Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha

Yamaha Corporation

Masanori Negoro

Nobuo Hara

Yasuhiko Asahi

Toshio Iwai

Nobuyasu Arimune

Yuki Kinpara

Satoshi Kamiya

Satoshi Katayama

Katsuro Shibahara

Kazuya Matsubara

Masatsugu Uda

Tomoyuki Takeda

A control device sets a second electricity control switch in an intermediate state in a process of switching a discharge battery for supplying a drive unit with an electrical current from a first battery to a second battery. Subsequently, when a comparative relationship between an electric potential of a smoothing capacitor and an electric potential of the second battery fulfills an intermediate state termination condition, the control device sets the second electricity control switch in a bidirectional conduction state. The intermediate state is when an electrical current flowing from the second battery to the drive unit is allowed, and an electrical current flowing from the drive unit to the second battery is inhibited. The bidirectional conduction state is when both of the electrical current flowing from the second battery to the drive unit and the electrical current flowing from the drive unit to the second battery are allowed.

Electric bicycle, battery switching device, and method of switching battery

An electrically assisted bicycle includes a crank shaft, pedals, an electric motor, a pedal effort sensor that detects a pedal effort exerted on the pedals, a propelling detection sensor that detects that the electrically assisted bicycle is starting to be propelled, and a controller that executes a first control in which a command value provided to the electric motor is obtained based on the output of the pedal effort sensor and a second control in which a command value provided to the electric motor is obtained based on the output of the pedal effort sensor and the output of the propelling detection sensor. The controller is configured or programmed to select the first control or the second control as a calculation method of a command value provided to the electric motor during a period of time from a state in which the electrically assisted bicycle is stopped until a detection of the rotation of the crank shaft.

Electrically assisted bicycle

An electrically assisted bicycle includes a motor controller that calculates a command value which determines a magnitude of an assisting torque based on at least an output of a pedal torque detector. The motor controller switches between a first control and a second control, in which a time required for the assisting torque to change to meet a change in the pedal torque is shorter and the amount of change in the assisting torque to meet a change in the pedal torque is greater than in the first control.

A battery-assisted bicycle includes a driving unit that increases an assist ratio and provides a smooth assist control that does not make a rider feel uncomfortable. The driving unit includes a crankshaft to which pedals are to be connected, a crank rotation detector that detects rotation of the crankshaft, and an assist control stopping unit programmed to stop an assist control in response to the rotation of the crankshaft detected by the crank rotation detector.

Driving unit and battery-assisted bicycle

A driving unit and a battery-assisted bicycle include a stopping assist control without making a rider feel uncomfortable. The driving unit includes a crankshaft to which pedals are to be connected, a torque detector that detects a torque generated at the crankshaft, and an assist control stopping unit that stops an assist control based on an amplitude of a torque detected by the torque detector while the crankshaft rotates in a prescribed rotation angle range.

A saddle riding type vehicle that reduces steering pull of a handle caused by a disturbance and also prevents degradation in a steering feeling includes a detector that detects a steering angle of a steering shaft, a steering damper, and a control device. The steering damper is arranged around the steering shaft and includes an electromagnet, a magnetic member, and a magnetic fluid stored in a gap between the electromagnet and the magnetic member. The control device includes a steering angular velocity determiner adapted to determine a steering angular velocity based on a steering angle detected by the detector, an instructor adapted to instruct a supply of current to the electromagnet for a first reference time when the determined steering angular velocity exceeds a first reference velocity and to instruct a stopping or reduction of the current supply after the first reference time elapses, and a driver that supplies the electromagnet with current in response to an instruction from the instructor.

Saddle riding type vehicle and steering damper device for use in saddle riding type vehicle

A control unit controls a vehicle having a body to allow a user to step on, a power generator arranged to generate power that drives the body, and a first sensor and a second sensor. Each sensor preferably outputs a load value representing a load that has been applied to the body. The control unit preferably includes a processor arranged to output a command value associated with a bias of the load based on first and second load values that have been respectively detected by the first and second sensors, and a drive controller arranged to control the power generator in accordance with the command value.

Vehicle control unit and vehicle

A control unit is designed to control a vehicle which includes a body arranged to allow a user to step onto the body, a power generator arranged to generate power that drives the body, and a load sensor unit arranged to output a load value representing a load that has been applied to the body. The control unit preferably includes a processor arranged to calculate a bias of the load based on the load value that has been detected by the load sensor unit and to output a command value as a function of the bias, and a drive controller arranged to control the power generator in accordance with the command value. The processor outputs the command value for generating the power when there is substantially no bias in the load.

A control unit controls a vehicle having a body to allow its user to step on, a power generator arranged to generate power that drives the body, and a load sensor unit arranged to output a load value representing a load that has been applied to the body. The control unit preferably includes a first memory arranged to store a load threshold value, a second memory arranged to store a plurality of data, which respectively correspond to different types of control processing to control the power generator, and a processor arranged to change to a type of control processing among the different types of control processing according to a result of a comparison between the load value and the load threshold value. The processor controls the power generator based on one of the plurality of data corresponding to the type of control processing.

A skateboard has a board that is rotatably provided with a front wheel and rear wheel. Disposed on the both sides of the board are speakers. On the front wheel there is provided a steering angle sensor, while on the rear wheel there is provided a rotational speed sensor in order to sense the traveling direction and traveling speed of the skateboard. A control box disposed on the undersurface of the board is equipped with a computer device and tone generator. The computer device controls, in accordance with the traveling direction and speed of the skateboard, the performance tempo of automatic rhythm and automatic performance, the switching between automatic rhythm patterns, and the generation of musical tone signals. The present invention brings more fun to a player without making the player tired by adding variation to music to which the player listens during the ride on the moving apparatus in accordance with the movement of the moving apparatus.

Moving apparatus and moving apparatus system

A skateboard SB has a boardthat is rotatably provided with a front wheeland rear wheel. Disposed on the both sides of the boardare speakers. On the undersurface of the boardthere are provided a floor sensorhaving a CCD camera for shooting a floor and a distance sensorfor sensing the distance to the floor. A control boxdisposed on the undersurface of the boardis equipped with a computer device and a tone generator. The computer device controls, in accordance with the color and lightness of the floor sensed by the floor sensorand the distance sensed by the distance sensor, the generation of musical tone signals by the tone generator and the mode in which the musical tone signals are generated. A moving apparatus constructed as described above enables a player to listen to music that corresponds to changes in external conditions where the moving apparatus is placed, bringing more fun to the player without making the player tired.

Growing community of inventors

Shizuoka, Japan

Masanori Negoro