Pedal Plate

A plastic plate which allows you to use the pedals of your road bike with normal shoes. Inventor Marc van der Heide knocked on EP&C's door with this useful product in 2016. Since then, his Pedal Plate has been patented both at home and abroad.

It started with a patent search, which showed that the Pedal Plate was novel and inventive enough for a patent, but also that similar products already existed. That is why its distinguishing details were formulated as carefully as possible in a Dutch patent application and then a PCT application. During the granting procedure of that application, copycats (unfortunately) started to appear in popular online shops.

Shared knowledge

This is why, for a subsequent patent, we decided to avoid the PCT route and opt for a direct patent application in Europe. After consultation with the client, this became a way around the copycats. Van der Heide: "Before contacting EP&C, I spoke to a number of one-man bands, but they all thought in terms of problems. They also did not have the power to exchange knowledge with fellow patent attorneys. During the meeting with Walter Hart and Matthijs van der Linden, they focussed on the opportunities. I liked that."

The copycats can now be driven away successfully, the product is well protected and there are already several cycling enthusiasts (including at EP&C) that use the Pedal Plate.