Patents by Inventor Tomonari OKA
Tomonari OKA 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: 11919333Abstract: A hub is provided for a human-powered vehicle, and includes a hub axle, a rotating body, a bearing, an inner retainer and an outer retainer. The rotating body is rotatably mounted on the hub axle. The bearing rotatably coupling the rotating body to the hub axle. The bearing includes an inner race, an outer race and a plurality of roller elements. The inner race has an axially facing portion abutting an inner abutment of the hub axle. The outer race has an axially facing portion abutting an outer abutment of the rotating body. The roller elements are disposed between the inner race and the outer race. The inner retainer is coupled to the hub axle and abuts an axially facing portion of the inner race. The outer retainer is coupled to the rotating body and abuts an axially facing portion of the outer race.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2021Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Inventor: Tomonari Oka
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Patent number: 11642913Abstract: A sprocket support body comprises an external spline configured to be engaged with an internal spline of a bicycle sprocket arrangement. The external spline includes a plurality of external-spline driving surfaces configured to transmit a rotational driving force between the sprocket support body and the bicycle sprocket arrangement in a circumferential direction. The plurality of external-spline driving surfaces includes at least four first external-spline driving surfaces and at least one second external-spline driving surface. The at least four first external-spline driving surfaces are respectively arranged on at least four of nine first external-spline driving positions equally arranged in the circumferential direction about a rotational center axis at a first external-spline pitch angle which is equal to 40 degrees. The at least one second external-spline driving surface is offset from the nine first external-spline driving positions in the circumferential direction about the rotational center axis.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2019Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: SHIMANO INC.Inventor: Tomonari Oka
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Patent number: 11578761Abstract: A bicycle sprocket arrangement comprises an internal spline configured to be engaged with an external spline of a sprocket support body of a bicycle hub assembly. The internal spline includes a plurality of internal-spline driving surfaces configured to transmit a rotational driving force between the bicycle sprocket arrangement and the bicycle hub assembly in a circumferential direction. The plurality of internal-spline driving surfaces includes at least four first internal-spline driving surfaces and at least one second internal-spline driving surface. The at least four first internal-spline driving surfaces are respectively arranged on at least four of nine first internal-spline driving positions equally arranged in the circumferential direction about a rotational center axis at a first internal-spline pitch angle which is equal to 40 degrees.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2019Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: SHIMANO INC.Inventor: Tomonari Oka
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Patent number: 11571929Abstract: A wheel hub has a tubular body having a rotational axis and at least one spoke attachment part protruding radially outward from the tubular body. The spoke attachment part includes a cavity, a first spoke attachment hole, a first spoke head contact surface, a second spoke attachment hole, and a second spoke head contact surface. The cavity includes a spoke insertion opening that opens from the spoke attachment part in an axially outward direction parallel to the rotational axis. The first spoke attachment hole extends from the cavity in a first direction. The first spoke head contact surface is located adjacent the first spoke attachment hole. The second spoke attachment hole extends from the cavity in a second direction. The second spoke head contact surface is located adjacent the second spoke attachment hole.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2020Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventor: Tomonari Oka
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Patent number: 11465710Abstract: A bicycle rear sprocket assembly comprises a first sprocket and a second sprocket. The first sprocket includes a first torque-transmitting profile disposed around a first sprocket opening. The second sprocket includes a second torque-transmitting profile disposed around a second sprocket opening. The first torque-transmitting profile is configured to engage with the second torque-transmitting profile in the mounted state. The first sprocket includes an axial abutment surface configured to axially abut against the second sprocket for axially positioning the first sprocket and the second sprocket relative to each other in the mounted state. The axial abutment surface is disposed farther from an axial center plane of the bicycle rear hub assembly than the first torque-transmitting profile in the mounted state.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2019Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Tsuyoshi Fukumori, Tomonari Oka
