Lace Spool Fastening Mechanism With Ratchet Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastening mechanisms for laces, such as knots and complex buckles, are prone to loosening due to external forces and vibrations, and their structures are often costly and difficult to assemble.
Innovation Solution
A fastening device comprising a case, spool, knob, and locking unit, where the knob is engaged with the case to fix the spool's position, allowing it to rotate in tightening or loosening directions, and a lace is wound around the spool with ends secured through knotting, ensuring secure fastening and easy assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a knot is used to secure the lace, then the article can be tightened, but the knot loosens easily due to external forces and vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening device is divided into distinct functional components: a case with receiving space, a spool for lace winding, a locking unit with pawl and ratchet teeth, and a controlling mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function reliably - the spool handles lace storage, the locking unit prevents loosening, and the controlling mechanism manages operation, collectively solving the reliability issue of simple knots
Solution Approach 2:
The locking unit acts as an intermediary mechanism between the spool and the external environment. The pawl and ratchet teeth create a mechanical interface that allows lace tightening while preventing loosening, mediating the force transmission and eliminating the need for vulnerable knots while maintaining securing stability
2Reliability
If a complex buckle structure is used to secure the lace, then the lace can be received inside and tightness adjusted, but the manufacturing cost increases and assembly becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into a compact integrated structure. The case houses both the receiving space for the spool and the locking unit mechanism. The locking unit combines the pawl, ratchet teeth, and controlling mechanism into a single coordinated assembly. This merging reduces overall device complexity while maintaining reliable lace securing capability, avoiding the need for separate complex buckle components
3Ease of operation
If a spring-based fastening mechanism is used, then the lace can be clamped between components, but the lace is easily released due to vibrations and external forces
Solution Approach 1:
The locking unit with pawl and ratchet teeth serves as a mechanical intermediary that creates a one-way force transmission system. This intermediary mechanism allows the spool to be easily operated for tightening while providing inherent stability against vibrations and external forces that would otherwise cause spring-based mechanisms to fail
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using elastic recovery force (spring) to maintain clamping, the invention inverts the approach by using mechanical interlocking (pawl and ratchet) to prevent reverse motion. The controlling mechanism allows easy operation in the tightening direction while the ratchet teeth block loosening, achieving both ease of operation and stability without relying on spring force
Data Source
AI summary
A fastening device is provided. The fastening device includes a case, a spool, a knob and a locking unit. When the knob is rotated relative to the case in a tightening direction, the spool is not affected by the locking unit and is allowed to rotate in the tightening direction for fastening the lace. When the knob is rotated relative to the case in a loosening direction, the spool is allowed to freely rotate in the loosening direction to release the lace. As the knob is engaged with the housing via an engagement between the mounted portion and the engaged portion, the housing, the locking unit, the knob and the spool are combined and restricted.