Failure compensating lace tension devices and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10952503-B2
Application number	US-201715596526-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2017
Priority date	Sep 13, 2013
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lacing system for tightening an article comprising:
a tension member;
a plurality of guide members positioned about the article and operably coupled with the tension member to guide the tension member along a path about the article;
a tightening mechanism that is operably coupled with the tension member and configured to tension the tension member to a first level of tension to effect tightening of the article; and
a stop member coupled with a continuous section of the tension member that extends continuously between a pair of guide members of the plurality of guide members, the stop member being coupled with the tension member so that the stop member is substantially fixed in position about the tension member, the stop member being configured upon breakage of the tension member to remain coupled with the tension member and engage with at least one of the plurality of guide members so as to maintain a second level of tension in the tension member and thereby maintain a tightness of the article, wherein the second level of tension is less than the first level of tension and greater than a nominal level of tension.

2. The lacing system of claim 1 , wherein the stop member is configured to couple with the tension member subsequent to coupling of the tension member with the article.

3. The lacing system of claim 1 , wherein the stop member includes a main body and a lumen that extends through the main body, and wherein the lumen is configured so that a loop formed in the tension member is insertable through the lumen of the stop member in order to couple the stop member with the tension member.

4. The lacing system of claim 1 , wherein the stop member is larger than an opening of the at least one of the plurality of guide members to prevent the stop member from being pulled through the at least one of the plurality of guide members.

5. A method for maintaining tension in a tension member upon breakage of the tension member, the tension member being used to tighten an article, the method comprising:
in an article comprising:
a tension member;
a plurality of guide members positioned about the article and operably coupled with the tension member to guide the tension member along a path about the article; and
a tightening mechanism that is operably coupled with the tension member and configured to tension the tension member to a first level of tension to effect tightening of the article;

coupling a stop member with a continuous section of the tension member that extends continuously between a pair of guide members of the plurality of guide members so that the stop member is substantially fixed in position about the tension member, the stop member being configured to remain coupled with the tension member and engage with at least one of the plurality of guide members upon breakage of the tension member so as to maintain a second level of tension in the tension member and thereby maintain a tightness of the article, wherein the second level of tension is less than the first level of tension and greater than a nominal level of tension.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the stop member is configured to couple with the tension member subsequent to coupling of the tension member with the article.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the stop member includes a main body and a lumen that extends through the main body, and wherein the lumen is configured so that a loop formed in the tension member is insertable through the lumen of the stop member in order to couple the stop member with the tension member.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the stop member is larger than an opening of the at least one of the plurality of guide members to prevent the stop member from being pulled through the at least one of the plurality of guide members.

9. The lacing system of claim 1 , wherein the stop member is coupled with the tension member such that the tension member extends from opposing sides of the stop member and is axially aligned with an axis of the stop member.

10. The lacing system of claim 1 , wherein the stop member is pre-fit with the tension member prior to coupling the tension member with the article.

11. The lacing system of claim 1 , wherein the stop member is positioned on a distal end of the path about the article and positioned between a pair of opposing guide members such that the path about the article is divided in equal halves.

12. The lacing system of claim 1 , wherein the stop member is further configured so that upon breakage of the tension member and engagement of the stop member with the at least one of the plurality of guide members, the tightening mechanism is further operable to increase the tension in the tension member.

13. The method of claim 5 , wherein the stop member is coupled with the tension member such that the tension member extends from opposing sides of the stop member and is axially aligned with an axis of the stop member.

14. The method of claim 5 , wherein the stop member is pre-fit with the tension member prior to coupling the tension member with the article.

15. The method of claim 5 , wherein the stop member is positioned on a distal end of the path about the article and positioned between a pair of opposing guide members such that the path about the article is divided in equal halves.

16. The method of claim 5 , wherein the stop member is further configured so that upon breakage of the tension member and engagement of the stop member with the at least one of the plurality of guide members, the tightening mechanism is further operable to increase the tension in the tension member.

17. A lacing system for tightening an article comprising:
a plurality of guide members positioned about the article and configured to guide a tension member along a path about the article, the tension member including:
a first portion that is operably coupled with a first set of guide members and that is guided about a first path along the article via the first set of guide members; and
a second portion that is operably coupled with a second set of guide members and that is guided about a second path along the article via the second set of guide members;

a tightening mechanism that is operably coupled with the tension member and that is configured to tension the tension member to effect tightening of the article; and
a stop member that is coupled with the tension member on a distal end of the first path and the second path such that the tension member is divided in roughly equal halves, the first portion and the second portion are axially aligned with an axis of the stop member, and the first portion extends from one side of the stop member and the second portion extends from an opposite side of the stop member;
wherein the stop member is coupled with a continuous section of the tension member that extends continuously between a pair of guide members of the plurality of guide members; and
wherein the stop member is configured to remain coupled with the tension member and to engage with a distal guide member upon breakage of the tension member so as to maintain a level of tightness of the article.

18. The lacing system of claim 17 , wherein the stop member is configured to couple with the tension member subsequent to coupling of the tension member with the article.

19. The lacing system of claim 17 , wherein the stop member is larger than an opening of the distal guide member to prevent the stop member from being pulled through the distal guide member.

20. The lacing system of claim 17 ,

Assignees

• Boa Tech Inc

Inventors

• Trudel Thomas
• Irwin Eric Craig
• Whewell Eric

Classifications

• B65H75/4471

  Housing enclosing the reel · CPC title

• B65H75/4431

  Manual stop or release button · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• F16G11/12

  Connections or attachments, e.g. turnbuckles, adapted for straining of cables, ropes, or wire (straining wire in general B21F9/00) · CPC title

• A43C11/165 Primary

  characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation · CPC title