System for tightening a strap by means of a buckle with automatic blocking of the strap-tightened positions

Abstract

A system for tightening a strap by means of a buckle, comprising a strap (1), provided with notches (7) forming a first rack (9) and defining different strap-tightened positions along a direction (13) of advancement, and a buckle (3) provided with a tightening lever (5), moving the buckle (3) from one notch of the first rack (9) to the next, with a release lever (19) controlling an anti-loosening lever (15) and with a blocking means (20), controlled by a rotation of the tightening lever (5). According to the invention, the strap is provided with notches (8), opposing the direction (13) of advancement and forming a second rack (10), with which the blocking means (20) is engaged in the blocking position and with respect to which it is disengaged in the non-blocking position, by a rotation (R (+)) of the tightening lever (5), moving the buckle (3) from one notch (7) of the first rack (9) to the next.

Description

Strap tightening system using a buckle with automatic locking of the tightening positions

[0001] The invention relates to a system for tightening a strap by means of a buckle, comprising a strap, provided with notches, forming a first rack and defining different tightening positions, according to a direction of advancement and a buckle, provided with a tightening lever, movable in rotation and provided with teeth to move the buckle from one notch of the first rack to the next, a loosening lever controlling an anti-loosening lever, capable of locking the buckle in a direction opposite to the direction of advancement, and a locking means, controlled in rotation by the tightening lever, between a position for locking the buckle, in the direction of advancement and an unlocking position.

[0002] Such a system, used more particularly to tighten a boot in a snowboard binding, is disclosed by document WO 2007 / 112125. The direction of advancement corresponds to the tightening of the boot in the binding. The anti-loosening lever allows the user to tighten the boot from one notch to the next, without risking losing the tightening obtained in the previous notch, while the locking means allows the desired tightening position to be maintained. Thus, the buckle does not risk exceeding the selected notch and further tightening the strap, when the boot is removed from the binding. The locking means is here an integral part of the tightening lever and is controlled in the locking position, by a rotation in the same direction as that of the tightening lever, which controls the buckle in one of the tightening positions.In other words, the locking position is obtained by an increase in rotation, compared to the rotation of the tightening lever which is used to move the buckle from one notch to the next, along the strap. This increase in rotation is controlled manually, until the locking means exerts sufficient pressure on the strap itself. Note that the loosening lever is here an integral part of the tightening lever.

[0003] Document US 5,745,959 discloses another system for tightening a boot in a snowboard binding, in which a release lever, movable about an axis of rotation, fixed relative to the buckle, controls in rotation an anti-loosening lever, to disengage it from the notches of the first rack. To allow this rotation, the tightening lever is movable about an axis of rotation forming an articulation, movable relative to the buckle, with the release lever.

[0004] Document WO 2019 / 086629 also discloses another system for tightening a snowboard binding boot, in which a strap is provided with first notches, forming a first rack and second notches, forming a second rack, the two racks each defining different tightening positions in the same direction of advancement. A buckle is provided with a tightening lever, movable in rotation and provided with teeth to move the buckle from one notch of the first rack to the next notch of the second rack, thus making it possible to tighten the buckle at intervals of half a notch. A loosening lever controls two anti-loosening levers, capable of locking the buckle in a direction opposite to the direction of advancement, by interacting respectively with the notches of the first and second racks.

[0005] One of the aims of the invention is to modify the clamping system described in the introduction, with a view to allowing the clamping lever to control the locking means differently.

[0006] To this end, the invention relates to a system for tightening a strap by means of a buckle, comprising a strap, provided with notches, forming a first rack and defining different tightening positions, according to a direction of advancement and a buckle, provided with a tightening lever, movable in rotation and provided with teeth for moving the buckle from one notch of the first rack to the next, a loosening lever, controlling an anti-loosening lever, capable of locking the buckle in a direction opposite to the direction of advancement, and a locking means, controlled in rotation by the tightening lever, between a position for locking the buckle, in the direction of advancement and an unlocking position, characterized in that the strap is provided with notches, opposing the direction of advancement and forming a second rack, with which the locking means is engaged, in a locking position and with respect to which it is disengaged, in an unlocking position,by rotating the clamping lever, moving the loop one notch from the first rack to the next.,

[0007] Thus, the simple rotation of the tightening lever, used to move the buckle from one notch of the first rack to the next, automatically unlocks the buckle from one of the notches of the second rack.

[0008] According to a first embodiment of the invention, the locking means is a locking lever, movable relative to the buckle and controlled in the unlocked position, by a rotation R(-), controlled by - and in the opposite direction to the rotation R(+) of the tightening lever.

[0009] The locking lever may be separate from the release lever. Preferably, the locking lever is an integral part of the release lever, which has a sliding contact with the clamping lever, for controlling the locking lever, in rotation in the opposite direction R(-).

[0010] According to a second embodiment, the locking means is an integral part of the clamping lever and arranged in a grippable part of the clamping lever, opposite the teeth.

[0011] The invention extends to a tightening strap, specially designed for the tightening system defined above, comprising notches, forming a first rack and defining different tightening positions, according to a direction of advancement, characterized in that it comprises notches, opposing the direction of advancement and forming a second rack.

[0012] Other advantages of the invention are set out below by the description of different embodiments, illustrated by the drawings.

[0013] is an exploded view of a first embodiment of the invention, according to a first variant.

[0014] is a sectional view showing the first variant, the loop being in a locking position, in the direction of advancement and in the opposite direction.

[0015] is a sectional view showing the first variant, the buckle being in an unlocked position in the direction of advancement.

[0016] is a sectional view showing the first variant, the buckle being in an unlocked position in the opposite direction to the direction of advancement.

[0017] is an exploded view of a second variant of the first embodiment of the invention.

[0018] is a sectional view showing the second variant, the loop being in a locking position, in the direction of advancement and in the opposite direction.

[0019] is a sectional view showing the second variant, the buckle being in an unlocked position in the direction of advancement.

[0020] is a sectional view showing the second variant, the buckle being in an unlocked position in the opposite direction to the direction of advancement.

[0021] is an exploded view of a third variant of the first embodiment of the invention.

[0022] is a sectional view showing the third variant, the loop being in a locking position, in the direction of advancement and in the opposite direction.

[0023] is a sectional view showing the third variant, the buckle being in an unlocked position in the direction of advancement.

[0024] is a sectional view showing the third variant, the buckle being in an unlocked position in the opposite direction to the direction of advancement.

[0025] is an exploded view of a second embodiment of the invention.

[0026] is a sectional view showing the second embodiment, the buckle being in a locking position, in the direction of advancement and in the opposite direction.

[0027] is a sectional view showing the second embodiment, the buckle being in an unlocked position in the direction of advancement.

[0028] is a sectional view showing the second embodiment, the buckle being in an unlocked position in the direction opposite to the direction of advancement.

[0029] It should be noted that in the following presentation, the same element bears the same reference in one or other of the figures.

[0030] A system for tightening a strap by means of a buckle comprises a strap 1 and a buckle 3. The strap 1 is provided with notches 7, forming a first rack 9 and defining different tightening positions according to a direction of advancement 13. The buckle 3 is provided with a tightening lever 5, movable in rotation, to move it from one notch 7 of the first rack 9 to the next and provided with an anti-loosening lever 15, capable of locking the buckle 3, in a direction opposite to the direction of advancement 13. The buckle 3 is also provided with a locking means 20, controlled in rotation by the tightening lever 5, between a locking position of the buckle 3, in the direction of advancement 13 and an unlocking position.

[0031] The buckle 3 comprises a base 21 and two sides 23. The tightening lever 5 comprises teeth 6 for engaging with the notches 7 of the strap 1 and thus moving the buckle 3 from notch to notch, in the direction of advance 13. The direction of advance 13 is defined by the inclination of the sliding ramps 11 of the notches 7. In the illustration figures, it is marked by an arrow, pointing from right to left, the sliding ramps 11 being inclined in such a way as to rise from right to left relative to the strap 1.

[0032] The anti-loosening lever 15 is movable around a rotation axis 17 fixed relative to the loop 3. The two sides 23 of the loop 3 are thus provided with openings 25 for the passage of the rotation axis 17 around which a return spring 29 is mounted.

[0033] A release lever 19 is provided for disengaging the anti-loosening lever 17 from the notches 7 of the first rack 9. The two sides 23 are thus provided with an opening 26 for the passage of the rotation axis 33 of the release lever 19. The rotation enabling the anti-loosening lever 15 to be disengaged is controlled by a rotation in the opposite direction of the release lever 19 by means of a support 35 exerting a force on a corresponding support 40 of the anti-loosening lever 15.

[0034] According to the invention, the strap 1 is provided with notches 8, opposing the direction of advancement 13 and forming a second rack 10, with which the locking means 20 is engaged in the locking position and with respect to which it is disengaged in the unlocking position, by a rotation R(+) of the tightening lever 5, moving the loop 3 from one notch 7 of the first rack 9 to the next.

[0035] The first rack 9 and the second rack 10 are preferably parallel. The notches 8 of the latter oppose the direction of advancement 13, forming a stop at the location of the sliding ramps 11 of the notches 7 of the first rack 9. This stop is, for example, obtained by an inverted inclination of the sliding ramps 12 of the notches 8 of the second rack 10 relative to the sliding ramps 11 of the notches 7 of the first rack 9. In the figures, the sliding ramps 12 of the second rack 10 are thus inclined in such a way as to rise from left to right relative to the strap 1. The second rack 10 may be interposed between two rows of notches 7, forming the first rack 9 or may form a strap edge, while the first rack 9 forms an opposite strap edge.

[0036] According to the first embodiment of the invention, the locking means 20 is a locking lever, movable relative to the loop 3 and controlled in the unlocked position, by the rotation R(+) of the tightening lever 5, moving it in a rotation R(-) in the opposite direction.

[0037] Preferably, the locking lever 20 is an integral part of the release lever 19 and has a sliding contact with the clamping lever 5, for controlling rotation in the opposite direction R(-) of the locking lever.

[0038] According to the first variant, at 4, the loosening lever 19 is movable, against a return spring 30, mounted around an axis of rotation 33, fixed relative to the buckle 3. The tightening lever 5 is movable around an axis of rotation 16, housed in an oblong opening 27, provided on the two sides 23 of the buckle 3. Said axis 16 is movable against a return spring 31, mounted around its axis of rotation 16. The oblong shape of the opening 27 makes it possible to accommodate a variation in distance between the axis of rotation 16 and the strap 1, due to the engagement of the teeth 6 of the tightening lever 5, in the notches 7 of the first rack 9, during the rotation R(+) moving the buckle 3 from one notch 7 to the next.

[0039] According to the second variant, at 8, the release lever 19 is movable around an axis of rotation 33, fixed relative to the loop 3, while the tightening lever 5 is movable around an axis of rotation 18, forming an articulation, movable relative to the loop 3, with the release lever 19. The tightening lever 5 is articulated to the release lever 19, against a return spring 32, mounted on the axis of rotation 18 forming the articulation.

[0040] The locking lever 20 can also be separate from the release lever 19, as illustrated by the third variant, at 12. The two sides 23 of the loop 3 are thus provided with an opening 28, for the passage of an axis of rotation 33 of the release lever 19. The clamping lever 5 is movable around an axis of rotation 38 forming an articulation, movable relative to the loop 3, with said release lever 19 and comprises a bearing 4, which carries the axis of rotation 38 and by which, it exerts pressure on the locking means 20 in the locking position. The pressure is controlled by the antagonistic effects of the return spring 32, mounted around the axis of rotation 38 and of the return spring 30, mounted around the axis of rotation 36 of the locking means 20.

[0041] According to the second embodiment, at 16, the locking means 20 is integrated into the clamping lever 5 and arranged in a grippable part 2 of the clamping lever 5, opposite the teeth 6.

[0042] The operating principle of the clamping system according to the invention is common to the two embodiments described above.

[0043] Figures 2, 6, 10 and 14 show the tightening system where the buckle 3 is blocked, in the direction of advance 13 and in the opposite direction. The blocking in the direction opposite to the direction of advance 13, is due to the anti-loosening lever 15, whose teeth 22 are engaged with the notches 7 of the first rack 9, under the effect of the return spring 29. The blocking in the direction of advance 13, is due to the blocking means 20, engaged with one of the notches 8 of the second rack 10, under the effect of the return spring 30 or 32. In this position where the buckle 3 is blocked in both directions relative to the strap 1, the tightening lever 5 is in a rest position.

[0044] Figures 3, 7, 11 and 15, the tightening lever 5 has been actuated by a user, in a rotation R(+), counterclockwise in the figures, around the axis of rotation 16, 18 or 38, to move the buckle 3 along the strap 1, in the different tightening positions defined by the notches 7 of the first rack 9.

[0045] In the case of 7 and 11, the rotation R(+) of the clamping lever 5 automatically controls a rotation R(-) of the release lever 19, in an opposite direction of rotation, clockwise in the figures. The rotation R(-) of the release lever 19 makes it possible to disengage the locking means 20 from the notches 8 of the second rack 10.

[0046] In the case of the, the rotation R(+) of the clamping lever 5 is sufficient to automatically disengage the locking means 20 from the notches 8 of the second rack 10.

[0047] It should be noted that the supports 35 and 40 occupy, relative to the axes of rotation 33 and 17, respectively of the release lever 19 and the anti-loosening lever 15, angular positions such that the rotation R(+) of the tightening lever 5, necessary to move the loop 3 from one notch 7 of the first rack 9 to the next, remains insufficient to disengage the anti-loosening lever 15.

