Patents by Inventor Shota Tanabe
Shota Tanabe 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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Publication number: 20230172103Abstract: A storage lock assembly for a lawn mower can include a primary pedal, a lock striker, a secondary pedal, and a deck lock that can be manipulated to selectively lock a mower deck into a stowed position and unlock the deck from the stowed position. The primary pedal can move the deck between a plurality of operating positions and the stowed position. The secondary pedal can include an engagement member and be pivotably attached to the primary pedal. The deck lock can be movable between a locked position where the deck lock is engaged with the lock striker, and an unlocked position where the deck lock is disengaged from the lock striker. When the deck lock is in the locked position and the secondary pedal pivots relative to the primary pedal, the engagement member can move the deck lock away from the lock striker and to the unlocked position.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2021Publication date: June 8, 2023Inventors: Lawrence J. LARDIERI, Shota TANABE
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Publication number: 20230016812Abstract: A culture apparatus includes an inner box for housing a culture, an outer box surrounding the inner box, and a first vibration prevention mechanism that is disposed between the inner box and the outer box, and is configured to prevent the inner box from vibrating due to the vibration of the outer box.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Inventors: Eisuke ISHIKAWA, Ryo YONEHARA, Shota TANABE, Tomoyuki OTAKE
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Patent number: 11533848Abstract: A lawn mower includes a blade, a motor connected to the blade, and a housing storing the blade in the housing and is configured to mow grass underneath the housing. The lawn mower includes a grass container to contain the mowed grass and a connecting member that connects the housing to the grass container. The housing is provided with a ceiling opening communicating with a flow path inside the connecting member. The ceiling opening overlaps with a region corresponding to a rotation range, of the blade, projected upward along a drive shaft.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2020Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Fumio Minami, Takuya Matsumoto, Yoshitaka Oota, Shota Tanabe
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Publication number: 20220167544Abstract: A work machine includes: a pair of drive wheels that is either front wheels or rear wheels; a pair of non-driving wheels that is the other of the front wheels and the rear wheels; a work device disposed between the front wheels and the rear wheels; a machine body; and a control device including an automatic turn-execution unit configured to execute an automatic turn in a U shape. The automatic-turn execution unit is configured to execute: a gentle turn operation in which the work machine makes a gentle turn; and a counter-rotation turn operation in which the work machine makes a counter-rotation turn after the gentle turn operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2020Publication date: June 2, 2022Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Shota TANABE, Nobuo YAMAZAKI, Jun FUKANO
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Patent number: 11109531Abstract: A lawn mower includes: a work unit including a housing having a downward-facing opening end a cutter blade rotatably provided in the housing such that when rotated, the cutter blade cuts grass and generates a transport air flow flowing from the opening of the housing to inside; a grass clippings receptacle configured to receive mowed grass clippings; a grass clippings transport passage connecting an interior of the housing with the grass clippings receptacle; a shutter device including a shutter configured to open and close the grass clippings transport passage and an actuator configured to open/close-drive the shutter; a controller configured to control the shutter device; and a humidity sensor for detecting a humidity of an environment surrounding the lawn mower, wherein the controller is configured to open/close-control the shutter device based on the humidity.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2017Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura, Shota Tanabe
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Patent number: 11109532Abstract: Uneven distribution of grass clippings in a grass clippings receptacle of a lawn mower can be minimized. A lawn mower includes: a work unit including a housing having a downward-facing opening and a cutter blade rotatably provided in the housing such that the cutter blade cuts grass and generates a transport air flow flowing from the opening of the housing to inside; a grass clippings receptacle configured to receive mowed grass clippings; a grass clippings transport passage connecting an interior of the housing with the grass clippings receptacle; a shutter device including a shutter configured to open and close the grass clippings transport passage and an actuator configured to open/close-drive the shutter; a controller configured to control the shutter device; and a speed sensor for detecting a travel speed of the lawn mower, wherein the controller is configured to open/close-control the shutter device based on the travel speed.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2017Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura, Shota Tanabe
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Publication number: 20210000012Abstract: A lawn mower includes a blade, a motor connected to the blade, and a housing storing the blade in the housing and is configured to mow grass underneath the housing. The lawn mower includes a grass container to contain the mowed grass and a connecting member that connects the housing to the grass container. The housing is provided with a ceiling opening communicating with a flow path inside the connecting member. The ceiling opening overlaps with a region corresponding to a rotation range, of the blade, projected upward along a drive shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2020Publication date: January 7, 2021Inventors: Fumio Minami, Takuya Matsumoto, Yoshitaka Oota, Shota Tanabe
