Vehicle capable of being driven simultaneously by human muscle power and electric motor

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle (F) which can be driven by drive energy provided by human muscle power and by an electric motor, in particular an electrically assisted bicycle, having a drive unit (1) in which a drive motor (27) and a drive shaft transmission (18) are nested in each other in a space-saving manner.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle which can be driven by both human muscle power and electrically supplied drive energy. BACKGROUND

[0002] The type of vehicle referred to is a single-track or multi-track vehicle, such as a bicycle, in particular an electric bicycle, an e-bike or a pedelec, but also a hydro-bike, a pedal boat or a wheelchair. The type of vehicle is in particular a vehicle of the vehicle categories L1e, L2e, L3e, L4e, L5e, L6e and L7e according to Article 4 of the EU Regulation 2013 / 168 / EU, which came into force on 15 January 2013. In addition, the type of vehicle also includes vehicles whose maximum speed, in particular due to the construction, is 6 km / h; vehicles which are determined for exclusive use by physically disabled persons, such as wheelchairs; vehicles which are determined for exclusive use in sports competitions; bicycles with a pedal drive having a pedal assistance device equipped with an electrically assisted drive having a maximum nominal continuous power of up to 250 W, the assistance of which is interrupted when the rider stops pedalling, and the assistance of which is gradually reduced as the vehicle speed increases and is interrupted before the vehicle speed reaches 25 km / h; self-balancing vehicles with an electrically driven drive; sports vehicles with a pedal drive; vehicles with a pedal drive having not less than one seat; and vehicles with a pedal drive having an R-point of (according to ECE-R 17) < 400 mm. The vehicle usually has one front wheel and at least one rear wheel, which are connected to each other by a frame. Of course, there can also be several rear wheels, for example two rear wheels, and / or several front wheels, for example two front wheels, which can in particular be present in any combination. These wheels can be arranged, for example, side by side transversely to the forward driving direction, as in a wheelchair, tricycle or sidecar vehicle, or they can also be arranged one behind the other in the forward driving direction, as in a tandem bicycle. Such vehicles are increasingly equipped with a drive unit having at least one electric motor, which is intended to provide assistance to the user when driving the vehicle. Usually such vehicles are not driven exclusively by the electric motor, but the electric motor provides assistance to the user when driving the vehicle by means of his own human muscle power. The electric motor is controlled, for example, by a control unit, so that the degree of assistance is usually selectable at this time. In this way, the user can exactly apply his own power during the ride with such a vehicle to the extent that he is able or wishes to do so, while the user can still progress at a comfortable and also everyday usable speed.

[0003] With the drive units known so far, the problem is the structural size of the drive unit, in particular the structural size transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The drive unit is usually arranged on or near the wheel hub or on or near a drive bearing, for example a crankshaft bearing. On the one hand, the drive unit should not protrude too much on both sides beyond the wheel. On the other hand, when arranged on a crankshaft bearing, it should be noted that, for example due to the anatomy of the human body, the crank arms of a footrest should usually be kept at a maximum axial distance of 140-180 mm from each other. Since the drive unit is also located between the crank arms, it is clear that the drive unit should be designed as narrow as possible in order to also enable a comfortable riding experience for the rider over long distances. But this also leads to a series of constructional problems, since the necessary rotational bearings and the freewheel in the drive unit each require a certain amount of space. In particular in the direction of rotation of the crankshaft bearing or the rear wheel, the transmission and the electric machine usually also occupy a non-negligible amount of structural space in the drive unit, which increases the overall width of the drive unit beyond the desired extent. SUMMARY

[0004] It is therefore the object of the present application to specify a vehicle of the type mentioned at the outset, which has a drive unit which is as narrow as possible in particular transversely to the direction of travel of the vehicle. At the same time, the drive unit should be able to be controlled flexibly and should be able to cover the entire functional range of today's drive units.

[0005] The solution is achieved by a vehicle according to the application.

[0006] The drive unit according to the application comprises an input drive shaft for the transmission of drive energy generated or provided by the human muscle force. That is to say, the input drive shaft can be, for example, a crank of a bicycle or is connected non-rotatably with the crank. Alternatively, the input drive shaft can also be connected in a rotationally fixed manner with a traction element gear, for example a chain wheel. The input drive shaft is thereby arranged in such a way that it can be set in rotation by the operator or rider of the vehicle using the human muscle force, for example by pedalling on a bicycle. This can be done directly or indirectly. In particular, it is provided that this takes place in parallel with the electric machine in the direction of force transmission flow starting from the entry point of the human muscle force into the entire drive train.

[0007] Furthermore, the drive unit according to the application comprises an output driven shaft for outputting drive energy to a running device. The running device is for example at least one wheel (or a propeller for a water vehicle) which is set in rotation by the drive energy transmitted by the output driven shaft, thereby causing the vehicle to run. The output driven shaft can for example be connected non-rotatably with a traction member gear, for example a sprocket. Alternatively, the output driven shaft can also be configured non-rotatably with a wheel hub housing which transmits the rotational movement onto the running device, for example via spokes. The output driven shaft transmits its rotation to the running device of the vehicle, and therefore the drive unit is configured for loading the output driven shaft with a rotation corresponding to the desired running speed of the vehicle. Thereby, in the direction of force transmission flow starting from the point of introduction of the human muscle force, the output driven shaft is functionally arranged between the input drive shaft and the running device driven by the drive unit.

[0008] Accordingly, the drive unit is configured in such a way that drive energy is transmitted from the input drive shaft to the output driven shaft. But at the same time it is provided that the drive unit is configured in such a way that the rotational speed and the transmitted torque transmitted to the output driven shaft can be adapted to the requirements of the current operating situation. To this end, the drive unit comprises a drive shaft transmission arranged around the rotational axis, which has a shaft generator, a flexible gearwheel and a ring gear. The rotational axis can be, for example, in particular, the axle of an axle bearing or the axle of a running gear, in particular of a running gear driven by the drive unit. The shaft transmission is a kind of transmission which, due to its simple and narrow construction and its robustness and high reduction ratio, is particularly suitable for the current application. The shaft transmission itself is described in the prior art and is known to the person skilled in the art, for example from DE 1 135 259 B. Such a shaft transmission can, for example, convert the high rotational speed with low torque of the shaft generator into a low rotational speed with high torque of the flexible gearwheel and / or the ring gear, or vice versa. Furthermore, the drive unit comprises a drive motor with a stator and a rotor arranged around the rotational axis, where the drive energy of the drive motor can be transmitted to the output driven shaft via the drive shaft transmission. The drive motor can thus be used to provide assistance to the driver or to boost his human muscle power in order to transmit the drive energy provided by the motor to the output driven shaft and thus to contribute to the forward movement of the vehicle. By means of the high reduction ratio of the shaft transmission, the high rotational speed and low torque of the motor can be converted into a low rotational speed with high torque, which can be used to drive the vehicle. To this end, the drive motor is preferably drivingly connected to the shaft generator of the drive shaft transmission. In other words, the rotor of the drive motor is preferably connected to the shaft generator in a rotationally fixed manner or even formed integrally with the shaft generator. The output of the drive shaft transmission is preferably formed by the ring gear in the present case. The ring gear is in particular rotationally fixedly connected to the output driven shaft of the drive unit. The drive unit according to the application is preferably characterized in that the drive unit has only one motor, in particular the drive motor. That is to say, no further motor is present in the drive unit and in particular no further motor is present in the entire vehicle in this embodiment. Furthermore, the drive unit preferably has only one shaft transmission, in particular the drive shaft transmission. That is to say, no further shaft transmission is present in the drive unit and preferably in the entire vehicle.

[0009] Now, according to the invention, the flexible gear is configured as a sleeve which extends in the direction of the rotational axis. The sleeve is connected on one axial side to a rotary bearing, which rotatably supports the sleeve, for example, relative to a positionally fixed or stationary housing. On the other axial side, the sleeve has an engagement region for the shaft generator and, in particular, also has an external toothing for the ring gear. Viewed in the direction of the rotational axis, there is a sleeve interior between the rotary bearing and the shaft generator. That is to say, the sleeve interior describes a space which is enclosed by the flexible gear and, in particular, the sleeve, viewed in the radial direction from the rotational axis. The configuration of the flexible gear with the sleeve as a basin-shaped flexible gear contributes to its bending and torsional properties and, as a result, to the trouble-free functioning of the shaft transmission. In the present invention, the sleeve interior is preferably used in a very effective manner for saving construction space. It is therefore provided that the electric machine is arranged at least partially, preferably completely, in the axial direction of the rotational axis in the sleeve interior of the shaft transmission which is assigned to the respective electric machine. In other words, it is provided, for example, that the drive electric machine is arranged at least partially, preferably completely, in the axial direction of the rotational axis in the sleeve interior of the drive shaft transmission. That is to say, the drive electric machine is preferably at least partially and preferably completely enclosed in the radial direction by the sleeve of the flexible gear. The respective statements regarding the drive electric machine relate in particular to the axial extension of the rotor and / or the stator in the direction of the rotational axis. According to one preferred embodiment, the drive electric machine is therefore enclosed in the radial direction of the rotational axis by the sleeve of the flexible gear over the entire axial extension of the rotor and / or the stator of the drive electric machine. In this way, the sleeve interior is used structurally for accommodating the electric machine, thereby saving construction space.

[0010] The input drive shaft is preferably connected non-rotatably, for example via a flywheel, which will be described in more detail later, to a slow-rotating transmission component of the variable shaft transmission, for example to a flexible gear or to a ring gear. The input drive shaft is in particular connected non-rotatably to the transmission output of the drive shaft transmission. It is preferred that the input drive shaft is connected non-rotatably to the ring gear of the drive shaft transmission or directly to the output driven shaft, and that the drive energy from the human muscle force is introduced or conducted into the drive train via the ring gear or the output driven shaft. Since the input drive shaft is connected non-rotatably, directly or indirectly, via the ring gear to the output driven shaft, the rotational speed of the input drive shaft can be transmitted one-to-one to the output driven shaft.

[0011] As already mentioned above, the use of the ring gear as the output of the transmission is another constructional principle which is based on the principle of designing the axial extension of the drive unit as small as possible. In principle, this kind of drive unit contributes to saving axial construction space for any drive with a shaft transmission, for example independently of the type of transmission used, as long as the transmission works together with the ring gear, and independently of the configuration of the electric machine. Thus, this aspect constitutes a separate invention which is independent of the structural and functional features of the embodiments described herein and which can be claimed separately from the improvements of the design described in the present application.

[0012] The drive electric machine is preferably a synchronous electric machine, in particular a three-phase synchronous electric machine, preferably a synchronous electric machine of the outer rotor design. In the embodiments described in the present application, the synchronous electric machine is characterized by a particularly narrow design.

[0013] Another preferred design of the present application also relates to a particularly space-saving configuration of the electric machine. For this purpose, it is preferably provided that the shaft transmission shaft with the electric generator, the flexspline and the ring gear are arranged one above the other in a transmission plane which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation. That is to say, the shaft transmission shaft with the electric generator, the flexspline and the ring gear are arranged one behind the other in the radial direction of the axis of rotation, in particular in the order mentioned above from the inside to the outside and / or in the radial direction, in particular flush. Furthermore, the flexspline, in particular the sleeve of the flexspline, is rotatably supported with respect to a support in a bearing plane which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation. Within the scope of the present application, the support is understood to mean, for example, a positionally fixed or stationary component of the drive unit and is configured, for example, to be fixed with the housing or a housing component. Now, the drive electric machine is preferably arranged at least partially and preferably completely between the transmission plane and the bearing plane. This also relates, in particular, to the axial extension of the rotor and / or the stator of the drive electric machine along the axis of rotation.

[0014] In order to be able to control the drive electric machine of the drive unit according to the present application particularly precisely, in particular by means of a control unit which will be described in detail below, it is preferably provided that at least one, in particular non-contact, rotational speed and / or rotational angle sensor, in particular a Hall sensor, is arranged on the drive electric machine. In order to arrange the respective sensor in the drive unit as space-saving as possible, it is furthermore provided in addition or alternatively that the at least one, in particular non-contact, rotational speed and / or rotational angle sensor is arranged in particular in the inner cavity of the sleeve of the flexspline. Thus, the sensor is preferably surrounded by the sleeve of the flexspline in the radial direction of the axis of rotation. Furthermore, the sensor is preferably also located between the transmission plane and the bearing plane.

[0015] Due to the plurality of components which can rotate relative to one another and the rotatability of the different components relative to the stationary housing, a plurality of rotary bearings, for example (groove) ball bearings, are required in order to be able to arrange the components rotatably relative to one another, in particular about the axis of rotation. This arrangement is preferably implemented here in such a way that the elements which can rotate relative to one another can all rotate about a common axis of rotation, in particular a central shaft bearing axis or the axis of rotation of the running gear. In this regard, the difficulty in the implementation of the specific construction lies in the fact that the rotary bearings, in order to be able to fulfil their respective functions, of course have a very small width, which, in particular, adds up over a plurality of rotary bearings in the axial direction and contributes significantly to the overall width of the drive unit. The invention therefore also provides that, by means of a clever arrangement of the rotary bearings, construction space is saved in the axial direction of the axis of rotation. In this way, for example, it is preferably provided that the rotary bearing for the output driven shaft and the rotary bearing for the input drive shaft are arranged in a common axial bearing plane which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation. As a result of this, the two rotary bearings are preferably arranged one above the other or one behind the other in the radial direction of the axis of rotation. It is particularly preferred that the two rotary bearings are configured as ball bearings which have the same axial extension along the axis of rotation and completely overlap in the radial direction of the axis of rotation. That is to say, the two rotary bearings are not arranged side by side in the axial direction, but rather side by side in the radial direction, so that the width of one of the rotary bearings along the axis of rotation is saved. This arrangement of the rotary bearings for the output driven shaft and for the input drive shaft basically contributes to the saving of axial construction space for any drive, for example independently of the type of transmission used and the motor configuration. This in particular relates to the use in a motor-assisted bicycle, for example an e-bike or an electrically assisted bicycle. This aspect therefore constitutes a separate invention in addition to the improvement of the design described in the application, which is independent of the structural and functional features of the embodiments described here and can be claimed separately.

[0016] In order to limit the axial width or extension of the drive unit, it is known, for example, to arrange a plurality of transmissions or a plurality of motors side by side not in the axial direction, but rather in the radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation. In other words, in order to limit the extension of the drive unit transversely to the direction of travel of the vehicle, there is a compromise in the extension in the direction of travel or in the vertical direction. However, the object of the present invention is now to avoid this increase in the drive unit in the direction of travel and / or in the vertical direction. It is therefore preferably provided that the drive motor and the shaft transmission are arranged coaxially with one another about the axis of rotation. That is to say, the drive motor and the shaft transmission in particular have the same axis of rotation. Such an arrangement is not only particularly compact, but also has advantages in terms of the force transmission flow through the drive train.

[0017] As already explained, according to the application, the ring gear of the drive shaft transmission serves as transmission output or driven end. Drive energy from the human muscle force can thus be introduced via the ring gear or output driven shaft. It is preferably provided that the input drive shaft is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the ring gear or output driven shaft at least in one rotational direction, and that the energy from the human muscle force is introduced into the drive train thereby. To this end, the input drive shaft is preferably connected to the ring gear of the drive shaft transmission or to the output driven shaft via a freewheel, which is locked or establishes a rotationally fixed connection in particular in the forward rotational direction or forward driving direction of the input drive shaft, and which thereby transmits the corresponding rotational movement to the ring gear and / or output driven shaft via the freewheel. Furthermore, the freewheel also makes it possible, for example, to pedal freely backwards, or the output driven shaft can be rotated more quickly by the drive motor compared to the input drive shaft rotated by the driver.

[0018] A further freewheel is preferably provided on the flexible gearwheel of the drive shaft transmission. The flexible gearwheel of the drive shaft transmission is supported in particular on a fixed housing part via the freewheel. This freewheel is free-running in particular when the flexible gearwheel is rotated in the forward driving direction, and is locked in particular when the flexible gearwheel is rotated in the opposite direction to the forward driving direction. If the vehicle is driving forwards, the output driven shaft and the ring gear are rotated forwards. The flexible gearwheel of the drive shaft transmission is thereby also rotated forwards by its engagement with the ring gear. Since the freewheel is free-running in this rotational direction, the rotor of the drive motor does not have to be driven. If, for example, the vehicle is being driven by the human muscle force alone, for example without assistance by the drive motor, this can therefore be done with less pedal resistance. If, on the other hand, the drive motor is operating in order to transmit an auxiliary torque to the ring gear and thereby to the output driven shaft, the flexible gearwheel is supported on the fixed housing via the freewheel, so that drive energy is transmitted from the drive motor to the ring gear via the shaft generator and the flexible gearwheel and thereby to the output driven shaft.

[0019] As already explained, the freewheel is preferably arranged on the flexible gear of the drive shaft transmission such that it is free-running when the vehicle is driving forward and the drive motor is not applying or only applying little driving energy. In these situations, it can be desirable for the drive motor to operate as a generator in order to recover kinetic energy. To this end, it is preferably provided that the freewheel is configured to be switchable between a switching position in which it is free-running in one direction of rotation and a switching position in which it is engaged or, in other words, not free-running in this direction of rotation. In other words, the freewheel thus acts as a switchable clutch in this direction of rotation. Alternatively, a separate clutch unit can also be provided, which can establish a non-rotatable connection between the freewheel and a fixed housing part, whereby the freewheel can also be bypassed and the same effect achieved. In this way, the drive motor can be operated as a generator, which receives driving energy from the ring gear and converts it into electrical energy. If the freewheel is switched to its position in which it is not free-running, this means that the freewheel also establishes a non-rotatable connection between the flexible gear and the fixed housing part in the forward direction of rotation. The flexible gear is thus locked and cannot rotate. In this way, driving energy is transferred from the ring gear to the shaft generator and thus to the drive motor, which is now operated as a generator and converts the driving energy into electrical energy, for example in order to charge an electrical energy store. In this way, the vehicle can thus also be braked, inter alia, in the case of recovery of electrical energy. The use of the switchable freewheel and / or the separate clutch unit in order to operate the drive motor as a generator can in principle be implemented with any drive, for example independently of the type of transmission used and the configuration of the electric motor or motors. This aspect thus constitutes a separate invention in addition to the improvements to the design described in the present application, which is independent of the structural and functional features of the embodiments described here and can be claimed separately.

[0020] As already explained for the rotary bearings, the freewheel also has a very small necessary axial extension along the axis of rotation. It is therefore also advantageous for the freewheel to be arranged radially overlapping at least one rotary bearing with respect to the axis of rotation in order to reduce their common axial extension overall. It is preferably provided that one rotary bearing is arranged overlapping the freewheel in a bearing plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation between the support and the flexible gear of the drive shaft transmission. It is particularly preferred for the rotary bearing and the freewheel to overlap each other at least half, preferably at least two-thirds and particularly preferably completely with respect to their respective axial extension along the axis of rotation. The support is a fixed, i.e. non-rotating, component and is, for example, non-rotatably connected to other fixed housing parts of the drive unit.

[0021] This achieves a further saving in the axial width of the drive unit, i.e. preferably one rotary bearing is located together with the drive shaft transmission in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis. That is to say, the rotary bearing overlaps the drive shaft transmission in the radial direction of the rotation axis. The rotary bearing can be, for example, the rotary bearing of the rotor of the drive motor. Such a rotary bearing is necessary anyway and must therefore be arranged in a space-saving manner. According to a preferred embodiment of the application, therefore, the shaft generator, the flexspline and the ring gear of the drive shaft transmission are arranged together with the rotary bearing for the rotor of the drive motor, in particular the rotary bearing relative to the bearing, in a transmission plane perpendicular to the rotation axis. That is to say, in this embodiment the rotary bearing of the rotor of the drive motor is moved into the drive shaft transmission and in particular nests with the drive shaft transmission. The corresponding rotary bearing preferably has an axial extension which corresponds to the axial extension of the other components of the shaft transmission, for example to the shaft generator or to the rotary bearing, in particular ball bearing, between the flexspline and the shaft generator. The rotary bearing preferably overlaps these elements completely in the radial direction and with respect to the axial extension.

[0022] Several planes have been mentioned above which are oriented perpendicular to the rotation axis and in which different components of the drive unit are arranged radially overlapping one another in order to reduce the axial extent of the drive unit along the rotation axis. A further such plane is the electronics bearing plane, which is likewise oriented perpendicular to the rotation axis and in which a rotary bearing, in particular a ball bearing, and a control unit are arranged. If the drive unit is arranged around a crank, the rotary bearing is arranged, for example, between a stationary housing and the crank, or if the drive unit is arranged on a wheel hub, the rotary bearing is arranged between a stationary housing part, for example a shaft body, and the rotating wheel hub housing. The electronic control unit will also be discussed in more detail below. With regard to the optimum arrangement of the components of the drive unit relative to one another, it is preferred that the shaft bearing plane, the transmission plane of the drive shaft transmission, the bearing plane of the flexspline of the drive shaft transmission and in particular also the electronics bearing plane are arranged one after the other in the direction of the rotation axis. This results in a particularly space-saving arrangement of the components.

[0023] As already mentioned above, the drive unit can be arranged both in the area of the pedals in the center of the frame and also on one of the wheel hubs, for example in a bicycle. In a preferred embodiment, the drive unit is configured as a mid-drive unit, in which case the rotational axis is arranged coaxially with the middle shaft, for example. Here, the drive unit is arranged, for example, between the pedals and in particular between the pedal cranks. In this arrangement, the rotating shaft, in particular the crank, passes through the drive unit, which has a fixed housing. In a preferred alternative, the drive unit is configured as a wheel hub drive unit, in which case the rotational axis is arranged coaxially with the wheel shaft. That is, the drive unit is arranged on one of the wheel hubs, for example on the rear wheel. In this case, the drive unit is passed through by a fixed shaft body and has a rotating wheel hub housing, which transmits the rotational movement to the wheel via spokes. The drive unit is particularly preferably configured as a mid-drive unit, since by virtue of the central position on the frame of the vehicle, for example a bicycle, a particularly good weight distribution is achieved, which has a low and centrally arranged center of gravity along the longitudinal axis.

[0024] It is always advantageous to design the axial extension of the drive unit to be as small as possible. However, this is also advantageous when the drive unit is configured as a mid-drive unit, that is to say in the area of the middle bearing shaft. As already mentioned, it is desirable, based on the average human anatomy, for the crank arms of the vehicle pedals to have an ideal spacing of 140 to 180 mm from one another. This can be achieved by the measures described above. Depending on the degree of consistency with which these measures are implemented, even smaller dimensions can be achieved. In this way, it is preferred for the extension of the drive unit along the rotational axis to be a maximum of 100 mm, preferably a maximum of 85 mm, particularly preferably a maximum of 70 mm and in particular, for example, a maximum of 60 mm. The crank arms of the pedals should preferably be spaced apart from one another by a maximum of 150 mm, particularly preferably by a maximum of 130 mm and quite particularly preferably by a maximum of 110 mm. In this way, a comfortable and anatomically correct pedaling can also be achieved when the drive unit is configured as a mid-drive unit.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, a control unit for controlling the drive motor is provided. The electronic control unit controls the rotational speed and / or the direction of rotation and / or the torque of the motor in particular individually and independently of one another. For example, the control unit controls the motor by means of a stored rotational field, for example a three-phase rotational field. In this rotational field, the rotational speed characteristic and the torque characteristic of the motor are stored. The corresponding control of the motor is part of the prior art and is known to the person skilled in the art, so that this will not be explained here. The control unit can have a number of different features and functions, as will be explained below.

[0026] The control unit is integrated purely structurally into the drive unit. The drive unit is located, for example, together with the rotational bearing for the crank, in the electronic device bearing plane already mentioned, which is oriented perpendicular to the rotational axis. The control unit is therefore not simply externally connected to the drive unit, but is nested with the drive unit's transmission components, which facilitates efficient use of the installation space.

[0027] In order to control the function of the drive unit, different quantities must be determined, which reflect the current operating state, and the control unit takes these quantities into account when controlling the electric machine. In this way, the control unit is connected to, for example, an angle and / or rotational speed and / or torque sensor on the input drive shaft, which is driven by the rider during operation, for example by pedaling, so that the control unit can use the corresponding quantities in order to, for example, find out the rider's wishes, for example when the rider wants to accelerate, his pedaling frequency is higher. Furthermore, the control unit is preferably connected to a travel speed sensor, which is in particular arranged in or on the hub of the rear wheel, on the rear wheel or its spokes or on the brake disc, and which determines the travel speed of the vehicle as a whole. One preferred embodiment provides that the travel speed sensor is integrated into the drive unit and is arranged on the vehicle together with the drive unit. In this case, the travel speed is determined, for example, on the output driven shaft. This can in particular be achieved in the case where the drive wheel of the vehicle, for example the rear wheel, does not have its own flywheel and is driven by the traction element gear or chain wheel on the drive unit at the rotational speed of the drive wheel. By means of the travel speed sensor, the control unit can check, for example, whether the travel speed is above or below a maximum speed, above which, for example, no more power is to be transmitted from the electric machine to the output driven shaft. At this point, the control unit assumes the already mentioned corresponding control of the electric machine and also switches off the electric machine when the maximum speed, for example a legally prescribed maximum speed, is exceeded. Furthermore, the control unit is preferably connected to a rotational speed and / or angle sensor, in particular a Hall sensor, on the drive electric machine. The control unit is preferably also connected to a current intensity sensor for the drive electric machine. From the current intensity, the control unit can derive the corresponding torque of the electric machine. From this, the control unit can calculate the power of the electric machine together with the rotational speed and adjust the power accordingly.

[0028] The primary function of the control unit is preferably to control the speed and torque of the drive motor, such that the sum of the drive energy or power output from the driven shaft, including energy or power derived from human muscle force, corresponds to the energy or power requirements of the drive unit. The corresponding energy or power requirements are determined by the control unit based on measurement signals provided to the control unit, taking into account, for example, the driver's pedaling behavior, from which acceleration intention can be derived. The degree of motor-assisted assistance provided to the driver can be set on the control unit and taken into consideration. The control unit preferably controls the speed of the drive motor proportionally to the travel speed, for example. In this way, the electric drive motor always provides the same proportion of the necessary drive energy or power at the total travel speed. Furthermore, it is preferable that the control unit activates drive assistance or braking functions based on the direction of rotation of the shaft driven by human muscle force, such as a crank or input drive shaft. In this way, the drive unit achieves, for example, reverse pedaling braking, where the braking command is derived from the driver's reverse pedaling. In this scenario, the control unit activates, for example, the switchable flywheel described earlier, and causes the drive motor to operate as a generator in order to recover kinetic energy into electrical energy, thereby braking the vehicle.

[0029] In electric-assisted bicycles with rear-wheel suspension, there exists an effect known as pedal rebound or pedal bounce. This effect describes how, during each elastic bounce of the suspension system, the traction gear, such as a sprocket, automatically rotates. Consequently, the crank and crank arms also rotate with the pedals, causing discomfort to the rider. The control unit is now preferably configured to partially and, in particular, fully compensate for the pedal rebound caused by the vehicle's elastic bounce by manipulating a variable motor. For this purpose, the control unit is connected to a spring travel sensor of the vehicle, which in particular determines the elastic bounce itself and its degree, and sends the result to the control unit. By manipulating the drive motor, the control unit can rotate the crank and thus also the pedals. Based on the determined spring travel, the control unit is now configured to manipulate the drive motor such that it counteracts the movement of the crank caused by the pedal rebound. Thus, despite the elastic bounce of the rear wheel, the rotation of the pedals is suppressed. In principle, this compensation for pedal rebound can be achieved by any actuator that can affect the pedal position. Therefore, apart from the improvements to the design scheme specifically described in this application, this aspect constitutes a separate invention, independent of the structural and functional features of the embodiments described herein, and can be claimed separately.

[0030] The control unit can also be connected with a display unit in order to display information to the driver. The display unit can in principle also be connected with the control unit, for example via a cable, and be arranged at any location on the vehicle, for example on the handlebar. It is preferred, however, that the display unit is also arranged in the housing of the drive unit and is arranged such that it is visible from the outside through an observation window in the drive unit. The display unit is thus preferably located on the side of the drive unit facing away from the road, that is to say on the upper side of the drive unit, together with the observation window. The observation window is made of a transparent material, for example glass or plastic. The display unit preferably comprises at least one display for information about the operating state of the vehicle, for example the current speed of travel or the battery charge. The display is preferably configured to emit light and for example comprises an LED. During operation of the vehicle, the driver can for example look down at the drive unit and read the corresponding information on the display unit. The combination of display unit and observation window can in principle be implemented in any drive unit with electronic equipment. This aspect thus constitutes a separate invention in addition to the improvement of the design described in the present application, which is independent of the structural and functional features of the embodiments described here and can be claimed separately.

[0031] As already explained, the control unit can control the rotational position of the cranks and thus of the pedals by actuating the drive motor. For example when riding a bicycle, it is common that at every stop at least one pedal has to be brought into a position oriented forwards and upwards. That is to say, if the cranks are viewed laterally such that the forward direction of travel corresponds to a clockwise rotation of the cranks and pedals, one pedal should be brought into a position of for example two o'clock. In this starting position of the pedal, the driver can start off comfortably and accelerate quickly. This positioning which has to be set by the driver conventionally by kicking the pedal back can also be set by the control unit. It is preferred in this case that the control unit brings the input drive shaft into the starting position by actuating the drive motor. This function is for example carried out every time the control unit detects that the vehicle is stationary. In this way, the vehicle is always automatically ready for starting off, without the driver having to pay attention to this. This positioning of the pedals into the starting position can in principle be implemented by any drive which can influence the position of the pedals. This aspect thus constitutes a separate invention in addition to the improvement of the design described in the present application, which is independent of the structural and functional features of the embodiments described here and can be claimed separately.

[0032] The application also relates in principle to a vehicle of the type mentioned at the outset, which can be driven at least simultaneously in time by drive energy provided by human muscle power and by an electric motor. A particular object and thus a preferred embodiment provides that the vehicle is a single-track, double-track or triple-track vehicle, in particular an electric bicycle, an electric moped, an electric unicycle, a cargo bicycle, a freight bicycle or a transport bicycle. The vehicle thus has the usual construction of the embodiments. For example, the vehicle comprises a frame with a top tube and / or a bottom tube and preferably comprises a front wheel and a rear wheel. The front wheel is connected to the top tube and / or the bottom tube by means of a steering column tube or a riser tube. In addition, a seat tube is provided, which connects the top tube and the bottom tube and carries a seat for an operator, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle at the height of the middle axis. Two seat angle supports extend further downward from the seat tube and are connected to one another at the wheel axle of the rear wheel. The rear wheel is supported on the seat angle supports, whereby the wheel axle of the rear wheel is formed here. In order to provide the electrical energy required for the operation of the drive motor, the vehicle preferably comprises an electrical energy store, for example a battery. The electrical energy store is preferably arranged in the top tube and / or the bottom tube. The front wheel of the vehicle is in particular configured to be steerable, for example by means of a rotation of a steering handle by the operator on the end thereof, which causes the steering column tube or the riser tube to rotate. Furthermore, the vehicle preferably comprises a footrest, which is configured to be rotatable about the middle axis by means of a crank arm and in particular non-rotatably connected to the input drive shaft. As already mentioned above, the drive unit can be arranged as a mid-drive unit on the middle axis or as a hub drive unit on the wheel axle of the rear wheel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0033] The application is explained in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. There are shown schematically:

[0034] Figure 1 a side view of a vehicle with a mid-drive unit;

[0035] Figure 2 a side view of a vehicle with a hub drive unit;

[0036] Figure 3 an external view, in particular a top view, of a mid-drive unit;

[0037] Figure 4 an external view, in particular a top view, of a hub drive unit;

[0038] Figure 5 a cross-sectional view of a shaft transmission;

[0039] Figure 6 a cross-sectional view of a drive unit configured as a mid-drive unit along the axis of rotation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Identical or identically acting components are marked with the same reference signs. Components that are repeated are not individually marked in each figure.

[0041] Figure 1 and Figure 2 A vehicle F, in particular a bicycle, in particular an electrically assisted bicycle, is shown. The vehicle can be driven by an electric motor and by human muscle power at the same time, in particular in such a way that the drive by human muscle power is assisted by the electric motor. The vehicle F comprises a frame 73 and two running means 72, in particular front and rear wheels, in a known manner. A middle axle 65 is provided at the middle and at the lower end of the frame 73. A wheel axle 66 is located at the connection of the frame 73 with the rear wheel. A drive unit 1 is arranged on the middle axle 65. Figure 1 An embodiment is shown in which the drive unit 1 is configured as a middle drive unit and is arranged on the middle axle 65. Human muscle power is introduced directly into the drive unit 1 via the cranks. The drive unit 1 has a transmission output configured as a traction gear 10 (see Figure 3 and 6 ) and is connected to the rear wheel hub 2 via a traction element 3, for example a chain. In the embodiment according to Figure 2 , the drive unit 1 is configured as a wheel hub drive unit and is arranged on the wheel axle 66. In this case, the drive unit 1 has a transmission output configured as a wheel hub housing, the rotational movement of which is transmitted to the rear wheel via spokes 59 (see Figure 4 ). The drive unit 1 is connected to the middle axle bearing 4 via a traction element 3, via which human muscle power is introduced into the drive unit 1.

[0042] Figure 3 and Figure 4 A top view of the drive unit 1 is shown from the outside. Figure 3 A drive unit 1 configured as a middle drive unit is shown. The rotational axis 9 of the drive unit 1 is located on the middle axle 65, about which the crank arms 5 and the pedals 6 of the vehicle F rotate during a pedaling movement by an operator. A traction gear 10 is used to transmit the rotational movement to the rear wheel hub 2. The width of the drive unit 1 is denoted by B1. The distance between the crank arms 5 is denoted by B2. In order to achieve a comfortable and anthropometric pedaling of the pedals 6, the distance B2 of the crank arms 5 should be between 140 and 180 mm. Accordingly, the width B1 of the drive unit 1 must be correspondingly small. Furthermore, Figure 3A control unit 42 is shown integrated into the drive unit 1. The control unit 42 is connected to a plurality of sensors in order to detect the operating state of the drive unit 1 and of the vehicle F, as will be explained in more detail below. Furthermore, the control unit 42 is connected to a display unit 70, for example a light-emitting display, which is visible from the outside of the drive unit 1. The display unit 70 is for example arranged behind a viewing window in a housing outside the drive unit 1. Thus, an operator sitting in the vehicle F can see the display unit 70 by looking downwards. In Figure 4 The drive unit 1 is shown in an embodiment as a hub drive unit. Thus, the rotation axis 9 of the drive unit 1 is located on a wheel axle 66, around which the rear wheel rotates during driving of the vehicle F. Rotation from the footrest 6 is transmitted to the drive unit 1 via the traction gear 10. The drive unit 1 as a mid-drive unit is passed through by the rotating crank 32 (see Figure 6 ), whereas the drive unit as a hub drive unit is passed through by the stationary axle body 11, around which the rear wheel rotates. A part of the hub housing, which rotates around the axle body 11 and is connected non-rotatably to the spoke 59, serves as a transmission output and thus as an output drive shaft 12. The spoke 59 in turn transmits the rotational movement to the rest of the rear wheel.

[0043] Figure 5 A lateral cross-sectional view of a shaft transmission, in particular a drive shaft transmission 18, as used in the present application is shown. The drive shaft transmission 18 is arranged around the rotation axis 9 and comprises a shaft generator 20, a rotary bearing 21, in particular a (grooved) ball bearing, a flexible gear 19 and a ring gear 14. The ring gear 14 and the shaft generator 20 are configured as rigid members, whereas the flexible gear 19 is flexible or elastic. The shaft generator 20 is configured elliptical and the flexible gear 19 is supported on the shaft generator 20 by the rotary bearing 21 such that the flexible gear 19, due to its elasticity, adapts to the elliptical shape of the shaft generator 20. The ring gear 14 has an inner toothing and the flexible gear 19 has a complementary outer toothing, the flexible gear 19 usually having a lower number of teeth than the ring gear 14. The outer toothing of the flexible gear 19 is pressed into the inner toothing of the ring gear 14 along the major axis of the shaft generator 20 by the elliptical shape of the shaft generator 20. The elastic deformation of the flexible gear 19 simultaneously ensures that its outer toothing disengages from the inner toothing of the ring gear 14 along the minor axis of the shaft generator 20. Now, if the shaft generator 20 rotates, the flexible gear 19 rotates in the opposite rotational direction with a reduction ratio i = Z H / (Z H -Z F ) here, Z H is the number of teeth of the ring gear 14 and Z Fis the number of teeth of the flexible gear 19. If the flexible gear 19 is fixed, the ring gear 14 rotates with a correspondingly reduced speed in the same direction as the shaft generator 20. This shaft transmission 18 is an additive transmission and is known in the prior art, so that it is not necessary to describe it in detail here.

[0044] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of the drive unit 1 along the rotation axis 9 or the middle axis 65 is shown, which is configured as a middle drive unit. The middle axis 65 is defined by the crank 32, which can be driven by the operator via the footrest 6 and which passes through the drive unit 1 along the rotation axis 9. The crank 32 is connected to the input drive shaft 33 in a non-rotatable manner, via which the drive energy applied by the operator is introduced into the transmission of the drive unit 1. The transmission output is formed by the output driven shaft 12, which is connected to the traction gear 10, here a sprocket, in a non-rotatable manner. The drive unit 1 has two sources of drive energy or drive power: on the one hand the human muscle force introduced via the input drive shaft 33 and on the other hand the drive motor 27. The drive motor 27 is integrated into the drive train of the drive unit 1 via the shaft transmission 18

[0045] If the operator rotates the crank 32 by treading on the footrest 6, the input drive shaft 33 is rotated by the operator at this time. The input drive shaft 33 is connected to the output driven shaft 12 via the freewheel 36. At this time, the freewheel 36 is configured in such a way that it engages when the input drive shaft 33 is rotated in the forward driving direction and establishes a non-rotatable connection between the input drive shaft 33 and the output driven shaft 12. In contrast, when rotated in the backward direction, the freewheel 36 is free to rotate. The drive energy introduced by the operator by treading on the footrest 6 is transferred to the output driven shaft 12 by the flexible gear via the connection between the input drive shaft 33 and the output driven shaft 12 and from there to the traction gear 10 and is transferred in a one-to-one transmission ratio. In addition, the output driven shaft 12 is connected to the ring gear 14 in a non-rotatable manner.

[0046] The drive motor 27 comprises a stator 28 with stator windings 29 and a rotor 31 with permanent magnets 30. Like the variable motor 22, the stator 28 is arranged on a fixed support 43. The rotor 31 of the drive motor 27 is connected non-rotatably, in particular integrally, with the shaft of the shaft generator 20 of the drive shaft transmission 18. The drive motor 27 thus drives the shaft generator 20 of the drive shaft transmission 18. The drive energy of the drive motor 27 is transferred by the rotation of the shaft generator 20 onto the flexible gear 19. The flexible gear 19 is supported by means of a freewheel 37 on a fixed housing part 56. The drive energy is transferred via the flexible gear 19 onto the ring gear 14 of the drive shaft transmission 18. The ring gear 14 of the drive shaft transmission 18 is connected non-rotatably with the output driven shaft 12. In the ring gear 14 or the output driven shaft 12, the drive energy or drive power of the drive motor 27 and the human muscle force introduced by means of the crank 32 are added and transferred onto the traction gear 10. The drive motor 27 is designed in such a way that it can provide the main part of the electrical drive energy or drive power for the running operation of the vehicle F. In order to drive the ring gear 14 in the forward direction, the shaft generator 20 must also rotate in the forward direction. As a result, the flexible gear 19 is rotated in the opposite direction, i.e. in the backward direction. In order to transfer the drive energy from the shaft generator 20 onto the ring gear 14, the flexible gear 19 must therefore support the fixed housing part in the backward direction. The freewheel 37 is therefore designed in such a way that it establishes a non-rotatable connection between the flexible gear 19 and the fixed housing part 56 when the flexible gear 19 has the backward rotational direction. The backward rotation of the flexible gear 19 is thus prevented, and as a result, the entire drive energy applied by the drive motor 27 to the shaft generator 20 is transferred onto the ring gear 14 and is available for driving the vehicle F.

[0047] In contrast, if the drive motor 27 is not running or is running only more slowly compared to the rotation of the ring gear 14 by the human muscle force of the operator, for example, the output driven shaft 12 rotates the ring gear 14 and, by means of the engagement of the ring gear with the flexible gear 19, also rotates the flexible gear 19 in the forward direction. In the rotational direction of the flexible gear 19 corresponding to the forward running direction, the freewheel 37, however, enables free rotation, and as a result, in cooperation with the rotational bearing 21 between the flexible gear 19 and the shaft generator 20, no drive energy is transferred onto the shaft generator 20 and thus onto the rotor 31 of the drive motor 27. As a result, when the pedals 6 are being pedaled by pure muscle force, the drive motor 27 does not have to be dragged by the driver, and as a result, easy, comfortable pedaling of the pedals 6 is achieved.

[0048] According to a preferred embodiment form of the application, the freewheel 37 is configured as a switchable freewheel 37. This means that the freewheel can be controlled by the control unit 42 and is controlled in such a way that the freewheel establishes a non-rotatable connection between the flexible gearwheel 19 and the fixed housing part 56 in both rotational directions. This non-rotatable connection can alternatively also be achieved by a separate clutch unit, not shown. If the flexible gearwheel 19 is thereby locked in the forward rotational direction, the drive energy is transferred from the ring gear 14 onto the shaft belt generator 20 and thereby onto the rotor 31 of the drive motor 27. The drive motor 27 can thus be operated as a generator at this time and convert the rotational energy from the ring gear 14 into electrical energy, which can be fed into a battery, for example. By operating the drive motor 27 as a generator, the vehicle F is braked, so that this operation can also function as a brake.

[0049] The application is characterized by a particularly narrow construction form along the rotational axis 9. To this end, the drive unit 1 comprises a series of constructional features, which will be discussed below. On the one hand, the application uses a shaft transmission, in particular a drive shaft transmission 18, in which the ring gear 14 is used as a transmission output. By this construction form, there is only a low construction space requirement in the axial direction of the rotational axis 9.

[0050] The flexible gearwheel 19 of the drive shaft transmission 18 is additionally configured with a sleeve 63. The sleeve 63 is a cylindrical extension of the flexible gearwheel 19 in the axial direction of the rotation axis 9 from the region of its engagement with the ring gear 14. At this point, the sleeve 63 is located in the center of the drive unit, viewed in the axial direction along the rotation axis 9. The sleeve 63 is supported on the fixed housing part, for example on the bearing 43, by a rotary bearing 45 on the axial end thereof opposite the region of its engagement with the ring gear 14. In other words, viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis 9, the flexible gearwheel 19 extends from the transmission plane El, in which the components of the drive shaft transmission 18, i.e. the axle generator 20, the rotary bearing 21, the flexible gearwheel 19 and the ring gear 14, overlap in the radial direction of the rotation axis 9, to the bearing plane E2, in which the flexible gearwheel 19 overlaps the rotary bearing 45 in the radial direction of the rotation axis 9. The flexible gearwheel 19 has a sleeve inner cavity 69 in its hollow cylindrical main body portion. In order not to leave unused construction space here, in the embodiment shown in the present application the drive motor 27 is arranged in the sleeve inner cavity 69 of the flexible gearwheel 19 of the drive shaft transmission 18. The drive motor 27 is arranged in particular in the interior of the flexible gearwheel 19, in particular in the sleeve inner cavity 69, over its entire axial extent with the stator 28 with the stator winding 29 and the rotor 31 with the permanent magnets 30. Furthermore, the drive motor 27 is arranged between the transmission plane El and the bearing plane E2.

