Motorized Mid-Drive Unit

Abstract

Various motor-driven mid-drive units are disclosed. A motor-driven mid-drive unit may be configured to drive a vehicle such as a bicycle having one or more cranks and driven wheels. A motor-driven mid-drive unit may comprise an electric motor, a reducer, a gearbox (which may include one or more gears), a first unidirectional bearing, and a second unidirectional bearing. The first unidirectional bearing can deliver power from the electric motor to the driven wheels. The second unidirectional bearing can deliver power from one or more cranks to the driven wheels. The reducer can reduce the rotational speed output from the electric motor that can be delivered to the driven wheels. A motor-driven mid-drive unit can propel a vehicle by one or more cranks, by the electric motor, and / or by one or more cranks and the electric motor simultaneously.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Incorporation by reference to priority applications This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 496,883, filed on April 18, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. All applications for which foreign or domestic priority is claimed in the application data sheet filed together with this application are hereby incorporated by reference in this specification under 37 CFR 1.57.

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to a vehicle such as a bicycle or tricycle having a pedal assembly and a motor assembly.

Background Art

[0003] A vehicle can be driven by a pedal assembly that rotates a chain wheel axially offset from the driven wheel of the vehicle. A chain can be used to deliver power from the chain wheel to the driven wheel of the vehicle. Such a vehicle can alternatively be driven by a motor configured to transmit power to the driven wheel of the vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When a motor is also used to drive a chainring, the motor's operation can affect the operation of the pedal assembly by driving undesirable movement of the pedal assembly. For example, the motor's operation may cause the pedals of the pedal assembly to rotate. The presence of the motor may also introduce frictional losses to the operation of the pedal assembly. For example, at least a portion of the power generated from the rotation of the foot pedals of the pedal assembly may be lost due to friction from the motor. A motor incorporated into a vehicle such as a bicycle may output a rotational speed that is undesirable (e.g., too fast) and / or provides low torque. Devices described herein (e.g., gearboxes, mid-drive units, etc.) can address one or more of the above problems, and at least some of the other problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In certain embodiments, a gearbox adapted for use in a mid-drive e-bike is disclosed herein. The e-bike may comprise a foot pedal (e.g., a pedal) and a driven wheel. The gearbox may comprise an electric motor, a plurality of gears, a first unidirectional bearing, and / or a second unidirectional bearing. The first unidirectional bearing can deliver power from the electric motor to the driven wheel. The second unidirectional bearing can deliver power from the foot pedal to the driven wheel. The gearbox can allow the user to propel the e-bike using only the foot pedal, only the electric motor, and / or simultaneously using both the foot pedal and the electric motor. The gearbox may comprise a motor reducer that can reduce the output speed of the motor and / or increase the torque.

[0007] In some variations, motorized mid-drive units configured to drive a bicycle having one or more cranks and driven wheels are disclosed herein. The motorized mid-drive unit may include an electric motor. The motorized mid-drive unit may include a gearbox. The gearbox may include an eccentric cam. The gearbox may include a gear disc coupled to the eccentric cam. The gearbox may include a ring gear interacting with the outward-facing teeth of the gear disc. The gearbox may include a gearbox output gear interacting with the inward-facing teeth of the gear disc. The motorized mid-drive unit may include one or more gears. The motorized mid-drive unit may include a first unidirectional bearing. The motorized mid-drive unit may include a second unidirectional bearing. The first unidirectional bearing can deliver power from the electric motor to the driven wheels. The second unidirectional bearing can deliver power from one or more cranks to the driven wheels. The gearbox can reduce the rotational speed output from the electric motor and delivered to the driven wheels. A motorized mid-drive unit can propel the user of the bicycle using only one or more cranks, only the electric motor, and / or simultaneously with one or more cranks and the electric motor.

[0008] In some variations, one or more gears may be equipped with a chainwheel that can receive power from an electric motor and one or more cranks and transmit the power to a driven wheel via a chain.

[0009] In some variations, one or more gears may comprise an output gear. The motorized mid-drive unit may comprise a pedal shaft rotatably connected to one or more cranks. The chainwheel may be rotatably connected to the output gear. The output gear may be rotatably connected to the pedal shaft.

[0010] In some variations, the output gear is rotatably connected to the pedal shaft by a second unidirectional bearing.

[0011] In some variations, one or more gears may comprise a first output gear and a second output gear. The first output gear may be made to interact with the second output gear. The first output gear can facilitate the transmission of power from an electric motor to the chainwheel. The second output gear can facilitate the transmission of power from an electric motor and one or more cranks to the chainwheel.

[0012] In some variations, the first unidirectional bearing can be coupled to a first output gear. The second unidirectional bearing can be coupled to a second output gear. The rotation of the inner ring of the first unidirectional bearing in the first direction can lock the first unidirectional bearing to facilitate the transmission of power from an electric motor to the first output gear. The rotation of the inner ring of the second unidirectional bearing in the second direction can lock the second unidirectional bearing to facilitate the transmission of power from one or more cranks to the second output gear.

[0013] In some variations, the eccentric cam can be rotatably connected to the motor shaft of an electric motor. The eccentric cam can be connected to a gear disk. The eccentric cam can rotate the gear disk around an elliptical path.

[0014] In some variations, a ring gear can reduce the rotational speed of the gear disk when the gear disk interacts with the ring gear along an elliptical path.

[0015] In some variations, the gear disc can reduce the rotational speed of the reducer output gear. The reducer output gear can facilitate the transmission of power from the electric motor to the driven wheels.

[0016] In some variations, the gear disc may comprise a first inner portion and a second inner portion spaced axially apart from each other. The first inner portion may be interacted with an eccentric cam. The second inner portion may be interacted with a reduction gear output gear.

[0017] In some variations, the gear disc can increase the amount of torque delivered from the electric motor to the driven wheel.

[0018] In some variations, the gearbox can form part of a mid-drive unit that is axially offset from the axis of rotation of the driven wheel.

[0019] In some variations, gearboxes for bicycles are disclosed herein. The gearbox may include a motor. The gearbox may include a reduction gear. The reduction gear may include a cam. The reduction gear may include a gear disc coupled to the cam. The reduction gear may include a ring gear interacting with the external teeth of the gear disc. The reduction gear may include an output gear interacting with the internal teeth of the gear disc. The gearbox may include a first one-way bearing coupled to the output gear. The gearbox may include a first output gear coupled to the first one-way bearing. The gearbox may include a second one-way bearing coupled to a shaft. The gearbox may include a second output gear which may be coupled to the second one-way bearing. The second output gear may interact with the first output gear. The motor can deliver power to the first one-way bearing via the reduction gear in order to drive the first output gear, which in turn rotates the second output gear and thus rotates the chainwheel. The shaft can rotate from the user's pedaling in order to transmit power to the second unidirectional bearing, which drives the second output gear to rotate the chainwheel. The first and second unidirectional bearings can enable the chainwheel to rotate due to power transmitted from the motor but not from the rotation of the shaft due to pedaling, to rotate due to power transmitted from the rotation of the shaft due to pedaling but not from the motor, and to rotate the chainwheel simultaneously due to power from both the motor and the rotation of the shaft due to pedaling.

[0020] In some variations, the cam may be an eccentric cam that can rotate a gear disc around a first axis offset from a second axis of the motor shaft of the motor.

[0021] In some variations, the external teeth of the gear disc can engage with the teeth of a ring gear to slow down the rotational speed of the gear disc.

[0022] In some variations, a gearbox that can be connected to a bicycle is disclosed herein. The gearbox can include an electric motor having a housing and a motor shaft. The gearbox can include an eccentric cam connected to the motor shaft of the electric motor. The electric motor can rotate the eccentric cam around the motor shaft. The gearbox can include a gear disk that can be connected to the eccentric cam. The eccentric cam can rotate the gear disk in an elliptical path. The gearbox can include a ring gear that can interact with the outer periphery of the gear disk. The ring gear can be fixed relative to the housing. The ring gear can reduce the rotational speed of the gear disk. The gearbox can include an output gear that can interact with the inner periphery of the gear disk. The gear disk can reduce the rotational speed of the output gear. The output gear can deliver motive power to a driven wheel of the bicycle.

[0023] In some variations, the eccentric cam can be connected to a first inner portion of a gear disk without gear teeth.

[0024] In some variations, the inner periphery of the gear disk can include a plurality of gear teeth that can engage with the external gear teeth of the output gear.

[0025] In some variations, the outer periphery of the gear disk can include external gear teeth that can interact with the internal gear teeth of the ring gear along an elliptical path.

[0026] In some variations, the output gear can rotate a first output gear by rotating a first one-way bearing in a locking configuration. The first output gear can be made to interact with a second output gear. The rotation of the second output gear can drive a chain wheel of the bicycle to provide motive power to the bicycle.

[0027] In some variations, gearboxes for vehicles comprising driven wheels and pedal assemblies including chainwheels and shafts are disclosed herein. The gearbox may comprise a motor assembly including an output shaft. The gearbox may comprise a motor reducer assembly. The motor reducer assembly may comprise a cam positioned on the output shaft. The cam may have an eccentric profile. The motor reducer assembly may comprise a gear disc coupled to the cam. The motor reducer assembly may comprise a ring gear interacting with the external teeth of the gear disc. The motor reducer assembly may comprise an output gear interacting with the internal teeth of the gear disc. The motor reducer assembly can drive the rotation of the output gear at a speed reduced relative to the rotational speed of the output shaft of the motor assembly. The gearbox may comprise a first unidirectional bearing coupled to the output gear. The gearbox may comprise a first output gear coupled to the first unidirectional bearing. The gearbox may comprise a second unidirectional bearing configured to be coupled to the shaft of the pedal assembly. The gearbox may comprise a second output gear coupled to the second unidirectional bearing. The second output gear can interact with the first output gear and be connected to the chainwheel of the pedal assembly. The motor assembly can rotate its output shaft to drive the rotation of the first output gear, which in turn rotates the second output gear and chainwheel, driving the rotation of the driven wheels and propelling the vehicle. The shaft of the pedal assembly can rotate from pedaling to drive the rotation of the second output gear and chainwheel, driving the rotation of the driven wheels and propelling the vehicle. The first one-way bearing, by sliding, can drive the rotation of the second output gear on the pedal assembly shaft without driving the rotation of the output shaft. The second one-way bearing, by sliding, can drive the rotation of the second output gear on the motor assembly's output shaft without driving the rotation of the pedal assembly shaft.

[0028] In some variations, the first and second unidirectional bearings can slide, allowing for simultaneous rotation of the output shaft and the pedal assembly shaft.

[0029] In some variations, the pedal assembly may include a chain connecting the chainwheel to the sprocket of the driven wheel.

[0030] In some variations, the motor reducer assembly can increase the torque delivered by the motor assembly.

[0031] In some variations, the ring gear can increase the torque delivered by the motor assembly.

[0032] In some variations, the gear disc can increase the torque delivered by the motor assembly.

[0033] In some variations, the interaction between the ring gear and the external teeth of the gear disc can slow down the rotation of the gear disc relative to the output shaft.

[0034] In some variations, the interaction between the output gear and the internal teeth of the gear disc can slow down the rotation of the output gear relative to the gear disc.

[0035] In some variations, the cam can rotate the gear disc along an elliptical path.

[0036] In some variants, the elliptical path is off-axis from the rotation axis of the output shaft.

[0037] In some variants, motor units for vehicles with pedal assemblies are disclosed herein. The motor unit may comprise a motor assembly including an output shaft. The motor unit may comprise a motor reducer assembly. The motor reducer assembly may comprise a cam positioned on the output shaft. The cam may have an eccentric profile. The motor reducer assembly may comprise a gear disc coupled to the cam. The motor reducer assembly may comprise a ring gear interacting with the external teeth of the gear disc. The motor reducer assembly may comprise an output gear interacting with the internal teeth of the gear disc. The motor reducer assembly can drive the rotation of the output gear at a speed reduced relative to the rotational speed of the output shaft of the motor assembly.

[0038] In some variations, the motor reducer assembly can increase the torque delivered by the motor assembly.

[0039] In some variations, the interaction between the gear disc and the ring gear can increase the torque delivered by the motor assembly.

[0040] In some variations, the gear disc can increase the torque delivered by the motor assembly.

[0041] In some variations, the interaction between the ring gear and the external teeth of the gear disc can slow down the rotation of the gear disc relative to the output shaft.

[0042] In some variations, the interaction between the output gear and the internal teeth of the gear disc can slow down the rotation of the output gear relative to the gear disc.

[0043] In some variations, the cam can rotate the gear disc along an elliptical path.

[0044] In some variations, the elliptical path can be deviated from the axis of rotation of the output shaft.

[0045] In some variations, gearboxes for vehicles, including driven wheels and pedal assemblies comprising chainwheels and shafts, are disclosed herein. The gearbox may include a motor unit.

[0046] In some variations, the gearbox may include a first one-way bearing connected to the output gear. The gearbox may include a first output gear connected to the first one-way bearing. The gearbox may include a second one-way bearing that can be connected to the shaft of the pedal assembly. The gearbox may include a second output gear that can be connected to the second one-way bearing. The second output gear can be made to interact with the first output gear. The second output gear can be connected to the chainwheel of the pedal assembly. The motor assembly can propel the vehicle by rotating the output shaft to drive the rotation of the first output gear, which in turn rotates the second output gear and the chainwheel, which in turn drives the rotation of the driven wheels. The shaft of the pedal assembly can rotate from pedaling to drive the rotation of the second output gear and the chainwheel, which in turn drives the rotation of the driven wheels, thereby propelling the vehicle. The first one-way bearing can, by sliding, drive the rotation of the second output gear on the shaft of the pedal assembly without driving the rotation of the output shaft. The second unidirectional bearing, by sliding, can drive the motor assembly's output shaft to rotate the first output gear, thereby rotating the second output gear without driving the pedal assembly's shaft.

[0047] In some variants, motor reducer units for vehicles with pedal assemblies are disclosed herein. The motor reducer unit may include a cam positioned on the output shaft of the motor unit. The cam may have an eccentric profile. The motor reducer unit may include a gear disc coupled to the cam. The motor reducer unit may include a ring gear interacting with the external teeth of the gear disc. The motor reducer unit may include an output gear interacting with the internal teeth of the gear disc. The motor reducer unit can drive the rotation of the output gear at a reduced speed relative to the rotational speed of the output shaft of the motor unit.

[0048] In some variations, gearboxes for vehicles with pedal assemblies and driven wheels are disclosed herein. The gearbox may comprise a motor including an output shaft. The gearbox may comprise a first output gear positioned on the output shaft, with a first unidirectional bearing positioned between the output shaft and the first output gear. The output shaft can drive the rotation of the first output gear. The gearbox may comprise a second output gear interacting with the first output gear. The second output gear may be positioned on the shaft of the pedal assembly, with a second unidirectional bearing positioned between the shaft and the second output gear. The shaft can drive the rotation of the second output gear. The motor can drive the output shaft to drive the first output gear, which in turn drives the second output gear, thereby rotating the chainwheel of the pedal assembly connected to the second output gear, and thus driving the rotation of the driven wheel. The shaft of the pedal assembly can drive the second output gear, which in turn drives the second output gear, thereby rotating the chainwheel of the pedal assembly connected to the second output gear, and thus driving the rotation of the driven wheel. The first unidirectional bearing can, by sliding, rotate the first output gear at a different speed than the output shaft. The second unidirectional bearing can, by sliding, rotate the second output gear at a different speed than the shaft. The gearbox may include a reduction gear that can reduce the rotational speed of the output shaft relative to the rotational speed driven by the motor.

[0049] Neither the above summary, the following detailed description, nor the associated drawings limit or define the scope of protection. The scope of protection is determined by the claims.

[0050] The above and other features of this disclosure will be more fully apparent from the following description and the accompanying claims, together with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only specific embodiments of this disclosure and should not be considered limitations of the scope of this disclosure, this disclosure will be described in additional specificities and details through the use of the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings are referenced and form part of the detailed description. In the drawings, similar references generally indicate similar components unless the context indicates otherwise. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0051] [Figure 1A] A perspective view of an embodiment of a vehicle is shown, which includes a pedal assembly and a mid-drive unit including a motor assembly for propelling the vehicle. [Figure 1B] This is a left side view of the vehicle shown in Figure 1A. [Figure 1C] Figure 1A is a top-down view of the vehicle. [Figure 1D] This is a right side view of the vehicle shown in Figure 1A. [Figure 1E] This is a right side view of the vehicle shown in Figure 1A, including the chain and sprocket. [Figure 2A] Figure 1A is a perspective view of the gearbox of the vehicle, shown independently of the vehicle. [Figure 2B] Figure 2A is a left side view of the gearbox. [Figure 2C] Figure 2A is a top-plan view of the gearbox. [Figure 2D] Figure 2A is a right side view of the gearbox. [Figure 3A] Figure 2A is a perspective view of specific components of the gearbox without the housing. [Figure 3B] Figure 2A is a perspective view of the components of a gearbox with certain components removed. [Figure 3C] Figure 2A is a top view of the components of the gearbox. [Figure 3D] Figure 2A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the components of the gearbox. [Figure 4A] Figure 2A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the components of the gearbox. [Figure 4B] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating the power path for the power source provided by the pedal assembly. [Figure 4C] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating the power path for the power source provided by the motor assembly. [Figure 4D] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating the combined power paths for the driving force provided by both the pedal assembly and the motor assembly (for example, simultaneously). [Figure 5A] Figure 2A is a perspective view of the components of the gearbox, including the motor assembly with the motor and reducer. [Figure 5B] This is a cross-sectional view of the motor unit shown in Figure 5A, including the motor and gearbox. [Figure 5C] Figure 5A is an exploded view of the motor unit, including the motor and gearbox. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0052] The disclosed technology relates to a motor-driven unit that can be used in vehicles such as electric bicycles (e-bikes). At least some components of the motor-driven unit can be positioned in an intermediate area of ​​the vehicle, such as between the front and rear wheels. In some embodiments, the components positioned in an intermediate area of ​​the vehicle may include a motor-driven mid-drive unit that can be used in electric bicycles, also known as a mid-drive e-bike. Such a motor-driven mid-drive unit can be configured for use in a variety of vehicles, including bicycles, tricycles, and / or other pedal-powered vehicles. Specific embodiments of the mid-drive unit and its components are disclosed in the accompanying drawings that form part of this specification. In certain embodiments, the mid-drive unit may comprise a small motor, a reduction gear, and / or at least two unidirectional bearings. This disclosure can be implemented in the technology described in Patent Document 1, and may include that technology, and may include any of the features disclosed in that patent application, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0053] A. Overview In certain embodiments, a mid-drive vehicle (e.g., an e-bike) may be equipped with a gearbox, which may also be referred to as a gear case and / or transmission. A mid-drive vehicle may comprise a driven wheel (e.g., a rear wheel), a chainwheel (e.g., a chain gear), a pedal assembly with a crank, and / or a bottom bracket shaft. The driven wheel may be of various sizes, including a diameter of approximately 27.5 inches. The gearbox may be configured to connect (e.g., fit) with the vehicle's frame. The gearbox may have connecting (e.g., mounting) features that can connect (e.g., engage) with the frame. In certain implementations, the gearbox can be positioned (e.g., within) the location where the crank connects (e.g., mounts) with the vehicle (e.g., the bottom bracket shaft). In some variations, the gearbox can be positioned (e.g., installed) without modifying the vehicle's frame. The gearbox can facilitate the conversion and / or modification of a non-powered vehicle to a powered vehicle (e.g., a non-powered bike to a powered bike).

