Guides and components for closure systems and methods therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12185794-B2
Application number	US-202217672564-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2022
Priority date	Sep 5, 2013
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a component for attachment to an article includes an upper component that is made of a thermoplastic material having a first melting temperature and a flange member that is molded onto the upper component and made of a thermoplastic elastomer material having a second melting temperature that is lower than the first melting temperature of the upper component. The flange member extends laterally from a bottom end of the upper component so that a bottom surface of the flange member is flush with or positioned axially below a bottom surface of the upper component. The melting temperature of the thermoplastic elastomer material enables the flange member to be directly coupled to the article via heat welding and the like without substantially affecting the upper component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reel based closure device for tightening an article comprising:
a housing having an interior region;
a tension member;
a spool rotatably positioned within the interior region of the housing, the spool defining a central axis; and
a coupling component that is separate from the tension member and that engages with a distal end of the tension member so that the coupling component is fixed about the tension member; wherein:
the spool includes a channel that extends through a centrally positioned cylindrical body of the spool, the channel including a main body and opposing openings; and
the channel comprises an open channel that enables the tension member to be radially inserted within the channel relative to the central axis to attach the tension member to the spool; and
the main body and opposing openings of the open channel are formed on a cylindrical surface of the cylindrical body.

2. The reel based closure device of claim 1 , wherein the coupling component comprises a main body and at least one aperture through which the tension member is inserted to couple the tension member with the coupling component.

3. The reel based closure device of claim 2 , wherein the coupling component is a crimp or ferrule.

4. The reel based closure device of claim 1 , wherein the coupling component is larger than a smallest diameter of the channel such that when coupled with the tension member, the coupling component prevents the tension member from being retracted through the channel and uncoupled from the spool.

5. The reel based closure device of claim 1 , wherein the open channel includes a garage or enlarged distal end within which the coupling component is positioned, and wherein the main body is smaller than the coupling component such that the coupling component cannot be pulled proximally through the main body.

6. A system for coupling a tension member to a spool of a reel based closure system, the system comprising:
the tension member;
the spool; and
a coupling component that is separate from the tension member and that engages with a distal end of the tension member so that the coupling component is fixed about the tension member; wherein:
the spool includes a channel that extends through a cylindrical body of the spool;
the coupling component is insertable through the channel; and
the channel includes a one way fastening mechanism that is configured to flex or bend as the coupling component is inserted distally through the one way fastening mechanism and that is further configured to prevent the coupling component from being pulled proximally through the one way fastening mechanism.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the coupling component comprises a main body and at least one aperture through which the tension member is inserted to couple the tension member with the coupling component.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the coupling component is a crimp or ferrule.

9. A method of coupling a tension member with a reel based closure device comprising:
inserting the tension member through a channel of a spool of the reel based closure device, the spool including a central cylindrical body and the channel including a main body and opposing openings;
coupling a distal end of the tension member with a coupling component that is separate from the tension member to fix the coupling component about the distal end of the tension member;
retracting the tension member through the channel of the spool so that the coupling component engages with the channel and thereby prevents the tension member from being pulled through the spool's channel;
wherein the tension member is inserted entirely through the channel along a plane that is orthogonal to a central axis of the spool; and
wherein each opening of the opposing openings is formed on a cylindrical surface of the central cylindrical body.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the coupling component includes a main body having at least one aperture, and wherein the method further comprises inserting the distal end of the tension member through the aperture and fixing the coupling component to the tension member.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the coupling component frictionally engages with the distal end of the tension member so that no trimming or cutting of the tension member is required after the coupling component is secured to the tension member.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tension member is retracted within the channel of the spool so that the coupling component does not extend radially outward beyond an outer wall of a cylindrical body member of the spool.

13. A system for coupling a tension member to a spool of a reel based closure system, the system comprising:
the tension member;
the spool having a central cylindrical body about which the tension member is wound; and
a coupling component that is separate from the tension member and that engages with a distal end of the tension member so that the coupling component is fixed about the tension member; wherein:
the spool defines a central axis and includes a channel that extends through the central cylindrical body of the spool;
the channel includes a main body and opposing openings that are positioned in a plane orthogonal to the central axis;
the tension member is insertable through the main body and opposing openings of the channel to engage the coupling component with the distal end of the tension member and thereby attach the tension member to the spool; and
each opening of the opposing openings is formed on a cylindrical surface of the cylindrical body.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the coupling component comprises a main body and at least one aperture through which the tension member is inserted to couple the tension member with the coupling component.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the coupling component is a crimp or ferrule.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the coupling component is larger than a smallest diameter of the channel such that when coupled with the tension member, the coupling component prevents the tension member from being retracted through the channel and uncoupled from the spool.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the channel is open to enable the tension member to be radially inserted within the channel.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the channel includes a one way fastening mechanism that is configured to flex or bend as the coupling component is inserted distally through the one way fastening mechanism and that is further configured to prevent the coupling component from being pulled proximally through the one way fastening mechanism.

Assignees

• Boa Tech Inc

Inventors

• Lovett Kristopher
• Cavanagh Andrea
• Burns Robert
• Soderberg Mark
• Kerns Mark
• Nickel Michael
• Capra James
• Minkin Ilya
• Vladika Brett
• Cavanagh Sean
• Dickensheets David

Classifications

• F16G11/02

  with parts deformable to grip the cable or cables; Fastening means which engage a sleeve or the like fixed on the cable · CPC title

• A43C11/008

  Combined fastenings, e.g. to accelerate undoing or fastening · CPC title

• A43C11/004

  Fastenings fixed along the upper edges of the uppers · CPC title

• A43C5/00

  Eyelets (machines for setting eyelets A43D100/00) · CPC title

• A43C3/02

  Lacing-hooks with guide rollers · CPC title