Bicycle Pedal With Removable Plates for Pin Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing platform pedals face challenges with traction pin replacement due to worn-out or broken pins, as well as uneven wear and high manufacturing costs, as they are typically made from a single material and design that limits accessibility and requires expensive CNC machining.
Innovation Solution
A platform pedal design featuring removable and replaceable plates made from a different material than the pedal body, allowing easier access to traction pins for installation and removal, and enabling cost-effective manufacturing through stamping instead of machining.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traction pins are installed from the backside of the platform, then the heads of the pins do not wear and remain accessible for removal, but the location of the pins is limited and the platform design is constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The pedal platform is divided into two separate components: a body and removable plates. This segmentation allows the plates to be taken off for accessing pin heads from the front, and replaced if worn, while the body maintains structural integrity. The segmentation resolves the contradiction by providing both protection (when plates are attached) and accessibility (when plates are removed).
Solution Approach 2:
The removable plates introduce dynamic functionality to the pedal design. The plates can be attached to protect the platform surface and provide mounting locations, and removed when pin installation or removal is needed. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt between protected operational state and accessible maintenance state, resolving the location flexibility constraint.
2Device complexity
If the pedal body is made as a single component, then the structure is simple, but the wear is uneven and the entire body must be replaced if damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The pedal is segmented into a permanent body and removable plates. The body contains the structural elements and bearing interfaces, while the plates are sacrificial components that absorb wear. If the plates wear out or get damaged, only the plates need replacement, not the entire pedal body. This segmentation directly addresses the repair ease issue while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable plates function as disposable or easily replaceable components. They are designed to be less expensive than the main pedal body and can be replaced when worn. This approach allows the expensive body to be preserved while sacrificing the cheaper plates, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and repairability.
3Reliability
If the pedal body is made from a very strong material, then the pedal is durable, but most of the pedal is over-built and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the pedal are made with different material qualities appropriate to their function. The body uses strong, durable material where structural integrity is critical (bearing interfaces, mounting points). The removable plates use less expensive material since they are sacrificial components that absorb wear. This local differentiation of material quality resolves the contradiction by avoiding over-engineering in low-stress areas while maintaining durability where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The pedal uses a composite construction combining different materials: a strong metal body (aluminum or steel) and removable plates that can be made from less expensive materials. This composite approach allows optimization of each component's material properties according to its specific functional requirements, reducing overall manufacturing cost while maintaining necessary durability.
4Reliability
If the pedal body is extruded and CNC machined, then the pedal can be anodized for durability and aesthetics, but the manufacturing cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The segmentation into body and removable plates allows different manufacturing processes for each component. The body can be extruded and anodized for durability and aesthetics. The plates can be manufactured using less expensive processes like stamping or injection molding, then attached to the body. This resolves the contradiction by applying the expensive anodizing process only where it provides the most value.
Solution Approach 2:
The anodized finish is applied locally to the body portions that require maximum durability and aesthetic appearance (visible surfaces, bearing contact areas). The removable plates, which are sacrificial and less visible, can use simpler, less expensive finishes. This local application of quality finishes resolves the contradiction between surface durability and manufacturing cost.
Data Source
AI summary
A pedal with a body has two opposing plates on different sides of the pedal that can be easily removed or displaced by sliding to access the inner surfaces of the pedal and the backside of traction pins. In this way, traction pins can be replaced even after the pins have been worn out or broken.