[0054] The gearbox may comprise a motor, a reducer, one or more gears, a first unidirectional bearing, and / or a second unidirectional bearing. The motor may be powered by a battery that can be positioned within the gearbox, adjacent to the gearbox, or somewhere on the vehicle. The gearbox may include metal plates, such as being formed from one or more (e.g., two) metal plates. The motor and / or reducer may be positioned between two metal plates, such as being wrapped around the metal plates. The gearbox may include an aluminum extruded component. The motor and / or reducer may be at least partially surrounded by the aluminum extruded component. In certain implementations, the gearbox may comprise a cycloidal gear, a harmonic drive, and / or other eccentric drive mechanisms described herein or elsewhere.

[0055] The gearbox may comprise one or more gears, which may include at least a first gear and a second gear. The first gear may be connected to a first one-way bearing. The second gear may be connected to a second one-way bearing. The first one-way bearing may be configured to transmit power from a motor (e.g., an electric motor) to the driven wheels of a vehicle (e.g., the rear wheels). Power from the electric motor may be transmitted from the electric motor to the first one-way bearing, then to the first gear, then to the second gear, and then to the chainwheel. The chainwheel can drive the driven wheels, and the drive may be facilitated by a chain connecting the chainwheel and the driven wheels. The second one-way bearing can facilitate the transmission of power from the bottom bracket shaft of the pedal assembly to the driven wheels. Power from the crank may be transmitted to the bottom bracket shaft, then to the second one-way bearing, then to the second gear, and then to the chainwheel. The gearbox may be configured to allow the user to drive the vehicle at one or more times, and / or simultaneously, by pedaling one or more cranks of the pedal assembly and an electric motor. In certain implementations, the user can rotate the foot pedals backward while the motor drives the rotation of the driven wheel. In various embodiments, the user's pedaling does not drive the motor, and / or the motor does not resist the user's pedaling. The motor may be small enough to avoid interference with the user pedaling the vehicle.

[0056] A gearbox may comprise a cam, a gear disc, an output gear, and / or a ring gear. The cam may be coupled to the motor shaft of the motor. The cam may have an eccentric profile and / or may be configured to rotate eccentrically. For example, the cam may have an elliptical profile and / or may be configured to rotate around an axis of rotation that is not collinear with the axial center of the cam. The gear disc may be configured to be coupled to the cam. The external teeth of the gear disc may interact with the ring gear, which can control (e.g., reduce) the rotational speed of the gear disc relative to the rotational speed of the motor shaft of the motor. The internal teeth of the gear disc may interact with the external teeth of the output gear, which can control (e.g., reduce) the rotational speed of the output gear relative to the rotational speed of the gear disc. The output gear may be coupled to a first gear, which may include passing through a first unidirectional bearing. Thus, the gearbox can reduce the rotational speed of the first gear relative to the motor shaft, which can increase torque. The gearbox can form part of a mid-drive unit that is axially offset from the axis of rotation of the driven wheel.

[0057] B. Vehicles with mid-drive units - Figures 1A to 1E Figures 1A to 1E show various diagrams of a vehicle 100 comprising a pedal assembly 110 and a mid-drive unit 116 including a gearbox 120. The vehicle 100 could be a bicycle (e.g., an e-bike), a tricycle, or other vehicle. The vehicle 100 may comprise a driven wheel 102 (e.g., a rear wheel) and a frame 104. Although not shown, the vehicle 100 may also comprise a front wheel. The frame 104 may comprise a seat tube 106 and a down tube 108, among many other features (e.g., seat stays, chain stays, head tube, top tube, etc.).

[0058] The gearbox 120 (e.g., gear case, transmission) may be positioned in or within (e.g., in close proximity to) the region where the downtube 108 or its axial projection intersects with the seat tube 106 or its axial projection. The gearbox 120 can be positioned at the intersection of the seat tube 106 and the downtube 108. The gearbox 120 may have a housing 122.

[0059] The pedal assembly 110 may include a pedal shaft 132 (e.g., a shaft, a crankshaft) that can extend through the gearbox 120 (e.g., one side of the shaft 132 protruding from one side of the gearbox 120 and the other side of the shaft 132 protruding from the other side of the gearbox 120). The pedal assembly 110 may include one or more cranks 130 (e.g., two cranks positioned side by side on either side of the pedal shaft 132) that can be connected to both sides of the pedal shaft 132. Although not shown in Figures 1A to 1E, one or more cranks 130 can each be connected to a pedal at their outer end or free end to support the pedal.

[0060] The gearbox 120 may be operably coupled to, or equipped with, a torque transmission device such as a chainwheel 140 (e.g., a chain gear) which may include one or more chainwheel teeth 142. As shown in Figure 1E, the chainwheel 140 may be operably coupled to the driven wheel 102 by a chain 105 (for example, the chain 105 may be routed, such as being made into a loop around the sprocket 103 of the driven wheel 102). The driven wheel 102 may be driven by power transmitted from the chainwheel 140 to the chain 105 and then to the sprocket 103 of the driven wheel 102 in order to rotate the driven wheel 102. For example, the rotation of the chainwheel 140, which may be driven by the user pedaling a pedal connected to a crank 130, can drive the chain 105 to rotate the rear wheel 102 (e.g., the sprocket 103 of the driven wheel 102). One or more chainwheel teeth 142 can interact with the chain 105 to transmit power from the chainwheel 140 to the driven wheel 102. In some implementations, the front wheel may be the driven wheel 102.

[0061] As described herein, the gearbox 120 may include a motor assembly (e.g., a motor reducer assembly) that can provide power to drive (e.g., rotate) the driven wheels 102 of the vehicle 100. A pedal assembly 110 (e.g., a pedal shaft 132, a crank 130, and pedals) can provide power to drive (e.g., rotate) the driven wheels 102 of the vehicle 100. The power can be delivered along at least partially separate paths passing through the gearbox 120, but can converge to a common output section in the components within the gearbox 120. Before the common output section, the separate power paths can be isolated from each other by, for example, their respective unidirectional bearings positioned along each power path, as will be described in more detail later.

[0062] C. External features of the gearbox - Figures 2A to 2D Figures 2A to 2D show various diagrams of the gearbox 120 of vehicle 100 shown in Figures 1A to 1D. The gearbox 120 may comprise a housing 122 that can at least partially enclose multiple components (e.g., motor assemblies 160) arranged along different axes of rotation or multiple axes of rotation. The housing 122 may be made of a variety of materials, including at least plastic and / or metal (e.g., die-cast alloy). The housing 122 may be dimensionally determined so as to be insertable into or extend into the spaces between components of the vehicle frame 104. The housing 122 may generally be elliptical in shape, but other shapes are also conceivable.

[0063] The housing 122 of the gearbox 120 can be connected (e.g., fixed) to the frame 104 of the vehicle 100. For example, the gearbox 120 can be assembled to the vehicle 100 or the frame 104 through the crankshaft or pedal shaft 132. The gearbox 120 can be connected to an intermediate component (e.g., a bracket) that connects to the frame 104, and / or can be directly connected to the frame 104 (e.g., the seat tube 106 and / or down tube 108) via one or more fasteners (e.g., clamps, bolts, screws, etc.). In some embodiments, the gearbox 120 can be welded and / or glued to the frame 104. In some variations, the gearbox may be an integral part of the frame 104.

[0064] As shown in the diagram, the pedal shaft 132 extends through the housing 122 of the gearbox 120 and can protrude from both sides of the housing 122. The protruding ends of the pedal shaft 132 can be connected to a crank 130 which can be connected to a pedal.

[0065] D. Internal features of the gearbox - Figures 3A to 3D Figures 3A to 3D show the gearbox 120 with a portion of the housing 122 removed to show the components inside the gearbox 120. Figure 3A shows a perspective view of the gearbox 120 with one or more metal plates 158 (e.g., two metal plates) and an extruded part 156 positioned between the one or more metal plates 158 to enclose the components of the gearbox 120. For example, the extruded part 156 and the one or more metal plates 158 can enclose a portion of the pedal shaft 132 and the motor assembly 160. Figure 3B shows a perspective view of the gearbox 120 with the housing 122 removed along with the metal plates 158 and the extruded part 156. Figures 3C and 3D show a top view and a schematic cross-sectional view of the gearbox 120, respectively. For illustrative purposes, the crank 130 is not shown in Figures 3B and 3C, and Figure 3D shows only one of the cranks 130 connected to the pedal 112. As illustrated, the gearbox 120 may comprise a motor assembly 160, a first unidirectional bearing 134 (e.g., a motor unidirectional bearing), a first output gear 144 (e.g., a motor output gear), a second unidirectional bearing 136 (e.g., a pedal unidirectional bearing), and / or a second output gear 146 (e.g., a pedal output gear). Each component of the gearbox 120 can facilitate the driving force to move the vehicle 100 in a certain direction (e.g., forward) (e.g., propel it).

[0066] D. Two power paths in the gearbox - Figures 4A to 4D Figures 4A to 4D schematically show the components of the gearbox 120 with a rotating axis, the power paths for the driving force provided by the pedal assembly 110 (for example, via one or more cranks 130), the power paths for the driving force provided by the motor assembly 160, and the combined power paths for the driving force provided simultaneously by both the pedal assembly and the motor assembly 160.

[0067] As shown in Figure 4A, the gearbox 120 may include a pedal shaft 132 that can rotate around a second rotation axis 137. The pedal shaft 132 may be coupled to a second unidirectional bearing 136 (e.g., a pedal unidirectional bearing) and a second output gear 146, and may be coaxial with them. The second unidirectional bearing 136 may be radially positioned between the pedal shaft 132 and the second output gear 146, and the second unidirectional bearing 136 may be coupled to the second output gear 146. The second output gear 146 may be coupled to a chainwheel 140, which may be integrally coupled via a coupling 148 (e.g., an annular structure, a ring) positioned between the second output gear 146 and the chainwheel 140. In some variations, the coupling 148 is not directly coupled to the pedal shaft 132. The pedal shaft 132, second output gear 146, second unidirectional bearing 136, coupling 148, and / or chainwheel 140 may be centered around a second rotation axis 137. The pedal shaft 132, second output gear 146, second unidirectional bearing 136, coupling 148, and / or chainwheel 140 may rotate together in a first rotational direction (e.g., forward rotational direction) when the user pedals the pedals connected to the crank 130 in a first rotational direction in order to provide forward propulsion.

[0068] During operation, in order to deliver driving force via the pedal assembly 110 without the motor assembly 160, the pedal shaft 132 can be rotated in a first direction by the application of one or more forces to the pedal 112 connected to the crank 130 to deliver rotational power to the chainwheel 140, which is coupled to the second output gear 146 (for example, possibly via a coupling 148), as schematically shown by the power path shown in Figure 4B. When the pedal shaft 132 rotates in the first direction (for example, in the forward rotation direction), the second unidirectional bearing 136 and the second output gear 146 can also rotate in the first direction (for example, in the forward rotation direction), thereby allowing the vehicle 100 to move forward via power transmitted to the chainwheel 140 (for example, via the chain looped around the chainwheel 140 and the sprocket on the driven wheel 102). The user can apply one or more forces in a first rotational direction to the pedal 112 connected to the crank 130 in order to rotate the pedal shaft 132 in a first rotational direction so that the second unidirectional bearing 136, the second output gear 146, the coupling 148, and / or the chainwheel 140 rotate in a first rotational direction. The rotation of the chainwheel 140 in a first rotational direction can drive the rotation of the driven wheel 102 (e.g., the rear wheel) in a first rotational direction via the chain routed around the chainwheel 140 and the sprocket connected to the driven wheel 102.

[0069] The second one-way bearing 136 can provide a conditional rotational connection between the pedal shaft 132 and the second output gear 146. Rotation of the second one-way bearing 136 in one direction can cause the inner and outer rings of the second one-way bearing 136 to move together and lock together (for example, to lock together in rotation) in order to provide a rotational connection between the pedal shaft 132 and the second output gear 146 (for example, to lock together in rotation). For example, the second one-way bearing 136 can be locked when rotated in a first rotational direction such that the movement of the inner ring of the second one-way bearing 136 relative to the outer ring of the second one-way bearing 136 is restricted, which allows torque to be transmitted from the pedal shaft 132 to the second output gear 146, thereby rotating the chainwheel 140 connected to the second output gear 146 via the coupling 148. The rotation of the second output gear 146 can drive the rotation of the chainwheel 140 to deliver the output power to the driven wheel 102 (for example, to rotate) and move the vehicle 100 in a desired direction (for example, forward). When the pedal shaft 132 is rotated in a second direction of rotation (for example, opposite to the first direction of rotation), the second one-way bearing 136 can slide so that the pedal shaft 132 and the second output gear 146 do not rotate together (for example, are not coupled in rotation) in the second direction of rotation. The second one-way bearing 136 can isolate the rotation of the pedal shaft 132 from the second output gear 146 in the second direction of rotation. For example, when the pedal shaft 132 is rotated in a second (opposite) direction, the second one-way bearing 136 can slip when the outer ring connected to the second output gear 146 and the inner ring of the second one-way bearing 136 connected to the pedal shaft 132 move independently of each other (for example, not together).

[0070] When the second output gear 146 is driven in a first rotational direction by other means such as the motor assembly 160 (for example, means other than the pedal shaft 132 and one or more cranks 130), the second unidirectional bearing 136 can slip (for example, the rotational movement of the outer ring of the second unidirectional bearing 136 connected to the second output gear 146 can be independent of the rotational movement of the inner ring connected to the pedal shaft 132). This slip can prevent the transmission of torque from the second output gear 146 to the pedal shaft 132. This slip can prevent or reduce the rotational resistance of the pedal shaft 132 to the rotation of the second output gear 146 driven by the motor assembly 160.

[0071] The second output gear 146 can interact with (e.g., engage with) the first output gear 144, which is driven by the motor assembly 160. However, when the second output gear 146 is powered by the rotation of the pedal shaft 132 in a first rotational direction (e.g., when it receives torque transmitted from that rotation), the first output gear 144 can rotate freely around the first unidirectional bearing 134 in a second rotational direction (e.g., a rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction) due to the sliding of the first unidirectional bearing 134 (e.g., the outer ring of the first unidirectional bearing 134 can slide relative to the inner ring of the first unidirectional bearing 134, and the first unidirectional bearing 134 may have an outer ring that rotates independently of the inner ring). When the pedal shaft 132 is rotating in a first rotational direction as a result of pedaling by the user in a first rotational direction, the first output gear 144 can rotate freely in a second rotational direction around the motor shaft 162, which can be driven by the motor assembly 160, due to the slippage of the first unidirectional bearing 134 (for example, the outer ring of the first unidirectional bearing 134 connected to the first output gear 144 can rotate independently of the inner ring of the first unidirectional bearing 134 connected to the motor shaft 162, which can be driven by the motor assembly 160). Therefore, torque is not transmitted from the pedal shaft 132, which is driven in the first rotational direction by pedaling, to the motor shaft 162 of the motor assembly 160.

[0072] The first unidirectional bearing 134 and / or the second unidirectional bearing 136 may comprise any suitable unidirectional bearing, such as a sprag bearing, and / or a bearing with an intermediate ball bearing or other bearing member, such as a needle bearing biased (e.g., by a spring) in an asymmetrical holding space.

[0073] As previously stated, the gearbox 120 may also include a motor assembly 160. The motor assembly 160 can rotate the driven wheel 102 in a first rotational direction (for example, via interaction between a first output gear 144 and a second output gear 146) in order to propel the vehicle 100 in a desired direction (for example, forward). The motor assembly 160 can rotate the motor shaft 162 and the first output gear 144 connected to the motor shaft 162 in a second rotational direction, thereby rotating the second output gear 146, which is interacted with the first output gear 144, in the first rotational direction, which can drive the driven wheel 102 in the first rotational direction.

[0074] The motor assembly 160 may include a motor shaft 162. The motor shaft 162 can rotate around a first rotation axis 135, which may be generally parallel to a second rotation axis 137. The motor shaft 162 can be driven by the motor assembly 160 in a second rotation direction. The motor shaft 162 can rotate the first unidirectional bearing 134 and the first output gear 144 in a second rotation direction (for example, counterclockwise when viewed from the right side of the vehicle 100) in order to move the vehicle 100 forward.

