Patent ID: 7547021
Filing Date: 2009-06-16
Classification: B62M

Abstract:
1. An automatic transmission bicycle comprising: a bicycle frame; a front fork rotatably coupled to the bicycle frame; a chain ring rotatably coupled to the bicycle frame, the chain ring comprising an output gear and an input gear; a pair of pedals attached to the chain ring; a rear wheel rotatably coupled to the bicycle frame; a front wheel rotatably coupled to the front fork; a plurality of gears coupled to the bicycle frame, the plurality of gears having a plurality of gear combinations defined by at least two cooperatively engaged gears; a first chain extendable about the chain ring and operative to drive the rear wheel; a motor coupled to the bicycle frame, the motor having an output gear; a second chain extendable about the output gear of the motor and the input gear of the chain ring for rotateably driving the chain ring under power of the motor; a voltage generator coupled to the front fork or the bicycle frame, the voltage generator in mechanical communication with the front or rear wheel and configured to generate a current having a corresponding voltage dependent upon a rotational speed of the front or rear wheel; and a gear shifter coupled to the bicycle frame, the gear shifter in electrical communication with the voltage generator and configured to receive the current generated by the voltage generator, the gear shifter configured to exert a mechanical force upon the plurality of gears to shift between two respective gear combinations of the plurality of gear combinations in response to receiving the current from the voltage generator, the gear shifter including: