Patents by Inventor Hiroaki Kitaguchi

Hiroaki Kitaguchi 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: 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: 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
  • Patent number: 9403560
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a driver's seat in a front section of the vehicle body. A rear seat is behind the driver's seat and includes a seat portion and a back portion. A link member is supported by the vehicle body to allow switching between a seating mode and a storage mode. The seating mode arranges the back portion behind the seat portion. The storage mode arranges the back portion in a position anterior to the position in the seating mode. A carrier bed is in a rear section of the vehicle body. The link member is disposed on an outer side and can act or function as an arm rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohta Nakao, Yoshimi Hirooka, Takashi Kuramoto, Hiroaki Kitaguchi, Kodai Tateishi
  • Publication number: 20160090130
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a driver's seat in a front section of the vehicle body. A rear seat is behind the driver's seat and includes a seat portion and a back portion. A link member is supported by the vehicle body to allow switching between a seating mode and a storage mode. The seating mode arranges the back portion behind the seat portion. The storage mode arranges the back portion in a position anterior to the position in the seating mode. A carrier bed is in a rear section of the vehicle body. The link member is disposed on an outer side and can act or function as an arm rest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohta NAKAO, Yoshimi HIROOKA, Takashi KURAMOTO, Hiroaki KITAGUCHI, Kodai TATEISHI
  • Patent number: 8720299
    Abstract: A tiltable steering wheel apparatus comprises a tilting mechanism provided under a grip portion of a steering wheel. The tilting mechanism includes a steering wheel support member for supporting the steering wheel to be tiltable about a pivotal axis extending along a transverse direction of a vehicle body, and a control lever switchable between a tilting allowing mode for allowing tilting movement of the steering wheel and a tilting preventing mode for preventing tilting movement of the steering wheel. The control lever has an extension extending toward the grip portion with a manual control portion provided in a distal end thereof to be operable with the fingers of the operator holding the grip portion of the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Norimi Nakamura, Koji Fujiwara, Hiroaki Kitaguchi, Koji Nada
  • Patent number: 8720977
    Abstract: In a door (25) of a cabin for work vehicle, which door (25) opens and closes an entrance of the cabin and includes a door main body (25A) having a plurality of accessories (A), the door main body (25A) is formed as a hollow welded unified structure having a door cavity (25B), by welding an inner panel (27) to an outer panel (28) each made of a press-molded sheet-metal. An accessory attaching portion (B) is integrally molded with the inner panel (27), and the outer panel (28) has an opening (28J) formed therein for part assembly which allows the accessories (A) to be brought into the door cavity (25B) and assembled to the accessory attaching portion (B). The outer pane (28) is further provided with a decorative cover (60) for closing the opening (28J).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Norimi Nakamura, Koji Nada, Hiroaki Kitaguchi
  • Publication number: 20120248813
    Abstract: In a door (25) of a cabin for work vehicle, which door (25) opens and closes an entrance of the cabin and includes a door main body (25A) having a plurality of accessories (A), the door main body (25A) is formed as a hollow welded unified structure having a door cavity (25B), by welding an inner panel (27) to an outer panel (28) each made of a press-molded sheet-metal. An accessory attaching portion (B) is integrally molded with the inner panel (27), and the outer panel (28) has an opening (28J) formed therein for part assembly which allows the accessories (A) to be brought into the door cavity (25B) and assembled to the accessory attaching portion (B). The outer pane (28) is further provided with a decorative cover (60) for closing the opening (28J).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norimi Nakamura, Koji Nada, Hiroaki Kitaguchi
  • Publication number: 20110314953
    Abstract: A tiltable steering wheel apparatus comprises a tilting mechanism provided under a grip portion of a steering wheel. The tilting mechanism includes a steering wheel support member for supporting the steering wheel to be tiltable about a pivotal axis extending along a transverse direction of a vehicle body, and a control lever switchable between a tilting allowing mode for allowing tilting movement of the steering wheel and a tilting preventing mode for preventing tilting movement of the steering wheel. The control lever has an extension extending toward the grip portion with a manual control portion provided in a distal end thereof to be operable with the fingers of the operator holding the grip portion of the steering wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norimi Nakamura, Koji Fujiwara, Hiroaki Kitaguchi, Koji Nada
  • Patent number: 7980050
    Abstract: A mower unit includes a mower deck, a plurality of blades mounted inside the mower deck and rotatable about vertical shafts supported to the mower deck, the mower deck defining, on one lateral side thereof, a discharge outlet for discharging cut grass cut by the plurality of blades, and an opening and closing member configured to be movable to a closing position for closing the discharge outlet and also to an opening position away from the discharge outlet for opening the discharge outlet, the opening and closing member at the opening position being disposed along an outer face of the mower deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Ryouzou Imanishi, Hiroaki Kitaguchi, Nobuyuki Yamashita, Hiroki Nagai, Hiroshi Oshima, Tomoyuki Morikawa, Takashi Fujii, Toshiki Kanai, Katsuhiko Uemura, Hiroyuki Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 7814739
    Abstract: A riding type mower includes: a vehicle body, a driver's seat mounted on the vehicle body; an operation part arranged around the driver's seat; a mower unit provided on the vehicle body; a shutter for closing a discharge port; a shutter moving mechanism for moving the shutter between a close position closing the discharge port and an open position opening the discharge port; and a lock mechanism for locking the shutter at the close position. The mower unit includes: a mower deck; a cutting blade installed inside the mower deck; the discharge port formed in the mower deck, through which mown grass cut by the blade is discharge from the mower unit to outside. A shutter operating tool for remotely operating the shutter moving mechanism to open and close the shutter is provided in the operation part. The lock mechanism is remotely operable from the operation part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Uemura, Hiroki Nagai, Tomoyuki Morikawa, Ryouzou Imanishi, Hiroaki Kitaguchi, Takashi Fujii, Nobuyuki Yamashita, Toshiki Kanai
