IP Library Granted Patent US 11,180,218
Granted Patent B2
US 11,180,218 · App. 16/715,081 · Granted Nov 23, 2021

Drive unit

Inventors: Masayuki Tsutsui (Wako, JP); Hiroyasu Yoshizawa (Wako, JP); Tomochika Takahashi (Wako, JP)
Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
B62M11/04B62M6/50B62M6/55F16D41/24F16H3/0915F16H3/10F16H61/6647B60K17/02F16H59/141F16H2003/0803F16H2059/147F16H2200/0013
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,180,218
App. No.
16/715,081
Granted
Nov 23, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A drive unit includes: a pedal crankshaft to which a pedal stepping force of a rider is applied; an electric motor that detects a torque input to the pedal crankshaft and generates a drive force; and a transmission that changes shift of the drive force of the electric motor and delivers the drive force to the pedal crankshaft, the transmission includes a main shaft that supports a plurality of drive gears and a counter shaft that supports a plurality of driven gears that engage with the plurality of respective drive gears, and the transmission selects one torque delivery gear among the plurality of drive gears, delivers the drive force of the electric motor to the counter shaft, and shifts the torque delivery gear without inverting a rotational direction of the drive gear.

Claims (26)

1. A drive unit comprising:

a pedal crankshaft to which a pedal stepping force of a rider is applied;

an electric motor that detects a torque input to the pedal crankshaft and generates a drive force;

a transmission that changes shift of the drive force of the electric motor and delivers the drive force to the pedal crankshaft; and

a one-way clutch that is provided on a power delivery path from the electric motor to the pedal crankshaft and blocks delivery of a pedal torque, which has been input to the pedal crankshaft, to a side of the electric motor,

wherein the transmission includes

a main shaft that supports a plurality of drive gears and

a counter shaft that supports a plurality of driven gears that engage with the plurality of respective drive gears,

the transmission selects one torque delivery gear from the plurality of drive gears, delivers the drive force of the electric motor to the counter shaft, and shifts the torque delivery gear without inverting a rotational direction of the drive gear, and

the one-way clutch is provided coaxially with the counter shaft.

2. The drive unit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the one-way clutch is provided on a delivery path from the counter shaft to the pedal crankshaft.

3. The drive unit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the counter shaft is disposed above the pedal crankshaft and the main shaft.

4. The drive unit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the main shaft is disposed below the pedal crankshaft, and a drive shaft of the electric motor is disposed above the main shaft.

5. The drive unit according to claim 1 ,

wherein a drive shaft of the electric motor is disposed further forward than the pedal crankshaft.

6. The drive unit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the main shaft is disposed further forward than the pedal crankshaft.

7. The drive unit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the transmission includes a gear position sensor.

8. The drive unit according to claim 7 ,

wherein the gear position sensor is disposed below the main shaft.

9. The drive unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a deceleration gear pair on a delivery path from the electric motor to the main shaft.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2019
From: TSUTSUI, MASAYUKI; YOSHIZAWA, HIROYASU; TAKAHASHI, TOMOCHIKA
To: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 051290/0879 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-237417 · Dec 19, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200198729A1 · Jun 25, 2020