CN116133554A

CN116133554A - Shoelace regulator

Info

Publication number: CN116133554A
Application number: CN202180044750.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 乔纳森·努斯鲍默
Original assignee: Lesklip LLC
Current assignee: Lesklip LLC
Priority date: 2020-06-22
Filing date: 2021-06-22
Publication date: 2023-05-16
Also published as: BR112022026058A2; WO2021262721A1; EP4167792A1; AU2021297797A1

Abstract

A lace adjuster (16) for selectively adjusting and securing a lace (14) of a shoe (10), the lace (14) including a first lace end (18) and a second lace end (20), the lace adjuster (16) including an adjuster body (22) and a lace end retainer (24). A lace end retainer (24) is coupled to the adjuster body (22). The lace end retainer (24) is configured to receive and retain the first lace end (18) and/or the second lace end (20) between the lace end retainer (24) and a surface (22A) of the adjuster body (22). Thus, when the first lace end (18) and/or the second lace end (20) of the lace (14) is held by the lace end retainer (24) by means of a force generated by a contact pressure of the lace end retainer (24) against a surface (22A) of the adjuster body (22), the first lace end (18) and/or the second lace end (20) of the lace (14) is prevented from moving relative to the lace end retainer (24) and the adjuster body (22). The lace end retainers (24) may be formed of an elastic material.

Description

Shoelace regulator

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application relates to and claims priority from U.S. provisional application serial No. 63/042,401, filed on 6/22/2020, entitled "LACE adjust". The contents of U.S. provisional application serial No. 63/042,401 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety to the extent permitted.

Background

It is often necessary to adjust, tighten and loosen (or loosen) the laces of the shoe. In addition, it is desirable to prevent the laces from becoming a potential tripping hazard for the wearer. This may be particularly true for athletes during athletic performance (athletic performance) because the problem of laces loosening, being too tight or too loose, and/or creating a tripping hazard may result in poor performance and/or injury.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to a lace adjuster for selectively adjusting and securing a lace of a shoe, the lace including a first lace end and a second lace end. In various embodiments, a lace adjuster includes an adjuster body and a lace end retainer. The lace end retainer is coupled to the adjuster body. The lace end retainer is configured to receive and retain the first lace end between the lace end retainer and a surface of the adjuster body.

In some embodiments, the first lace end of the lace is prevented from moving relative to the lace end retainer and the adjuster body when the first lace end of the lace is retained by the lace end retainer by a force generated by contact pressure of the lace end retainer against a surface of the adjuster body.

Further, in some embodiments, the lace end retainer is further configured to receive and retain the second lace end between the lace end retainer and a surface of the adjuster body. In some such embodiments, similarly, when the second lace end of the lace is held by the lace end retainers by means of a force generated by contact pressure of the lace end retainers against a surface of the adjuster body, the second lace end of the lace is prevented from moving relative to the lace end retainers and the adjuster body.

The lace end retainer may be coupled to the regulator body in any suitable manner. In some embodiments, the lace end retainer includes a first coupling member and the adjuster body includes a second coupling member. In such embodiments, the first coupling member engages the second coupling member such that the lace end retainer is coupled to the adjuster body. Additionally, in some such embodiments, the lace end retainer includes a retainer body; the first coupling member is a coupling hole extending through the holder body; the second coupling member is a coupling protrusion extending away from the regulator body; and the coupling hole is positioned to engage the coupling protrusion such that the lace end retainer is coupled to the adjuster body.

In some embodiments, the lace end retainer is fixedly coupled to the regulator body. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the lace end retainer is removably coupled to the regulator body.

Further, in some embodiments, the lace end retainer extends partially around the adjuster body when the lace end retainer is coupled to the adjuster body. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the lace end retainer extends completely around the adjuster body when the lace end retainer is coupled to the adjuster body.

In some embodiments, the lace end retainers are formed of an elastic material that is stretched when coupled to the regulator body to apply a force to a surface of the regulator body based on a contact pressure between the lace end retainers and the regulator body.

Further, in some embodiments, the lace end retainer includes a retainer body and a retainer aperture extending through the retainer body. In some such embodiments, the first lace end extends through the retainer aperture prior to being retained between the lace end retainer and the adjuster body.

In some embodiments, the lace adjuster further comprises a motion limiter coupled to and cantilevered away from the adjuster body, at least a portion of the motion limiter configured to be positioned between the lace and the shoe body when the lace adjuster is used to selectively adjust and secure the lace of the shoe.

In one embodiment, the lace adjuster further comprises a GPS sensor coupled to the adjuster body, the GPS sensor configured to provide positional information of a user of the lace adjuster.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a shoe comprising a shoe body and a shoelace coupled to the shoe body; and wherein the lace adjuster as described above is selectively coupled to the lace.

Furthermore, in other applications, the present invention relates to a method for selectively adjusting and securing a shoelace of a shoe, the shoelace comprising a first shoelace end and a second shoelace end, the method comprising the steps of: coupling a lace end retainer to the regulator body; and receiving and retaining the first lace end between the lace end retainer and a surface of the adjuster body.

Furthermore, the present invention also relates to (i) a method of providing a shoe, comprising the steps of: coupling a shoelace to a shoe body; and selectively adjusting and fixing the shoelace using the above method; and (ii) a method for providing location information of a user, comprising the steps of: providing a playground including at least one GPS beacon, the user wearing shoes provided by the method described above, and wherein the selectively adjusting and securing steps include coupling a GPS sensor to the regulator body.

Still further, the present invention is also directed to a lace adjuster for selectively adjusting and securing a lace of a shoe, the lace coupled to a shoe body of the shoe, the lace including a first lace end and a second lace end, the lace adjuster including an adjuster body configured to be selectively coupled to the lace of the shoe; and a motion limiter coupled to and cantilevered away from the adjuster body, at least a portion of the motion limiter configured to be positioned between the lace and the shoe body when the lace adjuster is used to selectively adjust and secure the lace of the shoe.

Brief Description of Drawings

The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself (both as to its structure and its operation), will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which like reference characters refer to like parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a shoe including a shoe body and a lace, with a lace adjuster having features of the present invention, the lace adjuster being selectively coupled to the lace;

FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of an embodiment of a lace adjuster, shown in an unlocked configuration;

FIG. 2B is a front perspective view of a portion of a lace and the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A, the lace adjuster being shown in a locked configuration;

FIG. 2B is a front perspective view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A, the lace adjuster being shown in an unlocked configuration;

FIG. 2C is a rear perspective view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A, again shown in an unlocked configuration;

FIG. 2D is a rear perspective view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A, again shown in a locked configuration;

FIG. 2E is a top view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2F is a cross-sectional view of the lace adjuster taken along line F-F in FIG. 2E, the lace adjuster shown in an unlocked configuration;

FIG. 2G is a cross-sectional view of the lace adjuster assembly illustrated in FIG. 2A, shown in a locked configuration;

FIG. 2H is a front perspective view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2I is another front perspective view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2J is yet another front perspective view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2K is a rear perspective view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2L is another rear perspective view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2M is a bottom view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2N is another bottom view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2O is a side view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2P is a front view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2Q is another side view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2R is a rear view of the lace adjuster illustrated in FIG. 2A; and

fig. 3 is a simplified top view of a playground that may be used by a user of the lace adjuster.

Description of the invention

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe 10 and a lace adjuster 16 having features of the present invention, the shoe 10 including a shoe body 12 and a lace 14 coupled to the shoe body 12, the lace adjuster 16 being selectively coupled to the lace 14 of the shoe 10. Footwear 10 (including footwear body 12 and lace 14) may have any suitable design, shape, and/or size to meet the particular desires and requirements of the user. As illustrated in FIG. 1, footwear 10 may be an athletic-type shoe that may be used by a user to run, walk, engage in any of a variety of athletic performances, or for any other selected activity. Alternatively, footwear 10 may be another type of footwear. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, the shoelace 14 includes a first shoelace end 18 having a first end tip 18A and an opposite second shoelace end 20 having a second end tip 20A.

As described in detail herein, lace adjuster 16 may be of any suitable design to enable a user to quickly and easily adjust, tighten, or loosen lace 14 of footwear 10. For example, in certain non-exclusive alternative embodiments, LACE ADJUSTER 16 may be designed to include various features and limitations such as those described in U.S. patent No. 8,181,320B2, issued on month 5 and 22 of 2012, entitled "LACE adjust," U.S. patent No. 10,512,304B2, issued on

month

12 and 24 of 2019, entitled "LACE ADJUSTER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE COVERS (LACE ADJUSTER with interchangeable cover"), and/or U.S. patent No. 3 and 24 of 2020, entitled "LACE ADJUSTER ASSEMBLY INCLUDING FEEDBACK ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN VISUALIZING AND MEASURING ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE (LACE ADJUSTER assembly including feedback assembly for visualizing and measuring athletic performance)", and claims 10,595,581 B2. The contents of U.S. patent No. 8,181,320B2, U.S. patent No. 10,512,304B2, and U.S. patent No. 10,595,581 B2 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety to the extent permitted.

As shown in the embodiment illustrated in fig. 1, lace adjuster 16 may include an adjuster body 22 and a lace end retainer 24, with adjuster body 22 being configured to be selectively coupled to lace 14 of footwear 10, lace end retainer 24 being coupled to adjuster body 22. Additionally, in certain embodiments, the adjuster body 22 may include a first body member 26 and a second body member 28, the first body member 26 and the second body member 28 being movable relative to one another between an unlocked configuration in which the lace adjuster 16 may effectively receive the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 of the lace 14 and a locked configuration in which the lace adjuster 16 retains the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 such that the lace adjuster 16 is secured in place and/or prevents movement of the lace adjuster 16 relative to the lace 14. Alternatively, lace adjuster 16 may include more or fewer components than those specifically illustrated in fig. 1.

As an overview, and as described in more detail below, lace adjuster 16 is configured to selectively couple to lace 14 when it is desired to quickly and easily adjust, tighten, and/or loosen lace 14 relative to shoe body 12. In addition, lace end retainers 24 are configured to selectively receive and securely retain first lace end 18 (e.g., at or near first end tip 18A) and/or second lace end 20 (e.g., at or near second end tip 20A) to prevent lace 14 from becoming a potential tripping hazard for a user or wearer of footwear 10.

As noted above, the lace end retainer 24 is coupled to the regulator body 22, such as to one of the first body member 26 and the second body member 28. Further, as provided herein, the lace end retainer 24 is configured to receive and securely retain the first lace end 18 (e.g., at or near the first end tip 18A) and/or the second lace end 20 (e.g., at or near the second end tip 20A) between the lace end retainer 24 and the adjuster body 22. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the lace end retainers 24 are configured such that when the lace end retainers 24 retain the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 by virtue of forces generated by contact pressure of the lace end retainers 24 against the surface 22A of the adjuster body 22, the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 are prevented from moving relative to the lace end retainers 24 and the adjuster body 22. In other words, in such embodiments, when the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 are held by the lace end retainers 24 by effectively clamping the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 between the lace end retainers 24 and the surface 22A of the adjuster body 22, the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 is prevented from moving relative to the lace end retainers 24 and the adjuster body 22.

The lace end retainer 24 may be coupled to the regulator body 22 in any suitable manner, as described herein. For example, in one embodiment, the lace end retainer 24 is fixedly coupled to the regulator body 22. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the lace end retainer 24 is removably coupled to the regulator body 22.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the shoelace end holder 24 may be configured such that, when the shoelace end holder 24 is coupled to the regulator body 22, the shoelace end holder 24 extends partially around the regulator body 22. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the shoelace end holder 24 may be configured such that when the shoelace end holder 24 is coupled to the regulator body 22, the shoelace end holder 24 extends completely around the regulator body 22.

Further, lace end retainers 24 may be formed of any suitable material. For example, in some embodiments, lace end retainers 24 are formed of an elastic material (e.g., rubber or another suitable resilient or elastic material). In such embodiments, when the lace end retainer 24 is coupled to the regulator body 22, the lace end retainer 24 may be at least slightly stretched. With this design, based on the elastic properties of the lace end retainers 24, the lace end retainers 24 are able to better apply a force to the surface 22A of the regulator body 22 based on the contact pressure between the lace end retainers 24 and the surface 22A of the regulator body 22. Accordingly, the lace end retainers 24 are better able to clamp the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 between the lace end retainers 24 and the surface 22A of the adjuster body 22. Alternatively, the lace end retainers 24 may be formed of another suitable material.

Further, the lace end retainer 24 may have any suitable design effective to receive and retain the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 between the lace end retainer 24 and the adjuster body 22. In certain embodiments, as shown in fig. 1, lace end retainers 24 may include a retainer body 24A and retainer holes 24B extending through retainer body 24A.

It should be appreciated that the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 may be retained between the lace end retainer 24 and the adjuster body 22 in any suitable manner and may be oriented in any suitable direction. In some such embodiments, when lace adjuster 16 is initially coupled to lace 14, first lace end 18 and/or second lace end 20 may extend through retainer aperture 24B. Further, in one such embodiment, first lace end 18 and/or second lace end 20 may again extend through retainer aperture 24B prior to being retained between lace end retainer 24 and regulator body 22. Alternatively, in another such embodiment, first lace end 18 and/or second lace end 20 may be positioned to extend entirely under retainer body 24A (i.e., and no longer return to pass through retainer holes 24B) prior to being retained between lace end retainer 24 and regulator body 22. Still alternatively, in yet another such embodiment, the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 may extend between the lace end retainer 24 and the adjuster body 22 and be retained between the lace end retainer 24 and the adjuster body 22 before the lace ends 18, 20 extend through the retainer holes 24B in a generally outward direction. It should be appreciated that in any such embodiment, the lace ends 18, 20 may extend between the lace end retainers 24 and the adjuster body 22 near or toward the top of the lace adjuster 16, near or toward the bottom of the lace adjuster 16, or near or toward both the top and bottom of the lace adjuster 16.

Alternatively, in other such embodiments, lace end retainers 24 may be positioned such that when lace adjuster 16 is initially coupled to lace 14, first lace end 18 and/or second lace end 20 do not extend through retainer apertures 24B. In such alternative embodiments, first lace end 18 and/or second lace end 20 may extend through retainer aperture 24B prior to being retained between lace end retainer 24 and regulator body 22, first lace end 18 and/or second lace end 20 may be positioned to extend entirely below retainer body 24A (i.e., and not through retainer aperture 24B) when retained between lace end retainer 24 and regulator body 22, or first lace end 18 and/or second lace end 20 may extend between retainer body 24A and regulator body 22 prior to extending outwardly through retainer aperture 24B.

Still alternatively, the lace end retainer 24 may be designed without a retainer aperture 24B, and the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 may be positioned to extend at least partially (if not entirely) under the retainer body 24A when retained between the lace end retainer 24 and the adjuster body 22.

Fig. 2A is a front perspective view of an embodiment of lace adjuster 216. In some embodiments, lace adjuster 216 may be lightweight and waterproof such that lace adjuster 216 is comfortable for the user and may be used in a variety of environments.

As noted above, the design of lace adjuster 216 may be varied to enable a user to quickly and easily adjust, tighten, or loosen lace 14 (shown in fig. 1) of footwear 10 (shown in fig. 1). Additionally, lace adjuster 216 may be further configured to prevent lace 14 from becoming a potential tripping hazard for a user or wearer of footwear 10. In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 2A, lace adjuster 216 includes an adjuster body 222 and a lace end retainer 224 coupled to adjuster body 222, which adjuster body 222 includes a first body member 226 and a second body member 228.

Further, as provided above, in certain embodiments, the adjuster body 222 (i.e., the first body member 226 and the second body member 228) is movable between an unlocked configuration in which the lace adjuster 216 is effective to receive the first lace end 18 (illustrated in fig. 1) and/or the second lace end 20 (illustrated in fig. 1) of the lace 14, and a locked configuration in which the lace adjuster 216 retains the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 such that the lace adjuster 216 is secured in place and/or prevented from moving relative to the lace 14. For example, in certain embodiments, the regulator body 222 may be configured such that the second body member 228 moves relative to the first body member 226 in a plunger-like manner as the regulator body 222 moves between the unlocked and locked configurations. Fig. 2A illustrates lace adjuster 216 in an unlocked configuration.

It should be appreciated that when lace adjuster 216 is coupled to lace 14, lace 14 is adjustable relative to adjuster body 222 when adjuster body 222 is in the unlocked configuration, and lace 14 is prevented from being adjusted relative to adjuster body 222 when adjuster body 222 is in the locked configuration.

Fig. 2B is a front perspective view of a portion of lace 14 (i.e., a portion of first lace end 18 and second lace end 20) and lace adjuster 216 illustrated in fig. 2A. As shown in fig. 2B, lace adjuster 216 is in a locked configuration. More specifically, second body member 228 has been moved relative to first body member 226 such that first lace end 18 and second lace end 20 of lace 14 may be effectively retained by adjuster body 222, i.e., such that movement of lace 14 relative to adjuster body 222 is prevented.

Additionally, fig. 2C is a rear perspective view of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in fig. 2A, lace adjuster 216 again being shown in an unlocked configuration; and fig. 2D is a rear perspective view of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in fig. 2A, lace adjuster 216 again being shown in a locked configuration.

Referring also to fig. 2A-2D, the first body member 226 includes one or more front apertures 230 (e.g., two are illustrated in fig. 2A) and one or more rear apertures 232 (e.g., two are illustrated in fig. 2C), and the second body member 228 includes a second aperture 234 (e.g., two are more clearly illustrated in fig. 2B).

When the lace adjuster 216 is in the process of being coupled to the lace 14, the adjuster body 222 and/or the

body members

226, 228 are positioned in the unlocked configuration. When in the unlocked configuration, as shown in fig. 2A and 2B, the front aperture 230 and the rear aperture 232 of the first body member 226 are generally aligned with and concentric with the second aperture 234 of the second body member 228. With such a design, the first lace end 18 may be positioned to extend through one of the front apertures 230 of the first body member 226, one of the second apertures 234 of the second body member 228, and one of the rear apertures 232 of the first body member 226. Similarly, the second lace end 20 may also be positioned to extend through one of the front apertures 230 of the first body member 226, one of the second apertures 234 of the second body member 228, and one of the rear apertures 232 of the first body member 226.

Subsequently, when in the locked configuration, as shown in fig. 2C and 2D, the second body member 228 extends slightly away from the first body member 226, and the front aperture 230 and the rear aperture 232 of the first body member 226 are not substantially aligned or concentric with the second aperture 234 of the second body member 228. Accordingly, when in the locked configuration, the first lace end 18 (illustrated in fig. 2B) and the second lace end 20 (illustrated in fig. 2B) of the lace 14 (illustrated in fig. 2B) may be effectively retained within the lace adjuster 216, i.e., such that the first lace end 18 and the second lace end 20 of the lace 14 are prevented from moving relative to the adjuster body 222.

As shown in this embodiment, it should be appreciated that as the adjuster body 222 moves between the locked and unlocked configurations, the second body member 228 partially fits within the first body member 226 and moves up and down relative to the first body member 226 in a plunger-like manner (i.e., when the lace adjuster 216 is vertically oriented). In other words, in such embodiments, the first body member 226 is open along the top and opens into the upper portion 226U of the first body member 226, and thus, the first body member 226 is designed to receive at least a portion of the second body member 228 within such open upper portion 226U and allow the second body member 228 to move up and down within the range of movement relative to the first body member 226 and/or at least partially within the first body member 226, i.e., such that the first body member 226 and the second body member 228 and/or the adjuster body 222 as a whole can move between the locked and unlocked configurations.

