Electric bicycle

Abstract

This electric-power-assisted bicycle is characterized by comprising a front wheel (4) that can be driven by a front-wheel electric motor (15) using a battery (9) as a power source, a rear wheel (5) that can be driven by a rear-wheel electric motor (16) using the battery (9) as a power source, a pedal part (6) for inputting the rider's pedaling force to the front wheel (4) and / or the rear wheel (5), at least one travel operation unit to which the rider's desired travel state is inputted, a front-wheel control unit (7) that controls the rotation of the front-wheel electric motor (15) according to the state of the front wheel (4) and input from the travel operation unit, and a rear-wheel control unit (8) that controls the rotation of the rear-wheel electric motor (16) according to the state of the rear wheel (5) and input from the travel operation unit, the bicycle having two electric motors, the front wheel (4) and / or the rear wheel (5) being driven by an electric motor, and the load of the front-wheel electric motor (15) and / or the rear-wheel electric motor (16) being reduced by the rider's pedaling force.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric bicycle that is driven by electricity. [Background technology]

[0002] Electric two-wheelers use human pedaling force and the driving force of an electric motor for propulsion, and depending on the ratio of these forces used, they exhibit driving performance and electricity consumption according to their purpose, such as electric motorcycles and electrically assisted bicycles. For example, electric motorcycles run only on the driving force of the electric motor and are intended for speeds of about 60km / h or more, while electrically assisted bicycles supplement human pedaling force with the driving force of the electric motor and are intended for speeds of about 25km / h or less.

[0003] Electric motorcycles, which run solely on the driving force of an electric motor, are attracting attention as an alternative means of transportation to gasoline-powered vehicles in light of exhaust gas regulations. Because electrification eliminates the need for internal combustion engines such as engines, it is expected that the manufacturing process will be simplified and manufacturing costs will be reduced.

[0004] There are two types of electrification of motorcycles: an electric motor is built into the center of the vehicle, and an electric motor is built into the wheel. In the case of a motor built into the center of the vehicle, the driving force of the electric motor is transmitted to the wheel via a transmission mechanism such as a chain or belt. In the case of a motor built into the wheel, the electric motor is built into either the front or rear wheel, and the driving force of the electric motor is transmitted to the wheel without going through a transmission mechanism. In the case of a motor built into the wheel, the transmission mechanism is not required, which allows for weight reduction; however, since a single electric motor is built into either the front or rear wheel, the center of gravity becomes biased, making the vehicle balance unstable. Thus, front and rear wheel drive electric motorcycles in which electric motors are built into the front and rear wheels have been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0005] However, the above technology propels the vehicle using the driving force of the front wheel electric motor and the rear wheel electric motor, and does not use the pedaling force of the human body. Therefore, the torque of the front wheel is the torque output by the front wheel electric motor, and the torque of the rear wheel is the torque output by the rear wheel electric motor, and accordingly control is required. A method of controlling the front and rear wheel electric motors has been proposed for front and rear wheel drive bikes that run only on the driving force of the electric motor (for example, Patent Document 2).

[0006] Furthermore, an electrically assisted bicycle, which travels by assisting the pedaling force of a person with the driving force of an electric motor, has an operating principle in which the torque of the electric motor is output at a fixed ratio to the pedaling torque from the pedal section, so the electric motor is controlled according to the rotational operation of the pedal section. For an electrically assisted bicycle with electric motors attached to the front and rear wheels, a method has been proposed in which the electric motors of the front and rear wheels are operated by the pedal section (for example, Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-31233 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2013-533821 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2012-197038 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, conventional electric two-wheelers and power-assisted bicycles have a problem in that it is not easy to reduce power consumption.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide an electric bicycle that can reduce power consumption. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The electric bicycle described in claim 1 comprises a front wheel that can be driven by a front wheel electric motor powered by a battery, a rear wheel that can be driven by a rear wheel electric motor powered by a battery, a pedal unit for inputting the rider's pedaling force to at least one of the front or rear wheels, at least one driving operation unit for inputting the rider's desired driving condition, a front wheel control unit that controls the rotation of the front wheel electric motor based on the condition of the front wheel and input from the driving operation unit, and a rear wheel control unit that controls the rotation of the rear wheel electric motor based on the condition of the rear wheel and input from the driving operation unit, and is characterized in that it has two electric motors, the front wheel and / or rear wheels are driven by the electric motors, and the burden on the front wheel electric motor and / or rear wheel electric motor is reduced by the rider's pedaling force.

[0011] The electric bicycle described in claim 2 is characterized in that it is equipped with a front wheel brake lever that inputs the amount of braking for the front wheel, and a front wheel control unit controls the rotation of the front wheel electric motor based on the braking amount instruction from the front wheel brake lever, and / or a rear wheel control unit controls the rotation of the rear wheel electric motor based on the braking amount instruction from the front wheel brake lever.

[0012] The electric bicycle described in claim 3 is characterized in that it is equipped with a rear wheel brake lever that inputs the amount of braking for the rear wheel, and a rear wheel control unit controls the rotation of the rear wheel electric motor based on the braking amount instruction from the rear wheel brake lever, and / or a front wheel control unit controls the rotation of the front wheel electric motor based on the braking amount instruction from the rear wheel brake lever.

[0013] The electric bicycle described in claim 4 is characterized in that it is equipped with a front wheel brake lever that inputs the amount of braking for the front wheel, and a front wheel mechanical brake structure for the front wheel, and a front wheel control unit controls the rotation of the front wheel electric motor based on the braking amount instruction from the front wheel brake lever, and / or a rear wheel control unit controls the rotation of the rear wheel electric motor based on the braking amount instruction from the front wheel brake lever, and further the front wheel mechanical brake structure can be operated by the front wheel brake lever.

[0014] The electric bicycle described in claim 5 is characterized in that it is equipped with a rear wheel brake lever that inputs the amount of braking for the rear wheel, and a rear wheel mechanical brake structure for the rear wheel, and a rear wheel control unit controls the rotation of the rear wheel electric motor based on the braking amount instruction from the rear wheel brake lever, and / or a front wheel control unit controls the rotation of the front wheel electric motor based on the braking amount instruction from the rear wheel brake lever, and further the rear wheel mechanical brake structure can be operated by the rear wheel brake lever.

