| Independently drawing and tensioning lines with bi-directional rotary device having two spools -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Independently drawing and tensioning lines with bi-directional rotary device having two spoolsIndependently drawing and tensioning lines with bi-directional rotary device having two spools description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060185357, Independently drawing and tensioning lines with bi-directional rotary device having two spools. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 120 to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/222,549, filed Sep. 9, 2005, which is a continuation-in-part of: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/123,942, filed May 6, 2005, which published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2006/0015988 A1, and which is a nonprovisional of 60/569,304, 60/608,397, and 60/656,335; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/123,900 filed May 6, 2005, which published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0247813 A1, and which is a nonprovisional of 60/569,304, 60/608,397, and 60/656,335. This application is a nonprovisional of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119(e) to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/656,335, filed Feb. 25, 2005. The entire disclosure of each of these patent applications and patent application publications is hereby incorporated herein by reference. COPYRIGHT STATEMENT [0002] All of the material in this patent document, including that of the figures, is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in official governmental records but, otherwise, all other copyright rights whatsoever are reserved. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention includes many aspects and features. Moreover, while many aspects and features relate to methods and apparatus for tensioning lines, and may be described in the context of adjustably fitted articles of protective apparel, such as ballistic vests, the present invention is not limited to use only in protective apparel, as will become apparent from the following summaries and detailed descriptions of aspects, features, and one or more embodiments of the invention. [0004] In an aspect of the invention, a method of drawing lines into a housing includes the steps of: rotating a dial in a first rotational direction of the dial such that a first spool located in an interior of the housing is mechanically rotated in a first rotational direction thereby winding a first line thereabout; and rotating the dial in a second rotational direction of the dial opposite to the first rotational direction of the dial such that a second spool located in the interior of the housing is mechanically rotated in a first rotational direction thereby winding a second line thereabout. [0005] In a feature of this aspect, the method further includes the steps of: during rotation of the dial in the second rotational direction of the dial, inhibiting the first spool from rotating in the second rotational direction of the first spool, thereby keeping the first line from unwinding from the first spool; and during rotation of the dial in the first rotational direction of the dial, inhibiting the second spool from rotating in the second rotational direction of the second spool, thereby keeping the second line from unwinding from the second spool. Furthermore, the method further preferably includes the steps of: disengaging a first pawl inhibiting the first spool from rotating in the second rotational direction of the first spool, whereby the first line may be unwound from the first spool and withdrawn from the housing; and disengaging a second pawl inhibiting the second spool from rotating in the second rotational direction of the second spool, whereby the second line may be unwound from the second spool and withdrawn from the housing. The first pawl may be disengaged independently of the second pawl and the second pawl may be disengaged independently of the first pawl. Alternatively, the first pawl may be first disengaged and then the second pawl may be disengaged, or the first pawl and the second pawl may be simultaneously disengaged. [0006] In another feature of the invention, each line is anchored at a point exterior to the housing whereby each line is tensioned as each line is drawn into the housing, each line being independently tensioned in accordance with the method. [0007] In another aspect of the invention, a method of tensioning lines includes the steps of: rotating a dial in a first rotational direction of the dial such that a first spool located in an interior of the housing is mechanically rotated by the dial in a first rotational direction thereby winding a first and second lines thereabout; and rotating the dial in a second rotational direction of the dial opposite to the first rotational direction of the dial such that a second spool located in the interior of the housing is mechanically rotated by the dial in a first rotational direction thereby winding a third and fourth line thereabout. The first and second lines may be tensioned together, the third and fourth lines may be tensioned together, and the first and second lines may be independently tensioned with respect to the third and fourth lines. With further respect to this aspect, the first and second lines also may form an endless loop and the third and fourth lines may form an endless loop. In particular, the first and second lines may be connected by a line segment extending through the first spool, and the third and fourth lines may be connected by a line segment extending through the second spool. [0008] The method also may further include the steps of: during rotation of the dial in the second rotational direction of the dial, inhibiting the first spool from rotating in the second rotational direction of the first spool, thereby keeping the first and second lines from unwinding from the first spool; and during rotation of the dial in the first rotational direction of the dial, inhibiting the second spool from rotating in the second rotational direction of the second spool, thereby keeping the third and fourth lines from unwinding from the second spool. [0009] Moreover, the method also may include the steps of: disengaging a first pawl inhibiting the first spool from rotating in the second rotational direction of the first spool, whereby the first and second lines may be unwound from the first spool and withdrawn from the housing; and disengaging a second pawl inhibiting the second spool from rotating in the second rotational direction of the second spool, whereby the third and fourth lines may be unwound from the second spool and withdrawn from the housing. The first pawl may be disengaged independently of the second pawl and wherein the second pawl is disengaged independently of the first pawl; the first pawl may be first disengaged then followed by disengagement of the second pawl; or the first pawl and the second pawl may be simultaneously disengaged. [0010] In another aspect of the invention, a method includes: a step for winding a first line about a first spool located within a housing by rotating a dial in a first rotational direction, whereby the first line is drawn into the housing while inhibiting unwinding of a second line from a second spool also located within the housing; and a step for winding the second line about the second spool by rotating the dial in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction, whereby the second line is drawn into the housing while inhibiting unwinding of the first line from the first spool. The method may further include: a step for unwinding the first line from the first spool; and a step for unwinding the second line from the second spool independent of the unwinding of the first line from the first spool. [0011] In another aspect of the invention, a device for winding lines within a housing includes: means for winding a first line about a first spool located within a housing by rotating a dial in a first rotational direction, whereby the first line is drawn into the housing while inhibiting unwinding of a second line from a second spool also located within the housing; and means for winding the second line about the second spool by rotating the dial in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction, whereby the second line is drawn into the housing while inhibiting unwinding of the first line from the first spool. The device also may include: means for unwinding the first line from the first spool; and means for unwinding the second line from the second spool independent of the unwinding of the first line from the first spool. [0012] In still yet another aspect of the invention, a device for independently tensioning lines includes: a dial including a drive shaft that extends from the dial, the dial and drive shaft rotatable about a drive axis; a drive gear fixed on drive shaft for rotation with the drive shaft about the drive axis during rotation of the dial; a pinion mounted on a pivot arm and rotatable relative to the pivot arm about a pinion axis, wherein teeth of the pinion are engaged with teeth of the drive gear, and wherein the pivot arm is mounted on the drive shaft and rotatable relative to the drive shaft about the drive axis to different positions including a first position, in which teeth of the pinion engage teeth of a first gear but not teeth of a second gear, a second position, in which teeth of the pinion engage teeth of the second gear but do not engage teeth of the first gear, and an intermediate position, in which teeth of the pinion do not engage teeth of either the first gear or teeth of the second gear; a first spool fixed on a first spindle for rotation with the first spindle about a first spindle axis, the first spindle being coaxial with, and fixedly connected to, the first gear for rotation therewith about the first spindle axis, the fist spool including a first ratchet wheel coaxial with the first gear; a second spool fixed on a second spindle for rotation with the second spindle about a second spindle axis, the second spindle being coaxial with, and fixedly connected to, the second gear for rotation therewith about the second spindle axis, the second spool including a second ratchet wheel coaxial with the second gear; a first pawl configured to engage ratchet teeth of the first ratchet wheel thereby preventing rotation of the first spool in a first rotational direction of the first spool, but permitting rotation of the first spool in a second rotational direction of the first spool; a second pawl configured to engage ratchet teeth of the second ratchet wheel thereby preventing rotation of the second spool in a first rotational direction of the second spool, but permitting rotation of the second spool in a second rotational direction of the second spool; a first release member configured to selectively displace the first pawl from engagement with the ratchet teeth of the first spool, thereby permitting rotation of the first spool in the first rotational direction of the first spool; and a second release member configured to selectively displace the second pawl from engagement with the ratchet teeth of the second spool, thereby permitting rotation of the second spool in the first rotational direction of the second spool. [0013] In accordance with this aspect, rotation of the dial in a first rotational direction about the drive axis results in rotation of the first spool in the second rotational direction of the first spool, but does not result in rotation of the second spool, and rotation of the dial in a second rotational direction about the drive axis results in rotation of the second spool in the second rotational direction of the second