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: 20180309172
    Abstract: A control device (90) equipped with: switches (91) provided in each charging or discharging current path in each of one or more power storage units (40); a control unit (92) that supplies a control signal to the switch (91); and an external input terminal (83) that supplies an external input signal to the switch (91). Each switch (91) has a function for turning off when the control signal and/or the external input signal is a signal for turning off that switch, or a function for turning on when both the control signal and the external input signal are a signal for turning on that switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Hirokazu ITO, Hiroaki SONE, Tatsuya INOUE, Yasutaka MIYAWAKI
  • Patent number: 10094398
    Abstract: A fluid transfer apparatus includes a spiral pipe that is formed by an elastic tube wound in a spiral manner, and a fluid to be transferred flows in the spiral pipe. The fluid transfer apparatus further includes a speaker that is configured to generate a pressure wave in a working fluid in the tube that is a medium, and the pressure wave causes a change of the cross-sectional area of a flow channel of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Yasushi Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 10087853
    Abstract: An object is to supply fresh air and EGR gas into a cylinder in good balance according to the required load in a naturally aspirated gasoline engine. When the operation state of the engine falls in a low load range, a control apparatus adjusts the degree of opening of the second throttle while keeping the first throttle fully open and controls EGR gas quantity by adjusting the degree of opening of the EGR valve. When the operation state falls in a middle load range, the apparatus controls EGR gas quantity by adjusting the degree of opening of the first throttle while keeping the EGR valve fully open. When the operation state falls in a high load range, the apparatus adjusts the degree of opening of the first throttle while keeping the second throttle fully open and controls EGR gas quantity by adjusting the degree of opening of the EGR valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Yamaguchi, Hirokazu Ito, Yuji Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 10063016
    Abstract: An electric connector includes a socket connector, a bar-like plug connector to be inserted/withdrawn to/from the socket connector and a fuse. When the plug connector is inserted to the socket connector, electric conduction is established in the electric circuit via the fuse. The fuse is attached to the socket connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignees: Kubota Corporation, DDK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Masatake Takai, Koichi Yokota, Kazuyuki Ozai
  • Publication number: 20180235149
    Abstract: A grass mower is provided with a plurality of rotating shafts passing through a ceiling wall of a mower deck and extending upward, disposed in a side-by-side state; cutting blades respectively linked to the rotating shafts in an internal space of the mower deck; an electric motor mounted at a location to the lateral outside relative to a rotation path of the cutting blades within the mower deck, and having an output shaft extending upward; and a power transmission mechanism positioned above the ceiling wall of the mower deck, and configured to transmit power from the output shaft to the rotating shafts of the cutting blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike
  • Patent number: 10038176
    Abstract: An electric work vehicle includes a plurality of battery mounting portions, a plurality of battery packs that can be detachably mounted to the battery mounting portions, a main body contact provided for each one of the battery mounting portions and electrically connected with the battery back mounted to the battery mounting portion, a power feeding circuit to which the main body contact is parallel connected, a battery switch configured to block flow of electric power from the battery pack to the power feeding circuit, a switch operating portion for operating the battery switch, a charged amount estimating portion for estimating a charged power of the battery pack mounted to the battery mounting portion, an electric motor driven by power fed from at least one battery pack via the power feeding circuit, and a driving wheel receiving power transmitted from the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Yasuhiro Manji
  • Patent number: 10029551
    Abstract: An electric work vehicle includes: a battery pack that is arranged between a left rear wheel arranged outside of a left frame and a right rear wheel arranged outside of a right frame, the front end of the battery pack being located forward of an axle center of a rear wheel unit; a left motor that is arranged above the battery pack, in the periphery of the left rear wheel, receives a supply of power from the battery pack, and transmits rotational power to the left rear wheel; and a right motor that is arranged above the battery pack, in the periphery of the right rear wheel, receives a supply of power from the battery pack, and transmits rotational power to the right rear wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Yasuhiro Manji
  • Patent number: 10029571
    Abstract: An electric work vehicle includes a left motor which supplies rotating power to a left drive wheel, a right motor which supplies rotating power to a right drive wheel, a motor control unit which provides drive signals to the left motor and the right motor independently of each other in response to an operation relative to a steering operation unit, a yaw rate detector which detects an actual yaw rate of a vehicle body, an arithmetic yaw rate computing unit which derives an arithmetic yaw rate based on a rotating speed of the left motor or the left drive wheel and a rotating speed of the right motor or the right drive wheel, and a slip detection unit detecting occurrence of slipping based on the arithmetic yaw rate and an actual yaw rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuaki Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10021831
    Abstract: An electric work vehicle includes a casing structure connected to a vehicle frame and having a central casing, a left casing, and a right casing. The vehicle further includes a left rear wheel supported by the left casing, a right rear wheel supported by the right casing, a left motor housed in a left region of the central casing, a right motor housed in a right region of the central casing, a left transmission mechanism housed in the left casing for transmitting power from the left motor to the left rear wheel, and a right transmission mechanism housed in the right casing for transmitting power from the right motor to the right rear wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike
  • Patent number: 10020470
    Abstract: A battery pack (6) for an electric work vehicle includes a battery unit (6A), a casing (60) for tightly housing the battery unit (6A), a circulation fan (6B) mounted in an inner space of the casing (60), and an air guide (50) provided in the casing (60) to direct cooling air produced by the circulation fan (6B) to the battery unit (6A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike
  • Patent number: 10001152
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fluid transport pipe. A first unit channel in which a channel cross-sectional area continuously decreases toward a downstream side and a second unit channel in which a channel cross-sectional area continuously increases toward the downstream side are alternately combined. A ratio A (=L/{[Smax]1/2-[Smin]1/2}) is set within a range in which a drag reduction rate RD becomes a positive value. The fluid transport pipe includes: a first opening formed in a channel wall of the first unit channel; a second opening formed in a channel wall of the second unit channel; and a bypass channel that allows by-passing of a flow from the first unit channel to the second unit channel through the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION TOKYO UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE & TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Tsuneo Tsutsui, Naoki Takeuchi, Kaoru Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 10001101
    Abstract: In a fuel injection valve having a nozzle hole plate wherein a nozzle hole is formed, the nozzle hole is formed with a flow path cross-section having an oval shape that has long axes and short axes, and the nozzle hole is formed having a tapered shape in which a flow path sectional area becomes larger from an entry-side open end portion toward an exit-side open end portion. The nozzle hole is formed such that a second angle that is an intersecting angle of opposing nozzle hole inner wall surface portions in an oblique section along the short axes of the entry-side open end portion and the exit-side open end portion, is greater than a first angle that is an intersecting angle of opposing nozzle hole inner wall surface portions in a longitudinal section along the long axes of the entry-side open end portion and the exit-side open end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Natsuki Sugiyama, Mitsutaka Yoshida, Akio Satou, Masahiko Asano, Yasuo Kinoshita, Masao Nakayama, Kenji Kidera, Masaru Setodoi, Hirokazu Ito, Hiroyuki Sakai
  • Patent number: 9981544
    Abstract: An electric work vehicle includes a left motor 4L that drives a left drive wheel 12L and a right motor 4R that drives a right drive wheel 12R, a cooling liquid circulation flow path 7 connected to the left motor 4L and the right motor 4R, and a cooling liquid distribution mechanism 6 that, according to a travel state, adjusts a ratio between a cooling liquid flow amount that flows from a pump 72 disposed on the cooling liquid circulation flow path 7 to the left motor 4L, and a cooling liquid flow amount that flows from the pump 72 to the right motor 4R.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike
  • Patent number: 9949436
    Abstract: A grass mower is provided with a plurality of rotating shafts passing through a ceiling wall of a mower deck and extending upward, disposed in a side-by-side state; cutting blades respectively linked to the rotating shafts in an internal space of the mower deck; an electric motor mounted at a location to the lateral outside relative to a rotation path of the cutting blades within the mower deck, and having an output shaft extending upward; and a power transmission mechanism positioned above the ceiling wall of the mower deck, and configured to transmit power from the output shaft to the rotating shafts of the cutting blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike
  • Patent number: 9937779
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo Koike, Hirokazu Ito, Takafumi Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20180069275
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a plurality of battery modules stacked with connecting terminals disposed at predetermined positions, a holding unit for holding the plurality of battery modules under the stacked state, a plurality of conducting paths connecting corresponding connecting terminals, and a substrate connected to the holding unit. The plurality of conducting paths are provided integrally in the substrate and disposed to connect the corresponding connecting terminals in association with connection of the substrate to the holding unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Yasuhiro Manji
  • Publication number: 20180026244
    Abstract: An electric work vehicle includes a battery container provided in a traveling vehicle body and including a guiding unit, and a battery pack removably attached to the battery container and including a guided unit. A pair of rollers are provided in one of the guiding unit and the guided unit, and a pair of engaging portion to be engaged with the rollers are provided in the other of the guiding unit and the guided unit. When the battery pack is loaded or unloaded onto/from the battery container at the loading/unloading position, the rollers engage with the engaging portions, thereby functioning as pivot fulcrums for enabling the battery pack to pivot for loading and unloading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Yasuhiro Manji
  • Publication number: 20180017001
    Abstract: A control device includes an electronic control unit. During deceleration of the engine, when a temperature of a three-way catalyst is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature and execution conditions of fuel cut processing are established, the electronic control unit executes first control for closing an exhaust shutoff valve, while fuel injection and ignition are continued. When the exhaust shutoff valve reaches the closed state in the first control, the electronic control unit executes second control for bringing the engine into an intake control state in which the intake throttle is closed and an EGR valve is in a predetermined open state. In the second control, the electronic control unit executes the fuel cut processing by stopping the ignition before the engine is brought into the intake control state and stopping the fuel injection after the engine is brought into the intake control state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Yuji Yamaguchi, Yuji Miyoshi
  • Publication number: 20170356361
    Abstract: This disclosure is intended to suppress a noble metal supported by a three-way catalyst from being deteriorated by oxidation with the execution of fuel cut processing in a suitable manner. A control apparatus for a naturally aspirated gasoline engine is provided with a three-way catalyst, a first throttle valve, a second throttle valve arranged in the intake passage at the downstream side of the first throttle valve, an EGR valve, and a controller. When the controller carries out fuel cut processing and the temperature of the three-way catalyst is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the controller introduces the EGR gas into a cylinder of the gasoline engine as intake air by fully closing the first throttle valve and by opening the EGR valve, and further controls an amount of the EGR gas by adjusting the degree of opening of the second throttle valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Yuji Yamaguchi, Hirokazu Ito, Yuji Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 9835122
    Abstract: There is provided an airflow control device of an internal combustion engine comprising: a plasma actuator provided in an intake passage, a fuel injector for port injection provided in the intake passage so as to inject fuel toward the plasma actuator and a control unit for controlling them. The control unit is configured to actuate the plasma actuator after valve opening of an intake valve, in addition to causing the fuel injector to perform an operation of fuel injection, and causing the plasma actuator to perform an operation in a part of a valve closing period of the intake valve. Furthermore, the control unit includes a determination unit to determine whether or not water has adhered to the plasma actuator, and makes port injection operation and plasma actuator operation be performed only when water has adhered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Ito