[0015] The electric bicycle described in claim 6 comprises a front wheel that can be driven by a front wheel electric motor powered by a battery, a rear wheel that can be driven by a rear wheel electric motor powered by a battery, a pedal unit for inputting the rider's pedaling force to at least one of the front or rear wheels, at least one driving operation unit for inputting the rider's desired driving condition, a front wheel control unit that controls the rotation of the front wheel electric motor based on the state of the front wheel and input from the driving operation unit, and a rear wheel control unit that controls the rotation of the rear wheel electric motor based on the state of the rear wheel and input from the driving operation unit, and is characterized in that it has two electric motors, the front wheel and / or rear wheels are driven by the electric motors, and the load on the front wheel electric motor and / or rear wheel electric motor is reduced by the rider's pedaling force, and the front wheel control unit and / or rear wheel control unit perform regenerative control.

[0016] The electric bicycle described in claim 7 is characterized in that the front wheel control unit and / or the rear wheel control unit performs regenerative control depending on the riding conditions of the electric bicycle.

[0017] The electric bicycle described in claim 8 is characterized in that it is equipped with a front wheel brake lever that inputs the amount of braking of the front wheel, and the front wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the braking amount instruction from the front wheel brake lever, and / or the rear wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the braking amount instruction from the front wheel brake lever.

[0018] The electric bicycle described in claim 9 is characterized in that it is equipped with a rear wheel brake lever that inputs the amount of braking of the rear wheel, and the rear wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the braking amount instruction from the rear wheel brake lever, and / or the front wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the braking amount instruction from the rear wheel brake lever.

[0019] The electric bicycle described in claim 10 is characterized in that it is equipped with a front wheel brake lever for inputting the amount of braking of the front wheel, and a front wheel mechanical brake structure for the front wheel, and the front wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the braking amount instruction from the front wheel brake lever, and / or the rear wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the braking amount instruction from the front wheel brake lever, and further the front wheel mechanical brake structure can be operated with the front wheel brake lever.

[0020] The electric bicycle described in claim 11 is characterized in that it is equipped with a rear wheel brake lever for inputting the amount of braking of the rear wheel, and a rear wheel mechanical brake structure for the rear wheel, and the rear wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the braking amount instruction from the rear wheel brake lever, and / or the front wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the braking amount instruction from the rear wheel brake lever, and further the rear wheel mechanical brake structure can be operated with the rear wheel brake lever.

[0021] The electric bicycle described in claim 12 is characterized in that it is equipped with a regeneration switch that inputs information for regenerative control of the front wheel and / or rear wheel, and the front wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the regenerative control information from the regenerative control switch, and / or the rear wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the regenerative control information from the regenerative control switch.

[0022] The electric bicycle described in claim 13 is characterized in that it is equipped with a front wheel regenerative switch that inputs information for regenerative control of the front wheel, and the front wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the regenerative control information from the front wheel regenerative switch, and / or the rear wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the regenerative control information from the front wheel regenerative switch.

[0023] The electric bicycle described in claim 14 is characterized in that it is equipped with a rear wheel regenerative switch that inputs information for regenerative control of the rear wheel, and the rear wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the regenerative control information from the rear wheel regenerative switch, and / or the front wheel control unit performs regenerative control based on the regenerative control information from the rear wheel regenerative switch.

[0024] The electric bicycle described in claim 15 is characterized in that the front wheel control unit and the rear wheel control unit control the front wheel electric motor and the rear wheel electric motor so that the difference between the torque of the front wheel and the torque of the rear wheel is 10% or less.

[0025] The electric bicycle according to claim 16 is characterized in that the front wheel control unit and the rear wheel control unit control the front wheel electric motor and the rear wheel electric motor so that the torque of the front wheel is equal to or greater than the torque of the rear wheel.

[0026] The electric bicycle according to claim 17 is characterized in that the front wheel control unit and the rear wheel control unit control the front wheel electric motor and the rear wheel electric motor so that the torque of the rear wheel is equal to or greater than the torque of the front wheel.

[0027] The electric bicycle described in claim 18 is characterized in that it is equipped with a pedal torque measuring means that measures the pedaling force torque from the pedal section, and the front wheel control unit and the rear wheel control unit control the pedaling force torque measured by the pedal torque measuring means to be in a predetermined ratio to the combined value of the torque of the front wheel electric motor and the torque of the rear wheel electric motor.

[0028] The electric bicycle described in claim 19 is characterized in that the front wheel control unit and the rear wheel control unit control the angular velocity of the front wheel electric motor and the angular velocity of the rear wheel electric motor so as to be equal to or lower than a predetermined value.

[0029] The electric bicycle described in claim 20 is characterized in that the front wheel control unit and the rear wheel control unit control the sum of the motor output of the front wheel electric motor and the motor output of the rear wheel electric motor so that it is equal to or less than a predetermined value. Effect of the Invention

[0030] According to the present invention, by having two electric motors, the front wheels and / or rear wheels are driven by the electric motors, and the burden on the front wheel electric motor and / or rear wheel electric motor is reduced by the driver's pedaling force, thereby making it possible to reduce power consumption. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an entire electric bicycle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the front wheel of the electric bicycle. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a rear wheel of the electric bicycle. [Figure 4] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a rear wheel electric motor of the electric bicycle in an exploded state. FIG. [Diagram 5] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of the electric bicycle. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an overall electric bicycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a front wheel of the electric bicycle. Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a rear wheel of the electric bicycle. Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an exploded state of an electric motor for the rear wheel of the electric bicycle. Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of the electric bicycle.

[0033] The overall configuration of an electric bicycle 1 according to the present application common to Example 1 and Example 2 described below will be described below. As shown in Fig. 1, the electric bicycle 1 is composed of a frame 2, a handle section 3 described below, a front wheel 4, a rear wheel 5, a pedal section 6, a front wheel control section 7, a rear wheel control section 8, a battery 9, a drive throttle 11 which is a driving operation section, a front wheel brake lever 13, a rear wheel brake lever 14, a front wheel electric motor 15, a rear wheel electric motor 16, a front wheel disc brake 17 which is a front wheel mechanical brake structure, a rear wheel disc brake 18 which is a rear wheel mechanical brake structure, and the like.

[0034] The electric bicycle 1 according to the present application has two electric motors, the front wheel 4 and / or the rear wheel 5 are driven by the electric motors, and the load on the front wheel electric motor 15 and / or the rear wheel electric motor 16 is reduced by the pedaling force of the rider. Note that the electric bicycle 1 described in the present application has one front wheel 4 and one rear wheel 5 and is described as a bicycle for one person, but it is not limited to one-person use and can also be applied to tandem bicycles for multiple people and other forms.

