Patents by Inventor Mototsugu Nakai
Mototsugu Nakai 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: 11524741Abstract: A sensor wheel for a human-powered vehicle comprises a wheel body and an attachment part. The wheel body is configured to be rotatable relative to a vehicle body of the human-powered vehicle about a rotational axis along with a rotational hub of the human-powered vehicle. The wheel body includes a plurality of openings spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction with respect to the rotational axis. The attachment part is configured to be operatively coupled to the rotational hub. At least one opening of the plurality of openings has a radial length defined radially with respect to the rotational axis. The radial length is equal to or larger than 8 mm.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2020Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Mototsugu Nakai, Kazuya Kuwayama, Ryosuke Habara
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Patent number: 11359721Abstract: A hydraulic device comprises a base member, a piston, a seal ring, and an intermediate member. The base member includes a cylinder bore and an annular groove. The annular groove includes a first inner surface and a second inner surface. The piston is movable relative to the base member from a rest position toward an actuated position in a second direction opposite to a first direction. The piston is movable relative to the base member from the actuated position toward the rest position in the first direction. The seal ring includes a first axial surface facing in the first direction and a second axial surface facing in the second direction. The seal ring is provided in the annular groove so as to define a clearance between the first axial surface and the first inner surface. The intermediate member is provided in the clearance.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2020Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Mototsugu Nakai, Yusuke Hosomi, Kohei Obuchi, Takanori Yoshida
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Publication number: 20220170546Abstract: A hydraulic device comprises a base member, a piston, a seal ring, and an intermediate member. The base member includes a cylinder bore and an annular groove. The annular groove includes a first inner surface and a second inner surface. The piston is movable relative to the base member from a rest position toward an actuated position in a second direction opposite to a first direction. The piston is movable relative to the base member from the actuated position toward the rest position in the first direction. The seal ring includes a first axial surface facing in the first direction and a second axial surface facing in the second direction. The seal ring is provided in the annular groove so as to define a clearance between the first axial surface and the first inner surface. The intermediate member is provided in the clearance.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2020Publication date: June 2, 2022Applicant: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Mototsugu NAKAI, Yusuke HOSOMI, Kohei OBUCHI, Takanori YOSHIDA
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Publication number: 20220017175Abstract: A sensor wheel for a human-powered vehicle comprises a wheel body and an attachment part. The wheel body is configured to be rotatable relative to a vehicle body of the human-powered vehicle about a rotational axis along with a rotational hub of the human-powered vehicle. The wheel body includes a plurality of openings spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction with respect to the rotational axis. The attachment part is configured to be operatively coupled to the rotational hub. At least one opening of the plurality of openings has a radial length defined radially with respect to the rotational axis. The radial length is equal to or larger than 8 mm.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2020Publication date: January 20, 2022Applicant: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Mototsugu NAKAI, Kazuya KUWAYAMA, Ryosuke HABARA
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Patent number: 11124262Abstract: An adapter body is configured to be attached to a vehicle body in each of a first orientation in which a caliper body is coupled to the vehicle body via the adapter body in a first position corresponding to a first disc brake rotor having a first outer diameter, and a second orientation in which the caliper body is coupled to the vehicle body via the adapter body in a second position corresponding to a second disc brake rotor having a second outer diameter different from the first outer diameter. The indicator is configured to indicate an correspondence between an orientation of the adapter body and at least one of the first disc brake rotor and the second disc brake rotor.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Mototsugu Nakai, Kazuya Kuwayama
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Patent number: 10967932Abstract: A hydraulic operating device for a small vehicle including a bicycle is basically provided with a base member, an operating member, a piston, a handlebar fixing structure and a hydraulic reservoir tank. The base member includes a cylinder having a cylinder bore. The operating member is pivots about a pivot axis to move the piston within the cylinder bore. The handlebar fixing structure defines a handlebar arrangement area. The hydraulic reservoir tank has a hydraulic fluid chamber fluidly connected to the cylinder bore. The cylinder defines a hydraulic pressure chamber with a space between the piston and a fluid outlet port of the cylinder. The hydraulic reservoir tank is partially disposed on a first side of the handlebar fixing structure while the hydraulic pressure chamber is disposed on a second side of the handlebar fixing structure as view in the pivot axis direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2017Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Mototsugu Nakai, Kohei Obuchi, Natsuki Noma
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Patent number: 10829180Abstract: A hydraulic operating device for a small vehicle including a bicycle comprises a base member, a mounting structure, an operating member, and a piston. The base member includes a cylinder bore having a cylinder axis. The mounting structure defines a mounting axis linearly extending along the handlebar in a mounting state where the base member is mounted on a handlebar with the mounting structure. The operating member is pivotally coupled to the base member about a first pivot axis between a rest position and an operated position. The cylinder axis is non-perpendicular to the mounting axis as viewed along the first pivot axis in the mounting state. The piston is movably provided in the cylinder bore. The piston is coupled to the operating member to be pulled in response to a pivotal movement of the operating member from the rest position to the operated position.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2017Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Takuma Sakai, Yasuyuki Komada, Mototsugu Nakai, Masahiro Nakakura, Takafumi Nishino
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Publication number: 20200339217Abstract: An adapter body is configured to be attached to a vehicle body in each of a first orientation in which a caliper body is coupled to the vehicle body via the adapter body in a first position corresponding to a first disc brake rotor having a first outer diameter, and a second orientation in which the caliper body is coupled to the vehicle body via the adapter body in a second position corresponding to a second disc brake rotor having a second outer diameter different from the first outer diameter. The indicator is configured to indicate an correspondence between an orientation of the adapter body and at least one of the first disc brake rotor and the second disc brake rotor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2019Publication date: October 29, 2020Applicant: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Mototsugu NAKAI, Kazuya KUWAYAMA
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Patent number: 10676151Abstract: A hydraulic operating device for a small vehicle including a bicycle is basically provided with a base member, an operating member, a piston, a handlebar fixing structure and a hydraulic reservoir tank. The base member includes a cylinder having a cylinder bore. The operating member is pivotally coupled to the base member about a pivot axis. The piston is movably disposed in the cylinder bore and operatively coupled to the operating member to move the piston within the cylinder bore. The handlebar fixing structure is coupled to the base member. The handlebar fixing structure defines a handlebar arrangement area. The hydraulic reservoir tank has a hydraulic fluid chamber fluidly connected to the cylinder bore. The hydraulic reservoir tank at least partially overlaps the handlebar arrangement area as viewed in a pivot axis direction parallel to the pivot axis of the operating member.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2017Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Mototsugu Nakai, Kohei Obuchi, Natsuki Noma
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Patent number: 10604209Abstract: A bicycle hydraulic device includes a cylinder including a cylinder bore, a piston located in the cylinder bore and movable between an initial position and an actuation position, a reservoir tank that is in fluidal communication with the cylinder bore through a communication port, and a flow modulator configured to modulate a flow behavior of a fluid in accordance with a direction in which the fluid flows in the communication port.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2016Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Mototsugu Nakai, Takaaki Fujiwara, Tatsuya Matsushita, Yasuyuki Komada, Etsuyoshi Watarai