Further, it should be appreciated that the shape of the front aperture 230, the rear aperture 232, and the second aperture 234 may vary as desired. For example, in some embodiments, anterior aperture 230, posterior aperture 232, and/or second aperture 234 may include one or more castellated protrusions 235 (see, e.g., fig. 2F), which castellated protrusions 235 may be used to more effectively retain shoelace 14 when shoelace adjuster 216 is in a locked configuration. Alternatively, the front aperture 230, the rear aperture 232, and/or the second aperture 234 may have another suitable design.

As noted above, lace end retainers 224 are coupled to regulator body 222. Further, as provided herein, the lace end retainers 224 are specifically configured to inhibit the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 from becoming a potential trip hazard by inhibiting movement of the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 relative to the lace end retainers 224 and the adjuster body 222 when the lace end retainers retain the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 by virtue of forces generated by contact pressure of the lace end retainers 224 against the surface 222A of the adjuster body 222.

Lace end retainers 224 may be of any suitable design and may be coupled to regulator body 222 in any suitable manner. For example, in certain embodiments, as shown in fig. 2A and 2B, the lace end retainer 224 may include a retainer body 224A and a retainer aperture 224B extending through the retainer body 224A. Further, as illustrated, the lace end retainer 224 may be positioned such that the retainer aperture 224B is generally aligned with the front aperture 330 and the rear aperture 332 formed in the first body member 226 of the regulator body 222 (and also generally aligned with the second aperture 234 of the second body member 228 when the regulator body 222 is in the unlocked configuration). With this design, when first lace end 18 and/or second lace end 20 of lace 14 are positioned to extend through anterior aperture 230, second aperture 234, and posterior aperture 232, lace ends 18, 20 may also easily extend through retainer aperture 224B. Further, when it is desired to effectively retain the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 with the lace end retainers 224, the first lace end 18 and/or the second lace end 20 may be returned to position through the retainer apertures 224B before being retained (e.g., clamped) between the retainer body 224A and the surface 222A of the adjuster body 222.

Furthermore, as shown in this embodiment, the lace end retainer 224 may also include at least one first coupling member 224C, such as a coupling aperture, that extends through the retainer body 224A, wherein each of the at least one first coupling member 224C is configured to engage a second coupling member 236, such as a coupling protrusion, of the regulator body 222 that extends away from the regulator body 222. In one embodiment, the lace end retainers 224 may be configured to extend partially around the adjuster body 222 when the lace end retainers 224 are coupled to the adjuster body 222. In such an embodiment, the retainer body 224A may include two coupling holes 224C, wherein each of the two coupling holes 224C is positioned about a different second coupling member 236, which second coupling member 236 extends or protrudes away from the regulator body 222. Alternatively, in another such embodiment, the lace end retainer 224 may be configured to extend completely around the regulator body 222 when the lace end retainer 224 is coupled to the regulator body 222. In this alternative embodiment, the retainer body 224A may include two coupling holes 224C, wherein each of the two coupling holes 224C is positioned about a single second coupling member 236, the single second coupling member 236 extending or protruding away from the regulator body 222. Still alternatively, in yet another such embodiment, lace end retainers 224 may be configured to extend entirely around regulator body 222 in a generally annular design such that retainer body 224A does not require any coupling holes 224C and no coupling members extend or protrude away from regulator body 222. Still alternatively, the lace end retainer 224 may be coupled to the adjuster body 222 in another suitable manner.

Further, as noted above, in some alternative embodiments, the lace end retainer 224 may be removably coupled to the adjuster body 222, or the lace end retainer 224 may be fixedly coupled to the adjuster body 222.

Still further, as described above, lace end retainers 224 may be formed of any suitable material. For example, in some embodiments, lace end retainers 224 may be formed of an elastic material (e.g., rubber or another suitable resilient or elastic material). In such embodiments, when the lace end retainers 224 are coupled to the adjuster body 222, the lace end retainers 224 may be at least slightly stretched. With this design, based on the elastic properties of the lace end retainers 224, the lace end retainers 224 are better able to apply a force to the surface 222A of the adjuster body 222 based on the contact pressure between the lace end retainers 224 and the surface 222A of the adjuster body 222. Alternatively, lace end retainers 224 may be formed of another suitable material.

Referring now to fig. 2C and 2D, as shown, lace adjuster 216 may further include a motion limiter 238, which motion limiter 238 is coupled to adjuster body 222 and cantilevered away from adjuster body 222. Specifically, in this embodiment, the motion limiter 238 includes a first limiter end 238A secured to the first body member 226 and a second limiter end 238B spaced apart from the first body member 226 and/or not secured directly to the first body member 226. With the design illustrated in the figures, the motion limiter 238 is designed similar to a spring clip that is configured to extend under at least a portion of the lace 14 (illustrated in fig. 2B) such that at least a portion of the motion limiter 238 is positioned generally directly between the lace 14 and the shoe body 12 (illustrated in fig. 1) of the shoe 10 (illustrated in fig. 1). Accordingly, when lace adjuster 216 is coupled to lace 14 and when the user engages in various types of activities, lace adjuster 216 is prevented from bouncing around and is more securely held in place.

Fig. 2E is a top view of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in fig. 2A. Additionally, FIG. 2F is a cross-sectional view of lace adjuster 216 taken along line F-F in FIG. 2E, lace adjuster 216 being shown in an unlocked configuration; and FIG. 2G is a comparative cross-sectional view of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in FIG. 2A, lace adjuster 216 being shown in a locked configuration. As shown, fig. 2E-2G illustrate certain additional features or components that may be included in certain embodiments of lace adjuster 216.

For example, fig. 2F and 2G illustrate certain additional aspects of movement of lace adjuster 216 (i.e., relative movement of first body member 226 and second body member 228 of adjuster body 222 between an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration). More specifically, as illustrated, the first and

second body members

226, 228 are resiliently coupled to one another with one or more resilient members 240 (only one illustrated in this example). In particular, the resilient member 240 is coupled to the first and

second body members

226, 228 and extends between the first and

second body members

226, 228 to enable the regulator body 222 to resiliently move between the unlocked and locked configurations. It should be appreciated that the resilient member 240 may be coupled to each of the first body member 226 and the second body member 228 in any suitable manner. For example, in one non-exclusive embodiment, each of the first and

second body members

226, 228 may include a member receiver (not shown) adapted to receive and retain a portion of the resilient member 240 to secure the resilient member 240 to the first and

second body members

226, 228, respectively. Alternatively, the resilient member 240 may be coupled to the first body member 226 and/or the second body member 228 in another suitable manner.

