IP Library Granted Patent US 12,611,920
Granted Patent B2
US 12,611,920 · App. 18/532,030 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Electric work vehicle

Inventor: David Kieke (Fremont, CA)
Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
B60K1/02B60K17/04B60L1/003B60L50/60H01M50/249B60L2200/40B60L2220/42B60L2220/46H01M2220/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,611,920
App. No.
18/532,030
Granted
Apr 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electric work vehicle includes a frame, a rear housing, a first motor to drive a first front wheel, the first motor being support by the frame, a second motor to drive a second front wheel, the second motor being support by the frame, a third motor to drive a first rear wheel, the third motor being support by the rear housing, and a fourth motor to drive a second rear wheel, the fourth motor being support by the rear housing. The first motor and the second motor are spaced apart from each other by a first distance in a left-right direction of the electric work vehicle. The third motor and the fourth motor are spaced apart from each other by a second distance in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle. The first distance is shorter than the second distance.

Claims (69)

1 . An electric work vehicle comprising:

a frame;

a rear housing;

a first motor to drive a first front wheel, the first motor being support by the frame;

a second motor to drive a second front wheel, the second motor being support by the frame;

a third motor to drive a first rear wheel, the third motor being support by the rear housing;

a battery housing supported by the frame and including a wide battery housing portion and a narrow battery housing portion; and

a fourth motor to drive a second rear wheel, the fourth motor being support by the rear housing; wherein

the first motor and the second motor are spaced apart from each other by a first distance in a left-right direction of the electric work vehicle;

the third motor and the fourth motor are spaced apart from each other by a second distance in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle; and

the first distance is shorter than the second distance; and

a straight line which extends in parallel with a front-rear direction of the electric work vehicle intersects both of the third motor and a side surface of the narrow battery housing portion.

2 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the outermost portion of a first gearing driven by the first motor is located outward from an outside surface of the narrow battery housing portion and inward from an outside surface of the wide battery housing portion in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle in a plan view.

3 . An electric work vehicle, comprising:

a frame;

a rear housing;

a first motor to drive a first front wheel, the first motor being support by the frame;

a second motor to drive a second front wheel, the second motor being support by the frame;

a third motor to drive a first rear wheel, the third motor being support by the rear housing;

a fourth motor to drive a second rear wheel, the fourth motor being support by the rear housing;

front gearings to drive the first front wheel and the second front wheel respectively connected between the first motor and the first front wheel and the second motor and the second front wheel;

front electric harnesses which are electrically connected to the first motor and the second motor; and

rear gearings to drive the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel respectively connected between the third motor and the first rear wheel and the fourth motor and the second rear wheel; wherein

the first motor and the second motor are spaced apart from each other by a first distance in a left-right direction of the electric work vehicle;

the third motor and the fourth motor are spaced apart from each other by a second distance in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle;

the first distance is shorter than the second distance;

the front gearings are located outside of the first motor and the second motor in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle and the front electric harnesses are located inside of the first motor and the second motor in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle; and

the rear gearings are located inside of the third motor and the fourth motor in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle.

4 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a fifth motor to drive a first electric work vehicle component other than a wheel, the fifth motor being supported by the rear housing; and

a sixth motor to drive a second electric work vehicle component other than a wheel, the sixth motor being supported by the rear housing; wherein

at least a portion of the rear gearings are located above the fifth motor in an up-down direction of the vehicle; and

the fifth motor is supported by the rear housing at a position between the third motor and the fourth motor.

5 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

the first electric work vehicle component includes a Power Take-Off (PTO).

6 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

the second electric work vehicle component includes a hydraulic system.

7 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

an axis of the sixth motor extends in parallel or substantially in parallel with an axis of the third motor and an axis of the fourth motor.

8 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

an axis of the fifth motor extends perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to an axis of the third motor and an axis of the fourth motor.

9 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

an axis of the fifth motor is lower than an axis of the third motor and an axis of the fourth motor in an up-down direction of the electric work vehicle.

10 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

an axis the sixth motor is lower than an axis of the third motor and an axis of the fourth motor in an up-down direction of the electric work vehicle.

11 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein

an axis of the fourth motor is collinear with an axis of the third motor.

12 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

the fifth motor is located closer to one of the third motor or the fourth motor and farther from another one of the third motor or the fourth motor.

13 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

the fifth motor is larger than each of the first, motor, the second motor, the third motor, the fourth motor, and the sixth motor.

14 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a gear casing affixed to a portion of the rear housing; wherein

a portion of the rear gearings is located within the gear casing.

15 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein

a width of the gear casing in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle is thinner than a width of the rear housing in the left-right direction.

16 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein

the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel are connected to respective rear wheel hubs which are mounted to the gear casing.

17 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein

the rear gearings include a plurality of interlinking gears and extend from the rear housing into the gear casing.

18 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

the third motor is located on a left side of the rear housing;

the fourth motor is located on a right side of the rear housing;

the fifth motor is located on a front side of the rear housing; and

the sixth motor is located on the left side of the rear housing.

19 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein

the PTO includes a PTO shaft connected to the fifth motor through at least one PTO gear; and

the PTO shaft is located below an output shaft of the PTO in the up-down direction of the electric work vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2023
From: KIEKE, DAVID
To: KUBOTA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065805/0527 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63546271 · Oct 30, 2023
Related Publication 20250135858A1 · May 1, 2025
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