JP2004322710A - Energy storage / reduction device for running bicycles - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a device in which energy during running of a bicycle is stored in a spring material, and the stored energy can be used at the start of running and acceleration of running.
A driving wheel (4) and an energy storage spring mechanism (20) are attached and detached by an operation of a lever (7), a rotation force of the driving wheel (4) is stored in the energy storage spring mechanism (20) by an operation of a lever (22), and energy is stored by an operation of a lever (27). The energy stored in the spring mechanism 20 is reduced as a rotational force in the traveling direction of the driving wheel 4, and the transfer of energy between the driving wheel 4 and the energy storage spring mechanism 20 is controlled by operating the lever 14.
[Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device mounted on a bicycle to store energy of a moving wheel during traveling and to reduce the stored energy as a rotational force in a traveling direction of the moving wheel.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, in a so-called bicycle that is self-propelled by stepping, a brake for stopping running is stopped by applying a frictional force to wheels. At the start, the vehicle starts running with a large amount of energy, but during this time, the operation is unstable. On the other hand, a power assisting method has been adopted by adding a small prime mover as a driving force at the start.
[0003]
While the bicycle is running, it can be driven with a small amount of energy due to scraping. However, once the brake is applied and stopped, a driving force is required again, so that the driver sometimes fails to stop the brake.
[0004]
On the other hand, as a method of mechanically storing energy during traveling, a method of accumulating rotational force in a flywheel and using it during traveling can be considered, but is not suitable for utilization because the flywheel itself has a heavy load. There is also a method of accumulating the running force of so-called mainsprings in toys, etc., but it applies the distortion force of the mainspring wound in the reverse direction in the running direction and suddenly starts at the start of running. Was not.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a purpose thereof is to store the running force and braking force of a bicycle as energy in a spring material, and to store the energy at the start of running and acceleration of running. Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for accumulating and returning energy during running of a bicycle, which can be used for the bicycles and can be operated freely.
[0006]
It is another object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive, simple, and safe energy storage / reduction device for running a bicycle.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
For these purposes, a device for storing and reducing energy during traveling of a bicycle according to claim 1 of the present invention is a bicycle having a driving wheel 4, which is operated via a clutch 8 which is detachable from the driving wheel 4 by operating a lever 7. A transmission 9 for changing the rotation speed of the driving wheel 4 by operating a lever 14; a gear 15 for rotating by receiving the rotation force of the driving wheel 4 shifted by the transmission 9; A gear 18 that is provided on the shaft 17 and rotates by meshing with the gear 15; a clutch 19 that attaches and detaches the rotating force of the gear 18 to and from the shaft 17 by operating a lever 22; An energy storage spring mechanism 20 for storing rotational energy of the driving wheel 4, a ratchet gear 21 provided on the shaft 17 coaxially with the energy storage spring mechanism 20, Is fixed to the horizontal shaft 25 fixed to the shaft 25 by being engaged with the outer ring 21b of the ratchet gear 21 and rotating the clutch 26 by sliding the clutch 26 by operating the lever 27. A gear 24, and a ratchet gear 16 meshed with the outer ring 16b of the gear 24 and provided on the rotating shaft 12 of the gear 15. The operation of the lever 7 causes the driving wheel 4 and the energy storage spring mechanism 20 to rotate. The rotation force of the driving wheel 4 is stored in the energy storage spring mechanism 20 by operating the lever 22, and the energy stored in the energy storage spring mechanism 20 is operated by operating the lever 27. The driving force is returned as a rotational force of the driving wheel 4 in the traveling direction, and the driving wheel 4 and the energy storage spring mechanism 20 Transfer force of energy between is characterized in configuration to be controlled.
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for accumulating and returning energy during traveling of a bicycle, comprising a mechanism in which the lever 22 of the clutch 19, the lever 27 of the clutch 26, and the lever 7 of the clutch 8 can be operated in conjunction. It is characterized by having become.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a partially omitted schematic cross-sectional view of an example of the apparatus for accumulating and reducing energy during traveling of a bicycle according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged end view of the apparatus taken along line AA ′ in FIG. is there.
[0010]
In FIG. 1, a configuration in which a driving wheel 4 is driven by a pedal 1, a chain 2, a ratchet 3, and the like is a general bicycle.
[0011]
The driving wheel 4 is attached to an input side 8a of a clutch 8 rotatably held by a shaft 6 fixed to a frame 5. An input side 8a and an output side 8b of the clutch 8 which is detachable are connected to an input rotor 10 of a transmission 9 rotatably supported on the shaft 6.
[0012]
When the lever 7 attached to the clutch output side 8b is operated in the direction indicated by the solid line arrow indicated by the numeral 100, the clutch output side 8b slides along the shaft 6, separates from the input side 8a, and engages again. The drive wheel 4 and the input rotator 10 are attached and detached.
[0013]
The transmission 9 is a known continuously variable transmission. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a shaft 12 rotatably supported by the frame 5 is a conical friction wheel, and is oriented in parallel with the shaft 6. Are constituted by a pair of input rotors 10 and output rotors 11 which are opposite to each other, and a circumscribed intermediate wheel 13 inscribed outside the input / output rotors 10 and 11. By the operation in the direction of the solid arrow, the inscribed position of the input / output rotors 10 and 11 is moved in the direction of the solid arrow indicated by numeral 102, and the rotational speeds of the input rotor 10 and the output rotor 11 are changed. Is continuously variable.
[0014]
The rotational force of the driving wheel 4 shifted by the continuously variable transmission 9 is transmitted to a shaft 12 rotatably held by the frame 5.
[0015]
The output rotor 11 of the continuously variable transmission 9 and the inner ring 16a of the gear 15 and the ratchet gear 16 are fixed to the shaft 12, and the outer ring 16b thereof is rotatably held. The gear 15 meshes with a gear 18 rotatably held on a shaft 17, and the shaft 17 is held on the frame 5 parallel to the shaft 12 and rotatably.
[0016]
On the shaft 17, a clutch 19 of the gear 18, an energy storage spring mechanism 20 for storing energy during traveling, and an inner ring 21a of a ratchet gear 21 are fixed, and an outer ring 21b is rotatably held.
[0017]
The clutch 19 performs attachment / detachment of the gear 18 and the shaft 17 by operating the lever 22 attached to the clutch 19 in the direction of the solid line arrow indicated by the numeral 103, and transmits the torque of the gear 18 to the shaft 17.
[0018]
The energy storage spring mechanism 20 fixed to the shaft 17 is, for example, a spiral spring whose inside is fixed to the shaft 17 and whose outside is fixed in the spring case portion 23 of the frame 5 as shown in FIG. Since the shaft 17 is idling by the rotational force of the driving wheel 4 in the traveling direction and by the ratchet mechanism, the spiral spring is wound up and this energy is accumulated.
[0019]
An outer ring 21 b of the ratchet gear 21 is formed in a gear shape on the outside, and meshes with a gear 24. The gear 24 is rotatably held on a shaft 25 fixed to the frame 5.
[0020]
A clutch 26 is fixed to the shaft 25, and the clutch 25 is attached to and detached from the gear 24 by operating a lever 27 attached thereto in a direction indicated by a solid line arrow indicated by numeral 104. By this lever operation, the gear 24 is switched between rotatable and fixed with the shaft 25.
[0021]
The gear 24 meshes with the outer gear of the outer ring 16 b of the ratchet gear 16, and is connected to the shaft 12 via the ratchet gear 16.
[0022]
Next, the connection state between the shaft 17 and the shaft 12 and the configuration and operation of the ratchet gear 21 and the ratchet gear 16 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
[0023]
In FIG. 2, the rotation direction of the shaft 12 when the driving wheel 4 is rotating in the running direction is indicated by a solid arrow P.
[0024]
When the clutch 19 and the clutch 26 are in the connected state, the shaft 17 rotates forward in the direction of the solid arrow F, the energy storage spring mechanism 20 is wound, and energy is stored. At this time, since the gear 24 is in the stopped state, the inner ring 21a of the ratchet gear 21 idles, and the shaft 17 does not rotate in the direction of the dashed arrow B.
[0025]
Next, when the clutch 19 and the clutch 26 are released, the gear 24 freely rotates, the energy stored in the energy storage spring mechanism 20 rotates the shaft 17 in the direction of the dashed arrow B, and the outer ring 21b of the ratchet gear 21. Is rotated in the same direction as the dashed arrow B to apply a driving force to the outer ring 16 b of the ratchet gear 16 via the gear 24 in the direction of the dashed arrow B ′.
[0026]
This driving force acts on the inner ring 16a of the ratchet gear 16 to rotate the shaft 12 in the direction of the dashed arrow B '. Since the rotation direction is the same as the solid arrow P, a rotational force in the traveling direction of the driving wheel 4 is given.
[0027]
On the other hand, at this time, the gears 15 and 18 also rotate, but since the clutch 19 is not connected to the shaft 17, the gears 15 and 18 idle, and therefore energy returns to the energy storage spring mechanism 20 (feedback). There is no.
[0028]
In the above configuration, while the driving wheel 4 and the energy storage mechanism are attached and detached by operating the lever 7, the output wheel 8b of the clutch 8 is separated from the input side 8a and the clutch 8 is disengaged. When the vehicle can be operated as a bicycle and the output side 8b meshes with the input side 8a and the clutch 8 is connected, the power of the driving wheel 4 is stored in the energy storage spring mechanism 20. In this case, the clutch 19 and the clutch 26 are connected.
[0029]
In this state of accumulation of energy, a braking force naturally acts on the driving wheels 4, and the braking force can be varied by changing the gear ratio of the transmission 9 by operating the lever 14. Since this braking force can be used for the strength of the brake of the bicycle, it is preferable that the lever 14 uses a handle lever 29 attached to the handle 28.
[0030]
When the clutch 19 and the clutch 26 are disengaged in the connected state of the clutch 8, the stored energy of the energy storage spring mechanism 20 reverses the shaft 17 and is driven to the shaft 12 via the ratchet gears 21, 24 and 16. The driving force is applied to the driving wheel 4 via the transmission 9 in the traveling direction. Since the strength of the driving force can be controlled by operating the lever 14, the speed of the driving force can be controlled. In these cases, if a driving force is applied in a state where the clutch 8 is disengaged, the shaft 12 idles. Therefore, it is necessary to operate the clutch 19 and the clutch 26 in a state where the clutch 8 is connected. For this reason, it is preferable that the lever 22, the lever 27, and the lever 7 can be operated in conjunction with each other.
[0031]
For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the lever 22 and the lever 27 are connected by a wire 30, while the lever 7 is connected by a wire 31, and these wires 30, 31 are grips 32 of a bicycle handle 28. Is combined with Although not shown, the clutch 32 is partially disengaged by a cam mechanism or the like, and the clutch 8 is disengaged at a position N in the arrow by rotation in the direction of the solid arrow indicated by the stepped numeral 105, The driving wheel 4 is in a free running state, the clutch 8 is connected at the position R, and the clutch 19 and the clutch 26 are connected at the position N or the position R, so that energy is stored or energy is held. At the point P, the clutch 8 is engaged, and at the same time, the clutch 19 and the clutch 26 are disconnected, and a state of energy reduction is established. As described above, the lever 7, the lever 22, and the lever 27 are configured to be easily operated in an interlocked manner so that each clutch operates in a chained manner.
[0032]
The energy storage / reduction device according to the present invention can be modified during the running of the bicycle. For example, the arrangement of components such as clutches, gears, and ratchet gears is moved in the front-back relationship due to the assembly configuration. You may.
[0033]
Further, the transmission may be a continuously variable transmission such as a bevel gear or a spherical wheel other than the embodiment, or a gear chain type transmission.
[0034]
Further, the energy storage spring mechanism may be a method such as a leaf spring or a spring, which converts a linear strain into a rotation direction. It is also preferable to use a torsion spring in which the strain and the stress change almost linearly.
