Bicycle pedal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10000249-B2
Application number	US-201414466114-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2014
Priority date	Aug 22, 2014
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

A bicycle pedal is provided with a pedal spindle, a pedal body, a first shear force sensor, a second shear force sensor, a first bending force sensor and a second bending force sensor. The pedal spindle includes a crank arm mounting part. The pedal body is rotatably mounted on the pedal spindle about a center spindle axis. The first and second shear force sensors are arranged relative to the pedal spindle to detect first and second shear components of a pedaling force with respect to the center spindle axis. The first bending force sensor is arranged relative to the pedal spindle to detect a first bending component of the pedaling force with respect to the center spindle axis. The second bending force sensor is arranged relative to the pedal spindle to detect a second bending component of the pedaling force with respect to the center spindle axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle pedal comprising:
a pedal spindle including a crank arm mounting part;
a pedal body rotatably mounted on the pedal spindle about a center spindle axis;
a first shear force sensor disposed on the pedal spindle to detect a first shear component of a pedaling force with respect to the center spindle axis;
a second shear force sensor disposed on the pedal spindle to detect a second shear component of the pedaling force with respect to the center spindle axis, each of the first and second shear force sensors including a strain gauge having a longitudinal axis that is not parallel to the center spindle axis, the longitudinal axes of the strain gauges of the first and second shear force sensors extending in a direction parallel to a measurement direction of a grid of the strain gauges of the first and second shear force sensors, respectively;
a first bending force sensor disposed on the pedal spindle to detect a first bending component of the pedaling force with respect to the center spindle axis; and
a second bending force sensor disposed on the pedal spindle to detect a second bending component of the pedaling force with respect to the center spindle axis, each of the first and second bending force sensors including a strain gauge having a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the center spindle axis, the longitudinal axes of the first and second bending force sensors extending in a direction parallel to a measurement direction of a grid of the strain gauges of the first and second bending force sensors, respectively,
the pedal spindle further including a first bore extending axially at least through the crank arm mounting part, and at least one second bore extending from an outer peripheral surface of the pedal spindle to the first bore, and
each of the first and second shear force sensors and the first and second bending force sensors having a communication line that extends through the at least one second bore and the first bore.

2. The bicycle pedal according to claim 1 , wherein
the first and second shear force sensors are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the pedal spindle.

3. The bicycle pedal according to claim 1 , wherein
the first and second bending force sensors are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the pedal spindle.

4. The bicycle pedal according to claim 3 , wherein
the first and second shear force sensors are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the pedal spindle.

5. The bicycle pedal according to claim 4 , wherein
the first shear force sensor is circumferentially spaced from the second shear force sensor about the outer peripheral surface with respect to the center spindle axis, and
the first bending force sensor is circumferentially spaced from the second bending force sensor about the outer peripheral surface with respect to the center spindle axis.

6. The bicycle pedal according to claim 5 , wherein
the pedal spindle further includes a pedal body support part and a sensor support part, the pedal body support part rotatably supporting the pedal body, the sensor support part supporting the first and second shear force sensors and the first and second bending force sensors, and the sensor support part being axially disposed between the crank arm mounting part and the pedal body support part.

7. The bicycle pedal according to claim 5 , wherein
the first and second shear force sensors are selected from a first group consisting of resistance strain gauges and semiconductor strain gauges, and
the first and second bending force sensors are selected from a second group consisting resistance strain gauges and semiconductor strain gauges.

8. The bicycle pedal according to claim 5 , wherein
the first and second shear force sensors are disposed ninety degrees apart with respect to the center spindle axis, and
the first and second bending force sensors are disposed ninety degrees apart with respect to the center spindle axis.

9. The bicycle pedal according to claim 5 , further comprising
a third shear force sensor arranged relative to the pedal spindle to detect a third shear component of the pedaling force with respect to the center spindle axis;
a fourth shear force sensor arranged relative to the pedal spindle to detect a fourth shear component of the pedaling force with respect to the center spindle axis;
a third bending force sensor arranged relative to the pedal spindle to detect a third bending component of the pedaling force with respect to the center spindle axis; and
a fourth bending force sensor arranged relative to the pedal spindle to detect a fourth bending component of the pedaling force with respect to the center spindle axis.

10. The bicycle pedal according to claim 9 , wherein
the first, second, third and fourth shear force sensors are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the pedal spindle, and
the first, second, third and fourth bending force sensors are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the pedal spindle.

11. The bicycle pedal according to claim 10 , wherein
the first, second, third and fourth shear force sensors are circumferentially spaced from each other about the outer peripheral surface with respect to the center spindle axis, and
the first, second, third and fourth shear bending force sensors are circumferentially spaced from each other about the outer peripheral surface with respect to the center spindle axis.

12. The bicycle pedal according to claim 11 , wherein
the first, second, third and fourth shear force sensors are selected from a first group consisting of resistance strain gauges and semiconductor strain gauges, and
the first, second, third and fourth bending force sensors are selected from a second group consisting resistance strain gauges and semiconductor strain gauges.

13. The bicycle pedal according to claim 10 , wherein
the first, second, third and fourth shear force sensors are disposed ninety degrees apart with respect to the center spindle axis, and
the first, second, third and fourth bending force sensors are disposed ninety degrees apart with respect to the center spindle axis.

14. The bicycle pedal according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one second bore includes a plurality of second bores.

15. The bicycle pedal according to claim 1 , wherein
the first shear force sensor is disposed opposite to the first bending force sensor with respect to the center spindle axis, and
the second shear force sensor is disposed opposite to the second bending force sensor with respect to the center spindle axis.

16. The bicycle pedal according to claim 1 , wherein
the first shear force sensor is angularly aligned with the first bending force sensor with respect to the center spindle axis, and
the second shear force sensor is angularly aligned with the second bending force sensor with respect to the center spindle axis.

17. The bicycle pedal according to claim 1 , further comprising
an inclination sensor attached to one of the pedal body and the pedal spindle.

18. A bicycle pedaling state apparatus including the bicycle pedal according to claim 1 , further comprising
a controller configured to be detachably fixed to the crank arm and in communication with the first and second shear force sensors and the first and second bending force sensors.

19. The bicycle pedaling state apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein
the controller is programmed to calculate a pedaling power during a pedal cycle based on data received from the first and second shear force sensors and the f

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Sasaki Bungo

Classifications

• G01L5/225

  to foot actuated controls, e.g. brake pedals · CPC title

• B62M3/00

  Construction of cranks operated by hand or foot · CPC title

• B62M3/08

  Pedals · CPC title

• G01L5/13

  for measuring the tractive or propulsive power of vehicles · CPC title

• B62M1/36

  with rotary cranks, e.g. with pedal cranks (B62M1/34 takes precedence; combined with reciprocating levers B62M1/26; cranks which can be immobilised as foot rests B62M5/00) · CPC title