Patents by Inventor Atsuhiro Emura

Atsuhiro Emura 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: 20220348286
    Abstract: A rear sprocket assembly comprises a first sprocket and a lock device. The lock device includes a first lock member and a second lock member. The first lock member includes a first axial end and a second axial end. The second lock member includes a third axial end and a fourth axial end. The third axial end is configured to be attached to the second axial end of the first lock member in an assembled state where the first sprocket and the lock device are assembled as one unit. The fourth axial end has at least one radial projection configured to abut against a first sprocket in the axial direction in the mounting state. The lock device is configured so that the first sprocket is slidable relative to the lock device in the axial direction in the assembled state and before the mounting state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi FUJITA, Atsuhiro EMURA
  • Publication number: 20220348287
    Abstract: A rear sprocket assembly comprises a first sprocket, a second sprocket, and at least one tooth-position maintaining member. The at least one tooth-position maintaining member is configured to maintain a relative position between a plurality of first sprocket teeth and a plurality of second sprocket teeth in a circumferential direction with respect to a rotational center axis. The at least one tooth-position maintaining member includes a fixed portion and at least one guide portion. The fixed portion is configured to be fixed to one of the first sprocket and the second sprocket. The at least one guide portion is configured to engage with the other of the first sprocket and the second sprocket such that the other of the first sprocket and the second sprocket is slidable relative to the one of the first sprocket and the second sprocket in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi FUJITA, Atsuhiro EMURA
  • Publication number: 20220204127
    Abstract: A control device is provided for a human-powered vehicle. The control device includes an electronic controller that is configured to control a motor that assists in propulsion of the human-powered vehicle. The electronic controller is configured to control the motor in accordance with a pitch angle of the human-powered vehicle and information related to a user load applied by a user to the human-powered vehicle in a negative direction with respect to a propulsion direction of the human-powered vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Satoshi SHAHANA, Akira INOUE, Akinobu SUGIMOTO, Atsuhiro EMURA, Nobukatsu HARA, Hitoshi TAKAYAMA, Shingo SAKURAI
  • Publication number: 20220194515
    Abstract: A bicycle pedal is provided with a pedal shaft, and a body part and an end cap. The pedal shaft has a center axis. The body part is rotatably supported by the pedal shaft around the center axis. The body part has a pedal shaft receiving bore with a first opening and a second opening. The first opening receives the pedal shaft along the center axis. The end cap is adjustably attached to the body part at the second opening to adjust a position of the pedal shaft within the pedal shaft receiving bore in an axial direction with respect to the center axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Akira INOUE, Tatsuya WATANABE, Atsuhiro EMURA
  • Patent number: 11338887
    Abstract: A bicycle rear sprocket comprises a sprocket body and a plurality of sprocket teeth including a plurality of driving-noise reduction teeth. Each of the plurality of driving-noise reduction teeth comprises an upstream circumferential surface, a downstream circumferential surface, a first chamfer, and a second chamfer. The first chamfer has a first borderline relative to the bicycle outward surface. The second chamfer has a second borderline relative to the bicycle outward surface. A first opposite end of the first borderline and a second opposite end of the second borderline are disposed radially outwardly from each of a first end of the first borderline and a second end of the second borderline with respect to the rotational center axis. A total number of the plurality of driving-noise reduction teeth is equal to or larger than one-third of a total tooth-space number of the plurality of sprocket teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Yasufumi Fukunaga, Atsuhiro Emura, Kohei Hokai
  • Patent number: 11338886
    Abstract: A bicycle multiple sprocket comprises a plurality of sprockets. The plurality of sprockets includes a first sprocket and a second sprocket. The second sprocket includes a second sprocket body and a plurality of second sprocket teeth extending radially outwardly from the second sprocket body with respect to the rotational center axis. The plurality of second sprocket teeth includes at least one chain-curvature limiting tooth having a chain-curvature limiting surface configured to support an inner link plate of a bicycle chain in the axial direction in a chain-inclining state where the bicycle chain is inclined from the at least one chain-curvature limiting tooth toward the first sprocket so as to prevent one of a plurality of first sprocket teeth from engaging in an outer link space provided between an opposed pair of outer link plates of the bicycle chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Yasufumi Fukunaga, Atsuhiro Emura
  • Patent number: 11319021
