Display device for a bicycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022348280-A1
Application number	US-202217732488-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 28, 2022
Priority date	Apr 29, 2021
Publication date	Nov 3, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A display device for a bicycle, e.g., a Pedelec, and/or a bicycle element, and a method of operating a bicycle with a display device are disclosed. The display device includes a carrier for mounting on a handlebar of the bicycle or for mounting on a bicycle helmet. On the carrier, a plurality of controllable luminous elements are arranged.

First claim

1 . A display device for at least one of a bicycle and a bicycle helmet, comprising:
a carrier for mounting on a handlebar or for mounting on the bicycle helmet, and a plurality of controllable luminous elements arranged on the carrier.

2 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier includes an annular or hollow-cylindrical geometry and is structured in two parts for mounting on the handlebar and includes two ring segment-shaped carrier elements, the two ring segment-shaped carrier elements connected to one another in an articulated manner via a hinge and adjustable between a closed position where the two carrier elements enclose an annular opening, and an open position where the two carrier elements are mountable on the handlebar or demountable from the handlebar.

3 . The display device according to claim 2 , wherein the carrier further includes a fixing device arranged on two circumferential ends of the two carrier elements facing away from the hinge, and wherein the fixing device fixes the two carrier elements to one another in the closed position.

4 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of luminous elements is arranged on a front side of the carrier.

5 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein one of:
at least one of the plurality of luminous elements is arranged on an outer circumferential side of the carrier; all of the plurality of luminous elements are arranged on a front side of the carrier; or a first part of the plurality of luminous elements is arranged on the carrier on a circumferential side of the carrier and a second part of the plurality of luminous elements is arranged on a front side of the carrier.

6 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein on the carrier an electrical connection is provided, wherein the electrical connection electrically connects the plurality of luminous elements by wire to a control/regulating device.

7 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of luminous elements are configured to be separately controllable.

8 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the plurality of luminous elements are covered via a protective cover that is transmissive for the light emitted by the plurality of luminous elements; at least one of the plurality of luminous elements is configured to emit light with one of at least two different colours; and at least one of the plurality of luminous elements is configured to emit light with different brightness.

9 . A bicycle helmet for use with a bicycle and for protecting a helmet wearer from head injuries, comprising:
a helmet body structured shell-like for absorbing external mechanical shocks and impacts; a helmet visor mounted on the helmet body; two display devices arranged next to one another on the helmet visor, wherein the two display devices are arranged on the helmet visor so that they are visible to the helmet wearer while wearing the bicycle helmet, the two display devices each including: a carrier; and a plurality of controllable luminous elements arranged on the carrier; a communications unit for wirelessly connecting the two display devices to a control/regulating device.

10 . The bicycle helmet according to claim 9 , wherein:
a centre longitudinal axis divides the helmet body into a left helmet half and a right helmet half, and one of the two display devices is arranged in the left helmet half on the helmet visor and the other of the two display devices is arranged in the right helmet half on the helmet visor.

11 . A bicycle, comprising:
a rear wheel and a front wheel that is steerable by a user; a seat, on which the user can sit; a handlebar for controlling the front wheel; at least one radar sensor arranged in a rear region configured to monitor a rear surrounding region at a back at least in regions for the presence of at least one further road user; a control/regulating device, connected to the at least one radar sensor in a data-transmitting manner for receiving sensor data generated by the at least one radar sensor; at least one display device arranged on at least one of the handlebar and a bicycle helmet of the user, the at least one display device including a carrier and a plurality of controllable luminous elements arranged on the carrier; and wherein the at least one display device is connected wirelessly or by wire to the control/regulating device, so that the control/regulating device can control the plurality of luminous elements as a function of the sensor data received.

12 . The bicycle according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one display device is arranged on the handlebar so that the user sitting on the seat can see the plurality of luminous elements.

13 . The bicycle according to claim 11 , wherein the control/regulating device controls at least one of the plurality of luminous elements such that the at least one luminous element, relating to the emission of light, changes its previous state when, via the at least one radar sensor, the presence of at least one road user has been detected and sensor data corresponding to the said detection were transmitted to the control/regulating device by the at least one radar sensor.

14 . The bicycle according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one radar sensor is structured and arranged such that it can be distinguished by the at least one radar sensor whether a detected road user is situated in a laterally left region behind the bicycle or in a laterally right region behind the bicycle or in a middle region between the laterally left region and the laterally right regions.

15 . The bicycle according to claim 11 , wherein the handlebar includes a left handlebar half and a right handlebar half, wherein on at least one of the left handlebar half and the right handlebar half the display device is arranged in each case, and wherein the plurality of luminous elements are controllable by the control/regulating device.

16 . The bicycle according to claim 11 , wherein the handlebar includes a left handle and a right handle, wherein in a left region or a right region of at least one of the left handle and the right handles the display device is arranged in each case, and wherein the plurality of luminous elements are controllable by the control/regulating device.

17 . A method for operating a bicycle, comprising:
monitoring a surrounding rear region of the bicycle via at least one radar sensor; transmitting sensor data from the at least one radar sensor to a control/regulating device; controlling via the control/regulating device at least one of a plurality of luminous elements of at least one display device such that regarding to the emission of light the at least one luminous element changes its previous state when via the at least one radar sensor a change of status regarding a road user behind the bicycle has been detected and the sensor data corresponding to the change of status are transmitted to the control/regulating device by the at least one radar sensor.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the change of status detected by the at least one radar sensor includes at least one of:
a one-off detection of a certain road user; a change of position of the detected road user relative to the bicycle; and a no-longer detection of a road user already detected previously.

19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one luminous element is switched on or switched off or switched over when via the

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Beerens Christoph
• Wehking Nadine
• Zumstein Tillman

Classifications

• B62J6/01

  Electric circuits · CPC title

• B62J6/26 Primary

  warning or informing other road users, e.g. police flash lights · CPC title

• B62J6/04

  Rear lights · CPC title

• F21V23/0471

  the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person · CPC title

• A42B3/30

  Mounting radio sets or communication systems · CPC title