tensioning device

Abstract

This invention relates to a tightening / loosening device, comprising: a base; a ring seat with a receiving space, the receiving space having one-way inward ratchet teeth around its periphery; a rotating wheel with a recess for winding and receiving a shoelace, the rotating wheel having a locking post; a locking member with a locking hole, the locking member having a plurality of elastic locking teeth protruding around its periphery; the locking member being in a first position, the locking hole engaging with the locking post, the elastic locking teeth engaging unidirectionally with the one-way inward ratchet teeth; the locking member being in a second position, the locking hole disengaging from the locking post, the elastic locking teeth disengaging from the one-way inward ratchet teeth; and a rotating disk fixing the locking member. This device can automatically tighten or loosen the shoelace, achieving the effects of simplifying components, assembly procedures, operating procedures, and reducing working time.

Description

tensioning device Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an automatic shoelace tightening and loosening mechanism that can simplify components, assembly procedures, operating procedures, and reduce working time. Prior Technology

[0002] Currently, most shoes use shoelaces that are tied manually. However, shoelaces can easily loosen during walking, running, or exercise, which can hinder the wearer or cause them to trip, posing a potential danger.

[0003] Therefore, automatic shoelace fastening devices have been commercially available, which can secure shoelaces by rotation, completely eliminating the risk of loose shoelaces. For example, the invention patent No. I576060, "Fastening Device," published on April 1, 2017 (Republic of China year 106), discloses: It includes a main body and a locking device. The main body consists of a base, a spool, a knob, and a locking unit. The locking device is located on the main body, limiting the connection between the base, spool, knob, and locking unit. The spool is located on the base and is used for winding thread. The knob is located on the base and includes a spiral track. The locking unit is coupled to the spool and includes a guide part coupled to the spiral track. Rotating the knob causes the guide part to move within the spiral track, giving the locking unit a first position and a second position relative to the knob. In the first position, the locking unit restricts the spool from rotating in a loosening direction; in the second position, the locking unit allows the spool to rotate in the loosening direction. This effectively simplifies the structure of the fastening device, thereby reducing manufacturing difficulty and cost.

[0004] The locking device in the previous patent application includes a connecting post and a screw. The connecting post passes through the through hole spool and the connecting hole and is fitted into the protruding post. The screw is then locked into the connecting post to complete the assembly of the fastening device. Because it uses a structure in which the screw is inserted from below and then locked to the connecting post, it is more complicated to manufacture and has more components. The screw is easy to lose and the time required to tighten the screw is increased, so it has its disadvantages in use.

[0005] Another patent application, No. I747681, entitled "Fastening Device," was published on November 21, 2021 (Republic of China Year 110). It discloses a device comprising a housing unit, a coil, a braking unit, a knob, and a connecting unit. The housing unit includes a ring wall and a base. The ring wall surrounds an internal space, and the base is provided for the ring wall. The coil is located within the internal space and includes a central axial space. The braking unit is located within the internal space and selectively prevents the coil from rotating in a release direction. The knob is mounted on the ring wall. The connecting unit passes through the central axial space and connects to the knob to limit the movement of the ring wall, coil, braking unit, and knob. The base is not directly connected to the connecting unit. This simplifies the structure and increases reliability.

[0006] The prior art patent involves locking the screw into the cylinder from top to bottom, which allows the knob and braking unit to be combined with the coil. Once the screw is locked into the cylinder, the knob, braking unit, coil, and ring wall cannot be separated, thus completing the assembly. However, this prior art patent also suffers from drawbacks, including more complex manufacturing processes, numerous components, the possibility of losing the screw, and increased time spent tightening the screw. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Therefore, in view of the aforementioned shortcomings of current automatic shoelace tightening devices, this invention provides a tightening device comprising: a base; a ring seat fixed to the base, the ring seat having an accommodating space, the periphery of one side of the accommodating space having annular one-way inward ratchet teeth; a rotating wheel disposed within the accommodating space, the periphery of the rotating wheel forming a recess for winding and accommodating a shoelace, the side of the rotating wheel away from the base having a protruding locking post, the periphery of the locking post having a plurality of first transmission teeth; a locking member movably fixed to the rotating wheel, the locking member having a through-hole, the periphery of the through-hole having a plurality of second transmission teeth, the second transmission teeth being mutually... The engagement transmission includes a plurality of elastic teeth protruding from the periphery of the locking member. In a first position, the locking hole is movably engaged with the locking post. The second transmission teeth mesh with the first transmission teeth, and the elastic teeth engage with the one-way internal ratchet in one direction, allowing the locking member to rotate unidirectionally relative to the ring seat without reversing. In a second position, the locking hole and the locking post are movably separated, the second transmission teeth disengage from the first transmission teeth, and the elastic teeth disengage from the one-way internal ratchet. A rotating disk is movably fixed to the ring seat, and the rotating disk fixes the locking member.

[0008] A first fixing part is formed on the periphery of the aforementioned base, and a second fixing part is formed on the periphery of the other side of the accommodating space. The second fixing part and the first fixing part are engaged and fixed to each other.

[0009] The aforementioned ring seat has two protruding guide parts on its periphery, each of which has a guide hole for the two ends of the shoelace to pass through.

[0010] The aforementioned recess has two through holes, which allow the two ends of the shoelace to pass through and be secured.

[0011] The inner wall of the aforementioned rotating disk is provided with a plurality of locking blocks to engage and fix the locking element.

[0012] The aforementioned unidirectional internal ratchet has a first locking part protruding in an annular shape around its periphery, and a second locking part is formed around the periphery of the rotating disk. The second locking part and the first locking part are mutually engaged.

[0013] The above-mentioned technical features have the following advantages:

[0014] 1. Without the need for any screws or bolts, the locking or unlocking function can be easily achieved through the locking action of the locking hole and the locking post.

[0015] 2. The overall structure is quite simple and can reduce the number of components, without the disadvantage of losing small components. This can further shorten assembly time and simplify assembly and operation procedures. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0016] [Figure 1] is a three-dimensional exploded view of an embodiment of this invention.

[0017] [Figure 2] is a three-dimensional exploded view from another perspective of this creative embodiment.

[0018] [Figure 3] is a three-dimensional composite diagram of an embodiment of this invention.

[0019] [Figure 4] is a cross-sectional view of the combination of the card holder in the first position in the embodiment of this invention.

[0020] [Figure 5] is a cross-sectional view of the combination of the card holder in the second position in the embodiment of this invention.

[0021] [Figure 6] is a schematic diagram of the unidirectional engagement of the elastic locking teeth and the unidirectional internal ratchet in this embodiment of the invention.

[0022] [Figure 7] is a schematic diagram of the shoelace part installed on the shoe in this embodiment of the invention.

[0023] [Figure 8] is a schematic diagram of the locking component rotating in the first direction in an embodiment of this invention. Implementation

[0024] In the description of this work, it should be understood that the terms "center," "axial," "longitudinal," "lateral," "vertical," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the diagrams and are used only for the convenience of describing this work and for simplifying the description. They do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this work. In the description of this work, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" or "plural" means two or more. Furthermore, "first," "second," and "third," etc., are only used to distinguish components with the same properties and do not indicate a necessary assembly order or quantity.

[0025] Please refer to Figures 1, 2, and 3. This embodiment of the invention is a tensioning device, comprising: a base 1, a ring seat 2, a rotating wheel 3, a locking element 4, and a rotating disk 5, wherein:

[0026] The base 1 is for fixing to the shoelace part of a shoe to control the tightness of a shoelace A. A first fixing part 11 is formed on the periphery of the base 1. The first fixing part 11 is a groove. In this embodiment, two opposing grooves are provided.

[0027] The ring seat 2 has a receiving space 21. A second fixing part 22 is formed on the periphery of one side of the receiving space 21. The second fixing part 22 is engaged and fixed with the first fixing part 11 to fix the ring seat 2 and the base 1. The second fixing part 22 is an insert, and in this embodiment, two opposing inserts are provided. The periphery of the other side of the receiving space 21 is provided with a ring-shaped one-way inward ratchet 23. A ring-shaped first locking part 24 protrudes from the periphery of the one-way inward ratchet 23. Two guide parts 25 protrude from the periphery of the ring seat 2. Each of the two guide parts 25 is provided with a guide hole 26, and the two guide holes 26 are respectively for the two ends of the shoelace A to pass through.

