U.S. patent application number 11/048924 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-01 for rapid connection plate for a cyclist's shoe on an automatic cycle pedal.
This patent application is currently assigned to LOOK CYCLE INTERNATIONAL. Invention is credited to Chretien, Jean-Louis, Roudergues, Frederic.
Application Number | 20050188567 11/048924 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34746452 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050188567 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chretien, Jean-Louis ; et
al. |
September 1, 2005 |
Rapid connection plate for a cyclist's shoe on an automatic cycle
pedal
Abstract
The plate comprises a body (2) provided with securement holes
(3) of the plate (1) to the sole of a shoe, and a first rear
connection member (10) and a second front connection member (11).
The first and second connection members have bearing surfaces (12
to 17) adapted to coact with a rear pivoting hooking member
respectively with a front fixed hooking member provided on the
pedal. All the bearing surfaces (12 to 15) of at least the first
rear connecting member (10) are formed on an added member (18) of a
material having a coefficient of friction reduced relative to that
of the material of the body (2).
Inventors: |
Chretien, Jean-Louis; (Cours
les Barres, FR) ; Roudergues, Frederic; (Nevers,
FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
745 SOUTH 23RD STREET
2ND FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22202
US
|
Assignee: |
LOOK CYCLE INTERNATIONAL
Nevers
FR
58000
|
Family ID: |
34746452 |
Appl. No.: |
11/048924 |
Filed: |
February 3, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/131 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 5/14 20130101; B62M
3/086 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
036/131 |
International
Class: |
A43B 005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 27, 2004 |
FR |
0402002 |
Claims
1. Rapid connection plate of a cyclist's shoe on a cycle pedal,
comprising a body (2) provided with securement holes (3) for the
plate (1) to the sole of the shoe, and a first rear connection
member (10) and a second front connection member (11), said first
and second connection members having bearing surfaces (12 to 17)
adapted to coact with a pivoting rear hooking member respectively
with a fixed front hooking member provided on the pedal,
characterized by the fact that substantially all of said bearing
surfaces (12 to 15) of at least said first rear connection member
(10) are formed on an added member (18) of a material having a
coefficient of friction reduced relative to that of the material of
said body (2).
2. Rapid connection plate according to claim 1, characterized by
the fact that substantially all the bearing surfaces (16, 17) of
said second front connection member (11) are also formed on an
added member (23) of a material having a reduced coefficient of
friction.
3. Rapid connection plate according to claim 1 or 2, characterized
by the fact that each member (18, 23) is in the form of a molded
piece (19 to 22, 24 to 25) fixed on said connection member (10,
11).
4. Rapid connection plate according to any one of the preceding
claims, characterized by the fact that said member (18, 23) is
point-wise fixed on said connecting member by anchoring pins (27)
made of the same material as said member (18, 23) and extending
into holes (26) provided in said body (2).
5. Rapid connection plate according to claim 4, characterized by
the fact that said holes (26) are shouldered holes forming a cavity
for an anchoring head (28) on said anchoring pins (27).
6. Rapid connection plate according to claim 4 or 5, characterized
by the fact that said holes (26) are through-holes in which said
anchoring pins (27) extend over only a portion of the height of the
holes to stop short of the lower surface of the plate in a manner
to form indicators of wear of this latter.
7. Rapid connection plate according to claim 6, characterized by
the fact that the materials of said bodies (2) respectively of said
member (18, 23) are of different colors permitting easily
distinguishing said wear indicators formed by said pins (27).
8. Rapid connection plate according to any one of the preceding
claims, characterized by the fact that said member (18, 23) is
obtained by overmolding on said body (2).
9. Rapid connection plate according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
characterized by the fact that the member (18) on said first
connecting member (10) comprises a horizontal element (19)
extending over practically all the width of the plate (1), a
central vertical convex element (20), and two lateral vertical
inclined elements (21, 22) disposed at the ends of the horizontal
element (19).
10. Rapid connection plate according to claim 9, characterized by
the fact that said horizontal element (19), said central element
(20), and said two vertical elements (21, 22) are of a single piece
obtained by injection molding and fixed on the surface of the first
connecting member (10).
11. Rapid connection plate according to claim 9 or 10,
characterized by the fact that said central element (20) of the
member (18) on said first connection member (10) extends into a
central opening (29) provided at the rear end of said body (2) and
opening into a cavity (30) of the latter receiving material of the
member (18) so as to block the latter on the body (2).
