Patents by Inventor Yoshihiro Kawahara

Yoshihiro Kawahara 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: 20030079454
    Abstract: A mid-mount type lawn tractor having idle wheels disposed at one end in a fore and aft direction of a vehicle body, drive wheels disposed at the other end in the fore and aft direction of the vehicle body, a mower unit connected to the vehicle body between the idle wheels and drive wheels. The lawn tractor includes a wheel support frame supporting the idle wheels and pivotably connected to the vehicle body. A pivotal movement of the wheel support frame relative to the vehicle body displaces the idle wheels relative to the vehicle body, to produce a running posture or a jack-up posture lifting at least part of the vehicle body. The pivotal movement of the wheel support frame is caused by a jack device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: Kazuo Samejima, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Yoshiyuki Esaki, Hironori Tsuchihashi, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Osami Fujiwara, Teruo Shimamura
  • Publication number: 20030062212
    Abstract: A riding mower includes a pair of right and left propelling wheels, an engine disposed rearwardly of axles of the propelling wheels, a pair of right and left transmission cases corresponding to the propelling wheels and supporting the propelling wheels, respectively, a pair of right and left HSTs coupled to the transmission cases for outputting power thereto, respectively, a center case housing a power distributor for transmitting power from the engine to the pair of right and left HSTs, and a mower unit disposed forwardly of the propelling wheels. The center case is disposed forwardly of the axles of the propelling wheels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 1999
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Inventors: KAZUO SAMEJIMA, HIRONORI TSUCHIHASHI, YOSHIKAZU TOGOSHI, YOSHIHIRO KAWAHARA, TERUO SHIMAMURA, OSAMI FUJIWARA, YOSHIYUKI ESAKI
  • Patent number: 6516597
    Abstract: A mid-mount type lawn tractor having idle wheels disposed at one end in a fore and aft direction of a vehicle body, drive wheels disposed at the other end in the fore and aft direction of the vehicle body, a mower unit connected to the vehicle body between the idle wheels and drive wheels. The lawn tractor includes a wheel support frame supporting the idle wheels and pivotably connected to the vehicle body. A pivotal movement of the wheel support frame relative to the vehicle body displaces the idle wheels relative to the vehicle body, to produce a running posture or a jack-up posture lifting at least part of the vehicle body. The pivotal movement of the wheel support frame is caused by a jack device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Samejima, Yoshikazu Togishi, Yoshiyuki Esaki, Hironori Tsuchihashi, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Osami Fujiwara, Teruo Shimamura
  • Patent number: 6082086
    Abstract: A reel-type cutting unit including a reel blade for cutting grass in cooperation with a fixed blade. The reel blade is rotatable about a horizontal axis extending transversely of a vehicle body, to move from front to rear relative to the fixed blade with respect to a forward traveling direction of the vehicle body. The cutting unit has a main case surrounding the reel blade to define a space for carrying grass clippings in a rotating direction of the reel blade to a top level of the reel blade. A guide member is connected to the main case for receiving the grass clippings carried to the top level. The guide member defines a grass receiving space having a grass discharge opening. The grass discharge opening is connected to a grass catcher through a duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Togoshi, Yoshiyuki Esaki, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Teruo Shimamura, Junichi Kitamura, Osami Fujiwara, Hideya Umemoto, Koji Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 6052973
    Abstract: A lawn tractor includes a vehicle body, a center reel-type cutting unit, and side reel-type cutting units arranged laterally of the center reel-type cutting unit with respect to a moving direction of the vehicle body, wherein a cutting track by the center reel-type cutting unit and cutting tracks by the side reel-type cutting units partly overlap one another. A first lift mechanism vertically movably connects the center reel-type cutting unit to the vehicle body, wherein the first lift mechanism is operable to raise and lower the center reel-type cutting unit without displacing the center reel-type cutting unit transversely of the moving direction. Second lift mechanisms vertically movably connect the side reel-type cutting units to the vehicle body, respectively, wherein the second lift mechanisms are operable to raise and lower the side reel-type cutting units without displacing the side reel-type cutting units transversely of the moving direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori Tsuchihashi, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Koji Fujiwara, Yoshiyuki Esaki, Kazuo Samejima, Junichi Kitamura, Matsuo Tachibana, Teruo Shimamura, Osami Fujiwara, Yoshihiro Kawahara
  • Patent number: 5758478
    Abstract: A front-mount mower tractor including a front axle case, a driver's platform disposed above the front axle case and in a front region of the tractor, a platform support frame having one end thereof fixed to the front axle case and extending under the driver's platform longitudinally forwardly of the tractor, and a mower unit raising and lowering link mechanism. The mower unit raising and lowering link mechanism includes lift links pivotally connected to the front axle case for suspending a mower unit from free ends thereof, lift arms pivotally connected to the front axle case above the lift links, at least a portion of each lift arm extending along a side surface of the platform support frame, connecting links each pivotally connected at one end thereof to one of the lift arms, and at the other end to one of the lift links, at least a portion of each connecting link extending along a side surface of the platform support frame, and a cylinder for swinging the right and left lift arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Niro Bando, Teruo Shimamura, Hironori Tsuchihashi, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Yoshiyuki Esaki, Yoshihiro Kawahara
  • Patent number: 5511631
    Abstract: A running control structure for a lawn tractor switchable between a two-wheel drive mode and a four-wheel drive mode. The control structure includes a first driving device for driving a first pair of wheels, a second driving device for driving a second pair of wheels, and a clutch mechanism for switching the second driving device between a driving state and a non-driving state. The clutch mechanism has a controller for operating a clutch, and a spring for biasing the controller to a position corresponding to the non-driving state of the second driving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori Tsuchihashi, Osami Fujiwara, Tuyoshi Satou, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Toshihiko Hamada, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Niro Bando
  • Patent number: 5295553
    Abstract: A working vehicle comprises front wheels, steerable rear wheels steerable up to a minimum radius turning region lying in a transverse direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body, and a rear wheel control device for steering the rear wheels. A restraining device is provided for preventing the rear wheels from being steered to the minimum radius turning region by the rear wheel control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Morita, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Terutaka Takei
  • Patent number: 5239812
    Abstract: A front mower having a grass cutting unit connectable to a front portion and a grass catcher connectable to a rear portion thereof, comprises a main frame structure extending longitudinally of a mower body. The main frame structure includes a pair of right and left front frames and a pair of right and left rear frames. The rear frames have front ends thereof connected to rear ends of the front frames, respectively, such that the rear frames are lower in level than the front frames. A lower auxiliary frame structure is suspended from the main frame structure. Front wheels and rear wheels are supported by the main frame structure. Axles of the rear wheels are swivelable about a vertical axis in a caster-like way to steer the mower. An engine is disposed in a region of the front frames between the front wheels and rear wheels and supported by the lower auxiliary frame structure. The engine and oil pan are disposed above the lower auxiliary frame structure. A driver's seat is disposed above the front frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Samejima, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Shigeru Morita, Terutaka Takei, Yoshikazu Togoshi
  • Patent number: 5231891
    Abstract: A change speed pedal mechanism for controlling a transmission of a working vehicle comprises a first pedal pivotable on an axis extending transversely of a vehicle body, and a second pedal disposed adjacent the first pedal and pivotable on an axis extending longitudinally of the vehicle body. The first pedal is connected to the transmission such that its depression shifts the transmission in a forward accelerating direction. The second pedal includes a linkage arm extending to a position under the first pedal. When the second pedal is depressed, the linkage arm lifts the first pedal, thereby shifting the transmission in a backward accelerating direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignee: Kubota Corp.
    Inventors: Shigeru Morita, Terutaka Takei, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Nobuhide Yanagawa
  • Patent number: 5216935
    Abstract: A bidirectional control arrangement for a vehicle comprising a seesaw type pedal including a forward drive depress pad and a backward drive depress pad for controlling a hydrostatic stepless transmission. A down-toe motion of an operator's foot applied to the forward drive depress pad controls the transmission for accelerating the vehicle forward, while a down-toe motion thereof applied to the backward drive depress pad controls the transmission to accelerate the vehicle backward. The forward and backward drive depress pads are spaced apart longitudinally of the vehicle and offset from each other transversely of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Kubota Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruo Shimamura, Kazuo Samejima, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Yoshihiro Kawahara
  • Patent number: 5199521
    Abstract: A lawn mower having a driver's section and a grass cutting unit forwardly of a vehicle body; an engine mounted between front and rear wheels; and a pair of main frames extending longitudinally of the vehicle body, each of the main frames including a front frame member, and a rear frame member connected to the front frame member and disposed at a lower level than the front frame member. The engine is mounted below the main frames between the front and rear wheels, and has a radiator disposed rearwardly of the engine and having an upper portion projecting upwardly of the rear frame members. The engine is surrounded by a first cover assembly including side covers depending respectively from the main frames, lower covers connecting the respective side covers to lower positions of the engine, and a front cover for closing an area forwardly of the engine. The first cover assembly defines first ambient air intake openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Samejima, Shigeru Morita, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Hideya Umemoto, Terutaka Takei, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Akiyoshi Takemoto
  • Patent number: 5079907
    Abstract: A riding lawn mower comprises a grass cutting unit and a blade housing movable between a substantially horizontal mowing position and an upturned servicing position. The blade housing is suspended by a raising and lowering link mechanism having one end connected to the blade housing and the other end connected to a vehicle body. The blade housing, when raised, is pivotable backward about a connection thereof to the raising and lowering link mechanism, to expose cutting blades mounted therein. This servicing position is maintained by a prop link pivotally connected to one end to the raising and lowering link mechanism, and connectable at the other end to a bracket formed on the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Sameshima, Hiroaki Kawakita, Shigeru Morita, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Yoshihiro Kawahara
  • Patent number: 5016722
    Abstract: A cab structure for a working vehicle comprising a driver's seat, and a steering wheel attached to a free end of a curved steering column. The steering column extends forwardly from a front fender located laterally of the driver's seat and then inwardly toward longitudinal centerline of the vehicle body. The steering wheel is pivotable, for positional adjustment, about an axis of the inwardly extending portion of the steering column. The steering column further carries a steering valve at the free end thereof, which is connected to a steering cylinder and a hydraulic pump through hydraulic rubber pipes extending through the steering column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: Kubota Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Morita, Terutaka Takei, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Yoshikazu Togoshi
  • Patent number: 4930296
    Abstract: A four wheel drive front mower having a grass cutting unit connected to the front of a vehicle body. This mower comprises a hydrostatic transmission, an auxiliary change speed gearing, and a propelling drive transmission. The propelling drive transmission includes a center differential for distributing output of the auxiliary change speed device to front wheels and rear wheels, a clutch for making and breaking drive transmission from the center differential to the front wheels, and a front differential for transmitting the drive from the clutch to right and left front axles. The center differential, clutch and front differential are arranged vertically and serially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Kubota Ltd.
    Inventors: Terutaka Takei, Shigeru Morita, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Yoshihiro Kawahara
  • Patent number: 4887680
    Abstract: A device for automatically connecting a work machine to a tractor includes a connector for interconnecting the rear ends of top link and lower links of a three-point link assembly pivoted to the body of the tractor. The connector has an upper engaging portion and lower engaging portions automatically engageable with an upper connecting portion and lower connecting portions of the work machine, respectively. The connector is further provided with an assembly for automatically coupling the input shaft of the work machine to a transmission shaft connected to the PTO shaft of the tractor. The coupling assembly includes a coiled spring supporting the rear end of the transmission shaft freely movably and axially movably for accommodating misalignment of the input shaft relative to the transmission shaft when the two shafts are to be coupled together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1989
    Assignee: Kubota Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenkichi Nozaka, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Takashi Fukutaka, Fumiharu Horie
  • Patent number: 4687357
    Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette is constructed such that it is unnecessary to wind off an ink ribbon at the start of every line printing process. The cassette includes two pairs of reels, each pair including an ink ribbon-winding off reel and an ink ribbon-winding up reel. The pairs of rails are rotatably mounted one above the other on a cassette casing which is detachably mounted on a carriage of a printer. The casing is provided with a driving shaft which is rotated in normal and reverse directions in response to reciprocal movement of the carriage. The driving shaft being provided with two one-way clutches transmitting the rotation of the shaft in opposite directions. Conveying members separately convey the ink ribbons for the respective pairs of reels and are driven by respective to the one-way clutches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Katsuragi, Hirofumi Ozaki, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Hideki Matsumoto, Tetsuro Tomoe, Kazuhiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: D297539
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: Kubota, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Morita, Hisato Katoh, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Kenkichi Nosaka
  • Patent number: D340459
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1993
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kawakita, Toshihiko Hamada, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Akiyoshi Takemoto, Terutaka Takei
  • Patent number: D389490
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Teruo Shimamura, Akio Matsui, Yoshihiro Kawahara, Osami Fujiwara, Yoshikazu Togoshi, Hironori Tsuchihashi, Kenichi Chujo, Hideya Umemoto, Niro Bando