Direct drive power assist apparatus for a bicycle

摘要

A power assist apparatus, which includes a battery powered motor mounted on a manually operated vehicle, such as a bicycle, and is to be selectively usable by the rider of the bicycle to not only assist in the manual operation of the bicycle, but also conceivably as a sole source of operation of the bicycle. The power assist apparatus is fixedly mounted on the bicycle and is carried with the bicycle at all times. The power assist apparatus includes a motor assembly which is operated through a gear connection to drive a driven gear mounted in conjunction with a wheel of the bicycle. The rotational axis of the shaft of the motor is parallel to the rotational axis of the wheel.