Reel based closure system
AssigneeBoa Technology Inc.
InventorsGary Hammerslag, Michael Mayberry, Mark Soderberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a closure system used in combination in any of a variety of applications including clothing, for example as a footwear lacing system comprising a lace attached to a tightening mechanism. The lace extends through a series of guide members positioned along two opposing footwear closure portions. The lace and guides preferably have low friction surfaces to facilitate sliding of the lace along the guide members so that the lace evenly distributes tension across the footwear member. The tightening mechanism allows incremental adjustment of the tension of the lace. The closure system allows a user to quickly loosen the lace and inhibits unintentional and/or accidental loosing of the lace.
Claims17
A closure device comprising:
- a housing having an interior region;
- a spool rotatably positioned within the interior region of the housing, the spool being configured so that a tension member is windable about the spool as the spool is rotated in a first direction within the interior region of the housing and so that the tension member is unwindable from about the spool as the spool is rotated in a second direction within the interior region of the housing;
- a knob coupled with the housing and operationally coupled with the spool so that the knob is rotatable about the housing to cause the spool to rotate within the housing in the first direction;
- a load holding assembly that is operationally coupled with the spool to allow the spool to rotate in the first direction within the interior region of the housing and to prevent rotation of the spool in the second direction in response to tension being applied to the tension member;
- and
- a gear assembly that is configured so that a torsional force applied to the spool is greater than a force applied to the knob.
A closure device comprising:
- a housing;
- a spool rotatably positioned within an interior of the housing, the spool being configured so that a tension member is windable about the spool as the spool is rotated in a first direction and so that the tension member is unwindable from about the spool as the spool is rotated in a second direction;
- a knob operationally coupled with the spool so that a rotation of the knob causes the spool to rotate in the first direction;
- a gear assembly that is configured so that a torsional force applied to the spool is greater than a force applied to the knob;
- and
- a load holding assembly that is operationally coupled with the spool to allow the spool to rotate in the first direction and to prevent rotation of the spool in the second direction;
- wherein the knob is axially moveable relative to the housing to disengage the load holding mechanism and gear assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.