Abstract:
An inner side upper foot coupling device for a bicycle pedal is provided made of a cylindrical rod. The coupling device has a middle portion that is U-shaped, two poles having different lengths connected to the middle portion and bases connecting to the poles for attachment to a bicycle pedal.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a bicycle pedal attachment device made from a cylindrical rod. 
     Currently, there are special bicycle pedals which allow people to pull in addition to push, using their foot. These special pedals include pedals with straps, pedals with straps and toe clips, and pedals that require a special shoe to engage at the sole. However, many people choose not to use these special pedals to ride a bicycle, they choose to use a regular bicycle pedal that is limited only to pushing, because:
         a) people do not feel confident enough that once their foot is engaged with one of the special pedals, they can disengage their foot fast enough during an emergency to avoid a bicycle accident, and/or   b) pedals that require special shoes are expensive and not user friendly.       

     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a new solution to improve push and pull bicycle pedaling. Compared to the prior art, the present invention allows push and pull bicycle pedaling to be more fun and safer by providing the following advantages:
         1. providing a better upper foot coupling device that is more comfortable for a foot to apply an upward force,   2. providing a better upper foot coupling device that has more space for a foot to disengage,   3. providing a more user friendly upper foot coupling device so a user can operate a bicycle wearing sneakers   4. providing a better upper foot coupling device that allows a user to step into the pedal more comfortably,   5. providing a better upper foot coupling device that is easier and cheaper to manufacture, and   6. providing a better upper foot coupling device that may be used for indoor cycling as well.       

     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is made from a bent cylindrical rod with threading at both ends. The bent rod has a U-shaped structure which has a bend at either end of the U-shape, followed by two poles having unequal length, each of the poles being longer than the U-shaped portion. The poles continue with bases bent in the same direction as the U-shaped structure. The bases are designed to be inserted into a bicycle pedal having two holes, at the front and rear of the pedal shaft, respectively. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1   a  is a perspective view of the coupling device engaged by a right foot. 
         FIG. 1   b  is a side view of the coupling device engaged by a right foot. 
         FIG. 1   c  is a top view of the coupling device engaged by a right foot. 
         FIG. 1   d  is a detail view of  FIG. 1   c  of the instep contact. 
         FIG. 1   e  is a top view of an area of a human foot. 
         FIG. 1   f  is an exploded view of the coupling device. 
         FIG. 1   g  is a perspective view of the coupling device attached to a pedal. 
         FIG. 1   h  is a perspective view of the coupling device. 
         FIG. 1   i  is a side view of the coupling device. 
         FIG. 2   a  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the coupling device. 
         FIG. 2   b  is a side view of the second embodiment. 
         FIG. 3   a  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the coupling device. 
         FIG. 3   b  is a side view of the third embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     First Embodiment 
       FIGS. 1   f ,  1   h  and  1   i  show coupling device  90  is made from a bent cylindrical shaped rod with threading  12   a  and  12   b  at both ends. The bent rod comprises a U-shaped structure  16   a ,  17   a ,  18 ,  17   b ,  16   b  in the middle portion of the rod, two inwardly bent curves  15   a  and  15   b , respectively, continue with two unequal length poles  14   a  and  14   b , and two bases  13   a  and  13   b  at ends of the rod. The cover of the U-shaped structure from the poles is significantly shorter than the length of the poles  14   a  and  14   b.    
       FIG. 1   f  shows the bases  13   a  and  13   b  of the coupling device  90  line up at the inner side of pedal  80 , for insertion into holes  5   a ,  5   b ,  6   a  and  6   b .  FIG. 1G  shows the completed insertion and the bases are secured by hex nuts  1   a  and  1   b  and washers  2   a  and  2   b  on threading  12   a  and  12   b.    
       FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b  and  1   c  show how the coupling device  90  is engaged by a human foot  39  on a right side bicycle pedal. The U-shaped portion  16   a ,  17   a ,  18 ,  17   b ,  16   b  and bends  15   a  and  15   b  are tilted toward the front side of the right pedal  80  and parallel the slope of the upper side of the right foot, because pole  14   a  is shorter than pole  14   b  by 16 millimeters. Therefore, in  FIG. 1   b , plane  31  on said U-shaped structure has an acute angle  33  of 22 degrees with respect to plane  32  on the pedal  80 . 
       FIGS. 1   c  and  1   d  show the U-shaped portion  16   a ,  17   a ,  18 ,  17   b ,  16   b  and the bends  15   a  and  15   b  partially cover the engaging foot  39  across the top of the foot. Length dimension  38  defines the length of cover of the U-shaped structure from the poles  14   a  and  14   b  to cover bones in area  36  of the foot in  FIG. 1   e . The area  36  includes big toe bones, the first metatarsal bone, first cuneiform bone, second cuneiform bone and navicular bone. These bones are the biggest, strongest and highest bones at the inner side of a foot and deliver upward force to the U-shaped structure. In this example, the length  38  of the U-shaped cover is 40 millimeters. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Bases  13   a  and  13   b  of coupling device  94  are also designed to attach to a pedal  80  having two holes  5   a  and  5   b , and  6   a  and  6   b  parallel to the pedal shaft. Coupling device  94  has two distinct features different from coupling device  90  of the first embodiment. First, the inwardly bent curves  15   a  and  15   b  of coupling device  94  are significantly smaller than the corresponding curves in the first embodiment. Second, coupling device  94  is designed to attach to a left pedal and be used by a left foot, because the U-shaped structure is an opposite configuration as compared to coupling device  90 . 
     Third Embodiment 
     Coupling device  93  has a wide U-shaped structure  16   a ,  17   a ,  18 ,  17   b ,  16   b , because pole  14   a  is 29 degrees off parallel to pole  14   b , and pole  14   a  is shorter than pole  14   b  by 15 millimeters. Coupling device  93  is similarly designed to attach to a bicycle pedal  80  having two holes  5   a ,  5   b , and  6   a  and  6   b , on opposite sides of the pedal shaft. Coupling device  93  is designed to be used on a right side bicycle pedal because the shorter pole  14   a  is the forward most extension of the U-shaped structure when attached to the pedal  80 . 
     When coupling device  93  inserts bases  13   a  and  13   b  into holes  5   a ,  5   b  and  6   a ,  6   b  of the pedal  80 , pole  14   b  becomes perpendicular to the body of the pedal  80 , and the U-shaped structure  16   a ,  17   a ,  18 ,  17   b ,  16   b  becomes 18 degrees off parallel to the body of the pedal  80 .