Shimano Inc.

Naohiro Nishimoto

Hiroshi Fujita

Takuji Masui

Kazuki Koshiyama

Satoru Kojima

A bicycle hub assembly comprises a hub axle, a hub shell, and a sprocket support body. The sprocket support body includes a tubular part, a first sprocket engaging tooth, and a second sprocket engaging tooth. The tubular part includes an outer peripheral surface and an attachment portion. The first sprocket engaging tooth includes a first radially outer surface provided radially outward of the outer peripheral surface. The second sprocket engaging tooth includes a second radially outer surface and a third radially outer surface. The third radially outer surface is provided radially outward of the outer peripheral surface and radially inward of the second radially outer surface. A first distance is defined from the outer peripheral surface to the first radially outer surface. A second distance is defined from the outer peripheral surface to the third radially outer surface. The second distance is shorter than the first distance.

Bicycle hub assembly

A bicycle rear sprocket assembly is basically provided that includes a first sprocket assembly and a second sprocket assembly. The first sprocket assembly includes at least one first sprocket and a first torque transmitting profile. The second sprocket assembly includes at least one second sprocket and a second torque transmitting profile. The second torque transmitting profile is configured to engage the first torque transmitting profile to transmit torque between the first sprocket assembly and the second sprocket assembly. A threaded portion is provided to one of the first sprocket assembly and the second sprocket assembly. The threaded portion is configured to threadedly engage a bicycle rear hub assembly.

Bicycle rear sprocket assembly

A bicycle hub assembly comprises a hub axle, a hub shell, a sprocket support body, a first ratchet member, a second ratchet member, and a sliding member. The hub shell includes at least one first tooth. The sprocket support body includes a first helical spline. The first ratchet member comprises at least one first ratchet tooth and a second helical spline engaged with the first helical spline. The second ratchet member comprises at least one second ratchet tooth and at least one second tooth. The at least one second ratchet tooth is engageable with the at least one first ratchet tooth. The at least one second tooth is engaged with the at least one first tooth. The sliding member is provided between the sprocket support body and the second ratchet member in an axial direction parallel to a rotational axis. The sliding member includes a non-metallic material.

A bicycle hub assembly comprises a hub axle, a hub shell, a sprocket support body, a first ratchet member, a second ratchet member, and a spacer. The hub shell includes at least one first tooth. The sprocket support body includes a first helical spline. The first ratchet member comprises at least one first ratchet tooth and a second helical spline engaged with the first helical spline. The second ratchet member comprises at least one second ratchet tooth and at least one second tooth. The at least one second tooth is engaged with the at least one first tooth. The spacer is at least partly provided between the at least one first tooth and the at least one second tooth in a circumferential direction defined about a rotational axis. The spacer includes a non-metallic material.

A bicycle hub assembly comprises a hub axle, a hub shell, a sprocket support body, a first ratchet member, a second ratchet member, and a holding member. The sprocket support body includes a first helical spline. The first ratchet member includes at least one first ratchet tooth, and a second helical spline configured to mate with the first helical spline. The second ratchet member includes at least one second ratchet tooth configured to mate with the at least one first ratchet tooth, and a hub shell engagement portion configured to engage with the hub shell. The holding member is configured to hold an assembled state where the sprocket support body. The first ratchet member and the second ratchet member are assembled as a single unit.

A sailboat winch basically includes a support, a winch drum, a drive shaft and a transmission mechanism. The support is mounted to a sailboat. The winch drum is rotatable with respect to the support. The drive shaft is rotatable with respect to the support and the winch drum. The transmission mechanism is operatively disposed between the drive shaft and the winch drum to transmit rotation from the drive shaft to the winch drum in a single output rotational direction. The transmission mechanism increases an output rotational speed of the winch drum with respect to an input rotational speed of the drive shaft as the drive shaft rotates in a first rotational direction. The transmission mechanism also decreases the output rotational speed of the winch drum with respect to the input rotational speed of the drive shaft as the drive shaft rotates in a second rotational direction.

Sailboat winch

A switch guide located between a pair of switches on a computerized bicycle control panel is disclosed for guiding a bicycle rider's thumb to a proper switch on a bicycle handle bar. The switch guide is preferably a protrusion dimensioned to be detected by the bicycle rider's thumb. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the height of the switch guide is greater than the height of the switch. In an alternative embodiment, the height of the switch guide is greater than the height of the switch, when the switch is activated. The switch guide is located in sufficient proximity to the switches to allow the rider's thumb to access one of the switches by moving the thumb to one side of the switch guide and the other switch by moving the thumb to the other side of the switch guide.

Switch guide for a bicycle control panel

A bicycle wiring connector apparatus comprises a mounting portion and a connector portion. The mounting portion is structured to be mounted to an outer casing receiver of a bicycle, and the connector portion is retained to the mounting portion and is structured to retain an electrical connector.

