DE4237251A1 - DC lighting equipment for pedal cycle - has voltage regulator, non-saturable DC generator, nickel@-iron@ accumulator and LED charge indicator for improved reliability - Google Patents

Abstract

The lighting equipment of a pedal cycle has a headlight (1), rearlight (2) wheel-driven non-saturable DC generator (12), nickel/iron accumulator (8) and voltage regulator (9). The control circuitry together with a LED accumulator charge indicator (7) is housed in a unit (10) mounted below the luggage carrier of the cycle. The generator mounting is provided with vertical and orientational adjustment to accommodate different cycle dimensions and its drive-wheel which contacts the tyre sidewall has a replaceable rubber rim. The switches (5, 6) enable a variety of usage modes including a test position (6) for checking accumulator charge. USE/ADVANTAGE - Regulator limits generator output voltage to safe maximum at high speeds and excess energy is absorbed by accumulator. Accumulator can be visually checked by LED and maintains lighting at low speeds. Drive-wheel is of narrow disc construction and is not materially affected by adverse weather conditions e.g rain, snow etc..

Description

State of the art

The known lighting systems (e.g. DE 31 15 765 A1) with standard equipment (headlights, rear light, battery, AC dynamo, supply line, frame as ground return and Switch) should be as uniform as possible, ie operated largely independently of the driving speed become. The one that occurs at high speed should Excess electricity can be stored in the battery to slow down to supply the lighting system.

problem

The conventional AC dynamo is not all by one Battery lighting requirements arising because he grew due to the design none at high speeds generates substantial excess electricity. In rain or snow its adhesion to the tire is not sufficient, so that its performance is insufficient. The same results if the on the frame attached dynamo mounts are so far from the tire that the pressure spring of the dynamo is almost completely relaxed, when it touches the tire. Hence the task the battery lighting system with a powerful dynamo Mistake. It is said to consume less mechanical energy and reliable even in unfavorable environmental conditions required amount of electricity are generated. The dynamo is said to be optimal can be adjusted.  

solution

In the system according to the invention are from a direct current dynamo in every environment the battery and the Lighting system powered. This also means Slow travel or driving without dynamo supplying the Lighting system guaranteed. The battery can be used when driving without lights be charged with the full dynamic power.

With the built-in light-emitting diode, the charge status of the battery to be checked to determine if there is a need for charging ascertain.

The DC dynamo with ironless bell anchor supplies over a voltage regulator the lighting system. The through the dynamo wheel Mechanical power transferred from the tire is added to the dynamo more than 70% converted into electrical power. Thus a higher one despite the losses in the voltage regulator Overall efficiency than with conventional lighting systems reached. Neither can store the excess energy Lead acid battery, but it must be a nickel-cadmium battery or the like, used to be due to the fluctuating Driving speeds of the bike occurring frequently Manage changes between loading and unloading. Because the DC dynamo used at medium and higher Speeds can reach no saturation, the high Voltage for charging it batteries can be used for slow driving. To do this, the entire lighting system from Dynamo separated and on the final charge voltage of the battery to be brought.

A narrow dynamo wheel with rubber tread ensures that the bad environmental conditions (mud, rain, Snow) sufficient tire grip is achieved.

With adjustment options in height, in the barrel axis and The dynamo can be optimally attached to the respective distance to the frame Bicycle can be adjusted.

Description of the embodiment

Show in the drawing

Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram of the lighting system,

Fig. 2 is a view of the dynamo assembly,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the dynamo assembly,

Fig. 4 is a side view of the dynamo arrangement.

The lighting system basically consists of commercially available components: headlights 1 , taillights 2 , supply lines 4 and frames 3 as ground conductors. In addition, according to the invention, a 5-cell Ni-Cd battery 8 with 6 V nominal voltage is connected to an integrated voltage regulator 9 , two switches 5 and 6 and to an LED 7 for voltage display. The parts are housed in a housing 10 , which is attached below the luggage rack to its fastening screws under wet contact. A two-pole line 11 leads from the housing to the dynamo 12 and the line 4 to the headlight and the rear light. The dynamo connected to the two-pole line via a two-pole plug connection 25 is due to its construction with an ironless bell anchor (Faulhaber principle) and the use of ball bearings capable of converting the rotary movement of the friction wheel 13 into electrical energy with over 70% efficiency. The friction wheel 13 is made of plastic and has a groove on the outside for a rubber ring 14 that runs on the tire 15 . Because the rubber ring is only slipped on, it can be replaced with a handle when worn. Because the friction wheel is only a few millimeters thick and only touches a small area of the tire, it can easily displace water or snow. Together with the additional deflector plate 26 , which removes coarse dirt at a short distance from the tires and friction wheel, the perfect dynamo function is regularly guaranteed even under the most unfavorable environmental conditions. For this purpose, the dynamo is still attached to the original mounting plate 22 of the frame in a holder 16 with 24 , which can be adapted to the different dimensions on all bicycles. The following setting options are therefore provided when designing the dynamo bracket:

• 1. The holding plate 27 with the retaining lug 24 is fixedly attached to the mounting plate 22 of the frame. The axis of the dynamo is aligned with the axis of the wheel via an inclination device comprising the holding plate 27 and an intermediate piece 28 with an adjusting screw.
• 2. The height is adjusted by separate displacement of the intermediate piece 28 , which is firmly connected to the dynamo carrier 16 , via a clamping screw 20 in an elongated hole 21 of the holding plate 27 .
• 3. An adjustment device is provided to compensate for the distance between the frame and the tires. Thus, the dynamo carrier 16 can be moved about the axis 23 relative to the tire via an adjusting screw 19 which is rotatably held in the abutment 29 and is guided with its thread in the intermediate piece 28 . This does not change the pressure force of a spring 18 which, supported on the one hand on the abutment 29 and on the other hand in a recess 31 of the dynamo carrier 16, presses the dynamo against the tire. With the correct setting, the full spring force always comes into effect when the locking device 17 is released .

Mode of operation (function)

When the switch 5 is closed, the voltage is fed to the two lights 1 and 2 via the feed line 4 and fed back to the voltage regulator 9 via their ground connection. The voltage regulator limits the voltage generated by the dynamo 12 to the end-of-charge voltage of the rechargeable battery 8 of 6.45 V, as a result of which the latter is charged if the switch 6 is in the position "a" and the current strength is sufficient. If the voltage generated drops below the battery voltage during slow travel, only the missing power is removed from the battery via the two closed switches until the battery takes over the full supply when the dynamo is at a standstill. If the battery voltage is lower than that of the voltage regulator, the battery is charged. When the light is switched on, this only happens at medium speed. During the day and with the lighting switched off, the power generated by the dynamo and made available via the voltage regulator is fully supplied to the battery. During the day you can recognize a charge requirement by checking the battery voltage with the light-emitting diode 7 by means of a push-button contact in position "b" of the switch 6 . The light-emitting diode is preceded by nine germanium diodes, so that it only lights up from a battery voltage of 6.1 V, indicating that the battery is almost fully charged. If it is not lit or only dimly, then the battery should be charged. If only switch 5 is closed and switch 6 is open, the lighting can also be operated only with the dynamo.

Claims (7)

1.Lighting system for bicycles, with a headlight, a rear light, a dynamo, a battery, switches and lines, characterized by an integrated voltage regulator ( 9 ), on the one hand with a direct current dynamo ( 12 ) via a two-pole line ( 11 ) and on the other hand the switch ( 5 ) and the supply line ( 4 ) with the headlight ( 1 ) and the rear light ( 2 ) and via the switch ( 6 ) with the battery ( 8 ). 2. Lighting system according to claim 1, characterized in that a light-emitting diode ( 7 ) can be connected to the battery via a touch contact of the switch ( 6 ), lights up when the battery voltage is sufficiently high and serves as a voltage indicator. 3. Lighting system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a direct current dynamo ( 12 ) which is constructed on the principle of the ironless bell armature motor and emits its electrical energy via a two-pole line ( 11 ). 4. Lighting system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by a dynamo wheel ( 13 ) as a few millimeter thick disc with a groove in which a rubber ring ( 14 ) lies as a tread. 5. Lighting system according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by a dynamo fastening with a dynamo carrier ( 16 ) and a holding plate ( 27 ) which is non-rotatably fastened to the fastening plate ( 22 ) of the bicycle frame by the retaining lug ( 24 ), the dynamo carrier ( 16 ) relative to the holding plate ( 27 ) via an intermediate piece ( 28 ) by means of an adjusting screw ( 20 ) in the inclination and in height is adjustable, so that the axis of rotation of the dynamo wheel ( 13 ) can be adjusted perpendicular to the axis of the tire and its tread rests on the side of the tire. 6. Lighting system according to one of claims 1 to 5, with a via an adjusting screw ( 19 ) adjustable spring stop to compensate for different tire-fork spacings. 7. Lighting system according to one of claims 1 to 6, with a in front of the dynamo at an angle to the tire and a short distance removed deflector ( 26 ) for coarse dirt.