Abstract:
A bicycle cleat/cover assembly and a cover device. The bicycle cleat cover device is configured to be releasably secured to a bicycle cleat, wherein the bicycle cleat has an aperture sized and configured to receive a clipless pedal. The removable bicycle cleat cover device serves to inhibit debris from entering the central opening of the bicycle cleat when the bicycle cleat is disengaged from a pedal and the user is walking about on the ground.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to bicycle cleat assemblies configured for releasable securement to clipless bicycle pedals, and, more particularly, to an aperture cover configured to be releasably retained within a central opening of a bicycle cleat assembly when a user&#39;s shoe is disengaged from a clipless bicycle pedal. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Bicycle cleat assemblies of this particular kind typically include a spring housing and an overlaying bottom plate configured to be attached to the sole of a user&#39;s shoe. The spring housing and bottom plate, together, define a central opening sized and configured to conformably receive a clipless bicycle pedal. The spring housing supports one or more spring clips adjacent to the central opening, for engaging and releasably retaining the clipless bicycle pedal. 
         [0003]    When the cleat assembly is disengaged from a pedal and the user is walking about on the ground, the cleat assembly&#39;s bottom plate is in direct contact with the ground. Debris such as dirt, sand, mud and rocks can enter the central opening of the cleat assembly as the user walks about. Once debris enters the central opening, it can impede the spring clip&#39;s ability to accept the pedal. Eventually, the central opening can accumulate an amount of debris that prevents entirely the insertion of the pedal into the cleat assembly. 
         [0004]    In addition to making it more difficult to insert the pedal into the cleat assembly, the presence of debris in the central opening can impede the spring clip&#39;s ability to securely engage and releasably retain the pedal. As a result, the user can have the false impression that the pedal is properly seated in the cleat assembly when in fact it is not. 
         [0005]    The presence of debris such as sand and dirt in the central opening of the cleat assembly can also increase the rate at which the cleat assembly components wear out during engagement and disengagement of the cleat assembly and the pedal. 
         [0006]    It should be appreciated from the foregoing description that there is a need for an improved cleat assembly that overcomes the drawbacks discussed above. Specifically, there is a need for an improved cleat assembly that inhibits debris from entering the central opening of the cleat assembly when a user&#39;s shoe is disengaged from a pedal and the user is walking about on the ground. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides further related advantages. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention can be embodied in a bicycle cleat/cover assembly. In this embodiment of the invention, the assembly includes a bicycle cleat and an aperture cover. The bicycle cleat is configured to releasably engage a clipless bicycle pedal, including having an aperture for receiving at least a portion of the clipless bicycle pedal. The aperture cover of the bicycle cleat/cover assembly is sized and shaped to be received in the bicycle cleat aperture when the bicycle cleat is disengaged from the clipless bicycle pedal. 
         [0008]    In other, more detailed features of the invention, the aperture cover of the bicycle cleat cover assembly includes a bottom portion, a collar spaced from the bottom portion along an axis, and a sidewall extending from the bottom portion to the collar. In another embodiment, the aperture cover&#39;s collar extends radially outward beyond the sidewall to form a lip. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment of the assembly, the aperture cover further includes a pair of protrusions. Each of the protrusions has a top portion that extends axially above the lip of the aperture cover&#39;s collar. In this embodiment, the top portion of one protrusion is separated from the top portion of the other protrusion by a gap such that the pair of protrusions can frictionally retain a second pair of protrusions of a substantially identical second aperture cover that has been offset by a ninety-degree angle. 
         [0010]    In a further aspect of the invention, the collar of the assembly&#39;s aperture cover has four segments of equal circumferential length such that each segment of the collar has two adjacent segments and one non-adjacent segment. The non-adjacent segments of the collar have substantially identical curved top surfaces. The adjacent segments of the collar have curved top surfaces that are complementary, such that the aperture cover can mate with an identical second aperture cover that has been offset by a ninety-degree angle. 
         [0011]    In other, more detailed features of the invention, the sidewall of the assembly&#39;s aperture cover has a beveled outer surface tapering toward the bottom portion. In another embodiment of this invention, a channel is formed in the sidewall of the aperture cover. The channel starts at a cutout formed at an intersection of the sidewall and the bottom portion and extends circumferentially about a portion of the sidewall. In yet another embodiment of this invention, a protuberance is formed in the channel, the protuberance extending radially outward within the channel. 
