Patents by Inventor Hiroki Bessho

Hiroki Bessho 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: 20190009668
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a blower pipe extending between an inner space of a front hood and a rear portion of a vehicle body for sucking cooling air from the inner space toward an engine section. The blower pipe has an air inlet that is opened toward an inner side in a vehicle body transverse direction in the inner space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Takashi Kuramoto, Hiroki Bessho, Kantaro Morimoto, Sechan Park, Rei Tokuda
  • Publication number: 20180347521
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes an engine, an intake passage through which combustion air flows from an ambient air inlet to an engine, an air cleaner for removing dust contained in the combustion air, a throttle valve for adjusting an intake amount of the combustion air by the engine, a blowby gas returning passage for returning blowby gas discharged from the engine to a mid portion of the intake passage, and an inclined passage portion that assumes a progressively downwardly inclined posture to be located at a lower position on downstream side in a flow direction, the inclined passage portion having a water draining portion at its lowermost end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Kazuyuki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10124659
    Abstract: Provided is a utility work vehicle including an engine section, a speed changer device and a belt type stepless speed changer device, a rear frame supporting the engine section, and a main frame supporting the rear frame. The rear frame includes right and left rear wheel supporting portions, each of which has a front supporting member and a rear supporting member extending upwards from the rear frame. The rear supporting member disposed on more rear side of the vehicle body than the belt type stepless speed changer device has its upper end connected to a rear frame portion of the main frame. The front supporting member is disposed on more laterally outer side of the vehicle body than the belt type stepless speed changer device. Between an upper end of the front supporting member and the rear frame portion, there is formed a space that allows attachment/detachment of a speed changer cover detachably attached to the belt type stepless speed changer device from a laterally outer side of the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Kensuke Okabe, Taro Nakamura, Junichi Fujiwara, Toshiki Ono, Takafumi Komatsu
  • Patent number: 10112475
    Abstract: A utility vehicle includes: a travel unit having a left-right pair of front travel apparatuses and a left-right pair of rear travel apparatuses; an engine capable of driving first travel apparatuses being one of the pair of front travel apparatuses and the pair of rear travel apparatuses; a motor capable of driving second travel apparatuses being the other of the pair of front travel apparatuses and the pair of rear travel apparatuses; and a control apparatus capable of switching between an engine two-wheel drive mode in which only the engine is driven, a motor two-wheel drive mode in which only the motor is driven, and a hybrid four-wheel drive mode in which the engine and the motor are both driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi Sakai, Hiroki Bessho, Kazuyuki Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20180297641
    Abstract: A multi-purpose vehicle includes a rollover protection structure frame (ROPS frame) associated with a seat. The ROPS frame includes right and left front struts, and right and left rear struts. A handrail frame is attached to a lateral outer side of the seat. A cover member is attached to the handrail frame and extends upwards from the handrail frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Koji Nada, Hiroki Bessho, Sechan Park, Masaru Nakaji
  • Patent number: 10099547
    Abstract: A utility vehicle provided with an engine in a rear portion of a vehicle body is disclosed. The engine is provided with a cylinder head, and has an exhaust gas outlet port formed to be open in a front surface of the engine. An exhaust pipe extends forward from the exhaust gas outlet port, then curves, and extends rearward. A cover that covers a front portion of the exhaust pipe includes: a front-side portion that covers a front side of the front portion of the exhaust pipe; an upper-side portion that extends rearward from an upper end portion of the front-side portion and covers an upper side of the front portion of the exhaust pipe; and an extension portion that extends rearward from a rear end portion of the upper-side portion and covers an upper side of a front portion of the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Toshiki Ono, Noriyasu Honjo, Hiroaki Kitaguchi
  • Publication number: 20180236896
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a body holding device configured to hold the body of a seated driver; a travel control unit configured to drive the vehicle body so that it travels; and a maximum vehicle speed setting unit configured to set a set maximum vehicle speed. The travel control unit controls an output from the driving unit based on the operation amount of an accelerator device if the vehicle speed is lower than the set maximum vehicle speed, and restricts the output from the driving unit irrespective of the operation amount of the accelerator device if the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than the set maximum vehicle speed. The maximum vehicle speed setting unit sets, if it is detected that the body holding device is worn, a first vehicle speed as the set maximum vehicle speed, and sets, if it is detected that the body holding device is not worn, a second vehicle speed lower than the first vehicle speed as the set maximum vehicle speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Takeshi Satozono, Noriyasu Honjo
  • Publication number: 20180163841
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a stepless speed changer device having a drive pulley receiving input of power of an engine, a driven pulley, and an endless rotary body wound around and entrained between the the drive pulley and the driven pulley and an accommodating body having an accommodation space for accommodating the drive pulley, the driven pulley and the endless rotary body. The accommodation space includes an air passage for causing air introduced from the outside to flow from the driven pulley side to the drive pulley side to be eventually discharged to the outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Noriyasu Honjo, Jun Yoshida, Hiroshi Takagi
  • Patent number: 9909659
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a stepless speed changer device having a drive pulley receiving input of power of an engine, a driven pulley, and an endless rotary body wound around and entrained between the drive pulley and the driven pulley and an accommodating body having an accommodation space for accommodating the drive pulley, the driven pulley and the endless rotary body. The accommodation space includes an air passage for causing air introduced from the outside to flow from the driven pulley side to the drive pulley side to be eventually discharged to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Noriyasu Honjo, Jun Yoshida, Hiroshi Takagi
  • Publication number: 20180043926
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle including a steering wheel arranged offset toward one side in a vehicle body right/left direction, and an electric power steering unit. The electric power steering unit includes a link mechanism operably connected to the steering wheel and extending from a right/left center side of the steering wheel toward a vehicle body right/left center side to be operably connected to a wheel side, an assist device for the link mechanism, a control lever arranged adjacent the vehicle body right/left center in the vicinity of the steering wheel, a rotation shaft operably connected to the control lever to be rotated about a right/left axis that extends in the vehicle body right/left direction, and a control cable operably connected to the rotation shaft. A base end portion of the control cable is more offset toward the one side than the assist device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takagi, Hiroki Bessho, Takafumi Komatsu, Kensuke Okabe, Takeshi Satozono
  • Publication number: 20170370422
    Abstract: A work vehicle including: a transmission unit that is provided with, on a shaft that is provided in a power transmission path leading from an input shaft to a power transmission shaft but is not a speed change shaft, a gear member that has an engagement recess, and a claw member having an engaging claw that engages with the engagement recess and to which rotational power is transmitted. There are gaps in a rotational direction between the engaging claw and both ends, in the rotational direction, of the engagement recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Jun Yoshida, Hiroshi Takagi
  • Patent number: 9849779
    Abstract: Disclosed is a utility work vehicle having an engine section at a rear portion of a vehicle body. The engine section includes an engine having an output shaft oriented laterally along a right/left direction of the vehicle body, a speed changer device having an input shaft oriented laterally along the right/left direction of the vehicle body, the speed changer device being disposed rearwardly of the engine, a belt type stepless speed changer device disposed on one right/left side of the engine and the speed changer device and configured to transmit power from the engine to the speed changer device. A clutch is disposed between the engine and the belt type stepless speed changer device. A space is formed downwardly of the clutch between the engine and the belt type stepless speed changer device. At a portion downwardly of the speed changer device and facing the space, a front wheel driving output shaft extends forwardly from the speed changer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Bessho
  • Patent number: 9796406
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle including a steering wheel arranged offset toward one side in a vehicle body right/left direction, and an electric power steering unit. The electric power steering unit includes a link mechanism operably connected to the steering wheel and extending from a right/left center side of the steering wheel toward a vehicle body right/left center side to be operably connected to a wheel side, an assist device for the link mechanism, a control lever arranged adjacent the vehicle body right/left center in the vicinity of the steering wheel, a rotation shaft operably connected to the control lever to be rotated about a right/left axis that extends in the vehicle body right/left direction, and a control cable operably connected to the rotation shaft. A base end portion of the control cable is more offset toward the one side than the assist device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takagi, Hiroki Bessho, Takafumi Komatsu, Kensuke Okabe, Takeshi Satozono
  • Patent number: 9789872
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a travelling state determination unit capable of determining a travelling state of a travelling body, and a control unit that restricts, if it has been determined by the travelling state determination unit that the travelling body is in a reverse travelling state, an upper limit value of a target rotational speed of an engine that is based on an operation on an accelerator operation tool to be a lower value than in a case where it has been determined by the travelling state determination unit that the travelling body is in a forward travelling state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignees: Kubota Corporation, Subaru Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Satozono, Noriyasu Honjo, Jun Yoshida, Hiroki Bessho, Kensuke Okabe, Makoto Kuwatoh, Tatsuya Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20170158044
