Will Shimano’s next-generation Di2 componentry re-charge wirelessly throughout using? The model’s newest patent titled “Bicycle Element, Non-Contact Charging System and Non-Contact Charging Methodology”, suggests it isn’t exterior the realms of chance.
US Patent 20230021733 A1 describes a non-contact charging system for bicycle parts that is ready to use electromagnetic induction or magnetic resonance to wirelessly cost an digital dropper seatpost, suspension adjuster, lamp, and a entrance derailleur.
It spells out a state of affairs whereby an eBike’s principal battery (known as the non-contact charging gadget), housed inside the downtube, is ready to wirelessly cost the batteries of the aforementioned digital parts throughout using. The implications of that? First off, your top-end full suspension eMTB with its electronically adjustable suspension damping, digital dropper seat put up, and even its built-in lights, might be recharged wirelessly, such that you simply’d solely ever want to recollect to recharge a single battery. And, there are loads extra advantages available from such a system…
We await Shimano’s touch upon the proposed know-how. Within the meantime, right here’s an outline of the disclosed invention.
Characteristic picture annotation by Cory Benson
The one parts that Shimano’s newest patent excludes is a rear derailleur and the eBike motor itself. Shimano does have a patent on a self-charging rear derailleur (EP2535257 A1), although. So, being self-sufficient, it wouldn’t necessitate the non-contact charging system described herein.
I digress. This newest patent, revealed twenty sixth January 2023, depicts the implementation of the wi-fi charging system on each a highway bike and a full suspension mountain bike however acknowledges potential use on any bicycle, similar to a cargo bike, gravel bike, commuter bike, and so forth. For the highway bike, a entrance derailleur and lamp are talked about because the digital gadgets that might be charged in a non-contact method. On the mountain bike, the checklist of parts that stand to profit additionally features a lamp, along with an digital dropper seat put up, and an electronically adjustable suspension (fork and shock).
Let’s take the digital suspension adjustment (Fig. 6) for instance.
We beforehand lined Shimano’s patent on an digital suspension management module with the flexibility to regulate the suspension stroke. That very same know-how is alluded to on this newest patent, nevertheless it goes additional to recommend the module would additionally have the ability to alter the softness/firmness of the suspension. That will nicely check with the damping traits, or certainly the sag. No matter might come of it, the purpose right here is that the suspension adjustment module is among the parts described as chargeable in a non-contact method, i.e., wirelessly.
In Fig. 6, you may see a telescopic suspension fork with a chargeable battery unit (102) coupled to an electrical actuator or electrical motor (100a). Inside that meeting, the Shimano patent describes a hypothetical sequence of “parts”, together with an influence receiver, a non-contact charging portion, a non-contact charging coil, a controller, a wi-fi communicator, an AC/DC Converter, and a chargeable energy supply. That is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 3.
Right here’s the place it will get fascinating.
The patent reads, “non-contact charging transmits energy by electromagnetic induction utilizing a frequency in a band between roughly 100 kHz and 200 kHz”. Now, induction charging requires the charging gadget and component-to-be-charged to be in shut proximity to at least one one other. So, whereas there can be no direct wire connection for the precise charging, a wire would nonetheless be required to route a movement of electrons from the eBike’s principal battery to the non-contact charging coil housed close to the suspension adjustment module, whether or not it’s positioned on a fork or a rear shock damper.
What are the advantages of that? Nicely, the rider received’t must recharge the battery individually. Nevertheless, you’re really including wires as in comparison with the present crop of RockShox Flight Attendant forks, or a present digital dropper seat put up, each of which merely home a detachable rechargeable battery. Extra wires imply extra inside routing to cope with, better potential for rattle, a much bigger headache for the mechanic… and so forth. The flip facet of that’s that the battery (or rechargeable energy supply as it’s referred to) might be so much smaller, provided that its cost can be consistently replenished by the electromagnetic induction. That has the potential to make the part itself lighter.
Magnetic Resonance Non-Contact Charging of Bike Parts?
Right here’s the place it will get far more fascinating.
The patent goes on, “However, the a minimum of non-contact charging coil will be configured to make use of magnetic resonance in order that the non-contact charging gadgets will be one or two meters away from the bicycle parts. When the non-contact charging coil receives electrical energy through magnetic resonance, the wi-fi communicator is used to speak data to and from the non-contact charging gadgets”.
Subsequent-level, proper? In such a situation, you might have truly-wireless recharging of your digital parts. A significant profit? Solely needing to recharge one battery – the primary battery of your eBike.
That mentioned, it appears possible this know-how might be utilized on an everyday bike, too. In any case, it’s not simply eBikes that profit from digital dropper seat posts, suspension adjusters, built-in lights, and so forth. If Shimano have been to make the magnetic resonance-mediated non-contact charging technique a actuality, they might nonetheless apply it on an everyday bike. There would nonetheless be a principal battery which might be the non-contact charging gadget – it will merely be so much smaller and lighter.
The place is Shimano going with this?
Towards a future of higher built-in digital parts that require much less enter from the rider, on bikes and e-bikes which can be lighter and cleverer than ever… I suppose? Sure, I can hear the mechanics choking on their dinner. I do apologize, I meant you no hurt. Jokes apart, it appears the potential is definitely there. The idea is form of marvelous, however any advantages can be contingent upon equally marvelous execution.
I’ll end up by saying that this patent is merely an outline of a proposed invention. We aren’t saying that Shimano is engaged on this non-contact charging system proper now, nor are we saying that it’ll ever make it to the market within the format described herein, or some other format for that matter. If we hear again from Shimano, we are going to replace you guys immediately.
