Patent ID: 6047230
Filing Date: 2000-04-04
Classification: B60W,B62J,B62M,F16H

Abstract:
A gear shifting system for a human-powered vehicle, comprising:a wheel speed sensor sensing a speed of a wheel of a human-powered vehicle;a cadence sensor sensing a drive rate of a torque drive member of the vehicle drives a torque-transmitting member of the vehicle;a gear changer position sensor sensing a position of a gear changer of the vehicle with respect to a plurality of gears of the vehicle;a tension sensor sensing a tension of a torque transmitting member transmitting a torque from the torque drive member to a gear of the plurality of gears;a clinometer sensing an inclination of the vehicle;a controller generating a control signal to change the position of the gear changer with respect to the plurality of gears based on the sensed wheel speed, the sensed drive rate, the sensed tension of the torque-transmitting member, the sensed vehicle inclination and the sensed gear changer position, the controller being inhibited from generating the control signal when the speed of the wheel is increasing; anda gear changer actuator coupled to the gear changer, the gear changer actuator positioning the gear changer with respect to the plurality of gears in response to the control signal.