GEAR CHANGING CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 20150307157A1
• Filed: 03/18/2015
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Original Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Inventors: GAO, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 9,896,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/45 Control or actuating devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 9/122 electrically or fluid actuated; Controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2306/40 Shifting activities
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/702 using electric or electrohydraulic control means

Abstract

A gear changing control apparatus is provided for controlling a plurality of operation modes of a drive unit of an electric transmission that assists a manual drive force of a bicycle. The control apparatus includes a controller. The controller selects a gear changing range that can be used according to a selected operation mode from a plurality of operation modes. The controller controls the electric transmission within the gear changing range that is selected.

Claims

1. A gear changing control apparatus for controlling a gear changing device of a bicycle according to a plurality of operation modes of an auxiliary power device that is provided to a bicycle and assists a manual drive force, the gear changing control apparatus comprising:

a gear changing controller configured to select a gear changing range to be used according to a selected operation modes that was selected from the plurality of operation modes, the gear changing controller being further configured to control the gear changing device within the gear changing range that was selected.

2. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein

the plurality of operation modes comprises a first operation mode and a second operation mode, and

the gear changing controller is further configured to vary at least one part of the gear changing range to be used in the first operation mode and the gear changing range to be used in the second operation mode.

3. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein

the gear changing controller is further configured to control the gear changing device so that a maximum gear ratio available during the second operation mode is larger than a maximum gear ratio available during the first operation mode.

4. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein

the gear changing controller is further configured to control the gear changing device so that a minimum gear ratio available during the second operation mode is larger than a minimum gear ratio available during the first operation mode.

5. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein

the first operation mode is an operation mode that assists the manual drive force with a first auxiliary force, and

the second operation mode is an operation mode that assists the manual drive force with a second auxiliary force that is larger than the first auxiliary force.

6. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein

the first operation mode is an operation mode that does not make the auxiliary power device generate an auxiliary force, and

the second operation mode is an operation mode that does make the auxiliary power device generate an auxiliary force.

7. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein

the gear changing range is defined by one of a gear ratio and a shift position.

8. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein

the gear changing controller is further configured to control the gear changing device according to a gear changing command.

9. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising

a traveling state detecting unit configured to detect a traveling state of the bicycle,

the gear changing controller being further configured to control the gear changing device according to a detection result of the traveling state detecting unit.

10. A gear changing control apparatus for controlling a gear changing device of a bicycle according to a plurality of operation modes of an auxiliary power device that is provided to a bicycle and assists a manual drive force, the gear changing control apparatus comprising:

a gear changing controller configured to control the gear changing device to one of a first gear changing state and a second gear changing state upon determining a speed of the bicycle becomes less than or equal to a prescribed value,

the gear changing controller being configured to control the gear changing device to the first gear changing state corresponding to a first operation mode of the plurality of operation modes when the auxiliary power device is in the first operation mode, and

the gear changing controller being configured to control the gear changing device to the second gear changing state that is different from the first gear changing state and corresponding to a second operation mode of the plurality of operation modes when the auxiliary power device is in the second operation mode.

11. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein

the prescribed value is 0.

12. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein

the gear ratio in the first gear changing state is smaller than the gear ratio in the second gear changing state.

13. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein

the first operation mode is an operation mode that assists the manual drive force with a first auxiliary force, and

the second operation mode is an operation mode that assists the manual drive force with a second auxiliary force that is larger than the first auxiliary force.

14. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein

the first operation mode is an operation mode that does not make the auxiliary power device generate an auxiliary force, and

the second operation mode is an operation mode that does make the auxiliary power device generate the auxiliary force.

15. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein

the gear changing controller controls the gear changing device to a preset first shift position when in the first operation mode, and the controller controls the gear changing device to a preset second shift position when in the second operation mode.

16. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 15, further comprising

an input unit operatively coupled to the gear changing controller and configured to adjust at least one of the preset first shift position and the preset second shift position.

17. A gear changing control apparatus for controlling a gear changing device of a bicycle according to a plurality of operation modes of an auxiliary power device that is provided to a bicycle and assists a manual drive force, the gear changing control apparatus comprising:

a gear changing controller configured to control the gear changing device such that

in a first operation mode of the plurality of operation modes, the gear changing device is controlled according to a first parameter relating to time and a traveling state of the bicycle, and

in a second operation mode of the plurality of operation modes, the gear changing device is controlled according to a second parameter relating to time and that is different from the first parameter, as well as the traveling state of the bicycle.

18. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein

the gear changing controller is further configured to shift the gear changing device when a prescribed condition is still being met even after a period of time expressed by the first parameter has elapsed from the time that the traveling state of the bicycle satisfied the prescribed condition when in the first operation mode, and

the gear changing controller is further configured to shift the gear changing device when a prescribed condition is still being met even after a period of time expressed by the second parameter has elapsed from the time that the traveling state of the bicycle satisfied the prescribed condition when in the second operation mode.

19. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein

the gear changing controller is further configured not to shift the gear changing device when a prescribed condition is not being met after a period of time expressed by the first parameter has elapsed from the time that the traveling state of the bicycle satisfied a prescribed condition when in the first operation mode, and

the gear changing controller is further configured not to shift the gear changing device when a prescribed condition is not being met after a period of time expressed by the second parameter has elapsed from the time that the traveling state of the bicycle satisfied the prescribed condition when in the second operation mode.

20. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein

the time expressed by the first parameter is shorter than the time expressed by the second parameter.

21. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein

the traveling state of the bicycle is selected from a group consisting of a speed of the bicycle, a cadence of a crank, the manual drive force, and an inclination of the bicycle in the traveling direction.

22. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein

the gear changing controller is further configured to control the gear changing device regarding shifting in a direction in which a gear ratio becomes smaller, according to the first parameter and the second parameter and the traveling state of the bicycle.

23. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein

the first operation mode is an operation mode that assists the manual drive force with a first auxiliary force, and

the second operation mode is an operation mode that assists the manual drive force with a second auxiliary force that is larger than the first auxiliary force.

24. The gear changing control apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein

the first operation mode is an operation mode that does not make the auxiliary power device generate an auxiliary force, and

the second operation mode is an operation mode that does make the auxiliary power device generate an auxiliary force.