Lace Adjuster

Abstract

A lace adjuster includes a longitudinal hollow body and two stop members. The hollow body defines a longitudinal passage, and has longitudinally opposite first and second ends, and an operating opening disposed between the first and second ends and communicated with the longitudinal passage. The longitudinal passage has first and second openings at the first and second ends, respectively. The stop members are pivotally and transversely mounted in the longitudinal passage and are respectively proximate to the first and second openings of the longitudinal passage. Each of the stop members has a lace-engaging portion, and a handle portion connected to the lace-engaging portion, and is operable so as to adjust the lengths of lace segments.

1 . A lace adjuster adapted for adjusting a length of a lace composed of two separate lace segments, said lace adjuster comprising:
 a longitudinal hollow body defining a longitudinal passage, and having longitudinally opposite first and second ends, and an operating opening disposed between said first and second ends and communicated with said longitudinal passage, said longitudinal passage having first and second openings at said first and second ends, respectively; and   two stop members pivotally and transversely mounted in said longitudinal passage and respectively proximate to said first and second openings of said longitudinal passage, each of said stop members having a lace-engaging portion and a handle portion connected to said lace-engaging portion and being operable between a first position in which said handle portion is pushed into said longitudinal passage of said longitudinal hollow body so that said lace-engaging portion is moved close to an inner surface of said longitudinal hollow body for clamping a corresponding one of the lace segments against said inner surface of said longitudinal hollow body, and a second position in which said handle portion is pulled out of said operating opening so that said lace-engaging portion is moved away from said inner surface of said longitudinal hollow body for loosening the corresponding one of the lace segments.   
     
     
         2 . The lace adjuster as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said longitudinal hollow body has a peripheral wall that includes first and second sides extending between said first and second ends, and a third side interconnecting said first and second sides and confining said longitudinal passage in cooperation with said first and second sides, said operating opening being confined between said first and second sides opposite to said third side. 
     
     
         3 . The lace adjuster as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each of said first and second ends has a pair of spaced apart tabs protruding oppositely and respectively from said first and second sides of said peripheral wall, said longitudinal passage being disposed between said pairs of said tabs, each of said first and second openings of said longitudinal passage being defined by one pair of said tabs and said first, second, and third sides of said peripheral wall. 
     
     
         4 . The lace adjuster as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lace-engaging portion and said handle portion of each of said stop members are angled to each other to form a substantially L-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         5 . The lace adjuster as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said lace-engaging portion of each of said stop members has a plurality of teeth. 
     
     
         6 . The lace adjuster as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said peripheral wall further has two pairs of pivot holes, and each of said stop members further includes a pair of pivoting portions extending oppositely and outward from said handle portion and pivotally connected to said longitudinal hollow body at a corresponding pair of said pivot holes.