Abstract
The Belt Ratcheting Device with Hidden Blade II (HB-II) facilitates unidirectional belt fastening and fast release. The HB-II includes a turning gate rotatably installed diagonally in a channel. The turning gate has a hidden sharp blade front which operates below on the lower belt surface avoiding visible scratches. The turning gate is connected to a lever by a spring. The HB-II has two states: “active” and “inactive”. In the active state the device works as a belt ratchet i.e. allowing the belt to be pulled forwards but restricting any belt motion backwards. In the inactive state the ratcheting is disabled and the belt is released. The HB-II is controlled by the lever's position. After fastening, the belt remains fastened until the HB-II is switched manually into inactive state by moving the lever. The blade's smooth side and channel's smooth surfaces minimize belt wear.
Claims
1. A ratcheting device configured for fastening a belt and releasing a fastened belt; wherein the ratcheting device comprising: a channel, a turning gate, a blade, a resilient part and the belt; wherein the channel is being configured to carry through a portion of the belt; the channel further comprises a gripping wall being adapted with a gripping surface configured to engage the belt; the ratcheting device has an active state and an inactive state; while in the active state, the ratcheting device is configured to restrict translation of the belt in the channel in a backward direction and to facilitate translation of the belt in the channel in a forward direction; while in the inactive state, the ratcheting device is configured to facilitate translation of the belt both in the forward direction and in the backward direction; the turning gate being rotationally engaged with the channel at a fulcrum, wherein the turning gate comprises a blade holder; wherein the blade includes a blade front; wherein the blade is installed into the blade holder such that the blade front protrudes in a front of the blade holder; the turning gate is installed in the channel such that a straight line emanating from the blade front and passing through the fulcrum is at an obtuse angle with respect to the forward direction; wherein the blade front is disposed within the channel opposite the gripping wall such that there is a gap between the blade front and the gripping wall; wherein the belt is configured to pass through the gap between the blade front and the gripping wall; the turning gate is configured to reduce the gap and to increase a pressure force exerted by the blade front on the belt when the turning gate is turned increasingly backward; wherein the turning gate is configured to increase the gap and to reduce the pressure force exerted by the blade front on the belt when the turning gate is turned increasingly forward; at the active state, the blade front is configured to exert the pressure force on the belt and the blade front is configured to frictionally engage the belt and to turn forward the turning gate when the belt is translated in the forward direction; in addition, at the active state the blade front is configured to frictionally engage the belt and to turn backward the turning gate when the belt is translated in the backward direction; wherein at the active state the turning gate is configured to facilitate forward translation of the belt by turning increasingly forward and diminishing the pressure force of the blade front on the belt; wherein at the active state the turning gate is configured to restrict backward translation of the belt by turning increasingly backward and increasing the pressure force of the blade front on the belt; at the inactive state of the ratcheting device, the blade front is configured not to exert the pressure force on the belt and translation of the belt is facilitated both in the forward direction and in the backward direction; wherein the resilient part is connected to the turning gate and also connected to a lever; wherein the lever is configured to switch the ratcheting device into the active state when the lever has been moved into an active lever position; wherein the lever is configured to switch the ratcheting device into the inactive state when the lever has been moved into an inactive lever position; wherein the gripping surface of the gripping wall is facing downwards, and the blade front engages a lower surface of the belt by moving upwards.
2. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein the fulcrum comprises an axle which is fitted into a bearing.
3. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein the resilient part is structured as a spring which connects the lever to the turning gate at an off-axial post which is configured to turn the turning gate when pushed or pulled by the spring; wherein moving the lever into the active lever position is configured to switch the ratcheting device into the active state by turning backward the turning gate; wherein turning the turning gate backward, is configured to reduce the gap and to apply the pressure force on the belt; wherein at the active state the turning gate is configured to apply the pressure force on the belt; wherein moving the lever into the inactive lever position is configured to switch the ratcheting device into the inactive state by turning forward the turning gate; wherein turning forward the turning gate, is configured to increase the gap and to diminish the pressure force on the belt; wherein at the inactive state the turning gate is configured not to apply a pressure force on the belt.
