Patent Grant
11633020
The present invention is related to closure devices for various articles, such as braces, medical devices, shoes, clothing, apparel, and the like. Such articles typically include closure devices that allow the article to be placed and closed about a body part. The closure devices are typically used to maintain or secure the article to the body part. For example, shoes are typically placed over an individual's foot and lace is tensioned and tied to close the shoe about the foot and secure the shoe to the foot. Conventional closure devices have been modified in an effort to increase the fit and/or comfort of the article about the body part. For example, shoe lacing configurations and/or patterns have been modified in an attempt to increase the fit and/or comfort of wearing shoes. Conventional closure devices have also been modified in an effort to decrease the time in which an article may be closed and secured about the body part. These modifications have resulted in the use of various pull cords, straps, and tensioning devices that enable the article to be quickly closed and secured to the foot.
The embodiments described herein provide closure systems having a reduced overall part and/or component count. The closure systems may be used to close and/or tighten a variety of articles, such as shoes, braces, apparel, sporting equipment, and the like. The reduced part or component count reduces the overall cost of the system and/or enable simple assembly of the system. According to one aspect, a reel assembly for tightening an article is provided. The reel assembly includes a housing component that includes an interior region. A spool component is rotatably positioned within the interior region of the housing component. The spool includes an annular channel around which a tension member is gathered to tighten the article. A drive component is positioned axially above the spool component and operably coupled therewith. The drive component allows the spool component to rotate in a first direction within the housing component's interior region while preventing rotation of the spool component in a second direction.
A tightening component is rotatably coupled within the housing and positioned axially above the drive component and coupled therewith. Operation of the tightening component causes the spool component to rotate within the housing component's interior region in the first direction to gather the tension member around the spool component's annular channel and thereby tighten the article. An attachment component is positioned axially below the spool component. The attachment component includes a coupling member that protrudes axially upward into the interior region of the housing component to couple the attachment component with the drive component. The reel assembly includes no more than six separate components. In some embodiments, the reel assembly includes no more than five separate components. One or more of the reel assembly's components may assemble by snapping together so that the reel assembly is free of a screw, rivet, or other rigid fastener.
In some embodiments, the tightening component includes a main body and a grip body that is positioned on a circumferential edge of the main body. The grip body has a coefficient of friction that is greater than the main body to enable a user to easily grip and operate the tightening component. In some embodiments, the tightening component is axially moveable relative to the housing component to disengage the drive component and spool component and thereby allow the spool component to rotate in the second direction and thereby loosen the article. In some embodiments, the reel assembly may also include a mounting component that is couplable with the article and releasably couplable with the reel assembly. The mounting component may include a mounting feature that is configured for releasably coupling with the reel assembly and an attachment feature that is configured for coupling with the article. The mounting feature may be made of a first material and the attachment feature may be made of a second material that is softer than the first material.
In some embodiments, the drive component includes teeth that engage with corresponding teeth of the housing component or a clutch component (e.g., a separate disc or component) to allow the spool component to rotate in the first direction while preventing rotation in the second direction. The drive component includes one or more tabs that are positioned over a top surface of the drive component. The one or more tabs are configured to move the drive component's teeth axially upward as the drive component is moved axially upward to disengage the drive component's teeth from the corresponding teeth of the housing component or clutch component. The clutch component may be a component that mates with the spool component, housing component, or tightening component and includes teeth that axially or radially engage with the drive component's teeth. The drive component may be moved axially upward via a user pulling axially upward on the tightening component (e.g., knob), by a user operating the tightening component (e.g., rotating a knob counterclockwise), by a user pressing or selecting a button, and the like.
According to another embodiment, a reel assembly for tightening an article is provided. The reel assembly includes a housing having: an interior region, an open top end, and an open bottom end. A spool is rotatably positioned within the interior region of the housing. The spool is configured for gathering a tension member there around to tighten the article. A drive component is positioned axially above the spool and operably coupled therewith to allow the spool to rotate in a first direction within the housing's interior region while preventing rotation of the spool in a second direction. A tightening component is positioned axially above the drive component and coupled therewith such that operation of the tightening component causes the spool to rotate within the housing's interior region in the first direction to gather the tension member around the spool and thereby tighten the article. When the reel assembly is assembled, the spool is substantially positioned within the interior region and is accessible from the open bottom end of the housing to allow a user to couple the tension member with the spool.
In some embodiments, the reel assembly also includes an attachment component that is positioned axially below the spool. The attachment component includes a coupling member that protrudes axially upward into the housing's interior region and couples with the drive component. In some embodiments, the housing may also include a partition that is configured to contact a top surface of the spool to prevent the spool from being moved axially upward within the housing.
In some embodiments, the drive component may be axially moveable to disengage from the spool component and thereby allow the spool component to rotate in the second direction. The drive component may be axially moveable via a rotation of the tightening component in the second direction, or may be axially moveable via axial movement of the tightening component relative to the housing. In some embodiments, the tension member may be integrally formed from the housing by elongating and deforming a material of the housing.
According to another embodiment, a method of assembling a reel assembly is provided. The method includes coupling a drive component with a tightening component and coupling the tightening component with a top end of a housing so that the drive component faces an interior region of the housing. The method also includes inserting a spool component within a bottom end of the housing so that the spool component is positioned within the interior region of the housing and so that a top end of the spool component faces a bottom surface of the drive component. The method further includes coupling an attachment component with the bottom end of the housing. The attachment component includes a coupling member that couples with the drive component. Coupling of the coupling member with the drive component operationally couples the drive component and the spool component so that operation of the tightening component causes the spool component to rotate within the housing in a first direction while preventing rotation of the spool component in a second direction.
In some embodiments, assembling the reel assembly includes coupling the components such that the reel assembly is free of a screw or other rigid fastener. In some embodiments, coupling the drive component with the tightening component includes snapping the drive component into a recessed portion of the tightening component. In some embodiments, coupling the tightening component with the top end of the housing includes snapping a lip of the tightening component over a corresponding lip of the housing. In some embodiments, coupling the attachment component with the bottom end of the housing includes snapping a flange of the attachment component within an aperture of the housing. In some embodiments, the method further includes snapping the attachment component's coupling member within an aperture of the drive component to couple said components together. In some embodiments, the assembled reel assembly may be coupled with a mounting component that is positioned on an article to be tightened with the reel assembly.
