JP3428497B2 - Bicycle with auxiliary power - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an auxiliary power-assisted bicycle driven by human power and auxiliary power.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A bicycle with auxiliary power detects a pedal torque due to human power and drives a motor which is auxiliary power so as to obtain a prescribed auxiliary ratio according to the torque. Specifically, one example is as follows. It is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-95289. This conventional example is shown in FIG. 5. The pedal torque is detected by a so-called magnetostrictive torque detector. The specific structure of this detector is that the hollow cylindrical member 6 fitted to the pedal crankshaft 5 has a magnetostrictive material. 7, the hollow cylindrical member 6 has one end connected to the crankshaft via the one-way clutch 20, the other end connected to the front sprocket 13 and further covered with the hollow cylindrical member 6. The detection coil 8 is fixed to the drive unit housing 23 so as to enclose the magnetostrictive material 7.

Torsional force is applied to the hollow cylindrical member 6 in proportion to the pedaling force by human power, and the torsional force is also applied to the magnetostrictive material 7 that is covered, and the magnetic characteristics of the magnetostrictive material 7 change. This change is detected by the detection coil 8 and sent to the control circuit as an electric signal to drive the motor 16 which is auxiliary power so that the specified auxiliary ratio is achieved, and the motor force is passed through the three-stage speed reducer 17 to form the hollow cylindrical member 6 Is transmitted to the rear wheel from the front sprocket 13 via a chain (not shown) by the transmission means 24 in FIG.

The second conventional example is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-297059, and relates to a pedal torque detector for a bicycle with auxiliary power. This embodiment also shows the structure thereof in FIG. 6, which is a so-called magnetostrictive torque detector, and the basic configuration of the torque detector is the same as the above-mentioned conventional example. However, in this conventional example, the torque detector and the auxiliary power are used. The drive part is substantially separated, and the torque detector is housed in the bicycle frame hanger, so that the detection coil 8 is fixed to the hanger 25.

Also in this embodiment, as in the first conventional example, an external force proportional to the pedaling force by human power is applied to the magnetostrictive material, and the magnetostrictive material changes its magnetic characteristics. This change is detected by a detection coil and sent as an electric signal to a separately provided control circuit (not shown), and a separately provided motor (not shown) is provided so as to have a prescribed auxiliary ratio.
Is driven and combined with the human power from the pedals by appropriate deceleration means and transmission means to become the propulsive force of the bicycle.

[0006]

As described above, when the magnetostrictive torque detector is used in the bicycle with the auxiliary power, in order to improve the accuracy of the detector to a practical level, the distance between the magnetostrictive material and the detection coil is increased. Becomes a problem. That is,
The sensitivity increases when the distance between the magnetostrictive material and the detection coil is narrowed, but on the other hand, there are problems such as restrictions on dimensional accuracy and difficulty in assembling, which hinders its practical use. Further, disturbance to the hollow member covering the magnetostrictive material, such as vibration of the chain, reliability of torque detection due to magnetic noise of the motor as auxiliary power, and the like also hinder practical use.

Further, when the motor auxiliary power is directly connected to the hollow member coated with the magnetostrictive material, when the motor is not operating,
A load is applied to the pedal to rotate at least a part of the speed reducer between the hollow cylindrical member and the motor, which causes a problem of making the pedal heavy. As a countermeasure against this, in the first conventional example, a method of providing a one-way clutch on the hollow cylindrical member and outputting the motor auxiliary force to the sprocket via the one-way clutch 24 is adopted. With this method, the motor and the speed reducer are not connected between the pedal and the front sprocket when the motor is not operating, and therefore the pedal is not made heavy.

However, in this embodiment, two clutches 20 and 24 are required for the crankshaft and the hollow cylindrical member, and in a normal bicycle, the speed is increased between the front sprocket and the rear sprocket. It is necessary to increase the reduction ratio by that amount, the number of reduction stages increases, the mechanism becomes complicated, and there are problems such as an increase in mass and an increase in cost.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems] auxiliary motorized bicycle of the present invention, distribution and human-driven unit, the pedal crank shaft coaxially
From the installed magnetostrictive torque detector, motor, and control circuit
Having a drive part that integrally incorporates the electric drive part
Where the electric drive is connected to the motor and the magnetostrictive torque.
A control circuit is provided between the detectors.
This Thus, to prevent the influence of the magnetic noise of the motor
As a result, it is possible to provide a practically reliable bicycle with auxiliary power.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a human power drive unit and a pedal.
A magnetostrictive torque detector arranged coaxially with the crankshaft;
Motor and electric drive unit consisting of control circuit are integrated
It has a drive unit to look into, and it is a manual drive unit or a manual drive unit.
And auxiliary drive that can operate the electric drive at the same time
In an attached bicycle, the electric drive unit may be a motor and a magnet.
It must have a control circuit between the strain torque detectors.
It is a bicycle with auxiliary power characterized by
It is possible to prevent the influence of mood noise.
The control circuit in the space required between the motor and the magnetostrictive material.
Since it is arranged, the space can be used effectively and the bicycle drive unit can be used.
Can be made smaller.

