JPH0834385A - Vehicle with electric motor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To run comfortably even if a running time becomes long by monitoring an operation time and compensating it so that the auxiliary rate is increased gradually as the operating time passes. CONSTITUTION:A CPU90 of a controller 48 is provided with an auxiliary rate calculating means 100 and an auxiliary rate compensation means 102, and the auxiliary rate calculating means 100 calculates by varying the auxiliary rate eta relative to a vehicle speed S and outputs it to the auxiliary rate compensation means 102. Namely the auxiliary rate eta is set approximately three times that in the middle speed area in the low speed area during starting and, in high speed area, set by gradually decreasing it as the vehicle speed increases to high speed. Also the auxiliary rate compensation means 102 is composed of an operation time monitoring means 102A and a discharge amount monitoring means 102B. The operation time monitoring means 102A increases the auxiliary rate eta as the operating time increases. Then the discharge amount monitoring means 102B obtains the discharge amount of a battery 38 and, when the discharge amount exceeds a specified limit, the amount is multiplied by a reduction auxiliary coefficient by it to compensate the auxiliary rate eta. The auxiliary rate etais multiplied by a depressing force FL to calculate a motor output, and output to a motor electric power control part 94.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has an electric drive system having a human-powered drive system and an electric drive system, and the drive power of the electric drive system is controlled in response to changes in the drive power (hereinafter referred to as pedaling force) due to human power. It concerns motorized vehicles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A vehicle such as a bicycle is known in which human power is detected by, for example, pedaling force, and the driving force of an electric motor is controlled according to the magnitude of the pedaling force (for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 56-76).
590, JP-A-2-74491). That is, when the burden of human power is large, the driving force of the electric motor is increased to reduce the burden of human power and enable easy traveling.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art In the prior art, the pedal effort is detected and the assist rate of the electric motor for the pedal effort is uniquely set in advance. However, in actual running, since the fatigue accumulates due to continuous running for a long time, the leg force decreases with running. This tendency is remarkable in a person with weak leg strength. For this reason, the driving force of the motor is reduced by running for a long time, which causes a problem that comfortable running cannot be performed.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle with an electric motor that enables comfortable running even if the running time becomes long and the leg strength becomes weak. To aim.

[0005]

According to the present invention, an object of the present invention is to provide a bicycle equipped with an electric motor, which has a human power drive system and an electric drive system, and which controls the output of the electric drive system in response to changes in the human power. Pedaling force detecting means for detecting the, pedaling force calculating means for obtaining the pedaling rate for the pedaling force of the electric drive system based on the pedaling force, operating time monitoring means for monitoring the operating time, and in response to an increase in the operating time, An auxiliary ratio correction unit that corrects the auxiliary ratio so as to increase the output of the electric drive system, and a travel control unit that controls the output of the electric drive system based on the auxiliary ratio corrected by the auxiliary ratio correction unit. Is achieved by a vehicle with an electric motor.

That is, the correction is made so that the auxiliary ratio of the electric motor is gradually increased with the passage of the operating time. Here, the measurement of the operation time can be started from the time when the power switch is turned on by the main key switch or the like. Also, when driving is stopped for a certain period of time while waiting for a signal or standing while the main key switch is on, it is considered that fatigue has also recovered, so driving time measurement is interrupted and the energy saving mode is released. Wait for and start measuring the driving time again from the beginning,
It can be configured to resume the addition of the operating time at the time of interruption.

Further, the discharge amount of the battery is monitored, and when the discharge amount reaches a set value or more, the auxiliary rate by the electric motor is reduced regardless of the operating time so as to suppress the consumption of the battery and lengthen the traveling distance. Good.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a developed view of II-II line thereof, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the function of the controller, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of control characteristics of the auxiliary ratio, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing auxiliary ratio correction characteristics by operating time, and FIG. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a battery lock device, Fig. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the battery lock device, and Fig. 11 is a flow chart of the operation.

In the bicycle of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a substantially U-shaped front frame 10 is attached to the rear frame 1 from the rear side.
2 is fixed. The front frame 10 includes a head pipe 14 and a down tube 1 extending obliquely downward and rearward from here.
6, a seat tube 18 rising from the rear end of the down tube 16, a steering handle 20 and a front fork 22 rotatably held by the head pipe 14, a front wheel 24 held by the front fork 22, and a seat. Tube 18
And a saddle 26 held at the upper end of the.

The rear frame 12 is a cantilevered rear arm 2
8 is formed of an integrally-cast aluminum-made substantially box-shaped transmission case 30. The transmission case 30 has a rear wheel 32 located at a rear end thereof and a front portion of the case 30. A pair of left and right crank arms 34, 34 (see FIG. 2), an electric motor 36 (see FIG. 3) attached to the front upper surface of the case 30, and batteries 38, 38 attached above the motor 36 are provided. Is held.

The rear frame 12 has three brackets 40, 42, 44 fixed to the front frame 10 and bolts 4 attached thereto.
It is bolted at 0A, 42A and 44A. That is, the front portion of the transmission case 30 is fixed to the brackets 40 and 42, and the battery holding frame 46 located at the upper end of the motor 36.
Are fixed to the bracket 44. Also after this frame 1
As shown in FIG. 1, a controller 48, a circle lock 50, and a brake 52 are attached to the unit 2.

The transmission case 30 is formed in a box shape as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and a crank shaft 54 penetrates the case 30 and the crank arms 34, 34 are fixed to both ends thereof. In the case 30, a resultant shaft 56 is rotatably held behind the crankshaft 54 obliquely above. The rotation of the crankshaft 54 is caused by the toothed belt 58.
6. A one-way clutch 62 is mounted on the pulley 60 on the crankshaft 54 side around which the belt 58 is wound, as shown in FIG. This clutch 62
Transmits the rotation of the crankshaft 54 to the pulley 60, but does not transmit the rotation in the opposite direction.

A tread force sensor 64 is attached to the tight side of the belt 58 as shown in FIG. The depression force sensor 64 is provided with an idle roller for absorbing the slack rolling contact with the belt 58, it detects the tension i.e. pedaling force F _L of the belt 58 from the displacement amount of the idle roller.

A large reduction gear 68 is attached to the resultant shaft 56 via a one-way clutch 66, and a small reduction gear 70 driven by the motor 36 is meshed with the gear 68. Therefore, the rotation of the motor 36 is limited to the gears 68, 70.
Is transmitted to the resultant force shaft 56 via a speed reducer 72 and a one-way clutch 66. In addition, from the resultant shaft 56 to the motor 36
Transmission of rotation to the clutch is interrupted by the clutch 66.

A drive sprocket 7 is provided at the left end of the resultant shaft 56.
4 is integrally fixed, and a driven sprocket 80 is attached to the hub 76 of the rear wheel 32 via a one-way clutch 78. A chain 82 passing through the inside of the rear arm 28 of the case 30 is wound around these sprockets 74 and 80. The hub 76 may have a transmission built therein.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 84 is a vehicle speed sensor, which can be provided, for example, on the hub 86 of the front wheel 24 shown in FIG. Instead of providing the vehicle speed sensor 84 on the hub 86, the rotation may be detected from between the pedal force sensor 64 and the resultant shaft 56 as shown by the phantom line in FIG. A pedal force F _L to the depression force sensor 64 detects, from the vehicle speed S that the vehicle speed sensor 84 detects is input to the controller 48. The controller 48 controls the motor current in response to changes in the pedal force F _L, and controls the output F _M of the motor 36. Here, since the reduction ratios of the human power drive system and the electric drive system are different, even if the pedaling force applied to the crank arm 34 and the output of the motor 36 are the same, the driving force at the rear wheel 32 is different. Here To unaffected by differences in the speed reduction ratio is each pedal force F _L and the motor output F _M is assumed to represent the driving force applied to the rear wheel 32.

The controller 48, as shown in FIG.
PU 90, memory 92, motor power control unit 94,
Other various devices are provided. The CPU 90 includes a traveling control means 96, a start determination means 98, and an auxiliary rate calculation means 100.
, Auxiliary rate correction means 102, and battery lock determination means 10
4 and various control means having other functions.

The traveling control means 96 outputs a motor output (torque) F _M = ηF _L which changes in synchronization with the cycle of the pedal effort F _L based on the pedal effort F input from the crank arm 34. That outputs a PWM (pulse width control) signal which changes the duty ratio corresponding to the pedal force F _L to the motor power control unit 94. Here, the auxiliary ratio η is calculated by the auxiliary ratio calculating means 100 and changes as shown in FIG. 6, but the auxiliary ratio η is further corrected by the auxiliary ratio correcting means 102. This point will be described later. Motor power control unit 94
Supplies a motor current that turns on and off at this duty ratio to the motor 36 to generate a predetermined output F _M.

The start determination means 98 determines the speed range from the start of the bicycle to the speed at which stable independent driving is possible as a low speed range. In this embodiment, based on the vehicle speed S which is the output of the vehicle speed sensor 84, the range during acceleration (point a → b in the figure) from S≈0 to about 6 km / h as shown in FIG. ). It should be noted that it is not necessary to determine only the low speed range (L) when starting, and to determine this low speed range (L) during deceleration immediately before stopping. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 106 is a main key switch provided near the head pipe 14, and reference numeral 108 is a brake switch that is interlocked with a manual brake lever.

The auxiliary ratio calculating means 100 changes the auxiliary ratio η with respect to the vehicle speed S as shown in FIG. That is, when the start determination means 98 determines that the vehicle is in the low speed range (L) while starting, the auxiliary ratio calculation means 100 sets the auxiliary ratio η to the auxiliary ratio η _M (for example, 1.0) in the medium speed range (M). Increase about 3 times. Middle speed range (M) is about 6-15km / h
Is the range (point b → d in the figure), and in the initial (about 6 to 8 km / h) range (point b → c in the figure) of the medium speed range (M), the auxiliary ratio η is the low-speed auxiliary ratio η _L. ≈3.0 to medium speed auxiliary ratio η _M
It smoothly changes to ≈1.0.

When the vehicle speed S exceeds 15 km / h, the vehicle enters the high speed range (H), and in this speed range (point d → e in the figure), the assist rate η _H gradually decreases as the vehicle speed S increases. This assist rate η _H may be decreased linearly as shown in FIG.
It may be reduced non-linearly.

In this way, the starting determination means 98 determines the low speed range (L, point a → b) at the time of starting, and the auxiliary rate calculating means 100 increases the auxiliary rate η _L by about 3 times in this range, so The acceleration performance at the time is improved, and the vehicle speed (for example, about 6 km / h) that enables stable self-sustaining travel is quickly reached. For this reason, even when a person with weak leg strength rides or starts on a slope, the period during which the vehicle body fluctuates at the time of starting is shortened, and stable starting is possible.

Since the start determination means 98 does not determine the low speed range (L) during deceleration, the auxiliary rate calculation means 100 maintains the auxiliary rate η _L0 at this time to be the same as the auxiliary rate η _{M in the} medium speed range (M). (Point c → f in FIG. 6). Therefore, when decelerating to stop the vehicle, the auxiliary ratio η does not increase, and the motor output F _M does not unnecessarily increase. The determination as to whether or not the vehicle is decelerating can be made by monitoring the vehicle speed S, but it may also be made from the fact that the brake switch 108 is turned on (the brake is being operated).

As described above, the auxiliary ratio η obtained from the characteristics shown in FIG. 6 is further corrected by the operating conditions. This correction is performed by the operating time monitoring means 10 of the auxiliary rate correction means 102 (FIG. 5).
2A and discharge amount monitoring means 102B. In consideration of the fact that the driver's fatigue accumulates when the continuous driving time becomes long, the driving time monitoring means 102A makes a correction for increasing the auxiliary rate η with the elapse of the driving time t. The correction coefficient, that is, the auxiliary increase coefficient j is obtained from the characteristic shown in FIG.

In the discharge amount monitoring means 102B, the battery 38
The discharge amount D of is calculated based on the battery voltage, discharge time, discharge current, etc., and is set to a constant standard auxiliary coefficient k ₁ until the discharge amount D reaches the set value D ₀ , and gradually decreases when the set value D ₀ or more is reached. A reduction auxiliary coefficient k ₂ . These auxiliary factors k
₁ and k ₂ are obtained from the characteristics shown in FIG. With this correction, the traveling distance can be extended. The correction factors such as the auxiliary increase coefficient j and the auxiliary coefficient k (k ₁ , k ₂ ) thus obtained are integrated with the auxiliary rate η obtained in FIG. 6, and η × j × k
Is used as a new auxiliary rate η to obtain the motor output F _M = η × F _L.

Next, the battery lock device 110 will be described with reference to FIG. The battery lock device 110 includes an engaging claw 112 provided on the battery holding frame 46 described in FIG.
112, a lock key 114, and engagement claws 118, 118 provided on the bottom surface of a battery case 116 that houses the battery 38. The engaging claws 118, 118 are engaged with the engaging claws 112, 112 by moving horizontally from the rear to the front.

The upper portion of the battery case 116 is locked to the seat tube 18 by a hook (not shown). Further, a charging plug insertion port 117 to which a charging plug (not shown) is attached / detached from the rear is attached to the upper part of the battery case 116.

The lock claw 120 of the lock key 114 is engaged with the trailing edge of one of the engagement claws 118 in the locked state, and the battery case 116 is prevented from moving rearward with the engagement of the engagement claws 118 and 112. Battery case 11 by regulation
It is to lock 6. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 122 is a reinforcing member for connecting the rear end of the battery holding frame 46 to the upper end of the seat tube 18, and 124 is the controller 38 for the battery 38.
It is a connector for electrically connecting to the 8 side. When the battery case 116 is horizontally moved from the rear side and locked to the battery holding frame 46, the connector 124 is engaged with the pair of the vehicle body side and the battery case side.

FIG. 10 is a view showing another lock device 110A. In this embodiment, the battery holding frame 48A and the battery case 116A have engaging claws 112A and 118A for moving the battery case 116A from the rear to the front in a direction orthogonal to the seat tube 18 and engaging the same. A lock key 114A is fixed to the seat tube 18, and a lock claw 120A of the lock key 114A can be projected downward. Then, the engaging claw 118 is attached to the engaging claw 112A.
If the battery case 116A is locked to the battery holding frame 48A while engaging A, the ring member 126 fixed to the front surface of the battery case 116A faces below the lock key 114A. In this state, the lock claw 120 of the lock key 114A
When A is projected, the lock claw 120A engages with the ring member 126 and the lock state is achieved. 124A is a connector.

The battery lock device 110 (110A) has a lock switch 128 which is interlocked with the lock key 114 (114A) as shown in FIG. This lock switch 1
28 is closed with the lock key 114 (114A) locking the battery. When the main switch 106, which is a power switch, is turned on (step 200 in FIG. 11), the battery lock determination means 104 (FIG. 5) determines whether the lock device 110 (110A) is locked due to the closing of the lock switch 128. Determine (Step 2 of FIG. 11)
02). If it is determined that it is not locked, the warning device 1
30 (FIG. 5) is turned on to generate a warning (alarm) (step 204 in FIG. 11).

If it is determined that the battery case 116 (116A) is locked, the warning device 130 is turned off to stop the warning (alarm) (step 205), and then the motor 36 is driven by the motor power control means 94 and the battery 38. The relay of the relay switch 132 (FIG. 5) connected to is turned on (step 206). When the motor control main circuit is connected to the battery 38 or the like is started, CPU 90 is pedal force F _L
After the start determination means 98 confirms the start according to the driving conditions and the traveling conditions (step 208), the auxiliary rate η is calculated as the auxiliary calculation means 10
Calculation is performed with 0 (step 210).

Next, in the auxiliary rate correction means 102, the operating time t
And the auxiliary rate η is corrected by the discharge amount D. That is, the operating time monitoring means 102A starts measuring the operating time t when the relay switch 126 is turned on (step 21).
2). Then, the auxiliary increase coefficient j is obtained according to the characteristic shown in FIG. 7 (step 214).

Next, the discharge amount monitoring means 102B obtains the discharge amount D of the battery, and if it is larger than the set amount D ₀ (step 21).
6) Since the remaining capacity of the battery is large, a large auxiliary coefficient k ₁ is selected (step 218). If D ≦ D _{0, the} remaining capacity is small, so the reduction assist coefficient k ₂ that decreases with the discharge amount D is selected (step 220).

