CN105035249A - Operation method of electric aided-bicycle and electric aided-bicycle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides an operation method of an electric power-assisted bicycle, which includes the following steps: accepting the pedaling force exerted by the driver and transmitting the torque from the sprocket of the bicycle to the flywheel through a force transmission mechanism; The force applied to the support mechanism by the force transmission mechanism; a recovery mechanism stores force and deforms when the support mechanism is stressed, and the recovery mechanism restores the support mechanism to its original state after the pedaling force is released ; a booster motor responds to the force received by the aforementioned support mechanism when the force reaches a preset condition and outputs electric power for assisting the pedaling force based on the force and/or changes in the force, and does not output electric power when the aforementioned force does not reach the preset condition power.

Description

Operation method of electric power-assisted bicycle and electric power-assisted bicycle

technical field

The present invention relates to an electric assist bicycle provided with an electric motor for assisting a driving force based on a pedaling force generated by a person pedaling a bicycle pedal, thereby reducing the burden on the rider, especially when going uphill.

Background technique

There are known electric assisted bicycles, that is, a power storage device such as a battery and a motor powered by the power storage device are used to detect the pedaling force provided by the driver to the sprocket through the pedals. Assisting the provision of electric driving force makes it possible to travel easily even when going uphill or the like. The detection of pedal force is the key point of this type of electric moped.

The existing method in the prior art is to use a torque sensor, which is assembled on the bearing between the two cranks to sense the torque of the crankshaft, and the motor outputs the assist torque according to the information. This type of sensor and the design installed on the crank mechanism have complicated mechanism, many parts, large volume and high price. The price of a single sensor can reach 1/3 or even more of the whole vehicle.

In addition, this type of pedelec also has a configuration that performs regenerative braking control of the motor when the brake lever is operated or pedaled in reverse.

Contents of the invention

A first aspect of the present invention proposes a method for operating an electric power-assisted bicycle, comprising the following steps:

Accepting the pedaling force applied by the driver, the sprocket of the bicycle transmits torque to the flywheel through the force transmission mechanism;

A support mechanism bears the force applied to the support mechanism by the force transmission mechanism during torque transmission;

A recovery mechanism stores force and deforms when the support mechanism is stressed, and restores the support mechanism to its original state after the pedaling force is released;

A booster motor responds to the force received by the support mechanism when it reaches a preset condition and outputs electric power for assisting the pedaling force based on the force and/or changes in the force, and does not output electric power when the aforementioned force does not reach the preset condition .

It should be understood that all combinations of the foregoing concepts, as well as additional concepts described in more detail below, may be considered part of the inventive subject matter of the present disclosure, provided such concepts are not mutually inconsistent. Additionally, all combinations of claimed subject matter are considered a part of the inventive subject matter of this disclosure.

The foregoing and other aspects, embodiments and features of the present teachings can be more fully understood from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Other additional aspects of the invention, such as the features and/or advantages of the exemplary embodiments, will be apparent from the description below, or learned by practice of specific embodiments in accordance with the teachings of the invention.

Description of drawings

The figures are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures may be represented by a like reference numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. Embodiments of the various aspects of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of an electric assist bicycle according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention, wherein the pedal is in a state of no pressure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention, wherein the pedal is in a pressed state.

Fig. 4a is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between the deformation amount of the recovery mechanism and the pedaling force in the detection mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 4b is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between the deformation amount of the recovery mechanism and the output electric power of the booster motor in the detection mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation flow of the electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention, in which the assist motor, storage battery, ECU and operating unit are not shown.

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention, in which the assist motor, storage battery, ECU and operating unit are not shown.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention, in which the assist motor, storage battery, ECU and operating unit are not shown.

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention, in which the assist motor, storage battery, ECU and operating unit are not shown.

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention, wherein the pedal is in a state of pressure, and the assist motor, storage battery, ECU and operating unit are not shown in the figure.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of an electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention.

12 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of an electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention, in which the assist motor, storage battery, ECU and operating unit are not shown.

Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention, wherein the pedal is in a state of pressure, and the assist motor, storage battery, ECU and operating unit are not shown in the figure.

Figure 15 is an exemplary schematic diagram illustrating a miniature load cell according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 16 is a side view of the miniature load cell shown in Fig. 15, in which only a part of the transmission line is shown.

Detailed ways

In order to better understand the technical content of the present invention, specific embodiments are given together with the attached drawings for description as follows.

Aspects of the invention are described in this disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show a number of illustrated embodiments. Embodiments of the present disclosure are not necessarily intended to include all aspects of the invention. It should be appreciated that the various concepts and embodiments described above, as well as those described in more detail below, can be implemented in any of numerous ways, since the concepts and embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to any implementation. In addition, some aspects of the present disclosure may be used alone or in any suitable combination with other aspects of the present disclosure.

Some examples of embodiments of the electric bicycle of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electric assist vehicle equipped with an electric assist force control and output mechanism with a characteristic structure of the present invention, by which the force (pedaling force) exerted by the driver on the pedal can be detected in an advantageous manner The change output electrical signal, the device used to provide electric assist force, such as a motor, provides electric assist force in response to the output electric signal reflecting force or force change, to assist the operation of the electric bicycle.

In FIG. 1 , a two-wheel electric assist bicycle is exemplarily described as an example.

As shown in FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention, an electric power-assisted bicycle 100 includes a frame 101. Exemplarily, the frame 101 is equipped with a head pipe 101a located in front of the vehicle body made of materials such as metal, carbon fiber, or alloy. , the first main frame 101b extending rearward and downward along the head tube 101, the seat tube 101c standing upward from the rear end of the lower frame 101b, and the second main frame 101b located between the top of the first main frame 101b and the top of the seat tube 101c Two main frames 101d, a rear fork 101e extending backward from the rear end of the lower frame 101b, and an auxiliary frame 101f located behind the rear end of the rear fork 101e and the second main frame 101d.

A height-adjustable seat cushion 101h is installed above the seat tube 101c.

A freely rotatable front fork 101g extending downward is connected to the head pipe 101a, and a freely movable front wheel FW (Front Wheel) is supported by a shaft (front wheel shaft) below the front fork.

The rear end shaft (rear wheel shaft) of the rear fork 101e supports the rear wheel BW (Back Wheel).

A handlebar 102 is connected to the head pipe 101a for changing the direction of the front wheel FW.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the electric power assist bicycle 100 also includes a crankshaft 103 , a crank 104 , a pedal 105 , a sprocket 106 , a flywheel 107 and a force transmission mechanism 108 . The flywheel 107 is sleeved on the shaft on the BW side of the rear wheel.

The sprocket 106 is mounted on the frame so as to rotate integrally with the crank shaft 103, and is used as a human driving force (pedaling force) to output the wheel body, and is also called a crank wheel. The crank shaft 103 is arranged to pass through the entire sprocket 106 and extend in the width direction of the vehicle body 101 , and cranks 104 with the pedals 105 are respectively connected to both sides of the crank shaft 103 . The driver rotates the crank 104 by stepping on the pedal 105 to provide a rotational torque (that is, power) to the crankshaft 103 .

The sprocket 106 rotates due to the rotational torque supplied to the crankshaft 103 . The rotation of the sprocket 106 is transmitted to the flywheel 107 on the side of the rear wheel BW via the force transmission mechanism 108, so that the rear wheel BW rotates. The force transmission mechanism 108 , such as a belt or a chain, is configured in a ring shape and hung between the sprocket 106 and the flywheel 107 . The force transmission mechanism 108 can rotate circularly between the sprocket 106 and the flywheel 107 to form a force transmission path. When the driver depresses the pedal 105 so that the sprocket 106 rotates due to the rotational torque supplied to the crankshaft, the torque of the sprocket 106 is transmitted to the flywheel 107 through the aforementioned force transmission mechanism 108 .

In the following description, a chain will be used as the force transmission mechanism 108 as an example for illustration.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the electric power-assisted bicycle 100 further includes a support mechanism 110 disposed on the force transmission path for supporting the chain 108 . The support mechanism 110 bears the force exerted by the chain 108 on the support mechanism 110 when the chain 108 transmits the torque of the sprocket 106 to the flywheel 107 .

In some examples, the support mechanism 110 is configured as a support mechanism with a pulley, and the chain 108 is supported in a groove on the circumferential surface of the pulley, which facilitates the circular rotation of the chain 108 and reduces its wear.

In some other examples, such a supporting mechanism 110 may be configured as a supporting mechanism having a U-shaped supporting groove, and the chain 108 is supported in the supporting groove.

In some other examples, such a supporting mechanism 110 may be configured as a supporting mechanism having a passing hole, and the chain 108 is supported in the passing hole.

In some other examples, the support mechanism 110 can also be configured as a support mechanism with a gear, and the chain 108 meshes with the teeth on the circumferential surface of the gear.

As shown in FIGS. 1 , 2 and 3 , the electric assist bicycle 100 further includes a detection mechanism 114 for detecting the force and/or force change applied by the aforementioned chain 108 to the support mechanism 110 and outputting an electrical signal.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, when the pedal 105 is stepped on by the driver to drive the sprocket 106 to rotate, the chain 108 is tensioned and tensioned, and a force is applied to the support mechanism 110 (such as a pulley) so that the support mechanism 110 is in the downward direction movement or has a tendency to move downward, a connecting rod 112 connected between the support mechanism 110 and the detection mechanism 114 rotates, and the sensing device such as an angle sensor arranged in the detection mechanism 114 detects the rotation angle of the connecting rod 112 and An electrical signal is output so that the force and its change are detected (for example when the driver continuously applies the force and changes).

As an optional example, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the detection mechanism 114 is installed on the rear fork 101e.

In another example, the detection mechanism 114 can also be arranged at other positions of the vehicle frame 101 in a manner that facilitates installation.

The electric power-assisted bicycle 100 also includes a recovery mechanism, especially an elastic recovery mechanism, which has a tendency to restore the support mechanism 110 and/or the connecting rod 112 to an initial state, that is, to make the support mechanism 110 and/or the connecting rod 112 have a There is a tendency to return to the initial state when the chain 108 is not subjected to pedaling force applied by the driver.

In some examples, the detection mechanism 114 is provided with at least one aforementioned recovery mechanism, especially an elastic recovery mechanism, and these one or more recovery mechanisms have a tendency to restore the aforementioned link 112 and/or the support mechanism 110 to the original state.

The elastic recovery mechanism provided in the detection mechanism 114, such as a torsion spring, is installed approximately coaxially with the connecting rod 112, and stores force when the connecting rod 112 rotates, so as to provide the aforementioned connecting rod 112 and/or The supporting mechanism 110 is restored to the restoring force of the original state.

