SHOE LACE TIGHTENING DEVICE

Abstract

A shoelace tightening device includes a main ratchet gear and an auxiliary ratchet gear, which allows a stopper unit to be coupled so as to have a clearance such that the stopper accurately engages with the main ratchet gear. The shoelace tightening device further includes: a lower cover having a receiving recess within a top portion of the lower cover; a reel rotatably inserted into the receiving recess of the lower cover, wherein the reel includes a gear coupling portion provided on a top portion of the reel such that a wire is wound on the reel when the reel is rotated; a housing accommodating the reel inside the housing, wherein a bottom end portion of the housing is fixed to the receiving recess of the lower cover to be integrally fixed to the lower cover.

Claims

1. A shoelace tightening device comprising: a lower cover having a receiving recess within a top portion of the lower cover; a reel rotatably inserted into the receiving recess of the lower cover wherein the reel comprises a gear coupling portion provided on a top portion of the reel such that a wire is wound on the reel when the reel is rotated; a housing accommodating the reel inside the housing, wherein a bottom end portion of the housing is fixed to the receiving recess of the lower cover to be integrally fixed to the lower cover, the housing comprises a main ratchet provided along an inner circumferential portion of a top end portion of the housing; a middle cover containing the housing inside the middle cover while being separated from the housing so as to be rotatable, wherein the middle cover comprises a plurality of teeth circularly provided on an inner portion of a bottom surface of the middle cover to be engaged with the gear coupling portion and a central shaft extending downward to be inserted into a central hole of the reel; a stopper unit accommodated within the middle cover, wherein the stopper unit comprises a plurality of shaft holes in a bottom portion to be coupled to a plurality of shafts of the middle cover, a plurality of stoppers radially diverge from an outer surface of the stopper unit to be elastic, and a plurality of matching ratchets are disposed on the plurality of stoppers to be engaged with the main ratchet of the housing, such that the main ratchet is restrained to rotate in one direction; and an upper rotatable cover covering a top surface of the middle cover, and rotating integrally with the middle cover due to a plurality of locking members coupled to the middle cover, wherein a subratchet is circularly provided on an entire top surface of the main ratchet and rotates in a same direction as the main ratchet, a plurality of horizontal plates are connected to top surfaces of the plurality of matching ratchets of the plurality of stoppers radially and elastically disposed on the stopper unit, and a plurality of matching subratchets are disposed on bottom surfaces of the plurality of horizontal plates to be selectively engaged with the subratchet and rotate in the same direction as the subratchet, such that the plurality of matching subratchets are not engaged with the subratchet during a rotation of the stopper unit and are engaged with the subratchet when stopped in a tightened position to provide a dual restraining force.

2. The shoelace tightening device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of shaft holes of the stopper unit are coupled to the plurality of shafts of the middle cover, and the plurality of shaft holes are in a shape of slits such that spaces are defined between the plurality of shaft holes and the plurality of shafts, so that the stopper unit is movable slightly in a lateral direction.

3. The shoelace tightening device according to claim 1, wherein the central shaft inserted into the central hole of the reel to be moved up and down has a flexibility due to a notch formed in a middle portion of the central shaft, and a plurality of locking protrusions are circularly provided on an outer circumferential portion of a bottom end of the central shaft, the plurality of locking protrusions are movable up and down while being brought into contact with and being detached from locking projections circularly provided on the central hole of the reel, so that an indication of a connection and a disconnection between the stopper unit and the reel is possible.

4. The shoelace tightening device according to claim 1, wherein the lower cover comprises one or more sewing guide grooves provided along a peripheral portion of the lower cover to guide an accurate sewing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view illustrating the present invention in an exploded state;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view illustrating the present invention in an exploded state;

[0017] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the housing and the stopper unit;

[0018] FIG. 4 is an assembled cross-sectional view of the meshed position of the stopper unit and the main ratchet according to the invention;

[0019] FIG. 5 is an assembled cross-sectional view of the disconnected position of the stopper unit and the main ratchet according to the invention;

[0020] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the stopper unit and the middle cover coupled to each other;

[0021] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view illustrating an upwardly curved position of the stopper of the stopper unit;

[0022] FIG. 8 is a bottom view taken along line A-A in FIG. 7;

[0023] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view taken in direction B in FIG. 8; and