Bicycle wiring connector apparatus

A bicycle electrical wiring support apparatus comprises an axially elongated rigid first cover member structured to substantially cover a portion of electrical wiring, and a resilient second cover member that couples to the first cover member for covering a portion of electrical wiring not covered by the first cover member.

Bicycle electrical wiring support apparatus

A bicycle frame member () includes a wire support () fixed thereto and formed as a bracket or coupler to receive and retain an electrical wire unit (EW). An apparatus () is used to at least partially cover the wire support () and comprises a wire support cover member () that is integrally formed with a locking unit (). The wire support cover member () is to be placed onto the frame member and over the wire support () and the locking unit is to become locked to one of the wire support () and the electrical wire unit (EW). The electrical wire unit may include electrical wiring (EW) and a rigid cover member ().

Bicycle electrical wire cover apparatus

An electrical connector for wiring is disclosed that can be used outdoors such as on a bicycle. The electrical connector is electrically coupled to one end of an electrical cord. The electrical connector basically has a terminal housing, at least one terminal pin, an inner casing, and an outer casing. The terminal housing has an insulated body with a first end, a second end and at least one terminal bore longitudinally extending between the first and second ends. Preferably, the terminal housing has a plurality of terminal bores with one of the terminal pins being retained within each one of the terminal bores of the terminal housing. Each terminal bore has a first bore section with a cross-section formed by an intersection of a rectangle and a circle. Each terminal pin has a first contact end and a second connection end with a bent portion forming a cord receiving recess located on a first longitudinal side of the second connection end such that the cord receiving recess lies within a main plane of the second connection end. The electrical cord has an electrical conductor fixedly coupled to each terminal pin to form an electrical connection therebetween. The inner casing has a tubular side wall with the terminal housing located in a first open end of the tubular side wall and the electrical conductor located in a second open end of the tubular side wall. The tubular side wall has at least one side opening, preferably two side openings. The outer casing is molded over portions of the terminal housing and the tubular side wall of the inner casing. The outer casing is molded such that the material extends into the side opening of the tubular side wall of the inner casing.

Electrical connector

A bicycle dynamo hub axle assembly that includes an axle having opposite ends, a smaller diameter portion located at one of said opposite ends, and a larger diameter portion, an electricity generating device disposed on the larger diameter portion of the axle, a bearing race disposed on the larger diameter portion, an electric wire extending from the electricity generating device, through one of the grooves and through the bearing race, a spacer disposed on the larger diameter portion, and a lock nut disposed on the smaller diameter portion for securing the bearing race and the spacer in position. The smaller diameter portion has a smaller diameter than the larger diameter portion and the larger diameter portion has at least two grooves defined therein. The larger diameter portion also includes a stepped portion extending radially outwardly therefrom. The spacer has an opening defined therethrough, and has at least one tongue extending inwardly into the opening. The tongue is received in one of the grooves, thereby preventing the spacer from rotating.

Bicycle hub axle having a dynamo thereon

A bicycle electrical connector cord includes a first connector, a primary cable, a second connector, a secondary cable and an electrical device. The first connector has a plurality of first electrical contacts. The primary cable includes a first conducting member electrically coupled to one of the first contacts and a second conducting member electrically coupled to one of the first contacts. The second connector has at least one second electrical contact electrically coupled to the first conducting member. The secondary cable extends from the second connector and includes a third conducting member electrically coupled to the second conducting member. The electrical device is electrically coupled to the third conducting member. A method is also provided for attaching a bicycle electrical connector cord to a display unit and a pair of electrical devices on a non-forward facing portion of a bicycle.

Bicycle electrical connector cord

Various electrically controlled devices of a bicycle are electrically coupled together by multi-conductor electrical cords. The ends of the electrical cords have an electrical connector that mates with a corresponding electrical connector provided in one of the electrically controlled devices. Each electrical connector of the electrical cords has an electrical contact housing with electrical contacts, an outer casing molded about the electrical contact housing, and an annular sealing member formed of a resilient and compressible material. The outer casing has an attachment portion fixed to one end of the electrical contact housing and a tubular portion radially spaced from the other end of the electrical contact housing. The annular sealing member is located in an annular space formed between the tubular portion and the electrical contact housing.

Waterproof electrical connector

A key guard is disclosed for protecting a corresponding function key on a bicycle control panel, wherein the key guard does not freely move upon impact. The key guard is a protrusion attached to and extending from the base of the control panel adjacent to the corresponding function key. The top edge of the key guard extends above the top surface of the corresponding function key and the key guard, at least partially, surrounds the periphery of the corresponding function key. The key guard may slope toward the center of the function key. Alternatively, the key guard includes one or more posts surrounding the corresponding function key.

Growing community of inventors

Hashimoto, Japan

Naohiro Nishimoto