JP3602824B2 - Electric bicycle - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electric bicycle using a motor as auxiliary power.
[0002]
[Prior art]
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART Conventionally, as an electric bicycle which uses a motor as an auxiliary power, there exist some which were disclosed by Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 56-60698. In the electric bicycle disclosed in this publication, a motor and an electric device are arranged below a down tube and behind a crankshaft, and a battery for supplying power to the motor is arranged between a seat tube and a rear wheel. Was. The seat stay extending rearward from the upper end of the seat tube passed through above the battery case.
[0003]
The battery is accommodated in a battery case, and is configured to be detached from the vehicle body for each battery case when charging. To remove the battery case from the vehicle body, the battery case is constructed by tilting the upper part to one side in the vehicle width direction with the lower end part as a fulcrum, and then pulling the upper part of the battery case to remove the lower end engaging part. I was
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, adopting a configuration in which the battery case is attached to and detached from the vehicle body in a state where the battery case is inclined in the vehicle width direction not only makes it difficult to attach and detach the battery case but also limits the capacity of the battery. This is because, in order to increase the capacity of the battery located between the seat tube and the rear wheel, the battery case must be extended upward to increase the capacity.
[0005]
That is, when the battery case is extended upward, the seat stay that crosses the upper side of the battery case in the vehicle longitudinal direction also needs to be shifted upward, and the seat tube also becomes longer by that amount, and the saddle attached to the upper end of the seat tube becomes longer. Even if it is positioned at the lowest position, the saddle height will be high. Therefore, it cannot be applied to bicycles for women and children. In order to increase the battery capacity, the battery case must be easily detachable even if the weight increases due to the increase in the capacity.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and has been made to improve the degree of freedom in determining the capacity of a battery while reducing the size of a vehicle body and improving the detachability of a battery case. Aim.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve this object, the electric bicycle according to the present inventionA down tube extending downward and rearward, a seat tube rising rearward and upward from the rear of the down tube, and a pair of left and right seat stays extending downward and rearward from the upper end of the seat tube and having a rear end connected to the vicinity of the rear wheel axle; A body frame havingMotor and battery case to supply power to motorAnd a loading platform extending in the front-rear direction above the rear wheelIn the electric bicycle provided with, the size of the battery case in the vehicle width direction is larger than the seat tube width.And formed into a vertically elongated box shapeBetween the seat tube and the rear wheel so that its longitudinal direction points in the up and down direction while mounted on the vehicle.Diagonally along the seat tubePlace, SaidThe front space between the pair of left and right seat stays is formed to be larger than the dimension of the battery case in the vehicle width direction, and the front end is bent inward in the vehicle width direction in front of the battery case to be coupled to the seat tube. By passing the battery case between the left and right seat stays,DiagonallyDetachable vertically,The battery case is formed such that the upper end thereof is located above the seat stay in a vehicle-mounted state, and the front end of the loading platform is located near a portion where the rear end of the battery case crosses in a side view of the seat stay. To support the front end of the loading platform front stay that extends inclining downward from the front,The battery case is provided with a discharge connector, and the vehicle body frame side is provided with a load connector which is connected to the discharge connector by mounting the battery case and is separated from the discharge connector by removing the battery case. It is.
[0008]
According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the battery capacity by forming the battery case vertically long behind the seat tube while avoiding interference between the seat stay and the battery case. In addition, the connector is automatically connected and detached by the operation of attaching and detaching the battery case.
[0009]
The electric bicycle according to the invention described in claim 2 is the electric bicycle according to the invention described in claim 1,A structure in which a support member opened upward is fixed to the vehicle body frame side, a battery case is detachably fitted in the support member, and the load-side connector is disposed at a bottom of the support member. is there.
According to the present invention, the weight of the battery case is always added in the direction of engagement with the support member in the vehicle-mounted state, and the engagement state between the battery case and the support member is stabilized. Further, the weight of the battery case can be applied to the load-side connector.
[0010]
The electric bicycle according to the invention described in claim 3 is3. The electric bicycle according to claim 1, wherein a saddle is mounted on an upper end of a seat tube, and the saddle is located at a position where a space above the battery case is opened when the battery case is attached to or detached from the seat tube. It can be tilted freely.
According to the present invention, the space above the battery case is released by tilting the saddle.
[0012]
【Example】
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
1 is a side view of an electric bicycle according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an enlarged part of the electric bicycle, FIG. 3 is a side view of a power unit and a motor, and FIG. 4 is an IV-IV of the power unit in FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of the one-way clutch in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 4, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of the one-way clutch. 8 is an enlarged side view showing a battery case mounting portion, and FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a power transmission path of the electric bicycle.
[0013]
In these figures, 1 is an electric bicycle, and 2 is a frame of the electric bicycle 1. The frame 2 includes a head pipe 2a for rotatably supporting a front fork 4 on which a front wheel 3 is rotatably provided, a down tube 2b extending rearward and downward from the head pipe 2a, and a middle tube at a rear portion of the down tube 2b. A seat tube 2c connected via a lug 5, a pair of left and right chain stays 2d connected via a hanger lug 6 to a rear end of a down tube 2b extending rearward from the middle lug 5, and a seat tube 2c. It is composed of a pair of left and right seat stays 2e connecting the upper portion and the rear end of the chain stay 2d.
[0014]
A steering handle 7 is mounted on the upper end of the front fork 4. A rear wheel bracket 2f for rotatably supporting the rear wheel 8 is integrally provided at a rear end of the chain stay 2d and a lower end of the seat stay 2e. The space between the front portions of the seat stays 2e is formed to be larger than the dimension of the battery case 10 in the vehicle width direction, which will be described later, and the front end of the seat tube is bent inward in the vehicle width direction in front of the battery case 10. 2c.
[0015]
Reference numeral 9 denotes an auxiliary power device for the electric bicycle 1. The auxiliary power device 9 includes a motor 12 which is supplied with power from a battery 11 housed in a battery case 10 and is controlled by a control unit described later, and a crankshaft 13. The vehicle includes a power unit 14, a crank gear 15 (FIG. 4), a crank 16, a pedal 17, and the like mounted on the right end of the vehicle body of the crank shaft 13.
[0016]
In the auxiliary power unit 9, a power unit 14 is formed around the crankshaft 13, and the motor 12 is disposed forward of the crankshaft 13 and below the downtube 2b along the downtube 2b. Are connected to the middle lug 5 and the hanger lug 6 via connection brackets 18 and 19. In the embodiment, the auxiliary power unit 9 is mounted on the frame 2 such that a rotating shaft 12a of the motor 12 described later is parallel to the down tube 2b.
[0017]
In this auxiliary power unit 9, a crank gear 15 located on the right side of the vehicle body is connected to a freewheel (not shown) of the rear wheel 8 via a chain 20. This freewheel is constituted by a known one-way clutch that transmits power only from the chain 20 to the rear wheel 8. In FIG. 1, a reference numeral 20a provided along the chain 20 is a chain cover.
[0018]
The control unit 21 and the main switch 22 attached to the down tube 2b are connected to the motor 12 of the auxiliary power unit 9.
The control unit 21 rotates the motor 12 and applies the power from the motor 12 to the crankshaft 13 only when the main switch 22 is in the ON state and the pedaling force of the occupant is applied to the crankshaft 13 from the pedal 17. It is configured to convey. That is, when the pedal 17 is depressed, a rotational torque from the motor 12 is applied to the crankshaft 13 in addition to the depressing force. The output of the motor 12 is controlled by the control unit 21 so as to be substantially proportional to the pedaling force applied to the pedal 17. The pedaling force is detected by a pedaling force detection mechanism in the power unit 14 described later.
[0019]
The mounting position of the control unit 21 and the main switch 22 is located below the down tube 2b and in front of the motor 12. For this reason, the main switch 22, the control unit 21, the motor 12, and the power unit 14 are arranged in a line in front and back along the down tube 2b.
[0020]
The main switch 22 is electrically connected to the control unit 21 and the battery 11 when a key (not shown) is inserted and turned clockwise from a neutral position in FIG. 1, for example, and turned counterclockwise. It is structured to release a battery case lock mechanism, which will be described later.
[0021]
Here, the structure of the above-described auxiliary power unit 9 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. The auxiliary power unit 9 rotatably supports the crankshaft 13 on a case 23 of the power unit 14, and fixes the motor 12 to one end of the case 23 so that the axial direction thereof is orthogonal to the crankshaft 13. A planetary gear type speed increaser 24, a planetary roller type speed reducer 25 and the like are interposed between the shaft 13 and the rotating shaft 12a of the motor 12. Further, in the auxiliary power unit 9, all of the rotary components arranged coaxially with the crankshaft 13 have outer diameters smaller than that of the crank gear 15 for the purpose of miniaturization and securing a minimum ground clearance.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 4, the case 23 has a cylindrical portion through which the crankshaft 13 penetrates and houses the planetary gear type speed increaser 24, and a planetary roller extending from the cylindrical portion in a direction orthogonal to the crankshaft. A case main body 23a integrally formed with a motor mounting portion for accommodating the type speed reducer 25, and a mounting screw 23b fixed to the left side opening of the vehicle body having a larger opening diameter among the openings at both ends of the cylindrical portion. A lid 23d that closes the opening and rotatably supports the left end of the crankshaft 13 with a bearing 23c. In this embodiment, a cover 26 having a substantially circular shape in a side view is fixed to the outside of the lid 23d.
[0023]
The main components (motor 12, planetary gear type speed increaser 24, planetary roller type speed reducer 25, etc.) of the auxiliary power unit 9 are all attached to the case main body 23a. With this configuration, the main components can be connected with high accuracy, and the assembling strength can be ensured.
[0024]
In the planetary gear type speed increaser 24, the planetary gear 27 is supported on the crankshaft 13 via a one-way clutch 28, the sun gear 29 is rotatably supported on the crankshaft 13, and the outer peripheral gear 30 is moved in the vehicle width direction. It is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape that extends and is riveted to the cylindrical output shaft 31. The outer peripheral portion of the outer peripheral gear 30 has a smaller diameter on the cylindrical output shaft 31 side than the portion where the planetary gear 27 meshes, so that the planetary gear type speed increaser 24 is not unnecessarily enlarged. The one-way clutch 28 is configured to transmit power from the crankshaft 13 to the planetary gear type gear box 24 only when the crankshaft 13 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 3 with respect to the planetary gear type gear box 24. It is configured.
[0025]
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the one-way clutch 28 has a substantially annular inner ring 32 fixed to the crankshaft 13 by spline fitting, a hollow portion for accommodating the inner ring 32, and an inner peripheral portion. An outer ring 34 having substantially sawtooth-shaped engaging teeth 33 formed on the entire circumference thereof, a claw piece 35 interposed between the inner ring 32 and the outer ring 34, and the claw piece 35 is attached to the engaging tooth 33. And a spring 36 for urging the engagement. A support shaft 27a for rotatably supporting the planetary gear 27 is provided on the outer ring 34.
[0026]
The inner ring 32 is formed with four protrusions 37 at the outer peripheral portion as sliding contact protrusions protruding radially outward and extending in the circumferential direction at intervals in the circumferential direction and between the protrusions 37. A claw support recess 38 is formed in a portion where the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 32 is recessed in an arc-shaped cross section. The protruding end faces 37a of the projections 37 are arc-shaped surfaces centered on the axis of the inner race 32. When the inner race 32 is loaded in the hollow portion of the outer race 34, the protruding end faces of all the projections 37 are formed. 37 a is configured to slide on the top of the engagement tooth 33. Further, a concave groove 39 for inserting the spring 36 is formed in the projection 37 along the circumferential direction.
[0027]
The claw piece 35 has a base 35a having a convex curved surface with an arcuate cross section which is slidably fitted into the recess 38 of the inner ring 32, and a rotation direction of the inner ring 32 during power transmission from the base 35a (see FIG. 5). (In the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3), an engagement portion 35b extending forward and having an extension end engaged with the engagement tooth 33. The engagement teeth 33 have a relatively gentle inclination on the front side in the rotation direction of the inner race 32 during power transmission with respect to the top, and a steep inclination on the opposite side. A notch 35c into which the spring 36 is inserted is formed in the claw piece 35 from the extending end toward the base 35a. The bottom surface of the notch 35c is formed flat and is inclined with respect to the extending direction of the engaging portion 35b as shown in FIG.
[0028]
The angle of inclination of the bottom surface is determined by the rotation of the inner ring 32 in the bottom surface during the power transmission in the state shown in FIG. 5 in which the base 35a is fitted into the recess 38 and the engagement portion 35b is engaged with the engagement teeth 33. The side end is set to protrude radially outward from the front end. The spring 36 is in contact with the protruding end of the bottom surface. The spring 36 is formed in a partially cut annular shape, and is mounted on the inner race 32 so as to increase the diameter. That is, the end of the bottom surface of the notch 35c that is in contact with the spring 36 is pushed toward the radial center of the inner ring 32, and the claw 35 is urged clockwise in FIG. 5 around the base 35a. . Therefore, the engaging portion 35 b is always pressed against the engaging teeth 33.
[0029]
In the one-way clutch 28 configured as described above, the outer ring 34 is disposed on the same axis as the inner ring 32 by the protrusions 37 of the inner ring 32 slidingly contacting the tops of the engaging teeth 33, and the inner ring 32 It is supported rotatably without using steel balls or the like. Only when the crankshaft 13 and the inner wheel 32 rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 5 with respect to the outer wheel 34, the power (the pedaling force generated by depressing the pedal 17) is transmitted from the inner wheel 32 to the outer wheel 34 via the claw 35. Will be done. Further, when the crank 16 is turned in the opposite direction to the forward direction, or when the outer wheel 34 rotates counterclockwise faster than the inner wheel 32 due to the power of the motor 12, power transmission by the one-way clutch 28 is not performed.
[0030]
In the planetary gear type speed increaser 24, when the outer ring 34 rotates together with the inner ring 32, the sun gear 29 is prevented from rotating with respect to these members, so that the outer gear 30 moves in the same direction at a predetermined speed ratio. It is accelerated and rotates. When the outer peripheral gear 30 is riveted to the cylindrical output shaft 31 and the crank gear 15 fixed to the shaft end of the cylindrical output shaft 31, the power of the crankshaft 13 is transferred to the chain 20 and the free end. The information is transmitted to the rear wheel 8 via the wheel. As shown in FIG. 4, a ring gear 40 to which power is transmitted from a planetary roller type speed reducer 25 described later is riveted together with the outer peripheral gear 30, and the cylindrical output shaft 31 is attached to the case main body 23 a via a bearing 41. It is rotatably supported. In the hollow portion of the cylindrical output shaft 31, an end of the right side of the vehicle body of the crankshaft 13 is rotatably supported via a bearing 42.
[0031]
In regulating the rotation of the sun gear 29, in this embodiment, a stopper indicated by reference numeral 43 in FIG. 3 and a tread force detection mechanism indicated by 44 are used. The stopper 43 is screwed to the case main body 23a, and has a structure in which the tip inside the case abuts on the lower end surface of the arm 29a of the sun gear 29. The treading force detection mechanism 44 includes a potentiometer device 46 that comes into contact with the contact plate member 45 riveted to the protruding end of the arm 29a from above, and a pressing device that urges the potentiometer device 46 toward the contact plate member 45. 47. Note that the contact plate member 45 is formed wider than the arm 29a in order to reduce the surface pressure.
[0032]
The potentiometer device 46 of the treading force detecting mechanism 44 is formed by a lever 46a whose swinging end abuts on the abutment plate member 45, and a potentiometer main body 46b connected to the lever 46a, and is supported and fixed to the case main body 23a. I have. The potentiometer main body 46b has an input shaft 46c connected to the lever 46a rotatably provided about an axis perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 3, and detects the rotation angle of the input shaft 46c to detect the lead wire 46d. Is output to the control unit 21 via the control unit 21. The input shaft 46c is rotatably supported by the case body 23a by a bearing 46e.
[0033]
The pressing device 47 includes a pressing member 47a that abuts on the swinging end of the lever 46a, a case 47b that supports the pressing member 47a so as to be able to move forward and backward with respect to the lever 46a, and is supported and fixed to the case body 23a. A compression coil spring 47c for urging the pressing element 47a toward the lever 46a is formed.
[0034]
That is, when the planetary gear 27 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 3 together with the outer ring 34, the sun gear 29 is urged to rotate counterclockwise by the rotational reaction force from the outer peripheral gear 30. It is transmitted to the pressurizing device 47 via 46a and is absorbed by the pressurizing device 47. Therefore, the sun gear 29 is prevented from rotating in a state in which the sun gear 29 is allowed to rotate by an amount corresponding to the moving amount of the pressing element 47a of the pressing device 47.
[0035]
When the sun gear 29 rotates in this way, the potentiometer body 46b detects the amount of rotation and outputs the detected amount to the control unit 21. At this time, the control unit 21 controls the motor 12 according to a detection signal from the potentiometer body 46b. The control of the motor 12 is performed such that the number of rotations of the motor 12 is proportional to the amount of rotation of the sun gear 29. More specifically, the rotation speed of the outer peripheral gear 30 is detected by a rotation sensor indicated by reference numeral 48 in FIG. 3, and the rotation speed of the outer gear 30 and the rotation amount of the sun gear 29 detected by the potentiometer main body 46b are shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, the control unit 21 calculates the motor driving force and drives the motor 12. For this reason, the motor 12 is controlled so that the torque becomes substantially proportional to the pedaling force generated by stepping on the pedal 17. The rotation speed sensor 48 is screwed to the case body 23a, and the inner end of the case is opposed to the left end of the outer peripheral gear 30 with a small gap in the vehicle body. A known device utilizing the fact that the magnetic resistance is changed by the portion 30a is used. When the rotation speed is detected by using the tooth portion 30a formed at the end of the outer peripheral gear 30 in this manner, a special rotation speed detection component is not required for detecting the rotation speed by using the rotation speed sensor 48. .
[0036]
Next, the structure of the power transmission system connected to the motor 12 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 4, the motor 12 has the rotating shaft 12 a through the planetary roller type speed reducer 25, the motor-side one-way clutch 51, the output gear member 52, and the ring gear 40 meshing with the output gear member 52. It is connected to a cylindrical output shaft 31.
[0037]
The planetary roller type speed reducer 25 has an outer ring 53 formed in a cylindrical shape having a diameter larger than the rotation shaft 12 a of the motor 12 formed of a round bar, and fixed to the shaft end of the motor 12 coaxially with the rotation shaft 12 a, A plurality of planetary rollers 54 are disposed between the rotary shaft 53 and the rotary shaft 12a and are respectively in contact with both of them. A pin 55 for rotatably holding the planetary rollers 54 is provided. And an output shaft member 56 that transmits power to the output gear member 52.
[0038]
Guide plates 57 and 58 for restricting the axial movement of the planetary roller 54 are attached to both ends of the outer ring 53 in the axial direction, and are fixed to the motor 12 by fixing bolts 59. The holes through which the fixing bolts 59 in the outer ring 53 and the guide plates 57 and 58 penetrate are formed to be larger in diameter than the fixing bolts 59, so that the positions in the radial direction are not restricted by the fixing bolts 59. As shown in FIG. 6, a circular fitting portion 60 of the case main body 23a is fitted to the outer peripheral portion of the outer ring 53. The motor 12 is connected to the case main body 23a by connecting bolts 61 as shown in FIG. 3 in a state where the outer ring 53 is fitted to the circular fitting portion 60 in this manner.
[0039]
As shown in FIG. 6, in the present embodiment, four planetary rollers 54 are mounted at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the outer ring 53, and each is rotatably supported by a pin 55 of an output shaft member 56 by a bearing 62. ing. The output shaft member 56 holding the planetary roller 54 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape with the pin 55 projecting from the bottom, and the motor-side one-way clutch 51 and the output gear member 52 are provided in the hollow portion. It is installed.
[0040]
In the planetary roller type speed reducer 25 configured as described above, the rotation shaft 12a of the motor 12 rotates clockwise as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 6, so that the planetary roller 54 moves to the opposite side to the rotation shaft 12a. As it rotates, it rolls on the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 53 and revolves clockwise. This causes the output shaft member 56 to rotate clockwise in FIG. 6 with a predetermined reduction ratio.
[0041]
The motor-side one-way clutch 51 mounted in the hollow portion of the output shaft member 56, when the output shaft member 56 rotates clockwise relative to the output gear member 52 in FIG. It is configured to tell. The output gear member 52 is rotatably supported by the case main body 23a in a state where movement in the axial direction is restricted by the bearing 63, and the motor-side shaft end is connected to the motor-side one-way clutch 51. A bevel gear is formed at the shaft end opposite to this, and meshes with the ring gear 40.
[0042]
That is, when the output shaft member 56 rotates as described above, the power of the motor 12 is transmitted from the output shaft member 56 to the cylindrical output shaft 31 via the output gear member 52 and the ring gear 40.
[0043]
The reason why the motor-side one-way clutch 51 is interposed in the power transmission path of the motor 12 in this way is that the power of the battery 11 is insufficient and the rotation of the motor 12 is slowed down, or the power of the motor 12 is intentionally cut off. This is to prevent the power from the crankshaft 13 from being transmitted from the ring gear 40 to the motor 12 via the output gear member 52 and the planetary roller type speed reducer 25 when the vehicle 12 travels with only human power, thereby increasing the driving resistance.
[0044]
Reference numerals 64 and 65 provided between the rotary shaft 12a and the bottom surface of the output shaft member 56 and between the inner bottom surface of the output shaft member 56 and the shaft end of the output gear member 52 indicate output shafts. These balls prevent the output shaft member 56 from contacting the rotating shaft 12a or the output gear member 52 when an axial thrust is applied to the member 56. These balls 64 and 65 are engaged in a circular hole formed in the rotation shaft 12 a or the shaft end of the output gear member 52.
[0045]
Here, a procedure for assembling the motor 12 and the planetary roller type speed reducer 25 into the case main body 23a will be described. In assembling, first, the output shaft member 56 is attached to the outer ring 53. At this time, the guide plate 58 is interposed between the output shaft member 56 and the outer ring 53, and the bearings 62 and the planetary rollers 54 are mounted on the pins 55 so as to be accommodated on the inner peripheral side of the outer ring 53. The outer ring 53 to which the output shaft member 56 is attached is fixed to the motor 12 with the guide plate 57 interposed between the outer ring 53 and the motor 12. At this time, the rotating shaft 12a of the motor 12 is engaged between the respective planetary rollers 54 so that the planetary roller 54 and the output shaft member 56 can rotate with respect to the rotating shaft 12a. At the same time, the ball 64 is interposed between the rotation shaft 12a and the output shaft member 56. By doing so, the outer ring 53 and the output shaft member 56 are positioned on the same axis with respect to the rotation shaft 12a.
[0046]
Next, the outer ring 53 and the guide plates 57 and 58 are fixed to the motor 12 by fixing bolts 59. Thus, the planetary roller type speed reducer 25 is mounted on the motor 12. That is, the planetary roller type speed reducer 25 can be connected to the motor 12 without using a special fitting structure.
[0047]
Thereafter, the outer peripheral portion of the outer ring 53 is fitted to the circular fitting portion 60 of the case main body 23a. At this time, the motor-side one-way clutch 51 is previously mounted on the hollow portion of the output shaft member 56 or the output gear member 52, and the motor-side one-way clutch 51 is mounted simultaneously with the mounting of the motor 12. The ball 65 is also mounted on the output gear member 52 in advance.
[0048]
Then, the motor 12 and the planetary roller type speed reducer 25 are assembled by fixing the motor 12 to the case main body 23a with the connecting bolt 61.
In order to mount the auxiliary power unit 9 on the frame 2, the bolt holes 66 and 67 formed in the case main body 23a are aligned with the bolt holes of the connection brackets 18 and 19 as shown in FIG. 23a is bolted to the connection brackets 18 and 19.
[0049]
Next, the structure of the battery case 10 that houses the battery 11 that supplies power to the motor 12 will be described.
The battery case 10 is formed in a vertically elongated box shape and has a structure in which two batteries 11 are housed inside as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, and is disposed between the seat tube 2 c and the rear wheel 8. Have been. The battery case 10 is formed such that the upper end is located above the seat stay 2e in the vehicle-mounted state shown in FIG.
That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the size of the battery case 10 in the vehicle width direction is set to a size larger than the width of the seat tube so as to pass between the left and right seat stays 2e, and the size in the front-rear direction. The dimension is set to be passed between the seat tube 2c and the pair of left and right auxiliary seat tubes 71. The auxiliary seat tube 71 extends between the cross member bridged between the left and right seat stays 2e and the rear end of the down tube 2b substantially in parallel with the seat tube 2c.
[0050]
As shown in FIG. 2, the battery case 10, the auxiliary power unit 9, and the control unit 21 are all housed between the left and right cranks 16, 16.
[0051]
The structure in which the battery case 10 is attached to the vehicle body is provided with a bottomed rectangular tubular support box 72 that opens upward at the rear end of the down tube 2b, and the lower end of the battery case 10 is provided in the support box 72. It is structured to be fitted from above. The support box 72 constitutes a support member according to the third aspect of the present invention. The lower front portion of the support box 72 is connected to the bracket 73 of the middle lug 5, and is supported by the frame 2 via the bracket 73 and the middle lug 5. For this reason, the battery case 10 is detachably attached to the vehicle body in the up-down direction. At the bottom of the support box 72, a male connector 72a that is electrically connected to the female connector 10a provided at the lower end of the battery case 10 is attached, and the battery case 10 is detached from the vehicle body by a third party. A lock mechanism 74 is provided to prevent the lock. The female connector 10a constitutes a discharge connector according to the present invention, and the male connector 72a constitutes a load-side connector according to the present invention.
[0052]
The male connector 72 a is electrically connected to the control unit 21 and the motor 12 via the main switch 22, and has a structure in which contacts protrude into the support box 72. That is, by fitting the battery case 10 into the support box 72 from above, the female connector 10a on the battery case 10 side is electrically connected to the male connector 72a, and power is supplied from the battery 11 to the main switch 22 and other electric devices. Will be done.
[0053]
The lock mechanism 74 includes a locking claw 74 a rotatably provided on the support box 72 and configured to be detachable from the battery case 10, and is locked by fitting the battery case 10 to the support box 72. The structure is The locking claw 74a is connected to the main switch 22 via an operation wire 74b, and the lock is released when the key of the main switch 22 is turned to the unlocking side (counterclockwise in FIG. 1). Has become.
[0054]
In the state shown in FIG. 1, when the battery case 10 is pulled up, the saddle 75 located at the upper end of the seat tube 2c becomes an obstacle. The saddle 75 is moved by a saddle tilting mechanism 76 described later. It is separated from the attachment / detachment path.
[0055]
The saddle 75 is attached to the upper end of the seat pillar tube 77, and is mounted on the frame 2 by fitting the seat pillar tube 77 into the seat tube 2c. This saddle 75 is provided with a cushion in this embodiment. The seat pillar tube 77 is formed with a certain length so that the height of the saddle 75 can be changed according to the physique of the occupant, and a saddle tilting mechanism 76 is provided at the lower end. In order to change the height of the saddle 75, first, the seat pin 78 provided at the upper end of the seat tube 2c and changing the opening diameter of the upper end of the seat tube 2c is loosened, and the saddle 75 is pulled to pull the seat pillar tube 77 into the seat tube. Pull upward from 2c. Then, after the saddle 75 is positioned at a desired height, the seat pin 78 is tightened to tighten the seat pillar tube 77 at the upper opening of the seat tube 2c.
[0056]
The saddle tilting mechanism 76 is swingably connected to an upper member 76a inserted and fixed to the lower end of the seat pillar tube 77 via a pivot pin 76b, and is fitted into the seat tube 2c. And a lower member 76c. The pivot pin 76b is mounted with its axis oriented in the vehicle width direction. For this reason, although the upper member 76a swings in the front-rear direction with respect to the lower member 76c, the present embodiment is configured such that the upper member 76a is inclined only to the front side with respect to the lower member 76c.
[0057]
That is, the saddle tilting mechanism 76 is inserted into the seat tube 2c as shown in FIG. 1 during traveling with the seat pillar tube 77 fixed to the seat tube 2c. In a state where the entire seat pillar tube 77 is drawn out onto the seat tube 2c and the upper portion of the lower member 76c is projected from the upper opening of the seat tube 2c, the seat pillar tube 77 and the pivot pin 76b are centered. The saddle 75 can be tilted to the front as shown by the solid line from the upper withdrawal position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
[0058]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 79 denotes a vehicle body cover. The vehicle body cover 79 is composed of cover bodies 80 and 81 divided vertically, and the cover bodies 80 and 81 form the down tube 2b and the electrical components (the main switch 22 and the control unit 21) attached to the down tube 2b. , Auxiliary power unit 9, etc.). Further, the lower cover body 81 has an opening at a portion corresponding to the lower front surface of the control unit 21 (this portion is indicated by reference numeral A in FIG. 1), and the lower portion of the control unit 21 faces this opening. In this way, since the traveling wind can be applied to the control unit 21 from the opening, the control unit 21 that easily generates heat can be efficiently cooled.
[0059]
Next, the operation of the electric bicycle 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. When the main switch 22 is in the OFF state, the auxiliary power from the motor 12 is not applied and the rotation of the crankshaft 13 is controlled by the one-way clutch 28 on the crankshaft side, the planetary gear speed increaser 24, the cylindrical output shaft 31, the chain 20, The power is transmitted to the freewheel on the rear wheel side, and the rear wheel 8 is driven only by the pedaling force generated by depressing the pedal 17.
[0060]
When the main switch 22 is in the ON state, auxiliary power proportional to the pedaling force is applied from the motor 12 to the cylindrical output shaft 31, and the rear wheel 8 is driven by the resultant force of the pedaling power and the auxiliary power. At this time, the treading force detected by the treading force detection mechanism 44 and the number of rotations of the outer peripheral gear 30 (the cylindrical output shaft 31) detected by the rotation sensor 48 are input to the control unit 21, and the torque becomes proportional to the treading force. The control unit 21 controls the motor 12 as described above. That is, the power of the motor 12 is transmitted from the planetary roller type speed reducer 25 connected to the rotary shaft 12 to the cylindrical output shaft 31 via the motor-side one-way clutch 51, the output gear member 52, and the ring gear 40. The force is combined with the pedaling force from the crankshaft 13 on the output shaft 31 and transmitted to the rear wheels via the chain 20 and the freewheel.
[0061]
Therefore, in this electric bicycle 1, the battery case 10 is formed so that the dimension in the vehicle width direction is larger than the seat tube width, and the seat tube 2c and the rear wheel 8 are arranged so that the longitudinal direction thereof is directed in the up-down direction in the vehicle-mounted state. And a front space between a pair of left and right seat stays 2e whose rear ends are connected to the vicinity of a rear wheel axle is formed so as to be larger than the dimension of the battery case 10 in the vehicle width direction. The front end of the battery case 10 is bent inward in the width direction of the vehicle and connected to the seat tube 2c so that the battery case 10 can be freely attached and detached vertically between the left and right seat stays 2e. The battery case 10 is formed vertically long behind the seat tube 2c while avoiding interference with the case It can increase the amount.
[0062]
Further, a female connector 10a is provided on the battery case 10, and a male connector 72a is provided on the frame 2 side for connecting to the female connector 10a by mounting the battery case 10 and separating from the female connector 10a by removing the battery case 10. Is provided, the connector is automatically brought into and out of contact by the operation of attaching and detaching the battery case, so that the attaching and detaching operation can be easily performed.
[0063]
Further, the seat tube 2c is located in front of the battery case 10, the seat stays 2e are located on both left and right sides of the battery case 10 in plan view, and the rear wheel 8 is located behind the battery case 10. Therefore, when the vehicle body falls, the battery case 10 can be protected by the frame member and the rear wheel 8. Furthermore, in the electric bicycle 1, the battery case 10, which is a heavy object, is disposed near the center of the vehicle body, so that the mass can be concentrated.
[0064]
In addition, since the upper end of the battery case 10 of the electric bicycle 1 is located above the seat stay 2e in a vehicle mounted state, the battery case 10 is vertically moved by utilizing a space above the seat stay 2e. And the battery capacity can be further increased.
[0065]
In addition, this electric bicycle 1OpenThe support box 72 is fixed to the frame 2 side, and the battery case 10 is detachably fitted into the support box 72. Since the male connector 72a is disposed at the bottom of the support box 72, the vehicle is mounted on the vehicle. In this state, the weight of the battery case 10 is always added in the direction of engagement with the support box 72, and the engagement state between the battery case 10 and the support box 72 is stabilized. Further, the weight of the battery case 10 can be applied to the male connector 72a.
[0066]
Further, the electric bicycle 1 has a saddle 75 mounted on the upper end of the seat tube 2c, and the saddle 75 can be freely tilted to a position where the space above the battery case 10 is opened when the battery case is attached to and detached from the seat tube 2c. By tilting the saddle, the space above the battery case 10 is released, and the battery case 10 can be easily attached and detached.
[0067]
Further, in the one-way clutch 28 on the crankshaft side, the projections 37 protruding from the inner race 32 serve as substantial bearings, and the outer race 34 is rotatably supported by the inner race 32. For this reason, a steel ball is not required when the inner ring 32 and the outer ring 34 are rotatably provided to each other. In addition, since the outer ring 34 is arranged on the same axis with respect to the inner ring 32 by the projection 37, all of the plurality of arranged pawl pieces 35 can be similarly engaged with the engaging teeth 33.
[0068]
In addition, since the one-way clutch 28 on the crankshaft side does not use steel balls, it is not necessary to assemble it in advance when assembling, and the inner ring 32 and the outer ring 34 can be incorporated individually when assembling the auxiliary power unit 9. . That is, the number of steps for assembling can be reduced.
[0069]
Further, when the motor 12 is arranged below the down tube 2b as shown in the present embodiment, the motor 12 and the power unit 14 can be arranged continuously in a wide space below the down tube 2b. Therefore, the power transmission path of the motor 12 is simple and short.
[0070]
Furthermore, when the battery 11 is arranged above the down tube 2b, the weight of the battery 11 is easily received by the down tube 2b. In addition, when the battery 11 is disposed behind the seat tube 2c, the foot space in front of the seat tube 2c can be widened, and the battery 11 does not hinder the getting on and off the vehicle.
[0071]
In addition, as shown in the present embodiment, when the outer peripheral gear 30, the ring gear 40, and the cylindrical output shaft 31 of the power unit 14 are formed separately and connected by rivets, each member is most suitable for its function. Since it can be formed of a suitable material and does not have excessive quality, the cost can be kept low.
[0072]
In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the claw pieces 35 are attached to the inner ring 32 and the projections 37 are formed, and the engaging teeth 33 are formed on the outer ring 34. However, the claw pieces 35 and the projections 37 are provided on the outer ring 34. The inner ring 32 may be provided with engagement teeth. Even in this case, the same effect as in the above embodiment can be obtained.
[0073]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the battery case can be formed vertically long behind the seat tube while avoiding interference between the seat stay and the battery case, so that the seat tube is suitable for women and children. It is possible to increase the capacity by extending the battery case in the up-down direction while forming the saddle height to a length that allows the saddle height to be obtained. In addition, since the direction of attachment / detachment of the battery case is substantially the same as the direction of gravity, and the connector is automatically connected / disconnected by the attachment / detachment operation, even if the battery capacity increases and the weight becomes heavy, the attachment / detachment operation of the battery case is easy. Can be done.
[0074]
In addition, according to the present invention, the seat tube is located in front of the battery case, the seat stays are located on the left and right sides of the battery case in plan view, and the rear wheels are located behind the battery case. Therefore, when the vehicle body falls down, the battery case can be protected by the frame member and the rear wheel. Furthermore, in the electric bicycle according to the present invention, the battery case, which is a heavy object, is arranged near the center of the vehicle body, so that the mass can be concentrated.
[0075]
Furthermore, the present inventionAccording to this, the battery case can be formed to be longer in the vertical direction by utilizing the space above the seat stay, so that the battery capacity can be further increased.
[0076]
Claim 2According to the invention described above, the weight of the battery case is always added in the direction of engagement with the support member in the vehicle-mounted state, and the engagement state between the battery case and the support member is stabilized. Further, the weight of the battery case can be applied to the load-side connector. For this reason, when running on a bad road or bending a sharp curve and a force is applied to the battery case in the front-rear direction or the lateral direction, the battery case can be firmly held by the support member, The electrical connection can be stabilized.
[0077]
Claim 3According to the described invention, since the space above the battery case is released by tilting the saddle, the battery case can be attached and detached in the vertical direction even if the saddle is positioned directly above the battery case. For this reason, it is possible to increase the capacity by extending the battery case in the vertical direction while forming the seat tube to a length that provides a saddle height suitable for women and children. In addition, when attaching and detaching the battery case, there is no need to remove the seat from the vehicle body.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view of an electric bicycle according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of the electric bicycle.
FIG. 3 is a side view of a power unit and a motor.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the power unit taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of the one-way clutch in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of the one-way clutch.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged side view showing a battery case mounting portion.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a power transmission path of the electric bicycle.
FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electric bicycle, 2 ... Frame, 2c ... Seat tube, 2e ... Seat stay, 10 ... Battery case, 10a ... Female connector, 72 ... Support box, 72a ... Male connector, 75 ... Saddle, 76 ... Saddle tilting mechanism.

Claims (3)

A down tube extending downward and rearward, a seat tube rising rearward and upward from the rear of the down tube, and a pair of left and right seat stays extending downward and rearward from the upper end of the seat tube and having a rear end connected to the vicinity of the rear wheel axle; a body frame having a battery case for supplying power to the motor and the motor, the electric bicycle and a loading platform extending in a longitudinal direction above the rear wheel, the battery case is the vehicle width dimension larger than the seat tube width and formed into an elongated box shape in the vertical direction and arranged obliquely along the seat tube between the seat tube and the rear wheels so that the longitudinal direction thereof oriented vertically in-vehicle state, the pair of left and right seat stays Is formed to be larger than the dimension of the battery case in the vehicle width direction, and By binding to the seat tube by bending a front end in the vehicle width direction inner side in the way, and detachable the battery case in the diagonal down direction through between the right and left seat stays, its upper end the battery case in a vehicle state It is formed so as to be located above the seat stay, and near the portion where the rear end of the battery case intersects in a side view of the seat stay, near the portion where the rear end of the battery case intersects. The front end of the stay is supported , a discharge connector is provided on the battery case, the vehicle case is connected to the discharge connector by mounting the battery case on the body frame side, and the battery connector is disconnected from the discharge connector by removing the battery case. An electric bicycle with a load side connector that is separated. 2. The electric bicycle according to claim 1, wherein a support member opened upward is fixed to the vehicle body frame side, and a battery case is detachably fitted in the support member. An electric bicycle with a load-side connector. 3. The electric bicycle according to claim 1, wherein a saddle is attached to an upper end of the seat tube, and the saddle is tiltable to a position where an upper space of the battery case is opened when the battery case is attached to and detached from the seat tube. Electric bicycle.

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