Patents Assigned to Shimano, Inc.
  • Rear sprocket assembly
    Patent number: 11767080
    Abstract: A rear sprocket assembly comprises a first sprocket and a lock device. The lock device includes a first lock member, a second lock member, and a biasing member. The first lock member includes a first axial end and a second axial end. The second lock member includes a third axial end and a fourth axial end. The fourth axial end has at least one radial projection configured to abut against the first sprocket in the axial direction in a mounting state. The biasing member is disposed between the first sprocket and the at least one radial projection in the axial direction in the assembled state to bias the first sprocket and the at least one radial projection in a biasing direction in which the first sprocket and the at least one radial projection are separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fujita, Koji Yuasa
  • Drag washer and fishing reel
    Patent number: 11761494
    Abstract: A drag washer for a fishing reel has a sliding surface slidable relative to a plate washer. The drag washer includes a felt material formed by entwining a first fiber and a second fiber. The first fiber extends in a first direction along a thickness of the drag washer. The second fiber extends in a second direction along the sliding surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Niitsuma, Shu Kusuda, Atsushi Yagara, Takuji Takamatsu
  • Shoe
    Patent number: 11751632
    Abstract: A shoe includes a shoe body, an elongated tightening member, at least one hook and an intermediate attaching member. The shoe body includes a sole and an upper mounted on the sole. The elongated tightening member has a first end, a second end and an intermediate part between the first end and the second end. The first end is attached to a first attaching position located on a front side of the upper. The second end is detachably attached to a second attaching position located rearward of the first end in the longitudinal direction of the upper. The hook is located rearward of the first attaching position and forward of the second attaching position, and enables the tightening member to be wound and hooked to the hook. The intermediate attaching member is configured to enable the intermediate part to be attached to the upper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Kaoru Ouchi, Toshiaki Aoki
  • Spinning reel
    Patent number: 11751549
    Abstract: A spinning reel includes a reel body, a spool shaft moveably supported to the reel body in a front-rear direction with a reciprocal stroke distance (S), and a spool including a bobbin trunk, the bobbin trunk including an outer circumference around which a fishing line is capable of being wound, and a front flange extending radially outward from a front end of the bobbin trunk, and connected to the spool shaft. An outer diameter of the front flange is less than 60 mm, and a first value obtained by dividing a stroke distance of the spool shaft by a winding pitch of the fishing line is greater than or equal to 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Niitsuma
  • Human-powered vehicle control device
    Patent number: 11753108
    Abstract: A human-powered vehicle control device is configured to control a derailleur in a suitable state. The human-powered vehicle control device includes an electronic controller configured to control a derailleur mounted to a human-powered vehicle based on a change in pressure of a tire detected by a pressure detector detecting the pressure of at least one tire of the human-powered vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Idogaki, Tadaharu Kurotobi, Koji Yuasa
  • Front derailleur and chain guide of bicycle derailleur
    Patent number: 11745828
    Abstract: A front derailleur comprises a base member, a chain guide, and a linkage structure. The base member includes a mounting hole. The mounting hole has a center axis. The linkage structure comprises a first link member and a second link member. The first link member is pivotally coupled to the base member about a first pivot axis. The second link member is pivotally coupled to the base member about a second pivot axis. The first link member is pivotally coupled to the chain guide about a third pivot axis. The second link member is pivotally coupled to the chain guide about a fourth pivot axis. At least three of the first pivot axis, the second pivot axis, the third pivot axis, and the fourth pivot axis are non-parallel to and non-perpendicular to the center axis of the mounting hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Naoki Fujimoto
  • OPERATING DEVICE FOR HUMAN-POWERED VEHICLE
    Publication number: 20230271668
    Abstract: An operating device comprises a base and an operating member. The base includes a base body and a cover. The cover includes an upper outer surface, a first lateral outer surface, a second lateral outer surface, a first shoulder, and a second shoulder. The first shoulder is provided between the upper outer surface and the first lateral outer surface. The first shoulder includes a first curved surface connecting the upper outer surface and the first lateral outer surface. The second shoulder is provided between the upper outer surface and the second lateral outer surface. The second shoulder includes a second curved surface connecting the upper outer surface and the second lateral outer surface. The first curved surface is gentler than the second curved surface as viewed in a longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Hayata MIZUTANI, Takuma SAKAI, Shun KAKEHASHI, Yuichiro HIDAKA, Hiroshi MATSUMOTO
  • Spinning reel
    Patent number: 11737439
