BATTERY CHARGING AND ISOLATION SYSTEM FOR GAS ENGINE
First Claim
1. A control system for an internal combustion engine having a battery for electric start operation and a mechanical starter for manual start operation, the control system comprising:
- a transformer configured to generate a high voltage output for providing a spark;
a power regulation circuit having an input adapted to receive the high voltage output and generate a low voltage supply; and
a battery charging circuit having a switching element adapted to receive the low voltage supply and operatively couple the low voltage supply to the battery to charge the battery, the battery charging circuit including disconnecting circuitry operatively coupled to the switching element, wherein if a voltage level of the battery falls below a predetermined threshold value, the disconnecting circuitry turns off the transistor to electrically disconnect the battery from the low voltage supply and disable the battery charging operation;
wherein the mechanical starter is configured to start the engine if the battery is insufficiently charged to drive the electric motor to start the engine.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control system is adapted to control an internal combustion engine, which has a battery for electric start operation and a mechanical starter for manual start operation. The control system includes a transformer configured to generate a high voltage output for providing a spark, and a power regulation circuit having an input adapted to receive the high voltage output and generate a low voltage supply. A battery charging circuit includes a switching element adapted to receive the low voltage supply and operatively couple the low voltage supply to the battery to charge the battery. The battery charging circuit includes a disconnecting circuitry diode operatively coupled to the switching element so that if a voltage level of the battery falls below a predetermined value, the disconnecting circuitry diode turns off the transistor to electrically disconnect the battery from the low voltage supply and disable the electric start operation. The mechanical starter is configured to start the engine if the battery is insufficiently charged to drive the electric motor to start the engine.
97 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A control system for an internal combustion engine having a battery for electric start operation and a mechanical starter for manual start operation, the control system comprising:
-
a transformer configured to generate a high voltage output for providing a spark; a power regulation circuit having an input adapted to receive the high voltage output and generate a low voltage supply; and a battery charging circuit having a switching element adapted to receive the low voltage supply and operatively couple the low voltage supply to the battery to charge the battery, the battery charging circuit including disconnecting circuitry operatively coupled to the switching element, wherein if a voltage level of the battery falls below a predetermined threshold value, the disconnecting circuitry turns off the transistor to electrically disconnect the battery from the low voltage supply and disable the battery charging operation; wherein the mechanical starter is configured to start the engine if the battery is insufficiently charged to drive the electric motor to start the engine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A control system for an internal combustion engine having an electric starter motor powered by a battery, and having a mechanical starter for manual start operation, the control system comprising:
-
an ignition circuit configured to generate a high-voltage output for providing a spark; a power conditioning circuit configured to convert the high-voltage output to a low voltage supply; a voltage regulation circuit having an input adapted to receive the low voltage supply and provide a regulated component supply voltage; an electronic control unit adapted to receive the regulated component supply voltage and control functioning of the engine; a battery charging circuit having an electronic switching element adapted to receive the low voltage supply and operatively couple the battery to the low voltage supply to charge the battery; the battery charging circuit including disconnecting circuitry operatively coupled to a base of an electronic switching element, wherein if a voltage level of the battery falls below a predetermined value, the disconnecting circuitry turns off the electronic switching element to electrically disconnect the battery from the low voltage supply and disable battery charging operation; and wherein the mechanical starter is configured to start the engine if the battery is insufficiently charged to drive the electric motor to start the engine. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A battery isolation circuit for use with a power conditioning circuit for an internal combustion engine, the engine having an electric starter motor powered by a battery and a mechanical starter for manual start operation, the battery isolation circuit comprising:
-
a transistor adapted to receive a low voltage supply from the power conditioning circuit and operatively couple the low voltage supply to the battery to charge the battery when the transistor is turned on; disconnecting circuitry operatively coupled to a base of the transistor and to the low voltage supply, wherein if a voltage level of the battery falls below a predetermined threshold value of the disconnecting circuitry, the disconnecting circuitry turns off the transistor to electrically disconnect the battery from the low voltage supply; and wherein the mechanical starter is configured to start the engine if the battery is insufficiently charged. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification