FR2985643A1 - FOOTWEAR WITH AN IMPROVED TIGHTENING DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

Locking device (33) acting for at least one yarn strand (34, 35) (26), the device (33) comprising a body (41) which defines a passage (42) for each strand (34, 35) of lace (26), and a locking member (43) which cooperates with the passage (42) for locking or unlocking each yarn strand (34, 35) (26). The locking member (43) is rotatably mounted relative to the body (41) along an axis of rotation (44), the locking member (43) has a cam surface (50) provided for locking each strand (34, 35) in the passage (42), and a lever (51) is connected to the locking member (43) for moving the latter to a locking position or to a release position of each strand (42). (34, 35), or it can slide freely.

Description

The invention relates to a mechanical device for blocking flexible strands such as cables, ropes, wires, laces, or any other product presented in a similar aspect. The invention relates more particularly to the locking of laces of footwear elements such as shoes for tightening thereof. Thus, the invention also relates to a footwear element equipped with a locking device, or to a lace tightening system equipped with a locking device. The invention more particularly relates to the field of sports, including snowboard or snowboard surfing shoes, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, rollerblading or skating, cycling, hiking, walking, or other, as well as fastening clamping systems, articles such as backpacks comprising such strands, for the purpose of clamping and / or compressing these products or parts thereof. It is known to block flexible strands using a device. For example, the document WO 2007/057926 discloses a locking device acting for at least one lace strand. The device comprises a body which defines a passage for each lace strand, and a locking member which cooperates with the passage for locking or unlocking each lace strand. Each locking member is mounted oscillating about an axis of rotation and is permanently biased in the locking direction by a spring, so as to retract when a tightening pull is exerted on the yaw strand, and way to engage with the strand during an effort in the opposite direction. The device according to WO 2007/057926 is satisfactory to the extent that it effectively allows rapid locking of each lace strand and, consequently, maintaining the tightening of the shoe. However, this device is the source of some disadvantages.

Firstly, although it is possible with this device to adjust the clamping intensity in a direction of increase, it is not possible to easily adjust it in a decreasing direction. It is indeed necessary to release the lace from its locking position, which can result in a significant loosening of the shoe, before putting it back in place to tighten again. It can be said that adjusting the tightening level of the shoe is not always simple or practical. It is also observed, again for the device according to the document WO 2007/057926, a slight difference between the desired tightening level, by traction on the lace, and the level of clamping actually obtained, after cessation of this traction. In fact the lace relaxes slightly when the pulling force of the lace ceases, because the locking of the latter is done by a jamming related to the rotation of the locking member. This rotation causes a crushing of the lace at the locking member, and a slight movement of the lace in the passage. This can result in a small decrease in clamping intensity. It is also observed, for the device according to WO 2007/057926, that the clamping intensity of the shoe can decrease during the period of use. This is due to the alternative deformations of the latter, especially during a walking cycle. This means that different areas of the shoe are sometimes stretched, sometimes loose. As a result, the tension of the lace varies, including at the level of the locking device. It may happen occasionally that the lace is strongly relaxed in the locking device.

At this time the jamming effect can be reduced to zero, leaving the elastic means to act alone to retain the lace. But when the lace is tightened again, the wedging effect operates to lock the lace, with a slight displacement as it occurs at initial tightening. It is therefore necessary to adjust from time to time the level of clamping during use.

With respect to this, the general object of the invention is to improve a locking device acting for at least one lace strand. By corollary, the invention seeks to improve the tightening of a footwear element. The invention is in particular to facilitate adjustment of the tightening of the shoe in a direction of reduction of the clamping value. The invention also requires that the level of tightening obtained by traction on the lace is maintained when the locking device operates, that is to say after cessation of traction. The invention still seeks to maintain the constant level of tightening of the shoe in use. This is to make adjusting the level of tightening of the shoe simple, fast, and practical. To do this, the invention proposes a locking device acting for at least one lace strand, the device comprising a body which defines a passage for each lace strand, and a locking member which cooperates with the passage for the yaw. blocking or unblocking each strand of lace. The locking device according to the invention is characterized in that the locking member is rotatably mounted relative to the body along an axis of rotation, in that the locking member has a cam surface provided to block each strand. yaw in the passage, and in that a lever is connected to the locking member to move it to a locking position of each yaw strand, or the latter is compressed by the cam surface, or to an unlocking position of each lace strand, or it can slide freely.

Thus structured the locking device allows a free movement of each yaw in the passage in two opposite directions, when the locking member does not operate. It is therefore particularly possible to easily adjust the pulling tension of the lace in a decreasing direction. This is to say that it is easy to reduce slightly the tension exerted in traction on the lace at the time of tightening of the shoe. An advantage that arises is a fine adjustment of the clamping intensity in a decreasing direction. The locking device according to the invention also has the function of clamping each lace strand, when the locking member operates, regardless of the tightening intensity of the shoe. In other words, each yaw which cooperates with the locking member retains a stable position in the passage. It follows that the active length of each lace, that is to say the part of the lace that tightens the shoe, remains constant as long as the locking member blocks each strand in the passage. Among the advantages that result, it is noted that the level of tightening obtained by pulling on the lace is maintained when the locking device operates, after cessation of traction. It is also observed that the level of tightening of the shoe remains constant during use, except to modify it voluntarily. As the locking member does not act permanently on the lace, but only in its locking position, the lace is less easily worn. Finally the adjustment of the level of tightening of the shoe is simple, fast, and practical. Other features and advantages of the invention will be better understood with the aid of the following description, with reference to the appended drawing illustrating, according to a non-limiting embodiment, how the invention can be realized, and in which FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a footwear element provided with a locking device, according to the described embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a partially exploded plan view of the locking device; 1, in a case where the latter is in a deblocking situation, FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, in a case where the locking device is in a blocking situation, FIG. section IV-IV of Figure 2. The embodiment, described after using Figures 1 to 4, for example relates to snowboard boots. However, the invention applies to other fields such as those mentioned before. As shown in Figure 1, a footwear element 1 is provided to accommodate the foot of a user. In known manner this element 1 is a shoe, that is to say an inner casing, intended to be placed in an outer casing not shown. The combination of the inner and outer shells 1 forms a shoe. The footwear element 1 or liner comprises an outer sole 2 and a rod 3 secured to the sole. The liner extends in length, in a longitudinal direction L, between a rear end or heel 4 and a front end or tip 5, and in width, in a transverse direction W, between a lateral side 6 and a medial side 7.

As shown in the rod 3 comprises a lower portion 10, provided to cover the foot, and a high portion 11, provided to surround the ankle and possibly the lower leg. However, the invention also applies to a footwear comprising only a lower portion, or to an outer shell of a shoe with or without a boot. According to the first embodiment described, the rod 3 has a top 12 at the lower portion 10, and an upper end 13 or free end at the upper portion 11. Thus the shoe extends in height since the soleing external 2 to the top 12 on the side of the tip 5, and from the outer sole 2 to the upper end 13 of the side of the heel 4.

The slipper 1 is structured to allow inclinations of the lower leg during the driving of a board, a good unwinding of the foot during walking, transmissions of sensory information, and pulse transmissions for support or receptions. This is why the outer sole 2 and the rod 3 are relatively flexible.

