Machine element or mechanism – Elements – Cranks and pedals
Reexamination Certificate
1994-10-14
2001-04-17
Luong, Vinh T. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Elements
Cranks and pedals
C074S594400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216558
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to bicycle pedals and components. More particularly, the present invention is directed to bicycle pedals incorporating binding mechanisms which are used with binding plates on a shoe worn by a rider.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to hold a rider's shoe in position on a bicycle pedal, bicycle pedals including toe-clips are employed to grasp the front portion of each of the rider's shoes. The toe-clips in conjunction with pedals and straps allow both downward and upward motion to be transmitted as drive force, however, toe-clips have the disadvantage that they do not provide for easy disengagement in the event of a fall. Thus, clipless pedals have been developed to overcome the disadvantages of pedals having toe-clips.
Clipless bicycle pedals use a binding mechanism on the pedal to engage a plate on a rider's shoe to hold the shoe in position on the pedal. The binding mechanism prevents the shoe from slipping off the pedal, while also providing for easy disengagement when stopping or in the event of a fall. Clipless pedals may also provide a positive pedaling force during both the upward and downward motions of the pedal. Conventional clipless pedals generally include a pedal body having a binding mechanism mounted thereon to engage said plate. The pedal body is, in turn, rotatably mounted on a pedal shaft. The binding mechanism includes a retaining claw fixedly mounted to said pedal body and a movable claw movably mounted to said pedal body and a spring which urges the movable claw toward the plate fixed to the bottom of the rider's shoe. The binding mechanism and said plate are designed to cooperate with each other so that a horizontal twisting or sliding movement of said plate produces a movement of the movable claw, permitting disengagement of said plate.
Due to the incorporation of the binding mechanism on the pedal body, however, conventional clipless pedals require a pedal body which is bulky and mechanically complicated. This makes their assembly and cleaning difficult and time consuming. Moreover, conventional clipless pedals have a relatively large number of components which increases their weight and cost.
Accordingly, there is a need for a clipless bicycle pedal which is lightweight, mechanically simple and relatively inexpensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a clipless bicycle pedal having a simplified structure which is lightweight and offers ease of assembly, and which further allows for easy disassembly during cleaning or maintenance.
The clipless pedal of the present invention includes a binding mechanism with one or more mounting positions, each having a clamping member and an engaging member. The binding mechanism engages a binding plate which is fixed to the sole of a rider's shoe, at one of the mounting positions depending on the pedal orientation at the time of the engagement. A biasing mechanism is integrated with the binding mechanism and biases the clamping member and the engaging member in such a way that the binding plate is secured to the binding mechanism at one of the mounting positions. The integrated biasing and binding structure of the preferred embodiment provides a clipless pedal without a bulky pedal body and which is easy to assemble and maintain.
In a preferred embodiment, the biasing mechanism includes a single helical biasing spring which is axially mounted over the pedal shaft to operate the binding mechanism. An adjustment screw is provided which adjusts the tension of the biasing spring thereby adjusting the binding strength of the binding mechanism. In the preferred embodiment, the components of the binding mechanism include an inner mounting block having a cylindrical cavity, a central block having a cylindrical cavity and an outer mounting block having a cylindrical cavity. In addition, the binding mechanism includes first and second clamping members and corresponding first and second engaging members.
The inner, central and outer mounting blocks are rotatably mounted to the pedal shaft which is received through the cylindrical cavities. The helical biasing spring is axially mounted over the shaft. One end of the helical biasing spring is coupled to the inner block while the other end is coupled to the central block. The first and second clamping members are attached to both the inner and outer mounting blocks so as to hold the inner and outer mounting blocks together, forming a plate clamping unit, and to move therewith about the longitudinal axis of the pedal shaft. The first and second engaging members are mounted to opposite sides of the central block, so as to form a plate engaging unit, which also rotates about the axis of the pedal shaft. The biasing spring biases the plate clamping unit and the plate engaging unit rotationally about the pedal shaft axis so as to provide a clamping action to engage the binding plate mounted on the bottom of the shoe.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated by a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4488453 (1984-12-01), Drugeon
patent: 4686867 (1987-08-01), Bernard
patent: 5003841 (1991-04-01), Nagano
patent: 5048369 (1991-09-01), Chen
patent: 5115692 (1992-05-01), Nagano
patent: 5203229 (1993-04-01), Chen
patent: 5213009 (1993-05-01), Bryne
patent: 0428140 (1991-05-01), None
patent: 0485956 (1992-05-01), None
patent: 4-11592 (1992-01-01), None
Abstract of the Japanese Document No. 03-34987, dated Apr. 5, 1991.
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