[0035] The handlebar unit 3 is operated by the rider with his or her hands to change the direction in which the front wheel 4 faces (the direction in which the electric bicycle 1 moves). The handlebar unit 3 is, for example, in the shape of a horizontal rod as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided with a monitor 10 in the center that displays driving information such as speed, distance traveled, power consumption, and remaining battery power, a drive throttle 11 that is a driving operation unit, a front wheel brake lever 13, a rear wheel brake lever 14, and the like.

[0036] The electric bicycle 1 of the present application has two electric motors as essential components, with a front wheel electric motor 15 attached to the rotation shaft of the front wheel 4 as shown in Fig. 2 and a rear wheel electric motor 16 attached to the rotation shaft of the rear wheel 5 as shown in Fig. 3. The front wheel 4 can be driven by the front wheel electric motor 15 powered by a battery 9, and the rear wheel 5 can be driven by the rear wheel electric motor 16 powered by a battery 9. In this way, the front wheel 4 and the rear wheel 5 are configured to be driven by electric motors, but the front wheel 4 and the rear wheel 5 are not always driven by the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16, which are electric motors. There are also cases where either or both of the front wheel 4 and the rear wheel 5 are free from the electric motors and rotate, and the combination changes as appropriate depending on the traveling state of the electric bicycle 1, etc.

[0037] In addition, the direction of rotation of the front wheel 4 and the rear wheel 5 driven by the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 may be the direction in which the electric bicycle 1 moves forward or the direction in which the electric bicycle 1 moves backward, and is not limited by whether the electric bicycle 1 moves forward or backward.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 4, the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 use DC brushless motors that are composed of a three-phase winding with a planetary gear mechanism inside and a neodymium magnet. The front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 may be either a DC motor or an AC motor as long as they can be controlled by power supply from the battery 9, and an electric motor without a planetary gear mechanism, an electric motor with a built-in drum brake, an electric motor other than a DC brushless motor, etc. may also be used. Furthermore, the battery 9 itself is not limited by its type as long as it can supply power to the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16, and may be multiple, and is not limited by the physical properties of the secondary battery.

[0039] In the electric bicycle 1 of this embodiment, the outer periphery of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 has a hub structure and is connected to the wheel by spokes. The front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 have the same internal structure, but the outer periphery of the rear wheel electric motor 16 has a ratchet 21 attached thereto, and is structured so that the force applied to the pedal unit 6 can be transmitted to the outer periphery of the rear wheel electric motor 16 through a chain 19, a gear 20, and the ratchet 21. When at least one of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 is driven, torque is generated in the rotor formed on the outside of the stator, and this is transmitted to the outer periphery of the electric motor through a planetary gear mechanism, causing the electric bicycle 1 to run.

[0040] Furthermore, a wire-driven front wheel disc brake 17 and a rear wheel disc brake 18 are attached to the outer periphery of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16, respectively, making it possible to slow down and stop the electric bicycle 1 by a mechanical brake structure when braking. Note that the front wheel brake lever 13 and the rear wheel brake lever 14 do not necessarily have to be provided on the handle section 3, and they are not limited to being operated by hand but may be operated by foot or the like, and the combination thereof is also arbitrary.

[0041] Further, details regarding how the riding state of the electric bicycle 1 changes by operating the front wheel brake lever 13 and the rear wheel brake lever 14 will be described later, but the front wheel brake lever 13 and the rear wheel brake lever 14 may be configured to operate only the front wheel disc brake 17 and the rear wheel disc brake 18, which are the mechanical brake structures of the front wheel 4 and the rear wheel 5.

[0042] A transmission mechanism including a chain 19, gear 20, and ratchet 21 is attached to the pedal unit 6 so that the pedaling force generated when pedaling is transmitted to the outer periphery of the rear wheel electric motor 16. The transmission mechanism is not limited to the configuration of the chain 19, gear 20, and ratchet 21 as long as it transmits the pedaling force to the rear wheel. In the example shown in the figure, the pedaling force from the pedal unit 6 is input to the rear wheel 5 side, but it does not necessarily have to be the rear wheel 5 side, and may be input to the front wheel 4 side or to both the front wheel 4 side and the rear wheel 5 side. The electric bicycle 1 is configured to reduce the burden on the front wheel electric motor 15 and / or the rear wheel electric motor 16 by the pedaling force of the rider.

[0043] The front wheel control unit 7 controls the rotation of the front wheel electric motor 15 based on the state of the front wheels 4 and the driving state desired by the driver input from the drive throttle 11, which is a driving operation unit. The rear wheel control unit 8 controls the rotation of the rear wheel electric motor 16 based on the state of the rear wheels 5 and the driving state desired by the driver input from the drive throttle 11, which is a driving operation unit.

[0044] The front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 are composed of an electronic computer (e.g., a microcomputer) and software that causes the electronic computer (microcomputer) to function, and information for control is taken in as electronic information, and the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 are controlled by information processing means. However, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 are not limited to being composed of an electronic computer and software, and may be, for example, composed only of a logic circuit without software, as long as they are capable of controlling the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 5, the front wheel control unit 7 is connected to a battery 9, a monitor 10, a drive throttle 11, a front wheel electric motor 15, a group of sensors 22, etc., and is provided on the electric bicycle 1 after being housed in a housing not shown. As shown in Fig. 5, the rear wheel control unit 8 is connected to a battery 9, a monitor 10, a drive throttle 11, a rear wheel electric motor 15, a group of sensors 22, etc., and is provided on the electric bicycle 1 after being housed in a housing not shown. Note that the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 are disposed in the central housing of the frame 2, but they may be integrated with the battery 9 or may be disposed inside the front wheel electric motor 15 and inside the rear wheel electric motor 16, respectively. Furthermore, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 may be configured as an electronic information terminal, such as a smartphone 23, as shown in Fig. 5.

[0046] The sensor group 22 is composed of, for example, a pedal force torque sensor which is a pedal torque measuring means for measuring the pedal force of the driver inputted from the pedal unit 6 as a pedal force torque value, and a motor sensor for detecting the rotation torque and rotation speed of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16. The pedal force torque sensor may detect by attaching a physical torque sensor to the pedal unit 6, or may be an indirect method of providing a torque sensor to the front wheels 4 and the rear wheels 5 and calculating the pedal force torque from the values ​​thereof, and is not limited by its form. Also, the motor sensor may be attached inside each of the two electric motors and detect magnetism or the like to transmit a sensor signal, or may be of another form.