In a nonlimiting manner, the rod 3 comprises a lateral portion 14, connected to the outer sole 2 at the lateral side 6, and a medial wedge 15 connected to the outer sole 2 at the medial side 7. boot 1 has a boot opening 16, which extends from the upper end 13 towards the front end 5. On the side of the upper end, the opening 16 has a rear subdivision 17, intended to let the foot , and also to surround the lower leg after footwear. From the rear subdivision 17 and forward, the boot opening 16 has a front subdivision 18 which allows a variation in size of the opening and the boot volume. Of course, the rear subdivisions 17 and before 18 extend one another. It is observed in addition that the shoe 1 comprises a tongue 19 which extends along the front subdivision 18 of the opening 16, between the lateral quarter 14 and the medial quarter 15. The tongue 19 is secured to the rest of the stem 3 near the point 5, that is to say at the front limit 20 of the opening 16. This limit 20 is set back from the point 5 at a distance between 10 and 35% of the length. 1. In order to be reversibly tightened, the liner 1 comprises a reversible clamping device 25 of the lateral 14 and medial 15 quarters. The device 25 comprises, by way of example, a lace 26, loops 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and a quick release device 33 which will be presented in more detail later. Without limitation, the liner 1 comprises three lateral loops 27, 28, 29 and three medial loops 30, 31, 32. On the lateral side, the device 25 comprises a lower loop 27 located on the lower portion 10, a passer intermediate 28 located at the limit of the low portions 10 and 11 high, and a high pass 29 located on the upper portion 11, near the free end 13. By analogy, the medial side, the device 25 comprises a low passerby 30 located on the lower portion 10, an intermediate passage 31 located at the limit of the lower portions 10 and 11 high, and a high pass 32 located on the upper portion 11, near the free end 13. The lace 26 chimney by the loops, between the quarters 14, 15, forming a loop at the bottom loops 27, 30, and giving two strands 34, 35 which cooperate with the device 33 for a quick release, as will be detailed after. As can be seen in all of Figures 1 to 4, the locking device 33 comprises a body 41 which defines a passage 42 for each strand 34, 35 of lace 26, and a locking member 43 which cooperates with the passage 42 for blocking or unblocking each strand 34, 35 yaw 26. According to the invention, the locking member 43 is rotatably mounted relative to the body 41 along an axis of rotation 44, the locking member 43 has a cam surface 50 provided for locking each lace strand 34, 35 in the passage 42, and a lever 51 is connected to the locking member 43 to move it to a locking position of each yaw strand or it is compressed by the cam surface 50, or to an unlocking position of each lace strand 34, 35, or it can slide freely. Note that, for example, the locking member 43 is connected to the body 41 along the axis of rotation 44 by a hinge 45. The locking device 33 allows movement of each yaw in the passage, in two opposite directions, when the locking member does not operate. It is therefore possible to easily and accurately adjust the pulling tension of the lace in a decreasing direction. An advantage that arises is a fine adjustment of the tightening intensity of the shoe in a decreasing direction. Another advantage is the preservation of the lace. Indeed, it is used very little during its movements in the passage 42, because in this case it does not rub, or rubs only very little, on the locking member 43. The quick release device 33 greenhouse each strand 34, 35 of the lace 26, when the locking member 33 acts, regardless of the tightening intensity of the shoe. Each tight portion of the lace 26 thus retains a fixed position. This allows a conservation of the tightening level of the shoe during use. The body 41 of the locking device 33 has a connecting face 52 to the footwear element 1. This face 52 is secured to the rod 3 by a securing means represented in the form of a seam 53. It may alternatively be provided another means of securing, such as a collage, an interlocking, or any equivalent. It is observed that the connecting face 52 is arranged flat on the rod 3, in this case on the tongue 19. But it can also be expected to place the locking device 33 elsewhere than on the tongue, for example on a neighborhood . In addition, the axis of rotation 44 of the articulation 45 is perpendicular to the connecting face 52, and the passage 42 is parallel to the connecting face 52. This means that, within the locking device 33, each strand 34 , The lace is guided parallel to the connecting face 52. The lace strands are guided parallel to the rod 3, here more precisely parallel to the tongue 19, because the connecting face 52 of the device 33 is applied thereto. This facilitates the tightening or unclamping operations of the rod 3. In order to optimize the cooperation between the locking device 33 and the lace 26, the body 41 defines a cavity 54 between the connecting face 52 and a free face 55, the passage 42 being located in the cavity, that is to say between the connecting face 52 and the free face 55. These faces 52, 55 are for example parallel to each other, to give the passage 42 a width £ regular. This facilitates the cooperation of the locking member 43 with each lace strand 34, 35.

According to the embodiment described, the passage 42 is straight. The straightness of the passage 42 causes the variation of the clamping force, exerted by the locking member 43 on each lace strand 34, 35, to depend solely on the shape of the cam surface 50. This allows the user to better perceive the pinch effect it exerts on the strands 34, 35. Note also that the locking member 43 has a variable radius r. It is by this variation that the cam surface 50 is obtained. The greater the variation of the radius r, the greater the nip of the yaw strands is raised when the locking member 43 is urged into a locking position, as this is the case in FIG. 3. In order to improve the pinching effect and the holding of the strands in the locking device 33, the cam surface 50 has irregularities, here produced by teeth 56. passage 42 also has surface irregularities facing the locking member 43, also made for example by teeth 57, which does not prevent it from being rectilinear in its general appearance. The irregularities 56, 57 increase the contact surfaces between the yaw strands and the locking member, as well as between the strands and the passage. The shapes of the teeth 56, 57 are complementary, to allow one to mesh with the other, with interposition of the lace, for a safer lock. In the end it is the tightening quality of the shoe that is better because the strands are better held. In a nonlimiting manner, the passage 42 guides at least two yarn strands 34, 35 26 parallel to the axis of rotation 44 of the articulation 45. In other words, the passage 42 guides several strands. In the proposed embodiment the guide passage exactly two strands 34, 35 and its width /, that is to say the distance between the connecting and free faces, is between 200 and 250% of the diameter of a strand. lace. For example, if the lace is 1.5 mm in diameter, the width of the passage is between 3 and 3.75 mm. This keeps the yaw strands on a single path in the passage 42. A consequence is that the same locking member 43, by the same cam surface 50, acts to simultaneously block all yaw strands. Here the two strands are immobilized at the same time, which simplifies a tightening operation of the shoe. To optimize the blocking and unblocking operations, the lever 51 of the device 33 is perpendicular to the axis of rotation 44 of the articulation 45. It follows that any locking or unlocking action is exerted parallel to the face of the device. link 52, and thus also parallel to the tongue 19 or, more generally, parallel to the rod 3. Since in the passage 42, the locking member acts on the strands 34, 35 parallel to the face of link 52, the blocking or unblocking action is transmitted directly from the lever 51 to the cam surface 50. Each manual action on the lever 51 creates a locking torque or unlocking strands. For example, the lever 51 has a length R equal to or greater than three times the largest radius r of the locking member 43. This reduces the blocking or unlocking force to be provided by the user. In a nonlimiting manner, according to the embodiment described, the lever 51 and the locking member 43 form a single piece. This consists for example of a plastic material, a metal material, or other. Finally the structure described above makes the use of the locking device 33, and therefore the tightening or loosening of the footwear element 1 simple and fast. As shown in Figure 2, the release of the strands 34, 35 is obtained when the lever 51 is biased in an unlocking direction, according to the arrow F 1. In this case the cam surface 50 is spaced from the passage 42, and is not or no longer engaged with the strands 34, 35 of the lace 26. This means that the strands then slide freely in the passage 42. The teeth 56, 57 are set back and do not interfere with sliding. It is then possible to stretch or relax each strand, by displacement in the passage 42. In correlation the stem of the shoe 1 is more or less tight.

Each movement of the strand is without friction on the cam surface, and therefore without wear of the lace. This increases the life of the lace. Conversely, as can be seen in Figure 3, the blocking of the strands 34, 35 is obtained when the lever 51 is biased in a blocking direction, reverse in the unlocking direction, according to the arrow F2. In this case the cam surface 50 is engaged with the strands 34, 35 of the lace 26 in the passage 42. In other words, the locking member 43 exerts a pressure on the strands 34, 35. In this case the active length of the lace 26, that which runs between passers 27 to 32, is frozen. The level of tightening of the shoe 1 is constant. Without limitation, the body 41 defines a first stop 61 which limits the rotation of the lever 51 in a blocking direction, according to the arrow F2, and a second stop 62 which limits the rotation of the lever 51 in a release direction , according to the arrow F 1. This clearly informs the user about the action of the locking device: if the lever 51 contacts the locking stop 61, then the clamping level of the shoe is maintained, but if the lever 51 contacts the unlocking stop 62, then the clamping level of the shoe is zero. For example, the rotational path of a stop 61, 62 to the other is made according to a value of angle between 70 and 120 °. This allows an easy manipulation of the lever 51. It is observed that the structure of the locking device 33 is such that the lever 51 moves in rotation in a plane contained between the connecting face 52 and the free face 55. By corollary the lever 51 never protrudes outside the body 41, in a direction that goes from the connecting face 52 to the free face 55, that is to say also in a direction perpendicular to the tongue 19 and in a sense of distance of it. An advantage that arises is that when the liner 1 is placed in an outer casing to form a shoe, the manipulation of the lever 51 is easy. The locking device 33 is structured to be very thin, that is to say with a small total thickness, to project slightly towards the outer envelope. In all cases the invention is made from materials and according to processing techniques known to those skilled in the art. Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and includes all technical equivalents that fall within the scope of the claims that follow. For example, it may be provided that the cam surface is even, i.e., toothless, or that the passageway 42 has a completely uniform surface.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS1- Locking device (33) acting for at least one lace strand (34, 35) (26), the device (33) comprising a body (41) which defines a passage (42) for each strand (34, 35). ) of lace (26), and a locking member (43) which cooperates with the passage (42) for locking or unlocking each strand (34, 35) of lace (26), characterized in that the locking member (43) is rotatably mounted relative to the body (41) along an axis of rotation (44), in that the locking member (43) has a cam surface (50) provided for blocking each strand (34, 35) of lace (26) in the passage (42), and in that a lever (51) is connected to the locking member (43) to move it to a locking position each yaw strand, or it is compressed by the cam surface, or to an unlocking position of each yarn strand (34, 35) (26), or it can slide freely. 2- Locking device (33) according to claim 1, characterized in that the body (41) has a connecting face (52), the axis of rotation (44) of the articulation (45) being perpendicular to the connecting face (52), and the passage (42) being parallel to the connecting face. 3- Locking device (33) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the body (41) defines a cavity (54) between the connecting face (52) and a free face (55), the passage ( 42) being located in the cavity (54). 4- Locking device (33) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the passage (42) is straight. 5- Locking device (33) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the passage (42) guides at least two strands (34, 35) of lace (26) parallel to the axis of rotation (44) of the hinge (45). 6- Blocking device (33) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the locking member (43) has a radius (r) variable. 7- Locking device (33) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the lever (51) is perpendicular to the axis of rotation (44) of the hinge (45). 8- Locking device (33) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the lever (51) and the locking member (43) form a single piece. 9- Blocking device (33) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the body (41) defines a first stop (61) which limits the rotation of the lever (51) in a locking direction, and a second stop (62) which limits the rotation of the lever (51) in an unlocking direction. 10- Locking device (33) according to claim 9, characterized in that the rotational path of a stop (61, 62) to the other is according to an angle value (a) between 70 and 120 °.