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Patent number: 10526038Abstract: An operating device for a handlebar steered vehicle is basically provided with a base member, an operating member and a handlebar fixing structure. The base member includes a support abutment arranged to contact an outer surface of a handlebar while the operating device is in an installed state. The operating member is pivotally coupled to the base member about a pivot axis. The handlebar fixing structure is coupled to base member. The handlebar fixing structure defines a handlebar arrangement area extending along a handlebar axis. The support abutment being spaced from the handlebar receiving area of the handlebar fixing structure in a handlebar axis direction parallel to the handlebar axis by an axial width with a range from ten millimeters to thirty millimeters.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2018Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Mototsugu Nakai, Kohei Obuchi, Natsuki Noma
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Patent number: 10358183Abstract: A hydraulic operating apparatus for a small vehicle, including a bicycle, comprises a housing, a piston, a mounting assembly, a lever, and a fluid reservoir tank. The housing includes a cylinder bore extending along a cylinder axis. The piston is movably disposed within the cylinder bore. The mounting assembly is configured to mount the housing to a handlebar of the small vehicle. The mounting assembly defines a handlebar mounting axis that is not perpendicular to the cylinder axis in a mounted state where the housing is mounted to the handlebar. The lever is pivotally mounted to the housing and configured to move the piston within the cylinder bore in response to a movement of the lever. The fluid reservoir tank has a lid opening. The lid opening is configured to face a center plane that passes through a geometric center of the handlebar and that is perpendicular to the handlebar mounting axis, in the mounted state.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2017Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Yasuyuki Komada, Takuma Sakai, Mototsugu Nakai
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Patent number: 10300983Abstract: An operating assembly for a small vehicle including a bicycle is basically provided with a base member, an operating member, a handlebar fixing structure and a handlebar spacer. The base member includes a support. The operating member is movably coupled to the base member. The handlebar fixing structure is coupled to base member. The handlebar fixing structure defines a handlebar receiving area. The support is spaced from the handlebar receiving area of the handlebar fixing structure in a parallel direction parallel to a handlebar axis defined by the handlebar receiving area. The handlebar spacer is disposed between a handlebar and one of the support and the handlebar fixing structure in a mounted state where the operating device is mounted to the handlebar.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2017Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Mototsugu Nakai, Kohei Obuchi, Kentaro Kosaka, Takahiro Yamashita, Toshio Tetsuka
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Patent number: 10259523Abstract: A hydraulic operating system for a small vehicle including a bicycle is basically provided with a base member, a piston, a hydraulic fluid chamber, a diaphragm and a deformation adjustment structure. The base member includes a cylinder bore. The piston is movably disposed in the cylinder bore. The hydraulic fluid chamber is fluidly connected to the cylinder bore. The diaphragm is at least partially defining the hydraulic fluid chamber. The diaphragm is deformed by fluid pressure in response to movement of the piston in the cylinder bore. The deformation adjustment structure is configured to selectively change a deformation condition of the diaphragm between at least two different deformation conditions.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2017Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Mototsugu Nakai, Masahiro Nakakura
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Publication number: 20190061869Abstract: A hydraulic operating apparatus for a small vehicle, including a bicycle, comprises a housing, a piston, a mounting assembly, a lever, and a fluid reservoir tank. The housing includes a cylinder bore extending along a cylinder axis. The piston is movably disposed within the cylinder bore. The mounting assembly is configured to mount the housing to a handlebar of the small vehicle. The mounting assembly defines a handlebar mounting axis that is not perpendicular to the cylinder axis in a mounted state where the housing is mounted to the handlebar. The lever is pivotally mounted to the housing and configured to move the piston within the cylinder bore in response to a movement of the lever. The fluid reservoir tank has a lid opening. The lid opening is configured to face a center plane that passes through a geometric center of the handlebar and that is perpendicular to the handlebar mounting axis, in the mounted state.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2017Publication date: February 28, 2019Applicant: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Yasuyuki KOMADA, Takuma SAKAI, Mototsugu NAKAI
