Abstract:
A quick connect and disconnect mechanism for releasably engaging a cyclist&#39;s shoe with a bike pedal having a slotted retainer secured to the pedal and an insert secured to the sole of the cyclist&#39;s shoe. The insert or key is insertably introduced through an open end of the slot to engage the retainer. A wedge and dove-tail arrangement prevents separation of the insert or key from the retainer in a direction normal to the pedal. A resilient detent construction yieldably or releasably holds the insert or key in the slot of the retainer and permits only lateral separation. A guide or alignment arrangement is employed to conduct the insert or key into the slot via the open end thereof.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Provisional application Ser. No. 60/193,254 filed Apr. 3, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of bicycle pedals, and more particularly to a novel pedal mounting which incorporates a shoe clip and slotted receiver on the pedal that provides safety and convenience for a quick and easy insertion or extraction of the cyclist&#39;s shoe into and out of the pedal. 
     2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
     In the past, it has been the conventional problem for cyclists to quickly and conveniently place their foot on the pedals of a bicycle in a safe and convenient manner. Problems and difficulties have been encountered with conventional engagement of a cyclist&#39;s shoes on the pedals which stem largely from the fact that no positive or releasable connection is provided between the shoe and the pedal. The unattached shoe may readily slip from the pedal. Attachment of the shoes to the pedal is dangerous in the case of the rider falling or separating from the pedals during an accident. 
     Other difficulties and problems have been encountered when employing conventional toe guards or clips in combination with the pedal to retain a shoe on a pedal since conventional toe guards permit insertion and withdrawal of the toe portion of a cyclist&#39;s foot only through an exposed opening at the rear of the guard. Therefore, a cyclist mounting or boarding a bicycle must carefully place the shoe tip into the rear opening of the guard so that the toe portion of the foot may enter the internal cavity of the guard while the bottom of the foot presses against the pedal. Difficulties involving safety are encountered with conventional shoe retainers since both sides of the guard have sidewalls or a framework which completely encircles the midsection of the cyclist&#39;s shoe, leaving only the rear entrance or opening for insertion or removal of the foot from the guard. In an emergency, it is difficult to remove one&#39;s foot from such a conventional toe guard or unreleasable clip and because of this difficulty, injury can occur. 
     Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a novel pedal mounting for a cyclist&#39;s shoe which not only assists in maintaining the pedal level but will provide improved power characteristics and which will employ releasable shoe clip and pedal retainer means for quick insertion or removal of the cyclist&#39;s foot or shoe into and out of the retainer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are avoided by the present invention which provides a novel shoe-to-pedal mounting or releasable retaining means incorporating a wedge clip secured to the underside or sole of a cyclist&#39;s shoe that is insertably introduced to a slot in a retainer secured to the surface of a pedal. The retainer includes a guide means for aligning the wedge clip into an entrance opening leading into the slot. The respective side surfaces of the slot and the clip are mated to prevent dislodgement or separation of the shoe in a direction normal to the pedal. However, separation is available laterally in the instance of the rider leaving the bicycle. 
     The retainer includes a spring loaded yieldable means for releasably securing the clip with the retainer. This means has at least one spring biased sidewall in connection with a detent carried on the clip. Therefore, a cyclist may insert or extract his shoed foot into or out of the pedal for desired bicycle operating purposes or for separation from the pedal in order to avoid injury during accidental or unusual circumstances. Rapidity of insertion and removal of the clip from the retainer is extremely important to racing enthusiasts as well as the safety and convenience of non-racing personnel. 
     Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a quick release mechanism operable between a cyclist&#39;s shoe and a pedal, providing releasable coupling of a shoe with the pedal for improved operating procedures as well as for safety purposes. 
     Another object resides in providing a releasable retaining means between a cyclist&#39;s shoe and a pedal which is simple to install and which is suitable for both road or mountain biking. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a bicycle pedal mounting device for releasably connecting a cyclist&#39;s shoe to a pedal for convenient access thereto by the cyclist and which provides a smoother ride with safety and convenience for quick and easy insertion and extraction of the cyclist&#39;s shoe with respect to a pedal retainer or clamp. 
     A further object resides in providing a bicycle pedal or shoe mounting arrangement which avoids potential cyclist&#39;s fall and injury when rapidly inserting or extracting of the cyclist&#39;s shoe from a pedal retaining means. 