4. The ratcheting device of claim 3, wherein a leaf spring is attached to the turning gate; wherein an unattached end of the leaf spring is configured to fit into a cavity which is constructed into a channel's wall; wherein the leaf spring is configured to be at an unbent state when the ratcheting device is in the inactive state; wherein moving the lever into the active lever position is configured to switch the ratcheting device into the active state by turning backward the turning gate; wherein, the leaf spring is configured to bend when the turning gate turns backward into the active state; when the lever is moved into the inactive lever position it creates a forward spring force which is configured to switch the ratcheting device into the inactive state by turning forward the turning gate; wherein the leaf spring is configured to supplement the forward spring force by providing an unbending force which helps to turn forward the turning gate.
5. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein the blade is tapered and sharpened at the blade front; wherein the sharp blade front is adapted with a smooth side; wherein, the sharp blade front is configured to concentrate the pressure force on the belt when the turning gate is turned backward while the sharp blade front engages the belt; wherein, the smooth side is configured to engage the belt when the turning gate is turned forward; wherein, the smooth side is configured to facilitate the belt sliding while the turning gate is turned forward and the belt is translated.
6. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein the gripping surface of the gripping wall is adapted with a smooth gripping surface; wherein, the smooth gripping surface is configured to facilitate the belt sliding when the belt is fastened at the active state and also when the belt is translated in the inactive state.
7. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein the ratcheting device further comprising a depression disposed on the gripping surface of the gripping wall; wherein the depression is configured to facilitate an additional bending of the belt due to the pressure force; wherein, the additional bending is configured to increase a mutual friction force between the belt and the gripping surface of the gripping wall while the ratcheting device is in the active state and the belt is pulled in the backward direction.
8. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein the belt further comprises a first belt end and a second belt end; wherein the ratcheting device is configured for the belt fastening by tying the second belt end to the ratcheting device and fastening the first belt end with the ratcheting device; wherein, the second belt end is tied to the ratcheting device using screws or rivets; wherein, when the belt is fastened, the first belt end is configured to pull the ratcheting device in the backward direction, while second belt end is configured to pull the belt ratcheting device in the forward direction.
9. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein at least one ratcheting device which is anchored to a footwear item, is configured to fasten the belt which is attached to the footwear item.
10. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein the lever comprises of a lever pole, a lever bearing and a spring's tying post; the lever bearing is attached to a bottom end of the lever pole; the spring's tying post is attached to a middle point of the lever pole and is connected to a first spring's end; a second spring's end is connected to an off-axial post attached to the turning gate; the ratcheting device is housed in a housing box; the top plane of the housing box is the gripping wall; wherein the gripping surface is facing downwards; the channel is located below the gripping wall between the gripping surface and an upper surface of a middle plate which is installed at a middle height of the housing box; wherein the upper surface of the middle plate serves as a channel's floor; a lever axle is attached to a lower surface of the middle plate; the lever bearing is installed on the lever axle; the lever pole is parallel to the middle plate and extends from the lever's bearing towards a side wall of the box; a top end of the pole protrudes from an I-shaped slit in the side wall, which is configured to guide the top end's motion.
11. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein the blade is made of metal.
12. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein the entire ratcheting device except the blade is made of plastics materials.
13. The ratcheting device of claim 1, wherein the resilient part consists of an extension spring; wherein a first end of the extension spring is connected to an off-axial post of the turning gate; wherein a second end of the extension spring is connected to a spring's tying post attached to the lever.
14. The ratcheting device of claim 10, wherein the turning gate comprises of a turning gate's axle with two turning gate's axle ends which are fitted into two turning gate's bearings, that are drilled at the side walls of the housing box.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0041] FIG. 1 illustrates in an isometric drawing a bottom view of the unassembled mechanical parts of HB-II.
[0042] FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional bottom view of an assembled ratcheting device HB-II in an inactive state. The bottom belt and parts of the housing box were removed because they obstruct many structural details.
[0043] FIG. 3 describes a cross-sectional bottom view of an assembled ratcheting device HB-II in an active state. The bottom belt and parts of the housing box were removed because they obstruct many structural details.
[0044] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional bottom view of an assembled ratcheting device HB-II in an active state. Some parts of the housing box were removed because they obstruct many structural details.
[0045] FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional side view of an assembled ratcheting device HB-II in an active state. Some parts of the housing box were removed because they obstruct many structural details.
