JP7701232B2 - Lacing device and method of manufacturing same - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a lacing device and a method for manufacturing the same.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a string tightening device that is mainly composed of a knob, a spool, and a housing, as shown in FIG. 3 of the document. The tip of a pawl on the spool enters a recess in the housing. A driven part is provided on the spool, and is driven by a drive part on the knob (see FIG. 19 of the document for the drive part). As can be seen from FIG. 24 of the document, the knob's drive part presses the driven part of the spool when the knob rotates. As can be seen from FIG. 25 of the document, the knob's drive part presses the pawl on the spool when the knob rotates. In this way, the string is unwound from the spool or retrieved into the spool.

Patent document 2 discloses a configuration in which the claws of a base member engage with an annular gear provided on a dial (see, for example, Figures 1 and 8 of the same document). Figure 29 of the same document discloses fixing an annular portion onto the annular wall of the drum storage portion. The above-mentioned claws are formed by partially cutting out the annular portion.

European Patent No. 2378911 JP 2018-23614 A

In a lacing device, the housing that houses the spool is required to have mechanical strength or stability to hold the spool. To achieve this, holes are provided in the housing and the string is passed through the holes to the inside and outside of the housing. However, in such cases, the work of passing the string through the holes is burdensome, which is an obstacle to improving the manufacturing efficiency of the lacing device. As can be understood from the above explanation, the inventor of the present application has discovered a new problem of making it easier to handle the string during assembly while suppressing a decrease in the mechanical strength of the housing.

A lacing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a spool that can rotate about an axis for winding or unwinding a lace, a housing including a cylindrical portion extending along the axis to define an accommodation space for the spool, and a ring-shaped member attached to the cylindrical portion of the housing. The cylindrical portion is formed with one or more slits extending from one end of the cylindrical portion to the other end along the axis, and the slits include a first portion located on the one end side of the cylindrical portion and a second portion located on the other end side of the cylindrical portion. The ring-shaped member is attached to the cylindrical portion such that the ring-shaped member covers the first portion of the slit to form a passage for the lace in the second portion of the slit.

A method of manufacturing a lacing device according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes the steps of attaching a string to a spool, placing the spool inside the tubular portion of the housing, introducing the string into a slit formed in the tubular portion of the housing so as to extend from one end to the other end, and attaching a ring-shaped member to the tubular portion so as to cover a first portion of the slit on one end side of the tubular portion and form a passage for the string in a second portion of the slit on the other end side of the tubular portion.

In some embodiments, the cylindrical portion of the housing is provided with a row of teeth, and the slit is provided across the row of teeth.

In some embodiments, the first portion of the slit is a narrow portion located midway between adjacent teeth in the tooth row.

In some embodiments, the second portion of the slit is a wide portion that is spatially connected to the narrow portion at a position adjacent to the narrow portion. The cylindrical portion may include a pair of opposing walls that define the wide portion, and a pair of protrusions that protrude toward each other from the pair of walls that define the narrow portion.

In some embodiments, the slit has two or more different widths in its extension direction, and the minimum width of the two or more different widths is set to a range that crosses at least the tooth row.

In some embodiments, a row of teeth is formed on the inside of one end of the tubular portion, and a ring-shaped member is attached to the outside of one end of the tubular portion.

In some embodiments, the ring-shaped member has a rib that fits into at least a first portion of the slit.

In some embodiments, the ring-shaped member has a rib that fits into at least a first portion of the slit, and the height of the rib is set so that when the ring-shaped member is attached to the cylindrical portion, the top surface of the rib is positioned at a depth position equivalent to the bottom of the recess between the teeth of the tooth row.

In some embodiments, the housing has a flat plate portion with a cylindrical portion standing upright, and the flat plate portion has a hole that is spatially connected to the slit.

In some embodiments, the one or more slits include four or more slits.

In some embodiments, the lacing device further includes a cover disposed on the spool and the housing and engaging with the spool to control the engagement state of the spool and the housing. Based on the engagement of the engagement portion of the spool with the engagement portion of the housing, the spool may be positionable with respect to the housing at constant or different angular intervals with respect to the axis. The engagement portion of the housing is a row of teeth formed on the inner wall surface of the cylindrical portion of the housing, the engagement portion of the spool is an arm portion that can swing radially with respect to the axis, and the cover may be provided with a first protrusion for pressing the arm portion.

In some embodiments, a slot is formed in the spool, and a second protrusion is provided on the cover that is inserted into the slot, and the second protrusion is configured to be able to press against the wall of the slot to transmit a rotational force from the cover to the spool.

In some embodiments, all parts of the lacing device are made from non-metallic materials.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to easily handle strings during assembly while suppressing a decrease in the mechanical strength of the housing.

FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a lacing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a lacing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, with a loop of lace extending from the lacing device; FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the lacing device with the cover removed. FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the lacing device with the fasteners removed. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the lace tightening device taken along dashed line X5-X5 in FIG. 4. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the spool and cover assembly showing the underside of the spool. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the lower surface of the housing. FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic top view showing an engagement state between the spool and the housing. FIG. 13 is a schematic top view showing the relationship between the pitch of teeth in a tooth row and the angular range of slots. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram referred to in explaining the movement of the tip of the spool arm from one recess in the tooth row of the housing to another adjacent recess. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram referred to in explaining the movement of the tip of the spool arm from one recess in the tooth row of the housing to another adjacent recess. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram referred to in explaining the movement of the tip of the spool arm from one recess in the tooth row of the housing to another adjacent recess. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a string being inserted into a slit in a cylindrical portion of a housing. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing how a string is inserted into a slit in a cylindrical portion of a housing and then a rib of a ring-shaped member fits into the slit. FIG. 13A to 13C are schematic diagrams showing variations in which a rib is selectively fitted into a wide portion of a slit. This is a schematic diagram showing a variation in which a spool is connected to a spring via a shaft. The string is automatically wound onto the spool by the operation of the spring. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing another variation in which the housing and the cover are provided upside down.

Various embodiments and features will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 18. Those skilled in the art will be able to combine the various embodiments and/or features without the need for excessive explanation, and will also be able to understand the synergistic effects of such combinations. In principle, overlapping explanations between embodiments will be omitted. The reference drawings are primarily intended to describe the invention, and have been simplified for ease of drawing. Each feature is not only valid for the lacing device and manufacturing method thereof disclosed in this application, but is understood to be a universal feature that is also applicable to various other lacing devices and manufacturing methods thereof that are not disclosed in this specification. For ease of explanation, this specification will be described assuming that the axis AX described below coincides with the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lacing device 1 includes a spool 10, a housing 20, a ring-shaped member 30, a cover 40, and a fastener 50. The lacing device 1 has an axis AX that coincides with the rotation axis of the spool 10, and the housing 20, spool 10, ring-shaped member 30, cover 40, and fastener 50 are arranged on the axis AX (i.e., coaxially). The spool 10 and cover 40 can rotate around the axis AX in relation to the housing 20, which is a stationary member. The spool 10 rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the cover 40, and the string is unwound from the lacing device 1 or wound up by the lacing device 1. The lacing device can also be simply called a reel.

The lace tightening device 1 is sufficiently thin in the assembled state (see FIG. 2), and therefore can be used not only for shoes but also for clothing. For example, the lace tightening device 1 can be used to hem trousers or skirts, or to adjust the waist of trousers or skirts. Of course, it can also be used for other purposes that require lace tightening, such as shoes, bags, backpacks, and hiking backpacks.

Details of the assembly of the lacing device 1 will be described later, but in summary, as can be seen from Figures 1 to 3, a spool 10 with a lacing (not shown in Figure 3) attached in advance is placed inside a housing 20, a ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the housing 20, a cover 40 is placed on the housing 20, and a fastener 50 is fastened to the housing 20. The lacing is a flexible wire, for example, a string made of natural or chemical fibers, or a resin wire.

In some embodiments, the spool 10 is provided with an engagement portion (e.g., arm portion 80) and the housing 20 is provided with an engagement portion (e.g., tooth row 70), which can be engaged as a pair. Based on this engagement, the spool 10 is positioned relative to the housing 20 at constant or different angular intervals (e.g., 15°, 30°, or 45°) with respect to the axis AX. This ensures gradual or stepwise rotation of the spool 10 (e.g., for adjusting the length of the string pulled out from the string tightening device 1). Unintentional rotation of the spool 10 due to a pulling force applied to the string can also be prevented.

The following provides a more detailed explanation. Figure 4 is a schematic top view of the lacing device. Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the lacing device taken along dashed line X5-X5 in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the spool and cover assembly, showing the underside of the spool. Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the underside of the housing. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the underside of the cover. Figure 9 is a schematic top view showing the engagement state of the arm portion of the spool and the tooth row of the cylindrical portion of the housing.

