Patent ID: 8312791
Filing Date: 2012-11-20
Classification: B62M,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A bicycle pedal comprising: a pedal spindle with a center spindle axis; and a pedal body including a tubular mounting portion rotatably mounted on the pedal spindle, a first shoe supporting part extending in a first direction from the tubular mounting portion and a second shoe supporting part extending in a second direction from the tubular mounting portion, with the first direction and the second direction being opposite directions, the first shoe supporting part and the second shoe supporting part including a first center portion and a second center portion, respectively, with the first center portion being spaced from the tubular mounting portion by a first through opening and the second center portion being spaced from the tubular mounting portion by a second through opening, the first center portion includes a first cleat engagement member supported by the first shoe supporting part, the second center portion includes a second cleat engagement member supported by the second shoe supporting part, with the first cleat engagement member and the second cleat engagement member forming a step-in cleat engagement structure, the tubular mounting portion including a center tube section partially defining the first through opening with respect to the first center portion of the first shoe supporting part and the second through opening with respect to the second center portion of the second shoe supporting part, the center tube section having a widthwise dimension as measured from the center spindle axis to an outside surface of the center tube section along a first reference plane that passes through the center spindle axis and that is substantially perpendicular to a cleat pedaling force direction applied to the pedal spindle, as viewed along in a direction of the center spindle axis, the center tube section having a lengthwise dimension as measured from the center spindle axis to an outside surface of the center tube section along a second reference plane that is perpendicular to the first reference plane, as viewed along in the direction of the center spindle axis, with the lengthwise dimension being larger than the widthwise dimension, the outside surface of the center tube section having an overall transverse cross sectional shape that includes a first generally convex arc disposed on a first side of the second reference plane and a second generally convex arc disposed on a second side of the second reference plane as viewed along in a direction of the center spindle axis, with the first generally convex arc extending a majority of the outside surface of the center tube section on the first side of the second reference plane, and the second generally convex arc extending a majority of the outside surface of the center tube section on the second side of the second reference plane, the first generally convex arc and the second generally convex arc being substantially symmetrical with respect to the first reference plane.