The design of the elastic member 240 may vary according to the requirements of the lace adjuster 216. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in fig. 2F and 2G, the elastic member 240 is a spring. In one embodiment, the resilient member 240 is a stiff spring that can maintain the first and

second body members

226, 228 substantially straight relative to one another to facilitate movement of the

body members

226, 228 between the locked and unlocked configurations. Alternatively, the elastic member 240 may be another piece of elastic material. In this embodiment, the resilient member 240 urges the second body member 228 upward and/or away from the first body member 226 such that the regulator body 222 is urged and/or biased toward the locked configuration. Alternatively, the resilient member 240 may be designed to urge the second body member 228 within the first body member 226 such that the adjuster body 222 is urged and/or biased toward the unlocked configuration. In such alternative embodiments, lace adjuster 216 also requires a locking mechanism (not shown) that will maintain first body member 226 and second body member 228 in a locked configuration. In these alternative embodiments, the resilient member 240 is extended or compressed as the first body member 226 and the second body member 228 are moved between the locked and unlocked configurations. Still optionally, in one embodiment, lace adjuster 216 may further include a stop (not shown) that prevents and/or stops relative movement between

body members

226, 228 such that

body members

226, 228 are prevented from moving beyond a desired positioning of

body members

226, 228 when

body members

226, 228 are in the locked and unlocked configurations. It should be appreciated that in such embodiments, the stop may be positioned in different ways depending on the direction in which the resilient member 240 is biased.

Further, in certain embodiments, lace adjuster 216 may also include a guide system (not shown) that guides relative movement between first body member 226 and second body member 228 as adjuster body 222 moves between the unlocked configuration and the locked configuration. In such embodiments, the guide system may have any suitable design that enables controlled relative movement between the first body member 226 and the second body member 228 as the adjuster body 222 moves between the unlocked and locked configurations. Alternatively, in other embodiments, lace adjuster 216 may be designed without a specific guidance system. In some such alternative embodiments, as noted above, the relative movement between the

body members

226, 228 may be guided by using a stiff spring as the resilient member 240.

In addition, as shown in fig. 2F and 2G, lace adjuster 216 may further include a feedback assembly 242, with feedback assembly 242 including, for example, a sensor assembly 244 and/or an image capture assembly 246, with sensor assembly 244 and/or image capture assembly 246 coupled to adjuster body 222. Specifically, in this embodiment, the feedback assembly 242 is positioned substantially within a body cavity 248 formed within the regulator body 222. In some embodiments, the body cavity 248 may be provided in the form of a sealed chamber and/or a waterproof chamber that may be used to provide greater protection to the feedback assembly 242 from the surrounding environment.

In certain embodiments, the body cavity 248 may be at least partially formed within the first body member 226 and/or adjacent to the first body member 226. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the body cavity 248 may be at least partially formed between the first body member 226 and the second body member 228 of the regulator body 222. Still alternatively, feedback assembly 242 may be positioned on lace adjuster 216, coupled to lace adjuster 216, and/or incorporated within lace adjuster 216 in another suitable manner.

Still further, in some embodiments, the regulator body 222 may further include a separator 229, such as a separation wall, that may be used to isolate the body cavity 248, in which the feedback assembly 242 is retained, from the open upper portion 226U of the first body member 226, with the second body member 228 moving within the open upper portion 226U of the first body member 226 during movement between the unlocked and locked configurations. With this design, the feedback assembly 242 again can be better protected from the surrounding environment.

Feedback component 242 may be used by a user, as described herein, to provide statistics and/or images of the user, for example, during athletic performance, in order to effectively gauge various aspects of their athletic performance.

As noted above, lace adjuster 216 including such feedback assembly 242 may be designed as shown and described in U.S. patent No. 10,595,581B2 issued 3/24/2020 and entitled "LACE ADJUSTER ASSEMBLY INCLUDING FEEDBACK ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN VISUALIZING AND MEASURING ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE (lace adjuster assembly including feedback assembly for visualizing and measuring athletic performance)", which is incorporated herein in its entirety as permitted. More specifically, in some embodiments, feedback assembly 242 may be substantially similar in design and function to the feedback assembly incorporated into the lace adjuster shown and described in U.S. patent No. 10,595,581B2.

In some embodiments, sensor assembly 244 may be uniquely designed to sense various performance characteristics (performance characteristics) that may then be used to provide statistics and/or performance metrics (performance measurables) to an athlete or user who is using sensor assembly 244 (i.e., in conjunction with lace adjuster 216) that enable the athlete to effectively scale various aspects of their athletic performance. In some such embodiments, the sensor assembly 244 may include one or more sensors 244A, which one or more sensors 244A may be effectively utilized to sense various performance characteristics of the user, which may then be utilized to generate available statistical data and/or performance metrics for the user. For example, in certain embodiments, the one or more sensors 244A may include one or more two-axis accelerometers, three-axis accelerometers, a gyroscopic tester (or gyroscope), and/or another type of rate sensor and/or magnetometer. Additionally and/or alternatively, one or more sensors 244A may include additional suitable sensor types.

In various embodiments, the sensor assembly 244 may provide statistics related to the athlete's substantially horizontal movement, the athlete's substantially vertical movement, the athlete's angular and/or rotational movement, and/or the athlete's energy and force consumption during performance of the athletic activity. For example, in certain embodiments, the sensor assembly 244 may provide the athlete with statistics related to the number of steps, the total distance traveled, the distance traveled per step (i.e., step size), the travel speed, the horizontal sprint (i.e., sudden acceleration from an average rate), the number of hops, the jump height, the vertical sprint (e.g., the jump speed or acceleration of a jump), the number of accelerations (involving horizontal sprint and/or vertical sprint), the angular, torsional, pivotal, or rotational movements of the athlete (and/or the speed of these movements), the energy consumed during the athletic performance (e.g., in calories), and/or the force consumed during the athletic performance (e.g., psi, kpi, or other force measurement units). Additionally, the sensor assembly 244 may also provide other desired statistics to the athlete. In addition, the statistics provided by the sensor assembly 244 may then be used by the athlete to adjust their training plans and schedules in order to ultimately enhance their athletic performance. In addition, the athlete may further compare statistical data collected during different and/or subsequent athletic performances to better assess any changes in performance metrics.