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Publication number: 20190061870Abstract: A hydraulic operating device for a small vehicle including a bicycle comprises a base member, a mounting structure, an operating member, and a piston. The base member includes a cylinder bore having a cylinder axis. The mounting structure defines a mounting axis linearly extending along the handlebar in a mounting state where the base member is mounted on a handlebar with the mounting structure. The operating member is pivotally coupled to the base member about a first pivot axis between a rest position and an operated position. The cylinder axis is non-perpendicular to the mounting axis as viewed along the first pivot axis in the mounting state. The piston is movably provided in the cylinder bore. The piston is coupled to the operating member to be pulled in response to a pivotal movement of the operating member from the rest position to the operated position.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2017Publication date: February 28, 2019Applicant: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Takuma SAKAI, Yasuyuki KOMADA, Mototsugu NAKAI, Masahiro NAKAKURA, Takafumi NISHINO
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Publication number: 20190039685Abstract: A hydraulic operating device for a small vehicle including a bicycle is basically provided with a base member, an operating member, a piston, a handlebar fixing structure and a hydraulic reservoir tank. The base member includes a cylinder having a cylinder bore. The operating member is pivots about a pivot axis to move the piston within the cylinder bore. The handlebar fixing structure defines a handlebar arrangement area. The hydraulic reservoir tank has a hydraulic fluid chamber fluidly connected to the cylinder bore. The cylinder defines a hydraulic pressure chamber with a space between the piston and a fluid outlet port of the cylinder. The hydraulic reservoir tank is partially disposed on a first side of the handlebar fixing structure while the hydraulic pressure chamber is disposed on a second side of the handlebar fixing structure as view in the pivot axis direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2017Publication date: February 7, 2019Inventors: Mototsugu NAKAI, Kohei OBUCHI, Natsuki NOMA
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Publication number: 20190039679Abstract: An operating device for a handlebar steered vehicle is basically provided with a base member, an operating member and a handlebar fixing structure. The base member includes a support abutment arranged to contact an outer surface of a handlebar while the operating device is in an installed state. The operating member is pivotally coupled to the base member about a pivot axis. The handlebar fixing structure is coupled to base member. The handlebar fixing structure defines a handlebar arrangement area extending along a handlebar axis. The support abutment being spaced from the handlebar receiving area of the handlebar fixing structure in a handlebar axis direction parallel to the handlebar axis by an axial width with a range from ten millimeters to thirty millimeters.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2018Publication date: February 7, 2019Inventors: Mototsugu NAKAI, Kohei OBUCHI, Natsuki NOMA
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Publication number: 20190039684Abstract: A hydraulic operating device for a small vehicle including a bicycle is basically provided with a base member, an operating member, a piston, a handlebar fixing structure and a hydraulic reservoir tank. The base member includes a cylinder having a cylinder bore. The operating member is pivotally coupled to the base member about a pivot axis. The piston is movably disposed in the cylinder bore and operatively coupled to the operating member to move the piston within the cylinder bore. The handlebar fixing structure is coupled to the base member. The handlebar fixing structure defines a handlebar arrangement area. The hydraulic reservoir tank has a hydraulic fluid chamber fluidly connected to the cylinder bore. The hydraulic reservoir tank at least partially overlaps the handlebar arrangement area as viewed in a pivot axis direction parallel to the pivot axis of the operating member.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2017Publication date: February 7, 2019Inventors: Mototsugu NAKAI, Kohei OBUCHI, Natsuki NOMA
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Publication number: 20190039683Abstract: An operating assembly for a small vehicle including a bicycle is basically provided with a base member, an operating member, a handlebar fixing structure and a handlebar spacer. The base member includes a support. The operating member is movably coupled to the base member. The handlebar fixing structure is coupled to base member. The handlebar fixing structure defines a handlebar receiving area. The support is spaced from the handlebar receiving area of the handlebar fixing structure in a parallel direction parallel to a handlebar axis defined by the handlebar receiving area. The handlebar spacer is disposed between a handlebar and one of the support and the handlebar fixing structure in a mounted state where the operating device is mounted to the handlebar.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2017Publication date: February 7, 2019Inventors: Mototsugu NAKAI, Kohei OBUCHI, Kentaro KOSAKA, Takahiro YAMASHITA, Toshio TETSUKA