Furthermore, regarding the human-powered driving force,
A flow shaft connected to the rank shaft via a magnetostrictive torque detector.
It is transmitted from the sprocket to the rear wheel by a chain,
The auxiliary power is the same as the front sprocket
It is flat and connected to the motor output shaft through a reducer.
Connect the auxiliary power sprocket to the chain.
The information is transmitted to the rear wheel according to claim 1.
It is a bicycle with auxiliary power as shown in the figure,
Crankshaft is independent of auxiliary power as it is transmitted to the rear wheels via
Therefore, the pedal is light even when the motor is not operating. Furthermore
The front sprocket and auxiliary power sprocket are
Since it is on a flat surface, the chain is attached securely.

Further, the magnetostrictive torque detector uses a magnetostrictive material.
The detection coil is attached to the outer hollow cylindrical member via a sleeve bearing.
The coil housing that houses the coil encloses the magnetostrictive material.
Claim 1 or claim characterized in that it is configured to
An auxiliary powered bicycle according to 2, with high reliability, high
A precise magnetostrictive torque detector can be provided.

Further, a hollow circle covered with a magnetostrictive material
One end of the tubular member is connected to the pedal crankshaft, and
The other end of the hollow cylindrical member and the front sprocket
Are connected via a one-way clutch provided between them.
Any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that
It is a bicycle with auxiliary power as described in paragraph,
Torque detection due to disturbances such as vibrations from the
It is possible to prevent a decrease in output accuracy.

[0014]

Embodiments (Embodiment 1) The bicycle with auxiliary power of the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows a first bicycle with auxiliary power according to the present invention.
It is an example of. A drive unit 1 in which a magnetostrictive torque detector, a motor, a speed reducer, and a control circuit are integrally incorporated is located in the lower central portion of a bicycle frame 2, and is electrically connected to a battery 3 which is a motor drive energy source. . The drive is attached to the bicycle frame with two screws. Figure 2
The structural diagram of the drive unit is shown in FIG.

There are pedals at both ends of the crankshaft 36 via pedal arms, and a hollow cylindrical member 63 fitted to the crankshaft 35 (not shown) has one end 37 connected to the crankshaft 35. Further, a ribbon-shaped magnetostrictive material 38 is coated on the hollow cylindrical member 36, and a detection coil 40 is housed in the hollow cylindrical member 36 on both outer sides of the magnetostrictive material 38 via sleeve bearings 39.
Are assembled so as to enclose the magnetostrictive material 38. The detection coil 40 is supported by a sleeve bearing 39 so as to be rotatable relative to the hollow cylindrical member 36. The other end 42 of the hollow cylindrical member 36 is connected to the front sprocket 43 by a suitable means.

When the pedal is manually depressed, the hollow cylindrical member 36 is twisted by the load, and the external force of the twist is applied to the magnetostrictive material 38 which is the jacket, and the detection coil 40 detects a magnetic change and controls it. It is sent to the circuit 44 as a pedal torque signal. The control circuit 44 further analogizes the rotation speed from the signal of the pedal torque, operates the auxiliary power motor 46 based on the information on the torque and the rotation speed, and outputs the human power from the dedicated sprocket 48 via the two-stage speed reducer 47. The motor force is transmitted to a chain (not shown) between the front sprocket 43 and the rear sprocket.

At this time, if the auxiliary power sprocket 48 is not installed on the chain line connecting the front sprocket 43 and the rear wheel sprocket, the chain will easily come off. Front sprocket 43 integrated with torque detector and dedicated sprocket 48 for auxiliary power output
However, for the reason described above, the structure in which the two sprockets are incorporated in the same housing makes it easy to form these two sprockets on the same plane.

Conventional magnetostrictive torque detection as shown in FIG.
In a bicycle drive unit using a gearbox, the drive torque of a motor is transmitted to a rear wheel from a front sprocket through a chain by combining with a human power by a transmission means provided in a hollow cylindrical member via a reduction gear. Since the torque detector using a magnetostrictive material places a small load on the crankshaft, it transmits the driving torque of the motor and human power to the rear wheels as in the conventional case, and therefore, through a speed reducer, etc. to transmit the driving torque of the motor. , The load on the crankshaft increases,
The load, which is a feature of the torque detector using the magnetostrictive torque detector, becomes small, and it becomes impossible to pedal lightly.

[0020] The present invention provides a method for transmitting a driving torque to the rear wheels, with the front sprocket dedicated sprockets for auxiliary power output, through a chain, since the resultant force of the driving torque of the human power and the motor, magnetostrictive It is possible to provide a bicycle with assisting force while reducing the load on the crankshaft, which is a feature of the torque detector.

