Patents by Inventor Hirokazu Ito

Hirokazu Ito 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: 20150175190
    Abstract: A traveling vehicle includes: a traveling machine body supported by a pair of left and right driving wheels; a pair of left motor and the right motor configured to independently drive the driving wheels; a riding part disposed behind the traveling machine body and connected to the traveling machine body, and configured to enable riding of a worker; a handle connected to the traveling machine body so as to be swingable left and right with respect to the traveling machine body; a plurality of load sensors for detecting a forward and backward weight shift of the worker who riding on the riding part; a rotation angle sensor for detecting a leftward and rightward swinging operation amount of the handle; and a controller for controlling operation of the left and right motors based on detection values by the plurality of load sensors and the rotation angle sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Hirokazu ITO, Kazuo KOIKE, Yoshikazu TOGOSHI
  • Patent number: 9054370
    Abstract: Each of electric cells constituting a battery assembly is provided with external terminals. The upper end of the electric cell is covered with an upper cap surrounding the external terminals whereas the lower end of the electric cell is covered with a lower cap. The electric cell is held between an upper holder and a lower holder via the upper cap and the lower cap. The upper cap includes a protector including ribs projecting along both sides of an inspecting terminal projecting through a terminal opening. The upper ends of the ribs are located above the inspecting terminal. Consequently, a metallic tool or the like cannot be brought into contact with the inspecting terminal, thereby preventing short-circuiting. Thus, it is possible to secure an excellent assembling performance while enhancing the safety of assembling work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: GS YUASA INTERNATIONAL LTD
    Inventors: Yasutaka Miyawaki, Yoshinori Ishimoto, Atsushi Nishida, Hirokazu Ito
  • Publication number: 20150083506
    Abstract: Vehicle according to the present invention includes a traveling vehicle body and left and right drive wheels. Left and right propulsion motors drive the left and right drive wheels. A battery supplies electric power to the left and right propulsion motors. The left and right drive wheels are positioned on two width-direction ends of the traveling vehicle body. The left and right propulsion motors are positioned on the traveling vehicle body so as to align with the left and right drive wheels in the width direction of the vehicle body. The battery is positioned in a battery installation space of the traveling vehicle body. The battery installation space is located in at least a space located below the left and right propulsion motors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo KOIKE, Hirokazu ITO, Takafumi KOMATSU
  • Patent number: 8956744
    Abstract: Each of electric cells constituting a battery assembly is provided with external terminals. The upper end of the electric cell is covered with an upper cap surrounding the external terminals whereas the lower end of the electric cell is covered with a lower cap. The electric cell is held between an upper holder and a lower holder via the upper cap and the lower cap. A plurality of bus bar openings for allowing a bus bar extending from the external terminals to be inserted therethrough are formed in the upper cap in such a manner as to penetrate in a thickness direction. Thus, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom of the arrangement of the electric cells in the battery assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: GS Yuasa International Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasutaka Miyawaki, Yoshinori Ishimoto, Atsushi Nishida, Hirokazu Ito
  • Publication number: 20150039171
    Abstract: A self-propelled vehicle includes a maneuvering unit, a drive unit including first and second drive sections, which are driven and controlled by drive wheel control commands, a drive wheel unit including left and right drive wheels driven by the first and second drive sections, respectively, at least one caster wheel which is controlled by a caster wheel control command, a bank detector for detecting a degree of bank of the vehicle and a control unit including a drive wheel control section for generating the drive wheel control commands. The control unit further includes a caster wheel control section which generates the caster wheel control command for controlling the steering angle of the caster wheel during a bank traversing travel, based on the bank degree so as to resolve a difference between a target travel and the actual travel which occurs during the bank traversing travel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Kazuo Koike, Hirokazu Ito, Yoshikazu Togoshi
  • Publication number: 20150033693
    Abstract: A lawn mower includes a mower deck including a blade rotationally driven to cut grass and generate an air flow to feed the cut grass. A cutting chamber houses the blade. An ejection outlet is open to the cutting chamber and ejects the cut grass. A grass collection container collects the cut grass ejected from the ejection outlet. An air chamber is provided in a vicinity of the cutting chamber and receives the air flow generated by rotation of the blade through the grass collection container. A first passage connects the ejection outlet and the grass collection container. A second passage connects the grass collection container and the air chamber. The air flow supplied from the grass collection container to the air chamber through the second passage is supplied to the cutting chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirokazu ITO, Kazuo KOIKE
  • Patent number: 8838311
    Abstract: A self-propelled vehicle includes a maneuvering unit, a drive unit including first and second drive sections, which are driven and controlled by drive wheel control commands, a drive wheel unit including left and right drive wheels driven by the first and second drive sections, respectively, at least one caster wheel which is controlled by a caster wheel control command, a bank detector for detecting a degree of bank of the vehicle and a control unit including a drive wheel control section for generating the drive wheel control commands. The control unit further includes a caster wheel control section which generates the caster wheel control command for controlling the steering angle of the caster wheel during a bank traversing travel, based on the bank degree so as to resolve a difference between a target travel and the actual travel which occurs during the bank traversing travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Koike, Hirokazu Ito, Yoshikazu Togoshi
  • Publication number: 20140196428
    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: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motosumi SHIOTSUKI, Akira MINOURA, Kazuo KOIKE, Hirokazu ITO
  • Publication number: 20140188338
    Abstract: A vehicle steerable by movement of the center of gravity has an auxiliary wheel. A left drive wheel is driven by a left rotary driver. A right drive wheel is driven by a right rotary driver. A gravity center position calculator calculates a position of the center of gravity of a driver on a steering step board based on a detection signal from a load detection module detecting a load distribution of the driver. A travel controller has a first control mode controlling rotary drive of the left and right rotary drivers to achieve straight forward travel or turning. The travel controller also has a second control mode controlling the rotary drive of the left and right rotary drivers to achieve straight forward travel, turning or straight backward travel based on the position of the center of gravity. A driver input operation device can be used to select either the first or the second control mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu ITO, Kazuo KOIKE, Yoshitomo FUJIMOTO
  • Patent number: 8668033
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a pair of electric motors independently running and driving right and left running wheels in a state of being able to create straight running state and turning running; a pair of right and left change speed operation tools independently manually operated and performing a change speed operation to the right and left running wheels; and a controller controlling operation. The controller controls the operation of the respective electric motors by setting target speeds with regard to the respective electric motors such that the speed difference in the target speeds is smaller than the speed difference corresponding to the difference in the operation positions of the respective change speed operation tools by a set amount in a case where the operation positions of the respective change speed operation tools are different between right and left.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Koike, Hirokazu Ito
  • Publication number: 20140017540
    Abstract: A battery assembly includes a plurality of electric cells each having an external terminal at one end thereof, a first cap attached to the one end of each of the electric cells and a first holder attached to the plurality of electric cells and is in contact with the first caps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: GS Yuasa International Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasutaka Miyawaki, Yoshinori Ishimoto, Atsushi Nishida, Hirokazu Ito
  • Patent number: 8572939
    Abstract: A riding work vehicle that includes a running electric motor unit running and driving a driving wheel unit; a speed setting operation unit operated by a driver to set a target running speed; a working electric motor driving a work device that performs work on a worked object around a vehicle body corresponding to running of the vehicle body; and an exceptional speed controller that performs exceptional speed control to control the running electric motor unit at an exceptional speed lower than the target running speed in a case where load of the working electric motor evaluated by a work load evaluator that evaluates load of the working electric motor is abnormal load higher than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Koike, Hirokazu Ito
  • Patent number: 8565509
    Abstract: The operation rate of a circuit pattern inspecting apparatus is prevented from deteriorating by measuring image noise of the circuit pattern inspecting apparatus and detecting the sign that the apparatus is to be in an abnormal state. Provided is the circuit pattern inspecting apparatus wherein circuit pattern abnormalities are detected by irradiating a substrate having a circuit pattern formed thereon with an electron beam and detecting generated secondary electrons or reflected electrons. The circuit pattern inspecting apparatus is provided with: an image processing section wherein an image is generated based on the signal intensities of the detected secondary electrons or those of the reflected electrons and the image is displayed for a display apparatus of the interface; and a control section which analyzes the frequency of noise included in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takahashi, Yasuhiro Gunji, Hirokazu Ito
