Failure compensating lace tension devices and methods
First Claim
1. A reel for tightening an article comprising:
- a base member that is coupleable with the article;
a housing positioned atop the base member and removeably coupleable therewith, the housing having an interior region;
a spool positioned within the interior region of the housing and rotatable relative thereto, the spool having a central post about which a tension member is wound;
a knob member that is coupled with the spool and configured to cause the spool to rotate within the interior region of the housing in a first direction to wind the tension member about the spool'"'"'s central post; and
a load holding mechanism coupled with the spool and the housing, the load holding mechanism comprising a first friction element and a second friction element that are frictionally engageable to prevent rotation of the spool in a second direction opposite the first direction to prevent unwinding of the tension member from the spool'"'"'s central post, wherein;
the first friction element and the second friction element remain engaged as the spool is rotated in the first direction and the second direction;
rotation of the knob member in the first direction decreases the frictional engagement of the first friction element and the second friction element to enable rotation of the spool in the first direction, andtension in the tension member biases the spool toward rotation in the second direction which increases the frictional engagement of the first friction element and the second friction element and thereby prevents unwinding of the tension member from the spool'"'"'s central post.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A reel for tightening an article includes a housing and a spool positioned within the housing. A knob is coupled with the spool to cause the spool to rotate within the housing and thereby wind a tension member about a central post of the spool. A load holding mechanism is coupled with the spool and the housing and includes a first friction element and a second friction element that are frictionally engageable to prevent rotation of the spool in a second direction to prevent unwinding of the tension member from the spool'"'"'s central post. Rotation of the knob in a first direction reduces frictional engagement of the friction elements to enable rotation of the spool in the first direction and tension in the tension member biases the spool toward rotation in the second direction which increases the frictional engagement of the friction elements.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A reel for tightening an article comprising:
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a base member that is coupleable with the article; a housing positioned atop the base member and removeably coupleable therewith, the housing having an interior region; a spool positioned within the interior region of the housing and rotatable relative thereto, the spool having a central post about which a tension member is wound; a knob member that is coupled with the spool and configured to cause the spool to rotate within the interior region of the housing in a first direction to wind the tension member about the spool'"'"'s central post; and a load holding mechanism coupled with the spool and the housing, the load holding mechanism comprising a first friction element and a second friction element that are frictionally engageable to prevent rotation of the spool in a second direction opposite the first direction to prevent unwinding of the tension member from the spool'"'"'s central post, wherein; the first friction element and the second friction element remain engaged as the spool is rotated in the first direction and the second direction; rotation of the knob member in the first direction decreases the frictional engagement of the first friction element and the second friction element to enable rotation of the spool in the first direction, and tension in the tension member biases the spool toward rotation in the second direction which increases the frictional engagement of the first friction element and the second friction element and thereby prevents unwinding of the tension member from the spool'"'"'s central post. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A reel for tightening an article comprising:
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a housing having an interior region and a base that is attachable to the article; a spool positioned within the interior region of the housing and rotatable relative thereto, the spool having a central post about which a tension member is wound; a knob member that is coupled with the spool and configured to cause the spool to rotate within the interior region of the housing in a first direction to wind the tension member about the spool'"'"'s central post; and a load holding mechanism coupled with the spool and the housing, the load holding mechanism comprising a first friction element and a second friction element that are frictionally engageable to prevent rotation of the spool in a second direction opposite the first direction to prevent unwinding of the tension member from the spool'"'"'s central post, wherein; the first friction element and the second friction element remain engaged as the spool is rotated in the first direction and the second direction; rotation of the knob member in the first direction decreases the frictional engagement of the first friction element and the second friction element to enable rotation of the spool in the first direction, and tension in the tension member biases the load holding mechanism into increased frictional engagement of the first friction element and the second friction element and thereby prevents unwinding of the tension member from the spool'"'"'s central post. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for assembly a shoe with a reel based mechanism comprising:
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providing a reel that includes; a base member; a housing having an interior region; a spool positioned within the interior region of the housing and rotatable relative thereto, the spool having a central post about which a tension member is wound; a knob member that is coupled with the spool and configured to cause the spool to rotate within the interior region of the housing in a first direction to wind the tension member about the spool'"'"'s central post; and a load holding mechanism coupled with the spool and the housing, the load holding mechanism comprising a first friction element and a second friction element that are frictionally engageable to prevent rotation of the spool in a second direction opposite the first direction to prevent unwinding of the tension member from the spool'"'"'s central post, wherein; rotation of the knob member in the first direction decreases the frictional engagement of the first friction element and the second friction element to enable rotation of the spool in the first direction, and tension in the tension member biases the load holding mechanism into increased frictional engagement of the first friction element and the second friction element; the first friction element comprises a pair of hubs positioned within a lumen of the spool and the second friction element comprises a spring that is wound about the pair of hubs and configured to constrict about an outer surface of the pair of hubs to prevent rotation of the spool in the second direction; a first one of said pair of hubs is fixedly coupled with the housing and a second one of said pair of hubs is fixedly coupled with the knob member, the second one of said pair of hubs being configured to rotate relative to the first one of said pair of hubs when frictional engagement of the spring and said pair of hubs is reduced, and the second one of said pair of hubs being rotatably locked to the first one of said hubs when frictional engagement of the spring and said pair of hubs is increased; and coupling the base member with the article. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification