Patents by Inventor Gianfranco Guderzo

Gianfranco Guderzo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7184872
    Abstract: An electronically servo-assisted bicycle gearshift and method for electronically shifting the gears of a bicycle involves the steps of: receiving a signal requesting a displacement of a chain of a bicycle gearshift from a first sprocket to a second adjacent sprocket of a gearshift group comprising at least two sprockets; if the first sprocket has a smaller diameter than the second sprocket, obtaining an upwards gear-shifting position for the second sprocket, if the first sprocket has a larger diameter than the second sprocket, obtaining a downwards gear-shifting position for the second sprocket; and driving an actuator of the gearshift group to displace a guide element of the chain in an axial direction with respect to the gearshift group from the first sprocket to the upwards gear-shifting position for the second sprocket or to the downwards gear-shifting position for the second sprocket, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventor: Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Patent number: 7159881
    Abstract: A method for electronically servo-assisting a bicycle gearshift to allow compensation for misalignments between the chain of a bicycle gearshift and one or more sprockets of the gearshift, the method including the steps of: driving an actuator of a bicycle gearshift to displace a chain of the gearshift in a chosen direction with respect to a gearshift group comprising at least two sprockets; receiving information on the desired alignment between the chain and a predetermined sprocket of the gearshift group; and setting an adjustment variable, of a logic value associated with the gear ratio relative to the predetermined sprocket, to a value corresponding to the displacement carried out in the step of driving the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventors: Gianfranco Guderzo, Giuseppe Dal Pra′
  • Patent number: 7121968
    Abstract: A system for controlling gear shifting in a transmission of a cycle, includes at least one gear wheel or sprocket on which a transmission element is engaged to perform transmission of motion as a result of movement in a predetermined direction. The gear shifting is carried out by changing the position of engagement of the transmission member with respect to the at least one gear wheel or sprocket. The system further includes at least one sensor for detecting the movement in corresponding direction of movement of the motion transmitting element for generating a signal and a control unit for controlling the change of the position of the element for transmitting motion with respect to the at least one gear wheel or sprocket when the signal indicates that the element for transmitting motion is moving in the given direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventors: Valentino Campagnolo, Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Publication number: 20060145688
    Abstract: A transducer comprising a fixed part and a mobile part which are mounted for relative motion about a given axis. On the shaft of the rotor part there is fitted a magnetized element consisting, for example, of an annular element diametrically magnetized at a single pair of poles. Mounted on the fixed part is a pair of Hall-effect sensors which are set angularly staggered by 90° about the axis of rotation of the shaft. The Hall-effect sensors generate corresponding output signals having values that vary in a continuous range. The values of the output signals generated by the transducer uniquely identify the relative positions of the aforesaid fixed and mobile parts with respect to the axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Applicant: Campagnolo, S.r.l.
    Inventor: Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Patent number: 7009387
    Abstract: A transducer comprising a fixed part and a mobile part which are mounted for relative motion about a given axis. On the shaft of the rotor part there is fitted a magnetized element consisting, for example, of an annular element diametrically magnetized at a single pair of poles. Mounted on the fixed part is a pair of Hall-effect sensors which are set angularly staggered by 90° about the axis of rotation of the shaft. The Hall-effect sensors generate corresponding output signals having values that vary in a continuous range. The values of the output signals generated by the transducer uniquely identify the relative positions of the aforesaid fixed and mobile parts with respect to the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Campagnolo S.R.L.
