US20120297591A1 - Selectively Releasable Buckle - Google Patents
Selectively Releasable Buckle Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20120297591A1 US20120297591A1 US13/117,909 US201113117909A US2012297591A1 US 20120297591 A1 US20120297591 A1 US 20120297591A1 US 201113117909 A US201113117909 A US 201113117909A US 2012297591 A1 US2012297591 A1 US 2012297591A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- strap
- buckle
- lever arm
- base
- lock
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43C—FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- A43C11/00—Other fastenings specially adapted for shoes
- A43C11/14—Clamp fastenings, e.g. strap fastenings; Clamp-buckle fastenings; Fastenings with toggle levers
- A43C11/1406—Fastenings with toggle levers; Equipment therefor
- A43C11/146—Fastenings with toggle levers with adjustment means provided for on the strap, e.g. ratchet strap
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T24/00—Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
- Y10T24/21—Strap tighteners
- Y10T24/2183—Ski, boot, and shoe fasteners
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T24/00—Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
- Y10T24/40—Buckles
- Y10T24/4072—Pivoted lever
Definitions
- Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to a fastening system for footwear.
- One embodiment of the present invention is a fastening system for a cycling shoe that employs a ratcheting buckle that selectively receives and secures a corresponding strap and that allows for the strap to be incrementally loosened.
- Cycling shoes are often used with clipless pedal systems wherein a cleat incorporated into the bottom surface of the shoe selectively interconnects with a pedal. Like in other types of footwear, some cycling shoes employ laces to maintain the user's foot. More commonly, however, the shoes include a primary strap that is selectively secured to a buckle. Systems that employ a ratcheting buckle also include one or two auxiliary straps to further secure the shoe to the user's foot.
- the strap includes a plurality of teeth that selectively interact with one or more pawls associated with the buckle in a ratcheting fashion. More specifically, to tighten the strap, the user repeatedly rotates a lever portion of the buckle that includes a feed pawl that engages successive teeth of the strap to incrementally move the strap relative to the buckle.
- a locking pawl on the buckle is used to hold the strap in place.
- the locking pawl is rotated away from the strap which removes all interferences that would prevent relative motion between the buckle and the strap.
- U.S. Pat. No. 7,877,845 to Signori discloses a controlled release fastening device that employs a buckle having a tightening component, a release component, and an incremental release component that allows for selective movement of the strap relative to the buckle. More specifically, the first component of the buckle is used to tighten the strap, the second component is used to maintain the location of the buckle relative to the strap, and the third component is used to selectively move the locking component to the next tooth i.e., the distance associated with the “pitch” of the strap teeth.
- Giusti discloses a gradual release mechanism that is comprised of multiple components wherein the release and locking mechanism employs cogs that selectively interface with the teeth of the strap. Similar to Signori, the locking release system as comprised of three primary components.
- U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,555 to Lin discloses a fastener that allows for micro adjustment that possesses an extended outer profile and thus may not be desirable to be used in many applications.
- the following disclosure describes an improved buckle that allows for selective, incremental release of the strap relative to the buckle that is achieved by moving the mechanism associated with tightening the strap in a direction opposite to that associated with tightening the strap.
- the buckle is generally comprised of a base portion that interconnects to a shoe upper.
- a frame is interconnected to the base portion and spaced a predetermined distance therefrom to define an opening for receipt of an end of the strap.
- the base also provides a channel that helps maintain the position of the strap relative to the base.
- the frame includes a lock pin and a lever pin for securing a lock and a lever arm, respectively.
- the lever arm includes a feed pawl at a proximal end that selectively engages successive teeth of the strap when the lever arm is repeatedly rotated away from and toward the base to tighten the strap in a ratcheting manner.
- the lock is rotatably interconnected to the lock pin and includes a locking pawl that engages a tooth of the strap to hold the strap relative to the buckle when the lever arm is in a neutral position. To release the strap, the lock pawl is rotated away from the tooth to which it is engaged.
- a distal end of the lever arm is moved past its neutral position, i.e., depressed towards the strap.
- the lever arm of one embodiment rotates the locking pawl away from the tooth to which it is engaged.
- a distal end of the lever arm additionally includes release pawls that engage corresponding teeth of the strap to incrementally shift the strap relative to the locking pawl.
- the locking pawl will fall into the space between two adjacent teeth and abut against the tooth adjacent to the tooth from which it was displaced when the distal end of the lever was depressed. In this manner, a user may incrementally release the strap from the buckle one tooth at a time, for example.
- a buckle that uses the lever arm to achieve incremental release as opposed to a separate component.
- the contemplated buckle is thus low profile, easy to use, and less expensive to manufacture.
- embodiments of the present invention use the lever arm to both tighten and incrementally release the strap.
- the shape and spacing of the release pawls located on the lever arm dictate the amount of travel the locking pawl experiences relative to the strap when the lever arm is depressed.
- the release pawls maintain the position of the strap relative to the buckle and act as an auxiliary lock that prevents total release of the buckle when the locking pawl is removed from the strap teeth. Once pressure is removed from the lever arm, the lock resiliently deflects into engagement with a strap to again hold the strap relative to the buckle.
- the contemplated buckle includes two ways to release the strap.
- the lock includes a release button common on most ratcheting buckles that rotates the locking pawl away from the strap teeth and removes all interferences between the buckle and the associated strap that would prevent removal of the strap from the buckle.
- the distal end of the lever arm includes a “button” that when pressed, allows for the buckle to be incrementally released from the strap as described above.
- the contemplated system is easy to access by a user for release when the shoe is clipped into a pedal, for example.
- the distal end of the lever arm may be upwardly sloped to allow the user to easily access the same with a single digit to tighten and re-tighten the strap, if needed.
- a buckle adapted for tightening and selectively securing a strap having a plurality of teeth, comprising: a base having a channel for receiving the strap, said base also including a first hub and a second hub positioned on opposite sides of said channel; a frame that includes a lock pin that is operably associated with said first hub and said second hub, said frame also having a lever pin that is spaced from said lock pin; a lock positioned between said first hub and said second hub and rotatably interconnected to said lock pin and, said lock having a locking pawl, which is adapted for selective engagement with a tooth of the strap, on a first end and a release button on a second end; and a lever arm rotatably interconnected to said lever pin on a first end and wherein a second end of said lever arm includes a release pawl directed towards said base that is adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when the second end of said lever arm is defected towards said base, said first
- a buckle adapted for tightening and selectively securing a strap having a plurality of teeth, comprising: a base; a frame associated with said base and having a laterally extending lock pin and a laterally extending lever pin spaced from said lock pin; a lock rotatably interconnected to said lock pin and, said lock having a locking pawl, which is adapted for selective engagement with a tooth of the strap, on a first end and a release button on a second end; and a lever arm rotatably interconnected to said lever pin on a first end and wherein a second end of said lever arm includes a release pawl directed towards said base that is adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when the second end of said lever arm is defected towards said base.
- FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the buckle of one embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the buckle and associated strap of one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the base of the buckle of one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the frame of the buckle of one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is a top perspective of the lock of the buckle of one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of a lever arm of the buckle of one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the buckle and associated strap showing a lock in a locked position
- FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the buckle and associated strap showing the lock in an open position that allows for the strap to be completely released from the buckle;
- FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the buckle and associated strap wherein the buckle has been released to allow for incremental movement of the strap relative to the buckle;
- FIG. 12 is a detail of FIG. 9 ;
- FIG. 13 is a detail view similar to that of FIG. 12 showing a distal end of the lever arm approaching the strap;
- FIG. 14 is a detail view similar to that of FIG. 12 showing release pawls of the distal end contacting teeth of the strap;
- FIG. 15 is a detail view of FIG. 11 ;
- FIG. 16 shows the buckle and associated strap integrated into a cycling shoe.
- a buckle 2 of one embodiment of the present invention comprises a base 6 having upwardly extending hubs 10 with lock pin apertures 14 .
- the base 6 also includes an opening 18 bounded by guides 22 that lead into a channel 26 that receives the leading edge 30 of the strap 34 .
- the buckle 2 also includes a frame 38 having a lock pin 42 , which is received within the lock pin aperture 14 , and a lever pin 46 .
- the lever pin 46 rotatably supports a lever arm 50 and the lock pin 42 rotatably supports a lock 54 .
- the strap 34 possesses a plurality of teeth 58 that are selectively engaged by the lock 54 in a ratcheting fashion.
- the lever arm 50 and a lock 54 are rotatably interconnected to the frame 38 and are spring-biased such that a locking pawl 70 of the lock 54 is urged towards the strap 34 when the lever arm 50 is in its neutral position as shown. Similarly, the lever arm 50 is urged towards the base 6 by a spring 74 .
- the buckle 2 receives the strap 34 wherein rotation of the lever arm 50 away from and towards the base 6 repeatedly moves the strap 34 relative to the buckle 2 to tighten the strap 34 . More specifically, to tighten the strap 34 , the strap 34 is first positioned within the channel 26 . Next, the lever arm 50 is rotated away from the base 6 (counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 2 ), which engages a feed pawl 78 associated with a proximal end 82 of the lever arm 50 onto a tooth face 86 . Further motion of the lever arm 50 will feed the strap 34 into the buckle 2 . Once the lever arm is released, the strap 34 is secured relative to buckle 2 by the lock 54 .
- Complete release of the strap 34 relative to the buckle 2 is achieved by depressing a release button 62 associated with the lock 54 which rotates the locking pawl 70 away from the teeth 58 and removes all obstructions to relative motion of the strap 34 relative to the buckle 2 .
- depressing the lever arm 50 towards the base 6 will incrementally release of the strap 54 relative to the buckle 2 , which will be described in further detail below.
- FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the buckle 2 showing the primary components discussed above. Additionally, the lever spring 74 is shown that is positioned around the lever pin 46 wherein the free ends of the spring 74 are associated with the frame 38 . The lever arm 50 is thus predisposed to return to its neutral position. Similarly, the lock 54 is also biased by spring 90 such that the locking pawl 70 is urged towards the strap.
- the lever arm 50 and the lock 54 may be biased towards the base 6 in other ways such as by way of leaf springs, magnets, etc., without departing from the scope of the invention.
- the lever arm 50 and the lock 54 may be resiliently interconnected to the base and predisposed to return to a neutral position when released.
- the lock 54 and/or lever arm 50 may be molded or otherwise affixed to the base and be able to resiliently deflect relative to the base when a force is applied thereto and return to a neutral position adjacent to the base when such force is released.
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the base 6 showing the pin-receiving hubs 10 that extend therefrom. Furthermore, the base 6 includes a stop 94 that prevents the lever arm from rotating past a predetermined point. The base 6 also includes the channel 26 that receives and maintains the position of the strap 34 . The location of the strap 34 also maintained with strap guides 98 that are located on either side of the channel 26 .
- FIG. 6 shows the frame, which may be made of a metallic material.
- the frame includes a lock pin 42 and a lever pin 46 .
- the lock pin 42 and lever pin 46 receive corresponding springs as shown in FIG. 4 .
- the grooves 48 incorporated on the frame 38 receive the ends of the spring.
- FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the lock 54 of one embodiment of the present invention.
- the lock 54 includes on one end the locking pawl 70 and on the other end the release button 62 .
- the lock 54 also includes a projection 102 extending from a side thereof. When the projection 102 is contacted by a corresponding finger 106 of the lever arm 50 (see FIG. 8 ), the lock 54 will rotate about the lock pin 42 which will lift the locking pawl 70 away from the strap.
- FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the lever arm 50 that includes a lever arm aperture 110 that defines its rotational axis.
- the proximal end 82 of the lever arm 50 includes the feed pawl 78 which contacts a strap tooth when the distal end 66 of the lever arm 50 is rotated away from the strap.
- the distal end 66 of the lever arm 50 includes an inner release pawl 114 and an outer release pawl 118 .
- a finger 106 is provided on an inner surface 122 of the lever arm 50 that selectively contacts the projection 102 of the lock 54 shown in FIG. 7 to rotate the locking pawl away from the strap teeth to allow incremental release of the strap.
- FIGS. 9-15 the operation of one embodiment of the present invention is shown. More specifically, FIGS. 9 and 12 show the strap 34 locked relative to the buckle 2 wherein the locking pawl 70 engages a face 86 a of a strap tooth 58 a .
- the strap 34 is thus unable to move relative to the buckle 2 in one direction, i.e., the strap 34 cannot be loosened.
- the lever arm 50 is rotated in a direction of Arrow A, which engages the feed pawl 78 onto the tooth face 86 located aft of tooth 58 a that is currently engaged against the locking pawl 70 .
- FIG. 10 shows the locking pawl 70 rotated away from the teeth 58 of the strap 34 . More specifically, when pressure is applied to the lock release button 62 in the direction of Arrow B, the lock 54 will rotate about the locking pin 42 , which will move the locking pawl 70 out of engagement from tooth 58 a . As all obstructions are removed, the strap 34 will be able to remove freely with respect to the buckle 2 . Due to the spring-biased nature of the lock 54 , removal of pressure from the release button 62 will return the locking pin against the strap 34 and eventually the locking pawl 70 will engage the face 86 b of a tooth 58 b that is spaced from the tooth 58 a to which the locking pawl 70 was originally engaged.
- FIG. 11 illustrates how the strap 34 is released incrementally relative to the buckle.
- the lever arm 50 will rotate about the lever pin 46 .
- the finger 106 will eventually contact the projection 102 of the lock 54 , thereby rotating the lock 54 in a direction shown by Arrow D, which is similar to the rotation imparted when the release button 62 is depressed.
