Patent Publication Number: US-11390486-B2

Title: Wire reel

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a wire reel, and more particularly, to a wire reel which has a simplified wire joining structure in order to make manufacturing of the wire reel easy. 
     Background Art 
     KR 10-1810365 discloses a wire reel and a wire joining structure which are easy to manufacture. However, the conventional wire joining structure has a disadvantage in that it is too complicated and it is difficult to manufacture. 
     PATENT LITERATURE 
     Patent Documents 
     Patent Document 1: Korean Patent No. 10-1810365 (entitled “wire reel and wire joining structure which are easy to manufacture”) 
     Patent Document 2: Korean Patent No. 10-1723579 (entitled “wire tightening device”) 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior arts, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a wire reel which can form a slope gradient along a central partition wall, thereby supporting wires entering in a second direction and preventing interference between wires when the wires are joined with each other. 
     Objects of the present invention are not limited to the objects described above, and other objects that are not described will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description below. 
     To accomplish the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a wire reel including: a wire winding part having a wire wound surface on which a wire is wound by rotation, and first, second and third wire through holes formed in the wire wound surface to be spaced apart from one another at predetermined intervals so that the wire is inserted from the outside to the inside of a body; a wire joining part having a wire joining groove formed in the body, a first direction joining area to which the wire is inserted from the outside to the inside of the body through the first wire through hole, a second direction joining area to which the wire is inserted from the inside to the outside of the body in the opposite direction to the first direction through the second wire through hole, and a third direction joining area to which the wire is inserted from the outside to the inside of the body in the same direction as the first direction through the third wire through hole, wherein the wire is fixed and fastened in the wire joining groove; and a gear part having a gear protruding outwardly from the body so that the body is rotated by an interlinked operation of the gear. 
     Moreover, the wire joining groove is a horizontal groove formed to prevent interference due to movement of the wire passing the first, second and third direction joining areas. 
     Furthermore, the wire joining part includes: a first wire joining part for fixing and fastening one side of the wire; a second wire joining part for fixing and fastening the other side of the wire; and a central partition wall formed from one side to the other side of the wire joining groove to divisionally partition the first and second wire joining parts. 
     Additionally, the first wire joining part includes: a first wire joining groove which is formed at one side area on the basis of the central partition wall, is hollowed in the body, and has first, second and third direction joining areas; and a first inclined wall which is connected with the central partition wall and formed to guide the wire to enter the second direction joining area at a predetermined angle. In addition, the second wire joining part includes: a second wire joining groove which is formed at the other side area on the basis of the central partition wall, is hollowed in the body, and has first, second and third direction joining areas; and a second inclined wall which is connected with the central partition wall and formed to guide the wire to enter the second direction joining area at a predetermined angle. 
     Moreover, the first and second inclined walls are connected with the central partition wall and are shorter than the central partition wall to be as short as a predetermined length, so that the wire can be inserted into the second wire through hole when entering the second direction joining area. 
     Furthermore, the first and second inclined walls are inclined to be gradually lowered in height in the entering direction of the wire when the wire enters in the second direction. 
     Additionally, the first and second inclined walls are inclined to be relatively higher than the central partition wall and to gradually get higher in the entering direction of the wire, so that the wire is guided to enter in the direction of the second wire through hole. 
     In addition, each of the first and second inclined walls includes: a horizontal portion which is connected with the central partition wall and horizontally extends to be relatively lower in height; and an inclined portion which is connected with the central partition wall, extends from the horizontal portion, and is inclined so that the entire length is shorter than the central partition wall to be as short as a predetermined length. 
     Moreover, the inclined portion is shorter than the horizontal portion, so that the wire seated in the third direction joining area is fixed and fastened without interference by being pulled in the opposite direction to the entering direction of the wire entering in the first direction. 
     Furthermore, in another aspect of the present invention, there is a wire reel including: a first direction joining area to which a wire inserted from the outside to the inside of a body in a first direction through a first wire through hole; a second direction joining area formed in such a way that the wire goes out of the body through a second wire through hole in a second direction which is the opposite direction to the first direction, the second direction joining area guiding the wire to be inclinedly inserted before entering the second wire through hole while keeping the wire to a predetermined height from a wire joining groove formed in the body when the wire enters in the second direction; and a third direction joining area in which the wire inserted from the outside to the inside of the body through a third wire through hole in a third direction which is the same as the first direction is seated, wherein the wire seated in the third direction joining area is fixed and fastened without interference by being pulled in the opposite direction to the entering direction of the wire entering in the first direction since the wire is inclinedly inserted before entering the second wire through hole while keeping the predetermined height from the wire joining groove. 
