Bicycle pedal unit

Abstract

To provide a lightweight pedal unit that can be folded with a simple operation and with minimal protrusion in the width direction of a bicycle body, without the need to detach the pedal body from the crank arm of the bicycle body. [Solution] The pedal is composed of a pair of footplates (7, 8), a main shaft (11), a pair of beams (2, 15) that are connected to the footplates and pass through the main shaft of the pedal body (21), a compression spring (13) attached to the main shaft, a compression spring receiving nut (14), a main shaft insertion socket (1), a main shaft removal button (18), etc. The pedal body is fixed and released by the insertion and removal of the main shaft and the action of the compression spring attached to the main shaft.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pedal unit for a bicycle, and more particularly to a pedal unit suitable for a folding bicycle. [Technical Field]

[0002] Because bicycle pedals are arranged perpendicular to the crank arm, they increase the width of the bicycle. This creates a problem, particularly in the case of folding bicycles, where the pedal body protrudes, making it difficult to reduce the storage space.

[0003] To solve this problem, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses pedals that can be removed from crank arms. However, the removed pedals must be stored separately, and there is a risk that they may be lost.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a foldable pedal, but there are problems in that the structure becomes complicated in order to increase the strength of the folding part, and the weight increases. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3154772 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2013-510748 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] To provide a bicycle pedal unit that can be folded without detaching the pedal from the crank arm of the bicycle body, and that is lightweight and simple to operate, minimizing the amount of protrusion of the bicycle body in the width direction.

[0007] This device is composed of a pair of footplates, a main shaft, a pair of beams that connect to the footplates and pass through the main shaft of the pedal body, a compression spring attached to the main shaft, a compression spring receiving nut, a main shaft insertion socket, and a button for removing the main shaft. The pedal body is fixed and released by inserting and removing the main shaft and by the action of the compression spring attached to the main shaft.

[0008] The main shaft of the pedal body has a convex portion (large diameter portion) with a diameter larger than the bearing diameter that acts as a stopper at the optimal position when inserted into the main shaft insertion socket, and the tip is hexagonal, so that when inserted, it fits into the main shaft insertion socket.

[0009] The rear end of the main shaft, farthest from the crank arm, has a long threaded hole into which the main shaft removal button screws, and the compression spring is attached between the large diameter section and the outer beam via a compression spring receiving nut. The elasticity of the compression spring presses the main shaft into the main shaft insertion socket and fits it in, and the tension of the spring keeps them together at all times.

[0010] To fold the pedal, pinch the shaft removal button on the shaft and remove it from the inner beam. This separates the tip of the shaft from the inner beam, allowing the pedal body to rotate around the screw on the inner beam and be positioned parallel to the longitudinal direction of the crank arm. The tension of the compression spring presses the tip of the shaft against the top surface of the inner beam, holding it in close contact with the pedal body.

[0011] According to the present invention, a bicycle pedal unit detachably attachable to a bicycle crank arm includes a pair of foot plates, each consisting of a first foot plate and a second foot plate, sandwiching a pair of beams, each consisting of a first beam and a second beam, and a frame-shaped body formed by immovably connecting the rear ends of the pair of foot plates, which are distal to the crank arm, to the second beam, which is distal to the crank arm, and a main shaft, the longitudinal direction of which is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the pair of foot plates, and which is disposed in the frame-shaped body so that its ends pass through the pair of beams, and the main shaft is fitted with a coil-shaped compression spring, and the crank arm is supported by the main shaft. a main shaft removal button having a diameter larger than that of the main shaft is fixed, via the second beam, to a rear end of the main shaft, which is farther from the crank arm; the main shaft removal button has a diameter larger than that of the main shaft; and by moving the main shaft removal button in a direction away from the crank arm, the main shaft tip is removed from the main shaft insertion socket, allowing the frame-shaped body to rotate about the rotation axis; and by the main shaft tip pressing against the side surface of the first beam, the longitudinal direction of the frame-shaped body after rotation is kept parallel to the longitudinal direction of the crank arm, thereby providing a bicycle pedal unit.

[0012] According to this invention, a bicycle pedal unit is obtained in which the tip of the main shaft is biased toward the crank arm by the compression spring and engages with the main shaft insertion socket via a first bearing, for example, pressed into a through hole provided in the center of the first beam.

[0013] According to the present invention, a bicycle pedal unit is obtained in which the rear end of the main shaft is engaged with the main shaft removal button via a second bearing, for example, pressed into a through hole provided in the center of the second beam.

[0014] According to the present invention, a bicycle pedal unit is obtained in which the pair of treads have a concave-convex pattern on at least a portion of the thickness of the treads.