According to another embodiment, a reel assembly for tightening an article is provided. The reel assembly includes a housing having an interior region and a partition that divides the interior region into an upper portion and a lower portion. A spool is rotatably positioned within the lower portion of the housing's interior region axially below the partition. The partition prevents the spool from axially moving upward into the upper portion. A drive component is positioned within the upper portion of the housing's interior region. The drive component is axially moveable relative to the spool between an engaged state and a disengaged state. In the engaged state, the drive component allows the spool to rotate in a first direction within the housing's interior region while preventing rotation of the spool component in a second direction. In the disengaged state, the drive component allows the spool to rotate in the second direction within the housing's interior region.
A tightening component is positioned axially above the drive component and coupled therewith so that operation of the tightening component causes the spool to rotate within the housing's interior region in the first direction. An attachment component is positioned axially below the spool. The attachment component includes a coupling member that protrudes axially upward into the interior region of the housing and couples with the drive component.
According to another embodiment, an integrated tightening device and lacing system is provided. The integrated device and system includes a base portion and a tension member that has a proximal end integrally formed with the base portion and a distal end opposite the proximal end. The tension member is formed by elongating and deforming a material of the base portion. The integrated device and system also includes a spool that is coupled with the distal end of the tension member. The spool is configured for gathering the tension member to tighten an article. The integrated device and system further includes a tightening component that is operationally coupled with the spool so that operation of the tightening component causes the spool to gather the tension member and thereby tighten the article.
In some embodiments, the distal end of the tension member includes a grip feature that facilitates in elongating the material of the base portion. In some embodiments, the material of the base portion is deformable only while the material is above a threshold temperature.
According to another embodiment, a method of forming a lacing system is provided. The method includes securing a material of a base portion and elongating the material of the base portion to form a tension member having a proximal end that is integrally attached to the base portion and a distal end opposite the proximal end. The method also includes coupling the distal end of the tension member with a spool. The spool is configured for gathering the tension member to tighten an article. The method further includes operationally coupling the spool with a tightening component so that operation of the tightening component causes the spool to gather the tension member and thereby tighten the article.
In some embodiments, securing the material of the base portion includes gripping a grip feature of the base portion. The grip feature facilitates elongation of the base portion's material. In some embodiments, the method additionally includes elongating the material of the base portion while the material is above a threshold temperature.
The present invention is described in conjunction with the appended figures:
In the appended figures, similar components and/or features may have the same numerical reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a letter that distinguishes among the similar components and/or features. If only the first numerical reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components and/or features having the same first numerical reference label irrespective of the letter suffix.
Embodiments of the invention provide closure devices (hereinafter reel assemblies) with a reduced component count compared with conventional closure devices. The component count reduction may be provided by integrating one or more of the reel assembly components into a single component. The integrated components may perform multiple operations, such as functioning as a lace winding spool while simultaneously functioning as a ratchet winding mechanism. The reduced component count of the reel assembly simplifies the overall system, thereby reducing the cost and/or complexity of the system. The reduced component count may also reduce the risk of component or system breakage and/or malfunction.
Generally, the described reel assemblies may be used to close a variety of items, such as items of clothing (i.e., hats, gloves, and the like), sports apparel (boots, snowboard boots, ski boots, and the like), medical braces (i.e., back braces, knee braces, and the like), and various other items or apparel. A specific embodiment in which the closure devices may be used involves shoes, boots, and other footwear. For ease in describing the embodiments herein, the disclosure will be directed mainly to shoes although it should be realized that the closure devices may be used for the various other items.
Referring now to
With reference to
The spool member 216 can be disposed within the spool housing 220 such that the spool member 216 is rotatable about an axis 228 with respect to the spool housing 220. The lace 206 can be secured to the spool member 216 such that when the spool member 216 rotates in a tightening direction (shown by arrow A) the lace 206 is drawn into the spool housing 220 and is wound around the channel 230 formed in the spool member 216, and when the spool member 216 rotates in a loosening direction (shown by arrow B) the lace 206 unwinds from the channel 230 of the spool member 216 and exits the spool housing 220 via the lace holes 226a-b. The spool member 216 can also include spool teeth 232 formed thereon. It will be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein can be modified such that rotation in the direction shown by arrow B will tighten the lacing. In this particular embodiment, the knob 236 may be raised axially to disengage from spool 230 to allow the spool to freewheel in direction B in order to release the lace. In other embodiments, rotation of the knob in the direction shown by arrow B (or A) may loosen the lacing system.
The knob 218 can be attached to the spool housing 220 such that the knob 218 can rotate about the axis 228 with respect to the spool housing 220. The knob 218 can include knob teeth 234 that can be configured to mate with the spool teeth 232 to couple the knob 218 to the spool member 216 such that rotation of the knob 218 in the tightening direction causes the spool member 216 to also rotate in the tightening direction. In some embodiments, the rotation of the knob 218 in the loosening direction can also cause the spool member 216 to rotate in the loosening direction. The knob 218 can also include one or more pawl teeth 236 which can be biased radially outwardly so as to mate with the ratchet teeth. The pawl teeth 236 and ratchet teeth 224 can be configured so that the ratchet teeth 224 can displace the pawl teeth 236 radially inwardly when the knob 218 is rotated in the tightening direction, thereby allowing the knob 218 to rotate in the tightening direction. The pawl teeth 236 and the ratchet teeth 224 can also be configured so that they engage one another when force is applied to twist the knob 218 in the loosening direction, thereby preventing the knob 218 from rotating in the loosening direction.
