WO2014129980A1

WO2014129980A1 - Mechanical system for tightening laces

Info

Publication number: WO2014129980A1
Application number: PCT/SK2014/000004
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ivan KOLKA; Soňa KOLKOVA
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-02-19
Filing date: 2014-02-13
Publication date: 2014-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2015-08-19
Also published as: WO2014129980A4; SK252013U1; SK6953Y1

Abstract

A mechanical device for tightening laces comprising a hollow base (1) with openings (la) in opposite side walls. An operating rod (2), also with openings (2a) fits slidably within the hollow base (1). Laces (3) may be threaded through the openings (la, 2a) so that when the when operating rod (2) is slid in the direction y, such that the openings (2a) in the operating rod (2) are no longer aligned with the openings (la) in the base (1) then the laces are tightened. Optionally a tooth system is provided between the base (1) and the operating rod (2) which hampers undesirable sliding of the operating rod (2) within the base (1).

Description

Mechanical System of Laces Straining

Field of Technique

This technical solution represents a new way of laces tightening which uses a mechanical straining shift lock. Primarily, it is usable for various kinds of footwear, but also for clothes, sports equipment, and as well as for some other applications wherever possible to use its working principle.

The Present Level of Technique

The most frequently used way of footwear fastening is depicted in Picture 1. Footwear will adjust the shape and the size of the foot by tightening, possibly loosening the lace. Subsequently, the lace is knotted and tied in a bow, whereby footwear is ready for the following usage.

The utility of this footwear fastening is conditional on the durability of the lace tying, which first of all depends on the amount of strength the bow has been tied.

The bow of the tied lace, together with its loose ends, can make it difficult for some people to walk. Owing to the insufficient tying the knot and the bow, or the effects of dirt and moisture, the lace can accidentally untie, and in the case of stepping on it with another foot, it can cause people using this way of fastening shoes to fall and hurt themselves. Another disadvantage of this system is a lack of esthetics - lots of people dislike the bows with the loose ends and that is why they hide them in their shoes, or they use other different ways of laces tying in order that they do not stick out of the shoes and untie spontaneously. Thus the given shortcomings of the present way of footwear fastening are eliminated, however these steps do not allow complete laces loosening. As a result of this, greater strength has to be used to put on or take off one's shoes. In this way footwear is exposed to a considerable mechanical strain which causes its damage and shortens its durability.

Basis of Technical Solution

The above stated shortcomings are overcome by the technical solution which has been worked out according to this functional model. The suggested technical solution lies in the usage of the mechanical shift lock for laces straining composed of the base and the operating rod sliding fit in the base (hereinafter called the shift lock), through the openings of which the laces are threaded. Sliding the operating rod in the base enables to tighten the laces in one smooth motion in the range from their complete loosening to the maximum tightening, which depends on the position of the operating rod in the base.

The application of the suggested technical solution presents a new way of laces tightening, which in practice brings these advantages:

- comfort of the user due to the simple shift lock operating,

- greater safety,

- better esthetic look,

- longer footwear durabilility. Overview of Picture Drawings

Picture 1 : The present way of footwear fastening

Picture 2: The shift lock base modification closed from the four sides

Picture 3 : The operating rod of the shift lock

Picture 4: The complex set of the shift lock - an example of implementing the technical solution modification with the base closed from the four sides

Picture 5: The cutaway view of the shift lock - working principle explanation Picture 6: Another technical solution modification of the shift lock

Picture 7: Another technical solution modification of the shift lock

Picture 8: An application example of the technical solution on the footwear Picture 9: The technical solution modification of the shift lock base closed from the three sides, with the openings in the side walls of the base in the shape of holes

Picture 10: Another technical solution modification of the operating rod of the shift lock

Picture 1 1 : The operating rod of the shift lock in the basic position - the laces are loosened

Picture 12: The shift lock which is tightened

Picture 13: The operating rod is outside the shift lock base - the position before loosening the laces

Picture 14: Another technical solution modification of the shift lock base - the base is closed from the three sides, with the openings in the side walls of the base in the shape of slits

Picture 15: The complex set of the shift lock - an example of implementing the technical solution with the base which is closed from the three sides, with the openings in the base in the shape of slits Picture 16: The operating rod-of the shift lock in the basic position - the laces are loosened

Picture 17: The shift lock which is tightened

Picture 18: The operating rod with the laces which is separated from the shift lock base - the laces are loosened

Picture 19: An application example of the technical solution on the footwear

Examples of Implementing Technical Solution

The shift lock consists of two parts, namely of the base I depicted in Picture 2 and the operating rod 2 depicted in Picture 3. The complex set of the shift lock is depicted in Picture 4.