[0024] FIG. 10 is a schematic view disengaged and engaged positions of a subratchet and a matching subratchet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention provides a shoelace tightening device including a lower cover 10, a reel 20, a housing 30, a middle cover 40, a stopper unit 50, and an upper rotatable cover 60. The lower cover 10 has a receiving recess 1 within the top portion thereof. The reel 20 is rotatably inserted into the receiving recess 1 of the lower cover 10, and has a gear coupling portion 2 provided on the top portion thereof such that a wire 3 is wound on the reel 20 when the reel 20 is rotated. The housing 30 accommodates the reel 20 therein, with a bottom end portion thereof being fixed to the receiving recess 1 of the lower cover 10 to be integrally fixed thereto. The housing 30 has a main ratchet 4 provided along the inner circumferential portion of the top end portion thereof. The middle cover 40 contains the housing 30 therein while being separated from the housing 30 so as to be rotatable. The middle cover 40 has teeth 5 circularly provided on the inner portion of the bottom surface thereof to be engaged with the gear coupling portion 2 and a central shaft 7 extending downward to be inserted into a central hole 6 of the reel 20. The stopper unit 50 is accommodated within the middle cover 40, and has shaft holes 8 in the bottom portion to be coupled to shafts 9 of the middle cover 40. The stopper unit 50 has stoppers 50a radially diverging from the outer surface to be elastic and matching ratchets 50b disposed on the stoppers 50a to be engaged with the main ratchet 4 of the housing, such that the main ratchet 4 is restrained to rotate in one direction. The upper rotatable cover 60 covers the top surface of the middle cover 40, and rotates integrally with the middle cover 40 due to locking members 11 coupled to the middle cover 40. A subratchet 70 is circularly provided on the entire top surface of the main ratchet 4 and rotates in the same direction as the main ratchet 4, horizontal plates 12 are connected to the top surfaces of the matching ratchets 50b of the stoppers 50a radially and elastically disposed on the stopper unit 50, and matching subratchets 70a are disposed on the bottom surfaces of the horizontal plates 12 to be selectively engaged with the subratchet 70 and rotate in the same direction as the subratchet 70, such that the matching subratchets 70a are not engaged with the subratchet 70 during rotation of the stopper unit 50 and are engaged with the subratchet 70 when stopped in a tightened position to provide dual restraining force.

[0027] In addition, the shaft holes 8 of stopper unit 50, to which the shafts 9 of the middle cover 40 are coupled, are in the shape of slits such that spaces S are defined between the shaft holes 8 and the shafts 9, so that the stopper unit 50 can move slightly in a lateral direction.

[0028] In addition, the lower cover 10 has one or more sewing guide grooves 13 formed along the peripheral portion thereof to guide accurate sewing.

[0029] In addition, the central shaft 7 of the middle cover 40, inserted into the central hole 6 of the reel 20 to be moved up and down, has flexibility due to a notch formed in the middle portion thereof. Locking protrusions 14 are circularly provided on the outer circumferential portion of the bottom end of the central shaft 7. The locking protrusions 14 may move up and down while being brought into contact with and being detached from locking projections 15 circularly provided on the central hole 6 of the reel 20, so that a connection and disconnection between the stopper unit 50 and the reel 20 can be indicated.

[0030] The wire tightening device according to the present invention having the above-described configuration is assembled as follows. First, the lower cover 10 is sewn to an upper of a shoe. The shoelace wire 3 is inserted into and bound to a withdrawal hole of the reel 20 by fitting the reel 20 into the receiving recess 1 of the lower cover 10, and then, the housing having the main ratchet is fixed to the lower cover 10 by fitting. The stopper unit 50 is seated on the top portion of the middle cover 40 by coupling of the shaft holes 8 and the shafts 9. The housing is covered with the middle cover 40 in an upwardly and downwardly movable manner, so that the central shaft 7 is inserted into the central hole 6 of the reel 20. After the stopper unit 50 is coupled to the middle cover 40 such that the matching ratchets 50b, provided on the outer surfaces of the stoppers of the stopper unit 50, are meshed with the main ratchet of the housing, the outer surface of the stopper unit 50 is covered with the upper rotatable cover 60, and the upper rotatable cover 60 is integrally coupled to the middle cover 40. In this manner, the process of attaching the wire tightening device to the shoe is completed in a simple manner.

