Abstract:
A convenient lacing system including a drawing mechanism, pulleys or some other form of low friction lace paths, an attachment point, and a lace. The lace terminates at the attachment point, and follows a path around the outside hemispheres of the pulleys (or through the lace paths), criss-crossing between the two rows of pulleys without the lace overlapping. The pulleys are aligned generally in two rows on either side of an area to be drawn together. A drawing mechanism is attached at the non-terminating end of the path of the lace, and through use of a pull-cord draws in the lace and tightens the item to which the system is attached by drawing the pulleys (lace paths) closer together. The use of pulleys allows the system to distribute tension evenly along the path of the lace, and aids in the convenience of tightening.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Provisional Application No. 60/591,536  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable  
       REFERENCES TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
       [0003]     Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     This invention relates to a convenient lace tightening system for any thing that can be secured using laces (i.e. shoes, boxing gloves, etc.).  
         [0005]     The most common way to secure shoes and other laced objects is using a cord which is run in a criss-cross fashion through a series of holes on either side of an area designed to shorten the distance between the adjascent areas, having the ends of the lace exit two parallel holes at one end of the area. These ends are pulled and tied together in some fashion to secure the tightened lace, which in turn secures the item being laced to a desired level of tightness. The main disadvantages of such a system are: the crossing portions of the lace must be tightened individually to affect the desired level of tightness at the area adjascent to each hole in the lacing series; it is frequent that a laced object will loosen with use and need to be untied, retightened and retied; undoing the object&#39;s laces may be difficult after extended or intense usage; and some objects, such as boxing gloves, require the objects be held into a certain position while pulling and tying two lace ends, which makes it hard to secure such object if only two hands are available.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     This invention consists of a series of pulleys, attached to opposing sides of an area to be tightened in two rows, with an attachment point for one end of a lace at the end of one of the rows of pulleys (pulleys are interchangeable with extremely low friction holes, but pulleys are preferred and are part of the preferred embodiment of the invention). At the other end of one of the rows of pulleys is a mechanism which pulls one end of the lace, shortening it, thereby pulling the rows of pulleys toward each other. The mechanism consists of a self-contained device having: an initial pulley (hereafter known a “draw” pulley); a gear with selectable attachment to the draw pulley (draw gear); spring loaded teeth to allow the draw gear to turn in only one direction; a spring loaded initial pulley which has a pull-cord attached to it, and another gear affixed to one end of the initial pulley by a slip-clutch mechanism (allowing the gear to only turn when the pull-cord is pulled); a mechanism for separating the draw gear from the draw pulley; and a return mechanism to reconnect the draw pulley and gear.  
         [0007]     The parts of the “draw” mechanism work in such a fashion as to cause the lace to be pulled around the circumference of the draw pulley when the pull-cord is pulled; the pull-cord is then returned to its original position by the spring loaded initial pulley, allowing the lace to be tightened further by pulling the pull-cord again; the draw gear then holds the lace in position while connected to the draw pulley; the lace is released by pushing a button on the outside of the draw mechanism which separates the draw gear and pulley; and finally the draw gear and pulley are reconnected when the pull-cord is pulled again. 
     
    
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of the lacing system with the secondary (top) uppers of the shoe shown in transparency.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the lacing system in the current embodiment in the tensioned position.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of the initiating gear.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the draw gear.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the initiating assembly body from the side.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the initiating axle from the side.  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the initiating assembly body.  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the slip-clutch teeth at a downward angle.  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the locking teeth in the drawing assembly at a downward angle.  
         [0017]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the draw gear at a downward angle.  
         [0018]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the initiating gear at a downward angle.  
         [0019]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the draw axle at a side angle.  
         [0020]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the return spring at a side angle.  
         [0021]      FIG. 14  is a side view of a lace pulley.  
         [0022]      FIG. 15  is a top view of a lace pulley.  
         [0023]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a pulley axle and a clip that fits on it.  
         [0024]      FIG. 17  is an exploded view of a loop end of the spiral spring with its securing pin.  