[0028] The rotating wheel 3 is disposed within the receiving space 21 of the ring seat 2, precisely between the ring seat 2 and the base 1 (as shown in Figure 4). A recess 31 is formed on the periphery of the rotating wheel 3 to accommodate and wind up the shoelace A. Two through holes 32 are provided in the recess 31, allowing both ends of the shoelace A to pass through and be secured. A locking post 33 protrudes from the side of the rotating wheel 3 away from the base 1, and a plurality of first transmission teeth 34 are arranged around the periphery of the locking post 33.

[0029] The locking element 4 is movably fixed to the rotating wheel 3. The locking element 4 has a through-hole 41. When the locking element 4 is in a first position (lower position), the through-hole 41 allows it to engage with the locking post 33, thus fixing the rotating wheel 3 and the locking element 4 relative to each other. When the locking element 4 is in a second position (upper position) (as shown in Figure 5), the through-hole 41 can be disengaged from the locking post 33, separating the rotating wheel 3 and the locking element 4. A plurality of second transmission teeth 42 are arranged around the periphery of the through-hole 41. When the locking element 4 is in the first position (as shown in Figure 4), the second transmission teeth 42 mesh with the first transmission teeth 34. When the locking element 4 is in the second position, the second transmission teeth 42 disengage from the first transmission teeth 34 and cannot mesh. The peripheral edge of the locking member 4 is provided with a plurality of elastic locking teeth 43. When the locking member 4 is in the first position, the elastic locking teeth 43 can engage with the one-way internal ratchet 23 in one direction (as shown in Figure 6), so that the locking member 4 can rotate in one direction relative to the ring seat 2, but cannot rotate in the opposite direction. When the locking member 4 is in the second position, the elastic locking teeth 43 can disengage from the one-way internal ratchet 23 and cannot engage for transmission.

[0030] The rotating disk 5 is movably fixed to the ring seat 2. A second locking part 51 is formed on the periphery of the rotating disk 5. The second locking part 51 is movably engaged with the first locking part 24 of the ring seat 2, so that the rotating disk 5 can rotate relative to the ring seat 2 without disengaging. The inner wall of the rotating disk 5 is provided with a plurality of locking blocks 52, which can be used to lock and fix the locking member 4. When the rotating disk 5 is rotated, the locking member 4 can be rotated synchronously.

[0031] In use, as shown in Figures 1, 4, and 7, the tensioning device of this invention is fixed to the shoelace portion B1 of a shoe B to control the tension of the shoelace A. When it is necessary to tighten the shoelace A, firstly, the rotating disk 5 is pressed downward relative to the base 1, causing the rotating disk 5 to move the locking member 4, placing the locking member 4 in the first position. At the same time, the locking hole 41 is engaged with the locking post 33 to fix the rotating wheel 3 and the locking member 4. The second transmission teeth 42 mesh with the first transmission teeth 34. The elastic locking teeth 43 also mesh unidirectionally with the one-way internal ratchet 23 (as shown in Figure 6). Then, the rotating disk 5 is rotated along a first direction C (as shown in Figure 8), so that the rotating disk 5 can be fixed through the locking blocks 52 and rotated in conjunction with the locking member 4. The locking member 4, through the unidirectional engagement of the elastic locking teeth 43 with the unidirectional internal ratchet 23, allows the locking member 4 to rotate along the first direction C, but prevents it from rotating in the opposite direction (the opposite direction of the first direction C). When the locking member 4 rotates, it can be driven by the engagement of the second transmission teeth 42 with the first transmission teeth 34, thereby synchronously driving the rotating wheel 3 to rotate. Then, the recess 31 of the rotating wheel 3 can be used to wind up and accommodate the shoelace A, thereby tightening the shoelace A on the shoelace part B1 of the shoe B, thus achieving the effect of tightening the shoelace A.