[0035]
Further, the connection between each lever and the corresponding mechanism may be controlled by a wire connection system or a hydraulic system, and it is preferable that these levers are mounted on a handle.
[0036]
In addition, it is necessary to install it together with the conventional friction brake for emergency stop.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
In the conventional bicycle, the braking is simply applied by the frictional force. However, according to the present invention, the braking is accumulated, and the accumulated energy can be used as the running force, so that the driving labor can be reduced. I can do it.
[0038]
Further, where the vehicle should be stopped once at a crossing point or the like, it takes a lot of labor to start the vehicle after the vehicle is stopped. Therefore, such a vehicle is often neglected, resulting in frequent traffic accidents. However, according to the present invention, since energy is stored by the brake, the stopping operation is faithfully performed, the next start is facilitated, and such a traffic accident can be prevented.
[0039]
Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to accumulate the braking force on a downhill and use it for acceleration for the next running force.
[0040]
Further, according to the present invention, since the operation of storing and releasing the traveling energy can be freely and swiftly operated, safe and comfortable driving can be performed.
[0041]
Further, according to the present invention, since it is a simple mechanism, it can be easily attached to a conventional bicycle and can be manufactured at low cost.
[0042]
Furthermore, according to the present invention, since no prime mover or the like is used, there is no risk of environmental pollution, the health is healthy, and there is no need to supply fuel or the like.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a partially omitted schematic cross-sectional view of an example of a device for accumulating and returning energy during traveling of a bicycle according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged end view as viewed from a direction H taken along line AA ′ of FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pedal 2 Chain 3 Ratchet gear 4 Driving wheel 5 Frame 6, 12, 17, 25 Shaft 7, 14, 22, 27 Lever 8, 19, 26 Clutch 8a Clutch input side 8b Clutch output side 9 Transmission 10 Input rotor 11 Output Rotor 13 Outer intermediate wheels 15, 18, 24 Gear 16, 21 Ratchet gear 16a, 21a Inner ring 16b, 21b Outer ring 20 Energy storage spring mechanism 28 Handle 29 Handle lever 30, 31 Wire 32 Handle

Claims (2)

In a bicycle having a driving wheel (4),
A transmission (9) for changing the rotation speed of the driving wheel (4) via a clutch (8) detachably connected to the driving wheel (4) by operation of a lever (7) and operating the lever (14);
A gear (15) that rotates by receiving a rotating force of the driving wheel (4) shifted by the transmission (9);
A gear (18) provided on a shaft (17) rotatably held by the frame (5) and rotating by meshing with the gear (15);
A clutch (19) for operating the lever (22) to attach / detach the rotational force of the gear (18) to / from the shaft (17);
An energy storage spring mechanism (20) provided on the shaft (17) and storing rotational energy of the driving wheel (4);
A ratchet gear (21) provided on the shaft (17) coaxially with the energy storage spring mechanism (20);
A shaft (25) fixed to the frame (5) is provided so as to mesh with an outer ring (21b) of the ratchet gear (21), and through sliding of a clutch (26) by operation of a lever (27). A gear (24) that is rotatably and fixedly switched with the shaft (25);
A gear (24) and a ratchet gear (16) meshed with an outer ring (16b) thereof and provided on a rotating shaft (12) of the gear (15);
By operating the lever (7), the driving wheel (4) and the energy storage spring mechanism (20) are attached and detached, and by operating the lever (22), the rotational force of the driving wheel (4) is increased by the energy storage. Accumulated in the spring mechanism (20),
The energy stored in the energy storage spring mechanism (20) by the operation of the lever (27) is reduced as a rotational force of the driving wheel (4) in the traveling direction,
In addition, the operation of the lever (14) controls the transfer of energy between the driving wheel (4) and the energy storage spring mechanism (20). apparatus. The lever (22) of the clutch (19), the lever (27) of the clutch (26) and the lever (7) of the clutch (8) can be operated in an interlocked manner. Item 1. A device for accumulating and reducing energy during running of a bicycle according to item 1.

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