Human-powered vehicle control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11130548-B2
Application number	US-201816163951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2018
Priority date	Oct 27, 2017
Publication date	Sep 28, 2021
Grant date	Sep 28, 2021

Abstract

A human-powered vehicle control device includes an electronic controller operatively coupled to a motor that assists in propulsion of a human-powered vehicle. The electronic controller is configured to changes at least one of a ratio of output of the motor to a human driving force that is input to the human-powered vehicle or an upper limit value of an output torque of the motor in accordance with the human driving force inputted to the human-powered vehicle upon determining a transmission ratio of the human-powered vehicle is in a predetermined range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A human-powered vehicle control device comprising:
an electronic controller operatively coupled to a motor that assists in propulsion of a human-powered vehicle, and
the electronic controller being configured to, upon determining a transmission ratio of the human-powered vehicle is in a predetermined range, change at least one of a ratio of an output of the motor to a human driving force that is input to the human-powered vehicle and an upper limit value of an output torque of the motor in accordance with the human driving force inputted to the human-powered vehicle, the transmission ratio being a ratio of a rotational speed of a drive wheel of the human-powered vehicle to a rotational speed of a crank of the human-powered vehicle.

2. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to increase the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value upon determining the transmission ratio is in a first range of the predetermined range and the human driving force is greater than or equal to a first predetermined value.

3. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 2 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to decrease the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value upon determining the transmission ratio has been changed to a value outside the first range after the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value has been previously increased due to the transmission ratio being in the first range and the human driving force being greater than or equal to the first predetermined value.

4. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 2 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to decrease the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value upon determining the human driving force has been changed to less than the first predetermined value after the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value has been previously increased due to the transmission ratio being in the first range and the human driving force being greater than or equal to the first predetermined value.

5. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to decrease the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value upon determining the transmission ratio is in a second range of the predetermined range and the human driving force is less than or equal to a second predetermined value.

6. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 5 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to increase the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value upon determining the transmission ratio has been changed to a value outside the second range after the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value has been previously decreased due to the transmission ratio being in the second range and the human driving force being less than or equal to the second predetermined value.

7. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 5 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to increase the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value upon determining the human driving force has been changed to greater than the second predetermined value after the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value is decreased due to the transmission ratio being in the second range and the human driving force being less than or equal to the second predetermined value.

8. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to increase the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value upon determining the transmission ratio is in a first range of the predetermined range and the human driving force is greater than or equal to a first predetermined value, and
the electronic controller is configured to decrease the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value upon determining the transmission ratio is in a second range of the predetermined range and the human driving force is less than or equal to a second predetermined value, the transmission ratio of the second range is greater than the transmission ratio of the first range.

9. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to use an input torque that is input to a crank arm of the crank as the human driving force upon determining the crank arm is located at a predetermined rotational angle.

10. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to use an average torque or power that is input to a crank arm of the crank as the human driving force.

11. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to change the transmission ratio in accordance with the human driving force upon determining the transmission ratio is outside the predetermined range.

12. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a human driving force detector operatively coupled to the electronic controller.

13. A human-powered vehicle control device comprising:
an electronic controller operatively coupled to a motor that assists in propulsion of a human-powered vehicle, and
the electronic controller being configured to, upon determining a transmission ratio of the human-powered vehicle is in a predetermined range, change at least one of a ratio of an output of the motor to a human driving force that is input to the human-powered vehicle and an upper limit value of an output torque of the motor in accordance with input information that is input from a sensor provided at the human-powered vehicle, the transmission ratio being a ratio of a rotational speed of the drive wheel to the rotational speed of the crank of the human-powered vehicle.

14. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 13 , wherein
the sensor includes at least one of a crank force sensor, a pedal force sensor, a frame force sensor, a saddle force sensor, a seatpost force sensor, a handlebar force sensor, a vehicle mounted camera, a roll direction inclination sensor, and a roll direction acceleration sensor.

15. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 14 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to increase the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value upon determining a force applied to at least one of the saddle and the seatpost has changed from a value greater than or equal to a third predetermined value to a value less than the third predetermined value.

16. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 15 , wherein
the electronic controller is configured to decrease the at least one of the ratio and the upper limit value upon determining a force applied to at least one of the saddle and the seatpost has changed from a value less than a fourth predetermined value to a value greater than or equal to the fourth predetermined value.

17. The human-powered vehicle control device according to claim 16 , wherein
the third predetermined value differs from the fourth predetermined value.

18. A human-powered vehicle control device comprising:
an electronic controller operatively coupled to a motor that assists in propulsion of a human-powered vehicle, and
the electronic controller being configured to, upon determining a transmission ratio of the human-powered vehicle is in a predetermined range, ch

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Shahana Satoshi

Classifications

• B62M6/45

  Control or actuating devices therefor · CPC title

• B62M6/40 Primary

  Rider propelled cycles with auxiliary electric motor · CPC title

• B62M6/50 Primary

  characterised by detectors or sensors, or arrangement thereof · CPC title

• B62M9/04

  of changeable ratio · CPC title

• Y02T10/72

  Electric energy management in electromobility · CPC title