What are tension fasteners and how do they work?

The most important task of closures of all kinds is to hold securely and firmly. This applies to sports or medical products, for example. The manufacturers of ski boots, for example, attach particular importance to the quality of the fasteners. Above all Clamping fasteners are popular due to their durability and ease of use. In medicine, for example, they are used in orthopaedic products.

But what are turnbuckles actually? How does the mechanism work? The following article provides information on the finer points of the technology.

Gudo AG is an important supplier of fasteners for various industries and applications. Originally developed for ski boots, our fasteners are characterized above all by the security of the central locking mechanism. Even under heavy loads, our fasteners hold and thus offer the best possible protection.

What is the function of turnbuckles? 

Our tension fasteners were originally developed for fastening ski boots. Anyone who has ever stood on skis knows that enormous pressure is exerted on the boots and especially the fasteners during the descent. The enormous load that our fastening systems are designed to withstand makes them ideal for other areas of use.

In addition Customized ski boots can be used. This is not only a question of comfort, but also of safety. The closures are of central importance here. Closing the shoes securely and tightly ensures that the pressure is optimally distributed. At the same time, it is important that the shoes do not loosen by themselves.

There are still good reasons for well-known manufacturers to equip ski boots with tension fasteners. Because tension fasteners 

• close securely.
• withstand high loads.
• are easy to close and open. 
• are cost-effective. 
• are durable.

Our tension fasteners can also be combined with different locking systems. Ratchet fasteners are often used, for example, which allow fine presetting.

These factors also make our tension fasteners attractive for use in many other areas. Manufacturers of high-quality orthopaedic products in particular rely on our fastening solutions.

How a tension lock works 

The main function of the tension fastener is to pull a belt taut. The tension fastener has a buckle through which the belt is passed. Typically, the belt is also fitted with teeth (toothed belt), which engage in the buckle and thus ensure an initial fixation. The strap is then pulled through the buckle as far as possible by hand. 

As soon as the strap can no longer be tightened manually, the tensioning or lever mechanism of the fastener comes into play. The lever engages with a counterpart that is attached to the ski boot, for example. The counterpart can also be a second toothed belt. The strap is pulled taut by moving the lever. Thanks to the lever effect, this is possible with less effort than when tightening manually. 

As soon as the lever is fully turned, it locks into this final position. This locks it in place and, thanks to a snap function, it can no longer be released by itself. Different mechanisms are used for locking. 

We offer the following lever variants: 

• RVS/RVS-AThis fastener works with a snap-in function. The release function is only available in the RVS-A variant. 
•  RVHThe lever is equipped with an additional holder that must be released before opening.
• RVKThe lever is secured by a latching function. 
• TVCIt uses a textile band as a strap. The snap function secures the fastener when locked.
• RVRUse with a steel cable is possible.

In many cases, a twist lock can be used in addition to the tension lock. This allows the strength of the closure to be fine-tuned.

Where are tension locks used? 

As described, we originally developed our tension fasteners as a fastening system for ski boots. However, this is no longer their main purpose. The high quality and reliability required for this also make them ideal fasteners in other areas. Orthopaedic products in particular are often fastened using our tension fasteners.

Use in orthopaedic products

Numerous manufacturers from the orthopaedic sector are now increasingly relying on our technology. The easy-to-use clamp fastening systems are ideal for patient products. Orthoses and prostheses in particular can be fixed quickly and securely. As with ski boots, it is also important for orthopaedic products that the fasteners can withstand high everyday loads.

For example, our tensioning and ratchet fasteners are used for the fixation of orthoses. Orthoses are orthopaedic devices that are primarily designed to relieve pressure on certain parts of the body and need to be temporarily fixed in place. In many cases, tension fasteners enable patients to put on the orthoses themselves and fasten them securely.

Our ratchet tension fasteners are also frequently used for fastening prostheses. The fine adjustability of the fasteners makes it possible to adapt the prosthesis precisely to the patient's needs. This significantly increases wearing comfort and safety.

Many other orthopaedic products also rely on tension fasteners. Stabilization straps and brackets in wheelchairs or on walking aids, for example, are often secured using tension fasteners. The flexible fasteners also play a role in attaching medical devices to the body or wheelchair.

Other areas of application 

The same applies to the use of our tension fasteners in industry. The low production costs of the closures also play a major role here. Right from the design process, we ensure that our fastening solutions are as simple and cost-efficient as possible.

By manufacturing our tension fasteners from as few different parts as possible, we reduce production costs. This makes our solutions manufactured in Switzerland an economically efficient solution for use in industry.

In addition, the design, which is reduced to as few parts as possible, has the advantage that production errors are less frequent and are noticed more quickly. This further reduces costs and, above all, increases safety. This is particularly important for closures.

Thanks to our efficient manufacturing processes, we can also provide you with small quantities of our tension fasteners. This makes their use even more attractive and also allows them to be used in just-in-time production processes. 

Individual solutions 

We at Gudo AG see ourselves not only as a supplier of high-quality components, but above all as a service provider. Together with our partners, we check whether there are opportunities to use our tension latches in individual solutions. We are convinced of the high quality of our fastening systems.

If you are interested in trying our closures or one of our other products, please contact us. You are also welcome to do so if you are not sure whether your product can benefit from our closure system. We will be happy to advise you with technical framework data and support you in your decision. 

By the way, we deliver worldwide. So if you need our solutions as part of a production line abroad, this is not an obstacle. We will also be happy to advise you on this in a personal meeting - especially with regard to delivery times.

Tension fasteners from Gudo AG: secure and resistant 

As with all our products, the same applies to our tension fasteners: Quality and safety come first. Originally developed for ski boots, our fasteners are made of high-quality plastic. Even with prolonged use and heavy strain, the easy-to-operate fasteners perform their task reliably. This is particularly important for products for the medical and orthopaedic sector.

This makes our fasteners the ideal solution for all areas where safety and reliability are important. Whether for sports accessories, in industry or for orthopaedic medical products: You can rely on our products. Incidentally, in some cases our Rotary closures can be an attractive alternative or addition. For example, they enable fine adjustment of cycling and climbing helmets. 

Are you interested in our tension lock systems, but not yet sure whether our solution is right for you? Then please feel free to contact us. The easiest way to reach us is via our contact form. Of course, we are also happy to help you by telephone and e-mail.