Lacing hook

Abstract

The invention relates to a shoelace loop (10) for guiding a shoelace of a shoe, comprising a shoelace guide section (12) which has a shoelace contact area (14) configured to make contact with the shoelace in order to redirect it when the shoe is laced, and an attachment section (20) by means of which the shoelace loop (10) can be attached to a corresponding shoe, wherein the attachment section (20) is formed on the shoelace loop (10) outside the shoelace guide section (12), wherein the attachment section (20) is essentially hook-shaped so that the shoelace loop (10) can be attached to the shoe and detached from the shoe without damage. The invention further relates to a shoe with such a shoelace loop (10).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a lace loop designed to guide a shoelace. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a shoe comprising such a lace loop.

[0002] Lace-up shoes, particularly mountaineering boots, are known from the prior art, in which lace loops are used to redirect the shoelace. Such lace loops serve, in particular, to redirect the shoelace with ease of movement at a respective lace loop from a first direction of travel of the shoelace to a second direction of travel of the shoelace, so that pulling on, for example, the free ends of the shoelace by a user of the shoe can also be transmitted to sections of the shoelace that are located away from the free ends of the shoelace, i.e., on the other side of the respective lace loops from the free ends. The lace loops are usually riveted to the shoe to create a permanent connection between the lace loop and the shoe.Known lace loops are therefore not designed to be replaced if the lace loop is damaged.

[0003] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a lace loop or a shoe comprising such a lace loop, which can be attached to the shoe in a simplified and replaceable manner.

[0004] This object is achieved according to a first aspect of the present invention by a lace loop which is suitable for guiding a shoelace, the lace loop comprising: a lace guide section which is configured to receive a section of the lace and to deflect it from a first direction of travel into a second direction of travel, wherein the lace guide section has a lace contact region which is configured to come into contact with the lace in order to deflect it when the shoe is laced, and an attachment section by means of which the lace loop can be attached to an associated shoe, wherein the attachment section is formed on the lace loop outside the lace guide section, wherein the attachment section is substantially hook-shaped so that the lace loop can be attached to the shoe and detached from the shoe without causing damage.

[0005] In contrast to a riveted lace loop, which cannot be removed from the shoe to which it is connected without causing damage, the lace loop according to the invention can be removed from the shoe in a manner that is non-destructive to both the lace loop and the shoe and can be easily replaced, for example, if the lace loop becomes damaged. In general, a lace loop according to the invention can be free of non-destructively detachable fasteners, such as rivets.

[0006] The hook-shaped attachment portion can, for example, be configured to be connectable to a cord or strap attached to the shoe, for example, in the form of a loop. By attaching the lace loop according to the invention to the shoe via such an attachment portion, the lace loop can be aligned in a particularly advantageous manner to match the course of the lace relative to the rest of the shoe.Thus, the lace loop according to the invention can, on the one hand, be displaced along the cord or band to which the attachment portion is connected, in order to be rotationally aligned in a first plane relative to the rest of the shoe (particularly in the case where the cord or band is tab-shaped), and the lace loop according to the invention can, on the other hand, be rotationally displaced around the cord or band to which the attachment portion is connected, in order to rotationally align the lace loop in a second plane. Depending on the arrangement of the cord or band on the shoe, the aforementioned first plane and the second plane can be aligned substantially orthogonally to one another. In this way, the lace loop can optimally adapt to an outer contour of the shoe.The movement possibilities of conventional lace loops, which are provided by rotation around the rivet connection and, if necessary, by an additional joint within the lace loop, can be combined in the attachment section of the lace loop according to the invention. The lace loop according to the invention can therefore be designed without any joint-like sections.

[0007] Overall, the lace loop according to the invention can be smaller and / or lighter and / or cheaper than the lace loops known from the prior art.

[0008] The lace guide section can comprise a passage which is defined by a wall surrounding it, in particular wherein the wall of the passage, viewed in the circumferential direction of the passage, can be closed at least at one longitudinal end of the passage. In other words, this means that the passage of the lace guide section is completely enclosed at least once along any trajectory curve around the circumference of the passage. For example, the passage of the lace guide section can be surrounded by an annularly closed wall at at least one longitudinal end of the passage, in particular at both longitudinal ends of the passage. In a region of the passage of the lace guide section which lies between the two longitudinal ends of this passage, the passage can not be surrounded by a wall, or at least not completely surrounded by a wall.

[0009] In a further development of the present invention, the lace contact area can be formed integrally with the lace guide section. In particular, the lace contact area can be formed by a wall of the lace loop defining the passage of the lace guide section. Alternatively, the lace contact area can be formed, for example, as a column or partition wall arranged in the passage of the lace guide section.

