Patents by Inventor Seiji Hukui

Seiji Hukui 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).

  • Driving device for a bicycle
    Patent number: 5782716
    Abstract: A motor-driven hub for a bicycle includes a hub shaft, a hub body rotatably mounted about the hub shaft, a drive member coaxially mounted with the hub shaft, a motor coupled to the drive member for rotating the drive member, and a one-way clutch disposed in a transmission path between the drive member and the hub body for transmitting rotation of the drive member to the hub body only in one direction. A gear reduction mechanism in the form of a planetary gear unit may be mounted in the transmission path between the drive member and the hub body so that the hub body rotates slower than the drive member. The motor may be mounted outside the hub or inside the hub. When mounted inside the hub, the motor may be mounted coaxially about the hub shaft so that the center of gravity of the motor lies within the hub along the axis of the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventors: Seiji Hukui, Nobuyuki Matsuo