Patents by Inventor Toru Iwai

Toru Iwai 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: 9777784
    Abstract: A disc brake rotor apparatus includes an annular inner member for mounting to a hub, an annular outer member concentric with the annular inner member and having opposite braking surfaces, a first intermediate member extending radially outwardly from the annular inner member to the annular outer member, and a second intermediate member extending radially outwardly from the annular inner member to the annular outer member. The first intermediate member is at least partially and axially spaced apart from the second intermediate member and forms a chamber therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Makoto Souwa
  • Patent number: 9725131
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor basically has a base rotor plate and a first thermally sprayed layer. The base rotor plate includes an outer portion having first and second base surfaces facing in opposite axial directions. The first thermally sprayed layer is laminated on the first base surface of the outer portion of the base rotor plate to form a first outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Makoto Souwa
  • Patent number: 9718305
    Abstract: A bicycle rim is basically provided with a first annular side wall, a second annular side wall and an annular bridge. The first annular side wall includes a first braking contact portion. The second annular side wall includes a second braking contact portion. The annular bridge extends between the first and second annular side walls. At least one of the first and second braking contact portions has a plurality of soft additives at least partially embedded in a non-metallic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Kashimoto, Toru Iwai
  • Publication number: 20170204923
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor that further increases heat dissipation has a rotation axis. The bicycle disc brake rotor includes at east one outer circumferential portion, which includes at least one brake surface, and first and second inner circumferential parts, which are coupled to the outer circumferential portion. Each of the first and second inner circumferential parts is at least partially located radially inward from the outer circumferential portion with respect to the rotation axis. The first and second inner circumferential parts are arranged to form a gap in between in an axial direction that extends parallel to the rotation axis. At least one of the first and second inner circumferential parts includes at least one cooling enhancement section. The cooling enhancement section includes at least one opening that is in communication with the gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: Masanori TANIGUCHI, Toru IWAI
  • Patent number: 9638277
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor is provided that has a center rotational axis, and basically includes an outer portion and a cooling fin. The outer portion includes a first braking part defining a first braking surface and a second braking part defining a second braking surface. The first and second braking surfaces face in opposite axial directions. The cooling fin includes an inner portion radially offset from the first and second braking surfaces. The cooling fin further includes an attachment portion extending outwardly from the inner portion and sandwiched between the first and second braking parts. The first and second braking parts are separate and distinct individual parts from each other and from the cooling fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Makoto Souwa
  • Publication number: 20170097058
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor having a rotational center axis is provided including an outer portion and an inner portion. The outer portion includes a first member having a first thermal conductivity and a second member having a second thermal conductivity that is higher than the first thermal conductivity. The second member is attached to the first member. The inner portion is disposed radially inwardly from the outer portion with respect to the rotational center axis. The inner portion is a separate member from the first and second members. The inner portion is attached to or contacts the second member of the outer portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Masahiro NAKAKURA, Yusuke HOSOMI, Ryosuke YAMAMOTO, Masanori TANIGUCHI, Toru IWAI
  • Patent number: 9593727
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor having a rotational center axis is provided including an outer portion and an inner portion. The outer portion includes a first member having a first thermal conductivity and a second member having a second thermal conductivity that is higher than the first thermal conductivity. The second member is attached to the first member. The inner portion is disposed radially inwardly from the outer portion with respect to the rotational center axis. The inner portion is a separate member from the first and second members. The inner portion is attached to or contacts the second member of the outer portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiro Nakakura, Yusuke Hosomi, Ryosuke Yamamoto, Masanori Taniguchi, Toru Iwai
  • Patent number: 9580136
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor, having a rotational center axis, comprises a base portion including iron and a surface portion including iron, aluminum, and chrome. The surface portion is formed on an external surface of the base portion. A concentration gradient of chrome of the surface portion is formed in an axial direction parallel to the rotational center axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Bungo Sasaki, Makoto Souwa, Toru Iwai
  • Patent number: 9555855
    Abstract: A bicycle sprocket includes a sprocket body and a plurality of sprocket teeth. The sprocket teeth extend radially outwardly from an outer periphery of the sprocket body. The sprocket body includes a first layered member, a second layered member and a third layered member. The first layered member has a first axial surface and a second axial surface. The second layered member is attached to the first axial surface such that the first and second layered members overlap each other in an axial direction as viewed parallel to a rotational axis. The third layered member is attached to the second axial surface such that the first and third layered members overlap each other in the axial direction as viewed parallel to the rotational axis. At least one of the second and third layered members has at least one concavo-convex portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Toyoshi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20160333949
