BICYCLE CRANK ARM ASSEMBLY

• US 20170176275A1
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MinebeaMitsumi Inc.
• Original Assignee: Minebea Company Limited (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.), Shimano Inc
• Inventors: ARAI, Toru, LI, Kui, WATANUKI, Tomoaki, TETSUKA, Toshio, MORI, Shintaro, YOSHIDA, Fumiaki
• Granted Patent: US 10,458,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/41 characterised by the type of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/42 characterised by mounting
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 1/36 with rotary cranks, e.g. with pedal cranks B62M1/34 takes precedence; combined with reciprocating levers B62M1/26; cranks which can be immobilised as foot rests B62M5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 3/16 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/2206 Special supports with preselected places to mount the resistance strain gauges; Mounting of supports
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/13 for measuring the tractive or propulsive power of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/162 of piezoresistors
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/1627 of strain gauges using piezoresistors G01L5/162
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/225 to foot actuated controls, e.g. brake pedals

Abstract

A bicycle crank arm assembly basically includes a bicycle crank arm and first to third detecting circuits. The first detecting circuit is configured to detect a force acting in a first direction. The second detecting circuit is configured to detect a force acting in a second direction. The third detecting circuit is configured to detect a moment. The first detecting circuit includes a first strain sensor that is mounted to an attachment surface. The second detecting circuit includes a second strain sensor that is mounted to the attachment surface. The third detecting circuit includes a third strain sensor that is mounted to the attachment surface.

Claims

1. A bicycle crank arm assembly comprising:

a bicycle crank arm including a pedal shaft joint part configured to be joined to a pedal shaft, the bicycle crank arm being configured to be rotatable about an axis of a crank spindle;

a first detecting circuit configured to detect a force acting in a first direction when a load is applied to the bicycle crank arm through the pedal shaft, the first direction being a direction of a tangent at the pedal shaft to an imaginary circle about the axis of the crank spindle;

a second detecting circuit configured to detect a force acting in a second direction when the load is applied to the bicycle crank arm through the pedal shaft, the second direction being a direction parallel to a radial direction of the imaginary circle about the axis of the crank spindle; and

a third detecting circuit configured to detect a moment acting about an axis intersecting with the crank spindle and the pedal shaft of the bicycle crank arm when the load is applied to the bicycle crank arm through the pedal shaft,

the bicycle crank arm including an attachment surface intersecting with the axis of the crank spindle,

the first detecting circuit including at least one first strain sensor mounted to the attachment surface,

the second detecting circuit including at least one second strain sensor mounted to the attachment surface, and

the third detecting circuit including at least one third strain sensor mounted to the attachment surface.

2. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one first strain sensor has a detecting direction tilting at a first angle relatively to the second direction in a view seen from a direction parallel to an axial direction of the crank spindle.

3. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 2, wherein

the first angle is set in accordance with a shape of the bicycle crank arm.

4. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 2, wherein

the first angle is in a range of 25 degrees or less.

5. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one second strain sensor has a detecting direction tilting at a second angle relatively to the second direction in a view seen from a direction parallel to an axial direction of the crank spindle.

6. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 5, wherein

the second angle is set in accordance with a shape of the bicycle crank arm.

7. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 5, wherein

the second angle is in a range of 25 degrees or less.

8. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one third strain sensor is set to have a detecting direction intersecting with the first and second directions in a view seen from a direction parallel to an axial direction of the crank spindle.

9. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one first strain sensor of the first detecting circuit includes a plurality of first strain sensors, and

at least one of the plurality of first strain sensors has a detecting direction tilting at a third angle relatively to the second direction in a view seen from a direction parallel to an axial direction of the crank spindle.

10. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 9, wherein

the third angle is set in accordance with a shape of the bicycle crank arm.

11. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 9, wherein

the third angle is in a range of 25 degrees or less.

12. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 9, wherein

the detecting direction of the at least one of the plurality of first strain sensors is arranged along the second direction in the view seen from the direction parallel to the axial direction of the crank spindle.

13. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one first strain sensor of the first detecting circuit includes four of the first strain sensors,

the attachment surface is divided into a first region and a second region by a plane, the plane including the axis of the crank spindle, the plane being parallel to the second direction,

two of the four of the first strain sensors are disposed in the first region, and

remaining two of the four of the first strain sensors are disposed in the second region.

14. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 13, wherein

the two of the first strain sensors disposed in the first region are separated at an interval in the second direction, and

the remaining two of the first strain sensors disposed in the second region are separated at an interval in the second direction.

15. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 13, wherein

the two of the first strain sensors disposed in the first region have detecting directions parallel to the second direction in a view seen from a direction parallel to an axial direction of the crank spindle, and

the remaining two of the first strain sensors disposed in the second region have detecting directions tilting at a fourth angle relatively to the second direction in the view seen from the direction parallel to the axial direction of the crank spindle.

16. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 15, wherein

the fourth angle is set in accordance with a shape of the bicycle crank arm.

17. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 15, wherein

the fourth angle is in a range of 25 degrees or less.

18. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the second detecting circuit includes at least one fourth strain sensor mounted to the attachment surface, and

the at least one fourth strain sensor has a detecting direction tilting at a fifth angle relatively to the first direction in a view seen from a direction parallel to an axial direction of the crank spindle.

19. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 18, wherein

the fifth angle is set in accordance with a shape of the bicycle crank arm.

20. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 18, wherein

the fifth angle is in a range of 25 degrees or less.

21. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 18, wherein

the at least one second strain sensor of the second detecting circuit includes two of the second strain sensors,

the at least one fourth strain sensor of the second detecting circuit includes two of the fourth strain sensors, and

at least one of the two of the fourth strain sensors has a detecting direction tilting at a sixth angle relatively to the first direction in the view seen from the direction parallel to the axial direction of the crank spindle.

22. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 21, wherein

the sixth angle is set in accordance with a shape of the bicycle crank arm.

23. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 21, wherein

the sixth angle is in a range of 25 degrees or less.

24. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 21, wherein

the attachment surface is divided into a first region and a second region by a plane, the plane including the axis of the crank spindle, the plane being parallel to the second direction,

one of the two of the second strain sensors and one of the two of the fourth strain sensors are disposed in the first region, and

the other of the two of the second strain sensors and the other of the two of the fourth strain sensors are disposed in the second region.

25. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 21, wherein

the two of the second strain sensors are disposed between the two of the fourth strain sensors in the first direction.

26. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 24, wherein

the two of the fourth strain sensors have different detecting directions.

27. The crank arm assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one third strain sensor of the third detecting circuit includes at least two of the third strain sensors, and

the at least two of the third strain sensors have different detecting directions.

28. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 27, wherein

the at least two of the third strain sensors of the third detecting circuit include four of the third strain sensors,

the attachment surface is divided into a first region and a second region by a plane, the plane including the axis of the crank spindle, the plane being parallel to the second direction,

two of the four of the third strain sensors are disposed in the first region, and

remaining two of the four of the third strain sensors are disposed in the second region.

29. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 28, wherein

the two of the third strain sensors disposed in the first region are separated at an interval in the second direction, and

the remaining two of the third strain sensors disposed in the second region are separated at an interval in the second direction.

30. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 27, wherein

at least one of the four of the third strain sensors has a detecting direction tilting at a seventh angle relatively to a direction tilting at an angle of 45 degrees relatively to the first direction in a view seen from a direction parallel to an axial direction of the crank spindle.

31. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 30, wherein

the seventh angle is set in accordance with a shape of the bicycle crank arm.

32. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 30, wherein

the seventh angle is in a range of 25 degrees or less.

33. The crank arm assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sheet member on which the first detecting circuit, the second detecting circuit and the third detecting circuit are mounted.

