Electric bicycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016031525-A1
Application number	US-201514804958-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 21, 2015
Priority date	Aug 1, 2014
Publication date	Feb 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electric bicycle includes a crank, a driving gear and a driven gear spaced from each other, and a belt engaged with the driving gear and the driven gear. An electric motor is coupled to the driving gear. A freewheel is disposed between the crank and the driving gear. At least a portion of the motor is concentric about the freewheel.

First claim

1 . An electric bicycle comprising:
a crank; a driving gear and a driven gear spaced from each other; a belt engaged with the driving gear and the driven gear; an electric motor coupled to the driving gear; and a freewheel between the crank and the driving gear, at least a portion of the motor being concentric about the freewheel.

2 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the electric motor includes magnets spaced from each other concentrically about the freewheel.

3 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 2 wherein the magnets are fixed to the gear.

4 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 3 further comprising a frame and a housing fixed relative to the frame, the electric motor including coils fixed to the frame.

5 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 4 wherein the gear is concentric about at least a portion of the housing.

6 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 5 further comprising a bearing between the gear and the housing.

7 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the motor includes magnets fixed to the gear.

8 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the freewheel is supported on the crank.

9 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a wheel including rim and a hub rotationally fixed to the rim and rotationally fixed to the driven gear.

10 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 9 further comprising a controller in communication with the motor and a brake light in communication with the controller, the controller being configured to illuminate the brake light when the driven gear drives the belt.

11 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an encoder fixed to the crank.

12 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a computing device programmed to control power to the motor.

13 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 12 wherein the computing device is programmed to operate the motor in at least one of a pedal-assist mode to provide power to the motor and an off mode to prevent power supply to the motor.

14 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a user interface configured to instruct the computer system to operate in at least one of the pedal-assist mode and the off mode.

15 . The bicycle as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a brake light and wherein the computing device is programmed to illuminate the brake light when the driven gear drives the belt.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Craven Richard
• Potticary Simon
• Gerhardt Torsten
• Lloyd James
• Mundy Jonathan
• Southey Bruce
• Neugebauer James

Classifications

• B60L53/68

  Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control · CPC title

• B62K11/00

  Motorcycles, engine-assisted cycles or motor scooters with one or two wheels (fairings or streamlining parts not forming part of the frame B62J; transmission of drive from engines to wheels B62M) · CPC title

• B62J45/10

  Arrangement of audio equipment; Supports therefor · CPC title

• B62J45/20

  Cycle computers as cycle accessories · CPC title

• B62J6/015

  using electrical power not supplied by the cycle motor generator, e.g. using batteries or piezo elements · CPC title