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor is basically provided with a main body and a heat release layer. The main body is made of a metallic material. The main body includes an outer portion, an inner portion and a cooling facilitation part. The outer portion has oppositely facing braking surfaces. The heat release layer includes a non-metallic material. The heat release layer at least partially overlies the cooling facilitation part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Akio NAGAI, Wataru YAMAUCHI, Toru IWAI
  • Patent number: 9487263
    Abstract: A bicycle brake pad includes a cooling plate and a friction plate. The cooling plate has a first surface and a second surface. The cooling plate includes a pad supporting section and a heat dissipation section. The friction pad is connected to the pad supporting section of the cooling plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Takashi Fujitani
  • Publication number: 20160303903
    Abstract: A bicycle rim is basically provided with a first annular side wall, a second annular side wall and an annular bridge. The first annular side wall includes a first braking contact portion. The second annular side wall includes a second braking contact portion. The annular bridge extends between the first and second annular side walls. At least one of the first and second braking contact portions has a plurality of soft additives at least partially embedded in a non-metallic layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Yoshikazu KASHIMOTO, Toru IWAI
  • Patent number: 9440706
    Abstract: A bicycle sprocket includes a sprocket body, and a plurality of sprocket teeth. At least one of the sprocket teeth includes a first layered member, a second layered member and a third layered member. The first layered member has a first axial surface and a second axial surface. The second layered member is attached to the first axial surface such that the first and second layered members overlap each other in an axial direction as viewed parallel to a rotational axis of the sprocket body. The third layered member is attached to the second axial surface such that the first and third layered members overlap each other in the axial direction as viewed parallel to the rotational axis of the sprocket body. The first layered member has a specific gravity that is less than those of the second layered member and the third layered member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Makoto Souwa, Toyoshi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20160245352
    Abstract: A disc brake caliper is basically provided with a caliper housing, a brake pad and an intermediate member. The caliper housing defines a slot that is configured to receive a brake rotor. The brake pad is disposed in the slot. The intermediate member is disposed between the caliper housing and the brake pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Toru IWAI, Makoto SOUWA, Yoshikazu KASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20160223042
    Abstract: A bicycle brake pad includes a friction member and a first support member. The friction member includes a first intermetallic compound. The friction member and the first support member are, at least partially, chemically coupled to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Toru IWAI, Makoto SOUWA
  • Patent number: 9234553
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor basically has an outer portion and a cooling fin. The outer portion has first and second base surfaces facing in opposite axial directions. The cooling fin is disposed radially offset from at least one of the first and second braking surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Iwai, Makoto Souwa
  • Publication number: 20150376741
    Abstract: A rolled aluminum alloy material is provided with excellent strength and press workability and with which a poor and patchy appearance is less likely to occur after the alumite treatment. The rolled aluminum alloy material can be utilized for components of a bicycle crank. The rolled aluminum alloy material has a component composition comprising 0.6-1.4 wt % of Mg, 0.3-1.0 wt % of Si, 0.1-0.5 wt % of Cu, 0.02-0.4 wt % of Cr, and 0.1-0.6 wt % of Mn, and Al and inevitable impurities as the remainder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Kazunori KOBAYASHI, Wataru YAMAGUCHI, Masanori TANIGUCHI, Toru IWAI
  • Publication number: 20150345579
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor is provided that has a center rotational axis, and basically includes an outer portion and a cooling fin. The outer portion includes a first braking part defining a first braking surface and a second braking part defining a second braking surface. The first and second braking surfaces face in opposite axial directions. The cooling fin includes an inner portion radially offset from the first and second braking surfaces. The cooling fin further includes an attachment portion extending outwardly from the inner portion and sandwiched between the first and second braking parts. The first and second braking parts are separate and distinct individual parts from each other and from the cooling fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Toru IWAI, Makoto SOUWA
  • Publication number: 20150305315
    Abstract: A brake plate assembly in a drag mechanism of a fishing reel includes a first brake plate and a second brake plate. The first brake plate has a first bonding surface. The second brake plate has a second bonding surface bonded to the first bonding surface, and has greater wear resistance than that of the first brake plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Toru IWAI, Yoshikazu KASHIMOTO, Makoto SOUWA
  • Publication number: 20150166142
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake rotor, having a rotational center axis, comprises a base portion including iron and a surface portion including iron, aluminum, and chrome. The surface portion is formed on an external surface of the base portion. A concentration gradient of chrome of the surface portion is formed in an axial direction parallel to the rotational center axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Bungo Sasaki, Makoto Souwa, Toru Iwai