Boa Technology Inc.

Rovcal, Inc.

3m Innovative Properties Company

Spectrum Brands, Inc.

Other

Tourig, LLC

Pact Outdoors LLC

Michael Joseph Nickel

Mark Stanley Soderberg

Sean T Cavanagh

Robert E Burns

Kristopher C Lovett

Eric Craig Irwin

Ilya Minkin

Brett Vladika

Gary R Hammerslag

James Paul Goodman

Cory R Boudreau

Paul Allen Schmitt

William J Nitz

James Alan Capra

Thomas Pollack

Christopher Converse

Mark Kerns

Jesse Daniel Cotterman

Cody Collier Henderson

David H Roland

Daniel Hipwood

Eric Whewell

Thomas Trudel

Edward Leonard Weaver, Ii

Jeremy J Jacobs

Randon Kruse

Dominic J Julian

Sherry A Hinds

Kevin Chen

Aaron Venturini

Adam Auell

Beth E Gramza

Ashley Pickens

Greg Langley

Andrea Cavanagh

William Roushey

David Dickensheets

Oronde Armstrong

Clark Morgan

John R Elrod

Josef Duller

Tamara White

William O'Dell

Taylor James DiTallo

Guy E Vorsanger

Benjamin Sample

Eric Miller

Kimberly Inman

Christopher Thomas

Noah Schum

Karl Wurm

Beth Erin Gramza

John Figueiredo

Broc Waring

Chris Sagui

Daniel Feeney

Phillip Horne

William Wandling

Edward Leonard Weaver

Kristopher Carlton Lovett

Edward Leonard Ii Weaver

Christopher H Converse

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 lacing system configured to selectively adjust the size of an opening on an object and allow for the incremental release of the lace within the lacing system. The lacing system can have a reel that includes a housing, a spool supported by the housing, and a knob supported by the housing. The reel can be configured so that cable is gathered in the channel formed in the spool when the spool is rotated in a first direction relative to the housing, and so that cable can be incrementally released from the spool when the spool is rotated in a second direction relative to the housing.

Reel-based lacing system

According to one embodiment, a removable tightening device is described. The tensioning mechanism is removably coupleable with an article without damaging the article so that upon removal, the coupling of the tensioning mechanism with the article is unrecognizable or not readily detectable. The tensioning mechanism is operable with a tension member to maintain a tension of the tension member and thereby maintain a tightness of the article. The tension member is guided along a path about the article, via one or more guide members, and is tensionable, via the tensioning mechanism, to tighten the article.

Methods and devices for retrofitting footwear to include a reel based closure system

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

According to an embodiment, a component for attachment to an article includes an upper component that is made of a thermoplastic material having a first melting temperature and a flange member that is molded onto the upper component and made of a thermoplastic elastomer material having a second melting temperature that is lower than the first melting temperature of the upper component. The flange member extends laterally from a bottom end of the upper component so that a bottom surface of the flange member is flush with or positioned axially below a bottom surface of the upper component. The melting temperature of the thermoplastic elastomer material enables the flange member to be directly coupled to the article via heat welding and the like without substantially affecting the upper component.

Guides and components for closure systems and methods therefor

An outdoor bathroom system for disposing of human waste. The outdoor bathroom system includes a shovel for digging a hole, at least one tablet for breaking down the human waste, and at least one wipe. The human waste, the at least one wipe, and the at least one tablet are disposed of in the hole and the at least one tablet breaks down the human waste and the at least one wipe.

System and method for an outdoor bathroom system

A lacing system configured to selectively adjust the size of an opening on an object and allow for the incremental release of the lace within the lacing system. The lacing system can have a reel comprising a housing, a spool supported by the housing, and a knob supported by the housing. The reel can be configured so that cable is gathered in the channel formed in the spool when the spool is rotated in a first direction relative to the housing, and so that cable can be incrementally released from the spool when the spool is rotated in a second direction relative to the housing. In some embodiments, the reel can include a rotation limiter which can be configured to prevent over-tightening of the lacing system and/or to prevent rotation past the substantially fully loosened state.

Reel based lacing system

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.

Lace tightening device dial

Reel based closure system employing a friction based tension mechanism

Growing community of inventors

Golden, CO, United States of America

Michael Joseph Nickel