Orthotic bicycle pedals
View Patent ↗An orthotic pedal apparatus for a bicycle has a pedal post having a central first axis and a male threaded portion for engaging female threads in a crank arm of a bicycle crank assembly, a pedal body having a linear bore arrangement with bearings mounting the body rotationally on the pedal post, and a mechanism for adjusting and securing position of the body at different positions along the direction of the axis of the pedal post, and a foot platform mounted rotationally above the pedal body to rotate on a second axis at a right angle to the axis of the pedal post, the foot platform supported on spring elements between the pedal body and the foot platform on both sides of the second rotational axis, the spring elements tending to return the foot platform to a position parallel to the pedal body.
1. An orthotic pedal apparatus for a bicycle, comprising:
a pedal post having a first axis, a male threaded portion at a first end, and a female-threaded bore at a second end, opposite the first end;
a pedal body having a linear bore with bearings mounting the pedal body rotationally and translationally on the pedal post, and a threaded bolt secured rotationally in the pedal body, with threads engaged in the female-threaded bore at the second end of the pedal post, such that turning the threaded bolt adjusts and secures the pedal body at different positions along a direction of the first axis of the pedal post;
a foot platform mounted rotationally above the pedal body to rotate on a second axis at a right angle to the first axis of the pedal post, the foot platform having spring elements between the pedal body and the foot platform on opposite sides of the second axis, the spring elements tending to return the foot platform to a position parallel to the pedal body;
threaded posts engaged in threaded holes in the pedal body on the opposite sides of the second axis, providing adjustable solid stops between the pedal body and the foot platform, limiting arc of rotation of the foot platform; and
a rotating float platform mounted centrally on a post on an upper surface of the foot platform, the rotating float platform enabled to rotate in a plane parallel with a plane of the upper surface of the pedal platform.
2. The orthotic pedal apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a layer of low-friction material between the float platform and the upper surface of the foot platform.
3. The orthotic pedal apparatus of claim 1 further comprising adjustable anchor points for the spring elements, enabling adjustment of pressure exerted by the spring elements between the pedal body and the foot platform.
4. The orthotic pedal apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spring elements are tension springs.
5. The orthotic pedal apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spring elements are compression springs.
6. The orthotic pedal apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spring elements constitute one or more layers of resilient, rubber-like material disposed between the pedal body and the foot platform.