spool, but does not result in rotation of the first spool. [0014] In a feature of this aspect, a first line is wound about the first spool when the first spool is rotated in the second rotational direction of the first spool, whereby tension may be applied to the first line, and a second line is wound about the second spool when the second spool is rotated in the second rotational direction of the second spool, whereby tension may be applied to the second line independent of tension that is applied to the first line. The first spool may include an radial opening through which a first line extends and the second spool may include a radial opening through which a second line extends. Furthermore, the first spool may include a pair of opposed radial openings through both of which a first line extends and the second spool may include a pair of opposed radial openings through both of which a second line extends. [0015] In another feature, the first release member is additionally configured to selectively displace the pivot arm from the first position when the first release member is selectively displacing the first pawl from engagement with the ratchet teeth of the first spool, and the second release member is additionally configured to selectively displace the pivot arm from the second position when the second release member is selectively displacing the second pawl from engagement with the ratchet teeth of the second spool. [0016] In still yet another feature, the first release member is movable between a position in which the first pawl is displaced from engagement with the ratchet teeth of the first spool and a second position in which the first pawl is not displaced from engagement with the ratchet teeth of the first spool, and wherein the first release member is biased by a first elastic component toward the second position; and the second release member is movable between a position in which the second pawl is displaced from engagement with the ratchet teeth of the second spool and a second position in which the second pawl is not displaced from engagement with the ratchet teeth of the second spool, and wherein the second release member is biased by a second elastic component toward the second position. The first elastic component may be integrally formed with the first release member, and the second elastic component may be integrally formed with the second release member. [0017] In another feature, the device further may include a housing in which the drive shaft, the drive gear, the pinion, the pivot arm, the first gear, the second gear, the first spool, the first spindle, the first ratchet wheel, the second spool, the second spindle, the second ratchet wheel, the first pawl, and the second pawl are located. The first release member and the second release member also may extend partially within the housing and partially outside of the housing, and the first and second elastic components may engage an exterior of the housing and respectively urge the first and second release members further out of the housing. [0018] The housing also may include a length and a width that are substantially greater than a height such that the housing is relatively thin, thereby giving the housing a planar appearance. The housing also may include a bottom surface that is substantially planar. The housing also may include a top casing and a bottom casing that are coupled together. The dial in such instance may be located exterior to the top casing, and the drive shaft may extend from the dial through coaxial openings of the top casing and the bottom casing and include and end thereof that snaps into locking engagement to the bottom casing within the coaxial opening of the bottom casing. The first and second pawls also may be integrally formed with the bottom casing; and the bottom casing may define cableways providing protected passageways to the first and second spools for the unobstructed tensioning of lines by the first and second spools. [0019] The bottom casing also may define two pair of cableways, each respective cableways of a pair having coaxial passageways. [0020] In a feature, the top casing defines a guide slot and wherein the pivot arm includes a extension that is received within the guide slot during movement of the pivot arm between the first, second, and intermediate positions. [0021] In still yet other features of the invention, the first spindle and the first gear and integrally formed, and the second spindle and the second gear are integrally formed; the dial and the drive shaft are integrally formed; the first pool and the first ratchet wheel are integrally formed, and the second spool and the second ratchet wheel are integrally formed; the device consists of only injection molded pieces; and/or the device does not include any metallic components. Continue reading about Independently drawing and tensioning lines with bi-directional rotary device having two spools... Full patent description for Independently drawing and tensioning lines with bi-directional rotary device having two spools Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Independently drawing and tensioning lines with bi-directional rotary device having two spools patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Independently drawing and tensioning lines with bi-directional rotary device having two spools or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Hydraulic hybrid powertrain system Next Patent Application: Electrically variable pneumatics structural element Industry Class: Power plants ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Independently drawing and tensioning lines with bi-directional rotary device having two spools patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.12093 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Tyco , Unilever , Warner-lambert , 3m 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
