JP3495758B2 - Bicycle with electric motor and control method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention provides a driving system driven by human power and a driving system driven by an electric motor in parallel, and controls the driving force driven by the electric motor in response to changes in driving force driven by human power (hereinafter referred to as pedaling force). Bicycle with electric motor
And its control method .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is known that the pedaling force is detected and the driving force of an electric motor is controlled according to the magnitude of the driving force (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 56-76590, JP-A-2-74491).
issue). That is, when the burden of human power is large, the driving force of the electric motor is also increased to reduce the load of human power.

[0003]

However, in the conventional vehicle of this type, if the main switch is turned on and the main switch is forgotten to be turned off after traveling, the whole circuit is kept in an operating state and power consumption is large. Since the capacity of the battery, which is an energy source, is limited, if the main switch is left on for a long time, the battery will be discharged more and eventually the battery will be completely discharged, resulting in deterioration of the battery performance.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when the main switch is left on for a certain period of time without traveling for a certain period of time, it is automatically switched to an energy saving mode to prevent battery consumption. and, control of the electric motor with a bicycle so as not to incur the full discharge and performance degradation of the battery
The first purpose is to provide a method . Also this system
Providing a bicycle with an electric motor that is used directly to implement the method
The second purpose is to serve.

[0005]

According to the present invention, a first object is to provide a human power drive system and an electric drive system in parallel, and to activate a circuit of a controller when a main switch is turned on.
In a bicycle with an electric motor that controls the output of the electric drive system in response to a change in pedaling force due to human power by means of a troller , after the main switch is turned on, an external signal that changes due to the pedaling force change is compared with a constant value, and a certain value This is achieved by a method for controlling a bicycle with an electric motor, which starts the integration of the timer because there is no external signal input, and automatically switches the circuit to the energy saving mode when the integrated value of the timer exceeds a certain value. .

A second object is to provide a human power drive system and an electric drive system in parallel, and turn on the main switch to turn on the control.
The controller circuit is activated and this controller
Then , in a bicycle with an electric motor that controls the output of the electric drive system in response to a change in pedaling force due to human power, after the main switch is turned on, an external signal that changes due to the pedaling force change is compared with a constant value and is equal to or more than a constant value. An external signal discriminating means for outputting a timer start signal which is turned on when no external signal is input and is turned off otherwise, a timer which starts when the timer start signal is turned on and resets when the timer start signal is turned off, A bicycle with an electric motor, comprising: an energy-saving discriminating means for switching the circuit to an energy-saving mode when the integrated value of the timer exceeds a certain value.

[0007] Similarly the second object is provided in parallel with the human power drive system and an electric drive system, co based on the closing of the main switch
The controller circuit is activated and the controller
Therefore , in a bicycle with an electric motor that controls the output of the electric drive system in response to changes in pedaling force due to human power, vehicle speed detecting means for detecting the vehicle speed and outputting a vehicle speed signal, and detecting the pedaling force and outputting the pedaling force signal. After the turning on of the main switch, the external signal discriminating means for outputting a timer start signal that is turned on if both the vehicle speed signal and the pedaling force signal are below a certain level, and is turned off otherwise, A bicycle equipped with an electric motor, comprising: a timer that starts when the timer start signal turns on and resets when the timer start signal turns off; and an energy-saving determination means that switches the circuit to an energy-saving mode when the integrated value of the timer exceeds a certain value. Can also be achieved by

[0008]

1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a power system diagram thereof, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing functions of a controller thereof, FIG. 4 is a flow chart of its operation, and FIG. 5 is an energy saving mode. It is an operation | movement flowchart.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 is a main frame, which extends obliquely downward and rearward from the head pipe 12 to the rear wheel 1.
4 axles. A seat tube 16 is fixed so as to be substantially orthogonal to the main frame 10, and a seat post 20 supporting a saddle 18 is fixed to an upper end of the seat tube 16.

At the lower part of the seat tube 16, a cylindrical portion 16a which opens downward is formed, and a permanent magnet type DC electric motor 22 is accommodated therein. A power unit 24 is fixed to the lower end of the seat tube 16. The power unit 24 includes a bottom bracket case (hereinafter referred to as BB case) 26 and a rear stay 28 extending rearward from the BB case 26, and the rear wheel 14 is fixed to a rear end of the rear stay 28. A drive shaft 30 (see FIG. 2) is inserted into the right rear stay 28.

A crankshaft 32 is inserted through a BB case 26 of the power unit 24, and cranks 34 are fixed to both ends thereof. The crank 34 has a crank pedal 36,
36 is attached.

The left end of the axle 38 of the rear wheel 14 is fixed to an end plate 28a fixed to the left rear stay 28,
The right end of the axle 38 is fixed to a bevel gear case (not shown) fixed to the right rear stay 28. Axle 38
A hub (not shown) is rotatably held in the hub, and the rotation of the drive shaft 30 is transmitted to the hub via a bevel gear mechanism and a one-way clutch 42 (FIG. 2).

In the power unit 24, the rotation of the crank shaft 32 is transmitted to the drive shaft 30 via a one-way clutch 44 (FIG. 2).
Bevel gears (not shown) are installed inside. A planetary gear mechanism is interposed between the crank shaft 32 and the drive shaft 30.

In this planetary gear mechanism, pedaling force is input from the planetary gear, and pedaling force is output from the ring gear to the drive shaft 30. The pedaling force F is detected by detecting the torque applied to the central sun gear with the potentiometer 46. The rotation of the motor 22 is transmitted to the drive shaft 30 via the one-way clutch 48 and the speed reducer 50.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 52 is a rechargeable battery such as a lead battery, 54 is a controller, which are housed between the head pipe 12 and the seat tube 16 of the main frame 10. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 56 denotes a vehicle speed sensor for obtaining the vehicle speed S from the rotation speed of the crankshaft 32.

The pedaling force F detected by the potentiometer 46 is input to the controller 54, which controls the motor current based on the pedaling force F to generate a motor output, that is, a motor torque T _M.

The controller 54 is constructed as shown in FIG. The motor 22 and the battery 52 form a closed circuit together with the switching circuit 60, and this closed circuit serves as the main circuit 62. The switching circuit 60 is composed of, for example, a MOS-FET. A flyhole diode 64 is connected in parallel to the motor 22, and a shunt 66 for current detection is used.
Are attached to the main circuit 62.

A CPU 68 is a command value i for the output (torque) T _M of the motor 22 based on the pedaling force F and the vehicle speed S.
Is output. That is, the command value i is output so that the output (torque) T _M of the motor 22 is periodically increased / decreased in synchronization with the periodic increase / decrease of the pedal effort F. Further, when the vehicle speed S becomes constant, the motor output T _M may be limited to limit the vehicle speed S.

Reference numeral 70 denotes a gate circuit, which outputs a gate signal g for driving the switching circuit 60 in response to a command value i supplied from the CPU 68 in which the duty ratio changes. That is, when increasing the motor output T _M , the value of (ON time) / (OFF time + ON time) (referred to as duty) of the command value i is increased.

The gate signal g output by the gate circuit 70 based on the command value i is sent to the switching elements of the switching circuit 60 to selectively turn on / off each switching element.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 72 denotes a main switch. When the main switch 72 is turned on, the CPU 68
Turns on the main relay 74 interposed in the main circuit 62, and also supplies the power supply unit 76, the auxiliary device control unit 78, and the gate circuit 7.
0, all other parts of the controller 54 are activated. The power supply unit 76 steps down the voltage of the battery 52 for traveling by using, for example, a switching regulator to generate the power supply voltage of the CPU 68, the drive voltage of the auxiliary device 80, and the like.

A small-capacity battery 82 different from the battery 52 is connected to the power supply unit 76, and the voltage of the battery 52 is reduced by a switching regulator to charge the small-capacity battery 82. The auxiliary device 80 includes a lamp and meters, which are driven by the electric power of the power supply part 76 according to a command from the auxiliary device control part 78.

Reference numeral 84 is a brake switch, which detects a brake operation and sends a brake signal to the CPU 68.
In the CPU 68, based on this brake signal, for example, the pedal effort F
Even if is above a certain value, the motor output T _{M is set} to 0 or limited.

The CPU 68 has various functions operated by software. For example, the external signal discrimination means 86, the first
Timer 88, second timer 90, energy saving discriminating means 92
With functions such as. External signal discriminating means 86, on a such non Risore to determine since the signals of force F and the vehicle speed S is both less constant values, respectively as the operation stop state
If sends a timer start signal t _S off and ing to the first timer 88, to start the integration of the timer 1.

When the integrated value T ₁ of the first timer 88 becomes a constant value T ₁₀ or more, the energy-saving discriminating means 92 carries out the first-stage energy-saving operation. For example, the accessory control unit 78 stops the operation of the accessory 80. In other words, turn off the lamp and turn off the lamps and actuation of meters.

When the integrated value T ₁ of the first timer becomes equal to or larger than the constant value T _{10, the} energy saving determination means 92 starts the integration by the second timer 90, and the integrated value T ₂ is the constant value T _20. When the above is reached, the second stage energy saving operation is performed. For example, the main relay 74 and the power supply unit 76 are turned off and the same state as when the main switch 72 is turned off is set.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIGS. First, when the main switch 72 is turned on, the first timer 88 is reset (step 100), and the pedaling force F of a certain value or more is applied.
Then, whether or not the signal of the vehicle speed S (hereinafter referred to as an external signal) is input is determined by the external signal determination means 86 (step 102), and if the signal is input, normal traveling control is performed (step 104). That is, the motor output T _M is controlled according to the pedaling force F.

If there is no input of an external signal above a certain level, the first
Timer 88 starts counting time (step 10
6) If the integrated value T ₁ is less than the constant value T ₁₀ (step 108) and an external signal is input (step 11)
0) to reset the first timer 88 (step 11
2) Return to normal traveling control (step 104). T ₁ ＞
When T ₁₀ is reached (step 108), the energy saving mode is entered.

In the energy saving mode, first the energy saving operation of the first stage is performed (step 114), the second timer 90 is reset once before the energy saving operation of the second stage (step 116), and then the integration is started. (Steps 118 and 120 in FIG. 5). The first energy-saving operation is to turn off the auxiliary device 80, for example, as described above. If an external signal is input while continuing the first energy saving operation (step 122), the process returns to step 100 for resetting the first timer 88.

During the first energy saving operation, the second timer 90
When the integrated value T ₂ of T1 becomes equal to or greater than the constant value T ₂₀ (step 124 in FIG. 5), the main relay 74 is turned off and the power supply unit 76 is turned off.
The entire circuit such as the gate circuit 70 and the gate circuit 70 is turned off to bring the same state as when the main switch 72 is turned off (step 1
26). If there is an input from the external signal before the integrated value T ₂ reaches T ₂₀ (step 128), returns to the second timer 90 is reset by the normal running control (step 104).

Although the pedaling force F and the vehicle speed S are used as the external signals in the above embodiments, the load current may be used instead of the pedaling force F. That is, the load current is detected by the shunt 66 (FIG. 1), and it is determined that the pedaling force F is 0 when the load current is 0.

[0032]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, after the main switch is turned on, the external force which changes according to the change in the pedaling force is applied.
The signal is compared with a certain value and the timer
When the integration is started and the integrated value becomes a certain value or more, the circuit is automatically switched to the energy saving mode, so that it is possible to prevent the battery from being exhausted or completely discharged, and to prevent the performance of the battery from deteriorating.

According to the invention of claim 2, a bicycle with an electric motor can be obtained in which the circuit is in the energy saving mode when the state where there is no external signal of a certain value or more continues for a certain period of time after the main switch is turned on.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the state in which both the vehicle speed signal and the pedaling force signal are below a certain level continues for a certain time or more after the main switch is turned on, a bicycle with an electric motor that brings the circuit into an energy saving mode is obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] Power system diagram

[Fig. 3] Motor control system diagram

[Fig. 4] Operation flow chart

FIG. 5 is a partial operation flowchart of the energy saving mode.

[Explanation of symbols]

22 Electric motor 32 crank pedal 54 controller 68 CPU 86 External signal discriminator 88 First timer 90 Second timer 92 Energy-saving determination unit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Suetsugu Nagai 2500 Shinrai, Iwata, Shizuoka Prefecture Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Katsumi Ikukuma 2500, Shinkai, Iwata, Shizuoka Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-5-24575 (JP, A) JP-A-4-358985 (JP, A) JP-A-4-358988 (JP, A) Actual development Sho-56-133202 (JP, U) (58) Survey Selected fields (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B62M 23/02 B62K 11/00 B62M 7/06

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] Claim: What is claimed is: 1. A human-powered drive system and an electric drive system are provided in parallel, and a controller circuit is provided when a main switch is turned on.
In a bicycle with an electric motor that controls the output of the electric drive system in response to a change in pedaling force due to human power by this controller , an external signal that changes due to the pedaling force change to a constant value after the main switch is turned on. By comparison, the timer integration starts when there is no input of an external signal above a certain value, and when the integrated value of the timer exceeds a certain value, the circuit automatically switches to the energy saving mode. Control method. 2. A human-powered drive system and an electric drive system are provided in parallel, and a controller circuit is provided when a main switch is turned on.
In a bicycle with an electric motor that controls the output of the electric drive system in response to a change in pedaling force caused by human power by this controller , the external signal that changes due to the pedaling force change after turning on the main switch is set to a constant value. By comparison, there is no input of an external signal of a certain value or more, which turns on, and otherwise outputs a timer start signal that outputs a timer start signal, and when the timer start signal turns on, it starts and turns off. A bicycle equipped with an electric motor, comprising: a timer that is reset based on the timer; and energy-saving determining means that switches the circuit to an energy-saving mode when the integrated value of the timer exceeds a certain value. 3. A circuit of a controller provided with a human power drive system and an electric drive system in parallel and turning on a main switch.
In the activated state, this controller controls the output of the electric drive system in response to changes in pedaling force due to human power.In a bicycle with an electric motor, vehicle speed detecting means for detecting the vehicle speed and outputting a vehicle speed signal, and pedaling force A pedaling force detection means for detecting and outputting a pedaling force signal, and a timer start signal that is turned on if both the vehicle speed signal and the pedaling force signal are below a certain level after the main switch is turned on, and is turned off otherwise External signal discrimination means, a timer that starts when the timer start signal is turned on and resets when the timer start signal is turned off, and an energy-saving discrimination means that switches the circuit to an energy-saving mode when the integrated value of the timer exceeds a certain value. A bicycle with an electric motor.