Patents by Inventor Tadaharu KUROTOBI

Tadaharu KUROTOBI 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).

  • Publication number: 20240034430
    Abstract: A control device for a human-powered vehicle includes an electronic controller. The human-powered vehicle includes a crank axle configured to receive a human driving force, a first rotational body connected to the crank axle, a wheel, a second rotational body connected to the wheel, a transmission body engaged with the first rotational body and the second rotational body to transmit the driving force between the first rotational body and the second rotational body, a motor configured to drive the transmission body, and a first operating unit configured to be operable by a user of the human-powered vehicle and irrelevant to a shifting operation of the human-powered vehicle. The electronic controller is configured to control the motor so as to drive the transmission body with the motor without propelling the human-powered vehicle with the driving force of the motor upon the user operating the first operating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Satoshi SHAHANA, Tadaharu KUROTOBI
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20230202616
    Abstract: A control device includes an electronic controller that controls a motor of a human-powered vehicle. The electronic controller outputs a signal to change a transmission ratio by operating a linking body with a derailleur while driving the linking body with the motor where a first condition related to pedaling is satisfied. The first condition relates to at least one of a pedal state, a human driving force input to the pedal, a crank arm state, a human driving force input to the crank arm, a crank axle angular acceleration, a rotational state of a first rotational body, a tire state, a rotational state of a second rotational body, an operational state of the linking body, an operational state of the derailleur, a rotational state of the motor, an electric energy supplied to the motor, a handlebar state, a saddle state, and positional information of the human-powered vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Satoshi SHAHANA, Tadaharu KUROTOBI
  • Publication number: 20230174193
    Abstract: A control system is provided for controlling an electrical component of a human-powered vehicle in accordance with a swivel state of a riding portion and a carrier. The control system includes a sensor, an electrical component and an electronic controller. The sensor is configured to output a signal corresponding to a pivot angle of a pivot portion provided between the carrier and the riding portion located between the carrier and a handle. The electronic controller is configured to control the electrical component in accordance with the signal output from the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Satoshi IDOGAKI, Tadaharu KUROTOBI, Koji YUASA
  • Publication number: 20230166811
    Abstract: A control device is configured to control a transmission device in accordance with a situation in which a human-powered vehicle is used. The control device includes an electronic controller. The electronic controller is configured to control the transmission device provided to the human-powered vehicle. The electronic controller is configured to change a transmission range of the transmission device in accordance with at least one of an attachment state of a cargo bed to the human-powered vehicle, a weight of a cargo loaded on the human-powered vehicle, or a weight of a user riding on the human-powered vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Tadaharu KUROTOBI, Koji YUASA, Satoshi IDOGAKI
  • Publication number: 20230148103
    Abstract: A control system includes a pressure detector, an electrical component and an electronic controller. The control system is configured to appropriately control the electrical component in accordance with a position of a cargo disposed on a cargo bed. configured to be provided to the cargo bed of a human-powered vehicle. The electronic controller is configured to control the electrical component in accordance with a position of the cargo disposed on the cargo bed. The position of the cargo is detected by the pressure detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Koji YUASA, Satoshi IDOGAKI, Tadaharu KUROTOBI
  • Publication number: 20230083770
    Abstract: An electronic device is configured to suitably control of a human-powered vehicle component. The electronic device includes a communicator configured to wirelessly communicate with a pressure detector detecting pressure of at least one tire of the human-powered vehicle. The electronic device is provided in a human-powered vehicle component including at least one of a transmission mounted to the human-powered vehicle, a suspension mounted to the human-powered vehicle, and an adjustable seatpost mounted to the human-powered vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Tadaharu KUROTOBI, Koji YUASA, Satoshi IDOGAKI
  • Publication number: 20230085230
    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: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Satoshi IDOGAKI, Tadaharu KUROTOBI, Koji YUASA
  • Publication number: 20230083520
    Abstract: A human-powered vehicle control device is configured to automatically control a suspension and an adjustable seatpost to a suitable state. The human-powered vehicle control device includes an electronic controller configured to control at least one of the suspension and the adjustable seatpost mounted to the human-powered vehicle upon detection of an inclined state of the human-powered vehicle based on a change in pressure of at least one tire of the human-powered vehicle. The pressure of the at least one tire is detected by a pressure detector configured to detect pressure of the at least one tire of the human-powered vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Koji YUASA, Satoshi IDOGAKI, Tadaharu KUROTOBI
  • Patent number: 11161565
    Abstract: A bicycle control device is provided that allows the rider to ride a bicycle comfortably. A bicycle electric assist unit is provided that includes the bicycle control device. The bicycle control device includes an electronic controller that controls an operational state of a bicycle component based on at least an operational state of the bicycle electric assist unit. The bicycle component includes at least one of an electric suspension and an electric adjustable seatpost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Tadaharu Kurotobi, Shingo Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20210284277
    Abstract: A human-powered vehicle control device for a human-powered vehicle includes an electronic controller that controls a motor assisting in propulsion of the human-powered vehicle. The electronic controller is configured to control the motor in a first control state that limits at least one of a first driving time of the motor assisting in propulsion of the human-powered vehicle, a first driving number of times of the motor, a driving timing of the motor, a second driving time for driving the motor so that an output of the motor becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined output value, and a second driving number of times for driving the motor so that the output of the motor becomes greater than or equal to the predetermined output value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Keisuke MIURA, Atsushi KOMATSU, Tadaharu KUROTOBI, Shingo SAKURAI, Satoshi IDOGAKI
  • Publication number: 20210147029
    Abstract: A controlling device according to the present disclosure includes a communication unit that receives setting information for setting an electric component of a human-powered vehicle to a predetermined setting, and a controller that sets the electric component to the predetermined setting, based on the setting information received by the communication unit. The controller determines whether or not a cancel condition for cancelling the predetermined setting is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Atsushi Komatsu, Tadaharu Kurotobi, Satoshi Idogaki, Shingo Sakurai
  • Patent number: 10717494
    Abstract: A bicycle magnetism generation device and a disc brake adapter are configured to allow a rotation state of a bicycle wheel to be detected in a suitable manner. The bicycle magnetism generation device includes a magnetism generator generating magnetism. In a state where the disc brake rotor is coupled to a hub of a bicycle, the bicycle magnetism generation device is at least partially arrangeable between the disc brake rotor and the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shahana, Tadaharu Kurotobi, Kazuhiro Fujii, Kanako Kiyokawa
  • Patent number: 10029754
    Abstract: A bicycle electrical system is provided with a first electric component, a second electric component, a first wireless communication unit, a first power source, and a second wireless communication unit. The first wireless communication unit and the first power source are electrically connected to at least the first electric component. The second wireless communication unit is electrically connected to at least the second electric component. The first electric component can communicate with the first wireless communication unit. The second electric component can communicate with the second wireless communication unit. At least the first wireless communication unit and the second wireless communication unit are attached to the bicycle without interposing the first electric component and the second electric component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Etsuyoshi Watarai, Takashi Toyoshima, Tadaharu Kurotobi
  • Publication number: 20180201339
    Abstract: A bicycle magnetism generation device and a disc brake adapter are configured to allow a rotation state of a bicycle wheel to be detected in a suitable manner. The bicycle magnetism generation device includes a magnetism generator generating magnetism. In a state where the disc brake rotor is coupled to a hub of a bicycle, the bicycle magnetism generation device is at least partially arrangeable between the disc brake rotor and the hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Satoshi SHAHANA, Tadaharu KUROTOBI, Kazuhiro FUJII, Kanako KIYOKAWA
  • Publication number: 20180037294
    Abstract: A bicycle control device is provided that allows the rider to ride a bicycle comfortably. A bicycle electric assist unit is provided that includes the bicycle control device. The bicycle control device includes an electronic controller that controls an operational state of a bicycle component based on at least an operational state of the bicycle electric assist unit. The bicycle component includes at least one of an electric suspension and an electric adjustable seatpost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Tadaharu KUROTOBI, Shingo SAKURAI
  • Publication number: 20160257269
    Abstract: A bicycle electrical system is provided with a first electric component, a second electric component, a first wireless communication unit, a first power source, and a second wireless communication unit. The first wireless communication unit and the first power source are electrically connected to at least the first electric component. The second wireless communication unit is electrically connected to at least the second electric component. The first electric component can communicate with the first wireless communication unit. The second electric component can communicate with the second wireless communication unit. At least the first wireless communication unit and the second wireless communication unit are attached to the bicycle without interposing the first electric component and the second electric component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Etsuyoshi WATARAI, Takashi TOYOSHIMA, Tadaharu KUROTOBI