Tension limiting mechanisms for closure devices and methods therefor
First Claim
1. A reel for use with a lacing system 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, the spool having an annular channel formed therein;
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;
a tension member coupled with the spool so as to be tensioned by winding the tension member around the spool'"'"'s annular channel upon rotation of the knob;
a pawl mechanism including at least one pawl arm that engages with teeth in a ratchet like manner as the knob is rotated in a tightening direction; and
a tension control mechanism that is operationally coupled with the pawl mechanism so that while the at least one pawl arm remains engaged with the teeth, the tension control mechanism enables tensioning of the tension member by rotation of the knob in the tightening direction until a tension threshold is achieved, after which further rotation of the knob in the tightening direction does not cause further tensioning of the tension member; and
allows rotation of the spool within the housing'"'"'s interior region upon tensioning of the tension member from the article.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
According to an embodiment, a device for tightening an article includes a housing having an interior region and a spool positioned within the interior region and rotatable relative thereto. A tightening mechanism is operably coupled with the spool to cause the spool to rotate within the interior region of the housing. A tension member is coupled with the spool and is configured to be tensioned upon rotation of the spool via the tightening mechanism. The device also includes a tension limiting mechanism that allows the tension member to be tensioned via the tightening mechanism until a tension threshold is achieved. After the tension threshold is achieved, further operation of the tightening mechanism does not substantially tension the tension member due to the tension limiting mechanism.
465 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A reel for use with a lacing system for tightening an article comprising:
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a housing having an interior region; a spool positioned within the interior region of the housing and rotatable relative thereto, the spool having an annular channel formed therein; 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; a tension member coupled with the spool so as to be tensioned by winding the tension member around the spool'"'"'s annular channel upon rotation of the knob; a pawl mechanism including at least one pawl arm that engages with teeth in a ratchet like manner as the knob is rotated in a tightening direction; and a tension control mechanism that is operationally coupled with the pawl mechanism so that while the at least one pawl arm remains engaged with the teeth, the tension control mechanism enables tensioning of the tension member by rotation of the knob in the tightening direction until a tension threshold is achieved, after which further rotation of the knob in the tightening direction does not cause further tensioning of the tension member; and allows rotation of the spool within the housing'"'"'s interior region upon tensioning of the tension member from the article. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A device for tightening an article comprising:
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a housing having an interior region; a spool rotatably positioned within the interior region of the housing; a knob that is coupled with the housing so that the knob is rotatable in a tightening direction relative to the housing; a tension member coupled with the spool and configured to be tensioned upon rotation of the spool via rotation of the knob in the tightening direction; a pawl mechanism that is operationally coupled with the knob, the pawl mechanism including at least one pawl arm that engages with teeth in a ratchet like manner as the knob is rotated in the tightening direction; and a tension limiting mechanism that is operationally coupled with the pawl mechanism so that while the at least one pawl arm remains engaged with the teeth, the tension limiting mechanism enables the tension member to be tensioned via rotation of the knob in the tightening direction until a tension threshold is achieved, after which further rotation of the knob in the tightening direction does not further substantially tension the tension member. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for assembling a device for tightening an article comprising:
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providing a housing having an interior region; positioning a spool within the interior region of the housing so that the spool is rotatable within the interior region of the housing; operably coupling a knob with the housing so that the knob is rotatable in a tightening direction relative to the housing; coupling a tension member with the spool so that the tension member is tensionable upon rotation of the spool via rotation of the knob in the tightening direction; operably coupling a pawl mechanism with the knob, the pawl mechanism including at least one pawl arm that engages with teeth in a ratchet like manner as the knob is rotated in the tightening direction; and operably coupling a tension limiting mechanism with the pawl mechanism and spool so that while the at least one pawl arm remains engaged with the teeth, the tension limiting mechanism enables the tension member to be tensioned via rotation of the knob in the tightening direction until a tension threshold is achieved, after which further rotation of the knob in the tightening direction does not further tension the tension member. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification