The object of the invention is an elastic shoelace with an eye and a ring. The elastic shoelace of the invention can easily be passed through holes (B) in a shoe (A) and by increasing or decreasing the tightening of an elastic string (1) a ring (5) is hooked onto a threaded pin (4) thus achieving favourable shoe tying.

The present invention is for a slip resistant shoelace comprising a shoelace tube and one or more friction inducing features such as a plurality of beads placed inside the shoelace tube. The plurality of beads of the shoelace interlock with each other while in a knot and thus resist slipping of the knot in the slip resistant shoe lace. The interlocking occurs as one or more beads of the plurality of beads of one section of the slip resistant shoelace fit in space available between two consecutive beads of the plurality of beads of another section of the slip resistant shoelace which are passing over each other in the knot. The interlocking prevents the shoelace from getting loosened and untied inadvertently. The slip resistant shoelace can be tied and untied in the traditional manner.

The present invention is for a slip resistant shoelace comprising a shoelace tube and one or more friction inducing features such as a plurality of beads placed inside the shoelace tube. The plurality of beads of the shoelace interlock with each other while in a knot and thus resist slipping of the knot in the slip resistant shoe lace. The interlocking occurs as one or more beads of the plurality of beads of one section of the slip resistant shoelace fit in space available between two consecutive beads of the plurality of beads of another section of the slip resistant shoelace which are passing over each other in the knot. The interlocking prevents the shoelace from getting loosened and untied inadvertently. The slip resistant shoelace can be tied and untied in the traditional manner.

A shoe includes an outsole, a main body containing a flexible upper, and at least one elastic lace. The flexible upper is formed of a four-way stretch fabric. In use, the flexible upper can be deformed in response to the shape differences of users' feet, and the elastic lace can limit the deformation of the flexible upper to allow the shoe to be firmly worn by a user. With the shoe of the present invention, the unfit problem of conventional shoes due to the insufficient elasticity of the mesh fabrics making the uppers of the shoes can be solved.

A shoe includes an outsole, a main body containing a flexible upper, and at least one elastic lace. The flexible upper is formed of a four-way stretch fabric. In use, the flexible upper can be deformed in response to the shape differences of users' feet, and the elastic lace can limit the deformation of the flexible upper to allow the shoe to be firmly worn by a user. With the shoe of the present invention, the unfit problem of conventional shoes due to the insufficient elasticity of the mesh fabrics making the uppers of the shoes can be solved.

An apparatus, system, and method for locking laces are provided. The system includes a lace lock and a shoelace. The shoelace has toggles at respective first and second ends of the shoelace, which toggles are moveable from a first position to a second position. The lace lock has a unitary body that engages the toggles of the shoelaces in the second position to secure both ends of the shoelace in the unitary body in a fixed position between the opposing toggles without any portion of the shoelace hanging out of the unitary body.

An apparatus, system, and method for locking laces are provided. The system includes a lace lock and a shoelace. The shoelace has toggles at respective first and second ends of the shoelace, which toggles are moveable from a first position to a second position. The lace lock has a unitary body that engages the toggles of the shoelaces in the second position to secure both ends of the shoelace in the unitary body in a fixed position between the opposing toggles without any portion of the shoelace hanging out of the unitary body.

Provided are, among other things, shoes having elastic tongue-securing straps. In one representative embodiment, a shoe includes: (a) a sole; (b) an upper, extending above the sole, that includes a front section, a left side, a right side, a rear section, and a tongue that originates from the front section and extends rearwardly between the left side and the right side; (c) a left elastic strap that extends from a left side of the tongue and: (1) extends through a loop that is securely attached to the left side of the upper and has a distal end securely attached to the sole, and/or (2) has its distal end securely attached to the left side of the upper; and (d) a right elastic strap that extends from a right side of the tongue and: (1) extends through a loop that is securely attached to the right side of the upper and has a distal end securely attached to the sole, and/or (2) has its distal end securely attached to the right side of the upper, with the left elastic strap having a proximal end fixedly attached to the left side of the tongue and the right elastic strap having a proximal end fixedly attached to the right side of the tongue.

Provided are, among other things, shoes having elastic tongue-securing straps. In one representative embodiment, a shoe includes: (a) a sole; (b) an upper, extending above the sole, that includes a front section, a left side, a right side, a rear section, and a tongue that originates from the front section and extends rearwardly between the left side and the right side; (c) a left elastic strap that extends from a left side of the tongue and: (1) extends through a loop that is securely attached to the left side of the upper and has a distal end securely attached to the sole, and/or (2) has its distal end securely attached to the left side of the upper; and (d) a right elastic strap that extends from a right side of the tongue and: (1) extends through a loop that is securely attached to the right side of the upper and has a distal end securely attached to the sole, and/or (2) has its distal end securely attached to the right side of the upper, with the left elastic strap having a proximal end fixedly attached to the left side of the tongue and the right elastic strap having a proximal end fixedly attached to the right side of the tongue.

A foot presence sensor system for an active article of footwear can include a sensor housing configured to be disposed at or in an insole of the article, and a controller circuit, disposed within the sensor housing, configured to trigger one or more automated functions of the footwear based on a foot presence indication. A capacitive sensor, such as disposed within or upon the sensor housing, can be configured to provide the foot presence indication. In an example, foot presence can be detected using time-varying characteristics of a signal from the capacitive sensor.