Bicycle drive apparatus

• US 8,781,663 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2012
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Original Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Inventors: Watarai, Etsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US13/590,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20130054066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/20 using propulsion power generated by humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/45 Control or actuating devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/70 power-driven at single endless flexible member, e.g. chain, between cycle crankshaft and wheel axle, the motor engaging the endless flexible member
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/02 characterised by the signals used for shift actuators F16H61/28, for continuously variable gearings F16H61/66

Abstract

A bicycle drive apparatus comprises a bicycle crankset, a bicycle transmission, a drive assistance electric motor, a crank variation determining sensor and a microcomputer. The crank variation determining sensor is arranged to determine a variation value related to rotation of the bicycle crankset. The microcomputer includes a shift command section, a limiting section, a determining section and a limitation cancelling section. The shift command section issues a shift command commanding the bicycle transmission to change gears. The limiting section limits an output of the drive assistance electric motor upon issuance of the shift command. The determining section determines completion of a gear shift operation upon the variation value being within a prescribed range. The limitation cancelling section cancels the limitation of the output of the drive assistance motor upon the determining section determining the completion of the gear shift operation.

Claims

1. A bicycle drive apparatus comprising:

a bicycle crankset;

a bicycle transmission;

a drive assistance electric motor;

a crank variation determining sensor arranged to determine a variation value related to rotation of the bicycle crankset and

a microcomputer including

a shift command section that issues a shift command commanding the bicycle transmission to change gears,

a limiting section that limits an output of the drive assistance electric motor upon issuance of the shift command,

a determining section that determines completion of a gear shift operation upon the variation value being within a prescribed range, and

a limitation cancelling section that cancels the limitation of the output of the drive assistance motor upon the determining section determining the completion of the gear shift operation.

2. The bicycle drive apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising

a storage section that stores the variation value;

and

the determining section sets the prescribed range based on the variation value stored before issuance of the shift command by the shift command section.

3. The bicycle drive apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein

the crank variation determining section determines the variation value based on a detected rotational speed of the bicycle crankset

4. The bicycle drive apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein

the crank variation determining section determines the variation value based on a detected magnitude of a pedaling force acting on the bicycle crankset.

5. The bicycle drive apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein

the pedaling force acting on the crank is expressed as a rotational torque acting on a. crank axle of the bicycle crankset.

6. The bicycle drive apparatus as recited in claim 2, further comprising

a traveling speed measuring section that measures a traveling speed of the bicycle;

the crank variation determining section determining the variation value based on a detected rotational speed of the crankset;

the storage section storing the rotational speed and the traveling speed; and

the determining section setting the prescribed range based on the traveling speed and the rotational speed measured before the shift command section issued the shift command and based on a current traveling speed.

7. The bicycle drive apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmission is an internal transmission.

8. The bicycle drive apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmission is an external transmission.

9. The bicycle drive apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the drive assistance electric motor is configured to drive a bicycle chain.