In some examples, the aforesaid restoration mechanism is realized by using one torsion spring, and in other examples, the restoration mechanism is realized by using at least two torsion springs, which are arranged side by side and installed substantially coaxially with the connecting rod 112, which can be substantially coaxial. Axial rotational movement.

In another example, the aforesaid recovery mechanism can also be realized by using other elastic recovery mechanisms, such as reeds and the like.

In another example, the aforementioned restoring mechanism, especially the elastic restoring mechanism, can also be arranged at a proper position of the vehicle frame 101 to provide restoring force for restoring the aforementioned connecting rod 112 and/or supporting mechanism 110 to the original state.

In the aforementioned examples, the detection mechanism 114 uses a sensing device such as an angle sensor to detect the change of the rotation angle of the connecting rod 112 caused by the position change of the support mechanism 114 after the force is applied to detect the force exerted by the chain 108 on the support mechanism 110. In order to know the pedaling force applied by the driver and/or the change of the pedaling force.

The direct source of the position change of the support mechanism 110 is the resultant force of the tension force of the chain 108 at a certain angle distributed on both sides of the support mechanism 110. Shown) the crankshaft 103 and the sprocket 106 are transmitted to the chain 106.

In some schemes, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the point of tangency between the sprocket 106 and the chain 108 , the point of tangency between the flywheel 107 and the chain 108 , and the load-bearing point between the support mechanism 110 and the chain 108 are cyclically rotated on the chain 108 In at least one state during the process of transmitting the torque of the sprocket 106 to the flywheel 107, the aforementioned two tangent points and bearing points form a roughly triangular relationship.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the connecting rod 112 or the extension direction of the connecting rod 112 forms a certain angle a with the plane where the rear fork 101e is located, and the angle a is roughly in the range of 0° to 180°, that is, 0°< a<180°. As shown in FIG. 1 , in this way, when the chain 108 is applied to the support mechanism 110 after being stressed, the change of the connecting rod 112 caused by the position change of the support mechanism 110 can be detected by the detection mechanism 114, thereby obtaining Know the force or force change applied by the driver.

In some embodiments, the aforementioned detection mechanism 114 may also include a direction changing and/or speed changing device for changing the movement state of the connecting rod 112 , such as changing the movement direction/movement speed. change of direction, for example from rotary to linear motion (applied in examples such as Figs. For example fixed axis gear transmission device, planetary gear transmission device, so that the movement of connecting rod 112 changes, such as the change of movement direction/speed, so that it is suitable for the sensitivity and requirements of different sensors for rotation angle/displacement, so as to be more An advantageous way is to obtain a change in the force/force exerted by the chain 108 on the support mechanism 110 after being stressed.

In some other embodiments, the aforementioned detection mechanism 114 may adopt some sensors that can directly measure the tension of the chain 108, instead of detecting that the chain 108 is applied to the support mechanism 110 by detecting the state change of the aforementioned connecting rod 112 Instead of causing a change in the rotation angle, a force sensor is used to directly detect the force applied by the chain to the support mechanism. In these examples, the chain 108 suspended between the sprocket 106 and the flywheel 107 can be in a substantially taut state, and when the driver applies pedal force to the pedal 105, the chain 108 is rotated and will The tension of the chain is transmitted to the support mechanism 110. At this time, the support mechanism 110 will only have a slight position change or basically no position change. However, the force sensors used in this example can directly obtain the chain force by in-situ measurement. 108 when the tension is applied to the support mechanism 110 when the torque is transmitted, the force situation of the support mechanism 110, so the pedal force applied by the driver and its change can be known.

Such force sensors are known in the art, such as miniature load cells, which are suitable for in-situ pressure measurement. Examples of such miniature load cells, such as the examples shown in Figures 15 and 16, wherein the loading surface A1 is suitable for bearing the pressure input from the support mechanism 110, and its non-loading surface A2 is inaccessible, has reliable repeatability and reliability sex.

1, 2 and 3, the electric power assist bicycle 100 also includes a power assist motor 120 as an electric power output mechanism, a battery 122 for supplying electric energy, and an electronic control unit 124 (also referred to as ECU) as a control device.

The booster motor 120 , the battery 122 and the electronic control unit 124 can be installed at appropriate positions on the vehicle frame 101 in an advantageous manner.

The booster motor 120 is used to output electric power for assisting the operation of the bicycle 100 . In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the booster motor 120 is installed under the front fork 101g. Optionally, the auxiliary electric power output by the booster motor 120 is applied to the front wheels to realize electric booster operation.

In another example, the booster motor 120 can also be installed in other positions, and its output end can be on the front wheel shaft, the rear wheel shaft, the sprocket, or any transmission device between the rear wheel shaft and the sprocket to provide electric power. Assist bikes provide assisted electric power.

The storage battery 122 is preferably a detachable rechargeable storage battery, such as a rechargeable storage battery composed of a plurality of lithium matrix batteries or nickel-hydrogen batteries.

The electronic control unit 124, as the core control module of the electric auxiliary force control and output mechanism of the bicycle 100, receives the output signal from the aforementioned detection mechanism 114, and responds to the force applied to the support mechanism 110 by the chain detected by the aforementioned detection mechanism 114. And or the physical quantity and/or the change of the physical quantity caused by the force controls the operation of the booster motor 120 . As shown in FIGS. 1 , 2 , and 3 , the electronic control unit 124 controls the operation of the booster motor 120 to provide different auxiliary electric power outputs based on these physical quantities and/or changes in physical quantities and a set booster ratio.