5 and 6, the spool 10 has a spool shaft portion 12 and flange portions 13 and 14, which define a first groove 11 for a string extending in a circumferential direction (hereinafter simply referred to as the circumferential direction) with respect to the axis AX. The spool shaft portion 12 has a cylindrical outer wall 12a, a cylindrical inner wall 12b, and an annular connecting wall 12c connecting the cylindrical outer wall 12a and the cylindrical inner wall 12b. A through hole 16 (see FIG. 1) is formed in the spool shaft portion 12 (e.g., inside the cylindrical inner wall 12b), and a housing shaft portion 23 of the housing 20 described later can be inserted therethrough. A second groove 15 is formed between the cylindrical outer wall 12a and the cylindrical inner wall 12b, and a string can be fixed to a string stopper portion 17 (see FIG. 6) provided therein. The flange portions 13 and 14 are annular members extending radially outward from the spool shaft portion 12. The flange portions 13, 14 are arranged parallel to each other and define a constant groove width of the first groove 11 between them. A configuration in which the flange portions 13, 14 are arranged non-parallel is also envisioned.

The first groove 11 and the second groove 15 are spatially connected via a slit 12d (see FIG. 6), and by introducing a string into the slit 12d, the string can be placed in both the first groove 11 and the second groove 15. The manner in which the string is attached to the spool 10 is as shown by the dashed lines in FIG. 6. In the illustrated example, the string is introduced into the second groove 15 from one slit 12d, extends around the cylindrical inner wall 12b of the spool shaft 12, and exits from the second groove 15 through another slit 12d. A knot of the string can also be placed in the second groove 15 to make it less likely for the string to fall out of the second groove 15.

As shown in FIG. 3, the spool 10 has an arm 80 as an engagement portion and a connecting portion 18 to which the arm 80 is connected as a cantilever beam. The arm 80 is a spring portion that can swing in a radial direction (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as a radial direction) with respect to the axis AX. The arm 80 has a first rod portion 81 and a second rod portion 82 that extends to form a predetermined angle with respect to the first rod portion 81. The first rod portion 81 is provided so as to form a recess 89 with respect to the connecting portion 18 and extends longer than the second rod portion 82, and due to either or both of these, sufficient elasticity (e.g., elastic pivoting) of the arm portion 80 is ensured. The second rod portion 82 becomes wider in a tapered manner as it moves away from the first rod portion 81, and the desired width of the tip portion 83 of the arm portion 80 is ensured. The tip 83 of the arm 80 is shaped to match the shape of the recess 72 between the teeth 71 of the tooth row 70, and has, for example, a ridge-like or V-shaped protruding shape whose width gradually decreases toward the tip. The tip 83 of the arm 80 can also be shaped in other shapes, for example, semicircular. The connecting portion 18 has a slot 19 extending in the circumferential direction, into which the second protrusion 46 of the cover 40, which will be described later, is inserted.

The spool 10 is not necessarily limited to being a single unit (e.g., a single injection molded product), but may be an assembly of a first part including the spool shaft portion 12 and flange portions 13, 14, and a second part including the arm portion 80 and the connecting portion 18. A similar spool can be constructed by mechanically fixing the second part (e.g., the connecting portion 18) to the first part (e.g., the flange portion).

As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 20 has a tubular portion 21, a flat portion 22 on which the tubular portion 21 stands, and a housing shaft portion 23 that is provided on the axis AX and extends along the axis AX. The tubular portion 21 extends along the axis AX to define the storage space for the spool 10, has an opening at its upper end (one end) 21a for introducing the spool 10, and is closed at its lower end (other end) 21b by the flat portion 22 (an opening that does not interfere with the rotation of the spool 10 may be formed). The tubular portion 21 is a cylindrical portion with a circular cross section, but may have other shapes.

The flat plate portion 22 is provided for attaching the lacing device 1 to clothing, etc., and is fixed to the clothing, etc., by gluing, sewing, magnetic attachment, etc. The housing shaft portion 23 is provided for supporting the spool 10 and for fitting with the fastener 50. The housing shaft portion 23 of the housing 20 is passed through the through hole 16 of the spool 10 to engage the two. There are various ways of connecting the spool 10 and the housing 20, and the illustrated example is not the only example. It is also possible to provide the shaft portion on the spool 10 instead of the housing 20. A form in which the spool 10 is not supported is also envisioned. In the illustrated example, the housing shaft portion 23 has a bifurcated tip portion, and the fastener 50 is inserted and fixed between them.

A tooth row 70 is formed on the cylindrical portion 21 as an engagement portion. The tooth row 70 is formed, for example, on the upper end (one end) 21c of the cylindrical portion 21 (for example, on its inside or inner wall surface). The tooth row 70 is configured with radially protruding teeth 71 arranged in the circumferential direction around the axis AX, and a recess 72 is formed between adjacent teeth 71 in the circumferential direction. The teeth 71 have a top surface provided between a pair of inclined surfaces. The recess 72 has a bottom surface provided between the inclined surfaces of the teeth 71 adjacent in the circumferential direction.

