Patent ID: 11932349
Assignee: GATES CORPORATION
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  F | IPC B  F

Claim 7:
8. A method for operating a power unit of a pedal vehicle having a pedal shaft and an output shaft for transferring torque to a vehicle wheel, the power unit having a housing, the method comprising:
controlling transmission ratio between the pedal shaft and the output shaft with a main epicyclic gear set comprising a sun gear, a ring gear, a plurality of planet gears between the sun gear and the ring gear and a planet carrier connected to the planet gears;
transmitting power to an assist gear of the main epicyclic gear set with an assist motor for transmitting power to the output shaft of the pedal vehicle;
adjusting the transmission ratio of the main epicyclic gear set with a control motor by transmitting power to a control gear of the epicyclic gear set, the control motor and the control gear forming a control assembly of the power unit;
operating the power unit in a first operating mode in which the control gear rotates in a first rotation direction, in which first operating mode the control motor is operable adjusting the transmission ratio of the main epicyclic gear set by transmitting power to the control gear; and
operating the power unit in a second operating mode in which torque transmission between the of the control gear and the control motor is disabled,, wherein the method comprises:
transmitting power to the ring gear of the main epicyclic gear set with the assist motor for transmitting power to the output shaft of the pedal vehicle;
adjusting the transmission ratio of the main epicyclic gear set with the control motor by transmitting power to the sun gear of the epicyclic gear set, the control motor and the sun gear forming the control assembly of the power unit;
operating the power unit in the first operating mode in which the sun gear rotates in the first rotation direction, in which first operating mode the control motor is operable adjusting the transmission ratio of the main epicyclic gear set by transmitting power to the sun gear; and
operating the power unit in the second operating mode in which torque transmission between the sun gear and the control motor is disabled with a one-way clutch provided between the sun gear and the housing of the power unit.