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a rapid connection plate
for a cyclist's shoe on an automatic cycle pedal.
[0002] There are known such rapid connection plates comprising a
body provided with securement holes for the plate to the sole of a
shoe. In general, these securement holes are formed by longitudinal
slots permitting a certain longitudinal adjustment of the position
of the plate on the sole.
[0003] These rapid connection plates comprise a rear connection
member which is a female member adapted to coact with a hooking
member pivotally mounted on the pedal, and a front connection
member which generally has the shape of a male member adapted to
coact with a fixed hooking member provided on the pedal.
[0004] The rear hooking member on the pedal is pre-stressed by
resilient means which usually is constituted by a spring. Such a
hooking device with a rapid connection plate is conventional and is
described for example in EP 0 146 454.
[0005] The engagement of the plate on the pedal takes place in an
automatic manner by introduction of the front connection member
into the front hooking member on the pedal and by a pivotal
movement of the plate downwardly, which makes the rear hooking
member pivot outwardly against the effect of the spring so as to
permit the introduction of the free end of the latter into the rear
connection member of the plate. Then, the rear hooking member
returns automatically to its initial position under the force of
the spring.
[0006] The disengagement of the plate, which is to say the freeing
of this latter from the pedal, takes place by a movement of
rotation of the plate about a vertical axis adjacent the front end
of the plate, which gives rise to the pivoting of the rear hooking
member which thus releases its grip. The interaction between these
members is described in detail in the above-cited document.
[0007] This co-action on the one hand between the rear connection
member and the pivoting hooking member, and on the other hand
between the front connection member and the fixed hooking member,
takes place on the bearing surfaces provided on the front and rear
connection members of the plate. These bearing surfaces are thus
the only ones exposed to friction between the contacting members,
above all during disengagement of the plate.
[0008] The conventional plates are either of metal and sufficiently
small to be practically encased in the sole, or of plastic material
and relatively large to be fixed onto the sole in a manner to
constitute a member projecting from the latter.
[0009] The invention relates in particular to these plates of
plastic material which are made by injection molding. Contrary to
the metallic plates encased in the sole, the plates of plastic
material are very exposed to wear when the cyclist walks on the
ground. It is above all a question of the front portion which has a
tendency to wear rapidly during walking.
[0010] For this reason, the plastic material used to constitute the
body of the plate must be a hard plastic material having high
characteristics of resistance to wear such as for example an acetal
resin. However, a result of this hardness of the material is that
it has a relatively high coefficient of friction.
[0011] It would however be desirable to have bearing surfaces on
the plate which have a reduced coefficient of friction so as to
facilitate the release of the plate from its engaged condition on
the pedal. More precisely, a reduced coefficient of friction would
facilitate the rotation of the plate and at the same time the
pressure exerted by the plate during rotation on the pre-stressed
rear hooking member to cause it to swing so as thereby to free the
plate.
[0012] Experience has however shown that a reduced coefficient of
friction is not compatible with a plastic material having
characteristics of high resistance to wear because if its
coefficient of friction is reduced, it becomes less resistant. As a
result, priority has been given to resistance for safety
reasons.
[0013] Moreover, the known rapid connection plates do not give any
indication of the progress of wear and there is thus a risk of
accident upon breaking of one or the other of the connection
members on the plate.
[0014] The invention has for its object to overcome these drawbacks
by providing a rapid connection plate with a different construction
and which nevertheless remains easy to produce.
[0015] Another object of the invention is to improve the resistance
to wear of the plate at the locations most exposed to wear during
walking of the cyclist.
[0016] Another object of the invention is to provide wear
indicating means on the plate to warn the cyclist when it is time
to change plates for reasons of safety.
[0017] The object of the invention is a rapid connection plate of a
cyclist's shoe on a cycle pedal, comprising a body provided with
securement holes for the plate on the sole of the shoe, and a first
rear connection member and a second front connection member, said
first and second connection members having bearing surfaces adapted
to coact with a pivoting rear hooking member respectively with a
fixed front hooking member provided on the pedal, characterized by
the fact that substantially all of said bearing surfaces of at
least said first rear connection member are formed on an added
member of a material having a coefficient of friction reduced
relative to that of the material of said body.
