EP0412290B1 - Rotating fastener for a sports shoe, particularly a ski boot - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a rotary closure for a sports shoe, especially a ski shoe, in which at least one traction element co-operating with the closure element of the shoe can be wound onto or off of a pulley which can be rotated by an actuating shaft. A manually releasable locking arrangement fixes the actuating shaft in the chosen position of the closure. In the transmission connection between the actuating shaft and the pulley a releasable coupling is provided which facilitates release of the closure without it being necessary to bend down in order to actuate the locking arrangement.

Description

• a) wenigstens ein mit einem Schließelement des Schuhes zusammenwirkendes Zugelement,
• b) eine in einem Gehäuse drehbar, jedoch axial unverschiebbar gelagerte Scheibe zum Auf- und Abwickeln des Zugelementes,
• c) eine gleichfalls im Gehäuse drehbar gelagerte, von Hand drehbare Betätigungswelle zur Drehung der Scheibe,
• d) ein in der Übertragungsverbindung zwischen der Betätigungswelle und der Scheibe vorgesehenes Getriebe, vorzugsweise ein Planetengetriebe,
• e) sowie eine von Hand auslösbare Sperreinrichtung zur Fixierung der jeweils erreichten Drehstellung der Betätigungswelle.

The invention relates to a twist lock for a sports shoe, in particular a ski boot, containing

• a) at least one tension element interacting with a closing element of the shoe,
• b) a disk rotatably but axially immovably mounted in a housing for winding and unwinding the tension element,
• c) an actuating shaft for rotating the disk, which is likewise rotatably mounted in the housing and rotatable by hand,
• d) a gear provided in the transmission connection between the actuating shaft and the disk, preferably a planetary gear,
• e) and a manually triggerable locking device for fixing the rotational position of the actuating shaft reached in each case.

A twist lock of the type required in the preamble of claim 1 is known from EP-A-255 869.

With this known twist lock, the closing flaps of the shoe are tightened or loosened via tension cable tendons. The tension cable tendons are wound up or unwound on a disc, the disc being rotatable by hand via an actuating shaft.

A locking device is provided to maintain an adjustment made. Through a variety An extremely sensitive adjustment of the twist lock is possible from locking positions. The locking device is released by a short turn in the opposite direction to the tightening rotary movement.

The user has to bend down to release the lock in order to actuate the locking device.

FR-A-2 593 682 also discloses a rotary lock for a ski boot, in which different elements are provided for the rotary movement of the cable pulley and for its longitudinal displacement. In this known embodiment, the cable pulley is also moved in the axial direction when the clutch is disengaged.

The invention has for its object to provide a twist lock according to the preamble of claim 1 so that even with extreme miniaturization of the closure (and the resulting high surface pressures) a comfortable loosening of the optionally very tight closure (without the need to bend over) ) is possible.

• f) in der Übertragungsverbindung zwischen der Betätigungswelle und der Scheibe ist eine Kupplung vorgesehen, deren einer Kupplungsteil fest an einem Ende der Betätigungswelle und deren anderer Kupplungsteil am Getriebe vorgesehen ist;
• g) die Betätigungswelle ist innerhalb des Gehäuses in Richtung ihrer Längsachse gegen Federkraft verschiebbar und bildet ein im aufrechten Zustand des Benutzers von diesem betätigbares Ausrückelement zum Ausrücken der Kupplung.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the following features:

• f) in the transmission connection between the actuating shaft and the disk, a clutch is provided, one coupling part of which is provided at one end of the actuating shaft and the other coupling part of which is provided on the transmission;
• g) the actuating shaft is displaceable within the housing in the direction of its longitudinal axis against spring force and forms a disengaging element which can be actuated by the user in the upright state for disengaging the clutch.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims and are explained in connection with the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing.

Fig.1

einen Schnitt durch ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel bei geschlossener Kupplung,

Fig.2

einen Schnitt durch das erste Ausführungsbeispiel der Fig.1 längs der Linie II-II,

Fig.3

einen Schnitt durch das erste Ausführungsbeispiel bei geöffneter Kupplung,

Fig.4

einen Schnitt durch ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel,

Fig.5

einen Schnitt durch das zweite Ausführungsbeispiel der Fig.4 längs der Linie V-V,

Fig.6

einen Schnitt durch das um 90° gedrehte zweite Ausführungsbeispiel,

Fig.7

einen Schnitt durch das zweite Auführungsbeispiel der Fig.6 längs der Linie VII-VII.

