String tightening device and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

To facilitate handling of strings at the time of assembly, while suppressing deterioration in mechanical strength of a housing.SOLUTION: At a cylindrical part 21, a slit 60 is formed extending from one end of the cylindrical part 21 toward the other end along an axis line AX. The slit 60 includes a first portion 61 positioned at one end side of the cylindrical part 21, and a second portion 62 positioned at the other end side of the cylindrical part 21. A ring-like member 30 is mounted with respect to the cylindrical part 21 so that the ring-like member 30 covers the first portion 61 of the slit 60 and a passage for strings is formed at the second portion 62 of the slit 60.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a string tightening device and a method for manufacturing the same.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses, for example, a string tightening device mainly composed of a knob, a spool, and a housing as shown in FIG. 3 of the same document. The tip of the tooth stopper provided on the spool enters the recess of the housing. A driven part is provided on the spool and is driven by a driving part provided on the knob (see FIG. 19 of the same document for the driving part). As understood from FIG. 24 of the same document, the driving part of the knob pushes the driven part of the spool by rotating the knob. As understood from FIG. 25 of the same document, the driving part of the knob pushes the tooth stopper of the spool by rotating the knob. In this way, the string is drawn out from the spool or the string is wound back onto the spool.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses a form in which the claw of the base member engages with an annular gear provided on a dial (see FIGS. 1 and 8 of the same document, for example). FIG. 29 of the same document discloses fixing an annular part on the annular wall of a drum housing part. The above-mentioned claw is formed by partially cutting out the annular part.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In a string tightening device, the housing that houses the spool is required to have mechanical strength or stability for holding the spool. For this purpose, holes are provided in the housing, and strings are passed through the holes to the inside and outside of the housing. However, in such a case, there is a working burden of passing the strings through the holes, which hinders the improvement of the manufacturing efficiency of the string tightening device. As understood from the above description, the inventor of the present application has found a new problem of facilitating the handling of strings during assembly while suppressing a decrease in the mechanical strength of the housing.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] A string tightening device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a spool rotatable about an axis for winding or unwinding strings, a housing including a cylindrical portion extending along the axis to define a storage space for the spool, and a ring-shaped member attached to the cylindrical portion of the housing. One or more slits extending from one end to the other end of the cylindrical portion along the axis are formed in the cylindrical portion, and the slit includes a first portion located on one end side of the cylindrical portion and a second portion located on the other end side of the cylindrical portion. The ring-shaped member is attached to the cylindrical portion such that the ring-shaped member covers the first portion of the slit and forms a passage for the strings in the second portion of the slit.

[0007] A method for manufacturing a string tightening device according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a step of attaching strings to a spool, a step of disposing the spool in a cylindrical portion of a housing, a step of introducing the strings into a slit formed to extend from one end to the other end of the cylindrical portion of the housing, and a step of attaching a ring-shaped member to the cylindrical portion such that the ring-shaped member covers the first portion of the slit on one end side of the cylindrical portion and forms a passage for the strings in the second portion of the slit on the other end side of the cylindrical portion.

[0008] In some embodiments, a tooth row is provided in the cylindrical portion of the housing, and the slit is provided so as to cross the tooth row.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first portion of the slit is a narrow portion provided in the middle of adjacent tooth portions in the tooth row.

[0010] In some embodiments, the second portion of the slit is a wide portion that is spatially connected to the narrow portion at a position adjacent to the narrow portion. The cylindrical portion may include a pair of opposing wall surfaces that define the wide portion and a pair of protruding portions that protrude from the pair of wall surfaces so as to approach each other to define the narrow portion.

[0011] In some embodiments, the slit has two or more different widths in its extending direction, and the minimum width of the two or more different widths is set to a range that at least crosses the tooth row.

[0012] In some embodiments, a tooth row is formed inside one end portion of the cylindrical portion, and a ring-shaped member is attached to the outside of one end portion of the cylindrical portion.

[0013] In some embodiments, the ring-shaped member has ribs that fit at least into the first portion of the slit.

[0014] In some embodiments, the ring-shaped member has ribs that fit at least into the first portion of the slit, and the height of the ribs is set such that when the ring-shaped member is attached to the cylindrical portion, the top surface of the ribs is disposed at a depth equivalent to the bottom of the recess between the tooth portions of the tooth row.

[0015] In some embodiments, the housing has a flat plate portion on which the cylindrical portion stands, and a hole that is spatially connected to the slit is provided in the flat plate portion.

[0016] In some embodiments, the one or more slits include four or more slits.