[0047] Here, the condition of the front wheel 4 that the front wheel control unit 7 uses as basic information for control is the rotational state of the front wheel 4, such as the rotational speed and rotational torque of the front wheel 4 provided by the sensor group 22, etc., and is also the driving state of the electric bicycle 1, so it may be the rotational state of the rear wheel 5, such as the rotational speed and rotational torque, or the driving state of the entire electric bicycle 1. The condition of the rear wheel 5 that the rear wheel control unit 8 uses as basic information for control is the rotational state of the rear wheel 5, such as the rotational speed and rotational torque of the rear wheel 5 provided by the sensor group 22, etc., and is also the driving state of the electric bicycle 1, so it may be the rotational state of the front wheel 4, such as the rotational speed and rotational torque, or the driving state of the entire electric bicycle 1.

[0048] The front wheel control unit 7 also controls the rotation of the front wheel motor 15 based on the driving state desired by the driver input from the drive throttle 11, which is a driving operation unit. The rear wheel control unit 8 also controls the rotation of the rear wheel motor 16 based on the driving state desired by the driver input from the drive throttle 11, which is a driving operation unit.

[0049] The driving operation unit of the present application is in the form of a drive throttle 11, which is a rotatable cylindrical structure near the end of the handle section 3, and is gripped by the driver's hand and rotated to input the driving state desired by the driver according to the amount of rotation. The driving operation unit only needs to be able to input the driving state desired by the driver, and may be in the form of, for example, a foot pedal, and this form may be arbitrary, and the combination and number of units may also be arbitrary.

[0050] Furthermore, since the electric bicycle 1 of the present application is fitted with one drive throttle 11, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 receive the same operation signal; however, multiple driving operation units (e.g., drive throttles 11) may be fitted, and for example, a throttle for operating the drive of the front wheel electric motor 15 and a throttle for operating the drive of the rear wheel electric motor 16 may be fitted to the handle unit 3, and the front wheel control unit 7 and the throttle for operating the drive of the front wheel electric motor 15, and the rear wheel control unit 8 and the throttle for operating the drive of the rear wheel electric motor 16 may be wired respectively, so that the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 receive operation signals from different driving operation units.

[0051] Furthermore, the drive throttle 11, which is a driving operation unit, is not limited to a structure that inputs a driving state in a direction (positive direction) that moves the electric bicycle 1 forward, but may also be a structure that can input a driving state in a direction (negative direction) that moves the electric bicycle 1 backward. The drive throttle 11 may also be capable of inputting the stopping of the electric bicycle 1 as a driving state. The drive throttle 11, which is a driving operation unit of the present application, can be operated in a positive direction and a negative direction relative to a reference position, and the forward and reverse rotation directions of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 can be input by the operation direction, and the driving state desired by the rider can be input by the operation amount (amount of rotation), and an operation signal of an analog voltage corresponding to the operation amount is transmitted.

[0052] In addition, in controlling the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8, it is possible to control the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 in completely different forms, including different rotation directions of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16.For example, it is possible to control the front wheels 4 and the rear wheels 5 to rotate in opposite directions, such as rotating the front wheels 4 in a positive direction and the rear wheels 5 in a negative direction, or to rotate one wheel and stop the other, or to allow one or both wheels to rotate freely.

[0053] In FIG. 5, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 are configured separately, and since the electric motors for the front wheels 4 and the rear wheels 5 are different, it is necessary to control each of them. However, as a control means, it is also possible to make one control unit perform the functions of the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8. For example, the functions of the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 may be performed by an electronic computer. Furthermore, the front wheel control unit 7 may control the rear wheel electric motor 16, and the rear wheel control unit 8 may control the front wheel electric motor 15. Furthermore, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 may cooperate to control the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 (in the configuration of FIG. 5, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 are connected so as to be able to exchange information). Of course, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 may be completely independent and each may perform control.

[0054] In a typical bicycle, the front wheel brake lever 13 and the rear wheel brake lever 14 are configured to operate only the front wheel disc brake 17 and the rear wheel disc brake 18, which are the mechanical brake structures of the front wheel 4 and the rear wheel 5. However, in the electric bicycle 1 of the present application, the front wheel brake lever 13 and the rear wheel brake lever 14 may be given further functions other than operating the front wheel disc brake 17 and the rear wheel disc brake 18.

[0055] Another function of the front wheel brake lever 13 is to function as a means for inputting an instruction for the braking amount for the front wheel control unit 7 to control the rotation of the front wheel electric motor 15. Also, another function of the rear wheel brake lever 14 is to function as a means for inputting an instruction for the braking amount for the rear wheel control unit 8 to control the rotation of the rear wheel electric motor 16. Furthermore, the front wheel brake lever 13 may be configured as a means for inputting an instruction for the braking amount for the rear wheel control unit 8 to control the rotation of the rear wheel electric motor 16, and the rear wheel brake lever 14 may be configured as a means for inputting an instruction for the braking amount for the front wheel control unit 7 to control the rotation of the front wheel electric motor 15, and the combination is arbitrary.

[0056] In addition, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 basically control the front wheel motor 15 and the rear wheel motor 16 by torque control. If necessary, speed control may be used, or a combination of torque control and speed control may be used, or other control methods or combinations of these control methods may be used. The front wheel control unit 7 supplies current and voltage to the front wheel electric motor 15 according to the state of the front wheels 4 and input from the drive throttle 11, which is a driving operation unit, and drives the front wheel electric motor 15 by torque control. The rear wheel control unit 8 supplies current and voltage to the rear wheel electric motor 16 according to the state of the rear wheels 5 and input from the drive throttle 11, which is a driving operation unit, and drives the rear wheel electric motor 16 by torque control. In addition, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 calculate the output torque and power consumption during driving, and based on the results, control the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16, thereby reducing power consumption.

[0057] The monitor 10 displays information such as speed, distance traveled, power consumption, and remaining battery power while driving. When the vehicle is stopped, the driver can select a driving mode, select a country to drive in, and set control parameters, and input the selected settings to the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8. Based on the settings, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 control the current and voltage supplied to the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16, the torque output by the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 in response to pedal torque, the angular speed of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16, the output of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16, and the like. The driver can select any driving performance and power consumption through the monitor, and can reduce power consumption by selecting the optimal driving mode suited to the road surface conditions.

[0058] A wide variety of combinations of elements are possible for configuring the control system of the electric bicycle 1 according to the present invention, but in the basic form of the electric bicycle 1 of the present application, the front wheel control unit 7 drives the front wheel electric motor 15 with torque control by supplying current and voltage based on signals from a sensor group 22 such as an operation signal of the drive throttle 11 and a motor signal of the front wheel electric motor 15, and the rear wheel control unit 8 drives the rear wheel electric motor 16 with torque control by supplying current and voltage based on signals from a sensor group 22 such as an operation signal of the drive throttle 11 and a motor signal of the rear wheel electric motor 16. As described above, the front wheel control unit 7 may also perform torque control based on the amount of operation of the front wheel brake lever 13, and the rear wheel control unit 8 may also perform torque control based on the amount of operation of the rear wheel brake lever 14.

[0059] In the electric bicycle 1 of the present application, when the pedal unit 6 is pedaled while the drive throttle 11 is being operated, a pedaling force is transmitted to the rear wheel electric motor 16. At this time, the torque of the front wheel 4 is the torque output by the front wheel electric motor 15, and the torque of the rear wheel 5 is the sum of the torque output by the rear wheel electric motor 16 and the pedaling force torque of the pedal unit 6. The rear wheel control unit 8 supplements the torque output by the rear wheel electric motor 16 with the pedaling force torque of the pedal unit 6 for the torque required for traveling, thereby reducing the power consumption of the rear wheel electric motor 16. In addition, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 perform control after supplementing the torque output by the front wheel electric motor 15 and the torque output by the rear wheel electric motor 16 with the pedaling force torque of the pedal unit 6, and as a result, the power consumption of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 can be reduced.

[0060] The control of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 when a driving mode is selected will be described below. In dual drive mode (the name of the mode in which both wheels are driven almost equally), the torque of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 is controlled so that the torque difference between the front wheels 4 and the rear wheels 5 is within 10%. In front drive mode (the name of the mode in which the front wheels 4 are primarily driven), the torque of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 is controlled so that the torque of the front wheels 4 is equal to or greater than the torque of the rear wheels 5. In rear drive mode (the name of the mode in which the rear wheels 5 are primarily driven), the torque of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 is controlled so that the torque of the rear wheels 5 is equal to or greater than the torque of the front wheels 4. In the assisted drive mode (the name of the mode in which the pedaling force is the main force), the torque of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 is controlled so that the sum of the torque of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the torque of the rear wheel electric motor 16 is a constant ratio to the pedaling force torque of the pedal section 6.

[0061] Furthermore, each country has its own regulations regarding electric bicycles, so the speed and motor output must be controlled depending on the country in which the bicycle is being ridden. When setting the maximum speed of the electric bicycle 1, the angular speeds of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 are controlled so that the speed of the electric bicycle 1 does not exceed the set speed. When setting the maximum output of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16, the current and voltage of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 are controlled so that the combined motor output of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 does not exceed the set motor output.

[0062] The smartphone 23 performs wired or wireless communication with the wireless receivers of the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 using various communication methods, and can select a driving mode, select a country to drive in, set control parameters, and the like, in the same way as the monitor 10. The front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 also transmit driving information, location information from the GPS, and the like to the smartphone 23. The driving information, location information, and the like are stored on the smartphone 23 or on the cloud via an electric information communication line, and can be used for applications such as power consumption prediction, maintenance services for the electric bicycle 1, anti-theft location information services, and marketing. The smartphone 23 can also be used as a driving operation unit, and can also operate the electric bicycle 1 from a remote location to prevent it from being driven if the electric bicycle 1 is stolen, for example.

[0063] The present invention of this application is an electric bicycle 1 that runs with the driving force of an electric motor assisted by the pedaling force of a human, and an electric motorcycle that runs only with the driving force of an electric motor and an electrically assisted bicycle that runs with the driving force of an electric motor assisted by the pedaling force of a human are different in technical concept regarding the pedaling force of a human. Therefore, in order to further reduce power consumption, an optimal configuration, control, and operation different from those of an electric motorcycle and an electrically assisted bicycle are required.

[0064] In the front-and-rear wheel drive electric motorcycle of Patent Document 1, the torque of the front wheel is the torque output by the front wheel electric motor, and the torque of the rear wheel is the torque output by the rear wheel electric motor, and the front wheel electric motor and the rear wheel electric motor are controlled, but in the front-and-rear wheel drive electric bicycle 1 of the present application, the pedal force from the pedal unit 6 is input to the rear wheel 5, so the torque of the front wheel 4 is the torque output by the front wheel electric motor 15, and the torque of the rear wheel 5 is the sum of the torque output by the rear wheel electric motor 16 and the pedal force torque from the pedal unit 6, and the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 are controlled. In addition, the pedal force torque from the pedal unit 6 can be used to assist the driving force of the electric motor, but in order to reduce power consumption, the rider judges the driving situation and road surface conditions, independently of the rotation operation of the pedal unit 6, and operates the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 at the intended timing via the operation of the drive throttle 11.

[0065] The electric bicycle 1 configured as described above can utilize pedaling force to assist the driving force of the electric motor at the timing intended by the rider, thereby reducing power consumption. Furthermore, improving the operability of the electric bicycle 1 is expected to give new riding performance to the electric bicycle, such as enabling it to traverse mountainous areas that have been difficult to ride on mountain bikes up until now, and enabling new tricks to be performed on BMX bikes.

[0066] It is also possible to perform regenerative control using the front wheel control section 7 and / or the rear wheel control section 8, but details of the regenerative control will be described in an embodiment in which the regenerative control is performed. EXAMPLES

[0067] The electric bicycle 1 without regenerative control will be described below. Although Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 show the configuration when regenerative control is performed, Fig. 5 will be used to explain the operation when regenerative control is not performed. The configuration of the electric bicycle 1 of the present embodiment 1 is as described above.

[0068] When a rider is aboard the electric bicycle 1 and turns the drive throttle 11 in a forward direction (positive direction) from a reference position, the amount of rotation is transmitted to the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 as the rider's desired riding state, and the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 drive the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16. This causes the electric bicycle 1 to gradually move forward. The electric bicycle 1 starts to move forward and reaches the desired vehicle speed, which is the riding state desired by the rider.

