Patent ID: 7770268

Claim:
A clamping device for a shoelace, comprising: a base having an inner surface defining a cavity for receiving the shoelace and an upper transverse edge; a movable slider partially received in the cavity of the base, the slider movable between a first clamping position wherein the shoelace is captured between the slider and the inner surface of the base and a second, non-clamping position wherein the shoelace may be drawn through the cavity; a biasing structure for urging the slider towards the clamping position; and a protrusion extending from the slider, the protrusion movable between a first position wherein the slider is free to move to the clamping position and a second position wherein the protrusion extends over the upper transverse edge of the base for selectively maintaining the slider in the non-clamping position such that movement of the shoelace in a shoelace pulling direction causes the protrusion to move from the second position to the first position.