         [0025]      FIG. 18  is a plan view of the draw pulley with the lace connected to it.  
         [0026]      FIG. 19  is a side view of the case retaining rod and its clips.  
         [0027]      FIG. 20  is a side perspective view of the draw pulley with the lace connected to it.  
         [0028]      FIG. 21  is an angled perspective view of the bottom of the return plate.  
         [0029]      FIG. 22  is a plan view of the return guide.  
         [0030]      FIG. 23  is an angled perspective view of the bottom of the return guide.  
         [0031]      FIG. 24  is a top perspective view of a locking tooth spring.  
         [0032]      FIG. 25  is a plan view of the initiating assembly body with the pull-cord and spiral spring extending from it.  
         [0033]      FIG. 26  is a side perspective view of the lacing system in the loosened state of its current embodiment.  
         [0034]      FIG. 27  is a perspective view of the drawing mechanism at a downward angle (without release button or pull-cord).  
         [0035]      FIG. 28  is a perspective view of the drawing mechanism from the lace end.  
         [0036]      FIG. 29  is a plan view of the return mechanism without the top section of the case, and without gears or draw pulley.  
         [0037]      FIG. 30  is a plan view of the return mechanism without the top section of the case, and without gears.  
         [0038]      FIG. 31  is a plan view of the return mechanism without the top section of the case.  
         [0039]      FIG. 32  is a plan view of the return mechanism with only the middle section of the case and the initiating assembly body.  
         [0040]      FIG. 33  is a perspective view of the top of the case from an elevated angle.  
         [0041]      FIG. 34  is a perspective view of the under side of the top of the case from an elevated angle.  
         [0042]      FIG. 35  is a plan view of the bottom of the case with the return mechanism.  
         [0043]      FIG. 36  is a plan view of the bottom of the case without the return mechanism.  
         [0044]      FIG. 37  is an angled perspective view of the middle of the case without most internal parts.  
         [0045]      FIG. 38  is an angle perspective view of the middle of the case with only the initiating assembly. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0046]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is disclosed one embodiment of a pull-cord actuated pulley lacing system as used on footwear to tighten it to the user&#39;s foot (from herein, it should be understood that the shoe helps illustrate the application of the invention for the purpose of this patent application, and the shoe represents any item to which the invention could be applied). When the pull-cord  3  is pulled, the drawing mechanism  36  pulls the lace  23 , shortening the lace length between the drawing mechanism and the attachment point  40 , in turn causing the pulleys  39  to draw closer to each other (the lace is threaded around the outer sides of the circumference of the pulleys). In the current embodiment the pulleys  39  are attached to the upper of the shoe by way of axle pins  19 , the ends of which are attached to the main upper  41  (below the pulleys) and secondary upper  42  of the shoe (clips  18  hold the pulley on the shoe), allowing the pulleys  39  to turn on a plane generally parallel with the surface of the uppers. The attachment point  40  for one end of the lace  23  is located at the toe end of the left row of pulleys from a wearer&#39;s point of view. The drawing mechanism  36  is attached to the shoe upper  41  at the ankle end of the right row of pulleys from the wearer&#39;s point of view. Preferably, the shoe tongue, lace, and underside of uppers should be made of low friction material to aid in smooth operation of the lacing system (or in the case of other laced objects, any moving surfaces that will touch during operation of the lacing system). From herein “vertical” refers to a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the case, “horizontal” refers to a position or direction parallel with the bottom surface of the case, “top” refers to anything toward the top of the case, “bottom” refers to anything toward the bottom of the case, and clock/counterclockwise is referenced by a top view.  
