초록 ▼

A control apparatus for a motor-assisted bicycle detects a pedaling torque applied to a crankshaft with a pedaling force sensor, controls a motor unit of the motor-assisted bicycle in a regenerative control process to charge a battery if the torque value of the detected pedaling torque is equal to o

A control apparatus for a motor-assisted bicycle detects a pedaling torque applied to a crankshaft with a pedaling force sensor, controls a motor unit of the motor-assisted bicycle in a regenerative control process to charge a battery if the torque value of the detected pedaling torque is equal to or smaller than a predetermined level, and controls the motor unit in an assistive control process if the torque value is greater than the predetermined level. The control apparatus switches between the assistive control process and the regenerative control process depending on the torque value which is detected, increases the predetermined level if the state of charge of the battery becomes lower than a first level, and restores the predetermined level if the state of charge of the battery becomes higher than a second level which is greater than the first level.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A control apparatus for a motor-assisted bicycle, the control apparatus comprising: a pedaling force sensor configured to detect a pedaling torque applied to a crankshaft; anda controller configured to control a motor unit of the motor-assisted bicycle in a regenerative control process to charge

1. A control apparatus for a motor-assisted bicycle, the control apparatus comprising: a pedaling force sensor configured to detect a pedaling torque applied to a crankshaft; anda controller configured to control a motor unit of the motor-assisted bicycle in a regenerative control process to charge a battery if the torque value of the detected pedaling torque is equal to or smaller than a predetermined level, and control the motor unit in an assistive control process if said torque value is greater than said predetermined level, wherein:said control apparatus switches between the assistive control process and the regenerative control process depending on the torque value which is detected, increases said predetermined level from a first value to a second, higher value if a state of charge of said battery becomes lower than a first level, and restores said predetermined level from the second, higher value to the first value if the state of charge of said battery becomes higher than a second level which is greater than said first level. 2. The control apparatus for the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 1, wherein said control apparatus lowers said predetermined level from the first value to a third, lower value if the state of charge of said battery becomes higher than a third level which is greater than said second level, and restores said predetermined level from the third, lower value to the first value if the state of charge of said battery becomes lower than a fourth level which is greater than said second level and smaller than said third level. 3. The control apparatus for the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 2, wherein said control apparatus stores a control target range for the state of charge of said battery, and said first level and said third level are set to respective levels which are different from said control target range by substantially identical differences. 4. The control apparatus for the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 3, wherein said second level and said fourth level are set to substantially intermediate levels of said differences. 5. The control apparatus for the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 1, wherein said control apparatus includes a vehicle speed information detector for detecting a vehicle speed information value representing a vehicle speed of said motor-assisted bicycle, and switches between the assistive control process and the regenerative control process depending on the torque value and the vehicle speed information value which are detected. 6. The control apparatus for the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 5, wherein said control apparatus operates in an assistive mode for performing the assistive control process and a regenerative mode for performing the regenerative control process; said control apparatus includes decision means for determining which one of the assistive mode and the regenerative mode is to be performed depending on the torque value and the vehicle speed information value which are detected; andsaid control apparatus switches between the assistive control process and the regenerative control process, using said torque value, said vehicle speed information value, and said decision means. 7. The control apparatus for the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 6, wherein said decision means includes low charge decision means used when the state of charge of said battery becomes lower than said first level, high charge decision means used when the state of charge of said battery becomes higher than said third level, and normal decision means used when the state of charge of said battery is equal to or higher than said first level and is equal to or lower than said third level; said low charge decision means is used when the state of charge of said battery becomes lower than said first level, until the state of charge of said battery becomes higher than said second level, said normal decision means is used when the state of charge of said battery becomes higher than said second level, said high charge decision means is used when the state of charge of said battery becomes higher than said third level, until the state of charge of said battery becomes lower than said fourth level, and said normal decision means is used when the state of charge of said battery becomes lower than said fourth level;said low charge decision means is configured such that said predetermined level is higher than in said normal decision means; andsaid high charge decision means is configured such that said predetermined level is lower than in said normal decision means. 8. The control apparatus for the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 7, wherein said normal decision means is configured such that said normal decision means is selected if the state of charge of said battery is in a range greater than said second level and smaller than said fourth level, said regenerative mode is performed if said torque value is equal to or smaller than a first predetermined value and said vehicle speed information value is equal to or smaller than a second predetermined value, and said assistive mode is performed if said torque value is greater than said first predetermined value or said vehicle speed information value is greater than said second predetermined value. 