     A further object resides in providing an adjustable and releasable means for a cyclist&#39;s shoe with respect to a pedal of a bicycle so as to provide automatic or intentional release of the shoe from securement with the pedal. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood with reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of a shoe incorporating the insert, clip or key employed in the releasable retainer combination of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the shoe shown in FIG. 1 illustrating a front elevational view of the insert, clip or key shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a pedal having a slotted retainer carried thereon in order to insertably receive the insert, clip or key illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the pedal and retainer shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevational view, partly in section, illustrating the insert, clip or key received within the slot of the retainer in order to releasably secure the shoe to the pedal; 
     FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the insert, clip or retainer illustrating the chamfered or tapered side thereof matable with the sidewall of the retainer on the pedal that defines the receiving slot; 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective and top plan views illustrating another embodiment of a quick disconnect arrangement incorporating the present invention wherein the retainer includes a spring biased member yieldably holding the insert in securement; 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the releasable retaining means as taken in the direction of arrows  9 — 9  of FIG. 8; 
     FIGS. 10 and 11 are views similar to the views of FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrating still another version of the present invention having a dual spring arrangement for yieldably biasing a leg member into connection with the insert carried on the shoe; and 
     FIG. 12 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the inserted insert, clip or key in the receiving slot of the retainer as illustrated in the direction of arrows  12 — 12  of FIG.  11 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-6 inclusive, the novel quick disconnect and connect arrangement is illustrated in the general direction of arrow  9  for releasably engaging a shoe of a bike rider with a pedal  15 . The shoe is identified by numeral  12  with the sole thereof indicated by numeral  11 . The quick connect and disconnect arrangement  9  includes an insert, clip or key  10  secured to the underside or sole  11  of the shoe  12 . The insert is rounded at its leading end  13  and includes a base  14  fixly secured to the sole  11 . 
     FIGS. 3,  4  and  5  disclose the pedal  15  attached to a sprocket crank (not shown) by a threaded stud  16 . A slotted retainer, receiver or keyway  17  is secured to the pedal and includes an open-ended slot  18  for insertably receiving the insert, clip or key  10 . The opening to the slot is from the side away from the threaded stud  16  and the opening is rounded and enlarged so that a tapered side is established for ease of insertion of the insert, clip or key alignment with the slot. FIG. 5 illustrates the insert, clip or key  10  occupying the slot and illustrates conformity and mating of the dove-tail shape of the sidewalls of both the insert, clip or key and the defining sidewalls for the slot  18 . The sides of the insert, clip or key are undercut to provide guidance in assembly and for alignment. 
     Therefore, it can be seen that the insertion of the clip or key  10  into the slot  18  is transverse or lateral from the side of the pedal. The direction of insertion is normal to the vertical axis of the pedal  15 . The direction is substantially horizontal with respect to the upper surface of the pedal  15 . 
     Referring now in detail to FIGS. 7 and 8, another version or embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the general direction of arrow  20  wherein it can be seen that a pedal  21  is cantilevered outwardly from a connection fixture  22  which is attached to the bicycle crank (not shown). The pedal  21  includes a base surface  23  on which is mounted a fixed member  24  and a movable member  25 . The members  24  and  25  are spaced apart from one another so as to define a slot  26  between their opposing surfaces for insertably receiving a clip, insert or key  27  secured to the sole  11  of a shoe. 
     An alignment or guidance means is provided wherein the surface  23  is provided with a recess  28  so that when the rounded end  30  of the insert  27  is introduced to the slot  23 , the insert will not be hung-up or impact against the end of the pedal. In a sense, the alignment of the insert with the slot is self-centering because of the slope provided on the recess  28 . Also, it is to be noted that the ends  31  and  32  on the members  25  and  24  respectively are rounded so that the inserts  27  will self-align and be automatically be directed into the slot  26 . An important feature of the version  20  resides in providing the member  31  with a pivoting action about a fastener  33  so that the slot may be expanded as the insert enters through the entrance defined by the opening between ends  31  and  32 . The insert will proceed through the slot until a nub  34  drops into a indentation  35  in the insert  27 . The nub  34  and indentation  35  form a detent for releasably and yieldably holding the insert into position between the members  24  and  25  in the slot  26 . The member  25  will slightly pivot outwardly as the thickness of the insert is forced through the opening into the slot  26 ; however, once the insert has reached the end of the slot, the nub  34  will fall into the indentation  35  to releasably retain the insert in place. 
