Lace Ratchet Device with Rotating Gate and Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lace fastening devices fail to provide a simple, cost-effective solution for easily fastening and releasing laces with minimal wear, requiring complex structures and manual operation to maintain the fastening state, and are not suitable for regular shoes or versatile applications.
Innovation Solution
A lace ratcheting device with a diagonally leaning rotating gate and a preloaded helical torque spring, allowing laces to be fastened by pulling and released easily, featuring a ratchet mechanism that minimizes lace wear and can be installed on various items, including shoes and garments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a spring-loaded gear wheel mechanism is used for lace fastening, then the lace can be fastened by pulling, but the device requires heavy-solid footwear installation and constant manual knob pulling to maintain release
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential ratcheting function from complex spring-loaded gear mechanisms and implements it through a simple rotating gate with diagonal edges that engages with lace holes. This removes unnecessary components while retaining the core fastening functionality, allowing installation on regular shoes rather than heavy-solid footwear.
Solution Approach 2:
The ratcheting mechanism automatically maintains the fastened state through its geometric design. The rotating gate, when turned by pulling the lace, creates a diagonal engagement that self-locks without requiring constant manual intervention. The mechanism serves itself by using the lace tension to maintain the locked position.
2Reliability
If gearwheel teeth are used to block lace motion, then the lace can be fastened securely, but severe lace wear occurs
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using sharp gear teeth that contact the lace along their edges, the patent creates a localized smooth contact area at the rotating gate's diagonal edges. The lace contacts only the smooth diagonal surfaces during engagement, while the blocking function is achieved through the geometric orientation of these edges relative to the lace holes, distributing wear minimally.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than having the lace contact sharp teeth that dig into it, the patent inverts the approach by having the smooth diagonal edges of the rotating gate contact the lace and use geometric orientation to create the blocking effect. The blocking is achieved through the angle of the edges rather than through friction or digging teeth.
3Device complexity
If a shoe buckle mechanism is used for lace fastening, then the structure is simple, but the device requires two hands to operate and lacks ratcheting function
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the simplicity of the shoe buckle structure with the automatic ratcheting function. The rotating gate mechanism combines the geometric blocking principle (simplicity) with the self-locking ratcheting action (automation), allowing one-handed operation while maintaining structural simplicity suitable for regular shoe installation.
4Reliability
If sharp teeth are used in lace fastening mechanisms, then the lace can be blocked effectively, but significant lace wear occurs during fastening
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a localized smooth contact area at the rotating gate's diagonal edges where the lace makes contact during engagement. The blocking function is achieved through the geometric orientation of these smooth edges rather than through sharp teeth, concentrating the interaction at smooth surfaces that minimize wear while maintaining effective blocking capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device enables efficient and easy lace fastening and release with minimal wear, using a simple structure that is cost-effective and suitable for standard laces and various applications, allowing for easy installation and use without the need for complex manual operation.
Implementation Method 1
a preloaded helical torque spring with a bias which tends to turn the gate in backwards direction
Implementation Method 2
The friction between the lace and the turning gate prevents the gate from rotating backwards
Data Source
AI summary
Various configurations of Lace Ratchet Device (LRD) enables easy lace fastening and release. The LRD has two positions: “active” and “inactive”. In the active position the device works as a lace ratchet i.e. allowing the lace to be pulled forwards but blocks any lace motion backwards. After fastening the lace remains fastened until the LRD is switched into inactive position by pressing a lever. Each LRD has a turning gate with front end with sharp edge, rotatably installed in a channel. A preloaded helical torque spring keeps the LRD in active position when the lever is not pressed. Unlike prevalent lace fasteners with serrated surfaces, which cause accelerated lace wear, LRD's smooth front edge side and channel surfaces minimize lace wear. Parallel and triangular configurations of LRD pairs facilitates lace fastening of footwear, serving as “Ratchet Buckles”. Single LRDs can be used for fastening of garments and other objects.