    Abstract: A bicycle rear derailleur includes a base member, a chain guide, a movable member and a first link member. The base member is configured to be mounted to a bicycle frame at a frame mounting axis. The chain guide includes a first pulley rotatably arranged around a first pulley axis in a first pulley plane. The movable member pivotally supports the chain guide about a pivot axis. The first link member moves the chain guide between first and second lateral positions. The first lateral position is closer to a bicycle center plane. The first pulley plane intersects the first link member in a state where the chain guide is located at the second lateral position. The frame mounting axis is spaced from the pivot axis by a distance equal to or larger than eighty-nine millimeters when the chain guide is at the first lateral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Shouta Suyama, Atsuhiro Emura, Kenta Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20220106009
    Abstract: A bicycle pedal is provided with a pedal shaft and a pedal body. The pedal shaft has a first end portion configured to attach to a bicycle crank, a second end portion on an opposite side of the first end portion in an axial direction with respect to a rotational center axis of the pedal shaft, and a contact portion between the first end portion and the second end portion. The pedal body has a body part rotatably supported by the pedal shaft and a load receiving part at a position corresponding to the contact portion of the pedal shaft. The load receiving part receives a load from the contact portion of the pedal shaft. The load receiving part is at least partly spaced from the contact portion under a no load condition and contacts the contact portion upon a load applied to the pedal body from a rider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Akira INOUE, Tatsuya WATANABE, Atsuhiro EMURA
  • Patent number: 11292555
    Abstract: A bicycle sprocket comprises a sprocket body, a plurality of sprocket teeth, a mounting member, at least one fastening member, and a cover member. The sprocket body has at least one first threaded portion. The mounting member has at least one fastening hole configured to be aligned with the at least one first threaded portion in the assembled state. The at least one fastening member has a fastening shaft portion, a fastening head portion, and a second threaded portion. The second threaded portion is configured to threadedly engage with the at least one first threaded portion of the sprocket body in the assembled state. The cover member is configured to at least cover the fastening shaft portion of the at least one fastening member when viewed from an axial direction with respect to the rotational center axis in the assembled state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Kenichi Akanishi, Atsuhiro Emura, Shingo Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20210324941
    Abstract: A bicycle chain comprises a first inner link plate and a second inner link plate. The first inner link plate comprises a first inner-link end portion, a second inner-link end portion, and a first inner-link intermediate portion. The first inner-link end portion overlaps with a tooth of a sprocket when viewed in the axial direction to provide an overlapping area in a state where the bicycle chain is engaged with the sprocket. The overlapping area has a maximum circumferential length equal to or larger than 0.45 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi FUKUMORI, Atsuhiro EMURA
  • Patent number: 11078987
    Abstract: A bicycle chain comprises a first inner link plate and a second inner link plate. The first inner link plate comprises a first inner-link end portion, a second inner-link end portion, and a first inner-link intermediate portion. The second inner link plate comprises a third inner-link end portion, a fourth inner-link end portion, and a second inner-link intermediate portion. A first inner-link end edge has a first chamfer extending about the first inner-link center axis such that a part of the first chamfer is disposed in a first circumferential area defined from a first inner-link longitudinal centerline to a first reference line when viewed in an axial direction of the first inner-link center axis. The first circumferential area is smaller than 14 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Fukumori, Atsuhiro Emura
  • Publication number: 20210188394
    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: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Satoshi SHAHANA, Hayato SHIMAZU, Mitsuhiko KAWASAKI, Atsuhiro EMURA
  • Patent number: 10982733
    Abstract: A bicycle-chain outer link plate comprises a first outer-link end portion, a second outer-link end portion, and a first outer-link intermediate portion. The first outer-link end portion comprises a first outer surface, a first inner surface, a first outer-link opening, and a first outer-link end outermost edge. The first outer-link intermediate portion comprises a first intermediate outer surface, a first intermediate inner surface, a first outer-link intermediate outermost edge, a first additional outer-link intermediate outermost edge, and a first intermediate chamfer. The first intermediate chamfer has a first minimum distance defined between the first outer-link intermediate outermost edge and the first inner edge along a reference line. A distance defined between the first outer-link intermediate outermost edge and the first additional outer-link intermediate outermost edge on the reference line is minimum in the first outer-link intermediate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Kenichi Akanishi, Atsuhiro Emura, Yuta Mizutani
  • Publication number: 20210086868
    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: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Atsuhiro EMURA, Hiroshi FUJITA, Fumiaki YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 10940916
    Abstract: A bicycle rear sprocket comprises a sprocket body and a plurality of sprocket teeth. The plurality of sprocket teeth includes a plurality of first teeth. Each tooth of the plurality of first teeth has a driving surface and a non-driving surface provided on a reverse side of the driving surface in a circumferential direction with respect to the rotational center axis. Each tooth of the plurality of first teeth has an axial maximum tooth-width and an axial driving-surface tooth-width. The axial maximum tooth-width is defined in an axial direction of the rotational center axis as a maximum width in each tooth of the plurality of first teeth. The axial driving-surface tooth-width is smaller than the axial maximum tooth-width. The plurality of first teeth accounts for at least 25% of the plurality of sprocket teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Emura
  • Patent number: 10926836
    Abstract: A bicycle rear sprocket assembly comprises a sprocket support and a first sprocket. The sprocket support includes a hub engagement part configured to engage with a bicycle hub assembly. The sprocket support includes a plurality of sprocket attachment members extending radially outwardly from the hub engagement part with respect to a rotational center axis of the bicycle rear sprocket assembly. The first sprocket is attached to the plurality of sprocket attachment members. The first sprocket includes a first sprocket body and a plurality of first sprocket teeth which extends radially outwardly from the first sprocket body with respect to the rotational center axis and a total number of which is equal to or larger than thirty-four. The first sprocket has a plurality of shifting facilitation areas. A total number of the plurality of shifting facilitation areas is a divisor of a total number of the plurality of sprocket attachment members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fujita, Atsuhiro Emura, Yasufumi Fukunaga, Tsuyoshi Fukumori
  • Patent number: 10889353
    Abstract: A bicycle rear sprocket assembly comprises a plurality of sprockets and a sprocket carrier configured to support at least one of the plurality of sprockets. The sprocket carrier includes at least ten internal spline teeth and a circumferentially extending non-splined portion. The at least ten internal spline teeth are configured to engage with the sprocket support body of the bicycle rear hub assembly. 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 and are spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction with respect to the rotational center axis. 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: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Emura, Hiroshi Fujita, Fumiaki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10830329
    Abstract: A bicycle sprocket includes a sprocket body, a tooth ring, and at least one non-threaded fastener. The sprocket body is made of a first material and has a rotational center axis. A central portion of the sprocket body has a central opening through which the rotational center axis passes. The sprocket body further includes a plurality of arm portions that extend radially outward from the central portion with respect to the rotational center axis. Each arm portion includes a sprocket body attachment portion. The tooth ring is made of a second material different from the first material and includes an annular portion. The annular portion includes a plurality of tooth ring attachment portions and a plurality of chain-driving teeth extending radially outward from the annular portion. The non-threaded fastener fixedly connects a sprocket body attachment portion and to a corresponding tooth ring attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Yuki Hirose, Atsuhiro Emura, Shingo Shiraishi, Kenichi Akanishi
  • Patent number: 10800487
    Abstract: A bicycle sprocket comprises a sprocket body, a plurality of sprocket teeth, and at least one upshifting facilitation area. The plurality of sprocket teeth extends radially outwardly from the sprocket body with respect to the rotational center axis. The plurality of sprocket teeth includes at least one axially recessed upshifting initiation tooth. The at least one axially recessed upshifting initiation tooth includes a driving surface, a non-driving surface and a tooth tip portion. The non-driving surface includes a non-driving surface protrusion disposed radially inwardly from a non-driving surface side tooth tip end with respect to a rotational center axis. The non-driving surface protrusion has a protrusion tip disposed closer to the second axially-facing surface than the non-driving-surface-side tooth tip end in the axial direction so that a guiding slope extends from the protrusion tip toward the first axially-facing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Emura, Yasufumi Fukunaga, Tsuyoshi Fukumori
  • Publication number: 20200269953
    Abstract: A bicycle rear sprocket comprises a sprocket body and a plurality of sprocket teeth including a plurality of driving-noise reduction teeth. Each of the plurality of driving-noise reduction teeth comprises an upstream circumferential surface, a downstream circumferential surface, a first chamfer, and a second chamfer. The first chamfer has a first borderline relative to the bicycle outward surface. The second chamfer has a second borderline relative to the bicycle outward surface. A first opposite end of the first borderline and a second opposite end of the second borderline are disposed radially outwardly from each of a first end of the first borderline and a second end of the second borderline with respect to the rotational center axis. A total number of the plurality of driving-noise reduction teeth is equal to or larger than one-third of a total tooth-space number of the plurality of sprocket teeth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Yasufumi FUKUNAGA, Atsuhiro EMURA, Kohei HOKAI