Selectively Releasable Buckle

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

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]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.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]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 ratc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]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.

[0010]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.

[0011]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.

[0012]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.

[0016]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.

Problems solved by technology

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.

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.

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