Cord lock
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsYuki Aihara, Kevin C. Sze
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cord lock includes various components used to slidably adjust a cord length, such as one or more housing components that releasably clamp around the cord. In one aspect, the cord lock includes an arrangement of magnets that bias the cord-lock housing components away from one another, in order to secure the cord between the housing components. The housing components can be pressed towards one another to slidably adjust the cord. In a further aspect, the cord lock may also include a magnetized excess-cord retainer that attaches to a portion of the cord and that releasably attaches to the cord lock in order to help gather excess cord pulled through the cord lock.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing a cord lock, the method comprising:
- forming a housing, comprising:
- a base,
- one or more sidewalls extending from the base to at least partially define a plunger-receiving space, the one or more sidewalls including a first through-channel, and
- a first magnet that has a first pole with a first polarity and a second pole with a second polarity, the first magnet positioned in the plunger-receiving space;
- and
- forming a plunger, comprising:
- a second through-channel that is alignable with the first through-channel when the plunger is positioned in the plunger-receiving space, and
- a second magnet that has a third pole with a first polarity and a fourth pole with a second polarity, wherein the first polarity of the first pole and the first polarity of the third pole are a same polarity, and wherein the first pole and the third pole are oriented towards each other when the plunger is received in the plunger-receiving space so that the first polarity of the first pole and the first polarity of the third pole bias the second magnet away from the first magnet to dealign the first through-channel and the second through-channel.
A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising:
- coupling a first connection component to an article layer;
- coupling a cord lock to the article layer, the cord lock comprising:
- a housing, comprising:
- a base,
- one or more sidewalls extending from the base to at least partially define a plunger-receiving space, the one or more sidewalls having a first through-channel,
- a first magnet that has a first pole with a first polarity and a second pole with a second polarity, the first magnet positioned in the plunger-receiving space, and
- a second connection component;
- and
- a plunger, comprising:
- a second through-channel that is alignable with the first through-channel when the plunger is positioned in the plunger-receiving space, and
- a second magnet that has a third pole with a first polarity and a fourth pole with a second polarity, wherein the first polarity of the first pole and the first polarity of the third pole are a same polarity, and wherein the first pole and the third pole are oriented towards each other when the plunger is received in the plunger-receiving space so that the first polarity of the first pole and the first polarity of the third pole bias the second magnet away from the first magnet to dealign the first through-channel and the second through-channel,
- wherein coupling the cord lock to the article layer comprises coupling the first connection component to the second connection component.
A cord lock, comprising:
- a housing having a first through-channel;
- a plunger having a second through-channel that is alignable with the first through-channel, wherein the housing and the plunger are movably coupled to each other and at least partially enclose an interior volume;
- a first magnet positioned in the interior volume;
- and
- a second magnet positioned in the interior volume,
- wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are oriented within the interior volume so that a repelling force between the first magnet and the second magnet biases the second magnet away from the first magnet to dealign the first through-channel and the second through-channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.