US 12,395,041 B2Granted

Pedal for bicycles with integrated generator

AssigneeFavero Electronics S.R.L.

InventorGino Favero

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Abstract

A pedal for bicycles comprising a pedal pin and a pedal body coupled in a freely rotatable manner on the pedal pin. An internal chamber obtained in the pedal pin has an internal surface extending along a reference axis approximately coaxial with the same. The pedal further comprises an electronic measurement system provided with deformation sensors configured to detect electric parameters indicative of the mechanical deformation of the pedal pin, an electronic circuit configured to determine, based on the electric parameters, the mechanical deformation of the pedal pin, and an electric generator which generates electrical power based on the rotation of the pedal body and is arranged in the internal chamber of the pedal pin.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A pedal for bicycles comprising:

a pedal pin extending along a longitudinal reference axis and having a first axial end structured to be coupled to a pedal crank of a bicycle,
a pedal body coupled in a freely rotatable manner on said pedal pin thus being able to rotate around said reference axis,
at least one internal chamber is made in said pedal pin, having an internal surface extending in the pedal pin along said reference axis coaxial to the same,
an electronic measurement system which is designed to determine the mechanical force/power exerted by the cyclist on said pedal during the pedalling and comprises:
deformation sensors which are coupled to said pedal pin and are configured in order to provide electrical measurement signals indicative of the mechanical deformation of said pedal pin,
electronic means which are electrically connected to said deformation sensors and are configured so as to determine, based on said electrical measurement signals, the mechanical deformation of said pedal pin caused during the pedalling by said mechanical force exerted by the cyclist on the pedal pin through the pedal body, and
an electric power-supply device which is designed to provide the electrical power for the operation of the electronic measurement system,
said pedal being characterised in that:
said electric power-supply device comprises an electric generator which is arranged inside said internal chamber of said pedal pin, and is structured to convert the rotational movement of said pedal into electrical power and said electric generator comprises:
a magnetic rotor that is designed to rotate around said reference axis,
a connection device designed to connect the magnetic rotor to said pedal body so as that the rotation of the pedal body around said reference axis causes a rotation of the magnetic rotor around said reference axis,
an electric stator which is angularly fixed relative to said pedal pin and is designed to generate electrical power based on the rotation imparted on the magnetic rotor by the pedal body around said axis.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A pedal for bicycles comprising:

a pedal pin extending along a longitudinal reference axis and having a first axial end structured to be coupled to a pedal crank of a bicycle,
a pedal body coupled in a freely rotatable manner on said pedal pin thus being able to rotate around said reference axis,
at least one internal chamber is made in said pedal pin, having an internal surface extending in the pedal pin along said reference axis coaxial to the same,
an electronic measurement system which is designed to determine the mechanical force/power exerted by the cyclist on said pedal during the pedalling and comprises:
deformation sensors which are coupled to said pedal pin and are configured in order to provide electrical measurement signals indicative of the mechanical deformation of said pedal pin,
electronic means which are electrically connected to said deformation sensors and are configured so as to determine, based on said electrical measurement signals, the mechanical deformation of said pedal pin caused during the pedalling by said mechanical force exerted by the cyclist on the pedal pin through the pedal body, and
an electric power-supply device which is designed to provide the electrical power for the operation of the electronic measurement system,
said pedal being characterised in that:
said electric power-supply device comprises an electric generator which is arranged inside said internal chamber of said pedal pin, and is structured to convert the rotational movement of said pedal into electrical power and said electric generator comprises:
a magnetic rotor that is designed to rotate around said reference axis,
a connection device designed to connect the magnetic rotor to said pedal body so as that the rotation of the pedal body around said reference axis causes a rotation of the magnetic rotor around said reference axis,
an electric stator which is angularly fixed relative to said pedal pin and is designed to generate electrical power based on the rotation imparted on the magnetic rotor by the pedal body around said axis.

9 more elements