Patents by Inventor Kazuo Koike
Kazuo Koike 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).
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Patent number: 11396225Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 2, 2019Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: Kubota CorporationInventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Yasuhiro Manji
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Publication number: 20210351465Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2021Publication date: November 11, 2021Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Yasuhiro Manji
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Patent number: 11069936Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 14, 2017Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Kubota CorporationInventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Yasuhiro Manji
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Patent number: 10602659Abstract: A lawn mower includes: a mower unit having a plurality of blades for performing lawn mowing work, the plurality of blades being driven by rotational power, a blade motor configured to transmit rotational power to each of the plurality of blades, and be capable of optionally changing the rotation number of the rotational power transmitted to each of the plurality of blades; and a controller configured to detect respective speeds of the plurality of blades to the ground and perform energy-saving control of increasing and decreasing the rotation number of the rotational power transmitted to each of the plurality of blades in accordance with increase and reduction in the detected speed of each of the plurality of blades.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2017Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATIONInventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Yoshitomo Fujimoto
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Patent number: 10562567Abstract: A work vehicle includes a battery that outputs a DC power, at least two electric motors, and at least two inverters, each inverter being configured to convert the DC power from the battery into an AC power and to supply the AC power to one of the electric motors. The work vehicle further includes an accommodation box attachable/detachable to/from the vehicle body, the accommodation box accommodating a plurality of electrical equipments including the inverters.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2017Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: Kubota CorporationInventors: Kazuo Koike, Hirokazu Ito
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Publication number: 20200031215Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2019Publication date: January 30, 2020Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Yasuhiro Manji
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Patent number: 10499565Abstract: A grass mower machine includes a mower deck 30 that protrudes from a frame unit in a machine body transverse direction, cutter blades 20 attached respectively to a first rotation shaft 21, a second rotation shaft 22 and a third rotation shaft 23 that are disposed side by side and spaced apart from each other in the machine body transverse direction, a first power transmitting body 71 for transmitting power from an output shaft 41 of an electric motor 4 which is disposed on an outer side of rotation paths of the cutter blades 20 as seen in a plane view to the first rotation shaft 21, a second power transmitting body 72 for transmitting power from the first rotation shaft 21 to the second rotation shaft 22, and a third power transmitting body 73 for transmitting power from the second rotation shaft 22 to the third rotation shaft 23.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2016Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: Kubota CorporationInventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike
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Patent number: 10493835Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 25, 2018Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATIONInventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Yasuhiro Manji
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Patent number: 10485175Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 20, 2018Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: Kubota CorporationInventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike
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Patent number: 10440885Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 30, 2013Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATIONInventors: Motosumi Shiotsuki, Akira Minoura, Kazuo Koike, Hirokazu Ito
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Patent number: 10293853Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 18, 2017Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Kubota CorporationInventors: Kazuo Koike, Hirokazu Ito, Yoshikazu Togoshi
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Patent number: 10112645Abstract: A traveling vehicle including 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 is 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: GrantFiled: October 4, 2016Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATIONInventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Yoshikazu Togoshi
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Patent number: 10112469Abstract: An electric work vehicle includes a left frame and a right frame extending in a vehicle fore/aft direction, a battery assembly mounted between the left frame and the right frame, a left rear wheel mounted outward of the left frame in a vehicle lateral direction, a right rear wheel mounted outward of the right frame in the vehicle lateral direction, a left motor mounted outward of the left frame in the vehicle lateral direction and forward of an axis of the left rear wheel for transmitting rotary driving power to the left rear wheel, and a right motor mounted outward of the right frame in the vehicle lateral direction and forward of an axis of the right rear wheel for transmitting rotary driving power to the right rear wheel.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2016Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: Kubota CorporationInventors: Yuto Fujii, Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike
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Publication number: 20180303027Abstract: A work vehicle includes a battery that outputs a DC power, at least two electric motors, and at least two inverters, each inverter being configured to convert the DC power from the battery into an AC power and to supply the AC power to one of the electric motors. The work vehicle further includes an accommodation box attachable/detachable to/from the vehicle body, the accommodation box accommodating a plurality of electrical equipments including the inverters.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2017Publication date: October 25, 2018Inventors: Kazuo Koike, Hirokazu Ito
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Publication number: 20180304735Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2018Publication date: October 25, 2018Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Yasuhiro Manji
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Patent number: 10063016Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 10, 2016Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignees: Kubota Corporation, DDK Ltd.Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Masatake Takai, Koichi Yokota, Kazuyuki Ozai
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Publication number: 20180235149Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2018Publication date: August 23, 2018Inventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike
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Patent number: 10029551Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 15, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Kubota CorporationInventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike, Yasuhiro Manji
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Patent number: 10021831Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 18, 2015Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: Kubota CorporationInventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike
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Patent number: 10020470Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 2, 2015Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: Kubota CorporationInventors: Hirokazu Ito, Kazuo Koike