It should be appreciated that any and all performance characteristics measured and/or sensed by the one or more sensors 244A may be combined in any suitable manner to enable generation of various statistical data and/or performance metrics for an athlete during performance of a sporting activity or athletic event. In addition, it should also be appreciated that in order to more effectively evaluate various statistics from athletic performance, an athlete may desire to provide certain input information, such as the athlete's height and weight. In one embodiment, an athlete may manually enter information such as height and weight into sensor assembly 244 via a remote device 249 (shown in blocks, which are not drawn to scale) (e.g., a smartphone, a smartwatch, a tablet, a computer, and/or any other suitable computing device). Alternatively, information such as the height and weight of the athlete may be provided to the sensor assembly 244 in any suitable manner. This information may further be used to view the effects of the person's height and weight on the performance data. In addition, it should be appreciated that any statistics related to the energy consumed and/or the force consumed may require information such as athlete weight in order for the statistics to be accurately generated.

Further, in certain embodiments or applications, sensor assembly 244 may additionally and/or alternatively include one or more position sensors 244B, such as GPS sensors, for providing accurate and precise position information that may be used by an individual wearing lace adjuster 216. For example, in some non-exclusive alternative applications, the GPS sensor 244B may be used for navigation purposes and/or the GPS sensor 244B may be used for tracking the movement of the user. With such an application, the individual wearing lace adjuster 216 always knows where he or she is and where he or she needs to go to reach any desired destination. In such use, the GPS sensor 244B may be used to prevent a person wearing the lace adjuster 216 from getting lost and/or to enable the wearer to walk along a prescribed path, for example, during an adventure race or when exploring a wilderness. In addition, GPS sensor 244B may provide a sense of security to a person (e.g., a parent or guardian) who is responsible for caring for and/or monitoring the individual wearing lace adjuster 216. In such applications, the location information from the GPS sensor 244B may be wirelessly transmitted to the remote device 249 so that the user and/or parent or guardian may always have accurate and precise location information of the person wearing the lace adjuster 216. In addition, the GPS sensor 244B may be used to track the movement of the user. For example, the route traversed or ridden may be recorded and stored for future analysis. Other information such as time and altitude may also be recorded and stored for future analysis.

Further, as described below, in some applications, GPS sensor 244B may be used in conjunction with additional GPS sensors or beacons positioned away from lace adjuster 216, for example, positioned on or near a stadium or court to provide location information to the user more accurately and precisely.

Image capture assembly 246 (e.g., a digital camera in some embodiments) may be configured and/or positioned to provide a user with a unique point of view from which the user can visualize and/or evaluate various aspects of their athletic performance. For example, in various embodiments, depending on the particular positioning and orientation of the image capture assembly 246 during use, an athlete can effectively capture, review, and analyze self-images (e.g., still images and/or video images) that exhibit unique perspectives and angles of their athletic performance. For example, the image capture component 246 can provide low resolution or high resolution images or video (as well as sound). The image or video may be transmitted via Wi-Fi, bluetooth, or USB ports. In some embodiments, the image or video may be transmitted for television broadcast during performance or play. The image capture assembly 246 may be controlled by a button on the lace adjuster 216 or it may be remotely controlled.

In some embodiments, image capture assembly 246 may be directed in a direction generally upward or outward from footwear 10 (illustrated in FIG. 1) to capture a desired image or video. With such a design, the user is able to collect unique insights into his athletic performance that would otherwise be unavailable from remote location of the image capturing assembly. Alternatively, the image capture component 246 may be pointed in a different direction. In some embodiments, the direction in which the image capture assembly 246 is pointed may be controlled and/or adjusted by a user and/or may be remotely controlled by another individual.

Further, in some embodiments, the regulator body 222 may include an imaging aperture 250 (illustrated in fig. 2A) through which the image capture assembly 246 is capable of capturing images of a user during use.

It should be appreciated that by using the motion limiter 238 (which motion limiter 238 prevents the lace adjuster 216 from bouncing around during use), the feedback assembly 242 is able to provide more accurate, precise, and clear sensed information from the sensor assembly 244 as well as images from the image capture assembly 246.

Further, it should be appreciated that any information from the feedback component 242 (i.e., from the sensor component 244 and/or the image capture component 246) can be downloaded or transmitted to the remote device 249 in any suitable manner. For example, in some embodiments, information from the feedback component 242 (i.e., from the sensor component 244 and/or the image capture component 246) may be downloaded or transmitted to the remote device 249 via bluetooth, wi-Fi, or other suitable connection. It should also be appreciated that any such information from the feedback component 242 can be downloaded or transmitted to the remote device 249 wirelessly or via a wired connection. As a non-exclusive example, if remote device 249 is a smart phone, remote device 249 may include a receiver 249A (shown as a block), a transmitter 249B (shown as a block), a controller 249C (shown as a block), a storage device 249D (shown as a block), and a lace adjuster application 249E (shown as a block), lace adjuster application 249E allowing remote device 249 to interact with lace adjuster 216, receive information from lace adjuster 216, update, and/or control lace adjuster 216. With such capability, a user may view any relevant data generated from any of the components of feedback assembly 242 during an athletic performance.

Further, in some embodiments, feedback component 242 may also include one or more of a storage device 242A (illustrated as a dashed box and which is used to store data sensed and/or captured by feedback component 242), a transmitter 242B (illustrated as a dashed box and which is used to transmit data sensed and/or captured by feedback component 242 to remote device 249), a receiver 242C (illustrated as a dashed box and which is used to receive data), and a controller 242D (illustrated as a dashed box and which is used to process data sensed and/or captured by feedback component 242). For example, in some embodiments, the controller 242D may include one or more program algorithms that may be effectively used to convert performance characteristics measured and/or sensed by the one or more sensors 244A into statistics that are available to the athlete. The controller 242D may include one or more circuits and/or processors. The program algorithm may vary depending on the particular statistics desired. In some embodiments, the controller 242D may alternatively or additionally be included within the remote device 249.

In some embodiments, each of sensor assembly 244 and image capture assembly 246 may include separate storage devices, transmitters, and controllers and/or separate storage devices, transmitters, and controllers may be included within each of sensor assembly 244 and image capture assembly 246. Alternatively, in other embodiments, both sensor assembly 244 and image capture assembly 246 may include a common storage device, transmitter, and controller.

Further, a power source 242E (illustrated as a dashed box) may be included to provide the necessary power for both the sensor assembly 244 and the image capture assembly 246 of the feedback assembly 242; or the sensor assembly 244 and the image capture assembly 246 of the feedback assembly 242 may each include separate power sources. For example, the power source 242E may include one or more batteries. In a particular example, one or more batteries may be selectively recharged via connector port 252 (illustrated in fig. 2I). Additionally, or alternatively, the connector port 252 may be used for other suitable purposes. For example, in some alternative embodiments, connector port 252 may also be used for the purpose of transmitting information from lace adjuster 216 to remote device 249. Alternatively still, in some embodiments, the power source 242E may be charged remotely.