    Inventor: Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Patent number: 6988739
    Abstract: A method for electronically servo-assisting a bicycle gearshift to allow compensation for misalignments between the chain of a bicycle gearshift and one or more sprockets of the gearshift, the method including the steps of: driving an actuator of a bicycle gearshift to displace a chain of the gearshift in an axial direction with respect to a gearshift group comprising at least two sprockets; receiving information on the desired alignment between the chain and a predetermined sprocket of the gearshift group; and setting an adjustment variable, of a logic value associated with the gear ratio relative to the predetermined sprocket, to a value corresponding to the displacement carried out in the step of driving the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventors: Gianfranco Guderzo, Giuseppe Dal Pra′
  • Publication number: 20050233849
    Abstract: A system for controlling gear shifting in a transmission of a cycle, includes at least one gear wheel or sprocket on which a transmission element is engaged to perform transmission of motion as a result of movement in a predetermined direction. The gear shifting is carried out by changing the position of engagement of the transmission member with respect to the at least one gear wheel or sprocket. The system further includes at least one sensor for detecting the movement in corresponding direction of movement of the motion transmitting element for generating a signal and a control unit for controlling the change of the position of the element for transmitting motion with respect to the at least one gear wheel or sprocket when the signal indicates that the element for transmitting motion is moving in the given direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Applicant: Campagnolo S.r.I.
    Inventors: Valentino Campagnolo, Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Publication number: 20050187049
    Abstract: A method for electronically servo-assisting a bicycle gearshift to allow compensation for misalignments between the chain of a bicycle gearshift and one or more sprockets of the gearshift, the method including the steps of: driving an actuator of a bicycle gearshift to displace a chain of the gearshift in a chosen direction with respect to a gearshift group comprising at least two sprockets; receiving information on the desired alignment between the chain and a predetermined sprocket of the gearshift group; and setting an adjustment variable, of a logic value associated with the gear ratio relative to the predetermined sprocket, to a value corresponding to the displacement carried out in the step of driving the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Applicant: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventors: Gianfranco Guderzo, Giuseppe Dal Pra'
  • Publication number: 20050156567
    Abstract: A rechargeable electrical power supply unit for an electronic device of a bicycle, comprising three battery elements with a positive pole and a negative pole is provided. The battery elements are arranged in such a way that through switching means it is possible to realize a first operating configuration wherein the battery elements are connected in series for the delivery of energy to the electronic device, and a second operating configuration wherein the battery elements are individually recharged by a respective source of a recharging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Applicant: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventor: Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Patent number: 6873885
    Abstract: A system for data transmission on board a vehicle, such as a cycle, includes a set of peripheral modules which can be associated to respective sensors for generating respective sensing signals, and a main unit designed to receive the sensing signals coming from the set of peripheral modules. The peripheral modules are configured to transmit the sensing signals in a selective way and in the framework of respective transmission time slots determined by the main unit according to a general criterion of measurement of transmission times and power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventors: Valentino Campagnolo, Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Publication number: 20050043129
    Abstract: An electronically servo-assisted gearshift actuates a multiple gear-shifting that moves a chain from a current toothed wheel to a target toothed wheel not immediately adjacent to the current toothed wheel in a gearshift group having at least three toothed wheels. Actuating the multiple gear-shifting takes several steps (i) actuating a single gear-shifting to move the chain to a toothed wheel immediately adjacent to the current toothed wheel in the gear-shifting direction, and (ii) repeating step (i) until the immediately adjacent toothed wheel is the target toothed wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Applicant: CAMPAGNOLO S.r.l.