[0048] When the user releases the tightening lever 5, the latter is returned by the return spring 31 or 32, mounted around its axis of rotation 16, 18 or 38, while the loosening lever 19 is returned by the return spring 30, mounted around its axis of rotation 33 or by the spring 32 of the tightening lever 5. These return springs return the locking means 20 to the locking position. The anti-loosening lever 15 having retained its locking position, the buckle 3 is also locked in the direction opposite to the direction of advancement 13. It can thus be seen that according to the invention, any tightening position of the buckle 3 is automatically locked relative to the strap 1, by simply returning the tightening lever 5 or the loosening lever 19 to the rest position.

[0049] Figures 4, 8, 12 and 16 show the tightening system in a state where the buckle is unlocked, in the opposite direction to the direction of advance 13. The loosening lever 19 has been actuated by the user, in rotation R(-) around its axis of rotation 33, to exert a force on the anti-loosening lever 15, via the supports 35 and 40. This results, on the one hand, in a rotation of the anti-loosening lever 15, in the opposite direction to that of the loosening lever 19, which disengages it from the notches 7 of the first rack 9. While maintaining the force, the user can then move the buckle 3, in the opposite direction to the direction of advance 13, to loosen the strap 1.

[0050] The control of the rotation R(-) of the locking lever 20 by the rotation R(+) of the clamping lever 5, is different between the different variants of the first embodiment of the invention.

[0051] According to the first variant, the control is obtained by means of a rim 42 of an opening 44 of the clamping lever 5, serving as a sliding support for an arm 46 of the release lever 19, extending through said opening 44.

[0052] According to the second or third variant, the control is obtained by the teeth 6 of the tightening lever 5, which are calculated to exert a force on the strap 1, capable of varying the distance of the axis of rotation of the tightening lever 5, relative to the base 21 of the buckle 3, on which the strap 1 rests.

[0053] In the particular case of the second variant, the rotation axis 18 of the tightening lever 5 forming an articulation, movable relative to the loop 3, with the loosening lever 19, the force of the teeth 6 of the tightening lever 5 on the strap 1, causes the rotation of the loosening lever 19 and the rotation R(-) of the locking lever 20, around the rotation axis 33, fixed relative to the loop 3. In the particular case of the third variant, the force of the teeth 6 of the tightening lever 5 on the strap 1, causes the rotation of the loosening lever 19 around the rotation axis 33, fixed relative to the loop 3 and the rotation R(-) of the locking lever 20, around the rotation axis 36, also fixed relative to the loop 3, under the action of the return spring 30.

[0054] In a tightening strap, specially designed for a tightening system according to the invention, a second rack, interposed between two rows of notches forming a first rack, is adapted to a locking means arranged in the center of the buckle, while a second rack, forming an edge of the strap, is adapted to a locking means arranged on one side. However, the embodiments described above can be adapted to either way of producing the second rack in the strap.

[0055] The invention applies to any strap and buckle tightening system.

Claims

System for tightening a strap by means of a buckle, comprising a strap (1), provided with notches (7) forming a first rack (9) and defining different tightening positions according to a direction of advancement (13) and a buckle (3) provided with a tightening lever (5), movable in rotation and provided with teeth (6) for moving the buckle (3) from one notch of the first rack (9) to the next, a loosening lever (19) controlling an anti-loosening lever (15), capable of locking the buckle (3) in a direction opposite to the direction of advancement (13) and a locking means (20), controlled by a rotation of the tightening lever (5), between a locking position of the buckle (3), in the direction of advancement (13) and an unlocking position, characterized in that the strap (1) is provided with notches (8), opposing the direction of advancement (13) and forming a second rack (10),with which the locking means (20) is engaged in the locking position and with respect to which it is disengaged in the unlocking position, by a rotation (R(+)) of the clamping lever (5), moving the loop (3) from one notch (7) of the first rack (9) to the next., System for tightening a strap by means of a buckle according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking means (20) is a locking lever, movable relative to the buckle (5) and controlled in the unlocking position, by a rotation (R(-)), controlled by - and in the opposite direction to the rotation (R(+)) of the tightening lever (5). System for tightening a strap by means of a buckle according to claim 2, characterized in that the locking lever (20) is an integral part of the loosening lever (19) which has a sliding contact (42, 46) with the tightening lever (5), for controlling the rotation in the opposite direction (R(-)). System for tightening a strap by means of a buckle according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking means (20) is an integral part of the tightening lever (5) and arranged in a grippable part (2) of the tightening lever (5), opposite the teeth (6). Tightening strap specially designed for a tightening system according to claim 1, comprising notches (7) forming a first rack (9) and defining different tightening positions according to a direction of advancement (13), characterized in that it comprises notches (8) opposing the direction of advancement (13) and forming a second rack (10).

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