Fig. 2H is a front perspective view of lace adjuster assembly 216 illustrated in fig. 2A.

Fig. 2I is another front perspective view of lace adjuster assembly 216 illustrated in fig. 2A. As shown in fig. 2I, the shoelace adjuster 216 includes a port cover 254, the port cover 254 being coupled to the adjuster body 222, and the port cover 254 being selectively openable to expose a connector port 252, the connector port 252 being usable to charge a power source 242E (e.g., as illustrated in fig. 2F) or to transmit information from a feedback assembly 242 (e.g., as illustrated in fig. 2F) to a remote device 249 (e.g., as illustrated in fig. 2F), such as a smart phone, a smart watch, a tablet computer, a computer, and/or any other suitable computing device.

Fig. 2J is yet another front perspective view of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in fig. 2A. As shown, FIG. 2J illustrates an additional feature of lace adjuster 216, namely, an adjuster cover plate 256 being selectively coupled to first body member 226 so as to form a portion of adjuster body 222. In some embodiments, regulator cover 256 may include a design to give shoelace regulator 216 an updated look. Further, in various embodiments, regulator cover 256 may be interchanged with other alternative regulator cover such that lace regulator 216 may have any desired design that is included within regulator cover 256.

It should be appreciated that the regulator cover plate 256 may be selectively attached to the first body member 226 and/or the regulator body 222 or detached from the first body member 226 and/or the regulator body 222 in any suitable manner. For example, in certain embodiments, the regulator cover plate 256 may include a first attachment member 258, the first attachment member 258 configured to selectively engage a second attachment member 260, the second attachment member 260 coupled to and/or included within the first body member 226 or another portion of the regulator body 222. In one such embodiment, the first attachment member 258 may include a hook-type element configured to engage a slot-type element of the second attachment member 260. Alternatively, the first attachment member 258 may include a channel member configured to be engaged by a hook member of the second attachment member 260. Still alternatively, the first attachment member 258 and/or the second attachment member 260 may have another suitable design.

It should be appreciated that in various embodiments, the regulator cover plate 256 may include two first attachment members 258 and the first body member 226 (or other portion of the regulator body 222) may include two second attachment members 260 such that the regulator cover plate 256 may be selectively attached to the first body member 226 and/or the regulator body 222 in two spaced apart locations (e.g., on opposite sides of the regulator body 222). Further, it should also be appreciated that regulator cover plate 256 may be attached to regulator body 222 at more than one location on each side of regulator body 222, such as to first body member 226. For example, in one such alternative embodiment, the regulator cover plate 256 may be attached to the first body member 226 at one location on one side of the regulator body 222, and the regulator cover plate 256 may be attached to the first body member 226 at two spaced apart locations on the other side of the regulator body 222.

Still alternatively, regulator cover plate 256 may be hingedly coupled to regulator body 222 on one side of regulator cover plate 256. With this design, regulator cover plate 256 may be moved relative to regulator body 222, e.g., similar to the opening of a door, to provide access to feedback assembly 242 (illustrated in fig. 2F), feedback assembly 242 being generally positioned within body cavity 248 (illustrated in fig. 2F), and in some embodiments feedback assembly 242 may be defined between first body member 226 and regulator cover plate 256. Moreover, in certain embodiments, feedback assembly 242 may be coupled to regulator cover plate 256 or positioned on regulator cover plate 256 and/or substantially adjacent to regulator cover plate 256.

Additionally or alternatively, as noted above, lace adjuster 216 including such a replaceable adjuster cover 256 may be designed as illustrated and described in U.S. patent No. 10,512,304B2, issued on 12/24 2019, and entitled "LACE ADJUSTER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE COVERS (lace adjuster with replaceable cover)", which is incorporated herein in its entirety to the extent permitted.

Furthermore, in certain embodiments, lace adjuster 216 may also include a light assembly (not shown) that includes one or more lights (not shown), such as LED lights, that may be mounted on regulator cover plate 256 or another component of lace adjuster 216 and/or positioned substantially adjacent to regulator cover plate 256 or another component of lace adjuster 216. In particular, in some such embodiments, a lamp may be coupled to regulator cover plate 256 and/or may be positioned such that the lamp may illuminate and/or extend through one or more lamp holes (not shown) in regulator cover plate 256. Such lights may also be positioned to more effectively and significantly draw attention to the design on regulator cover plate 256 and/or provide desired illumination to a person using lace regulator 216 in less favorable illumination situations (e.g., at night). Additionally and/or alternatively, a light assembly (i.e., a light) may be positioned in different areas of lace adjuster 216.

Fig. 2K-2R illustrate certain additional views of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in fig. 2A, and thus provide various features and components of lace adjuster 216 with different advantages. In particular, fig. 2K is a rear perspective view of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in fig. 2A; FIG. 2L is another rear perspective view of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in FIG. 2A; fig. 2M is a bottom view of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in fig. 2A; fig. 2N is another bottom view of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in fig. 2A;

FIG. 2O is a side view of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in FIG. 2A; FIG. 2P is a front view of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in FIG. 2A; FIG. 2Q is another side view of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in FIG. 2A; and fig. 2R is a rear view of lace adjuster 216 illustrated in fig. 2A.

Fig. 3 is a simplified top view of an area 370 that may be used by a user of lace adjuster 216 (shown in fig. 2A). As noted above, in some embodiments, lace adjuster 216 may include a feedback assembly 242 (illustrated in fig. 2F), and feedback assembly 242 may include a position sensor, such as a GPS sensor, within a sensor assembly 244 (illustrated in fig. 2F) to provide position and/or tracking information to a user. It should be appreciated that in order to obtain the most accurate and precise location and tracking information, it may be desirable to include more than one or more additional sensors 372, for example, two, three or four sensors, spaced apart from each other and located near the region 370. In this arrangement, the overall system is better able to determine and track the actual precise location of lace adjuster 216.

The type of region 370 may vary. For example, region 370 may be a sports field, such as a football field or a soccer field; a court such as a tennis court or basketball court; or another type of region 370.

In this design, a user of lace adjuster 216 may engage in an event in area 370, and one or more sensors 372 may be used to improve the positional information of lace adjuster 216.

In fig. 3, region 370 may include two additional sensors 372. For example, as provided above, lace adjuster 216 may include a GPS sensor. Further, each additional sensor 372 may include a GPS sensor to determine the location of these additional sensors 372. In addition, GPS information from these sensors 372 may be transmitted to lace adjuster 216 and/or remote device 249 to improve the measurement information of lace adjuster 216. As a non-exclusive example, lace adjuster 216 may be electrically connected to additional sensor 372 via WI-FI or bluetooth.