         [0012]    The present invention can also be embodied in a bicycle cleat cover device having a bottom portion, a collar spaced from the bottom portion along an axis, a sidewall extending from the bottom portion to the collar, and a pair of protrusions. The cover device&#39;s collar extends radially outward beyond the sidewall to form a lip. Each of the cover device&#39;s protrusions has a top portion that extends axially above the lip. In this embodiment, the top portion of one protrusion is separated from the top portion of the other protrusion by a gap such that the pair of protrusions can frictionally retain a second pair of protrusions of a substantially identical second bicycle cleat cover device that has been offset by a ninety-degree angle. 
         [0013]    In another embodiment of the invention, the cover device&#39;s collar has four segments of equal circumferential length such that each segment of the collar has two adjacent segments and one non-adjacent segment. The non-adjacent segments of the collar have substantially identical curved top surfaces. The adjacent segments of the collar have curved top surfaces that are complementary, such that the aperture cover can mate with an identical second aperture cover that has been offset by a ninety-degree angle. 
         [0014]    In other, more detailed features of the invention, the cover device&#39;s sidewall has a beveled outer surface tapering toward the bottom portion. 
         [0015]    In another embodiment, a channel is formed in the sidewall of the cover device. The channel starts at a cutout formed at an intersection of the sidewall and the bottom portion and extends circumferentially about a portion of the sidewall. In a further aspect of the invention, a protuberance is formed in the channel, the protuberance extending radially outward within the channel. 
         [0016]    Other features and advantages of the present invention should become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 2 and 3  are side elevational views of the embodiment of the cover device of  FIG. 1 , showing the cover device in a first orientation and a second orientation respectively. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the embodiment of the cover device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0020]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show perspective views of the embodiment of the cover device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 6A  is a bottom plan view of an embodiment of a cleat assembly with which the cover device of  FIG. 1  can be used. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6B  is a top plan view of an embodiment of a clipless bicycle pedal with which the cleat assembly of  FIG. 6A  can be used. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a side perspective view showing two substantially identical cover devices of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , and illustrating the complimentary curved surfaces of the cover devices when one device is rotated 90° relative to the other. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a side elevational view depicting the cover devices of  FIG. 7  seated together in a mated configuration. 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a bottom plan view of an embodiment of the cleat assembly of  FIG. 6A  having a bottom cover attached to the bottom plate of the cleat assembly. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]    With reference now to the illustrative drawings, and particularly to  FIGS. 1-5 , there is shown an embodiment of a cover device  10  for a bicycle cleat assembly in accordance with the invention, the cover device including a main body  14  and an actuator  16 . The main body defines a longitudinal axis  18 , and comprises a collar  20  and a bottom portion  22  opposite the collar, and a sidewall  24  extending axially between the collar and the bottom portion. The actuator comprises two graspable protrusions  44 ,  50  for use in inserting and extracting the cover device from the cleat assembly. The collar  20  extends radially outward beyond the sidewall  24  of the cover device, forming a lip  58  (best illustrated in  FIGS. 2-3 ,  7 - 8 ). 
         [0027]    The cover device  10  can be configured to be releasably secured within an aperture  34  formed in a cleat assembly  12  ( FIG. 6A ). The cleat assembly is configured for attachment to the sole of a user&#39;s shoe and for releasable securement to a bicycle pedal  60  ( FIG. 6B ). The particular cleat assembly depicted in  FIG. 6A  is configured for attachment to the user&#39;s left shoe, but it will be appreciated that a similar cleat assembly could be oppositely configured for attachment to the user&#39;s right shoe. The cleat assembly includes a base plate  62 , a spring housing  64  and a steel bottom plate  66 . An elastomeric bottom cover  78  can be attached to the bottom surface of the steel bottom plate and disposed over substantially the entire bottom surface of the bottom plate around the aperture  34  ( FIG. 9 ). The spring housing and bottom plate, together, define the cleat assembly aperture that is sized and shaped to conformably receive the pedal. The spring housing contains a horseshoe-shaped spring clip  68  that includes a first radially inwardly extending tongue  70  and a second diametrically opposed radially inwardly extending tongue  72 . The spring clip tongues  70  and  72  releasably engage complimentary shaped recesses  74  and  76  formed in the forward and rearward edges respectively of the pedal ( FIG. 6B ) when the pedal is fully inserted into the cleat assembly aperture. 
         [0028]    The cleat assembly cover device depicted is sized and configured to provide a friction fit between the main body  14  and the cleat assembly aperture  34 . The actuator  16  of the cover device is positioned near the collar  20 , and the bottom portion  22  of the cover device comprises a leading end upon reception into the cleat assembly aperture. The cleat assembly cover device can comprise a resilient deformable material such as a molded elastomeric material (e.g., polyurethane). 
         [0029]    More particularly, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the cover device  10  further includes a receiving region  28  formed in the sidewall  24 . Although not visible in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the illustrated embodiment has a second identical receiving region formed in the diametrically opposed region of the sidewall. The following description is limited to just one of the two identical, and diametrically opposed, receiving regions formed in the sidewall of the cover device. The receiving region includes a cutout  30  and a channel  32 . The cutout of the sidewall forms a radially inwardly extending depression beginning at the bottom portion  22  of the cover device, the cutout being shaped and configured to receive one of the spring clip&#39;s radially inwardly extending tongues  70  or  72  ( FIG. 6A ) when the cover device is inserted into the cleat assembly aperture. The channel is in communication with the cutout and extends circumferentially in a plane generally orthogonal to the cover device&#39;s longitudinal axis  18 , the channel being shaped and configured to receive one of the spring clip&#39;s radially inwardly extending tongues  70  or  72  upon angular rotation of the cover device about its longitudinal axis following insertion into the cleat assembly aperture  34 . This feature reduces the likelihood that the cover device will accidentally disengage from the cleat assembly aperture when the user is walking about on the ground. 
         [0030]    The channel  32  of the cover device  10  further comprises a first leg  36  adjacent to the cutout  30 , a protuberance  38 , a second leg  40 , and a stop  42 . The protuberance of the channel is located between the first leg and the second leg of the channel and extends radially outwardly. The protuberance is sized and configured to frictionally engage one of the spring clip&#39;s radially inwardly extending tongues  70  or  72 . The second leg of the channel terminates at the stop and has a circumferential length configured to receive one of the spring clip&#39;s radially inwardly extending tongues  70  or  72 . The protuberance is adapted to allow the one of the spring clip&#39;s tongues to snap into or out of the second leg of the channel upon application of sufficient torque to the cleat assembly cover device to overcome the frictional engagement between the protuberance and the spring clip&#39;s tongue. 
         [0031]    The collar  20  of this preferred embodiment has four segments of equal circumferential length, each segment having two adjacent segments and one non-adjacent segment. The non-adjacent segments of the collar have substantially identical curved top surfaces, whereas the adjacent segments of the collar have curved top surfaces that are complementary to one another. As a result, the device cover can mate with an identical second device cover that has been offset by a ninety-degree angle (best illustrated in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ). 
         [0032]    The actuator  16  of the cleat assembly cover device  10  further includes a first actuator protrusion  44  having a bottom end  46  joined to the top surface of the bottom portion  22  of the cover device and a terminal end  48  opposite the bottom end, and a second actuator protrusion  50  also having its bottom end  52  joined to the top surface of the bottom portion  22  of the cover device, and a terminal end  54  opposite the bottom end. The first and second actuator protrusions extend axially such that the terminal ends of the first and second actuator protrusions project beyond at least a portion of the collar  20  (best illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). 
         [0033]    More particularly, the terminal ends  48  and  54  of the first and second actuator protrusions  44 ,  50  of the actuator  16  are spaced from one another a distance  56  (best illustrated in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B). The space between the first and second actuator protrusions can receive the terminal ends  48 ′,  54 ′ of first and second actuator protrusions  44 ′,  50 ′ of an identical second cleat assembly cover device  10 ′, the two pairs of actuator protrusions contacting and frictionally retaining each other in a closed orientation resulting in the proximal end  20  of the first cleat assembly cover device  10  being substantially in contact with the proximal end  20 ′ of the second cleat assembly cover device  10 ′ (best illustrated in  FIGS. 7 ,  8 ). 
         [0034]    Although the invention has been described in detail with reference only to the presently preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications can be made without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the invention is defined only by the following claims.