RATCHET ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM

Abstract

A ratchet adjustment system has an elongated adjustment strip with teeth extending along the strip. The teeth form a ratchet mechanism when ends of the strip are inserted into a locking mechanism having a base plate and locking devices. The strip ends are inserted into the locking devices from opposite directions, so that the system forms a closed circle. The circumference of the system is reduced by pressing opposite sides of the strip together so that the insertion ends are inserted further through the locking devices, and the circumference is increased by pulling the strip away from the locking devices. Depending on the geometry of the teeth and locking devices, the amount of force needed to reduce and increase the circumference could be equal, or the amount of force required to reduce the circumference could be less than the amount required to increase the circumference.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an adjustment system for increasing and decreasing the circumference of an article, such as a sleeve cuff. In particular the invention relates to an adjustment system using a ratcheting device to adjust the circumference of the article.

2. The Prior Art

In some articles of apparel, such as jacket sleeve cuffs and pant cuffs in athletic clothing, the size of the cuff needs to be adjusted to be more secure around the wrist or ankle of the user. Traditionally, this adjustment was accomplished via a strap that could be tightened around the cuff, either with a buckle or a hook-and-loop type closure, such as VELCRO®.

The disadvantage to using a buckle is that the buckle is very cumbersome and uncomfortable to adjust with only one hand, which is necessary in the case of a sleeve cuff. In particular, if the size is too small, it can be difficult to use the buckle or release it with a single hand, especially if the user is wearing gloves. The disadvantage to using the hook and loop type closure is that the rough surfaces on the closure parts attract a significant amount of debris, which can be unsightly and decrease the adhesiveness of the parts. These closures can also be unattractive, as they have to be placed around the outside of the cuff in order to be operable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a ratchet adjustment system in which the circumference of the cuff or other article can be adjusted using the fingers of only one hand, and which is not visible from the outside of the cuff or other article.

These and other objects are accomplished by a ratchet adjustment system having an elongated adjustment strip having two longitudinal sides, two insertion ends and a plurality of teeth extending longitudinally along the strip. Alternatively, two separate strips could be used, each with at least one insertion end.

There is a locking mechanism comprising a base plate with two locking devices for engaging the strip ends. In one embodiment, each locking device is disposed in a housing into which the insertion ends are inserted. In another embodiment, the locking devices can be disposed in a single housing into which the insertion ends are inserted from opposite directions. The teeth and locking devices engage each other in a ratcheting manner, so that the locking devices engage the teeth in a particular position until a force is applied to release them and move to a different position. The insertion ends of the adjustment strip are inserted into the locking devices from opposite sides of the base plate, so that the system creates a closed circle.

In a preferred embodiment, each of the teeth is generally triangular and has a forward side facing the front end and a rearward side facing the rear end, such that a length of each of the forward sides is greater than a length of each of the rearward sides so that an angle created between a longitudinal axis of the elongated adjustment strip and the forward side is less than an angle between the longitudinal axis and the rearward side of each tooth.

In this embodiment, each locking device is adapted to flex under a first minimum amount of force to allow the strip end to move along the locking mechanism in a forward direction to a desired position and then grip the teeth in the desired position when less than the first minimum amount of force is exerted. The locking devices are adapted flex further under a second minimum amount of force that is greater than the first minimum amount of force to allow the elongated adjustment strip to move in a rearward direction, with the ends moving away from each other. The locking devices in each of the housings are arranged facing opposite directions, so that one insertion end is inserted from one side of the base plate, and the other insertion end is inserted from an opposite side of the base plate. While this specific arrangement of the teeth and locking devices aids in keeping the mechanism from inadvertently releasing, the system can also function with teeth that have a symmetrical geometry, and a symmetrical locking device, so that equal amounts of force can be used to tighten and release the system. Other arrangements of the teeth and locking devices could also be envisioned, such as teeth along the sides of the strip, along the bottom, etc. In addition, a safety lock could also be used, to lock the system into a particular position once that position has been reached.

In another embodiment, the elongated adjustment strip is formed from two strip segments that extend from a connecting plate. The strip segments can be separate from or integrally formed with the connecting plate. If the segments are separate from the connecting plate, they can be manufactured identical to each other and mounted to the connecting plate facing in opposite directions.

The adjustment system according to the invention is ideally adapted for adjusting the circumference of a cuff or other closed circular object. The system can be mounted on the inside surface of the cuff or object, where it cannot be seen, thus making the article on which it is mounted more attractive. Outside mountings are also suitable. The advantage of the inside mount is that the system is not exposed to the environment, and is protected from extreme weather and washing, so that it is more durable. The system of the present invention also has the advantage of not damaging other items of clothing. For example, a hook-and-loop type closure has the risk of damaging knit fabric if it contacts the fabric. The present invention does not have any parts that would catch on fabric.

