Inspection system for electrically assisted bicycle

Abstract

To provide a technique for inspecting operations of components assembled into an electrically assisted bicycle with space savings and a simple facility.SOLUTION: An inspection system 1 comprises a DC power supply 2, a strain sensor 6, a signal transceiver 7, and a determinative PC 8. Since, in the inspection system 1, the signal transceiver 7 performs outputting a control signal to the strain sensor and receiving a reaction value of the strain sensor corresponding thereto from a primary substrate, which are performed by a control circuit inside an auxiliary power unit in an electrically assisted bicycle, the control circuit inside the auxiliary power unit (auxiliary power unit equivalent to the actual machine) becomes unnecessary, and thus an exclusive battery equivalent to the actual machine which supplies power to the auxiliary power unit becomes unnecessary. The signal transceiver 7 generates a control signal to transmit it to suitable parts, and allows the strain sensor 6 to respond, whereby operations of the primary substrate B1 and a secondary substrate B2 can be inspected in a state that the maximum consumption current of the strain sensor in the auxiliary power unit is simulatively reproduced, and a surrounding state is simulatively reproduced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to inspection of an electrically assisted bicycle having an auxiliary power unit that generates auxiliary power while the bicycle is in motion. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a testing device for electrically assisted bicycles that includes a roller that contacts the rear wheel of the electrically assisted bicycle and applies a load to the rotation of the rear wheel, and a drive device that rotates the pedals of the electrically assisted bicycle. This prior art makes it possible to automatically measure the performance of electrically assisted bicycles (travel distance per charge, riding time, and bicycle speed), and is thought to realize labor-saving testing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-74792 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order to generate power according to pedaling force, electrically assisted bicycles typically have strain sensors near the crankshaft (drive shaft) to measure the amount of strain that occurs when the pedals are depressed. For example, as shown in Figure 3, two strain sensors EA3 are arranged on the outer periphery of a resin cover EA2 surrounding the crankshaft EA1, at positions that are approximately two-fold symmetric about the axis of the crankshaft EA1. A secondary circuit board EA5 is also arranged and connected to these sensors via a flexible printed circuit (FPC) EA4. A primary circuit board EA7 is also arranged on the outer periphery of a bearing metal fitting EA6 of the crankshaft EA1. Because the strain sensors EA3 and secondary circuit board EA5 are linked to the rotation of the crankshaft EA1, power supply and communication between the primary circuit board EA7 and secondary circuit board EA5 are performed wirelessly.

[0005] More specifically, a battery connected to the auxiliary power unit serves as the power source, and power is supplied via a wire from the auxiliary power unit's control circuit (hereinafter referred to as the "auxiliary power control circuit") to the primary board EA7. Power is then supplied wirelessly (contactlessly) from the primary board EA7 to the secondary board EA5, and power is then supplied from the secondary board EA5 to the strain sensor EA3 via an FPC. A control signal for the strain sensor EA3 is sent from the auxiliary power control circuit to the primary board EA7, wirelessly transmitted from the primary board EA7 to the secondary board EA5, and then passed from the secondary board EA5 to the strain sensor EA3. The strain sensor EA3 outputs a measurement value in response to this control signal, which is then sent from the strain sensor EA3 to the secondary board EA5, wirelessly transmitted from the secondary board EA5 to the primary board EA7, and then passed from the primary board EA7 to the auxiliary power control circuit. Then, a command based on the magnitude of the measurement value, the pedal rotation speed, etc. is sent from the auxiliary power control circuit to the motor control board, resulting in the generation of an appropriate amount of auxiliary power.

[0006] Thus, in the auxiliary power unit, power is supplied to strain sensor EA3 and communication with strain sensor EA3 is performed via primary board EA7 and secondary board EA5. If contactless power supply and wireless communication between primary board EA7 and secondary board EA5 are not performed as expected, the auxiliary power unit will not be able to generate appropriate auxiliary power, so it is very important to check whether primary board EA7 and secondary board EA5 are operating normally as part of the electrically assisted bicycle.