[0010] In particular, the lace contact area can be substantially concave. Such a design of the lace contact area allows a shoelace passing through the passage of the lace guide section to engage the lace contact area in such a way that the shoelace is not damaged by contact with the lace loop, even under high tensile forces acting on the shoelace, and / or engages with the lace contact area in a form-fitting or frictional manner, preventing displacement of the shoelace through the lace guide section.

[0011] For example, the lace loop may comprise plastic or metal and / or the lace contact area may comprise metal.

[0012] Particularly in the case where the lace loop comprises plastic, the lace loop can be formed in one piece from plastic. For example, the lace loop can be manufactured using an injection molding process. The plastic can comprise polyamide and / or reinforcing components, such as glass fibers, carbon fibers, aramid fibers, or similar.

[0013] It is also conceivable that the lace contact area can comprise a ball or a roller that is rotatably mounted relative to the remaining lace guide section. A rotatably mounted element, such as a ball or a roller, that is associated with or forms the lace contact area can further protect a shoelace from potential damage when lacing the shoe, since friction of the shoelace against the lace contact area can be reduced or even prevented by the rotatably mounted element.

[0014] In connection with the aforementioned role of the lace contact area, the hook-like attachment section can define an axis around which the curved shape of the attachment section extends, wherein the axis of the attachment section can be aligned substantially orthogonally and skewably to a rotational axis of the roller. This orthogonal alignment of the two axes can, in particular, be related to a projection direction that runs along the shortest distance between the two axes. Thus, in one possible orientation of the lace loop, the rotational axis of the roller can be aligned substantially vertically, while the axis defined by the eyelet of the attachment section can be aligned substantially horizontally.

[0015] Advantageously, an underside of the lace guide section and an underside of the attachment section can merge substantially flush with one another. This ensures, on the one hand, that the underside of the lace loop can be pressed as completely as possible against the outer side of the shoe. On the other hand, it can ensure that a force acting on the lace loop via the shoelace can be evenly transmitted from the lace loop into the shoe, thereby preventing damage to the lace loop and / or the shoe, particularly in the event of a relative displacement of the lace loop to the shoe.

[0016] In a further aspect of the present invention, the object described at the outset is achieved by a shoe which can be fastened to the foot of a user using a lace, comprising at least one lace loop according to the invention, and at least one counter attachment portion which is configured to engage with the attachment portion of the lace loop.

[0017] It should be noted at this point that all features, effects and advantages mentioned in relation to the lace loop according to the invention can also be applied to the shoe according to the invention, and vice versa.

[0018] By using at least one lace loop according to the invention and correspondingly providing at least one counter-attachment portion, the shoe according to the invention can be significantly simplified in this regard compared to such shoes known from the prior art. Riveted lace loops were typically arranged individually on respective flexible tongues made of the upper material of the shoe to allow the lace loop to be adjusted in a direction that runs substantially perpendicular to a corresponding area of ​​the outer side of the shoe.Since the lace loop according to the invention can rotate relative to the shoe, in particular also relative to the counter-attachment portion, about the axis of the attachment portion, such individual flexible tongues can be omitted in the shoe according to the invention, thereby reducing the complexity of the shoe and thus the manufacturing costs of the shoe and / or susceptibility to defects. The rivets by means of which conventional lace loops are attached to the shoe can also be omitted. Since the lace loop according to the invention can be easily hooked onto the counter-attachment portion provided on the shoe, a manufacturing process for the shoe according to the invention can be improved in automation compared to conventional corresponding shoes.

[0019] It may be advantageous for each mating attachment section of the shoe to be connected to exactly one lace loop. This ensures that a plurality of lace loops attached to the shoe maintain a predetermined distance from one another, and disruptive interaction between lace loops can be prevented.

[0020] The at least one counter-attachment section can be formed as a loop of a cord or band. Such a loop can, for example, be substantially semicircular or semi-oval, meaning that the direction of the cord or band at one end of the loop, at which the loop is connected to the rest of the shoe, is oriented substantially opposite to the direction of the cord or band at the other end of the loop, at which the loop is connected to the shoe. The term "opposite" should be understood very broadly in this context. This means that the direction of the cord or band at one fastening end of the loop does not have to be offset by 180° from the direction of the cord or band at the other fastening end of the loop, but can be in the range of ±90° to 180°, in particular from ±120° to 180°.This loop-shaped design of the counter-attachment portion allows the lace loop to be displaced along the cord or band to assume a rotational orientation, which in conventional lace loops runs around the center axis of the rivet. For this purpose, the eyelet of the attachment portion of the lace loop can have a substantially circular diameter and extend along an axis, so that the entire eyelet can be designed as a circular-cylindrical recess.

[0021] A diameter of the mating attachment portion of the shoe can substantially correspond to a diameter of the eyelet of the attachment portion or can even be slightly larger than the diameter of the eyelet, so that a clamping force is generated between the attachment portion and the mating attachment portion of the shoe. In order to be able to insert the mating attachment portion of the shoe into the eyelet of the attachment portion, an insertion opening can be provided on the eyelet. For example, the insertion opening of the attachment portion can be arranged such that it faces the lace contact area of ​​the lace loop. Preferably, the insertion opening is narrower than a diameter of the mating attachment portion of the shoe, so that the mating attachment portion of the shoe must be deformed and / or the attachment portion of the lace loop must be elastically deformed in order to insert the mating attachment portion of the shoe into the eyelet.After inserting the counter attachment section into the eyelet, this prevents the lace loop from accidentally coming loose from the counter attachment section of the shoe.

[0022] The cord or band can connect all the counter-attachment sections of a respective side of the shoe. The term "respective side of the shoe" can encompass the fact that the shoe according to the invention can have one or more counter-attachment sections on its medial side with respect to the user's anatomy and / or on its lateral side. Thus, a single cord or band can be arranged on the medial side and / or the lateral side of the shoe, for example, with respect to the shoe tongue, which is laid on the shoe in such a way that it forms the one or, in sequence, the multiple counter-attachment sections.

[0023] For this purpose, the cord or band may be glued or sewn to the shoe in sections. It should be noted that the expression "glued or sewn to the shoe in sections" may mean that only sections of the cord or band are glued or sewn to the shoe, but that an adhesive area or seam area may be continuous on the respective side of the shoe.

[0024] For example, the cord or band can be arranged in a serpentine manner on the shoe. With reference to this exemplary serpentine arrangement of the cord or band on the shoe, the adhesive region or the seam region can run continuously, and in particular essentially rectilinearly, for example from one free end of the cord or band to the other free end of the cord or band. In this case, a width of the adhesive region or the seam region (measured orthogonally to a longitudinal extension thereof) can be less than a width defined by the maxima and minima of the serpentine arrangement of the cord or band, respectively, in order to form one or more counter-attachment sections that are not glued or sewn to the shoe.

[0025] The present invention will be described in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lace loop according to the present invention; and Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the lace loop of Figure 1 .

[0026] In Figure 1 A lace loop according to the invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The lace loop 10 comprises a lace guide section 12, which is designed to receive a part of a shoelace in order to redirect it. The lace guide section 12 comprises a lace contact area 14, which is designed for contact with the lace. In the illustrated embodiment, the lace contact area 14 is designed as a concave outer surface of a roller 16 (see also Figure 2). The roller 16 is mounted rotatably about a pin 18 relative to the remaining lace loop 10, so that the lace resting against the lace contact area 14 does not slide over the lace contact area 14 when the lace is pulled through the lace loop 10 or the lace guide section 12, but rather the lace can roll along the lace guide section 12 through the rotatable roller 16. This can reduce harmful stress on the lace and / or the lace loop 10.

[0027] The lace loop 10 further comprises an attachment portion 20, which is configured to allow the lace loop 10 to be connected to a shoe and to be detached therefrom without causing damage. For this purpose, the attachment portion 20 is substantially hook-shaped, meaning that in the illustrated embodiment, an eyelet 22 of the attachment portion 20 is almost completely enclosed by a wall of the attachment portion 20, with the exception of an insertion opening 24, through which a counter-attachment portion of the shoe, designed, for example, as a cord or band, can be inserted into the eyelet 22 of the attachment portion 20.In particular, a diameter of the mating attachment portion of the shoe may substantially correspond to a diameter of the eyelet 22 of the attachment portion 20 or may even be slightly larger than the diameter of the eyelet 22 in order to achieve a clamping force between the attachment portion 20 and the mating attachment portion of the shoe.

[0028] As in the Figures 1 and 2As can be seen, the insertion opening 24 of the attachment portion 20 is arranged such that it is located on a straight connecting line between the eyelet 22 of the attachment portion 20 and the lace contact area 14 of the lace loop 10. Preferably, a clear width of the insertion opening 24 is smaller than a diameter of the mating attachment portion of the shoe, so that the mating attachment portion of the shoe must be deformed and / or the attachment portion 20 of the lace loop 10 must be elastically deformed in order to insert the mating attachment portion of the shoe into the eyelet 22. Due to the elastic restoring force of the counter-attachment section of the shoe and / or the wall of the attachment section 20 of the lace loop 10, the latter can return to its original shape, so that an unintentional detachment of the lace loop 10 from the counter-attachment section of the shoe can be prevented.

