Treadle shaft assembly, control and / or evaluation method and unit for a treadle shaft assembly and vehicle

Description

State of the art

[0001] The present invention relates to a pedal shaft arrangement, a control and / or evaluation method, a control and / or evaluation unit for a pedal shaft arrangement, in particular for a vehicle that can be driven by muscle power and optionally additionally by motor power, for an electric bicycle, eBike, pedelec or the like, and such a vehicle as such.

[0002] Particularly in e-bikes—but also in other vehicles powered by muscle power and possibly additionally by motor power—torque sensors are increasingly being used to detect torque. These sensors make it possible to detect the value of a torque transmitted to an output shaft in a pedal shaft assembly, for example, to control a connected or connectable motor drive. When the torques generated by pedaling and the motor drive are combined on the output shaft, a kind of summation of the individual torques occurs through mechanical superposition, in which information about the source of the torque, right foot or left foot, is lost. Document DE202008018111 U1 discloses a known pedal shaft assembly with all the features of the preamble of claim 1. Disclosure of the invention

[0003] The pedal shaft assembly according to the invention has the advantage that left-right information can be reliably derived or obtained using comparatively simple means. This is achieved according to the invention by creating a pedal shaft assembly for a vehicle that can be driven by muscle power and, in particular, additionally by motor power, for an electric bicycle, e-bike, pedelec, or the like, which is designed with a pedal shaft for receiving or absorbing a force and / or torque from pedaling by means of pedal cranks attached to opposite ends of the pedal shaft, an output shaft for receiving or absorbing a force and / or torque from the pedal shaft, a mechanical coupling with a tap between the ends of the pedal shaft for transmitting force and / or torque from the pedal shaft to the output shaft,A first magnetic region on and / or in the output shaft for generating and emitting a first magnetic field dependent on the mechanical stress state of the output shaft; a second magnetic region on and / or in the treadmill shaft, axially spaced apart, for tapping the mechanical coupling and for generating and emitting a second magnetic field dependent on the mechanical stress state of the treadmill shaft; and a sensor arrangement for detecting a magnetic field emitted by the treadmill shaft arrangement. These measures make it possible to qualitatively and / or quantitatively determine the respective right-left component of the total torque from the superposition of the magnetic fields of the individual magnetic regions.

[0004] The subclaims show preferred developments of the invention.

[0005] In a preferred embodiment of the treadle shaft assembly according to the invention, the output shaft is formed with or as a hollow shaft and / or coaxial with the treadle shaft, in particular with a common axial direction y, Y, which corresponds in particular to the direction of the respective axis or axis of symmetry of the respective shaft 10, 20. This enables a particularly high degree of spatial proximity between the treadle shaft and the output shaft for a particularly space-saving arrangement.

[0006] Alternatively or additionally, the output shaft can partially, completely or essentially completely surround the treadle shaft and spatially overlap with it in the common axial direction y, Y with an axial spatial overlap area in order to thereby achieve a spatially particularly compact design for the entire treadle shaft arrangement.

[0007] In another preferred embodiment of the treadmill arrangement according to the invention, the first magnetic region and the second magnetic region spatially overlap each other partially, completely, or essentially completely in the common axial direction y, Y, with a spatial magnetic overlap region. This measure allows the superposition of the individual magnetic fields to be detected with a particularly high degree of sensitivity.

[0008] In this case, the sensor arrangement can be partially, completely, or essentially completely formed in the spatial magnetic overlap region in the common axial direction y, Y, so that a particularly high degree of detection sensitivity is achieved. The magnetic overlap region can be understood, for example, but not exclusively, as the spatial region, and in particular the contiguous region, in which the first and second magnetic regions spatially overlap in the common axial direction y, Y.

[0009] In another alternative or additional embodiment of the pedal shaft assembly according to the invention, the second magnetic region is designed to generate and output the second magnetic field in the circumferential direction of the pedal shaft in an angle-dependent manner, in particular in the manner of a position and / or angle coding and / or via or according to a number, arrangement, distribution, and / or geometric configuration of magnetic sections of the second magnetic region. These measures allow the position and / or orientation of the pedal shaft and the pedal cranks attached to the ends of the pedal shaft to be detected or derived particularly reliably and with comparatively simple means.

[0010] With regard to the design of the sensor arrangement, there are various options for adapting the detection level in terms of sensitivity and accuracy to the respective requirements of the application.

