Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Hirofumi Matsumoto

Yasuyuki Tsuchida

Kazuhiro Tomoshige

Yoshifumi Miyazaki

Masakatu Fujiwara

Yoshitaka Wakebe

Hiedo Momohara

An electrically operated transmission gear system for a bicycle includes a plurality of transmission gears selectively drivable by an endless chain trained around a pedal-driven crank gear, a reversible motor, a takeup reel drivable thereby, and a wire connected at one end to the takeup reel and at the other end to a chain guide for shifting the endless chain into driving mesh with one of the transmission gears at a time. The transmission gear system also includes means for measuring the speed of travel of the bicycle and/or the speed of rotation of the crank gear, means for detecting a transmission ear with which the endless chain is in driving mesh, and an arithmetic unit for deriving a proper speed range from one of the measuring and detecting means and for comparing an output from the other means with the proper speed range as derived to determine whether the transmission gear held in mesh wish the endless chain is proper or not, whereby gear-shifting for the bicycle can properly controlled.

Electrically operated transmission gear system for bicycles

The control system of the present disclosure is particularly designed for use in the bicycle which is so designed as to change gears upon shifting of a chain guiding mechanism. The control system includes a motor driven reel, a flexible wire connected between the reel and the chain guiding mechanism and a switch arrangement for controlling the rotation of the reel. Upon turning on of the switch arrangement, the motor is rotated by a predetermined amount to perform a suitable shifting operation of the chain to engage with a required gear.

Control system for use in a multiple speed transmission system

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Moriguchi, Japan

Hirofumi Matsumoto