The control circuit 44 includes a magnetostrictive torque detector.
It is arranged between the motor is provided with a distance to prevent the influence on the torque detection by the magnetic noise of the motor. That is,
Since the motor 46 has a magnet and generates a magnetic field,
It is not preferable to bring the motor 46 close to the magnetostrictive material 38. That is, when the motor 46 is brought close to the magnetostrictive material 38,
The magnetostrictive material 38 is magnetically affected, which makes accurate torque detection difficult. Even when the torque detector using motor and magnetostrictive materials are housed integrally in a housing, Mo
It is necessary to provide a certain space between the torque detector and the torque detector.

In a small bicycle drive unit,
It is necessary to make effective use of such space. In a bicycle drive unit having a torque detector using a magnetostrictive material, a certain space between the magnetostrictive torque detector and the motor is always necessary, and such a space requires a control circuit for the bicycle drive unit. By arranging, the space can be effectively used and a small bicycle drive unit can be provided. Also, the motor and magnetostriction
Placing the control circuit <br/> the bicycle drive unit during the Formula torque detector, a motor, it is also advantageous in the position of the wiring close the magnetostrictive torque sensor.

The term " between the motor and the magnetostrictive torque detector " means not only that it is sandwiched between the motor and the magnetostrictive torque detector, but also that the motor and the magnetostrictive torque detector.
Without sandwiched between, interval sandwiched motor and a magnetostrictive torque detector section also motor and magnetic away from magnetostrictive material
Between the strain type torque detector . That is, the control shown in FIG.
At least part of the circuit is in this position. Example 2 FIG. 3 is a second example of the present invention. Except for the torque detection mechanism, it is the same as that of the first embodiment and is not shown. The hollow cylindrical member 56 that covers the magnetostrictive material has a second hollow cylinder whose one end is connected to the crankshaft 5 by a spline and the other end is fitted to the crankshaft via the one-way clutch 50. The hollow cylindrical member is connected to the member 51, and the hollow cylindrical member is further connected to the front sprocket 5 at the other end.
It is connected with 3. With this structure, it is possible to prevent deterioration in torque detection accuracy due to disturbance such as vibration from the front sprocket and the chain, and high reliability is realized.

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, which is not shown because it is the same as the first embodiment except the torque detecting mechanism. The one-way clutch 62 is arranged between the hollow cylindrical member 66 that covers the magnetostrictive material and the front sprocket 63 to prevent a decrease in reliability of torque detection due to disturbance.

[0025]

As described above, in the bicycle with auxiliary power of the present invention , the motor and the magnetostrictive torque are integrated in the housing.
Since the control circuit is installed between the detectors,
It is possible to realize a highly reliable drive unit that is not affected by the impact. Well
Also, the motor power is output separately from human power with a dedicated sprocket.
Therefore, the reduction ratio of the reducer can be reduced, which is lightweight and compact.
It is possible to realize various driving units. Furthermore, front sprocket
Detection accuracy due to disturbances such as vibrations from the chain and chain
And prevent deterioration of reliability, high reliability, high-precision magnetostriction
A torque detector can be used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a bicycle with auxiliary power according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of a drive unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of a torque detector according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a structural diagram of a torque detector according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a structural diagram of a conventional drive unit.

FIG. 6 is a structural diagram of a conventional torque detector.

[Explanation of symbols]

35 crankshaft 36 Hollow cylindrical member 38 Magnetostrictive material 43 Front sprocket 48 dedicated sprockets

Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP 10-250673 (JP, A) JP 8-133166 (JP, A) JP 55-79779 (JP, A) JP 2000-6876 (JP, A) JP-A-8-297059 (JP, A) JP-A-9-95289 (JP, A) JP-A-9-142368 (JP, A) JP-A-10-147283 (JP, A) (58) Survey Areas (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B62M 23/02 B62J 39/00 G01L 3/10

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A human power drive unit and a pedal crankshaft coaxial with each other.
Type magnetostrictive torque detector, motor and control circuit
It has a drive unit that incorporates an electric drive unit consisting of
In the bicycle with auxiliary power capable of operating the human power drive unit alone or the human power drive unit and the electric drive unit at the same time, the electric drive unit includes the motor and the magnetostrictive torque detector.
A bicycle with auxiliary power , characterized in that a control circuit is provided between the bicycle. 2. A pedal crank for manual driving force.
A front wheel connected to the shaft via a magnetostrictive torque detector.
Auxiliary motion is transmitted from the sprocket to the rear wheel by the chain.
Regarding the force, the same plane as the front sprocket
Is connected to the output shaft of the motor through a speed reducer.
Auxiliary power sprocket
The auxiliary according to claim 1, which is transmitted to a rear wheel.
Powered bicycle. 3. The magnetostrictive torque detector has a magnetostrictive material as an outer cover.
The detection coil is attached to the hollow cylindrical member through the sleeve bearing.
A coil housing for enclosing the magnetostrictive material
The claim 1 or claim 2 characterized in that
Bicycle with auxiliary power listed above. 4. One end of a hollow cylindrical member coated with a magnetostrictive material is connected to a pedal crankshaft, and
Insert the other end of the hollow cylindrical member and the front sprocket
That it is connected via a one-way clutch provided between
The claim according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized by
Bicycle with auxiliary power.