A slit 60 is formed in the cylindrical portion 21, extending from the upper end 21a to the lower end 21b of the cylindrical portion 21 along the axis AX. The slit 60 typically extends long in a direction parallel to the axis AX, but this is not necessarily the case. The slit 60 includes a first portion 61 located on (or close to) the upper end 21a of the cylindrical portion 21 and a second portion 62 located on (or close to) the lower end 21b of the cylindrical portion 21.

The slit 60 is provided so as to cross the tooth row 70 along the axis AX. With this configuration, the tooth row 70 can be provided near or toward the upper end 21a of the tubular portion 21, which also facilitates a thinner lace tightening device 1 and/or housing 20. As an additional or alternative effect, the arm portion 80 is also positioned near the upper end 21a of the tubular portion 21 in correspondence with the tooth row 70, so that engagement between the cover 40 and the spool 10 (e.g., engagement between the first protrusion 45 and the arm portion 80) can be easily ensured.

The slit 60 has two or more different widths in its extension direction, and the minimum width of the two or more different widths is set to a range that crosses at least the tooth row 70. For example, the first portion 61 of the slit 60 is a narrow portion provided midway between adjacent tooth portions 71 in the tooth row 70, and the second portion 62 of the slit 60 is a wide portion that is spatially connected to the narrow portion at a position adjacent to the narrow portion (e.g., below it). In this way, by providing the narrow portion of the slit 60 at a position corresponding to the tooth row 70 (e.g., by providing it midway between adjacent tooth portions 71 in the circumferential direction), insufficient engagement of the tip of the arm portion 80 with the tooth row 70 is suppressed.

Although the four slits 60 divide the tubular portion 21 into four sections, other numbers of sections (divisions) are also possible (for example, the tubular portion 21 can be divided into two sections by two slits 60). When four slits 60 are formed, two loops can be output from the lacing device, making it easier to use in apparel applications. The flat portion 22 can also be provided with holes 24 that are spatially connected to the slits 60 (see Figure 7). This facilitates molding the housing 20 using a relatively uncomplicated mold.

The cylindrical portion 21 has a pair of opposing wall surfaces 21m, 21n that define the wide portion of the slit 60, and a pair of protrusions 21p, 21q that protrude close to each other from the pair of wall surfaces 21m, 21n that define the narrow portion of the slit 60 (see Figures 1 and 14). The pair of protrusions 21p, 21q protrude close to each other to narrow the slit 60. If such protrusions 21p, 21q are engaged with the ring-shaped member 30, the connection between the ring-shaped member 30 and the housing 20 is strengthened.

The ring-shaped member 30 has a ring body 31 and a closing portion 32 formed integrally with the ring body 31 (see FIG. 1). When the ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20, the slit 60 is covered by the closing portion 32, preventing the string from slipping out of the slit 60. The ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the outside of the upper end portion 21c of the cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20, or to the inside thereof. In either case, the slit 60 is covered by the ring-shaped member 30.

To strengthen the connection between the cylindrical portion 21 and the ring-shaped member 30, a rib 33 may be provided on the ring-shaped member 30 (e.g., its closing portion 32) to fit into a part of the slit 60. The rib 33 is a T-shaped or cross-shaped rib in some cases. For example, the rib 33 includes a first rib 33a extending along the axis AX to fit into the first portion 61 of the slit 60 and a second rib 33b extending perpendicular to the first rib 33a. The first rib 33a fits into the narrow portion of the slit 60, and the second rib 33b fits into a part of the wide portion of the slit 60. The ring-shaped member 30 is prevented from being removed upward from the cylindrical portion 21 by contact between the pair of protrusions 21p, 21q of the cylindrical portion 21 and the second rib 33b.

The height of the rib 33 can be set so that, when the ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the cylindrical portion 21, the top surface 33j (e.g., at least a part of the top surface of the rib 33) of the rib 33 is located at a depth equivalent to the bottom (e.g., bottom surface) of the recess 72 between the teeth 71 of the tooth row 70 (see FIG. 9). This ensures that the tooth row 70 and the arm 80 are engaged at the position where the slit 60 is provided, as well as at other positions, and prevents differences in the operational feel of the cover 40 from occurring at the position where the slit 60 is formed. The top surface 33j of the rib 33 is a flat surface that extends parallel to the axis AX when attached to the cylindrical portion 21, and is located radially inward from the inner surface 32j of the closing portion 32.

