Fastening arrangement

• US 7,484,320 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suunto Oy (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Suunto Oy (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Butt, Phillip, Pohja, Tero
• Primary Examiner(s): PATTERSON, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US11/070,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20050224672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 361/32, 361/36, 361/37, 361/38
• US Class Current: 36/136
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0031 provided with a pocket, e.g. for keys or a card
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/24 Ornamental buckles or other ornaments for shoes, with fastening function buckles in general A44B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 19/00 Attachments for footwear, not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

An attachment bracket for fastening an item to a shoe that is provided with a shoestring includes a bottom part, which can be fitted on top of the set of shoestrings, and a space for receiving the item. The attachment bracket also includes a first mounting bracket and a second mounting bracket that is spaced from the first mounting bracket. The mounting brackets can be pushed under the shoestring from opposite directions. In addition, the part of the attachment bracket between the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket is flexible.

Claims

1. An attachment bracket for fastening an item to a shoe that is provided with a shoestring, the attachment bracket comprising

a bottom part adapted to be fitted on top of a set of shoestrings, and

a space adapted to receive the item,

wherein

the attachment bracket further comprises a first mounting bracket and a second mounting bracket that is spaced from the first mounting bracket, said mounting brackets being adapted to be pushed under the shoestring from opposite directions, and when the attachment bracket is viewed in a bottom view, the first and the second mounting brackets are seen to extend parallel to a long dimension of the attachment bracket, and

the part of the attachment bracket between the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket is flexible, and when the flexible part of the attachment bracket is flexed, the free ends of the mounting brackets are moved closer to one another.

2. An attachment bracket according to claim 1, wherein the first and second mounting brackets extend away from one another.

3. An attachment bracket according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second mounting brackets extend in opposite directions.

4. An attachment bracket according to claim 1, wherein when the flexible part of the attachment bracket is flexed, both of the mounting brackets are capable pushed under the shoestring so that the shoestring is between the mounting bracket and the bottom part.

5. An attachment bracket according to claim 1, wherein the part of the attachment bracket between the first mounting and the second mounting bracket is bendable, compressable, and/or stretchable.

6. An attachment bracket according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second mounting brackets are disposed on the bottom part,

the space of the attachment bracket being adapted to receive the item on a side of the attachment bracket opposite with respect to the bottom part.

7. An attachment bracket according to claim 1, wherein the space is a through-shaped space surrounded by rims of the attachment bracket, and when the flexible part of the attachment bracket is flexed in order to move the free ends of the mounting brackets closer to one another, a portion of the rims between the first and second mounting brackets is adapted to move into a convex shape.

8. An arrangement adapted to be fastened to a shoe that is provided with a shoestring,

the arrangement including an attachment bracket and an item,

wherein the attachment bracket is adapted to fasten the item to the shoe that is provided with the shoestring, the attachment bracket comprising

a bottom part adapted to be fitted on top of a set of shoestrings, and

a space adapted to receive the item,

the attachment bracket further comprising a first mounting bracket and a second mounting bracket that is spaced from the first mounting bracket, said mounting brackets being adapted to be pushed under the shoestring from opposite directions, and when the attachment bracket is viewed in a bottom view, the first and the second mounting brackets are seen to extend parallel to a long dimension of the attachment bracket, and

the part of the attachment bracket between the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket is flexible, and when the flexible part of the attachment bracket is flexed, the free ends of the mounting brackets are moved closer to one another, and

wherein the item is adapted to stiffen the flexible part between the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket of the attachment bracket, and being adapted to be fitted into the space.

9. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the item that stiffens the part between the first mounting bracket (7) bracket and the second mounting bracket is a casing that contains an acceleration sensor measuring the movement of the shoe.

10. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the first and the second mounting brackets are disposed on the bottom part,

the space of the attachment bracket being adapted to receive the item on a side of the attachment bracket opposite with respect to the bottom part.

11. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the space is a through-shaped space surrounded by rims of the attachment bracket, and when the flexible part of the attachment bracket is flexed in order to move the free ends of the mounting brackets closer to one another, a portion of the rims between the first and second mounting brackets is adapted to move into a convex shape.