Thus, the reel assembly 204 can provide a one-way tightening system configured to allow the user to rotate the knob 218 in the tightening direction, which causes the spool member 216 to rotate in the tightening direction, which in turn causes the lace 206 to be drawn into the spool housing 220 via the lace holes 226a-b. As the lace 206 is drawn into the spool housing 220 the lacing system 200 can tighten, causing the lace guide 208 to be drawn in the direction toward the reel assembly 204 (shown by arrow C in
As described previously, embodiments described herein integrate one or more of the reel assembly components into a single component to reduce the component count—i.e., number of components—of the reel assembly. For example, one or more of the components described in
In some embodiments, impact strength can be improved by inverting the coupling configuration. For example, uncoupling of the cover with grip from the core may be prevented or hindered by inverting the coupling configuration between the components. For example, knob 504 shows a core with grip 524 having a circumferential groove 526 within which an edge of the cover 522 fits. This knob 504 configuration is further shown in
Referring now to
The pawl teeth 642 of pawl disc 640 and ratchet teeth 604 of spool housing 602 function as a ratchet mechanism that provides the one-way winding motion of the spool 620 to allow the lace to be wound around the spool. To provide the one-way ratchet mechanism, the pawl teeth 642 are configured to deflect radially inward relative to pawl disc 640 as the pawl teeth 642 rotate clockwise relative to ratchet teeth 604. The pawl teeth 642 are biased radially outward so as to engage and lock with the ratchet teeth 604 to prevent counterclockwise rotation of the pawl disc 640 relative to spool housing 602. As the pawl disc 640 and pawl teeth 642 are rotated relative to ratchet teeth 604, the pawl teeth snap into position within corresponding housing teeth 604 due to the inward and outward deflection of cantilevered pawl arms, which produces an audible “click” sound. This sound may be tailored by adjusting a thickness of the material of pawl disc 640.
Pawl disc 640 also includes a plurality of axially oriented teeth 646 (see
The keyed recess 648 and extension may function similar to teeth, 646 and 626, to transfer rotational motion applied to the knob 660 by a user to the pawl disc 640 and spool 620. To couple the components together (e.g., the spool 620, pawl disc 640, and knob 660), shaft 662 may be inserted through a centrally located aperture 627 of spool 620 and a centrally located aperture 647 of pawl disc 640 and coupled with knob 660. In some embodiments, the shaft 662 may be sonically welded with knob 660, although other shaft-knob coupling arrangements are contemplated herein, such as via interference fit, adhesive bonding, heat welding, riveting, and the like.
Pawl disc 640 provides several advantages over pawl discs of other reel assemblies. For example, the arrangement of the curved cantilever portion or member of pawl teeth 642 deflects radially outward against the ratchet teeth 604 of spool housing 602 as the lace is tensioned and/or the knob 660 is rotated backward. In this manner, the spool housing 602 supports the pawl teeth 642 as the curved cantilever portion or member presses outwardly against the spool housing 602. Further, this configuration allows the location and orientation of the pawl teeth 642 to have a more defined and precise location relative to pawl disc 640, which increases the synchronized engagement of the pawl teeth 642 with ratchet teeth 604.
In some embodiments, the spool housing 602 may include a plurality of circumferentially arranged spool housing fingers 606 or fingers that are configured to engage with an inwardly oriented flanged portion 668 of knob 660 (see
In an alternative embodiment, the spool 620 may be inserted within the spool housing 602 from a position axially below the spool housing 602. The spool 620 may be retained within the spool housing 602 via a lower or upper flange portion (not shown). In some embodiments, the shaft 662 may be relatively short component in the axial direction so that a space is provided in a central portion of the spool 620 to allow lace attachment with the spool 620 at or near the central portion.
As described briefly above, to unwind the lace, the teeth, 626 and 646, of spool 620 and pawl disc 640 may be disengaged to allow the spool to freely spin or rotate counterclockwise (or clockwise in some embodiments). Disengagement of the teeth, 626 and 646, of spool 620 and pawl disc 640 is achieved by positioning a lip 641 of pawl disc 640 axially above a ledge 663 of shaft 662 (see
As the knob 660 is moved axially upward, the inwardly oriented flanged portion 668 of knob 660 press against the spool housing fingers 606 and causes the tabs to deflect radially inward. Axially upward movement of the flanged portion 668 beyond a top surface of the spool housing fingers 606 allows the spool housing fingers 606 to resiliently return to their un-deflected position or with a slight preload for a quality feel. In this arrangement, a bottom surface of the flanged portion 668 may rest on the top surface of the spool housing fingers 606 so as to maintain the disengaged configuration or relationship of knob 660 and pawl disc 640 from spool 620. Because the flanged portion 668 may rest on the spool housing fingers 606 in this manner, the user is not required to hold the knob 660 and pawl disc 640 in the disengaged configuration. Rather, the user may pull the knob 660 axially upward so that the flanged portion 668 rests on the tab, release the knob 660, unwind the lace from spool 620, and then press the knob 660 downward to re-engage the pawl teeth 642 with the ratchet teeth 604 of spool housing 602 and to re-engage the teeth, 626 and 646, of the spool 620 and pawl disc 640 so that winding of the lace may be subsequently performed as describe above. To facilitate re-engagement of the ratchet teeth and pawl teeth, each of these components may have a chamfered or angle edge that biases the ratchet teeth and pawl teeth into an engaged orientation.
Referring now to
Base member may also include a flange 717 that is stitched into fabric of a shoe, brace, or other apparel or device. In some embodiments, base member 702 may be releasably coupled with a bayonet. Base member 702 may also include a central shaft 719 about which the spool 704 and/or core 706 rotate and/or with which the coupling mechanism 711 attaches, such as by threading a screw 711 into the shaft 719.
