Patents by Inventor Hironobu Nishihara

Hironobu Nishihara 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: 10687467
    Abstract: A grass mower includes a mower unit (8) provided on the traveling machine body (10), a grass container (4) provided on a rear portion of the traveling machine body (10) for storing cut grass from the mower unit (8), a rod lever unit (6) capable of undergoing displacement between a first operation position and a second operation position, and a swing mechanism (5) for swinging the grass container (4) between a cut grass storage position and a cut grass discharge position by utilizing operational displacement of the rod lever unit (6). The rod lever unit (6) includes a base rod (61) coupled to the swing mechanism (5), a grip rod (62) extending in a direction offset from an extending direction of the base rod (61), and a coupling portion (63) through which the base rod (61) and the grip rod (62) are coupled so as not to be capable of being rotated relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tada, Hironobu Nishihara, Taylor Clark, Fahmid Sharkar, Benjamin A. Morris
  • Publication number: 20190116732
    Abstract: A grass mower includes a mower unit (8) provided on the traveling machine body (10), a grass container (4) provided on a rear portion of the traveling machine body (10) for storing cut grass from the mower unit (8), a rod lever unit (6) capable of undergoing displacement between a first operation position and a second operation position, and a swing mechanism (5) for swinging the grass container (4) between a cut grass storage position and a cut grass discharge position by utilizing operational displacement of the rod lever unit (6). The rod lever unit (6) includes a base rod (61) coupled to the swing mechanism (5), a grip rod (62) extending in a direction offset from an extending direction of the base rod (61), and a coupling portion (63) through which the base rod (61) and the grip rod (62) are coupled so as not to be capable of being rotated relative to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tada, Hironobu Nishihara, Taylor Clark, Fahmid Sharkar, Benjamin A. Morris
  • Patent number: 9872431
    Abstract: A cutter blade for a mower is driven to rotate about a vertical axis inside a housing. The cutter blade includes a blade body, a blade portion formed in the blade body and a wind generating portion formed in the blade body on its side opposite in a width direction thereof to the side where the blade portion is formed, the wind generating portion being formed by being raised and bent from the blade body over a predetermined area from an end in a longitudinal direction thereof. At an outer end portion of the wind generating portion in the longitudinal direction of the blade body, there is formed at least one recessed portion recessed more inwards than the remaining portion of the outer end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hironobu Nishihara, Masayuki Akita
  • Publication number: 20160192586
    Abstract: A cutter blade for a mower is driven to rotate about a vertical axis inside a housing. The cutter blade includes a blade body, a blade portion formed in the blade body and a wind generating portion formed in the blade body on its side opposite in a width direction thereof to the side where the blade portion is formed, the wind generating portion being formed by being raised and bent from the blade body over a predetermined area from an end in a longitudinal direction thereof. At an outer end portion of the wind generating portion in the longitudinal direction of the blade body, there is formed at least one recessed portion recessed more inwards than the remaining portion of the outer end portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: Hironobu Nishihara, Masayuki Akita
  • Patent number: 9307695
    Abstract: A cutter blade for a mower is driven to rotate about a vertical axis inside a housing. The cutter blade includes a blade body, a blade portion formed in the blade body and a wind generating portion formed in the blade body on its side opposite in a width direction thereof to the side where the blade portion is formed, the wind generating portion being formed by being raised and bent from the blade body over a predetermined area from an end in a longitudinal direction thereof. At an outer end portion of the wind generating portion in the longitudinal direction of the blade body, there is formed at least one recessed portion recessed more inwards than the remaining portion of the outer end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hironobu Nishihara, Masayuki Akita
  • Publication number: 20150082763
    Abstract: A cutter blade for a mower is driven to rotate about a vertical axis inside a housing. The cutter blade includes a blade body, a blade portion formed in the blade body and a wind generating portion formed in the blade body on its side opposite in a width direction thereof to the side where the blade portion is formed, the wind generating portion being formed by being raised and bent from the blade body over a predetermined area from an end in a longitudinal direction thereof. At an outer end portion of the wind generating portion in the longitudinal direction of the blade body, there is formed at least one recessed portion recessed more inwards than the remaining portion of the outer end portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hironobu Nishihara, Masayuki Akita
  • Patent number: 8297386