The working principle of the shift lock is clarified in Picture 5 where is the shift lock depicted in the cutaway view of the level A4-A4 according to Picture 4. The operating rod 2 is sliding fit in the base I which has got a shape of a hollow body closed by the walls from the four sides. In the opposite side walls of the base 1 are the openings la and in the operating rod 2 are the openings 2a, which are in the shape of holes. The laces 3 are threaded through the openings la of the base l_and as well as through the openings 2a of the operating rod 2, and they stick out of the base I on both its sides.

The inner surface of the bottom wall of the base \ is formed by the tooth system lb. On the face of the contact surface of the operating rod 2 with the wall of the base I is the tooth system 2b. The tooth system 2b of the operating rod 2 fits together with the tooth system lb of the base I . The tooth system means any segmentation on the face of the contact surfaces of the operating rod 2 and the base I which disables or greatly hampers any undesirable slide of the operating rod 2 in the base L The tooth systems details lb and 2b with the sawtooth profile are depicted in the cutaway view B4-B4 in Picture 4.

By sliding the operating rod 2 by the distance h in the direction y_, which is marked in Picture 5, the laces 3 are driven into the shift lock. This is why their parts, which stick out of the base 1, decrease by the length d on both sides of the base ! . Owing to this, the laces 3 are tightened.

The laces 3 straining release is reached by sliding the operating rod 2 in the direction -y together with the simultaneous force impact on the laces 3 in the direction x. After tightening the laces 3 is the position of the operating rod 2 and also the strained condition of the laces 3 kept by the tooth system J_b of the base J_, by the tooth system 2b of the operating rod 2 and as well as by the mutual friction among the laces 3, the base \ and the operating rod 2.

In Pictures 6 and 7 are depicted another two modifications of the technical solution with the different shape of the base I and the operating rod 2. An application example of the technical solution on footwear is depicted in Picture 8.

The common trait of the shift lock modifications, depicted in Picture 4, Picture 6, and Picture 7, is the fact that the movement of the operating rod 2 is limited only on the slide in the two directions, namely y and -y, marked in Picture 5.

Another two technical modification solutions of the base I, which has got a shape of a hollow body closed only from the three sides, are depicted in Picture 9 and Picture 14. In consequence of this, the operating rod 2 can be slid not only in the base 1 in the directions y and ^ marked in Picture 5, but also pulled outside of the base I by the pull in the direction w marked in Picture 12 and Picture 17.

The technical solution modification of the base J_, with the openings J_a in the shape of holes, is depicted in Picture 9. Picture 13 depicts the loosened condition of the shift lock which is reached by pulling the operating rod 2 in the direction w, whereby the operating rod 2 is separated from the base L

The technical solution modification of the base J_, with the openings la in the shape of slits, is depicted in Picture 14. By pulling the operation rod 2 in the direction w not only the operation rod 2, but also the laces 3 will be separated from the base L This condition of the shift lock is depicted in Picture 18. An example of this technical solution modification of the shift lock on footwear is depicted in Picture 19. In order to loosen the shift lock more easily, the operating rod 2 and the base I, or at least the operating rod 2, can be made of a resilient, and at the same time, mechanical sufficiently durable material. Pulling the operating rod 2 in the direction w will result in the mild deformation of the operating rod 2 or the base 1, which enables to separate them from each other more easily. A contributing factor enabling to separate the operating rod 2 from the base I is also a mechanical clearance J_c on both sides between the base 1 and the operating rod 2. The clearance J_c is marked in Picture 15. It has to be sufficiently big so that the operation rod 2 can be loosened by the pull in the direction w, but it must not be too big either so that it does not happen that the operating rod 2 slips out of the base I in an unwanted and spontaneous way.

The presented examples of implementing the technical solution just illustrate the ways of the shift lock making, but in no case they are limited by them.

Industrial Application

The mechanical shift lock for laces straining is predetermined as a component for fastening footwear, leisure footwear, and footwear for children and elderly people. The shift lock can also be used as a component for sportswear and sports equipment, working clothes, leisure clothes, and as well as in some other cases which have not been mentioned - everywhere else where its function can be used.

Claims

PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS

1. The mechanical shift lock for laces straining is characterized as being composed of the base (1), which is in the shape of a hollow body closed from the four or three sides, with the openings (la) in the shape of holes or slits in the side opposite walls, and the operating rod (2) which is sliding fit in the base (1) and the laces (3), which are threaded through the openings (la) of the base (1), stick out of it.

2. The mechanical shift lock for laces straining, according to the requirement 1 , is characterized by the fact that the base (1) has got the tooth system (lb) advantageously on the inner surface of the wall, and the operating rod (2) has got the tooth system (2b) advantageously on the contact surface with the base (1) which fits together with the tooth system (lb) of the base (1).