Lace (not shown) may be wound around the spool 704 as previously described and the spool 704 may include teeth 718 that couple with corresponding teeth of pawl disc with spring 708 or core 706. In some embodiments, pawl disc with spring 708 may include a centrally located spring 715 that couples with a bushing 710. In some embodiments the central spring may be formed of a compliant or resilient material that deflects as the bushing 710 is pushed through a central lumen of the pawl disc with spring 708. After the bushing 710 is inserted through the central lumen, the resilient material of pawl disc with spring 708 may press against the bushing 710 to couple the components together. The screw 711 may be inserted through the bushing 710 and coupled through the spool 704 to base member 702. Cover with grip 712 fits over the assembly and couples with the base member 702 to cover the assembly and provide a component that the user can grip and rotate to wind the lace.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Reel assembly 800 also includes a spool with pawls 806 that fits within the spool housing 802. Unlike the other reel assemblies described herein, reel assembly 800 does not include a separate pawl disc. Rather, the pawl teeth 805 are integrated with the spool with pawls 806 into a single component, thereby reducing the component count of reel assembly 800. As previously described, the pawl teeth 805 are biased radially outward with curved spring elements to cause the pawl teeth 805 to engage with ratchet teeth 807 of the spool housing to provide the one-way ratchet motion previously described.
Reel assembly 800 also includes a cover with grip 808 as previously described. The spool housing 802 includes spool housing fingers 801 that are spaced circumferentially around the body of the spool housing 802. In some embodiments, the fingers 801 may be an annular flange that partially or fully surrounds the spool housing 802. The fingers 801 will be referred to hereinafter as flange 801. The spool housing flange 801 interacts with a corresponding flange or grooved interior channel (see
In some embodiments, the spool with pawls 806 may include a plurality of teeth 817 positioned on a top surface that engage and interact with teeth (not shown) positioned within an interior portion of the cover with grip 808. In another embodiment, the cover with grip 808 may include a spline 814 (see
At this point the user could incrementally unwind lace if desired and push the cover with grip 808 axially downward to the closed position in which the pawls are reengaged with the ratchet teeth. To fully release the spool with pawls 806, the cover with grip 808 may be pulled further axially upward to a second position (
To allow the spline 814 to be disengaged from the aperture 813, the shaft 810 may be coupled axially below a lipped portion 821 of the spool with pawls 806 as shown in
In other embodiments, the shaft 810 may be coupled immediately below the lipped portion 821 of the spool with pawls 806 so that any upward axial motion of the cover with grip 808 is transferred to the spool with pawls 806.
As shown in
In other embodiments, the spool housing 802 may include circumferential grooves (not shown) in place of the spool housing fingers 801. A flanged portion of the cover with grip 808 may fit within the circumferential grooves of the spool housing 802 and as the cover with grip 808 is pulled axially upward, the flanged portion may slide into another circumferential groove to hold the cover with grip 808 and any coupled components in an axially raised orientation. In some embodiments, this configuration may allow the cover with grip 808 to be removed without the use of a tool. Removing the cover with grip 808 allows the spool to be exposed and lace to be easily removed and retied or attached to the spool, such as for replacement.
As previously described, in some embodiments, the reel assembly 800 may be removed to replace the lace 820 of the reel assembly.
The cover with grip 808 may then be inserted over the spool with pawls 806 and spool housing 802 so that a shaft or slug 824 is inserted through a central aperture of the spool. The spline 814 is inserted within the aperture 813 of spool with pawls 806.
The shaft 810 may then be inserted through the central aperture of spool with pawls 806 until the shaft 810 contacts the slug 824. The shaft 810 and slug 824 may then be coupled together via sonic welding, adhesive bonding, riveting, heat welding, and the like. Lace may then be fed through the spool with pawls and spool housing and the coupled components may be releasably attached to a bayonet 804 that is coupled with a shoe, brace, or other device or apparel.
In some embodiments, an interior diameter 817 of the spool housing 802 may uniform so that the spool housing does not need to include ramped portion 816. Rather, the pawl teeth 805 may be inwardly deflected prior to inserting the spool with pawls 806 within spool housing 802. The spool with pawls may then be moved axially upward until the pawl teeth 805 deflect radially outward and engage with the ratchet teeth 807. The remaining assembly process may be the same as that previously described.
Referring now to
As is evident with reference to
As previously described, the spool housing 906 includes an aperture (not numbered) that allows the lace to exit the spool housing. The geometry of the aperture may be configured to prolong the life of the lace. Similarly, the spool 910 includes a lace attachment method, such as the previously described apertures or slots. In one embodiment, the components of reel assembly 900 may be assembled by attaching the knob 902 and pawl mechanism or knob core via snap fitting or other methods. Lace may then be inserted through the lace exits (i.e., aperture) of the spool housing 906 inwardly and attached to the spool 910. The lace may then be pulled tight to seat the spool 910 into the body of the spool housing 906. The spool housing 906 may then be attached to a bayonet 912. The knob 902 may then be snapped onto the spool housing 906 by applying pressure until the knob assembly fingers 903 clear ridge 908 surrounding the outer diameter of spool housing 906.
The spool housing 972 is then coupled with a bayonet 978 such as by pressing an inwardly facing flange 973 of spool housing 972 over an outwardly facing flange 977 of bayonet 978. Alternatively, the inwardly facing flange 973 may be pressed onto a circumferential groove (not shown) of bayonet 978 or vice versa. In operation, the spool housing 972 could be turned and the rotational motion transferred to spool 974 via drive component 971, which may include teeth (not shown), a frictional force between slug 975 and dart 979, a clutch mechanism, and the like. The spool housing and bayonet could include a pawl teeth 970 and ratchet teeth (not numbered) arrangement that allow for the described one-way ratchet motion.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
The spool housing 1002 also includes a tab or coupling component 1010 that allows the spool housing 1002 to be removably coupled with the bayonet 1006. To removably couple the components, the tab 1010 may be pressed downward against a coupling protrusion 1008 of the bayonet 1006. Another tab (not shown) that is positioned on an opposite side of the spool housing 1002 may be inserted within a recess 1009 of the bayonet 1006 to lock the spool housing 1002 in position relative to the bayonet 1006. The bayonet 1006 also includes channels or ports 1007 through which the lace is inserted so as to be accessible to the spool housing 1002 and spool 1004.
