A bicycle drive unit includes a housing, a crankshaft and a propulsion assist motor. The housing is configured to be mounted on a frame of a bicycle. The crankshaft is provided to the housing. The assist propulsion motor is provided to the housing to assist propulsion of a bicycle. The propulsion assist motor includes a rotational axis extending in a direction intersecting a direction in which crankshaft extends. The bicycle drive unit is configured such that a distance from a rotational axis of the crankshaft to a part of the bicycle drive unit that is the farthest from the rotational axis of the crankshaft in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the propulsion assist motor is smaller than or equal to 210 mm.

A power unit for a pedal vehicle includes a pedal shaft, an output shaft arranged to transfer torque to a vehicle wheel, a main epicyclic gear set arranged to control transmission ratio between the pedal shaft and the output shaft, an assist motor connected to an assist gear of the main epicyclic gear set, and a control motor connected to a control gear of the main epicyclic gear set. The control motor and the control gear form a control assembly of the power unit. The power unit includes a one-way clutch provided to the control assembly of the power unit and arranged to transmit rotation in only a first rotation direction.

A powertrain for a pedal vehicle includes a crank axle and an output sprocket rotating around a first rotation axis. The coupling between the crank axle and the output sprocket goes through an epicyclic gear system that includes a ring gear, a planet carrier, and a sun gear (13) which rotate around a second rotation axis that is spatially offset from the first rotation axis.

An assist device for a bicycle includes a motor, a step-down gear, a free wheel, and a shaft which rotates as one with a right crank and a left crank. The motor transmits an assist torque to the shaft by m the free wheel. The device is designed to be received inside a pedal assembly casing. The shaft is rotatably mounted relative to the casing by two ball bearings. The free wheel includes a plurality of pieces which are placed between the motor and the shaft. The device also includes a torque transmission ring which allows one of the pieces of the free wheel to be secured to the shaft or to one of the cranks. The transmission ring is at least partially placed under one of the two ball bearings.

A load cell for determining a radial force acting on a crankshaft having a receiving sleeve for receiving a bearing ring and a fastening ring for attaching the load cell in a transmission housing. Axial support areas are provided on the fastening ring for axially supporting the outer ring of the first bearing. Moreover, measuring regions for receiving radial forces of the receiving sleeve are provided which connect the receiving sleeve with the fastening ring. Strain sensors are attached to at least two of the measuring regions.

A drive train for muscle-driven single-track or multi-track vehicles with a crank-driven bottom bracket gearbox which is connected on the output side to a chain or belt drive from which a chain or belt leads directly or shiftably to a pinion to a rear wheel hub. belt leads directly or switchably in each case to a pinion to a rear wheel hub, wherein in addition to the bottom bracket gearbox, which is designed as a primary gearbox with n speeds or with variable transmission ratio, a rear-mounted gearbox is also arranged in the drive train as a switchable rear wheel hub gearbox with m=two or m=three speeds, wherein n and m are natural numbers. In addition to the bottom bracket gearbox, which is designed as a primary gearbox with n speeds, the drive train also includes a rear-mounted gearbox as a shiftable rear wheel hub gearbox with m=two or m=three speeds.

A system for assisting a user in moving a device relative to a structure comprises a magnetorheological (MR) fluid actuator unit including at least one torque source and at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus having an input coupled to the at least one torque source to receive torque from the at least one torque source, the MR fluid clutch apparatus controllable to transmit a variable amount of assistance force via an output thereof. An interface is configured for coupling the output of the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus to the device or surrounding structure. At least one sensor provides information about a movement of the device. A processor unit for controlling the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus in exerting the variable amount of assistance force as a function of said information, wherein the system is configured for one of the MR fluid actuator unit and the interface to be coupled to the structure, and for the other of the MR fluid actuator unit and the interface to be coupled to the device for the assistance force from the MR fluid actuator unit to assist in moving the device.

A coasting clutch and a gear system with a coasting clutch include mutually facing first and second clutch members. The coasting clutch is arranged to operate in an engaged position, wherein the first and second clutch members are axially in mesh and rotating with the same speed, or overrunning and rotating with different speeds. The coasting clutch includes a coasting mechanism arranged to operate the coasting clutch into a coasting position when the clutch is overrunning. In the coasting position, the first and second clutch members are axially arranged further from each other than in the engaged position.

A method for mounting a bicycle drive unit to a frame of a bicycle, in which the bicycle drive unit includes a housing, a crankshaft and a propulsion assist motor. The housing has a first portion and a second portion. The crankshaft is provided to the first portion. The propulsion assist motor is provided to the second portion and includes a rotational axis extending in a direction intersecting a direction in which the crankshaft extends. The method includes a first step of arranging the first portion at a position for mounting the first portion on the frame, and a second step of rotating the housing about an axis parallel to a rotational axis of the crankshaft and inserting the second portion into an opening of the frame after the first step.

A harmonic pin ring gear system includes an input and output shaft and two outer gears, each with internal toothing, a single inner gear with external toothing arranged concentrically to a first outer gear and inside said first outer gear in axial direction, and a drive means extending between the two outer gears and the inner gear comprising a pin ring formed as one part in circumferential direction and a multiplicity of pins that protrude laterally in axial direction from the pin ring, a rotary transmitter for lifting the drive means off the external toothing of the inner gear and pressing the drive means into the internal toothing of the outer gear, wherein the input shaft is mounted on one side in the inner gear, the inner gear is mounted in an inner gear ball bearing, and the inner gear ball bearing is mounted in a housing cover.