Lace locking device

Abstract

A lace locker ( 100, 200 ) is disclosed having a housing ( 110, 210 ) that may include an attachment flange ( 112, 212 ), and a cam lever ( 120, 220 ) pivotably attached to the housing, such that the cam lever is movable between a locking position and a release position. The lace locker receives a lace ( 96 ) that extends between a toothed cam portion ( 123, 223 ) of the cam lever and a front wall ( 114, 214 ) of the housing, such that in the locking position the lace locker clampingly engages the lace. A lever portion ( 122, 222 ) of the lace locker includes an aperture adapted to accommodate the lace. A biasing member such as a spring ( 230 ) may optionally be included to bias the lace locker toward the locking position. A cooperative lever tab ( 241 ) and housing aperture ( 243 ) may be provided to temporarily latch the lace locker in the release position.

1 . A lace locker adapted to selectively engage a lace, the lace locker comprising: 
 a housing adapted to receive a lace therethrough, the housing having a front wall and a back wall;    a cam lever pivotably attached to the back wall, the cam lever having a cam portion disposed substantially within the housing and a lever portion extending out from the housing;    wherein the cam lever is movable between a locking position in which the received lace is frictionally retained between the cam portion of the cam lever and the housing front wall, and a release position in which the received lace is not retained by the cam portion, by pushing upwardly on the lever portion.    
   
   
       2 . The lace locker of  claim 1 , wherein the cam portion of the cam lever further comprises an outwardly-disposed tooth that engages the lace when the cam lever is in the locking position.  
   
   
       3 . The lace locker of  claim 1 , wherein the lace locker further comprises a peripheral flange.  
   
   
       4 . The lace locker of  claim 3 , wherein the lever portion of the lever cam is oriented away from the flange, and further wherein displacing the lever portion generally upwardly pivots the cam lever such that the cam portion moves away from the front wall.  
   
   
       5 . The lace locker of  claim 4 , wherein the lever portion further comprises an aperture that is adapted to accommodate the lace.  
   
   
       6 . The lace locker of  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member that engages the cam lever such that the cam lever is biased toward the locking position.  
   
   
       7 . The lace locker of  claim 6 , wherein the biasing member comprises a spring.  
   
   
       8 . The lace locker of  claim 1 , wherein the lace locker is oriented such that tension in the received lace biases the cam lever towards the locking position.  
   
   
       9 . The lace locker of  claim 1 , wherein the lace locker comprises a separable front flange portion having an aperture therethrough and a cap portion that attaches to the front flange portion to define the housing, and further wherein the cam lever includes outwardly disposed posts to facilitate pivotable mounting to the housing.  
   
   
       10 . The lace locker of  claim 1 , wherein the cam lever further comprises a tab portion, and the housing further comprises an aperture that is sized and positioned to frictionally receive the tab portion of the cam lever when the cam lever is moved to the release position.  
   
   
       11 . A device for securing a lace, the device comprising: 
 a housing adapted to be attached to a boot, the housing having a wall portion;    a cam lever pivotably attached to the housing, the cam lever having a lever portion and a toothed cam portion, the toothed cam portion being disposed opposite the housing wall portion defining a channel therebetween that is adapted to accommodate the lace;    wherein the cam lever is movable between a first position that clampingly secures the lace between the toothed cam portion of the cam lever and the wall portion of the housing, and a second position wherein the lace is not clampingly secured.    
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the toothed cam portion is movable away from the wall portion of the housing toward the second position by pushing upwardly on the lever portion.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the lever portion further comprises an aperture that is adapted to accommodate the lace.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising a biasing member that engages the cam lever such that the cam lever is biased toward the first position.  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the biasing member comprises a spring.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the housing is oriented such that tension in the received lace biases the cam lever towards the locking position.  
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the housing comprises a front flange portion having an aperture therethrough and a cap portion that attaches to the front flange portion.  
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the cam lever further comprises a tab portion, and the housing further comprises an aperture that is sized and positioned to frictionally receive the tab portion of the cam lever when the cam lever is moved to the release position.