Patents by Inventor Akira Niitsuma
Akira Niitsuma 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).
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Patent number: 9763433Abstract: A level winding mechanism for a dual-hearing reel is equipped with a worm shaft including intersecting spiral grooves and an engagement pin, and a torque limiting mechanism. The engagement pin engages the spiral grooves. The torque limiting mechanism limits the rotational drive force which rotates the worm shaft. At least a portion of the worm shaft is made of synthetic resin.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2016Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignees: Shimano Inc., SHIMANO COMPONENTS (MALAYSIA) SDN.Inventors: Kunio Takechi, Akira Niitsuma, Koichi Kawane, Keigo Kitajima, Baihaki Bin Sabtu, Abu Supian Bin Ahmad
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Patent number: 9737061Abstract: A clutch mechanism includes a clutch portion and a pinion gear. The pinion gear has an engaging part and a gear part. The engaging part is located on a first end as a spool-side end of the pinion gear and is capable of being engaged with the clutch portion. The gear part is meshed with the drive gear. The gear part has helical teeth enabling the pinion gear to be urged toward the spool by the drive gear. The engaging part has a bottom and a first wall. The first wall extends from the bottom toward the first end and tilts in the same direction as the helical teeth with respect to the spool shaft such that the pinion gear is urged oppositely to the spool by the clutch portion when the engaging part is engaged with the clutch portion and receives transmission of rotation in a fishing-line releasing direction from the spool.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2015Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Takeshi Ikuta, Akira Niitsuma, Etsuyoshi Watarai, Kenji Yoshida
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Publication number: 20170208788Abstract: A fishing reel forwardly releases a fishing line and includes a reel unit, a spool, a spool brake, an electric component, and a voltage booster circuit. The spool is rotatably supported by the reel unit. The spool brake generates an electric power upon a rotation of the spool, and applies a brake force to brake the spool using the electric power when the spool is rotated. The electric component operates using the electric power generated by the spool brake. The voltage booster circuit increases a voltage supplied to the electric component.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2016Publication date: July 27, 2017Applicant: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Fumihide NUMATA, Norikazu TAKI, Yuichiro ISHIKAWA, Akira NIITSUMA
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Publication number: 20170208785Abstract: A spool brake device for a dual-bearing reel, the spool brake device includes a spool brake, a rotation detector, and a spool controller. The spool brake can electrically brake a spool during a releasing of a fishing line by applying a braking force to the spool. The rotation detector can electrically detect a rotation of the spool. The spool controller can determine whether a terminal tackle has landed on water based on an output from the rotation detector after a starting of a casting, and can control the spool brake such that the braking force is maintained at a magnitude when a determination that the terminal tackle has landed on water, the magnitude equal to a magnitude of the braking force at a point of time the determination is made that the terminal tackle has landed on water.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2016Publication date: July 27, 2017Applicant: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Yuichiro ISHIKAWA, Akira NIITSUMA
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Publication number: 20170202192Abstract: A dual-bearing reel comprises a reel unit, a spool, a rotation detector, a moving member, a spool actuator, a cooperative actuating mechanism, and a spool controller. The spool is for winding the fishing line, and is rotatably mounted to the reel unit. The rotation detector detects a rotational position about an axis. The moving member is rotatable about the axis, and the rotational position is a position of the moving member. The spool actuator is electrically controllable and performs an action with respect to the spool. An operating member is movably mounted to the reel unit, and adjusts a state of the spool actuator. The cooperative actuating mechanism rotates the moving member in accordance with a movement of the operating member. The spool controller controls the spool actuator based on the rotational position.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2016Publication date: July 20, 2017Applicant: Shimano Inc.Inventor: Akira NIITSUMA
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Publication number: 20170202193Abstract: A spool for a dual-bearing reel includes a bobbin trunk having a tubular shape, a pair of flanges and a plurality of first through holes. Each flange is provided on opposite ends of the bobbin trunk, each flange having a circular shape and a larger diameter than the bobbin trunk. The first through holes are provided in at least one flange of the pair of flanges and are circumferentially disposed at intervals about the at least one flange. The first through holes open in a radial position located at a distance away from an outer peripheral surface of the bobbin trunk, the distance being less than or equal to a second distance from the outer peripheral surface of the bobbin trunk, the second distance being 60% of a distance from the outer peripheral surface of the bobbin trunk to an outer peripheral surface of the at least one flange.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2016Publication date: July 20, 2017Applicant: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Hiroki OGOSE, Akira NIITSUMA
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Publication number: 20170172130Abstract: A spool brake device for a fishing reel includes an electric spool brake, a rotation detector, and a controller. The rotation detector detects a rotation of the spool. The controller calculates a rotational velocity of the spool based on the rotation of the spool, determines whether the fishing reel is in a casting state based on the rotational velocity, controls the spool brake to brake the spool upon a determination that the fishing reel is in the casting state, and controls the spool brake to not brake the spool upon a determination that the fishing reel is not in the casting state.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2016Publication date: June 22, 2017Applicant: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Takashi KOMEMUSHI, Yuichiro ISHIKAWA, Akira NIITSUMA
