E-clutch for pedelec bicycle
AssigneeFlex Ltd.
InventorsChristopher D. Wiegel, Shaily Deva, Neal Saiki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pedal-electric bicycle utilizes an e-clutch to prevent a motor of the pedal-electric bicycle that is fixedly engaged to a drivetrain of the pedal-electric bicycle from resisting movement of the drivetrain when the motor is not transferring power to the drivetrain. The e-clutch causes the motor to operate at a minimum torque level to overcome the internal resistance thereof. The use of an e-clutch beneficially permits the elimination of a mechanical motor clutch, thus reducing complexity, cost, and weight of the pedal-electric bicycle.
Claims20
A pedal-electric bicycle, comprising:
- a set of pedals;
- a drive wheel;
- a drivetrain configured to transfer power from the set of pedals to the drive wheel;
- a pedal clutch for disengaging the set of pedals from the drivetrain;
- a motor, the motor in fixed engagement with the drivetrain and configured to selectively transfer power to the drivetrain;
- and
- a motor controller configured to selectively operate the motor at a minimum torque level when the drivetrain is transferring power from the set of pedals to the drive wheel and the motor is not transferring power to the drivetrain.
A method of operating a motor of a pedal-electric bicycle, comprising:
- receiving, at a motor controller, information about a change in context of the pedal-electric bicycle;
- determining, with a processor of the motor controller and based on the received information, that the motor of the pedal-electric bicycle is to be depowered;
- determining, based on information stored in a memory of the motor controller and with the processor of the motor controller, a minimum torque level required to overcome an internal resistance of the motor;
- and
- causing the motor to operate at the minimum torque level.
A pedal-electric bicycle e-clutch, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory storing instructions for execution by the processor that, when executed, cause the processor to:
- receive context information from a braking sensor, a motor support level sensor, a cadence sensor, a speed sensor, or a battery management unit of the pedal-electric bicycle;
- determine, based on the context information, that a context of the pedal-electric bicycle has changed;
- cause a motor of the pedal-electric bicycle to stop transferring power to a drivetrain of the pedal-electric bicycle, the motor fixedly engaged to the drivetrain;
- identify, using a look-up table stored in the memory, a minimum torque level necessary to overcome an internal resistance of the motor;
- and
- cause the motor to operate at the minimum torque level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.