Patents by Inventor Eric A. Sampson

Eric A. Sampson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5142938
    Abstract: Torsional stress of a cyclist's leg is minimized by providing spaced limit surfaces on opposing parts of a cycle pedal and a shoe cleat that are designed for step-in, twist-out engagement. Floating adjusters, in the form of threaded rods, are rotated to select the effective width of spaces between the spaced limit surfaces. The full width of the space allows full floating rotation of the cleat relative to the pedal, whereas adjustment of the rods selects smaller floating rotating of the cleat relative to the pedal. The spaced limit surfaces and the rods are provided in LOOK and SAMPSON types of step-in, twist-out pedals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Sampson Sports, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric A. Sampson
  • Patent number: 5027675
    Abstract: A bicycle pedal is mounted on a spindle secured to a crank arm. A pedal platform has a stepped upper surface. A cycling shoe is provided with a cleat section extending under the ball area of the cyclist's foot. The cleat section is provided with a stepped surface that is complementary with the stepped surface of the pedal. These complementary stepped surfaces include risers and steps that interlock or matingly engage when the shoe is pressed downwardly onto the pedal. When the risers of the shoe and the pedal matingly engage, they permit rearward and downward thrust of the shoe against the pedal to rotate the crank arm in the customary direction for driving a chain of the bicycle. Apertures provided in the pedal between the risers permit debris from the stepped surface of the shoe to fall through the pedal and not interfere with the mating engagement of the pedal with the shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Inventors: William L. McCune, Eric A. Sampson
  • Patent number: 4898048
    Abstract: A pedal system equipped with braking apparatus which inhibits rotation of a pedal body about an axle when the pedal body is not engaged with the shoe of a cyclist. The brake system is released to permit normal pedal rotation when the shoe of a cyclist engages with the pedal body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Sampson Sports, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric A. Sampson
  • Patent number: 4898063
    Abstract: A bicycle pedal system which attaches a cyclist's shoe to a bicycle pedal. The system consists of a cleat attached to the cyclist's shoe under the ball area of the foot. The cleat has two downward projections. These projections feature arcuate tracts for matingly engaging the cleat to a pedal body. The pedal body is shaped to matingly engage the cleat and contains a tensioned mechanism centered in the back of the pedal body. If a rotating force on the cleat exceeds a predetermined level, a release of the shoe cleat from the pedal body occurs. If such rotating forces do not exceed said predetermined level, the shock or movement will be absorbed and the shoe cleat is returned to the optimum position in the center of the pedal body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Sampson Sports, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric A. Sampson
  • Patent number: 4819504
    Abstract: A pedal system equipped with braking apparatus which inhibits rotation of a pedal body about an axle when the pedal body is not engaged with the shoe of a cyclist. The brake system is released to permit normal pedal rotation when the shoe of a cyclist engages with the pedal body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: Sampson Sports, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric A. Sampson
  • Patent number: 4815333
    Abstract: A bicycle pedal system which attaches a cyclist's shoe to a bicycle pedal. The system consists of a cleat attached to the cyclist's shoe under the ball area of the foot. The cleat has two downward projections. These projections feature arcuate tracts for matingly engaging the cleat to a pedal body. The pedal body is shaped to matingly engage the cleat and contains a tensioned mechanism centered in the back of the pedal body. If a rotating force on the cleat exceeds a predetermiend level, a release of the shoe cleat from the pedal body occurs. If such rotating forces do not exceed said predetermined level, the shock or movement will be absorbed and the shoe cleat is returned to the optimum position in the center of the pedal body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: Sampson Sports, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric A. Sampson
  • Patent number: 4316618
    Abstract: A symmetrical non-exposed ski binding operative to engage the ball and tibial axis areas of a ski boot to a ski. The ski binding includes two downwardly protruding spheres operatively connected to the sole of a ski boot in the ball and tibial axis areas thereof for matingly engaging symmetrical arcuate tracts formed in the ski. Each arcuate tract is biased and is capable of releasing each sphere in any direction in the plane of and above the surface of the ski when predetermined release forces are exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1982
    Inventor: Eric A. Sampson