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Patent number: 9668465Abstract: A dual-bearing reel, includes a reel body, a handle, a spool, a spool shaft, a friction material an operating portion. The reel body has a first reel body portion and a second reel body portion. The handle is attached to the first reel body portion. The spool is disposed between the first reel body portion and the second reel body portion. The spool shaft is configured to integrally rotate with the spool. The friction material is configured to brake rotation of the spool shaft by frictional force. The operating member is rotatably disposed about the spool shaft in the second reel body portion, a portion of the operating member being exposed from an outer perimeter surface of the second reel body portion, and the operating member is configured to adjust the braking force by the first friction material by being rotated.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2016Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Akira Niitsuma, Takeshi Ikuta, Kunio Takechi, Takuji Takamatsu, Hirokazu Hiraoka
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Patent number: 9642348Abstract: A spool access mechanism of a dual-bearing reel includes a frame, a spool support portion, a first side cover and a cover opening/closing portion. The frame includes an opening portion. The frame is formed in a substantially circular shape. The spool support portion is mounted to an interior of the frame. The spool support portion supports a spool in a rotatable state. The first side cover is allowed to be disposed in the opening portion of the frame. The cover opening and closing portion is disposed between the spool and the first side cover in the interior of the frame. The cover opening and closing portion is engaged with the spool support portion and the first side cover, and opens and closes the first side cover.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2014Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventor: Akira Niitsuma
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Patent number: 9549540Abstract: A dual-bearing reel includes a reel body, a spool, a spool shaft, a one-way clutch, and an operating lever. The spool is rotatable relative to the reel body. The spool shaft is configured to integrally rotate with the spool. The one-way clutch comprises an outer ring that is rotatable relative to the reel body and a rolling body configured to transmit rotation of the spool shaft in the casting direction to the outer ring, the one-way clutch being attached to the spool shaft. The operating lever is attached to the reel body, extends in a radial direction, and is configured to adjust a braking force that brakes rotation of the outer ring.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2016Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Takeshi Ikuta, Kunio Takechi, Takuji Takamatsu, Akira Niitsuma, Hirokazu Hiraoka
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Publication number: 20170013819Abstract: A spool brake device for a fishing reel includes a velocity detector, a spool controller and a spool brake. The velocity detector is configured to detect a rotational velocity of a spool. The spool controller includes an acceleration generator, an acceleration determiner and a brake time predictor. The accelerator generator is configured to generate time-series data of a rotational acceleration based on the rotational velocity. The acceleration determiner is configured to determine whether the rotational acceleration has satisfied a predetermined condition based on the time-series data of the rotational acceleration. The brake time predictor is configured to set a prediction starting time based on a point of time at which the rotational acceleration has satisfied the predetermined condition and to predict a brake starting time of the spool based on the prediction starting time. The spool brake is configured to start braking the spool at the brake starting time.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2016Publication date: January 19, 2017Applicant: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Takashi KOMEMUSHI, Akira NIITSUMA, Yuichiro ISHIKAWA
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Patent number: 9545089Abstract: A dual-bearing reel spool braking device for applying a braking force to a spool rotatably mounted on a reel body, the dual-bearing reel spool braking device includes a brake drum, a rotating member, and a brake shoe. The brake drum is configured to be non-rotatably attached to the reel body. The rotating member is configured to rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the spool. The brake shoe is detachably attached to the rotating member and configured to contact the brake drum. The rotating member comprises a main body section, a swinging shaft section indisposed on the main body section and swingably supporting the brake shoe, and a main body section configured to guide the brake shoe when mounting the brake shoe to the swinging shaft section.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2014Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Kunio Takechi, Akira Niitsuma
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Publication number: 20160345558Abstract: A dual-bearing reel, includes a reel body, a spool, a spool shaft, an adjustment member, and an operating lever. The spool is rotatable relative to the reel body. The spool shaft is configured to integrally rotate with the spool. The adjustment member is attached to the reel body and configured to adjust a braking force that brakes the rotation of the spool shaft. The operating lever is detachable attached to the adjustment member so as to extend in a radial direction, and configured to be positionally adjusted in a circumferential direction relative to the adjustment member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2016Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventors: Akira NIITSUMA, Takeshi IKUTA, Kunio TAKECHI, Takuji TAKAMATSU, Hirokazu HIRAOKA
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Publication number: 20160345560Abstract: A dual-bearing reel, includes a reel body, a handle, a spool, a spool shaft, a friction material an operating portion. The reel body has a first reel body portion and a second reel body portion. The handle is attached to the first reel body portion. The spool is disposed between the first reel body portion and the second reel body portion. The spool shaft is configured to integrally rotate with the spool. The friction material is configured to brake rotation of the spool shaft by frictional force. The operating member is rotatably disposed about the spool shaft in the second reel body portion, a portion of the operating member being exposed from an outer perimeter surface of the second reel body portion, and the operating member is configured to adjust the braking force by the first friction material by being rotated.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2016Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventors: Akira NIITSUMA, Takeshi IKUTA, Kunio TAKECHI, Takuji TAKAMATSU, Hirokazu HIRAOKA
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Publication number: 20160345559Abstract: A dual-bearing reel includes a reel body, a spool, a spool shaft, a one-way clutch, and an operating lever. The spool is rotatable relative to the reel body. The spool shaft is configured to integrally rotate with the spool. The one-way clutch comprises an outer ring that is rotatable relative to the reel body and a rolling body configured to transmit rotation of the spool shaft in the casting direction to the outer ring, the one-way clutch being attached to the spool shaft. The operating lever is attached to the reel body, extends in a radial direction, and is configured to adjust a braking force that brakes rotation of the outer ring.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2016Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventors: Takeshi IKUTA, Kunio TAKECHI, Takuji TAKAMATSU, Akira NIITSUMA, Hirokazu HIRAOKA
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Publication number: 20160309690Abstract: The present spool brake device is configured to brake a spool, rotatably mounted to a reel unit, by a centrifugal force. The present spool brake device includes a rotary member, a brake drum and a brake shoe. The rotary member is configured to be rotated in conjunction with a rotation of the spool. The brake drum is disposed in an alignment with the spool along a rotational axis of the spool and is mounted to the reel unit. The brake shoe is contactable to an outer periphery of the brake drum and is pivotably supported by the rotary member, with a center of gravity of the brake shoe being located radially outside the brake drum.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2016Publication date: October 27, 2016Applicant: Shimano Inc.Inventor: Akira NIITSUMA
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Publication number: 20160262362Abstract: A level winding mechanism for a dual-hearing reel is equipped with a worm shaft including intersecting spiral grooves and an engagement pin, and a torque limiting mechanism. The engagement pin engages the spiral grooves. The torque limiting mechanism limits the rotational drive force which rotates the worm shaft. At least a portion of the worm shaft is made of synthetic resin.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2016Publication date: September 15, 2016Inventors: Kunio TAKECHI, Akira NIITSUMA, Koichi KAWANE, Keigo KITAJIMA, Baihaki Bin Sabtu, Abu Supian Bin Ahmad
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Patent number: 9439408Abstract: A dual-bearing reel includes a reel unit, a spool, a spool shaft, a handle, and an attachment-detachment operating part, a lock member. The reel unit includes a frame having a first side plate and a second side plate. The attachment-detachment operating part has a protruding portion protruding towards the first side plate from a position away from an axis of the spool shaft. The first side cover is attachable to and detachable from the first side plate when the attachment-detachment operating part is at a first position. The first side cover is non-attachable to and non-detachable from the first side plate when the attachment-detachment operating part is at a second position. The lock member has an engaging groove. The engaging groove is allowed to be engaged with the protruding portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2014Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Kunio Takechi, Akira Niitsuma
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Patent number: 9402380Abstract: In the present dual-bearing reel, a pinion gear has a body, a first support part, a second support part, a gear part and a narrowed part. The first support part is disposed on a first end side of the body. The second support part is disposed on a second end side of the body. The gear part is disposed so as to be spaced from the first support part at an interval between the first support part and the second support part. The narrowed part is disposed between the first support part and the gear part. The narrowed part includes an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the second support part and less than a root circle diameter of the gear part.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2014Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventor: Akira Niitsuma
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Publication number: 20160212981Abstract: A method for a dual-bearing reel includes detecting a rotational speed of a spool rotatably mounted to a reel unit, a fishing line to be wound about the spool, controlling a spool brake to brake the spool with a first braking force when a detected tension that acts on the fishing line is equal to a reference tension controlling the spool brake to brake the spool with a braking force obtained by correcting the first braking force based on a second braking force when the detected tension and the reference tension are different from each other, the second braking force positively or negatively correcting the first braking force by increasing or decreasing the first braking force, and performing a decrease processing of decreasing the second braking force with the elapse of time when the second braking force has been determined to fluctuate with a predetermined amplitude or greater.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2016Publication date: July 28, 2016Inventors: Akira Niitsuma, Tetsuya Matsumoto