EP2059437A2

EP2059437A2 - Device for connecting a shoe to a part of a sports article such as a bicycle pedal

Info

Publication number: EP2059437A2
Application number: EP07823408A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gérald Delgorgue; Gilles Parquet
Original assignee: Salomon SAS
Current assignee: Mavic SAS
Priority date: 2006-09-08
Filing date: 2007-08-08
Publication date: 2009-05-20
Also published as: US20090320641A1; WO2008029008A3; FR2905566B1; FR2905566A1; DE212007000061U1; US8794105B2; WO2008029008A2

Abstract

Device for connecting a shoe (1) to a part of a sports article such as a bicycle pedal (10), of the type in which the shoe (1) and the pedal (10) comprise attachment members of complementary shapes, characterized in that the attachment members of the sole consist at least partly of alternations of depressions (5, 6, 7, 8) recessed into the outer envelope surface of the sole (3). The outer envelope surface of the sole is raised upwards ahead of the region of the attachment members (5, 6, 7, 8) of the sole (3).

Description

DEVICE FOR CONNECTING A SHOE TO A PE SPORT ARTICLE ELEMENT, SUCH AS A PEDAL

CYCLE

The present invention relates to a device for connecting a shoe to a sporting article element such as cycle pedal, bicycle or similar device. It also relates to the parts of this device integral with the pedal as the shoe.

Currently there are different systems of binding a shoe to a pedal.

The oldest system consists of a kind of cage associated with a belt, commonly called foot-block, which traps the front half of the shoe, once the belt tight and makes said shoe completely integral with the pedal. Such a device has the disadvantage of ensuring a permanent locking of the shoe on the pedal and not to allow a quick release thereof in case of need and in particular when there are risks of accident or fall, or during a stop when the cyclist must land on the ground.

In addition these belt devices are of an inconvenient implementation, because of the difficulty of introduction of the shoe in the cage constituting the footrest and because of the need to then manually tighten the belt to obtain a satisfactory maintenance of the foot.

It is known from US Pat. No. 4,953,425 to have a device for connecting the boot to the pedal consisting of a belt extending diagonally with respect to the pedal. Because of its diagonal position, the belt forms a larger opening facilitating the introduction of the foot and thus also the exit. The belt can be tightened more or less depending on the desired degree of support. The problem of such a connecting device is that the belt tends to flatten, which prevents the introduction of the foot. In addition, when the belt is tightened, the same clearance problem as with traditional footrests arises. There are also so-called automatic shim systems, in which a metal or plastic shim integral with the soleplate, cooperates with an associated mechanism of the pedal, the coupling forming in a longitudinal direction and the uncoupling in the event of a fall or fall. stopping being obtained by a rotation of the foot towards the outside.

This type of automatic pedal nevertheless requires a certain amount of time for the user to learn the movement of rotation of the foot towards the outside if necessary, not being a natural movement.

During this learning phase of an automatic pedal system, or in case of emergency, the cyclist sometimes has trouble doing this maneuver and falls with the bike, the two feet remaining attached to the pedals. Moreover, the shims fixed on the boot form protrusions with respect to the outer surface of the outsole, which constitutes an important obstacle for walking, or even the risk of accident by slipping. Moreover, such automatic pedal systems are very sensitive to the presence of mud, pebbles that can prevent the good attachment of the shoe to the pedal or on the contrary to promote an untimely stall.

From US 4,662,090 it is known to provide a pedal / sole connection system by creating in the sole of a recess substantially rectangular shape complementary to the shape of the pedal.

Such a construction has the disadvantage that the recess of the sole is very important and can be a housing for mud, pebbles, when walking.

Moreover, this recess is completely hidden because it is set back from the outer envelope of the walking surface and delimited by two kinds of step, especially at the front, which impede the placement of the soleplate on the pedal. In other words, the user must fumble before finding the exact match between the pedal and the recess of its sole.

From US 6,725,742 it is known to provide a pedal connection, which has recesses, with shoe lugs protruding from the lower surface of the tread sole. The same problem as previously mentioned blind positioning of the sole in the pedal arises.

Furthermore the connection is made using elements of the sole, the crampons, which are subject to wear during walking and can make the connection unstable due to premature wear. Clearance when needed is also not easy.