- the sloped face 126 (see FIGS. 12-15 ) of the release pawls 114 and 118 will interact with the slope faces 130 of the teeth 58 to incrementally urge the strap 34 in the direction of Arrow E which loosens the strap 34 incrementally.
- the release pawls 114 and 118 will disengage the teeth 58 , wiggling of the user's foot will cause the strap to loosen, and the locking pawl 70 to fall into contact with the face 86 c of an adjacent tooth 58 c .
- Repeatedly performing the action of pressing down on the distal portion 66 of the lever arm 50 will incrementally loosen the strap one tooth at a time which corresponds to the pitch (P) of the strap teeth.
- the release pawls 114 and 118 also prevent substantive movement of the strap 34 when the locking pawl 70 is displaced. More specifically, the release pawl face 134 will contact the nearest tooth face 86 as shown in FIG. 15 and prevent complete release of the strap from the buckle when the locking pawl is disengaged.
- the distal end 66 of the lever arm 50 is spaced from the strap 34 .
- the distal end 66 includes the outer release pawl 118 and inner release pawl 114 , each having a face 134 and a sloped surface 130 .
- the teeth 58 of the strap 34 includes a face 86 and a sloped surface 126 .
- the locking pawl 70 is engaged onto the face 86 a of a tooth, which prevents motion of the strap 34 relative to the buckle 2 in one direction.
- the locking pawl 70 will be positioned near or rest on the upper portion of the tooth 58 a . As there is no obstruction to further movement of the strap 34 relative to the buckle 2 , the strap 34 will further move along Arrow E as shown in FIG. 15 . Eventually, however, the release pawl faces 134 will contact at least one face 86 c of another tooth 58 c , which will stop relative motion along Arrow E. Once the pressure is removed from the distal end 66 , the lever arm 50 will return to its neutral position as shown in FIG.
- FIG. 16 shows the buckle 2 of one embodiment of the present invention incorporated onto a shoe 142 .
- a shoe 142 One skilled in the art will appreciate that such configuration is easy to use such that the user can simply bend down and tighten the strap 34 by rotating the lever arm 50 , if needed. Furthermore, pressing on the lever arm 66 and/or release button 62 will release the strap relative to the buckle and loosen the shoe incrementally or completely.
Abstract
A buckle is provided for use in footwear. The buckle includes a lever arm that feeds a strap into the buckle in a ratcheting fashion and a lock that secures the strap relative to the buckle when the lever arm is released. To release the strap from the buckle, a user may impart rotational motion onto the lock to remove it from engagement from teeth associated with the strap. Alternatively, pressure may be applied to the lever arm, which releases a locking pawl from the strap and allows the strap to incrementally move a predetermined amount.
Description
- Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to a fastening system for footwear. One embodiment of the present invention is a fastening system for a cycling shoe that employs a ratcheting buckle that selectively receives and secures a corresponding strap and that allows for the strap to be incrementally loosened.
- Cycling shoes are often used with clipless pedal systems wherein a cleat incorporated into the bottom surface of the shoe selectively interconnects with a pedal. Like in other types of footwear, some cycling shoes employ laces to maintain the user's foot. More commonly, however, the shoes include a primary strap that is selectively secured to a buckle. Systems that employ a ratcheting buckle also include one or two auxiliary straps to further secure the shoe to the user's foot. The strap includes a plurality of teeth that selectively interact with one or more pawls associated with the buckle in a ratcheting fashion. More specifically, to tighten the strap, the user repeatedly rotates a lever portion of the buckle that includes a feed pawl that engages successive teeth of the strap to incrementally move the strap relative to the buckle. Once the desired strap tension is achieved, a locking pawl on the buckle is used to hold the strap in place. To allow loosening of the strap or complete removal of the strap from the buckle, the locking pawl is rotated away from the strap which removes all interferences that would prevent relative motion between the buckle and the strap.
- During use, the cyclist's foot can become swollen and thus there is often a need to alter the tension applied by the primary strap, e.g., loosen the strap to maintain comfort. In addition, often cyclists will wish to adjust shoe tension to accommodate specific peddling circumstances associated with peddling uphill, downhill, on flat terrain, etc. Thus there is a continuous compromise between comfort and support—loosening the strap too much will not provide sufficient support and tightening the strap to increase support will often lead to foot pain and possibly injury.
- To address this issue, some buckles allow the user to incrementally release the strap relative to the buckle and thus loosen the shoe in a controlled, incremental fashion. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,877,845 to Signori discloses a controlled release fastening device that employs a buckle having a tightening component, a release component, and an incremental release component that allows for selective movement of the strap relative to the buckle. More specifically, the first component of the buckle is used to tighten the strap, the second component is used to maintain the location of the buckle relative to the strap, and the third component is used to selectively move the locking component to the next tooth i.e., the distance associated with the “pitch” of the strap teeth.
- Another method of selectively releasing the buckle is disclosed in European Patent Application No. EP1611811 to Giusti. Giusti discloses a gradual release mechanism that is comprised of multiple components wherein the release and locking mechanism employs cogs that selectively interface with the teeth of the strap. Similar to Signori, the locking release system as comprised of three primary components.
- U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,555 to Lin discloses a fastener that allows for micro adjustment that possesses an extended outer profile and thus may not be desirable to be used in many applications.
- Thus it is a long felt need to provide a buckle that allows for incremental loosening of the interconnected strap and associated shoe, is low profile, and less complicated to manufacture and use. The following disclosure describes an improved buckle that allows for selective, incremental release of the strap relative to the buckle that is achieved by moving the mechanism associated with tightening the strap in a direction opposite to that associated with tightening the strap.
- It is one aspect of the present invention to provide a buckle that selectively receives a strap. The buckle is generally comprised of a base portion that interconnects to a shoe upper. A frame is interconnected to the base portion and spaced a predetermined distance therefrom to define an opening for receipt of an end of the strap. The base also provides a channel that helps maintain the position of the strap relative to the base. The frame includes a lock pin and a lever pin for securing a lock and a lever arm, respectively. The lever arm includes a feed pawl at a proximal end that selectively engages successive teeth of the strap when the lever arm is repeatedly rotated away from and toward the base to tighten the strap in a ratcheting manner. The lock is rotatably interconnected to the lock pin and includes a locking pawl that engages a tooth of the strap to hold the strap relative to the buckle when the lever arm is in a neutral position. To release the strap, the lock pawl is rotated away from the tooth to which it is engaged.
- To incrementally move the strap relative to the buckle, a distal end of the lever arm is moved past its neutral position, i.e., depressed towards the strap. When depressed, the lever arm of one embodiment rotates the locking pawl away from the tooth to which it is engaged. A distal end of the lever arm additionally includes release pawls that engage corresponding teeth of the strap to incrementally shift the strap relative to the locking pawl. Once the distal end of the lever arm is released and allowed to return its neutral position, the strap is able to move incrementally relative to the buckle, i.e., loosen, until the locking pawl engages a tooth adjacent to the one which it was previously engaged. That is, after the strap moves the predetermined amount, the locking pawl will fall into the space between two adjacent teeth and abut against the tooth adjacent to the tooth from which it was displaced when the distal end of the lever was depressed. In this manner, a user may incrementally release the strap from the buckle one tooth at a time, for example.
- It is another aspect of the present invention to provide an incrementally releasing buckle with that employs fewer components than found in the prior art. Here, as opposed to the embodiments of the prior art described above, a buckle is provided that uses the lever arm to achieve incremental release as opposed to a separate component. The contemplated buckle is thus low profile, easy to use, and less expensive to manufacture. More specifically, unlike the buckles of the prior art, which include separate mechanisms or components to impart an incremental release of the strap, embodiments of the present invention use the lever arm to both tighten and incrementally release the strap. The shape and spacing of the release pawls located on the lever arm dictate the amount of travel the locking pawl experiences relative to the strap when the lever arm is depressed. Furthermore, the release pawls maintain the position of the strap relative to the buckle and act as an auxiliary lock that prevents total release of the buckle when the locking pawl is removed from the strap teeth. Once pressure is removed from the lever arm, the lock resiliently deflects into engagement with a strap to again hold the strap relative to the buckle.
- It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide a buckle that is easy to operate. More specifically, the contemplated buckle includes two ways to release the strap. First the lock includes a release button common on most ratcheting buckles that rotates the locking pawl away from the strap teeth and removes all interferences between the buckle and the associated strap that would prevent removal of the strap from the buckle. Furthermore, the distal end of the lever arm includes a “button” that when pressed, allows for the buckle to be incrementally released from the strap as described above. The contemplated system is easy to access by a user for release when the shoe is clipped into a pedal, for example. Furthermore, the distal end of the lever arm may be upwardly sloped to allow the user to easily access the same with a single digit to tighten and re-tighten the strap, if needed.
- It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide a buckle that is low profile. More specifically, most embodiments of the present invention are made of two fixed components and two rotating components. As will be appreciated upon review of the figures, this assembly renders a low profile, easy to manufacture, and easy to use system. Furthermore, the majority of the components of the buckle are made of lightweight and moldable materials, such as plastic, which facilitates manufacturability.
- It is still yet another aspect of the present invention to provide a buckle adapted for tightening and selectively securing a strap having a plurality of teeth, comprising: a base having a channel for receiving the strap, said base also including a first hub and a second hub positioned on opposite sides of said channel; a frame that includes a lock pin that is operably associated with said first hub and said second hub, said frame also having a lever pin that is spaced from said lock pin; a lock positioned between said first hub and said second hub and rotatably interconnected to said lock pin and, said lock having a locking pawl, which is adapted for selective engagement with a tooth of the strap, on a first end and a release button on a second end; and a lever arm rotatably interconnected to said lever pin on a first end and wherein a second end of said lever arm includes a release pawl directed towards said base that is adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when the second end of said lever arm is defected towards said base, said first end of said lever arm also including a feed pawl adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when said second end of said lever arm is directed away from said base.
- It is still yet another aspect of the present invention to provide a buckle adapted for tightening and selectively securing a strap having a plurality of teeth, comprising: a base; a frame associated with said base and having a laterally extending lock pin and a laterally extending lever pin spaced from said lock pin; a lock rotatably interconnected to said lock pin and, said lock having a locking pawl, which is adapted for selective engagement with a tooth of the strap, on a first end and a release button on a second end; and a lever arm rotatably interconnected to said lever pin on a first end and wherein a second end of said lever arm includes a release pawl directed towards said base that is adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when the second end of said lever arm is defected towards said base.
- It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide a buckle adapted for tightening and selectively securing a strap having a plurality of teeth, said buckle comprising a base defined by lateral edges, a frame associated with said base and having a laterally extending lock pin and a laterally extending lever pin spaced from said lock pin, a lock rotatably interconnected to said lock pin, and a lever arm having a first end rotatably interconnected to said lever pin, the improvement comprising: a release pawl positioned on downward-facing surface of a second end of said lever arm that is adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when the second end of said lever arm is defected towards said base.
- It is still yet another aspect of the invention to provide a method of selectively releasing a buckle that is interconnected to a strap, comprising: providing a buckle comprised of a base, a lever arm rotatably associated with said base and having a laterally extending finger, and a lock rotatably associated with said base and having a laterally extending projection, said strap having a plurality of teeth and positioned between said lock and said base; rotating said lever arm towards said base such that said finger contacts said projection to rotate said lock away from said strap thereby allowing said strap to move and incremental amount.
- The Summary of the Invention is neither intended nor should it be construed as being representative of the full extent and scope of the present invention. Moreover, references made herein to “the present invention” or aspects thereof should be understood to mean certain embodiments of the present invention and should not necessarily be construed as limiting all embodiments to a particular description. The present invention is set forth in various levels of detail in the Summary of the Invention as well as in the attached drawings and the Detailed Description of the Invention and no limitation as to the scope of the present invention is intended by either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this Summary of the Invention. Additional aspects of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the Detail Description, particularly when taken together with the drawings.
- The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of these inventions.
-
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the buckle of one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 is a front elevation view ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the buckle and associated strap of one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the base of the buckle of one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the frame of the buckle of one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 7 is a top perspective of the lock of the buckle of one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of a lever arm of the buckle of one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the buckle and associated strap showing a lock in a locked position; -
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the buckle and associated strap showing the lock in an open position that allows for the strap to be completely released from the buckle; -
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the buckle and associated strap wherein the buckle has been released to allow for incremental movement of the strap relative to the buckle; -
FIG. 12 is a detail ofFIG. 9 ; -
FIG. 13 is a detail view similar to that ofFIG. 12 showing a distal end of the lever arm approaching the strap; -
FIG. 14 is a detail view similar to that ofFIG. 12 showing release pawls of the distal end contacting teeth of the strap; -
FIG. 15 is a detail view ofFIG. 11 ; and -
FIG. 16 shows the buckle and associated strap integrated into a cycling shoe. - To assist in the understanding of one embodiment of the present invention the following list of components and associated numbering found in the drawings is provided herein:
-
# Components 2 Buckle 6 Base 10 Hub 14 Lock pin aperture 18 Opening 22 Guide 26 Channel 30 Leading edge 34 Strap 38 Frame 42 Lock pin 46 Lever pin 48 Groove 50 Lever arm 54 Lock 58 Teeth/ Tooth 62 Release button 66 Distal end 70 Locking pawl 74 Spring 78 Feed pawl 82 Proximal end 86 Tooth Face 90 Lock spring 94 Stop 98 Strap guides 102 Projection 106 Finger 110 Lever pin aperture 114 Inner release pawl 118 Outer release pawl 122 Inner surface 126 Sloped surface 130 Sloped surface 134 Release pawl face 138 Tip 142 Shoe - It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.