The traveling control means 96 obtains η × j × k from the above calculation results, and controls the output of the motor 36 by using this as a new auxiliary ratio η (step 222). Then, when a certain condition for stopping the assistance of the motor 36 is satisfied (step 224), the assistance by the motor 36 is stopped (step 226). The conditions for stopping the auxiliary, it has turned off the main key 106, the brake switch 108 is turned on, the battery voltage drops below a predetermined level, the vehicle speed s and pedal force F _L becomes substantially 0 And the main key switch 106 is kept on for a certain period of time, and so on.

In the above embodiment, the battery case 116 (116
Although the lock device 110 (110A) of A) is provided separately from the main key switch 106, both may be integrated. FIG. 12 shows a switch structure of such an embodiment. In this switch, the lock key 114B of the lock device has the function of the main key switch 106. That is, when the main key switch 106 is in the ON position and the OFF position, the lock key 114B is in a position to lock the battery, and the main key switch 106 is unlocked only in the unlock position provided on the opposite side of the OFF position from the battery. It is possible to attach and detach.

In this embodiment, the coefficient (auxiliary increase coefficient) j for increasing the auxiliary rate η with respect to the increase of the operating time t is set according to FIG. 7, but the present invention is not limited to this. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the auxiliary ratio correction characteristic. In this embodiment, the auxiliary increase coefficient j increases as the operating time t increases.
Increases the, gradually decreases the coefficient j when pedal force F _L is above a certain. This is because it is not necessary to increase the assisting rate η when it is considered that the user is less tired and maintains a sufficiently large leg force.

The operating time monitoring means 102A of the auxiliary rate correcting means 102 starts measuring the operating time t based on the turning on of the main key switch 106, and the main key switch 106 is started.
The measurement can be stopped by turning off the. However, in actual driving, it may stop without stepping on the pedal to wait for a signal or to stand up.
In such a case, the fatigue of the driver is also recovered, so it is desirable to reset the driving time t to 0 once and then perform the measurement again.

For example, when a signal indicating various operations such as a brake operation is not input to the CPU 90 for a certain period of time and the vehicle is not in operation, the CPU 90 automatically switches to the energy saving mode and immediately returns to the normal operation mode when any operation is performed. Some have a return function (called sleep function). With such a CPU 90, the measurement of the driving time t can be easily returned to 0 by using this sleep function.

The sleep function may be used to return the operating time t to 0 as described above, but the operating time t is not returned to 0 and only during the energy saving mode.
May be stopped, and the operation time t may be restarted when returning to the normal operation mode.

Although the present invention is applied to a bicycle in the above embodiments, the present invention may be applied to vehicles other than bicycles, such as luggage carriers and wheelchairs.

[0041]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the driving time is measured, and the auxiliary ratio of the driving force of the electric motor to the pedaling force is increased with the increase of the driving time. As a result, you can continue comfortable driving even if your leg strength becomes weak.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a developed view of the II-II line in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

[Fig. 4] Power system diagram

FIG. 5: Functional block diagram of controller

FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram of an auxiliary ratio.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a supplementary rate correction characteristic according to operating time.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing auxiliary rate correction characteristics depending on the amount of discharge.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a battery lock device.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the battery lock device.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart of the operation.

FIG. 12 is a view showing another embodiment of the lock key of the lock device.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the auxiliary rate correction characteristic depending on the driving time.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 front frame 12 rear frame 20 steering wheel 24 front wheel 26 saddle 30 transmission case 32 rear wheel 34 crank arm 36 electric motor 48 controller 64 pedal force sensor as pedal force detection means 90 CPU 96 traveling control means 100 auxiliary rate calculation means 102 auxiliary Rate correction means 102A Operating time monitoring means 104 Battery lock determination means 106 Main key switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A bicycle equipped with an electric motor, which comprises a human power drive system and an electric drive system and controls the output of the electric drive system in response to changes in human power, and pedaling force detection means for detecting pedaling force by human power. Auxiliary ratio calculation means for obtaining an auxiliary ratio for the pedaling force of the electric drive system based on the pedaling force, operating time monitoring means for monitoring the operating time, and increasing the output of the electric drive system in response to the increase of the operating time. A vehicle equipped with an electric motor, further comprising: an auxiliary ratio correction means for correcting the auxiliary ratio, and a traveling control means for controlling an output of an electric drive system based on the auxiliary ratio corrected by the auxiliary ratio correction means.