform width portion being the widest region in between the first and second interference portions.

20. The fastening device of claim 10, wherein the elongated main body member, the first and second tip end members, and the first and second elastic interference portions are coplanar.