  • Publication number: 20100043379
    Abstract: A mower unit includes a mower deck, a plurality of blades mounted inside the mower deck and rotatable about vertical shafts supported to the mower deck, the mower deck defining, on one lateral side thereof, a discharge outlet for discharging cut grass cut by the plurality of blades, and an opening and closing member configured to be movable to a closing position for closing the discharge outlet and also to an opening position away from the discharge outlet for opening the discharge outlet, the opening and closing member at the opening position being disposed along an outer face of the mower deck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: KUBUTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryouzou IMANISHI, Hiroaki KITAGUCHI, Nobuyuki YAMASHITA, Hiroki NAGAI, Hiroshi OSHIMA, Tomoyuki MORIKAWA, Takashi FUJII, Toshiki KANAI, Katsuhiko UEMURA, Hiroyuki OGASAWARA
  • Publication number: 20100031620
    Abstract: A riding type mower includes: a vehicle body, a driver's seat mounted on the vehicle body; an operation part arranged around the driver's seat; a mower unit provided on the vehicle body; a shutter for closing a discharge port; a shutter moving mechanism for moving the shutter between a close position closing the discharge port and an open position opening the discharge port; and a lock mechanism for locking the shutter at the close position. The mower unit includes: a mower deck; a cutting blade installed inside the mower deck; the discharge port formed in the mower deck, through which mown grass cut by the blade is discharge from the mower unit to outside. A shutter operating tool for remotely operating the shutter moving mechanism to open and close the shutter is provided in the operation part. The lock mechanism is remotely operable from the operation part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Uemura, Hiroki Nagai, Tomoyuki Morikawa, Ryouzou Imanishi, Hiroaki Kitaguchi, Takashi Fujii, Nobuyuki Yamashita, Toshiki Kanai
  • Patent number: 7637089
    Abstract: A grass collecting apparatus for a lawn mower comprises a frame (22) supported by a vehicle body, a container supporting member (26) for supporting a grass collecting container (21) for storing grass clippings and including a container supporting surface (27) for receiving an opening edge of the grass collecting container, and a container cover (23) mounted on the frame to be oscillatable about a horizontal axis between a closed position and an opened position. An engaging member (35) is mounted on the container cover (23). The engaging member (35) is engageable with the opening edge (21b) of the grass collecting container (21) with oscillation of the container cover (23) from the opened position to the closed position, thereby positioning and maintaining the grass collecting container (21) on the container supporting member (26), and disengageable from the opening edge (21b) of the grass collecting container (21) with oscillation of the container cover (23) from the closed position to the opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Yamashita, Takashi Fujii, Hiroaki Kitaguchi, Toshiki Kanai, Katsuhiko Uemura, Tomoyuki Morikawa, Hiroki Nagai, Ryouzou Imanishi
  • Patent number: 7610742
    Abstract: A mower unit includes a mower deck, a plurality of blades mounted inside the mower deck and rotatable about vertical shafts supported to the mower deck, the mower deck defining, on one lateral side thereof, a discharge outlet for discharging cut grass cut by the plurality of blades, and an opening and closing member configured to be movable to a closing position for closing the discharge outlet and also to an opening position away from the discharge outlet for opening the discharge outlet, the opening and closing member at the opening position being disposed along an outer face of the mower deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Ryouzou Imanishi, Hiroaki Kitaguchi, Nobuyuki Yamashita, Hiroki Nagai, Hiroshi Oshima, Tomoyuki Morikawa, Takashi Fujii, Toshiki Kanai, Katsuhiko Uemura, Hiroyuki Ogasawara
  • Publication number: 20090211215
    Abstract: A grass collecting apparatus for a lawn mower comprises a frame (22) supported by a vehicle body, a container supporting member (26) for supporting a grass collecting container (21) for storing grass clippings and including a container supporting surface (27) for receiving an opening edge of the grass collecting container, and a container cover (23) mounted on the frame to be oscillatable about a horizontal axis between a closed position and an opened position. An engaging member (35) is mounted on the container cover (23). The engaging member (35) is engageable with the opening edge (21b) of the grass collecting container (21) with oscillation of the container cover (23) from the opened position to the closed position, thereby positioning and maintaining the grass collecting container (21) on the container supporting member (26), and disengageable from the opening edge (21b) of the grass collecting container (21) with oscillation of the container cover (23) from the closed position to the opened position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Yamashita, Takashi Fujii, Hiroaki Kitaguchi, Toshiki Kanai, Katsuhiko Uemura, Tomoyuki Morikawa, Hiroki Nagai, Ryouzou Imanishi
  • Publication number: 20080092509
    Abstract: A mower unit includes a mower deck, a plurality of blades mounted inside said mower deck and rotatable about vertical shafts supported to the mower deck, the mower deck defining, on one lateral side thereof, a discharge outlet for discharging cut grass cut by the plurality of blades, and an opening/closing member configured to be movable to a closing position for closing the discharge outlet and also to an opening position away from the discharge outlet for opening the discharge outlet, the opening/closing member at the opening position being disposed along an outer face of the mower deck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: KUBUTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryouzou IMANISHI, Hiroaki KITAGUCHI, Nobuyuki YAMASHITA, Hiroki NAGAI, Hiroshi OSHIMA, Tomoyuki MORIKAWA, Takashi FUJII, Toshiki KANAI, Katsuhiko UEMURA, Hiroyuki OGASAWARA