Data display unit for a bicycle

• US 4,642,606 A
• Filed: 01/18/1985
• Issued: 02/10/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cat Eye Co Limited (Cat Eye)
• Original Assignee: Tsuyama Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Tsuyama, Sadaharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Strecker, Gerard R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Solis, Jose M.
• Application Number:
  US06/692,930
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 340/793, 340/134, 340/756, 324/160, 324/161, 324/166, 324/173, 324/174, 324/115, 324/99 D, 324/99 R
• US Class Current: 340/432
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/002 for cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/08 Arrangements of scales, pointers, lamps or acoustic indicators, e.g. in automobile speedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/103 by comparing the value of the measured signal with one or several reference values in general G01R17/00

Abstract

A running data display unit (1) for a bicycle calculates running data such as running speed, running distance, average speed, maximum speed etc. of a bicycle, based on pulse signals from a revolution detecting portion (3). This calculation is performed by a microcomputer incorporated in the display unit. The running data obtained by the calculation are displayed in a digital form on a liquid crystal display panel (15). The panel (15) gives display of a speed unit km/h or mile/h selectively. This display of km/h (or mile/h) emits a winking light when the microcomputer measures determined running data such as the running distance, the average speed etc. and emits uninterrupted light when measuring of such running data is stopped. As a result, the rider of the bicycle can immediately ascertain whether measuring operation is being made or not.

Claims

1. A running data display unit for a bicycle, comprising:

wheel revolution detecting means located in association with a wheel of a bicycle in a manner in which no load is applied to said wheel, said wheel revolution detecting means providing pulse signal according to the number of revolutions of said wheel;

running data calculating means coupled to said revolution detecting means, by which running data including the running speed, the running distance, the average speed, and the maximum speed of a bicycle are calculated based on said pulse signal provided from said revolution detecting means;

running data calculation start and stop selecting means coupled to said running data calculating means for starting or stopping the calculation of running data by said running data calculating means;

liquid crystal display means coupled to said running data calculating means for selectively displaying the running data calculated by said running data calculating means, a speed unit in association with said running data being displayed in said display means;

speed unit display winking means coupled to said liquid crystal display means and said start and stop selecting means, by which winking of light in said speed unit display is started in response to the start of measurement selected by said start and stop selecting means and said winking of light in said speed unit display is stopped in response to the stop of measurement selected by said start and stop selecting means; and

power supply means for applying energy to said running data supply unit.

2. A running data display unit for a bicycle as set forth in claim 1, where said determined data selected by said running data calculation start and stop selecting means is running data other than the running speed.

3. A running data display unit for a bicycle as set forth in claim 2, wherein "km/h" or "mile/h" can be selected as said speed unit displayed by said liquid crystal display means.

4. A running data display unit for a bicycle as set forth in claim 3, wherein said liquid crystal display means comprises at least two data display areas,

said running speed being displayed at all times in one of said data display areas, and

any data out of the running data other than said running speed being selectively displayed in the other data display area.

5. A running data display unit for a bicycle as set forth in claim 4, wherein said at least two data display areas are provided horizontally in parallel.

6. A running data display unit for a bicycle as set forth in claim 4, wherein said running data displayed in said data display areas are numeric data, and

said numeric data are displayed respectively in a digital form in said data display areas.

7. A running data display unit for a bicycle as set forth in claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal display means further includes a pulse mark, and

said running data calculating means causes winking of light in said pulse mark upon receipt of said pulse signal.

8. A running data display unit for a bicycle as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said power supply means comprises:

a constant voltage storage battery which can be charged, and

charging means coupled to said storage battery, by which energy is generated by photoelectric conversion and is applied to said storage battery.

9. A running data display unit for a bicycle as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said display unit further comprising:

pedal revolution detecting means detachable from said running data calculating means, said pedal revolution detecting means being located in association with a pedal of said bicycle in a manner in which not load is applied to said pedal,

said running data calculating means calculating a cadence as the number of revolutions per minute of said pedal based on the output of said pedal revolution detecting means.

10. A running data display unit for a bicycle as set forth in claim 9, wherein said wheel revolution detecting means and said pedal revolution detecting means are magnet sensors.