Patents by Inventor Akira Minoura

Akira Minoura 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: 11927775
    Abstract: Provided are 3D glasses capable of reducing crosstalk when disposed on the viewer side of a liquid crystal panel that is time-divisionally driven; an optical device including the 3D glasses; and a three-dimensional image display device including the optical device. The 3D glasses include a right-eye polarizer and a left-eye polarizer, the right-eye polarizer and the left-eye polarizer each including a polarizing plate and a first ?/4 plate, at least one of the right-eye polarizer or the left-eye polarizer including a phase difference layer on or behind a back surface side of the polarizing plate, wherein a phase difference introduced by the right-eye polarizer in a thickness direction at a wavelength of 550 nm is different from a phase difference introduced by the left-eye polarizer in the thickness direction at a wavelength of 550 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Sharp Display Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Hasegawa, Akira Sakai, Kiyoshi Minoura
  • Patent number: 11648798
    Abstract: A wheel center cap ASSY (assembly) for a work vehicle includes a center cap attached to a hub of a wheel coupled to an axle and having a center axis, an adaptor including a cap attachment portion to which the center cap is attached and a plurality of flange portions disposed on the outer side of and along a circumferential direction of the center cap, and a coupling member for coupling the flange portions to the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Min Sung Kim, Akira Minoura, Kendall Peterman
  • Patent number: 11160211
    Abstract: A grass mower includes a frame that extends in a front/rear direction of a machine body, a mower deck supported to/under the frame, the mower deck extending in a transverse direction of the machine body, a side edge of the mower deck protruding laterally from the machine body, a tilt detector for detecting a rolling angle of the machine body, a display device for displaying the rolling angle, a first informing device for effecting a first informing for calling attention to grass scraping by the side edge when a rolling angle detected by the tilt detector exceeds a first tilt angle and a second informing device for effecting a second informing for calling attention to traveling danger when the rolling angle detected by the tilt detector exceeds a second tilt angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Aoki, Akira Minoura
  • Patent number: 10981474
    Abstract: A seat of a work vehicle includes a seatback, a seat cushion and an air handling system incorporated within the seatback. The air handling system includes an air circulation space formed inside the seatback, an air handling device disposed in the air circulation space, an inlet portion formed in a top face of the seatback for letting in ambient air into the air circulation space and an outlet portion formed in a lateral portion of the seatback for discharging handled air handled by the air handling device to an area forwardly of the seatback in a vehicle body transverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Asahara, Hideki Aoki, Akira Minoura
  • Patent number: 10962407
    Abstract: A mower unit provided in a grass mower unit includes a mower deck having a top plate and a side plate extending downwards from the top plate, a rotational shaft extending through the top plate and rotatably supported to the top plate, and a blade attached to the rotational shaft inside the mower deck. A vibration detection unit is attached to the mower deck for detecting vibration in the mower deck. Vibration detected by the vibration detection unit is informed via an informing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Asahara, Phillip Sutton, Jr., Kazuhiro Ochi, Shoichiro Nagaishi, Akira Minoura, Yuto Fujii
  • Publication number: 20210039430
    Abstract: A wheel center cap ASSY (assembly) for a work vehicle includes a center cap attached to a hub of a wheel coupled to an axle and having a center axis, an adaptor including a cap attachment portion to which the center cap is attached and a plurality of flange portions disposed on the outer side of and along a circumferential direction of the center cap, and a coupling member for coupling the flange portions to the hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Min Sung KIM, Akira MINOURA, Kendall PETERMAN
  • Publication number: 20200209052
    Abstract: A mower unit provided in a grass mower unit includes a mower deck having a top plate and a side plate extending downwards from the top plate, a rotational shaft extending through the top plate and rotatably supported to the top plate, and a blade attached to the rotational shaft inside the mower deck. A vibration detection unit is attached to the mower deck for detecting vibration in the mower deck. Vibration detected by the vibration detection unit is informed via an informing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato ASAHARA, Phillip SUTTON, JR., Kazuhiro OCHI, Shoichiro NAGAISHI, Akira MINOURA, Yuto FUJII
  • Publication number: 20200198507
