Electric bike optical shift detection and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9764796-B2
Application number	US-201514662995-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2015
Priority date	Mar 19, 2015
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A number of variations may include a cable movement detector for determining a movement of a cable. A light source may be directed at the cable. A light detector may receive a reflection of the light source from the cable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A product for use with an electric cycle comprising:
a cable connected in the electric cycle, the cable controlling an operating function of the electric cycle; and a cable movement detector positioned proximate the cable;
wherein a movement of the cable is detected by the cable movement detector, wherein the cable movement detector generates a signal from the movement, the signal used to affect the operating function
wherein the operating function is a gear shift,
further comprising a motor-generator unit configured to provide a driving torque to the electric cycle, wherein the driving torque is removed when the cable movement detector detects the movement of the cable to shift to a target gear, wherein the target gear has a preferred output speed of the motor-generator unit, and wherein an operating speed of the motor-generator unit is matched to the preferred output speed for the target gear when the driving torque is removed.

2. The product according to claim 1 wherein the cable movement detector comprises a light source that is directed at the cable and a light detector positioned to receive a reflection of the light source off the cable.

3. The product according to claim 2 further comprising a digital signal processor receiving a signal from the light detector, wherein the digital signal processor determines a magnitude of the movement from the signal.

4. The product according to claim 1 wherein the cable has an outer surface with a feature that is sensed by the cable movement detector.

5. The product according to claim 1 wherein the light source is directed at the cable at an angle.

6. The product according to claim 1 wherein the cable passes through the cable movement detector.

7. The product according to claim 1 wherein the cable has a bare segment within the cable movement detector.

8. The product according to claim 1 wherein the operating function is a gear shift.

9. A method of operating an electric cycle that includes a motor-generator unit for propelling the electric cycle, a variable gear unit that has a shift lever connected with the variable gear unit through a first cable, and a brake that has a brake lever connected with the brake through a second cable, the method comprising:
providing a cable movement detector in proximity to at least one of the first and second cables;
determining an amount of movement of the at least one of the first and second cables; and
controlling the motor-generator unit in response to the amount of movement,
further comprising the steps of removing a torque delivered by the motor-generator unit based on the amount of movement, determining a target speed of the motor-generator unit, and controlling the motor-generator unit to match the target speed.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising the steps of determining a target gear of the variable gear unit based on the amount of movement; determining an amount of time based on the target gear; and removing the torque for the amount of time.

11. A product for use with an electric cycle comprising:
a cable connected in the electric cycle, the cable controlling an operating function of the electric cycle; and a cable movement detector positioned proximate the cable;
wherein a movement of the cable is detected by the cable movement detector, wherein the cable movement detector generates a signal from the movement, the signal used to affect the operating function,
the cable having a feature comprising a pattern on an outer surface of the cable, and wherein the cable movement detector optically detects movement of the feature; and
further comprising a motor-generator unit configured to provide a driving torque to the electric cycle, wherein the driving torque is removed when the cable movement detector detects the movement of the cable to shift to a target gear, wherein the target gear has a preferred output speed of the motor-generator unit, and wherein an operating speed of the motor-generator unit is matched to the preferred output speed for the target gear when the driving torque is removed.

12. A product as set forth in claim 11 wherein the pattern being printed on the outer surface of the cable.

13. A product as set forth in claim 11 wherein the pattern formed as a result of construction such as by joining a plurality of twisted or braided strands to form the cable.

14. A product as set forth in claim 11 wherein the pattern comprises a randomly textured surface pattern on an outer surface of the cable.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Hayslett Steven L
• Yambor Jeffrey W

Classifications

• B60W10/11

  Stepped gearings · CPC title

• Y02T10/7258

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B60W30/19

  Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift · CPC title

• G01B11/00

  Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques · CPC title

• B60W10/18

  including control of braking systems · CPC title