Patents by Inventor Tatsuya Kawakami

Tatsuya Kawakami 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: 7721621
    Abstract: A bicycle shift control mechanism that has an operating member, a wire take up member, a positioning ratchet and a position maintaining pawl. The operating member is movable between a rest position, a shift wind position and a shift releasing position. The positioning ratchet includes a plurality of winding teeth, a plurality of positioning teeth and a plurality of movement restricting teeth. The positioning teeth and the movement restricting teeth are non-concentrically arranged to form stair shaped arrangements. The position maintaining pawl selectively holds and releases the positioning ratchet upon movement of the operating member from the rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20100071498
    Abstract: A cable operating mechanism is basically provided with a fixed member, a wire takeup member, a wire pulling member and a movement transmission member. The wire takeup member is movably mounted with respect to the fixed member about a first pivot axis to move between a plurality of predetermined wire positions. The wire takeup member includes a wire attachment part. The wire pulling member is movably mounted with respect to the fixed member. The movement transmission member is pivotally mounted with respect to the fixed member about a second pivot axis that is offset from the first pivot axis. The movement transmission member is operatively coupled to the wire pulling member and the wire takeup member such that a movement of the wire pulling member is transmitted to the wire takeup member via the movement transmission member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Tatsuya KAWAKAMI
  • Patent number: 7669502
    Abstract: A shift control device for a bicycle transmission comprises a mounting member adapted to mount the shift control device to a bicycle; a first lever operatively coupled to the mounting member such that the first lever stops at a plurality of positions corresponding to gear positions of the bicycle transmission, wherein the first lever moves in a first plane; and a second lever operatively coupled to the mounting member for movement in a second plane between a rest position and an operating position such that the second lever returns to the rest position after moving to the operating position. In this embodiment, the first plane is substantially parallel to the second plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami
  • Patent number: 7665383
    Abstract: A bicycle shift control device is provided with a stroke length control arrangement that allows the rider to selectively regulate at least one shift operating member between a single gear shifting operation position and a multiple gear shifting operation position. In the illustrated embodiment, the bicycle shift control device has a gear shifting mechanism that is operated by a pair shift operating members (levers). The stroke length control arrangement selectively limits movement of the shift operating member in a range of movement between the rest position and an intermediate actuating position by preventing the shift operating member from being moved past the intermediate actuating position to the fully actuating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami
  • Patent number: 7665382
    Abstract: A bicycle shift control device is provided with a shift winding member, a winding pawl, a winding member return element, a gear shifting mechanism and a winding pawl biasing element. The winding member is movably arranged between a rest position and a shifting position. The winding pawl moves in response to movement of the winding member. The winding member return element biases the winding member to the rest position and to bias the winding pawl to a pawl engagement position when the winding member is moved from the rest position towards the shifting position. The gear shifting mechanism includes winding teeth that are engaged with the winding pawl. The winding pawl biasing element applies a biasing force to the winding pawl that urges the winding pawl to the pawl engagement position when the winding member is in the rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20100037724
    Abstract: A cable operating mechanism basically comprises a fixed member, a wire takeup member, a single position maintaining abutment and a positioning member. The wire takeup member is movably mounted with respect to the fixed member. The single position maintaining abutment movably mounted with the wire takeup member. The positioning member is pivotally mounted with respect to the fixed member. The positioning member has a plurality of positioning abutments configured to engage the single position maintaining abutment such that the wire takeup member is positioned in one of a plurality of predetermined wire positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Tatsuya KAWAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20090314117
    Abstract: A bicycle component positioning device is provided with a support member, a positioning element, a position maintaining member, a winding element, a release member and a spring member. The winding element is movably between a winding position and a disengaging position. The release member is movably between a neutral position and a position releasing position. The spring member is arranged with respect to the support member to move the winding element from the winding position to the disengaging position in response to movement of the release member from the neutral position to the position releasing position and to return the release member to the neutral position after movement of the release member from the neutral position to the position releasing position. The spring member applies a biasing force to the release member without the biasing force being transmitted through the position maintaining member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Tatsuya KAWAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20090165591
    Abstract: A bicycle shift operating device basically has a base member, a shift wire take-up element rotatably mounted with respect to the base member and a shifting unit operatively coupled to the shift wire take-up element to selectively rotate the shift wire take-up element in first and second rotational directions about a pivot axis. The shifting unit includes a shift operating member pivotally mounted with respect to the base member along a pivotal path to operate the shift wire take-up element in the first rotational direction in response to pivotal movement of the shift operating member about an operating axis. The shift operating member is movably mounted with respect to the base member along a non-pivotal path to operate the shift wire take-up element in the second rotational direction in response to non-pivotal movement of the shift operating member with respect to the operating axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20090064813
    Abstract: A bicycle component actuating device is provided with a base member, a first user operating member and a locking member. The base member includes a tube mounting structure having a tube receiving bore with a center mounting axis. The first user operating member is rotatably mounted relative to the base member for rotation between a first operating position and a second operating position about a rotational axis that is parallel to and offset from the center mounting axis of the tube mounting structure. The locking member is movably mounted relative to the base member for selective movement between a locking position to lock the first user operating member in the second operating position and a releasing position to release the first operating member from the second operating position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Nobukatsu HARA, Tatsuya KAWAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20080257098
    Abstract: A bicycle operating device basically has a fixed member, a movable member, a positioning mechanism, a first pivoting member and a second pivoting member. The positioning mechanism is operatively arranged to selectively maintain the movable member in any one of a plurality of holding positions. The first pivoting member is pivotally mounted with respect to the fixed member to pivot about a first axis to operatively engage the positioning mechanism. The second pivoting member is pivotally mounted with respect to the fixed member to pivot about a second axis that is offset from the first axis. The second pivoting member includes first and second contacting parts for selectively contacting the first pivoting member at different radial positions causing the first pivoting member to pivot in response to pivotally movement of the second pivoting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Tatsuya KAWAKAMI
  • Patent number: 7421926
    Abstract: A mechanical operating device comprises a first output element; a first output element positioning mechanism that positions the first output element in a plurality of first output element positions; a second output element; a second output element positioning mechanism that positions the second output element in a plurality of second output element positions; and a first input element that moves between a first rest position and a first actuating position. An operating unit is operatively coupled to the first input element, to the first output element positioning mechanism and to the second output element positioning mechanism so that movement of the first input element between the first rest position and the first actuating position operates at least one of the first output element positioning mechanism and the second output element positioning mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20080190234
    Abstract: A bicycle component positioning device includes a fixed member, an operating member and a positioning mechanism. The operating member has an input portion and an output portion. The positioning mechanism is operatively disposed between the operating member and the fixed member. The positioning mechanism includes a positioning member that is movable between a first position in which the positioning member is engaged with the fixed member and a second position in which the positioning member is disengaged from the fixed member. The positioning member is held in engagement with the fixed member in the first position by the input portion when the input portion is in an operating position. The positioning member is movable from the first position to the second position upon movement of the input portion from at least one of the operating positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuya KAWAKAMI, Atsushi Ilzuka
  • Publication number: 20080092690
    Abstract: A shift control device for a bicycle transmission comprises a mounting member adapted to mount the shift control device to a bicycle; a first lever operatively coupled to the mounting member such that the first lever stops at a plurality of positions corresponding to gear positions of the bicycle transmission, wherein the first lever moves in a first plane; and a second lever operatively coupled to the mounting member for movement in a second plane between a rest position and an operating position such that the second lever returns to the rest position after moving to the operating position. In this embodiment, the first plane is substantially parallel to the second plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: SHIMANO, INC.
    Inventor: TATSUYA KAWAKAMI
  • Patent number: 7340975
    Abstract: A bicycle control apparatus comprises a first position setting member having a plurality of first positioning members with a first pitch, an operating member that rotates relative to the position setting member, and a second position setting member structured to rotate with the operating member and to move axially. The second position setting member has a plurality of second positioning members with a second pitch, wherein the first pitch is different from the second pitch. The first pitch and the second pitch are set so that an engagement pitch between a first engagement position of the second position setting member and a second engagement position of the second position setting member that results from rotation of the operating member is less than both the first pitch and the second pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami
  • Patent number: 7305903
    Abstract: A bicycle shift operating device comprises a bicycle mounting member, a shift operating member, a take-up member, a positioning member, a first retaining mechanism and a second retaining mechanism. The shift operating member is rotatably coupled to the mounting member to move in opposing rotational directions. The take-up member is rotatably coupled to the mounting member to selectively pull and release a shift control cable. The positioning member is rotatably coupled to the mounting member. The first retaining mechanism is arranged to retain the positioning member relative to the mounting member. The second retaining mechanism is coupled to the take-up member and the positioning member to normally apply a retaining force on the take-up member and the positioning member. The second retaining mechanism is arranged to reduce the retaining force upon moving the shift operating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami
  • Patent number: 7281489
    Abstract: A bicycle transmission gear indicating device comprises a first indicator drive member adapted to move in response to movement of a first transmission control element; a second indicator drive member adapted to move in response to movement of a second transmission control element; and an indicating unit that indicates a bicycle transmission gear. A motion communicating unit is operatively coupled to the first indicator drive member and to the second indicator drive member and is adapted to communicate motion of the first indicator drive member and the second indicator drive member to the indicating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20070199401
    Abstract: A bicycle shifter is configured to ensure that the position where a main shifter body is attached to a bicycle can be easily varied. The bicycle shifter basically has a mounting bracket, a main shifter body and a fixing mechanism. The mounting bracket is preferably configured be fixed to a handlebar of a bicycle. The main shifter body is mounted on the mounting bracket and has a shifter mechanism in the interior. The fixing mechanism is a mechanism whereby the main shifter body can be fixed in place on the mounting bracket at an arbitrary attachment position between a first position and a second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Applicant: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Kawakami, Shingo Funai
  • Publication number: 20070193389
    Abstract: A bicycle shift control device is provided with a stroke length control arrangement that allows the rider to selectively regulate at least one shift operating member between a single gear shifting operation position and a multiple gear shifting operation position. In the illustrated embodiment, the bicycle shift control device has a gear shifting mechanism that is operated by a pair shift operating members (levers). The stroke length control arrangement selectively limits movement of the shift operating member in a range of movement between the rest position and an intermediate actuating position by preventing the shift operating member from being moved past the intermediate actuating position to the fully actuating position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20070193390
    Abstract: A bicycle shift control device is provided with a shift winding member, a winding pawl, a winding member return element, a gear shifting mechanism and a winding pawl biasing element. The winding member is movably arranged between a rest position and a shifting position. The winding pawl moves in response to movement of the winding member. The winding member return element biases the winding member to the rest position and to bias the winding pawl to a pawl engagement position when the winding member is moved from the rest position towards the shifting position. The gear shifting mechanism includes winding teeth that are engaged with the winding pawl. The winding pawl biasing element applies a biasing force to the winding pawl that urges the winding pawl to the pawl engagement position when the winding member is in the rest position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20070186714
    Abstract: A bicycle cable connection arrangement is provided that comprises a wire takeup member, and a cable end attachment member. The wire takeup member includes a cable attachment retaining structure. The cable end attachment member includes a cable receiving structure and a mating mounting structure that is configured and arranged to be retained to the cable attachment retaining structure of the wire takeup member in a first orientation and to be releasable from the cable attachment retaining structure of the wire takeup member in a second orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami