Bicycle power assist
OwnerRandall Bruce Olseninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To encourage the use of bicycles for both recreation and transportation by reducing the normally excessive load on the cyclist during hill climbing. A simple on/off push button controls the power assist while a clutch automatically handles both engagement and disengagement. The invention enables a powerful (80 to 150 watts of power delivered to the bicycle tire), compact, lightweight (2.5 to 4 kg) system capable of boosting a cyclist during the hills of a 1 to 2 hour bicycle ride. The system is compatible with most bicycles, is easy to install yet includes a theft deterrent mount. The system includes several safety features including a very modest high speed limit (e.g. 12 mph) beyond which power assist is automatically disabled, and a modest power level which can be overridden by normal bicycle brakes.
Claims7
A power assist system in combination with a vehicle having at least one rotatable, driven wheel mounted to a frame, said power assist system comprising:
- a selectively activatable motor for providing rotary power;
- a drivewheel for transmitting the rotary power provided by said motor to the driven wheel of said vehicle;
- and
- support means pivotably mounted to the frame of said vehicle for supporting said motor and said drivewheel near to said driven wheel;
- wherein reaction torque from said motor when activated causes said support means to pivot said drivewheel into engagement with said driven wheel and said motor is moved away from said driven wheel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.