Disclosed is a closure system used in combination in any of a variety of applications including clothing, for example as a footwear lacing system comprising a lace attached to a tightening mechanism. The lace extends through a series of guide members positioned along two opposing footwear closure portions. The lace and guides preferably have low friction surfaces to facilitate sliding of the lace along the guide members so that the lace evenly distributes tension across the footwear member. The tightening mechanism allows incremental adjustment of the tension of the lace. The closure system allows a user to quickly loosen the lace and inhibits unintentional and/or accidental loosing of the lace.

According to an embodiment, a device for tightening an article includes a housing, a spool rotatably positioned within the housing, a knob operably coupled with the spool to cause the spool to rotate within the housing, and a stop mechanism. The device is configured so that incremental rotation of the knob in a first direction causes a corresponding incremental rotation of the spool within the housing that incrementally tensions a tension member and thereby tightens the article. The device is also configured so that incremental rotation of the knob in a second direction causes a corresponding incremental rotation of the spool that incrementally loosens the tension member's tension. The stop mechanism is configured to prevent rotation of the spool in the second direction when the tension member's tension achieves or falls below a tension threshold.

A device for actuating a drawstring in a shoe with a drawstring device includes a winding disc, an actuating member movable in the axial direction relative to the winding disc, and a return spring arrangement which counteracts the force exerted by the wearer of the shoe. A simpler and clearer construction and a high level of functional safety and reliability can be achieved in that the carrier embedded in the sole of the shoe is designed as a closed housing with a base and a cover penetrated by an upper pushbutton of the actuating member. A fixed pin protrudes from the base of the housing and is assigned to a central through recess of the winding disc. The return spring arrangement engages on the winding disc and/or the actuating member and, when the blocking device is released, returns the winding disc and the actuating member to the respective starting position.

A structure for attaching a shoelace winding apparatus in which a shoelace winding apparatus can be attached to a shoe is provided. The structure includes a reel that winds a shoelace by being rotated by an operation handle, a ratchet pawl that limits rotation of the reel, and a base member including a substantially cylindrical body that accommodates the reel. The base member includes an annular gear with teeth that engages with the ratchet pawl. The structure includes a base-member attachment cover and a flange portion. The cover includes a substantially cylindrical cover portion with a closed end. The cover portion secures the base member such that the base member is directly attachable and detachable from an outside of an upper section and held in the cover portion. The flange portion protrudes from the circumference of the cover portion and conforms to the shape of the shoe.

A lacing system configured to selectively adjust the size of an opening on an object and allow for the incremental release of the lace within the lacing system. The lacing system can have a reel comprising a housing, a spool supported by the housing, and a knob supported by the housing. The reel can be configured so that cable is gathered in the channel formed in the spool when the spool is rotated in a first direction relative to the housing, and so that cable can be incrementally released from the spool when the spool is rotated in a second direction relative to the housing. In some embodiments, the reel can include a rotation limiter which can be configured to prevent over-tightening of the lacing system and/or to prevent rotation past the substantially fully loosened state.

A lacing system configured to selectively adjust the size of an opening on an object and allow for the incremental release of the lace within the lacing system. The lacing system can have a reel comprising a housing, a spool supported by the housing, and a knob supported by the housing. The reel can be configured so that cable is gathered in the channel formed in the spool when the spool is rotated in a first direction relative to the housing, and so that cable can be incrementally released from the spool when the spool is rotated in a second direction relative to the housing. In some embodiments, the reel can include a rotation limiter which can be configured to prevent over-tightening of the lacing system and/or to prevent rotation past the substantially fully loosened state.

An article of footwear with an automatic lacing system is disclosed. The automatic lacing system provides a set of straps that can be automatically opened and closed to switch between a loosened and tightened position of the upper. The article further includes an automatic ankle cinching system that is configured to automatically adjust an ankle portion of the upper.

A wire tightening apparatus includes a housing having a ratchet gear formed in its inner periphery in a circumferential direction. A winding member is rotatably inserted into the housing, with a wire being wound therearound. A support part radially protrudes from the upper portion of a coupling shaft coupled to the housing. An intermediate member includes an engagement restriction part that is engaged with the ratchet gear and is restricted from rotating. The intermediate member has a resilient coupling hole in its center, with a resilience restriction part on the periphery thereof. The engagement restriction part is provided on an end of a blade extending from a body and having a resilient support force. The resilience restriction part is elevated by an external force coupled to the upper portion of the winding member and is supported by the outer periphery of the support part in lifted and lowered states.

According to an embodiment, a device for tightening an article includes a housing having an interior region and a spool positioned within the interior region and rotatable relative thereto. A tightening mechanism is operably coupled with the spool to cause the spool to rotate within the interior region of the housing. A tension member is coupled with the spool and is configured to be tensioned upon rotation of the spool via the tightening mechanism. The device also includes a tension limiting mechanism that allows the tension member to be tensioned via the tightening mechanism until a tension threshold is achieved. After the tension threshold is achieved, further operation of the tightening mechanism does not substantially tension the tension member due to the tension limiting mechanism.

Various mechanical closure systems and securing systems are disclosed, such as snowboard bindings and car rack systems. The systems include a mechanically reformable strap. The strap includes a wire disposed along a longitudinal axis of the strap. The wire maintains the strap in a desired geometry that is different from a previous geometry of the strap. In other embodiments, a wire-core strap can include transverse ridges, holes, or other types of grooves or apertures.