    Abstract: A utility vehicle includes: a travel unit having a left-right pair of front travel apparatuses and a left-right pair of rear travel apparatuses; an engine capable of driving first travel apparatuses being one of the pair of front travel apparatuses and the pair of rear travel apparatuses; a motor capable of driving second travel apparatuses being the other of the pair of front travel apparatuses and the pair of rear travel apparatuses; and a control apparatus capable of switching between an engine two-wheel drive mode in which only the engine is driven, a motor two-wheel drive mode in which only the motor is driven, and a hybrid four-wheel drive mode in which the engine and the motor are both driven.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Masatoshi Sakai, Hiroki Bessho, Kazuyuki Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20170043658
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a motor, and a belt stepless speed changer device having a driving rotary body, a driven rotary body, a first shaft member supporting the driving rotary body with allowing rotation thereof in unison, a second shaft member supporting the driven rotary body with allowing rotation thereof in unison, and an endless belt wound around the driving rotary body and the driven rotary body. The vehicle further includes a transmission case configured to receive the powers from the engine and the motor via the belt stepless speed changer device and a centrifugal clutch incorporated in a power transmission line extending form the engine to the first shaft member. The motor is disposed on the side opposite the engine across the driving rotary body, and the driving power of the motor is inputted to the first shaft member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Sumio Yagyu, Go Takaki, Shinichi Kawabata, Shigeki Hayashi, Shohei Nakai, Hiroki Bessho
  • Publication number: 20170036544
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a travelling state determination unit capable of determining a travelling state of a travelling body, and a control unit that restricts, if it has been determined by the travelling state determination unit that the travelling body is in a reverse travelling state, an upper limit value of a target rotational speed of an engine that is based on an operation on an accelerator operation tool to be a lower value than in a case where it has been determined by the travelling state determination unit that the travelling body is in a forward travelling state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Takeshi Satozono, Noriyasu Honjo, Jun Yoshida, Hiroki Bessho, Kensuke Okabe, Makoto Kuwatoh, Tatsuya Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20170001508
    Abstract: A utility vehicle provided with an engine in a rear portion of a vehicle body is disclosed. The engine is provided with a cylinder head, and has an exhaust gas outlet port formed to be open in a front surface of the engine. An exhaust pipe extends forward from the exhaust gas outlet port, then curves, and extends rearward. A cover that covers a front portion of the exhaust pipe includes: a front-side portion that covers a front side of the front portion of the exhaust pipe; an upper-side portion that extends rearward from an upper end portion of the front-side portion and covers an upper side of the front portion of the exhaust pipe; and an extension portion that extends rearward from a rear end portion of the upper-side portion and covers an upper side of a front portion of the cylinder head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Toshiki Ono, Noriyasu Honjo, Hiroaki Kitaguchi
  • Publication number: 20170002920
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a stepless speed changer device having a drive pulley receiving input of power of an engine, a driven pulley, and an endless rotary body wound around and entrained between the the drive pulley and the driven pulley and an accommodating body having an accommodation space for accommodating the drive pulley, the driven pulley and the endless rotary body. The accommodation space includes an air passage for causing air introduced from the outside to flow from the driven pulley side to the drive pulley side to be eventually discharged to the outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Noriyasu Honjo, Jun Yoshida, Hiroshi Takagi
  • Publication number: 20170001549
    Abstract: Provided is a utility work vehicle including an engine section, a speed changer device and a belt type stepless speed changer device, a rear frame supporting the engine section, and a main frame supporting the rear frame. The rear frame includes right and left rear wheel supporting portions, each of which has a front supporting member and a rear supporting member extending upwards from the rear frame. The rear supporting member disposed on more rear side of the vehicle body than the belt type stepless speed changer device has its upper end connected to a rear frame portion of the main frame. The front supporting member is disposed on more laterally outer side of the vehicle body than the belt type stepless speed changer device. Between an upper end of the front supporting member and the rear frame portion, there is formed a space that allows attachment/detachment of a speed changer cover detachably attached to the belt type stepless speed changer device from a laterally outer side of the vehicle body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Kensuke Okabe, Taro Nakamura, Junichi Fujiwara, Toshiki Ono, Takafumi Komatsu