Reel based closure system

Abstract

Disclosed is a closure system used in combination in any of a variety of applications including clothing, for example as a footwear lacing system comprising a lace attached to a tightening mechanism. The lace extends through a series of guide members positioned along two opposing footwear closure portions. The lace and guides preferably have low friction surfaces to facilitate sliding of the lace along the guide members so that the lace evenly distributes tension across the footwear member. The tightening mechanism allows incremental adjustment of the tension of the lace. The closure system allows a user to quickly loosen the lace and inhibits unintentional and/or accidental loosing of the lace.

1 . A footwear lacing system, comprising: 
 a footwear member including first and second opposing sides configured to fit around a foot;    at least a first and second opposing cable guide members positioned on the opposing first and second sides;    a cable guided by the guide members and rotationally linked to a spool; and    a tightening mechanism attached to the footwear member and coupled to the spool, the tightening mechanism including a spring for winding a first length of cable around the spool and a manual control for manually winding a second length of cable around the spool to tighten the footwear.    
     
     
         2 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 1 , wherein the cable is removably connected to the spool.  
     
     
         3 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 1 , wherein the cable is fixed to the spool.  
     
     
         4 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 1 , wherein the cable is removably connected to the spool such that the cable may be removed from the footwear lacing system without removing the spool.  
     
     
         5 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 1 , wherein the cable has a diameter within the range of from about 0.020″ to about 0.040″.  
     
     
         6 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 5 , wherein the cable has a diameter within the range of from about 0.025″ to about 0.035″.  
     
     
         7 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 1 , wherein the cable comprises rounded ends.  
     
     
         8 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 1 , wherein the cable is slideably positioned with respect to the guide members to provide a dynamic fit in response to movement of the foot within the footwear.  
     
     
         9 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 8 , further comprising at least one expansion limiting band thereon, which resides in an expansion limiting plane.  
     
     
         10 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 9 , wherein the expansion limiting band is positioned on the footwear such that it surrounds the wearer's ankle.  
     
     
         11 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 9 , wherein the expansion limiting plane extends substantially horizontally through the footwear.  
     
     
         12 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a rotatable knob, selectively engageable with the spool.  
     
     
         13 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 12 , wherein the knob is rotatable only in a first, lace tightening direction.  
     
     
         14 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 13 , wherein the knob is moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, and the spool is rotationally locked to the knob when the knob is in the engaged position.  
     
     
         15 . A footwear lacing system as in  claim 14 , wherein the knob has an axis of rotation and the knob is moveable between the engaged position and the disengaged position by moving the knob along the axis of rotation.  
     
     
         16 . A closure system for an article, comprising: 
 an article including a first side and a second side;    at least a first cable guide in the first side and a second cable guide on the second side, defining a cable path which extends between the first and second sides;    a cable guided by the guide members and extending between the first and second sides, the cable rotatable around a spool configured to hold at least about 14 inches of the cable; and    a tightening mechanism coupled to the spool, the tightening mechanism including a control for winding the cable around the spool to draw the first side toward the second side, wherein the effective spool diameter with at least about 14 inches of cable thereon is less than about 75% of the diameter of the control.    
     
     
         17 . The closure system of  claim 16 , wherein the control has an axis and is rotatable about its axis.  
     
     
         18 . The closure system of  claim 17 , wherein the control is coupled to the spool such that rotating the control in one direction rotates the spool, while rotating the control in an opposite direction does not rotate the spool.  
     
     
         19 . The closure system of  claim 17 , wherein the control is rotatable in only one direction.  
     
     
         20 . The closure system of  claim 16 , wherein the guide members comprise a tube.  
     
     
         21 . The closure system of  claim 16 , further comprising a spring configured to automatically wind cable slack around the reel.  
     
     
         22 . The closure system of  claim 16 , wherein the cable is removably connected to the spool such that the cable may be removed from the footwear lacing system without removing the spool.  
     
     
         23 . The closure system of  claim 16 , wherein the cable comprises a plurality of strands.  
     
     
         24 . The closure system of  claim 23 , wherein the strands are secured together at each of a first end and a second end.  
     
     
         25 . The closure system of  claim 16 , wherein closure system comprises multiple lacing zones.  
     
     
         26 . The closure system of  claim 25 , wherein the tightening mechanism is a first tightening mechanism and the system further comprising a second tightening mechanism.  
     
     
         27 . The closure system of  claim 26 , wherein one lacing zone is manipulated by the first tightening mechanism and a second lacing zone is manipulated by the second tightening mechanism.  
     
     
         28 . The closure system of  claim 27 , wherein the first and the second tightening mechanisms both manipulate a third lacing zone.  
     
     
         29 . The closure system of  claim 27 , wherein the article is a boot.  
     
     
         30 . Footwear with a multi-zone lacing system, comprising: 
 a sole;    an upper;    first and second sides on the upper, separated by an elongated lacing zone, the lacing zone having at least a first section and a second section;    a first lace, extending across the first section of the lacing zone and having a first lace retractor;    a second lace, extending across the second section of the lacing zone and having a second lace retractor.    
     
     
         31 . Footwear with a multi-zone lacing system as in  claim 30 , wherein the first section and the second section overlap.  
     
     
         32 . Footwear with a multi-zone lacing system as in  claim 30 , wherein at least the first lace retractor comprises a rotatable reel.  
     
     
         33 . Footwear with a multi-zone lacing system as in  claim 30 , wherein each of the first lace retractor and the second lace retractor comprise a rotatable reel.  
     
     
         34 . A system for tensioning a lace in footwear, comprising a first lacing zone, a second lacing zone, a third lacing zone, a first tightening system for tensioning the lace in the first zone, and a second tightening system for tightening the lace in the second zone; wherein lace tension in the third zone is automatically set in response to the tighter of the lace tensions in the first and second zones.  
     
     
         35 . A lace guide for use in a footwear lacing system, the guide comprising an attachment section, a first curved passage configured to guide a first lace slidingly therethrough and a second passage configured to guide a second lace slidingly therethrough.  
     
     
         36 . The lace guide of  claim 35 , wherein the second passage is identical to the first passage.  
     
     
         37 . The lace guide of  claim 35 , further comprising a section of axially incompressible tubing abutting a transverse edge adjacent the second passage.  
     
     
         38 . A dynamic spacing device for use in a footwear item, the device comprising: 
 a housing member carrying first and second stops configured slide laterally along the housing and to abut lateral flaps of a footwear item;    a drive mechanism configured to position the first and second stops at desired positions relative to one another, the drive mechanism being further configured to selectively prevent the stops from moving towards one another.    
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive gear carried on a drive knob.  
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 36 , wherein the drive gear engages first and second compression bands movably mounted within the housing.  
     
     
         41 . A footwear lacing system comprising: 
 a first lace guide comprising a slot;    a second lace guide comprising a hook, the second lace guide being positioned opposite the first lace guide on a footwear item; and    a lace tightening mechanism.    
     
     
         42 . A method of tightening a footwear lace comprising: 
 grasping and pulling a lace through a slot in a first lace guide;    looping the lace over a hook extending from a second lace guide; and    tightening the lace with a tightening mechanism.