     The wire reel according to the present invention can form a slope gradient along a central partition wall, thereby supporting wires entering in a second direction and preventing interference between wires when the wires are joined with each other. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a view showing a gear part according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a view showing a wire winding part according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are views showing a wire joining part according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are views showing first, second and third wire through holes according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a view showing a horizontal portion and an inclined portion of first and second inclined walls according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 8 to 16  are views showing a wire inserting method in due order; and 
         FIG. 17  is a view showing a wire of one end portion and a wire of the other end portion are all fixed and fastened according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described hereinafter does not unfairly limit the contents of the present invention described in claims and all components described in the embodiments may not be essential. Moreover, it will be also understood by those skilled in the art that matters, which are obvious to those skilled in the art and to prior arts, can be omitted, and omitted components (methods) and description of functions may be referred sufficiently within the range of the technical idea of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a wire reel  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention is one among components of a shoe tightening device illustrated in the patent document of the patent literature, and is a device for winding a wire by rotation. The shoe tightening device may be referred in the patent literature within the range of the technical idea of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the wire reel  10  includes a wire joining part  100 , a wire winding part  200 , and a gear part  300 . The wire joining part  100 , the wire winding part  200  and the gear part  300  are described separately just for the sake of convenient description, but it is preferable that they be formed integrally. 
     The gear part  300  is formed at a first side (or an upper side in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The gear part  300  includes a gear  310  protruding outwardly. The gear  310  is gear-meshed with outer components and interlocked with the outer components so that the wire reel  10  is rotated. 
     The wire joining part  100  is formed at a second side (or a lower side in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). As shown in  FIGS. 3 to 7 , the wire joining part  100  includes a first wire joining part  110 , a central partition wall  120 , and a second wire joining part  130 . The first wire joining part  110  and the second wire joining part  130  are separated and partitioned from each other by the central partition wall  120 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , the first wire joining part  110  is formed at the right and the second wire joining part  130  is formed at the left. The first wire joining part  110  fixes and fastens an end portion of one side of the wire, and the second wire joining part  130  fixes and fastens an end portion of the other side of the wire. The first wire joining part  110  and the second wire joining part  130  have the same shape and the same components. Therefore, hereinafter, only the first wire joining part  110  will be described and description of the second wire joining part  130  is substituted with the description of the first wire joining part  110 . 
     The first wire joining part  110  includes a first wire joining groove  111  and a first inclined wall  112 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the first wire joining groove  111  is formed in a body  100 . The first wire joining groove  111  is fixed and fastened while the wire  11  passes in first, second and third directions. Here, the first direction is a direction that the wire  11  is inserted from the outside to the inside of the body through a first wire through hole  211 , and the second direction is a direction that the wire  11  inserted into the body goes out of the body, and the third direction is in the same orientation as the first direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , first, second and third direction joining areas  111   a ,  111   b  and  111   c  may be formed virtually in an area of the first wire joining groove  111 . The first direction joining area  111   a  is an area that the wire  11  is inserted and passes from the outside to the inside of the body, namely, the first direction, through the first wire through hole  211 . The first direction joining area  111   a  is the uttermost area from the central partition wall  120 . The second direction joining area  111   b  is an area that the wire passing the first direction joining area  111   a  goes out of the body through a second wire through hole  212  illustrated in  FIG. 5 , namely, in the second direction. The second direct joining area  111   b  is the closest area from the central partition wall  120 . The third direction joining area  111   c  is an area that the wire is again inserted and goes from the inside and the outside of the body through a third wire through hole  213  illustrated in  FIG. 5 , namely, in the third direction. The third direction joining area  111   c  is a space formed between the first direction joining area  111   a  and the second direction joining area  111   b . The third direction joining area  111   c  is an area that the end portion of the one side of the wire is fixed and fastened. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the first inclined wall  112  guides the wire  11  entering the second direction joining area  111  to enter the second wire through hole  212  in order to prevent interference when the end portions of the wire are joined. Referring to  FIG. 13 , the prevention of interference will be described later. The first inclined wall  112  includes a horizontal portion  112   a  and an inclined portion  112   b.    
     The horizontal portion  112   a  is connected with the central partition wall  120 , extends in a longitudinal direction of the central partition wall  120 , and is formed relatively lower than the central partition wall  120 . Because the horizontal portion  112   a  is formed to be lower than the central partition wall  120 , the wire  11  can be guided, but in this instance, the horizontal portion  112   a  may not guide the wire  11  well. Furthermore, it is preferable that the horizontal portion  112   a  be longer than the inclined portion  112   b  which will be described later. 
     The inclined portion  112   b  is connected with the central partition wall  120 , extends from the horizontal portion  112   a  in the longitudinal direction of the central partition wall  120 , and is preferably shorter than the horizontal portion  112   a . The inclined portion  112   b  extends in the longitudinal direction of the central partition wall  120  to be inclined, and ends just before the second wire through hole  212 , so that the entire length of the first inclined wall  112  becomes shorter than the central partition wall  120 . Preferably, the length of the horizontal portion  112   a  is more than 50% of the entire length of the first inclined wall  112  so that the horizontal portion  112   a  does not interfere the wire seated in the third direction joining area when the end portion of the wire is fixed and fastened in the third direction joining area  111   c  (See  FIG. 13 ). The horizontal portion  112   a  and the inclined portion  112   b  are described separately for the sake of convenient description, but it is preferable that they be formed integrally. The inclined portion  112   b  is formed to be gradually inclined from a point where the inclined portion  112   b  is connected with the horizontal portion  112   a  toward the second wire through hole  212 . 
