Patents by Inventor Yoshiaki Ando

Yoshiaki Ando 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).

  • Publication number: 20050156669
    Abstract: A transmission power control device which amplifies in a driver amplifier 2, and in a power amplifier 4 to which the output from the driver amplifier is inputted, so that the power of a signal to be transmitted may become predetermined target transmission power, detects an electric-current which flows to the power amplifier 4 from a power supply, and adjusts the gain of the driver amplifier 2 based on this detected electric-current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Ando
  • Publication number: 20030171177
    Abstract: A bicycle rear derailleur is basically provided with a base member, a link mechanism, outer and inner plate members, a guide pulley and a tension pulley. At least one of the outer and inner plate members includes a bent portion integrally formed with the at least one of the outer and inner plate members to prevent a chain from disengaging from at least one of the tension pulley and the guide pulley. The bent portion is formed by bending an inner section of the at least one of outer and inner plate members in a direction towards the other of the at least one of the outer and inner plate members. The inner section is spaced inwardly from an external peripheral edge of the at least one of the outer and inner plate members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Ando
  • Patent number: 6334514
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake is provided in which a support member movably couples the brake caliper to the frame of the bicycle. The bicycle disc brake caliper has a caliper housing with a single piston unit. The piston unit is movably coupled to the housing between a release position, in which the piston unit is spaced from a disc brake mounted to a wheel of a bicycle, and a braking position, in which the piston unit engages the disc brake of the bicycle wheel. The piston unit has a first friction member movably coupled between a release position and a braking position and a second friction member arranged substantially parallel to the first friction member to form a disc brake receiving space between the first and second friction members. In one embodiment, the caliper housing is movably coupled to the support member by a pivot pin. In another embodiment, the caliper housing is movably coupled to the support member by a linkage assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Kanji Kirimoto, Yoshiaki Ando, Kenji Ose, Tadashi Ichida, Toshio Tezuka, Tatsuya Matsushita
  • Patent number: 6270042
    Abstract: A guide is provided to adjustably support a bicycle control element on a cable stopper of a bicycle. The guide basically includes a mounting member and a guide member. The mounting member is adapted to be coupled to a portion of a bicycle and has a first mating surface. The guide member is pivotally coupled to the mounting member about a pivot axis. The guide member has a guiding portion with a guide surface offset from the pivot axis and a second mating surface engageable with the first mating surface to adjustably maintain the guide member in a predetermined rotational position relative to the mounting member. One of the guide member and the mounting member has a threaded bore substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis. A bolt is threadedly coupled within the threaded bore and is adapted to engage a surface of the bicycle in a substantially perpendicular relationship. A washer is arranged between the guide member and the bolt. The guide surface is configured to receive the inner wire of a control cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Ando
  • Patent number: 5961409
    Abstract: A rear derailleur includes a transformable linkage mechanism including a base member, two linkage members and a movable member. A chain guide is supported to the movable member and is provided with a guide pulley for guiding the chain among the plurality of sprockets. The linkage members are connected to the base member and to the movable member through connecting pins, wherein the connecting pins are slanted with respect to a plane perpendicular to an axis of the plurality of sprockets so that, when the linkage mechanism is transformed, the chain guide moves axially and radially of the plurality of sprockets. A return spring is provided for biasing the chain guide laterally inwardly with respect to the bicycle. A first horizontal shaft swingably supports the base member to a fixing member of the bicycle, and a second horizontal shaft swingably supports the chain guide to the movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Ando
  • Patent number: 5957792
    Abstract: A cable support member includes a base member having an opening for receiving a fastener for fastening the base member to the bicycle. First and second spaced apart cable guides are integrally formed with and extend from the base member. The first and/or second cable guides may be formed as panels, each of which may have an opening for receiving a derailleur cable therethrough A rib may be provided which extends from the first cable guide toward the second cable guide to help reinforce the first and second cable guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Ando
  • Patent number: 5949285
    Abstract: In a gain-variable amplifier, a first differential amplifier is formed by first and second transistors having a common emitter connected to a first constant current source, a second differential amplifier is formed by third and fourth transistors having a common emitter connected to a collector of the second transistor, and a third differential amplifier is formed by fifth and sixth transistors having a common emitter. Collectors of the fifth and sixth transistors are connected to collectors of the third and fourth transistors, respectively. A seventh transistor is connected between the common emitter of the fifth and sixth transistors and a second constant current source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Ando
  • Patent number: 5624335
    Abstract: A rear derailleur for a bicycle having a bracket connected to a bicycle frame, a guide wheel for shifting a chain, a support member for supporting the guide wheel, a base member pivotably attached to the bracket, a tension spring for biasing the base member in a predetermined pivoting direction, and a parallelogram link mechanism for linking the support member and the base member. The bracket has a mounting section formed in a region thereof adjacent the bicycle frame and opposed to the bicycle frame. The tension spring is attached to the mounting section so as to lie between the bicycle frame and the mounting section. The tension spring is a coil spring having one end thereof fixed to the mounting section, and the other end fixed to the base member. An axis extends through a middle tubular space of the coil spring for pivotally connecting the base member to the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Ando
  • Patent number: 5518456
    Abstract: A bicycle derailleur operable by a control cable to shift a chain between a large gear and a small gear, includes a parallelogram link mechanism having a base member connectable to a bicycle frame, a support member, and a pair of pivotal links extending between the support member and the base member, and a return spring for biasing the support member in one direction. A shift control member connectable to the control cable is supported by the parallelogram link mechanism to be displaceable relative thereto between a first position for contacting the parallelogram link mechanism and a second position separated therefrom. The return spring is a tension coil type spring connected at one end thereof to the shift control member and at the other end to the parallelogram link mechanism. The return spring biases the support member in one direction through the shift control member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventors: Satoru Kojima, Yoshiaki Ando
  • Patent number: 5421786
    Abstract: A rear derailleur bracket for connecting a rear derailleur to a bicycle frame, utilizing a coupling device formed on a derailleur mounting extension of a rear fork end of the bicycle frame. The rear derailleur bracket includes a bracket body, a first bolt bore provided adjacent one end of the bracket body for connecting the rear derailleur to the bracket body, a second bolt bore provided adjacent the other end of the bracket body for connecting the bracket body to the coupling device of the bicycle frame, and a projection acting as a position setting device for contacting the derailleur mounting extension to place the rear derailleur in a predetermined posture relative to the rear fork end. The projection extends substantially vertically from a surface of the bracket body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Ando
  • Patent number: 5397273
    Abstract: A rear derailleur for a bicycle comprises a hub axis, a mounting member, a bracket body supported by the mounting member to be pivotal about a first axis extending substantially parallel to the hub axis, and a support member disposed forwardly of the bracket member for supporting a chain guide wheel and a chain tension wheel to be pivotal about a second axis extending substantially parallel to the first axis. The derailleur further comprises a pair of pivot links interconnecting the bracket member and the support member and arranged substantially parallel to a first phantom line extending through the first axis and the second axis as seen in a direction along the hub axis, and first and second tension springs for biasing the bracket member to pivot relative to the bicycle frame and for biasing the chain guide wheel and the chain tension wheel to pivot relative to the support member, respectively, to thereby apply a tension to a chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Ando