[0011] Thus, it is particularly advantageous if, according to another development of the treadmill arrangement according to the invention, the sensor arrangement has a plurality, in particular two, sensors, the first magnetic region has a corresponding plurality of magnetic sections spatially spaced from one another in the axial direction, the number of sensors corresponds to the number of magnetic sections, the sensors and the magnetic sections are aligned one-to-one with one another in the axial direction of the output shaft and / or partially, completely or essentially completely overlap one another in their arrangement and / or the second magnetic region is a single, homogeneous and / or - at least in the common axial direction y, Y - simply connected region which partially,completely or essentially completely spatially overlapped.,

[0012] In principle, it is also possible, alternatively or additionally, to space or remove the magnetization on the crankshaft axially from the torque sensor. In this case, one or more sensors would have to be mounted above the output shaft. These would then only see the magnetic field introduced from the right.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a control and / or evaluation method for a treadmill arrangement, which is designed in particular in the manner according to the invention.

[0014] In one embodiment of the control and / or evaluation method according to the invention, individually or in any combination the signal measured with the sensor arrangement is detected and, in particular, recorded over its temporal course; sections between two directly consecutive minima in the signal course are recognized and / or evaluated as half-phases of the signal; half-phases of the signal whose signal values ​​are shifted toward larger absolute values ​​compared to directly adjacent half-phases (according to an alternative or additional perspective of the concept of the present invention, the arrangement can also be designed such that, depending on the direction of magnetization and / or the positive / negative torque, the shift also becomes more negative in absolute terms) are detected and evaluated as being caused by the side of the pedal crank and accordingly either as "RIGHT" or "LEFT" on whose side the second magnetic region of the pedal crank is formed relative to the axial position of the mechanical coupling;and in particular the respective other half-phases of the signal are recognized and evaluated as "LEFT" or "RIGHT", and a control signal for a current half-phase "RIGHT" and / or a control signal for a current half-phase "LEFT" is generated for a device to be controlled, in particular an underlying vehicle, with respect to a signal currently measured by the sensor arrangement and output to the device for its control.

[0015] In a particularly preferred development of the control and / or evaluation method according to the invention, a respective control signal is or will be: representative of the value of the torque applied to the pedal shaft, generated as a current, time-dependent signal and / or as a signal corresponding to the current course of the signal measured with the sensor arrangement, generated as a control signal for controlling a motor drive of the underlying vehicle, generated as a control signal for storing a value in a memory and / or generated as a control signal for controlling an acoustic, haptic and / or optical display. Using the assignments shown above, the rider can also individually assess the fitness of their legs and / or take this into account in training if necessary, for example by determining the assistance from the motor for the left and right differently and implementing it in the drive.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a control and / or evaluation unit for a treadmill arrangement designed according to the invention and for its operation.

[0017] The control and / or evaluation unit is configured and has means to initiate, execute, control and / or be used in a control and / or evaluation method according to the invention.

[0018] Finally, the present invention also relates to a vehicle as such that can be driven by muscle power and in particular additionally by motor power and in particular to an electric bicycle, eBike, pedelec or the like, which is designed with a drive with a pedal shaft arrangement according to the invention and / or with a control and / or evaluation unit designed according to the invention and / or which is set up and has means to initiate, execute, control and / or be used in such a method. Short description of the characters

[0019] Embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Figure 1A is a perspective side view of a treadmill shaft designed according to the invention, which can be used in the present invention, wherein the shaft generates the magnetic field under load and in the rest state the actual and underlying magnetization is applied or magnetized circumferentially in one direction; Figure 1B is a perspective side view of a treadmill shaft arrangement according to the invention with a treadmill shaft according to Figure 1A and an output shaft mechanically coupled thereto and surrounding the pedal shaft as a hollow shaft; Figures 2 and 3 are schematic and partially sectioned side views of a conventional pedal shaft arrangement with torques introduced by pedaling from the right and left, respectively; Figure 4 is a schematic side view of a pedal shaft designed according to the invention, analogous to the illustration in Figure 1A which can be used in the present invention; Figure 5 is a schematic and partially sectioned side view of a treadle shaft arrangement according to the invention with a treadle shaft according to Figure 4 and an output shaft mechanically coupled thereto and surrounding the pedal shaft as a hollow shaft; and Figures 6 and 7 illustrate, using graphs, the detection of torque-related signals in the present invention. Preferred embodiments of the invention

[0020] The following are based on the Figures 1A to 7 Embodiments of the invention and the technical background are described in detail. Identical and equivalent elements and components, as well as those with identical or equivalent functions, are designated by the same reference numerals. The detailed description of the designated elements and components is not reproduced in every case where they occur.