[0015] This device maintains the same strength as conventional pedals, but allows the pedals to be folded (stored) without removing them by simply rotating them into contact with the bicycle body with a simple operation, making it extremely compact when stored. This reduces the bicycle's parking space and depth when stored, contributing to the expansion of use of not only regular bicycles but also folding bicycles and other types of bicycles. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a pedal unit of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of the pedal unit of the present invention when the vehicle is running, in which (a) is a top view and (b) is a side view. [Figure 3] 10 is a side view showing the retracting operation of the pedal unit of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a pedal unit of the present invention is attached to a crank arm of a bicycle while riding. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the pedal unit of the present invention is attached to a crank arm of a bicycle and stored; FIG. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of a rotation structure of a pedal unit according to the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view of a ring-shaped part, and (b) is a cross-sectional view illustrating a joint portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the pedal unit of this invention includes a spindle insertion socket 1 that rotatably engages the pedal body 21 with the crank arm (not shown) of the bicycle body, a spindle 11, a spindle removal button 18 for removing the spindle 11 from the spindle insertion socket 1, and a compression spring 13 attached to the spindle 11. The spindle 11 is located in the center of the pedal body 21, which is formed by combining, in a frame-like shape, a pair of beams consisting of a first beam and a second beam sandwiched between a pair of footplates consisting of a first footplate and a second footplate, i.e., a left footplate 8 and a right footplate 7 in Figure 1, i.e., an inner beam 2 located near the spindle insertion socket 1 and an outer beam 15 located on the side of the spindle removal button 18 in Figure 1.

[0018] The inner beam 2 connecting the left footboard 8 and the right footboard 7 is a roughly I-shaped block body with a bearing insertion hole (large) 3 in the center into which a large bearing 5, which functions as a sliding bearing, is pressed, and the main shaft 11 is inserted slidably. A screw hole 41 is provided at each end of the inner beam 2 that joins the left footboard 8 and the right footboard 7, and the left footboard 8 and the right footboard 7 are pin-joined to rotate freely using a screw 101 that serves as a rotation axis through a screw hole 91 provided in the left footboard 8 and the right footboard 7.

[0019] While Fig. 1 shows an embodiment in which the screw 101 serves as the rotation axis, as shown in Fig. 6, for example, the right footboard 7 and the inner beam 2 may be joined by the screw 101 via a ring-shaped part 103 having a flange 1031. The flange 1031 of the ring-shaped part 103 presses the right footboard 7 against the inner beam 2, forming a single unit, but because the ring-shaped part 103 functions as the rotation axis, there is no need to adjust the length of the effective thread of the screw 101.

[0020] The outer beam 15 is a roughly I-shaped block body with a bearing insertion hole (small) 16 in the center, into which a small bearing 17 that functions as a sliding bearing is press-fitted, and the main shaft 11 is slidably inserted via the small bearing 17. Two screw holes 42 are provided at each end of the outer beam 15 that joins the left footboard 8 and the right footboard 7, and the left footboard 8 and the right footboard 7 are rigidly joined to each other by screws 102 via screw holes 92 provided in the left footboard 8 and the right footboard 7.

[0021] The left footboard 8 and the right footboard 7 may be of any shape as long as they are roughly rectangular plates, but it is preferable to round the corners of the tip end near the crank arm to ensure smooth rotation, and it is even more preferable to make them semicircular. Furthermore, it is preferable that at least a portion of the side surface (thick portion) of the left footboard 8 and the right footboard 7 is provided with an uneven pattern so as to provide an anti-slip effect when the sole of a shoe is placed on it.

[0022] The main shaft 11 passes through outer beam 15, inner beam 2, and main shaft insertion socket 1, and is attached so that it can slide. The tip end on the crank arm side, passing through the inner beam, is hexagonal, and a main shaft removal button 18 for removing the main shaft 11 is attached to the rear end, passing through outer beam 15. The contact surface with main shaft insertion socket 1 has a convex large-diameter portion 32 that is larger than the diameter of the main shaft, and this has the function of inserting the main shaft 11 into the optimal position and also functions as a stopper for compression spring 13, and is clamped inside outer beam 15 via compression spring receiving nut 14.

[0023] The main shaft insertion socket 1 has an insertion hole through which the main shaft 11 passes, and the tip of the main shaft 11 on the crank arm side is hexagonal, so that when the main shaft 11 is inserted, it fits and is axially secured. It can also be tightened onto the crank arm with a hex wrench. Although the tip of the main shaft 11 is exemplified as being hexagonal, any shape may be used as long as it can be fitted and secured. Furthermore, the main shaft insertion socket 1 has a convex large diameter portion 31 in the approximate center in the longitudinal direction, and the end on the crank arm side is screwed onto the crank arm by a screw mechanism. The pedal-side end has a thread groove for attaching a thin nut 6. The inner beam 2 is sandwiched in the protruding portion from the crank arm, and the thin nut 6 is screwed in and rotatably fixed.