[0032] When it is necessary to loosen the shoelace A, simply pull the rotating disk 5 upward relative to the base 1, causing the rotating disk 5 to engage with the locking member 4, placing the locking member 4 in the second position. Simultaneously, the locking hole 41 is disengaged from the locking post 33, separating the rotating wheel 3 and the locking member 4, preventing the rotating wheel 3 from rotating again via the locking member 4 when the rotating disk 5 is rotated. The second transmission teeth 42 also disengage from the first transmission teeth 34, preventing them from engaging. Furthermore, the elastic locking teeth 43 disengage from the one-way internal ratchet 23, preventing them from engaging. Therefore, the rotating wheel 3 is no longer restricted to rotating only in the first direction C by the one-way drive of the locking member 4. Thus, the rotating wheel 3 can rotate in the opposite direction to the first direction C, loosening the shoelace A coiled and housed in the recess 31, thereby loosening the shoelace A at the shoelace portion B1 and achieving the effect of loosening the shoelace A.

[0033] Thus, this invention eliminates the need for any screws or bolts; the locking and unlocking mechanism is achieved solely through the interlocking action of the locking hole 41 and the locking post 33. It also reduces the number of overall components, prevents the loss of small parts, and shortens assembly time, streamlining assembly and operating procedures.

[0034] Based on the above description of the embodiments, one can fully understand the operation, use and effects of this invention. However, the above embodiments are only preferred embodiments of this invention and should not be used to limit the scope of implementation of this invention. Simple equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the scope of the patent application and the description of this invention are all within the scope of this invention.

[0035] 1: Base 11: First fixing part 2: Ring seat 21: Storage space 22: Second fixing part 23: One-way internal ratchet 24: First Card Control Section 25: Guiding Department 26: Guide hole 3: Rotary wheel 31: concave part 32:Through hole 33: Chassis 34: First transmission gear 4: Card / Contractor 41: Slot 42: Second transmission gear 43: Flexible locking teeth 5: Rotating disc 51: Second card control section 52: Card Block A: Shoelaces B: Shoes B1: Shoelace section C: First direction

Claims

1. A tensioning device comprising: a base; a ring seat fixed to the base, the ring seat having an accommodating space, the periphery of one side of the accommodating space having annular one-way inward ratchet teeth; a rotating wheel disposed in the accommodating space, the periphery of the rotating wheel having a recess for winding and accommodating a shoelace, the side of the rotating wheel away from the base having a locking pin protruding, the periphery of the locking pin having a plurality of first transmission teeth; A locking element is movably fixed to the rotating wheel. The locking element has a through-hole with a plurality of second transmission teeth around its periphery. The locking element also has a plurality of elastic locking teeth protruding from its periphery. In a first position, the locking hole is movably locked to the locking post. The second transmission teeth mesh with the first transmission teeth, and the elastic locking teeth mesh unidirectionally with the one-way ratchet, allowing the locking element to rotate unidirectionally relative to the ring seat and preventing it from rotating in the opposite direction. In a second position, the locking hole is movably separated from the locking post, and the second transmission teeth disengage from the first transmission teeth, and the elastic locking teeth disengage from the one-way ratchet. A rotating disk is movably fixed to the ring seat, and the rotating disk fixes the locking element.

2. As in request item 1, the tensioning device, wherein, A first fixing part is formed on the periphery of the base, and a second fixing part is formed on the periphery of the other side of the accommodating space. The second fixing part and the first fixing part are engaged and fixed to each other.

3. As in request item 1, the tensioning device, wherein, The ring seat has two guide parts protruding from its periphery, and each of the two guide parts has a guide hole, which is used for the two ends of the shoelace to pass through.

4. As in request item 1, the tensioning device, wherein, The recess has two through holes, which allow the two ends of the shoelace to pass through and be secured.

5. The tensioning device as described in claim 1, wherein, The inner wall of the rotating disk is provided with a plurality of locking blocks to engage and fix the locking element.

6. The tensioning device as described in claim 1, wherein, The unidirectional internal ratchet has a first locking part protruding in a ring shape around its periphery, and the rotating disk has a second locking part formed around its periphery. The second locking part and the first locking part are mutually engaged.

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