Patents by Inventor Masatake Murakawa

Masatake Murakawa 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: 9868350
    Abstract: Provided is a working vehicle which includes: an engine disposed on a rear portion of a vehicle body; a gear-type transmission and an HST which are disposed on the rear portion of the vehicle body; a load-carrying platform disposed above at least one of the engine, the gear-type transmission and the HST; a driving operation part disposed in front of the load-carrying platform and allowing an operator to ride thereon; a PTO shaft mounted on a front portion of the vehicle body and being capable of taking out power to the outside of the working vehicle; and a mechanical power transmission mechanism for transmitting the power from the engine which is before the power is transmitted with a speed change by the gear-type transmission and the HST to the PTO shaft by extending below the driving operation part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatake Murakawa, Masaru Nakaji, Tatsuya Nose, Takashi Fujii
  • Publication number: 20150210163
    Abstract: Provided is a working vehicle which includes: an engine disposed on a rear portion of a vehicle body; a gear-type transmission and an HST which are disposed on the rear portion of the vehicle body; a load-carrying platform disposed above at least one of the engine, the gear-type transmission and the HST; a driving operation part disposed in front of the load-carrying platform and allowing an operator to ride thereon; a PTO shaft mounted on a front portion of the vehicle body and being capable of taking out power to the outside of the working vehicle; and a mechanical power transmission mechanism for transmitting the power from the engine which is before the power is transmitted with a speed change by the gear-type transmission and the HST to the PTO shaft by extending below the driving operation part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Masatake MURAKAWA, Masaru NAKAJI, Tatsuya NOSE, Takashi FUJII
  • Patent number: 8534257
    Abstract: An engine case includes: a crank chamber (2R) of an engine (1); a clutch chamber (30R) having a wet clutch (30) connected to an output shaft (2) protruding from the crank chamber (2R); a partition wall (10) keeping the crank and clutch chambers separated and connecting the crank and clutch chambers; an oil inlet (11) for introducing engine oil; an oil feeding passage (11R) which is configured to allow the engine oil introduced from the oil inlet (11) to first enter the clutch chamber (30R) separated by the partition wall (10); and an inflow part (10h) which is formed in the partition wall (10) and configured to allow an excess amount of the introduced engine oil over a predetermined amount to flow into the crank chamber (2R).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignees: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Taiichiro Ogi, Hiroki Bessho, Masatake Murakawa
  • Patent number: 8459397
    Abstract: A work vehicle having drive wheels includes: an engine having an output shaft oriented in a transverse direction of a vehicle body; a transmission having an input shaft oriented in the transverse direction, which includes a transmission case arranged next to the engine in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body; and a CVT which extends between a lateral side of the engine and a lateral side of the transmission case and is configured to transmit a driving force from the output shaft to the input shaft. A connecting plate is configured to connect an upper part of the engine and an upper part of the transmission case and has a cover part. An electric component is disposed in a space defined by the engine, the transmission case and the connecting plate and is covered by the cover part from above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Shoichiro Kawamura, Koji Fujiwara, Masatake Murakawa
  • Patent number: 8439141
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes: a muffler which flows exhaust from an engine and extends in a transverse direction so as to allow the exhaust from the engine to flow in the transverse direction; and a CVT case for covering a belt-type CVT positioned frontward of the muffler in a longitudinal direction. The CVT case includes a cooling structure for introducing cooling air from outside, cooling the belt-type CVT, and discharging the cooling air from a discharge part. An exhaust duct includes an inflow opening to be connected to the discharge part for allowing the cooling air to flow into the exhaust duct, and an exhaust opening for allowing the cooling air to flow out rearward. The exhaust opening is elongated in an extending direction of the muffler and oriented in a direction that allows the cooling air flowing out to hit the muffler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Ryouzou Imanishi, Shoichiro Kawamura, Masatake Murakawa
  • Patent number: 8156722
    Abstract: Disclosed is a mower with a mower deck, a plurality of cutting chambers mutually communicated and arranged in a lateral direction within the mower deck, and a blade mounted in each cutting chamber to be rotatable about a vertical axis. A grass clippings guide in form of a vertical wall is disposed in an upper area within the cutting chamber, to guide the grass clippings flowing within the cutting chamber toward a center of rotation of the blade. A shield member is disposed for preventing entry of grass clippings between the grass clippings guide and a peripheral wall of the cutting chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Akihito Sugio, Kazuo Sameshiima, Akira Minoura, Masatake Murakawa, Masatoshi Yamaguchi, Kazuo Koike, Masato Asahara, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Osami Fujiwara, Koji Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20120055729
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes: a muffler which flows exhaust from an engine and extends in a transverse direction so as to allow the exhaust from the engine to flow in the transverse direction; and a CVT case for covering a belt-type CVT positioned frontward of the muffler in a longitudinal direction. The CVT case includes a cooling structure for introducing cooling air from outside, cooling the belt-type CVT, and discharging the cooling air from a discharge part. An exhaust duct includes an inflow opening to be connected to the discharge part for allowing the cooling air to flow into the exhaust duct, and an exhaust opening for allowing the cooling air to flow out rearward. The exhaust opening is elongated in an extending direction of the muffler and oriented in a direction that allows the cooling air flowing out to hit the muffler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Ryouzou Imanishi, Shoichiro Kawamura, Masatake Murakawa
