Patent US3841428A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3841428A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Auxiliary electric drive attachment for a vehicle
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-12-20
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Granted: 1974-10-15
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Expires: 1991-12-20
Abstract
Abstract An electric power drive attachment for a wheeled vehicle, as for instance a bicycle, comprising a pair of separate and distinct electric motors mounted adjacent one wheel of the bicycle, the motors being disposed end-to-end and having their shafts in axial alignment. A resilient rubber coupling, having sockets in its ends, receives the shafts and interconnects them for simultaneous turning. The coupling includes a drive roller which engages the bicycle wheel to be driven. A rechargeable battery provides a source of power to drive the motors. The motors preferably have permanent magnet fields and thus can advantageously generate a current when uniquely connected and mechanically driven by the bicycle wheel. Switch means are included to effect connection of the motors in parallel across the battery to drive the bicycle. Provision is also made for connecting the motors in series-aiding relation across the battery to provide efficient charging of the same when the motors are mechanically driven. Alternately, the motors when driven can be connected to a load resistor and thus provide auxiliary electric braking for the bicycle, if necessary. A lever located on the handle bars permits selective engagement and disengagement of the drive roller and the bicycle wheel, to permit the bicycle having the drive attachment to be operated in the conventional manner.
Inventors
- 👤 N Bialek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 08:16
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62M; B62M13/00; B62M13/04; B60; B60L; B60L15/00; B60L15/20; B60L50/00; B60L50/20; B60L50/50; B60L50/52; B60L50/60; B60L50/66; B60L53/00; B60L53/10; B60L53/14; B62M6/00; B62M6/40; B62M6/75; B60L2200/00; B60L2200/12; B60L2200/46; B60L2210/00; B60L2210/30; B60L2240/00; B60L2240/10; B60L2240/12; B60L2240/40; B60L2240/42; B60L2240/421; B60L2240/423; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/60; Y02T10/64; Y02T10/70; Y02T10/7072; Y02T10/72; Y02T90/00; Y02T90/10; Y02T90/12; Y02T90/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
An electric power drive attachment for a wheeled vehicle, comprising in combination: a. a pair of separate and distinct electric motors disposed end to end, having shafts arranged in axial alignment with one another, b. resilient means disposed between the adjacent ends of the motors for interconnecting the motor shafts for simultaneous turning; c. said resilient means further comprising a friction drive roller being drivingly engageable with one wheel of the vehicle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
An electric power drive attachment for a wheeled vehicle, comprising in combination: a. a pair of separate and distinct electric motors disposed end to end, having shafts arranged in axial alignment with one another, b. resilient means disposed between the adjacent ends of the motors for interconnecting the motor shafts for simultaneous turning; c. said resilient means further comprising a friction drive roller being drivingly engageable with one wheel of the vehicle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein: a. the resilient means comprises a rubber coupling having sockets in its ends in which the motor shafts are received.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention as set forth in claim 1, and further including: a. manually operable means for drivingly engaging and disengaging the friction drive roller and one wheel of the vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein: a. said motors are capable of generating a current, each having a permanent magnet field.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The invention as set forth in claim 4, wherein: a. each of said motors has a pair of terminals and armature brushes connected thereto, constituting a motor circuit, b. a battery, and c. switch means connected to the terminals of said motors for effecting a parallel connection thereof, across the battery.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
The invention as set forth in claim 5, wherein: a. said battery is of the rechargeable type, and b. said switch means being adapted to terminate said parallel connection of the motor terminals and to effect a series aiding connection of the terminals across the battery to recharge the same when the motors are being mechanically driven at high speed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention as set forth in claim 5, wherein: a. said switch means is adapted to connect said motor terminals across a load resistor, for braking purposes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The invention as set forth in claim 5, and further including: a. manually operable means for drivingly engaging and disengaging the friction drive roller and one wheel of the vehicle, and b. said switch means being actuated by the manually operable means to open said motor circuits when said drive roller is disengaged from the vehicle wheel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention as set forth in claim 2, wherein: a. said motor shafts have flatted portions, respectively, and b. said sockets comprising means keyed to said flatted portions of the shafts to prevent slippage.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
118 words
An electric power drive attachment to a wheeled vehicle, comprising in combination: a. a pair of separate and distinct electric motors disposed end to end, having their shafts in axial alignment, b. a friction drive roller disposed between the adjacent ends of the motors and drivingly engageable with one wheel of the vehicle, and c. resilient means for interconnecting the motor shafts for simultaneous turning, for imparting power to the roller from thE motor shafts, d. said resilient means comprising a rubber coupling having sockets in its ends in which the motor shafts are received, e. said rubber coupling having a longitudinal bore communicating with said sockets, whereby a clearance space exists between the ends of the shafts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
118 words
An electric power drive attachment to a wheeled vehicle, comprising in combination: a. a pair of separate and distinct electric motors disposed end to end, having their shafts in axial alignment, b. a friction drive roller disposed between the adjacent ends of the motors and drivingly engageable with one wheel of the vehicle, and c. resilient means for interconnecting the motor shafts for simultaneous turning, for imparting power to the roller from thE motor shafts, d. said resilient means comprising a rubber coupling having sockets in its ends in which the motor shafts are received, e. said rubber coupling having a longitudinal bore communicating with said sockets, whereby a clearance space exists between the ends of the shafts.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention as set forth in claim 10, and further including: a. a pair of collars carried respectively by said shafts and engaging two end portions respectively of the coupling to provide axial positioning thereof with respect to the shafts.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
109 words
An electric power drive attachment for a wheeled vehicle, comprising in combination: a. a pair of separate and distinct electric motors disposed end to end, having their shafts in axial alignment, b. a friction drive roller disposed between the adjacent ends of the motors and drivingly engageable with one wheel of the vehicle, c. resilient means for interconnecting the motor shafts for simultaneous turning, for imparting power to the roller from the motor shafts, and d. centrifugal switch means connected to said battery and operative to disconnect the motors therefrom in response to rotation of the wheel of the vehicle at a rate in excess of a predetermined value.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
109 words
An electric power drive attachment for a wheeled vehicle, comprising in combination: a. a pair of separate and distinct electric motors disposed end to end, having their shafts in axial alignment, b. a friction drive roller disposed between the adjacent ends of the motors and drivingly engageable with one wheel of the vehicle, c. resilient means for interconnecting the motor shafts for simultaneous turning, for imparting power to the roller from the motor shafts, and d. centrifugal switch means connected to said battery and operative to disconnect the motors therefrom in response to rotation of the wheel of the vehicle at a rate in excess of a predetermined value.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
The invention as set forth in claim 11, wherein: a. one of said collars is provided with a protrusion engaging one end of the rubber coupling, b. said rubber coupling having a depression mating with and receiving said protrusion, whereby relative turning between the coupling and the collar is prevented.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-14 | 1978-04-15 | 1978-10-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-14 | 1982-04-15 | 1982-10-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-14 | 1986-04-15 | 1986-10-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |