Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Indication or control of braking – acceleration – or deceleration
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-11
2001-11-13
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Indication or control of braking, acceleration, or deceleration
C074S523000, C074S524000, C074S502200, C318S375000, C318S376000, C318S759000, C318S369000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317673
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a braking system for an electric motorcycle, in which, by utilizing a circuiting apparatus, a reverse electric potential for braking a driving DC motor is generated by detecting and calculating a voltage level signal at a variable resistor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the art of motorcycles, braking systems generally can be divided into two types; one is a drum-type braking system, and another is a disc-type braking system. Both types of braking systems usually perform well under normal road conditions. However, in the case of riding on a steep mountain road or at a strict descending road, both types of braking system may be over operated and encounter problems in lining burnout or disc distortion due to overheating. This is especially true for the drum-type braking system, which when facing an operation temperature over 160° F., will experience deformation of the plastic rim of the drum and the braking capacity thereof will thus be substantially reduced. Hence, as a consequence, the overheating problem will put the rider in jeopardy. Another disadvantage in the conventional braking system is that, while applying braking, the motorcycle is braked to a stop by locking-out the wheel. However, most of time, the engine of the motorcycle will still be maintained at a high-duty operation. Without reducing the power of the engine, trying to stop the speeding motorcycle only by mechanical braking is usually ineffective, and it may make the motorcycle uncontrollable, and quite possibly lead to a traffic accident. Though aforesaid problems in conventional braking system are relieved to some extent by introducing an anti-braking system (ABS), yet it is obvious that the problems can't be really and safely resolved by simply applying mechanical braking to the front and/or rear wheel. In particular, the conventional mechanical braking system usually has a maintenance problem.
Generally, safety problems in braking already exist in an ordinary motorcycle having conventional drum-type or disc-type braking system on its front or rear wheel. Regarding the developing electric motorcycle, particularly designed for an environmental conservation purpose, the braking system design still uses the conventional braking system. Therefore, the inherent braking problems in conventional motorcycles are completely applicable to the electric motorcycles. Further, because the electric motorcycle does not contain an engine, no engine braking effect can be provided to the electric motorcycle. Therefore, under an emergency or riding on a strict descending road, in comparison with a conventional motorcycle, a more dangerous situation will be faced by an electric motorcycle by applying only the braking system provided to the front and/or rear wheel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in view of insufficient braking capability provided by two braking systems on both wheels of an electric motorcycle, the effort of the present invention is directed to developing a third braking source. The third braking system is particularly aimed at the typical power pattern of the electric motorcycle. In accordance with the present invention, while a rider of an electric motorcycle depresses an electric braking button located on a handle, a circuiting apparatus is provided to generate and send a braking signal from an input device thereof to a signal transformer through cable. Then, the signal transformer will proceed to transform the incoming braking signal into a digital signal, and subsequently forward the digital signal to a CPU. In the CPU, after the digital signal is calculated by a built-in program, the operation of sending a driving signal to a DC motor via a driving circuitry is stopped for the purpose of terminating an acceleration effect provided by a speed-control handler. On the other hand, the CPU will evaluate the voltage level detected at a rotational variable resistor and generate a reverse electric potential sufficient to stop the DC motor. The reverse electric potential then is supplied to the DC motor via a braking circuitry for gradually lowering the running level of the DC motor and finally for stopping the DC motor. Therefore, while the electric motorcycle brakes in an emergency condition or while riding on a strict descending road, the third braking system of the present invention can be applied to assist the braking performed by the conventional mechanical braking systems on both wheels. As a matter of fact, the safety in riding an electric motorcycle can be greatly improved by providing the third braking system of the present invention. As long as the manually operable speed-control handle is returned to its original position, the third braking system is suddenly released. By applying a speed regulator, the voltage level signal from the variable resistor will be transformed to the digital signal by the signal transformer, and the digital signal is then forwarded to the CPU. After calculation by the CPU, a series of driving pulses will be sent, via the driving circuitry, to the DC motor for running the electric motorcycle forward. Besides the normal operation mentioned above, the speed-control handle is mounted to the handle of the motorcycle, via a spring set. The spring set is there for providing sufficient spring force to automatically return the speed control handle from a depressed position. Under such an arrangement, no special attention is needed on resuming the speed-control handle back to its original position, while repeatedly accelerating and braking.
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Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Mancho Ronnie
Quarles & Brady LLP
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