# US 11,026,479 B2 · Systems, devices, and/or methods for managing shoes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,026,479 B2 - Document ID: US11026479B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/588,724 - Filed: 2019-09-30 - Published: 2021-04-01 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-30 - Applicants: Leighton Schnedler - Inventors: Leighton Schnedler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026479B2 ## CPC - A43C 7/00: Holding-devices for laces - A43C 11/165: {characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation} - A43C: FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL ## Abstract The application discloses a tightening system for shoelaces. The tightening system contains a tightener inset in the body of a shoe, a hinge coupled to a tightener, an appendage coupled to the tightener via the hinge, in which the appendage can go in and out of the body of the shoe via the hinge so that it can be inset in the rear body of the shoe and not protruding when the user is not loosening or tightening the shoelaces, and the appendage can protrude from the shoe when not secured into place so that a user can use the appendage to engage with each of the pair of shoelaces; and responsive to an action of a user, cause each of the pair of shoelaces to be loosened and tightened. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A shoelace tightening system, comprising: a tightener, the tightener inset in a body of a shoe; a hinge, the hinge coupled to the tightener; an appendage, the appendage coupled to the tightener via the hinge, the appendage constructed to move in and out of the body of the shoe such that the appendage is inset in the body of the shoe, secured into place, and does not protrude from the body of the shoe when a user is not loosening or tightening a pair of shoelaces, wherein the appendage can protrude from the shoe when the appendage is not secured into place so that the user can use the appendage to: engage the tightener which engages with each of the pair of shoelaces; and responsive to an action of the user, cause each of the pair of shoelaces to be loosened and tightened. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The shoelace tightening system of claim 1, wherein: a securing mechanism for keeping the appendage from protruding from the shoe is a spring so that the appendage is biased to stay inside the body of the shoe, but the user can pull on the appendage to cause the appendage to protrude from the shoe so the user can use the appendage to operate the tightener. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The shoelace tightening system of claim 1, wherein: a securing mechanism constructed to keep the appendage from protruding from the shoe comprises a magnet inset in the shoe that attracts a metal part of the appendage, the magnet has a strong enough magnetic field to keep the appendage in the shoe when the user is not loosening or tightening the shoe, but a weak enough magnetic field so that the user can easily pull the appendage out of a secured position to adjust tightness of the shoe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The shoelace tightening system of claim 1, wherein: the tightener is spring loaded such that the tightener tightens to a foot of the user when the user puts the shoe on. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The shoelace tightening system of claim 1, wherein: the pair of shoelaces enters into the body of the shoe at a topmost eyelet and goes through a rear portion of the body of the shoe to reach the tightener. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The shoelace tightening system of claim 1, wherein: the pair of shoelaces enters into the body of the shoe at a bottommost eyelet and goes through a side portion and a rear portion of the body of the shoe to reach the tightener. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The shoelace tightening system of claim 1, wherein: the tightener is inset in a rear portion of the body, a centerline of the tightener at an elevation on the rear portion of the shoe that is above an uppermost portion of a sole of the shoe. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The shoelace tightening system of claim 1, wherein: the tightener is inset in a lower portion of a rear portion of the body of the shoe, a centerline of the tightener at an elevation on the rear portion of the shoe that is in line with a sole of the shoe. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The shoelace tightening system of claim 1, wherein: the tightener is inset in a side portion of the body of the shoe. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The shoelace tightening system of claim 1, wherein: the tightener is inset in a front portion of the body of the shoe. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The shoelace tightening system of claim 1, wherein: the tightener comprises an electrical actuator operable by the user to loosen and tighten each of the pair of shoelaces. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The shoelace tightening system of claim 1, wherein: the tightener comprises a wheel to which the pair of shoelaces is coupled such that the pair of shoelaces wraps around the tightener when the user tightens the pair of shoelaces to and unwraps around the tightener when the user loosens the pair of shoelaces. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The shoelace tightening system of claim 1, wherein: the appendage comprises a wheel constructed to be turned by the user to loosen and tighten each of the pair of shoelaces. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The shoelace tightening system of claim 1, wherein: the appendage is coupled to a wheel, which is coupled to the tightener and engages the tightener when the appendage is engaged. ### Claim 15 A shoelace tightening system, comprising: a tightener that is not entirely inset in a body of a shoe; a hinge, the hinge coupled to the tightener; an appendage, the appendage coupled to the tightener via the hinge, the appendage constructed to protrude from the body of the shoe, even when the appendage is secured into place and snug against the shoe, the appendage operable by a user to: engage the tightener which engages with each of a pair of shoelaces; and responsive to an action of the user, cause each of the pair of shoelaces to be loosened and tightened. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The shoelace tightening system of claim 15, wherein: the appendage is also always protruding from the body of the shoe.