Assembly including a ratchet device and a tightening strap

Abstract

An assembly including a ratchet tightening device and a band. The device includes a base, a driving lever, and a pawl. For at least one tooth of a series of serrations of the band, at least one straight line tangent to the meshing surface of the tooth and parallel to the band, forms, together with the longitudinal direction of the band, an angle that is less than 90 degrees. A driving end of the lever is configured to cooperate with the serrations of the band. A retaining zone of the pawl is configured to cooperate with the serrations of the band.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of French Patent Application No. 08 07414, filed on Dec. 23, 2008, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The invention relates to an assembly including a ratchet tightening device and a strap, as used on clothing or sports articles.[0004]Assemblies of this type are used to reversibly tension elements such as flaps of a shoe or boot, pieces of fabric, or the like.[0005]2. Description of Background and Other Information[0006]An example of an application of the aforementioned field of the invention is that relating to snowboarding. Certain snowboard bindings include one or more straps for removably retaining a boot on a base of the binding.[0007]A strap generally includes a band, a cap, and a ratchet tightening device affixed to the cap. The length of the strap is adjusted by moving the band with r...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]In view of the foregoing, the invention reduces, or even eliminate, wear on the serrations. The invention also optimizes the meshing of the driving end of the lever with the teeth of the band of the strap. The invention also improves upon the progressiveness of tightening of the strap. Finally, the invention improves tightening efficiency.

[0017]As a result, the contact pressure exerted on a tooth, in particular during tightening of the assembly, is reduced. The reduction is to be considered relative to an assembly provided with a prior art device.

[0018]One of the resulting advantages in particular is a substantial reduction of the wear on the teeth, i.e., on the serrations. In the same context, the wear on the driving end of the lever is also reduced. Consequently, the meshing of the driving end of the lever with the teeth of the band is optimized, in the sense that the reduced contact pressure prevents the teeth from disengaging.

[0019]Another advantage is related to the shape of the teeth, i.e., the serrations, of the band. Indeed, with reference to a longitudinal extent of the band, at least a portion of a given tooth is transversely level with a portion of a subsequent tooth. This provides a progressive transition of the tightening force exerted by the lever on the band, from one tooth to the next. In other words, tightening is more progressive and requires less effort on the part of the user.

[0020]Also, an improvement to tightening efficiency is realized, because the reduced pressures decrease friction of the lever on the band.

Problems solved by technology

For example, the serrations wear out over time, in particular in the zone in which tightening of the strap is the strongest.

A lack of progressiveness in strap tightening can also be noted, such lack of progressiveness increasing as the serrations tend to wear out.

Furthermore, over time, i.e., as wear increases, the amount of energy necessary to cause the tightening also increases.

In other words, the tightening of the strap causes more fatigue as it wears out.

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