A shoelace retainer is provided for use with a shoe. The shoelace retainer generally includes a base defining at least one channel for receiving a first portion of a shoelace therein while the shoelace is coupled to a shoe, thereby coupling the shoelace retainer to the shoe, and a cap associated with the base and defining at least one receptacle relative to the base where the at least one receptacle is configured to receive a second portion of the shoelace when the base is coupled to the shoe.

A cord lock includes various components used to slidably adjust a cord length, such as one or more housing components that releasably clamp around the cord. In one aspect, the cord lock includes an arrangement of magnets that bias the cord-lock housing components away from one another, in order to secure the cord between the housing components. The housing components can be pressed towards one another to slidably adjust the cord. In a further aspect, the cord lock may also include a magnetized excess-cord retainer that attaches to a portion of the cord and that releasably attaches to the cord lock in order to help gather excess cord pulled through the cord lock.

A device for use in securing two or more laces on an article of clothing includes (a) a piece of flexible and elastic material having shear-resistive properties and an initial disk-like shape and (b) a hole formed in the material. When the laces are inserted through the hole a first time, wrapped together around a portion of the piece of material, inserted together through the hole a second time, and pulled tightly in opposite directions, the material deforms to (1) assume a self-herniated shape in which the material grips the laces and folds upon itself and the laces toward the hole, and (2) retain the self-herniated shape and secure the laces in place after pulling forces are removed from the laces.

A shoe string coated with rubber substance in order to grip and stay tied. The coating can be in strip form or patterns. Rubber protrusions on the shoe laces grip together where the knot is formed to form more resistance causing the laces to stay tied for longer periods of time.

The shoelace knot retainer is configured for use with a shoelace. The shoelace knot retainer holds the shoelace in position after the shoelace has been tightened on the shoe. The shoelace knot retainer comprises a pedestal, a stanchion, and a sleeve. The pedestal is intermediate structure that transfers the load of the shoelace knot retainer to the surface of the shoe. The stanchion forms an anchor point around which the shoelace is wound. The shoelace is wound around the stanchion during the tightening process. The sleeve is an elastomeric structure. The stanchion and the shoelace insert into the sleeve such that the sleeve compresses around the shoelace thereby holding the shoelace in position. The stanchion is further formed with an accommodation that secures the tips of the shoelace to the stanchion.

A system includes an article of footwear and a remote system. The article of footwear includes an adaptive configured to be adjusted to one of a plurality of configurations based on a command received from a processor circuit. The remote system includes an electronic data storage, configured to store a user profile including the plurality of configurations, and a processor configured to prompt, on a user interface, a user to put on the article of footwear, receive, via a wireless transceiver, a signal from the article of footwear indicating that the article of footwear has been placed on the foot of a wearer, access, one of the plurality of configurations based on a user selection, and transmit the one of the plurality of configurations as selected. The processor circuit causes the adaptive component to be configured according to the one of the plurality of configurations.

A shoelace securing assembly for securing shoelaces on shoes without tying the shoelaces includes a block that has a plurality of apertures each extending therethrough. Each of the apertures insertably receives a respective one of a pair of shoelaces on a shoe having the shoe laces arranged into a pair of loops. In this way the block facilitates the shoe laces to be secured in lieu of tying a knot. Thus, the block facilitates a child to secure the shoe on the child's foot without knowing how to tie the shoelaces. Each of the apertures has a prominence therein and the prominence in each of the apertures frictionally engages the respective shoelaces for retaining the shoelaces in the block.

The invention is intended to provide silicone elastomer laces that are improved in terms of branding and/or ornamentation and/or tear strength and/or additional novel functions other than the mechanical properties and external appearance thereof, as well as a novel lacing solution. For this purpose, the invention relates first to a lace (1) for a shoe (2) equipped with a lace passage (3), the two edges (4, 5) of said passage having through-holes (7). The lace (1) essentially comprises at least one silicone elastomer that is at least partially cross-linked and includes one or more silicone polymers and fillers and, optionally, at least one of the following compounds: catalyst(s), cross-linking agent(s), pigment(s), parting agent(s), plasticiser(s), adhesion promoter(s). The lace is characterised in that it comprises, in the middle portion thereof, an identification zone (9) which is integral with the lace (1) and which, once the lace (1) has been passed through the through-holes (7, 7i) of the shoe (2), is intended to appear on the instep of the shoe (2), between the two lower through-holes (7i) located on either side, and at the base of, the lace passage (3) on the shoe (2). The invention also relates to a lace intended to be locked in place on the shoe (2) using a so-called BlocKnot plate (30) that is provided with multiple passages (20) for holding the lace (1) in place when the free ends of the strands (81) and (82) of the lace are interlaced through the passages (20) and gripped, preferably by passing the free ends of the strands (81) and (82) through the passages (20) in an alternating manner on the front and rear of the plate (30).

A shoe lace clip for securing shoe laces or a shoe lace knot is provided, the shoe lace clip being formed from a single piece of substantially rigid material and including a base portion with a clip portion extending therefrom, the clip portion having a top jaw and bottom jaw separated by a fixed clip opening, the fixed clip opening having a patterned surface of curved grooves and rounded teeth for retaining a shoe lace or knot therein. The base portion may also include an eyelet opening extending therethrough and disposed perpendicularly to the fixed clip opening for threading the shoe lace in order to further retain the shoe lace clip on the shoe lace.

A frame for tying a shoelace comprises one or more protrusions and one or more apertures. At least one of the one or more apertures of the frame comprises a diameter operable to receive a first end of the shoelace. The one or more protrusions of the frame are positioned about the at least one of the one or more apertures of the frame and the one or more protrusions of the frame are operable to engage the shoelace and resist movement of the shoelace within the at least one aperture of the frame.