Locking Boot Fastening Device and Method

Abstract

A locking system for boots, attaches laces to male and female portions of a quick connect connector, wraps it around the boots, and connects the portions together. A pull tab on one of the portions of the connector can allow the boots to be tightened by pulling in one direction and loosened by pulling in the other direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A footwear tying device, comprising:
 a set of laces, having first and second extending parts, and first and second ends;   a connector, having a first portion and a second portion that attaches to and detaches from the first portion, the first portion having openings for receiving the extending parts of the laces to pass through the openings, and the second portion receiving the first and second ends of the laces,   so the laces pass through the first portion and end in the second portion; a pull tab connection on the first portion;   where the first and second extending ends are wrapped around a portion of the footwear, and where the first portion of the connector is attached to the second portion of the connector to cinch the laces and hold their position relative to the footwear, and to allow the laces to be tightened by pulling the pull tab connection in a first direction, and to be loosened by pulling the pull tab connection in a second direction opposite to the first direction.   
     
     
         2 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the footwear is a boot having a top portion, where the laces are wrapped around the top portion of the boot, and the laces are tightened relative to the boot by pulling the pull tab connection in the first direction and loosened by pulling the pull tab in the second direction. 
     
     
         3 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the connector is a quick connect connector which clicks and locks into place to hold the first portion to the second portion, and which is released to remove the first portion from the second portion. 
     
     
         4 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the quick connect connector has a female portion as the first portion with the laces passing though the holes in the female portion, and has a male portion as the second portion at the ends of the laces. 
     
     
         5 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the pull tab connection is a split ring connection. 
     
     
         6 . A method of securing footwear to a foot, comprising:
 extending laces outside of an item of footwear, and through a first part of a two part connectable and releaseable connector, and subsequent to passing through the first part of the connector to a second part of the connector,   where the connector first part and second part can be connected to one another and quick released from the connection to one another;   wrapping the laces around an outside of the footwear, and connecting the connector first part to the second part so that the laces as passing through the first part become cinched by the wrapping;   moving the connector first part as connected to the second part in a first direction to tighten the laces around the outside of the footwear; and   moving the connector first part in a second direction opposite to the first direction, to loosen the laces around the outside of the connector footwear.   
     
     
         7 . The method as in  claim 6 , wherein the connector first part includes a pull tab attached thereto for facilitating the movement in the first direction and the second direction. 
     
     
         8 . The method as in  claim 6 , wherein the pull tab is a pole ring. 
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 6 , where the connector is a quick connect connector that connects into place by snapping action, and releases from the connection to remove the first portion from the second portion. 
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 6 , wherein the pull tab includes a pole ring that has parts for holding additional items.