[0069] If the rider wants to further increase the speed or maintain the speed that has been lost while going uphill, he or she turns the drive throttle 11 in the forward direction (positive direction), and the electric bicycle 1 will then accelerate or maintain its speed if going uphill.

[0070] When the driving throttle 11 is moved in a direction returning it to the standard position while the electric bicycle 1 is in a traveling state, the rider's desired traveling state is transmitted to the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 as deceleration or stop, and the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 control the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 to decelerate depending on the amount of return of the driving throttle 11, or to stop the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 when the driving throttle 11 is returned to the standard position. However, when the electric bicycle 1 is actually traveling, it takes time to decelerate or stop just by controlling the electric motor, so the rider operates the front wheel brake lever 13 and the rear wheel brake lever 14 to adjust the speed or stop the bicycle.

[0071] In this way, the drive throttle 11 can be operated in a positive or negative direction relative to a reference position, and the operation direction outputs an analog voltage operation signal that controls the forward or reverse rotation direction of the electric motor, and the operation amount controls the driving force of the electric motor. The front wheel control unit 7 supplies current and voltage based on the operation signal of the drive throttle 11 and the motor signal of the front wheel electric motor 15, and drives the front wheel electric motor 15 with torque control. The rear wheel control unit 8 supplies current and voltage based on the operation signal of the drive throttle 11 and the motor signal of the rear wheel electric motor 16, and drives the rear wheel electric motor 16 with torque control.

[0072] When the rider pedals the pedal section 6 while the electric bicycle 1 is traveling (while the drive throttle 11 is operated in the forward direction), the pedaling force is transmitted to the rear wheel electric motor 16, and the rider's pedaling force reduces the burden on the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16.

[0073] In the electric bicycle 1 in the first embodiment, the front wheel brake lever 13 and the rear wheel brake lever 14 are configured to do more than just operate the front wheel disc brake 17 and the rear wheel disc brake 18.

[0074] Specifically, when the rider squeezes the front wheel brake lever 13 or the rear wheel brake lever 14 to the maximum extent, the front wheel disc brake 17 or the rear wheel disc brake 18 is operated to stop the electric bicycle 1 with a mechanical brake structure. On the other hand, when the rider does not squeeze the front wheel brake lever 13 or the rear wheel brake lever 14 to the maximum extent but to an appropriate degree aiming for the riding state desired by the rider, the amount of squeezing becomes an instruction for the amount of braking of the electric bicycle 1 desired by the rider. Then, the front wheel control unit 7 or the rear wheel control unit 8 controls the rotation of the front wheel electric motor 15 or the rear wheel electric motor 16 with an amount of braking according to the amount of squeezing the front wheel brake lever 13 or the rear wheel brake lever 14 (for control during braking, the rotation of the front wheel electric motor 15 or the rear wheel electric motor 16 is controlled to be suppressed). EXAMPLES

[0075] The electric bicycle 1 performing regenerative control will be described below. Figures 1 and 5 show the configuration when performing regenerative control. Specifically, the electric bicycle 1 includes a regenerative switch 12.

[0076] Regenerative control refers to a control in which, while electric power is supplied from a power source such as the battery 9 to the electric motors 15 for the front wheels and 16 for the rear wheels to drive them to rotate, the electric motors are operated as generators using the shaft rotation of the electric motors as input, and kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy. When electrical energy is recovered, the converted electrical energy is charged into the battery 9. When electrical energy is consumed without being recovered, power is supplied to another electric motor, etc.

[0077] Furthermore, the regenerative control also includes the function of an electric brake used for braking. Note that, during regenerative control, the combination of how much kinetic energy is captured as electric energy, how much regenerative braking is performed, and the degree of each control are arbitrary.

[0078] The regeneration switch 12 is for inputting information for regeneration control. The front wheel control unit 7 and / or the rear wheel control unit 8 perform regeneration control based on the information for regeneration control from the regeneration switch 12. In FIG. 1, the regeneration switch 12 is shown to be provided on the handle unit 3, but may be provided at any position, not limited to the handle unit 3, and is not limited by the shape of the regeneration switch 12. The regeneration switch 12 may be in a form for inputting a regeneration control amount, or in a form such as a switch for inputting ON / OFF of the regeneration control. In the case of a switch for inputting ON / OFF of the regeneration control, the regeneration control amount may be programmed in advance in the front wheel control unit 7 or the rear wheel control unit 8, or may be input and set by other means such as a smartphone 23, and the setting method and the like are arbitrary.

[0079] In addition, the basic configuration is that the front wheel control unit 7 performs regenerative control based on information on regenerative control from the regenerative switch 12, and the rear wheel control unit 8 performs regenerative control based on information on regenerative control from the regenerative switch 12, but is not limited to this configuration, and the number of regenerative switches is arbitrary. For example, a front wheel regenerative switch that inputs information on regenerative control of the front wheels 4 may be provided, and the front wheel control unit 7 performs regenerative control based on information on regenerative control from the front wheel regenerative switch, or the rear wheel control unit 8 performs regenerative control based on information on regenerative control from the front wheel regenerative switch. Furthermore, for example, a rear wheel regenerative switch that inputs information on regenerative control of the rear wheels 5 may be provided, and the rear wheel control unit 8 performs regenerative control based on information on regenerative control from the rear wheel regenerative switch, or the front wheel control unit 7 performs regenerative control based on information on regenerative control from the rear wheel regenerative switch. It is also possible for only the front wheel control unit 7 to perform regenerative control and for the rear wheel control unit 8 not to perform regenerative control, or in that case, for the rear wheel control unit 8 to drive the rear wheel electric motor 16 without performing regenerative control, or for the front wheels 4 and the rear wheels 5 to perform different controls.

[0080] Incidentally, even when regenerative control is performed, it is not necessarily necessary to provide the regenerative switch 12, and it is also possible to perform regenerative control depending on, for example, the riding conditions of the electric bicycle 1. Performing regenerative control depending on the riding conditions of the electric bicycle 1 means, for example, when the electric bicycle 1 is traveling downhill, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 detect the torque of the loads on the front wheel 4 and the rear wheel 5, the vehicle speed of the electric bicycle 1, and the angular velocity of the electric motor, and perform regenerative control by appropriately adjusting the amount of regenerative control in the regenerative control.

[0081] Next, the use and operation of the front wheel brake lever 13, the rear wheel brake lever 14, and the regeneration switch 12 when the electric bicycle 1 is in motion will be described.

