WO2015104670A1

WO2015104670A1 - Bicycle pedal with automatic engagement and disengagement, cleat and sole for such a pedal

Info

Publication number: WO2015104670A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/050144
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fabien Chappuis; Hervé SERVIGNAT
Original assignee: Time Sport International
Priority date: 2014-01-10
Filing date: 2015-01-08
Publication date: 2015-07-16
Also published as: EP3094547A1; WO2015104670A8; FR3016332B1; FR3016332A1

Abstract

Bicycle pedal with automatic engagement and disengagement, comprising a pedal body (2) which has a housing (2a) intended to receive a transverse pedal axle (3), one end (3a) of which projects out of the housing and is suitable for fixing to a crank, the other end (3b) of the axle being located inside the housing; the pedal body is mounted on said axle (3) with the aid of rotary bearings (P1, P2) and has a support surface (A) for a cleat provided under the sole of the user's shoe; the support surface (A) is concave spherical on the side away from the axle (3) of the pedal, the section of this support surface (A) in a plane passing through the geometric axis of rotation (X-X) of the pedal and at right angles to the mid-plane of the pedal being formed by an arc of a circle (A1).

Description

BICYCLE PEDAL WITH TRIGGERING AND TRIGGERING WITH U TOMATi Q U ES, LOCK AND SOLE FOR SUCH A PEDAL.

The invention relates to a bicycle pedal with automatic engagement and triggering, of the kind that includes:

- A pedal body which comprises a housing for receiving a transverse axis of a pedal whose one end protrudes from the housing and is adapted to be fixed to a maneu the, the other end of S'axe being located inside housing;

a rotational mounting of the pedal body on said transverse axis by means of rotary bearings;

- On the pedal body _s a support surface for a wedge provided under the sole of the shoe of the user;

- Fastening means for attaching the wedge to the pedal, the stall of the wedge being obtained by a twisting movement of the foot causing a relative movement between the bearing surface and the wedge.

A pedal of this kind is known from EP 0 233 423 where the rotational mounting of the body on transverse axis uses, in this case, two bearings respectively provided in the vicinity of the ends of said axis, a rotary bearing located inside. of the housing having a diameter smaller than that of the bearing intended to be close to the crank, this arrangement makes it possible to reduce substantially the distance of the bearing surface from the geometrical axis of rotation at the inner bearing, which is favorable to the pedaling.

However, it is desirable to further reduce this distance, without creating a zone of weakness at the transition between the outer bearing and the bearing surface, and while maintaining a substantially constant housing wall thickness. It is also necessary to preserve the torsional stallability.

According to the invention, a pedal of the kind in question is characterized in that the bearing surface of the pedal body is concave spherical on the opposite side to Pedal axis, the section of this bearing surface by a plane passing through the geometric axis of rotation of the pedal and orthogonal to the mean plane of the pedal being formed by a circular arc.

The center of the spherical surface is advantageously located on the axis of rotation of the wedge during the twisting of the foot in the triggering phase.

The pedal body can have forward on each side, ie a branp truncated _"branches are not joining and defining a space open to the front.

The upper surface of the pedala body, which comes into contact with the wedge and constitutes the bearing surface, may have a substantially rectangular curvilinear contour, the large dimension of which is parallel to the axis of the pedal. Each front end of this substantially rectangular portion may comprise a forward extension, in tongue, on the truncated branches, these extensions belonging to the same spherical surface as the support surface.

The pedal body may be made of light alloy, or composite material, or plastic.

A metal plate can be overmolded in the body and marry the spherical bearing surface, to protect the body against wear, The plate can include a central window where the material of the body appears.

The hooking means of wedge you may include a rotatably mounted holder around an axis parallel to _S and behind _s faxes of the pedal, this retaining member being adapted to be applied against the CAIE by means elastic, in particular a bending element, to ensure the attachment of the shim to the pedal,

A pawl may be located behind the axis of the pedal, adapted to hold the holding member in an open position when disengaging its wedge against the elastic return, and to release the holding member out of the engagement of the blade, the ratchet being articulated in the pedal body,

The pawl may comprise an extension forward of the pedal, curved to pass under the housing of the pedal body and rising in front of the sleeve to form a stop opposing the recoil of the hold and the shoe, the crawl having a downwardly projecting portion adapted to cooperate with said extension, when the pawl is lowered and the blade attached to the pedal.