At present, the most used connection devices are the footrest or automatic cleat / pedal systems mentioned above.

Because of the risks mentioned above, difficulty of release, only a part of the cyclists uses these systems, the others fearing the risk of falling. As a result, many cyclists do not use any binding system, or wedging their shoe on the pedal and thus have a bad pedaling position.

Ideally the foot should be positioned so that the axis of the metatarsophalangeal joint is approximately aligned with the axis of rotation of the pedal.

This ideal position can be obtained using the connection / wedging / fixing devices described above. In the absence of such connecting devices / wedging, the user often misplaced his foot, for example too far back on the pedal, or the foot arranged in a fan with respect to the axis of the pedal.

However, a bad position of the foot relative to the pedal generally leads to a poor position of the cyclist (saddle too low) and leads to greater fatigue and / or increased trauma, especially in the knees.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for connecting a shoe to an element of a sports article such as a pedal that overcomes the disadvantages mentioned above.

One goal is to facilitate the connection shoe / pedal even blind. Another goal is to ensure correct positioning of the foot relative to the pedal.

Another goal is to have a connecting device that poses no risk of locking the sole when needed.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description. This or these goals are achieved in the binding device of a shoe to an element of a sports article such as a cycle pedal according to the invention which is of the type in which the shoe and the pedal comprise hooking members of complementary shape, in that the attachment members of the sole are at least partially constituted by alternations of recesses, recessed with respect to the outer surface of the sole surface.

Due to this construction, the attachment members of the soleplate do not protrude beyond the external envelope surface of said soleplate and are therefore not subject to risks of inadvertent wear. They do not interfere with walking.

According to one embodiment, the external envelope surface of the sole is raised upwards in front of the zone of the attachment members of the sole.

This construction defines a ramp at the front of the attachment members and thus facilitates the engagement of the shoe on the pedal, even blind.

In any case, the invention will be well understood and other features and advantages thereof will become apparent with the aid of the description which follows with reference to the appended schematic drawing in which:

- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the sole of the shoe and the pedal before mutual connection,

FIG. 2 is a side view of the shoe / pedal assembly during engagement of the shoe on the pedal; FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, the shoe being linked to the pedal;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pedal,

FIG. 5 is an end view of the pedal of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a view from above of the pedal of FIG. 4,

FIG. 7 is a side view of the pedal of FIG. 4; FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the shoe sole;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along DC-DC of FIG. 8,

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 8 according to another embodiment,

- Figure 11 is a sectional view along XI-XI of Figure 10.

Figures 1 to 3 illustrate the binding device of a shoe 1 to a bicycle pedal 10 during the various assembly steps.

The shoe is constituted in a manner known per se of a rod 2, surmounting a sole 3 said step. The sole 3 comprises a series of step profiles 4, constituted in this case by reliefs 4 shaped waves or wavelets extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the shoe.

Of course, these wave-shaped reliefs 4, which are intended to facilitate the attachment of the sole 3 on different terrains, may have different shapes depending on the terrain on which the shoe is intended more particularly to be used.

As shown in Figure 9 the free end of each of the waves or reliefs 4 is contained in an envelope surface S whose profile changes in the longitudinal direction of the shoe. Moreover, in an area substantially corresponding to the metatarsophalangeal articulation zone, namely in an area extending on either side of the metatarsophalangeal joint axis M, the sole 3 of the shoe comprises a succession of hollow respectively 5, 6, 7, 8 and a shoulder 9 constituting the attachment members of the soleplate intended to cooperate with the bicycle pedal 10 as will be seen later. The bicycle pedal 10 comprises a hinge pin 11 on which is mounted a pedal body 12 having a cross shape 15 with branches 15a, and projections respectively 16, 17, intended to cooperate respectively with the recesses 5, 6 and 7 of the sole of the shoe. The branches 15a of the cross are connected two by two by two bars 18 carrying the projections 16, 17. As shown particularly in Figure 9, the recesses 5, 6, 7, 8 are provided inside or recessed. relative to the external envelope surface S of the soleplate and therefore do not exceed with respect to said outsole 3.