[0017] In some embodiments, the string tightening device is disposed on a spool and a housing, and further includes a cover that engages with the spool for controlling the engagement state between the spool and the housing. Based on the engagement between the engaging portion of the spool and the engaging portion of the housing, the spool may be positionable relative to the housing at a constant or different angular interval with respect to the axis. The engaging portion of the housing is a tooth row formed on the inner wall surface of the cylindrical portion of the housing, the engaging portion of the spool is an arm portion that can swing in the radial direction with respect to the axis, and the cover may be provided with a first protrusion for pressing the arm portion.

[0018] In some embodiments, slots are formed in the spool, the cover is provided with second protrusions that are inserted into the slots, and the second protrusions are provided so as to be able to press the wall surface of the slots for transmitting the rotational force from the cover to the spool.

[0019] In some embodiments, all parts included in the string tightening device are made of non-metallic materials.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to facilitate the handling of strings during assembly while suppressing a decrease in the mechanical strength of the housing.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

Figure 17

Figure 18

[0022] Hereinafter, various embodiments and features will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 18. Those skilled in the art can combine each embodiment and / or each feature without excessive explanation, and can also understand the synergistic effect of this combination. Duplicate explanations between embodiments will be omitted in principle. The reference drawings are mainly for the purpose of describing the invention and are simplified for the convenience of drawing. Each feature is not only effective for the lacing device and its manufacturing method disclosed in the present application, but also understood as a universal feature applicable to various other lacing devices and their manufacturing methods not disclosed in this specification. In this specification, for the convenience of explanation, it will be described assuming that the axis AX described later coincides with the vertical direction.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the lacing device 1 includes a spool 10, a housing 20, a ring-shaped member 30, a cover 40, and a fastener 50. An axis AX that coincides with the rotation axis of the spool 10 is set for the lacing device 1, and the housing 20, the spool 10, the ring-shaped member 30, the cover 40, and the fastener 50 are arranged on the axis AX (that is, coaxial). The spool 10 and the cover 40 are rotatable around the axis AX in relation to the housing 20, which is a stationary member. The spool 10 rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the cover 40, and the strings are fed out from the lacing device 1 or the strings are wound up by the lacing device 1. The lacing device can also be simply called a reel.

[0024] The lacing device 1 is sufficiently thin in the assembled state (see FIG. 2), and thus can be used not only for footwear but also for clothing. For example, the lacing device 1 can be used for hemming pants or skirts, or for adjusting the waist of pants or skirts. Of course, it can also be used for other applications that require lacing, such as shoes, bags, backpacks, and hiking backpacks.

[0025] Details of the assembly of the string tightening device 1 will be described later. As an overview, as can be seen from FIGS. 1 to 3, a spool 10 with strings (not shown in FIG. 3) attached in advance is placed in a housing 20, a ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the housing 20, a cover 40 is placed on the housing 20, and a fastener 50 is fastened to the housing 20. The strings are flexible wire materials, for example, strings formed from natural or chemical fibers, or resinous wires.

[0026] In some embodiments, the spool 10 is provided with an engaging portion (for example, an arm portion 80), and the housing 20 is provided with an engaging portion (for example, a tooth row 70), and these engaging portions can engage as a pair. Based on this engagement, the spool 10 is positioned relative to the housing 20 at a constant or different angular interval (for example, 15° or 30° or 45°) with respect to the axis AX. Thereby, gradual or stepwise rotation of the spool 10 can be ensured (for example, for adjusting the length of the strings pulled out from the string tightening device 1). It is also possible to prevent the spool 10 from rotating unintentionally due to the tensile force applied to the strings.

[0027] The following will be described in more detail. FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the string tightening device. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the string tightening device along the dashed line X5-X5 in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an assembly of the spool and the cover, showing the lower surface of the spool. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the lower surface of the housing. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the lower surface of the cover. FIG. 9 is a schematic top view showing the engagement state of the arm portion of the spool and the tooth row of the cylindrical portion of the housing.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the spool 10 has a spool shaft portion 12 and flange portions 13, 14, and these define a first groove 11 for strings that extends in the circumferential direction with respect to the axis AX (hereinafter simply referred to as the circumferential direction). The spool shaft portion 12 has a cylindrical outer wall 12a, a cylindrical inner wall 12b, and an annular connecting wall 12c that connects the cylindrical outer wall 12a and the cylindrical inner wall 12b. A through hole 16 (see FIG. 1) is formed in the spool shaft portion 12 (for example, inside the cylindrical inner wall 12b), and the housing shaft portion 23 of the housing 20 described later can be inserted therethrough. A second groove 15 is formed between the cylindrical outer wall 12a and the cylindrical inner wall 12b, and strings can be fixed to a string stopper 17 (see FIG. 6) provided therein. The flange portions 13, 14 are annular members that extend radially outward from the spool shaft portion 12. The flange portions 13, 14 are arranged parallel to each other and define a certain groove width of the first groove 11 therebetween. A form in which the flange portions 13, 14 are arranged non-parallel is also assumed.