  • Publication number: 20120055728
    Abstract: A work vehicle having drive wheels includes: an engine having an output shaft oriented in a transverse direction of a vehicle body; a transmission having an input shaft oriented in the transverse direction, which includes a transmission case arranged next to the engine in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body; and a CVT which extends between a lateral side of the engine and a lateral side of the transmission case and is configured to transmit a driving force from the output shaft to the input shaft. A connecting plate is configured to connect an upper part of the engine and an upper part of the transmission case and has a cover part. An electric component is disposed in a space defined by the engine, the transmission case and the connecting plate and is covered by the cover part from above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Bessho, Shoichiro Kawamura, Koji Fujiwara, Masatake Murakawa
  • Patent number: 8007403
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a hydraulic stepless speed changing apparatus and a gear type speed changing apparatus operable to receive output from the hydraulic stepless speed changing apparatus to convert it into a plurality of stages of speed. A return oil passage connected to a high-pressure side circuit of the hydraulic stepless speed changing apparatus is connected to a hydraulic tank. The return oil passage incorporates an unload valve and a throttle valve, between which an operably coupling mechanism is provided. This operably coupling mechanism switches over the unload valve to an unload condition in response to an operational displacement of a brake operating member for operating a brake to its braking side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Yuuki Ishida, Hiroshi Shimada, Koji Nada, Masaru Nakaji, Hiroki Bessho, Masatake Murakawa, Yasunobu Nakatani
  • Publication number: 20110155093
    Abstract: An engine case includes: a crank chamber (2R) of an engine (1); a clutch chamber (30R) having a wet clutch (30) connected to an output shaft (2) protruding from the crank chamber (2R); a partition wall (10) keeping the crank and clutch chambers separated and connecting the crank and clutch chambers; an oil inlet (11) for introducing engine oil; an oil feeding passage (11R) which is configured to allow the engine oil introduced from the oil inlet (11) to first enter the clutch chamber (30R) separated by the partition wall (10); and an inflow part (10h) which is formed in the partition wall (10) and configured to allow an excess amount of the introduced engine oil over a predetermined amount to flow into the crank chamber (2R).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicants: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taiichiro Ogi, Hiroki Bessho, Masatake Murakawa
  • Publication number: 20090239706
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a hydraulic stepless speed changing apparatus and a gear type speed changing apparatus operable to receive output from the hydraulic stepless speed changing apparatus to convert it into a plurality of stages of speed. A return oil passage connected to a high-pressure side circuit of the hydraulic stepless speed changing apparatus is connected to a hydraulic tank. The return oil passage incorporates an unload valve and a throttle valve, between which an operably coupling mechanism is provided. This operably coupling mechanism switches over the unload valve to an unload condition in response to an operational displacement of a brake operating member for operating a brake to its braking side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuki Ishida, Hiroshi Shimada, Koji Nada, Masaru Nakaji, Hiroki Bessho, Masatake Murakawa, Yasunobu Nakatani
  • Publication number: 20090178382
    Abstract: Disclosed is a mower with a mower deck, a plurality of cutting chambers mutually communicated and arranged in a lateral direction within the mower deck, and a blade mounted in each cutting chamber to be rotatable about a vertical axis. A grass clippings guide in form of a vertical wall is disposed in an upper area within the cutting chamber, to guide the grass clippings flowing within the cutting chamber toward a center of rotation of the blade. A shield member is disposed for preventing entry of grass clippings between the grass clippings guide and a peripheral wall of the cutting chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihito Sugio, Kazuo Sameshiima, Akira Minoura, Masatake Murakawa, Masatoshi Yamaguchi, Kazuo Koike, Masato Asahara, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Osami Fujiwara, Koji Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 6484486
    Abstract: A mower unit of grass cutting machine has at least two blades. The left blade is rotatable clockwise, while the right blade is rotatable counterclockwise. A grass discharge passage is formed between the two blades. An endless rotational belt for transmitting drive to the two blades is offset forwardly in a region between the blades, thereby forming, between the blades, a space without the endless rotational belt. The grass discharge passage has an upper surface inclined rearwardly and upwardly to extend from a position forwardly of a pair of pulleys corresponding to the two blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Nagai, Nobuyuki Yamashita, Mikio Yuki, Hiroshi Oshima, Masatake Murakawa, Hiroshi Kawabata
  • Patent number: 6454041
    Abstract: A working vehicle having a propelling transmission for transmitting power of an engine drive wheels, the propelling transmission being attached to body frames as offset to one side transversely of a vehicle body to produce a utility space in the other side, with a PTO apparatus for transmitting power supplied from the propelling transmission to an external working implement. The PTO apparatus includes an input shaft extending longitudinally of the vehicle body and drivably connected to the propelling transmission, and an output shaft extending parallel to and spaced from the input shaft and drivingly connected to the external working implement. A mounting mechanism system is provided to attach the PTO apparatus to vehicle body frames. The mounting mechanism system selectivety fixes the PTO apparatus in at least two pivotal postures about the input shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Shoso Ishimori, Nobuyuki Yamashita, Masatake Murakawa
  • Publication number: 20020083694
    Abstract: A mower unit of a grass cutting machine has at least two blades. The left blade is rotatable clockwise, while the right blade is rotatable counterclockwise. A grass discharge passage is formed between the two blades. An endless rotational belt for transmitting drive to the two blades is offset forwardly in a region between the blades, thereby forming, between the blades, a space without the endless rotational. The grass discharge passage has an upper surface inclined rearwardly and upwardly to extend from a position forwardly of a pair of pulleys corresponding to the two blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Nagai, Nobuyuki Yamashita, Mikio Yuki, Hiroshi Oshima, Masatake Murakawa, Hiroshi Kawabata
  • Publication number: 20020011375
    Abstract: A working vehicle having a propelling transmission for transmitting power of an engine to drive wheels, the propelling transmission being attached to body frames as offset to one side transversely of a vehicle body to produce a utility space in the other side, with a PTO apparatus for transmitting power supplied from the propelling transmission to an external working implement. The PTO apparatus (40) includes an input shaft (42) extending longitudinally of the vehicle body and drivably connected to the propelling transmission, and an output shaft (43) extending parallel to and spaced from the input shaft and drivingly connected to the external working implement. A mounting mechanism (30; 50) is provided to attach the PTO apparatus to vehicle body frames (8). The mounting mechanism selectively fixes the PTO apparatus to at least two pivotal postures about the input shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shoso Ishimori, Nobuyuki Yamashita, Masatake Murakawa
  • Patent number: 6122903
    Abstract: An apparatus for raising and lowering a mower unit, having a control lever movable between a first terminal position and a second terminal position for raising and lowering the mower unit, a link mechanism for raising the mower unit with movement from the first terminal position to the second terminal position of the control lever, a first stopper for holding the control lever in the first terminal position, a second stopper for holding the control lever in the second terminal position, and an assist mechanism for applying a force to the link mechanism to raise the mower unit only when the control lever is located between the first terminal position and the second terminal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Hayashi, Masatake Murakawa, Kazuaki Kurohara, Nobuyuki Yamashita, Mikio Yuki, Eriya Harada
  • Patent number: 6082477
    Abstract: An engine enclosure for use on a vehicle having an engine disposed forwardly of a driver's seat. This engine enclosure has a control panel disposed rearwardly of the engine, and a hood disposed forwardly of the control panel for covering the engine. The hood includes a lower hood attached to vehicle frames through a fixing device, and an upper hood pivotable about a pivotal support disposed adjacent a forward end thereof so as to surround upper edges of the lower hood. The lower hood has a lower front wall portion, and lower side wall portions extending upward and opposed to each other across the engine. The lower side wall portions have a smaller distance therebetween in a lower region than in an intermediate region. The upper hood has a top wall portion, an upper front wall portion and upper side wall portions. The upper side wall portions have a greater distance therebetween in a lower region than in an intermediate region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventor: Masatake Murakawa
  • Patent number: 5887671
    Abstract: A working vehicle with power steering, having a substantially closed accommodating space defined by an engine hood and a control panel, an engine disposed in the accommodating space and a steering shaft disposed in the control panel. A cooling fan produces cooling air flows moving toward the engine from an air intake formed in the control panel. A power steering apparatus for supplying steering assist power to the steering shaft, and a control unit for controlling the power steering apparatus, are arranged in the accommodating space to be exposed to the cooling air flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Mikio Yuki, Hiroyuki Ogasawara, Masatake Murakawa, Kazuaki Kurohara, Nobuyuki Yamashita, Masaki Hayashi, Eriya Harada, Masatoshi Yamaguchi, Hiroki Nagai, Yoshio Tomiyama, Katsuhiko Uemura
  • Patent number: 5873224
    Abstract: A power transmitting structure for a mid-mount mower having a mower unit disposed in a middle region of a vehicle body. The power transmitting structure includes an engine disposed adjacent front wheels, axle shafts for rotating drive wheels, a stepless transmission operatively connected to the axle shafts, and a power branching device. The power branching device includes a branch input shaft connected to the engine through an engine power transmitting device extending longitudinally of the vehicle body, a first branch output operatively connected to the stepless transmission, and a second branch output operatively connected to the mower unit. The first branch output is a pulley connected to an input pulley of the stepless transmission through a belt to transmit power to the input pulley. The power branching device is disposed independently of and spaced from the stepless transmission. The mower unit is suspended below the engine power transmitting device between the engine and the power branching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Masatake Murakawa, Hiroki Nagai, Kazuaki Kurohara