Bicycle Shift Control Box Size Reduction via Battery Extraction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing bicycle shift control boxes are bulky due to the need to accommodate batteries, which affects the appearance and handlebar operation of bicycles equipped with electronic shifting systems.
Innovation Solution
The battery is integrated into the brake lever assembly, allowing the shift control box to be smaller and lighter, with wireless transmission and motion sensing units in the control box, and electrical connectors positioned to minimize cable interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the battery is disposed inside the control box, then the control box can be self-contained and portable, but the size of the control box becomes large and affects the appearance of the bicycle
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two separate functional modules: the control box containing only control electronics and the brake lever assembly containing the battery. This segmentation allows the control box to be compact while the battery remains accessible in the brake lever assembly, resolving the contradiction between self-containment and size.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery is extracted from the control box and relocated to the brake lever assembly. This extraction eliminates the volume constraint imposed by the battery on the control box design, allowing the control box to be minimized in size while maintaining system functionality through wireless communication between components.
2Device complexity
If the control box is made larger to accommodate the battery, then the system remains simple in structure, but the control box interferes with the operation of the handlebar
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the battery from the control box and placing it in the brake lever assembly, the control box becomes small enough to be mounted on the handlebar without interfering with operation, while the system remains relatively simple through wireless communication protocols that avoid complex cabling.
3Ease of manufacture
If the battery is disposed inside the control box, then the electrical connection is straightforward, but the control box becomes bulky and affects bicycle appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical/electrical connection between the battery and control box is replaced with wireless communication (Bluetooth or other wireless protocols). The control box communicates with the derailleur and receives power through wireless means, eliminating the need for a large battery compartment while maintaining electrical functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A bicycle head is configured to be mounted on a bicycle frame. The bicycle head includes a vertical tube, a stem, a handlebar, a first brake lever, and a shift control box. One end of the stem is mounted on the vertical tube. The handlebar is fixed to another end of the stem. The first brake lever assembly is mounted on the handlebar. The first brake lever assembly includes a main body, a brake assembly, a shift switch, and a battery. The brake assembly and the battery are disposed on the main body, and the shift switch is disposed on the brake assembly. The shift control box is disposed on one of the vertical tube, the stem, and the handlebar and electrically connected to the battery and the shift switch.