Electromechanical shifting systems and methods

• US 10,093,391 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SRAM LLC (SRAM International Corp.)
• Original Assignee: SRAM LLC (SRAM International Corp.)
• Inventors: Jordan, Brian, Squires, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M
• Application Number:
  US15/265,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20170001688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/13 on rider-propelled cycles with additional electric propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/30 for providing power to equipment other than for propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/20 Cycle computers as cycle accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 23/02 hand actuated arrangements of controls on handle-bars of engine-driven cycles B62K11/14
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 25/08 with electrical or fluid transmitting systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 9/122 electrically or fluid actuated; Controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 9/132 electrically or fluid actuated; Controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/044 consisting of electrical switches or sensors range selectors with electric switches or sensors F16H59/105
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2003 Electrical actuator

Abstract

The invention provides a wireless control system for a bicycle, including at least one actuator having at least a pressed state and a released state, and a control unit configured to generate a first control signal responsive to the pressed state and a second control signal responsive to the released state, and to transmit the first control signal and the second control signal to at least one bicycle component.

Claims

1. A wireless control system for a bicycle, comprising:

at least one actuator having at least a pressed state and a released state; and

a control unit configured to;

generate a first control signal responsive to the pressed state and a second control signal responsive to the released state, and

transmit the first control signal and the second control signal to at least one bicycle component.

2. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one bicycle component comprises a second control unit configured to receive control signals.

3. The wireless control system of claim 2, wherein the control unit comprises a radio configured to transmit control signals, and the second control unit comprises a radio configured to receive control signals.

4. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one bicycle component is at least one electromechanical gear changer, comprising a gear changer control unit, the gear changer control unit configured to receive control signals from the control unit and to control the at least one electromechanical gear changer based at least in part on the received control signals.

5. The wireless control system of claim 4, wherein the at least one electromechanical gear changer is further configured to change a gear responsive to receiving the first control signal followed by the second control signal.

6. The wireless control system of claim 4, wherein the at least one electromechanical gear changer is further configured to change a gear responsive to receiving the second control signal.

7. The wireless control system of claim 4, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a first actuator and a second actuator, and the control unit is further configured to transmit:

first control signals having a first device type responsive to the pressed state of the first actuator,

second control signals having a first device type responsive to the released state of the first actuator,

first control signals having a second device type responsive to the pressed state of the second actuator, and

second control signals having a second device type responsive to the released state of the second actuator;

wherein the first device type and the second device type are different device types, and the gear changer control unit of the at least one electromechanical gear changer is further configured to control the at least one electromechanical gear changer based at least in part on the device type of the received control signals.

8. The wireless control system of claim 7, wherein the at least one electromechanical gear changer further comprises a first electromechanical gear changer configured to shift a first set of gears, and a second electromechanical gear changer configured to shift a second set of gears.

9. The wireless control system of claim 8, wherein the first electromechanical gear changer is further configured to shift the first set of gears in a first direction responsive to receiving the first control signal having the first device type followed by the second control signal having the first device type.

10. The wireless control system of claim 9, wherein the first electromechanical gear changer is further configured to shift the first set of gears in a second direction responsive to receiving the first control signal having the second device type followed by the second control signal having the second device type.

11. The wireless control system of claim 8, wherein the first electromechanical gear changer is further configured to not shift the first set of gears responsive to receiving at least two first control signals having different device types before receiving the second control signal.

12. The wireless control system of claim 8, wherein the second electromechanical gear changer is further configured to shift the second set of gears responsive to receiving at least two first control signals having different device types before receiving the second control signal.

13. The wireless control system of claim 12, wherein the second electromechanical gear changer has a first shift position and a second shift position and is further configured to shift the second set of gears by alternating between the first shift position and the second shift position.

14. The wireless control system of claim 12, wherein the first electromechanical gear changer has a first plurality of shift positions and the second electromechanical gear changer has a second plurality of shift positions, and wherein the second electromechanical gear changer is further configured to shift the second set of gears between the second plurality of shift positions responsive to control signals and based at least in part on the shift position of the first plurality of shift positions.

15. The wireless control system of claim 3, wherein the control unit is further configured to transmit a plurality of first control signals responsive to the pressed state for the duration of the pressed state.

16. The wireless control system of claim 15, wherein the control unit is further configured to transmit a plurality of second control signals responsive to the released state over a time period.

17. The wireless control system of claim 16, wherein the control unit is further configured to stop transmission of the plurality of second control signals at the end of the time period.

18. A wireless control system for a bicycle, comprising:

at least one actuator generating an input signal when actuated and generating a second input signal when released;

a master control unit transmitting a first control signal responsive to the input signal and second control signal responsive to the second input signal; and

at least one electromechanical gear changer including a gear changer control unit, the gear changer control unit configured to receive control signals from the master control unit and control the at least one electromechanical gear changer based at least in part on the received first control signals and on the received second control signals.

19. A control unit for a bicycle, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the control unit to perform at least the following;

generate a first control signal responsive to a pressed state of an actuator,

generate a second control signal responsive to a released state of the actuator, and

transmit the first control signal and the second control signal to a component of the bicycle.