Power generator unit

• US 20040004356A1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Motor Power Products Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Akimoto, Satoru, Kajiya, Shinichi, Takahashi, Hidenori, Yokokura, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 6,917,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/1B
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2063/046 Handles adapted therefor, e.g. handles or grips for movable units
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/04 for electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/048 Portable engine-generator combinations
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/16 Engines characterised by number of cylinders, e.g. single-cylinder engines F02B75/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A power generator unit incorporates an engine and a generator driven by the engine. The generator incorporates a multi piece sound insulation cover that allows for efficient cooling of the various internal components. A plurality of cooling paths are created within the cover and air is drawn into and through the cover by two separate fans. An engine cooling fan draws in cooling air through a generally dedicated cooling air vent(s) to cool an electronic control(unit, an engine cylinder, and a muffler. A generator cooling fan draws in cooling air through an additional cooling air vent(s) to cool an engine crankcase and the generator. The insulation cover provides quiet operation and efficient cooling of the power generator.

Claims

1. A power generator unit comprising an engine, a generator driven by the engine, at least one fan driven by the engine, a cover enclosing at least the fan and including at least one air intake opening, and an electronic control module communicating with at least one of the engine and generator so as to control at least one operational characteristic of the power generator, the electronic control module positioned immediately next to, but separate from, the at least one air intake opening.

2. The power generator unit of claim 1, wherein the engine has a crankshaft, the fan is driven off one side of the crankshaft, and the generator is driven off the other side of the crankshaft.

3. The power generator unit of claim 1, wherein the engine directly drives the fan.

4. The power generator of claim 1, wherein the cover also encloses the engine and the generator.

5. The power generator unit of claim 1, wherein the cover defines a plurality of air intake openings and the electronic control module includes a generally planar surface that lies next to each of the openings.

6. The power generator unit of claim 5, wherein the generally planar surface of the electronic control module includes a plurality of cooling fins.

7. The power generator unit of claim 6, wherein the electronic control module is disposed within the cover generally at the same elevation as the fan within the cover, and at least some of the cooling fins extend in a generally vertical direction.

8. The power generator unit of claim 1, wherein the cover includes a control panel, and the at least one air intake opening is disposed on the same side of the cover as the control panel.

9. The power generator unit of claim 1 additionally comprising a fuel tank enclosed within the cover, the fan being disposed at a position generally between the fuel tank and the engine.

10. The power generator unit of claim 9, wherein the generator is located generally on a side of the engine opposite of the side on which the fan is disposed.

11. The power generator unit of claim 1, wherein the air intake opening is disposed on one side of the cover, the fan is arranged to draw in external air through the air intake opening, the engine being disposed downstream of the fan, and the discharge opening being disposed downstream of the engine, whereby a cooling air path occurs when the engine drives the fan to draw external air through the air intake opening to cool the electronic control module and at least a portion of the engine, and thence to discharge heated air through the discharge opening.

12. The power generator unit of claim 11 additionally comprising a second air intake opening and a second fan, the second air intake opening being disposed relative to the fans such that at least a principal portion of external air drawn through the second air intake opening passes through the second fan and exits the cover through the discharge opening so as to produce a second cooling air path, the generator being disposed generally in the second cooling air path.

13. The power generator unit of claim 12, wherein another portion of the engine is disposed upstream of the second fan so as to lie at least partially in the second cooling path.

14. The power generator unit of claim 11, wherein the engine includes a muffler that is disposed between the first body portion of the engine and the discharge opening so as to lie at least partially in the first cooling air path.

15. The power generator unit of claim 1, wherein the cover encloses the engine and the generator and includes a bottom portion, and the engine, the generator and the electronic control module each being mounted to the bottom portion of the cover.

16. The power generator unit of claim 15 additionally comprising a fuel tank mounted to the bottom portion of the cover and arranged within the cover to lie next to the electronic control module, and the fan is arranged between the engine and the fuel tank.

17. The power generator unit of claim 1, wherein said electronic control module completely covers the at least one air intake opening.

18. The power generator unit of claim 1, wherein the cover includes at least one portion comprising a sound insulating material.

19. The power generator unit of claim 1, wherein said insulating cover defines a handle to carry the power generator unit.

20. A power generator unit comprising a cover having at least a first air intake opening, a second air intake opening, and a discharge opening, an engine including a first body portion that defines, at least in part, a combustion chamber, a second body portion disposed next to the first body portion, and at least one muffler that receives exhaust gases from the combustion chamber, a generator driven by the engine, at least a first fan and a second fan, each fan driven by the engine, the first air intake opening being disposed on one side of the cover, the first fan arranged to draw in external air through the first air intake opening, the engine being disposed downstream of the first fan, and the discharge opening being disposed downstream of the engine, whereby a first cooling air path occurs when the engine drives the first fan to draw external air through the first air intake opening to cool at least the first body portion of the engine and thence to discharge heated air through the discharge opening, the second air intake opening being disposed relative to the first and second fans such that at least a principal portion of external air drawn through the second air intake opening passes through the second fan and exits the cover through the discharge opening so as to produce a second cooling air path, the generator being disposed generally in the second cooling air path.

21. The power generator unit of claim 20, wherein the second fan includes a rotatable blade and a shrouding disposed around at least a side of the blade that faces away from the engine, the shrouding defining at least one effluent opening for the air to exit the second fan, the effluent opening being disposed on an upper side of the shrouding.

22. The power generator unit of claim 20, wherein the first body portion of the engine includes at least one cooling fin.

23. The power generator unit of claim 20, wherein the muffler is disposed between the first body portion of the engine and the discharge opening so as at least partially to lie in the first cooling air path.

24. The power generator unit of claim 20, wherein the muffler is disposed generally above the second fan.

25. The power generator unit of claim 20, wherein the second portion of the engine is disposed upstream of the second fan so as at least partially to lie in the second cooling path.

26. The power generator unit of claim 20 additionally comprising an electronic control module communicating with at least one of the engine and generator so as to control at least one operational characteristic of the power generator unit;

the module being disposed between the first air intake opening and the first fan in the first cooling air path.

27. The power generator unit of claim 20, wherein the first cooling fan is configured to distribute cooling air at a level generally above the second cooling fan.

28. The power generator unit of claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the first cooling air path is located generally above a portion of the second cooling air path.

29. The power generator unit of claim 20 additionally comprising guide members disposed within the cover and arranged so as to promote separation between the first and second cooling air paths.

30. The power generator unit of claim 20 additionally comprising a guide member disposed at the discharge opening to separate the first cooling air path from the second cooling air path, the guide member being configured to direct cooling air, which has flowed along the second cooling air path, away from the first cooling path as such cooling air exits the cover through the discharge opening.

31. The power generator unit of claim 20, wherein the engine additionally includes a crankshaft, and the second body portion of the engine supports, at least in part, the crankshaft of the engine.

32. The power generator unit of claim 20, wherein the engine includes a recoil starter that is activated by a starter cable, and the starter cable extends through the cover at a point near the second air intake opening.

33. A power generator unit comprising a cover including a bottom portion, an engine disposed within the cover, a generator driven by the engine, a fuel tank mounted onto the bottom portion of the cover, and an electronic control module communicating with at least one of the engine and the generator, the electronic control module being mounted onto the bottom portion of the cover near the fuel tank.

34. The power generator unit of claim 33, wherein the bottom portion of the cover defines at least first, second and third mounting areas, the second mounting area disposed generally between the first and third mounting areas, the fuel tank mounted at the first mounting area, the engine mounted at the second mounting area, and the generator mounted at the third mounting area.

35. The power generator unit of claim 34, wherein the bottom portion of the cover defines a fourth mounting area that is located between a sidewall of the cover and the first mounting area and generally to one side of the first, second and third mounting areas, and the electronic control module is mounted at the fourth mounting area.

36. The power generator unit of claim 33, wherein the cover additionally includes a pair of split cover pieces that are supported by the bottom portion of the cover.

37. The power generator unit of claim 36, wherein one of the split cover pieces includes a control panel on a front side of the power generator unit, and the other one of the split cover pieces defines an access opening on a rear side of the power generator unit.

38. The power generator unit of claim 37 additionally comprising at least one electrical component disposed behind the control panel, and the electronic control module is disposed beneath the electrical component.

39. The power generator unit of claim 37, wherein the engine includes a recoil starter that is activated by a starter cable, and the starter cable extends through the cover at a point generally next to the electronic control module and generally below the control panel.

40. The power generator unit of claim 36, wherein the cover additionally includes a side cover piece that is attached to the bottom portion of the cover and to both split cover pieces, and the side cover piece defines a discharge opening.

41. The power generator unit of claim 36, wherein the split cover pieces together define a handle on the cover.

42. The power generator unit of claim 33, wherein the cover includes a least a portion comprising a sound insulating material.