The extension of the pawl may comprise two branches interconnected at the rear and at the front. An elastic return means of the pawl in the locking position is provided, in particular in the form of a spring pin recessed in the rear portion of the pawl and bearing forwardly under the sleeve of the pedal body.

The elastic return means of the holding member may advantageously be formed by an elastic bending blade.

The invention also relates to a shim, to be fixed under a shoe _t to be attached to the pedal, this shim having a convex spherical inferior surface conjugate with the pedal bearing surface. The invention also relates to a shoe sole intended to be attached to a pedal as defined above, characterized in that:

- the sole and the wedge form one and the same piece,

And that the sole has a convex spherical outer surface in the area located at the foot metatarsus of the user, conjugated with the concave spherical surface of the pedal.

Advantageously, the shoe sole has towards the front of its spherical zone;

- a prominent part acting as frontal stop during the shoe,

- and a prominent part acting cam and hook.

The abutment and the cam-hook may be patches under the soleplate and fixed thereto by means of screws.

Advantageously, the fixing screws of the abutment and the cam are introduced from the inside of the sole and each cooperating screw with a threaded hole, in particular a blind hole, provided in the cam and the abutment, so that the heads of screws are not likely to be in contact with the ground when walking.

The boot sole is advantageously characterized in that hooking means present on this sole, which cooperate directly with the attachment means present on the pedal, are fixed from the inside of the soleplate by means of screws,

The shoe sole can be characterized in that a walking shoe,

^» Of generally rectangular shape and whose large dimension is parallel to the pedal axis,

^• provided at each of its two ends with a pad of height equal to or greater than the height of the cam.

is interposed between the sole and the cam to facilitate walking and reduce wear of the cam.

The invention consists, apart ies arrangements described above, in a number of other provisions which if explained in greater detail below in ^About! examples of embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but which are in no way limiting. On these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a section along line l-1 of Rg.2 of a pedal according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section of the pedal along line II-II of FIG. 1, with hanging coffee, Rg. 3 is a bottom view, on a large scale, of the conjugate wedge of the puddle. with carne attached to the hold.

FSg, 4 is a side perspective view of the pedal,

Flg.5 is a perspective view of the underside of a sole, with Ephratic Interface, naked,

Rg.6 is a persp®ctivB view of the bottom of the sole of Fíg.5 ₍ in another direction, equipped with a cam and a stop according to a traditional fixation by screwing the convex side of the sole,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a soleplate with fixing of the cam and the abutment by screwing from the inside of the sole, and

Fig.8 is a bottom view of the sole of Fig.7 equipped with the cam and the stop.

Referring to the drawings, especially Figs. 1 and 2 _" ors can see a bicycle pedal 1 with automatic engagement and release. The pedal shown is intended to be mounted on the right side of the bicycle. The constitution of the left pedal would be similar, symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal vertical plane.

The terms "front" and "rear" used in the description and the claims are to be understood for a pedal in horizontal position mounted on a bicycle, and in the direction of normal progression of the bicycle. Thus, in Fig.2, the front part is located on the left of the view _s and the rear part on the right,

The pedal 1 comprises a body 2 which comprises, in a sleeve, a housing 2a for receiving a transverse axis 3 pedal having an end 3a projecting out of the housing, adapted to be attached to a crank M _f the other end 3b of the axis being located inside the housing 2a.

The pedal body is rotatably mounted on said transverse axis 3 by means of two rotary bearings ΡΊ, P2 provided respectively in the vicinity of the ends of said axis. The rotational bearing P2 located inside the housing has a diameter smaller than that of the bearing P1 intended to be close to the crank. The bearing P1 is generally constituted by a ball bearing, with a sealing gasket. threaded ring B, screwed onto a threaded cylindrical portion of the body 2, ensures the locking of the body 2 relative to the outer ring of the bearing P1. The bearing P2 is advantageously designed in the form of a plain bearing, or a needle bearing arranged between two rolling tracks respectively on the fax and in the housing. The pedal body 2 has a bearing surface A for a wedge C (FIG.2) fixed under the sole S of the shoe of the user. This bearing surface A covers the inner bearing P2 at a distance from the geometric axis of rotation XX less than the external radial dimension of the body 2 at the level of the bearing P

Fastening means T (F g.2) are provided for attaching the shim C to the pedal. The stall of the wedge C is obtained by a year of twisting movement of the foot resulting in a relative movement between the bearing surface A and the shim G.

