Patent ID: 6708584
Filing Date: 2004-03-23
Classification: B62M,Y10T

Abstract:
A bicycle pedal assembly comprising:a bicycle pedal including a pedal shaft having a first end adapted to be coupled to a bicycle crank and a second end with a center rotation axis extending between said first and second ends, a pedal body rotatably coupled to said second end of said pedal shaft about said center rotation axis of said pedal shaft, said pedal body having a first end and a second end, a front clamping member coupled to said first end of said pedal body, said front clamping member having a front cleat engagement surface facing in a first direction, and a front pedal control surface with a curve center section, and a rear clamping member movably coupled to said second end of said pedal body to form a cleat receiving area between said front and rear clamping members, said rear clamping member having a rear cleat engagement surface facing in said first direction that is offset from said front cleat engagement surface and a rear pedal control surface; and a bicycle shoe cleat selectively engageable with said bicycle pedal via said front and rear clamping members, said cleat including a front attachment portion having a front coupling surface selectively engageable with said front cleat engagement surface of said front clamping member and a curved front cleat control surface, said curved center section of said front pedal control surface having a curvature at least about twice as large as said front cleat control surface, a rear attachment portion having a rear coupling surface selectively engageable with said rear cleat engagement surface of said rear clamping member and a rear cleat control surface, and a connecting portion connecting said front and rear attachment portions together, said rear control surfaces being arranged to prevent lateral movement of said rear attachment portion of said cleat relative to said rear clamping member to form a substantially stationary rear float pivot axis on a rear side of said center rotation axis prior to releasing movement of said rear clamping member when said cleat is coupled to said pedal within said cleat receiving area, said rear float pivot axis being substantially perpendicular to said rear cleat engagement surface, said front control surfaces being arranged such that said front attachment portion of said cleat is moveable laterally along said curved center section of said front pedal control surface about said rear float pivot axis from a center position in opposite lateral directions by a predetermined amount in each of said opposite lateral directions without laterally shifting said rear float pivot axis when said cleat is coupled to said pedal within said cleat receiving area, said front and rear control surfaces being further configured to form a front cleat release pivot axis on a front side of said center rotation axis, said cleat pivoting about said front cleat release pivot axis after said front attachment portion of said cleat moves said predetermined amount in at least one of said opposite lateral directions to cause releasing movement of said rear clamping member when said cleat is coupled to said pedal within said cleat receiving area.