Patents by Inventor Hirokazu Hirayama

Hirokazu Hirayama 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: 11819012
    Abstract: A spinning reel has a reel body, a spool shaft, a spool, a spool ring, and a drag knob. The spool ring is disposed on the external radial portion of a front flange of the spool. The drag knob is disposed in front of the spool shaft. As seen from the outside of the spool ring in the radial direction, an angle formed by a tangent line, which passes through a contact point between an external radial portion and a spherical boundary and which is tangent to the spherical boundary, and a straight line, which is orthogonal to the spool shaft and which passes through the contact point, is less than or equal to degrees. The drag knob is disposed inside the spherical boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Niitsuma, Atsushi Kawamata, Shu Kusuda, Kei Saito, Hirokazu Hirayama, Satoshi Ikebukuro, Yoshiyuki Takemoto
  • Publication number: 20230122536
    Abstract: A spinning reel has a reel body, a spool shaft, a spool, a spool ring, and a drag knob. The spool ring is disposed on the external radial portion of a front flange of the spool. The drag knob is disposed in front of the spool shaft. As seen from the outside of the spool ring in the radial direction, an angle formed by a tangent line, which passes through a contact point between an external radial portion and a spherical boundary and which is tangent to the spherical boundary, and a straight line, which is orthogonal to the spool shaft and which passes through the contact point, is less than or equal to degrees. The drag knob is disposed inside the spherical boundary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Akira NIITSUMA, Atsushi KAWAMATA, Shu KUSUDA, Kei SAITO, Hirokazu HIRAYAMA, Satoshi IKEBUKURO, Yoshiyuki TAKEMOTO
  • Patent number: 11317614
    Abstract: A line guide mechanism for a spinning reel includes a bail support member movably connected to one of the pair of rotor arms, a fixed shaft fixed to the bail support member, a line roller rotatably supported by the fixed shaft to guide the fishing line to the spool, a bail having an end supported by the bail support member via the fixed shaft to guide the fishing line to the line roller, a cover member on the end of the bail to cover a part of the line roller, and a projection member on the bail support member and having a line slack prevention portion including a first part extending in an axial direction of the fixed shaft and facing the line roller in a radial direction of the fixed shaft closer to an axis of the fixed shaft than an outer peripheral surface of the cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Ochiai, Hirokazu Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20210153487
    Abstract: A line guide mechanism for a spinning reel includes a bail support member movably connected to one of the pair of rotor arms, a fixed shaft fixed to the bail support member, a line roller rotatably supported by the fixed shaft to guide the fishing line to the spool, a bail having an end supported by the bail support member via the fixed shaft to guide the fishing line to the line roller, a cover member on the end of the bail to cover a part of the line roller, and a projection member on the bail support member and having a line slack prevention portion including a first part extending in an axial direction of the fixed shaft and facing the line roller in a radial direction of the fixed shaft closer to an axis of the fixed shaft than an outer peripheral surface of the cover member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Koji Ochiai, Hirokazu Hirayama
  • Patent number: 10412946
    Abstract: A spinning reel for fishing includes: a rotor including a cylindrical portion and a pair of support arms; a spool including a bobbin trunk, a front flange and a rear flange disposed on front and rear ends of the bobbin trunk respectively; and a line safety guard configured to prevent entry of a fishing line into the spool. The line safety guard has a base end portion, connecting frames proximally extending radially outward from the base end portion, and an annular portion consecutively connected to the distal ends of the connecting frames. The annular portion has an outer peripheral surface that is disposed to face an inner peripheral surface of the rear flange, and a gap is open between the inner peripheral surface of the rear flange and the outer periphery of the annular portion, in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Hirayama
  • Patent number: 10113649
    Abstract: A magnetic seal device that includes a magnetic sleeve having a cylindrical body that and fits on an outer peripheral surface of a rotatable shaft, a ring shaped magnet being arranged radially outwardly from an outer peripheral surface of the magnetic sleeve with a gap, and a magnetic circuit formed between the outer peripheral surface of the magnetic sleeve and the ring shaped magnet. A magnetic fluid is maintained at the gap. The magnetic sleeve includes a groove arranged circumferentially around the outer peripheral surface of the magnetic sleeve, and a flange extending radially outwardly from and circumferentially around the outer peripheral surface of the magnetic sleeve. The flange has a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the magnetic sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20180199555
    Abstract: A spinning reel for fishing includes: a rotor including a cylindrical portion and a pair of support arms; a spool including a bobbin trunk, a front flange and a rear flange disposed on front and rear ends of the bobbin trunk respectively; and a line safety guard configured to prevent entry of a fishing line into the spool. The line safety guard has a base end portion, connecting frames proximally extending radially outward from the base end portion, and an annular portion consecutively connected to the distal ends of the connecting frames. The annular portion has an outer peripheral surface that is disposed to face an inner peripheral surface of the rear flange, and a gap is open between the inner peripheral surface of the rear flange and the outer periphery of the annular portion, in an axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Applicant: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Hirokazu HIRAYAMA
