Bicycle wheel hub with power meter

• US 10,675,913 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2016
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Specialized Bicycle Components Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Specialized Bicycle Components Incorporated
• Inventors: Ebersbach, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Rocca, Joseph M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Maurice L
• Application Number:
  US15/192,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20170368871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0068 the element being a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/023 specially adapted for bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/04 housing driving means, e.g. sprockets
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/00 Electrical equipment arrangements specially adapted for use as accessories on cycles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/411 Torque sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/423 on or besides the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/02 for mounting axles rigidly on cycle frame or fork, e.g. adjustably
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 9/10 involving different-sized wheels, e.g. rear sprocket chain wheels selectively engaged by the chain, belt, or the like bicycle hubs rotatably arranged on axle B60B27/023
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 3/105 involving inductive means G01L3/102, G01L3/104 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/13 for measuring the tractive or propulsive power of vehicles

Abstract

A bicycle having a rear wheel including an axle, a hub shell, a torque element including a torque output portion and a torque input portion, and a rear cog coupled to the torque input portion. The torque output portion is a first radial distance from the torque input portion. The position sensor measures a rotational position of the torque input portion relative to the torque output portion. In one embodiment, the position sensor includes a displacement indicator (e.g., a radial tab mounted to the torque output portion) and a displacement sensor (e.g., an inductive sensor mounted to the torque input portion). The inductive sensor preferably has two sensing coils positioned on each side of the displacement indicator. The hub assembly can further comprise a wireless transmitter adapted to transmit data from the position sensor. The hub shell preferably includes a window that facilitates data transmission from the wireless transmitter.

Claims

1. A bicycle comprising:

a frame;

a front wheel supporting the frame;

a rear wheel supporting the frame and including;

an axle secured to the frame;

a hub shell mounted for rotation on the axle about a rotational axis;

a torque element configured to transmit torque, the torque element including a torque output portion coupled to the hub shell and a torque input portion, the torque input portion being a first radial distance from the rotational axis along a radial plane and the torque output portion being at a second radial distance from the rotational axis along the radial plane, the first radial distance being different than the second radial distance;

a rear cog coupled to the torque input portion; and

a position sensor positioned along the radial plane that measures a rotational position of the torque input portion relative to the torque output portion, wherein the position sensor includes,

a displacement indicator mounted to and movable with one of the torque input portion and the torque output portion, and

a displacement sensor mounted to and movable with the other of the torque input portion and the torque output portion, the displacement sensor being positioned to measure a position of the displacement indicator relative to the displacement sensor.

2. A bicycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the torque element further includes a plurality of torque spokes coupling the torque input portion to the torque output portion.

3. A bicycle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the torque spokes are oriented substantially radial to the rotational axis.

4. A bicycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displacement sensor comprises an inductive sensor.

5. A bicycle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inductive sensor comprises a sensing coil.

6. A bicycle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inductive sensor comprises a sensing coil positioned on a side of the displacement indicator.

7. A bicycle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inductive sensor comprises a sensing coil positioned circumferentially adjacent the displacement indicator.

8. A bicycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displacement indicator is mounted to the torque output portion.

9. A bicycle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the displacement indicator comprises a radial tab extending radially inward from the torque output portion.

10. A bicycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the torque output portion is directly radially outward of the torque input portion.

11. A bicycle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitter adapted to transmit data from the position sensor, wherein the hub shell includes a window that facilitates data transmission from the wireless transmitter.

12. A bicycle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the window comprises a plurality of windows spaced circumferentially around the hub shell.

13. The bicycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein both the displacement indicator and the displacement sensor are each positioned along the radial plane.

14. The bicycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displacement indicator is mounted directly to and movable with the one of the torque input portion and the torque output portion, and the displacement sensor is mounted directly to and movable with the other of the torque input portion and the torque output portion.