A43C7/00

Catch mechanism for an elongated member
09833042 · 2017-12-05 ·

A catch for attachment to an elongated member and to control movement of the elongated member. The catch generally includes a body with one or more channels, a locking member positioned in the body in proximity to the channel, and a release member to control an extent of movement of the locking member. The catch provides for attachment to the elongated member to adjust its length. The catch is adjustable to provide for movement of the elongated member through the channel.

Autolacing footwear having a notched spool
11672308 · 2023-06-13 · ·

An article of footwear and related method includes a midsole, an upper secured with respect to the midsole, and a lace extending across the upper, the lace having a securing member, a first segment of the lace having a first apparent length and a second segment of the lace, separated from the first segment by the securing member, having a second apparent length. A motorized lacing system is configured to engage with the lace to increase and decrease tension on the lace. The motorized lacing system includes a motor and a spool, coupled to the motor, configured to spool and unspool the lace, the spool having a plurality of notches, each of the plurality of notches configured to seat the securing member, wherein the first apparent length and the second apparent length is adjustable based on which of the plurality of notches the securing member is seated in.

REEL BASED CLOSURE SYSTEM

A reel based closure device includes a housing, a tension member, a spool that is rotatably positioned within the housing, and a tightening component that is positioned axially above the spool and that is operably coupled therewith so that an operation of the tightening component causes the spool to rotate within the housing to wind the tension member about the spool. The reel based closure device also includes a coupling component that is separate from the tension member and that frictionally engages with a distal end of the tension member so that the coupling component is removably fixed to the tension member. The spool component includes a coupling feature within which the coupling component is positioned to attach the tension member to the spool.

REEL BASED CLOSURE SYSTEM

A reel based closure device includes a housing, a tension member, a spool that is rotatably positioned within the housing, and a tightening component that is positioned axially above the spool and that is operably coupled therewith so that an operation of the tightening component causes the spool to rotate within the housing to wind the tension member about the spool. The reel based closure device also includes a coupling component that is separate from the tension member and that frictionally engages with a distal end of the tension member so that the coupling component is removably fixed to the tension member. The spool component includes a coupling feature within which the coupling component is positioned to attach the tension member to the spool.

AUTOLACING FOOTWEAR HAVING AN ELONGATE SPOOL
20230172306 · 2023-06-08 ·

An article of footwear and related method includes a midsole, an upper secured with respect to the midsole and forming a throat, and a plurality of laces extending across the throat of the upper. A motorized lacing system is positioned within the midsole and is configured to engage with a primary lace to increase and decrease tension on the primary lace. The motorized lacing system includes a motor, a lace spool, operatively coupled to the motor, configured to spool and unspool the primary lace based, and an elongate spool, the primary lace coupled to the elongate spool, configured to spool and unspool the plurality of laces based on operation of the motor and via the primary lace, each of the plurality of laces spaced along the elongate spool from one another.

Article of footwear with tubular structures
11666120 · 2023-06-06 · ·

An article of footwear has a tubular structure that may conform to various anatomical features of a foot. The tubular structure has a tunnel, and a tensile strand runs through the tunnel. Applying tension along the tensile strand may cause the tubular structure to conform more closely to one or more anatomical features. The geometry, or path, of the tubular structure on the article may be customized.

Article of footwear with tubular structures
11666120 · 2023-06-06 · ·

An article of footwear has a tubular structure that may conform to various anatomical features of a foot. The tubular structure has a tunnel, and a tensile strand runs through the tunnel. Applying tension along the tensile strand may cause the tubular structure to conform more closely to one or more anatomical features. The geometry, or path, of the tubular structure on the article may be customized.

WIRE TIGHTENING APPARATUS
20170325548 · 2017-11-16 ·

To enhance ease of assembly and durability, the present invention provides a wire tightening apparatus including: a bottom part provided with an accommodation groove at an upper surface portion thereof; a reel part rotatably inserted into the accommodation groove and allowing a wire to be selectively wound thereon during rotation; a housing part including a fixing barrier part, a lower end portion of which is fixed to the accommodation groove, an extension part extending inward in a radial direction along an inner circumference of the fixing barrier part to cover the reel part and provided with a hollow-type support tube part at a central portion thereof, and an elastic blade portion positioned at an upper portion of the extension part and provided with a ratchet coupling part at an end portion thereof; a vertically moving gear part provided with a ratchet gear protruding from an inner circumference thereof so that one-way rotation thereof is restricted by the ratchet coupling part; and a cover part coupled to an upper portion of the vertically moving gear part to move upward or downward and rotate in an integrated manner and provided, at a lower surface portion thereof, with a lifting protrusion guided along the support tube part to be coupled to an upper surface portion of the reel part when moving downward.

WIRE TIGHTENING APPARATUS
20170325548 · 2017-11-16 ·

To enhance ease of assembly and durability, the present invention provides a wire tightening apparatus including: a bottom part provided with an accommodation groove at an upper surface portion thereof; a reel part rotatably inserted into the accommodation groove and allowing a wire to be selectively wound thereon during rotation; a housing part including a fixing barrier part, a lower end portion of which is fixed to the accommodation groove, an extension part extending inward in a radial direction along an inner circumference of the fixing barrier part to cover the reel part and provided with a hollow-type support tube part at a central portion thereof, and an elastic blade portion positioned at an upper portion of the extension part and provided with a ratchet coupling part at an end portion thereof; a vertically moving gear part provided with a ratchet gear protruding from an inner circumference thereof so that one-way rotation thereof is restricted by the ratchet coupling part; and a cover part coupled to an upper portion of the vertically moving gear part to move upward or downward and rotate in an integrated manner and provided, at a lower surface portion thereof, with a lifting protrusion guided along the support tube part to be coupled to an upper surface portion of the reel part when moving downward.

AUTOLACING FOOTWEAR SYSTEM WITH PRESET USER PROFILES
20220354211 · 2022-11-10 ·

A system includes an article of footwear and a remote system. The article of footwear includes an adaptive configured to be adjusted to one of a plurality of configurations based on a command received from a processor circuit. The remote system includes an electronic data storage, configured to store a user profile including the plurality of configurations, and a processor configured to prompt, on a user interface, a user to put on the article of footwear, receive, via a wireless transceiver, a signal from the article of footwear indicating that the article of footwear has been placed on the foot of a wearer, access, one of the plurality of configurations based on a user selection, and transmit the one of the plurality of configurations as selected. The processor circuit causes the adaptive component to be configured according to the one of the plurality of configurations.