[0029] The first groove 11 and the second groove 15 are in spatial communication via a slit 12d (see FIG. 6), and by introducing strings into the slit 12d, the strings can be arranged in both the first groove 11 and the second groove 15. The attachment mode of the strings to the spool 10 is as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 6. In the illustrated example, strings are introduced from a certain slit 12d into the second groove 15, extend around the cylindrical inner wall 12b of the spool shaft portion 12, and exit from the second groove 15 through another slit 12d. Knots of the strings can also be arranged in the second groove 15 to make it difficult for the strings to fall off from the second groove 15.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, the spool 10 has an arm portion 80 as an engaging portion and a connecting portion 18 to which the arm portion 80 is connected as a cantilever. The arm portion 80 is a spring portion that can swing in the radial direction with respect to the axis AX (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as the radial direction). The arm portion 80 has a first rod portion 81 and a second rod portion 82 that extends at a predetermined angle with respect to the first rod portion 81. The first rod portion 81 is provided so as to form a recess 89 with respect to the connecting portion 18, and extends longer than the second rod portion 82. Thanks to any one or both of these, sufficient elasticity (for example, elastic pivoting) of the arm portion 80 is ensured. The second rod portion 82 becomes wider in a tapered shape as it separates from the first rod portion 81, ensuring the desired width of the tip portion 83 of the arm portion 80. The tip portion 83 of the arm portion 80 is shaped to match the shape of the recess 72 between the tooth portions 71 of the tooth row 70, and has, for example, a ridge-like or V-shaped protruding shape whose width gradually decreases toward its tip. The tip portion 83 of the arm portion 80 can also be shaped into other shapes, such as a semi-circular shape. A slot 19 extending in the circumferential direction is formed in the connecting portion 18, and a second protrusion 46 (described later) of the cover 40 is inserted therein.

[0031] The spool 10 is not necessarily limited to an integral object (for example, a single injection molded product), and can be an assembly of a first part including the spool shaft portion 12 and the flange portions 13, 14, and a second part including the arm portion 80 and the connecting portion 18. A similar spool can be constructed by mechanically fixing the second part (for example, the connecting portion 18) to the first part (for example, the flange portion).

[0032] As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 20 has a cylindrical portion 21, a flat plate portion 22 on which the cylindrical portion 21 stands, and a housing shaft portion 23 provided on the axis AX and extending along the axis AX. The cylindrical portion 21 extends along the axis AX to define an accommodation space for the spool 10, has an opening for introducing the spool 10 at its upper end (one end) 21a, and is closed by the flat plate portion 22 at its lower end (the other end) 21b (an opening that does not interfere with the rotation of the spool 10 may be formed). The cylindrical portion 21 is a cylindrical portion having a circular cross-sectional shape, but can take other shapes.

[0033] The flat plate portion 22 is provided for attaching the string tightening device 1 to clothing or the like, and is fixed to clothing or the like by adhesion, sewing, magnetic attachment, or the like. The housing shaft portion 23 is provided for pivotally supporting the spool 10 and for fitting with the fastener 50. By passing the housing shaft portion 23 of the housing 20 through the through hole 16 of the spool 10, the two are engaged. The mode of axial attachment between the spool 10 and the housing 20 is various and should not be limited to the illustrated example. It is also possible to provide a shaft portion on the spool 10 instead of the housing 20. Further, a form in which the spool 10 is not pivotally supported is also assumed. In the illustrated example, the housing shaft portion 23 has a bifurcated tip portion, and the fastener 50 is inserted and fixed between these portions.

[0034] A tooth row 70 is formed in the cylindrical portion 21 as an engaging portion. The tooth row 70 is formed, for example, at the upper end portion (one end portion) 21c (for example, the inner side or the inner wall surface thereof) of the cylindrical portion 21. The tooth row 70 is configured such that tooth portions 71 protruding in the radial direction are arranged in the circumferential direction around the axis AX, and a recess 72 is formed between the tooth portions 71 adjacent in the circumferential direction. The tooth portion 71 has a top surface provided between these inclined surfaces of a pair of inclined surfaces. The recess 72 has a bottom surface provided between the inclined surfaces of the tooth portions 71 adjacent in the circumferential direction and these inclined surfaces.