9. The control apparatus for the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 7, wherein said high charge decision means is configured such that said assistive mode is performed regardless of said vehicle speed information value and said torque value. 10. The control apparatus for the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 7, wherein said low charge decision means is configured such that said assistive mode is performed only when said torque value is greater than a third predetermined value, and said regenerative mode is performed when said torque value is equal to or smaller than said third predetermined value. 11. A method for controlling a motor-assisted bicycle comprising the following steps: detecting a pedaling torque applied to a crankshaft with a pedaling force sensor;controlling a motor unit of the motor-assisted bicycle in a regenerative control process to charge a battery if the torque value of the detected pedaling torque is equal to or smaller than a predetermined level;controlling the motor unit in an assistive control process if said torque value is greater than said predetermined level;switching control apparatus switches between the assistive control process and the regenerative control process depending on the torque value which is detected;increasing said predetermined level from a first value to a second, higher value if a state of charge of said battery becomes lower than a first level; andrestoring said predetermined level from the second, higher value to the first value if the state of charge of said battery becomes higher than a second level which is greater than said first level. 12. The method for controlling the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 11, and further including the step of lowering said predetermined level from the first value to a third, lower value if the state of charge of said battery becomes higher than a third level which is greater than said second level, and restoring said predetermined level the third, lower value to the first value if the state of charge of said battery becomes lower than a fourth level which is greater than said second level and smaller than said third level. 13. The method for controlling the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 12, and further including the step of storing a control target range for the state of charge of said battery, and setting said first level and said third level to respective levels which are different from said control target range by substantially identical differences. 14. The method for controlling the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 13, wherein said second level and said fourth level are set to substantially intermediate levels of said differences. 15. The method for controlling the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 11, and further including the step of detecting a vehicle speed value representing a vehicle speed of said motor-assisted bicycle, and switching between the assistive control process and the regenerative control process depending on the torque value and the vehicle speed information value which are detected. 16. The method for controlling the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 15, and further including the step of operating in an assistive mode for performing the assistive control process and a regenerative mode for performing the regenerative control process; determining which one of the assistive mode and the regenerative mode is to be performed depending on the torque value and the vehicle speed information value which are detected; andswitching between the assistive control process and the regenerative control process, using said torque value, said vehicle speed information value, and said decision means. 17. The method for controlling the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 16, and further including the step of utilizing a decision means includes low charge decision means used when the state of charge of said battery becomes lower than said first level, high charge decision means used when the state of charge of said battery becomes higher than said third level, and normal decision means used when the state of charge of said battery is equal to or higher than said first level and is equal to or lower than said third level; said low charge decision means is used when the state of charge of said battery becomes lower than said first level, until the state of charge of said battery becomes higher than said second level, said normal decision means is used when the state of charge of said battery becomes higher than said second level, said high charge decision means is used when the state of charge of said battery becomes higher than said third level, until the state of charge of said battery becomes lower than said fourth level, and said normal decision means is used when the state of charge of said battery becomes lower than said fourth level;said low charge decision means is configured such that said predetermined level is higher than in said normal decision means; andsaid high charge decision means is configured such that said predetermined level is lower than in said normal decision means. 18. The method for controlling the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 17, wherein said normal decision means is configured such that said normal decision means is selected if the state of charge of said battery is in a range greater than said second level and smaller than said fourth level, said regenerative mode is performed if said torque value is equal to or smaller than a first predetermined value and said vehicle speed information value is equal to or smaller than a second predetermined value, and said assistive mode is performed if said torque value is greater than said first predetermined value or said vehicle speed information value is greater than said second predetermined value. 19. The method for controlling the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 17, wherein said high charge decision means is configured such that said assistive mode is performed regardless of said vehicle speed information value and said torque value. 20. The method for controlling the motor-assisted bicycle according to claim 17, wherein said low charge decision means is configured such that said assistive mode is performed only when said torque value is greater than a third predetermined value, and said regenerative mode is performed when said torque value is equal to or smaller than said third predetermined value.