[0051] A further core idea of the present application is that by arranging different rotary bearings at the same height as other components in the axial direction of the rotation axis 9, the drive unit 1 is configured particularly narrow in the axial direction of the rotation axis 9. The individual components of the drive unit 1 are thus nested in the axial direction of the rotation axis 9, as the drive motor 27 is nested with the shaft transmission 18 by being arranged in the sleeve inner cavity 69. It is provided for example that a rotary bearing 46, for example a ball bearing, for supporting the rotor 31 of the drive motor 27 relative to the fixed bearing 43 is arranged in the transmission plane El together with the drive shaft transmission 18. For example, the rotary bearing 46 overlaps the other components of the drive shaft transmission 18, for example the axle generator 20, the rotary bearing 21, the flexible gearwheel 19 and the ring gear 14, over its entire axial extent in the direction of the rotation axis 9. In this way, the rotary bearing 46 does not have to be configured axially in series with these components of the drive shaft transmission 18, thereby reducing the overall extent of the drive unit 1.

[0052] A further embodiment of this basic concept exists in the bearing plane E2. In the bearing plane E2 of the flexible gearwheel 19, viewed in the radial direction of the rotary shaft 9, the rotary bearing 45 overlaps the freewheel 37 between the flexible gearwheel 19 and the fixed housing part 56, by means of which the flexible gearwheel 19 is supported on the fixed bearing 43. The overall axial extent of the drive unit 1 is thereby also reduced.

[0053] The rotary bearings 49 and 50, preferably also both ball bearings, are arranged in a common axial bearing plane E3 perpendicular to the rotary shaft 9. The rotary bearing 49 is arranged between the input drive shaft 33 and the output driven shaft 12 and rotatably supports the input drive shaft and the output driven shaft relative to one another. The rotary bearing 50 is arranged between the output driven shaft 12 and the fixed housing part 57. The rotary bearings 49, 50 are designed identically (apart from the necessary diameter difference), are arranged concentrically around the rotary shaft 9 and, viewed in the radial direction of the rotary shaft 9, overlap one another completely, in particular.

[0054] A further rotary bearing 44 between the crank 32 and the fixed housing part 56 is located in a further electronics bearing plane E4 arranged perpendicular to the rotary shaft 9, in which the rotary bearing 44 at least partially overlaps the control unit 42 in the radial direction of the rotary shaft 9. The control unit 42 is thereby not only externally mounted on the drive unit 1, but is constructed to be nested with the drive unit 1 transmission elements, whereby the axial extent is again saved. The control unit 42 is covered externally by the housing cover 55.

[0055] The control unit 42 is constructed for controlling the drive motor 27. In order to be able to implement the respective control functions, the control unit 42 requires different measured values about the current operating state of the drive unit 1 and the vehicle F. For example, the control unit 42 is connected to Figure 1 and 2The spring travel sensor 67 and travel speed sensor 68 shown are connected, both of which are mounted on the rear wheel. Additionally, the control unit 42 is connected to a current intensity sensor 71, which measures the current intensity flowing in the drive motor 27. The control unit 42 is also connected to a Hall sensor 38 on the drive motor 27 via a circuit board 39. The circuit board 39 and the Hall sensor 38 are also housed together with the drive motor 27 within a sleeve cavity 69. The sensor 38 allows the determination of the rotational speed and angular position of the drive motor 27. Another sensor unit 51, 52, connected to the control unit 42, has a fixed portion 52 on a fixed housing, such as a support 43, and a portion 51 that rotates with the input drive shaft 33. The sensor units 51, 52 determine, for example, the torque applied to the crank 32 by human muscle force and thus to the input drive shaft 33, and determine the angular position. The time derivative of the angular position can also determine the rotational speed of the crank 32, and thus the rotational speed of the input drive shaft 33. The fixing part 52 of the sensor units 51 and 52 is fixed to the support 43, especially by means of the fixing nut 53, and is fixed in particular in the area of ​​the support 43 supported by the rotating bearing 54, especially a needle roller bearing, relative to the crank 32.

[0056] Drive unit 1 in Figure 6 The embodiment shown is configured as a centrally located drive unit and is therefore mounted on the central axle 65. However, the vehicle according to the invention can also be configured with a drive unit 1 configured as a hub drive unit. In this case, the drive unit 1 is coaxially formed with its rotation axis 9 and the axle 66, particularly the axle of the rear wheel. This configuration of the drive unit 1 is largely similar to that of the drive unit 1 configured as a centrally located drive unit. Therefore, only the differences from the above embodiment will be discussed. In particular, when the drive unit 1 is configured as a hub drive unit, there is no crank 32 passing through the drive unit 1. Instead, the drive unit 1 is passed through a fixed, upright shaft 11, which includes, for example, a support 43 and various fixed housing components 56, 57. The input drive shaft 33 is not moved directly by the pedals 6 or the crank 32, but rather the pedal movement is transmitted to the input drive shaft 33 via the traction member 3 and the traction member gear 10. Meanwhile, the output driven shaft 12 is not connected to the traction gear 10, but is formed by a rotating hub housing, which is non-rotatably connected to the gear ring 14. The spokes 59 of the rear wheel are disposed on the hub housing. Furthermore, the brake disc is also disposed on the hub housing. In other respects, the embodiment of the drive unit 1 as a hub drive unit corresponds to the embodiment as a mid-mounted drive unit; therefore, to avoid repetition, refer to the description above.

[0057] In summary, the present invention enables the realization of a drive unit that is particularly compact in its axial extension dimension along the rotation axis 9. Furthermore, using the drive unit 1 according to the invention, multiple control functions desired in modern vehicles F, such as electric-assisted bicycles, can be configured.

Claims

1. A vehicle (F) capable of being driven simultaneously by human muscle force and electric motor power, the vehicle having a drive unit (1) comprising: - Input drive shaft (33) for transmitting driving energy generated by human muscle force. - Output driven shaft (12) for outputting driving energy to the driving device (72). - A drive shaft transmission device (18) arranged around the rotation axis (9), the drive shaft transmission device having a shaft-driven generator (20), a flexible gear (19) and a gear ring (14). - A drive motor (27) having a stator (28) and a rotor (31) arranged around a rotating shaft (9), the drive energy of which can be transmitted to the output driven shaft (12) through a drive shaft transmission device (18). The flexible gear (19) is configured as a sleeve (63) extending in the direction of the rotating shaft (9). The sleeve is connected to a rotating bearing (45) on one axial side and has an engagement area for a shaft-driven generator (20) on the other axial side. Viewed along the direction of the rotating shaft (9), there is a sleeve cavity (69) between the rotating bearing (45) and the shaft-driven generator (20). The drive motor (27) is at least partially disposed in the sleeve cavity (69) of the flexible gear (19) of the drive shaft transmission device (18) in the axial direction of the rotating shaft (9).

2. The means of transport (F) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive motor (27) is at least partially disposed in the sleeve cavity (69) of the flexible gear (19) of the drive shaft transmission (18) along the axial extension of its rotor (31) and / or stator (28) in the axial direction of the rotating shaft (9).

3. The means of transport (F) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive motor (27) is completely disposed in the sleeve cavity (69) of the flexible gear (19) of the drive shaft transmission device (18) in the axial direction of the rotating shaft (9).

4. The means of transport (F) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive shaft transmission device (18) has a shaft-driven generator (20), a flexible gear (19), and a gear ring (14) arranged overlapping each other in a transmission device plane (E1) perpendicular to the rotating shaft (9), and the flexible gear (19) is rotatably supported relative to the support (43) in a bearing plane (E2) perpendicular to the rotating shaft (9), and the drive motor (27) is arranged between the transmission device plane (E1) and the bearing plane (E2).

5. The means of transport (F) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The sleeve (63) of the flexible gear (19) is rotatably supported in the bearing plane (E2) relative to the support (43).

6. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, A speed and / or angle sensor (38) is provided on the drive motor (27).

7. The means of transport (F) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The speed and / or angle sensor (38) is a Hall sensor.

8. The means of transport (F) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The speed and / or angle sensor (38) is disposed in the sleeve cavity (69) of the flexible gear (19).

9. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The rotary bearing (50) for the output driven shaft (12) and the rotary bearing (49) for the input drive shaft (33) are arranged in a common shaft support plane (E3) perpendicular to the rotary shaft (9).

10. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The drive motor (27) and drive shaft transmission device (18) are arranged coaxially around the rotation axis (9).

11. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The input drive shaft (33) is non-rotatably connected to the output driven shaft (12) in at least one rotational direction, and energy from human muscle force is transferred to the output driven shaft (12).

12. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The flexible gear (19) of the drive shaft transmission device (18) is supported on a fixed housing component (56) by a flywheel (37).

13. The means of transport (F) according to claim 12, characterized in that, The flywheel (37) is configured to be switchable or the flexible gear (19) and the fixed housing component (56) can be non-rotatably connected by a separate clutch unit, so that the drive motor (27) can operate as a generator, which receives drive energy by a gear ring (14) and converts the drive energy into electrical energy.

14. The means of transport (F) according to claim 12, characterized in that, A rotating bearing (45) is disposed between the support (43) and the flexible gear (19) of the drive shaft transmission (18) in a bearing plane (E2) perpendicular to the rotating shaft (9) and overlapping with the flywheel (37).

15. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The drive shaft transmission device (18) with a shaft-driven generator (20), flexible gear (19) and gear ring (14) together with the rotating bearing (46) of the rotor (31) for driving motor (27) is arranged in the transmission device plane (E1) perpendicular to the rotating shaft (9).

16. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The drive shaft transmission device (18) with a shaft-driven generator (20), flexible gear (19) and gear ring (14) together with the rotating bearing (46) of the rotor (31) of the drive motor (27) relative to the support (43) is arranged in the transmission device plane (E1) perpendicular to the rotating shaft (9).

17. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Along the direction of the rotation axis (9), the shaft support plane (E3), the transmission plane (E1) of the drive shaft transmission device (18), and the bearing plane (E2) of the flexible gear (19) of the drive shaft transmission device (18) are arranged in sequence.

18. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Along the direction of the rotation axis (9), the shaft support plane (E3), the transmission plane (E1) of the drive shaft transmission device (18), the bearing plane (E2) of the flexible gear (19) of the drive shaft transmission device (18), and the electronic device bearing plane (E4) are arranged in sequence.

19. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The drive unit (1) is configured as a mid-mounted drive unit or as a hub drive unit.

20. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The drive unit (1) is configured as a central drive unit, in which the rotating shaft (9) is coaxially arranged with the central shaft (65), or the drive unit (1) is configured as a hub drive unit, in which the rotating shaft (9) is coaxially arranged with the wheel axle (66).

21. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The maximum extension dimension (B1) of the drive unit (1) along the rotation axis (9) is 100 mm.

22. The means of transport (F) according to claim 21, characterized in that, The maximum extension dimension (B1) of the drive unit (1) along the rotation axis (9) is 85 mm.

23. The means of transport (F) according to claim 21, characterized in that, The maximum extension dimension (B1) of the drive unit (1) along the rotation axis (9) is 70 mm.

24. The means of transport (F) according to claim 21, characterized in that, The maximum extension dimension (B1) of the drive unit (1) along the rotation axis (9) is 60 mm.

25. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, A control unit (42) is provided for controlling the drive motor (27), the control unit having at least one of the following features: - The control unit, together with the rotary bearing (44) for the crank (32), is disposed in the electronic device bearing plane (E4) perpendicular to the rotation axis (9); - The control unit is connected to the angle and / or speed and / or torque sensors (51, 52) on the input drive shaft (33); - The control unit is connected to the driving speed sensor (68); - The control unit is connected to the speed and / or angle sensor (38) on the drive motor (27); - The control unit is connected to a current intensity sensor (71) for driving the motor (27); - The control unit controls the speed and torque of the drive motor (27) so that the drive energy on the driven shaft (12), including the energy from human muscle force, meets the energy requirements of the drive unit (1). - The control unit controls the rotational speed of the drive motor (27) in proportion to the driving speed; - The control unit (42) activates the drive assistance function or braking function according to the rotation direction of the shaft driven by human muscle force; - The control unit is connected to the spring travel sensor (67) of the vehicle (F) and at least partially compensates for the pedal rebound caused by the spring bounce of the vehicle (F) by manipulating the drive motor (27); - The control unit is connected to the display unit (70), which is visible from the outside through the viewing window in the drive unit (1); - The control unit manipulates the drive motor (27) to bring the input drive shaft (33) into the starting position.

26. The means of transport (F) according to claim 25, characterized in that, The speed and / or angle sensor (38) is a Hall sensor.

27. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The means of transport has at least one of the following characteristics: - The vehicle (F) is constructed as a single-track, double-track, or triple-track vehicle; - The vehicle (F) includes a frame (73); - The vehicle (F) includes an energy storage device; - The vehicle (F) includes front wheels and rear wheels; - The front wheels are configured to be steerable; - The vehicle (F) includes pedals (6) configured to rotate about a central axis (65) via a crank arm (5) and connected to an input drive shaft (33).

28. The means of transport (F) according to claim 27, characterized in that, The vehicle (F) is constructed as an electric bicycle.

29. The means of transport (F) according to claim 27, characterized in that, The vehicle (F) is configured as an electric-assisted vehicle.

30. The means of transport (F) according to claim 27, characterized in that, The vehicle (F) is constructed as a motorcycle.

31. The means of transport (F) according to claim 27, characterized in that, The vehicle (F) is configured as a cargo bicycle.

32. The means of transport (F) according to claim 27, characterized in that, The vehicle (F) is constructed as a freight bicycle.

33. The means of transport (F) according to claim 27, characterized in that, The vehicle (F) is configured to transport a bicycle.

34. The means of transport (F) according to claim 27, characterized in that, The frame has a top tube and / or a bottom tube.

35. The means of transport (F) according to claim 34, characterized in that, The energy storage device is installed in the top tube and / or bottom tube.

36. The means of transport (F) according to claim 27, characterized in that, The pedal is connected to the input drive shaft (33) in a non-rotatable manner.

37. The means of transport (F) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The vehicle (F) is an electric-assisted bicycle.

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