Patents by Inventor Toru Iwai

Toru Iwai 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: 10875355
    Abstract: A bicycle component comprises a first structural member made of a conducting material, an electrical insulation layer provided to the first structural member, and a second structural member configured to be attached to the electrical insulation layer by adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Tetsu Nonoshita, Toyoshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10864964
    Abstract: A bicycle rear sprocket assembly 28 comprises a sprocket carrier 31, at least one metallic support 33, and at least one rear sprocket 28a-28h. The sprocket carrier 31 is made of a non-metallic material. The at least one metallic support 33 is attached to at least one of a first circumferentially facing surface 41 and a second circumferentially facing surface 43 of at least one mounting arm 39 of the sprocket carrier 31. The at least one rear sprocket 28a-28h is made of a metallic material. A sprocket body 51 of the at least one rear sprocket 28a-28h is attached to the at least one metallic support 33.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Tetsu Nonoshita, Toyoshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10711857
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor is basically provided with a main body and a heat release layer. The main body is made of a metallic material. The main body includes an outer portion, an inner portion and a cooling facilitation part. The outer portion has oppositely facing braking surfaces. The heat release layer includes a non-metallic material. The heat release layer at least partially overlies the cooling facilitation part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Akio Nagai, Wataru Yamauchi, Toru Iwai
  • Patent number: 10584401
    Abstract: A rolled aluminum alloy material is provided with excellent strength and press workability and with which a poor and patchy appearance is less likely to occur after the alumite treatment. The rolled aluminum alloy material can be utilized for components of a bicycle crank. The rolled aluminum alloy material has a component composition comprising 0.6-1.4 wt % of Mg, 0.3-1.0 wt % of Si, 0.1-0.5 wt % of Cu, 0.02-0.4 wt % of Cr, and 0.1-0.6 wt % of Mn, and Al and inevitable impurities as the remainder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Kazunori Kobayashi, Wataru Yamaguchi, Masanori Taniguchi, Toru Iwai
  • Publication number: 20200070934
    Abstract: A bicycle rear sprocket assembly 28 comprises a sprocket carrier 31, at least one metallic support 33, and at least one rear sprocket 28a-28h. The sprocket carrier 31 is made of a non-metallic material. The at least one metallic support 33 is attached to at least one of a first circumferentially facing surface 41 and a second circumferentially facing surface 43 of at least one mounting arm 39 of the sprocket carrier 31. The at least one rear sprocket 28a-28h is made of a metallic material. A sprocket body 51 of the at least one rear sprocket 28a-28h is attached to the at least one metallic support 33.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Toru IWAI, Tetsu NONOSHITA, Toyoshi YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 10520052
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor is provided with a base rotor plate and a surface region. The base rotor plate includes an outer portion that is formed of iron. The outer portion has first and second base surfaces facing in opposite axial directions. The surface region is formed by a diffusion process on the base rotor plate. The surface region has a corrosion resistant characteristic which is superior to the base rotor plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Makoto Souwa
  • Patent number: 10385937
    Abstract: A disc brake caliper is basically provided with a caliper housing, a brake pad and an intermediate member. The caliper housing defines a slot that is configured to receive a brake rotor. The caliper housing is made of a first material. The brake pad includes a mounting plate. The brake pad is disposed in the slot. The intermediate member is disposed between the caliper housing and the brake pad. The intermediate member is made of a second material having a thermal conductivity that is smaller than a thermal conductivity of the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Makoto Souwa, Yoshikazu Kashimoto
  • Patent number: 10352382
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor, having a rotational center axis, comprises an outer portion having plural layers including first and second braking surfaces in opposite axial directions. The plural layers include a first layer made of a copper or a copper alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Oi, Masanori Taniguchi, Toru Iwai, Masahiro Nakakura, Noriko Masuta, Yusuke Hosomi
  • Publication number: 20190202233
    Abstract: A bicycle component comprises a first structural member made of a conducting material, an electrical insulation layer provided to the first structural member, and a second structural member configured to be attached to the electrical insulation layer by adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Toru IWAI, Tetsu NONOSHITA, Toyoshi YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 10252570
    Abstract: A bicycle rim basically includes a first annular side surface portion, a second annular side surface portion, an annular connecting portion and an outermost layer. The first annular side surface portion includes a first braking surface. The second annular side surface portion includes a second braking surface. The epoxy resin layer is an example of a nonmetallic layer. The annular connecting portion connects the first and second annular side surface portions. The soft additive granules are disposed in at least one of the first and second annular side surface portions. The epoxy resin layer is disposed in at least one of the first and second annular side surface portions. The soft additive granules are at least partially embedded in the epoxy resin layer. The outermost layer covers the epoxy resin layer and the soft additive granules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Yoshikazu Kashimoto
  • Patent number: 10215247
    Abstract: A bicycle brake pad includes a friction member and a first support member. The friction member includes a first intermetallic compound. The friction member and the first support member are, at least partially, chemically coupled to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Makoto Souwa
  • Patent number: 10132371
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor that further increases heat dissipation has a rotation axis. The bicycle disc brake rotor includes at east one outer circumferential portion, which includes at least one brake surface, and first and second inner circumferential parts, which are coupled to the outer circumferential portion. Each of the first and second inner circumferential parts is at least partially located radially inward from the outer circumferential portion with respect to the rotation axis. The first and second inner circumferential parts are arranged to form a gap in between in an axial direction that extends parallel to the rotation axis. At least one of the first and second inner circumferential parts includes at least one cooling enhancement section. The cooling enhancement section includes at least one opening that is in communication with the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Masanori Taniguchi, Toru Iwai
  • Publication number: 20180290712
    Abstract: A bicycle sprocket is provided that is configured to limit a chain separation. The bicycle sprocket includes a sprocket body and a plurality of teeth. The sprocket body has a rotational center axis. The plurality of teeth includes a first tooth having a first width extending in a rotational center axis direction, and a second tooth having a second width extending in the rotational center axis direction. The second width is smaller than the first width. The plurality of teeth includes a base body and a nickel plating layer. The nickel plating layer covers at least a portion of the base body. The nickel plating layer includes at least one of phosphorus and boron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Masanori TANIGUCHI, Wataru YAMAUCHI, Toru IWAI, Toyoshi YOSHIDA, Dai YOKOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20180163801
    Abstract: A disc brake caliper is basically provided with a caliper housing, a brake pad and an intermediate member. The caliper housing defines a slot that is configured to receive a brake rotor. The caliper housing is made of a first material. The brake pad includes a mounting plate. The brake pad is disposed in the slot. The intermediate member is disposed between the caliper housing and the brake pad. The intermediate member is made of a second material having a thermal conductivity that is smaller than a thermal conductivity of the first material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Toru IWAI, Makoto SOUWA, Yoshikazu KASHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 9926992
    Abstract: A disc brake caliper is basically provided with a caliper housing, a brake pad and an intermediate member. The caliper housing defines a slot that is configured to receive a brake rotor. The brake pad is disposed in the slot. The intermediate member is disposed between the caliper housing and the brake pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Makoto Souwa, Yoshikazu Kashimoto
  • Publication number: 20180031061
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor, having a rotational center axis, comprises an outer portion having plural layers including first and second braking surfaces in opposite axial directions. The plural layers include a first layer made of a copper or a copper alloy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Takeshi Oi, Masanori Taniguchi, Toru Iwai, Masahiro Nakakura, Noriko Masuta, Yusuke Hosomi
  • Publication number: 20170349004
    Abstract: A bicycle rim basically includes a first annular side surface portion, a second annular side surface portion, an annular connecting portion and an outermost layer. The first annular side surface portion includes a first braking surface. The second annular side surface portion includes a second braking surface. The epoxy resin layer is an example of a nonmetallic layer. The annular connecting portion connects the first and second annular side surface portions. The soft additive granules are disposed in at least one of the first and second annular side surface portions. The epoxy resin layer is disposed in at least one of the first and second annular side surface portions. The soft additive granules are at least partially embedded in the epoxy resin layer. The outermost layer covers the epoxy resin layer and the soft additive granules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Toru IWAI, Yoshikazu KASHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 9832984
    Abstract: A brake plate assembly in a drag mechanism of a fishing reel includes a first brake plate and a second brake plate. The first brake plate has a first bonding surface. The second brake plate has a second bonding surface bonded to the first bonding surface, and has greater wear resistance than that of the first brake plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Yoshikazu Kashimoto, Makoto Souwa
  • Patent number: 9829085
    Abstract: A bicycle sprocket includes a sprocket body, and a plurality of sprocket teeth. At least one of the sprocket teeth includes a first layered member, a second layered member and a third layered member. The first layered member has a first axial surface and a second axial surface. The second layered member is attached to the first axial surface such that the first and second layered members overlap each other in an axial direction as viewed parallel to a rotational axis of the sprocket body. The third layered member is attached to the second axial surface such that the first and third layered members overlap each other in the axial direction as viewed parallel to the rotational axis of the sprocket body. The first layered member has a specific gravity that is less than those of the second layered member and the third layered member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Makoto Souwa, Tetsu Nonoshita, Toyoshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9777784
    Abstract: A disc brake rotor apparatus includes an annular inner member for mounting to a hub, an annular outer member concentric with the annular inner member and having opposite braking surfaces, a first intermediate member extending radially outwardly from the annular inner member to the annular outer member, and a second intermediate member extending radially outwardly from the annular inner member to the annular outer member. The first intermediate member is at least partially and axially spaced apart from the second intermediate member and forms a chamber therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Makoto Souwa