Portable generator including carbon monoxide detector

• US 10,475,319 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2019
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Briggs & Stratton LLC (Briggs & Stratton Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
• Inventors: Janscha, Ryan D., Procknow, David W., Nigh, Brandon, Willer, Mark David
• Primary Examiner(s): Casillashernandez, Omar
• Application Number:
  US16/395,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20190251817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 201 Days
• Field of Search: 340632
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/004 for CO, CO2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/117 by using a detection device for specific gases, e.g. combustion products, produced by the fire G08B17/103, G08B17/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/00 Audible signalling systems; Audible personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/224 Paging receivers with visible signalling details
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/06 for dynamo-electric generators; for synchronous capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/00 Arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with dynamo-electric machines, e.g. structural association with mechanical driving motors or auxiliary dynamo-electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1815 structurally associated with reciprocating piston engines general aspects of generating sets, e.g. housing, F02B63/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

A generator includes an engine, an air-fuel mixing device coupled to the engine, where the air-fuel mixing device is structured to receive air from an air intake and combine the air with fuel to create an air/fuel mixture, an exhaust outlet positioned on a first side of the generator and coupled to the engine, wherein the exhaust outlet is structured to emit exhaust gases from the engine, and a carbon monoxide (CO) sensor positioned on a second side of the generator opposite the exhaust outlet, where the CO sensor is structured to detect CO concentration near the generator.

Claims

1. A generator comprising:

an engine;

an air-fuel mixing device coupled to the engine, wherein the air-fuel mixing device is structured to receive air from an air intake and combine the air with fuel to create an air/fuel mixture;

an exhaust outlet structured to emit exhaust gases from the engine; and

a CO sensor structured to detect CO concentration;

a CO sensor controller coupled to the CO sensor and structured to control operation of the CO sensor, wherein the CO sensor controller comprises;

a shutdown circuit structured to;

determine an environment of the generator, the environment including at least an enclosed environment and an open environment;

determine a first predetermined threshold for the enclosed environment; and

determine a second predetermined threshold for the open environment; and

an alert circuit structured to receive an alert indication from the shutdown circuit and alert a user of the generator to the detected CO concentration.

2. The generator of claim 1, wherein the CO sensor is positioned on an opposite side of the generator from the exhaust outlet.

3. The generator of claim 1, wherein the shutdown circuit is further structured to complete a shutdown procedure upon determining that a maximum CO concentration threshold is exceeded, the maximum CO concentration threshold unrelated to the environment.

4. The generator of claim 1, wherein the shutdown circuit is further structured to complete a shutdown procedure upon determining the generator is in the enclosed environment and the first predetermined threshold is exceeded.

5. The generator of claim 1, wherein the shutdown circuit is further structured to complete a shutdown procedure upon determining the generator is in the open environment and the second predetermined threshold is exceeded.

6. The generator of claim 1, wherein the shutdown circuit determines the environment of the generator by calculating a slope of a variance of output values from the CO sensor.

7. A method of shutting down a generator including an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

determining, by a CO sensor controller, an environment of the generator, the environment comprising at least one of an enclosed environment and an open environment;

determining, by the CO sensor controller, a first predetermined threshold for the enclosed environment and a second predetermined threshold for the open environment; and

completing, by the CO sensor controller, a shutdown procedure upon determining the generator is in the enclosed environment and the first predetermined threshold is exceeded.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving, by the CO sensor controller, an alert indication, the alert indication including a determination that the first predetermined threshold and the generator is in the enclosed environment; and

prior to completing the shutdown procedure, generating, by the CO sensor controller, an alert alerting a user of the generator to the detected CO concentration.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the shutdown circuit is further structured to complete a shutdown procedure upon determining the generator is in the open environment and the second predetermined threshold is exceeded.

10. A generator comprising:

an engine;

an air-fuel mixing device coupled to the engine, wherein the air-fuel mixing device is structured to receive air from an air intake and combine the air with fuel to create an air/fuel mixture;

an exhaust outlet structured to emit exhaust gases from the engine; and

a CO sensor structured to detect CO concentration;

a CO sensor controller coupled to the CO sensor and structured to control operation of the CO sensor, wherein the CO sensor controller comprises;

a shutdown circuit structured to determine an environment of the generator and complete a shutdown procedure upon determining that a maximum CO concentration threshold is exceeded, the maximum CO concentration threshold unrelated to the environment; and

an alert circuit structured to receive an alert indication from the shutdown circuit and alert a user of the generator to the detected CO concentration.

11. The generator of claim 10, wherein the CO sensor is positioned on an opposite side of the generator from the exhaust outlet.

12. A generator comprising:

an engine;

an air-fuel mixing device coupled to the engine, wherein the air-fuel mixing device is structured to receive air from an air intake and combine the air with fuel to create an air/fuel mixture;

an exhaust outlet structured to emit exhaust gases from the engine; and

a CO sensor structured to detect CO concentration;

a CO sensor controller coupled to the CO sensor and structured to control operation of the CO sensor, wherein the CO sensor controller comprises;

a shutdown circuit structured to determine an environment of the generator by calculating a slope of a variance of output values from the CO sensor; and

an alert circuit structured to receive an alert indication from the shutdown circuit and alert a user of the generator to the detected CO concentration.

13. The generator of claim 12, wherein the CO sensor is positioned on an opposite side of the generator from the exhaust outlet.