The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 02, 2026
Filed:
Apr. 23, 2024
Zf Friedrichshafen Ag, Friedrichshafen, DE;
Uwe Schraff, Markdorf, DE;
Uwe Griesmeier, Markdorf, DE;
Thomas Hodrius, Weiler-Simmerberg, DE;
Günter Riess, Eriskirch/Mariabrunn, DE;
Michel Wiemer, Weingarten, DE;
Alexander Jungaberle, Schlier, DE;
Markus Wallner, Friedrichshafen, DE;
Manfred Schenk, Friedrichshafen, DE;
Peter Seidel, Oberteuringen, DE;
ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Friedrichshafen, DE;
Abstract
A method for open-loop control of a drive device for assisting a vehicle at least intermittently operable by muscle power is provided. The vehicle includes a driving wheel drivable by drive force provided from the drive device, and a crank apparatus rotatable by a rider of the vehicle. The method includes: (S) querying a predetermined operating mode of the drive device specifiable by the rider of the vehicle; (S) detecting a rotational speed of the driving wheel; (S) detecting a rotational speed of the crank apparatus; (S) determining a synchronous operation with respect to the rotational speed of the driving wheel and the rotational speed of the crank apparatus based on a transmission ratio between the crank apparatus and the driving wheel; and (S) controlling the drive device with a predefined drive power regardless of a muscle power introduced into a crank apparatus when the predetermined operating mode is present and the synchronous operation is present.