U.S. patent application number 14/280656 was filed with the patent office on 2015-11-19 for bicycle equipped with electric generator at saddle area.
The applicant listed for this patent is Wen-Sung Lee. Invention is credited to Wen-Sung Lee.
Application Number | 20150329163 14/280656 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54328109 |
Filed Date | 2015-11-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150329163 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Wen-Sung |
November 19, 2015 |
BICYCLE EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC GENERATOR AT SADDLE AREA
Abstract
A bicycle includes a bicycle body, an electric generator
disposed in a saddle area of the bicycle body and an electronic
device connected to the electric generator to be powered by the
latter. The electric generator includes a piezoelectric transducer,
a storage battery and an electric power output port connected to
the piezoelectric transducer and the storage battery. The
piezoelectric transducer is configured to transform mechanical
vibration energy available on the saddle area into electricity
during cycling. The storage battery is coupled to the piezoelectric
transducer for storing the electricity generated by the
piezoelectric transducer. The electronic device is connected to the
electric power output port to be powered by either the
piezoelectric transducer or the storage battery.
Inventors: |
Lee; Wen-Sung; (Taichung
City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Lee; Wen-Sung |
Taichung City |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
54328109 |
Appl. No.: |
14/280656 |
Filed: |
May 18, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/288.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62J 6/06 20130101; B62J
6/04 20130101; B62J 6/00 20130101; B62J 45/00 20200201; B62J 99/00
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B62J 99/00 20060101
B62J099/00; B62J 6/04 20060101 B62J006/04; B62J 6/00 20060101
B62J006/00 |
Claims
1. A bicycle comprising: a bicycle body having a saddle area which
has a seat post and a saddle, the saddle including a saddle shell
and seat rails which are mounted along an underside of the saddle
shell and clamped to the seat post; an electric generator mounted
on a bottom surface of the saddle shell of the saddle of the saddle
area of the bicycle body and having a piezoelectric transducer to
transform mechanical vibration energy available on the saddle area
into electricity during cycling; and an electronic device connected
to the electric generator to be powered by the latter.
2. (canceled)
3. The bicycle as recited in claim 1, wherein the bicycle body
includes at the saddle area a seat post and a saddle, and the
saddle includes a saddle shell and seat rails which are mounted
along an underside of the saddle shell and clamped to the seat
post, and wherein the electric generator is mounted on the seat
rails.
4. The bicycle as recited in claim 3, wherein the electric
generator further includes a housing in which the piezoelectric
transducer is housed, and the housing defines at least one
connecting hole, and wherein the electric generator further
comprises at least one strap passing through the connecting hole in
the housing to bind the electric generator to the seat rails of the
saddle.
5. The bicycle as recited in claim 4, wherein the strap is a Velcro
strap.
6. The bicycle as recited in claim 1, wherein the bicycle body
includes at the saddle area a seat post and a saddle attached to
the seat post, and the electric generator is mounted on the seat
post.
7. The bicycle as recited in claim 1, wherein the bicycle body
includes at the saddle area a seat post and a saddle attached to
the seat post, and the electronic device is a bike tail light
mounted on the seat post.
8. The bicycle as recited in claim 1, wherein the electric
generator further includes a storage battery coupled to the
piezoelectric transducer for storing the electricity generated by
the piezoelectric transducer.
9. The bicycle as recited in claim 8, wherein the storage battery
is wirelessly coupled to the piezoelectric transducer.
10. The bicycle as recited in claim 8, wherein the electric
generator further includes an electric power output port connected
to the piezoelectric transducer and the storage battery.
11. The bicycle as recited in claim 10, wherein the electronic
device is connected to the electric power output port to be powered
by either the piezoelectric transducer or the storage battery.
12. The bicycle as recited in claim 11, wherein the bicycle body
includes at the saddle area a seat post and a saddle attached to
the seat post, and the electronic device is a bike tail light
mounted on the seat post.
13. The bicycle as recited in claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric
transducer comprises a piezo ceramic material.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a bicycle, and more
particularly to a bicycle equipped with an electric generator to
power an electronic device.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Electronic devices on a bicycle, either front or rear lamp
for lighting at night, are fed almost exclusively via a dynamo or
by batteries. Both power system has disadvantages. With the dynamo,
the cyclist is obliged to provide more effort than necessary for
the movement, since it takes an extra effort to compensate for the
friction of the dynamo. The use of the battery can be restrictive
and not eco-friendly. Accordingly, there exists a need for powering
the electronic devices without the disadvantages as described
above. The development of the present invention substantially
departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills
this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a bicycle equipped with an electric generator to satisfy
the aforementioned need. The bicycle includes a bicycle body, an
electric generator disposed in a saddle area of the bicycle body
and an electronic device connected to the electric generator to be
powered by the latter. The electric generator includes a
piezoelectric transducer, a storage battery and an electric power
output port connected to the piezoelectric transducer and the
storage battery. The piezoelectric transducer is configured to
transform mechanical vibration energy available on the saddle area
into electricity during cycling. The storage battery is coupled to
the piezoelectric transducer for storing the electricity generated
by the piezoelectric transducer. The electronic device is connected
to the electric power output port to be powered by either the
piezoelectric transducer or the storage battery.
[0006] Preferred embodiments of the invention may have the
following additional characteristics, either alone or in
combination:
[0007] The bicycle body includes at the saddle area a seat post and
a saddle. The saddle includes a saddle shell and seat rails which
are mounted along an underside of the saddle shell and clamped to
the seat post. In one embodiment, the electric generator is mounted
on a bottom surface of the saddle shell. In a modified embodiment,
the electric generator is mounted on the seat rails. In yet another
modified embodiment, the electric generator is mounted on the seat
post.
[0008] Further benefits and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed
description with appropriate reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a bicycle equipped
with an electric generator in accordance with a first embodiment of
the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the bicycle shown
in FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the electric generator shown in
FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a side view of the bicycle shown in FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 5 illustrates that while a cyclist depicted in phantom
lines is riding on the bicycle of FIG. 4, the bike tail light of
the bicycle is powered by the electric generator.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a view generally similar to FIG. 4;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of a bicycle equipped
with an electric generator in accordance with a second embodiment
of the present invention; and
[0016] FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of a bicycle equipped
with an electric generator in accordance with a third embodiment of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0017] In the accompanying drawings, a bicycle 100 according to a
first embodiment is illustrated which generally includes a bicycle
body 2, a bike powered electric generator 1 disposed in a saddle
area of the bicycle body 2 and an electronic device 7, such as a
bike tail light, to be powered by the electric generator 1.
[0018] As is conventional, the bicycle body 2 includes at its
saddle area a saddle 21 and a seat post 22. The saddle 21 includes
a saddle shell 211 and seat rails 212 mounted along an underside of
the saddle shell 211 and clamped to the seat post 22.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 3, the bike powered electric generator 1
includes a piezoelectric transducer 3, a storage battery 4 and an
electric power output port 5 connected to the piezoelectric
transducer 3 and the storage battery 4. The piezoelectric
transducer 3 is provided to transform mechanical vibration energy
available on the saddle area into electricity, during cycling.
Preferably, the piezoelectric transducer 3 includes a piezo ceramic
material that has the ability to provide relatively higher voltage
that that of quartz under a given force. The storage battery 4 is
coupled to the piezoelectric transducer 3 using a wire or
wirelessly for storing the electricity generated by the
piezoelectric transducer 3. In such a manner, the electronic device
7, which is connected to the electric power output port 5, can be
powered either directly by the piezoelectric transducer 3 or
indirectly by the storage battery 4. As shown in FIG. 5, the bike
tail light 7 lights up during cycling.
[0020] Referring back to FIG. 2, the piezoelectric transducer 3 and
the storage battery (not shown in FIG. 2) are housed in a housing
10 of the electric generator 1. In this embodiment, the electric
generator 1 is attached to the seat rails 212 of the saddle 21 by
means of two Velcro straps 6, as shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, the
straps 6 pass through the respective connecting holes 101 in the
housing 10 to bind the electric generator 1 onto the seat rails 212
of the saddle 21.
[0021] In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the electric
generator 1 is mounted on a bottom surface of the saddle shell 211
of the saddle 21. Alternatively in the third embodiment shown in
FIG. 8, the electric generator 1 is mounted on the seat post
22.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 6, the cyclist's riding in balance is
substantially based on the three vertices A, B and C of a triangle
as shown by dotted lines.
[0023] The lower two vertices B and C are located on the bottom of
the front and rear wheels 24, 25 while the upper vertex A is at the
saddle area of the bicycle. It is believed that the electric
generator 1 which is positioned on the saddle area and subjected to
the weight of the cyclist can harvest more energy from the bicycle
than other areas.
[0024] It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are
illustrative in nature and the invention is not to be limited to
any one or more embodiments except as set forth in the following
claims.
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