[0082] The front wheel brake lever 13 transmits an operation signal of an analog voltage proportional to the amount of operation, and the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 receive the operation signal of the front wheel brake lever 13, control the current and voltage, and regenerate or stop the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16. Electricity generated by the regenerative control is stored in the battery 9. The regenerative control is controlled according to the amount of operation of the front wheel brake lever 13, 1 to 100, with the maximum amount of operation being 100. The allocation of the operation amount and control of the front wheel brake lever 13 can be set arbitrarily.

[0083] When the front wheel brake lever 13 is operated for operation amounts 1 to 5, the front wheel control unit 7 controls the front wheel electric motor 15 so as not to be driven, and the rear wheel control unit 8 controls the rear wheel electric motor 16 so as not to be driven. When the front wheel brake lever 13 is operated for operation amounts 6 to 25, the front wheel control unit 7 regeneratively controls the front wheel electric motor 15 so that the regenerative brake torque is less than the pedal force torque, and the rear wheel control unit 8 controls the rear wheel electric motor 16 so as not to be driven.

[0084] When the front wheel brake lever 13 is operated by an amount of operation ranging from 26 to 50, the front wheel control unit 7 regeneratively controls the front wheel electric motor 15 so that the regenerative brake torque becomes equal to or greater than the pedal force torque, and the rear wheel control unit 8 controls the rear wheel electric motor 16 so that it is not driven.

[0085] When the front wheel brake lever 13 is operated by operation amounts 51 to 75, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 regeneratively control the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 so that the sum of the regenerative brake torque of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the regenerative brake torque of the rear wheel electric motor 16 becomes equal to or greater than the pedal force torque. When the front wheel brake lever 13 is operated by operation amounts 76 to 100, a mechanical brake structure using the front wheel disc brake 17 is activated.

[0086] The rear wheel brake lever 14 transmits an operation signal of an analog voltage proportional to the amount of operation, and the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 receive the operation signal of the rear wheel brake lever 14, control the current and voltage, and regenerate or stop the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16. Electricity generated by the regenerative control is stored in the battery 9. The regenerative control is controlled according to the amount of operation of the rear wheel brake lever 14, 1 to 100, with the maximum amount of operation being 100. The allocation of the operation amount and control of the rear wheel brake lever 14 can be set arbitrarily.

[0087] When the rear wheel brake lever 14 is operated for operation amounts 1 to 5, the front wheel control unit 7 controls the front wheel electric motor 15 so as not to be driven, and the rear wheel control unit 8 controls the rear wheel electric motor 16 so as not to be driven. When the rear wheel brake lever 14 is operated for operation amounts 6 to 25, the front wheel control unit 7 controls the front wheel electric motor 15 so as not to be driven, and the rear wheel control unit 8 regeneratively controls the rear wheel electric motor 16 so that the regenerative brake torque is less than the pedal force torque. When the rear wheel brake lever 14 is operated for operation amounts 26 to 50, the front wheel control unit 7 controls the front wheel electric motor 15 so as not to be driven, and the rear wheel control unit 8 regeneratively controls the rear wheel electric motor 16 so that the regenerative brake torque is equal to or greater than the pedal force torque.

[0088] When the rear wheel brake lever 14 is operated by amounts of operation 51 to 75, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 regeneratively control the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 so that the sum of the regenerative brake torque of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the regenerative brake torque of the rear wheel electric motor 16 becomes equal to or greater than the pedal force torque. When the rear wheel brake lever 14 is operated by amounts of operation 76 to 100, a mechanical brake structure using the rear wheel disc brake 18 is activated.

[0089] When the front wheel brake lever 13 or the rear wheel brake lever 14 is operated with an operation amount of 6 to 25 while pedaling the pedal unit 6, the regenerative brake torque is less than the pedal force torque, so that electrical energy can be recovered by regenerative control while maintaining the speed of the electric bicycle 1. Also, when the front wheel brake lever 13 or the rear wheel brake lever 14 is operated with an operation amount of 26 to 75, the regenerative brake torque is equal to or greater than the pedal force torque, so that electrical energy can be recovered by regenerative control while decelerating the electric bicycle 1. The mechanical brake structure operates after the stop control and regenerative control of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16, so that power consumption can be minimized and power recovery can be maximized.

[0090] The regenerative switch 12 transmits an operation signal of an analog voltage proportional to the amount of operation, and the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 receive the operation signal of the regenerative switch 12, control the current and voltage, and perform regenerative control of at least one electric motor among the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16. Electricity generated by the regenerative control is stored in the battery 9. The regenerative control is controlled according to the amount of operation of the regenerative switch 12, 1 to 100, with the maximum amount of operation being 100. The allocation of the operation amount of the regenerative switch 12 and the control can be set arbitrarily.

[0091] When the regenerative switch 12 is operated with operation amounts 1 to 50, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 regeneratively control the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 so that the sum of the regenerative braking torque of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 is less than the pedal force torque.

[0092] When the regenerative switch 12 is operated with the operation amounts 51 to 100, the front wheel control unit 7 and the rear wheel control unit 8 regeneratively control the front wheel electric motor 15 and the rear wheel electric motor 16 so that the sum of the regenerative braking torque of the front wheel electric motor 15 and the regenerative braking torque of the rear wheel electric motor 16 becomes greater than or equal to the pedal force torque.

[0093] When the regenerative switch 12 is operated with an operation amount of 1 to 50 while pedaling the pedal unit 6, the regenerative brake torque is less than the pedal force torque, so electrical energy can be recovered by regenerative control while maintaining the speed of the electric bicycle 1. Also, when the regenerative switch 12 is operated with an operation amount of 51 to 100, the regenerative brake torque is equal to or greater than the pedal force torque, so electrical energy can be recovered by regenerative control while the electric bicycle 1 is decelerating.