[0035] A slit 60 extending from the upper end 21a to the lower end 21b of the cylindrical portion 21 along the axis AX is formed in the cylindrical portion 21. The slit 60 typically extends long in a direction parallel to the axis AX, but is not necessarily limited to this. The slit 60 includes a first portion 61 located on the upper end 21a side (or closer) of the cylindrical portion 21 and a second portion 62 located on the lower end 21b side (or closer) of the cylindrical portion 21.

[0036] The slit 60 is provided so as to cross the tooth row 70 along the axis AX. According to such a configuration, the tooth row 70 can be provided near or in the vicinity of the upper end 21a of the cylindrical portion 21, and the thickening of the string tightening device 1 and / or the housing 20 is also promoted. As this additional or alternative effect, since the arm portion 80 is also positioned near the upper end 21a of the cylindrical portion 21 corresponding to the tooth row 70, the engagement between the cover 40 and the spool 10 (for example, the engagement between the first protrusion 45 and the arm portion 80) can be easily ensured.

[0037] The slit 60 has two or more different widths in its extending direction, and the minimum width of the two or more different widths is set to a range that at least crosses the tooth row 70. For example, the first portion 61 of the slit 60 is a narrow portion provided in the middle of the adjacent tooth portions 71 in the tooth row 70, and the second portion 62 of the slit 60 is a wide portion that is spatially communicated with the narrow portion at a position adjacent to the narrow portion (for example, below it). By providing the narrow portion of the slit 60 at a position corresponding to the tooth row 70 (for example, by providing it in the middle of the adjacent tooth portions 71 in the circumferential direction), it is possible to suppress the insufficient engagement of the tip of the arm portion 80 with the tooth row 70.

[0038] The cylindrical portion 21 is divided (or split) into four by four slits 60, but other numbers of divisions (split numbers) can also be adopted (for example, the cylindrical portion 21 can also be divided into two by two slits 60). When forming four slits 60, two loops can be taken out from the string tightening device, which is convenient for use in apparel applications. A hole 24 that is spatially communicated with the slit 60 can also be provided in the flat plate portion 22 (see FIG. 7). This promotes the molding of the housing 20 using a relatively simple mold.

[0039] The cylindrical portion 21 has a pair of opposing wall surfaces 21m, 21n that define the wide portion of the slit 60, and a pair of protruding portions 21p, 21q that protrude from the pair of wall surfaces 21m, 21n so as to approach each other to define the narrow portion of the slit 60 (see FIGS. 1 and 14). The pair of protruding portions 21p, 21q protrude so as to approach each other to narrow the slit 60. If such protruding portions 21p, 21q are engaged with the ring-shaped member 30, the connection between the ring-shaped member 30 and the housing 20 is strengthened.

[0040] The ring-shaped member 30 has a ring body 31 and a closing portion 32 integrally formed with the ring body 31 (see FIG. 1). When the ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20, the slit 60 is covered by the closing portion 32, preventing strings from slipping out of the slit 60. The ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the outside or the inside of the upper end portion 21c of the cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20. In either case, the slit 60 is covered by the ring-shaped member 30.

[0041] To strengthen the connection between the cylindrical portion 21 and the ring-shaped member 30, ribs 33 can be provided on the ring-shaped member 30 (for example, its closing portion 32) and fitted into a part of the slit 60. In some cases, the ribs 33 are T-shaped or cross-shaped ribs. For example, the rib 33 includes a first rib 33a extending along the axis AX to fit into the first portion 61 of the slit 60 and a second rib 33b extending perpendicular to the first rib 33a. The first rib 33a fits into the narrow portion of the slit 60, and the second rib 33b fits into a part of the wide portion of the slit 60. Contact between the pair of protruding portions 21p, 21q of the cylindrical portion 21 and the second rib 33b prevents the ring-shaped member 30 from being removed upward from the cylindrical portion 21.

[0042] The height of the rib 33 can be set such that when the ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the cylindrical portion 21, the top surface 33j of the rib 33 (for example, at least a part of the top surface of the rib 33) is disposed at a depth position equivalent to the bottom (for example, the bottom surface) of the recess 72 between the tooth portions 71 of the tooth row 70 (see FIG. 9). Thereby, the engagement between the tooth row 70 and the arm portion 80 is ensured also at the position where the slit 60 is provided, similarly to other positions, and a difference in the operating feeling of the cover 40 at the formation position of the slit 60 is suppressed. Note that the top surface 33j of the rib 33 is a flat surface extending parallel to the axis AX in the attached state to the cylindrical portion 21, and is located radially inward from the inner surface 32j of the closing portion 32.