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Publication number: 20220274440Abstract: A hub is provided for a human-powered vehicle, and includes a hub axle, a rotating body, a bearing, an inner retainer and an outer retainer. The rotating body is rotatably mounted on the hub axle. The bearing rotatably coupling the rotating body to the hub axle. The bearing includes an inner race, an outer race and a plurality of roller elements. The inner race has an axially facing portion abutting an inner abutment of the hub axle. The outer race has an axially facing portion abutting an outer abutment of the rotating body. The roller elements are disposed between the inner race and the outer race. The inner retainer is coupled to the hub axle and abuts an axially facing portion of the inner race. The outer retainer is coupled to the rotating body and abuts an axially facing portion of the outer race.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2021Publication date: September 1, 2022Inventor: Tomonari OKA
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Publication number: 20220213939Abstract: A planar ratchet assembly is provided for a human-powered vehicle, and includes a first ratchet member and a second ratchet member. The first ratchet member includes an axial surface defining a plurality of first serrated teeth having a first driving surface and a first non-driving surface. At least one of the first non-driving surfaces includes a convex curved surface that has a radius of curvature of at least 0.5 mm. The second ratchet member includes an axial surface defining a plurality of second serrated teeth having a second driving surface and a second non-driving surface. The first ratchet member and the second ratchet member rotate together in a driving direction. At least one of the first ratchet member and the second ratchet member moves in an axial direction to permit relative rotation between the first ratchet member and the second ratchet member in a non-driving direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2021Publication date: July 7, 2022Inventor: Tomonari Oka
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Publication number: 20220153388Abstract: A sprocket support body is rotatably mounted on a hub axle of a bicycle rear hub assembly. The sprocket support body comprises at least ten external spline teeth configured to engage with a bicycle rear sprocket assembly. Each of the at least ten external spline teeth has an external-spline driving surface and an external-spline non-driving surface. The at least ten external spline teeth has an external-spline major diameter equal to or smaller than 34 mm. The sprocket support body is free of external spline teeth having another external-spline major diameter that is different from the external-spline major diameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2022Publication date: May 19, 2022Applicant: SHIMANO INC.Inventor: Tomonari OKA
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Patent number: 11279442Abstract: A sprocket support body is rotatably mounted on a hub axle of a bicycle rear hub assembly. The sprocket support body comprises at least ten external spline teeth configured to engage with a bicycle rear sprocket assembly. Each of the at least ten external spline teeth has an external-spline driving surface and an external-spline non-driving surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2018Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: SHIMANO INC.Inventor: Tomonari Oka
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Publication number: 20210394555Abstract: A wheel hub has a tubular body having a rotational axis and at least one spoke attachment part protruding radially outward from the tubular body. The spoke attachment part includes a cavity, a first spoke attachment hole, a first spoke head contact surface, a second spoke attachment hole, and a second spoke head contact surface. The cavity includes a spoke insertion opening that opens from the spoke attachment part in an axially outward direction parallel to the rotational axis. The first spoke attachment hole extends from the cavity in a first direction. The first spoke head contact surface is located adjacent the first spoke attachment hole. The second spoke attachment hole extends from the cavity in a second direction. The second spoke head contact surface is located adjacent the second spoke attachment hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2020Publication date: December 23, 2021Inventor: Tomonari OKA
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Publication number: 20210171155Abstract: A bicycle rear sprocket assembly comprises a first sprocket and a second sprocket. The first sprocket includes a first torque-transmitting profile disposed around a first sprocket opening. The second sprocket includes a second torque-transmitting profile disposed around a second sprocket opening. The first torque-transmitting profile is configured to engage with the second torque-transmitting profile in the mounted state. The first sprocket includes an axial abutment surface configured to axially abut against the second sprocket for axially positioning the first sprocket and the second sprocket relative to each other in the mounted state. The axial abutment surface is disposed farther from an axial center plane of the bicycle rear hub assembly than the first torque-transmitting profile in the mounted state.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2019Publication date: June 10, 2021Applicant: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Tsuyoshi FUKUMORI, Tomonari OKA
