Reel based lacing system

A mechanism for tightening an article comprising:

• a housing having an interior region;
• a spool positioned within the interior region of the housing and rotatable relative thereto;
• an incremental tightening mechanism that is operably coupled with the spool to cause the spool to incrementally rotate within the interior region of the housing in a first direction by sequential engagement of an arm with a plurality of depressions in a ratchet like manner, wherein incremental rotation of the spool in the first direction incrementally winds a tension member about the spool;
• an incremental release mechanism that is operably coupled with the spool to cause the spool to incrementally rotate within the interior region of the housing in a second direction by sequential disengagement of the arm from the plurality of depressions, wherein incremental rotation of the spool in the second direction incrementally unwinds the tension member from about the spool;
• and
• a full release mechanism that is configured upon actuation to enable free rotation of the spool in the second direction by fully disengaging the arm from the plurality of depressions and thereby enable full unwinding of the tension member from about the spool.

A method of winding and unwinding a tension member about a spool of a reel, the reel being used for tightening an article, the method comprising:

• accessing a reel comprising:
• a housing having an interior region;
• a spool positioned within the interior region of the housing and rotatable relative thereto;
• a knob rotatable relative to the housing and operably coupled with the spool to cause the spool to rotate within the interior region of the housing;
• an incremental release mechanism;
• and
• a full release mechanism;
• rotating the knob in a first direction relative to the housing to cause a corresponding rotation of the spool within the interior region of the housing and a sequential engagement of an arm with a plurality of depressions in a ratchet like manner to thereby incrementally wind the tension member about the spool;
• operating the incremental release mechanism to cause the spool to incrementally rotate in a second direction within the interior region of the housing by sequential disengagement of the arm from the plurality of depressions to thereby incrementally unwind the tension member from about the spool;
• and
• actuating the full release mechanism to fully disengage the arm from the plurality of depressions and thereby enable full unwinding of the tension member from about the spool upon free rotation of the spool in the second direction within the interior region of the housing.