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Patent number: 10588260Abstract: A lawn mower contains: a work unit including a housing having a downward-facing opening and a cutter blade rotatably provided in the housing such that when rotated, the cutter blade cuts grass and generates a transport air flow flowing from the opening of the housing to inside; a grass clippings receptacle configured to receive grass clippings cut by the work unit; a grass clippings transport passage connecting an interior of the housing with the grass clippings receptacle; a shutter device including a shutter configured to selectively open and close the grass clippings transport passage and an actuator configured to drive the shutter; a controller configured to control the shutter device; and a pressure sensor provided in the grass clippings transport passage to detect a pressure in the grass clippings transport passage, wherein the controller is configured to control the shutter device in accordance with the pressure detected by the pressure sensor.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura, Shota Tanabe
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Patent number: 10517208Abstract: In a mower provided with a center pivot axle 12, a control unit 1 controls a height adjusting mechanism 19 for a mowing unit 16 so that a grass cutting height is increased from an initial level when an absolute value of a roll angle of the center pivot axle relative to a vehicle body has exceeded a first roll angle threshold value. A cutting blade 21 is stopped when the absolute value of the roll angle has exceeded a fourth roll angle threshold value which is greater than the first roll angle threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2017Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura, Norikazu Shimizu, Shota Tanabe
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Publication number: 20190380271Abstract: Uneven distribution of grass clippings in a grass clippings receptacle of a lawn mower can be minimized. A lawn mower includes: a work unit including a housing having a downward-facing opening and a cutter blade rotatably provided in the housing such that the cutter blade cuts grass and generates a transport air flow flowing from the opening of the housing to inside; a grass clippings receptacle configured to receive mowed grass clippings; a grass clippings transport passage connecting an interior of the housing with the grass clippings receptacle; a shutter device including a shutter configured to open and close the grass clippings transport passage and an actuator configured to open/close-drive the shutter; a controller configured to control the shutter device; and a speed sensor for detecting a travel speed of the lawn mower, wherein the controller is configured to open/dose-control the shutter device based on the travel speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2017Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura, Shota Tanabe
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Patent number: 10442461Abstract: Power equipment such as a riding mower 2 is provided with a center pivot axle 16 for non-driven wheels 9 thereof and a rigid axle 14 for driven wheels 8. A control unit 1 of the power equipment is configured to accelerate the left driven wheel when a right end up roll angle of the center pivot axle is detected by an axle sensor 25, and to accelerate the right driven wheel when a left end up roll angle of the center pivot axle is detected by the axle sensor when substantially no steering input of a steering device 22 is detected by a steering sensor 24 so that the power equipment may maintain a straight course.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2017Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura, Norikazu Shimizu, Shota Tanabe
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Publication number: 20190307071Abstract: A lawn mower includes: a work unit including a housing having a downward-facing opening end a cutter blade rotatably provided in the housing such that when rotated, the cutter blade cuts grass and generates a transport air flow flowing from the opening of the housing to inside; a grass clippings receptacle configured to receive mowed grass clippings; a grass clippings transport passage connecting an interior of the housing with the grass clippings receptacle; a shutter device including a shutter configured to open and close the grass clippings transport passage and an actuator configured to open/close-drive the shutter; a controller configured to control the shutter device; and a humidity sensor for detecting a humidity of an environment surrounding the lawn mower, wherein the controller is configured to open/close-control the shutter device based on the humidity.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2017Publication date: October 10, 2019Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura, Shota Tanabe
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Patent number: 10390482Abstract: The power equipment such as a lawn mower (10) comprises an internal combustion engine (100) having a plurality of cylinders, an engine control unit (110) for selectively deactivating at least one of the cylinders, a work implement such as a cutting blade (70) connected to the engine in a power transmitting relationship, a clutch (80) provided in a power transmission path between the engine and the work implement, and a central control unit (50) for controlling an operation of a propelling device, the clutch and the engine control unit. The central control unit is configured to operate the engine at a prescribed rotational speed with two or more of the cylinders kept activated when the clutch is engaged and the propelling device is propelling the power equipment forward, and to deactivate at least one of the cylinders when an opening of a throttle valve is below a first prescribed value for a prescribed time period.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2017Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura, Norikazu Shimizu, Shota Tanabe, Tomohiro Miyauchi