[0021] The features and other properties presented can be isolated from one another in any form and combined with one another in any way without departing from the essence of the invention.

[0022] Figure 1A is a perspective side view of a treadmill shaft 10 designed according to the invention, which can be used in the present invention.

[0023] The pedal shaft 10 designed according to the invention extends with its longitudinal axis 17 as the axis of symmetry of the pedal shaft 10 and its longitudinal extension direction in the transverse extension direction Y of the underlying vehicle 1 and parallel to the y-direction. At the opposite right and left ends 11 and 12 of the pedal shaft 10, respectively, first and second pedal cranks 8 and 9 are attached to the pedal shaft 10 in the assembled state for absorbing a right-side force 51' or a right-side torque 51, or a left-side force 52' or a left-side torque 52 when pedaling by a user.

[0024] To transmit the torque 51, 52 introduced into the pedal shaft 10 by pedaling to an output side and in particular to an output shaft 20, a mechanical coupling 30 is provided with a corresponding output for the torque 51, 52, designed as a tap 31, for example in the form of a simple toothing 32 or in the form of a gear. With respect to the mechanical coupling 30 and its position along the longitudinal axis 17 of the pedal shaft 10, the second magnetic region 15 provided and designed according to the invention is located at a specific distance 34 therefrom. This second magnetic region is capable of generating a second magnetic field 16 depending on a mechanical stress state of the pedal shaft 10 and emitting it into the surrounding space.

[0025] Due to the position of the second magnetic region 15 relative to the mechanical coupling 30, the mechanical tension responsible for the second magnetic field 16 occurs essentially in that region of the pedal shaft 10 and acts via the respective pedal crank 8 or 9 in which the second magnetic region 15 is located in relation to the mechanical coupling 30.

[0026] In the Figure 1A In the situation shown, the output of a magnetic field 16 occurs essentially only when the first or right-hand crank 8 at the first or right-hand end 11 of the pedal shaft 10 is actuated to introduce a right-hand force 51' and correspondingly generate a right-hand torque 51, but not when the left-hand crank 9 at the second or left-hand end 12 of the pedal shaft 10 is actuated to introduce a left-hand force 52' and generate a left-hand torque 52.

[0027] Figure 1Bis a perspective side view of a treadle shaft assembly 100 according to the invention with a treadle shaft 10 according to Figure 1A and an output shaft 20 which is mechanically coupled thereto and surrounds the pedal shaft 10 as a hollow shaft.

[0028] The longitudinal axis 27 or axis of symmetry of the output shaft 20 coincides with the longitudinal axis 17 or axis of symmetry of the pedal shaft 10 in the longitudinal direction Y of the underlying vehicle 1 and the y-direction; the shafts 10 and 20 are coaxial with one another. The output shaft 20, as a hollow shaft, surrounds the pedal shaft 10 with its first or right end 21 and its second or left end 22 in a spatial overlap region 28 along the common axial direction Y, y.

[0029] The output shaft 20 has a first magnetic region 25 with a first or right-hand magnetic section 25-1 and a second or left-hand magnetic section 25-2, which are arranged at a distance 24 from one another along the common axial direction Y, y and spatially overlap in the common axial direction Y, y with the second magnetic region 15, which is simply connected, and thereby form the magnetic overlap region 29.

[0030] Through the mechanical coupling 30, the right-hand torque 51 or left-hand torque 52 generated in the pedal shaft 10 is transmitted to the output shaft 20 as torque 53 or as torque 54, respectively, and forwarded to the transmission area 35 formed at the first or right end 21 and, for example, to a chainring or another output element.

[0031] Due to the mechanical stress on both the pedal shaft 10 and the output shaft 20, corresponding magnetic fields 16 and 26, respectively, or magnetic field changes in the vicinity of the shafts 10 and 20, arise via the second and first magnetic regions 15 and 25 due to the mechanical stress states in these shafts 10 and 20, which can be detected as a total magnetic field 46 or a change in the total magnetic field 46 by means of the sensor arrangement 40 with one or more sensors 41 and 42.

