Motor powered bicycle trailer with integral hitch force metering
AssigneeFelt Racing, LLC
InventorWilliam K. Duehring
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-propelled trailer may be attached to a bicycle. The speed of the trailer is adjusted based on a signal from a force gauge which indicates whether the bicycle is pulling the trailer or the trailer is pushing the bicycle. In the former situation, the force gauge indicates a tensile load, and in the latter situation, the force gauge indicates a compressive load. Based on the feedback from the force gauge, the speed of the motor attached to the self-propelled trailer is adjusted so that the trailer and bicycle are moving at the same speed or the bicycle is pulling the trailer.
Claims16
A trailer for a human powered vehicle, the trailer comprising:
- a storage platform;
- a wheeled suspension system attached to the storage platform for rolling the storage platform;
- a motor coupled to the wheeled suspension system for providing power to the wheeled suspension system;
- a force metering device disposed intermediate the vehicle and the wheeled suspension system for sensing either a tensile or compressive load between the vehicle and the wheeled suspension system;
- a controller in communication with the force metering device and the motor to regulate an amount of power sent to the motor;
- wherein the controller regulates the power to the motor to maintain a sensed tensile load at the force metering device.
A method of towing a trailer behind a human powered vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
- connecting the trailer to the vehicle;
- moving the vehicle in the forward direction;
- sensing a compressive load or a tensile load between the vehicle and the trailer, a tensile load indicative that the trailer is pushing against the vehicle, a compressive load indicative that the vehicle is pulling the trailer;
- increasing power to a motor when the force metering device indicates the tensile load outside of an allowable tensile load range;
- maintaining power to the motor when the force metering device indicates the tensile load within the allowable tensile load range;
- decreasing power to the motor when the force metering device indicates compressive load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.