The shoulder 9 is defined by a cutout of the tread sole 3 and therefore does not exceed either with respect to the external envelope surface S thereof. The hollow 5 has a cross or X centered substantially on the axis of metatarsophalangeal articulation M, and complementary to the shape of the cross-shaped block 15 of the pedal. The recess 5 is also substantially centered in the transverse direction relative to the sole.

Each branch 5a of the cross-shaped recess 5, ends with an inclined portion 5b. Likewise, each branch 15a of the associated cross shape 15 of the pedal also ends with an inclined portion 15b.

The dimensions of the crosses 5, 15 are complementary so as to allow mutual interlocking of these shapes with a slight clearance.

The inclined portions 5b, 15b are intended to facilitate the mutual engagement of the sole and the pedal, particularly in the presence of earth, mud, pebbles.

The projections and recesses respectively 16, 6 have a polygonal shape substantially chevron-shaped. Each branch 16a of the chevron 16 is inclined relative to the other in the manner of a roof. The recesses and projections respectively 7, 17 have substantially the shape of a double triangle. Each face 17a of the triangle 17 is inclined relative to the other in the manner of a roof.

These inclined shapes of the faces 16a, 17a can also facilitate the evacuation of unwanted materials (soil, pebbles, ... etc.) during the engagement of the sole on the pedal. Of course other forms can be provided for the depressions, respectively protrusions

5, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17, the important thing being that these hollows / projections have complementary shapes.

As for the crosses 5, 15, the dimensions of the recesses / projections 6, 7 and 16, 17 are provided so as to allow interlocking with a slight clearance.

The bars 18 carrying the projections 16, 17 have in the example shown substantially in the form of a circular arc. The shoulder 9 of the sole has substantially the same shape of a circular arc so as to cooperate and serve as a rear stop with one or other of the bars 18 depending on the position of the pedal.

As shown particularly in Figure 5, the pedal body has a double symmetry with respect to its axis of rotation 11. Accordingly the pedal 10 has two symmetrical faces 10a, each having a double series of projections respectively 16, 17.

Figure 5 also shows that the surface of each of the faces 1 Oa of the pedal has a slightly curvilinear profile intended to cooperate with the curvature 3a of the sole in the longitudinal direction (see Figure 3). The upper surface of the cross 15 is therefore slightly below the surfaces of the reliefs 16, 17. Finally, the recess or recess 8 of the sole 3 has a semi-cylindrical shape and extends from the medial side 3b of the sole on a part of said sole, substantially parallel to the metatarsophalangeal joint axis M (see Figure 8).

This hollow 8 is intended to cooperate with the axis of articulation 11 of the pedal.

This construction brings the pedal 10 closer to the foot of the user and is therefore interesting in terms of performance.

As shown particularly in Figure 8, the shoulder 9 ends on each side by a stop 9a, to facilitate the centering of the shoe.

Finally, as shown in Figure 9 the envelope surface S of the outer sole 3 is raised upwardly in 3c, with respect to the area comprising the recesses 5, 6, 7 and in front of said zone.

The operation of the binding device of the shoe to a pedal, including a cycle is very simple. It suffices to engage the front end 3c, raised, of the soleplate on the pedal 10, as shown in FIG. 2, and to slide it forward with respect to the pedal until the shoulder 9 comes into abutment against one of the bars 18 of the pedal.

At this moment the protruding portions 15, 16, 17, respectively, of the pedal are housed in the recessed portions respectively 5, 6, 7 of the sole, this engagement being facilitated by the inclined faces 16a, 17a of the parts respectively. protruding and 5a, 15a cross portions (see Figure 3). As indicated above the stops 9a on each side of the shoulder 9 allow the centering of the pedal on the sole 3.

Thus, despite the blind fitting the sole / pedal connection is done automatically and without difficulty, in particular because of the stronger curvature 3 c of the envelope surface S at the front of the hollow zone.

Proper positioning of the foot of the user relative to the pedal is guaranteed and allows better ergonomics and less muscle fatigue.

Moreover, the relative games between the hollows and the projections allow a certain adaptation to the morphology of the user. Finally the X shape of the central connecting members 5, 15 prevents a relative rotation of the shoe relative to the pedal.

