Patent ID: 6276479
Filing Date: 2001-08-21
Classification: B62M

Abstract:
An electrically power assisted bicycle comprised of a frame, a front wheel dirigibly supported by said frame, a rear wheel journaled for rotation by said frame, a seat carried by said frame for accommodating a rider, a pedal assembly journaled by said frame for rotation about a transverse crank axis for operation by a rider seated on said seat, a drive coupling said pedal assembly to said rear wheel for manual driving of said rear wheel, an electric power assist mechanism for transmitting a driving force to said rear wheel through said drive and comprised of an electrical motor and a transmission for transferring motive power from said electrical motor to said drive disposed longitudinally entirely on the forward side of said crank axis, said frame comprising a head pipe dirigibly supporting said front wheel and a main frame member extending rearwardly and downwardly toward said crank axis and a seat pillar extending upwardly and rearwardly from a lower end adjacent said crank axis and supporting said seat, said electrical motor and transmission being supported beneath said main frame member and having an output shaft extending generally parallel to and beneath said main frame member, and battery means for providing the only source of electrical power to said electrical motor and disposed longitudinally entirely on the rear side of said crank axis and substantially forwardly of the rotational axis of said rear wheel.