Locking device for lace strands, tightening system having such device, and footwear having such system

Abstract

A device for locking strands of laces, including a hollow body demarcating a cavity, the cavity defining at least one passageway for passage of the lace strands, the locking device including a locking member, the locking member being movable between a locking position and a release position, the locking device operating via cooperation of the locking member with each passageway to lock each lace strand by a wedging effect, an elastic mechanism biasing the locking member towards the locking position. The locking device acts for at least three lace strands, and at least one passageway is adapted to receive two superposed lace strands.

1 . A device for locking lace strands, the device comprising:
 a locking member;   a hollow body demarcating a cavity;   the cavity of the hollow body defining at least one passageway for passage of the lace strands;   the locking member being structured and arranged to be movable between a locking position and a release position;   in the locking position, the locking member being positioned in relation to at least the one passageway to lock each of the lace strands within at least the one passageway by a wedging effect;   in the release position, the locking member being positioned in relation to at least the one passageway to allow movement of the lace strands in relation to at least the one passageway;   an elastic mechanism biasing the locking member toward the locking position;   the locking device being structured and arranged to lock at least three lace strands;   at least the one passageway being structured and arranged to receive, superposed, at least two of the at least three lace strands.   
     
     
         2 . A locking device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a height of the cavity is equal to a thickness of the locking member, increased by a functional clearance.   
     
     
         3 . A locking device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a height of the cavity is equal to the combined cross-sectional heights of the two superposed lace strands.   
     
     
         4 . A locking device according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the locking member is structured and arranged to have a thickness sufficient to engage both of the two superposed lace strands in the locking position of the locking member.   
     
     
         5 . A locking device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one passageway comprises a first passageway and a second passageway, both defined by the cavity of the hollow body, for passage of the at least three lace strands;   the locking member is arranged in the cavity between the first and second passageways of the lace strands.   
     
     
         6 . A locking device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 when the locking member is in the release position, a shortest distance between the locking member and a passageway is between 40 and 75% of a height of the cavity.   
     
     
         7 . A locking device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the locking device comprises no more than a single locking member.   
     
     
         8 . A locking device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the locking device comprises three parts comprising:
 the hollow body; 
 the locking member; and 
 a pusher located outside of the hollow body and connected to the locking member for manipulating the locking member. 
   
     
     
         9 . A locking device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the locking member comprises a wheel.   
     
     
         10 . A locking device according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the locking member comprises a wheel.   
     
     
         11 . A locking device according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the wheel is positioned within the cavity;   the pusher includes an axle, the axle being snap-fastened to the wheel via the axle extending through an upper wall of the body through a slot extending through the upper wall, along an axial longitudinal direction of the body.   
     
     
         12 . A locking device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the locking member has the general shape of a wedge.   
     
     
         13 . A locking device according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the elastic mechanism comprises two elastic tongues extending from the pusher;   the tongues have respective free ends positioned to be supported on a flange formed by an edge of the body for biasing the pusher in the locking direction.   
     
     
         14 . A locking device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the three lace strands has an identical diameter or thickness.   
     
     
         15 . A tightening system comprising:
 at least three lace strands;   a locking device for locking the lace strands, the locking device comprising:
 a locking member; 
 a hollow body demarcating a cavity; 
 the cavity of the hollow body defining at least one passageway for passage of the lace strands; 
 the locking member being structured and arranged to be movable between a locking position and a release position; 
 in the locking position, the locking member being positioned in relation to at least the one passageway to lock each of the lace strands within at least the one passageway by a wedging effect; 
 in the release position, the locking member being positioned M relation to at least the one passageway to allow movement of the lace strands in relation to at least the one passageway; 
 an elastic mechanism biasing the locking member toward the locking position; 
 the locking device being structured and arranged to lock at least the three lace strands; 
 at least the one passageway being structured and arranged to receive, superposed, at least two of the at least three lace strands. 
   
     
     
         16 . A tightening system according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 a height of the cavity is equal to a thickness of the locking member, increased by a functional clearance.   
     
     
         17 . A tightening system according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 a height of the cavity is equal to the combined cross-sectional heights of the two superposed lace strands.   
     
     
         18 . A tightening system according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the locking member is structured and arranged to have a thickness sufficient to engage both of the two superposed lace strands in the locking position of the locking member.   
     
     
         19 . A tightening system according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the at least one passageway comprises a first passageway and a second passageway, defined by the cavity of the hollow body, for passage of the at least three lace strands;   the locking member is arranged in the cavity between the first and second passageways of the lace strands.   
     
     
         20 . A tightening system according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the first passageway receives the superposed lace strands;   the second passageway receives a number of lace strands different from that of the superposed lace strands.   
     
     
         21 . A tightening system according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the locking device acts on no more and no less than the three lace strands.   
     
     
         22 . A tightening system according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the locking device acts on no more and no less than four lace strands.   
     
     
         23 . An article comprising:
 a tightening system comprising:
 at least three lace strands; 
 a locking device for locking the lace strands, the locking device comprising:
 a locking member; 
 a hollow body demarcating a cavity; 
 the cavity of the hollow body defining at least one passageway for passage of the lace strands; 
 the locking member being structured and arranged to be movable between a locking position and a release position; 
 in the locking position, the locking member being positioned in relation to at least the one passageway to lock each of the lace strands within at least the one passageway by a wedging effect; 
 in the release position, the locking member being positioned in relation to at least the one passageway to allow movement of the lace strands in relation to at least the one passageway; 
 an elastic mechanism biasing the locking member toward the locking position; 
 the locking device being structured and arranged to lock at least the three lace strands; 
 at least the one passageway being structured and arranged to receive, superposed, at least two of the at least three lace strands. 
 
   
     
     
         24 . An article according to  claim 23 , wherein:
 the article is an article of footwear;   the article of footwear comprising:
 two independent zones to be tightened; 
 a first of the two superposed lace strands extends to a first of the two independent zones and a second of the two superposed lace strands extends to a second of the two independent zones. 
   
     
     
         25 . An article according to  claim 24 , wherein:
 the first of the two independent zones comprises tightening zone extending over a foot area of the article of footwear;   the second of the two independent zones comprises a tightening zone at a heel area of the article of footwear.