Spool and lacing module provided with same

Abstract

A spool includes a shaft, a trunk portion, and an upper lid portion. The shaft is rotatable about a central axis. The trunk portion includes a lower portion to which the shaft is connected and a radially outer surface around which a string material is wound. The upper lid portion is on an upper surface of the trunk portion. The trunk portion includes a groove portion, a first base portion, and a second base portion. The groove portion is recessed axially downward, extends in a radial direction, and is provided with the string material. The first base portion and the second base portion are side by side in a radial direction with the groove portion therebetween. The first base portion includes a first protruding portion protruding toward the second base portion. The second base portion includes a second protruding portion protruding toward the first base portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spool comprising:
 a shaft rotatable about a central axis extending vertically;   a trunk portion which includes a lower portion to which the shaft is connected and a radially outer surface around which a string material is wound; and   an upper lid portion which is on an upper surface of the trunk portion; wherein   the trunk portion includes:
 a groove portion which is recessed axially downward from an upper surface, extends in a radial direction, and is provided with the string material; and 
 a first base portion and a second base portion which are provided with the groove portion interposed therebetween side by side in a radial direction; 
   the first base portion includes a first protruding portion protruding toward the second base portion;   the second base portion includes a second protruding portion protruding toward the first base portion;   the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion are on opposite sides with respect to the central axis in a direction in which the groove portion extends; and   the upper lid portion and the trunk portion are fixed via a fixing portion on at least one of the first base portion and the second base portion.   
     
     
         2 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the fixing portion includes:
 a through hole which is provided in one of the upper lid portion and the trunk portion and penetrates in an axial direction; 
 an insertion hole which is provided in another of the upper lid portion and the trunk portion, opposes the through hole in the axial direction, and is recessed in the axial direction; and 
 a screw which is inserted into the through hole and the insertion hole; 
   the screw includes:
 a pin portion which extends in the axial direction; and 
 a flange portion which protrudes radially outward from a tip portion of the pin portion; 
   a screw portion is provided in an inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole; and   the screw portion is screwed with an outer peripheral surface of the pin portion.   
     
     
         3 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the fixing portion includes:
 a through hole which is provided in one of the upper lid portion and the trunk portion and penetrates in an axial direction; 
 a pin portion which protrudes from another of the upper lid portion and the trunk portion and is inserted into the through hole; and 
 a flange portion which protrudes radially outward from a tip portion of the pin portion; and 
   the flange portion contacts a periphery of the through hole in the axial direction.   
     
     
         4 . The spool according to  claim 2 , wherein
 a stepped portion recessed in the axial direction is provided around one end of the through hole; and   the flange portion contacts a bottom surface of the stepped portion in the axial direction.   
     
     
         5 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the fixing portion includes:
 a through hole which is provided in one of the upper lid portion and the trunk portion and penetrates in an axial direction; and 
 a pin portion which protrudes from another of the upper lid portion and the trunk portion and is inserted into the through hole; and 
   the pin portion is press-fitted into the through hole.   
     
     
         6 . The spool according to  claim 2 , wherein
 a tip portion of the pin portion is at a same position as an end portion of the through hole in the axial direction or on an axially inner side from the end portion of the through hole.   
     
     
         7 . The spool according to  claim 2 , wherein
 at least a portion of the fixing portion overlaps the first protruding portion or the second protruding portion in the axial direction.   
     
     
         8 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion are curved in a convex shape when viewed from the axial direction.   
     
     
         9 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a curvature of a peripheral surface of the first protruding portion is larger than a curvature of an inner surface of the second base portion facing the first protruding portion when viewed in the axial direction; and   a curvature of a peripheral surface of the second protruding portion is larger than a curvature of an inner surface of the first base portion opposing the second protruding portion when viewed from the axial direction.   
     
     
         10 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first base portion and the second base portion are at positions point-symmetrical to each other about the central axis.   
     
     
         11 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the groove portion includes a narrow portion having a width narrower than a diameter of the string material.   
     
     
         12 . The spool according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the narrow portions are provided with the central axis interposed therebetween on both sides in a direction in which the groove portion extends.   
     
     
         13 . The spool according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the narrow portion is between a first groove claw portion which protrudes from the first base portion toward the second base portion and a second groove claw portion which protrudes from the second base portion toward the first base portion.   
     
     
         14 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the trunk portion includes an annular lower flange portion which protrudes radially outward from a lower end portion;   a radially outer end of the upper lid portion is positioned on a radially outer side from a radially outer end of the trunk portion; and   an axial distance between an upper surface of the lower flange portion and a lower surface of the upper lid portion is larger toward the radially outer side.   
     
     
         15 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the upper lid portion includes a projection portion which protrudes axially downward from the lower surface; and   the projection portion is in the groove portion.   
     
     
         16 . The spool according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the projection portion is defined by a pair of projection pieces arranged with a center line interposed therebetween, the center line passing through a center of the groove portion in a width direction and extends in a direction in which the groove portion extends; and   a shortest distance between the pair of projection pieces is smaller than a diameter of the string material.   
     
     
         17 . The spool according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the projection portions are arranged with the central axis interposed therebetween on both sides in a direction in which the groove portion extends.   
     
     
         18 . The spool according to  claim 17 , wherein
 at least one of the pair of projection pieces includes a guide portion which extends along the groove portion toward the projection portion on an opposite side with respect to the central axis.   
     
     
         19 . The spool according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the pair of projection pieces includes a first lid claw portion which protrudes from one projection piece to another projection piece and a second lid claw portion which protrudes from the other projection piece to the one projection piece; and   a distance between the first lid claw portion and the second lid claw portion is smaller than the diameter of the string material.   
     
     
         20 . A lacing module comprising:
 the spool according to  claim 1 .