Lightweight back-pack generator set having a spark-ignited engine operating on middle distillate fuels
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A lightweight, back-pack generator set comprising:
- a back-pack frame having a means for attaching an engine and an alternator to said frame and adapted for carrying said generator set;
the engine being adapted to operate on a middle distillate fuel and comprising;
a spark-ignited internal combustion engine including a spark plug and a drive shaft rotatable by the engine;
an engine fuel reservoir for containing the middle distillate fuel;
a carburetor for mixing air with the distillate fuel and having an outlet and an inlet coupled to the engine fuel reservoir;
a manifold coupled between the carburetor outlet and a cylinder chamber for providing the air-fuel mixture to the cylinder chamber;
a means for starting the engine; and
a preheater for heating the manifold to facilitate start-up of the engine to cause the drive shaft to rotate, wherein the preheater heats the air-fuel mixture so that the spark plug ignites the middle distillate fuel during start-up; and
the alternator having a rotor coupled to said drive shaft for converting the mechanical rotational motion of the drive shaft into electrical energy.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A lightweight back-pack generator set having a spark-ignited engine operating on middle distillate fuels (e.g., JP-5, JP-8 and F-34) has been provided. The generator set includes a back-pack frame; an alternator; and a spark-ignited combustion engine adapted to operate on a middle distillate fuel. The engine uses a preheater for heating the intake manifold to facilitate start-up operation of the engine. The present invention also provides a simple and inexpensive method for converting a spark-ignited gasoline engine to operate on a middle distillate fuel for providing a lightweight engine suitable for driving an alternator, a portable generator, or other portable equipment.
-
Citations
50 Claims
-
1. A lightweight, back-pack generator set comprising:
-
a back-pack frame having a means for attaching an engine and an alternator to said frame and adapted for carrying said generator set; the engine being adapted to operate on a middle distillate fuel and comprising; a spark-ignited internal combustion engine including a spark plug and a drive shaft rotatable by the engine; an engine fuel reservoir for containing the middle distillate fuel; a carburetor for mixing air with the distillate fuel and having an outlet and an inlet coupled to the engine fuel reservoir; a manifold coupled between the carburetor outlet and a cylinder chamber for providing the air-fuel mixture to the cylinder chamber; a means for starting the engine; and a preheater for heating the manifold to facilitate start-up of the engine to cause the drive shaft to rotate, wherein the preheater heats the air-fuel mixture so that the spark plug ignites the middle distillate fuel during start-up; and the alternator having a rotor coupled to said drive shaft for converting the mechanical rotational motion of the drive shaft into electrical energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A lightweight, portable generator set comprising:
-
a supporting frame having a means for attaching an engine and an alternator to said frame and adapted for carrying said generator set; the engine being adapted to operate on a middle distillate fuel and comprising; a spark-ignited internal combustion engine including a spark plug and a drive shaft rotatable by the engine; an engine fuel reservoir for containing the middle distillate fuel; a carburetor for mixing air with the distillate fuel and having an outlet and an inlet coupled to the engine fuel reservoir; a manifold coupled between the carburetor outlet and a cylinder chamber for providing the air-fuel mixture to a cylinder chamber; a means for starting the engine; and a preheater for heating the manifold to facilitate the start-up of the engine to cause the drive shaft to rotate, wherein the preheater heats the air-fuel mixture so that the spark plug ignites the middle distillate fuel during start-up; and the alternator having a rotor coupled to said drive shaft for converting the mechanical rotational motion of the drive shaft into electrical energy. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
-
41. A lightweight engine comprising:
a spark-ignited internal combustion engine having a spark plug and being originally designed to operate on conventional gasoline and subsequently adapted to operate on a middle distillate fuel and comprising; a drive shaft rotatable by the engine; an engine fuel reservoir for containing the middle distillate fuel; a carburetor for mixing air with the distillate fuel and having an outlet and an inlet coupled to a fuel tank; a manifold coupled between the carburetor outlet and a cylinder chamber for providing the air-fuel mixture to a cylinder chamber; a means for starting the engine; a means for cooling the cylinder head area to reduce engine knocking; and a preheater for heating the manifold to facilitate the start-up of the engine to cause the drive shaft to rotate, wherein the preheater heats the air-fuel mixture so that the spark plug ignites the middle distillate fuel during start-up. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
-
47. A method of converting a lightweight, gasoline-powered internal combustion engine to operate on a middle distillate fuel, the gasoline-powered internal combustion engine including an intake manifold, a conventional crank case lubricating oil, a conventional spark plug adapted for igniting gasoline, a cylinder head and a carburetor for mixing air with fuel and having a main jet, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) attaching a preheater to the intake manifold to heat said manifold prior to start-up of the engine to facilitate said start-up, wherein the preheater is adapted to heat the air, fuel mixture so that the spark plug ignites the middle distillate fuel during start-up; (b) replacing the conventional spark plug with a longer-reach spark plug with a high-temperature heat range; (c) increasing the cross-sectional area of the carburetor main jet; (d) replacing the conventional crank case lubricating oil with a wholly synthetic crank case lubricating oil; and (e) providing additional cooling to the cylinder head area to reduce engine knocking. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
-
Specification