Vehicle automatic transmission bicycle with alternate fixed ratio or variable ratio speed sensitive power paths

Claim 2

A bicycle drive system in which operator driven pedals are connected to power a drive wheel comprising: first drive shaft means connected to be driven by the operator pedals; second drive shaft means connected to power the drive wheel of the bicycle; first transmission means driven by said first drive shaft means through overrunning device means allowing said first transmission means to be driven in one direction by operation of the pedals and to overrun the pedals in the opposite direction; second transmission means driving said second drive shaft means; means interconnecting said first transmission means in driving relationship to said second transmission means; control means for adjusting the speed ratio between said first and second transmission means through the path formed by said interconnecting means; speed responsive means generating a signal as a function of pedal drive speed; and means responsive to said speed responsive signal to adjust said control means to regulate said speed ratio as a function of said pedal drive speed responsive signal to maintain said pedal drive speed substantially constant upon attainment of the predetermined cadence pedalling speed range.

Claim 3

A bicycle drive system as set forth in claim 1 including means for manually adjusting the level of said speed responsive signal as a function of pedal drive speed, thereby allowing the operator to adjust the relationship between pedal drive speed and the speed ratio between said first and second transmission means.

Claim 4

A bicycle drive system as set forth in claim 1 in which said speed responsive means comprises fluid pumping means producing a fluid pressure as a function of pedal drive speed.

Claim 5

A bicycle drive system as set forth in claim 3 in which said fluid pumping means is connected to a flow restricting orifice.

Claim 6

A bicycle drive system as set forth in claim 4 including means for manually adjusting the effective area of said flow restricting orifice, thereby allowing the operator to adjust the relationship between the speed at which said fluid pumping means is driven and the pressure produced thereby.

Claim 7

A bicycle drive system as set forth in claim 3 including means for limiting to a preselected maximum the level of the pressure produced by said fluid pumping means.

Claim 8

A bicycle drive system as set forth in claim 6 in which said pressure limiting means comprises pressure actuated bypass valve means.

Claim 9

A vehicle drive system comprising: input drive shaft means through which input propulsion power is applied to said drive system; output drive shaft means through which output propulsion power is extracted from said drive system to propel said vehicle; first transmission means driven by said input drive shaft means; second transmission means driving said output drive shaft means; first interconnecting means forming a first power transmission path between said first and second transmission means; control means for adjusting the speed ratio between said first and second transmission means through the path formed by said first interconnecting means; speed responsive means generating a signal as a function of speed of said input drive shaft means; means responsive to said speed responsive signal to adjust said control means to regulate said speed ratio thereof as a function of said speed proportional signal; second interconnecting means forming a second power transmission path between said input drive shaft means and said output drive shaft means; said second interconnecting means having a fixed speed ratio; and means selectively operable to direct prOpulsion power through said second interconnecting means over a first range of vehicle speeds and to direct propulsion power through said first interconnecting means over a second range of vehicle speeds; whereby over said first vehicle speed range the speed ratio is constant, and over said second vehicle speed range said speed ratio is automatically adjusted in response to changes in the speed of said input drive shaft means to maintain said input drive shaft means at a substantially constant speed upon attainment of the predetermined cadence pedalling speed range.

Claim 10

A vehicle drive system comprising: input drive shaft means through which input propulsion power is applied to said drive system; output drive shaft means through which output propulsion power is extracted from said drive system to propel said vehicle; first transmission means driven by said input drive shaft means; second transmission means driving said output drive shaft means; first interconnecting means forming a first power transmission path between said first and second transmission means; control means for adjusting the speed ratio between said first and second transmission means through the path formed by said first interconnecting means; speed responsive means generating a signal as a function of speed of said input drive shaft means; means responsive to said speed responsive signal to adjust said control means to regulate said speed ratio thereof as a function of said speed proportional signal; second interconnecting means forming a second power transmission path between said input drive shaft means and said output drive shaft means; said second interconnecting means having a fixed speed ratio; and means selectively operable to direct prOpulsion power through said second interconnecting means over a first range of vehicle speeds and to direct propulsion power through said first interconnecting means over a second range of vehicle speeds; whereby over said first vehicle speed range the speed ratio is constant, and over said second vehicle speed range said speed ratio is automatically adjusted in response to changes in the speed of said input drive shaft means to maintain said input drive shaft means at a substantially constant speed upon attainment of the predetermined cadence pedalling speed range.

Claim 11

A vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 8 including means for manually adjusting the level of said speed responsive signal, thereby allowing the operator to adjust over said second vehicle speed range the relationship between vehicle speed and said speed ratio.

Claim 12

A vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 8 in which said speed responsive means comprises fluid pumping means producing a fluid pressure as a function of the speed of said vehicle.

Claim 13

A vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 10 in which said fluid pumping means is connected to a flow restricting orifice.

Claim 14

A vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 11 including means for manually adjusting the effective area of said flow restricting orifice, thereby allowing the operator to adjust the relationship between the speed at which said fluid pumping means is driven and the pressure produced thereby.

Claim 15

A vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 10 including means for limiting to a preselected maximum the level of the pressure produced by said fluid pumping means.

Claim 16

A vehicle drive system as set forth in claim 13 in which said pressure limiting means comprises pressure actuated bypass valve means.

Claim 17

A bicycle drive system comprising: input drive shaft means through which input propulsion power is applied to the drive system; output drive shaft means through which output propulsion power is extracted from said drive system and applied to the drive wheel of said bicycle; first transmission means driven by said input drive shaft means; second transmission means driving said output drive shaft means; an endless, flexible, power transmitting member connecting said first and second transmission means to transmit propulsion power therebetween; said first and second transmission means having cylindrical portions of adjustable diameter engaging said power transmitting member to form in each case the interface through which power is transmitted between said first and second transmission means and said power transmitting member; speed responsive means generating a fluid pressure level as a function of the speed of said first transmission means; and means responsive to said speed responsive fluid pressure level to adjust the diameter of engagement of at least one of said first and second transmission means with said power transmitting member to effect a corresponding adjustment in the speed ratio between said first and second transmission means responsive to changes in the speed of said first transmission means to maintain the speed of said first transmission means substantially constant upon attainment of the predetermined cadence pedalling speed range.

Claim 18

A bicycle drive system comprising: input drive shaft means through which input propulsion power is applied to the drive system; output drive shaft means through which output propulsion power is extracted from said drive system and applied to the drive wheel of said bicycle; first transmission means driven by said input drive shaft means; second transmission means driving said output drive shaft means; an endless, flexible, power transmitting member connecting said first and second transmission means to transmit propulsion power therebetween; said first and second transmission means having cylindrical portions of adjustable diameter engaging said power transmitting member to form in each case the interface through which power is transmitted between said first and second transmission means and said power transmitting member; speed responsive means generating a fluid pressure level as a function of the speed of said first transmission means; and means responsive to said speed responsive fluid pressure level to adjust the diameter of engagement of at least one of said first and second transmission means with said power transmitting member to effect a corresponding adjustment in the speed ratio between said first and second transmission means responsive to changes in the speed of said first transmission means to maintain the speed of said first transmission means substantially constant upon attainment of the predetermined cadence pedalling speed range.

Claim 19

A bicycle drive system as set forth in claim 15 including means for manually adjusting the speed dependent characteristic of said speed responsive fluid pressure level, thereby allowing the operator to adjust the relationship between the speed of said first transmission means and said speed ratio between said first and second transmission means.

Claim 20

A bicycle drive system as set forth in claim 15 in which said speed responsive means comprises fluid pumping means connected to a flow restricting orifice.

Claim 21

A bicycle drive system as set forth in claim 17 including means for manually adjusting the effective area of said flow restricting orifice.

Claim 22

A bicycle drive system as set forth in claim 17 including means for liMiting to a preselected maximum the level of the pressure produced by said fluid pumping means.

Claim 23

A bicycle drive system as set forth in claim 19 in which said pressure limiting means comprises pressure actuated bypass valve means for bypassing fluid flow around said flow restricting orifice.

Claim 24

A bicycle drive system as set forth in claim 15 including: a second endless power transmitting member connected in power transmitting relationship between a pair of fixed diameter transmission elements, said fixed diameter transmission elements being in turn connected respectively to said input and output drive shaft means; and means operable selectively to direct propulsion power through said second endless member over a first selected speed range and to direct propulsion power through said other endless member over a second speed range of said first transmission means; whereby over said first speed range the transmission speed ratio is a fixed speed ratio and over said second speed range the transmission speed ratio is automatically adjusted as a function of the speed of said first transmission means.

Claim 25

A bicycle drive system as set forth in claim 21 in which the minimum speed ratio achievable through the variable ratio path comprising said first and second transmission elements is greater than said fixed speed ratio.