A plate, sheet or _"metallic support 4 is advantageously provided on the body 2 _S in particular when this body is made of light alloy, or a composite material or plastic, the plate 4 may be surmoufée in the body 2, at of the surface A, to reduce the wear of the pedal, the plate may comprise a central window k1 where appears its body material,

The bearing surface A is spherical, as is the plate 4 which conforms to the concave surface A on the opposite side to the pedal axis 3. The section of this bearing surface A, by a plane passing through the geometric axis XX of rotation of the pedal and orthogonal to the mean plane of the pedal body, is formed by a circular arc A1 whose distance to the axis Rotational geometry XX is reduced at the inner bearing P2. The average plane of the pedestal body is a plane passing through X-X geometric axis Axis 3 and ui is horizontal when the shoe of the user, attached to the pedal mounted on the bicycle, is horizontal.

The section of the surface A by an orthogonal yaw with a geometrical axis of rotation passing through the middle of the bearing P2 is formed by an arc of circle A4 (FIG. 4), the center of the spherical surface A is aligned, it is to say located, on ZZ rotation tax (Fig.2) of the C wedge during the twisting of the pïsd trigger phase. The axis of rotation ZZ is perpendicular to the mean plane of your pedal and is located at the contact between the rear edge 2b of the pedal and the hook 7a of a cam 7. The radius of curvature of the surface A can be understood between 15 and 25 cm, advantageously between 18 and 20 cm.

The spherical shape of the support surface A optimizes the distance between the pedal axis and the sole S while maintaining a traditional axa line, reliable and robust, with a bearing at each end of Tax. This curved bearing surface A makes it possible to leave a substantially constant thickness of pedal body material around the two bearings P1, P2, saris, that the high radial size of P1 does not hinder the debate of the wedge twist of its rotation despite geometric lowering of the support zone of the wedge C on the pedal,

Cala C has a conjugate spherical Convex lower face G1 (Flg.3) of surface A, with the same radius of curvature,

The curvature of the surface A is found in the longitudinal direction, orthogonal to the axis of the bolts, as shown by Tare A4 (Fig. 4) ₍ which allows or facilitates the rotational movement of the C wedge relative to the pedal , for the stall,

The contact surface between the cleat and the pedal is important, which makes it possible to distribute the effort evenly and thus to reduce the local pressure, which results in a better pedaling comfort. of the callus, which eliminates the parasitic movements that may occur during pedaling.For given dimensions in width and length of a bearing surface A, a spherical contact makes it possible to have an area of the bearing surface A larger than that of a plane contact of the same dimensions since a circle's stuff is always longer than its string.

The pedal body 2 has, to the front, on each side, a truncated branch 5a, 5b. The branches do not meet and define a space 8 open towards the front. The weight of the pedal is thus reduced

The upper surface of the pedal body, which comes into contact with the shim, is the bearing surface A, this surface A, as shown in Fig.4 _t has a substantially rectangular contour _curvilinear! whose large dimension is parallel to the axis of the pedal. Each front end of this part has an extension A2, A3 in tongue on the truncated branches. These extensions A2, A3 belong to the same spherical surface as the bearing surface A, and contribute to improving the stability of the sole on the pedal, thanks to the increase in the area of the spherical contact between the cleat and the pedal.

Wedge C (FIG. 3) has elongated openings H for fastening by screws under the sole S _s with a possibility of adjustment. A cam 7 is removably secured by screws under the shim C. The shim C has a front 8a parta, compact and generally centered along the longitudinal axis of the shim, projecting downwards. C hold includes, in Panière _. , on each side, a portion 8b projecting downward clean to define with the projection before 8a a support plane to facilitate the walk of the cyclist avoiding the contact of the cam? with the ground The cam 7 ers lower part, has the beak 7a (Fig, 2) prominent forward clean to hang under the rim 2b of the body pedal, turned to the back. The geometric positioning of the spout 7a and the rim 2b is te! 3a kinematics of rotation of the foot necessarily place the center of the spherical surface A in the vertical and above these two forms 7a and 2b,

The attachment means T of the wedge C and the cam 7 comprise on at least one face of the body, a holding member 9, mounted to rotate about a geometric axis 10 parallel to that of the pedal and located in back of this pedal axis. The member 9 is adapted to be applied by an elastic return means, advantageously formed by a flexion blade 11, against the rear part of the cam 7, as illustrated in FIG. 2, to ensure the attachment of Fcale C to His pedal 1. Alternatively, the elastic return means could be formed by a torsion spring.

