Electromechanical shifting systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11685472-B2
Application number	US-202117174210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2021
Priority date	Oct 11, 2012
Publication date	Jun 27, 2023
Grant date	Jun 27, 2023

Abstract

A wireless control system for a bicycle may include a base part attachable to a bicycle and a movable part. The control system may also include an electric motor disposed on the electromechanical component and a control unit disposed on the electromechanical component for operating the electric motor to operate the electromechanical component, the control unit including a wireless receiver. The control system includes a wake sensor connected to the control unit, the wake sensor configured to communicate a wake signal to the control unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control system for a bicycle, comprising:
at least one actuator having at least a pressed state and a released state; and
a first control unit configured to generate a first signal responsive to at least one of the pressed state and the released state;
a second control unit located in a first bicycle component, wherein the first signal is transmitted wirelessly by the first control unit to the second control unit, the second control unit configured to generate a second signal and transmit the second signal to a second bicycle component.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the first bicycle component is a rear gear changer.

3. The control system of claim 2 , wherein the second bicycle component is a front gear changer.

4. The control system of claim 3 , wherein the first signal is a shift signal.

5. The control unit of claim 4 , wherein the second signal is indicative of a current gear position of the rear gear changer.

6. The control system of claim 5 , wherein the second control unit is configured to generate the second signal upon receiving the first signal.

7. The control system of claim 5 , wherein the front gear changer optimizes a trim position of the front gear changer based on the second signal.

8. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the second signal includes data related to at least one of a battery level, a number of shifts, a device ID, a temperature, an error code, and a firmware version.

9. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the first bicycle component is a front gear changer.

10. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the first bicycle component is at least one of a front gear changer or a rear gear changer and the second bicycle component is a third party device.

11. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the third party device is not located on the bicycle.

12. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the second control unit is configured to transmit the second signal wirelessly.

13. The control system of claim 12 , wherein the second control unit is configured to transmit the second signal to the third party device by at least one of ANT and BLTE protocols.

14. The control system of claim 13 , wherein the second control unit is configured to accumulate data from devices on the bicycle related to at least one of a battery level, a number of shifts, a device ID, a temperature, an error code, and a firmware version.

15. The control system of claim 14 , wherein the second signal includes data related to at least one of the battery level, the number of shifts, the device ID, the temperature, the error code, and the firmware version.

16. A control system for a bicycle, comprising:
at least one actuator having at least a pressed state and a released state; and
a first control unit configured to generate a first signal responsive to at least one of the pressed state and the released state;
a second control unit located in a bicycle component, wherein the first signal is transmitted by the first control unit to the second control unit, the second control unit configured to generate a second signal and transmit the second signal wirelessly.

17. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the bicycle component is a rear gear changer.

18. The control system of claim 17 , wherein the second control unit is configured to transmit the second signal wirelessly to a front gear changer.

19. The control system of claim 17 , wherein the second control unit is configured to transmit the second signal wirelessly to a third party device.

20. The control system of claim 19 , wherein the second control unit is configured to transmit the second signal to the third party device by at least one of ANT and BLTE protocols.

Assignees

• Sram Llc

Inventors

• Jordan Brian
• Squires Todd

Classifications

• F16H59/044

  consisting of electrical switches or sensors · CPC title

• B62J45/20

  Cycle computers as cycle accessories · CPC title

• Y10T74/2003

  Electrical actuator · CPC title

• B62J43/30

  for providing power to equipment other than for propulsion · CPC title

• B62M9/132

  electrically or fluid actuated; Controls thereof · CPC title