Patents Assigned to Shimano, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11659825
    Abstract: A dual-bearing reel includes a reel body, a handle shaft, a handle, a first bearing, and a roller clutch. The handle shaft has a first end portion and a second end portion on a side opposite the first end portion, and is provided on the reel body so as to be rotatable. The handle is connected to the first end portion of the handle shaft. The first bearing rotatably supports the second end portion of the handle shaft. The roller clutch is arranged so as to overlap the first bearing in an axial direction of the handle shaft as seen from a radial direction of the handle shaft and is configured to prohibit rotation of the handle shaft in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Seishu Mori
  • Publication number: 20230159135
    Abstract: A motorized component of a human-powered vehicle includes an electric actuator and controller circuitry configured to control the electric actuator. At least one of the electric actuator and the controller circuitry is configured to be electrically connected via an electric cable to a remotely located power source configured to supply electricity to an assist drive unit configured to assist pedaling. The motorized component is other than a rear derailleur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2022
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Yuki SAKAGAWA, Toyoto SHIRAI, Satoshi SHAHANA, Hitoshi TAKAYAMA, Noor Ashyikkin BINTI MOHD NOOR
  • Publication number: 20230157268
    Abstract: A spool braking device includes a brake drum and a rotation structure. The brake drum is disposed in a reel body and positioned alongside a spool in an axial direction. The rotation structure is arranged between the spool and the brake drum in the axial direction. The rotation structure has a support, a brake shoe, and a biasing member. The support rotates in accordance with a spool shaft. The brake shoe has a center of gravity arranged outside of the brake drum in a radial direction. The brake shoe is configured to contact a tapered surface of the brake drum. The biasing member biases one of the support or the brake drum towards another one of the support or the brake drum. The one of the support or the brake drum is movable in the axial direction with respect to the another one of the support or the brake drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Applicant: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Daichi NAKATA, Hiroki OOGOSE, Kunio TAKECHI, Kouhei NAKAMURA, Keigo KITAJIMA
  • Patent number: 11655001
    Abstract: A human-powered vehicle control device includes an electronic controller that is configured to control a motor that assists in propulsion of a human-powered vehicle and that stops assisting in the propulsion of the human-powered vehicle at a timing suitable for a state of the human-powered vehicle or a state of a road. The electronic controller drives the motor in correspondence with a human drive force upon determining a traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle is less than a predetermined speed that is higher than 0 km/h. The electronic controller varies the predetermined speed in correspondence with at least one of a state of the human-powered vehicle and a state of a road on which the human-powered vehicle travels. The electronic controller does not assist the propulsion of the human-powered vehicle upon determining the traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle is greater than or equal to the predetermined speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Takuya Katsuki, Yasuhiro Tsuchizawa
  • Patent number: 11655003
    Abstract: A bicycle rear sprocket assembly comprises a plurality of sprockets and a sprocket carrier. The sprocket carrier includes at least ten internal spline teeth and a circumferentially extending non-splined portion. The at least ten internal spline teeth extend in an axial direction with respect to a rotational center axis of the bicycle rear sprocket assembly. The at least ten internal spline teeth includes a plurality of internal-spline driving surfaces. The plurality of internal-spline driving surfaces each includes a radially outermost edge, a radially innermost edge, and a radial length. The total of the radial lengths ranges from 11 mm to 14 mm. The circumferentially extending non-splined portion is disposed to be adjacent to the at least ten internal spline teeth in the axial direction and recessed from the at least ten internal spline teeth in a radial direction with respect to the rotational center axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Emura, Hiroshi Fujita, Fumiaki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11649003
    Abstract: A control device including an electronic controller for controlling a human-powered vehicle. The electronic controller is configured to control an adjusting device that is configured to adjust a seat height of the human-powered vehicle upon determining the human-powered vehicle is being stopped while traveling uphill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Nobukatsu Hara, Satoshi Shahana, Yuta Mizutani
  • Patent number: 11642913
    Abstract: A sprocket support body comprises an external spline configured to be engaged with an internal spline of a bicycle sprocket arrangement. The external spline includes a plurality of external-spline driving surfaces configured to transmit a rotational driving force between the sprocket support body and the bicycle sprocket arrangement in a circumferential direction. The plurality of external-spline driving surfaces includes at least four first external-spline driving surfaces and at least one second external-spline driving surface. The at least four first external-spline driving surfaces are respectively arranged on at least four of nine first external-spline driving positions equally arranged in the circumferential direction about a rotational center axis at a first external-spline pitch angle which is equal to 40 degrees. The at least one second external-spline driving surface is offset from the nine first external-spline driving positions in the circumferential direction about the rotational center axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Tomonari Oka
  • Patent number: 11642914
    Abstract: To provide a bicycle hub unit and a bicycle wheel assembly that allow a wheel unit to be appropriately coupled to a hub body, a bicycle hub unit is coupled to a rotary body to which a brake is applied by a brake device. The bicycle hub unit includes a hub body that rotates around a hub axle and a rotary body coupling portion that couples the rotary body to the hub body. The hub body includes a first joint portion and a second joint portion. The first joint portion includes an external thread coupled to an internal thread of the wheel unit. The second joint portion is coupled to a restriction member that restricts relative rotation of the first joint portion and the wheel unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Kamiya, Keita Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11643165
    Abstract: A bicycle drive unit includes a motor, a second electronic controller and a communication circuit. The motor is configured to assist in propulsion of a bicycle. The second electronic controller controls the motor. The communication circuit is configured to communicate with an operation device that operates a bicycle electric component. The second electronic controller is operable in a third state, in which the motor is drivable, and a fourth state, which consumes less power than the third state and does not drive the motor. The second electronic controller is configured to switch an operation state from the fourth state to the third state upon the communication circuit receiving an input signal while the second electronic controller is operated in the fourth state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takeshita, Tetsuya Kitani
  • Patent number: 11643159
    Abstract: An electric power generator is provided for a human-powered vehicle. The electric power generator includes an axle, a stator, a rotor and a first electrical cable. The axle has a first axial end, and a second axial end. The stator has a first axial stator-end that faces the first axial end of the axle with respect to the rotational center axis and a second axial stator-end that faces the second axial end of the axle with respect to the rotational center axis. The rotor is rotatably mounted on the axle to rotate around a rotational center axis of the electric power generator. The first electrical cable is electrically connected to the stator on the first axial stator-end of the stator. The first electrical cable extends axially through the stator toward the second axial stator-end of the stator with respect to the rotational center axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Azusa Yamazaki, Kenkichi Inoue, Yuuya Yoneda
  • Patent number: 11643166
    Abstract: A bicycle has a bicycle body, a bicycle component, and a battery. The bicycle body has a frame including a down tube, a component mounting portion, and a seat tube. The bicycle component includes a bicycle drive unit. At least a portion of the bicycle component is arranged inside the frame. The battery is mounted on the bicycle to supply the bicycle component with electrical power. The frame further includes a first open portion that is provided on the component mounting portion and opens toward an upper side of the bicycle. At least a portion of the bicycle drive unit is disposed inside the frame and is exposed through the first open portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Noda, Takaaki Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 11633008
    Abstract: A shoe basically includes an upper and a sole. The sole is attached to the upper. The sole includes an outsole and a first midsole. The first midsole has a fore part, a first heel part, a second heel part and a boundary part. The first heel part is at least partly disposed along a longitudinal centerline of the shoe and configured to support a center part of a heel. The second heel part is disposed laterally outward of the longitudinal centerline of the shoe and configured to support an outer part of the heel. The boundary part is provided between the first heel part and the second heel part such that the first heel part and the second heel part are movable relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Kadunori Iuchi, Junichi Kikuta, Toshiaki Aoki
  • Patent number: 11628685
    Abstract: A human-powered vehicle wheel unit adapted to be attached to a human-powered vehicle hub. The wheel unit includes an accommodation portion and a first engagement portion. The accommodation portion is configured to accommodate at least part of the human-powered vehicle hub. The first engagement portion is provided on the accommodation portion. The first engagement portion is configured to transmit rotation of the human-powered vehicle hub to the accommodation portion through engagement with a second engagement portion provided on a flange projecting from an outer circumferential portion of a hub shell of the human-powered vehicle hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11628686
    Abstract: The bicycle hub assembly includes a hub axle, a hub body, a bearing unit, a lock member, and a tool engagement member. The bearing unit is configured to rotatably support the hub body around the hub axle with respect to the rotational center axis. The bearing unit includes an outer race, an inner race and a plurality of rolling members. The lock member prevents the inner race of the bearing unit from rotating relative to the hub axle. The lock member has an outer peripheral surface. The tool engagement member is configured to rotate the inner race of the bearing unit relative to the hub axle. The tool engagement member has an inner peripheral surface. The inner peripheral surface of the tool engagement member is disposed radially outwardly relative to the outer peripheral surface of the lock member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Jun Nakajima, Kazuki Koshiyama
  • Patent number: 11623713
    Abstract: A human-powered vehicle includes a crank axle, a first rotational body, a wheel, a second rotational body, a transmission body that transmits a driving force between the first rotational body and the second rotational body, a derailleur configured to operate the transmission body to change a transmission ratio, and a motor configured to drive the transmission body. A control device has an electronic controller configured to control the motor and drive the transmission body with the motor upon determining the derailleur has been actuated to change the transmission ratio and a predetermined condition related to pedaling is satisfied, and control the motor to increase a rotational speed of the motor as a difference of a first rotational speed, which is calculated in correspondence with a rotational speed of the wheel and the transmission ratio, and a predetermined rotational speed or a rotational speed in a predetermined range increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shahana, Hayato Shimazu, Mitsuhiko Kawasaki, Atsuhiro Emura
  • Patent number: 11617359
    Abstract: A tubular reel seat for fishing rod includes a tubular movable hood and a trigger. The tubular movable hood is disposed on a front side of the reel seat, and includes a hood portion configured to cover a front-end portion of a reel foot of the fishing rod. The trigger is disposed in part of a circumference of an outer circumferential surface of the movable hood on an opposite side of the hood portion, the trigger is configured to be hooked by a finger from the front side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuma Taniguchi, Yoshiyuki Kaminou, Soushi Iwata, Takahiro Yamanaka
  • Patent number: D982708
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Motohiro Niitsuma
  • Patent number: D983312
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Nago
  • Patent number: D983930
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Motohiro Niitsuma
  • Patent number: D987021
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Motohiro Niitsuma