Method and apparatus for measuring power output and for measuring tension and vibrational frequency of a elongate flexible member
AssigneePolar Electro Oy
InventorsAlan Cote, Jean-Joseph Cote, John C. Croy, Seppo Nissilä
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention broadly provides a method and apparatus for measuring the power output of one powering a vehicle or other system driven by the elongate flexible member such as chain. In a preferred embodiment described, the vehicle is a bicycle. The method of the invention comprises measuring the speed and tension of the drive chain and calculating the power output therefrom. The apparatus of the invention includes a chain speed sensor, a chain tension sensor, and electronic processing apparatus to calculate and display the power output based upon the chain measurements.
Claims74
An apparatus for measuring the power transmitted by an elongate flexible member, comprising:
- a system having a first engagement means separated from a second engagement means, the elongate flexible member coupling the first engagement means with the second engagement means so that when the first engagement means is rotated by a power source the elongate flexible member moves in the direction of the rotation of the first engagement means, which in turn causes the moving elongate flexible member to rotate the second engagement means;
- a vibration sensor spaced away from the elongate flexible member in order to measure the vibration frequency of the elongate flexible member;
- a sensor that measures the speed of the elongate flexible member;
- and
- a computer that determines the power transmitted by the elongate flexible member by receiving the vibration measurement and the speed measurement measured.
A method for measuring the power transmitted by an elongate flexible member in a system having a first engagement means separated from a second engagement means, the elongate flexible member coupling the first engagement means with the second engagement means so that when the first engagement means is rotated by a power source the elongate flexible member moves in the direction of the rotation of the first engagement means, which in turn causes the moving elongate flexible member to rotate the second engagement means;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- measuring the vibration frequency of the elongate flexible member with a vibration sensor spaced away from the elongate flexible member;
- measuring the speed of the elongate flexible member;
- and
- receiving the vibration measurement and the measured speed measurement in a computer,
- generating a signal representing the power transmitted by the elongate flexible member.
A method for determining the tension in a elongate flexible member on a vehicle such as a bicycle driven by the elongate flexible member comprising the steps of:
- a) identifying a vibrating section of the elongate flexible member;
- b) providing a vibration sensor on the vehicle spaced away from the vibrating section of the elongate flexible member;
- c) measuring the frequency of vibration of the vibrating section of the elongate flexible member by means of the sensor during operation of the vehicle;
- and
- d) utilizing the frequency of vibration and the known length of the vibrating section of the elongate flexible member to determine the tension in the elongate flexible member.
A method for determining the vibrational frequency of a elongate flexible member on a vehicle such as a bicycle driven by the elongate flexible member comprising:
- a) providing the vibration signal of the elongate flexible member by means of a vibration sensor spaced away from the elongate flexible member;
- b) performing a Fast Fourier Transform on the vibration signal of the elongate flexible member;
- and
- c) heuristically selecting the vibration frequency of the elongate flexible member.
Apparatus for measuring the tension in a elongate flexible member on a vehicle such as a vehicle driven by the elongate flexible member comprising:
- a) a vibration sensor mounted on the vehicle spaced away from a vibrating section of the elongate flexible member for measuring the frequency of vibration of the vibrating section of the elongate flexible member during operation of the vehicle;
- b) signal processing means on the vehicle operatively connected to the vibration sensor for selecting a measured frequency of vibration;
- and
- c) computer means on the vehicle operatively connected to the signal processing means for computing the tension in the elongate flexible member.
A method for measuring the power output of a person operating a vehicle such as a bicycle driven by means including a elongate flexible member comprising the steps of:
- a) measuring the vibration of the elongate flexible member by means of a sensor on the vehicle;
- b) measuring the speed of the elongate flexible member by means of a sensor on the vehicle that is spaced away from the elongate flexible member;
- c) computing the power transmitted by the elongate flexible member by means of a computer on the vehicle using the measured speed of the elongate flexible member and the vibration of the elongate flexible member.
Apparatus for measuring the power output of a person operating a vehicle such as a bicycle driven by means including a elongate flexible member comprising:
- a) a vibration sensor mounted on the vehicle spaced away from a vibrating section of the elongate flexible member for measuring the vibration frequency of the elongate flexible member;
- b) a sensor mounted on the vehicle spaced away from the elongate flexible member for measuring the speed of the elongate flexible member;
- and
- c) a computer on the vehicle and operatively connected to the vibration sensor and to the sensor which measures the speed, said computer computing the power transmitted by the elongate flexible member using the measured vibration and measured speed of the elongate flexible member.
A method for measuring the power transmitted by an elongate flexible member in a system having a first engagement means separated from a second engagement means, the elongate flexible member coupling the first engagement means with the second engagement means so that when the first engagement means is rotated by a power source the elongate flexible member moves in the direction of the rotation of the first engagement means, which in turn causes the moving elongate flexible member to rotate the second engagement means;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- measuring the speed variation of the elongate flexible member wherein the measuring apparatus is spaced away from the elongate flexible member;
- and
- receiving the speed variation measurement in a computer,
- generating a signal representing the power transmitted by the elongate flexible member.
An apparatus for measuring the power transmitted by an elongate flexible member, comprising:
- a system having a first engagement means separated from a second engagement means, the elongate flexible member coupling the first engagement means with the second engagement means so that when the first engagement means is rotated by a power source the elongate flexible member moves in the direction of the rotation of the first engagement means, which in turn causes the moving elongate flexible member to rotate the second engagement means;
- a sensor that measures the speed variation of the elongate flexible member by having the sensor spaced away from the elongate flexible member;
- and
- a computer that determines the power transmitted by the elongate flexible member by receiving the vibration measurement and the speed variation measurement measured.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.