    Inventor: Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Publication number: 20040254650
    Abstract: An electronic control system for cycles, for use with a set of sensors, a set of actuators, and a set of control members associated to a cycle. The system having a first processor unit for processing and displaying information; a second processor unit for communication and for interfacing with said set of control members; and a third processor unit for interfacing with said set of sensors and said set of actuators. The first processor unit, the second processor unit, and the third processor unit are connected together via asynchronous bi-directional communication channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: Campagnolo Srl
    Inventors: Valentino Campagnolo, Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Publication number: 20040235597
    Abstract: An electronically servo-assisted bicycle gearshift and method for electronically shifting the gears of a bicycle involves the steps of: receiving a signal requesting a displacement of a chain of a bicycle gearshift from a first sprocket to a second adjacent sprocket of a gearshift group comprising at least two sprockets; if the first sprocket has a smaller diameter than the second sprocket, obtaining an upwards gear-shifting position for the second sprocket, if the first sprocket has a larger diameter than the second sprocket, obtaining a downwards gear-shifting position for the second sprocket; and driving an actuator of the gearshift group to displace a guide element of the chain in an axial direction with respect to the gearshift group from the first sprocket to the upwards gear-shifting position for the second sprocket or to the downwards gear-shifting position for the second sprocket, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventor: Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Publication number: 20040225380
    Abstract: In an electronic control system for cycles, for example competition bicycles, which comprises a display unit, a control unit and a power unit for governing actuators provided on the cycle, for instance a gear shift actuator, in absence of said display unit, the control unit and the power unit are able to ensure performance of a set of basic locomotion functions, such as an upwards and downwards gear shifting and an upwards and downwards derailleur shifting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventor: Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Publication number: 20040220002
    Abstract: A unit of a system for controlling the operating functions of a cycle is able to co-operate functionally with at least one complementary unit by means of at least one electrical connection. At least one of either the unit and the complementary unit is configured to be selectively removable from the cycle, so that the electrical connection is an electrical connection that can be decoupled by leaving exposed on the unit at least one distal contact part. Associated to the at least one electrical connection is a switch, which can be selectively actuated for electrically insulating the exposed distal contact part from the unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: Campagnolo S.r.I.
    Inventor: Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Patent number: 6757567
    Abstract: An electronic control system for cycles, for use in association to a set of sensors, a set of actuators, and a set of control members associated to the cycle, comprises: a first processor unit having the function of processing and displaying information; a second processor unit with the function of communication control unit and of interfacing with said set of control members; and a third processor unit having the function of interfacing with said set of sensors and said set of actuators. The first processor unit, the second processor unit, and the third processor unit are connected together via asynchronous bi-directional communication channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Campagnolo Srl
    Inventors: Valentino Campagnolo, Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Publication number: 20040108680
    Abstract: A method for electronically servo-assisting a bicycle gearshift to allow compensation for misalignments between the chain of a bicycle gearshift and one or more sprockets of the gearshift, the method including the steps of: driving an actuator of a bicycle gearshift to displace a chain of the gearshift in an axial direction with respect to a gearshift group comprising at least two sprockets; receiving information on the desired alignment between the chain and a predetermined sprocket of the gearshift group; and setting an adjustment variable, of a logic value associated with the gear ratio relative to the predetermined sprocket, to a value corresponding to the displacement carried out in the step of driving the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Applicant: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventors: Gianfranco Guderzo, Giuseppe Dal Pra
  • Publication number: 20040110585
    Abstract: A method for electronically servo-assisting a bicycle gearshift, including the steps of: a) driving an actuator of a bicycle gearshift to displace a chain of the gearshift in an axial direction with respect to a gearshift group comprising at least two sprockets; b) receiving information on the desired alignment between the chain and a predetermined sprocket of the gearshift group; and c) setting a biunique correspondence between the physical position of the actuator at step b) and a logic value associated with the gear ratio relative to the predetermined sprocket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Applicant: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventors: Gianfranco Guderzo, Giuseppe Dal Pra'
  • Publication number: 20040093126
    Abstract: A system for data transmission on board a vehicle, such as a cycle, includes a set of peripheral modules which can be associated to respective sensors for generating respective sensing signals, and a main unit designed to receive the sensing signals coming from the set of peripheral modules. The peripheral modules are configured to transmit the sensing signals in a selective way and in the framework of respective transmission time slots determined by the main unit according to a general criterion of measurement of transmission times and power consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: CAMPAGNOLO, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Valentino Campagnolo, Gianfranco Guderzo
  • Publication number: 20040087397
    Abstract: A process for controlling the transmission of a cycle having one or more gear sprockets is provided. The gear sprockets include one or more angular positions in which shifting of the gears is facilitated. A sensor is provided to detect the one or more angular positions of the gear sprocket in which gear shifting is facilitated. The sensor is selectively activated according to a command request to initiate a shift.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: Campagnolo Srl
    Inventors: Valentino Campagnolo, Gianfranco Guderzo