Foldable E-Bike Motor Assists Frame Folding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foldable electric bicycles require a significant force to fold, making it cumbersome for the elderly and infirm or women to conveniently store and transport them.
Innovation Solution
A foldable electric bicycle with a drive motor that rotates at least one of the front or rear wheels, controlled by an actuation lever and sensing units, allowing for easy folding and transportation by generating torque between frames when the lever is unlocked, and adjusting motor speed based on throttle input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a locking pin structure is used to lock the front frame and rear frame to the center frame, then the folding mechanism can be simplified, but a significant force is required to fold the electric bicycle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the purely mechanical folding system with an electromechanical system. A drive motor is coupled to the rear wheel, and when the actuation lever is shifted to the folded position, the control unit activates the motor to automatically rotate the rear wheel, generating torque that folds the rear frame to the center frame. This substitution of manual mechanical force with automated motor-driven force resolves the contradiction by maintaining structural simplicity while eliminating the need for significant manual folding force.
2Productivity
If the drive motor is activated at normal driving speed, then the motor can move the folded electric bicycle efficiently, but it may cause injury to the user during the folding process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic speed control of the drive motor based on the operational state. When the actuation lever is in the folded position and the folding process is detected, the control unit limits the motor speed to a preset speed that is slower than normal driving speed, preventing excessive force during folding. When the actuation lever is in the locked position and normal operation is detected, the motor operates at normal driving speed for efficient movement. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting motor performance to the specific operational context.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the position of the actuation lever as a feedback signal to control motor behavior. The sensing unit detects whether the actuation lever is at the locked position or folded position, and the control unit adjusts motor speed accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that the motor provides appropriate force levels: limited speed during folding to prevent injury, and normal speed during transportation for efficiency, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and safety.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the electric bicycle to be easily folded and moved with minimal effort, as the drive motor assists in rotating the frames and adjusting speed for convenient handling.
Implementation Method 1
a drive motor to rotate at least one of a front wheel and a rear wheel
Implementation Method 2
an actuation lever sensing unit to sense whether the actuation lever is at a locked position in which the rotation between the front frame and the rear frame is locked or at an unlocked position
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Disclosed herein are a foldable electric bicycle and a control method thereof. The foldable electric bicycle including a drive motor (52) to rotate at least one of a front wheel (10) and a rear wheel (50), and an actuation lever (450) to lock or unlock rotation between a front frame (100) provided with the front wheel and a rear frame (300) provided with the rear wheel by shifting the actuation lever, includes an actuation lever sensing unit to sense whether the actuation lever is at a locked position or at an unlocked position, a motor driving unit to drive the drive motor, and a control unit (70) which controls the motor driving unit to drive the drive motor in order to generate torque between the front frame and the rear frame by movement of the wheels when the actuation lever is shifted from the locked position to the unlocked position.