     The second wire joining part  130  is formed at the opposite side of the first wire joining part  110  to correspond to the first wire joining part  110 . Detailed description of the second wire joining part  130  will be substitute with the description of the first wire joining part  110 . 
     The central partition wall  120  is formed to divide the wire joining grooves  111  and  131  with approximately semicircular shape into two. 
     The wire winding part  200  is formed to wind wire between the wire joining part  100  and the gear part  300 . A diameter of the gear part  300  selected at random is smaller than a diameter of the wire joining part  100  selected at random, a diameter of the wire winding part  200  selected at random is smaller than the diameter of the gear part  300 , so that the wire can be wound along the circumferential surface. The first wire through hole  211  through which the wire first passes in the first direction is formed on the circumferential surface. Additionally, the second wire through hole  212  which is spaced apart from the first wire through hole  211  at a predetermined interval and through which the wire passes in the second direction is formed in the circumferential surface of the wire winding part  200 . The third wire through hole  213  which is formed between the first wire through hole  211  and the second wire through hole  212  to be spaced apart from them and through which the wire passes in the third direction is formed in the circumferential surface. First, second and third wire through holes  221 ,  222  and  223  are formed to correspond to the first, second and third wire through holes  211 ,  212  and  213  based on the central partition wall  120 . As described above, the wire is inserted into and passes through the first, second and third wire through holes  221 ,  222  and  223  in the first, second and third directions. 
     Hereinafter, a method for fixing and fastening the wire at the first and second wire joining grooves  111  and  131  will be described. Likewise, fastening of the wire at the second wire joining groove  131  is substituted with the joining method of the first wire joining groove  111 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the wire  11  is inserted from the outside to the inside of the body  100  through the first wire through hole  211 , namely, in the first direction. As shown in  FIG. 9 , the wire  11  inserted in the first direction passes through the first direction joining area  111   a , is bent to enter the second direction joining area  111   b , and then, goes out of the body  100  through the second wire through hole  212 , namely, in the second direction. In this instance, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the wire  11 ′ is lifted at a predetermined angle θ by the first inclined wall  122 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the wire  11   a  going out of the body  100  through the second wire through hole  212  in the second direction is inserted again from the outside to the inside of the body  100  through the third wire through hole  213 , namely, in the third direction. The end portion of the wire  11   b  inserted again through the third wire through hole  213  in the third direction is seated in the third direction joining area  111   c.    
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , when a user pulls the wire  11   c  by an external force F, the wire is pulled while the length of the wire  11   d  is gradually reduced. In this instance, the wire  11   c  is pulled while the wire  11   d  is supported in a longitudinal wire support space  111   d  between the inclined portion  112   b  and the second wire through hole  212 . Here, if the length of the inclined portion  112   d  of the first inclined wall  112  is longer, that is, if the length of the horizontal portion  112   a  is shorter than that of  FIG. 13 , an angle of the wire  11   d  (See  FIG. 9 ) may be small, namely, the wire may lie more horizontally. If the angle of the wire  11   d  is small, the wire  11   d  is reduced since being pulled, and it is likely that the wire  11   d  interferes the wire  11   e . Therefore, in this invention, it is preferable that the length of the horizontal portion  112   a  be longer than that of the inclined portion  112   b.    
     As shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , when the user continuously pulls the wire  11   c , the wire  11   e  is pressed, fixed and fastened in the third direction joining area  111   c  by the wire  11   d.    
     A first end portion  11   f  of the wire  11  is fixed and fastened in the first wire joining groove  111 , and as shown in  FIG. 17 , a second end portion  11   g  of the wire  11  is fixed and fastened in the second wire joining groove  131 . 
     It will be understood by those skilled in the art that matters, which are obvious to those skilled in the art and to prior arts, can be omitted, and omitted components (methods) and description of functions may be referred sufficiently within the range of the technical idea of the present invention. Additionally, it will be also understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the components described above are provided just for the sake of convenient description and other components which are not described may be added within the range of the technical idea of the present invention. 
     Moreover, it will be also understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the components and functions of the parts are described separately, but any one of the components and functions may be integrated with another component or may be subdivided. 
     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the example embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited thereto, and various changes, modifications and equivalents may be made in the present invention. That is, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications of the present invention are possible without departing from the technical scope and idea of the present invention. In addition, when it is judged that detailed descriptions of known functions or structures related with the present invention or detailed descriptions of combination relations of components of the present invention may make the essential points vague, the detailed descriptions of the known functions or structures will be omitted.