    Abstract: A seat of a work vehicle includes a seatback, a seat cushion and an air handling system incorporated within the seatback. The air handling system includes an air circulation space formed inside the seatback, an air handling device disposed in the air circulation space, an inlet portion formed in a top face of the seatback for letting in ambient air into the air circulation space and an outlet portion formed in a lateral portion of the seatback for discharging handled air handled by the air handling device to an area forwardly of the seatback in a vehicle body transverse direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato ASAHARA, Hideki AOKI, Akira MINOURA
  • Publication number: 20200187421
    Abstract: A grass mower includes a frame that extends in a front/rear direction of a machine body, a mower deck supported to/under the frame, the mower deck extending in a transverse direction of the machine body, a side edge of the mower deck protruding laterally from the machine body, a tilt detector for detecting a rolling angle of the machine body, a display device for displaying the rolling angle, a first informing device for effecting a first informing for calling attention to grass scraping by the side edge when a rolling angle detected by the tilt detector exceeds a first tilt angle and a second informing device for effecting a second informing for calling attention to traveling danger when the rolling angle detected by the tilt detector exceeds a second tilt angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki AOKI, Akira MINOURA
  • Patent number: 10501039
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a front wheel unit and a rear wheel unit attached to a vehicle body frame, a power source mounted at a rear portion of the vehicle body frame, a ROPS bracket fixed to the vehicle body frame at a region thereof forwardly of the power source and a ROPS. this ROPS includes a pair of left and right upright portions and a crossbar connecting the upright portions at upper portions thereof. Lower end portions of the pair of upright portions are supported to the ROPS bracket to be pivotable toward the power source about a horizontal axis extending in a vehicle-body transverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Minoura, Hiroyuki Tada
  • Patent number: 10440885
    Abstract: Mower blade utilizes a blade portion formed on the blade main body and an air circulator portion formed on the blade main body and generating airflow via rotation centered around the vertically-oriented axis of the mower blade. The blade portion is arranged in a length-direction end portion of the blade main body and extends along a predetermined area in the length-direction. The air circulator portion is located opposite the blade portion in a width direction, has a rising upward portion, and extends along a predetermined area in the length-direction. A boundary portion is arranged between the blade main body and a rising upward portion of the air circulator portion has a portion inclined or angled with respect to the blade portion such that, beginning at the length-direction end portion, a distance between the boundary portion and the blade portion increases along the length-direction and moving toward the vertically-oriented axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motosumi Shiotsuki, Akira Minoura, Kazuo Koike, Hirokazu Ito
  • Publication number: 20190193661
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a front wheel unit and a rear wheel unit attached to a vehicle body frame, a power source mounted at a rear portion of the vehicle body frame, a ROPS bracket fixed to the vehicle body frame at a region thereof forwardly of the power source and a ROPS. this ROPS includes a pair of left and right upright portions and a crossbar connecting the upright portions at upper portions thereof. Lower end portions of the pair of upright portions are supported to the ROPS bracket to be pivotable toward the power source about a horizontal axis extending in a vehicle-body transverse direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira MINOURA, Hiroyuki TADA
  • Patent number: 10327383
    Abstract: A mid-mount mower has a mower unit mounted under a vehicle body between front wheels and rear wheels. The mower includes a lift link mechanism having a front link and a rear link, an intermediate structure interconnecting one end of the front link and one end of the rear link via a pivot axis, a blade housing having an engaged portion engageable with an engaging potion of the intermediate structure and a guide face configured to guide the engaging portion ad the engaged portion to an engaging position so as to establish connection between the blade housing placed on a ground surface and the intermediate structure in association with a movement of the vehicle body in a front/rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tada, Akira Minoura, Takeshi Komorida, Azusa Furihata, Hiroshi Kawabata, Ryo Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20170181374
