[51] Int. CI.6 A43B 5/14
[52] U.S. CI 36/131; 74/594.4
[58] Field of Search 36/131; 74/594.4,
74/594.6
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,377,952 3/1983 Gamondes 74/594.6
4,506,463 3/1985 Chassaing 36/131
4,523,492 6/1985 Shimano 74/594.4
4,646,586 3/1987 Rapisarda 74/594.6
4,686,867 8/1987 Bernard et al 74/594.6
4,762,019 8/1988 Beyl 74/594.6
4,807,368 2/1989 Beyl 33/3 B
4,815,222 3/1989 Eisenbach et al 36/131
4,827,797 5/1989 Le Faou et al 74/594.6
4,838,115 6/1989 Nagano 74/594.4
4^840,085 6/1989 Nagano 74/594.4
4,882,946 11/1989 Beyl 74/594.6
4,928,549 5/1990 Nagano 74/594.6
5,003,841 4/1991 Nagano 74/594.4
5,060,537 10/1991 Nagano 74/594.6
5,115,692 5/1992 Nagano 74/594.4
5,125,173 6/1992 Nagano et al 36/131
5,131,291 7/1992 Beyl 74/594.6
5,195,397 3/1993 Nagano 74/594.4
5,282,325 2/1994 Beyl 36/27
5,379,665 1/1995 Nagano 74/594.4
5,417,128 5/1995 Beyl 74/594.6
5,419,218 5/1995 Romano 74/594.6
5,423,233 6/1995 Peyre et al 74/594.6
5,497,680 3/1996 Nagano 74/594.6
5,505,111 4/1996 Nagano 74/594.6
5,522,282 6/1996 Nagano 74/594.6
5,685,093 11/1997 Lin 36/131
5,724,752 3/1998 Lin .
5,727,429 3/1998 Ueda 74/594.6
5,822,889 10/1998 Ueda .
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
2405037 4/1979 France .
2442175 6/1980 France .
3135345 3/1983 Germany .
3831040 3/1989 Germany .
3153426 10/1992 Germany .
3157285 7/1991 lapan .
5111402 5/1993 lapan .
Primary Examiner—-Ted Kavanaugh
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Shinjyu Global IP Counselors, LLP
[57] ABSTRACT
A bicycle shoe has a sole that is designed for use with a clipless pedal. The bicycle shoe has an upper peripheral portion with a sole portion coupled thereto and an inner sole portion or cushion overlying the inner surface of the sole portion. The bicycle shoe can either be designed for use with a road bicycle or a mountain bicycle. In other words, the sole portion can be either a substantially hard, rigid member or a substantially flexible, resilient member. In either case, the sole is provided with one or more attachment apertures for attaching a low profile cleat thereto. In particular, the attachment aperture or apertures are longitudinally arranged such that the fasteners which couple the cleat to the shoe sole portion is located in front of and behind the pedal shaft. Preferably, the attachment aperture or apertures is spaced from a center line extending between the center points of the toe portion and the heel portion of the sole. In one embodiment, a pair of elongated slots which are axially aligned are used to attached a low profile cleat. In another embodiment, a single elongated slot is utilized to couple the low profile cleat to the bottom outer surface of the sole portion. The sole portion of the bicycle shoe can also be provided with one or more additional slots or holes for coupling other standard cleats which are known in the prior art.
7 Claims, 30 Drawing Sheets
