Shimano Inc.

Gunze Limited

Atsuhiro Nishimura

Takanori Kanehisa

Kenji Ose

Takamoto Asakawa

Yoshimitsu Miki

Osamu Kariyama

Tooru Iwai

Shoichi Tsukada

Koji Nishiya

Yoshiyuki Nagai

A bicycle control cable is provided with a central wire and at least one resin string. The at least one string made of resin is spirally wound onto the radially outermost surface in a direction intersecting with a center longitudinal axis of the central wire with a pitch less than or equal to 1 millimeter. The at least one resin string defines a spiral gap between adjacent windings of the at least one resin string. The at least one resin string defines an outer sliding surface for reducing a sliding resistance of the central wire. The central wire and the at least one resin string define an inner wire configured to slidably move in an axial direction with respect to the center longitudinal axis of the central wire within an outer case to operate a bicycle component.

Bicycle control cable

A bicycle control cable is provided with a central wire, an outer case and a radial protrusion. The central wire includes at least one metallic strand defining a radially outermost surface of the central wire. The outer case surrounds at least a portion of an axial length of the central wire. The outer case has a radially innermost surface. The radial protrusion spirally extends along one of either the radially outermost surface of the central wire or the radially innermost surface of the outer case in a direction intersecting with a center longitudinal axis of the bicycle control cable. The radial protrusion reduces a sliding resistance of the central wire relative to the outer case. The central wire is configured and arranged to slidably move in an axial direction with respect to the center longitudinal axis of the bicycle control cable within the outer case to operate a bicycle component.

A sliding cable is provided that basically includes a cable main body and a mesh structural body. The cable main body is made of a plurality of steel wires bundled together. The mesh structural body is arranged on an outer surface of the cable main body.

Sliding cable and control cable

A bicycle hub is provided that comprises a hub axle, a hub body rotatably mounted on the hub axle by a pair of bearings. The bicycle hub also has an inner tubular structure including a pair of inner tubes. One of the inner tubes is fixedly secured relative to a first body end adjacent to a first bearing, while the other inner tube is fixedly secured relative to the second body end adjacent to the second bearing. The inner tubes have inner free end portions that are telescopically arranged so that the inner tubes can be used with several different has that have different axial widths.

Bicycle hub

A bicycle hub assembly includes a hub shell, a freewheel body and a sealing structure there between. The sealing structure includes a seal that has a lip that extends in an axial direction to engage a radially extending surface on the sealing plate. In one embodiment, the seal is installed in a seal retaining portion formed on the hub shell. In another embodiment, the seal is installed on the freewheel and contacts a radially extending surface on the hub shell.

Bicycle hub sealing structure

A bicycle hub is provided that comprises a hub axle, a hub body, a bearing and a clearance adjusting member. The bearing includes an outer ring coupled to the hub body, an inner ring coupled to the hub axle, and a plurality of rolling components disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring. The clearance adjusting member is disposed with respect to the outer ring of the bearing such that at least a portion of the clearance adjusting member is disposed axially inwardly of the outer ring. The clearance adjusting member is configured and arranged to prevent a grease inside the bearing to leak toward an axially inward direction of the hub axle with a prescribed radial clearance being maintained between the clearance adjusting member and one of the hub axle and the outer ring of the bearing.

Growing community of inventors

Sakai, Japan

Atsuhiro Nishimura