    Abstract: A mid-mount mower has a mower unit mounted under a vehicle body between front wheels and rear wheels. The mower includes a lift link mechanism having a front link and a rear link, an intermediate structure interconnecting one end of the front link and one end of the rear link via a pivot axis, a blade housing having an engaged portion engageable with an engaging potion of the intermediate structure and a guide face configured to guide the engaging portion ad the engaged portion to an engaging position so as to establish connection between the blade housing placed on a ground surface and the intermediate structure in association with a movement of the vehicle body in a front/rear direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tada, Akira Minoura, Takeshi Komorida, Azusa Furihata, Hiroshi Kawabata, Ryo Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9668404
    Abstract: A mower includes: a driver's seat provided to a vehicle frame. A transmission is arranged at least partially below the driver's seat. An engine arranged rearward of the transmission such that a bottom end of the engine is positioned higher than a bottom end of the transmission. An exhaust gas purification device is arranged rearward of the engine. An air cleaner is arranged forward of the exhaust gas purification device and above the engine. A radiator extends from an area between the transmission and the engine so as to project further upward than the air cleaner through an area between the driver's seat and the air cleaner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Minoura, Kazuaki Nogami, Takahiro Shiraga, Hideya Umemoto, Seiya Yoshida, Hideki Aoki
  • Patent number: 9622406
    Abstract: A mid-mount mower has a mower unit mounted under a vehicle body between front wheels and rear wheels. The mower includes a lift link mechanism having a front link and a rear link, an intermediate structure interconnecting one end of the front link and one end of the rear link via a pivot axis, a blade housing having an engaged portion engageable with an engaging potion of the intermediate structure and a guide face configured to guide the engaging portion ad the engaged portion to an engaging position so as to establish connection between the blade housing placed on a ground surface and the intermediate structure in association with a movement of the vehicle body in a front/rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tada, Akira Minoura, Takeshi Komorida, Azusa Furihata, Hiroshi Kawabata, Ryo Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9596804
    Abstract: A riding mower is provided with a front frame, a rear frame on which a drive unit is mounted, a rollover protective structure (ROPS). A first coupling part couples one front frame and one rear frame. A second coupling part couples a rear end of the front frame and a supporting column of the ROPS. A third coupling part couples the supporting column and the rear frame. The riding mower utilizes at least one triangular structural element defined in part by the first, second and third coupling parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Asahara, Hideya Umemoto, Osami Fujiwara, Hideki Aoki, Akira Minoura, Yoshikazu Togoshi
  • Patent number: 9516808
    Abstract: The grass mower includes a front wheel unit having a left front wheel and a right front wheel which are mounted to a vehicle body frame, a rear wheel unit having a left rear wheel and a right rear wheel which are mounted to the vehicle body frame and a mower unit disposed between the front wheel unit and the rear wheel unit downwardly of the vehicle body frame, the mower unit including a rotary blade unit that has at least a left blade and a right blade which are disposed side by side in a vehicle body left/right direction. The rotary blade unit is configured such that a tread-on track of the left front wheel is overlapped with a rotation locus portion of the left blade from the front side to the rear side thereof and a tread-on track of the right front wheel is overlapped with a rotation locus portion of the right blade from the front side to the rear side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Takaoka, Masato Asahara, Motosumi Shiotsuki, Hideki Aoki, Kazuaki Nogami, Akira Minoura
  • Patent number: 9485909
    Abstract: There is provided a mower in which a guide member does not easily protrude on the side of the mower, and a grass mowing machine including the same. A mower for discharging mowed grasses from a discharge port provided in a side part of a mower deck to an exterior of the mower deck includes a flexible rubber sheet formed in a flat plate shape, a pivot frame, support frames, and a pivot shaft for attaching the rubber sheet to the mower deck oscillatably in the up and down direction, and fixing members for fixing the rubber sheet to the mower deck in a state that the rubber sheet is bent into a shape capable of guiding the mowed grasses discharged from the discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusuke Shoji, Satoshi Ogata, Akira Minoura
  • Patent number: 9476334
    Abstract: A working vehicle has a cooling fan provided on a first side of an engine to blow air to the engine; a muffler main body provided on a second side thereof in a position lower than an upper surface of a head cover of the engine; and an exhaust pipe exposed in a position facing an air blowing path of the cooling fan higher than the upper surface of the head cover of the engine to discharge exhaust from the muffler main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tada, Masato Asahara, Yoshihiro Ueda, Eiji Sato, Akira Minoura