[0094] The present invention allows various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present invention. The above-described embodiments are for the purpose of explaining the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention. That is, the scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the scope of the invention equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

[0095] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-94961 filed on April 27, 2020. The entire specification, claims, and drawings of Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-94961 are incorporated herein by reference. [Industrial Applicability]

[0096] As described above, according to the present invention, an electric bicycle capable of reducing power consumption can be provided. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 1. Electric bicycle 2. Frame 3. Handle section 4...Front wheel 5. Rear wheel 6 Pedal section 7. Front wheel control unit 8 Rear wheel control unit 9. Battery 10. Monitor 11. Drive throttle 12 Regenerative switch 13 Front wheel brake lever 14 Rear wheel brake lever 15 Front wheel electric motor 16 Rear wheel electric motor 17 Front disc brake 18. Rear wheel disc brake 19. Chain 20 Gear 21. Ratchet 22 Sensor group 23. Smartphone

Claims

1. In an electric bicycle driven by electricity, front wheels that can be driven by a front wheel electric motor powered by a battery; a rear wheel that can be driven by a rear wheel electric motor powered by the battery; a pedal unit for inputting a pedal force of a driver to at least one of the front wheels or the rear wheels; At least one driving operation unit for inputting a driving state desired by the driver; a front wheel control unit that controls rotation of the front wheel electric motor based on a state of the front wheels and an input from the driving operation unit; a rear wheel control unit that controls rotation of the rear wheel electric motor according to a state of the rear wheels and an input from the driving operation unit, The front wheel electric motor is attached to a rotary shaft of the front wheel, The rear wheel electric motor is attached to a rotary shaft of the rear wheel, the front wheel control unit controls rotation of the front wheel electric motor in response to the input from the travel operation unit, independently of rotation of the pedal unit; the rear wheel control unit controls rotation of the rear wheel electric motor in response to the input from the travel operation unit, independently of rotation of the pedal unit; an electric bicycle having two electric motors, the front wheel electric motor and the rear wheel electric motor, the front wheel and / or the rear wheel are driven by the electric motors, and when the rider pedals the pedal section while the electric bicycle is in motion, the rider's pedaling force reduces the load on the front wheel electric motor and / or the rear wheel electric motor, A front wheel brake lever is further provided for inputting the amount of braking of the front wheel. an electric bicycle, wherein the rear wheel control unit controls rotation of the rear wheel electric motor in response to a braking amount command from the front wheel brake lever;

2. In an electric bicycle driven by electricity, front wheels that can be driven by a front wheel electric motor powered by a battery; a rear wheel that can be driven by a rear wheel electric motor powered by the battery; a pedal unit for inputting a pedal force of a driver to at least one of the front wheels or the rear wheels; At least one driving operation unit for inputting a driving state desired by the driver; a front wheel control unit that controls rotation of the front wheel electric motor based on a state of the front wheels and an input from the driving operation unit; a rear wheel control unit that controls rotation of the rear wheel electric motor according to a state of the rear wheels and an input from the driving operation unit, The front wheel electric motor is attached to a rotary shaft of the front wheel, The rear wheel electric motor is attached to a rotary shaft of the rear wheel, the front wheel control unit controls rotation of the front wheel electric motor in response to the input from the travel operation unit, independently of rotation of the pedal unit; the rear wheel control unit controls rotation of the rear wheel electric motor in response to the input from the travel operation unit, independently of rotation of the pedal unit; an electric bicycle having two electric motors, the front wheel electric motor and the rear wheel electric motor, the front wheel and / or the rear wheel are driven by the electric motors, and when the rider pedals the pedal section while the electric bicycle is in motion, the rider's pedaling force reduces the load on the front wheel electric motor and / or the rear wheel electric motor, A rear wheel brake lever is further provided for inputting the amount of braking of the rear wheel. an electric bicycle, wherein the front wheel control unit controls the rotation of the front wheel electric motor in response to an instruction for a braking amount from the rear wheel brake lever;

3. a front wheel mechanical brake arrangement for said front wheels; 2. The electric bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the front wheel mechanical brake structure can be operated by the front wheel brake lever.

4. a rear wheel mechanical brake structure for the rear wheels; 3. The electric bicycle according to claim 2, wherein the rear wheel mechanical brake structure can be operated by the rear wheel brake lever.

5. 2. The electric bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the front wheel control unit and / or the rear wheel control unit performs regenerative control.

6. 3. The electric bicycle according to claim 2, wherein the front wheel control unit and / or the rear wheel control unit performs regenerative control.

7. 4. The electric bicycle according to claim 3, wherein the front wheel control unit and / or the rear wheel control unit performs regenerative control.

8. 5. The electric bicycle according to claim 4, wherein the front wheel control unit and / or the rear wheel control unit performs regenerative control.

9. a front wheel regeneration switch for inputting information on the regeneration control of the front wheels; 6. The electric bicycle according to claim 5, wherein the rear wheel control unit performs the regenerative control based on information on the regenerative control from the front wheel regenerative switch.

10. a front wheel regeneration switch for inputting information on the regeneration control of the front wheels; 7. The electric bicycle according to claim 6, wherein the rear wheel control unit performs the regenerative control based on information on the regenerative control from the front wheel regenerative switch.

11. a rear wheel regeneration switch for inputting information on the regeneration control of the rear wheels, 6. The electric bicycle according to claim 5, wherein the front wheel control unit performs the regenerative control based on information on the regenerative control from the rear wheel regenerative switch.

12. a rear wheel regeneration switch for inputting information on the regeneration control of the rear wheels, 7. The electric bicycle according to claim 6, wherein the front wheel control unit performs the regenerative control based on information on the regenerative control from the rear wheel regenerative switch.

13. The front wheel control unit and the rear wheel control unit, The electric bicycle according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the front wheel electric motor and the rear wheel electric motor are controlled so that the difference between the torque of the front wheel and the torque of the rear wheel is 10% or less.

14. The front wheel control unit and the rear wheel control unit, The electric bicycle according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the front wheel electric motor and the rear wheel electric motor are controlled so that the torque of the front wheel is equal to or greater than the torque of the rear wheel.

15. The front wheel control unit and the rear wheel control unit, The electric bicycle according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the front wheel electric motor and the rear wheel electric motor are controlled so that the torque of the rear wheel is equal to or greater than the torque of the front wheel.

16. a pedal torque measuring means for measuring a pedal force torque from the pedal unit, The front wheel control unit and the rear wheel control unit, An electric bicycle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the pedal force torque measured by the pedal torque measuring means and the combined value of the torque of the front wheel electric motor and the torque of the rear wheel electric motor are controlled to be a predetermined ratio.

17. The front wheel control unit and the rear wheel control unit, 13. The electric bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the angular velocity of the front wheel electric motor and the angular velocity of the rear wheel electric motor are controlled so as to be equal to or lower than a predetermined value.

18. The front wheel control unit and the rear wheel control unit, An electric bicycle according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the sum of the motor output of the front wheel electric motor and the motor output of the rear wheel electric motor is controlled so that it is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

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