Footwear is provided in many form factors. Closed footwear takes into consideration the requirement to comfortably insert and remove one's foot from the upper. A moveable tongue aids in the insertion and removal of one's foot from the upper portion of the shoe. The width of the shoe proximate the tongue can be adjustable via elastic, a dense hook and loop interface, and more commonly a shoelace.
Shoelaces are commonly laced through a series of eyelets spacially arranged along each of two parallel sides of a tongue opening on an upper portion of the shoe. The shoelace draws the two parallel sides together to secure one's foot within the shoe. The shoelaces are tied in a bow at the heel end of the lace configuration. The loops are generally long and flop around when walking or running. If a free end of the lace gets snagged or stepped on, then pulled, the free end unravels the knot.
What is desired is a device to ensure that the free end of a shoelace remains stationary avoiding any unwarranted movement, which may result in unraveling of the shoelace knot.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds