Wheel rim-mounted regeneration coil-magnet system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9771124-B2
Application number	US-201514630999-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2015
Priority date	Feb 25, 2015
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

A bicycle includes a frame, a charging circuit carried by the frame and configured to capture energy associated with movement of the bicycle, a power module carried by the frame, and a switch disposed electrically between the charging circuit and power module. The power module, in response to an indication that the bicycle is travelling downhill, closes the switch to enable energy transfer between the charging circuit and power module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle power system comprising:
a bicycle having a charging circuit; and
a power module attached to the bicycle and configured to receive power from the charging circuit based on an operational state of the bicycle, and in response to an indication that a pedal rotation rate of the bicycle fails to exceed a non-zero threshold rate, to establish an electrical connection between the charging circuit and power module to enable power transfer therebetween.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the indication includes data indicative of actuation of a braking mechanism.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the indication includes data indicative of deceleration of the bicycle.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a switch coupling the charging circuit and power module, wherein establishing an electrical connection between the charging circuit and power module includes closing the switch.

5. A bicycle comprising:
a frame;
a charging circuit carried by the frame and configured to capture energy associated with movement of the bicycle;
a power module carried by the frame; and
a switch disposed electrically between the charging circuit and power module, the power module configured to, in response to an indication that a pedal rotation acceleration fails to exceed a non-zero threshold pedal rotation acceleration, close the switch to enable energy transfer between the charging circuit and power module.

6. The bicycle of claim 5 , wherein the indication includes data indicative of an acceleration of the bicycle exceeding a threshold acceleration.

7. The bicycle of claim 5 , wherein the indication includes data indicative of an actuation at a brake mechanism.

8. The bicycle of claim 5 , wherein the indication includes data indicative of an acceleration of the bicycle exceeding a threshold acceleration.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Seagraves Jamel
• Tang Chih-Wei
• Aich Sudipto
• Carrus Justin
• Gomez David

Classifications

• 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

• B60L7/10

  Dynamic electric regenerative braking (B60L7/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60L2250/16

  by display · CPC title

• B60L2250/12

  by confirmation, e.g. of the input · CPC title

• B60L2240/642

  Slope of road · CPC title