[0046] FIG. 6 describes the forward leaning diagonal arrangement of the turning gate and its attached blade front with respect to the fulcrum and the channel's forward direction.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0047] FIG. 1 illustrates in an isometric drawing a bottom view of the unassembled mechanical parts of HB-II. The housing box 1 is shown in an upside-down position that allows better viewing of the structural details due to the large bottom opening of the box 1. The middle plate 2 which is parallel to the gripping wall 7 is installed at about the middle height of the housing box 1 and serves as the floor of the belt channel 8. A cavity 4 is attached to the middle plate 2 and is used to house the unattached end of the leaf spring 12. The lever's axle 5 is also attached to the middle plate 2. The lever's bearing 15 is installed on the axle 5. The lever 16 turns on the axle 5. The other end of the lever 16 protrudes through the L-shaped slit 3 at the side wall, which guides the lever between the lever's active state position and the lever's inactive state position. Two other apertures 6 drilled in the side walls of the housing box serve as bearings of the two axles 11 of the turning gate 9. An extension spring 18 is connected between the lever post 17 and the off-axial post 23 which is attached to the turning gate 9. The turning gate 9 also includes the blade holder 10 which houses the blade 14. The leaf spring 12 also is attached to the turning gate 9. Two slits 19 facilitate installation of the turning gate by temporarily bending the side walls. The holes 13 at the bottom wall of the box 1 are used to attach the second end of the belt to the housing box 1.
[0048] FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional bottom view of an assembled ratcheting device HB-II in an inactive state. The bottom belt 21 and parts of the housing box 1 were removed because they obstruct many structural details. The housing box 1 is shown in an upside-down position that allows better viewing of the structural details due to the large bottom opening of the housing box 1. The middle plate 2 which is parallel to the gripping wall 7 is installed at about the middle height of the housing box 1 and serves as the floor of the belt channel 8 which carries the upper belt 20. A cavity 4 is attached to the middle plate 2 and is used to house the unattached end of the leaf spring 12, which is shown in FIG. 2 in an unbent state because the turning gate 9 is forward turned and the blade 14 is not engaging the lower surface of the belt 20. The lever's axle 5 is also attached to the middle plate 2. The lever's bearing 15 is installed on the axle 5. The lever 16 turns on the axle 5. The other end of the lever 16 protrudes through the L-shaped slit 3 at the side wall, which guides the lever between the lever's active state position and the lever's inactive state position. The lever 16 in FIG. 2 is at the lever's inactive state position where the top end of the lever is at the left most position in the L-shaped slit 3. The turning gate 9, the blade holder 10 and the blade 14 are shown in FIG. 2 at their maximally forward turning position. An extension spring 18 is connected between the lever post 17 and the off-axial post 23 (obstructed in FIG. 2 by the turning gate 9) which is attached to the turning gate 9. The turning gate 9 also includes the blade holder 10 which houses the blade 14. The leaf spring 12 also is attached to the turning gate 9. One of the two slits 19 which facilitate installation of the turning gate by temporarily bending the side walls is shown in FIG. 2. One of the holes 13 at the bottom wall of the box 1 are used to attach the second end of the belt 21 (shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) to the housing box 1. In FIG. 2, the extension spring 18 is at the minimally extended position.
[0049] FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional bottom view of an assembled ratcheting device HB-II in an active state. The bottom belt 21 and parts of the housing box 1 were removed because they obstruct many structural details. The housing box 1 is shown in an upside-down position that allows better viewing of the structural details due to the large bottom opening of the housing box 1. The middle plate 2 which is parallel to the gripping wall 7 is installed at about the middle height of the housing box 1 and serves as the floor of the belt channel 8 which carries the upper belt 20. A cavity 4 is attached to the middle plate 2 and is used to house the unattached end of the leaf spring 12, which is shown in FIG. 3 in a bent state because the turning gate 9 is backward turned and the blade 14 is engaging the lower surface of the belt 20. The lever's axle 5 is also attached to the middle plate 2. The lever's bearing 15 is installed on the axle 5. The lever 16 turns on the axle 5. The other end of the lever 16 protrudes through the L-shaped slit 3 at the side wall, which guides the lever between the lever's active state position and the lever's inactive state position. The lever 16 in FIG. 3 is at the lever's active state position where the top end of the lever is at the right most position in the L-shaped slit 3. The turning gate 9, the blade holder 10 and the blade 14 are shown in FIG. 3 at their maximally backward turning positions. An extension spring 18 is connected between the lever post 17 and the off-axial post 23 (obstructed in FIG. 3 by the turning gate 9) which is attached to the turning gate 9. The turning gate 9 also includes the blade holder 10 which houses the blade 14. The leaf spring 12 also is attached to the turning gate 9. One of the two slits 19 which facilitate installation of the turning gate by temporarily bending the side walls is shown in FIG. 3. One of the holes 13 at the bottom wall of the box 1, which are used to attach the second end of the belt 21 (shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) to the housing box 1. In FIG. 3, the extension spring 18 is at the maximally extended position.
