FLYWHEEL DEVICE OF BICYCLE

Publication number :US20150051052 A1

Publication type:
Application
Application number: US 14/088,515
Publication date:
19 Feb 2015
Report
The flywheel device of a bicycle is used to store the kinetic energy of a
moving cycle in mechanical form. This system stores the kinetic energy
in the form of potential energy and converts it back to kinetic energy
when needed. When riding a bicycle it becomes too tiresome to start the
bicycle again after braking. If the bicycle is provided with a flywheel
system then the rider will have two power sources that he can use at his
will. When brakes are applied kinetic energy is wasted because the
kinetic energy converts into heat energy due to friction at the contact
surface and the heat energy dissipates into the atmosphere due to thermal
radiation. Vehicles equipped with flywheel devices are able to take some
of its kinetic energy out slowing down the vehicle. This is a form of
braking in which energy is not wasted, instead gets stored in some
device. Using a proper mechanism, this energy that is stored in terms of
potential energy can be converted back into kinetic energy to give the
vehicle an extra boost of power.
A bicycle is a widely popular means of transport of people throughout
the world. The main force responsible in driving the bicycle is the
pedaling force or the resistance force applied by the rider. This pedaling
force can be saved or rather the energy concerned can be stored, while
moving down the inclined road or while braking. And hence can be
utilized while travelling in an uphill or while travelling against wind.
The main focus of the patent studied was to invent a flywheel type

energy storage device which will be used to store energy, and also will
serve as to maintain the balance of the driver while going downhill.
The flywheel device will be placed in between the driving wheel and the
driven wheel, with the rotation axis of the flywheel being parallel to the
rotational axis of the wheel. There will be a clutch, which will control
the engagement and disengagement of the clutch plate with the flywheel.
It will control the transfer of rotational energy from the driving wheel in
connection with clutch plate, to the flywheel.
There will be speed transforming gears connected between the flywheel
and the driving wheel of the bicycle by the means of the clutching
mechanism which will be used to adjust or vary the transmission speed
and hence vary the torque requirements.
As stated in the patent, the driving gear is the rear wheel of the bicycle.
The clutch engagement means will be given in the handle of the bicycle,
by which the engagement of the clutch will be controlled.
The flywheel device according to the invention can store and release
rotational kinetic energy in a way when the bicycle is starting, speeding
up, slowing down and stopping, to save rider's effort on riding. Further,
the flywheel device according to the invention stores the rotational
kinetic energy by means of rotating manner, so as the angular
momentum of the rotation can be helpful for balancing the bicycle.