Toothed strap for fastening devices, particularly for sports footwear

Abstract

A toothed strap for fastening devices, in particular for sports footwear is described and includes a toothed surface having a plurality of teeth arranged along a longitudinal major axis. The strap comprises a first portion and a second portion which are moulded over one another, the second portion being partially incorporated in the first portion and being made of a material having a color different from the color with which the first portion is made so as to be at least partially visible through the toothed surface.

1 . A toothed strap for fastening devices, in particular for sports footwear, including a toothed surface having a plurality of teeth arranged along a major longitudinal axis, the strap being characterized in that it comprises a first portion and a second portion which are moulded over one another, the second portion being partially incorporated in the first portion and being made of a material having a colour different from the colour with which the first portion is made so as to be at least partially visible through the toothed surface.  
     
     
         2 . A toothed strap according to  claim 1 , in which the first and second portions are moulded over one another by the injection of respective plastics materials.  
     
     
         3 . A toothed strap according to  claim 1  or  claim 2 , in which a base region is defined between each pair of adjacent teeth of the toothed surface, the first portion comprising, in a plurality of the said base regions, at least a respective plurality of openings through which the second portion extends.  
     
     
         4 . A toothed strap according to  claim 3  in which parts of the second portion of the strap project beyond the profile of the toothed surface through respective openings.  
     
     
         5 . A toothed strap according to  claim 3  or  claim 4  in which the openings have transverse dimensions which increase towards one of the longitudinal ends of the strap.  
     
     
         6 . A toothed strap according to one or more of the preceding claims in which the second portion is U-shaped in plan with a pair of respective arms which are elongate in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and are connected to one another transversely at one end.  
     
     
         7 . A toothed strap according to  claim 6  in which the arms have a reflectively symmetrical configuration with respect to a median plane of the strap perpendicular to the toothed surface.  
     
     
         8 . A toothed strap according to  claim 6  or  claim 7  in which a first plurality and a second plurality of the said openings are provided, each plurality being aligned over a respective arm of the second portion so that the openings constitute means for indicating the position of a stop ratchet mechanism of a fastening device, relative to the toothed strap.  
     
     
         9 . A toothed strap according to one or more of  claims 2  to  8 , in which the plastics material of which the second portion is made has greater resilient pliability characteristics than the plastics material of which the first portion is made.  
     
     
         10 . A toothed strap according to one or more of  claims 2  to  8  in which the second portion is made of a plastics material having greater tensile strength characteristics than the plastics material of the first portion.  
     
     
         11 . A toothed strap according to  claim 10  in which the plastics material of the second portion is reinforced with carbon fibres, with Kevlar, with nylon, or with fabric, oriented predominantly along the longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         12 . A toothed strap according to one or more of  claims 2  to  8 , comprising a fabric insert in the second portion.