Reel based lacing system

A method of making a reel for use in a lacing system, the method comprising:

• providing a housing, the housing comprising a plurality of housing teeth;
• placing a spool within the housing such that the spool is rotatable with respect to the housing, the spool comprising a channel formed therein, the channel configured to collect a lace therein to tighten the lacing system as the spool is rotated in a tightening direction and to release lace therefrom to loosen the lacing system as the spool is rotated in a loosening direction;
• and
• attaching a knob to the housing such that the knob is rotatable with respect to the housing and such that the knob is coupled to the spool so that rotation of the knob causes the spool to also rotate;
• wherein the knob comprises one or more pawls, and at least one of the one or more pawls comprises a pawl beam and a pawl spring, wherein the pawl beam and pawl spring are integrally formed, wherein the pawl beam and the pawl spring extend from a pawl base in the same general direction and the pawl spring is curved away from the pawl beam, wherein the pawl beam is movable between a first position and a second position and the pawl spring is configured to bias the pawl beam toward the first position, wherein the pawl beam comprises one or more pawl teeth configured to engage the housing teeth when the pawl beam is in the first position to prevent the knob from rotating in the a loosening direction when a loosening force is applied to twist the knob in the loosening direction, and wherein the one or more pawl teeth are displaced away from the housing teeth to the second position when the knob is twisted in the tightening direction to allow the knob and spool to rotate in the tightening direction.

A pawl for use with a reel in a lacing system, the pawl comprising:

• a pawl beam having one or more pawl teeth configured to interface with housing teeth on a housing of the reel, the pawl beam being movable between a first position and a second position;
• and
• a pawl spring integrally formed with the pawl beam, the pawl spring configured to bias the pawl beam toward the first position;
• wherein the pawl beam and the pawl spring extend from a pawl base in the same general direction and the pawl spring is curbed away from the pawl beam, wherein the one or more pawl teeth are configured to engage the housing teeth when the pawl beam is in the first position to prevent the pawl from moving in a loosening direction when a loosening force is applied to pawl, and wherein the one or more pawl teeth are configured to disengage from the housing teeth when the pawl beam is in the second position to allow the pawls to move in a tightening direction.

A reel for use in a lacing system, the reel comprising:

• a housing comprising a plurality of housing teeth;
• a spool supported by the housing, wherein the spool is rotatable with respect to the housing, the spool comprising a channel formed therein, the channel configured to collect a lace therein to tighten the lacing system as the spool is rotated in a tightening direction and to release lace therefrom to loosen the lacing system as the spool is rotated in a loosening direction;
• and
• a knob supported by the housing, wherein the knob is rotatable with respect to the housing, the knob being coupled to the spool such that rotation of the knob causes the spool to also rotate;
• wherein the knob comprises one or more pawls configured to interface with the housing teeth, wherein at least one of the one or more pawls comprises a flexible pawl arm attached to the knob at a first end and having one or more pawl teeth formed on a second end, wherein the pawl arm is configured to flex in a first direction as the knob is rotated in the tightening direction such that the one or more pawl teeth are displaced away from the housing teeth to allow the knob to rotate in the tightening direction, wherein the pawl arm is configured such that when a loosening force is applied to twist the knob in the loosening direction, the one or more pawl teeth engage the corresponding housing teeth to prevent the knob from rotating in the loosening direction, and the loosening force causes the flexible pawl arm to flex in a second direction toward the housing teeth such that the flexible pawl arm abuts against the housing teeth to prevent the flexible pawl arm from buckling under the loosening force.