- Referring now to
FIGS. 1-4 , abuckle 2 of one embodiment of the present invention is shown that comprises abase 6 having upwardly extendinghubs 10 withlock pin apertures 14. Thebase 6 also includes anopening 18 bounded byguides 22 that lead into achannel 26 that receives the leadingedge 30 of thestrap 34. Thebuckle 2 also includes aframe 38 having alock pin 42, which is received within thelock pin aperture 14, and alever pin 46. Thelever pin 46 rotatably supports alever arm 50 and thelock pin 42 rotatably supports alock 54. Thestrap 34 possesses a plurality ofteeth 58 that are selectively engaged by thelock 54 in a ratcheting fashion. Thelever arm 50 and alock 54 are rotatably interconnected to theframe 38 and are spring-biased such that a lockingpawl 70 of thelock 54 is urged towards thestrap 34 when thelever arm 50 is in its neutral position as shown. Similarly, thelever arm 50 is urged towards thebase 6 by a spring 74. - In operation, the
buckle 2 receives thestrap 34 wherein rotation of thelever arm 50 away from and towards thebase 6 repeatedly moves thestrap 34 relative to thebuckle 2 to tighten thestrap 34. More specifically, to tighten thestrap 34, thestrap 34 is first positioned within thechannel 26. Next, thelever arm 50 is rotated away from the base 6 (counterclockwise as shown inFIG. 2 ), which engages afeed pawl 78 associated with aproximal end 82 of thelever arm 50 onto atooth face 86. Further motion of thelever arm 50 will feed thestrap 34 into thebuckle 2. Once the lever arm is released, thestrap 34 is secured relative to buckle 2 by thelock 54. Complete release of thestrap 34 relative to thebuckle 2 is achieved by depressing arelease button 62 associated with thelock 54 which rotates the lockingpawl 70 away from theteeth 58 and removes all obstructions to relative motion of thestrap 34 relative to thebuckle 2. Alternatively, depressing thelever arm 50 towards thebase 6 will incrementally release of thestrap 54 relative to thebuckle 2, which will be described in further detail below. -
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of thebuckle 2 showing the primary components discussed above. Additionally, the lever spring 74 is shown that is positioned around thelever pin 46 wherein the free ends of the spring 74 are associated with theframe 38. Thelever arm 50 is thus predisposed to return to its neutral position. Similarly, thelock 54 is also biased byspring 90 such that the lockingpawl 70 is urged towards the strap. One of skill in the art will appreciate that thelever arm 50 and thelock 54 may be biased towards thebase 6 in other ways such as by way of leaf springs, magnets, etc., without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, thelever arm 50 and thelock 54 may be resiliently interconnected to the base and predisposed to return to a neutral position when released. For example, thelock 54 and/orlever arm 50 may be molded or otherwise affixed to the base and be able to resiliently deflect relative to the base when a force is applied thereto and return to a neutral position adjacent to the base when such force is released. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of thebase 6 showing the pin-receivinghubs 10 that extend therefrom. Furthermore, thebase 6 includes astop 94 that prevents the lever arm from rotating past a predetermined point. Thebase 6 also includes thechannel 26 that receives and maintains the position of thestrap 34. The location of thestrap 34 also maintained with strap guides 98 that are located on either side of thechannel 26. -
FIG. 6 shows the frame, which may be made of a metallic material. The frame includes alock pin 42 and alever pin 46. Thelock pin 42 andlever pin 46 receive corresponding springs as shown inFIG. 4 . Thegrooves 48 incorporated on theframe 38 receive the ends of the spring. -
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of thelock 54 of one embodiment of the present invention. Thelock 54 includes on one end the lockingpawl 70 and on the other end therelease button 62. Thelock 54 also includes aprojection 102 extending from a side thereof. When theprojection 102 is contacted by acorresponding finger 106 of the lever arm 50 (seeFIG. 8 ), thelock 54 will rotate about thelock pin 42 which will lift the lockingpawl 70 away from the strap. -
FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of thelever arm 50 that includes alever arm aperture 110 that defines its rotational axis. Theproximal end 82 of thelever arm 50 includes thefeed pawl 78 which contacts a strap tooth when thedistal end 66 of thelever arm 50 is rotated away from the strap. Thedistal end 66 of thelever arm 50 includes aninner release pawl 114 and anouter release pawl 118. Finally, afinger 106 is provided on aninner surface 122 of thelever arm 50 that selectively contacts theprojection 102 of thelock 54 shown inFIG. 7 to rotate the locking pawl away from the strap teeth to allow incremental release of the strap. - Referring now to
FIGS. 9-15 , the operation of one embodiment of the present invention is shown. More specifically,FIGS. 9 and 12 show thestrap 34 locked relative to thebuckle 2 wherein the lockingpawl 70 engages aface 86 a of astrap tooth 58 a. Thestrap 34 is thus unable to move relative to thebuckle 2 in one direction, i.e., thestrap 34 cannot be loosened. To tighten thestrap 34, thelever arm 50 is rotated in a direction of Arrow A, which engages thefeed pawl 78 onto thetooth face 86 located aft oftooth 58 a that is currently engaged against the lockingpawl 70. Repeatedly allowing thelever arm 50 to return to its neutral position and rotating thelever arm 50 in the direction of Arrow A will tighten thestrap 34 in a ratcheting fashion. Once thelever arm 50 is released, its associated spring 74 will return it to the neutral position as shown inFIG. 9 . -
FIG. 10 shows the lockingpawl 70 rotated away from theteeth 58 of thestrap 34. More specifically, when pressure is applied to thelock release button 62 in the direction of Arrow B, thelock 54 will rotate about the lockingpin 42, which will move the lockingpawl 70 out of engagement fromtooth 58 a. As all obstructions are removed, thestrap 34 will be able to remove freely with respect to thebuckle 2. Due to the spring-biased nature of thelock 54, removal of pressure from therelease button 62 will return the locking pin against thestrap 34 and eventually the lockingpawl 70 will engage theface 86 b of atooth 58 b that is spaced from thetooth 58 a to which the lockingpawl 70 was originally engaged. -
FIG. 11 illustrates how thestrap 34 is released incrementally relative to the buckle. Here, when pressure as shown by Arrow C is applied to thedistal end 66 of thelever arm 50, thelever arm 50 will rotate about thelever pin 46. Thefinger 106 will eventually contact theprojection 102 of thelock 54, thereby rotating thelock 54 in a direction shown by Arrow D, which is similar to the rotation imparted when therelease button 62 is depressed. The sloped face 126 (seeFIGS. 12-15 ) of the release pawls 114 and 118 will interact with the slope faces 130 of theteeth 58 to incrementally urge thestrap 34 in the direction of Arrow E which loosens thestrap 34 incrementally. Once the pressure indicated by Arrow C is released, the release pawls 114 and 118 will disengage theteeth 58, wiggling of the user's foot will cause the strap to loosen, and the lockingpawl 70 to fall into contact with theface 86 c of anadjacent tooth 58 c. Repeatedly performing the action of pressing down on thedistal portion 66 of thelever arm 50 will incrementally loosen the strap one tooth at a time which corresponds to the pitch (P) of the strap teeth. The release pawls 114 and 118 also prevent substantive movement of thestrap 34 when the lockingpawl 70 is displaced. More specifically, therelease pawl face 134 will contact thenearest tooth face 86 as shown inFIG. 15 and prevent complete release of the strap from the buckle when the locking pawl is disengaged. - Referring now specifically to
FIGS. 12-15 , the mechanics of the incremental release are described in further detail. Initially, thedistal end 66 of thelever arm 50 is spaced from thestrap 34. Thedistal end 66 includes theouter release pawl 118 andinner release pawl 114, each having aface 134 and a sloped surface 130. Similarly, theteeth 58 of thestrap 34 includes aface 86 and asloped surface 126. As shown inFIG. 12 , the lockingpawl 70 is engaged onto theface 86 a of a tooth, which prevents motion of thestrap 34 relative to thebuckle 2 in one direction. - As the
distal end 66 is moved towards thestrap 34, as shown inFIG. 13 , thefinger 106 of thelever arm 50 contacts theprotrusion 102 of thelock 54, thereby moving the lockingpawl 70 away from theface 86 a of the tooth to which it was engaged. Further motion of thedistal end 66 towards thestrap 34 will engage thetips 138 of the release pawls 114 and 118 onto the sloped surfaces 130 of acorresponding strap teeth 58. This contact will incrementally force thestrap 34 in the direction of Arrow E, thereby loosening the strap, a fraction of a tooth width (W). That is, as shown inFIGS. 14 and 15 , once thestrap 34 moves incrementally along Arrow E, the lockingpawl 70 will be positioned near or rest on the upper portion of thetooth 58 a. As there is no obstruction to further movement of thestrap 34 relative to thebuckle 2, thestrap 34 will further move along Arrow E as shown inFIG. 15 . Eventually, however, the release pawl faces 134 will contact at least oneface 86 c of anothertooth 58 c, which will stop relative motion along Arrow E. Once the pressure is removed from thedistal end 66, thelever arm 50 will return to its neutral position as shown inFIG. 14 , thereby allowing the lockingpawl 70 to drop into engagement with theface 86 c of atooth 58 c adjacent to thetooth 58 a to which it was originally engaged. Thus incremental release of the strap is provided. Again, repeatedly pressing down on thedistal end 66 of thelever arm 50 will release thestrap 34 onetooth 58 at a time. -
FIG. 16 shows thebuckle 2 of one embodiment of the present invention incorporated onto ashoe 142. One skilled in the art will appreciate that such configuration is easy to use such that the user can simply bend down and tighten thestrap 34 by rotating thelever arm 50, if needed. Furthermore, pressing on thelever arm 66 and/orrelease button 62 will release the strap relative to the buckle and loosen the shoe incrementally or completely. - While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and alterations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention, as set forth in the following claims. Further, the invention(s) described herein is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.
Claims (19)
1. A buckle adapted for tightening and selectively securing a strap having a plurality of teeth, comprising:
a base having a channel for receiving the strap, said base also including a first hub and a second hub positioned on opposite sides of said channel;
a frame that includes a lock pin that is operably associated with said first hub and said second hub, said frame also having a lever pin that is spaced from said lock pin;
a lock positioned between said first hub and said second hub and rotatably interconnected to said lock pin and, said lock having a locking pawl, which is adapted for selective engagement with a tooth of the strap, on a first end and a release button on a second end; and
a lever arm rotatably interconnected to said lever pin on a first end and wherein a second end of said lever arm includes a release pawl directed towards said base that is adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when the second end of said lever arm is defected towards said base, said first end of said lever arm also including a feed pawl adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when said second end of said lever arm is directed away from said base.
2. The buckle of claim 1 , wherein said lock is capable of rotatably moving from a first position where the locking pawl is abutted against a strap tooth such that the strap cannot move relative to said buckle in one direction and a second position of use wherein said locking pawl is positioned away from the strap teeth, thereby allowing the strap to move relative to said buckle, said second position being achieved by either actuating said release button or by deflecting said second end of said lever arm toward said base.
3. The buckle of claim 2 , wherein said lock includes a laterally extending projection located adjacent to said release button and said lever arm includes a laterally extending finger located adjacent to said first end of said lever arm wherein when said lever arm is deflected towards said base, said finger will contact said projection and move said lock to its second position of use.
4. The buckle of claim 2 , wherein when said second end of said lever arm is deflected towards said base, said release pawl is adapted to be positioned adjacent to a tooth of the strap such that complete release of the strap from said buckle is prevented.
5. The buckle of claim 1 , wherein said locking pawl and said second end of said lever arm are biased toward said base.
6. The buckle of claim 1 , wherein said lever arm includes a second release pawl that is spaced from said release pawl.
7. The buckle of claim 1 , wherein deflecting said lever arm towards said base allows said strap to move the distance between two adjacent teeth.
8. The buckle of claim 1 , wherein said second end of said lever arm possesses a curved profile.
9. A buckle adapted for tightening and selectively securing a strap having a plurality of teeth, comprising:
a base;
a frame associated with said base and having a laterally extending lock pin and a laterally extending lever pin spaced from said lock pin;
a lock rotatably interconnected to said lock pin and, said lock having a locking pawl, which is adapted for selective engagement with a tooth of the strap, on a first end and a release button on a second end; and
a lever arm rotatably interconnected to said lever pin on a first end and wherein a second end of said lever arm includes a release pawl directed towards said base that is adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when the second end of said lever arm is defected towards said base.
10. The buckle of claim 9 , wherein said lock is capable of moving from a first position where the locking pawl is abutted against a strap tooth and a second position of use wherein said locking pawl is positioned away from the strap teeth, said second position being achieved by either actuating said release button or by deflecting said second end of said lever arm toward said base.
11. The buckle of claim 10 , wherein when said second end of said lever arm is deflected towards said base, said release pawl is adapted to be positioned adjacent to a tooth of the strap such that complete release of the strap from said buckle is prevented.
12. The buckle of claim 9 , wherein said locking pawl and said second end of said lever arm are biased toward said base.
13. A buckle adapted for tightening and selectively securing a strap having a plurality of teeth, said buckle comprising a base defined by lateral edges, a frame associated with said base and having a laterally extending lock pin and a laterally extending lever pin spaced from said lock pin, a lock rotatably interconnected to said lock pin, and a lever arm having a first end rotatably interconnected to said lever pin, the improvement comprising:
a release pawl positioned on downward-facing surface of a second end of said lever arm that is adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when the second end of said lever arm is defected towards said base.
