Zipper Lace

Abstract

The Zipper Lace is an innovative zipper design used as a shoelace for footwear. It provides a method for securing a foot in the housing of footwear, especially athletic footwear, which may loosen thus creating a potentially hazardous condition for athletes. The Zipper Lace is designed as a closure system for holding the foot in the foot-housing member using the existing eyelet design of footwear. It is flexible and can be threaded through the eyelets of existing shoes instead of standard fabric laces. The zipper design allows the wearer to firmly secure the foot to the shoe housing. Instead of tying cloth shoelaces to maintain a secure fit and comfort, the Zipper Lace employs a fastening means which is used to lock both ends of the Zipper Lace in place. This combined with the natural locking of the Zipper Laces, secures the footwear.

I claim: 
     
         1 . The Zipper Lace comprising:
 (a) An elongated narrow strip having a plurality of teeth protruding from the elongated narrow strip and a fastening means or pulley mechanism;   (b) Wherein the elongated narrow strip has a first end, a second end and the zipper is modified with a connector located on each one of the first end and second end;   (c) Wherein the elongated narrow strip is adapted to pass through eyelets of footwear;   (d) Wherein the teeth lock into the eyelets creating a stand-along locking mechanism; and   (e) Wherein the fastening means exemplified by a pulley, slides onto the first end and the second end of the elongated strip to engage and lock the teeth, thus zipping or locking the zipper.   
     
     
         2 . A method for utilizing the zipper lace in a manner to provide a closure and securing means for footwear using eyelets. The method of utilizing the Zipper Lace of  claim 1 , comprises the steps of
 (a) Lacing the zipper lace through each eyelet in a manner similar to standard cloth shoelaces;   (b) The method further includes the step of utilizing a fastening means or mechanism to slide over the connectors located at the tips of each the first end and second end. The connectors are held adjacent and parallel to each other to facilitate sliding the fastening means over the ends to engage, lock and zip the zipper;   (c) The method further includes the step of sliding of the fastening means and continued zipping and locking the teeth of the zipper which facilitates a tight secure fit and closure of the foot wear.