Patents by Inventor Tomoyuki Ebihara

Tomoyuki Ebihara 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: 9222581
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission control system includes a continuously variable transmission device having an electricity-driven actuator that changes an width between a moveable sheave and a fixed sheave in at least one pulley of a drive pulley and a driven pulley, and a control device that controls driving of the electricity-driven actuator. The control device selects, from a plurality of speed relationships, each of which is a relationship between an input shaft rotational speed of the drive pulley and an output shaft rotational speed of the driven pulley, one speed relationship according to an input of a switch command signal or a drive state of the vehicle, and changes the width between the moveable sheave and the fixed sheave based on the selected speed relationship and detected values of the input shaft rotational speed and the output shaft rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: KANZAKI KOKYUKOKI MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazunari Koga, Minoru Kamada, Tomoyuki Ebihara
  • Patent number: 9125341
    Abstract: A riding mower including two mower blades that rotate to mow grass and generate air flows, the two mower blades including a left mower blade and a right mower blade, a mower deck, two motors that rotate the respective mower blades and a controller is provided. The left and right mower blades being provided adjacent to each other and one of the left and right mower blades being disposed obliquely in front of the other mower blade. The riding mower generates a combined air flow and discharges mowed grass to the outside of the mower deck together with the combined air flow. The controller controls such that a difference between the rotational speeds of the left and right mower blades is changed at a predetermined period and the mowed grass is discharged to the rear of the mower deck uniformly in a lateral direction of the mower deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Ebihara, Masafumi Yasaka
  • Publication number: 20150068824
    Abstract: A powertrain system for driving a vehicle comprises an engine, a transaxle including a hydraulic motor, a hydraulic pump separated from the hydraulic motor, and a gearbox joined to the hydraulic pump. The engine includes an engine output shaft extended in the lateral direction of the vehicle. The hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor are fluidly connected to each other so as to constitute a hydrostatic transmission. The gearbox supports a PTO shaft. The gearbox incorporates gears for drivingly connecting the engine output shaft to the hydraulic pump, and for drivingly connecting the engine output shaft to the PTO shaft extended in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Jun MATSUURA, Koji IWAKI, Tomoyuki EBIHARA
  • Publication number: 20150011344
    Abstract: A belt type continuously variable transmission device includes an actuator that moves a moveable sheave member of a drive pulley which is a one-side pulley in an axial direction. The actuator includes a moveable feed member, a gear case, and an electric motor. The moveable feed member includes an inner tube section in which a moveable-side feed screw is provided, an outer tube section in which an outer gear is provided, and a lid section. The gear case has a fixed tube section in which a fixed-side feed screw is provided, and an outer cover. The electric motor drives a motor-side gear that intermeshes with the outer gear. The outer cover has an opening into which the outer tube section is inserted and that proximately opposes an outer circumferential surface of the outer tube section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: TOMOYUKI EBIHARA, Tatsuya Kamada, Michio Tsukamoto, Koji Iwaki
  • Patent number: 8899381
    Abstract: An electric transaxle according to the invention comprises a transaxle casing, an electric motor, an axle, a gear mechanism, first and second fluid sumps, and first and second fluid introduction passages. The transaxle casing defines a gear chamber therein. The electric motor includes a motor casing attached to the transaxle casing. The axle is supported by the transaxle casing. The gear mechanism transmits power from the electric motor to the axle. Fluid of the first fluid sump raised by driving the gear mechanism is supplied to the second fluid sump. The first fluid introduction passage introduces the fluid raised from the first fluid sump to the second fluid sump when the axle is rotated in a forward traveling direction. The second fluid introduction passage introduces the fluid raised from the first fluid sump to the second fluid sump when the axle is rotated in a backward traveling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Ebihara, Hiroaki Hashima, Kengo Sasahara
  • Patent number: 8845474
    Abstract: In a four-wheel drive vehicle, a first transaxle is disposed on one of front and rear sides of a power unit so as to be drivingly connected to one of front and rear ends of a transmission output shaft of the power unit. A second transaxle is disposed on the other of the front and rear sides of the power unit. A clutch-brake unit includes a clutch and a parking brake. An input shaft of the second transaxle is divided in the clutch-brake unit into upstream and downstream divisional shafts. The upstream divisional shaft is drivingly connected to the other of the front and rear ends of the transmission output shaft. The downstream divisional shaft is drivingly connected to right and left second drive wheels carried by the second transaxle. The clutch is interposed between the upstream and downstream divisional shafts. The parking brake is disposed on the upstream divisional shaft. When the parking brake is shifted to a braking state, the clutch having been disengaged is automatically engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Kochidomari, Eiji Kashu, Tomoyuki Ebihara
  • Publication number: 20140248994
    Abstract: In a four-wheel drive vehicle, a first transaxle is disposed on one of front and rear sides of a power unit so as to be drivingly connected to one of front and rear ends of a transmission output shaft of the power unit. A second transaxle is disposed on the other of the front and rear sides of the power unit. A clutch-brake unit includes a clutch and a parking brake. An input shaft of the second transaxle is divided in the clutch-brake unit into upstream and downstream divisional shafts. The upstream divisional shaft is drivingly connected to the other of the front and rear ends of the transmission output shaft. The downstream divisional shaft is drivingly connected to right and left second drive wheels carried by the second transaxle. The clutch is interposed between the upstream and downstream divisional shafts. The parking brake is disposed on the upstream divisional shaft. When the parking brake is shifted to a braking state, the clutch having been disengaged is automatically engaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: KANZAKI KOKYUKOKI MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Kochidomari, Eiji Kashu, Tomoyuki Ebihara
  • Publication number: 20140243125
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission control system includes a continuously variable transmission device having an electricity-driven actuator that changes an width between a moveable sheave and a fixed sheave in at least one pulley of a drive pulley and a driven pulley, and a control device that controls driving of the electricity-driven actuator. The control device selects, from a plurality of speed relationships, each of which is a relationship between an input shaft rotational speed of the drive pulley and an output shaft rotational speed of the driven pulley, one speed relationship according to an input of a switch command signal or a drive state of the vehicle, and changes the width between the moveable sheave and the fixed sheave based on the selected speed relationship and detected values of the input shaft rotational speed and the output shaft rotational speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari KOGA, Minoru KAMADA, Tomoyuki EBIHARA
  • Publication number: 20140137527
    Abstract: Provided is a mobile electric work machine that can avoid overload operation of working parts. The mobile electric work machine is an electric lawn mowing work machine that carries out work by working parts driven by electric power supplied by blade inverters while being run by a running part. The blade rotational velocity of a blade or the rotational velocity of a blade is controlled such that the work load on the working parts is constant on the basis of blade inverter current values from blade inverters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Motegi, Tomoyuki Ebihara
  • Patent number: 8701806
    Abstract: An electric transaxle unit includes an axle, an electric motor for driving the axle, a motor shaft serving as an output shaft of the electric motor, the motor shaft being not coaxial to the axle, a deceleration gear train interposed between the motor shaft and the axle, a brake adapted to brake any element in a power train between the motor shaft and the axle via the deceleration gear train, and a casing. The casing incorporates the axle, the electric motor, the motor shaft, the deceleration gear train and the brake. The casing includes an attachment portion to be attached to a frame, and wherein the attachment portion has a constant height from a center axis of the axle regardless of whether the casing is vertically inversed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiro Ishii, Tomoyuki Ebihara, Kengo Sasahara, Masaya Itou
  • Publication number: 20140102065
    Abstract: A battery car 25 which supplies electrical power to a running motor 16 and a mower motor 15 is included, wheels 34, 38 for facilitating the movement is attached to the battery car 25, and the battery car 25 is connected to a rear portion of a chassis 11 in a freely attachable and detachable manner. Moreover, a bracket 50 for connecting the battery car 25 is included in the rear portion of the chassis 11, and a locking shaft 74 to be connected to the bracket 50 is included in the battery car 25.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuma Moriguchi, Tomoyuki Ebihara
  • Publication number: 20140059989
    Abstract: A riding lawnmower includes left and right wheels, at least one caster wheel, a lawnmower blade or reel, and a control section. The left and right wheels are independently driven by electric rotary machines to travel. The lawnmower blade or reel is driven for mowing. The control section, in response to turn instruction input by a turn operator, controls the left and right wheels according to preset standard setting conditions, or according to deceleration setting conditions which differ from the standard setting conditions, under which at least one of a vehicle movement speed and vehicle turning speed is decelerated more than under standard setting conditions. The riding lawnmower includes a section designating either standard setting conditions or deceleration setting conditions. In a riding lawnmower, left and right wheels are caused to turn around a turn center position corresponding to a turn instruction according to designated setting conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiro Ishii, Kengo Sasahara, Kazunari Koga, Jun Matsuura, Tomoyuki Ebihara, Katsumoto Mizukawa
  • Patent number: 8657041
    Abstract: A control system for a lawnmower vehicle having a plurality of electric motors may include at least one controller for controlling operation of the drive wheel electric motor in response to an operation amount of at least one operator. The controller may control operation of a driver for driving a mower-related electric motor to cause the mower-related electric motor to activate or stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiro Ishii, Kengo Sasahara, Kazunari Koga, Jun Matsuura, Tomoyuki Ebihara, Katsumoto Mizukawa
  • Patent number: 8578687
    Abstract: A ride-on mower can easily lift mower deck up and down so that it remains horizontal. The ride-on mower has driving motors, mower blades spinning for mowing grass, mowing motors for the mower blades, batteries for the driving motors and the mowing motors, a mower deck for covering the mower blades from the above and sides and for setting the mowing motors on, and a mower deck lifting device for lifting up and down the mower deck. The mower deck lifting device has a booster for assisting the mower deck lifting device in lifting the mower deck up and down, and the mower deck lifting device is set at the center on the mower deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Ebihara, Kazuma Moriguchi, Keiichi Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20130269328
    Abstract: A hydrostatic stepless transmission (“HST”) includes a center casing into which a plunger block of a hydraulic pump and a plunger block of a hydraulic motor are inserted. Plunger ports are open and aligned peripherally on an outer peripheral surface of each plunger block. A pair of main fluid passages of a closed fluid circuit fluidly connecting the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor are formed in opposite side portions of the center casing. Each of the main fluid passage includes peripheral grooves formed on an inner peripheral surface of the center casing so as to face the plunger ports of the respective plunger blocks, and includes an axial fluid duct formed to be interposed between the peripheral grooves. A bearing gap is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the center casing and the outer peripheral surface of the plunger block so as to cause a dynamic pressure action of fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji IWAKI, Jun Matsuura, Daisuke Murashima, Tomoyuki Ebihara, Minoru Kamada
  • Patent number: 8544570
    Abstract: A riding lawnmower includes left and right wheels, at least one caster wheel, a lawnmower blade or reel, and a control section. The left and right wheels are independently driven by electric rotary machines to travel. The lawnmower blade or reel is driven for mowing. The control section, in response to turn instruction input by a turn operator, controls the left and right wheels according to preset standard setting conditions, or according to deceleration setting conditions which differ from the standard setting conditions, under which at least one of a vehicle movement speed and vehicle turning speed is decelerated more than under standard setting conditions. The riding lawnmower includes a section designating either standard setting conditions or deceleration setting conditions. In a riding lawnmower, left and right wheels are caused to turn around a turn center position corresponding to a turn instruction according to designated setting conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiro Ishii, Kengo Sasahara, Kazunari Koga, Jun Matsuura, Tomoyuki Ebihara, Katsumoto Mizukawa
  • Publication number: 20130212995
    Abstract: A riding mower includes two (left and right) mower blades, a mower deck, and two motors for rotating the mower blades. The mower blades are provided adjacent to each other, and one of the two mower blades is disposed obliquely in front of the other mower blade. In a plan view, the left mower blade is rotated clockwise and the right mower blade is rotated counterclockwise. A combined air flow is generated in the mower deck, and mowed grass is discharged to the outside of the mower deck together with the combined air flow. The rotational speed of the forward mower blade is set higher than the rearward mower blade. The speed of the air flow generated by the forward mower blade is higher than the rearward mower blade. The combined air flow is generated and the mowed grass is discharged rearward of the mower deck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Ebihara, Masafumi Yasaka
  • Publication number: 20130019707
    Abstract: An electric transaxle according to the invention comprises a transaxle casing, an electric motor, an axle, a gear mechanism, first and second fluid sumps, and first and second fluid introduction passages. The transaxle casing defines a gear chamber therein. The electric motor includes a motor casing attached to the transaxle casing. The axle is supported by the transaxle casing. The gear mechanism transmits power from the electric motor to the axle. Fluid of the first fluid sump raised by driving the gear mechanism is supplied to the second fluid sump. The first fluid introduction passage introduces the fluid raised from the first fluid sump to the second fluid sump when the axle is rotated in a forward traveling direction. The second fluid introduction passage introduces the fluid raised from the first fluid sump to the second fluid sump when the axle is rotated in a backward traveling direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Ebihara, Hiroaki Hashima, Kengo Sasahara
  • Patent number: 8267205
    Abstract: A riding work vehicle includes right and left wheels, at least one caster wheel, and a working machine. The lawnmower vehicle further includes traveling motor, steering motor, a traveling system clutch, and a steering system clutch. The traveling system clutch is configured to disable transmission of the rotational force from an axle of the caster wheel to the traveling motor in a state where the traveling motor is deactivated. The steering system clutch is configured to disable transmission of the rotational force from a steering shaft for the caster wheel to the steering motor in a state where the steering motor is deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiro Ishii, Tomoyuki Ebihara, Kengo Sasahara
  • Patent number: 8240414
    Abstract: An electric lawn mower includes a main frame, a mower deck supported by the main frame, a castor supported by the main frame, a sub frame, a pair of transaxles, and a pair of motor drivers. Each of the transaxles includes a transaxle housing, an electric motor disposed in the transaxle housing, a single axle supported by the transaxle housing, and a drive wheel fixed on the axle outside of the transaxle housing. The motor drivers supply electric power to the respective motors of the respective transaxles. The sub frame, supporting the transaxles and the motor drivers, is connected to the main frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Yanmar Co., Ltd., Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kengo Sasahara, Tomoyuki Ebihara, Mitsuhiro Nakagaki, Kazuma Moriguchi, Keiji Matsumoto