[0032] The first and second magnetic fields 26 and 16 are superimposed to form a common magnetic field 46, wherein a second magnetic field 16 is essentially only generated when a torque acts with respect to the position of the mechanical coupling 30 on the side of the treadle shaft 10 on which the second magnetic region 15 is located. In the arrangement according to the Figures 1A and 1BThus, a second magnetic field 16 is only generated when the first or right pedal crank 8 at the first or right end 11 of the pedal shaft 10 is actuated, because only then is this part of the pedal shaft 10 with the second magnetic region 15 subjected to mechanical stress. If the second or left crank 9 at the second or left end 12 of the pedal shaft 10 is actuated, the second magnetic region 15 is essentially unaffected, so that essentially no second magnetic field 16 is generated and superimposed on the first magnetic field 26 of the first magnetic region 25 to form a total field 46.

[0033] This means that in the temporal course of the magnetic field 46, pedaling with the right hand using the right crank 8 can be distinguished from pedaling with the left hand using the left crank 9 in the phases of the overall magnetic field 46.

[0034] The Figures 2 and 3are schematic and partially sectioned side views of a conventional pedal shaft arrangement 100' of a conventional vehicle 1' for torques 51 and 52 introduced by pedaling from the right or left into the conventional pedal shaft 10' without a second magnetic region 15, which appear as total torques 53 and 54 by means of the mechanical coupling 30 in the output shaft 20 as a hollow shaft.

[0035] Figure 4 is a schematic side view of a treadmill 10 designed according to the invention, analogous to the illustration in Figure 1A , which can be used in the present invention. Shown is a state in which the first or right crank 8 at the first or right end 11 of the pedal shaft 10 is actuated to introduce a right-side force 51' and to generate a right-side torque 51.

[0036] Figure 5is a schematic and partially sectioned side view of a treadle shaft arrangement 100 according to the invention with a treadle shaft 10 according to the invention according to Figure 4 and an output shaft 20 which is mechanically coupled thereto and surrounds the pedal shaft 10 as a hollow shaft.

[0037] The Figures 6 and 7 explain, using graphs 60 and 70 respectively, the detection of signals associated with torques 51 to 54 from the detector arrangement 40 with detectors 41 and 42 in the present invention.

[0038] The time t is plotted on the abscissas 61 and 71, and the sensor signal is plotted on the ordinates 62 and 72, in the case of graph 60 according to Figure 6 the individual signals of the sensors 41 and 42 of the sensor arrangement 40 and in the graph 70 the difference signal for the sensors 41 and 42.

[0039] When evaluating the signals, it should be noted that segments 25-1 and 25-2 of the first magnetic region 25 are arranged opposite to each other in terms of their polarity in the magnetic overlap region 29. The underlying magnetization is applied circumferentially to the shaft (in the rest state, i.e., without a load on the shaft) and is oriented oppositely. In the figure, 25-1 and 25-2 show the behavior of this circumferential magnetization under load.

[0040] Therefore, the signal curves in the positive and negative range of the ordinate 62 appear in the tracks 63 and 64 for the signals of the sensors 41 and 42, respectively, and the signal difference in the track 73 of the graph 70 from Figure 7This essentially results in the sum of the desired signal, with interference signals "filtered out" by subtracting. According to an alternative view, the sum of the signal or signals is the subtraction. Subtracting eliminates homogeneous interference fields and compensates for negative sensor element properties, such as temperature drift.

[0041] According to the inventive treadmill arrangements 100 according to Figures 1A, 1B , 4 and 5 A second magnetic field 16 is generated essentially only upon timely actuation of the first or right crank 8 at the first or right end 11 of the pedal shaft 10. This leads to a shift 65 of the corresponding phases of the signal curves of tracks 63 for sensor 41 and 64 for sensor 42, which are assigned to the RIGHT, whereas the phases in tracks 63 and 64 for the LEFT exhibit no shift at all.

[0042] These and other features and properties of the present invention are further explained with reference to the following explanations: The present invention relates in general to the provision of device-related and / or method-related means for left-right detection in an eBike or a vehicle 1 that can generally be driven by muscle power and in particular additionally by motor power, with a torque sensor 40, 41, 42, which is in particular designed anyway and operates on the basis of a magnetic field.

[0043] It is known that in conventional eBikes 1 and the like, the mechanics in a drive unit, also referred to as a drive unit, transmit the torques 51, 52 of the left and right cranks or pedal cranks 8, 9 at the ends of a 11, 12 of a pedal or crankshaft 10 via a sensing area 40 of an output shaft 20 mechanically coupled to the pedal shaft 10 during pedaling, and are thereby superimposed or added. As a result, the information about which foot introduced the force 51', 52' or the torque 51, 52 into the pedal shaft 10 is lost.

[0044] An object of the invention is to provide means for detecting via which side of the drive unit the torque 51, 52 is introduced when pedaling, i.e. whether the left or right foot was used for pedaling or pedaling, in particular using an active torque sensor 40, 41, 42.

[0045] Advantages of the invention include, among others, the fact that new possibilities for controlling an eBike 1 are created, for example, in order to react differently in certain driving situations and depending on a left-right detection.

[0046] Furthermore, the inventive concept with the right-left detection can be used for training processes, for example to reduce the motor support for one leg in order to strengthen the muscles for that leg.

[0047] Furthermore, a fitness function is conceivable, in which the performance of the legs can vary depending on the training. The type of sensor technology according to the invention can distinguish between a left and a right leg in the movement. An HMI interface or an app can be used to display the fitness of each leg to the user, helping them optimize their running.

[0048] Both torques, i.e., the muscular and motor torque, are added via the mechanical coupling 30 or gearing 31 between the crankshaft 10 and the hollow shaft forming the output shaft 20. In the case of torsion, the output shaft 20 also conventionally transmits a magnetic field 26, 46 to the sensors 41, 42. The information regarding the force application, i.e., from which side it is applied, is lost in the conventional configuration. The invention aims to avoid this.

[0049] For the sensing elements or sensors 41 and 42, coils, AMR, TMR, Hall and other magnetic field sensors can be used.

[0050] An inventive idea in the case of an eBike or a general vehicle 1 driven by muscle power is to obtain or recover the previously lost directional information by means of an additional, second magnetization 15 on the crankshaft or pedal shaft 10 and by superimposing the corresponding second magnetic field 16 on the first magnetic field 26 of the output shaft 20 to form the total magnetic field 46.

[0051] The second magnetic field 16 of the second magnetic region 15 on the pedal shaft 10 or crankshaft 10 only breaks out into the environment when a force is introduced via one side, for example the right side.

[0052] If the crankshaft 10 modified according to the invention with the second magnetic region 15 is inserted into an otherwise existing conventional output shaft 20, the existing sensor system 40 can measure the additional magnetic field 16 superimposed on the total field 46.

[0053] The differential signal or difference signal 73 from Figure 7 is not affected or at most only slightly affected because it is homogeneous.

[0054] Mainly a shift or displacement 65 of the measured magnetic field 46 takes place.

[0055] With regard to the signal behaviour, it can be seen that the right foot with force introduction at the first end 8 of the pedal shaft 10 and the left foot with force introduction at the second end 9 of the pedal shaft 10 each generate an approximately sinusoidal signal or torque signal via the crank 8 and 9 via the sensors 41 and 42, as shown in the graph 60 of the Figure 6 with tracks 63 and 64 for sensors 41 and 42.

[0056] The signal or torque signal is not detected by its differential calculation, the homogeneous second magnetic field 16 from the second magnetic area 15 of the treadmill 10, as shown in the graph 70 of the Figure 7 shown with track 73.

[0057] However, the individual sensors 41 and 42 of the sensor arrangement 40 detect the displacement 65 or the one offset shift while the leg, in particular the right leg, introduces a torque 51 into the pedal shaft 10 with respect to the position of the mechanical coupling 30 on the side of the second magnetic region 15.

[0058] The principle can also be applied to a single sensor 41, 42 and to other numbers of sensors 41, 42 and in particular to more than two sensor elements 41, 42 of the sensor arrangement 40 and other circuits.

Claims

1. Pedal shaft arrangement (100) for a vehicle (1) that can be driven by muscle power and in particular additionally by motor power, for an electric bicycle, eBike, pedelec or the like, comprising: - a pedal shaft (10) for receiving a force and / or a torque from pedalling by means of pedal cranks (8, 9) attached to ends (11, 12) of the pedal shaft (10), - an output shaft (20) for receiving a force and / or a torque from the pedal shaft (10), - a mechanical coupling (30) comprising a tap (31) between the ends (11, 12) of the pedal shaft (10) for the transmission of force and / or torque from the pedal shaft (10) to the output shaft (20), - a first magnetic region (25) on and / or in the output shaft (20) for generating and delivering a first magnetic field (26) that is dependent on the mechanical stress state of the output shaft (20), - a second magnetic region (15) on and / or in the pedal shaft (10) at an axial distance from the tap (31) of the mechanical coupling (30) and for generating and delivering a second magnetic field (16) that is dependent on the mechanical stress state of the pedal shaft (10), characterized in that - a sensor arrangement (40) detects a total magnetic field (46) delivered by the pedal shaft arrangement (100), the total magnetic field (46) resulting from a superimposition of the first magnetic field (26) and the second magnetic field (16).