The cylindrical portion 21 has a certain degree of flexibility and is easily bent in the vicinity of the slit 60. The ring-shaped member 30 can be attached to the cylindrical portion 21 by deforming the cylindrical portion 21. In addition to or as an alternative to fitting, the ring-shaped member 30 can also be glued and fixed to the cylindrical portion 21. The ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the cylindrical portion 21 so that the step surface of the cylindrical portion 21 and the step surface of the ring-shaped member 30 match (see, for example, FIG. 5).

In this embodiment, the ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the cylindrical portion 21 so that the ring-shaped member 30 covers the first portion 61 of the slit 60 and forms a passage for the string in the second portion 62 of the slit 60. This configuration makes it possible to easily handle the string while suppressing a decrease in the mechanical strength of the housing 20. For example, the string can be easily introduced into the slit 60 by placing the string on the upper end 21a of the cylindrical portion 21 and pulling it downward at a position of the slit 60. Thereafter, the ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the cylindrical portion 21 to prevent the string from slipping out of the slit 60 (in short, the passage for the string formed in the second portion of the slit 60). In order to prevent the string from slipping out of the passage for the string, it is effective to vary the width of the slit 60 and/or employ the protrusions 21p and 21q described above. It is not necessary for the first portion 61 and the second portion 62 to have different widths.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5, the cover 40 is placed on the spool 10 and the housing 20 to prevent the spool 10 from falling off the housing 20. The cover 40 is provided to surround the ring-shaped member 30 attached to the cylindrical portion 21 to protect the ring-shaped member 30 from external forces. The cover 40 has a top plate 41, a skirt portion 42 that extends downward from the outer periphery of the top plate 41 and is located radially outward of the ring-shaped member 30, and a receiving portion 43 for receiving the fastener 50 provided at the center of the top plate 41. A number of grooves 44 are formed on the outer surface of the skirt portion 42 to prevent slipping. A through hole extending along the axis AX is formed in the receiving portion 43, allowing the fastener 50 to be fitted to the housing shaft portion 23 of the housing 20.

The cover 40 is an operated member that is operated by a human to adjust the length of the lace from the lace tightening device 1. The cover 40 engages with the spool 10 to control the engagement state between the spool 10 and the housing 20. As shown in Figures 5, 8, and 9, for example, the cover 40 has first and second protrusions 45, 46 for transmitting the rotational force applied to the cover 40 to the spool 10. The first protrusion 45 presses (in the circumferential direction) against the arm 80 of the spool 10. The second protrusion 46 presses against the wall surface of the slot 19 of the spool 10.

The first protrusion 45 is provided so as to protrude downward from the cover 40 (for example, the lower surface of the top plate 41) and extends long along the circumferential direction. By providing the first protrusion 45 in this manner, when the cover 40 is fitted to the spool 10, the first protrusion 45 is prevented from accidentally entering between the first arm portion 80 and the second arm portion 80, and/or sufficient or reliable contact with the arm portion 80 is promoted. The first protrusion 45 has a first end portion 45a and a second end portion 45b in its longitudinal direction. The first protrusion 45 can press the second rod portion 82 of the arm portion 80 with its second end portion 45b, thereby bending the cantilever arm portion 80, displacing the second rod portion 82 radially inward, and retracting its tip portion 83 from the recess 72 of the tooth row 70. Two first protrusions 45 are provided corresponding to the two arms 80.

The second protrusion 46 is a cylindrical protrusion protruding downward from the cover 40 (for example, the lower surface of the top plate 41). The second protrusion 46 of the cover 40 is inserted into the slot 19 of the spool 10, and the cover 40 and the spool 10 are mechanically linked. When the cover 40 is rotated so as to move in a clockwise direction opposite to the counterclockwise direction in which the first protrusion 45 presses the arm portion 80, the second protrusion 46 presses the wall surface of the slot 19, a rotational force is transmitted from the cover 40 to the spool 10, and the cover 40 and the spool 10 rotate in the same direction. Two second protrusions 46 are provided corresponding to the two slots 19. By providing the second protrusions 46, when the cover 40 is rotated clockwise, the cover 40 can be rotated for each angle pitch of the teeth portion 71 described later, and rotation for multiple angle pitches at once is suppressed.

With reference to FIG. 10, the relationship between the angular pitch of the tooth portion 71 in the tooth row 70 and the angular range of the circumferential length of the slot will be described. As shown in FIG. 10, the angular pitch of the tooth portion 71 is 15°, the spool 10 can rotate in 15° increments, and the cover 40 can also rotate in 15° increments. The slot 19 extends long along the circumferential direction so as to have an angular range equal to or greater than the angular pitch of the tooth portion 71. By inserting the second protrusion 46 into the slot 19, the relative angular difference between the cover 40 and the spool 10 can be made equal to the angular pitch of the tooth portion 71 (for example, within a range of 1 to 1.1 times, or within a range of 1 to 1.2 times), promoting stable rotation of both. In the illustrated example, the angular range of the circumferential length of the slot 19 is about 30°, which is twice the angular pitch of the tooth portion 71, but is not limited thereto. The angular range of the circumferential length of the slot 19 is preferably 15° to 20°, and more preferably 15° to 17.5° or 15° to 16°.

The fastener 50 is connected to the housing shaft 23 of the housing 20 so that the spool 10 and the cover 40 do not come off the housing 20. Various connectors other than those shown in the figure can be used.

With reference to Figures 11 to 13, the spool 10 rotates in unison with the rotation of the cover 40 to unwind the string from the string tightening device 1. As shown in Figure 11, the arm 80 is fitted into the recess 72 with the teeth 70. When the cover 40 starts to rotate counterclockwise (first direction), the first protrusion 45 of the cover 40 starts to rotate counterclockwise around the axis AX, and as can be seen from Figure 12, starts to press the second rod 82 of the arm 80 in the same direction. Then, the arm 80 starts to bend, and the second rod 82 is displaced radially inward. When the tip 83 of the second rod 82 is sufficiently removed from the recess 72, the spool 10 also rotates in response to the rotational force transmitted from the cover 40, and the second rod 82 engages with the adjacent recess 72 in the counterclockwise direction (see Figure 13). The second protrusion 46 moves slightly within the slot 19 and does not come into contact with the wall of the slot 19. In some cases, the second protrusion 46 can push against the wall of the slot 19, thereby transmitting the rotational force applied to the cover 40 to the spool 10. In this way, the spool 10 can be rotated in response to the rotation of the cover 40 to unwind the string from the string tightening device 1. The spool 10 is supported by the housing 20 and can rotate stably. The spool 10 can rotate while giving the user a clicking sensation for each angular pitch of the teeth 71 in the tooth row 70.

Next, the rotation of the spool 10 in synchronization with the rotation of the cover 40 to wind the string around the string tightening device 1 will be described. Even if the cover 40 is rotated in a clockwise direction (second direction) opposite to the rotation direction of the cover shown in Figures 11 to 13, the spool 10 can be rotated thanks to the sufficient flexibility of the arm 80. That is, when the cover 40 is rotated clockwise, the second protrusion 46 presses the wall of the slot 19 to transmit the rotational force of the cover 40 to the spool 10. Since the first protrusion 45 of the cover 40 moves away from the arm 80 of the spool 10, the first protrusion 45 does not prevent the elastic deformation or displacement of the arm 80. In this way, the arm 80 can be displaced radially inward and engage with the adjacent recess 72 in the clockwise direction. In this way, the spool 10 can be rotated in response to the rotation of the cover 40 to wind the string around the string tightening device 1. Even when the cover 40 is rotated in the clockwise direction (second direction), the spool 10 can rotate while giving the user a clicking sensation at each angular pitch of the teeth 71 in the tooth row 70.

When the lace tightening device 1 is used for clothing, if the lace tightening device 1 tightens the lace too tightly, the person wearing the clothing will feel a sense of pressure. Therefore, it is preferable to allow the spool 10 to rotate in both directions, making it possible to both tighten and loosen the lace.

The method of assembling the lacing device 1 includes the steps of attaching a string to the spool 10, placing the spool 10 in the tubular portion 21 of the housing 20, introducing the string into the slit 60 formed in the tubular portion 21 of the housing 20 so as to extend from one end to the other end, and attaching the ring-shaped member 30 to the tubular portion 21 so as to cover the first portion 61 of the slit 60 on one end side of the tubular portion 21 and form a passage for the string in the second portion 62 of the slit 60 on the other end side of the tubular portion 21. The order of the steps can be changed in various ways as desired and is not limited to the listed order. Several steps can be performed simultaneously. For example, the string can be attached to the spool 10 after the string is introduced into the slit 60. The spool 10 can be placed in the tubular portion 21 of the housing 20 after the string is introduced into the slit 60.

The process of introducing the string into the slit 60 and the process of closing the slit 60 will be described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. As shown in Figure 14, the string that is attached to the spool 10 or has not yet been attached can be introduced into the slit 60. That is, since the slit 60 is open at the top, the string can be easily introduced into the slit 60. In detail, the string is introduced into the slit 60 while being guided by the inclined surfaces of the teeth 71 adjacent to each other across the slit 60. The string shrinks when compressed, and returns to its original shape when released from compression. Therefore, providing a narrow portion in the slit 60 does not hinder the introduction of the string into the slit 60.

Then, as shown in FIG. 15, the ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the tubular portion 21, and at this time, the first rib 33a fits into the narrow portion of the slit 60, and the second rib 33b fits into a part of the wide portion of the slit 60. In this way, the string introduced into the slit 60 is prevented from slipping out of the slit 60. Although the string is prevented from falling out of the slit 60 even without providing a rib on the ring-shaped member 30, this strengthens the connection between the ring-shaped member 30 and the tubular portion 21, thereby increasing the mechanical strength of the tubular portion 21. As another example, as shown in FIG. 16, the first rib 33a of the ring-shaped member 30 can be omitted. The second rib 33b can be omitted in place of the first rib 33a.

All parts included in the lacing device 1 are made of non-metallic materials, such as resin. Specifically, the spool 10, housing 20, ring-shaped member 30, cover 40, and fastener 50 are each made of resin. In this way, since the lacing device 1 does not contain any metal parts, it is possible for sewing factories and other places to carry out needle inspection to check whether metal (e.g., broken needles) has been mixed into the clothes before shipping.

The various features of the present disclosure described above are not limited to the examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 16 or the various examples that can be understood from the above description in light of FIGS. 1 to 16, but can be applied to various other embodiments. For example, the string may be attached to the spool 10 so that a single loop is formed, and the string may be passed through two slits 60 in the housing 20 separately. That is, the number of loops in the string is not limited to two or more, and may be a single loop. Also, the number of slits 60 provided in the housing 20 can be increased or decreased depending on the number of loops in the string. Similarly, it is not necessary to use all of the slits 60 as a passage for the string.

The engaging portion of the spool 10 and the engaging portion of the housing 20 may be omitted. If an automatic tightening function of the string by the string tightening device 1 is desired, a spring (wound spring) may be used. FIG. 17 shows this embodiment in which the spool 10 is connected to the spring 90 via a shaft 91. By pulling out the string from the string tightening device 1, the spool 10 rotates and a rotational force is accumulated in the spring 90. When the string is stopped from being pulled out from the string tightening device 1, the spool 10 rotates in the opposite direction according to the rotational force accumulated in the spring 90, and the string is wound up. In this embodiment, the same effect as described above can be obtained by providing a slit 60 in the cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20 as described above and attaching a ring-shaped member 30 to the cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20. FIG. 18 shows, for the sake of clarity, that the arrangement of the components of the string tightening device 1 is upside down compared to FIG. 17.

In light of the above teachings, those skilled in the art may make various modifications to each embodiment or feature. The reference numerals in the claims are for reference only and should not be used to interpret the claims in a limited manner. The shape of the ring-shaped member may be modified in various ways to accommodate various mounting aspects to the cylindrical portion. For example, the ring-shaped member may be mounted on the outside of the cylindrical portion, or on the inside of the cylindrical portion. The ring-shaped member may be provided to cover the upper end of the cylindrical portion. The housing, spool, ring-shaped member, and cover may each be an assembly of multiple parts, not limited to a single integral part (injection molded product). The slit may have a third part above the first part. The third part may be wider than the first part.

1: lacing device 10: spool 11: first groove 12: spool shaft portion 13: flange portion 14: flange portion 15: second groove 16: through hole 17: lacing stop portion 18: connecting portion 19: slot 20: housing 21: cylindrical portion 21m: wall surface 21n: wall surface 21p: protrusion portion 21q: protrusion portion 22: flat plate portion 24: hole 30: ring-shaped member 33: rib 33a: first rib 33b: second rib 33j: top surface 40: cover 45: first protrusion portion 46: second protrusion portion 50: fastener 60: slit 61: first portion 62: second portion 70: tooth row 71: tooth portion 72: recess 80: arm portion 81: first rod portion 82: second rod portion 83 : Tip 89 : Recess AX : Axis

Claims (15)

