Bicycle control apparatus that sets a bicycle transmission to a predetermined gear ratio

• US 7,144,027 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Original Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Inventors: Takeda, Kazuhiro, Kitamura, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scharich, Marc A.
• Application Number:
  US10/904,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20050098978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 280/259, 280/260, 474/69, 474/70, 474/78, 474/80
• US Class Current: 280/260
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 25/045 having single actuating means operating both front and rear derailleur
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 25/08 with electrical or fluid transmitting systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20438 Single rotatable lever [e.g., for bicycle brake or derailleur]

Abstract

A control apparatus for an electrically operated bicycle transmission comprises a power supply sensor and a control unit operatively coupled to the power supply sensor. The power supply sensor senses a power characteristic of a power supply, and the control unit provides a signal to operate the bicycle transmission when the power characteristic falls below a predetermined value. Alternatively, the control apparatus comprises a running condition time sensor and a control unit operatively coupled to the running condition time sensor. The running condition time sensor senses a time interval of a running condition of a bicycle, and the control unit provides a signal to operate the bicycle transmission to a predetermined gear ratio when the time interval of the running condition passes a selected value.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for an electrically operated bicycle transmission that has a plurality of gear ratios and that operates using power from a power supply, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a power supply sensor that senses a power characteristic of the power supply; and

a control unit operatively coupled to the power supply sensor, wherein the control unit provides a signal to operate the bicycle transmission to move when the power characteristic falls below a predetermined value.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the power characteristic comprises a voltage of the power supply.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the predetermined value is in the range of from approximately 2% to approximately 20% of a minimum operating voltage of the bicycle transmission.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the power supply sensor is structured to sense the power characteristic of a power storage element.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the power supply sensor is structured to sense the power characteristic of a power storage element that is charged by an alternating current generator.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the power storage element comprises a capacitor.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the power storage element comprises a battery.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the signal to operate the bicycle transmission comprises a signal to operate an internal shifting hub.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the signal to operate the bicycle transmission comprises a signal to operate a derailleur.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the signal to operate the bicycle transmission comprises a signal to set the bicycle transmission to a predetermined gear ratio.