[0043] The cylindrical portion 21 has a certain degree of flexibility and is easily bent in the vicinity of the slit 60. The ring-shaped member 30 can be attached to the cylindrical portion 21 by deforming the cylindrical portion 21. As an addition or alternative to the fitting, the ring-shaped member 30 can also be fixed to the cylindrical portion 21 by adhesion. The ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the cylindrical portion 21 such that the stepped surface of the cylindrical portion 21 and the stepped surface of the ring-shaped member 30 are aligned (for example, see FIG. 5).

[0044] In the present embodiment, the ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the cylindrical portion 21 such that the ring-shaped member 30 covers the first portion 61 of the slit 60 and forms a passage for strings in the second portion 62 of the slit 60. According to such a configuration, it is possible to facilitate the handling of strings while suppressing a decrease in the mechanical strength of the housing 20. For example, strings can be easily introduced into the slit 60 by placing the strings at the upper end 21a of the cylindrical portion 21 and pulling them downward at a position where the slit 60 is provided. Thereafter, by attaching the ring-shaped member 30 to the cylindrical portion 21, the strings from the slit 60 (specifically, the passage for strings formed in the second portion of the slit 60) are prevented from coming out. For the purpose of preventing the strings from coming out of the passage for strings, the above-described width variation of the slit 60 and / or the adoption of the protruding portions 21p and 21q are effective. Note that the first portion 61 and the second portion 62 do not necessarily have different widths.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, the cover 40 is disposed on the spool 10 and the housing 20 to prevent the spool 10 from falling off the housing 20. The cover 40 is provided to surround the ring-shaped member 30 attached to the cylindrical portion 21 and protect the ring-shaped member 30 from external forces. The cover 40 has a top plate 41, a skirt portion 42 that extends downward from the outer periphery of the top plate 41 and is located radially outside the ring-shaped member 30, and a receiving portion 43 for receiving the fastener 50 provided at the center of the top plate 41. A number of grooves 44 for anti-slip are formed on the outer surface of the skirt portion 42. A through hole extending along the axis AX is formed in the receiving portion 43 to enable the fitting of the fastener 50 and the housing shaft portion 23 of the housing 20.

[0046] The cover 40 is an operating member that is operated by a human to adjust the payout length of the strings from the string-tying device 1. The cover 40 engages with the spool 10 for controlling the engagement state between the spool 10 and the housing 20. As shown in FIGS. 5, 8, and 9, for example, the cover 40 has first and second protrusions 45, 46 for transmitting the rotational force applied to the cover 40 to the spool 10. The first protrusion 45 presses the arm portion 80 of the spool 10 (in the circumferential direction). The second protrusion 46 presses the wall surface of the slot 19 of the spool 10.

[0047] The first protrusion 45 is provided to protrude downward from the cover 40 (for example, the lower surface of the top plate 41) and extends long along the circumferential direction. By providing the first protrusion 45 in this way, when the cover 40 is fitted to the spool 10, the first protrusion 45 is prevented from accidentally entering between the first arm portion 80 and the second arm portion 80, and / or sufficient or reliable contact with the arm portion 80 is promoted. The first protrusion 45 has a first end portion 45a and a second end portion 45b in its longitudinal direction. The first protrusion 45 can press the second rod portion 82 of the arm portion 80 at its second end portion 45b, whereby the cantilever arm portion 80 is bent, the second rod portion 82 is displaced radially inward, and its tip portion 83 retreats from the recess 72 of the tooth row 70. Two first protrusions 45 are provided corresponding to the two arm portions 80.

[0048] The second protrusion 46 is a columnar protrusion provided to protrude downward from the cover 40 (for example, the lower surface of the top plate 41). The second protrusion 46 of the cover 40 is inserted into the slot 19 of the spool 10, and the cover 40 and the spool 10 are mechanically linked. When the cover 40 is rotated so that the second protrusion 46 moves in the clockwise direction opposite to the counterclockwise direction in which the first protrusion 45 presses the arm portion 80, the second protrusion 46 presses the wall surface of the slot 19, and the rotational force is transmitted from the cover 40 to the spool 10, and the cover 40 and the spool 10 rotate in the same direction. Two second protrusions 46 are provided corresponding to the two slots 19. By providing the second protrusion 46, when the cover 40 is rotated clockwise, the cover 40 can be rotated by the angular pitch of the tooth portion 71 described later, and rotation by a plurality of angular pitches at a time is suppressed.

[0049] With reference to FIG. 10, the relationship between the angular pitch of the tooth portion 71 in the tooth row 70 and the angular range of the circumferential length of the slot will be described. As shown in FIG. 10, the angular pitch of the tooth portion 71 is 15°, the spool 10 is rotatable in 15° units, and the cover 40 is also rotatable in 15° units. The slot 19 extends long along the circumferential direction so as to have an angular range equal to or greater than the angular pitch of the tooth portion 71. By inserting the second protrusion 46 into the slot 19, the relative angular difference between the cover 40 and the spool 10 can be made equal to the angular pitch of the tooth portion 71 (for example, within the range of 1 to 1.1 times, or within the range of 1 to 1.2 times), and stable rotation of both is promoted. In the illustrated example, the angular range of the length along the circumferential direction of the slot 19 is about 30°, which is twice the angular pitch of the tooth portion 71, but is not limited thereto. The angular range of the length along the circumferential direction of the slot 19 is preferably 15° to 20°, more preferably 15° to 17.5° or 15° to 16°.

[0050] The fastener 50 is connected to the housing shaft portion 23 of the housing 20 so that the spool 10 and the cover 40 do not come off from the housing 20. Various fasteners other than those shown can be adopted.

[0051] Referring to FIGS. 11 to 13, it will be described that the spool 10 rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the cover 40 for feeding out the strings from the string tightening device 1. When shown in FIG. 11, the arm portion 80 is fitted in the recess 72 having the tooth row 70. When the cover 40 starts to rotate counterclockwise (the first direction), the first protrusion 45 of the cover 40 starts to rotate counterclockwise about the axis AX, and starts to press the second rod portion 82 of the arm portion 80 in the same direction as can be seen from FIG. 12. Then, the arm portion 80 starts to bend, and the second rod portion 82 is displaced radially inward. When the tip end portion 83 of the second rod portion 82 is sufficiently retracted from the recess 72, the spool 10 also rotates according to the rotational force transmitted from the cover 40, and the second rod portion 82 engages with the adjacent recess 72 in the counterclockwise direction (see FIG. 13). The second protrusion 46 slightly moves within the slot 19 and does not contact the wall surface of the slot 19. In some cases, the second protrusion 46 can push the wall surface of the slot 19, whereby the rotational force applied to the cover 40 is transmitted to the spool 10. In this way, the spool 10 can be rotated in response to the rotation of the cover 40 to feed out the strings from the string tightening device 1. The spool 10 is pivotally supported by the housing 20 and can rotate stably. The spool 10 can rotate while giving the user a clicking feeling for each angular pitch of the tooth portions 71 in the tooth row 70.

[0052] Next, it will be described that the spool 10 rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the cover 40 in order to wind the strings around the string tightening device 1. Even if the cover 40 is rotated in the clockwise direction (second direction) opposite to the rotation direction of the cover shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the spool 10 can be rotated thanks to the sufficient flexibility of the arm portion 80. That is, when the cover 40 is rotated clockwise, the second protrusion 46 presses against the wall surface of the slot 19 and the rotational force of the cover 40 is transmitted to the spool 10. Since the first protrusion 45 of the cover 40 moves away from the arm portion 80 of the spool 10, the elastic deformation or displacement of the arm portion 80 is not hindered by the first protrusion 45. In this way, the arm portion 80 can be displaced radially inward and can engage with the recess 72 adjacent to it in the clockwise direction. In this way, the spool 10 can be rotated according to the rotation of the cover 40 to wind the strings around the string tightening device 1. Even when the cover 40 is rotated in the clockwise direction (second direction), the spool 10 can rotate while giving the user a clicking feeling for each angular pitch of the tooth portion 71 in the tooth row 70.

[0053] When the string tightening device 1 is used for clothes, if the string tightening by the string tightening device 1 is strong, it will give a sense of pressure to the person wearing the clothes. Therefore, it is preferable to allow the spool 10 to rotate in both directions to enable both tightening and loosening of the strings.

[0054] The method of assembling the string tightening device 1 includes a step of attaching strings to the spool 10, a step of disposing the spool 10 within the cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20, a step of introducing the strings into the slit 60 formed to extend from one end to the other end in the cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20, and a step of attaching the ring-shaped member 30 to the cylindrical portion 21 so as to cover the first portion 61 of the slit 60 on one end side of the cylindrical portion 21 and form a passage for the strings in the second portion 62 of the slit 60 on the other end side of the cylindrical portion 21. The order of the steps can be arbitrarily changed in various ways and is not restricted to the listed order. Some steps can also be performed simultaneously. For example, after introducing the strings into the slit 60, the strings can be attached to the spool 10. After introducing the strings into the slit 60, the spool 10 can be disposed in the cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20.

[0055] With reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, the step of introducing the strings into the slit 60 and the step of closing the slit 60 will be described. As shown in FIG. 14, the strings attached to or before being attached to the spool 10 can be introduced into the slit 60. That is, since the slit 60 is open at the top, the strings can be easily introduced into the slit 60. Specifically, the strings are introduced into the slit 60 guided by the inclined surfaces of the tooth portions 71 adjacent to each other with the slit 60 therebetween. The strings are compressed and return to their original shape when released from the compression. Therefore, providing a narrow portion in the slit 60 does not hinder the introduction of the strings into the slit 60.