Additionally or alternatively, an additional sensor 372 may be used to monitor the relative position of lace adjuster 216 over time. For example, additional sensors 372 may include one or more systems that monitor the relative position of lace adjuster 216 over time, or generate signals that may be used by lace adjuster 216 to monitor position.

Additionally or alternatively, additional sensors 372 may generate GPS signals that may be used by lace adjuster 216 to provide more accurate and precise location and tracking information to a user of lace adjuster 216. It should be appreciated that the sensor 372 may be positioned in any suitable manner with respect to the motion field, for example, on the motion field 370 and/or near the motion field 370, to provide such information to the user. Additionally, as shown, the sensor 372 will typically be disposed in a fixed position relative to the playing field 370. Thus, during use, each sensor 372 may provide accurate position and/or tracking information. The sensors 372 may also be electronically linked to each other and/or may communicate with each other, such as wirelessly or with a wired connection.

With this design, each of the sensors 372 may communicate (i.e., wirelessly in any suitable manner) with a position sensor (e.g., a GPS sensor) within the sensor assembly 244 and/or the feedback assembly 242 as the user moves on the playing surface 370 or around the playing surface 370. Based on communication between the sensor 372 and the GPS sensor within the sensor assembly 244 and/or feedback assembly 242 of the lace adjuster 216 on the lace 14 (shown in FIG. 1) of the user's shoe 10 (shown in FIG. 1), the user's precise location and/or tracking information may be known at any time as the user uses the athletic field 370. In this way, the user may obtain desired information about the statistics (e.g., during athletic performance) in order to effectively gauge various aspects of their athletic performance.

It should be understood that while many different embodiments of lace adjuster 16 have been illustrated and described herein, one or more features of any one embodiment may be combined with one or more features of one or more of the other embodiments, so long as such a combination meets the intent of the present invention.

While various exemplary aspects and embodiments of lace adjuster 16 are shown and disclosed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that lace adjuster assembly 12 be interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within its true spirit and scope, and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown.

Claims

1. A lace adjuster for selectively adjusting and securing a lace of a shoe, the lace coupled to a shoe body of the shoe, the lace including a first lace end and a second lace end, the lace adjuster comprising:

a regulator body; and

a lace end retainer coupled to the adjuster body, the lace end retainer configured to receive and retain the first lace end between surfaces of the lace end retainer and the adjuster body.

2. The lace adjuster of claim 1 wherein the first lace end of the lace is prevented from moving relative to the lace end retainer and the adjuster body when the first lace end of the lace is retained by the lace end retainer by a force generated by contact pressure of the lace end retainer against the surface of the adjuster body.

3. The lace adjuster of claim 1 wherein the lace end retainer is further configured to receive and retain the second lace end between the lace end retainer and the surface of the adjuster body.

4. The lace adjuster of claim 1 wherein the lace end retainer includes a first coupling member and the adjuster body includes a second coupling member; and wherein the first coupling member engages the second coupling member such that the lace end retainer is coupled to the adjuster body.

5. The lace adjuster of claim 4 wherein the lace end retainer includes a retainer body; wherein the first coupling member is a coupling hole extending through the holder body; wherein the second coupling member is a coupling protrusion extending away from the regulator body; and wherein the coupling aperture is positioned to engage the coupling protrusion such that the lace end retainer is coupled to the adjuster body.

6. The lace adjuster of claim 1 wherein the lace end retainer is fixedly coupled to the adjuster body.

7. The lace adjuster of claim 1 wherein the lace end retainer is removably coupled to the adjuster body.

8. The lace adjuster of claim 1 wherein the lace end retainer is formed of an elastic material that is stretched when coupled to the adjuster body to apply a force to the surface of the adjuster body based on a contact pressure between the lace end retainer and the adjuster body.

9. The lace adjuster of claim 1 wherein the lace end retainer includes a retainer body and a retainer aperture that extends through the retainer body; and wherein the first lace end extends through the retainer aperture before being retained between the lace end retainer and the adjuster body.

10. The lace adjuster of claim 1 further comprising a motion limiter coupled to and cantilevered away from the adjuster body, at least a portion of the motion limiter configured to be positioned between the lace and the shoe body when the lace adjuster is used to selectively adjust and secure the lace of the shoe.

11. The lace adjuster of claim 1 further comprising a GPS sensor coupled to the adjuster body, the GPS sensor configured to provide positional information of a user of the lace adjuster.

12. A shoe comprising a shoe body and a lace coupled to the shoe body; and wherein the lace adjuster of claim 1 is selectively coupled to the lace.

13. A method for selectively adjusting and securing a lace of a shoe, the lace coupled to a shoe body of the shoe, the lace including a first lace end and a second lace end, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling a lace end retainer to the regulator body; and

the first lace end is received and retained between the lace end retainer and a surface of the adjuster body.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of receiving and retaining comprises: when the first lace end of the lace is held by the lace end retainer by a force generated by contact pressure of the lace end retainer against the surface of the adjuster body, the first lace end of the lace is prevented from moving relative to the lace end retainer and the adjuster body.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of coupling comprises: the first coupling member of the lace end retainer engages the second coupling member of the adjuster body such that the lace end retainer is coupled to the adjuster body.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of coupling comprises: the shoelace end holder comprises a holder body; wherein the first coupling member is a coupling hole extending through the holder body; wherein the second coupling member is a coupling protrusion extending away from the regulator body; and wherein the coupling aperture is positioned to engage the coupling protrusion such that the lace end retainer is coupled to the adjuster body.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of coupling comprises: the lace end retainer is formed from an elastic material that is stretched when coupled to the regulator body to apply a force to the surface of the regulator body based on a contact pressure between the lace end retainer and the regulator body.

18. A method of providing a shoe, the method comprising the steps of: coupling a lace to a shoe body of the shoe; and selectively adjusting and securing the shoelace using the method of claim 13.

19. A method for providing location information of a user, the method comprising the steps of: providing a playground comprising at least one GPS beacon, the user wearing shoes provided according to the method of claim 18, and wherein the step of selectively adjusting and securing comprises coupling a GPS sensor to the adjuster body.

20. A lace adjuster for selectively adjusting and securing a lace of a shoe, the lace coupled to a shoe body of the shoe, the lace including a first lace end and a second lace end, the lace adjuster comprising:

a regulator body configured to be selectively coupled to the lace of the shoe; and

a motion limiter coupled to and cantilevered away from the adjuster body, at least a portion of the motion limiter configured to be positioned between the lace and the shoe body when the lace adjuster is used to selectively adjust and secure the lace of the shoe.