As shown in
In some embodiments, the spool housing 1002 and/or the spool 1004 may include multiple slots, 1003 and 1005, to allow the spool housing 1002 and/or the spool 1004 to be removably coupled with multiple bayonets 1006 having various port 1007 configurations. The configuration of the ports 1007 and/or slots, 1003 and 1005, may allow a single spool housing 1002 to be coupled with various bayonets 1006 so as to provide a desired lace path or pattern.
Referring now to
Lace 1015 extends from base 1016 and includes a plug or slug 1017 that is coupled at a distal end of the lace 1015. In some embodiments, a length of the lace 1015 may be predetermined so that an appropriate lacing component may be selected based on the intended application. In another embodiment, the lace length may be varied or adjusted, such as by submerging nylon lace in heated water and pulling on the slug 1017 to stretch the nylon lace. After an appropriate length of lace 1015 is selected, or the lace length is adjusted as desired, the base 1016 may be coupled with the recess and the lace 1015 wound around one or more guide components 1018. The slug 1017 and distal end of the lace 1015 may then be inserted through one or more channels or ports 1013 of the spool housing 1012 and coupled with a spool 1019, such as by inserting the slug through a slot of the spool 1019 as described herein. The slug 1017 may be sized larger than the slot of the spool 1019 to prevent the lace from uncoupling from the spool 1019. Spool housing 1012 allows the lace 1015 to be easily removed and replaced as needed.
According to one embodiment, a method of forming tension member of a lacing system includes securing a material of a base portion (e.g., spool housing) and elongating the material of the base portion to form a tension member having a proximal end that is integrally attached to the base portion and a distal end opposite the proximal end. The method also includes coupling the distal end of the tension member with a spool. As described herein, the is configured for gathering the tension member to tighten an article. The method additionally includes operationally coupling the spool with a tightening component so that operation of the tightening component causes the spool to gather the tension member and thereby tighten the article. In some embodiments, securing the material of the base portion is accomplished by gripping a grip feature of the base portion, such as the above described slug. The grip feature/slug facilitates in elongating of the base portion's material. In some embodiment, elongating the material of the base portion is achievable while the material is above a threshold temperature, such as by placing the base portion in boiling water and the like.
Referring now to
The annular spring 1104 may deflect circumferentially and slightly widen in diameter as the knob 1102 is raised axially relative to spool housing 1108. The annular spring 1104 may also compress as the annular spring 1104 is moved into the secondary annular groove (not numbered) of spool housing 1108, which may hold or releasably lock the knob 1102 in the raised configuration relative to the spool housing 1108. In the raised configuration, teeth (not numbered) of the pawl disc 1106 may be disengaged from corresponding teeth (not numbered) of spool 1110 so as to allow the spool 1110, and any the lace coupled therewith, to unwind relative to spool housing 1108.
Referring now to
For example, pawl disc 1204 may include pawl teeth (not numbered) that are configured to engage with corresponding housing teeth to allow the spool 1208 to be rotated in a first direction (e.g., clockwise) while preventing rotation of the spool 1208 in a second direction (e.g., counter clockwise). The pawl disc 1204 may also include spool teeth (not numbered) that releasably engage with corresponding teeth (not numbered) of the spool 1208 to transfer a rotational force or torque input by a user on knob 1202. The pawl disc 1204 may further include a central aperture or feature that snaps around the central post of coupling component 1210 to allow the pawl disc 1204 to be moved between an engaged and disengaged state.
Referring now to
As shown in
As shown in greater detail in
As shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, coupling component 1210 includes a relatively flat bottom member that spans the spool 1208 and/or spool housing 1206 and prevents the coupling component 1210 from moving axially upward relative to the other components of reel assembly 1200.
In some embodiments, assembling the reel assembly 1200 is performed in a manner in which the reel assembly 1200 is free of a screw or other rigid fastener. For example, the pawl disc 1204 may be coupled with the knob 1202 by snapping the drive component into a recessed portion of the tightening component. Similarly, the knob 1202 may be coupled with the spool housing 1206 via snapping the knob's lip or flange over a corresponding lip or flange of the spool housing 1206. The coupling component 1210 may likewise be snapped into engagement with the bottom end of the spool housing 1206. The central boss of the coupling component 1210 may be snapped into engagement with an aperture of the pawl disc 1204 and the assembled reel assembly 1200 may be snapped into engagement with the bayonet 1212 that is positioned on a shoe or other article to be tightened. In such an embodiment, assembly of the reel assembly 1200 entirely or substantially involves snapping the various components into engagement and does not include the use of a screw, rivet, or other rigid fastener.
The part or component count of the reel assembly 1200 is also minimal, which reduces the overall manufacturing costs in producing and/or assembly the reel assembly 1200. For example, the component count of the reel assembly 1200 may be no more than about six components including: the knob 1202, the pawl disc 1204, the spool housing 1206, the spool 1208, and the coupling component 1210. In some embodiments, the bayonet 1212 may also be included in the component count. In some embodiments the reel assembly 1200 may have no more than five components and/or some of the previously described components could be combined or integrated. For example, the pawl disc 1204 could be integrated or combined with the spool 1208. In another embodiment, the coupling component 1210, and specifically the central boss that allows the assembly to remain in the engaged or disengaged position, could be integrated or combined with the spool 1208.
In some embodiments, one or more of the above components may include two or more parts that are coupled together. For example, the knob may include a main body and a grip body that is positioned on a circumferential edge of the main body. The grip body may have a coefficient of friction that is greater than the main body to enable gripping of the knob 1202. In another embodiment, the bayonet 1212 may include a mounting feature that is configured for releasably coupling with the spool housing 1206 and may include an attachment feature (e.g., stitch flange) that is configured for coupling with a shoe or other article. The mounting feature may be made of a first material and the attachment feature may be made of a second material that is softer than the first material. The softer second material may enable easy coupling or attachment of the bayonet 1212 to the shoe or other article, while the more rigid first material provides a rigid feature that enables or facilitates coupling of the bayonet with the spool housing 1206. The separate components or members may be integrally formed together via two shot molding, rf welding, sonic welding, and the like so that the resulting component is essentially similar to or functions as a single piece component.