[0029] As particularly in Figure 2 As can be seen, the lace loop 10 has a substantially smooth underside 26, with the pin 18 being shown here in its unpressed state. In its pressed state, the free end of the pin 18, which is associated with the underside 26 of the lace loop 10, can be deformed such that it adapts to the recess 28 and runs substantially flush with the underside 26 of the lace loop 10.

[0030] Furthermore, in the Figures 1 and 2 It can be seen that the wall of the lace loop 10, which surrounds the lace guide section 12, can have at least one opening 30 in the illustrated embodiment. The opening 30 can be suitable, on the one hand, to reduce the weight of the lace loop 10, and / or can be designed, on the other hand, to allow foreign bodies that have settled in the lace guide section 12 to be better removed therefrom. Figure 1It can be seen that the opening 30 does not extend to the edge of the lace loop 10, viewed in a direction parallel to the X axis. Thus, a wall 32 surrounding the opening of the lace guide section 12 is designed to be closed and surround the opening. This can apply to at least one, in particular both, axial ends of the opening of the lace guide section.

[0031] In the Figures 1 and 2In the embodiment shown, the eyelet 22 of the attachment section 20 of the lace loop 10 has a substantially circular diameter and extends along the axis X, so that the entire eyelet 22 is designed as a circular-cylindrical recess. In this way, the lace loop 10 can be displaced on the mating attachment section of the shoe in such a way that it can rotate about the axis X relative to the mating attachment section of the shoe, on the one hand, and can be displaced along the axis X relative to the mating attachment section of the shoe, on the other hand. Thus, for example, in the case that the mating attachment section of the shoe is designed to be curved, a rotation of the lace loop 10 about an axis in Figure 2 The Y axis indicated as an example can be reached.

[0032] The displacement of the lace loop 10 relative to the mating attachment section of the shoe can also be achieved independently when lacing the shoe, in particular, by a direction in which the lace is guided through the lace guide section 12 and the section of the mating attachment section of the shoe, which is guided through the eyelet 22, running essentially parallel to each other. Figure 2 It can be seen that the opening forming the lace guide section 12 extends through the lace loop 10 in a direction substantially parallel to the axis X of the eyelet 22 of the attachment section 20.

Claims

1. Lace loop (10) which is suitable for guiding a shoelace, wherein the lace loop (10) comprises: a lace guide section (12) which is designed to receive a section of the lace and to deflect it from a first direction of travel into a second direction of travel, wherein the lace guide section (12) has a lace contact region (14) which is designed to come into contact with the lace in order to deflect it when the shoe is laced, and an attachment section (20) by means of which the lace loop (10) can be attached to an associated shoe, wherein the attachment section (20) is formed on the lace loop (10) outside the lace guide section (12), wherein the attachment section (20) is formed substantially hook-shaped, so that the lace loop (10) on the shoe can be attached and removed from the shoe without causing any damage.

2. Lace loop (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the lace guide section (12) comprises a passage which is defined by a wall (32) surrounding it, in particular wherein the wall (32) of the passage, viewed in the circumferential direction of the passage, is closed at least at one longitudinal end of the passage.

3. Lace loop (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lace contact area (14) is formed integrally with the lace guide section (12).

4. Lace loop (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lace contact area (14) is substantially concave.

5. Lace loop (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lace loop (10) comprises plastic or metal and / or that the lace contact area (14) comprises metal.

6. Lace loop (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in thatthe lace loop (10) is made of one piece from plastic.

7. Lace loop (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the lace contact area (14) comprises a ball or a roller (16) which is rotatably mounted relative to the remaining lace guide section (12).

8. Lace loop (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the hook-like attachment portion (20) defines an axis (X) around which the curved shape of the attachment portion (20) extends, wherein the axis (X) of the attachment portion (20) is substantially orthogonal and skewed to a rotation axis of the roller.

9. Lace loop (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a bottom side (26) of the lace guide section (12) and a bottom side (26) of the attachment section (20) merge substantially flush into one another.

10. A shoe which can be fastened to the foot of a user using a lace, comprising at least one lace loop (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, and at least one counter-attachment portion which is adapted to engage with the attachment portion (20) of the lace loop (10).

11. Shoe according to claim 10, characterized in that exactly one lace loop (10) is connected to each counter attachment section of the shoe.

12. Shoe according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the at least one counter-attachment section is formed as a loop of a cord or a band.

13. Shoe according to claim 12, characterized in that the cord or band connects all the mating attachment sections of each side of the shoe.

14. Shoe according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the cord or ribbon is glued or sewn to the shoe in sections.

15. Shoe according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the string or band on the shoe is arranged in a serpentine pattern.

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