         [0047]     Referring to  FIGS. 32, 34 ,  36 , and  37 , the drawing mechanism  36  comprises a case, of as many pieces as needed for assembly or maintenance purposes, which houses all internal parts of the mechanism. There are three pieces in the present embodiment; the cap  56 , the body  54  and the bottom  55 ; these are held together by rods  20  ( FIG. 19 ) which fit in vertically aligned holes  59  ( FIG. 33-37 ) in the three pieces, and clips  18  secure the ends of the rods. The material the case is made of should be strong and light, preferably plastic. The case  36  has two internal recessed pivot points  62  ( FIG. 34-36 ) for the initiating axle  34  ( FIG. 6 ), generally centered on the width of the case, on the bottom inside surface and the top inside surface of the case. The initiating axle  34  holds the initiating parts in a fixed vertical position allowing them to spin on a plane perpendicular to the length of the axle  34 , and is located in a position which holds the initiating parts generally in the half of the case which is distant from the lace end. In the current embodiment the initiating axle  34  is made of stainless steel for its strength and low friction properties.  
         [0048]     The case also has a hole  60  through its upper portion (cap,  FIG. 33, 34 ), generally centered on the half of the case at the lace end, through which passes one end of the draw axle  35  ( FIG. 12 ); the other end of the draw axle  35  is fixed in the center of the return plate  25  ( FIG. 21 ), which in turn is attached to the case in such a manner as to not allow that end of the draw axle to shift horizontally.  
         [0049]     Referring to  FIG. 37 , the inside of the case is cut out in the shape of two slightly overlapping cylinders, which hold the initiating and drawing assemblies of the drawing mechanism in their own cylinders. The top portions of the cylinders are cut to a slightly larger diameter than the rest of the cylinders to accommodate the gears, allowing the gear teeth to mesh together; for the drawing gear  10  ( FIG. 10 ), the bottom lip  58  ( FIG. 37, 38 ) of the slightly larger cutout performs the function of keeping the gear in its position, vertically speaking, when the drawing pulley  50  ( FIG. 18, 20 ) is separated from it. The cylindrical area for the drawing assembly is deeper to accommodate the return mechanism.  
         [0050]     Referring to  FIG. 37 , a hole  53  slightly larger in diameter than the lace  23  passes through the lace end of the case  54 , positioned generally on the same plane as the draw pulley  50 , allowing the lace to pass through. This hole  53  is located in a position on the with of the lace end of the case to allow the lace  23  to pass generally straight through to the side of initial contact with the draw pulley  50 .  
         [0051]     Referring to  FIGS. 37 and 27 , a hole  43  of slightly larger diameter than the pull-cord  3  passes through the side of the case on the plane of the contact area of the initiating pulley  51  ( FIG. 5 ), generally located to allow the pull-cord  3  to remain almost perfectly straight on a line with the area of initial contact with the initiating pulley  51 . Both the lace and the pull-cord holes  53 , 43  on the case are beveled inside and out to prevent excessive friction and chafing. The pull-cord  3  is of sufficient length to effect the drawing in of all slack on the lace  23 , plus applying tension to the lace, through the mechanical parts of the drawing mechanism  36 . The user end of the pull cord  3  terminates in a handle  37  ( FIG. 26 ), of any useful type, which aids in the gripping and pulling of the pull-cord.  
         [0052]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the pull-cord  3  is attached to the initiating pulley  51  on the contact (recessed) surface of the pulley; in the current embodiment an offset hole is drilled through the width of the contact area of the pulley on a path other than that of the path of the initiating axle  34 , and the pull-cord  3  is looped through and tied. The body of the initiating assembly  12  (what actually turns on the initiating axle) is one piece with two grooved areas; one for the pull cord  3 , and one located just above it ( 6 ) to accommodate the spiral return spring  4  (see  FIG. 25 ). At the very top of the initiating assembly  12  is a cylindrical area with recesses  2  ( FIG. 5 ) to accommodate the spring loaded teeth for the slip-clutch gear mechanism (see  FIG. 31 ), and said cylindrical area fits vertically into the initiating gear  11  portion of the slip clutch gear mechanism. The initiating gear  11  ( FIG. 3 ) is generally a ring with outer gear teeth which mesh with the gear teeth of the drawing gear  10 , and three equally spaced notches  8  (basically the shape of a right triangle) which grip the teeth  46  ( FIG. 8 ) of the slip clutch assembly when the initiating assembly  12  is turning in a counter-clockwise motion (when the pull-cord is being pulled).  
         [0053]     The spiral spring  4  has eyelets  45  at both ends, through which pass pins  44  to hold them in place (see  FIG. 17 ). One end of the spring  4  is attached to flat surface of the circumference groove  6  above the initiating pulley portion of the body of the initiating assembly  12 , and the spring spirals out in a clockwise direction ( FIG. 25 ), with the other end of the spring attached to the inside wall of the initiating side of the case. It is attached to the case on the same plane as the spring groove  6  on the initiating assembly  12  body, to allow the spring  4  to wind and unwind on a level plane and prevent binding. When the pull-cord  3  is pulled, it unwinds from the initiating pulley  51  and turns the initiating assembly  12  (including the initiating gear  11 ) in a counterclockwise direction (when viewed from top). This in turn compresses the spiral spring  4 , which is wound the opposite way as the pull-cord.  
         [0054]     The slip clutch gear assembly consists of the previously mentioned cylindrical top of the initiating assembly  12  body, three generally rectangular clutch teeth  46  with rounded ends which fit into the recesses in the top of the initiating assembly, small springs  7  ( FIG. 7 ) inset into the walls of the recesses, and the initiating gear  11 . The recesses for the clutch teeth  46  are generally triangular, with flat areas at the back of the recesses. The outer area of the recesses are much wider than the flat areas at the back, allowing the clutch teeth to pivot and the outer ends of the teeth to move from side to side. The recesses are situated so that they point generally to the counterclockwise direction on the circumference of the body, effectively making the clutch teeth  46  move in and out when they pivot from side to side. The springs  7  are inset into the walls on the counterclockwise side of the clutch teeth  46 , and push the teeth in the clockwise direction (as viewed from the top). Referring to  FIG. 31 , when the body and clutch teeth are turning in the counterclockwise direction (caused by pulling the pull-cord), they slide along the inside of the initiating gear  11  until the ends of the teeth  46  lock themselves in the notches of the initiating gear (by force of the springs  7 ). At this point continued pulling of the pull-cord  3  causes the locked slip-clutch gear assembly to turn the initiating gear  11 , which in turn rotates the draw gear  10  in the clockwise direction.  
         [0055]     When pull-cord  3  is released, the loaded spiral spring  4  forces the initiating assembly to turn in the clockwise direction, which causes the slip-clutch teeth to be pushed in by the inner surface of the initiating gear  11  (the initiating gear is held in place by the draw gear  10  and its locking teeth  47 ) in a continuous and repeating fashion. The slipping of the gear  11  allows the spiral spring  4  to decompress, turning the initiating assembly  12  clockwise, until the pull-cord  3  is drawn back in completely by the initiating pulley.  
         [0056]     Referring to  FIG. 31 , the drawing gear  10  is at the top of the drawing assembly, and is on a horizontal plane with the slip clutch gear  11  of the initiating assembly. The drawing gear has trapezoidal holes  9  ( FIG. 10 ), having vertically flat inside surfaces, passing vertically through the gear body. The holes  9  are positioned in a circular fashion, about half the radius of the gear outward from the center. These holes mate with similarly shaped raised areas on the top of the drawing pulley  50 . On opposing sides of the draw  10  gear are two recesses  63  ( FIG. 29, 30 ), cut outward from the gear and of the same height as the gear, which dogleg sharply in the counterclockwise direction (as viewed from the top). In these recesses are locking teeth  47  ( FIG. 9 ), irregular shaped devices that vaguely resemble the shape of a banana, which are nearly the same vertical height as the vertical height of the draw gear  10 . Each locking tooth  47  has a hole  14  drilled vertically through it about halfway along its length and width, through which a pin  52  passes to provide a pivot point for each locking tooth. The pins  52  in the locking teeth set into holes  61  in the bottom and top surfaces of the recesses (the top surface being the bottom surface of the cap,  FIG. 34 ). The working end of each locking tooth  47  points into the teeth of the draw gear  10 , pointing in a generally clockwise direction. The spring end of each locking tooth has a spring  49  ( FIG. 24, 31 ) inserted between its side nearest the draw gear  10  and the wall of the recess nearest the draw gear. This configuration has the effect of allowing the draw gear  10  to turn in the clockwise direction by pushing the protruding ends of the locking teeth up as each gear tooth  47  slides past them, compressing the springs  49  at the spring ends of the locking teeth; the locking teeth point into the faces of the gear teeth, and prevent the draw gear  10  from turning counterclockwise since the points of the locking teeth are angled severely in a clockwise direction.  
         [0057]     The drawing pulley  50  is located just below the drawing gear  10 , having six trapezoid-shaped raised areas  21  ( FIG. 18, 20 ) which fit into the holes of the drawing gear when the drawing pulley  50  is pushed up into the drawing gear  10  by the return plate  25 . The lace  23  is fastened to the contact surface of the draw pulley  50  by way of a hole  24  drilled through the pulley (centered vertically on the lace contact surface of the pulley, and drilled on the horizontal plane of the motion of the pulley, but not through the center where the draw axle  35  fits). In the current embodiment, the end of the lace  23  (braided nylon cord) is melted so that it is hard and of larger diameter than the lace; this keeps the lace from pulling back through the hole  24 , which is the same diameter as the lace.  
         [0058]     In the preferred embodiment, the draw axle  35  ( FIG. 12 ) is a smooth stainless steel shaft having a raised area  15  near its vertical middle point. The raised area is disk shaped and about twice the diameter of the draw axle  35 ; it is positioned between the draw gear  10  and draw pulley  50  in the draw assembly, and fits into beveled areas on the bottom and top of the axle holes of the draw gear and pulley respectively (this allows the gear/pulley to make full surface contact). When the release button  38  ( FIG. 28 , located on the end of the draw axle  35  external to the case) is pressed, the draw axle  35  is pushed downward through the draw gear  10  (which stays in position due to the lip  58  under it in the case), and the draw axle disk  15  is pushed downward into the draw pulley  50 . This separates the previously locked draw pulley and draw gear, allowing the draw pulley to turn freely and the lace to loosen. Also, when the release button  38  is pushed, the bottom end of the draw axle  35  pushes the return mechanism.  
         [0059]     Referring to  FIG. 13, 21 ,  22 ,  23 , the return mechanism (part of the drawing assembly) comprises: a return plate  25 , a return spring  64 , a guide pin  28 , and a return guide  65 . The return plate  25 , located below the draw pulley in the draw assembly, is a flat disk  26  with a cylindrical extrusion  27  (herein referred to as the nub) coming out of the bottom. The nub  27  has a guide pin hole drilled through its diameter near the flat bottom of it, intersecting the vertical draw axle hole, and on a plane parallel to the flat upper surface of the piece. On the outside edge of the disk portion of the return plate is a triangular extrusion  30  (as viewed from the top of the return plate; herein known as the return catch) with a raised surface, which moves clockwise/counterclockwise depending on whether the draw pulley  50  is being locked to or released from the draw gear  10  (the raised surface of the return catch  30  travels outside the circumference of the draw pulley).  
         [0060]     The guide pin  28  fits into the guide pin hole with both ends of the guide pin extending past the outer surfaces of the nub  27  of the return plate  25 . This pin effectively guides the return plate  25  through the return guide  65 , and also serves to prevent the draw axle  35  from pushing completely through the return plate.  
         [0061]     The return guide  65  is a cylinder with a hollow center (matched in size to the nub  27  on the return plate  25 ) which is attached to the bottom inside of the case and is centered on the vertical path of the draw axle  35  (the return guide is secured to the case with bolts  33 ). The return guide has two angled openings  31  through is walls on opposing sides of the guide, which are angled left to right from top to bottom (when viewed from the outside). The return plate nub  27  fits inside the return guide  65 , and the guide pin  28  fits through the angled openings  31  of the return guide and through the guide pin holes on the return plate nub  27 , causing the return plate  28  to turn approximately one-eighth turn as the nub  27  travels through the guide  65 . The nub travels vertically in the guide, and the guide pin keeps the nub from completely leaving the inside of the return guide when the return plate is pushed up by the compression spring  64  (return spring).  
