Shimano Inc.

Kanji Kirimoto

Kenji Ose

Satoshi Shahana

Tadashi Ichida

Tatsuya Matsushita

Yoshiaki Ando

Tsuyoshi Sakashita

Yo Matsubayashi

Etsuyoshi Watarai

Yoshimitsu Miki

Toshio Tetsuka

Kazutaka Fukao

Takanori Kanehisa

Kazuhisa Yamashita

Yoshiaki Nanko

Mitsuo Oka

Atsushi Sakaue

Toshio Tezuka

A lacing cord is used in an article to be laced that includes shoes, clothing and bags. The lacing cord basically includes a core wire and at least one protruding part. The core wire includes at least one wire member. The at least one protruding part is provided to a peripheral section of the core wire so as to intersect with an axial direction of the core wire and to protrude radially outward from the peripheral section of the core wire.

Lacing cord and shoes using the same

A bicycle gear shift operating device is a device configured to be mounted to a handlebar. The bicycle gear shift operating device includes at least one operating lever, a support member that supports the operating member and a mounting member that supports the support member on a handlebar. The mounting member has a mounting portion configured to be attached to the handlebar and a fastening portion that is configured to fasten the support member. The mounting member is configured to be selectively fasten the support member in either a first mounting orientation in which the fastening portion is offset in a first axial direction of the handlebar from the middle portion or a second mounting orientation in which the support member is offset in a second axial direction that is opposite the first axial direction.

Gear shift operating device

A control cable fixing device is coupled to a bicycle component such as a rear derailleur in order to secure an inner wire of a control cable to the bicycle component. The control cable fixing device includes a support member with a first engagement surface and a cable fixing member with a second engagement surface. The cable fixing member is rotatable relative to the support member. The cable fixing member and the support member secure the inner wire between the engagement surfaces in response to rotational movement of the cable fixing member to a cable fixing position. The cable fixing member preferably includes a cam portion and a lever portion that is manually operable to rotate the cable fixing member.

Bicycle control cable fixing device

A bicycle cable disc brake is provided with a cam assembly that has improved efficiency during movement under high pressure. Basically, the cable disc brake has a cable housing, a pair of friction members and an actuated mechanism. The first friction member is movably coupled to the caliper housing between a release position and a braking position. The second caliper is also coupled to the caliper housing and arranged substantially parallel to the first friction member to form a rotor receiving slot therebetween. The actuated mechanism is movably coupled to the caliper housing to move the first friction member from the release position towards the second friction member to the braking position. The actuated mechanism has a pair of cam members movably arranged between an axially retracted position and an axially extended position with a guide member interconnecting the cam members during movement between the axial retracted position and the axially extended position. In the preferred embodiment, the guide member is a guide pin that extends from one of the cam members and is received in a bore of the other cam member.

Cable disc brake

A top pull type front derailleur is designed to move or shift a chain between two or more sprockets for changing gears. The front derailleur basically has a bicycle frame clamping band, a linkage assembly and a chain guide. The linkage assembly includes a cable connection point and is arranged between the bicycle frame clamping band and the chain guide to move the chain guide laterally towards and away from the clamping band. The clamping band has a top pull cable guide surface that is configured and arranged relative to the clamping band to guide a cable from vertically above the clamping band to the cable connection point when the front bicycle derailleur is operatively mounted to a bicycle frame. Preferably, the top pull cable guide surface is formed on a peripheral surface of a roller that is rotatably mounted on the clamping band.

Top pull type front derailleur

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.

Bicycle disc brake

A bicycle hub includes a hub axle, a hub body and a sprocket support member. The hub axle has first and second portions releasably coupled together. The hub body has an outer tubular portion, a first engagement portion coupled to the outertubular portion and an interior passageway. The first portion of the hub axle is rotatably supported in the interior passageway. The first engagement portion is formed with a first meshing surface. The sprocket support member is mounted on the second portion of the hub axle and has a second engagement portion formed with a second meshing surface non-rotatably engaged with the first meshing surface. The first and second meshing surfaces are so dimensioned to overlap to prevent axial separation without relative rotation occurring between the first and second engagement portions.

Bicycle hub with tight connection ratchet and detachable freewheel

A screw retention device is disclosed for maintaining at least a pair of screws in a substantially static position. The screw retention device preferably includes at least two clamping portions, each clamping portion defining a recess therein for receiving and securely retaining a screw. The clamping portions include a serrated surface extending circumferentially around an inside periphery of the clamping portion, surrounding the recess. The serrated surface of the clamping portion corresponds to and engages with a serrated surface on the screw to retain the screw. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the screw retention device is press fitted onto the screws.

Screw retention device having serrations

Bicycle crank arm portion

The present invention includes a disk shaped base member which has a notched central aperture extending therethrough and a cable shield retaining portion. A shaft member is formed with notched ends, one end of the shaft member extending thought the notched central aperture. A gear member is formed with gear teeth on an inner circumferencial surface and a notched central aperture. The other end of the shaft member extends into the gear member notched central aperture and is fixed thereto. The gear member and the base member confine a lever handle therebetween, but allow the lever handle to rotate. A pawl member retained within a recess in the lever handle, engages the gear teeth on the gear member restricting movement of the lever handle to predetermined arcuate steps.

Growing community of inventors

Kaizuka, Japan

Kanji Kirimoto