[0056] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 15, the ring-shaped member 30 is attached to the cylindrical portion 21. At this time, the first rib 33a fits into the narrow portion of the slit 60, and the second rib 33b fits into a part of the wide portion of the slit 60. In this way, the strings introduced into the slit 60 are prevented from coming out of the slit 60. Even if no rib is provided on the ring-shaped member 30, the strings can be prevented from falling out of the slit 60. However, by doing so, the connection between the ring-shaped member 30 and the cylindrical portion 21 is strengthened, and the mechanical strength of the cylindrical portion 21 is increased. For a further example, as shown in FIG. 16, the first rib 33a of the ring-shaped member 30 can be omitted. Instead of the first rib 33a, the second rib 33b can also be omitted.

[0057] All parts included in the string tightening device 1 are made of a non-metallic material, for example, resin. Specifically, each of the spool 10, the housing 20, the ring-shaped member 30, the cover 40, and the fastener 50 is made of resin. In this way, since the string tightening device 1 does not include metal parts, it is possible to perform needle inspection to check whether metal (for example, broken needles, etc.) is caught in the clothes before shipment in a sewing factory or the like.

[0058] The various features of the present disclosure described above are not limited to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 16 or various embodiments understandable from the above description in light of FIGS. 1 to 16, and can be applied to various other embodiments. For example, the strings may be attached to the spool 10 so that a single loop is formed and passed through the two slits 60 of the housing 20 individually. That is, the number of loops of the strings is not limited to two or more, and may be single. Also, the number of slits 60 provided in the housing 20 can be increased or decreased according to the number of loops of the strings. Similarly, it is not necessary to use all the slits 60 as the passage for the strings.

[0059] It is also possible to omit the engaging portions of the spool 10 and the housing 20. If an automatic string tightening function by the string tightening device 1 is desired, a spring (coil spring) can be used. FIG. 17 shows a form in which the spool 10 is connected to the spring 90 via a shaft 91. When the spool 10 rotates by pulling out strings from the string tightening device 1, a rotational force is accumulated in the spring 90. When pulling out strings from the string tightening device 1 is stopped, the spool 10 rotates in the reverse direction according to the rotational force accumulated in the spring 90, and the strings are wound up. Also in such a form, a slit 60 is provided in the cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20 as described above, and by attaching the ring-shaped member 30 to the cylindrical portion 21 of the housing 20, the same effect as described above can be obtained. FIG. 18 is shown just in case the arrangement of the component parts of the string tightening device 1 is inverted vertically compared to FIG. 17.

[0060] Based on the above teachings, those skilled in the art can make various changes to each embodiment or each feature. The reference signs incorporated in the claims are for reference purposes only and should not be referred to for the purpose of limiting the interpretation of the claims. The shape of the ring-shaped member can be variously changed for various attachment modes to the cylindrical portion. For example, in addition to attaching the ring-shaped member to the outside of the cylindrical portion, the ring-shaped member can also be attached to the inside of the cylindrical portion. A ring-shaped member can also be provided so as to cover the upper end of the cylindrical portion. Each of the housing, spool, ring-shaped member, and cover is not limited to a single integral object (injection molded product), and can be an assembly of a plurality of parts. The slit can also have a third part above the first part. The third part can be wider than the first part.

Description of Reference Signs

[0061] 1: String tightening device 10: Spool 11: First groove 12: Spool shaft portion 13: Flange portion 14: Flange portion 15: Second groove 16: Through hole 17: String stopper part 18: Connecting part 19: Slot 20: Housing 21: Cylindrical part 21m: Wall surface 21n: Wall surface 21p: Protrusion 21q: Protrusion 22: Flat part 24: Hole 30: Ring-shaped member 33: Rib 33a: First rib 33b: Second rib 33j: Top surface 40: Cover 45: First protrusion 46: Second protrusion 50: Fastener 60: Slit 61: First part 62: Second part 70: Tooth row 71: Tooth part 72: Recess 80: Arm part 81: First rod part 82: Second rod part 83: Tip part 89: Dimple AX: Axis

