IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,974,708
Granted Patent B2
US 10,974,708 · App. 16/142,490 · Granted Apr 13, 2021

Bicycle control device and brake system

Inventors: Hitoshi Takayama (Osaka, JP); Toshihiko Takahashi (Osaka, JP); Masahiro Nakakura (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: Shimano Inc.
B60T8/3225B60T8/171B60T8/1706B62L3/00B62L3/02B62M6/40B60T8/261B60T2210/12B60T2210/30B60T2250/00B60T2250/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,974,708
App. No.
16/142,490
Granted
Apr 13, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A brake control device and a brake system are configured to appropriately apply a braking force to a rotary body of a human-powered vehicle. The brake control device includes an electronic controller that controls a braking portion electrically driven to brake a rotary body rotating in accordance with traveling of a human-powered vehicle. The electronic controller controls the braking portion in accordance with an operation amount of an operating device and a state related to the human-powered vehicle.

Claims (45)

1. A brake control device comprising:

an electronic controller configured to output a control signal to electrically control a brake device to apply a braking force to a rotary body rotating in accordance with traveling of a human-powered vehicle,

the electronic controller being configured to

vary the braking force applied to a braking portion of the brake device in accordance with an operation amount of an operating device and a state related to the human-powered vehicle as detected by a sensor, and

set a transition aspect of the braking force associated with driving of the braking portion to vary the braking force corresponding to the operation amount in accordance with the state related to the human-powered vehicle, the transition aspect including a first range of the operation amount having a first rate of increase, and a second range of the operation amount having a second rate of increase, the second rate of increase being different from the first rate of increase, each of the first and second rates of increase being non-zero.

2. The brake control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the electronic controller is further configured to change the transition aspect of the braking force in a stepped manner in accordance with the operation amount.

3. The brake control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the state related to the human-powered vehicle includes a travel speed of the human-powered vehicle.

4. The brake control device according to claim 3 , wherein

the electronic controller is further configured to control the braking portion so that the transition aspect of the braking force in a case where the travel speed is greater than or equal to a predetermined travel speed differs from the transition aspect of the braking force in a case where the travel speed is less than the predetermined travel speed.

5. The brake control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the state related to the human-powered vehicle includes an inclination angle of the human-powered vehicle.

6. The brake control device according to claim 5 , wherein

the electronic controller is further configured to control the braking portion so that the transition aspect of the braking force in a case where the inclination angle is greater than or equal to a predetermined angle differs from the transition aspect of the braking force in a case where the inclination angle is less than the predetermined angle.

7. The brake control device according to claim 5 , wherein

the inclination angle indicates a forward inclination angle of the human-powered vehicle.

8. The brake control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the state related to the human-powered vehicle includes a gross weight of the human-powered vehicle.

9. The brake control device according to claim 8 , wherein

the electronic controller is further configured to control the braking portion so that the transition aspect of the braking force in a case where the gross weight is greater than or equal to a predetermined weight differs from the transition aspect of the braking force in a case where the gross weight is less than the predetermined weight.

10. The brake control device according to claim 8 , wherein

the electronic controller is further configured to increase an increase rate of the braking force with respect to a given one of the operation amount as the gross weight increases.

11. The brake control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the state related to the human-powered vehicle includes a travel resistance of the human-powered vehicle.

12. The brake control device according to claim 11 , wherein

the electronic controller is further configured to control the braking portion so that the transition aspect of the braking force in a case where the travel resistance is greater than or equal to a predetermined resistance differs from the transition aspect of the braking force in a case where the travel resistance is less than the predetermined resistance.

13. The brake control device according to claim 11 , wherein,

the electronic controller is further configured to decrease an increase rate of the braking force with respect to a given one of the operation amount as the travel resistance increases.

14. The brake control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the state related to the human-powered vehicle includes a travel environment of the human-powered vehicle.

15. The brake control device according to claim 14 , wherein

the electronic controller is further configured to control the braking portion so that the transition aspect of the braking force in a case where the travel environment is a first environment differs from the transition aspect of the braking force in a case where the travel environment is a second environment.

16. The brake control device according to claim 1 , further comprising

a memory configured to store information specifying a relationship among the operation amount, the state related to the human-powered vehicle, and the braking force.

17. A brake system comprising the brake control device according to claim 1 , and further comprising:

the brake device that includes the braking portion; and

an electric actuator that drives the braking portion in response to the control signal from the electronic controller.

18. The brake system according to claim 17 , wherein

the electric actuator includes an electric motor that is different from an electric motor assisting propulsion force of the human-powered vehicle.

19. The brake system according to claim 17 , wherein

the electric actuator is provided to the braking portion.

20. The brake system according to claim 17 , further comprising the operating device.

21. The brake system according to claim 20 , wherein

the operating device includes a lever.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 26, 2018
From: TAKAYAMA, HITOSHI; TAKAHASHI, TOSHIHIKO; NAKAKURA, MASAHIRO
To: SHIMANO INC.
Reel/Frame 046978/0537 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2017-203757 · Oct 20, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190118785A1 · Apr 25, 2019