US 9,867,430 B2Granted

Reel based closure system

AssigneeBoa Technology Inc.

InventorsGary Hammerslag, Mark Soderberg, Christopher K. Holmes, Peter F. Costa, Bruce K. Johnson

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

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.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A reel based closure system, comprising:

a housing, comprising an outer housing wall with housing teeth on an inner surface of the outer housing wall, wherein the outer housing wall defines an interior region;
a spool rotatably positioned within the interior region of the housing, the spool comprising:
an upper flange;
an annular channel that receives a tension member as the spool rotates within the interior region of the housing, wherein as the spool rotates in a first direction within the interior region of the housing, the tension member winds about the channel, and wherein as the spool rotates in a second direction within the interior region of the housing, the tension member unwinds from about the channel;
and
a spool tooth coupled to the upper flange of the spool;
a knob comprising an axially extending protrusion, the knob being rotatably coupled with the housing;
a pawl component disposed within the housing and operationally coupled to the knob and the spool, the pawl component comprising:
a first pawl member that is configured to engage with the housing teeth;
and
a second pawl member that is engagable with the spool tooth and transitionable between a first position and a second position, wherein the second pawl member engages the spool tooth in the first position to prevent rotation of the spool in the second direction, and wherein the second pawl member is disengaged from the spool tooth in the second position to enable the spool to rotate in the second direction and thereby unwind the tension member;
wherein the second pawl member transitions from the first position to the second position as the knob rotates the axially extending protrusion into contact with the second pawl member.

9 more elements

A reel based closure system comprising:

a housing having teeth operationally coupled therewith;
a spool rotatably disposed within the housing, the spool being coupled with a tension member such that as the spool rotates in a first direction, the tension member winds about the spool and as the spool rotates in a second direction, the tension member unwinds from about the spool;
a knob rotatably coupled with the housing;
a pawl component disposed between the knob and the spool and operationally coupled therewith, the pawl component comprising:
a first pawl member that engages with the teeth operationally coupled with the housing;
and
a second pawl member that is engagable with the spool and that transitions between a first position and a second position, wherein:
in the first position, the second pawl member engages with the spool to prevent rotation of the spool in the second direction, and
in the second position, the second pawl member is disengaged from the spool to enable rotation of the spool in the second direction;
wherein a rotation of the knob in the second direction causes the second pawl member to transition from the first position to the second position while the first pawl member remains engaged with the teeth operationally coupled with the housing.

7 more elements

A shoe tensioning system, comprising:

a shoe;
a tension member coupled to the shoe;
a reel based tensioning system coupled to the shoe and the tension member, the reel based tensioning system comprising:
a housing having housing teeth disposed on an inner surface of the housing;
a spool rotatably disposed within the housing, the spool being coupled with the tension member such that rotation of the spool in a first direction winds the tension member about the spool and rotation of the spool in a second direction unwinds the tension member from about the spool;
a knob rotatably coupled with the housing;
and
a pawl component disposed between the knob and the spool and operationally coupled therewith, the pawl component comprising:
a first pawl member that engages with the housing teeth;
and
a second pawl member that is engagable with the spool and transitionable between a first position and a second position such that in the first position, the second pawl member engages with the spool to prevent rotation of the spool in the second direction, and in the second position, the second pawl member is disengaged from the spool to enable rotation of the spool in the second direction;
wherein rotation of the knob in the second direction causes the second pawl member to transition from the first position to the second position.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/083,638Filed 29 Mar 2016 · continuation
Priority: 12 Jun 2003
Published: US 2016/0206047 A121 Jul 2016
Granted: 16 Jan 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

A43C 11/165
Fastenings secured by wire, bolts, or the like: characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation
A43B 5/16
Footwear for sporting purposes: skating boots
A43B 5/1666
Skating boots: characterised by the upper
A43C 1/00
Shoe lacing fastenings

Family

Application10/459,843Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 12 Jun 2003
Application60/623,341Us provisional application · filed 29 Oct 2004
Application60/704,831Us provisional application · filed 2 Aug 2005
Application11/263,253Parent of this continuation · filed 31 Oct 2005
Application11/842,009Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Aug 2007
US 7,591,050 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 22 Sep 2009
Application13/343,658Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Jan 2012
US 8,091,182 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Jan 2012
Application14/228,075Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Mar 2014
Application14/565,262Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Dec 2014
US 2016/0206047 A1Pre-grant publication · published 21 Jul 2016
US 9,339,082 B2Parent of this continuation
Application11/263,253Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2003/0204938 A1Published application
US 2006/0156517 A1Published application
US 2008/0060168 A1Published application
US 2012/0246974 A1Published application
US 2015/0033519 A1Published application
US 2015/0089835 A1Published application
US 9,743,714 B2Related patent
US 9,867,430 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.