[0007] As in the prior art described above, if an actual electrically assisted bicycle, or a housing equivalent to the actual bicycle or a rotating body equivalent to the crankshaft, is prepared, the above-mentioned circuit board is installed in it, and an inspection is performed, it is possible to confirm the normal operation of the circuit board in the electrically assisted bicycle. However, performing an inspection in this manner requires the appropriate equipment and space, which creates various constraints, so there is a need for a space-saving and simple inspection environment.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technology for inspecting the operation of components incorporated into an electrically assisted bicycle using space-saving and simple equipment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the electric assisted bicycle inspection system of the present invention is an inspection system for an electric assisted bicycle having an auxiliary power unit that generates auxiliary power while riding, and is equipped with a DC power supply connected to a primary board that is responsible for contactless power transmission and wireless communication when incorporated into the auxiliary power unit, a strain sensor that is connected to a secondary board that is responsible for contactless power reception from the primary board and wireless communication with the primary board when incorporated into the auxiliary power unit, and operates on power supplied from the DC power supply through the primary board and secondary board, and a signal transceiver that generates a signal instructing the strain sensor to respond and sends it to the primary board or secondary board, and receives the value output by the strain sensor in accordance with the instruction from the secondary board or primary board, and simulates the situation around the primary board and secondary board in the auxiliary power unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, the signal transceiver is responsible for generating control signals for the strain sensors, which are handled by the auxiliary power control circuit in the auxiliary power unit, and receiving the values ​​output from the strain sensors in response to these signals from the primary board. Therefore, the auxiliary power unit is not required when inspecting the normal operation of the primary and secondary boards when they are installed in the auxiliary power unit, and the inspection can be carried out using space-saving, simple equipment that simulates the conditions around the primary and secondary boards in the auxiliary power unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 10 is a diagram showing a communication signal waveform acquired by an oscilloscope in an inspection carried out using the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1. FIG. [Figure 3]1 is a diagram showing a simplified view of a crankshaft and its surrounding area in an electrically assisted bicycle. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1′ as a comparative example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1 according to one embodiment. In the block diagram, thick arrows indicate power supply, and thin arrows indicate communication. Solid arrows indicate wired transmission, and dashed arrows indicate wireless transmission (the same applies to Figure 4). The term "inspection" includes testing of products before they are shipped, inspections during maintenance, and the like.

[0013] The electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1 is a system that inspects the primary and secondary boards incorporated into the auxiliary power unit (electric assist unit) of an electrically assisted bicycle to check whether or not contactless power supply (power transmission from the primary board, power reception by the secondary board) from the primary board to the secondary board connected to the strain sensor, and whether or not wireless communication between the two is normal. The primary and secondary boards use coils mounted on each board to perform contactless power supply, and also perform wireless communication by amplitude modulation using the coils as antennas and a power wave as a carrier wave.

[0014] First, a conventional electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1' will be briefly described as a comparative example to facilitate understanding of the features of the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1'.

[0015] In the past, an actual auxiliary power unit, or a housing and rotor equivalent to the actual unit, was prepared, and the substrate to be inspected (test subject) was installed in this for inspection. That is, an electric-assisted bicycle inspection system 1' of the comparative example includes, for example, a dedicated battery 2' that supplies power to the auxiliary power unit, a housing 3' of the auxiliary power unit and an auxiliary power control circuit 4' mounted therein, a rotor 5' corresponding to the drive shaft of the auxiliary power unit, and a strain sensor 6' bonded to the rotor 5'. In the electric-assisted bicycle inspection system 1', a primary board B1 is connected to the auxiliary power control circuit 4' via a BtoB connector and fixed to the housing 3', while a secondary board B2 is connected to an FPC equipped with a strain sensor 6' and fixed to the rotor 5', and then inspections of the primary board B1 and the secondary board B2 are carried out sequentially.

[0016] At this time, with regard to power supply, a substantially constant amount of power is supplied from the battery 2' and transmitted to the strain sensor 6' via the auxiliary power control circuit 4', the primary board B1, and the secondary board B2, thereby activating the strain sensor 6'. With regard to communication, when the MCU (microcontroller unit) mounted on the auxiliary power control circuit 4' outputs a control signal instructing the strain sensor 6' to respond, this control signal is transmitted to the strain sensor 6' via the primary board B1 and the secondary board B2. In response to this control signal, the strain sensor 6' outputs a measurement value. At this time, the maximum current is consumed by the strain sensor 6'. The measurement value output from the strain sensor 6' is transmitted to the MCU of the auxiliary power control circuit 4' via the secondary board B2 and the primary board B1. If the measurement value received by the MCU in the judgment PC 8' connected to the auxiliary power control circuit 4' is the expected value (a value that conforms to the specifications previously input into the judgment PC 8'), the test object is determined to be normal.

[0017] Thus, while the comparative example of the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1' allows inspection in an environment similar to that of the actual machine, it requires a housing and rotating body equivalent to that of the actual auxiliary power unit, and space is also required to install such equipment and to rotate the rotating body, which creates significant constraints.

[0018] In contrast, as shown in FIG. 1, the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1 of the embodiment does not have a housing or rotating body equivalent to that of an actual auxiliary power unit, but instead includes, for example, a general-purpose DC power supply 2, a strain sensor 6, a signal transceiver 7, and an evaluation PC 8. In the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1, the signal transceiver 7 is responsible for outputting control signals to the strain sensor and receiving measurement values ​​from the primary board B1, which in the comparative example are performed by an MCU installed in the auxiliary power control circuit. This eliminates the need for an auxiliary power control circuit, and also eliminates the need for equipment equivalent to that of the actual auxiliary power unit and a battery equivalent to that of the actual unit to power it. Therefore, the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1 is provided with a small DC power supply 2 for power supply.

[0019] The signal transceiver 7 is implemented on, for example, an FPGA (field programmable gate array), and generates a control signal instructing the strain sensor 6 to respond and transmits it to an appropriate location, thereby causing the strain sensor 6 to respond (output a measurement value), thereby simulating the maximum current consumption by the strain sensor in the auxiliary power unit. The signal transceiver 7 also receives the measurement value output from the strain sensor 6 in response to the control signal, as well as the measurement value passed on from the strain sensor 6 and the test object, and transmits it to the judgment PC 8.

[0020] In response to this, the judgment PC 8 checks whether the measurement value output by the strain sensor 6 has been received normally by the test object, and if the test object receives a value identical to the measurement value output by the strain sensor 6 (or a value that meets the standard pre-entered in the judgment PC 8), it judges that the test object is normal (= passed). The judgment PC 8 is, for example, a general computer equipped with a CPU, RAM, HDD, and standard I / F, on which judgment programs and data are installed.

[0021] In the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1, the strain sensor 6 is connected to a signal transmitter / receiver 7. During inspection, the primary board B1 and secondary board B2 are each connected to the signal transmitter / receiver 7, the primary board B1 is connected to a DC power supply 2, the secondary board B2 is connected to an FPC on which the strain sensor 6 is mounted, and the primary board B1 and secondary board B2 are placed in predetermined positions, and then inspection of the primary board B1 and secondary board B2 is carried out. In this way, in the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1, inspection is carried out in a state that simulates the situation around the primary board and secondary board in an auxiliary power unit.

[0022] However, the inspection of the primary board B1 and the secondary board B2 is not carried out simultaneously, but is carried out sequentially with one being the object to be inspected. In the inspection of the primary board B1 as the object to be inspected, a secondary board that has been confirmed to be normal is set on the secondary board B2, and in the inspection of the secondary board B2 as the object to be inspected, a primary board that has been confirmed to be normal is set on the primary board B1.

[0023] Furthermore, depending on which board is being inspected, the destination of the control signal generated by the signal transceiver 7 and directed to the strain sensor 6 is switched, and the control signal is sent to the board that is not being inspected. Specifically, when inspecting the primary board B1, the control signal is transmitted from the signal transceiver 7 to the secondary board B2, and it is confirmed whether the measurement value output by the strain sensor 6 in response to this is properly received by the primary board B1. Furthermore, when inspecting the secondary board B2, the control signal is transmitted from the signal transceiver 7 to the primary board B1, and it is confirmed whether this control signal is properly transmitted to the strain sensor 6 via the secondary board B2, and whether the measurement value output by the strain sensor 6 in response to this is properly received by the secondary board B2.

[0024] In the comparative example, the strain sensor 6' is linked to the rotation of the rotating body 5' when the inspection is carried out, so the measurement value output by the strain sensor 6' has a magnitude corresponding to the movement, whereas in the embodiment, there is no rotating body and no movement occurs in the strain sensor 6 when the inspection is carried out, so the measurement value output by the strain sensor 6 is a very small value, but it is still possible to confirm that the strain sensor 6 has responded to the control signal (that the strain sensor 6 is operating).

