E-Bike Crankshaft Deceleration Warning for Following Traffic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrically assisted bicycles lack a reduction-warning system to alert following vehicles when the bicycle is not being accelerated, increasing the risk of collisions.
Innovation Solution
A reduction-warning system for electrically assisted bicycles that detects the rotational rate of the crankshaft, determining if it is reduced, and provides visual or auditory alerts to following riders or drivers to indicate the intention to slow down.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a reduction-warning system is equipped on electrically assisted bicycles, then the safety against following vehicles is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reduction-warning system is integrated into the existing bicycle structure by utilizing the crankshaft rotational detection mechanism, which serves dual purposes: monitoring pedal cadence for training purposes and triggering safety warnings. This multi-functionality approach reduces device complexity by avoiding separate dedicated systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically detects crankshaft rotational rate changes and triggers warnings without requiring manual intervention or separate sensing mechanisms. The existing crankshaft rotation data is repurposed to serve the safety function, allowing the system to self-monitor and self-alert based on detected rotational patterns.
2Speed
If the rotational rate of the crankshaft is continuously detected, then the responsiveness of the warning system is improved, but the use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring, the system periodically samples the crankshaft rotational rate at specific intervals during pedaling cycles. The controller compares current rotational rate with previous measurements to detect reduction patterns, triggering warnings only when significant changes are detected. This periodic sampling maintains responsiveness while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A reduction-warning method includes the steps of providing a bicycle with a crankshaft, detecting a rotational rate of the crankshaft, determining whether the rotational rate of the crankshaft is reduced, returning the step of detecting the rotational rate, and providing an alert if the rotational rate of the crankshaft is reduced.