Referring now to
The forked shaped central boss may be configured to ensure there is no or limited “slop” or rattle between the knob 1202 and the spool housing 1206. This is achieved by the interaction of the geometry of the central boss's forked profile and the pawl disc's bushing 1232, which have a preload/interference between one another. A “transition point” on the central boss's profile is important to reduce unintentional opening or axially movement of the knob 1202. The “transition point” refers to the widest portion of the central boss's radial protrusion. The central boss is configured so that the transition point is positioned axially upward from the bushing 1232 when the assembly is engaged or closed—i.e., when the assembly is in the lowered position. As such, when the knob 1202 is side loaded, which causes the knob 1202 to tilt slightly upward, the bushing 1232 remains below the central boss's transition point thereby keeping the assembly engaged or closed. The central boss's radial protrusion is also angled axially above and below the transition point to help ensure that the knob 1202 and other components remain in the open/disengaged position or the closed/engaged position as desired. The configuration and positioning of the bushing 1232 and transition point ensures that if the bushing 1232 is positioned axially above the transition point, the knob 1202 and other components will remain open/disengaged. In contrast, if the busing 1232 is positioned axially below the transition point, the knob 1202 and other components will remain closed/engaged. In some embodiments, the central boss may be made of a reinforced polymer material (e.g., 25% GF POM) to provide a sufficient stiffness and ductility, which aids in maintaining the knob 1202 and other components in the open/disengaged position or the closed/engaged position as desired.
In some embodiments, the knob 1202 and pawl disc 1204 may be axially raised or lowered by pushing or pulling on the knob 1202. In other embodiment, the knob 1202 and pawl disc 1204 may be axially raised or lowered by rotating the knob 1202 in the second direction (e.g., counterclockwise) and/or by pushing a button or other mechanism.
To facilitate in disengagement of the pawl teeth from the ratchet teeth, the pawl disc 1204 includes tabs 1236 that are positioned at a distal end of pawl teeth arms 1235 as described herein. As the pawl disc 1204 is pulled axially upward, such as via knob 1202, the tabs 1236 pull upward on the pawl teeth to facilitate disengagement of the pawl teeth from the ratchet teeth.
According to one embodiment, a method of assembling a reel assembly includes coupling a drive component (e.g., pawl disc) with a tightening component (e.g., knob). The method also includes coupling the tightening component with a top end of a housing (e.g., spool housing) so that the drive component faces an interior region of the housing. The method additionally includes inserting a spool component (e.g., spool) within a bottom end of the housing so that the spool component is positioned within the interior region of the housing and so that a top end of the spool component faces a bottom surface of the drive component. The method additionally includes coupling an attachment component with the bottom end of the housing. The attachment component includes a coupling member that couples with the drive component. Coupling the coupling member with the drive component may operationally couple the drive component and the spool component so that operation of the tightening component causes the spool component to rotate within the housing in a first direction while preventing rotation of the spool component in a second direction.
In some embodiments, one or more of the various components are assembled or coupled so that the reel assembly is free of a screw or other rigid fastener. In some embodiments, coupling the drive component with the tightening component includes snapping the drive component into a recessed portion of the tightening component. In some embodiments, coupling the tightening component with the top end of the housing includes snapping a lip of the tightening component over a corresponding lip of the housing. In some embodiments, coupling the attachment component with the bottom end of the housing includes snapping a flange of the attachment component within an aperture of the housing. In some embodiments, the method may additionally include snapping the attachment component's coupling member within an aperture of the drive component to couple said components together and/or the method may include coupling the assembled reel assembly with a mounting component that is positioned on an article to be tightened with the reel assembly.
In one embodiment, a reel assembly for tightening a shoe or other article includes a housing having an interior region and a partition that divides the interior region into an upper portion and a lower portion and a spool rotatably positioned within the lower portion of the housing's interior region axially below the partition. The partition may prevent the spool from axially moving upward into the upper portion. The reel assembly also includes a drive component that is positioned within the upper portion of the housing's interior region. The drive component may be axially moveable relative to the spool between an engaged state and a disengaged state. In the engaged state, the drive component allows the spool to rotate in a first direction within the housing's interior region while preventing rotation of the spool component in a second direction. In the disengaged state, the drive component allows the spool to rotate in the second direction within the housing's interior region.
The reel assembly also includes a tightening component that is positioned axially above the drive component and coupled therewith so that operation of the tightening component causes the spool to rotate within the housing's interior region in the first direction. The reel assembly further includes an attachment component that is positioned axially below the spool. The attachment component includes a coupling member that protrudes axially upward into the interior region of the housing and couples with the drive component.
Other embodiments described herein provide closure system components that enable a tension member to be quickly and easily coupled with the closure system. As described previously, the closure system includes a tensioning component that may be operated to tension the tension member. An exemplary tensioning component is a knob that may be grasped and rotated to tension the tension member. Other tensioning components include pull cords, motorized devices, and the like.
The closure system's tensioning component needs to be coupled with the tension member or lace so that operation of the tensioning component effects tensioning of the tension member. Coupling the tension member with the tensioning component in conventional systems is often tedious and/or difficult. For example, conventional systems often require a substantial amount of disassembly of the closure system in order to couple the tensioning component and tension member. Further, replacement of the tension member is sometimes required after considerable usage of the closure system.
Replacement of the tension member may require the use of special tools and/or considerable disassembly of the closure system. The embodiments described herein provide a means for quickly and conveniently coupling a tension member with the closure system's tensioning component and/or other components, which greatly reduces the time and money associated with manufacturing the closure systems as well as reduces the time and effort necessary to replace the tension member.
As an example of a reel based tensioning device that may be configured for quick and easy lace attachment, a housing component of the reel based tensioning device may have an interior region within which one or more other components of the reel based tensioning device are positionable and may also have a first aperture that provides a first access to the interior region from an exterior of the housing component and a second aperture that provides a second access to the interior region from the exterior of the housing component. A spool component of the reel based tensioning device may be positionable within the interior region of the housing component and may include a central cylindrical portion and a pair of flanges that are positioned on opposing ends of the central cylindrical portion with each flange extending radially outward from the central cylindrical portion. A lumen may extend through the central cylindrical portion of the spool component. Opposing ends of the lumen may be alignable with the first aperture and with the second aperture of the housing component to enable a lace to be inserted through the first aperture, through the lumen, and through the second aperture so that opposing ends of the lace are positioned exterior to the housing component while a portion of the lace is disposed within the interior region of the housing component and within the lumen of the spool component.
