US Patent 8181320 Lace adjuster

A lace adjuster (10) that selectively adjusts and secures a shoelace (770) of a shoe (772) includes an inner frame (12), an outer frame (14), a resilient member (16), and a bracket (18). The outer frame (14) receives at least a portion of the inner frame (12). The resilient member (16) is secured to the inner frame (12) and the outer frame (14), and allows the inner frame (12) and the outer frame (14) to move relative to each other between an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration. The bracket (18) is movable between a closed configuration and an open configuration. The bracket (18) is adapted to receive a portion of the shoelace (770) when the bracket (18) is in the open configuration, and the bracket (18) is adapted to retain a portion of the shoelace (770) when the bracket is in the closed configuration.