Electric bicycle derailleur control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9809276-B2
Application number	US-201615055998-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 29, 2016
Priority date	Feb 29, 2016
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

An electric bicycle derailleur control system is basically provided with a derailleur, a detecting device and a controller. The derailleur includes a chain guide and an electrical actuator. The chain guide is configured to displace a bicycle chain. The electrical actuator is operatively coupled to the chain guide to displace the chain guide. The detecting device is configured to detect information related to a reaction force of the bicycle chain. The controller is configured to control the electrical actuator in accordance with detected information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric bicycle derailleur control system comprising:
a derailleur including a chain guide to displace a bicycle chain and an electrical actuator operatively coupled to the chain guide to displace the chain guide;
a detecting device configured to detect information related to a reaction force of the bicycle chain; and
a controller configured to control the electrical actuator in accordance with the detected information such that a displacement amount of the chain guide during a shifting operation is set in accordance with the reaction force.

2. The electric bicycle derailleur control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is further configured to control the electrical actuator so that the displacement amount of the chain guide during the shifting operation is a first displacement amount upon the detected information of the detecting device indicating a detected chain reaction force being smaller than a first predetermined amount, and that the displacement amount of the chain guide is a second displacement amount that is greater than the first displacement amount upon the detected information of the detecting device indicating a detected chain reaction force being equal to or above the first predetermined amount.

3. The electric bicycle derailleur control system according to claim 2 , wherein
the controller is further configured to control the electrical actuator to displace the chain guide, that is in a shifting operation in which the displacement amount of the chain guide is the second displacement amount, in an opposite direction from an existing displacement direction upon the detected information of the detecting device indicating a detected chain reaction force decreasing rate that is equal to or above a predetermined chain reaction force decreasing rate.

4. The electric bicycle derailleur control system according to claim 2 , wherein
the controller is further configured to control the electrical actuator to stop displacing the chain guide, that is in a shifting operation in which the displacement amount of the chain guide is the second displacement amount, in an existing displacement direction upon the detected information of the detecting device indicating a detected chain reaction force decreasing rate that is equal to or above a predetermined chain reaction force decreasing rate.

5. The electric bicycle derailleur control system according to claim 3 , wherein
the controller is further configured to control the electrical actuator to displace the chain guide in the opposite direction after the detecting device detects the chain reaction force decreasing rate within a prescribed time period.

6. The electric bicycle derailleur control system according to claim 3 , wherein
the controller is further configured to control the electrical actuator to stop displacing the chain guide after the detecting device detects the chain reaction force decreasing rate.

7. The electric bicycle derailleur control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the electrical actuator includes an electrical motor; and
the controller is further configured to control a rotational degree of an output shaft of the motor based on the detected information.

8. The electric bicycle derailleur control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the detecting device includes a strain gauge disposed on a part of the derailleur that receives a reaction force from the chain guide displacing the bicycle chain.

9. The electric bicycle derailleur control system according to claim 8 , wherein
the part of the derailleur includes at least one of the chain guide, a linkage part of a linkage assembly interconnecting the electrical actuator to the chain guide, and a gear connected to a motor of the electrical actuator.

10. The electric bicycle derailleur control system according to claim 8 , wherein
the controller is further configured to control the electrical actuator to displace the chain guide to a trim position upon the detected information of the detecting device indicating a detected chain reaction force being smaller than a predetermined amount for more than a predetermined time period.

11. An electric bicycle derailleur control system comprising:
a derailleur including a chain guide to displace a bicycle chain and an electrical actuator operatively coupled to the chain guide to displace the chain guide;
a detecting device configured to detect information related to a reaction force of the bicycle chain, the detecting device including a current sensor that is configured to measure current of the electrical actuator; and
a controller configured to control the electrical actuator in accordance with the detected information.

12. The electric bicycle derailleur control system according to claim 11 , wherein
the controller is further configured to control the electrical actuator to displace the chain guide according to a detected current value of the electrical actuator by the current sensor such that a displacement amount of the chain guide varies based on the detected current value of the electrical actuator.

13. The electric bicycle derailleur control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the detecting device includes a torque sensor that is configured to measure torque of a bicycle component.

14. The electric bicycle derailleur control system according to claim 13 , wherein
the bicycle component includes at least one of a crank axle, a crank arm, a pedal and a rear hub.

15. An electric bicycle derailleur control system comprising:
a derailleur including a chain guide to displace a bicycle chain and an electrical actuator operatively coupled to the chain guide to displace the chain guide:
a detecting device configured to detect information related to a reaction force of the bicycle chain; and
a controller configured to control the electrical actuator so that the chain guide is displaced from a rest position to a first shift position when the detected information indicates a detected chain reaction force being smaller than a first predetermined amount, and so that the chain guide is displaced from the rest position to a second shift position that is further from the rest position than the first shift position when the detected information indicates the detected chain reaction force being equal to or above the first predetermined amount.

16. An electric bicycle derailleur control system comprising:
a derailleur including a chain guide to displace a bicycle chain and an electrical actuator operatively coupled to the chain guide to displace the chain guide;
a torque sensor configured to measure torque of a bicycle component; and
a controller configured to control the electrical actuator to displace the chain guide according to a detected torque of the bicycle component by the torque sensor such that the chain guide is displaced from a rest position to a first shift position when the detected torque is smaller than a first predetermined amount, and such that the chain guide is displaced from the rest position to a second shift position that is further from the rest position than the first shift position when the detected torque is equal to or above the first predetermined amount.

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Katsura Takafumi
• Nishi Keijiro
• Mizutani Yuta
• Tachibana Hiroshi

Classifications

• B62M25/08

  with electrical or fluid transmitting systems · CPC title

• B62M9/126 Primary

  Chain guides; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• B62M9/132 Primary

  electrically or fluid actuated; Controls thereof · CPC title