Belt ratcheting device

• US 10,602,807 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2019
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jezekiel Ben-Arie
• Original Assignee: Jezekiel Ben-Arie
• Inventors: Ben-Arie, Jezekiel
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandy, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Upchurch, David M
• Application Number:
  US16/297,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20190200710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 388 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41F 9/002 Free belts
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/00 Shoe lacing fastenings garment fastening devices A41F
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/14 Clamp fastenings , e.g. strap fastenings; Clamp-buckle fastenings; Fastenings with toggle levers
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/20 Fastenings with tightening devices mounted on the tongue
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 7/04 Hinged devices
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 7/08 Clamps drawn tight by laces
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/12 turnable clamp
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/105 Clamps holding in one direction only

Abstract

The Belt Ratcheting Device (BRD) facilitates unidirectional belt fastening and fast release. The BRD has a turning gate rotatably installed diagonally in a channel. The turning gate has a tapered front end with sharp edge with a smooth side. A preloaded spring keeps the BRD in active state when the release lever is not pulled. The BRD has two states: “active” and “inactive”. In the active state the device works as a belt ratchet i.e. allowing the belt to be pulled forwards but restricting any belt motion backwards. After fastening, the belt remains fastened until the BRD is switched into inactive state by manually pulling the lever. The BRD doesn'"'"'t employ serrated surfaces, which cause accelerated belt wear. Instead, the BRD'"'"'s smooth side and channel'"'"'s smooth surfaces minimize belt wear. BRDs facilitate garment belt fastening or belt fastening of footwear.

Claims

1. A ratcheting device configured for releasably fastening a belt;

wherein the ratcheting device comprising a channel and said belt;

wherein the channel being configured to receive a portion of the belt therethrough;

said channel further includes a gripping wall being adapted with a surface configured to engage said belt;

the ratcheting device has an active state and an inactive state;

wherein in said active state the ratcheting device is configured to restrict translation of the belt in the channel in a backwards direction and to facilitate translation of the belt in the channel in a forwards direction;

wherein in said inactive state the ratcheting device is configured to facilitate translation of the belt both in said forwards direction and in said backwards direction;

the ratcheting device further comprising;

a turning gate, and

a spring;

the turning gate being rotationally engaged with the channel at a fulcrum, wherein the turning gate comprises a front end and a rear end opposite the front end;

the turning gate is installed at a diagonal orientation with respect to the forwards direction;

the front end is disposed diagonally opposite the gripping wall within the channel;

wherein the belt is configured to pass through a gap between the front end and the gripping wall;

wherein the front end is configured to exert a pressure force on the belt when the turning gate is turned backwards;

wherein the front end is configured to exert the pressure force on the belt against the surface of the gripping wall;

wherein, the front end is configured to increase the pressure force on the belt when the turning gate is turned increasingly backwards, and the front end is configured to reduce the pressure force on the belt when the turning gate is turned increasingly forwards;

at the active state, the front end is configured to exert the pressure force on the belt and the front end is configured to frictionally engage the belt and to turn forwards the turning gate when the belt is translated in said forwards direction;

also, at the active state the front end is configured to frictionally engage the belt and to turn backwards the turning gate when the belt is translated in said backwards direction;

wherein, forwards translation of the belt is facilitated by turning increasingly forwards the turning gate and consequently diminishing the pressure force of the front end on the belt;

whereas backwards translation of the belt is restricted by turning increasingly backwards the turning gate and consequently increasing the pressure force of the front end on the belt;

at the inactive state of the ratcheting device, the front end is configured not to exert said pressure force on the belt and the belt translation is facilitated both in the forwards direction and in the backwards direction;

the spring is preloaded and configured to apply a backwards turning force on the turning gate which is configured to apply said pressure force on the belt by the front end;

the rear end is being configured as a lever for manually turning the turning gate forwards and diminishing the pressure force exerted by the front end on the belt;

the rear end is being configured as a lever for manually turning the ratcheting device into the inactive state.

2. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein said fulcrum comprises an axle which is fitted into a bearing.

3. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein said spring is a torsion spring;

the torsion spring has a helical wire structure made of a resilient wire with a first wire end and a second wire end;

wherein said torsion spring is installed preloaded with a bias which is configured to apply said backwards turning force on the turning gate.

4. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein said front end is tapered and ends with a sharp edge, which has a smooth side;

wherein, the sharp edge is configured to concentrate said pressure force on the belt when the turning gate is turned backwards while the front end engages the belt;

wherein, the smooth side is configured to engage the belt when the turning gate is turned forwards;

whereby, the smooth side is configured to restrict said belt wear when the belt is translated in the forwards direction.

5. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein the surface of the gripping wall comprises a smooth surface;

wherein, the smooth surface is configured to restrict said belt wear when the belt is fastened at said active state and also when said belt is translated in said inactive state.

6. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein the ratcheting device further comprising one or more bulges disposed on the surface of the gripping wall;

wherein said bulge is configured to cause an additional bending of the belt due to said pressure force;

wherein, said additional bending is configured to increase a mutual friction force between the belt and the surface of the gripping wall when said ratcheting device is in said active state and the belt is pulled in said backwards direction.

7. The ratcheting device of claim 3, wherein said ratcheting device further comprising a rear spring support;

said rear spring support further comprising;

a rear pin attached to said channel;

wherein said first wire end is supported by said rear pin;

wherein said second wire end is supported by said turning gate.

8. The ratcheting device of claim 3, wherein said ratcheting device further comprising a front spring support;

wherein said first wire end is supported by said channel and said second wire end is supported by said turning gate.

9. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein said belt further comprises a first belt end and a second belt end;

wherein said ratcheting device is configured for said belt fastening by tying said second belt end to said ratcheting device and fastening said first belt end with said ratcheting device;

wherein, when the belt is fastened, said first belt end is configured to pull said ratcheting device in said forwards direction, while second belt end is configured to pull in said backwards direction the belt ratcheting device.

10. The ratcheting device of claim 4, wherein said sharp edge is split into at least two split sharp edges each with a split smooth side;

wherein, each of the split sharp edges is configured to concentrate said pressure force on the belt when the turning gate is turned backwards;

wherein, each of the split smooth sides is configured to engage the belt when the turning gate is turned forwards;

whereby, each of the split smooth sides is configured to restrict said belt wear when the belt is translated in the forwards direction.

11. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein at least one ratcheting device which is anchored to a footwear item, is configured to fasten said belt which is attached to the footwear item.