A pedal cycle drivetrain (1) comprising: an epicyclic gear train (3) comprising: a sun gear (11) rotatable around a main axis; a planet carrier (13) rotatable around the main axis and carrying one or more planet gears (15) meshed with the sun gear (11); and an annulus (17) rotatable around the main axis and meshed with the one or more planet gears (15). The sun gear (11), the planet carrier (13), and the annulus (17) are each exclusively in direct drive with one of: an input (5) including one or more pedals; an output (7) including a wheel hub (8) rotatable around the main axis; and a first electric motor (19). Varying angular velocity of the first electric motor (19) corresponds to a varying effective transmission ratio between the input (5) and the output (7). An example application for the pedal cycle drivetrain (1) is use as a transmission in a human powered vehicle (100, 200, 400) such as a unicycle, a recumbent bicycle, or a tricycle.

A pedal cycle drivetrain (1) comprising: an epicyclic gear train (3) comprising: a sun gear (11) rotatable around a main axis; a planet carrier (13) rotatable around the main axis and carrying one or more planet gears (15) meshed with the sun gear (11); and an annulus (17) rotatable around the main axis and meshed with the one or more planet gears (15). The sun gear (11), the planet carrier (13), and the annulus (17) are each exclusively in direct drive with one of: an input (5) including one or more pedals; an output (7) including a wheel hub (8) rotatable around the main axis; and a first electric motor (19). Varying angular velocity of the first electric motor (19) corresponds to a varying effective transmission ratio between the input (5) and the output (7). An example application for the pedal cycle drivetrain (1) is use as a transmission in a human powered vehicle (100, 200, 400) such as a unicycle, a recumbent bicycle, or a tricycle.

A multi-speed hub gear includes an axle, a planetary gear set, a clutch, a transmission member, a guide wheel, a compressed clutch spring, a shift mechanism and a torsional spring. While in switching a low gear to a high gear, the shift mechanism transforms a rotational motion into a linear motion for twisting the torsional spring. The compressed clutch spring pushes the clutch to displace from the transmission member toward the planetary gear set. While in switching the high gear to the low gear, the torsional spring drives the shift mechanism to transform the rotational motion into the linear motion, such that the clutch can displace from the planetary gear set toward the transmission member, and compress the compressed clutch spring.

A multi-speed hub gear includes an axle, a planetary gear set, a clutch, a transmission member, a guide wheel, a compressed clutch spring, a shift mechanism and a torsional spring. While in switching a low gear to a high gear, the shift mechanism transforms a rotational motion into a linear motion for twisting the torsional spring. The compressed clutch spring pushes the clutch to displace from the transmission member toward the planetary gear set. While in switching the high gear to the low gear, the torsional spring drives the shift mechanism to transform the rotational motion into the linear motion, such that the clutch can displace from the planetary gear set toward the transmission member, and compress the compressed clutch spring.

A vehicle having an electrical drive wheel hub system (30) and the hub system incorporated in the vehicle has a wheel hub (18) driven by an electric motor (31) formed by a brushless DC motor having stators (40) and rotors (42). The electric motor is arranged to drive an epicyclic gear system (32) which provides a reduction gear arrangement to drive the hub (18). Located entirely within the periphery of the stator is power circuitry and control circuitry for the electric motor, the circuitry being provided on toroidal printed circuit boards (70, 71).

A vehicle having an electrical drive wheel hub system (30) and the hub system incorporated in the vehicle has a wheel hub (18) driven by an electric motor (31) formed by a brushless DC motor having stators (40) and rotors (42). The electric motor is arranged to drive an epicyclic gear system (32) which provides a reduction gear arrangement to drive the hub (18). Located entirely within the periphery of the stator is power circuitry and control circuitry for the electric motor, the circuitry being provided on toroidal printed circuit boards (70, 71).

The invention relates to a multi-speed transmission on a central axis (6a), comprising a drive-side hollow shaft (4a) and an output-side hub sleeve (I) and two, at least two-stage, planetary gearboxes (EG, NSG), arranged coaxially therebetween or therein, each gearbox having sun gears, planetary gears which are connected to one another via associated frames, and ring gears, and each can be shifted into a direct drive and into a plurality of stepped conversion modes, wherein the first planetary gearbox (EG) is driven on its frame (8) and can be selectively shifted, by means of three clutches (20, 30, 40), into the direct drive or by axially fixing individual sun gears (9c,9d) into said transmission modes, and the second planetary gearbox (NSG) can be shifted by further clutches (50, 60, 70, 80, 90) by means of an axial fixing of the sun gear (204) when the input drive and output drive are shifted between its ring gear (200) or frame (202) into a conversion mode at a low speed and into a conversion mode at high speed and directly into a gear. By means of an axially displaceable control slide, spring-loaded, radially extending coupling rings (e.g 91a, 91b) of a respective gear stage can be released, such that the control slide is guided in helical circular grooves (24 . . . 94) of a coaxial switching drum (6b) and in radial slots that are oriented parallel to the gear axis of a hollow axle (6a) enclosing them, respectively actuating the associated coupling rings.

The invention relates to a multi-speed transmission on a central axis (6a), comprising a drive-side hollow shaft (4a) and an output-side hub sleeve (I) and two, at least two-stage, planetary gearboxes (EG, NSG), arranged coaxially therebetween or therein, each gearbox having sun gears, planetary gears which are connected to one another via associated frames, and ring gears, and each can be shifted into a direct drive and into a plurality of stepped conversion modes, wherein the first planetary gearbox (EG) is driven on its frame (8) and can be selectively shifted, by means of three clutches (20, 30, 40), into the direct drive or by axially fixing individual sun gears (9c,9d) into said transmission modes, and the second planetary gearbox (NSG) can be shifted by further clutches (50, 60, 70, 80, 90) by means of an axial fixing of the sun gear (204) when the input drive and output drive are shifted between its ring gear (200) or frame (202) into a conversion mode at a low speed and into a conversion mode at high speed and directly into a gear. By means of an axially displaceable control slide, spring-loaded, radially extending coupling rings (e.g 91a, 91b) of a respective gear stage can be released, such that the control slide is guided in helical circular grooves (24 . . . 94) of a coaxial switching drum (6b) and in radial slots that are oriented parallel to the gear axis of a hollow axle (6a) enclosing them, respectively actuating the associated coupling rings.

A drive apparatus according to an embodiment of the present technology includes: a generation unit; a gear unit; a rotation unit; and a housing unit. The generation unit generates a rotational force acting around a predetermined axis as a center of rotation. The gear unit includes one or more gears, decelerates the generated rotational force, and transmits the decelerated rotational force. The rotation unit includes a wheel unit and a tire, the wheel unit being directly connected to a gear included in the gear unit and being caused to rotate by the decelerated rotational force, the tire being supported by the wheel unit. The housing unit houses the generation unit by a pair of cover units divided in an axial direction of the predetermined axis.

A ride-on vehicle, such as for a child, includes a vehicle body and one or more wheels that support the vehicle body relative to a surface. At least one of the wheels includes a hub motor arrangement that provides a drive torque for propelling the vehicle. The hub motor arrangement includes a housing defining an interior space. An axle or other mounting element(s) define an axis of rotation of the housing. Preferably, the axle or other mounting element(s) do not pass completely through the housing. A motor drives the housing through a transmission. Preferably, the motor is a standard, compact motor that is positioned on the axis of rotation and can be laterally offset from a central plane of the housing. In some embodiments, a traction element is carried directly by the housing.