[0075] The first one-way bearing 134 can be connected to the first output gear 144 and the motor shaft 162, and may be coaxial with the first output gear 144 and the motor shaft 162. The first one-way bearing 134 may be radially positioned between the first output gear 144 and the motor shaft 162. The first one-way bearing 134 may comprise an outer ring connected to the first output gear 144 and an inner ring connected to the motor shaft 162. The first one-way bearing 134 can be locked in a state driven by the motor assembly 160 in a second rotational direction such that the motor shaft 162 and the first output gear 144 rotate together in a second rotational direction (for example, the outer ring and inner ring can rotate together). In some configurations, the rotation of the motor shaft 162 can lock the first one-way bearing 134 so that the first output gear 144 rotates together with the motor shaft 162 in a second rotational direction. When the rotational movement of the inner ring of the first unidirectional bearing 134 and the rotational movement of the outer ring of the first unidirectional bearing 134 are coupled together (for example, when the inner and outer rings rotate together and cannot rotate independently of each other), the first unidirectional bearing 134 can be locked (for example, when it is rotated in a second rotational direction), which enables the transmission of torque from the motor shaft 162 to the first output gear 144.

[0076] In some variations, the driving force for the vehicle 100 may be delivered via a motor assembly 160, without the driving force from the rotation of the pedal shaft 132 from pedaling. The motor assembly 160 can drive the rotation of the motor shaft 162. To control the speed or torque of the motor assembly 160, one or more elements or gears may be configured to reduce or decelerate the rotational speed (e.g., revolutions per minute) of the motor shaft 162.

[0077] The motor assembly 160 may be powered by a throttle, such as a thumb throttle, which can be adjusted by the user. The motor reducer assembly 160 can propel the vehicle 100 without the use of a pedal assembly 110 (e.g., one or more cranks 130, pedals, and / or pedal shafts 132).

[0078] A power path for delivering power by the motor assembly 160 (for example, by the motor assembly 160 alone) without pedaling is shown in Figure 4C. The motor assembly 160 can rotate the motor shaft 162 in a second rotational direction. The first one-way bearing 134 can lock the first output gear 144 so that it rotates with the motor shaft 162. The first output gear 144 can interact with the second output gear 146 to drive the rotation of the second output gear 146. The second one-way bearing 136 can, by sliding (for example, by the independent rotation of the outer ring of the second one-way bearing 136 relative to the inner ring of the second output gear 146), rotate the second output gear 146 independently of the pedal shaft 132 (for example, freely), which allows the rotation of the second output gear 146 without rotating the pedal shaft 132, the crank 130, and the pedals. The second output gear 146 can be coupled to the chainwheel 140 via a coupling 148 so that the second output gear 146 and the chainwheel 140 rotate together. The rotation of the chainwheel 140 can drive a chain connected to the sprocket of the driven wheel 102 so that the driven wheel 102 rotates to propel the vehicle 100. When the second output gear 146 is rotated by the first output gear 144, the second one-way bearing 136 can slip, which can prevent torque from being delivered to the pedal shaft 132 via the second one-way bearing 136 or the first output gear 144. This can suppress or prevent one or more cranks 130 from rotating when the rotation of the driven wheel 102 is powered by the motor assembly 160 so that the vehicle 100 can be powered with a user on board without pedaling. The first output gear 144 can interact with (e.g., mesh, engage with) the second output gear 146. The rotation of the first output gear 144 can cause the second output gear 146 to rotate in the opposite direction (for example, clockwise when viewed from the right side of the vehicle 100), which can provide rotational power or torque to the chain wheel 140.In some variants, the drive by the motor assembly 160 (for example, the rotation of the first output gear 144) does not cause the pedal shaft 132 to rotate.

[0079] In some variations, the first output gear 144 and the second output gear 146 may be sized and / or configured to have a gear ratio of 1:1 (for example, the first output gear 144 and the second output gear 146 may have the same diameter, and the first output gear 144 may have the same number of teeth as the second output gear 146). In some variations, the first output gear 144 and the second output gear 146 may have a gear ratio different from 1:1. For example, the first output gear 144 may have a smaller diameter than the second output gear 146 and / or have fewer teeth than the second output gear 146. The second output gear 146 may have a larger diameter than the first output gear 144 and / or have more teeth than the first output gear 144. In some variations, the first output gear 144 may have a larger diameter than the second output gear 146 and / or have more teeth than the second output gear 146.

[0080] In some variations, the vehicle 100 can be powered simultaneously by both a motor assembly 160 and a pedal assembly 110 (for example, by the user pedaling one or more cranks 130, which rotates the pedal shaft 132). A power path for simultaneously delivering power by the motor assembly 160 and the pedal assembly 110 is schematically shown in Figure 4D. When the user applies force to one or more cranks 130 to rotate the pedal shaft 132, the second one-way bearing 136 can engage and transmit torque to the second output gear 146. When the user powers the motor assembly 160, the motor shaft 162 can rotate and engage the first one-way bearing 134, which can rotate the second output gear 146 by transmitting torque to the first output gear 144, which is then made to interact with the second output gear 146. Therefore, the chainwheel 140 can simultaneously receive power from the motor assembly 160 and the pedal assembly 110 (for example, the rotation of the pedal shaft 132) so that the vehicle 100 can operate in motor-assisted mode, and the rider can use the motor assembly 160 to provide auxiliary power to the vehicle 100 while pedaling.

[0081] In some variations, the first unidirectional bearing 134 or the second unidirectional bearing 136 can slip when the pedal assembly 110 and the motor assembly 160 are operated simultaneously, in order to prevent the motor assembly 160 from driving the movement of the pedal shaft 132 and the pedal assembly 110 from driving the rotation of the motor shaft 162. For example, when the motor assembly 160 drives the rotation of the second output gear 146 faster than the pedal assembly 110, the second unidirectional bearing 136 can slip so that the second output gear 146 rotates faster than the pedal shaft 132, thereby preventing the motor assembly 160 from rotating the pedal shaft 132 and the crank 130 connected to the pedal shaft 132. When the pedal assembly 110 is being pedaled at a speed that drives the rotation of the first output gear 144 faster than the motor assembly 160, the first unidirectional bearing 134 can slip so that the first output gear 144 rotates faster than the motor shaft 162, thereby preventing the pedal assembly 110 from driving the rotation of the motor shaft 162. In some variations, the rotation of the chainwheel 140 can be driven by either the pedal assembly 110 or the motor assembly 160, which in turn drives the faster rotation of the second output gear 146.

[0082] The motor assembly 160 can be controlled in various ways. For example, the motor assembly 160 can provide power that supplements (e.g., adds to) the power provided by the user via the pedals. In some variations, the motor assembly 160 can provide power when the user is not pedaling. In some variations, the motor assembly 160 can provide power when the user is pedaling. In some variations, the vehicle 100 can be equipped with sensors such as torque sensors, proximity sensors, and / or other sensors that can be used in controlling the motor. For example, the motor assembly 160 can be activated when a threshold torque level is detected and / or exceeded. This can enable automatic movement assistance by the motor assembly 160 and / or allow the user to control the operation of the motor by using the pedal assembly, for example, by applying a torque of a magnitude greater than or equal to a threshold to the pedal assembly. In some variations, the propulsion of the vehicle 100 can be powered simultaneously by the motor assembly 160 and the user via the pedal assembly 110.

[0083] E. Motor Assembly - Figures 5A to 5C Figures 5A to 5C show embodiments of the motor assembly 160. The motor assembly 160 may comprise a housing 164 with a first part 166 and a second part 168. The motor assembly 160 may comprise a motor 170 (for example, an electric motor).

[0084] The motor assembly 160 may include a reduction gear 210 (e.g., a reduction gear assembly or a motor reduction gear assembly). The reduction gear 210 may include high gear reduction ratios (e.g., 1:5, 1:6, 1:10, 1:20) to reduce the output rotational speed of the motor 170 and / or to provide increased torque from the motor 170 to the driven wheels 102, thereby assisting the vehicle 100 when moving from a stationary position and / or when climbing a slope. The reduction gear 210 may include various different gears having different gear diameter sizes and / or different numbers of gear teeth that interact with each other to reduce the first rotational speed of the output shaft of the motor 170 to a second slower rotational speed of the motor shaft 162 which is coupled to the first output gear 144.

[0085] The reducer 210 may comprise a cam 172, a gear disc 174, an output gear 176 (e.g., a reducer output gear), and / or a ring gear 178. The cam 172 may have an eccentric profile and / or may be designed to rotate eccentrically. For example, the cam 172 may have an elliptical profile and / or may be designed to rotate around an axis of rotation that is not collinear with the axis of rotation 179 of the motor 170. The axis of rotation of the cam 172 may be elliptical or may follow an elliptical path during operation. The gear disc 174 may be coupled to the cam 172. The gear disc 174 may have an outer portion 180 with a plurality of gear teeth 181. The gear disc 174 may comprise a first inner portion 182 and a second inner portion 184 spaced axially apart from each other. The first inner portion 182 may not have gear teeth and may be connected to the cam 172 (for example, to the outer surface 171 of the cam 172). In some variations, the first inner portion 182 of the gear disc 174 may be equipped with a bearing (for example, a ball bearing or a roller bearing). The second inner portion 184 may have a plurality of gear teeth 185.

[0086] The ring gear 178 can interact with the gear disc 174. The ring gear 178 may have a plurality of gear teeth 191 located on its inner surface 190. The plurality of gear teeth 191 located on the inner surface 190 can interact (e.g., engage, mesh) with a plurality of gear teeth 181 on the outer portion 180 of the gear disc 174. The number of gear teeth on the gear disc 174 may differ from (e.g., not be equal to) the number of gear teeth on the inner surface 190 of the ring gear 178. For example, the number of gear teeth 191 on the inner surface 190 may be greater than the number of teeth 181 on the outer portion 180 of the gear disc 174. This gear reduction ratio (e.g., gear reduction ratios of 2:3, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5) can result in a reduction in rotational speed from the motor 170 to the gear disc 174.

