Patent attributes
An automated tightening shoe where a tightening mechanism is actuated which operates in one direction to cause automatic tightening of the shoe about a wearer's foot and which releases to allow loosening of the shoe. Shoe laces are led to the interior of the tightening mechanism in the heel whereat the laces are operatively associated in a tightening or in a loosening direction with the tightening mechanism. The tightening mechanism includes a rotatable central shaft which may have drums mounted thereto, a ratcheted coupling collar or ratcheted cam disk, a ratcheted actuator spool, a compression spring, a return spring, a ratchet wheel, and a release lever including a pawl and a cam actuator bar, all of which extend along the central shaft and operate to tighten as well as to allow loosening of the shoe laces.
