Bicycles with electronic shifting systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9580146-B2
Application number	US-201414516021-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2014
Priority date	Sep 9, 2011
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

Electronic shifting systems, mechanisms and methods of using the systems to operate a bicycle that allows front and rear gear changer mechanisms to be controlled with only two switches. The switches can be arranged so that each hand is only required to operate one switch to shift the bicycle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic shifting system for a bicycle, comprising:
a first switch mechanism;
a second switch mechanism;
a control unit in communication with and responsive to signals from the first and second switch mechanisms; and
a front gear shift mechanism in communication with and responsive to command signals from the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to determine when both the first switch mechanism and the second switch mechanism are actuated concurrently and responsively sends only a front shift command signal to the front gear shift mechanism to perform a front gear shift operation.

2. The electronic shifting system of claim 1 , further comprising a rear gear shift mechanism in communication with and responsive to signals from the control unit;
wherein the control unit is configured to determine if both of the first and second switch mechanisms are not actuated concurrently, and responsively sends a rear shift command signal to the rear gear shift mechanism to perform a rear gear shift operation dependent upon which of the first and second switch mechanisms are actuated.

3. The electronic shifting system of claim 2 , wherein the rear gear shift operation is performed after expiration of a predetermined time period.

4. The electronic shifting system of claim 2 , wherein the rear gear shift operation is performed if one of the first and second switch mechanisms is actuated and then non-actuated before the expiration of a predetermined time period.

5. The electronic shifting system of claim 1 , further comprising a front gear position sensor for sensing a current gear position of the front gear shift mechanism, wherein the control unit is configured to send the front shift command signal to move the front gear shift mechanism a direction to perform a front gear shift operation depending on the sensed current gear position.

6. The electronic shifting system of claim 1 , wherein the front gear shift mechanism includes two gear positions.

7. The electronic shifting system of claim 1 , wherein the front gear shift mechanism includes three gear positions.

8. A method of shifting a bicycle with an electronic gear shifting system, wherein the electronic gear shifting system comprises a first switch mechanism, a second switch mechanism, a control unit in communication with and responsive to signals from the first and second switch mechanisms, and a front gear shift mechanism in communication with and responsive to command signals from the control unit, comprising the steps of:
determining with the control unit that both of the first and second switch mechanisms are actuated concurrently, and
performing only a front gear shift operation with the front gear shift mechanism.

9. The method of shifting a bicycle with an electronic gear shifting system of claim 8 , wherein the front gear shift mechanism performs the front gear shift operation between two gear positions.

10. The method of shifting a bicycle with an electronic gear shifting system of claim 8 , wherein the front gear shift mechanism performs the front gear shift operation between three gear positions.

11. A method of shifting a bicycle with an electronic gear shifting system, wherein the electronic gear shifting system includes a first switch mechanism, a second switch mechanism, a control unit in operative communication with and responsive to signals from the first and second switch mechanisms, and a front gear shift mechanism in operative communication with and responsive to command signals from the control unit, comprising:
monitoring with the control unit if one of the first and second switch mechanisms is actuated;
sensing when one of the first and second switch mechanisms is actuated;
determining if the other of the first and second switch mechanisms is actuated if the one of the first and second switch mechanisms is actuated;
generating only a front shift command signal with the control unit if the first and second switches are determined to be actuated concurrently; and
performing a front gear shift operation with the front gear shift mechanism responsive to the front shift command signal.

Assignees

• Sram Llc

Inventors

• Jordan Brian

Classifications

• B62L3/02

  for control by a hand lever (hand levers for control of cycles in general B62K23/06) · CPC title

• B62M9/132 Primary

  electrically or fluid actuated; Controls thereof · CPC title

• B62K23/02

  hand actuated (arrangements of controls on handle-bars of engine-driven cycles B62K11/14) · CPC title

• B62J45/20

  Cycle computers as cycle accessories · CPC title

• F16H59/044

  consisting of electrical switches or sensors · CPC title