  • Patent number: 10021864
    Abstract: A fishing reel that includes a reel body, a housing part that defines an opening part, a driving member that includes a pinion that is supported by the reel body and extends through the opening part of the housing part, and a magnetic seal device affixed to the housing part that includes a central opening through which the pinion extends. The magnetic seal device includes first and second magnetic plates that maintain a magnet therebetween and a magnetic fluid that is maintained at a gap between the driving member and at least one of the first and second magnetic plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Hirayama, Daiki Sumikawa, Hirokazu Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 9775333
    Abstract: This invention is characterized by a reel body, a pinion gear that is supported by the rotation function of the reel body, a one-way clutch that is fitted to the pinion gear and that limits the rotation of the pinion gear to one direction, a rotor that is fitted to the pinion gear and rotates with it while also containing a boss section, a part of which is connected to the pinion gear and extends to the one-way clutch, a magnetic body that is formed and makes a circuit around the periphery of the rotation direction of the boss section, a magnet that is configured facing the rotational radius direction with a gap in the magnetic body, with the magnet that faces the rotational radius direction with a gap in the magnetic body being sandwiched between the magnetic plates in a direction facing the spool shaft, and the magnetic sealing mechanism wherein is found magnetic fluid that is placed in the gap between the magnetic plates and the magnetic body, and whereby the space between the cover member and the magnetic
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Hirayama, Hirokazu Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 9750233
    Abstract: The present invention is a line roller unit that includes a line roller, a bearing, a cylindrical member, and a first magnetic seal. The line roller possesses a guider on its periphery surface that guides a fishing line. The bearing is set up on the inner circumference of the line roller, with the cylindrical member possessing a holding part that holds bearing. The cylindrical member is set up on the inner circumference of bearing. The first magnetic seal possesses both a first magnet and a first holding member that holds the first magnet, and the first magnetic seal forms the first magnetic circuit for holding the magnetic liquid at the space between the cylindrical member. The first magnetic seal is set up on the line roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Hiraoka, Hirokazu Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20170030469
    Abstract: A magnetic seal device that includes a magnetic sleeve having a cylindrical body that and fits on an outer peripheral surface of a rotatable shaft, a ring shaped magnet being arranged radially outwardly from an outer peripheral surface of the magnetic sleeve with a gap, and a magnetic circuit formed between the outer peripheral surface of the magnetic sleeve and the ring shaped magnet. A magnetic fluid is maintained at the gap. The magnetic sleeve includes a groove arranged circumferentially around the outer peripheral surface of the magnetic sleeve, and a flange extending radially outwardly from and circumferentially around the outer peripheral surface of the magnetic sleeve. The flange has a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the magnetic sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventor: Hirokazu Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20160286775
    Abstract: A fishing reel that includes a reel body, a housing part that defines an opening part, a driving member that includes a pinion that is supported by the reel body and extends through the opening part of the housing part, and a magnetic seal device affixed to the housing part that includes a central opening through which the pinion extends. The magnetic seal device includes first and second magnetic plates that maintain a magnet therebetween and a magnetic fluid that is maintained at a gap between the driving member and at least one of the first and second magnetic plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Hirokazu Hirayama, Daiki Sumikawa, Hirokazu Hiraoka
  • Publication number: 20160150769
    Abstract: The present invention is a line roller unit that includes a line roller, a bearing, a cylindrical member, and a first magnetic seal. The line roller possesses a guider on its periphery surface that guides a fishing line. The bearing is set up on the inner circumference of the line roller, with the cylindrical member possessing a holding part that holds bearing. The cylindrical member is set up on the inner circumference of bearing. The first magnetic seal possesses both a first magnet and a first holding member that holds the first magnet, and the first magnetic seal forms the first magnetic circuit for holding the magnetic liquid at the space between the cylindrical member. The first magnetic seal is set up on the line roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Hirokazu HIRAOKA, Hirokazu Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20160113261