[0025] In the embodiment, taking this into consideration, in addition to checking whether the measurement value output by the strain sensor 6 is received normally by the subject of inspection through various locations, a value that is expected to be output from the strain sensor when the drive shaft of the actual auxiliary power unit is rotating (for example, signal data output when the drive shaft is rotating that is input in advance to the signal transceiver 7, or equivalent signal data generated by the signal transceiver 7) is output by the signal transceiver 7, and it is also checked whether this expected value is received normally by the subject of inspection through various locations. In other words, the normality of reception by the subject of inspection is checked based on the reception status of the signal (measurement value) output by the strain sensor 6 and the reception status of the signal (expected value) output by the signal transceiver 7 instead of the strain sensor 6.

[0026] The judgment PC 8 judges whether the test object passes or fails based on these confirmation results. If it is judged that the reception of the measured values ​​and the reception of the expected values ​​are both normal, the test object passes. In this regard, instead of judging both the reception of the measured values ​​and the reception of the expected values, it is possible to switch between which judgment to make depending on the situation. Alternatively, it is also possible to configure the system to judge only one of the two. If the system is configured to judge only the normality of the reception of the measured values, there is no need to output the expected values ​​from the signal transceiver 7. On the other hand, if the system is configured to judge only the normality of the reception of the expected values, there is no need to receive the measured values, and therefore the strain sensor 6 is not required, making it possible to further reduce the space required and simplify the configuration of the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a communication signal waveform acquired by an oscilloscope on the primary board B1 during the inspection of the primary board B1 carried out using the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1.

[0028] The waveform shown at the bottom of the figure indicates a signal (WPT_1st_REQ) requesting amplitude modulation transmitted at a substantially regular interval from the signal transceiver 7, and the waveform shown at the top indicates a signal (WPT_1st_WT) related to amplitude modulation in the primary substrate B1. Note that "WPT" here refers to a system in which power is supplied wirelessly and information is transmitted via power waves. The W amplitude in the WT signal indicates the wireless signal amplitude, and the T amplitude indicates the wireless transmission amplitude. The following explanation follows a chronological order.

[0029] Time t1 to t2: The WPT_1st_REQ signal goes High, and the WPT_1st_WT signal goes Low (T_Low), and an instruction is given from the signal transceiver 7 to perform amplitude modulation between the primary board B1 and the secondary board B2.

[0030] From time t2 to t5, the WPT_1st_REQ signal goes low, and the level of the WPT_1st_WT signal rises by one step, changing from T_Low to T_High. Amplitude modulation is performed between the primary and secondary substrates B1 and B2, enabling communication. During roughly the first half of this period, a control signal is sent to one of the two strain sensors 6a, 6b, instructing it to respond. During roughly the second half of this period, the measurement value output from the strain sensor 6a in response to this instruction is transferred from the secondary substrate B2 to the primary substrate B2. From time t3 to t4, the level of the WT signal intermittently rises by another step, changing from W_Low (=T_High) to W_High. Here, the primary substrate B1 extracts the information transmitted from the modulated wave and converts it into a signal.

[0031] Time t5 to t6: The WPT_1st_REQ signal goes High again, and the WPT_1st_WT signal goes Low (T_Low), and an instruction is given from the signal transceiver 7 to perform amplitude modulation between the primary board B1 and the secondary board B2.

[0032] From time t6 to t9, the WPT_1st_REQ signal goes low again, and the level of the WPT_1st_WT signal rises by one step, changing from T_Low to T_High. Amplitude modulation is performed between the primary substrate B1 and the secondary substrate B2, enabling communication. During roughly the first half of this period, a control signal is sent to the other of the two strain sensors 6a, 6b, instructing the other sensor 6b to respond. During roughly the latter half of this period, the measurement value output from the other strain sensor 6b in response to the instruction is passed from the secondary substrate B2 to the primary substrate B2. The intermittent rise in the level of the WT signal from time t7 to t8 is similar to the situation from time t3 to t4.