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Publication number: 20200298619Abstract: A sprocket support body comprises an external spline configured to be engaged with an internal spline of a bicycle sprocket arrangement. The external spline includes a plurality of external-spline driving surfaces configured to transmit a rotational driving force between the sprocket support body and the bicycle sprocket arrangement in a circumferential direction. The plurality of external-spline driving surfaces includes at least four first external-spline driving surfaces and at least one second external-spline driving surface. The at least four first external-spline driving surfaces are respectively arranged on at least four of nine first external-spline driving positions equally arranged in the circumferential direction about a rotational center axis at a first external-spline pitch angle which is equal to 40 degrees. The at least one second external-spline driving surface is offset from the nine first external-spline driving positions in the circumferential direction about the rotational center axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2019Publication date: September 24, 2020Applicant: SHIMANO INC.Inventor: Tomonari OKA
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Publication number: 20200300307Abstract: A bicycle sprocket arrangement comprises an internal spline configured to be engaged with an external spline of a sprocket support body of a bicycle hub assembly. The internal spline includes a plurality of internal-spline driving surfaces configured to transmit a rotational driving force between the bicycle sprocket arrangement and the bicycle hub assembly in a circumferential direction. The plurality of internal-spline driving surfaces includes at least four first internal-spline driving surfaces and at least one second internal-spline driving surface. The at least four first internal-spline driving surfaces are respectively arranged on at least four of nine first internal-spline driving positions equally arranged in the circumferential direction about a rotational center axis at a first internal-spline pitch angle which is equal to 40 degrees.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2019Publication date: September 24, 2020Applicant: SHIMANO INC.Inventor: Tomonari OKA
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Patent number: 10766301Abstract: A rear wheel fixing mechanism for a bicycle is provided that includes an axle, a rear hub body, and a first clamp. The rear hub body is rotatably mounted around the axle about a rotational center axis. The first clamp is configured to exert a first clamping force in a perpendicular direction with respect to the rotational center axis onto a first clamping portion of the axle to mount the axle on a frame of the bicycle.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2017Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Tomonari Oka, Yuuya Yoneda
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Patent number: 10752320Abstract: A bicycle rear hub assembly comprises a hub axle, a hub body, and a sprocket support body. The hub axle includes an axle through-bore that has a minimum inner diameter equal to or larger than 13 mm. The hub body is rotatably mounted on the hub axle about a rotational center axis of the bicycle rear hub assembly. The sprocket support body is rotatably mounted on the hub axle about the rotational center axis.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2017Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: SHIMANO INC.Inventor: Tomonari Oka
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Publication number: 20190184741Abstract: A rear wheel fixing mechanism for a bicycle is provided that includes an axle, a rear hub body, and a first clamp. The rear hub body is rotatably mounted around the axle about a rotational center axis. The first clamp is configured to exert a first clamping force in a perpendicular direction with respect to the rotational center axis onto a first clamping portion of the axle to mount the axle on a frame of the bicycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2017Publication date: June 20, 2019Applicant: SHIMANO INC.Inventors: Tomonari OKA, Yuuya YONEDA
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Publication number: 20190092427Abstract: A sprocket support body is rotatably mounted on a hub axle of a bicycle rear hub assembly. The sprocket support body comprises at least ten external spline teeth configured to engage with a bicycle rear sprocket assembly. Each of the at least ten external spline teeth has an external-spline driving surface and an external-spline non-driving surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2018Publication date: March 28, 2019Applicant: SHIMANO INC.Inventor: Tomonari OKA
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Publication number: 20190092426Abstract: A bicycle rear hub assembly comprises a hub axle, a hub body, and a sprocket support body. The hub axle includes an axle through-bore that has a minimum inner diameter equal to or larger than 13 mm. The hub body is rotatably mounted on the hub axle about a rotational center axis of the bicycle rear hub assembly. The sprocket support body is rotatably mounted on the hub axle about the rotational center axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2017Publication date: March 28, 2019Applicant: SHIMANO INC.Inventor: Tomonari OKA