    Abstract: This invention is characterized by a reel body, a pinion gear that is supported by the rotation function of the reel body, a one-way clutch that is fitted to the pinion gear and that limits the rotation of the pinion gear to one direction, a rotor that is fitted to the pinion gear and rotates with it while also containing a boss section, a part of which is connected to the pinion gear and extends to the one-way clutch, a magnetic body that is formed and makes a circuit around the periphery of the rotation direction of the boss section, a magnet that is configured facing the rotational radius direction with a gap in the magnetic body, with the magnet that faces the rotational radius direction with a gap in the magnetic body being sandwiched between the magnetic plates in a direction facing the spool shaft, and the magnetic sealing mechanism wherein is found magnetic fluid that is placed in the gap between the magnetic plates and the magnetic body, and whereby the space between the cover member and the magnetic
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Hirokazu HIRAYAMA, Hirokazu HIRAOKA
  • Patent number: 8985493
    Abstract: A fishing-reel reel unit includes a main body member; a first outer member, and a first inner member. The first outer member is mounted on the main body member, and the first outer member includes a corrosion-resistant coating formed thereon. The first inner member is formed in a tubular shape, when the first inner member is fixed to an inner periphery of the first outer member. The first inner member has a first inner peripheral surface on which a first bearing is mounted, and the first inner member is made of a corrosion-resistant material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Niitsuma, Hirokazu Hirayama, Shouji Nakagawa, Kunio Takechi
  • Patent number: 8925846
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fishing-reel reel unit including a main body member having an opening includes forming the main body member having the opening and a processing reference, accommodating a bearing mounting part in the opening where the bearing mounting part has a bearing opening and an inner peripheral surface, accommodating a bearing in the bearing opening where the bearing is fixedly mounted on the inner peripheral surface, and machining the inner peripheral surface of the bearing mounting part after the bearing is fixedly mounted on the inner peripheral surface, based on the processing reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Niitsuma, Shouji Nakagawa, Hirokazu Hirayama, Kunio Takechi
  • Patent number: 8534584
    Abstract: A dual-bearing reel speed change operation mechanism is configured for a user to switch transmission speed from rotation of a handle to a spool at either a first speed or a second speed. The dual-bearing speed change operation mechanism includes a handle a handle shaft, an operating shaft, an operating shaft urging member, a base member, a lock member, and a lock member urging member. The handle arm includes a first through hole penetrating therethrough in a direction intersecting with a longitudinal direction of the handle arm, and a first protrusion protruding from the handle arm away from the spool. The base member formed in a plate shape. The base member is configured on a front surface of the handle arm. The base member includes a third through hole communicating with the first through hole, and a fourth through hole in which the first protrusion is inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20130112795
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fishing-reel reel unit including a main body member having an opening includes forming the main body member having the opening and a processing reference, accommodating a bearing mounting part in the opening where the bearing mounting part has a bearing opening and an inner peripheral surface, accommodating a bearing in the bearing opening where the bearing is fixedly mounted on the inner peripheral surface, and machining the inner peripheral surface of the bearing mounting part after the bearing is fixedly mounted on the inner peripheral surface, based on the processing reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Akira NIITSUMA, Shouji NAKAGAWA, Hirokazu HIRAYAMA, Kunio TAKECHI
  • Patent number: 8398011
    Abstract: A fishing reel for winding a fishing line includes a reel unit, a spool, a handle, a tension detection section, a temperature detection section, a detected tension correction section, and a corrected tension output section. The spool is rotatably attached to the reel unit and configured to wind the fishing line thereon. The handle is mounted to the reel unit, and configured to rotate the spool. The tension detection section is configured to detect tension applied on the fishing line by converting the tension into an electric signal. The temperature detection section is disposed to detect temperature of the tension detection section. The detected tension correction section is configured to correct the tension after being detected on the basis of the temperature of the tension detection section after being detected. The corrected tension output section is configured to output the tension after being corrected by the detected tension correction section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kuriyama, Hirokazu Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20120229393
    Abstract: The coordinate system of the electronic data 112 to be projected on the touch panel 120, and the coordinate system of the two-dimensional object 130 similar to the electronic data pasted, printed etc. on the touch panel 120 to which the electronic data is to be projected, are associated by an alignment instruction from a user to the touch panel to specify the position of electronic data corresponding to the specified position indicated to the touch panel and to specify related data linked to the specified position. Outputting this related data is also an aspect of the present invention. Further, outputting this output to an output device different from the touch panel and displaying and the like with this output device is also an aspect of the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Hirayama, Takashi Nakasugi, Takayuki Morioka, Nobuo Ikeshoji