Boa Technology Inc.

Whirlpool Corporation

Whirpool Corporation

Eric Craig Irwin

Mark Stanley Soderberg

Michael Joseph Nickel

Thomas Trudel

Allen D Wong

Randon Kruse

Eric Whewell

Ryan L Wilday

Gary R Hammerslag

Giovanni Pino

Kristopher C Lovett

Robert E Burns

Christopher Converse

Peter D Wendel

Thomas Pollack

Ilya Minkin

Sean T Cavanagh

Cody Collier Henderson

Daniel Hipwood

Aaron Venturini

Ashley Pickens

Oronde Armstrong

Greg Langley

William Roushey

Jesse Daniel Cotterman

Roger James Bertsch

James Paul Goodman

Brett Vladika

Adam Auell

Michael F Gregory

Richard R Laszczewski, Jr

James R Bowser

John W McConnell

Garett L Strandemo

Renee M Garnham

Josef Duller

Alessandro Manzato

Frank W Klitzing

William O'Dell

John F Hines

Deron M Drach

Julie A Mann

Charles Clay Corbett

Stefan Sporrer

Kendra M Straub

Philip Hove

Laura E Vennie

Bobby Dickensheets

Kristopher Carlton Lovett

Robert Earl Burns

This disclosure relates to articles that include a tightening mechanism, such as reel-based lace tightening mechanism, configured to tighten the article by rotation of a knob. The articles can include a concealing portion that is configured to conceal or protect at least a portion of the tightening mechanism, such as the knob. The concealing portion can be configured to prevent unintentional actuation of the tightening mechanism, such as during contact sports. The concealing portion can be configured to hide the tightening mechanism from view to improve the visual appearance of the article. The concealing portion can be collapsible such that a user can press the concealing portion down to expose the knob of the tightening mechanism.

Tightening mechanisms and applications including the same

A reel based tensioning device includes a housing, a spool that is rotatably positioned within the housing, and a knob member that is operably coupled with the spool to cause the spool to rotate in a first direction within the housing and thereby wind a tension member about the spool. The reel based tensioning device also includes a load holding mechanism that is coupled with the spool and that is configured to rotate the spool in the first direction within the housing and to prevent rotation of the spool in a second direction to prevent unwinding of the tension member from about the spool. The reel based tensioning device further includes an audible component that is configured to produce an audible noise responsive to operation of the knob member to signal an adjustment of the tension member.

Reel based closure system

A reel for tightening an article includes a housing and a spool positioned within the housing. A knob is coupled with the spool to cause the spool to rotate within the housing and thereby wind a tension member about a central post of the spool. A load holding mechanism is coupled with the spool and the housing and includes a first friction element and a second friction element that are frictionally engageable to prevent rotation of the spool in a second direction to prevent unwinding of the tension member from the spool's central post. Rotation of the knob in a first direction reduces frictional engagement of the friction elements to enable rotation of the spool in the first direction and tension in the tension member biases the spool toward rotation in the second direction which increases the frictional engagement of the friction elements.

Lace coupling for reel based closure device

A differentially tightenable ski boot includes a lower shell and an upper cuff that is pivotally coupled with the lower shell. The ski boot includes a first tightening system that is coupled with the lower shell and a second tightening system that is coupled with the upper cuff. Each tightening system includes a reel based closure device, a tension member that is operably coupled with the reel based closure device, and at least one guide member that routes or directs the tension member along a path about the lower shell or upper cuff. The first tightening system and the second tightening system are operable independently of each other to independently and differentially tightening the lower shell and the upper cuff.

Reel based closure devices for tightening a ski boot

According to an embodiment, a device for tightening an article includes a housing, a spool rotatably positioned within the housing, a knob operably coupled with the spool to cause the spool to rotate within the housing, and a stop mechanism. The device is configured so that incremental rotation of the knob in a first direction causes a corresponding incremental rotation of the spool within the housing that incrementally tensions a tension member and thereby tightens the article. The device is also configured so that incremental rotation of the knob in a second direction causes a corresponding incremental rotation of the spool that incrementally loosens the tension member's tension. The stop mechanism is configured to prevent rotation of the spool in the second direction when the tension member's tension achieves or falls below a tension threshold.

Closure devices including incremental release mechanisms and methods therefor

A reel based closure device includes a housing, a spool positioned within the housing, and a knob that is operably coupled with the spool so that an operation of the knob causes the spool to rotate in a first direction within the housing. The spool has an upper flange, a lower flange, and a cylindrical wall disposed between the upper flange and the lower flange. The spool is rotatable in the first direction to wind a tension member about the spool's cylindrical wall when the spool is rotated in the first direction. The tension member has a first end and a second end positioned opposite the first end. The cylindrical wall has three holes through which the first end of the tension member is inserted to secure the first end of the tension member to the spool.

Reel based closure system employing a friction based tension mechanism

Failure compensating lace tension devices and methods

Tightening mechanisms and applications including same

Growing community of inventors

Lakewood, CO, United States of America

Eric Craig Irwin