Show in the drawing

Fig. 1

2 shows a section through a first exemplary embodiment with the clutch closed,

Fig. 2

2 shows a section through the first embodiment of FIG. 1 along the line II-II,

Fig. 3

3 shows a section through the first exemplary embodiment with the clutch open,

Fig. 4

2 shows a section through a second exemplary embodiment,

Fig. 5

3 shows a section through the second embodiment of FIG. 4 along the line VV,

Fig. 6

3 shows a section through the second exemplary embodiment rotated through 90 °,

Fig. 7

a section through the second exemplary embodiment of Figure 6 along the line VII-VII.

1 and 2, a first embodiment of the twist lock is explained in more detail. A cylindrical frame 1 is closed from below with a bottom 2. An intermediate washer 3 is rotatably inserted into the frame 1 from above. An actuating handle 4 is arranged above it and has an annular groove 5. A corresponding, likewise circular web 6 of the frame 1 engages in this groove 5 and thus ensures a guided rotary movement of the actuating handle 4.

The frame 1, the intermediate disk 3 and the actuating handle 4 are each provided with a central opening, into which a coupling bush 7 is inserted from below. The coupling bush 7 is cylindrical in the region of the frame 1 and is supported upwards by a projection 7a on the corresponding counterpart of the frame 1. In the area of the intermediate disk 3, the coupling bush 7 is designed as a square, which, with the opening of the intermediate disk 3 designed as an inner square, represents a rotationally fixed connection. A nut 8 is screwed onto the overlying, again cylindrical, area of the coupling bush 7. The lower end 9 of the nut 8 is supported on the washer 3, so that the washer 3 is fixed in its position and can only perform a rotary movement about the central axis 10 of the twist lock. In the lower area, the actuating handle lies with its inner bore on the nut 8. A movement of the operating handle 4 upwards is by a projection 11 of the nut 8 and the corresponding Recess 12 of the operating handle 4 prevented. An actuating shaft 13 is inserted into the coupling bush 7. The actuating shaft 13 is provided in its central region with a toothing which engages in a corresponding counter toothing of the coupling bush 7 and thus on the one hand enables displacement along the axis 10 and on the other hand a rotationally fixed connection to the coupling bush 7.

In the chamber formed by the frame 1 and the bottom 2, a rope pulley 14 is arranged concentrically about the axis 10. The rope pulley 14 has a circumferential groove 16 on its circumference, in which a tension element 17, for example a tension rope, is received for winding or unwinding. A planetary gear for driving the pulley 14 is provided between the pulley 14 and the frame 1. This planetary gear includes a sun gear 18 which is arranged coaxially around the actuating shaft 13 and which, as a drive gear, can be connected non-rotatably to the actuating shaft via a clutch. Furthermore, the planetary gear includes an internally toothed ring gear 20 fixedly attached to the frame 1. In the area between this ring gear 20 and the sun gear 18, planet gears 19 are provided which are rotatably connected to the cable pulley 14 by means of pins 21.

The coupling for transmitting the rotary movement of the actuating shaft 13 to the pulley 14 is designed as a toothed coupling and contains two coupling parts provided with a toothing, one of which coupling part 22 is fixedly arranged on the lower end of the actuating shaft and the other coupling part 23 on the sun gear 18 is. Here, the coupling part 23 and the sun gear 18 are preferably formed in one piece.

In a similar way as in the known embodiment according to EP-A-255 869, a locking device is arranged in the intermediate disc 3, which fixes the actuating shaft in the adjustment of the closure that has been made. The locking device contains a pawl 24 which is pivotally mounted about a pivot pin 27 in the manner of a two-armed lever. Furthermore, a gear rim 25, which is arranged concentrically to the actuating shaft 10, is provided on the frame 1, into which the pawl 24, which is pretensioned by a spring, engages when a rotary movement takes place in the sense of a winding of the tension element 17 on the cable pulley 14.

