초록 ▼

Laces for shoes, sneakers, or other wearing apparel that adjust easily, but stay tied. In one embodiment, the novel design is a flat lace having an upper and lower surface made from different materials. The surfaces have a relatively low coefficient of friction with respect to a shoe's eyelets. Upon

Laces for shoes, sneakers, or other wearing apparel that adjust easily, but stay tied. In one embodiment, the novel design is a flat lace having an upper and lower surface made from different materials. The surfaces have a relatively low coefficient of friction with respect to a shoe's eyelets. Upon being tied, the surfaces have a high coefficient of friction when they are in contact with one another. An alternative design includes a brush-like array of tiny fibers protruding from the lace surface. Another embodiment consists of a middle portion having material properties different from its end portions. An alternative design has two sets of opposing sides with different material properties. The inventive designs minimize the possibility of laces coming untied.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [5.]5. A lace for footwear or apparel, said lace comprising a length of lacing material for lacing said footwear or apparel, said length of material having a substantially rectangular cross-section and first and second pairs of diametrically opposite sides, said first pair of

[ What is claimed is:] [5.]5. A lace for footwear or apparel, said lace comprising a length of lacing material for lacing said footwear or apparel, said length of material having a substantially rectangular cross-section and first and second pairs of diametrically opposite sides, said first pair of diametrically opposite sides comprising a first material having a first coefficient of friction and being substantially smoothly movable for contact with eyelet surfaces, thus passing easily through said eyelets, said second pair of diametrically opposite sides comprising a second material having a second coefficient of friction and being uniformly rougher than said first pair of sides, as defined by a higher coefficient of friction, whereby said lace can form a non-slip knot.