Shoestring Lock

Abstract

This present invention provides an alternative to tying shoestrings. The current device incorporates a typical shoestring into an attractive configuration. The device not only secures a typical shoestring to hold the shoe in place, it directs the lace into an attractive loop configuration and secures the ends of the shoestring. It's important that the shoestring is tight enough to secure the shoe to the foot and that the end of the lace is secure to prevent it from tripping the user. This invention accomplishes both and is easy to apply and once in place can quickly and securely tighten and loosen the laces of a shoe for easy and secure, on and off.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoestring lock comprising:
 a body having a front side, a back side, two lateral sides, a bottom side and a top opening and all the sides together forming an inner cavity, a front side opening and a back side opening and both the openings are aligned and connected to form a body opening and the body opening has an upper edge;   a slide having a front side, a back side, two lateral sides, a top side, an underside, a hollowed section on the outer surface of the underside of the slide, two outward projections each located on the front and back side respectively for keeping the slide from pushing out of the top of the body, a front side opening and a back side opening and both the openings are aligned and connected to form a slide opening and the slide opening has a lower edge; and   a spring located in the cavity of the body and is held in place by the bottom of the body;   wherein the slide partially residing inside the cavity of the body with the hollow section on the underside engaging the top of the spring and moving down and up along a longitudinal axis of the body through the body's top opening when the slide top is pressed or released; and   wherein the slide opening and the body opening aligned when the slide top is pressed to allow the shoestring to be fed through and the shoestring is secured between the lower end of the slide opening and the upper end of the body opening.   
     
     
         2 . The shoestring lock of  claim 1 , further comprising a non-slide surface covering which can be added to the upper edge of the body opening to provide extra holding force wherein the non-slide surface covering being a U-shaped piece having a horizontal section engaging the upper edge of the body opening and two vertical expandable ends engaging each outside edge of the lateral sides of the body. 
     
     
         3 . The shoestring lock of  claim 2 , further comprising an exterior design placed over the body. 
     
     
         4 . The shoestring lock of  claim 3 , wherein the exterior design can be anything from animal figures to sports related items. 
     
     
         5 . The shoestring lock of  claim 3 , wherein the exterior design comprising a front side, back side, bottom side, a hole on the top side allowing the slide top to protrude out, two frontal holes corresponding to the front side opening of the body, an opening on the back side corresponding to the back side opening of the body, two side holes on the front side corresponding to two side pocket openings on the back side, and two side pockets each occupying a hollow space between the side pocket opening and the body. 
     
     
         6 . A method of applying the shoestring lock and tying and untying shoestrings using the shoestring lock, the method comprising:
 pressing down on the slide top to align the slide opening with a body's opening;   pushing shoestring ends from the rear side through the aligned openings one through each of the frontal holes;   pushing back the lace ends through the side holes and through the side pocket openings leaving two forward loops; and   threading each lace end under the laces into the opposite side pocket and into the side pockets hiding each lace end to secure the shoestring lock to a shoe with the laces loose.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 pushing down on the slide top to align the slide opening and the body opening with one hand and pulling the laces through the frontal hole with the other hand until the desired shoestring tightening is obtained; and 
 releasing the slide top which will then tighten/secure the laces/shoe to the foot. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 pushing the slide top and releasing the tension between the slide opening and the body opening with one hand; and 
 sliding the shoestring lock outward with the other hand to untie the shoestring. 
 
     
     
         9 . The shoestring lock of  claim 1 , further comprising a side tensioner on each of the lateral sides of the body and the top of each side tensioner having a loop wherein there is space between the body and the side tensioner for holding the end of shoestring in place. 
     
     
         10 . A method of applying shoestring lock and tying and untying shoestrings using the shoestring lock, the method comprising:
 pressing down on slide to align slide opening with body opening;   directing the shoestrings through the slide and body openings;   tying a knot at the end of each lace end; and   sliding each lace end downward between the top of each side tensioner and the body into the space of the side tensioner resulting in each lace forming a forward loop with the side tensioners holding the ends of the lace to the body and the knot preventing the lace from pulling through the side tensioners,   
     
     
         11 . The shoestring lock of  claim 9 , further comprising a pocket or retaining clip on the bottom side of the body to accept, secure, and hide the lace ends thus eliminating the need to tie the ends of a shoestring into knots. 
     
     
         12 . The shoestring lock of  claim 10 , further comprising a the directing of each shoelace through a guide hole; and then depending on the length of the shoelaces and the desired length of the forward loop, the shoelaces are configured and directed into a retainer and held secure by retainer projections.