[0018] According to other characteristics of the invention:
[0019] substantially all the bearing surfaces of said second front
connecting member are also formed on an added member of a material
having a reduced coefficient of friction;
[0020] each member is in the form of a molded member fixed on said
connection member;
[0021] said member is fixed point-wise on said connection member by
anchoring pins made of the same material as said member and
extending into holes provided in said body;
[0022] said holes are shouldered holes forming a cavity for an
anchoring head on said anchoring pins;
[0023] said holes are through holes in which said anchoring pins
extend over only a portion of the height of the holes to stop short
at a distance from the lower surface of the plate so as to form
wear indicators on this latter;
[0024] the materials of said body and respectively of said member
are of different colors permitting easily distinguishing said wear
indicators;
[0025] said member is obtained by overmolding on said body;
[0026] the member on said first connecting member comprises a
horizontal element extending over practically all the width of the
plate, a central convex vertical element, and two inclined vertical
lateral elements disposed at the ends of the horizontal
element;
[0027] said horizontal element, said central element, and said two
vertical elements are of a single piece obtained by injection
molding and fixed on the surface of the first connecting
member;
[0028] said central element of the member on said first connecting
member extends into a central opening provided at the rear end of
said body and opening into a cavity in the latter receiving
material of the member so as to block the latter on the body.
[0029] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will
become apparent from the description which follows, as a
non-limiting example of the invention, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the
connecting plate according to the invention;
[0031] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the plate of FIG. 1;
[0032] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line III-III of FIG.
4;
[0033] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the plate of FIG. 1;
[0034] and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a modified plate
according to the invention.
[0035] In the drawings, identical or equivalent elements have the
same reference numerals.
[0036] FIGS. 1 and 2 show the upper surface of a rapid connection
plate 1 to a cycle pedal (not shown). The plate comprises a body 2
of plastic material having high characteristics of resistance to
wear, such as an acetal resin. In a way known per se, the body 2 is
comprised by a rear generally rectangular portion and a front
generally triangular portion.
[0037] The plate 1 is provided with three securement holes 3 of
which one is disposed at the front of the plate and two laterally
at the rear of the latter. Each securement hole 3 is adapted to
receive a securement screw 4 permitting securing the plate against
a cyclist's shoe sole (not shown).
[0038] These securement holes 3 preferably have the shape of
longitudinal slots parallel to each other so as to permit a certain
longitudinal adjustment of the position of the plate 1 on the
sole.
[0039] Each securement hole 3 is provided with an internal shoulder
5 constituting a bearing surface for a metallic crosspiece 6
against which the head of the securement screw 4 comes to bear.
[0040] In the illustrated example, the plate 1 comprises a fourth
oval securement hole 7 that is substantially central, receiving a
securement screw 8 for a position memory device as described in
French patent application FR 03 09364 of the applicant. This
securement screw 8 is, after screwing into this device, hidden by a
non-skid shoe 9.
[0041] The rapid connection plate 1 moreover comprises a first rear
connection member 10 and a second front connection member 11.
[0042] The first rear connection member 10 has the shape of a
rearwardly and upwardly opening recess. This recess extends over
practically all the width of the plate and comprises bearing
surfaces 12 to 15, adapted to coact with a rear pivotal hooking
member (not shown) on the pedal. In general, this hooking member
has the shape of a claw which is received in the cavity defined by
the recess and the lower surface of the cyclist's shoe sole when
the plate is fixed on this latter.
[0043] These bearing surfaces of the first connection member 10
comprise a horizontal bearing surface 12, a central vertical convex
bearing surface 13, and two lateral inclined vertical bearing
surfaces 14, 15 disposed at the opposite ends of the horizontal
bearing surface 12. The rear hooking member thus rests during use
against the horizontal bearing surface 12, and against the convex
vertical central bearing surface 13. However, during disengagement
of the plate by lateral rotation of this latter, the rear hooking
member will come to bear against one or the other of the inclined
lateral bearing surfaces 14, 15, which has the result that the rear
hooking member will be pressed back while pivoting to free the
plate.
[0044] The second front connection member 11 has the form of a
rounded beak 11' which projects from the lower portion of the
summit of the triangle formed by the front portion of the plate.
This second front connection member 11 is thus staged by the
configuration of the beak 11' properly so called, and of the front
upper portion of the plate corresponding to the apex of the
triangle and which is also rounded. The second front connection
member 11 comprises two bearing surfaces 16, 17 adapted to coact
with a fixed front hooking member (not shown) provided on the
pedal.
[0045] These bearing surfaces of the second connecting member 11
comprise a horizontal bearing surface 16 on the beak 11' and a
rounded vertical bearing surface 17 extending about the summit of
the triangle and which will coact with a V shape provided at the
center of the internal surface of the second hooking member. The
beak 11' is also rounded and will be disposed in a recess in the
internal surface of the front hooking member which has the same
radius of curvature as that of the beak 11' so as to define a
vertical axis of rotation of the plate for the disengagement
movement.
[0046] According to an important characteristic of the invention,
the bearing surfaces 12 to 15 of at least the first rear connecting
member 10 are formed on an added member 18 of a material having a
coefficient of friction reduced relative to that of the material of
the body 2.
[0047] This member 18 comprises a horizontal element 19 extending
over practically all the width of the plate, a central vertical
convex element 20, and two vertical inclined lateral elements 21,
22 disposed at the ends of the horizontal element 19. Preferably,
the horizontal element 19, the central element 20 and the two
vertical elements 21, 22 are of a single piece obtained by
injection molding and fixed on the surface of the first connecting
member 10.
[0048] Preferably, and as shown in the drawings, the bearing
surfaces 16, 17 of the second front connection member 11 are also
formed on an added member 23 of a material having a reduced
coefficient of friction. This member 23 comprises a horizontal
element 24 extending over the beak 11' of the second connection
member 11 and a vertical element 25 extending over the front upper
portion of the plate.
[0049] This material which has a reduced coefficient of friction
can for example be constituted by a resin to which additives such
as PTFE has been added.
[0050] This front member 23 is also preferably of a single piece
obtained by injection molding and fixed on the surface of the
second connection member 11.
[0051] During production of the plate, one preferably begins by
injection molding the body 2 of the plate in a first mold,
unmolding it, and placing it in a second mold into which the
members 18, 23 are added by direct overmolding on the body 2. The
two injection moldings can moreover be carried out successively in
a single injection press.
[0052] To secure the members 18, 23 on the body 2, this latter is
provided with through-holes 26 opening on one hand through the
lower surface of the body of the plate 1 and on the other hand
through the upper surface of the latter in the first and second
connecting members 10, 11.
[0053] According to a characteristic of the invention, the
through-holes 26 are shouldered so as to have a reduced
cross-section toward the first and second connection members 10,
11. During the second injection molding, material penetrates into
these through-holes 26 so as to form anchoring pins 27 terminating
in an anchoring head 28 within each through-hole 26. These
anchoring pins 27 are of the same material as the members 18, 23
and have the purpose of fixing this latter point-wise on the
respective connecting member 10, 11.
[0054] So as to block the member 18 in the axial direction on the
first connecting member 10, the central vertical element 20 extends
into a central opening 29 at the rear end of the body 2 opening
into a cavity 30 of this latter receiving the material of the
member 23 during molding this latter.
[0055] So as to block the member 18 also in the transverse
direction during disengagement movement by lateral pivoting of the
plate, the vertical lateral elements 21, 22 comprise on their rear
surface a projection 31 entering into a respective recess 32
provided at the rear end of the body 2.
[0056] According to another characteristic of the invention, the
through-holes 26 are not entirely filled during molding of the
members 18, 23 such that the anchoring pins 27 extending over only
a portion of the height of the holes and stop short of the lower
surface of the plate so as to form wear indications on this
latter.
[0057] To the extent that the lower surface of the plate 1 wears
during walking of the cyclist, the ends of the pins 27 will
approach this lower surface and finally become flush with the
latter, which corresponds to the maximum moment of wear of the
plate which then must be replaced by a new plate.
[0058] So as easily visually to distinguish the wear indicators
formed by the pins 27, the materials of the body 2 and of the
member 18, 19 are of different colors.
[0059] Finally, FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a
modification in which the front member 19 covers only the
horizontal bearing surface 16, whilst the rear member 18 covers
only the horizontal bearing surface 12 and the two vertical lateral
bearing surfaces 14, 15. Other combinations are obviously
envisageable without thereby departing from the scope of the
invention.
[0060] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples that
are shown and described, but corresponds also to members separately
produced and then fixed on the plate, for example b gluing.
* * * * *