The assist motor 120 outputs electric power for assisting the pedaling force in a certain relationship with the detected physical quantity in response to the detection of the physical quantity by the detection mechanism 114 . This relationship can be set in advance, especially a positive relationship. At least in one phase, such as the phase in which the bicycle 100 is operated by the rider to run smoothly, the aforementioned set relationship may be a positive correlation.

These physical quantities include the aforementioned force, rotation angle information, and displacement to be described in the following examples.

In some examples, as described in the disclosure, after obtaining the information about the displacement and rotation angle, the force information can be obtained according to the existing known calculation methods, such as the relationship between elastic force and deformation, such The calculation process can be realized, for example, by the aforementioned electronic control unit. That is, the force information on the support mechanism 110 can be obtained according to the displacement or rotation angle information, and then the pedal force exerted by the driver and/or its changes can be sensed.

Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 1 , 2 , and 3 , the electric power-assisted bicycle 100 further includes an operating part 126 , such as a knob, a switch, etc., connected to the aforementioned electronic control unit 124 , and can set different power-assist conditions. The aforementioned boosting conditions, for example, are expressed as multi-level boosting settings, each level corresponds to a different boosting ratio, such as 1:1.5, 1:2, 1:2.5, etc., of course, this is not a limitation. That is, when the support mechanism 110 receives force and is detected by the detection mechanism 114 , under different assist conditions, the output of the assist motor 120 controlled by the electronic control unit 124 will be different.

In some examples, in order to intuitively provide the driver with visual feedback of information such as the set assist conditions, the electric assist bicycle 100 can also be provided with a display device (not shown) connected to the electronic control unit 124 to provide electric assist Visual feedback of the operating parameters of the bicycle 100, such as the currently set assist conditions, operating speed, battery capacity, etc.

In some examples, for example, when a force sensor is used to detect the force on the support mechanism 110 when the chain 108 applies its tension to the support mechanism 110 when transmitting torque, the electronic control unit 124 receives the force sensor output When the electrical signal contains force information, the operation of the booster motor 120 is controlled according to the force and/or force changes. That is, the assist motor 120 provides different outputs of auxiliary electric power in response to the magnitude and/or change of the force received by the support mechanism 110 detected by the detection mechanism 114 .

In some other examples, for example, when the rotation angle sensor is used to detect the stress on the support mechanism 110 when the chain 108 applies its tension to the support mechanism 110 when transmitting torque, the rotation angle sensor detects the stress on the support mechanism 110 after the force is applied to the support mechanism 110. The resulting change in the rotation angle of the connecting rod 112 outputs an electrical signal. When the electronic control unit 124 receives the electrical signal containing the rotation angle information output by the rotation angle sensor, it controls the The operation of the booster motor 120 is described. That is, the assist motor 120 provides different outputs of auxiliary electric power in response to the rotation angle and/or the change of the rotation angle caused by the support mechanism 110 being stressed detected by the detection mechanism 114 .

FIG. 4 a exemplarily shows a schematic diagram of the relationship between the deformation amount of the aforementioned recovery mechanism, especially the elastic recovery mechanism, and pedaling force in the detection mechanism 114 . FIG. 4 b exemplarily shows a schematic diagram of the relationship between the deformation amount of the aforementioned recovery mechanism, especially the elastic recovery mechanism, and the electric power output in the detection mechanism 114 . The elastic force of the elastic recovery mechanism has a tendency to resist the component force of the tension in the chain that bears the driving force transmission, and provides the reaction force of the resultant force of the chain tension. The elastic force of the elastic recovery mechanism is positively related to its deformation. As shown in FIG. 4 a , the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism is positively correlated with the pedaling force applied by the pedal 105 , especially when the driver is operating the bicycle smoothly. As shown in Fig. 4a, due to the influence of damping and other factors, when the pedaling force is sufficiently small, the elastic recovery mechanism will not produce deformation or only produce a very small deformation. Afterwards, within a certain range, the driver continues to operate the bicycle smoothly, and the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism is positively correlated with the pedaling force. The greater the pedaling force, the greater the deformation, but when the pedaling force exceeds a certain value, for example, affected by the limit device of the elastic recovery mechanism (the limit device is generally used to prevent the excessive deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism from failure), at this time, the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism no longer increases with the pedal force. increase.

As described above, the greater the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism, the greater its elastic force. The greater the rotation angle of the elastic recovery mechanism (especially the torsion elastic mechanism) after being stressed, that is, the greater the deformation, the greater its elastic force. In this type of elastic recovery mechanism, a limit device (not shown) is generally provided to limit and protect the maximum deformation range of the elastic mechanism.

As shown in Figure 4a, at the initial stage of pedaling force, the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism changes rapidly, but after reaching a certain size, the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism tends to be gentle.

As shown in Fig. 4b, similar to the change in deformation of the aforementioned elastic recovery mechanism, there is also such a rule between the electric power output of the booster motor 120 and the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism. At the initial stage of deformation of the elastic mechanism, The output of the power-assist motor 120 is basically 0 or only maintained at a very small output, so that the bicycle is stable when it starts running without shaking. Within a certain range thereafter, the output of the electromotive force changes in a positive correlation with the deformation amount, that is, it increases with the increase of the deformation amount, and when the deformation amount of the elastic recovery mechanism reaches the set limit condition (for example Be affected by the effect of the limit device), the output of electric power maintains a stable level and no longer continues to increase.

The elastic force of the elastic recovery mechanism, after detecting the above-mentioned rotation angle, can be obtained through the known method of calculating the elastic force of elastic mechanisms such as torsion springs, so as to obtain the change in pedaling force.

As described above and will be explained below, with reference to Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b, in at least one stage of the operation of the bicycle 100, especially in the stage of smooth operation, the deformation of the aforementioned elastic mechanism is positively correlated with the pedaling force relation.

As shown in Fig. 4b, in at least one stage of the bicycle 100 running, especially in the stage of smooth running, the electric power output of the assist motor 120 changes in a positive correlation with the deformation of the aforementioned elastic recovery mechanism.

Of course, it is not limited thereto, and Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b only express an exemplary relationship setting description among the pedaling force, the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism and the electric power output during the operation of the bicycle. In another example, such a relationship can also be set according to other variation relationships, and in at least one stage of the operation of the bicycle 100, especially in the stage of smooth operation, the electric power output of the assist motor 120 and the aforementioned elastic recovery mechanism The amount of deformation changes in a positive correlation.

As shown in FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, the electronic control unit 124 can also be configured to provide a motor control signal based on the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism, and the assist motor 120 provides auxiliary pedaling force in response to the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism. electric power output. In particular, the assist motor 120 responds to the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism and provides an electric power output for assisting the pedaling force in a certain relationship, especially a positive correlation, with the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism. That is, the greater the deformation, the greater the electromotive power output, and the smaller the deformation, the smaller the electromotive power output.

The deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism is positively correlated with its rotation angle, especially changes in a proportional relationship, and can be detected by the rotation angle sensor.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the pedal force applied by the driver through the pedal 105 makes the sprocket 106 rotate and then transmits torque to the flywheel 107, and the force applied to the support mechanism 110 by the chain 108 and its changes are directly It embodies the magnitude and change of the pedaling force applied by the driver. Through the detection mechanism 114 detecting the changes in physical quantities such as force, rotation angle, and deformation of the support mechanism 110 caused by the displacement of the support mechanism 110, it can be perceived. The force exerted by the chain 108 on the supporting mechanism 110 and its change due to the force applied by the driver can sense the pedaling force applied by the driver and its change.

The schematic diagram of the operation flow shown in FIG. 5 expresses the electric power output process described above for the electric auxiliary force control and output mechanism. In this example, the electric auxiliary force control and output mechanism includes at least one supporting mechanism 110 set on the force transmission path for supporting the force transmission mechanism, at least one physical quantity used to detect the change of the force transmission mechanism with the tension The detection mechanism 114, the booster motor 120, and the electronic control unit 124. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the pedal force applied by the pedal 105 is transmitted to the sprocket to drive the sprocket 106 to rotate. Displacement occurs due to the force, and the detection mechanism 114 detects the result directly caused by the displacement of the aforementioned support mechanism 110, thus sensing the change of the force applied to the support mechanism 110 after the chain 108 is stressed, based on these force changes, the electronic control unit 124 controls the booster motor 120 to output different auxiliary electric powers.

In some embodiments, the electronic control unit 124, as the core control module of the electric assist force control and output mechanism of the bicycle 100, receives the output signal from the detection mechanism 114 and responds to the physical quantity detected by the detection mechanism 114. change to control the operation of the booster motor 120 . As shown in FIGS. 1 , 2 , and 3 , the electronic control unit 124 controls the operation of the booster motor 120 to provide different auxiliary electric power outputs based on changes in these physical quantities and a set booster ratio.

In other embodiments, as described above and below, the booster motor 120 has a corresponding torque output in response to the change of the physical quantity applied by the chain to the support mechanism 110 detected by the detection mechanism 114, The aforementioned corresponding relationship is in particular a positive correlation. That is, the output of the assist motor 120 increases as the physical quantity detected by the detection mechanism 114 increases, and decreases as the physical quantity detected by the detection mechanism 114 decreases, as described above.

Figures 6-14 show some other embodiments of the electric auxiliary force control and output mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention, in which the assist motor, storage battery, ECU and operating unit are not shown.

In this example, the detection mechanism 114 and the recovery mechanism, especially the elastic recovery mechanism, are installed on the shaft of the rear wheel. Preferably, the detection mechanism 114 is installed approximately coaxially with the rear wheel shaft (and the flywheel 107), and the elastic recovery mechanism Preferably, the torsion spring is also installed approximately coaxially with the rear wheel shaft (and the flywheel 107), so that between the detection mechanism 114 and the support mechanism 110 connected by the connecting rod 112, the installation of the detection mechanism 114 can be simplified, and it is beneficial to When the force applied by the chain 108 to the support mechanism 110 changes, the detection mechanism 114 can conveniently detect the change of the aforementioned physical quantity such as the rotation angle.

Based on these changing physical quantities, as described above, the electronic control unit 124 controls the booster motor 120 to operate in a manner that is in close relationship with these physical quantities, especially in a positive correlation manner, and outputs different electric power for assisting the pedaling force.

Fig. 7 illustrates a schematic diagram of another example of the electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention, in which the assist motor, storage battery, ECU and operating unit are not shown.

In this example, the detection mechanism 114 and the recovery mechanism, especially the elastic recovery mechanism, are installed on the crankshaft 103. Preferably, the detection mechanism 114 is installed approximately coaxially with the crankshaft 103 (and the sprocket 106), and the elastic recovery mechanism is preferably The torsion spring is also adopted to be installed roughly coaxially with the crankshaft 103 (and the sprocket 106), so that between the detection mechanism 114 and the support mechanism 110 connected by the connecting rod 112, the installation of the detection mechanism 114 can be simplified, and it is beneficial to be used as a chain When the force applied by 108 to the support mechanism 110 changes, the detection mechanism 114 can conveniently detect the change of these physical quantities such as the rotation angle.

Based on these changing physical quantities, as described above, the electronic control unit 124 controls the assist motor 120 to operate in a set relationship, especially a positive correlation, with these physical quantities, and output different electric power for assisting pedaling force.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention, in which the assist motor, storage battery, ECU and operating unit are not shown.

In this example, a tightening device is added on the basis of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 for tightening the chain 108 . Especially when the chain 108 is stressed due to the driver's stepping on it, the tensioning device is used to absorb the excessively long part of the chain, thereby preventing the chain from falling off.

The movement of the tensioning device and the movement of the supporting mechanism 110 have a linkage relationship, that is, the tensioning device rotates correspondingly when the supporting mechanism 110 is stressed and the position changes, so the deformation of the two also has a linkage relationship, because the total length of the chain 108 remains constant.

In the example shown in Figure 8, the tightening device includes a resettable pulley mechanism, the chain 108 passes through the pulley of the tightening device, and the tensioning device and the supporting mechanism 110 are respectively located at the upper and lower sides of the rear fork 101e of the vehicle frame. side, i.e. not on the same side.

The tightening device and the supporting mechanism 110 have a movement tendency in substantially the same direction.

In some examples, the tightening device includes a mount 132 with an elastic return mechanism, a pulley 130, and a second link 131 connected between the mount and the pulley. The mount 132 is secured to the rear fork 101e of the frame. The chain 108 passes through said pulley 130 . When the rider depresses pedal 105 causing sprocket 106 to transmit torque to flywheel 107 , chain 108 is stressed and applied to support mechanism 110 . As shown in Figure 8, at this time, the part of the chain 108 on the upper side of the rear fork 101e will be tensioned and shortened, while the part on the lower end side will become longer, through the actions of the second connecting rod 131 and the pulley of the tensioning device , to absorb the excess length of the chain, thereby preventing the chain from falling off.

After the driver's pedaling force is released, the tensioning device resets the pulley 130 and/or the second connecting rod 131 through its own elastic reset mechanism.

In some other examples, as shown in FIG. 9 , the aforementioned detection mechanism 114 and the corresponding restoration mechanism for resetting the support mechanism 110 and/or the connecting rod 112 constitute the mounting seat 131, that is, the connecting rod 131 of the tightening device. It is connected to the restoration mechanism that resets the supporting mechanism 110 and/or the connecting rod 112, thus simplifying the construction and installation of the tightening device.

The deformation of the tensioning device and the deformation of the supporting mechanism have a linkage relationship, that is, the tensioning device rotates correspondingly when the position of the supporting mechanism 110 is changed due to force.

Certainly, in some embodiments, as in the examples described in FIGS. 6 and 7 , on the basis of the examples described in FIGS. 6 and 7 , a tightening device is further included to prevent the chain 108 from falling off.

As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the tensioning device can still be installed at a position adjacent to the flywheel 107 or the sprocket 106, and the tensioning device is arranged to be respectively located on the upper and lower sides of the rear fork 101e of the vehicle frame with the support mechanism 110, That is not on the same side, so, when the part of the chain 108 on the lower side of the rear fork 101e is longer, the excessively long part of the chain can be absorbed, thereby preventing the chain from falling off.

It should be understood that in the multiple examples shown in the above-mentioned FIGS. Changes to output electrical signals, according to which the magnitude of the pedaling force exerted by the driver and its changes can be known.

In some other embodiments, the aforementioned detection mechanism 114 can also be configured as a detection mechanism with a linear sensor. The detection mechanism that uses a linear sensor and the detection output of the detection mechanism that the driver has applied will be known below in conjunction with FIGS. 11-12 . The size of the pedaling force and/or its change, make some exemplary descriptions.

Since the total length of the chain remains unchanged, the deformation of the tensioning device and the deformation of the supporting mechanism have a linkage relationship, that is, the tensioning device rotates correspondingly when the position of the supporting mechanism 110 is changed under force, so in some embodiments, such as an angle sensor , linear sensors and other detection mechanisms can also be installed on the tensioning device. In this case, the detection mechanism senses the deformation of the tightening device and indirectly senses the magnitude of the force exerted by the supporting mechanism, thereby sensing the magnitude of the pedaling force exerted by the driver and its changes.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of an electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 11 , as described in one or more of the preceding embodiments (FIG. 1-FIG. 10), the pedaling force exerted by the driver by stepping on the pedal 105 is transmitted to the sprocket 106 through the crankshaft 103, and the chain Wheel 106 transmits torque to flywheel 107 via chain 108 (ie, force transmission mechanism). The support mechanism 110 bears the force exerted by the chain 108 , and this force makes the support mechanism 110 move downward or have a tendency to move downward. The detection mechanism 114 is configured as a linear detection mechanism, which is arranged on the force transmission path formed by the chain 108 rotating between the sprocket 106 and the flywheel 107, and the linear detection mechanism 114 is configured to detect The displacement change of the support mechanism 110 itself caused by the force on the support mechanism 110 or the linear displacement change of the connecting rod 112 connected and linked with the support mechanism 110 outputs an electrical signal, thereby sensing the force received by the support mechanism 110 Size and/or force changes.