  • Publication number: 20120323420
    Abstract: A self-propelled vehicle includes a maneuvering unit, a drive unit including first and second drive sections, which are driven and controlled by drive wheel control commands, a drive wheel unit including left and right drive wheels driven by the first and second drive sections, respectively, at least one caster wheel which is controlled by a caster wheel control command, a bank detector for detecting a degree of bank of the vehicle and a control unit including a drive wheel control section for generating the drive wheel control commands. The control unit further includes a caster wheel control section which generates the caster wheel control command for controlling the steering angle of the caster wheel during a bank traversing travel, based on the bank degree so as to resolve a difference between a target travel and the actual travel which occurs during the bank traversing travel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo Koike, Hirokazu Ito, Yoshikazu Togoshi
  • Publication number: 20120251873
    Abstract: Each of electric cells constituting a battery assembly is provided with external terminals. The upper end of the electric cell is covered with an upper cap surrounding the external terminals whereas the lower end of the electric cell is covered with a lower cap. The electric cell is held between an upper holder and a lower holder via the upper cap and the lower cap. The upper cap includes a protector including ribs projecting along both sides of an inspecting terminal projecting through a terminal opening. The upper ends of the ribs are located above the inspecting terminal. Consequently, a metallic tool or the like cannot be brought into contact with the inspecting terminal, thereby preventing short-circuiting. Thus, it is possible to secure an excellent assembling performance while enhancing the safety of assembling work.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: GS Yuasa International Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasutaka MIYAWAKI, Yoshinori ISHIMOTO, Atsushi NISHIDA, Hirokazu ITO
  • Publication number: 20120251855
    Abstract: Each of electric cells constituting a battery assembly is provided with external terminals. The upper end of the electric cell is covered with an upper cap surrounding the external terminals whereas the lower end of the electric cell is covered with a lower cap. The electric cell is held between an upper holder and a lower holder via the upper cap and the lower cap. A plurality of bus bar openings for allowing a bus bar extending from the external terminals to be inserted therethrough are formed in the upper cap in such a manner as to penetrate in a thickness direction. Thus, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom of the arrangement of the electric cells in the battery assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: GS Yuasa International Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasutaka MIYAWAKI, Yoshinori Ishimoto, Atsushi Nishida, Hirokazu Ito
  • Publication number: 20120238403
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a pair of electric motors independently running and driving right and left running wheels in a state of being able to create straight running state and turning running; a pair of right and left change speed operation tools independently manually operated and performing a change speed operation to the right and left running wheels; and a controller controlling operation. The controller controls the operation of the respective electric motors by setting target speeds with regard to the respective electric motors such that the speed difference in the target speeds is smaller than the speed difference corresponding to the difference in the operation positions of the respective change speed operation tools by a set amount in a case where the operation positions of the respective change speed operation tools are different between right and left.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo KOIKE, Hirokazu ITO
  • Publication number: 20120227368
    Abstract: The present invention provides a riding work vehicle that includes a running electric motor unit running and driving a driving wheel unit; a speed setting operation unit operated by a driver to set a target running speed; a working electric motor driving a work device that performs work on a worked object around a vehicle body corresponding to running of the vehicle body; and an exceptional speed controller that performs exceptional speed control to control the running electric motor unit at an exceptional speed lower than the target running speed in a case where load of the working electric motor evaluated by a work load evaluator that evaluates load of the working electric motor is abnormal load higher than a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo KOIKE, Hirokazu ITO
  • Patent number: D693373
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Motosumi Shiotsuki, Akira Minoura, Kazuo Koike, Hirokazu Ito
  • Patent number: D699678
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: GS Yuasa International Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasutaka Miyawaki, Yoshinori Ishimoto, Atsushi Nishida, Hirokazu Ito