With the system of the present invention, the cuff or other article can then be tightened with a single action using just two fingers of one hand, by pressing the strip ends toward each other through the locking devices until a desired tightness has been reached. The cuff can be enlarged by pulling the strip ends away from each other through the locking devices to force the strip ends backward through the housings. If the mechanism is mounted on a sleeve cuff, this operation could also be accomplished by pulling on the sleeve away from the arm. This operation can be performed using just a single finger of one hand, so that the adjustment mechanism is simple and convenient to use. Thus, no extra control button is required, and even when the system is hidden inside the article, it can be quickly and easily adjusted with one hand, even while wearing gloves.

In one embodiment, the teeth extend upwardly away from the base plate, and the locking devices each comprise a housing having a resilient arm extending from an underside of the base plate. Each resilient arm has a downwardly-extending projection that engages the teeth of the strip when the strip ends are inserted through the housings. The resilient arms with the projections could also be mounted in a single housing, separated from each other so that the strip ends do not interfere with each other.

The adjustment mechanism according to the invention can have a cover plate connected to the base plate. The cover plate can extend over the housings and have openings for receiving the strip ends. Thus, the locking mechanism can be covered and protected from dirt and damage during use. Preferably the cover plate snaps onto the base plate and can be pried off if access to the inside is required.

In one embodiment, each of the longitudinal sides of the strip forms a side wall extending up to at least a height of the teeth. This allows for the strip ends to be guided more easily into the locking devices, as well as providing stability and stiffness to the strips. This stiffness is required in order to allow the mechanism to be tightened and loosened with one hand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views;

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the ratchet adjustment system according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the strip segments and connecting plate;

FIG. 2A shows an enlarged view of the strip segments from callout IIA in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of one of the strip segments inserted into one of the housings in the locking mechanism;

FIG. 3A shows an enlarged view from callout IIIA showing the locking arm engaging the teeth of one of the strip segments;

FIG. 4 shows an end view of the locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the locking mechanism according to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a top view of the cover plate according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 7 shows a view of the system according to the invention being used to tighten a cuff with two fingers; and

FIG. 8 shows the system according to the invention being mounted on a cuff and loosened with one finger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now in detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows the adjustment system 1 according to the invention. System 1 comprises an elongated adjustment strip having two strip segments 10, 10′ that have ends 19, 19′ attached to a connecting plate 20. The other ends 18 of strips 10, 10′ are inserted into a locking mechanism 30, having a cover plate 31. The adjustment strip could also be integrally formed in one piece, either with or without connecting plate 30.

FIGS. 2 and 2A show strip segments 10, 10′ in further detail. Each of strip segments 10, 10′, has a plurality of teeth 11 extending along the length of strip segments 10, 10′. Each tooth 11 points upward away from the base of strip segments 10, 10′. Each strip segment 10, 10′ has a side wall 12 extending along each of the longitudinal sides of strip segment 10, 10′.

FIGS. 3 and 3A show how strip segment 10 interacts with locking mechanism 30 to adjustably hold strip segment 10 in place. Locking mechanism 30 consists of a base 32 and two housings 33. Each housing 33 has a top surface 34 with a flexible locking arm 35. Flexible locking arm 35 has a downwardly-extending projection 36.

As can be seen in FIG. 3A, each tooth 11 on strip segment 10 has forward side 13 facing the front end 18 and a rearward side 14 facing the rear end 19. A length of each of the forward sides 13 is greater than a length of each of the rearward sides 14 so that an angle α created between a longitudinal axis L of the adjustment strip segment 10 and the forward side 13 is less than an angle β between the longitudinal axis L and the rearward side 14 of each tooth 11. Similarly, projection 36 is shaped to conform to rest between each of teeth 11 when strip segment 10 is inserted into housing 33. To adjust strip segment 10 in the forward direction, strip segment 10 is pushed so that locking arm 35 flexes under a first amount of force to allow strip segment 10 to move in the forward direction and allow the projection 36 to come to rest between two teeth. To adjust strip segment 10 in the rearward direction, a greater amount of force is required to allow locking arm 35 to flex beyond the clearance of teeth 11, because the angle that arm 35 must overcome is much greater in the rearward direction that in the forward direction. This keeps strip segment 10 from being inadvertently released in the rearward direction, and allows for easy adjustment in the forward direction.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, housings 33 are mounted on base 32 facing in opposite directions, so that strip segment 10 can be inserted from one direction, and strip segment 10′ can be inserted from the other direction. Thus, the movement direction of ends 18 of strip segments 10, 10′ is toward and away from each other, not in the same direction. The housings are situated so that the strips are inserted opposite to each other, but offset, so that they do not touch or interfere with each other as the strips travel through housings 33. Thus, the forward directions of strip segments 10 and 10′ are opposite one another. This allows the system to be tightened by pressing the strips toward one another so that each of the strips is moving in its respective forward direction. In order to loosen the system, the strip segments must be pulled backward out of the housings, in opposite directions from each other. It requires less force for the strip segments to move in the forward direction than in the backward direction, so the strips cannot inadvertently be loosened.

FIG. 6 shows a view of the cover plate 31, which can be snapped onto the base 32 of locking mechanism 30. Cover plate 30 has apertures 37 for accommodating housings 33, as well as slots 38 to allow for the infeed of strip segments 10, 10′. In addition, there are tabs 39 extending out from the sides of cover plate 31, which fit in between tabs 41 of locking mechanism 30 when cover plate 31 is snapped on top of locking mechanism 30. Tabs 39, 41 help to align cover plate 31 with locking mechanism 30.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the system 1 in use for adjusting the circumference of a cuff. The system 1 can be used to adjust the circumference of any circular or cylindrical article. In this embodiment, the system 1 according to the invention is attached to the inside surface of a cuff 50, and can be tightened and loosened to adjust the circumference of cuff 50 around a user's wrist. In order to tighten cuff 50, the user pushes strip segments 10, 10′ toward each other in the direction arrows 70, 71, with their thumb 60 and finger 61, so that strips 10, 10′ are inserted farther within locking mechanism 30. This movement of strip segments 10, 10′ is the forward direction of strip segments 10, 10′ so only a small amount of force is required to move the teeth of the strips past the protrusion in each of the housings, as described previously. Once the desired tightness has been reached, the geometry of the teeth 11 of each of the strip keeps the strip segments from inadvertently becoming disengaged from locking mechanism 30.

As shown in FIG. 8, in order to loosen system 1, the user pulls on strip segments 10 or 10′ with finger 73 to pull strip segments 10, 10′ backward out of locking mechanism 30. This pulling action takes significantly more force than the pushing action required to tighten system 1, because of the ratcheting mechanism created by the relationship between teeth 11 and projection 36, as explained previously. Once the desired amount of looseness has been achieved, the backward pulling action is released, and the system is then locked into a new position. Thus the system can be easily tightened with just a thumb and finger of one hand, and the system can be loosened with a single finger. This allows for very convenient adjustment of a cuff width. The system can be hidden on the inside of the cuff 50, so that it cannot be seen from the outside.

Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An adjustment system comprising: an elongated adjustment strip having two longitudinal sides, two insertion ends and a plurality of teeth extending longitudinally along the strip; anda locking mechanism comprising a base plate with two locking devices for engaging the teeth of the strip in a ratcheting manner when each of the insertion ends is inserted into a respective locking device,wherein the locking devices are arranged so that one insertion end of the strip is inserted from one side of the base plate, and the other insertion end is inserted into the locking device from an opposite side of the base plate to create a closed circle formed by the adjustment strip and base plate, with the insertion ends extending in opposite directions, andwherein a circumference of the system is reduced by pressing opposite sides of the strip together so that the insertion ends are inserted further through the locking devices, and wherein the circumference is increased by pulling the strip away from the locking devices.

2. The adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein each of said teeth has a forward side facing a closest insertion end, and a rearward side facing away from the closest insertion end, wherein a length of each of the forward sides is greater than a length of each of the rearward sides so that an angle created between a longitudinal axis of the elongated adjustment strip and the forward side is less than an angle between the longitudinal axis and the rearward side of each tooth.

3. The adjustment system according to claim 2, wherein each locking device is adapted to flex under a first minimum amount of force to allow the strip to move along the locking mechanism in a forward direction to a desired position and then engage the teeth in the desired position when less than the first minimum amount of force is exerted, and wherein each locking device is adapted flex further under a second minimum amount of force that is greater than said first minimum amount of force to allow the strip to move in a rearward direction.

4. The adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein each of said teeth extends upwardly from the strip.

5. The adjustment system according to claim 1, further comprising a cover plate connected to the base plate, said cover plate having openings for receiving the strips.

6. The adjustment system according to claim 5, wherein the cover plate snaps on to the base plate.

7. The adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment strip comprises a connecting plate with two strip segments extending in opposite directions from the connecting plate, each strip segment having one of the insertion ends and a plurality of said teeth.

8. The adjustment system according to claim 7, wherein the strip segments are integrally formed with the connecting plate.

9. The adjustment system according to claim 7, wherein the strip segments are removable from the connecting plate.

10. The adjustment system according to claim 4, wherein the locking devices each comprise housing and a resilient arm extending from an underside of the housing and having a projection, each of said projections engaging the teeth of the elongated adjustment strip when the insertion ends are inserted through the housings.

11. The adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein each of the longitudinal sides forms a side wall extending up to at least a height of the teeth.

12. The adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment system is attached to an inside surface of a circular article, such that the article is tightened by pushing the insertion ends toward each other through the locking devices in a forward direction, and wherein the circular article is enlarged by pulling at least one of the strips in a rearward direction out of one of the locking devices.