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.

A bungee spool for collecting and storing bungee cords in a portable manner comprising a core and two rims where at least one has multiple slots radiating and the slots have raised inner edges outward from the point where the rim joins the top of the cylinder.

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.

The present invention relates to a handheld (i.e. single-handedly held) tool for automatically winding string, line, cordage, yarn, thread, and twine onto a spool. The tool includes a handheld and portable threaded mechanism upon which a spool is mounted. Spools of various lengths can be mounted onto the threaded mechanism using a height-adjustable cap. An internal motor is configured to rotate the threaded mechanism and mounted spool for automatically winding string, et. al. A handle of the tool houses rechargeable batteries that are coupled with the internal motor and a push button disposed on the handle activates the motor for rotating the threaded mechanism. The tool includes a USB charging port for receiving a USB cable for recharging the rechargeable batteries.

A flexible lance drive device has at least one drive motor in a first portion of a housing and a drive axle projecting across a second portion of the housing carrying a cylindrical spline drive roller. A plurality of cylindrical guide rollers on fixed axles span across the second portion of the housing aligned parallel to the spline drive roller. An endless belt wrapped around the at least one spline drive roller and guide rollers has a generally smooth outer surface and a transverse splined inner surface having splines shaped complementary to splines on the spline drive roller. A bias member supports a plurality of follower rollers each aligned vertically above one of the at least one spline drive roller and guide rollers operable to press each follower roller toward one of rollers to frictionally grip a flexible lance hose when sandwiched between the follower rollers and the endless belt.

Lacing engine systems, apparatus, and methods of operation are discussed. In an example, a lacing engine apparatus can include a housing, a drivetrain, and a lace take-up mechanism for retracting a length of lace cable upon activation. The drivetrain can include various reduction gears to reduce rotational speed out of the motor and power the lace take-up mechanism. The lace take-up mechanism can include structures such as a double-yoke, a radial pulley including an outer rotating disc and an inner stationary disc, a variable take-up spool, or a zip-strip mechanism.

Disclosed is a moving device. A moving device for moving a tubular member according to an aspect of the present disclosure may include a housing through which the tubular member passes, a first roller and a second roller arranged to face both sides of the tubular member inside the housing and having outer circumferential surfaces that presses the tubular member, an actuator that provides a driving force for rotating the first roller, a sensor that measures a movement amount of the tubular member, and a controller that controls the actuator on the basis of the movement amount of the tubular member, wherein, when the first roller rotates, the tubular member between the first roller and the second roller moves by a frictional force.

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.