Power equipment apparatus having a power generation system

• US 6,987,328 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Osborne, Christopher M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US10/720,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20040135373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1.R, 290/1.A, 290/40.R, 322/10, 322/12, 322/28
• US Class Current: 290/1.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/001 Accessories not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/6806 Driving mechanisms for the cutters A01D34/76
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/02 electric

Abstract

A power equipment apparatus includes an internal combustion engine and a generator operatively connected to the engine, wherein the generator is configured to generate electrical power. A receptacle is configured to receive the electrical power from the generator and to provide a consumer with access to at least a portion of the electrical power.

Claims

1. A power equipment apparatus comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a generator having a rotor and a coil assembly, the rotor being rotationally movable with respect to the coil assembly, the rotor and the coil assembly being integrated with the internal combustion engine such that the rotational movement of the rotor provides inertia for facilitating ongoing operation of the internal combustion engine, wherein the generator is configured to generate electrical power;

interface circuitry comprising an inverter, the inverter being coupled with the generator and being configured to receive at least some of the electrical power from the generator, the inverter being further configured to dispense conditioned electrical power;

an electronic speed regulation system coupled with the interface circuitry and with the internal combustion engine, the electronic speed regulation system being configured to automatically adjust the speed of the internal combustion engine; and

a receptacle electrically coupled with the interface circuitry and configured to receive and to provide an operator with access to the conditioned electrical power.

2. The power equipment apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conditioned electrical power at the receptacle measures about 120 volts AC.

3. The power equipment apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a mowing blade, wherein the internal combustion engine comprises a crankshaft and the mowing blade is supported by the crankshaft.

4. The power equipment apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a clutch and a mowing blade, the clutch coupling the internal combustion engine with the mowing blade, wherein the clutch is operative to selectively disengage the mowing blade from the internal combustion engine when an operator indicates an intention to access the receptacle.

5. The power equipment apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a deck being substantially formed from a material having a relatively high electrical resistance such that the deck is a poor conductor of electricity.

6. The power equipment apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a drive wheel and an electric motor, the drive wheel being configured to be rotatably driven by the electric motor, wherein the electric motor is coupled with the generator and is configured to receive at least some of the electrical power from the generator.

7. The power equipment apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an immobilizing device for selectively preventing movement of the power equipment apparatus when the conditioned electrical power is accessed at the receptacle.

17. The power equipment apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic speed regulation system is configured to automatically adjust the speed of the internal combustion engine in response to variations in electrical power output from the receptacle.

18. The power equipment apparatus of claim 5 wherein the material comprises plastic.

8. A walk-behind mower comprising:

a deck being substantially formed from a material having a relatively high electrical resistance such that the deck is a poor conductor of electricity;

an internal combustion engine adjacent to the deck and having a generator integral with the internal combustion engine, wherein the generator is configured to generate electrical power;

interface circuitry comprising an inverter, the inverter being coupled with the generator and being configured to receive at least some of the electrical power from the generator, the inverter being further configured to dispense conditioned electrical power;

an electronic speed regulation system coupled with the interface circuitry and with the internal combustion engine, the electronic speed regulation system being configured to automatically adjust the speed of the internal combustion engine;

a receptacle electrically coupled with the interface circuitry and configured to receive and to provide an operator with access to the conditioned electrical power; and

a mowing blade coupled with the internal combustion engine and configured to be selectively rotated by the internal combustion engine.

9. The walk-behind mower of claim 8 wherein the conditioned electrical power measures about 120 volts AC.

10. The walk-behind mower of claim 8 further comprising a drive wheel and an electric motor, the drive wheel being configured to be rotatably driven by the electric motor, wherein the electric motor is coupled with the generator and is configured to receive at least some of the electrical power from the generator.

11. The walk-behind mower of claim 8 further comprising an immobilizing device for selectively preventing movement of the walk-behind mower when the conditioned electrical power is accessed at the receptacle.

12. The walk-behind mower of claim 8 wherein the generator includes a rotor and a coil assembly, the rotor being rotationally movable with respect to the coil assembly, the rotor and the coil assembly being integrated with the internal combustion engine such that the rotational movement of the rotor provides inertia for facilitating ongoing operation of the internal combustion engine.

19. The walk-behind mower of claim 8 wherein the material comprises plastic.

20. The walk-behind mower of claim 8 further comprising a clutch, the clutch coupling the internal combustion engine with the mowing blade, wherein the clutch is operative to selectively disengage the mowing blade from the internal combustion engine when an operator indicates an intention to access the receptacle.

21. The walk-behind mower of claim 8 wherein the electronic speed regulation system is configured to automatically adjust the speed of the internal combustion engine in response to variations in electrical power output from the receptacle.

13. A walk-behind mower comprising:

a deck being substantially formed from a material having a relatively high electrical resistance such that the deck is a poor conductor of electricity;

an internal combustion engine adjacent to the deck, the internal combustion engine comprising a crankshaft;

a generator operatively coupled to the internal combustion engine and configured to generate electrical power;

a receptacle electrically coupled with the generator and configured to provide an operator with access to the electrical power;

a mowing blade selectively engaged with the crankshaft; and

a clutch operative to selectively disengage the mowing blade from the crankshaft when an operator accesses the electrical power from the receptacle.

14. The walk-behind mower of claim 13 further comprising interface circuitry and an electronic speed regulation system, the interface circuitry having an inverter, the inverter being coupled with the generator and being configured to receive at least some of the electrical power from the generator, the inverter being further configured to provide conditioned electrical power for dispensation from the receptacle, the electronic speed regulation system coupled with the interface circuitry and with the internal combustion engine, and the electronic speed regulation system being configured to automatically adjust the speed of the internal combustion engine.

15. The walk-behind mower of claim 14 wherein the generator includes a rotor and a coil assembly, the rotor being rotationally movable with respect to the coil assembly, the rotor and the coil assembly being integrated with the internal combustion engine such that the rotational movement of the rotor provides inertia for facilitating ongoing operation of the internal combustion engine.

16. The walk-behind mower of claim 13 further comprising a drive wheel and an electric motor, the drive wheel being configured to be rotatably driven by the electric motor, wherein the electric motor is coupled with the generator and is configured to receive at least some of the electrical power from the generator.

22. The walk-behind mower of claim 13 wherein the electronic speed regulation system is configured to automatically adjust the speed of the internal combustion engine in response to variations in electrical power output from the receptacle.

23. The walk-behind mower of claim 13 further comprising an immobilizing device for selectively preventing movement of the walk-behind mower when the conditioned electrical power is accessed at the receptacle.

24. The walk-behind mower of claim 13 wherein the material comprises plastic.