[0087] The output gear 176 can interact with the gear disc 174. The output gear 176 may have an outer surface 186 with a plurality of gear teeth 187. In some variations, a second inner portion 184 of the gear disc 174 may have a plurality of gear teeth 185 that can interact with the gear teeth 187 of the outer surface 186 of the output gear 176. The total number of gear teeth 187 on the outer surface 186 may be greater than the total number of gear teeth 185 on the second inner portion 184 of the gear disc 174. The gear ratio between the gear teeth 187 of the output gear 176 and the gear teeth 185 of the gear disc 174 may be 2:3, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, and / or any ratio that can reduce the rotational speed from the motor 170 to the output gear 176. The rotation of the gear disc 174 can rotate the output gear 176. The output gear 176 can be connected to the first unidirectional bearing 134 and the first output gear 144 via a member 188 (e.g., a shaft, screw shaft, cylindrical mounting section, or other). Member 188 may be integrated with the output gear 176. Member 188 may be a motor shaft 162. Member 188 may be connected to the motor shaft 162. Member 188 can transmit rotation from the output gear 176 to the first unidirectional bearing 134 outside the housing 164 in order to provide power to the vehicle 100.

[0088] During operation, the motor 170 can drive the rotation of the cam 172 at a first speed (e.g., a desired speed). The output rotational speed of the motor 170 driving the cam 172 can be controlled by the user (e.g., by a throttle). The cam 172 is rotatably coupled to a first inner portion 182 of the gear disc 174. Therefore, the cam 172 can rotate the gear disc 174 at a slower speed relative to the cam 172 due to the irregular profile of the cam 172. For example, because the elliptical profile of the cam 172 is not tightly coupled to the first inner portion 182 (e.g., via a gear), and the first inner portion 182 can slide relative to the cam 172, the rotational speed transmitted from the motor 170 to the gear disc 174 is reduced. The cam 172 can also rotate the gear disc 174 around an irregular path (e.g., an ellipse) or profile different from the axis of rotation 179 of the motor 170. The gear disc 174 can rotate relative to the ring gear 178.

[0089] In various implementations, the ring gear 178 can provide rotational speed reduction (e.g., reduction of the rotational speed of the output gear 176 relative to the rotational speed of the motor 170). The ring gear 178 can remain fixed (e.g., stationary). When the outer portion 180 of the gear disc 174 (via multiple gear teeth 181) contacts the fixed inner surface 190 of the ring gear 178 (via multiple gear teeth 191), the rotational speed of the gear disc 174 can be reduced, or further reduced (e.g., by more than the reduction due to the interaction between the gear disc 174 and the cam 172). Furthermore, because the gear disc 174 rotates around an irregular profile (e.g., the surface profile of the cam 172, an elliptical path), it rotates around an axis of rotation different from the axis of rotation 179. Furthermore, the gear teeth 181 of the gear disc 174 irregularly engage with the gear teeth 191 of the inner surface 190 of the ring gear 178 due to the movement of the axis of rotation of the gear disc 174. When the gear teeth 181 of the outer portion 180 of the gear disc 174 come into contact with the gear teeth 191 of the inner surface 190 of the ring gear 178, the rotational speed of the gear disc 174 is further reduced.

[0090] The output gear 176 is operable to transmit torque (e.g., rotation) from the motor 170 to the first unidirectional bearing 134 and then to the driven wheel 102. Advantageously, the configuration of the reducer 210 (e.g., cam 172, gear disc 174, output gear 176, and / or ring gear 178) can reduce (e.g., decrease) the speed of the motor 170 and increase the magnitude of the torque delivered to the vehicle 100 (e.g., the driven wheel 102). The output gear 176 is positioned across the shaft 192 of the motor 170, which extends through the cam 172. Due to the interaction between the cam 172, gear disc 174, output gear 176, and / or ring gear 178 (e.g., their relative positioning), the gear disc 174 can reduce the speed at which the motor 170 drives the output gear 176. The gear teeth 185 of the second inner portion 184 of the gear disc 174 can interact (e.g., engage) with a plurality of gear teeth 187 of the outer surface 186 of the output gear 176. The second inner portion 184 can reduce the speed of the output gear 176 due to the slower rotational speed of the gear disc 174. The configuration of the reducer 210 described herein can enable a significant reduction in rotational speed (e.g., by a large gear reduction ratio) from the motor 170 to the output gear 176, and consequently to the chainwheel 140 and the driven wheel 102. For example, the motor 170 can drive rotation at a first rotational speed, while the output gear 176 can rotate at a second, slower rotational speed. Advantageously, this allows for a large torque to be delivered to the driven wheel 102 while having a motor 170 small enough to be placed in an e-bike.

[0091] The motor 170 may include a drive shaft 192 that can be driven (e.g., rotated) by the motor 170. The motor unit 160 may include a plurality of bearings positioned on the drive shaft 192 to isolate one or more features of the motor unit 160 from the rotation of the drive shaft 192. For example, the motor unit 160 may include a first bearing 200 and / or a second bearing 202 positioned between a portion of the housing 164 and a portion of the motor shaft 162 to isolate the rotation of the drive shaft 192. The motor unit 160 may also include a third bearing 204 and / or a fourth bearing 206 positioned between the output gear 176 and the motor shaft 162 to isolate the rotation of the drive shaft 192 from the output gear 176.

[0092] The cam 172 can be coupled (e.g., fixedly coupled) to the drive shaft 192. The cam 172 can rotate with the drive shaft 192. As described herein, the gear disc 174 can be positioned (e.g., coupled) to the cam 172, which may include being positioned around the outer circumference of the cam 172. The cam 172 may include an eccentric profile, which may include an outer contour that deviates from a circle. In some variants, the motor unit 160 may include a bearing 208 positioned between the cam 172 and the gear disc 174. The bearing 208 can facilitate some sliding between the cam 172 and the gear disc 174.

[0093] The gear disc 174 may be positioned within a ring gear 178. The ring gear 178 may be fixedly coupled to the housing 164 (e.g., a second portion 168) or may be integrated with the housing 164 (e.g., a second portion 168). The rotation of the cam 172 can drive the movement and / or rotation of the gear disc 174 along an elliptical path. The gear teeth 181 of the outer portion 180 of the gear disc 174 can interact with the gear teeth 191 of the inner surface 190 of the ring gear 178, which can control (e.g., reduce) the rotational speed of the gear disc 174 relative to the rotational speed of the drive shaft 192.

[0094] As described herein, the output gear 176 may be positioned on the drive shaft 192 such that the rotation of the drive shaft 192 does not directly drive the rotation of the output gear 176, with a third bearing 204 and a fourth bearing 206 positioned between the drive shaft 192 and the output gear 176. Instead, the movement and / or rotation of the gear disc 174 can drive the rotation of the output gear 176. As described herein, the gear teeth 185 of the second inner portion 184 of the gear disc 174 can interact with the gear teeth 187 of the outer surface 186 of the output gear 176 to drive the rotation of the output gear 176, which can control (e.g., reduce) the rotational speed of the output gear 176 relative to the rotational speed of the gear disc 174. The first output gear 144 may be coupled to a portion (e.g., member 188) of the output gear 176 that protrudes outward from the housing 164. As described herein, the portion (e.g., member 188) may be the motor shaft 162. Reducing the rotational speed can provide at least the benefits described herein.

[0095] E. Specific terms Certain terms may be used in the following descriptions solely for reference purposes and are therefore not intended to be limiting. For example, “upwards,” “downwards,” “upward,” “downward,” “on top of,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “left,” and similar terms refer to the direction in the drawing in which the reference is made. Such terms may include words explicitly mentioned earlier, their derivatives, and words of a similar nature. Similarly, “first,” “second,” and other such numerical terms referring to structures do not imply order or sequence unless explicitly indicated by the context.

[0096] Conditional language such as “can,” “may,” “may,” or “may” is generally intended to convey that certain features, elements, and / or steps are included in certain embodiments but not in others, unless otherwise explicitly stated or understood differently in the context in which they are used. Therefore, such conditional language is generally not intended to mean that features, elements, and / or steps may, in some way, be required in one or more embodiments, or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for determining, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and / or steps will be included in or implemented in any particular embodiment.

[0097] Connecting words, such as "at least one of X, Y, and Z," are generally used in contexts where, unless otherwise explicitly stated, they convey that an item, term, etc., could be any of X, Y, or Z. Therefore, such connecting words are generally not intended to imply that a particular embodiment requires the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z.

[0098] Terms relating to circles as used herein, such as diameter or radius, should be understood not to require a perfect circular structure, but should apply to any suitable structure with a cross-sectional area that can be measured side-to-side. Terms generally relating to shape, such as "spherical," "circular," "cylindrical," "semicircular," "semicylindrical," or any related or similar terms, do not need to strictly conform to the mathematical definitions of spheres, circles, cylinders, or other structures, but can cover structures that are reasonably close approximations.