Furthermore, the pedal 10 is in its form compatible with normal shoes since it produces supports by means of the raised surfaces 16, 17 higher relative to the surfaces of the cross 15. According to one embodiment, the crosses 15 are covered. a smooth coating such as POM DELRIN® or PE (polyethylene) or PTFE (Teflon) of the pedal on the sole, while the peripheral relief portions 16, 17 are of a rougher material, to facilitate the hangs on the sole 3.

Figures 10 and 11 show an embodiment wherein similar or identical elements will be designated by the same references. The only difference with respect to the embodiments shown above is that the sole 3 consists of several materials depending on the different areas 31, 32, 33, 34 thereof.

Indeed, in the zones 32, 33 comprising the recesses 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, namely the zone of the fastening members of the sole, the material is made of a material which is harder than in the zones 31, 34 of the sole located on both sides of these areas.

In the example shown the material in the zones 31, 34 is made of rubber having a hardness of 65 shA, namely a low hard rubber, having high adhesion characteristics.

Depending on the case, this material may be replaced by a somewhat harder rubber or other material having good adhesion qualities such as TPU.

Of course if the adhesion aspect is not important the material of the zones 31, 34 may also be different and be for example a harder rubber.

The material of the area around the protrusions 6, 7 is, in this example a TPU plate from 70 shA to 80 sliA, that is to say a plate of rather hard material and having a coefficient of friction lower than the rubber of the rest of the sole, to facilitate the sliding of the sole on the pedal in the front part of the clipping members. In the example this TPU plate is about 2mm thick and is housed in an associated recess of the sole. The material of the zone 33, which is therefore the rear part of the zone of the attachment members of the sole, the material is for example a rubber having a hardness of about 80 to 85 shA.

The material of this zone 33 is therefore a little harder than that of the zones 31, 34 of the sole, while having similar adhesion characteristics. The material of this zone 33 may be overmolded with the remainder of the sole, since in the same type of material as that 31, 34 of the other zones thereof. Depending on the case it may be a plate.

This greater hardness of the material in the zone 33 makes it possible to limit the wear and the deformations of the parts cooperating with the sole. The fact of keeping a rubber-like material in this zone is however interesting to keep a good attachment of the sole on the bike pedal.

Of course other materials can be used depending on the desired use. For example for use indoors (rowing machine, exercise bike), the use of a rubber material in the zones 31, 34 will not necessarily be sought. Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above by way of non-limiting examples but encompasses all similar or equivalent embodiments.

Although described in connection with a bicycle pedal the invention can be applied to other sports equipment in which similar or identical problems arise and for example exercise bike, gymnastic apparatus (rowing machine, ... etc.) .), rowing equipment.

Claims

1- Device for connecting a shoe (1) to a sporting article element such as cycle pedal (10), of the type in which the shoe (1) and the pedal (10) comprise shackles of complementary shape, characterized in that the fastening members of the soleplate are at least partially constituted by alternations of recesses (5, 6, 7, 8), set back with respect to the external envelope surface (S ) of the sole (3).

2- connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the external envelope surface (S) of the sole is raised (3c) upwards in front of the zone of the fastening members (5, 6, 7). , 8) of the sole (3).

3- connecting device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the area of the fastening members (5, 6, 7, 8) of the sole is substantially at the metatarsophalangeal joint area (M) of the foot.

4- Connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the area of the attachment members of the sole comprises a rear stop (9).

5- connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises central latching members (5, 15) having a complementary shape X.

6- Connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that lateral stops (9a) are provided on each side of the rear stop (9).

7- A connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the pedal (10) comprises peripheral fastening members (16, 17) having a height greater than that of the central fastening members (15). ).

8- Connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least a portion of the fastening members (5, 15, 16, 17) has inclined faces.

9- Connecting device according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that at least a portion of the central fastening members (15) are provided with a smooth surface.

10- connecting device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the sole (3) has a recess (8) for accommodating at least partly the axis of rotation (11) of the pedal. 11- Connecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that in the front portion (32) of the region of the fastening members (5, 6, 7, 8) of the sole, the material has a lower coefficient of friction.

12- Shoe / pedal assembly comprising a connecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13- A sports machine comprising a shoe / pedal assembly or a connecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.