Apparatus and method for lacing
OwnerWilliam D. Curetinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Lacing apparatus comprising a lace which may be threaded through a plurality of apertures defined by at least two portions of one or more articles; connecting means for connecting the free ends of the lace to one another, so that when the free ends of the lace are connected to one another, the lace forms a continuous loop; and mechanical locking means for receiving the lace and releasably locking at least two portions of the lace in proximity to one another when at least a portion of the lace has been threaded through the apertures and the free ends of the lace are connected to one another. Footwear incorporating features of this apparatus, as well as methods of releasably lacing together two or more objects, are also disclosed.
Claims25
Lacing apparatus which comprises:
- a) a lace which may be threaded through a plurality of apertures defined by at least two portions of one or more articles;
- b) connecting means for connecting the free ends of the lace to one another, so that when the free ends of the lace are connected to one another, the lace forms a continuous loop;
- and
- c) mechanical locking means for receiving the lace and releasably locking at least two portions of the lace in proximity to one another when at least a portion of the lace has been threaded through the apertures and the free ends of the lace are connected to one another.
Footwear which comprises:
- a) a sole;
- b) an upper footwear portion connected to the sole and defining two or more apertures;
- c) a lace which may be threaded through the apertures;
- d) connecting means for connecting the fee ends of the lace together to form a continuous loop;
- and
- e) mechanical locking means for receiving the lace and releasably locking at least two portions of the lace in proximity to one another when at least a portion of the lace has been threaded through the apertures and the free ends of the lace are connected to one another.
A method of releasably securing two or more objects together, the method comprising:
- a) threading a lace through (1) mechanical locking means for receiving the lace and releasably locking at least two portions of the lace in proximity to one another and (2) through two or more apertures formed by the objects,
- b) connecting together the free ends of the lace to form a continuous loop,
- c) pulling upon the threaded lace so as to bring the objects into proximity with one another, and
- d) securing the mechanical locking means so as to releasably lock the lace portions in proximity to one another, thereby inhibiting separation of the objects.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.