[0099] As used herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” refer to an amount close to the stated amount that still performs the desired function or still achieves the desired result. For example, in some embodiments, as the context allows, the terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is 10% or less of the stated amount. As used herein, the term “generally” refers to a value, quantity, or characteristic that predominantly includes or tends to include a specific value, quantity, or characteristic. For example, in certain embodiments, as the context allows, the term “generally parallel” may refer to a deviation of 20 degrees or less from exact parallelism. As another example, in certain embodiments, as the context allows, the term “generally perpendicular” may refer to a deviation of 20 degrees or less from exact perpendicularism.

[0100] Terms such as "equipped with," "contain," and "have" are synonyms and are used in an open-ended manner to mean one, some, or all of the elements in the list. Similarly, terms such as "some" and "certain" are synonyms and are used in an open-ended manner. Also, the term "or" is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) when used to connect lists of elements, for example, to mean one, some, or all of the elements in the list.

[0101] Several embodiments are described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. While the drawings are drawn to a certain scale, such scale is not limiting, and dimensions and proportions other than those illustrated are also assumed and within the scope of the disclosed invention. Distances, angles, etc., are illustrative only and do not necessarily have a precise relationship to the actual dimensions and layout of the illustrated devices. Components may be added, removed, and / or rearranged. Furthermore, any specific features, aspects, methods, properties, characteristics, qualities, attributes, or elements, etc., in relation to various embodiments may be used in all other embodiments described herein. Also, any method described herein may be carried out using any device suitable for performing the proposed steps.

[0102] Overall, the language of the claims is to be interpreted broadly based on the language used in the claims. The language of the claims is not limited to the non-exclusive embodiments and examples illustrated and described in this disclosure or considered during the examination of this application.

[0103] F. Summary Various embodiments and examples of drive units with mid-drive motors and associated vehicles and methods are disclosed herein. While the present invention is disclosed in the context of specific embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that this disclosure extends beyond the expressly disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and / or the use of those embodiments, specific modifications thereof, and equivalents. The scope of this disclosure is not intended to be limited in this section or anywhere else in this specification by specific disclosures of preferred embodiments, but may be defined by claims as presented in this section or anywhere else in this specification, or by claims as presented in the future.

[0104] While specific embodiments are described, these embodiments are presented only as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In fact, the novel methods and systems described herein can be embodied in a variety of other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and modifications in the systems and methods described herein can be made without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. The appended claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as being within the scope of this disclosure. Any feature from one embodiment may be included in any other embodiment. No element, feature, step, or aspect is critically important or essential.

[0105] Features, materials, properties, or groups described in conjunction with specific embodiments, examples, or models shall be understood to be applicable in this section or elsewhere in this specification, insofar as they are not incompatible. All features described herein (including the appended claims, abstract, and drawings) and / or all steps of any method or process so disclosed herein may be combined in any combination, except for any combination in which at least some of such features and / or steps are mutually exclusive. Protection is not limited to the details of any of the aforementioned embodiments. Protection extends to any novel feature or any novel combination of any feature described herein (including the appended claims, abstract, and drawings), or to any novel step or any novel combination of any method or process so disclosed herein.

[0106] Furthermore, certain features described in this disclosure in the context of separate implementations may also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single implementation may also be implemented separately in multiple implementations or in any appropriate partial combination. Furthermore, although features may be described above as acting in a particular combination, one or more features from a claimed combination may be removed from the combination in some cases, and the combination may be claimed as a partial combination or as a variation of a partial combination.

[0107] For purposes of this disclosure, certain features, advantages, and novel features are described herein. Not all such advantages may necessarily be achieved according to any specific embodiment. Therefore, for example, a person skilled in the art will recognize that this disclosure may be embodied or implemented in a manner that achieves one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein, without necessarily achieving other advantages that may be taught or proposed herein. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0108] 100 vehicles 102 Driven wheels, rear wheels 103 sprocket 104 frames 105 chain 106 Seat Tube 108 Downtube 110 Pedal Assembly 112 pedals 116 Mid-Drive Unit 120 Gearboxes, gear cases, transmissions 122 cabinets 130 Crank 132 Pedal shaft, shaft, crankshaft 134 First unidirectional bearing, motor unidirectional bearing 135 First axis of rotation 136 Second unidirectional bearing, pedal unidirectional bearing 137 Second axis of rotation 140 Chainwheel, Chain Gear 142 chainwheel teeth 144 First output gear, motor output gear 146 Second output gear, pedal output gear 148 Coupling 156 Extruded parts 158 Metal plate 160 Motor assemblies, motor units 162 Motor shaft 164 cabinets 166 Part 1 168 Part 2 170 Motor 171 Exterior 172 Cam 174 Gear Disc 176 Output gear, reducer output gear 178 Ring gear 179 rotational axis 180 outer part 181 gear teeth 182 First inner part 184 Second inner section 185 gear teeth 186 Exterior 187 gear teeth 188 parts 190 Inner self 191 gear teeth 192 Drive shaft 200 First bearing 202 Second bearing 204 Third bearing 206 Fourth bearing 210 Reducer

Claims

1. A motor-driven mid-drive unit configured to drive a bicycle having one or more cranks and a driven wheel, Electric motor and, It is a speed reducer, Eccentric cam, A gear disc connected to the aforementioned eccentric cam, A ring gear that interacts with the outward-facing teeth of the gear disc, and The reduction gear output gear that interacts with the inward-facing teeth of the gear disc. A reduction gear equipped with, One or more gears, A first unidirectional bearing and Second unidirectional bearing and Equipped with, The first unidirectional bearing is configured to transmit power from the electric motor to the driven wheel, The second unidirectional bearing is configured to transmit power from one or more cranks to the driven wheel, The reduction gear is configured to reduce the rotational speed output from the electric motor and delivered to the driven wheel. The motor-equipped mid-drive unit is configured to allow the user to propel the bicycle using only one or more cranks, only the electric motor, and simultaneously using one or more cranks and the electric motor. Motorized mid-drive unit.

2. The motorized mid-drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the one or more gears are configured to receive power from the electric motor and the one or more cranks and to deliver the power to the driven wheel via a chain.

3. The motor-driven mid-drive unit according to claim 2, wherein the one or more gears further comprises an output gear and a pedal shaft rotatably connected to the one or more cranks, the chainwheel is rotatably connected to the output gear, and the output gear is rotatably connected to the pedal shaft.

4. The motor-driven mid-drive unit according to claim 3, wherein the output gear is rotatably connected to the pedal shaft by the second unidirectional bearing.

5. The motor-driven mid-drive unit according to claim 2, wherein the one or more gears comprises a first output gear and a second output gear, the first output gear interacts with the second output gear, the first output gear is configured to facilitate the delivery of power from the electric motor to the chainwheel, and the second output gear is configured to facilitate the delivery of power from the electric motor and the one or more cranks to the chainwheel.

6. A motor-driven mid-drive unit according to claim 5, wherein the first unidirectional bearing is connected to the first output gear, and the second unidirectional bearing is connected to the second output gear, and the rotation of the inner ring of the first unidirectional bearing in a first direction locks the first unidirectional bearing to facilitate the delivery of power from the electric motor to the first output gear, and the rotation of the inner ring of the second unidirectional bearing in a second direction locks the second unidirectional bearing to facilitate the delivery of power from one or more cranks to the second output gear.

7. The motor-driven mid-drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the eccentric cam is rotatably connected to the motor shaft of the electric motor, and the eccentric cam is connected to the gear disk and configured to rotate the gear disk around an elliptical path.

8. The motor-driven mid-drive unit according to claim 7, wherein the ring gear is configured to reduce the rotational speed of the gear disk when the gear disk interacts with the ring gear along the elliptical path.

9. The motor-driven mid-drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the gear disc is configured to reduce the rotational speed of the reduction gear output gear, and the reduction gear output gear is configured to facilitate the delivery of power from the electric motor to the driven wheel.

10. The motor-driven mid-drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the gear disc has a first inner portion and a second inner portion spaced apart from each other in the axial direction, the first inner portion interacts with the eccentric cam, and the second inner portion interacts with the reduction gear output gear.

11. The motor-equipped mid-drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the gear disc is configured to increase the magnitude of the torque delivered from the electric motor to the driven wheel.

12. The motor-equipped mid-drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the gearbox forms part of the mid-drive unit that is offset in the axial direction from the axis of rotation of the driven wheel.

13. A gearbox for a bicycle, Motor and, It is a speed reducer, cam, A gear disc connected to the cam, A ring gear that interacts with the external teeth of the gear disc, and Output gear that interacts with the internal teeth of the gear disc A reduction gear equipped with, A first one-way bearing connected to the output gear, A first output gear connected to the first unidirectional bearing, A second unidirectional bearing connected to the shaft, A second output gear is connected to the second unidirectional bearing and interacts with the first output gear. Equipped with, The motor is configured to deliver power to the first unidirectional bearing via the reduction gear in order to drive the first output gear, which in turn rotates the second output gear and rotates the chain wheel. The shaft is configured to rotate from the user's pedaling in order to transmit power to the second unidirectional bearing to drive the second output gear and rotate the chain wheel. The first and second one-way bearings are configured to enable rotation of the chainwheel by power supplied from the motor but not from the rotation of the shaft due to pedaling, rotation of the chainwheel by power supplied from the rotation of the shaft due to pedaling but not from the motor, and simultaneous rotation of the chainwheel by power supplied from the motor and the rotation of the shaft due to pedaling. Gearbox.

