US20080271299A1

US20080271299A1 - Magnetic shoe lace

Info

Publication number: US20080271299A1
Application number: US11/744,369
Authority: US
Inventors: Aaron Kilbarger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-05-04
Filing date: 2007-05-04
Publication date: 2008-11-06

Abstract

A magnetic shoe lace includes a flexible magnetic member or material of a size and configuration to be laced through conventional shoe eyelets of a shoe, wherein at least part of a first half of the member is charged of a first polarity and at least part a second half of the member is charged with an opposite polarity.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to securing of shoes, and more particularly, to a novel shoe lace which includes a magnetic structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of securing shoes, there exist a variety of fastening devices, such as Velcro fasteners, string fasteners and fasteners to secure the strings together by some mechanical means. Some of the art include drawstring pullers and fasteners, cam cleats. One prior device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,525 is directed to a double-bow shoe lace device adapted for use with a shoe having a pair of eyelet tabs and a tongue between the eyelet tabs. The shoe lace device comprises a shoe lace, a clamp member, and a positioning unit. The shoe lace has first, second and third lace portions, each of which has a lower end and an upper end. The lower ends of the first and second lace portions are adapted to be anchored on a respective one of the eyelet tabs. The upper ends of the first and third lace portions are tied together to form a knot and a pair of distal lace segments that extend from the knot. The clamp member is sleeved slidably on a medial section of the first lace portion between the lower and upper ends of the first lace portion. The lower end of the third lace portion and the upper end of the second lace portion are anchored on the clamp member. The positioning unit is connected to the knot and the clamp member, and positions the knot on the clamp member such that the medial section of the first lace portion and the third lace portion form first and second loops between the knot and the clamp member.
There remains a need to provide improvement in the field of securing shoes. The present invention is an improvement over the art which does away with the need of incorporating a secondary device to secure the laces in a desired position. Further, the invention achieves a unique securing device for securing shoes while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object to provide an improved shoe lace.
It is another object to improve retention of tied shoe lacing position.
It is still another object to secure shoes in a manner which is aesthetically pleasing.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a magnetic shoe lace. In one embodiment, the shoe lace includes a flexible magnetic member or material of a size and configuration to be laced through conventional shoe eyelets of a shoe, wherein at least part of a first half of the member is charged of a first polarity and at least part a second half of the member is charged with an opposite polarity. The shoe lace can include a flexible outer cover and houses a magnetic material or member therein which can be magnetized such that one half of the shoe lace is charged of a first polarity and another half of the show lace is charged with an opposite polarity. The magnetic material can include a magnetic wire or magnetic powder.
The invention will be better understood from the following description in view of the drawings which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1A is a cross section of a view of an embodiment of a shoe lace of the invention;

FIG. 1B is a cross section of a view of another embodiment of a shoe lace of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a shoe lace of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the invention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, the present invention is directed to a magnetic shoe lace which is generally designated by the numeral 10 and 10′ and is configured to lace through a eyelets E of a conventional shoe S. In one embodiment as seen in FIG. 1A, the shoe lace 10 includes a flexible magnetic material 12 wherein one half 14 of the shoe lace 10 is charged of a first polarity and another half 16 of the show lace 10 is charged with an opposite polarity. The magnetic material 12 can include a flexible wire, in one or more pieces, which can be contained within a coating or sheath 18 made of any suitable material such as cloth, plastic or synthetic which is flexible.
In another embodiment as seen in FIG. 1B, the shoe lace 10′ includes a flexible outer cover 18′ which houses a magnetic material 12′ therein which can be magnetized such that one half 14′ of the shoe lace 10′ is charged of a first polarity and another half 16′ of the show lace 10′ is charged with a opposite polarity. Here, the magnetic material 12′ can include magnetic powder, such as strontium ferrite powder.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A magnetic shoe lace, which includes:

a flexible magnetic elongated member of a size and configuration to be laced through conventional shoe eyelets of a shoe, wherein at least part of a first half of the member is charged of a first polarity and at least part a second half of the member is charged with an opposite polarity.

2. The magnetic shoe lace of claim 1, wherein said first half is characterized to be magnetized at an end thereof and said second half is characterized to be magnetized at an end thereof.

3. The magnetic shoe lace of claim 1, which further includes an outer flexible cover surrounding said member and wherein said shoe lace of a size and configuration to be laced through conventional shoe eyelets of a shoe.

4. The magnetic shoe lace of claim 1, wherein said magnetic member includes a magnetic wire.

5. A magnetic shoe lace, which includes:

a flexible elongated cover of a size and configuration to be laced through conventional shoe eyelets of a shoe; and

a magnetic material movably disposed in said cover wherein at least part of said magnetic material is disposed in a first half of said cover and is charged of a first polarity and at least part of said magnetic material is disposed in a second half of said cover and is charged with an opposite polarity.

6. The magnetic shoe lace of claim 5, wherein said first half is characterized to include said magnetic material at an end thereof and said second half is characterized to include said magnetic material at an end thereof.

7. The magnetic shoe lace of claim 5, wherein said magnetic material includes magnetic powder.