Electrically assisted pedal-propelled vehicles
AssigneeLucas Industries Limited
InventorWilliam D. Holt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrically assisted pedal power vehicle includes a rotation sensing arrangement sensing the direction of rotation of a rotary drive member in the pedal propulsion mechanism of the vehicle. The rotation sensing arrangement includes a pair of switches actuable by means on the drive member. The switches control a monostable circuit such that the circuit produces an output pulse only when the switches are actuated in the correct order. A frequency to voltage converter may be driven by the monostable circuit with a Schmidt trigger sensitive to the output of the converter controlling the electric drive motor.
Claims8
An electrically assisted pedal-propelled vehicle having an electric motor for assisting propulsion of the vehicle, at least one rotary drive member and an electronic motor control circuit controlling said drive member and sensitive to rotation of said rotary drive member, said circuit causing the motor to be energized when the drive member is rotated in a forward drive direction, but causing the motor to be de-energized when the drive member is stationary or rotated in the reverse direction, said control circuit comprising at least two switches fixably mounted relative to said rotary drive member, means for operating said switches in response to movement of said rotary drive member, said switches responsive to said means for operating said switches and providing a signal indicative of the direction of movement of said rotary drive member, and means for providing an output when said signal indicates movement of the rotary drive member in the forward direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.