[0031] Describing a general function of tightening and untightening a shoelace using the wire tightening device assembled as above, in response to upward or downward movement of the stopper unit 50 of the middle cover 40, the reel 20 is locked to or unlocked from the main ratchet 4, thereby causing the wire 3 to be wound or unwound, to which the upper rotatable cover 60 60 is coupled. When the wire is wound to tighten the shoelace, in a position in which the stoppers 50a of the stopper unit 50 are detached from the main ratchet 4 of the housing as illustrated in FIG. 5, the upper rotatable cover 60 may be pressed by an external force applied thereto. In response to the upper rotatable cover 60 being pressed, the central shaft 7 of the middle cover 40 integrally coupled to the upper rotatable cover 60 is moved downwards along the central hole 6 of the reel 20, so that the teeth 5 provided on the bottom surface engage with the gear coupling portion 2 provided on the top surface of the reel 20. In addition, the stopper unit 50 accommodated in the middle cover 40 also moves downwards, so that the matching ratchets 50b of the stoppers 50a rotate in one direction while remaining meshed with the main ratchet 4 provided on the inner circumferential portion of the housing (see FIG. 4).

[0032] When the upper rotatable cover 60 is rotated from this position, the matching ratchets 50b provided on the stoppers 50a of the middle cover 40 integrally coupled to the upper rotatable cover 60 rotate in one direction in engagement with the main ratchet 4 of the housing. In addition, due to the coupling between the middle cover 40, the gear coupling portion 2, and the teeth 5, the reel 20 is simultaneously rotated so that the wire 3 is wound on the reel 20. Here, the wire 3 remains in a restrained position so that the matching ratchets 50b of the stoppers 50a are meshed with the main ratchet 4 to rotate in one direction only.

[0033] Accordingly, when the upper rotatable cover 60 is rotated, the wire 3 can be continuously wound on the reel 20 to tighten the shoe. In the tightened position, even in the case in which the rotation of the upper rotatable cover 60 is stopped, the matching ratchets 50b of the stoppers 50a are engaged with the main ratchet 4 of the housing to restrain backward rotation, the tensed tightened position can be maintained instead of being untightened.

[0034] In contrast, in the case of attempting to loosen the wire 3 from the tensed tightened position in order to take off the shoe, the upper rotatable cover 60 is drawn upwards to upwardly move the stopper unit 50 that has been moved downwards to engage with and restrain the main ratchet 4. Then, the middle cover 40 integrally coupled to the upper rotatable cover 60 is simultaneously moved upwards, so that a portion of the central shaft 7 is also moved upwards from the central hole 6 of the reel 20. At the same time, the stopper unit 50 accommodated in the middle cover 40 is simultaneously moved upwards, so that the matching ratchets 50b of the stoppers 50a are detached from the main ratchet 4 to release the reel 20, which tends to rotate in one direction, from the restrained position. Consequently, the reel 20 can rotate freely, and when the wire 3 is drawn, the wire 3 can be unwound from the reel 20, thereby being loosened from the tightened position. Accordingly, the reel 20 can be selectively restrained and released in response to upward and downward movement of the stopper unit 50, as is disclosed in a variety of related-art solutions.

[0035] During wearing the shoe, unwinding force, in addition to movement, is applied to the shoelace wound on the reel 20 and tightened in the tensed state. However, since the rotation of the reel 20 in one direction is restrained by the stoppers 50a of the stopper unit 50 meshed with the main ratchet 4, as described above, a large amount of load may be applied to the main ratchet 4 and the stoppers 50a, thereby causing the main ratchet 4 and the stoppers 50a to be easily abraded. Accordingly, when the shoe has been used for a long time, the restraining force of the stoppers 50a may be reduced, which is problematic. The present invention is intended to overcome the above-described problems. The present invention is characterized in that the subratchet 70 is circularly provided on the entire top surface of the main ratchet 4 and rotates in the same direction as the main ratchet 4, and the horizontal plates 12 are connected to the top surfaces of the matching ratchets 50b of the stoppers 50a radially and elastically disposed on the stopper unit 50, such that the matching subratchets 70a engaging with the subratchet 70 are provided on the bottom surfaces of the horizontal plates 12, so that load concentrated to the main ratchet 4 and the stoppers 50a is distributed. When the wire 3 is wound on the reel 20 by rotating the upper rotatable cover 60, disengagement is maintained so as not to provide restraining force, as illustrated in (A) of FIG. 10. In contrast, in a stop position tightened with an intended amount of tension, the stoppers 50a of the stopper unit 50 are subjected to load due to tension so that a middle portion thereof is upwardly curved so as to be slightly convex, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

[0036] When the stoppers 50a are upwardly curved in this manner, the distal ends of the stopper unit 50 accommodated in the limited space of the middle cover 40, i.e. the distal ends on which the matching subratchets 70a are provided, are slightly moved downwards to be engaged with the subratchet 70, horizontally provided on the top surface of the main ratchet 4, as illustrated in (B) of FIG. 10.