    Abstract: A work vehicle including: a body frame; an engine supported by the body frame through an elastic body; a belt transmission mechanism connected to an output shaft of the engine in a power transmissive manner; and a power takeoff (PTO) mechanism connected to the belt transmission mechanism in a power transmissive manner to take out power from the engine. A PTO support bracket configured to support the PTO mechanism is attached to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Osuga, Shoko Koda, Hironobu Nishihara, Takashi Kuramoto, Satoshi Ogata, Hiroshi Kawabata
  • Patent number: 8205701
    Abstract: An operating system for a tractor to which an implement is attachable, the operating system comprises: a steering wheel provided rearwardly of a hood that houses an engine located in a forward region of the tractor; a control panel provided rearwardly of the hood and adjacent the steering wheel; a center cover extending generally vertically below the steering wheel; an operation lever provided at a position laterally of the control panel; a valve unit with a pair of spools, the valve unit being located at a lower position with respect to the steering wheel and being covered by the center cover; a link mechanism that links the operation lever and the pair of spools, the link mechanism being covered by the center cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kuramoto, Masashi Osuga, Hiroshi Shimada, Yoshio Tomiyama, Takeshi Komorida, Hironobu Nishihara, Kenji Nishihara, Takashi Shibata
  • Patent number: 8056306
    Abstract: A rear discharge mower comprising: a first shaft; a first blade that is rotated in unison with the first shaft; a second shaft that is configured to be rotated in a direction opposite from a rotational direction of the first shaft; a second blade that is rotated in unison with the second shaft, wherein a grass-clippings discharge path is formed through which grass clippings are discharged in a rearward direction from the area between the first shaft and second shaft; an enclosing casing that supports the blade shafts; and a power train that is accommodated in the enclosing casing and that transmits power to the first and second blade shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Nishihara, Takashi Kuramoto, Masashi Osuga, Takashi Shibata, Satoshi Ogata, Hironobu Nishihara, Hiroshi Kawabata
  • Patent number: 8051631
    Abstract: A rear discharge mower comprising: a first shaft; a first blade that is rotated in unison with the first shaft; a second shaft that is configured to be rotated in a direction opposite from a rotational direction of the first shaft; a second blade that is rotated in unison with the second shaft, wherein a grass-clippings discharge path is formed through which grass clippings are discharged in a rearward direction from the area between the first shaft and second shaft; an enclosing casing that supports the blade shafts; and a power train that is accommodated in the enclosing casing and that transmits power to the first and second blade shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Nishihara, Takashi Kuramoto, Masashi Osuga, Takashi Shibata, Satoshi Ogata, Hironobu Nishihara, Hiroshi Kawabata
  • Patent number: 8006473
    Abstract: A mowed grass amount detecting apparatus for a grass collection container of a grass mowing includes a pivotal sensor plate (62) constituting a portion of a boundary wall for holding the mowed grass charged into the grass collection container. The pivotal sensor plate has a receiving face which receives the weight of mowed grass. The apparatus also includes a detecting unit (66) for detecting an amount of pivotal movement of the sensor plate (62) from a home position. The receiving face of the pivotal sensor plate (62) is configured so as to close a sensor opening portion formed downwardly of a mowed grass charging portion of the grass collection container communicated and connected with the conveying duct, so that the receiving face of the pivotal sensor plate receives the weight of mowed grass held within the grass collection container (32) through the sensor opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kuramoto, Nobuyuki Yamashita, Hironobu Nishihara
  • Patent number: 7730706
    Abstract: A lawn mower, comprising a vehicle body that is supported by a plurality of wheels; a support frame that is connected to a rear part of the vehicle body; a grass collector that is supported on the support frame so as to be pivoted between a grass collecting position and a discharge position about an axis oriented in the transverse direction of the vehicle body, the grass collector having a bottom surface; a swiveling body that is connected to a rotating shaft of the grass collector to be rotated in unison so as to switch the grass collector between the grass collecting position and the discharge position; and a cylinder connected to the swiveling body and to the support frame; wherein the swiveling body and the cylinder are disposed below the grass collector in the grass collecting position, and the cylinder extends along the bottom surface of the grass collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Ogata, Masashi Osuga, Takashi Shibata, Takashi Kuramoto, Hironobu Nishihara
  • Publication number: 20090320433
    Abstract: A mowed grass amount detecting apparatus for a grass collection container of a grass mowing machine is disclosed, into which container mowed grass mowed by a mower unit is charged through a conveying duct. The apparatus includes a pivotal sensor plate (62) constituting a portion of a boundary wall for holding the mowed grass charged into the grass collection container, the pivotal sensor plate having a receiving face which receives the weight of mowed grass, a spring (65) disposed in a space on the outer side of the receiving face for urging the sensor plate (62) in a direction toward its home-position, a detecting unit (66) for detecting an amount of pivotal movement of the sensor plate (62) from the home position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kuramoto, Nobuyuki Yamashita, Hironobu Nishihara
