Process and device for measuring and adjusting the angular movement of a fastening cleat on a clipless pedal

• US 7,571,544 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Look Cycle International
• Original Assignee: Look Cycle International
• Inventors: Richard, Simon, Drouet, Jean-Marc, Champoux, Yvan
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US11/667,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20080040937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 33/1.N, 33/3.R, 33/6, 335/33, 335/34, 335/38, 336/13, 336/45, 738/653, 738/658
• US Class Current: 33/1.00N
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 3/086 Attachments between shoe and pedal other than toe clips, e.g. cleats shoes for cyclists A43B5/14

Abstract

A method and device for measuring and adjusting the angular movement of a fastening cleat on a clipless pedal, includes a motion detector which is fixed to the pedal to detect any angular movement in relation to the fastening cleat and transmit data to a data-processing device which calculates values of the angular movement as a function of time, and the average of the variations in the angular movement. The contactless motion detector includes a magnetic sensor which is fixed to the pedal, and is disposed facing a magnet that is fixed beneath the cleat and can detect any variation in the orientation of the magnetic field as a function of the angular movement of the cleat. The angular position of the fastening cleat is adjusted such that the average variation in the value of the free angular movement is returned to the median of the free angular movement range.

Claims

1. A process for measuring and adjusting an angular position of a fastening cleat (1) of a shoe of a cyclist (2) on a clipless pedal (3), comprising the steps of:

a) fixing said fastening cleat (1) in an approximate angular position under said shoe of the cyclist (2) and fastening said fastening cleat to said clipless pedal (3);

b) providing free angular movement of said fastening cleat (1) around an essentially vertical pivoting axis (A-A) during pedaling;

c) determining a range (α

) of said free angular movement;

d) measuring variations of a value of said free angular movement over time during pedaling;

e) calculating an average of the variations of the value of said free angular movement; and

f) adjusting said angular position of said fastening cleat (1) so that said average of the variations of the value of said free angular movement is brought to a median of said range (α

) of said free angular movement.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein for implementing the adjusting step f), a correction value is obtained by subtracting said median from said average of the variations of the value of said free angular movement.

3. The process according to claim 2, wherein for implementing the adjusting step f), a first reference point (25) is placed under the shoe (2) immediately behind said cleat (1) and centered on said cleat (1), and a second reference point (26) is placed centered on a heel of the shoe so as to allow the adjustment of said angular position of said fastening cleat (1) using a protractor (1) suited to said fastening cleat.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein for implementing the adjusting step f), a first reference point (25) is placed under the shoe (2) immediately behind said cleat (1) and centered on said cleat (1), and a second reference point (26) is placed centered on a heel of the shoe so as to allow the adjustment of said angular position of said fastening cleat (1) using a protractor (1) suited to said fastening cleat.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the variations of the value of said free angular movement over time during pedaling are recorded in an onboard recording means.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the variations of the value of said free angular movement over time during pedaling are transmitted wirelessly to a processing device (9).

7. A device for measuring an angular position of a fastening cleat of a shoe of a cyclist (2) on a clipless pedal (3), the measurement device comprising:

a motion detector (7) configured to be attached to the pedal (3), configured to continuously detect any angular movement of said fastening cleat (1) around a pivoting axis (A-A) on the pedal, and further configured to transmit data corresponding to a detected angular movement to a data processing device (9),

the data processing device (9) configured to calculate i) values of said angular movement as a function of time, and ii) an average of variations of said angular movement over time.

8. The measurement device according to claim 7, wherein said detector (7) is a proximity motion detector.

9. The measurement device according to claim 8, wherein said detector comprises a magnetic sensor (7) attached to the pedal (3), arranged with respect to one or more magnets (6) fixed under said cleat (1), configured to detect any variation of an orientation of a magnetic field as a function of the angular movement of said cleat (1).

10. The measurement device according to claim 9, wherein several of the one or more magnets (6) are positioned symmetrically relative to the pivoting axis (A-A) of the cleat (1).

11. The measurement device according to claim 7, wherein said processing device (9) comprises an onboard electronic module (8) configured to carry out a preliminary processing of the data, said electronic module (8) being powered by an onboard power source.

12. The measurement device according to claim 11, wherein said electronic module (8) comprises a data storage memory.

13. The measurement device according to claim 11, wherein said electronic module (8) is configured to wirelessly transmit the processed data to a measurement data processing and display device (9).

14. The measurement device according to claim 7, wherein said measurement device is linked to an adjusting device (17) configured to be connected to the cleat (1) so as to indicate an initial angular position of the cleat fixed under the shoe (2) and allow exact correction of this position.

15. The measurement device according to claim 14, wherein said adjustment device comprises a protractor (17) with an intersection point of convergent lines representing degrees corresponding to the pivoting axis (A-A) of the cleat (1).

16. The measurement device according to claim 15, wherein said protractor (17) uses a first and a second reference point (25, 26) plotted under the shoe (2), allowing identification of the initial angular position of the cleat (1), the first reference point (25) being placed near the cleat (1) and centered directly behind the cleat (1), and the second (26) reference point (25) on the heel of the shoe (2) and centered on the shoe.

17. The measurement device according to claim 15, wherein said protractor (17) comprises a front end and a recess (18) on the front end with a shape adapted to a back part of the cleat, and

wherein said protractor (17) is connected to the cleat (1) using an elastic band, a median part of the elastic band being connected to a rigid element (20) comprising a groove (21) constituting a housing for a front end of the cleat (1).

18. The measurement device according to claim 16, wherein said protractor (17) comprises a front end and a recess (18) on the front end with a shape adapted to a back part of the cleat, and

wherein said protractor (17) is connected to the cleat (1) using an elastic band, a median part of the elastic band being connected to a rigid element (20) comprising a groove (21) constituting a housing for a front end of the cleat (1).