In some embodiments, the lumen may have a tapered region that is configured to engage with a knot that is tied in a distal end of the lace as the lace is retracted through the second aperture and within the lumen of the central cylindrical portion. A narrow portion of the lumen's tapered region may include an engagement feature, such as a notch or pocket, within which the knot engages to prevent uncoupling of the lace and spool component. The lumen may be positioned on one side of the central cylindrical component and an additional lumen may be positioned on an opposite side of the central cylindrical component. In such embodiments, opposing ends of the additional lumen may be alignable with the second aperture of the housing component and with a third aperture of the housing component to enable an additional lace to be inserted through the third aperture, through the lumen, and through the second aperture so that opposing ends of the additional lace are positioned exterior to the housing component while a portion of the additional lace is disposed within the interior region of the housing component and within the additional lumen of the spool component.
In some embodiments, an axis of the first aperture may be angled relative to an axis of the second aperture so that the axes of the tow apertures are offset or non-parallel. The housing component may include a knot securement member within which the knot is positionable so that tensioning of the lace causes the knot to cinch down on itself. The lumen may be configured to guide the lace along a non-parallel or non-straight path between the first aperture and the second aperture of the housing component. The spool component and the housing component may each include indicia that are alignable to indicate when the opposing ends of the lumen are aligned with the first aperture and the second aperture of the housing component.
According to another example of a lace tensioning device that may be configured for quick and easy coupling of the lace, a housing component of the lace tensioning device may have an interior region, a first aperture, and a second aperture. A spool component of the lace tensioning device may be rotatably positionable within the interior region of the housing component and may have a central cylindrical member and a lumen that extends through the central cylindrical portion. The spool may be rotatable within the interior region of the housing component to align one end of the lumen with the first aperture and to align an opposite end of the lumen with the second aperture to enable a lace to be inserted through the first aperture, the lumen, and the second aperture so that opposing ends of the lace are positioned exterior to the housing component.
The lumen that extends through the central cylindrical portion may have a tapered region that is configured to engage with a knot that is tied in a distal end of the lace as the lace is retracted through the second aperture and within the lumen of the central cylindrical portion. A narrow portion of the lumen's tapered region may include a lace engagement feature, such as a notch or pocket, within which the knot engages to prevent uncoupling of the lace and spool component. An axis of the first aperture may be angled relative to an axis of the second aperture so that the axes of the two apertures are not aligned. The first aperture may be positioned toward a front portion of the housing component and the second aperture may be positioned toward a rear portion of the housing component so that when the lace is inserted through the first aperture, the lumen, and the second aperture, the lace extends from the front portion of the housing component, through the spool component, and rearward of the rear portion of the housing component. The housing component may include a knot securement member within which the knot is positionable so that tensioning of the lace causes the knot to cinch down on itself.
Referring now to
As shown in
When the knob 1302 is positioned in the axially lowered position, the axially extending teeth 1304 of the knob 1302 matingly engage with the corresponding axially extending teeth 1313 of the spool 1310. Engagement of the corresponding teeth of the knob 1302 and spool 1310 causes the spool 1310 to be rotated in a first direction as the knob 1302 is grasped and rotated in the first direction by a user. Rotation of the spool 1310 in the first direction results in a lace (not shown) being wound around an annular channel 1312 or central post of the spool 1310, which results in tensioning of the lace.
When the knob is positioned in the axially raised position, the axially extending teeth 1304 of the knob 1302 disengage with the corresponding axially extending teeth 1313 of the spool 1310, which allows the spool 1310 to rotate in a second direction opposite the first direction. Rotation of the spool 1310 in the second direction results in the lace being unwound from the annular channel 1312 of the spool, which results in the loosening or releasing of the tension in the lace. In the above manner, a user may tension the lace upon rotation of the knob 1302 in the first direction with the knob 1302 positioned in the axially lowered position, and may release tension on the lace by pulling axially upward on the knob 1302 to disengage the teeth of the knob 1302 and spool 1310. As shown in
Referring again to
The housing 1320 may be uncoupled from the bayonet in an opposite manner. Specifically, the tab 1334 of the bayonet may be deflected radially outward, using a flathead screwdriver or other tool, and the housing 1320 may be pulled axially upward and out of engagement with the bayonet 1330. Removal of the housing 1320 causes the spool 1310 and knob 1302 to likewise be uncoupled or detached from the bayonet 1330. Accordingly, the bayonet 1330 enables the housing 1320 and other closure system components to be releasably coupled with the article. The bayonet may include indicia 1338 that identifies the release tab 1334 to a user.
The housing 1320 includes lace entrance ports 1322 (also described herein as first and third apertures) within which the lace is inserted to access the spool 1310. Positioned roughly opposite the lace entrance ports 1322 is an exit port (also described herein as a second aperture) that functions to enable easy attachment of the lace with the spool as describe herein. A bottom surface of the housing 1320 includes indicia 1327, such as an arrow, that may be aligned with the indicia 1317 of the spool 1310 to indicate a proper alignment between the spool 1310 and housing 1320 for attachment of the lace. Stated differently, a user may align the indicia 1317 (e.g., arrow) of the spool 1310 with the indicia 1327 (e.g., arrow) of the housing 1320 to properly align the spool 1310 within the housing 1320 for attachment of the lace.
Referring now to
Although
Referring now to
In the aligned state, the first channel 1316 of the spool 1310 aligns with the entrance port 1322 of the housing 1320 while the spool's second channel 1314 aligns with the housing's exit port 1324.