14. The gearbox according to claim 13, wherein the cam is an eccentric cam configured to rotate the gear disc around a first axis offset from the second axis of the motor shaft of the motor.

15. The gearbox according to claim 14, wherein the external teeth of the gear disc are configured to engage with the teeth of the ring gear in order to slow down the rotational speed of the gear disc.

16. A gearbox configured to be connected to a bicycle, An electric motor comprising a housing and a motor shaft, An eccentric cam connected to the motor shaft of the electric motor, wherein the electric motor is configured to rotate the eccentric cam around the motor shaft, A gear disc connected to the eccentric cam, wherein the eccentric cam is configured to rotate the gear disc in an elliptical path, A ring gear that interacts with the outer circumference of the gear disk, the ring gear being fixed to the housing and configured to reduce the rotational speed of the gear disk, An output gear that interacts with the inner circumference of the gear disk, wherein the gear disk is configured to reduce the rotational speed of the output gear. Equipped with, The output gear is configured to deliver the driving power to the driven wheel of the bicycle. Gearbox.

17. The gearbox according to claim 16, wherein the eccentric cam is connected to a first inner portion of the gear disc that lacks gear teeth.

18. The gearbox according to claim 17, wherein the inner circumference of the gear disc includes a plurality of gear teeth configured to engage with the external gear teeth of the output gear.

19. The gearbox according to claim 16, wherein the outer circumference of the gear disc is provided with external gear teeth that interact with the internal gear teeth of the ring gear along the elliptical path.

20. The gearbox according to claim 16, wherein the output gear is configured to rotate a first unidirectional bearing in a locked configuration in order to rotate a first output gear, the first output gear is made to interact with a second output gear, and the rotation of the second output gear drives the chainwheel of the bicycle in order to provide power to the bicycle.

21. A gearbox for a vehicle comprising a driven wheel and a pedal assembly including a chainwheel and shaft, A motor assembly equipped with an output shaft, A motor reducer assembly, A cam disposed on the output shaft, the cam having an eccentric profile, A gear disc connected to the cam, A ring gear that interacts with the external teeth of the gear disc, and Output gear that interacts with the internal teeth of the gear disc Equipped with, Here, the motor reduction gear assembly is configured to drive the rotation of the output gear at a speed reduced from the rotational speed of the output shaft of the motor assembly. Motor reducer assembly, A first one-way bearing connected to the output gear, A first output gear connected to the first unidirectional bearing, A second one-way bearing configured to be connected to the shaft of the pedal assembly, The second output gear is connected to the second unidirectional bearing, interacts with the first output gear, and is connected to the chainwheel of the pedal assembly. Equipped with, The motor assembly is configured to rotate the output shaft to drive the rotation of the first output gear, which in turn rotates the second output gear and the chain wheel, which in turn drives the rotation of the driven wheel and propels the vehicle. The shaft of the pedal assembly is configured to rotate from pedaling, driving the rotation of the second output gear and the chainwheel, which in turn drives the rotation of the driven wheel, thereby propelling the vehicle. The first unidirectional bearing is configured to slide so that it can drive the rotation of the second output gear on the shaft of the pedal assembly without driving the rotation of the output shaft. The second unidirectional bearing is configured to slide, thereby driving the output shaft of the motor assembly to rotate the first output gear, and to rotate the second output gear without driving the shaft of the pedal assembly to rotate. Gearbox.

22. The gearbox according to claim 21, wherein the first unidirectional bearing and the second unidirectional bearing are configured to slide, thereby enabling simultaneous rotation of the output shaft and the shaft of the pedal assembly.

23. The gearbox according to claim 21, wherein the pedal assembly comprises a chain connecting the chainwheel and the sprocket of the driven wheel.

24. The gearbox according to claim 21, wherein the motor reduction gear assembly is configured to increase the torque delivered by the motor assembly.

25. The gearbox according to claim 21, wherein the ring gear is configured to increase the torque delivered by the motor assembly.

26. The gearbox according to claim 21, wherein the gear disc is configured to increase the torque delivered by the motor assembly.

27. The gearbox according to claim 21, wherein the interaction between the ring gear and the external teeth of the gear disc is configured to slow down the rotation of the gear disc relative to the output shaft.

28. The gearbox according to claim 21, wherein the interaction between the output gear and the internal teeth of the gear disc is configured to slow down the rotation of the output gear relative to the gear disc.

29. The gearbox according to claim 21, wherein the cam is configured to rotate the gear disc in an elliptical path.

30. The gearbox according to claim 29, wherein the elliptical path is off-axis from the axis of rotation of the output shaft.

31. A motor unit for a vehicle with a pedal assembly, A motor assembly equipped with an output shaft, A motor reducer assembly, A cam disposed on the output shaft, the cam having an eccentric profile, A gear disc connected to the cam, A ring gear that interacts with the external teeth of the gear disc, and Output gear that interacts with the internal teeth of the gear disc Equipped with, Here, the motor reduction gear assembly is configured to drive the rotation of the output gear at a speed reduced from the rotational speed of the output shaft of the motor assembly. Motor reducer assembly and Equipped with, Motor unit.

32. The motor unit according to claim 31, wherein the motor reduction gear assembly is configured to increase the torque delivered by the motor assembly.

33. The motor unit according to claim 31, wherein the interaction between the ring gear and the gear disk is configured to increase the torque delivered by the motor assembly.

34. The motor unit according to claim 31, wherein the gear disc is configured to increase the torque delivered by the motor assembly.

35. The motor unit according to claim 31, wherein the interaction between the ring gear and the external teeth of the gear disk is configured to slow down the rotation of the gear disk relative to the output shaft.

36. The motor unit according to claim 31, wherein the interaction between the output gear and the internal teeth of the gear disk is configured to slow down the rotation of the output gear relative to the gear disk.

37. The motor unit according to claim 31, wherein the cam is configured to rotate the gear disk in an elliptical path.

38. The motor unit according to claim 37, wherein the elliptical path is off-axis from the axis of rotation of the output shaft.

39. A gearbox for a vehicle having driven wheels and a pedal assembly including a chainwheel and a shaft, comprising a motor unit according to any one of claims 31 to 38.

40. A first one-way bearing connected to the output gear, A first output gear connected to the first unidirectional bearing, A second one-way bearing configured to be connected to the shaft of the pedal assembly, The second output gear is connected to the second unidirectional bearing, interacts with the first output gear, and is connected to the chainwheel of the pedal assembly. Furthermore, The motor assembly is configured to rotate the output shaft to drive the rotation of the first output gear, which in turn rotates the second output gear and the chain wheel, which in turn drives the rotation of the driven wheel and propels the vehicle. The shaft of the pedal assembly is configured to rotate from pedaling, driving the rotation of the second output gear and the chainwheel, which in turn drives the rotation of the driven wheel, thereby propelling the vehicle. The first unidirectional bearing is configured to slide so that it can drive the rotation of the second output gear on the shaft of the pedal assembly without driving the rotation of the output shaft. The second unidirectional bearing is configured to slide, thereby driving the output shaft of the motor assembly to rotate the first output gear, and to rotate the second output gear without driving the shaft of the pedal assembly to rotate. The gearbox according to claim 39.

41. A motor reduction unit for a vehicle with a pedal assembly, A cam positioned on the output shaft of a motor unit, comprising a cam with an eccentric profile, A gear disc connected to the cam, A ring gear that interacts with the external teeth of the gear disc, The output gear is made to interact with the internal teeth of the gear disc. Equipped with, The motor reduction unit is configured to drive the rotation of the output gear at a speed reduced from the rotational speed of the output shaft of the motor unit. Motor reduction gear unit.

42. A gearbox for a vehicle with a pedal assembly and driven wheels, A motor equipped with an output shaft, A first output gear is disposed on the output shaft, wherein a first unidirectional bearing is disposed between the output shaft and the first output gear, and the output shaft is configured to drive the rotation of the first output gear. A second output gear interacts with a first output gear, wherein the second output gear is positioned on the shaft of the pedal assembly such that a second unidirectional bearing is positioned between the shaft and the second output gear, and the shaft is configured to drive the rotation of the second output gear. Equipped with, The motor is configured to drive the output shaft to drive the first output gear to rotate the second output gear, thereby rotating the chainwheel of the pedal assembly connected to the second output gear, and thereby driving the rotation of the driven wheel. The shaft of the pedal assembly is configured to drive the second output gear, which in turn rotates the chain wheel of the pedal assembly connected to the second output gear, thereby driving the rotation of the driven wheel. The first unidirectional bearing is configured to slide, thereby allowing the first output gear to rotate at a different speed than the output shaft. The second unidirectional bearing is configured to slide, thereby allowing the second output gear to rotate at a different speed than the shaft. Gearbox.

43. The gearbox according to claim 42, further comprising a reduction gear configured to reduce the rotational speed of the output shaft relative to the rotational speed driven by the motor.

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