The holding member 9 is advantageously formed by a hoop with two lateral branches articulated on an axis 12 (FIG. 4), parallel to the geometric axis of the pedal,

The pedal 1 comprises a pawl 13 sensitive to the disengagement and engagement of the shim C on the pedal. The pawl 13 is adapted to hold the holding member 9 in an open position illustrated on Ftg. 4, the torsion of the release of the Cate C, against the elastic return of the bending element 11, and s release this retaining member s when the engagement of the wedge C, the pawl 13 is articulated rotatably on the body 2 of pedal.

The pawl 13 has an extension 14 forwards, curved to pass under the housing 2a of the pedal and rising in a portion 15 coming forward of the housing 2a. This part 15 constitutes a stop which, when the shim C is fixed on the pedal as illustrated in FIG. 2 _{S is} opposed to a too pronounced recess of the wedge C, whose projection before 8a is supported, in case of recoil, against the part 15.

The pawl 13 is advantageously made of plastic, and has a rear end 18 of solid cross section, substantially rectangular, from which forward two curved branches 16a, 16b, passing under the housing 2a and rising to meet following the abutment 15. The branches 16a, 18b are spaced apart from each other and define between them a free space 17 (Fig.4) in which extends an anchored spring plate 18, in particular overmolded, in the end of the ratchet. The spring blade 18 bears against the lower rear surface of the pedal body and constitutes an elastic return means of the pawl 13 in the locking position of the holding member 9, in the open position, according to Flg. 4. The bending element 11 is located below the pawl 13. The operation of the pedal is as follows,

When the shim C is not engaged, the holding member 9 is retained in the open position by the pawl 13 as illustrated on Ffg. 4

When the cyclist wishes to hook the wedge C to the pedal 1, he presents the shoe and the wedge in an inclined position to engage the cam 7 in the space between the holding member 9 and the flange 2b, without experiencing resistance on the part of the holding member 9 which is in the open position.

When the cam 7 comes into contact with the pawl 13, the spout 7a is below the flange 2b. The descent of the carne 7 causes the erasure of the pawl 13, so that the retaining member 9. recalled by iémém of flexion 11 _s bears against the rear part of the carne 7 whose spout 7a s engages under the edge 2b.

During pedaling, the convex spherical surface C1 of the wedge conforms to the concave bearing surface A, with freedom of rotation and oscillation within the limit authorized by the fastening means T.

The stall of the wedge C and the shoe is effected, in a conventional manner, by a twisting movement of the foot which ensures the retreat of the holding member 9 and the stall of the wedge.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, there may be a flange S ^* with a spherical interface, ie Cate C ^J forms a single piece with the sole, instead of being attached and fixed. The fact of having directly the convex spli-convex surface under the sole makes it possible to further reduce the thicknesses of material above the axis (that is to say to bring the foot closer to Pedal fee, In addition _s the number of pieces is reduced.

The boot sole advantageously comprises a walking shoe N (FIG.

- Of generally rectangular shape and whose large dimension is parallel to the pedal axis,

- provided at each of its two ends with a stud of height equal to or greater than the height of the cam,

which shoe M is interposed between the sole and the cam in order to facilitate operation and reduce the wear of the cam,

Fig.6 illustrates a traditional fixation of the carne? and a stop before 8a under the sole with screws 19 screwed from the outside, that is to say from below the sole and whose head remains visible under the shoe. The variant® embodiment of FigJ and 8 allows fixing by screwing from the inside of the sole of the cam 7 ¹ and the front stops 8a 'which have tapped holes, preferably blind on the outside. A metal sleeve 20, with smooth passageways, is disposed in an inner cavity 21 of its sole. The insert 20 is advantageously movable in the cavity 21 of the soleplate to allow adjustment. It is no longer necessary to provide oblong slots in the cam 7 'for adjustment, which makes it possible to reduce the dimensions and the weight of the cam 7,

The screws 19 are screwed from the inside of the shoe and the sole through the hole 20 to cooperate with the threaded holes of the carne 7 ^! 8a \ The screw heads, and screwing / unscrewing fingerprints located on your screw heads are, therefore, safe in the shoe and therefore remain clean, without mud or soil that would impede the penetration from the end of a screwdriver to a key. When your threaded holes provided in the carne and the abutment are blind on the outside, the screws are not visible below the sole, as shown in FIG.

The size of the cam is also reduced because the housings of the screw heads are no longer integrated in said cam.

