GB2370699A

GB2370699A - Power unit for bicycles

Info

Publication number: GB2370699A
Application number: GB0022759A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Trevor Geoffrey Grace; Anton J Jeyaseelan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-09-18
Filing date: 2000-09-18
Publication date: 2002-07-03
Also published as: GB0022759D0

Abstract

Bicycles are provided with a means to transport a suitably mounted photovoltaic cell or cells and suitable means to store charge. The cells may be placed on a lighting unit or on other parts of the bicycle, and may be either temporarily or permanently fixed to mountings on a bicycle or any items carried on the bicycle. By way of example, the photovoltaic cell 11 is mounted on the upper surface of lighting unit 4 by an appropriate means. An electrical circuit is provided to carry current via regulating means to a battery and to other internal or external equipment, components or facilities.

Description

HELIO POWER UNIT FOR BICYCLES 1. This invention relates to sources of electrical current used on bicycles. Prior Art provides electrical current on board bicycles by means of either a wheel driven dynamo or batteries that may be discarded after use or batteries that may be recharged with an external electrical power source, such as a mains supply. Such types of sources of electrical current are achieved either through physical effort by the bicycle rider or by consumption of fuel used in the charging process.

2. It is the aim of the present invention, the'Helio'power unit, to provide bicycles with an on-board limitless supply of electrical current from daylight entering a photovoltaic cell. This source of current may be applied, for example, to recharging batteries used for bicycle head lights. It may be incorporated in the head or other light, or mounted on, or attached to the bicycle or located on items of equipment which may be attached in an appropriate way to the bicycle.

3. Accordingly, the present invention, the'Helio'power unit provides bicycles with a means to transport a suitably mounted photovoltaic cell. For the purposes of illustration, a photovoltaic cell may be a part of equipment such as a bicycle light. Alternatively, for example, the cell may also be located remotely off the bicycle or it may be attached permanently to the bicycle or it may be detachable from a bicycle.

4. The photovoltaic cell would have suitable means to connect and disconnect to and from batteries, or to other appropriate recipients of the electrical charge. 5. An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG 1. PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF BICYCLE AND THE POSSIBLE SITING OF A PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL LOCATED ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF A BICYCLE LIGHT; FIG 2. PERSPECTIVE OF A PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL IN POSITION ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF A LIGHTING UNIT; FIG 3. SIDE ELEVATION OF THE PV CELL, THE HOUSING, AND THE MEANS OF ATTACHMENT TO THE BICYCLE HANDLEBARS; FIG 4. DIAGRAM OF PV CELL INCORPORATED INTO BICYCLE LIGHT CIRCUIT ; FIG 5. SECTIONAL VIEW OF MEANS OF ATTACHMENT OF LIGHTING UNIT TO BICYCLE HANDLEBARS; FIG 6. SIDE ELEVATION OF ATTACHMENT RODS.

6. Referring to the drawings, a section of the bicycle 1 is given, comprising amongst other things a frame 2, which provides means to support a handlebar 3. The lighting unit housing 4 is mounted on the handlebar 3, with two attachment units 5, having a mounting assembly rod 6. The attachment units 5 are made secure on the handlebar with brackets 6, retained by screws 7.

7. Lighting unit housing 4 contains vertical grooves 8 of matching size to allow mounting assembly rod 6 to travel along grooves 8 until a stop point is reached at clip 9.

Clip 9 is suitably retained in the lighting unit and is of material that allows appropriate easement when a notch 10, suitably located on rod 5, is pushed into clip 9. When clip 9 is eased by the expander 20, notch 10, suitably located on rod 5 is pushed into clip 9. When clip 9 is eased by the expander 20, notch 10 on rod 5 travels freely along groove 8 to the allow the lighting unit housing 4 to be separated from attachment units 5.

8. The photovoltaic cell 11 is mounted on the upper surface of lighting unit 4 by an appropriate means. An electrical circuit 12 is provided to carry current to batteries 13, for which voltage regulation is provided by a diode 21 to prevent back flow of current.

9. The embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and modifications may be effected and alternatively other applications requiring electrical current may be provided. Thus, for example, the photovoltaic cell may be placed on other parts of the bicycle, or utilised in a folding case to increase or reduce the area of the cell in accordance with the electrical current demanded by any particular application. By way of example only, the cell on the bicycle may be used to charge a mobile telephone that could also be carried on the bicycle or by its rider.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A power unit for bicycles comprising a photovoltaic cell or cells located on the upper surface of a housing, which is attached to a bicycle by any suitable means.
2. A power unit for bicycles according to claim 1 in which the housing may be detached from the bicycle by lifting upwardly or drawing forward or drawing backward.
3. A power unit for bicycles according to claim 2 in which the photovoltaic cell or cells are connected by conductive wiring to appropriate batteries after passing through a blocking diode to prevent the back flow of current for the batteries to the Galls.
4 A power unit for bicycles according to any one of the preceding claims in which any number of electrical outputs is provided from appropriate batteries.
5 A power unit for bicycles according to any one of the preceding claims in which an appropriate electrical current is distributed from either appropriate batteries or from a photovoltaic cell or cells to a suitable component or equipment at a point within the casing as appropriate.
6. A power unit for bicycles according to any one of the preceding claims where an external plug may be inserted into the casing to make connection with electrical current provided inside the casing.

7 A power unit for bicycles substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.