Claims

1. A spool (10) rotatable about an axis (AX) for winding or unwinding a cord, A housing (20) including a cylindrical portion (21) extending along the axis (AX) to define an accommodation space of the spool (10), wherein a tooth row (70) with which an engaging portion (80) of the spool (10) engages is formed on the cylindrical portion (21), A ring-shaped member (30) attached to the cylindrical portion (21) of the housing (20), A cover (40) disposed on the spool (10) and the housing (20) and provided to surround the ring-shaped member (30), the cover (40) being engageable with the spool (10) for controlling the engagement state of the spool (10) and the housing (20), In the cylindrical portion (21), one or more slits (60) are formed extending from one end to the other end of the cylindrical portion (21) along the axis (AX) and crossing the tooth row (70), the slit (60) including a first portion (61) located on one end side of the cylindrical portion (21) and a second portion (62) located on the other end side of the cylindrical portion (21), The ring-shaped member (30) is attached to the cylindrical portion (21) such that the ring-shaped member (30) covers the first portion (61) of the slit (60) and forms a passage for the cord in the second portion (62) of the slit (60), a cord tightening device.

2. The cord tightening device according to claim 1, wherein the first portion (61) of the slit (60) is a narrow portion provided between adjacent tooth portions (71) in the tooth row (70).

3. The cord tightening device according to claim 2, wherein the second portion (62) of the slit (60) is a wide portion in spatial communication with the narrow portion at a position adjacent to the narrow portion.

4. The cord tightening device according to claim 3, wherein the cylindrical portion (21) includes a pair of opposing wall surfaces (21m, 21n) defining the wide portion and a pair of protruding portions (21p, 21q) protruding from the pair of wall surfaces (21m, 21n) so as to approach each other to define the narrow portion.

5. The slit (60) has two or more different widths in its extending direction, and the minimum width of the two or more different widths is set to a range that at least crosses the dentition (70). The string tightening device according to claim 1, characterized in that.

6. The dentition (70) is formed inside one end portion (21c) of the cylindrical portion (21), and the ring-shaped member (30) is attached outside the one end portion (21c) of the cylindrical portion (21). The string tightening device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that.

7. The ring-shaped member (30) has a rib (33) that fits at least into the first portion (61) of the slit (60). The string tightening device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that.

8. The ring-shaped member (30) has a T-shaped rib (33) that fits at least into the first portion (61) and the second portion (62) of the slit (60). The string tightening device according to claim 3, characterized in that.

9. The ring-shaped member (30) has a rib (33) that fits at least into the first portion (61) of the slit (60), The height of the rib (33) is set such that when the ring-shaped member (30) is attached to the cylindrical portion (21), the top surface (33j) of the rib (33) is arranged at a depth equivalent to the bottom of the recess (72) between the tooth portions (71) of the dentition (70). The string tightening device according to claim 1, characterized in that.

10. The housing (20) has a flat plate portion (22) on which the cylindrical portion (21) stands upright, and a hole (24) in spatial communication with the slit (60) is provided in the flat plate portion (22). The string tightening device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that.

11. The one or more slits (60) include four or more slits (60). The string tightening device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that.

12. Based on the engagement between the engaging portion (80) of the spool (10) and the dentition (70) of the housing (20), the spool (10) can be positioned relative to the housing (20) at a constant or different angular interval with respect to the axis (AX), The dentition (70) is formed on the inner wall surface of the cylindrical portion (21) of the housing (20), The engaging portion (80) of the spool (10) is an arm portion (80) that is swingable in the radial direction with respect to the axis (AX). The string tightening device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the cover (40) is provided with a first protrusion (45) for pressing the arm portion (80).

13. A slot (19) is formed in the spool (10). The cover (40) is provided with a second protrusion (46) to be inserted into the slot (19). The string tightening device according to claim 12, wherein the second protrusion (46) is provided so as to be able to press the wall surface of the slot (19) for transmitting a rotational force from the cover (40) to the spool (10).

14. The string tightening device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein all parts included in the string tightening device are made of a non-metallic material.

15. A step of attaching strings to a spool (10) having an engaging portion (80); A step of disposing the spool (10) in the cylindrical portion (21) of a housing (20) in which a tooth row (70) is formed in the cylindrical portion (21) and engaging the engaging portion (80) of the spool (10) with the tooth row (70); A step of introducing the strings into a slit (60) formed to extend from one end to the other end of the cylindrical portion (21) of the housing (20) and cross the tooth row (70); A step of attaching a ring-shaped member (30) to the cylindrical portion (21) so as to cover a first portion (61) of the slit (60) on the one end side of the cylindrical portion (21) and form a passage for the strings in a second portion (62) of the slit (60) on the other end side of the cylindrical portion (21); A step of disposing a cover (40) on the spool (10) and on the housing (20) to which the ring-shaped member (30) is attached, The cover (40) engages with the spool (10) for controlling the engaged state of the spool (10) and the housing (20), a method for manufacturing a string tightening device.

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