[0024] The left footplate 8 and the right footplate 7 are rigidly connected to the outer beam 15 by two screws 102, and are rotatably pin-connected together with the inner beam 2 which is integral with the main shaft insertion socket 1. The main shaft 11 passes through the center of the pair of footplates, parallel to the longitudinal direction of the left footplate 8 and the right footplate 7, and is pushed into the main shaft insertion socket 1 by the pressing force of the compression spring 13, thereby fitting the pedal body and crank arm together and allowing them to rotate freely on the main shaft 11. Furthermore, a button 18 for removing the main shaft is fixed to the rear end of the main shaft 11 by a long screw 19 via a compression spring receiving nut 14, an outer beam 15, and a small bearing 17.

[0025] The folding (storing) operation of the pedal body 21 will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 5. From the pre-storage state (Figure 4), the main shaft 11, which is connected in a direction approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the crank arm 20, is pulled (moved) in a direction that moves the main shaft removal button 18 away from the crank arm 20, and the main shaft 11 is slid and removed from the inner beam 2, whereby the pedal body 21 is released from the crank arm 20, rotated approximately 90 degrees around the screw 101 of the inner beam 2 as an axis (Figure 3), and positioned in close contact with and approximately parallel to the side of the crank arm 20 (Figure 5). The pedal bodies 21, which are arranged in parallel, are fixed in place by the biasing force of the compression spring 13, with the tip of the main shaft 11 coming into contact with and pressing against a surface of the inner beam 2 that is parallel to the direction in which the large bearing insertion hole 3 penetrates (the upper surface in FIG. 1). A positioning recess may be provided at the position where the tip of the main shaft 11 comes into contact, so that the tip of the main shaft 11 can be stably fixed to the parallel surface of the inner beam 2 (the upper or lower surface in FIG. 1).

[0026] To return (assemble) the pedal to a rideable state, the pedal body 21 is rotated approximately 90 degrees relative to the crank arm 20 while pulling the main shaft removal button 18, and the tip of the main shaft 11 is inserted into the main shaft insertion socket 1. The main shaft 11 is then biased by the compression spring 13, pushed into the main shaft insertion socket 1, where it fits and is fixed integrally with the crank arm 20 (Figure 4).

[0027] The components used in this device can be any material that is strong and durable enough and commonly used for bicycle parts, such as processed metals such as aluminum alloys, titanium alloys, and steel, molded synthetic resins, wood products, carbon fiber products, or painted versions of these. Furthermore, in the embodiment, the assembly is performed using parts known as screws, but this is not limited to this and any parts or means that perform the functions required by the present invention may be used. The shapes of the pair of step plates, pair of beams, main shaft, main shaft removal button, etc. may be other than those shown in the embodiments and drawings, as long as they have the same functions. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments as long as they do not deviate from the technical concept of the present invention and are included in the scope of protection of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0028] 1 Main shaft insertion socket 2 Inner beam 3 Bearing insertion hole (large) 41 screw holes 42 screw holes 5 large bearings 6 Thin Nut 7 Right footboard 8 Left footboard 31 Large diameter section 32 Large diameter section 91 screw hole 92 screw hole 101 Screw 102 Screw 103 Ring-shaped parts 1031 Tsuba 11 Spindle 12 long screw holes 13 Compression spring 14 Compression spring support nut 15 Outside beam 16 Bearing insertion hole (small) 17 Small bearing 18. Main shaft removal button 19 Long screw 20 crank arms 21 Pedal body

Claims

[Claim 1] A bicycle pedal unit that is detachable from a bicycle crank arm, a pair of step plates, each consisting of a first step plate and a second step plate, arranged so as to sandwich a pair of beams, each consisting of a first beam and a second beam, and the front ends of the pair of step plates, which are close to the crank arm, and the first beam, which is close to the crank arm, are rotatably connected to each other via rotation shafts provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the first beam, and a frame-shaped body, which is configured by immovably connecting the rear ends of the pair of step plates, which are far from the crank arm, and the second beam, which is far from the crank arm; a main shaft disposed on the frame-shaped body so that its ends pass through the pair of beams and are parallel to the longitudinal direction of the crank arm; a main shaft removal button having a diameter larger than that of the main shaft is fixed to a rear end of the main shaft, the rear end being farther from the crank arm, via the second beam; and by moving the main shaft removal button in a direction away from the crank arm, the tip end of the main shaft is removed from the main shaft insertion socket, and the frame-shaped body becomes rotatable around the rotation axis; A bicycle pedal unit characterized in that the tip of the main shaft presses against the side of the first beam, thereby keeping the longitudinal direction of the frame-shaped body parallel to the longitudinal direction of the crank arm after rotation.

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