US 5,857,762 AGranted

Bicycle lighting system and generator

OwnerEdwin Schwallerinventor

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Abstract

A bicycle lighting system comprising a dynamo generator, integrated rechargeable batteries and an integrated electronic circuitry, the bicycle being an exemplary embodiment of pedal-driven vehicles provided with standard front and rear lamps. Hitherto known systems operate with conventional dynamos having an efficiency far too low to provide power to energize lamps and simultaneously charge batteries at speeds below 15 kmph. The inventive generator is constructed such that a rotating magnetic-circuit arrangement with a stationary air-core coil and specially defined pole shoes achieve 90% efficiency. At 5 to 7 kmph, at least 4 W energy is available for energizing lamps and rapidly charging batteries. From standstill to approximately 5 kmph, the batteries energize the lamps. The electronic circuitry comprises a converter having a special voltage set-up and voltage set-down function such that for a determinate output voltage, the input voltage can be lesser than, equal to or greater than the determinate output voltage. Above 5 kmph, energy apportioning for energizing lamps and simultaneously charging batteries in ratios of 1-2:1 is rendered possible.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A bicycle lighting system for pedal-driven vehicles, especially a bicycle, comprising:

a dynamo system to produce electric power;
at least one electric front lamp and at least one electric rear lamp;
said at least one electric front lamp and said at least one electric rear lamp being conventionally mounted on the bicycle, the latter having wheels each comprising a rim and a tire;
said dynamo system being fixedly mounted on the bicycle and having rotatably mounted shaft means fitted with friction means;
said friction means engaging the rim and/or the tire of at least one of said wheels and thereby being rotatably driven when the bicycle is in motion;
said dynamo system comprising a dynamo generator serving to generate an electric power output, a rechargeable accumulator battery for storing electric power, and an electronic circuit comprising a converter for controlling input voltage from said electric power output;
said at least one electric front lamp and said at least one electric rear lamp being supplied with said electric power either from said dynamo generator or from said rechargeable accumulator battery;
the bicycle in motion having a minimum travel speed between approximately 5 to 7 kmph;
said dynamo generator being structured such that starting from said minimum travel speed said electric power output is adequate for rapid charging of said rechargeable accumulator battery and for simultaneously energizing said at least one electric front lamp and said at least one electric rear lamp to maintain a predetermined illumination level;
said dynamo generator accordingly comprising an inner circuit and an outer circuit;
said dynamo generator further comprising a stationary air-core coil comprising coil sections;
said inner circuit and said outer circuit being mounted on said shaft means for synchronous rotation about said stationary air-core coil;
said inner circuit and said outer circuit each comprising n poles in identical pole pitch;
said converter of said electronic circuitry being structured such that said input voltage fed from said dynamo generator is converted into a determinate stabilized output voltage;
said converter accordingly comprising a voltage set-up and voltage set-down mode of operation such that, for said determinate stabilized output voltage, said input voltage may be lesser than, equal to, or greater than said determinate stabilized output voltage;
and
said input voltage for said converter being additionally provided by said rechargeable accumulator battery as long as said minimum travel speed is not reached.

14 more elements

A generator, comprising:

an inner circuit and an outer circuit;
a stationary air-core coil comprising coil sections;
said inner circuit and said outer circuit being rotatably mounted for synchronous rotation about said stationary air-core coil;
said inner circuit comprising n inner pole shoes in identical pole pitch;
said outer circuit comprising n outer pole shoes in identical pole pitch;
said n outer pole shoes being substantially oppositely located with respect to said n inner pole shoes;
n magnets respectively provided between said n inner pole shoes in said identical pole pitch;
said n inner pole shoes each comprising two lateral sides;
said n magnets being positioned in such a manner that, in each case, said n magnets rest in homopolar configuration against said two lateral sides of each of said n inner pole shoes;
said n outer pole shoes being structured to extend nose-shapedly toward said n inner pole shoes and thereby define, in each case, an air gap between said n outer pole shoes and said n inner pole shoes;
and
said air gaps being in each case a shortest possible path for a magnetic flux.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.