14. The buckle of claim 13 , wherein said lock is capable of rotatably moving from a first position where the locking pawl is abutted against a strap tooth and a second position of use wherein said locking pawl is positioned away from the strap teeth.
15. The buckle of claim 14 , wherein a locking pawl is associated with a first end of said lock and a release button is associated with a second end of said lock, said lock further including a laterally extending projection located adjacent to said release button, and said lever arm includes a laterally extending finger located adjacent to said first end of said lever arm wherein when said lever arm is deflected towards said base, said finger will contact said projection and move said lock to its second position of use.
16. The buckle of claim 13 , wherein when said second end of said lever arm is deflected towards said base, said release pawl is adapted to be positioned adjacent to a tooth of the strap such that complete release of the strap from said buckle is prevented.
17. A method of selectively releasing a buckle that is interconnected to a strap, comprising:
providing a buckle comprised of a base, a lever arm rotatably associated with said base and having a laterally extending finger, and a lock rotatably associated with said base and having a laterally extending projection, said strap having a plurality of teeth and positioned between said lock and said base;
rotating said lever arm towards said base such that said finger contacts said projection to rotate said lock away from said strap thereby allowing said strap to move and incremental amount.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising contacting a release pawl associated with a distal end of said lever arm with a face of a tooth that is spaced from said locking pawl to incrementally move said strap relative to said buckle.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein when said lever arm is rotated adjacent to said base, an inner release pawl contacts a sloped surface of said strap tooth to incrementally urge the strap relative to said lock.
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US13/117,909 US20120297591A1 (en) | 2011-05-27 | 2011-05-27 | Selectively Releasable Buckle |
PCT/US2012/038475 WO2012166383A1 (en) | 2011-05-27 | 2012-05-18 | Selectively releaseable buckle |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US13/117,909 US20120297591A1 (en) | 2011-05-27 | 2011-05-27 | Selectively Releasable Buckle |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20120297591A1 true US20120297591A1 (en) | 2012-11-29 |
Family
ID=47218212
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US13/117,909 Abandoned US20120297591A1 (en) | 2011-05-27 | 2011-05-27 | Selectively Releasable Buckle |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20120297591A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2012166383A1 (en) |
Cited By (15)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2014093239A1 (en) * | 2012-12-11 | 2014-06-19 | Bell Sports, Inc. | Controlled release buckle |
US20150059135A1 (en) * | 2013-08-30 | 2015-03-05 | Atomic Austria Gmbh | Ski boot buckle for closing the shell of a ski boot and ski boot fitted therewith |
US20150113770A1 (en) * | 2013-10-28 | 2015-04-30 | Kore Essentials | Ratchet belt system and related accessories |
US9155359B1 (en) * | 2013-09-16 | 2015-10-13 | Dennis Morgan Bailey | Ratchet buckle with locking mechanism |
US9241543B1 (en) * | 2015-01-09 | 2016-01-26 | I-Sin Peng | Adjustable belt buckle |
US20160183636A1 (en) * | 2013-10-28 | 2016-06-30 | Kore Essentials, Inc. | Ratchet belt system and related accessories |
US20160256766A1 (en) * | 2015-02-07 | 2016-09-08 | Daniel C. Sullivan | Binding strap assist mechanism with a torsion spring |
US20160257491A1 (en) * | 2015-03-02 | 2016-09-08 | Grigooris MANSSOURIAN | Retainer mechanism |
US20170290302A1 (en) * | 2014-09-24 | 2017-10-12 | Michael Neville Waters | A clasp |
IT201700009944A1 (en) * | 2017-01-30 | 2018-07-30 | Tecnica Group Spa | Closing device for sports footwear provided with an improved actuation lever |
US10070701B1 (en) * | 2017-11-06 | 2018-09-11 | Bo Cai Enterprise Co., Ltd. | Buckle device |
WO2018196039A1 (en) * | 2017-04-24 | 2018-11-01 | 李宇 | Bidirectional tightening buckle for shoelace |
US20200054100A1 (en) * | 2018-08-16 | 2020-02-20 | D&J Innovations, Llc | Portable ratchet footwear tightening system |
US10952509B2 (en) * | 2016-06-03 | 2021-03-23 | Tru-Fit Belts, Llc | Secure fit quick release belt system and method for use |
USD1007278S1 (en) * | 2022-06-07 | 2023-12-12 | Hui Ye | Portable door alarm lock |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US11805855B1 (en) | 2022-10-27 | 2023-11-07 | Zipzon, Llc | Fastening system and method(s) |
Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5779259A (en) * | 1996-06-14 | 1998-07-14 | Lin; Jack | Toe-strap of a ski boot binding |
US5887318A (en) * | 1996-07-23 | 1999-03-30 | Bauer Italia S.P.A. | Device for clamping a toothed strap, particularly for a closure for sports footwear |
US5909850A (en) * | 1997-02-04 | 1999-06-08 | Roces S.R.L. | Fastening device particularly for sports shoes |
US6374464B1 (en) * | 2000-07-25 | 2002-04-23 | Chin-Kuo Lai | Buckle with fine adjustment means |
US6694644B2 (en) * | 2001-07-16 | 2004-02-24 | Skis Rossignol S.A. | Device for clamping together two parts of a sports article |
US20090151508A1 (en) * | 2007-12-12 | 2009-06-18 | Sidi Sport S.R.L. | Controlled-release fastening device |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3662435A (en) * | 1970-08-06 | 1972-05-16 | Allsop I J | Ratcheting buckle for ski boots and the like |
US5416952A (en) * | 1994-01-27 | 1995-05-23 | Burton Snowboards | Ratchet-type buckle |
US5606779A (en) * | 1996-05-28 | 1997-03-04 | Monotype Supply Co., Ltd. | Microscopically adjustable buckle for shoes |
FR2809778B1 (en) * | 2000-05-30 | 2002-09-06 | Salomon Sa | RATCHET DEVICE FOR HOLDING A STRIP |
US7802808B2 (en) * | 2006-03-24 | 2010-09-28 | Goodwell International, Ltd. | Locking attachment and adjustment device |
GB0911711D0 (en) * | 2009-07-06 | 2009-08-19 | Abdul Yaragi | Fastening device |