At the end of the actuating shaft 13 facing away from the coupling, an actuating button 26 is fixedly connected to the actuating shaft 13. An annular bead 26a of the mushroom-shaped actuation button 26 is guided in a corresponding groove 28 of the actuation handle 4, it being possible for the actuation button 26 to be displaced in the direction of the axis 10. The actuation button 26 is provided with an additional guide in the recess 12 of the actuation handle 4. A spring 29 is accommodated in a recess 34 of the actuation button 26, which is supported on the one hand downwards on the nut 8 and upwards against the actuation button 26.

To transmit the rotary movement of the actuating handle 4 to the intermediate disk 3, the actuating handle 4 is provided with a pin 31 which engages in a recess 30 in the intermediate disk 3. The pin 31 comes with a stop 32 in the sense of a rotation the winding of the tension element 17 and with a stop 33 when rotating in the sense of unwinding the tension element 17 in connection.

The function of the first exemplary embodiment is explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

When the actuating handle 4 is rotated in the sense of a winding of the tension element 17 on the rope pulley 14, a certain free travel from the stop 33 to the stop 32 may have to be covered before the pin 31 takes the intermediate disk 3 with it in the rotary movement. Due to the spring preload of the pawl 24, the pawl comes into engagement one after the other with the teeth of the ring gear 25 distributed in the circumferential direction. After completion of the rotary movement by the actuating handle 4, the rotational position of the rotary lock reached is fixed by the engagement position of the pawl 24. The coupling sleeve 7, which is connected to the intermediate disk 3 in a rotationally fixed manner, transmits the rotary movement to the actuating shaft 13. The rotary movement is transmitted to the cable pulley 14 via the closed clutch and the planetary gear. The winding of the tension element 17 on the rope pulley 14 causes the closing elements of the shoe to be tightened.

The unwinding of the tension element 17 from the rope pulley 14, ie the loosening of the closing elements of the shoe, is achieved by an opposite rotary movement of the operating handle 4. First, the free travel between the two stops 32 and 33 is covered, whereby the toothed grip between the pawl 24 and the ring gear 25 is released. By turning the operating handle 4 further, this can be done Tension element 17 are unwound from the pulley 14.

A further possibility for releasing the rope pulley 14 for the purpose of processing the tension element 17 is provided by the actuation button 26. By pressing the actuation button 26, the actuation shaft 13 can be axially displaced against the force of the spring 29. The actuating shaft 13 with the actuating button 26 fastened thereon is then in the position shown in FIG. The actuating button 26, which at the same time forms an end cover for the actuating handle 4, is limited in its movement by the nut 8. Before this, however, the two coupling parts 22 and 23 have already been disengaged with their toothings. This in turn means that the planetary gear and the pulley 14 are freely movable and the tension element 17 can relax. The actuation button 26 can be pressed with the foot, a ski pole or other aids. In any case, it is possible to bypass the locking device and to release the closing elements of the shoe without having to bend down.

As soon as the pressure is removed from the actuation button 26, the spring 29 presses the clutch back into its engagement position via the actuation button 26 and the actuation shaft 13.

For the second exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 4 to 7, the same reference numbers as in the first exemplary embodiment are used for the same parts.

A round frame 1 'is connected to a housing part 35. In between, the cable pulley 14 and the gear consisting of sun gear 18, planet gears 19 and ring gear 20 are provided in a manner analogous to the first exemplary embodiment. The coupling between sun gear 18 and actuating shaft 13 is also carried out in an analogous manner in the second exemplary embodiment.

On the rope pulley 14 and the gear remote side of the frame 1 ', an intermediate plate 3' is arranged concentrically to the axis 10 '. The actuating shaft 13 is on the one hand rotatably mounted in the frame 1 'and on the other hand rotatably connected to the washer. The actuating shaft 13 is hexagonal in the area in which it comes into connection with the washer 3 ', the washer 3' has a corresponding hexagonal recess and in this way the rotationally fixed connection is ensured.

Over the washer 3 'a hood-shaped actuating handle 4' is provided. The frame 1 'has on the outside in the area of the washer 3' an approach 1a '.

