A cable spooling apparatus for use with a storage drum for spooling and storing cable. The cable spooling apparatus comprises a tensioning unit for adjusting the tension of a cable as it is being spooled onto the storage drum. The tensioning unit traverses a path between the opposite ends of the storage drum. Methods of spooling and unspooling cable using the apparatus are also disclosed.

A footwear lacing apparatus can comprise a housing structure, a spool and a drive mechanism. The housing structure can comprise a first inlet, a second inlet, and a lacing channel extending between the first and second inlets. The lacing channel can comprise a spool receptacle located between the first and second inlets, a first relief area located between the spool receptacle and the first inlet, and a second relief area located between the spool receptacle and the second inlet. The first and second relief areas can be linearly tapered between the spool receptacle and the first and second inlets, respectively. The spool can be disposed in the spool receptacle of the lacing channel. The drive mechanism can be coupled with the spool and adapted to rotate the spool to wind or unwind a lace cable extending through the lacing channel and through the spool.

The specification discusses various lacing engine configurations for use in an automated footwear platform. For example, lacing engines with mechanisms to detect lace cable position and/or lace cable tensions are discussed. In an example, the lacing engine can include a housing, a lace spool and a detection mechanism. The lace spool can be at least partially disposed within the housing, and be adapted to collect a portion of the lace cable in response to rotation in a first direction during tightening of the footwear platform. The detection mechanism can detect a state of the lace cable manipulated by the lacing engine.

The specification discusses various lacing engine configurations for use in an automated footwear platform. For example, lacing engines with mechanisms to detect lace cable position and/or lace cable tensions are discussed. In an example, the lacing engine can include a housing, a lace spool and a detection mechanism. The lace spool can be at least partially disposed within the housing, and be adapted to collect a portion of the lace cable in response to rotation in a first direction during tightening of the footwear platform. The detection mechanism can detect a state of the lace cable manipulated by the lacing engine.

Provided is a winding device configured so that the entirety of the device can be thinned and looseness of an elongated member can be reduced. In a winding device 1A, a flat motor 2 is used as a motor, and a spool 3 and a magical planetary gear mechanism 4 are formed flat along an extending XY plane of the flat motor 2. Thus, the entirety of the device can be configured flat, and can be thinned. Moreover, the magical planetary gear mechanism 4 prevents rotation of the spool 3 by external force, and therefore, looseness of the elongated member can be reduced.

In an example, a lacing engine apparatus can include a housing and a drivetrain. The housing can be securable within a footwear article. The drivetrain can include a motor, a sun gear, a planet gear, a rotating ring gear, and a spool. The spool can be secured to the ring gear and can be rotatable therewith. The spool can be configured to control a lace of the footwear article and can be configured to wind the lace as the ring gear rotates in a first direction.

In an example, a lacing engine apparatus can include a housing and a drivetrain. The housing can be securable within a footwear article. The drivetrain can include a motor, a sun gear, a planet gear, a rotating ring gear, and a spool. The spool can be secured to the ring gear and can be rotatable therewith. The spool can be configured to control a lace of the footwear article and can be configured to wind the lace as the ring gear rotates in a first direction.

An optical fiber cable assembly comprising an optical fiber slidably enclosed within a hollow tubing, both the fiber and the tubing having corresponding first and second ends. The cable is terminated with the first and second ends of the tubing and the fiber constrained with respect to each other such that fiber and the tubing are approximately the same length when the cable is at a first temperature. The tubing is made of a material which contracts more than the optical fiber when the cable is exposed to temperatures below the first temperature, such that the fiber is longer than the tubing and excess fiber length is formed. An intermediate portion of the tubing permits the excess fiber length to accumulate without bending in a radius smaller than a minimum bend radius

A yarn accumulator unit for a workstation with a yarn guide arm pivotally mounted about a pivot axis, and a controllable drive unit for reversing pivoting of the yarn guide arm. The yarn guide arm is to be freely rotatably mounted and to have a magnetically acting first coupling element arranged at a distance from the pivot axis, and for the drive unit to have a second magnetic coupling element arranged so as to be adjustable transversely to the first coupling element or about the pivot axis, magnetically repulsively acting on the first coupling element, which second magnetic coupling element is arranged so that it can be brought into active connection with the first coupling element on the drive unit, in which case an adjustment of the second coupling element in the direction of the first coupling element causes a displacement of the first coupling element in the same direction.

A thread-wrapping device for a percussion mallet is disclosed. The thread-wrapping device includes a frame, a spindle, and a wrapping arm. The spindle is designed to retain the percussion mallet and is rotatably supported by the frame. The wrapping arm is supported by the frame and designed to rotate when the spindle rotates to wrap thread around a head of the percussion mallet. Further, a hand crank is provided to rotate the spindle and wrapping arm.