Machine element or mechanism – Elements – Cranks and pedals
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-02
2001-05-08
Luong, Vinh T. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Elements
Cranks and pedals
C074S594400, CD12S125000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227072
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bicycle pedal arranged for attaching the cleat of a shoe thereto. The bicycle pedal has the advantage of being particularly light in weight.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Designs for various bicycle pedals exist which allow a cleat which is attached to the bottom of a shoe to be engaged by the pedal. This allows the motion of the shoe moving up and down to be translated to the pedal while keeping the shoe and pedal in contact. One common design utilizes two cleat retaining members. One of the cleat retaining members for cleat attachment is fixed and immovable. The other cleat retaining member is movable. A bias is applied to the movable cleat member so that some force is required to move it sufficiently to allow the engagement or disengagement of a cleat. Such designs generally employ a helical spring member to apply a bias to the movable cleat retaining member. Alternative designs have resulted in pedals having an eccentric camming unit which connects to a stud projecting from the bicycle rider's shoe, or a piece of the cleat extends into an recessed area in the pedal surface and is affixed to the pedal by means of the bias force created by a circular spring wire. In another alternative the pedal has a centrally located mushroom or T-shaped extension which protrudes from the surface of the pedal and engages a shoe cleat by means of a spring wire.
Although the above-described pedal designs are an improvement over pedals requiring clips or toe cages, a certain amount of care is required in positioning the cleat for proper engagement with the pedal, and the amount of force required for engagement is relatively high. In addition, most of the currently available cleat-engaging pedals are relatively bulky and heavy, necessitating the use of more energy by the rider to propel the bicycle forward. Furthermore, the solid filled-in structure of the current designs allows mud and other debris to build up between the cleat and the pedal, making engagement of the cleat more difficult and clogging the cleat engagement mechanism. A need exists for a simple, lightweight clipless pedal that allows the rider to easily and securely engage a shoe cleat with the pedal without it also becoming too readily disengaged and resists clogging. The present invention addresses this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a bicycle pedal comprising a pedal body rotatably supported by a pedal shaft, the pedal body having planar pedal surfaces; a pivotable clamp member generally perpendicular to the surfaces of the pedal, the clamp member comprising a central contact surface and a clamping means located at a lengthwise end of the clamp member which extends out from a surface plane of the pedal for clamping to a cleat, the clamping means further providing a slideable guided surface acting in an arc-like way to perform a jaw-like movement; and urging means disposed against the clamp member such that it contacts the central contact surface of the clamp member for urging the clamp member inwards.
The bicycle pedal of the invention has the advantage of being light in weight and requires less precision and force for a cleat to be attached thereto. The ease with which a cleat can be engaged or disengaged is particularly advantageous in bicycle pedals intended for use with mountain bicycles, as riders typically engage and disengage from the pedals relatively frequently.
The present invention additionally provides a bridge spring for use as an urging means in a bicycle pedal. The bridge spring of the invention has a distinct advantage over the helical springs used in the art as it will not, for example, become clogged with dirt during use.
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Ritchey Thomas W.
Schneeberger Johannes
Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP
Luong Vinh T.
Ritchey Designs, Inc.
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