The operating handle 4 'is laterally pulled down so far that it covers the approach 1a' and forms a snap connection with this.

Approximately in the middle between the center of the operating handle 4 'and its outer circumference, two pins 4'a and 4'b are provided opposite. If the operating handle 4 'snapped onto the frame 1', so protrude the two pins 4'a and 4'b in corresponding recesses in the washer 3 '.

The actuating handle 4 'has an elastically deformable region 4'c about the axis 10, which is connected to the end of the actuating shaft 13 facing away from the coupling.

6 shows the second exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 4 rotated through 90 °. It can be seen that a spring 36 designed as a leaf spring is provided on the actuating shaft 13, as a result of which the coupling part 22, which is fixedly connected to the actuating shaft 13, is pressed into engagement position with the coupling part 23 on the sun gear 18.

The structure of the locking device in the second embodiment is particularly clear from the sectional view in Figure 5. In the intermediate disc 3 'a locking slide 37 is provided, which comes with a fixed to the frame 1' arranged toothing ring 38 in engagement. In this embodiment, the toothing ring 38 is integrally formed with the frame 1 '. A spring 39 holds the locking slide 37 in engagement with the toothing ring 38.

A rotary movement of the actuating handle 4 'is transmitted to the washer 3' via the two pins 4'a and 4'b. The pin 4'a is guided in a recess 3'a of the washer 3 ', while the pin 4'b engages in a recess 37a of the locking slide 37' guided in the washer 3 '.

The recess 3'a in the washer 3 'is formed concentrically around the axis 10, the recess 3'a covering only a small angular range.

In contrast to this, the recess 37a in the locking slide 37 has a boundary which extends in a straight line, in particular in the region between the pin 4'b and the central axis 10, the radial distance increasing continuously.

7 shows a section along the line VII-VII of FIG. 6, the arrangement of the planetary gear being illustrated in particular.

The planetary gear of the first embodiment is constructed in the same way.

The function of the second exemplary embodiment is explained in more detail below:
By rotating the actuating handle 4 'clockwise, the washer 3' is taken over the pin 4'a and possibly also over the pin 4'b. Due to the non-rotatable connection of the intermediate disc 3 'and the actuating shaft 13, the pulley 14 is rotated in this way via the planetary gear. The pulling element 17 designed as a pulling rope can be wound up.

During this process, the locking slide 37 slips from one tooth element of the toothing ring 38 into the next. The resulting relative movement of the locking slide 37 with respect to the washer 3 ' is ensured by a corresponding game of the pin 4'b in the recess 37a.

By the rotational movement of the operating handle 4 ', the tension element 17 is wound on the pulley 14 and thus causes tightening of the closing elements of the shoe. When the rotational movement is interrupted, the actuating handle 4 'is held in place by the locking slide 37 in the tooth element of the toothed ring 38 which was reached last. In this way, the shoe can be sensitively brought into a desired closed position by means of the toothing of the toothing ring 38 and fixed in this position.

The unwinding of the tension element 17 from the pulley 14, ie the loosening of the closing elements of the shoe, is achieved by an opposite rotary movement of the operating handle 4 '. Here again, as in the first embodiment, an idle path is bridged until the pin 4'a has reached the other stop in the recess 3'a. In a corresponding manner, the pin 4'b moves to the other end of the recess 37a. The locking slide 37 is pushed due to the spatial arrangement of the recess 37a against the force of the spring 39 in the direction of the axis 10. In the second end position of the pin 4'b, the locking slide 37 is retracted so far that it no longer engages with the toothed ring 38. The fixing of the locking device triggered in this way by hand now enables the actuating handle 4 'to be turned further counterclockwise and thus causes the pulling element 17 to be unwound.

For a renewed tightening of the closing elements of the shoe, the actuating handle 4 'must be turned clockwise again, with the two pins 4'a and 4'b again overcoming an empty travel until they stop with the other end of the respective recess 3'a or 37a. When the pin 4'b has reached the stop of the recess 37a, the locking slide 37 can rest freely. With a further rotation of the actuating handle 4 ', the washer 3 is then taken along, this rotary movement being transmitted directly to the actuating shaft 10 and in this way, via the clutch and the planetary gear, causes the tension element 17 to be wound onto the pulley 14.

Another option for releasing the sheave 14 for the purpose of handling the tension element 17 is the actuation of the elastically deformable region 4'c in the actuating handle 4 '. This elastically deformable area 4'c is directly connected to one end of the actuating shaft 13. The actuating shaft 13 of this embodiment is axially displaceable analogously to the first embodiment in the direction of the axis 10, so that a pressure on the elastically deformable region 4'c is transmitted directly to the actuating shaft 13 and the clutch disengages in an analogous manner to the first embodiment and the Rope pulley 14 releases. As long as the pressure is maintained, the pulley 14 is freely movable with the planetary gear, so that the tension in the tension element 17 can be released.

If the pressure on the elastically deformable area 4'c is released, the actuating shaft 13 is moved upwards as a result of the force by the spring 36, so that the two coupling parts 22 and 23 come back into engagement.

As in the first exemplary embodiment, the user is given the opportunity to release the closure without having to bend down to actuate the locking device. The pressure on the elastically deformable area 4'c can in turn be done with the foot, a ski pole or other aids.

The second embodiment (Fig. 4 to Fig. 6) is distinguished from the first embodiment (Fig. 1 to Fig. 3) by a lower overall height and easier assembly.

Claims (10)

1. Rotary closure for a sports shoe, especially a ski boot, containing

   a) at least one traction element (17) which co-operates with a closure element of the shoe,

   b) a pulley (14) which is mounted so as to be rotatable, but axially immovable, in a housing and serves for winding the traction element (17) on and off,

   c) an actuating shaft (13) which is also rotatably mounted in the housing and can be rotated by hand for rotation of the pulley,

   d) a gear (18, 19, 20), preferably a planetary gear, which is provided in the transmission connection between the actuating shaft (13) and the pulley (14),

   e) and a manually releasable locking arrangement for fixing the rotated position reached in each case by the actuating shaft (13),

   characterised by the following features:

   f) a coupling is provided in the transmission connection between the actuating shaft (13) and the pulley (14), one part (22) of the coupling being fixed on one end of the actuating shaft (13) and the other part (23) of the coupling being provided on the gear;

   g) the actuating shaft (13) can be displaced within the housing (1, 2; 1', 35) in the direction of its longitudinal axis (10) against spring force and, when the user is in the upright position, forms a release element which can be actuated by the user to release the coupling.
2. Rotary closure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the coupling is constructed as a toothed coupling.
3. Rotary closure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the locking arrangement contains a ring gear (25) arranged concentrically with the actuating shaft (13) and a catch (24) which comes into engagement therewith, one of these two parts of the locking arrangement being stationary and the other part being connected to the actuating shaft (13) so as to be fixed against rotation.
4. Rotary closure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that an actuating knob (26) which is firmly connected to the actuating shaft (13) and is intended for axial displacement of the actuating shaft (13) is provided on the end of the actuating shaft (13) facing away from the coupling.
5. Rotary closure as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the actuating knob (26) is provided with a recess (34) to accommodate a spring (29) which presses the coupling into the engaged position.
6. Rotary closure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that an actuating handle (4, 4') intended for rotation of the pulley (14) travels over an idle path and is then connected to the actuating shaft (13) so as to be fixed against rotation.
7. Rotary closure as claimed in claims 4, 5 and 6, characterised in that the actuating knob (26) forms a cover for the actuating handle (4) and is mounted in a groove (28) in the actuating handle (4) so as to be displaceable in the axial direction.
8. Rotary closure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the locking arrangement has a stationary toothed ring (38) which is concentric with the actuating shaft (13) and has a locking slide (37) which comes into engagement therewith, and the locking slide (37) is connected to the actuating shaft (13) so as to be fixed against rotation after covering an idle path.
9. Rotary closure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that a spring (36) which presses the coupling into the engaged position is provided on the actuating shaft (13).
10. Rotary closure as claimed in claims 1 and 6, characterised in that the actuating handle 4' has an elastically deformable region (4'c) which is connected to the end of the actuating shaft (13) facing away from the coupling for axial displacement of the actuating shaft.

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