# US 9,751,589 B2 · Bicycle control apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,751,589 B2 - Document ID: US9751589B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/446,864 - Filed: 2014-07-30 - Published: 2015-04-30 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-29 - Assignees: Shimano Inc. - Applicants: Shimano Inc. - Inventors: Yasuhiro Tsuchizawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751589B2 ## CPC - B62M 6/45: Control or actuating devices therefor - B62M 6/50: characterised by detectors or sensors, or arrangement thereof - B62M 6/55: power-driven at crank shafts parts - B62M 7/04: below the frame - B62M 25/04: hand actuated - B62M 2003/006: {Crank arrangements to overcome dead points} - B62M: RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR {SINGLE-TRACK} CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of transmissions in vehicles in general B60K; transmission elements per se F16) ## Abstract A bicycle control apparatus is basically provided for controlling a bicycle having a drive assistance electric motor. The bicycle control apparatus includes a manual drive force detector, a rotational state detector and a controller. The manual drive force detector detects a manual drive force. The rotational state detector detects a rotational state of the crank. The controller issues a command for controlling a drive assistance force to be outputted by the drive assistance electric motor in accordance with the manual drive force detected by the manual drive force detector. The controller controls the drive assistance force to delay a reduction in the drive assistance force in relation to a reduction in the manual drive force upon determining the manual drive force is reduced, and controls the delay in the reduction of the drive assistance force in accordance with the rotational state of the crank. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bicycle control apparatus for controlling a bicycle having a crank and a drive assistance electric motor, the bicycle controller comprising: a manual drive force detector configured to detect a manual drive force; a rotational state detector configured to detect a rotational state of the crank; and a controller programmed to issue a command for controlling a drive assistance force to be outputted by the drive assistance electric motor in accordance with the manual drive force detected by the manual drive force detector, the controller being configured to control the drive assistance force so as to delay a reduction in the drive assistance force in relation to a reduction in the manual drive force upon determining the manual drive force is reduced, and control the delay in the reduction of the drive assistance force by correcting the drive assistance force in accordance with a time constant that corresponds to the rotational state of the crank detected by the rotational state detector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotational state detector detects a rotational speed or a rotational period of the crank as the rotational state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller controls the drive assistance force so that as the rotational speed becomes higher or as the rotational period speed becomes shorter, the delay in the reduction of the drive assistance force is lessened in relation to the reduction in the manual drive force. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the drive assistance electric motor to output the drive assistance force equal to or greater than a base drive assistance force set in accordance with the manual drive force upon determining the manual drive force is reduced. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller controls the drive assistance electric motor to output the drive assistance force equal to or greater than a base drive assistance force set in accordance with the manual drive force upon determining the manual drive force is reduced, and the controller performs a control so that as the rotational speed becomes higher or as the rotational period speed becomes shorter, the drive assistance force approaches the base drive assistance force. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller corrects the base drive assistance force in accordance with the rotational state to obtain the drive assistance force. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller corrects the base drive assistance force based on correction information that corresponds to the rotational state. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller corrects the base drive assistance force using a filter having a time constant that corresponds to the time constant. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller sets the time constant such that as the rotational speed becomes higher or as the rotational period speed becomes shorter, the time constant is smaller. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller corrects the manual drive force in accordance with the rotational state, and controls the drive assistance electric motor to output the drive assistance force that corresponds to the corrected manual drive force. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller corrects the manual drive force based on correction information that corresponds to the rotational state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller corrects the manual drive force using a filter having the time constant that corresponds to the rotational state. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controller sets the time constant such that as the rotational speed becomes higher or as the rotational period speed becomes shorter, the time constant is smaller. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a shift state detector configure to detect a shift state of the bicycle, the controller the drive assistance force in accordance with the shift state. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the shift state detector detects a gear step or gear ratio of the bicycle as the shift state. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the controller controls the drive assistance force so that as the gear ratio becomes higher, the delay in the reduction of the drive assistance force is lessened. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the drive assistance force in accordance with a peak value of the manual drive force. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The bicycle control apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the controller controls the drive assistance force so that as the peak value becomes higher, the delay in the reduction of the drive assistance force is lessened.