2. Pedal shaft arrangement (100) according to Claim 1, wherein the output shaft (20) - is formed by or as a hollow shaft, - is formed coaxially with respect to the pedal shaft (10) and / or - partially, completely or substantially completely surrounds the pedal shaft (10) and spatially overlaps said pedal shaft in the common axial direction (y, Y) with an axial spatial overlap region (28).

3. Pedal shaft arrangement (100) according to either of the preceding claims, wherein the first magnetic region (25) and the second magnetic region (15) partially, completely or substantially completely spatially overlap one another in the common axial direction (y, Y) with a spatial magnetic overlap region (29).

4. Pedal shaft arrangement (100) according to Claim 3, wherein the sensor arrangement (40) is partially, completely or substantially completely formed in the magnetic overlap region (29) in the common axial direction.

5. Pedal shaft arrangement (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first magnetic region (25) and the second magnetic region (15) are designed to generate and output the second magnetic field (16) in the circumferential direction of the pedal shaft (10) in an angle-dependent manner, in particular according to the type of a position coding and / or angle coding and / or by way of a number, arrangement, distribution and / or geometric configuration of magnetic sections of the second magnetic region (15).

6. Pedal shaft arrangement (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein: - the sensor arrangement (40) has a plurality of, in particular two, sensors (41, 42), - the first magnetic region (25) has a corresponding plurality of magnetic sections (25-1, 25-2) spaced apart from one another in the axial direction, - the number of sensors (41, 42) corresponds to the number of magnetic sections (25-1, 25-2), - the sensors (41, 42) and the magnetic sections (25-1, 25-2) are aligned with one another in a one-to-one association in the axial direction of the output shaft (20) and / or partially, completely or substantially completely spatially overlap one another in their association and / or - the second magnetic region (15) is a single, homogeneous and / or simply connected region that partially, completely or substantially completely spatially overlaps all magnetic sections (25-1, 25-2) and / or all sensors (41, 42) in the common axial direction.

7. Control and / or evaluation method for a pedal shaft arrangement (100) according to one of Claims 1 to 6 and the operation thereof, wherein: - the time characteristic of the signal measured using the sensor arrangement (40) is acquired and in particular recorded, - sections between two directly consecutive minima in the characteristic of the signal are identified as half-phases of the signal, - signal half-phases whose signal values are shifted to greater absolute values in comparison with half-phases that are directly adjacent in time are identified and rated as caused by that side of the pedal crank (10), and accordingly as either "RIGHT" or "LEFT", on whose side relative to the mechanical coupling (30) the second magnetic region (15) of the pedal crank (10) is formed, and in particular the other half-phases of the signal are identified and rated as "LEFT" or "RIGHT", and - for a device to be controlled, in particular of an underlying vehicle (1), a control signal for a present half-phase "RIGHT" and / or a control signal for a present half-phase "LEFT" are / is generated with reference to a signal currently measured using the sensor arrangement (40) and are / is output to the device to control it.

8. Control and / or evaluation method according to Claim 7, wherein a respective control signal: - is representative of the value of the torque applied to the pedal shaft (10), - is generated as a present and time-dependent signal and / or as a signal corresponding to the present characteristic of the signal measured using the sensor arrangement (40), - is generated as a control signal for controlling a motor drive of the underlying vehicle (1), - is generated as a control signal for storing a value in a memory, and / or - is generated as a control signal for controlling an audible, haptic and / or visual indicator.

9. Control and / or evaluation unit for a pedal shaft arrangement (100) according to one of Claims 1 to 6 and the operation thereof, which is configured and has means to initiate, perform, control and / or be used in a method according to either of Claims 7 and 8.

10. Vehicle (1), electric bicycle, eBike, pedelec or the like that can be driven by muscle power and in particular additionally by motor power, which is formed by a drive comprising a pedal shaft arrangement (100) according to one of Claims 1 to 6 and / or by a control and / or evaluation unit according to Claim 9 and / or which is configured and has means to initiate, perform, control and / or be used in a method according to either of Claims 7 and 8.