As illustrated in
Engagement of the knot 1362 with the engagement portion 1318 and/or second channel 1314 attaches the lace 1360 to the spool 1310, which couples the lace 1360 with the knob 1302 via operational engagement between the knob 1302 and spool 1310. As such, operation of the knob 1302 effects tensioning of the lace 1360 via winding of the lace around the spool's annular channel 1312. To replace the lace 1360, a user may easily decouple the housing 1320 from the bayonet 1330 as described above, align the spool 1310 with the housing 1320, insert the lace 1360 through the housing 1320 and spool 1310, tie a knot 1362 in the lace 1360, and pull the lace into engagement with the engagement portion 1318 and/or second channel 1314. The housing 1320 may then be reattached or coupled with the bayonet 1330. The above described lace attachment process does not involve a significant disassembly of the closure system's components. Rather, a user merely needs to remove the housing 1320 from the bayonet 1330 in order to reattach or replace the lace 1360. As such, far less time and energy is required to replace or reattach the lace in comparison to conventional systems.
Detachment of the housing 1320 from the bayonet 1330 may only be necessary to ensure a proper alignment of the spool 1310 with housing 1320 since the indicia of the spool and housing are located on the bottom surfaces of the respective components. As illustrated in
In this embodiment, the housing 1320 does not need to be decoupled or detached from the bayonet 1330 to ensure that the spool 1310 is properly aligned with the housing 1320. Because the housing 1320 and bayonet 1330 may remain coupled together, minor issues with attaching the lace may be prevented. For example, in some instances in which the housing 1320 is removed from the bayonet 1330, it may be possible to cross the ends of the lace 1360 so that each lace end is inserted within the wrong entrance port 1322 of the housing 1320, which results in the lace 1360 being crisscrossed upon reattachment of the housing 1320 with the bayonet 1330. This potential problem is eliminated if the housing 1320 remains coupled to the bayonet 1330 since it is visibly evident how the lace 1360 and housing 1320 will be arranged prior to insertion of the lace 1360 within the housing's entrance ports 1322.
Referring now to
A knot 1362 formed using the process of
In accordance with the above disclosure, in some embodiments a method of coupling a lace with a spool component of a reel assembly may include obtaining or providing a housing component having an interior region, a first aperture, and a second aperture, and a spool component having a central cylindrical member and a lumen that extends through the central cylindrical portion. The method may also include positioning the spool component within the interior region of the housing component so that the spool component is rotatable within the interior region. The method may further include rotating the spool component within the interior region of the housing component to align one end of the central cylindrical member's lumen with the first aperture (e.g., entrance port of the housing component) and to align an opposite end of the central cylindrical member's lumen with the second aperture (e.g., exit port of the housing component). The method may additionally include inserting a distal end of the lace through the first aperture, through the lumen, and through the second aperture so that the distal end and a proximal end of the lace are positioned exterior to the housing component.
The method may additionally include tying a knot in the distal end of the lace and retracting the distal end of the lace through the second aperture of the housing component so that the knot in the distal end of the lace engages with the central cylindrical member's lumen to prevent the distal end of the lace from being retraced through the first aperture of the housing component and thereby uncoupling the lace from housing component and spool. In some embodiments, the lumen of the central cylindrical member may include a tapered region that engages with the knot in the distal end of the lace. In such embodiments, a narrow portion of the tapered region may include an engagement portion, such as a notch or pocket, within which the knot is positioned when the knot engages with the central cylindrical member's lumen to prevent the distal end of the lace from being retraced through the first aperture. In some embodiments, an axis of the first aperture is non-parallel to an axis of the second aperture, or is otherwise angled relative to an axis of the second aperture. In some embodiments, the housing component includes a knot securement member within which the knot is positionable so that tensioning of the lace causes the knot to cinch down on itself.
While several embodiments and arrangements of various components are described herein, it should be understood that the various components and/or combination of components described in the various embodiments may be modified, rearranged, changed, adjusted, and the like. For example, the arrangement of components in any of the described embodiments may be adjusted or rearranged and/or the various described components may be employed in any of the embodiments in which they are not currently described or employed. As such, it should be realized that the various embodiments are not limited to the specific arrangement and/or component structures described herein.
In addition, it is to be understood that any workable combination of the features and elements disclosed herein is also considered to be disclosed. Additionally, any time a feature is not discussed with regard in an embodiment in this disclosure, a person of skill in the art is hereby put on notice that some embodiments of the invention may implicitly and specifically exclude such features, thereby providing support for negative claim limitations.
Having described several embodiments, it will be recognized by those of skill in the art that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. Additionally, a number of well-known processes and elements have not been described in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. Accordingly, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.
Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limits of that range is also specifically disclosed. Each smaller range between any stated value or intervening value in a stated range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range is encompassed. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included or excluded in the range, and each range where either, neither or both limits are included in the smaller ranges is also encompassed within the invention, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included.
As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a process” includes a plurality of such processes and reference to “the device” includes reference to one or more devices and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth.
Also, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” “include,” “including,” and “includes” when used in this specification and in the following claims are intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, components, or steps, but they do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, steps, acts, or groups.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/006,171 filed Aug. 28, 2020, entitled “Integrated Closure Device Components and Methods,” which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/103,761 filed Aug. 14, 2018, entitled “Integrated Closure Device Components and Methods,”, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/991,788 filed Jan. 8, 2016, entitled “Integrated Closure Device Components and Methods,” which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/297,047 filed Jun. 5, 2014, entitled “Integrated Closure Device Components and Methods,” which claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 61/831,259 filed Jun. 5, 2013, entitled “Integrated Closure Device Components and Methods.” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/991,788 also claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 62/101,283 filed Jan. 8, 2015, entitled “Closure System Components for Enabling Easy Attachment of Lace.” The entire disclosure of all above reference applications are hereby incorporated by reference, for all purposes, as if fully set forth herein.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17006171 | Aug 2020 | US |
| Child | 17450263 | US | |
| Parent | 16103761 | Aug 2018 | US |
| Child | 17006171 | US | |
| Parent | 14991788 | Jan 2016 | US |
| Child | 16103761 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14297047 | Jun 2014 | US |
| Child | 14991788 | US |