     The remainder of the shoe sole  11  will press against bars  36  and  37  respectively located on opposite sides of the pedal  21 . The insert  27  may be fastened or secured to the sole of the shoe by means of screws or other fasteners which pass through openings such as opening  39 . 
     In FIG. 8, it can be seen that the movable member  25  includes a hidden leaf-spring  40  which is fastened about the fastener  33  so that one end of the spring is restrained while the opposite end of the member is free to pivot in the direction of the arrow  41 . The end of the member is directed or biased toward the slot  26  when the insert  27  is absent from the slot or when the nub  34  is fully received within the indentation  35  of the insert. The expanded or pivoted position of member  25  is shown in broken lines. The end of member  25  further includes a pin  42  that projects into an arcuate slot  44  and serves as a stabilizing means for the member  25  as its positions between its outer position in broken lines and its inner position against the insert  27 . 
     Referring now in detail to FIG. 9, it can be seen that the insert  27  is carried on a base  45  and that the insert, clip or key downwardly depends from the base  45  and the sole  11 . The insert terminates in an outwardly flared portion  48  which includes side surfaces which are tapered to provide a dove-tail alignment and engagement with the shaped sidewalls of the slot  26 . The sidewall of each member defining the slot is tapered to match the dove-tail taper of the flared portion  48  of the insert. 
     Referring now in detail to FIGS. 10 and 11, it can be seen that the novel quick connect and disconnect arrangement is illustrated in another embodiment by numeral  50  and that a pedal  51  includes a surface  52  on which is mounted a fixed member  53  and a movable member  54 . The movable member is biased toward the fixed member  53  by means of a pair of spaced-part coiled springs  56  and  57  respectively. The springs operate to normally biased member  54  toward member  53  but the movement is limited so as to define a central elongated slot  58 . A clip, insert or key  60  is rounded at end  61  and is inserted into the slot  58  via the rounded and enlarged entrance leading into the slot  58  by the ends  62  and  63  of the respective members  53  and  54 . The movement of the insert  60  into slot  58  is limited by means of stop  64  which is at the extreme end of the slot between the members  53  and  54 . Therefore, it can be seen that the member  54  moves forward and backwards to increase or decrease the distance between the members  53  and  54  and the width of slot  58 . Also, it can be seen that the rounded ends  62  and  63  of the members provide a guide or an alignment means in combination with the recess  65  for receiving the rounded end of insert  60 . It is also to be noted that the stop  64  includes an undercut shoulder  66  which covers the end of the insert  60  when it engages against the stop. Also, bars  67  and  68  provide surfaces against which the sole of the biker&#39;s shoe is placed once the insert  60  is in the slot  58  and retained therein. 
     Referring now in detail to FIG. 11, it can be seen that the helical springs  56  and  57  are in fixed, spaced-apart relationship with one end of each spring bearing against bar  68  while the opposite end of the spring bears against the opposite end of the movable member  54 . Also, in combination with FIG. 12, it can be seen that a similar or identical dove-tail relationship between the sides of the insert and the opposing sidewalls of the members  53  and  54  are the same as previously shown and described with respect to FIG.  9 . The expanding pressure of the springs  56  and  57  maintain the insert  60  captured between the two members while the biker is pedaling. However, should there be an event where the rider or biker falls from the bike and his foot moves away from the pedal, the expansion pressure of the spring is overcome and the member  54  moves toward bar  68  to release the insert  60 . 
     It view of the foregoing, it can be seen that the quick connect and disconnect arrangement of the present invention provides a safety means for a bike rider to not only permit engagement to increase the operating parameters for the cyclist but also provides a safety feature for automatically releasing the foot and shoe from the pedal should an accident occur requiring such disengagement. When a cyclist falls or collides, their body weight and twisting action causes the pivot arm or member to open the slot, thus ejecting the key or clip and the rider from the pedal. The cyclist&#39;s foot can turn in either direction to activate the pedal opening. The pedal base includes plate holes and member or arm undercut so that dirt and mud may fall through and accumulation is avoided. The sidebars are removable and the bars are raised for shoe support. 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.