34. A bicycle crank arm assembly comprising:

a bicycle crank arm including a pedal shaft joint part configured to be joined to a pedal shaft, the bicycle crank arm being configured to be rotatable about an axis of a crank spindle; and

a first detecting circuit configured to detect a force acting in a first direction when a load is applied to the bicycle crank arm through the pedal shaft, the first direction being a direction of a tangent at the pedal shaft to an imaginary circle about the axis of the crank spindle,

the bicycle crank arm including an attachment surface intersecting with the axis of the crank spindle,

the first detecting circuit including a first strain sensor mounted to the attachment surface, and

the first strain sensor having a detecting direction tilting at an angle within a range of 25 degrees or less relatively to a second direction in a view seen from a direction parallel to an axial direction of the crank spindle, the second direction being arranged orthogonally to the first direction.

37. The bicycle crank arm assembly according to claim 34, wherein

the bicycle crank arm has an asymmetric shape with reference to a plane including the axis of the crank spindle and an axis of the pedal shaft.

35. A bicycle crank arm assembly comprising:

a bicycle crank arm including a pedal shaft joint part configured to be joined to a pedal shaft, the bicycle crank arm being configured to be rotatable about an axis of a crank spindle; and

a second detecting circuit configured to detect a force acting in a second direction when a load is applied to the bicycle crank arm through the pedal shaft, the second direction being parallel to a radial direction of an imaginary circle about the axis of the crank spindle,

the bicycle crank arm including an attachment surface intersecting with the axis of the crank spindle,

the second detecting circuit including a second strain sensor and a fourth strain sensor, both the second strain sensor and the fourth strain sensor being mounted to the attachment surface,

the second strain sensor having a detecting direction forming an angle within a range of 25 degrees or less together with the second direction in a view seen from a direction parallel to an axial direction of the crank spindle, and

the fourth strain sensor having a detecting direction tilting at an angle within a range of 25 degrees or less relatively to a first direction in the view seen from the direction parallel to the axial direction of the crank spindle, the first direction being arranged orthogonally to the second direction.

36. A bicycle crank arm assembly comprising:

a bicycle crank arm including a pedal shaft joint part configured to be joined to a pedal shaft, the bicycle crank arm being configured to be rotatable about an axis of a crank spindle; and

a third detecting circuit configured to detect a moment acting about an axis intersecting with the crank spindle and the pedal shaft of the bicycle crank arm when a load is applied to the bicycle crank arm through the pedal shaft,

the bicycle crank arm including an attachment surface intersecting with the axis of the crank spindle,

the third detecting circuit including a third strain sensor mounted to the attachment surface, and

the third strain sensor having a detecting direction tilting at an angle within a range of 25 degrees or less relatively to a third direction in a view seen from a direction parallel to an axial direction of the crank spindle, the third direction tilting at an angle of 45 degrees relatively to a first direction, the first direction being a direction of a tangent at the pedal shaft to an imaginary circle about the axis of the crank spindle.

38. A bicycle crank arm assembly comprising:

a bicycle crank arm including a pedal shaft joint part configured to be joined to a pedal shaft, the bicycle crank arm being configured to be rotatable about an axis of a crank spindle, and

a first detecting circuit configured to detect a force acting in a first direction when a load is applied to the bicycle crank arm through the pedal shaft, the first direction being a direction of a tangent at the pedal shaft to an imaginary circle about the axis of the crank spindle,

the bicycle crank arm includes an attachment surface on at least one of end surfaces thereof respectively located upstream and downstream in a rotational direction about the axis of the crank spindle,

the first detecting circuit includes a first strain sensor mounted to the attachment surface, and

the first strain sensor having a detecting direction tilting at an angle within a range of 25 degrees or less relatively to a plane arranged perpendicular to the axis of the crank spindle and an axis of the pedal shaft in a view seen from a direction perpendicular to a plane including the axis of the crank spindle and the axis of the pedal shaft.