-
2011
- 2011-05-27 US US13/117,909 patent/US20120297591A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2012
- 2012-05-18 WO PCT/US2012/038475 patent/WO2012166383A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5779259A (en) * | 1996-06-14 | 1998-07-14 | Lin; Jack | Toe-strap of a ski boot binding |
US5887318A (en) * | 1996-07-23 | 1999-03-30 | Bauer Italia S.P.A. | Device for clamping a toothed strap, particularly for a closure for sports footwear |
US5909850A (en) * | 1997-02-04 | 1999-06-08 | Roces S.R.L. | Fastening device particularly for sports shoes |
US6374464B1 (en) * | 2000-07-25 | 2002-04-23 | Chin-Kuo Lai | Buckle with fine adjustment means |
US6694644B2 (en) * | 2001-07-16 | 2004-02-24 | Skis Rossignol S.A. | Device for clamping together two parts of a sports article |
US20090151508A1 (en) * | 2007-12-12 | 2009-06-18 | Sidi Sport S.R.L. | Controlled-release fastening device |
Cited By (29)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2014093239A1 (en) * | 2012-12-11 | 2014-06-19 | Bell Sports, Inc. | Controlled release buckle |
CN104853635A (en) * | 2012-12-11 | 2015-08-19 | 贝尔运动股份有限公司 | Controlled release buckle |
US9351539B2 (en) | 2012-12-11 | 2016-05-31 | Bell Sports, Inc. | Controlled release buckle |
US9339083B2 (en) * | 2013-08-30 | 2016-05-17 | Atomic Austria Gmbh | Ski boot buckle for closing the shell of a ski boot and ski boot fitted therewith |
US20150059135A1 (en) * | 2013-08-30 | 2015-03-05 | Atomic Austria Gmbh | Ski boot buckle for closing the shell of a ski boot and ski boot fitted therewith |
US9155359B1 (en) * | 2013-09-16 | 2015-10-13 | Dennis Morgan Bailey | Ratchet buckle with locking mechanism |
US9615631B2 (en) * | 2013-10-28 | 2017-04-11 | Kore Essentials, Inc. | Ratchet belt system and related accessories |
US20160135630A1 (en) * | 2013-10-28 | 2016-05-19 | Kore Essentials, Inc. | Ratchet belt system and related accessories |
US20160183636A1 (en) * | 2013-10-28 | 2016-06-30 | Kore Essentials, Inc. | Ratchet belt system and related accessories |
US9277776B2 (en) * | 2013-10-28 | 2016-03-08 | Kore Essentials, Inc. | Ratchet belt system and related accessories |
US20150113770A1 (en) * | 2013-10-28 | 2015-04-30 | Kore Essentials | Ratchet belt system and related accessories |
US10791714B2 (en) * | 2014-09-24 | 2020-10-06 | Michael Neville Waters | Clasp |
US20170290302A1 (en) * | 2014-09-24 | 2017-10-12 | Michael Neville Waters | A clasp |
US9241543B1 (en) * | 2015-01-09 | 2016-01-26 | I-Sin Peng | Adjustable belt buckle |
US20160256766A1 (en) * | 2015-02-07 | 2016-09-08 | Daniel C. Sullivan | Binding strap assist mechanism with a torsion spring |
US9566499B2 (en) * | 2015-02-07 | 2017-02-14 | Daniel C. Sullivan | Binding strap assist mechanism with a torsion spring |
US20160257491A1 (en) * | 2015-03-02 | 2016-09-08 | Grigooris MANSSOURIAN | Retainer mechanism |
US10618730B2 (en) * | 2015-03-02 | 2020-04-14 | Grigooris MANSSOURIAN | Retainer mechanism |
US10952509B2 (en) * | 2016-06-03 | 2021-03-23 | Tru-Fit Belts, Llc | Secure fit quick release belt system and method for use |
US11297907B2 (en) * | 2016-06-03 | 2022-04-12 | Tru-Fit Belts, Llc | Secure fit quick release tool belt and systems and methods for use |
US11666122B2 (en) | 2016-06-03 | 2023-06-06 | Tru-Fits Belts, Llc | Secure fit quick release tool belt and systems and methods for use |
US11950662B2 (en) * | 2016-06-03 | 2024-04-09 | Tru-Fit Belts, Llc | Secure fit quick release tool belt and systems and methods for use |
EP3354148A1 (en) * | 2017-01-30 | 2018-08-01 | Tecnica Group S.p.A. | Closure device for a sports footwear provided with an improved actuating lever |
IT201700009944A1 (en) * | 2017-01-30 | 2018-07-30 | Tecnica Group Spa | Closing device for sports footwear provided with an improved actuation lever |
WO2018196039A1 (en) * | 2017-04-24 | 2018-11-01 | 李宇 | Bidirectional tightening buckle for shoelace |
US10070701B1 (en) * | 2017-11-06 | 2018-09-11 | Bo Cai Enterprise Co., Ltd. | Buckle device |
US20200054100A1 (en) * | 2018-08-16 | 2020-02-20 | D&J Innovations, Llc | Portable ratchet footwear tightening system |
US10959494B2 (en) * | 2018-08-16 | 2021-03-30 | D&J Innovations, Llc | Portable ratchet footwear tightening system |
USD1007278S1 (en) * | 2022-06-07 | 2023-12-12 | Hui Ye | Portable door alarm lock |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2012166383A1 (en) | 2012-12-06 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US20120297591A1 (en) | Selectively Releasable Buckle | |
JP6047572B2 (en) | Ratchet buckle and strap assembly | |
US8763210B2 (en) | Locking device for a buckle | |
US6227072B1 (en) | Light weight bicycle pedal | |
US8516662B2 (en) | Reel based lacing system | |
US20100162539A1 (en) | Assembly including a ratchet device and a tightening strap | |
US4660302A (en) | Ski boot | |
DE60224474T2 (en) | Tool-less, one-way roller shoe with changeable size | |
US8869354B2 (en) | Ratchet buckle for helmets | |
US9351539B2 (en) | Controlled release buckle | |
US20150069202A1 (en) | Vehicle slide rail device | |
US20190329842A1 (en) | Chain guide assembly | |
US20130239303A1 (en) | Tightening systems | |
JPH02128987A (en) | Bicycle pedal | |
JP2014521487A5 (en) | ||
GB1570323A (en) | Front derailleur chain guide | |
KR102379327B1 (en) | Cross-country ski pole handle | |
US10625816B2 (en) | Complex cleat for clipless pedal | |
JP2001294189A (en) | Automatic fixing device, and bicycle pedal provided with this device | |
EP2269479A1 (en) | Lace-like closing device for cycling shoe | |
US10843769B2 (en) | Bicycle pedal with a stop | |
CA2002963A1 (en) | Adjustable fastening device for sport shoes, and sport shoe incorporating said device | |
EP3703594A1 (en) | Tourniquet clip | |
US7249785B2 (en) | Brake mechanism for a ski | |
EP2443953A1 (en) | Fastening device in particular for sports footwear |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: DASHAMERICA, INC. D/B/A PEARL IZUMI USA, INC., COL Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:TORRANCE, TONY;TOSELLO, MICHELE;BOZZETTO, VALTER;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:027027/0311 Effective date: 20110903 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |