Bicycle with power assisting function

• US 6,320,336 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Eguchi, Yasuhito
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, David S.
• Application Number:
  US09/408,949
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 318/432-434, 318/139, 318/9-15, 318/446-7, 318/461, 318/489, 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65-6, 180/65.8, 180/205-207, 180/220
• US Class Current: 318/139
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/20 using propulsion power generated by humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/12 for vehicles propelled by dc motors
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/45 Control or actuating devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/55 power-driven at crank shafts parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A bicycle with a power assisting function has an electric motor for adding part of propulsive forces to manual forces to assist in the manual forces, a battery for supplying electric energy to the electric motor, a treading force detecting circuit for detecting manual forces applied as propulsive forces, and a control circuit for controlling operation of the electric motor depending on the magnitude of detected manual forces. The electric motor is operable as an electric generator with extra manual forces for utilizing part of regenerated electric energy to charge the battery.

Claims

1. A bicycle with a power assisting function, comprising:

an electric motor for adding part of propulsive forces to manual forces to assist in the manual forces;

power supply means including a battery for supplying electric energy to said electric motor;

regenerating means for regenerating electric energy to charge said power supply means with part of energy from extra manual forces;

control means for controlling operation of said electric motor, wherein said control means further comprises means for controlling operation of said regeneration means;

running state detecting means for detecting a running state, wherein said running state detecting means further comprises a gradient detecting means for detecting a gradient of a running path for the bicycle; and

a speed detecting means for detecting a present speed of the bicycle;

display/indication means for displaying/indicating a running state and/or a running target depending on the running state detected by said running state

detecting means, wherein said display/indication means further comprises means for displaying/indicating a target speed and a present running speed detected by said speed detecting means and/or a quantity depending on an excess or insufficiency of the difference between said target speed and said present running speed depending on the gradient detected by said gradient detecting means.

2. A bicycle according to claim 1, wherein said display/indication means comprises means for displaying/indicating, as said target speed, a running speed to maximize a charging current supplied to said power supply means if the gradient detected by said gradient detecting means is a downhill gradient, and a speed, determined in view of a practical running speed, to minimize a consumed current of said power supply means if the gradient detected by said gradient detecting means is an uphill gradient.

3. A bicycle according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises means for controlling operation of said regenerating means if the gradient detected by said gradient detecting means is a downhill gradient and controlling running of the bicycle at an optimum running speed depending on the detected downhill gradient.

4. A bicycle with a power assisting function, comprising:

an electric motor for adding part of propulsive forces to manual forces to assist in the manual forces;

power supply means including a battery for supplying electric energy to said electric motor;

regenerating means for regenerating electric energy to charge said power supply means with part of energy from extra manual forces;

control means for controlling operation of said electric motor, wherein said control means further comprises means for controlling operation of said regeneration means to regenerate electric energy when a running speed of the bicycle is higher than a predetermined level while the bicycle is running on flat terrain;

running state detecting means for detecting a running state, and display/indication means for displaying/indicating a running state and/or a running target depending on the running state detected by said running state detecting means.

5. A bicycle according to claim 4, wherein said regenerating means comprises means for utilizing part of the electric energy to charge said power supply means when a brake lever is operated.

6. A bicycle according to claim 4, wherein said electric motor comprises a direct-drive electric motor having a rotatable shaft and a stator which are directly coupled to a front wheel, and an outer rotor rotatable in unison with the front wheel, said direct-drive electric motor serving as said regenerating means.

7. A bicycle according to claim 4, wherein said running target comprises propulsive forces to be generated manually, said display/indication means comprising means for displaying/indicating any difference between said running target and a present running state for the rider of the bicycle to determine the difference exactly.

8. A bicycle with a power assisting function, comprising:

an electric motor for adding part of propulsive forces to manual forces to assist in the manual forces;

power supply means for supplying electric energy to said electric motor;

manual force detecting means for detecting manual forces as propulsive forces; and

control means for controlling operation of said electric motor depending on the magnitude of the manual forces detected by said manual force detecting means;

said electric motor comprising a direct-drive electric motor having a rotatable shaft and a stator which are directly coupled to a front wheel, and an outer rotor rotatable in unison with the front wheel, said direct-drive electric motor being operable as an electric generator with extra manual forces for utilizing part of regenerated electric energy to charge said power supply means.