US 2003/0066385 A1Published application

Clipless bicycle pedal system

OwnerPaul J. Blanchette, Craig Blanchetteinventors

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Abstract

A clipless pedal system incorporates a static hook plate fixable to the pedal of a cycling machine and an SPD compatible cleat with resiliently biased retaining mechanisms engageable with the hook plate to form a cycle/rider power transfer interface. Each hook plate includes front and rear arcuate hooks that together define a center of rotation for the cleat. The front and rear hooks define arcuate retaining channels that receive the retaining mechanisms to engage the cleat to the hook plate. The received cleat is permitted to rotate relative to the hook plate between inward and outward release points defined by release ramps at either end of each retaining channel. The hook plates may be configured with asymmetrical inward and outward release points. Alternatively, arcuate fastener openings may permit the hook plates to be mounted at a variety of angular orientations relative to the pedal. Pedal pads permit use of a bicycle equipped with the clipless pedal system without engagement of the rider's foot to the pedal.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A clipless bicycle pedal system for releasably binding the sole of a rider's shoe to a pedal, said system comprising:

a hook plate comprising:
a generally planar base plate having a top and a bottom, a first end and a second end opposed to said first end, said base plate defining a plurality of fastener openings through which a plurality of fasteners are receivable to fix said hook plate to the pedal;
a first hook projecting generally perpendicular to said base plate from said first end and defining an arcuate front retaining channel;
and
a second hook projecting generally perpendicular to said base plate from said second end and defining an arcuate rear retaining channel;
and
a cleat attachable to a sole of a cycling shoe, said sole having a toe end and a heel end and a plurality of bores according to a first industry standard, said cleat comprising:
a cleat body having an upper sole side and a lower pedal side, said cleat body defining a plurality of fastener openings extending through said cleat body from said lower pedal side to said upper sole side and configured so that fasteners passing through said fastener openings are alignable with said plurality of bores;
at least one resilient retaining mechanism biased to protrude from said cleat body;
wherein said cleat body is receivable between said front and rear hooks with said pedal side against said base plate and said at least one resilient retaining mechanism is received in at least one of said front or rear retaining channels such that said cleat is retained to said hook plate but permitted to rotate relative to said hook plate with said resilient retaining mechanism moving in a lateral arcuate path along said at least one of said front or rear retaining channels.

7 more elements

A clipless bicycle pedal system comprising:

a hook plate fixable to a pedal, said hook plate comprising:
a base plate having a front end, a rear end, a pedal side and an opposite top side;
a front hook projecting generally perpendicular to said top side at said front end and defining a front retaining channel;
and
a rear hook projecting generally perpendicular to said top side at said rear end and defining a rear retaining channel;
and
a cleat fixable to the sole of a cycling shoe, said sole having a toe end and a heel end, said cleat comprising:
a cleat body having a sole side, a pedal side, a toe end, a heel end and a peripheral edge connecting said sole side to said pedal side;
a first retaining mechanism protruding from said peripheral edge at said toe end;
and
a second retaining mechanism protruding from said peripheral edge at said heel end,
wherein at least one of said first or second retaining mechanisms is movable relative to said cleat body from a protruding position to a non-protruding position and is resiliently biased toward said protruding position and said cleat body is receivable in said hook plate and said first and second retaining mechanisms are engaged in said front and rear retaining channels,
whereby movement of a received cleat relative to said hook plate is restricted to rotation in a plane parallel to said base plate with said first and second retaining mechanisms moving laterally in said front and rear retaining channels.

10 more elements

A cleat for attachment to a sole of a bicycle shoe for use with a clipless bicycle pedal, said sole having a toe end and a heel end and a plurality of threaded bores having a spacing and alignment according to a first industry standard, said cleat comprising:

a cleat body having an upper sole side and a lower pedal side, a toe end, a heel end and a peripheral edge connecting said sole and pedal sides, said cleat body defining a plurality of fastener openings extending through said cleat body and configured so that fasteners passing through said fastener openings are alignable with said plurality of bores, said cleat body further defining at least one retaining channel communicating with at least one opening in said peripheral edge;
and
at least one resilient retaining mechanism disposed in said retaining channel and protruding beyond said peripheral edge through said opening.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.