Shoe closure device

Abstract

A shoe closure that includes a flexible elongated tubular member having a central section, a first and second end regions connected to the central section, the second end region distal to the first end region, the flexible elongated tubular member having a first flexibility characteristic. The shoe closure also includes end members connected to the flexible elongated tubular member and located proximate to the respective first and second ends of the flexible elongated tubular member, the end members projecting inward toward the central interior section, the end members having a second flexibility characteristic, wherein the first flexibility characteristic is greater than the second flexibility characteristic.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoe closure comprising:
 a flexible elongated tubular member having a central section, a first and second end regions connected to the central section, the second end region distal to the first end region, the flexible elongated tubular member having a first flexibility characteristic; and   end members connected to the flexible elongated tubular member and located proximate to the respective first and second ends of the flexible elongated tubular member, the end members projecting inward toward the central interior section, the end members having a second flexibility characteristic, wherein the first flexibility characteristic is greater than the second flexibility characteristic.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe closure of  claim 1  wherein the flexible elongated tubular member defines an interior region and the respective end members are contained within interior region. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe closure of  claim 1  wherein the flexible elongated tubular member has a tubular member length and the end members each have an end member length wherein the sum of the end member lengths is less than the tubular member length. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe closure of  claim 1  further comprising means for connecting the respective end members to the flexible elongated tubular member, the connecting means located proximate to the first and second ends of the flexible tubular member. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe closure of  claim 2  wherein the respective end members are configured with at least one barb in contact with an interior surface of the flexible elongated tubular member distal from the respective and of the tubular member. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe closure of  claim 2  wherein the flexible tubular body is composed of at least one of a woven mesh material, a woven cloth material or a flexible plastic. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe closure of  claim 2  wherein at least one of the end members are composed of a flexible solid material selected from at least one of a metal or plastic. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe closure of  claim 7  wherein the end members include a terminal member positioned interior to the flexible elongated tubular member. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe closure of  claim 7  wherein at least one of the end members are composed of a central spirals shaft with spindle projections extending therefrom. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe closure of  claim 1  wherein the end members are composed of a bendable material. 
     
     
         11 . A shoe comprising;
 a sole;   an upper body connected to the soul, the upper body having an opening configured to removably receive a foot, the opening having a plurality of eyelets spaced relation to at least a portion of the opening;   a shoe closure fastener, the shoe closure fastener received in at least one of the islets, the shoe closure fastener having
 a) a flexible elongated tubular member having a central section and first and second end regions connected to the central section the second end region distal to the first and region; and 
 b) and members connected to the flexible elongated tubular member, the end members located proximate to the respective first and second ends of the flexible elongated tubular member, the end members projecting inward toward the central interior section of the flexible elongated tubular member, the end members having a second flexibility characteristic, wherein the first flexibility characteristic is greater than the second flexibility characteristic. 
   
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 11  are wherein the flexible elongated tubular member defines an interior region and the respective end members are contained within the interior region and wherein the flexible elongated tubular member has a tubular member length and the end members each have an end member length wherein the sum of the end member length is less than the tubular member length. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 11  wherein the central section of the shoe closure is positioned in a threaded relationship to one or more of the eyelets and wherein the first and second and regions are located in outwardly extended relationship relative to the shoe body. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe of  claim 13  wherein the first and second end regions have a length sufficient to engage one another in a fixed relationship when the closure is in a use position. 
     
     
         15 . The shoe of  claim 13  wherein the first and second end regions have sufficient length to contact defined regions on the body of the shoe. 
     
     
         16 . The shoe of  claim 13  wherein the first and second end regions are composed of a bendable material of sufficient length to be contoured relative to shoe body. 
     
     
         17 . A shoe closure comprising:
 a flexible elongated tubular member having a central section, a first and second end regions connected to the central section, the second end region distal to the first end region, the flexible elongated tubular member having a first flexibility characteristic; and   end members connected to the flexible elongated tubular member and located proximate to the respective first and second ends of the flexible elongated tubular member and projecting into the interior region of the flexible tubular member, the end members projecting inward toward the central interior section, the end members having a second flexibility characteristic, wherein the first flexibility characteristic is greater than the second flexibility characteristic;   wherein the flexible elongated tubular member has a tubular member length and the end members each have an end member length wherein the sum of the end member lengths is less than the tubular member length.   
     
     
         18 . The shoe closure of  claim 17  further comprising means for connecting the respective end members to the flexible elongated tubular member, the connecting means located proximate to the first and second ends of the flexible tubular member. 
     
     
         19 . The shoe closure of  claim 18  wherein the flexible tubular body is composed of at least one of a woven mesh material, a woven cloth material or a flexible plastic and wherein at least one of the end members are composed of a flexible solid material selected from at least one of a metal or plastic.