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Patent number: 10306828Abstract: The lawn mower (10) comprises an internal combustion engine (100) having a plurality of cylinders, an engine control unit (110) for selectively deactivating at least one of the cylinders, a cutting blade (70) supported by a lawn mower main body via a cutter deck, and connected to the engine in a power transmitting relationship, a clutch (80) provided in a power transmission path between the engine and the cutting blade, a height adjustment mechanism (90) provided on the cutter deck for adjusting the height of the cutting blade, and a central control unit (50) for controlling an operation of the height adjusting mechanism, the clutch and the engine control unit. The central control unit is configured to cause the engine control unit to deactivate at least one of the cylinders when a prescribed operating condition is met, and to raise the cutting blade to a prescribed elevated height before deactivating the at least one of the cylinders.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2017Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura, Norikazu Shimizu, Shota Tanabe, Tomohiro Miyauchi
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Patent number: 10292326Abstract: In a mower (10) driven by a pair of electric motors (15), a battery (16) for supplying electric power to the electric motors is positioned in a space surrounded by the electric motors and a chute (30) for forwarding grass clippings to a grass collection bag (23). The chute extends rearward with an upward slant, and is bent in side view in such a manner that a lower part has a steeper incline than an upper part thereof.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2017Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shota Tanabe, Koji Kuriyagawa, Satoshi Onodera, Hajime Yoshimura
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Patent number: 10219437Abstract: The power equipment such as a lawn mower (10) comprises an internal combustion engine (100) having a plurality of cylinders, an engine control unit (110) for selectively deactivating at least one of the cylinders, a work implement such as a cutting blade (70) connected to the engine in a power transmitting relationship, a clutch (80) provided in a power transmission path between the engine and the work implement, and a central control unit (50) for controlling an operation of a propelling device, the clutch and the engine control unit. The central control unit is configured to start the engine with two or more of the cylinders activated, to cause the engine control unit to operate the engine at a prescribed rotational speed, and to cause the engine control unit to deactivate at least one of the cylinders when the engine has reached a stable state at the prescribed rotational speed.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2017Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura, Norikazu Shimizu, Shota Tanabe, Tomohiro Miyauchi
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Patent number: 10196788Abstract: A snow plow, includes a snow plowing part in the front of a machine body having a wheel and a blade; and an operating handle extending rearward from the machine body. The blade is provided at the machine body to be able to be lifted or lowered between a storage position at which the blade is lifted above lowermost surface of the wheel and a usage position at which the blade is lowered below the lowermost surface of the wheel. Any one of the operating handle and the machine body includes an operating member configured to operate the blade such that the blade is lifted or lowered between the storage position and the usage position.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2017Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Nobuo Yamazaki, Shota Tanabe
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Patent number: 10149432Abstract: In a mower (10) driven by a pair of electric motors (15) and using an engine (14) for driving a cutter blade (22), a fuel tank (16) for supplying fuel to the engine is positioned in a space surrounded by the electric motors and a chute (30) for forwarding grass clippings to a grass collection bag (23). The chute extends rearward with an upward slant, and is bent in side view in such a manner that a lower part has a steeper incline than an upper part thereof.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2017Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shota Tanabe, Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura, Satoshi Onodera
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Publication number: 20180266063Abstract: A snow plow, includes a snow plowing part in the front of a machine body having a wheel and a blade; and an operating handle extending rearward from the machine body. The blade is provided at the machine body to be able to be lifted or lowered between a storage position at which the blade is lifted above lowermost surface of the wheel and a usage position at which the blade is lowered below the lowermost surface of the wheel. Any one of the operating handle and the machine body includes an operating member configured to operate the blade such that the blade is lifted or lowered between the storage position and the usage position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2017Publication date: September 20, 2018Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Nobuo Yamazaki, Shota Tanabe
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Publication number: 20180177128Abstract: A lawn mower contains: a work unit including a housing having a downward-facing opening and a cutter blade rotatably provided in the housing such that when rotated, the cutter blade cuts grass and generates a transport air flow flowing from the opening of the housing to inside; a grass clippings receptacle configured to receive grass clippings cut by the work unit; a grass clippings transport passage connecting an interior of the housing with the grass clippings receptacle; a shutter device including a shutter configured to selectively open and close the grass clippings transport passage and an actuator configured to drive the shutter; a controller configured to control the shutter device; and a pressure sensor provided in the grass clippings transport passage to detect a pressure in the grass clippings transport passage, wherein the controller is configured to control the shutter device in accordance with the pressure detected by the pressure sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2017Publication date: June 28, 2018Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura, Shota Tanabe