    Abstract: A spinning reel includes a spool shaft movable in a front-rear direction with respect to a reel body, a spool connected to the spool shaft and configured to have a fishing line wound therearound, a pinion gear supported by the reel body so as to be rotatable, a reciprocating mechanism configured to move the spool shaft in reciprocating fashion in the front-rear direction, and an intermediate gear disposed between the pinion gear and the reciprocating mechanism, the intermediate gear reducing rotation of the pinion gear, and transmitting rotation to the reciprocating mechanism. A value obtained by dividing a stroke distance of the spool shaft by a winding pitch of the fishing line and a module (M) of the intermediate gear is greater than or equal to 60, the module (M) being a diameter of a pitch circle relative to a number of teeth of the intermediate gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Niitsuma
  • BICYCLE DERAILLEUR
    Publication number: 20230264782
    Abstract: A bicycle derailleur comprises a circuit board, an electrical user interface, a motor housing, and a motor unit. The electrical user interface includes a user accessing portion configured to receive a user input. The motor housing includes a motor accommodating space. The motor unit is provided in the motor accommodating space and configured to generate rotational force and configured to be electrically connected to the circuit board. A first direction is defined from the circuit board toward the electrical user interface or from the electrical user interface toward the circuit board. The plurality of second directions is defined to be perpendicular to the first direction. The motor unit is at least partly provided between the user accessing portion of the electrical user interface and the circuit board when viewed in at least one of the plurality of second directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Shunsuke YAMAMOTO, Akihiro HASEGAWA
  • WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE FOR HUMAN-POWERED VEHICLE
    Publication number: 20230269605
    Abstract: A wireless communication device for a human-powered vehicle comprises a wireless communicator unit and a controller. The wireless communicator unit is configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one electric component. The controller is configured to control the wireless communicator unit to wirelessly communicate with the at least one electric component. The controller is configured to modify, in accordance with a predetermined condition, a signal transmitting manner of a signal transmitted in a predetermined period from the wireless communicator unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Takaya MASUDA, Ryo ISOBE
  • Rider recognition device for human-powered vehicle and control system of human-powered vehicle
    Patent number: 11731723
    Abstract: To provide a rider recognition device for a human-powered vehicle and a control system of a human-powered vehicle that improve the usability, a rider recognition device for a human-powered vehicle includes a detector and an artificial intelligence processing unit. The detector detects state information while the human-powered vehicle is traveling. The state information is related to at least one of a state of the human-powered vehicle and a state of a rider of the human-powered vehicle. The artificial intelligence processing unit recognizes the rider corresponding to the state information detected by the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi Komemushi
  • Control device, operating device, and control system for human-powered vehicle
    Patent number: 11731730
    Abstract: A control device for a first communicator of a human-powered vehicle configured to establish one of a wireless communication and a wired communication with a second communicator comprises a power supply controller. The power supply controller is configured to control a power supplying state of at least one of a first electric power source and a second electric power source to supply electric power to the first communicator based on at least one of a power-source state of at least one of the first electric power source and the second electric power source and a communication state between the first communicator and the second communicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Takaya Masuda, Fumihide Numata, Takashi Matsubara, Tomohiro Takimoto
  • OPERATING DEVICE FOR HUMAN-POWERED VEHICLE
    Publication number: 20230257060
    Abstract: An operating device for a human-powered vehicle comprises a base, a piston, an operating member, an intermediate member, and a mounting structure. The base includes a hole. The piston is movably provided in the hole. The operating member is pivotally coupled to the base about a first pivot axis. The intermediate member is pivotally coupled to the base about a second pivot axis to transmit a pivotal movement of the operating member to the piston. The mounting structure is configured to couple the base and a handlebar of the human-powered vehicle. The mounting structure defines a mounting axis extending along the handlebar in a mounting state where the mounting structure couples the base and the handlebar. The first pivot axis is closer to the mounting axis than the second pivot axis in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the mounting axis as viewed along the first pivot axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Kohei OBUCHI, Yu KATO, Kazuma MORI, Nobuyoshi FUJII
  • Control device and derailleur for human-powered vehicle
    Patent number: 11724775
    Abstract: A control device comprises a controller configured to control an actuator to move an output member in a first actuating manner in a first state where an electric power source configured to supply electricity to the actuator is in a first power-source state and where a movement of the output member does not reach a target movement after the controller controls the actuator based on control information. The controller is configured to control the actuator to move the output member in a second actuating manner different from the first actuating manner in a second state where the electric power source is in a second power-source state different from the first power-source state and where the movement of the output member does not reach the target movement after the controller controls the actuator based on the control information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Tachibana, Yuichi Ueyama, Akihiro Nozaki
  • Bicycle operating device
    Patent number: 11724768
    Abstract: A bicycle operating device comprises a base member, a brake operating member, an additional operating member, an electrical switch, and a wireless communication unit. The brake operating member is movably coupled to the base member. The additional operating member is movably coupled to the brake operating member. The electrical switch is to provide an electric signal in response to a movement of the additional operating member. The electrical switch is disposed at the additional operating member. The wireless communication unit is connected to the electrical switch to transmit a wireless signal based on the electric signal. The wireless communication unit is disposed at one of the base member and the brake operating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Atsushi Komatsu, Takehiko Nakajima, Takafumi Nishino
  • DRIVE TRAIN AND SPROCKET ARRANGEMENT FOR HUMAN-POWERED VEHICLE
    Publication number: 20230249782
    Abstract: A drive train comprises a sprocket arrangement and a force-transmission coefficient. The sprocket arrangement includes a plurality of rear sprockets and a plurality of gear ratios respectively corresponding to the plurality of rear sprockets. The plurality of gear ratios includes a largest gear ratio and a smallest gear ratio. The sprocket arrangement includes at least one individual sprocket-space provided between two adjacent rear sprockets among the plurality of rear sprockets. The force-transmission coefficient is obtained by dividing a total gear range quotient by a total number of the at least one individual sprocket-space. The force-transmission coefficient is equal to or larger than 0.97 and is equal to or smaller than 1.36. The total gear range quotient is obtained by dividing the largest gear ratio by the smallest gear ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Satoshi SHAHANA
  • Spinning reel
    Patent number: 11716981
    Abstract: A spinning reel, includes a reel body, a spool shaft supported by the reel body, a reciprocating mechanism having a slider mounted on the spool shaft and a worm shaft configured to rotate to move the spool shaft and the slider back and forth, and a torque-limiting mechanism that includes the worm shaft, a worm shaft gear that is supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the worm shaft, and a frictional force-generating member disposed between the worm shaft and the worm shaft gear and that is configured to contact the worm shaft or the worm shaft gear to generate a frictional force in a circumferential direction and to permit or cancel transmission of torque from the worm shaft gear to the worm shaft by the frictional force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Niitsuma, Atsushi Kawamata
  • Bicycle sprocket
    Patent number: 11718369
    Abstract: A bicycle sprocket comprises a sprocket body, a plurality of sprocket teeth, and a torque transmitting profile. The sprocket body has an outer periphery and an inner periphery positioned radially inwardly from the outer periphery with respect to a rotational center axis of the bicycle sprocket. The plurality of sprocket teeth is disposed on the outer periphery of the sprocket body. The torque transmitting profile is positioned around the inner periphery of the sprocket body. The torque transmitting profile includes at least ten internal spline teeth. The at least ten internal spline-teeth include at least one first internal spline-tooth, at least one second internal spline-tooth and at least one third internal spline-tooth. The at least one internal first spline-tooth, the at least one second internal spline-tooth and the at least one third internal spline-tooth are different in shape from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Yasufumi Fukunaga, Shota Suyama
  • Spinning reel
    Patent number: 11716980
    Abstract: A spinning reel includes a reel body, a rotor, a bail arm, a rod, a coil spring, a swing member, and a tubular member. The rotor rotates with respect to the reel body. The bail arm is configured to swing with respect to the rotor. The bail arm has a bail and a bail support member that supports one end of the bail. The rod is connected to the bail support member. The coil spring is disposed around the outer circumference of the rod and presses the rod toward the bail support member. The swing member has a bottom that supports the coil spring and is swingably supported by the rotor. The tubular member is supported by the swing member. The tubular member is disposed in the inner circumference of the coil spring. The rod is configured to slide in accordance with a swing movement of the bail arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Kawamata, Akira Niitsuma, Satoshi Ikebukuro, Kei Saito
  • Output device, method for generating a machine learning model, and computer program
    Patent number: 11718359
    Abstract: Provided are an output device, a method for generating a machine learning model, and a computer-readable storage medium for properly controlling a human-powered vehicle so as to travel comfortably for a long time by using a machine learning model. The output device includes an acquisition unit that acquires input information related to traveling of a human-powered vehicle, and a processor configured to train a machine learning model in accordance with an index value indicating electric power consumption efficiency in a power supply device for supplying electric power to a component of the human-powered vehicle, and to output output information related to controlling the component when the input information is inputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Yamamoto, Satoshi Shahana