Bicycle Pedal Guide Element for Foot Positioning and Crank Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bicycle pedals either require special shoes with locking elements, leading to misalignment and joint stress, or lack defined foot positioning, resulting in inefficient power transmission and safety issues, especially for city bikes and trekking bikes.
Innovation Solution
A bicycle pedal design featuring a pedal body with two opposing contact surfaces, a rotatably supported pedal axle, and an inner guide element that allows for lateral guidance of the foot, enabling the foot to be placed closer to the crank for improved power transmission and safety, without a fixed shoe-pedal connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If click pedals with locking elements are used, then power transmission is improved, but special shoes are required and foot release becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the locking elements from the pedal system entirely, extracting the problematic click mechanism that required special shoes. The pedal body is designed with a simple contact surface that works with regular footwear, eliminating the need for specialized cycling shoes while maintaining power transmission through direct foot-to-pedal contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The pedal is designed to be universally compatible with all types of footwear by eliminating the locking mechanism. The contact surface geometry allows any shoe to be positioned correctly on the pedal, making the pedal suitable for both sports cycling and casual use with regular shoes.
2Power
If click pedals with locking elements are used, then power transmission is improved, but foot release becomes unsafe for inexperienced users
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism that caused safety issues is completely removed from the design. The pedal relies on friction and geometry alone to maintain foot position during pedaling, allowing users to easily release their foot by simply lifting it, eliminating the risk of being unable to release in dangerous situations.
3Ease of operation
If conventional pedals without guidance are used, then ease of operation is improved, but foot positioning becomes undefined causing joint stress
Solution Approach 1:
The contact surface of the pedal is designed with a specific curved geometry that naturally guides the foot into the correct position. The curvature of the contact surface matches the natural shape of the foot, providing lateral guidance and defining the optimal foot position without requiring complex mechanical guidance mechanisms, thereby reducing joint stress while maintaining ease of operation.
4Reliability
If the foot is placed far out on the pedal, then safety from crank collision is improved, but power transmission efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The curved contact surface provides lateral guidance that positions the foot optimally close to the crank axis. The geometry of the contact surface naturally prevents the foot from sliding too far outward, allowing users to benefit from improved power transmission without the risk of crank collision.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact surface geometry preemptively prevents the foot from moving into a harmful position by providing continuous lateral guidance. This preliminary anti-action stops the foot from sliding outward before it can cause either crank collision or power transmission loss, maintaining optimal foot position throughout the pedaling cycle.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enhances power transmission, reduces the risk of foot collision with the crank, and allows for ergonomic foot positioning, improving joint loading and safety by defining the foot's position relative to the pedal without the need for special shoes.
Implementation Method 1
The pedal axle carries a bearing element, which is usually two roller bearings
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A bicycle pedal has a pedal body (10). The pedal body (10) forms two opposing contact surfaces (12). The pedal body (10) is rotatably held by means of a pedal axle (18). A fixing element (20) surrounding the pedal axle (18) is provided to fix bearings arranged inside the pedal body (10). According to the invention, a guide element (22) for laterally guiding a foot resting on the contact surface (12) is arranged on the inside of the pedal body (10). In order to guide the foot as close as possible to a crank arm, while ensuring that the foot does not collide with the crank arm, the guide element is designed such that it at least partially covers the fixing element (20) in a top view.