Inventors:
George W. Pikoulas - Butler PA
International Classification:
F16C 110
B62M 900
G06F 1550
F16H 708
Abstract:
An automatic electromechanical gear changing system for automatically derailing the endless chain of a multi-speed bicycle from one rear transmission sprocket to another rear transmission sprocket to effect rear transmission gear shifting. The automatic gear changing system includes a main housing member mounted to a down tube of the bicycle, a handlebar-mounted console which displays various system parameters for the rider (type of program in use by system, speed, gear, battery level, trip miles), and a microprocessor unit disposed within the console for initiating, controlling, and terminating transmission gear shifting of the endless chain on the rear transmission sprockets. The main housing member encloses a drive motor, a linear actuator threaded shaft which is actuated for rotational motion by the drive motor, a linear actuator stub mounted upon the shaft and selectively engaged by the shaft for linear reciprocal movement within the housing member, and a cable attachment for attaching an end of the rear derailleur cable to the stub so that selective linear movement of the stub shifts the derailleur cable and causes the derailment of the chain from one sprocket to another sprocket. Embedded in each housing member is an inductance coil which encompasses a portion of both the stub and the shaft, and the linear movement of the stub within the housing induces voltage changes in the coil which correspond to specific gears of the bicycle. Such voltage changes are interpreted by the mpu to initiate, control and terminate automatic gear shifting.