A spool (10) that is rotatable about an axis (AX) for winding or unwinding a string;
a housing (20) including a cylindrical portion (21) extending along the axis (AX) to define an accommodation space for the spool (10) , the housing (20) having a tooth row (70) formed on the cylindrical portion (21) with which an engagement portion (80) of the spool (10) engages;
a ring-shaped member (30) attached to the cylindrical portion (21) of the housing (20) ;
a cover (40) disposed on the spool (10) and the housing (20) and surrounding the ring-shaped member (30), the cover (40) being engageable with the spool (10) for controlling an engagement state between the spool (10) and the housing (20);
One or more slits (60) are formed in the cylindrical portion (21) extending from one end of the cylindrical portion (21) to the other end along the axis (AX) and crossing the tooth row (70) , and the slits (60) include a first portion (61) located on one end side of the cylindrical portion (21) and a second portion (62) located on the other end side of the cylindrical portion (21);
The lacing device, wherein the ring-shaped member (30) is attached to the tubular portion (21) such that the ring-shaped member (30) covers the first portion (61) of the slit (60) and forms a passage for the lace in the second portion (62) of the slit (60). 2. The lacing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion (61) of the slit (60) is a narrow portion located midway between adjacent teeth (71) in the row of teeth (70). 3. The lacing device according to claim 2 , wherein the second portion (62) of the slit (60) is a wide portion that is in spatial communication with the narrow portion at a location adjacent to the narrow portion. The lacing device according to claim 3, characterized in that the tubular portion (21) includes a pair of opposing wall surfaces (21m, 21n) that define the wide portion, and a pair of protrusions (21p, 21q) that protrude toward each other from the pair of wall surfaces (21m, 21n) that define the narrow portion . The lacing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the slit (60) has two or more different widths in its extending direction, and the minimum width of the two or more different widths is set in a range that crosses at least the tooth row ( 70 ). The lace tightening device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the tooth row (70) is formed on the inside of one end (21c) of the tubular portion (21), and the ring-shaped member (30) is attached to the outside of the one end (21c) of the tubular portion ( 21 ). 7. The lacing device according to claim 1 , wherein the ring-shaped member (30) has a rib (33) that fits into at least the first portion (61) of the slit (60). The lacing device according to claim 3, characterized in that the ring-shaped member (30) has a T-shaped rib (33) that fits into at least the first portion (61) and the second portion (62) of the slit (60). The ring-shaped member (30) has a rib (33) that fits into at least the first portion (61) of the slit (60),
The lace tightening device according to claim 1, characterized in that the height of the rib (33) is set so that, when the ring-shaped member (30) is attached to the tubular portion (21), the top surface (33j) of the rib (33) is positioned at a depth position equivalent to the bottom of the recess (72) between the tooth portions (71) of the tooth row (70). The lacing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the housing (20) has a flat plate portion (22) on which the cylindrical portion (21) is erected, and the flat plate portion (22) is provided with a hole (24) that is spatially connected to the slit (60). The lacing device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the one or more slits (60) include four or more slits (60). The spool (10) can be positioned relative to the housing (20) at constant or different angular intervals with respect to the axis (AX) based on the engagement between the engagement portion (80) of the spool (10) and the tooth row (70) of the housing (20);
The tooth row (70) is formed on an inner wall surface of the cylindrical portion (21) of the housing (20),
The engagement portion (80) of the spool (10) is an arm portion (80) that is swingable in a radial direction relative to the axis line (AX),
12. The lace tightening device according to claim 1, wherein the cover (40) is provided with a first protrusion (45) for pressing the arm portion (80). The spool (10) is formed with a slot (19),
The cover (40) is provided with a second protrusion (46) that is inserted into the slot (19);
The lacing device according to claim 12, characterized in that the second protrusion (46) is configured to be able to press against a wall surface of the slot (19) to transmit a rotational force from the cover (40) to the spool (10). The lacing device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that all parts included in the lacing device are made of non-metallic materials. Attaching a string to a spool (10) having an engagement portion (80) ;
a step of disposing the spool (10) in a cylindrical portion (21) of a housing (20) having a tooth row (70) formed in the cylindrical portion (21) and engaging the engagement portion (80) of the spool (10) with the tooth row (70) ;
a step of introducing the string into a slit (60) formed in the tubular portion (21) of the housing (20) so as to extend from one end to the other end thereof and cross the row of teeth (70) ;
a step of attaching a ring-shaped member (30) to the tubular portion (21) so as to cover a first portion (61) of the slit (60) on the one end side of the tubular portion (21) and form a passage for the string in a second portion (62) of the slit (60) on the other end side of the tubular portion (21);
placing a cover (40) over the spool (10) and over the housing (20) to which the ring-shaped member (30) is attached ;
The method for manufacturing a lacing device , wherein the cover (40) engages with the spool (10) to control an engagement state between the spool (10) and the housing (20) .