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US 11,345,439 B2Granted
Hydraulic automatic transmission bicycle
AssigneesDong Won Lee, Youngtack Shim
InventorDong Won Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This disclosure generally relates to an automatic bicycle, particularly to a hydraulic automatic transmission bicycle which can automatically and adaptively change gear ratios. More particularly, this disclosure relates to those hydraulic automatic transmission bicycles which use fluid pressure to change such gear ratios, and which include various hydraulic automatic transmissions which may be provided in various configurations and may operate in various methods and sequences to provide automatic and infinitely variable gear ratios.
Claims29
A hydraulic automatic transmission for a hydraulic automatic transmission bicycle comprising:
- a hydraulic motor which pressurizes fluid contained therein to a motor pressure,
- wherein said hydraulic motor increases said motor pressure as an external mechanical load which is exerted onto said hydraulic motor increases, but wherein said hydraulic motor decreases said motor pressure as said external mechanical load decreases;
- a hydraulic pump which includes an outer cam ring and which pressurizes fluid contained therein using mechanical energy supplied thereto by a user to a pump pressure which is greater than said motor pressure, and which discharges a pump discharging volume of said pressurized fluid toward said hydraulic motor,
- wherein said pump discharging volume decreases as said mechanical load increases and as said outer cam ring moves in one direction, but wherein said pump discharging volume increases as said mechanical load decreases and as said outer cam ring moves in another direction which is different from said one direction, whereby said hydraulic automatic transmission automatically changes gear ratios in response to changes in said pump discharging volume which in turn changes in response to changes in said external load;
- and
- a controller unit which is configured to set up at least one of a maximum value of said external mechanical load at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a minimum value of said external mechanical load at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a maximum value of said motor pressure at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, and a minimum value of said motor pressure at which said transmission changes said gear ratios,
- whereby said transmission is capable of manipulating an extent of changing said gear ratios.
4 more elements
A hydraulic automatic transmission for a hydraulic automatic transmission bicycle comprising:
- a hydraulic pump which includes a pump driving axis, which pressurizes fluid contained therein to a pump pressure by rotating said pump driving axis using mechanical energy provided by a user, and which discharges a pump discharging volume of said fluid toward a hydraulic motor per a revolution of said pump driving axis,
- a hydraulic motor which includes a motor driving axis, which pressurizes fluid contained therein to a motor pressure which is not greater than said pump pressure by rotating said motor driving axis, which receives at least a portion of said pressurized fluid from said pump, and which discharges a motor discharging volume of said fluid per a revolution of said motor driving axis,
- wherein said pump is configured to vary said pump discharging volume in response to changes in external mechanical loads and wherein said motor is configured to vary said motor discharging volume in response to said changes in said external mechanical load, whereby said transmission automatically changes gear ratios, and
- a controller unit which is configured to set up at least one of a minimum value of said external mechanical load at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a maximum value of said external mechanical load at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a minimum value of said motor pressure at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a maximum value of said motor pressure at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a minimum value of said pump pressure at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a maximum value of said pump pressure at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a minimum value of said mechanical energy with which said transmission changes said gear ratios, and a maximum value of said mechanical energy with which said transmission changes said gear ratios,
- whereby said transmission is capable of manipulating an extent of changing said gear ratios.
2 more elements
A hydraulic automatic transmission bicycle comprising:
- a frame,
- a seat which is configured to couple to said frame and to allow a user to sit thereon,
- at least two pedals which are configured to couple to said frame and to receive mechanical energy which is provided by said user,
- a front wheel which is configured to movably couple to said frame,
- a rear wheel which is configured to movably couple to said frame, and
- a hydraulic automatic transmission which includes a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor, and a controller unit,
- wherein said hydraulic pump includes a pump driving axis, pressurizes fluid contained therein to a pump pressure by rotating said pump driving axis using said mechanical energy provided by a user, and discharges a pump discharging volume of said fluid toward said hydraulic motor per a revolution of said pump driving axis,
- wherein said hydraulic motor includes a motor driving axis, pressurizes fluid contained therein to a motor pressure which is not greater than said pump pressure by rotating said motor driving axis, receives at least a portion of said pressurized fluid from said pump, and discharges a motor discharging volume of said fluid per a revolution of said motor driving axis,
- wherein said pump is configured to vary said pump discharging volume in response to changes in external mechanical loads,
- wherein said motor is configured to vary said motor discharging volume in response to said changes in said external mechanical load, whereby said transmission automatically changes gear ratios,
- wherein said controller unit sets up at least one of a minimum value of said external mechanical load at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a maximum value of said external mechanical load at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a minimum value of said motor pressure at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a maximum value of said motor pressure at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a minimum value of said pump pressure at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a maximum value of said pump pressure at which said transmission changes said gear ratios, a minimum value of said mechanical energy with which said transmission changes said gear ratios, and a maximum value of said mechanical energy with which said transmission changes said gear ratios.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.