[0037] Accordingly, the stoppers 50a, meshed with the main ratchet 4 to provide restraining force, not only can provide dual restraining force due to the engagement of the subratchet 70 and the matching subratchets 70a, but also can distribute load concentrated to the main ratchet 4. This can reduce the abrasion of the main ratchet 4 and the stoppers 50a, thereby increasing the longevity thereof.

[0038] In addition, according to the present invention, the shaft holes 8 of the stopper unit 50, to which the shafts 9 of the middle cover 40 are coupled, are provided as slits with the spaces S being defined between the shaft holes 8 and the shafts 9. When the wire 3 is tightened, even in the case in which the stoppers 50a are located on some of the teeth of the main ratchet 4 in the process in which the stoppers 50a are meshed with the main ratchet 4 by being fitted into and exiting the notches between the teeth of the main ratchet 4, there is a length of time in which the stoppers 50a can be accurately meshed at appropriate positions due to the spaces S of the slits, instead of being meshed at positions slightly behind the appropriate positions, differently from related-art cases. Consequently, the stopper unit 50 can be meshed with a corresponding location of the main ratchet 4 while slightly moving in a lateral direction, so that the shoelace can be tightened with an intended strength of tightening force.

[0039] In other words, in a plurality of cases of the related art, when the wire 3 is tightened, the stoppers 50a may be located on some of the teeth of the main ratchet 4 in the process in which the stoppers 50a are meshed with the main ratchet 4 by being fitted into and exiting the notches between the teeth of the main ratchet 4, so that the stoppers 50a may be pushed backwards from appropriate locations of the main ratchet 4 and be meshed with other locations of the main ratchet 4 behind the appropriate locations. In such cases, an intended amount of tightening force may not be obtained one time. In addition, there is a problem in that the meshed state may be deteriorated due to the abrasion of the stoppers 50a and the main ratchet 4 meshed at the same locations when used for a long time. However, according to the present invention, this problem can be overcome by slight movement of the stopper unit 50.

[0040] In addition, the one or more sewing guide grooves 13 are provided along the peripheral portion of the lower cover 10 to guide accurate sewing. Accordingly, workers in shoe factories can accurately sew the tightening device to a shoe along the sewing lines, thereby obtaining a clean attachment state and improve the quality of products.

[0041] In addition, the central shaft 7 of the middle cover 40, inserted into the central hole 6 of the reel 20 to be moved up and down, has flexibility due to the notch formed in the middle portion thereof. The locking protrusions 14 are circularly provided on the outer circumferential portion of the bottom end of the central shaft 7. The locking protrusions 14 are configured to be brought into contact with and be detached from the locking projections 15 circularly provided on the central hole 6 of the reel 20, in a corresponding manner. When the locking protrusions 14, circularly provided on the bottom end of the central shaft 7, move up and down while being brought into contact with and being detached from the locking projections 15 circularly provided on the central hole 6 of the reel 20 in response to the upper rotatable cover 60 being moved up and down, elastic movement of the central shaft 7 due to the notch therefore may facilitate the upward and downward movement of the locking protrusions 14. In particular, when the locking protrusions 14 crossing the locking projections 15, sound may be generated and a sensation may be transferred to the user. Accordingly, it is possible to clearly and accurately connect and disconnect the stopper unit 50 and the reel 20.

[0042] As set forth above, according to the present invention, pressure and load concentrated to the main ratchet 4 are distributed, and the rotation of the reel 20 is restrained by dual-meshing the stoppers 50a. Accordingly, it is possible to more intensifying the tightening of the wire 3 and reduce the abrasion of the main ratchet 4 and the stoppers 50a, thereby improving the durability of the main ratchet 4 and the stoppers 50a. In addition, it is possible to obtain an intended level of tightening force.