         [0062]     The return spring  64  is a compression spring, having a flattened top and bottom, the ends of said spring having a small length of the spring wire material bent up on the top  16  and down on the bottom  17  (spurs). The return spring  64  is of slightly greater diameter than the return guide  65 , and fits around the return guide; the bottom of the return spring rests on the bottom of the case. The spur  17  on the bottom points down and is inserted into a round recess  57  ( FIG. 36 ) in the bottom of the case  55 . The spur at the top  16  of the spring  64  is inserted into a small hole  29  drilled into the return plate disk  26  (the return spring top rests against the bottom surface of the return plate disk), which aids in pushing the return plate  25  into the locked position  66  ( FIG. 35 ); a small amount of clockwise torsion is applied to the spring  64 —which is locked in place by the spurs  16 ,  17 —during assembly. The return spring  64  serves to push the return plate  25  upward, and also has the secondary function of helping turn the return plate counterclockwise to the locked position  66  while it is being compressed by the release button  38 /draw axle  35 . For clarification, when the drawing assembly is unlocked, the return mechanism is in the locked position, and vice versa.  
         [0063]     Referring to the previous description of the functions of the initiating assembly, when the pull-cord  3  is pulled, the initiating gear  11  is turned counterclockwise. This, through their meshed teeth, turns the draw gear  10  in a clockwise direction. The draw gear turns the draw pulley  50 , with which it locked, in a clockwise direction. The draw pulley pulls in the lace  23 , tightening the shoe or other object to be laced. When the pull-cord is released, the draw gear  10  maintains the draw pulley  50  and lace  23  in the tightened position by way of the locking teeth  47 ; it remains this way until the release button  38  is pushed, or until the pull-cord is pulled again for further tightening. To release the tension on the lace, the release button  38  on top of the draw axle  35  is pushed downward, which separates the draw pulley  50  from the draw gear  10  by way of the aforementioned raised area  15  on the draw axle, allowing the draw pulley to spin freely and release the lace tension. When the draw axle  35  is pushed, the bottom end pushes the return plate  25  downward through the return guide  65 ; the return plate turns counterclockwise causing the return catch  30  on the outer edge of the return plate to press into the notched area  5  ( FIG. 38, 5 ) around the bottom part of the initiating pulley  51 . Also the return spring  64  is compressed, and the return spring helps turn the guide plate to the locked position  66  by way of counterclockwise tension put on the spring. When in the locked position, the guide pin  28  catches in small horizontal areas  32  ( FIG. 23 ) at the bottom its travel through the angled cutouts  31  in the return guide  65 ; These horizontal areas are in the top surfaces of the cutouts, and make the cutouts resemble hockey sticks in shape.  
         [0064]     Once the return mechanism is locked, all drawn length of the lace is free to be pulled out of the drawing mechanism  36 . When the pull-cord  3  is pulled again, the return catch  30  (which is pushed against the notches  5  in the initiating pulley  51 ) turns the return plate  25  clockwise, which moves the ends of the guide pin  28  out of the locked position of the return guide  65 . The return guide is pushed upward by the return spring  64 , turning clockwise further through the return guide, and reapplying the counterclockwise tension to the spring. The upward thrust return plate  25  pushes the draw pulley  50  into the locked position with the draw gear  10 . All this happens as soon as the pull-cord  3  is pulled, and the remaining pulling length of the pull-cord will affect the draw pulley tightening the lace  23  again.  
         [0065]     The method of attachment of the terminating end of the lace is unimportant so long at it is a strong attachment. The type of pulleys, placement of pulleys, and method of attaching the pulleys to the shoe upper can vary insofar as the pulleys are unhindered in turning, and the functionality of the pulleys is not compromised. The placement, shape, configuration, and internal parts of the drawing mechanism can also vary so long as the function remains the same.