Patent ID: 7540101

Claim:
A bicycle shoe for attaching to a bicycle pedal to hold a bicycle rider's foot attached to the bicycle pedal, the bicycle pedal having a pedal longitudinal axis around which the pedal is rotatable and the pedal having a partially spherical portion including an outer spherical surface with the partially spherical portion of the pedal being located along the pedal longitudinal axis such that the pedal has a radially symmetrical cross sectional shape along the pedal longitudinal axis, the shoe comprising: a pedal gripping arrangement having a pedal gripping cavity, the pedal gripping cavity having a shape that is defined by at least a portion of a sphere such that the pedal gripping cavity directly engages at least portions of the outer spherical surface of the partially spherical portion of the pedal when the shoe is attached to the pedal, the pedal gripping cavity configured to engage the partially spherical portion of the pedal for connection of the shoe with the pedal in any position without regard for the rotational position of the shoe about the pedal longitudinal axis, the pedal gripping cavity also configured to at least partially surround the partially spherical portion of the pedal while remaining free to swivel in various directions about the partially spherical portion of the pedal to at least a predetermined degree when the shoe is attached to the pedal, the various directions including directions in addition to rotation about the pedal longitudinal axis, wherein the pedal gripping arrangement is hinged such that a rider is able to release the shoe from the pedal by bending their toes up out of a natural relaxed position causing the pedal gripping arrangement to expand and release the pedal.