As shown in FIG. 11 , a recovery mechanism 115 is also provided in the linear detection mechanism 114 , especially an elastic recovery mechanism, such as a spring, which is set to have a tendency to restore the support mechanism 110 to its original state. When the pedal 105 is stressed so that the sprocket 106 transmits torque to the flywheel 107 through the chain 108, the force applied by the chain 108 to the support mechanism causes the support mechanism 110 (such as a pulley) to be displaced downward, forcing the spring of the elastic recovery mechanism to be compressed. Tightly, the force is stored, and after the pedaling force is released, the spring provides the restoring force that makes the supporting mechanism 110 return to the initial state.

Combining the schematic diagrams shown in Figures 4a and 4b, the amount of compression (i.e. the amount of deformation) of the elastic recovery mechanism changes rapidly at the initial stage of pedaling force, but after reaching a certain size, the shape of the elastic recovery mechanism Variations tend to be flat. The deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism changes in a certain relationship with the force received by the support mechanism 110, especially the positive correlation described above. Power is positively correlated.

As described above, by detecting the magnitude and/or force variation of the force that the support mechanism 110 is subjected to, it directly reflects the magnitude and/or variation of the pedaling force applied to the pedal 105 by the driver. Therefore, the straight line The output signal of the detection result of the type detection mechanism 114 is transmitted to the electronic control unit 124, and the electronic control unit 124 outputs a corresponding control signal to control the operation of the booster motor 120 according to the displacement of the detection result or the change of the displacement, and outputs different electric motors. power.

As a preferred solution, the electronic control unit 124 controls the power assist motor 120 to operate in a set relationship, especially a positive correlation relationship, with these detected displacements, and outputs different electric power for assisting the pedaling force. 4a, 4b, in some cases, especially in the stage where the bicycle 100 is running smoothly, the greater the detected displacement, it indicates that the supporting mechanism 110 is subjected to a greater force from the chain 108, and from the force exerted by the driver. The greater the pedaling force, the greater the electric power output by the assist motor 120 in response to the displacement.

As an optional solution, the electronic control unit 124 controls the power assist motor 120 to operate in a set relationship, especially a positive correlation, with the displacement of these support mechanisms 110 or the displacement caused by the support mechanism 110, and outputs different auxiliary pedals. power of electric power. The larger the displacement, that is, the greater the displacement received or caused by the chain 108 on the support mechanism 110 , the greater the electric power output by the booster motor 120 in response to the displacement.

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 4 , due to the pedal force applied by the driver through the pedal 105—the tension of the chain 108—the displacement of the support mechanism 110—the displacement of the support mechanism or the shape of the connecting rod 131—the elastic recovery mechanism Variables, these physical quantities and their changes are positively correlated, so in some examples, the electronic control unit 124 controls the electric power of the assist motor 120 to output auxiliary pedaling force based on the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism, especially to control the relationship between the assist motor and the shape. Variables provide electromotive power output in a positive relationship. It is especially preferred that the output electric power of the booster motor is also controlled based on the set booster relationship.

12 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of an electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Similar to the aforementioned FIG. 8 , in the solution shown in FIG. 12 , a tightening device is added on the basis shown in FIG. 11 for tightening the chain 108 . Especially, when the chain 108 is stressed due to the driver's stepping on it, the tensioning device is used to absorb the excessively long part of the chain, thereby preventing the chain from falling off.

In the example shown in Figure 12, the tightening device includes a resettable pulley mechanism, the chain 108 passes through the pulley of the tightening device, and the tensioning device and the supporting mechanism 110 are respectively located at the upper and lower sides of the rear fork 101e of the vehicle frame. side, i.e. not on the same side.

As shown in FIG. 12 , the tightening device of this example includes a mounting base, a pulley 130 and a second link 131 connected between the mounting base and the pulley 130 . The mounting seat of the tensioning device is installed approximately coaxially with the flywheel 107, and the tensioning device is arranged to be respectively located on the upper and lower sides of the rear fork 101e of the vehicle frame with the support mechanism 110, that is, not on the same side, so that when the chain 108 can absorb the excessively long part of the chain when the part on the lower side of the rear fork 101e is longer, thereby preventing the chain from falling off. In this way, the construction of the tensioning device and its installation are simplified.

Of course, in some other examples, the tensioning device can also be installed at a position adjacent to the sprocket 106 , for example installed approximately coaxially with the sprocket 106 .

In some other examples, the tightening device can also be set in the same straight line direction as the connecting rod 112, so as to ensure that the tensioning device directly links with it after the support mechanism 110 is stressed, and the movement of the tensioning device is consistent with the movement of the support mechanism 110. The movement has a linkage relationship, and the linear displacement of the tensioning device has a linkage relationship with the linear displacement of the support mechanism 110 . Therefore, by detecting the position of the tensioning device, it is possible to know the magnitude of the force and/or the change of the force that the support mechanism 110 is subjected to when the chain 108 transmits torque.

As described above, the electronic control unit 124 can also be configured to control the power assist motor 120 to output electric power according to the displacement or deformation of the tightening device. In particular, the booster motor 120 is controlled based on the displacement or deformation of the tensioning device to provide an electric power output in a set relationship thereto, especially in a positive relationship.

Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the electric assist force control and output mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention. The assist motor, storage battery, ECU, and operating part are not shown in the figure. Fig. 14 is the mechanism shown in Fig. 13 Based on the schematic diagram when the pedal is under pressure.

As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the tightening mechanism and the support mechanism 110 are arranged on the same straight line (on different sides of the rear fork), and the two are connected through a detection mechanism 114, so that the tightening mechanism and The support mechanism 110 is linked, when the support mechanism 110 is displaced downward by the force from the chain 108, the tension mechanism will be directly actuated by the linear detection mechanism, so that the tension mechanism is linked with it, and combined with the figure As shown in 13 and 14, the tightening mechanism and the support mechanism 110 have a movement tendency in substantially the same direction.

At the same time, when the pedaling force is released, the supporting mechanism 110 is moved upwards by the force of the restoring mechanism to return to its original state, and the tightening mechanism also returns to its original state, and the movement trends of the two are also the same.

As in the various embodiments described above, especially in the examples described in FIGS. 1-3 and 6-14, the electronic control unit 124 can also make the booster motor 120 output different levels of Torque, especially as shown in Figure 4a, 4b, when the driver applies pedal force to the pedal 105 at the initial stage, due to the pedal force is small and the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism is relatively small, so if a larger The electric power assist output may cause the bicycle 100 to vibrate, which is not desired by the driver, so the electronic control unit 124 is set to judge whether to control the power assist motor 120 to output the electric power of the auxiliary pedal force according to the preset conditions. Power, that is, such preset conditions serve as a precondition for the power assist motor 120 to provide electric power assist output.

The aforementioned preset conditions are realized by setting thresholds of these physical quantities, for example, setting the thresholds of motion state changes (displacement changes, rotation angle changes, etc.), deformation thresholds, and the force received by the support mechanism 110. The thresholds of these thresholds are taken as the preconditions for the assist motor to provide electric power output. It should be understood that the aforementioned motion state variation (displacement variation, rotation angle variation, etc.) threshold and deformation threshold simultaneously determine the threshold of force received by the support mechanism. The size of the force is obtained by existing known means.

After satisfying this preset condition, the electronic control unit 124 controls the booster motor 120 to provide an output of electric power in a positive correlation with these physical quantities. The operation of the electric assist bicycle 100 is enabled.

In some examples, the recovery mechanism of the aforementioned examples, especially the elastic recovery mechanism, is provided with a limit mechanism to protect the elastic recovery mechanism and prevent excessive deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism. When the force applied by the chain 108 to the support mechanism 108 makes When the deformation (twist angle or linear change) of the elastic recovery mechanism reaches the limit mechanism, such as through an induction device to detect the occurrence of this state and send an electrical signal to the electronic control unit 124, the electronic control unit 124 is based on this electrical signal Output and control the booster motor 120 to set the electric power output of the torque, instead of continuing to increase the electric power output as the driver's pedaling force increases. That is, when the driver's pedaling force reaches a certain level and maintains or is still increasing, the electric power output of the assist motor 120 will no longer increase accordingly. For example, the assist motor 120 outputs a constant electric power (in particular, a maximum torque output) in response to such a situation.

The aforementioned sensing devices, such as photoelectric sensing devices, contact switches, etc., are used to sense that the deformation of the elastic recovery mechanism reaches a set level, such as reaching the position of the limit mechanism, and output corresponding electrical signals. The electronic control unit 124 controls the operation of the booster motor based on this electrical signal, especially with a constant output of the set electric power.

Although the present invention has been disclosed above with preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art of the present invention can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be defined by the claims.

Claims (6)

1. an operating method for electric assisted bicycle, is characterized in that, comprises the following steps:

Accept pedal force that driver applies and by the sprocket wheel of bicycle via force transfer mechanism to flywheel transmitting torque;

One supporting mechanism bear in torque transfer process force transfer mechanism be applied to the power of supporting mechanism;

One recovers mechanism carries out storing power when described supporting mechanism is stressed and deformation occurs, and by this recovery mechanism, described supporting mechanism is restPosed after described pedal force is removed;

Export the Electronmotive Force of auxiliary foot legpower when one assist motor reaches prerequisite in response to the power suffered by aforementioned supporting mechanism based on the change of this power and/or power, and do not export Electronmotive Force when aforementioned power does not reach prerequisite.

2. the operating method of electric assisted bicycle according to claim 1, is characterized in that, preceding method comprises following steps more:

Detect the deformation that occurs of described recovery mechanism and whether reach limiting condition;

Assist motor exports constant Electronmotive Force in response to the deformation that described recovery mechanism occurs reaches limiting condition.

3. the operating method of electric assisted bicycle according to claim 1 and 2, is characterized in that, preceding method comprises following steps more:

Assist motor in response to the deformation that occurs of described recovery mechanism do not reach limiting condition and based on this power and/or power change and export the Electronmotive Force of auxiliary foot legpower with becoming to set relation with it.

4. the operating method of electric assisted bicycle according to claim 3, is characterized in that, aforementioned setting relation refers in particular to positive correlation.

5. the operating method of electric assisted bicycle according to claim 1, is characterized in that, preceding method comprises following steps more:

When receiving the pedal force that driver applies, force transfer mechanism is made to keep tight state.

6. the operating method of electric assisted bicycle according to claim 1, is characterized in that, preceding method comprises following steps more:

By providing a tightening device, and this tightening device is correspondingly rotated, with the tight state of confining force transmission mechanism when the stressed occurrence positions change of supporting mechanism.