  • Publication number: 20090308038
    Abstract: A rear discharge mower comprising: a first shaft; a first blade that is rotated in unison with the first shaft; a second shaft that is configured to be rotated in a direction opposite from a rotational direction of the first shaft; a second blade that is rotated in unison with the second shaft, wherein a grass-clippings discharge path is formed through which grass clippings are discharged in a rearward direction from the area between the first shaft and second shaft; an enclosing casing that supports the blade shafts; and a power train that is accommodated in the enclosing casing and that transmits power to the first and second blade shafts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Nishihara, Takashi Kuramoto, Masashi Osuga, Takashi Shibata, Satoshi Ogata, Hironobu Nishihara, Hiroshi Kawabata
  • Publication number: 20090266639
    Abstract: An operating system for a tractor to which an implement is attachable, the operating system comprises: a steering wheel provided rearwardly of a hood that houses an engine located in a forward region of the tractor; a control panel provided rearwardly of the hood and adjacent the steering wheel; a center cover extending generally vertically below the steering wheel; an operation lever provided at a position laterally of the control panel; a valve unit with a pair of spools, the valve unit being located at a lower position with respect to the steering wheel and being covered by the center cover; a link mechanism that links the operation lever and the pair of spools, the link mechanism being covered by the center cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kuramoto, Masashi Osuga, Hiroshi Shimada, Yoshio Tomiyama, Takeshi Komorida, Hironobu Nishihara, Kenji Nishihara, Takashi Shibata
  • Publication number: 20090241702
    Abstract: A work vehicle including: a body frame; an engine supported by the body frame through an elastic body; a belt transmission mechanism connected to an output shaft of the engine in a power transmissive manner; and a power takeoff (PTO) mechanism connected to the belt transmission mechanism in a power transmissive manner to take out power from the engine. A PTO support bracket configured to support the PTO mechanism is attached to the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Osuga, Shoko Koda, Hironobu Nishihara, Takashi Kuramoto, Satoshi Ogata, Hiroshi Kawabata
  • Patent number: 7558658
    Abstract: An operating system for a tractor to which an implement is attachable, the operating system comprises: a steering wheel provided rearwardly of a hood that houses an engine located in a forward region of the tractor; a control panel provided rearwardly of the hood and adjacent the steering wheel; a center cover extending generally vertically below the steering wheel; an operation lever provided at a position laterally of the control panel; a valve unit with a pair of spools, the valve unit being located at a lower position with respect to the steering wheel and being covered by the center cover; a link mechanism that links the operation lever and the pair of spools, the link mechanism being covered by the center cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kuramoto, Masashi Osuga, Hiroshi Shimada, Yoshio Tomiyama, Takeshi Komorida, Hironobu Nishihara, Kenji Nishihara, Takashi Shibata
  • Publication number: 20080276589
    Abstract: A lawn mower, comprising a vehicle body that is supported by a plurality of wheels; a support frame that is connected to a rear part of the vehicle body; a grass collector that is supported on the support frame so as to be pivoted between a grass collecting position and a discharge position about an axis oriented in the transverse direction of the vehicle body, the grass collector having a bottom surface; a swiveling body that is connected to a rotating shaft of the grass collector to be rotated in unison so as to switch the grass collector between the grass collecting position and the discharge position; and a cylinder connected to the swiveling body and to the support frame; wherein the swiveling body and the cylinder are disposed below the grass collector in the grass collecting position, and the cylinder extends along the bottom surface of the grass collector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Ogata, Masashi Osuga, Takashi Shibata, Takashi Kuramoto, Hironobu Nishihara
  • Publication number: 20080276588
    Abstract: A rear discharge mower comprising: a first shaft; a first blade that is rotated in unison with the first shaft; a second shaft that is configured to be rotated in a direction opposite from a rotational direction of the first shaft; a second blade that is rotated in unison with the second shaft, wherein a grass-clippings discharge path is formed through which grass clippings are discharged in a rearward direction from the area between the first shaft and second shaft; an enclosing casing that supports the blade shafts; and a power train that is accommodated in the enclosing casing and that transmits power to the first and second blade shafts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Nishihara, Takashi Kuramoto, Masashi Osuga, Takashi Shibata, Satoshi Ogata, Hironobu Nishihara, Hiroshi Kawabata
  • Patent number: D723589
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hironobu Nishihara, Masayuki Akita