Motor and pedal driven bicycles
OwnerLawrence A. Rudwickinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrically assisted bicycle is disclosed, including a modified elongated frame, such that the storage battery and motor may be mounted at a low level between the pedals and the rear wheel for a more stable and smooth ride and to lessen the likelihood of wheel hop, and to make the vehicle easier to hold upright at rest. The motor and pedals are efficiently coupled so that either or both simultaneously may power the driven wheel; and either power source can remain stationary, causing no drag, while the other propels the vehicle.
Claims13
An electrically powered bicycle having a frame member including a generally conventional arrangement and dimensioning of a head tube, a front fork depending downward from the head tube, a bottom bracket for rotatably supporting a chain wheel with pedals coupled to the chain wheel, a seat support and frame members extending at least between the bottom bracket and the seat support and the bottom bracket and the head tube,
- a generally horizontal chain stay,
- a rear wheel,
- means for rotably supporting said rear wheel from said chain stay,
- an elongated generally horizontal frame member extending between said bottom bracket and said chain stay,
- a battery,
- means for supporting said battery on said elongated frame member,
- an electric motor,
- means for supporting said electric motor on said elongated frame member,
- a drive shaft,
- a first sprocket disposed about said drive shaft,
- means for driving said drive shaft from said electric motor,
- means for driving said rear wheel from said first sprocket, and
- means for driving said first sprocket only from said drive shaft, only from said pedals and concurrently from both said drive shaft and said pedals.
An electrically powered vehicle also having pedal drive and including a conventional bottom bracket,
- a generally horizontal chain stay,
- a rear wheel,
- means for rotably supporting said rear wheel from said chain stay,
- an elongated generally horizontal frame member extending between said bottom bracket and said chain stay,
- a battery,
- means for supporting said battery on said elongated frame member,
- an electric motor
- means for supporting said electric motor on said elongated frame member,
- a drive shaft,
- a first sprocket disposed about said drive shaft,
- means for driving said drive shaft from said electric motor,
- means for driving said rear wheel from said sprocket, and
- means for driving said first sprocket only from said drive shaft, only from said pedals and concurrently at all speeds from both said drive shaft and said pedals.
An electrically powered bicycle having a frame member including a generally conventional arrangement and dimensioning of a head tube, a front fork depending downward from the head tube, a bottom bracket for rotatably supporting a chain wheel with pedals secured to the chain wheel, a seat support and frame members extending at least between the bottom bracket and the seat support and the bottom bracket and the head tube,
- a generally horizontal chain stay,
- a rear wheel,
- means for rotatably supporting said rear wheel from said chain stay,
- an elongated generally horizontal frame member extending between said bottom bracket and said chain stay,
- a battery,
- means for supporting said battery on and above said elongated frame member,
- an electric motor having a drive shaft,
- means for supporting said electric motor on and below said elongated frame member,
- a chain drive for said rear wheel, and
- means for driving said chain drive only from said drive shaft, only from said pedals and concurrently over all operating speeds from both said drive shaft and said pedals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.