The risk of unscrewing the screws 19 is reduced since the screw heads can no longer be in contact with the self and its asperities such as gravel, sand,

The invention relates to a pedal intended primarily for road cycling, but is not limited to this application.

Claims

An automatic latching and cycling bicycle pedal, comprising:

- a pedal body (2) which comprises a housing (2a) for receiving a transverse axis (3) pedal whose one end (3a) projects out of the housing and is adapted to be attached to a crank, the other end (3b) of the axis being located inside the housing;

a rotary assembly of the pedal body on said transverse axis by means of rotary bearings (P1, P2);

- On the pedal body, a bearing surface (A) for a shim (C, C) provided under the sole of the shoe of the user;

- hooking means (T) for attaching the wedge to the pedal, the stall of the wedge being obtained by a twisting movement of the foot causing a relative movement between the bearing surface and the wedge,

characterized in that the bearing surface (A) of the pedal body is concave spherical on the opposite side to the pedal axis (3), the section of this bearing surface (A) by a plane passing through the geometric axis of rotation (XX) of the pedal and orthogonal to the mean plane of the pedal being formed by an arc (A1),

and in that the center of the spherical surface (A) is located substantially on the axis of rotation (Z-Z) of the wedge during the twisting of the foot in the triggering phase.

2. Pedal according to claim 1, characterized in that the attachment means (T) of the wedge comprise a holding member (9) rotatably mounted about an axis, this holding member being adapted to be applied against the wedge by an elastic means, in particular a bending element (11), to ensure the attachment of the wedge to the pedal. .

3. Pedal according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pedal body (2) has, forwardly, on each side, a truncated branch (5a, 5b) directed towards the front, the branches are not not joining and delimiting a space (6) open towards the front.

4. Pedal according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper surface of the pedal body, which comes into contact with the hold and not

is the bearing surface (A), has a substantially rectangular curvilinear contour, the large dimension is parallel to the axis of the pedal.

5. Pedal according to claim 4, characterized in that each front end of the substantially rectangular portion comprises a forward extension (A2, A3) tongue on the truncated branches, these extensions belonging to the same spherical surface as the surface of support (A).

6. Pedal according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pedal body (2) is made of light alloy, or composite material, or plastic.

7. Pedal according to claim 6, characterized in that a metal plate (4) is overmolded in the body and marry the spherical bearing surface (A) to protect the body against wear.

8. Pedal according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the attachment means (T) of the wedge comprise a holding member (9) rotatably mounted about a geometric axis parallel to, and back of , the axis of the pedal, this holding member being adapted to be applied against the wedge by an elastic means, in particular a bending element (11), to ensure the attachment of the wedge to the pedal.

9. Pedal according to claim 8, characterized in that a pawl (13) is located behind the axis of the pedal, adapted to hold the holding member (9) in an open position at the release of the wedge against the elastic return, and release this holding member when engaging the wedge, the pawl being articulated in the pedal body.

10. Wedge to be fixed under a shoe, to be attached to a pedal according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wedge (C) has a convex spherical lower surface (C1), conjugated to the bearing surface concave of the pedal and arranged to cooperate with the attachment means (T) of said pedal.

Shoe sole intended to be attached to a pedal according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that:

- the sole (S ') and the wedge (C) form one and the same piece, - And in that the sole comprises a convex spherical outer surface in the area directly above the metatarsus of the user's foot, combined with the concave spherical bearing surface of the pedal and arranged to cooperate with the means of hooking (T) of said pedal.

12. Shoe sole according to claim 11, characterized in that it has towards the front of its spherical zone:

- a prominent part acting as a frontal stop during the boot,

- and a prominent part acting cam and hook.

13. Sole shoe according to claim 12, characterized in that the abutment (8a ') and the cam-hook (7') are inserts under the sole and secured thereto by means of screws.

14. Shoe sole according to claim 13, characterized in that the fixing screws (19) of the abutment and the cam-hook are introduced from the inside of the sole and each screw cooperates with a tapped hole, in particular a blind hole, provided in the cam and the stop, so that the screw heads are not likely to be in contact with the ground when walking.

15. Sole shoe according to claim 11, characterized in that the hooking means present on this sole, which cooperate directly with the attachment means (T) present on the pedal, are fixed from the inside of the sole using screws.

16. Shoe sole according to claim 1, characterized in that a running shoe (N),

■ of generally rectangular shape and whose large dimension is parallel to the pedal axis,

■ provided at each of its two ends with a pad of height equal to or greater than the height of the cam-hook,