[0050] FIG. 4 depicts a cross-sectional bottom view of an assembled ratcheting device HB-II in an active state. Parts of the housing box 1 were removed because they obstruct many structural details. The housing box 1 is shown in an upside-down position that allows better viewing of the structural details due to the large bottom opening of the housing box 1. The middle plate 2 which is parallel to the gripping wall 7 is installed at about the middle height of the housing box 1 and serves as the floor of the belt channel 8 which carries the upper belt 20. A cavity 4 is attached to the middle plate 2 and is used to house the unattached end of the leaf spring 12, which is shown in FIG. 4 in a bent state because the turning gate 9 is backward turned and the blade 14 engaging the lower surface of the belt 20. The lever's axle 5 is also attached to the middle plate 2. The lever bearing 15 is installed on the axle 5. The lever 16 turns on the axle 5. The other end of the lever 16 protrudes through the L-shaped slit 3 at the side wall, which guides the lever between the lever's active state position and the lever's inactive state position. The lever 16 in FIG. 4 is at the lever's active state position where the top end of the lever is at the left most position in the L-shaped slit 3. The turning gate 9, the blade holder 10 and the blade 14 are shown in FIG. 4 at their maximally backward turning position. An extension spring 18 is connected between the lever post 17 and the off-axial post 23 (obstructed in FIG. 4 by the turning gate 9) which is attached to the turning gate 9. The turning gate 9 also includes the blade holder 10 which houses the blade 14. The leaf spring 12 also is attached to the turning gate 9. One of the two slits 19 which facilitate installation of the turning gate by temporarily bending the side walls is shown in FIG. 4. The holes 13 at the bottom wall of the box 1 are used to attach the second end of the belt 21 (shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) to the housing box 1. The plate 22 which is also used in connecting the second end of belt 21 to the housing box is also shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the extension spring 18 is at the maximally extended position.
[0051] FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional side view of an assembled ratcheting device HB-II in an active state. The bottom belt 21 and the plate 22 are also shown. The middle plate 2 which is parallel to the gripping wall 7 is installed at about the middle height of the housing box 1 and serves as the floor of the belt channel 8 which carries the upper belt 20. A cavity 4 is attached to the middle plate 2 and is used to house the unattached end of the leaf spring 12, which is shown in FIG. 5 in a bent state because the turning gate 9 is backward turned and the blade 14 is engaging the lower surface of the belt 20. The lever's axle 5 is also attached to the middle plate 2. The lever bearing 15 is installed on the axle 5. The lever 16 turns on the axle 5. The other end of the lever 16 protrudes through the L-shaped slit 3 at the side wall, which guides the lever between the lever's active state position and the lever's inactive state position. The lever 16 in FIG. 5 is at the lever's active state position where the top end of the lever is at the right most position in the L-shaped slit 3. The turning gate 9, the blade holder 10 and the blade 14 are shown in FIG. 5 at their maximally backward turning position. An extension spring 18 is connected between the lever post 17 and the off-axial post 23 (obstructed in FIG. 5 by the turning gate 9) which is attached to the turning gate 9. The turning gate 9 also includes the blade holder 10 which houses the blade 14. The leaf spring 12 also is attached to the turning gate 9. One of the two slits 19 which facilitate installation of the turning gate by temporarily bending the side walls is shown in FIG. 5. The holes 13 at the bottom wall of the box 1 are used to attach the second end of the belt 21 (shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) to the housing box 1. In FIG. 5, the extension spring 18 is at the maximally extended position.
[0052] (FIG. 6 describes the forward leaning diagonal arrangement of the turning gate and its attached blade front with respect to the fulcrum and the channel's forward direction. FIG. 6 shows that the turning gate is installed in the channel in a forward leaning diagonal orientation. As illustrated in FIG. 6, A straight line emanating from the blade front and passing through the axis of rotation (i.e. the fulcrum) is at an obtuse angle (i.e. an angle greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees) with respect to the forward direction. It means that the obtuse angle which is centered at the blade front and is measured between the two lines emanating from the angle's center (the blade front). One line starts at the angle's center and passes through the axis of rotation (i.e. fulcrum) and the second line starts at the angle's center (i.e. the blade front) and is parallel to the forward direction of the channel.