[0033] In this way, amplitude modulation is performed at a substantially constant cycle between the primary substrate B1 and the secondary substrate B2, and response instructions are issued cyclically to the multiple strain sensors 6 one by one. Then, the measured values ​​output from the instructed strain sensors 6 are passed from the secondary substrate B2 to the primary substrate B1, where information is extracted from the modulated wave and converted into a signal. This signal is then transmitted to the signal transceiver 7.

[0034] The communication signal waveforms acquired by the oscilloscope in the above inspection are generally similar to the communication signal waveforms acquired on the primary board B1 installed in the actual device. Furthermore, although not shown, the communication signal waveforms acquired by the oscilloscope on the secondary board B2 during the inspection of the secondary board B2 are also generally similar to the communication signal waveforms acquired on the secondary board B2 installed in the actual device. This demonstrates that the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1 appropriately reproduces the conditions of each board and its surroundings in the actual device, and that the same results can be obtained as when the test subject is installed in the actual device and inspected.

[0035] As described above, the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1 makes it possible to inspect the operation of the primary and secondary boards when incorporated into an auxiliary power unit in an environment that simulates the conditions around the primary and secondary boards in the auxiliary power unit, without using the auxiliary power unit itself. Furthermore, because the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1 is constructed using simple, space-saving equipment, it can be installed near the board manufacturing line, enabling inspections to be carried out efficiently.

[0036] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various modifications. In the above-described embodiment, the signal transceiver 7 is implemented on an FPGA in consideration of cost and flexibility, but the signal transceiver 7 may be implemented on a PLD (programmable logic device) that allows on-site rewriting of the program, and instead of an FPGA, for example, an MPU (microprocessor unit) or a CPLD (complex programmable logic device) may be used. Alternatively, if the program to be implemented is fixed, rewriting of the program is not necessary, and therefore the signal transceiver 7 can also be implemented on a general circuit board.

[0037] In the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which two strain sensors 6 are arranged in the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 1 in correspondence with an electrically assisted bicycle having two strain sensors arranged on the crankshaft, but the number of strain sensors 6 arranged in the electrically assisted bicycle inspection system can be changed as appropriate to match the number of strain sensors arranged on the crankshaft of the corresponding electrically assisted bicycle. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the primary board and secondary board each consist of a single board, but each may also consist of multiple boards. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 1 Electrically assisted bicycle inspection system 2 DC power supply 6 Strain Sensor 7 Signal Transmitter / Receiver 8. Decision made using PC B1 primary substrate B2 secondary substrate

Claims

1. An inspection system for an electrically assisted bicycle having an auxiliary power unit that generates auxiliary power while riding, a DC power supply connected to a primary board that performs contactless power transmission and wireless communication when incorporated into the auxiliary power unit; a strain sensor that is connected to a secondary board that receives power from the primary board in a non-contact manner and communicates wirelessly with the primary board when incorporated into the auxiliary power unit, and that operates with power supplied from the DC power supply through the primary board and the secondary board; a signal transceiver that generates a signal instructing the strain sensor to respond, transmits the signal to the primary board or the secondary board, and receives the value output by the strain sensor in response to the instruction from the secondary board or the primary board; and an inspection system for an electrically assisted bicycle, the inspection system comprising: a first circuit board and a second circuit board in the auxiliary power unit;

2. The inspection system for an electrically assisted bicycle according to claim 1, The strain sensor includes: The same number of strain sensors are provided as the number of strain sensors provided on the drive shaft in the auxiliary power unit, The signal transceiver comprises: Instead of the strain sensor, an estimated value that is expected to be output by the strain sensor can be output, An inspection system for an electrically assisted bicycle, characterized in that when determining the normality of reception on the primary board or the secondary board, the object of reception can be switched between the output value from the strain sensor or the expected value.

3. An inspection system for an electrically assisted bicycle having an auxiliary power unit that generates auxiliary power while riding, a DC power supply connected to a primary board that performs contactless power transmission and wireless communication when incorporated into the auxiliary power unit; a signal transceiver that outputs an estimated value that is expected to be output by the strain sensor, instead of the strain sensor connected to a secondary board that receives power contactlessly from the primary board and communicates wirelessly with the primary board when the strain sensor is incorporated into the auxiliary power unit, and receives the estimated value from the secondary board or the primary board; and an inspection system for an electrically assisted bicycle, the inspection system comprising: a first circuit board and a second circuit board in the auxiliary power unit;

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