Electric bicycle
OwnerIan W. Hunterinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electric powered bicycle includes front and rear wheels (102, 104) that swivel relative to a midframe (106). The midframe (106) includes a pedal driven generator-motor (108), and each wheel (102, 104) includes a motor-generator. The wheels (102, 104) may swivel to opposite sides of the midframe (106) about 180° to move into a collapsed configuration. Swivel may be on single axis joints (162, 168) with tilted swivel axes. In the collapsed configuration, the bicycle is suitable to be carried and stored and may also be utilized in a unicycle/exercycle configuration. By swiveling the wheels (102, 104) to the same side of the midframe (106) about 90°, the bicycle can be placed into other configurations including a walker, a rolling seat, and a chariot to carry packages or a person.
Claims17
An electric bicycle comprising:
- a midframe;
- a pedal driven generator supported by the midframe with pedals extending to opposite sides of the midframe;
- front and rear wheels, each wheel comprising a rotating tire, each wheel mounted to the midframe with a swivel mount, the wheels configured to swivel from in-line positions to collapsed positions alongside the midframe on opposite sides of the midframe;
- a handlebar mounted through a handlebar support to the front wheel;
- a seat mounted through a seat support over the rear wheel;
- a first wheel motor in a first wheel of the front and rear wheels, the first wheel motor comprising a stator fixed to the midframe and a rotor that drives the tire of the first wheel;
- a current source charged by the pedal driven generator;
- and
- electronics for controlling charging of the current source from the pedal driven generator and delivery of power to the wheel motor from the current source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.