Engine driven working machine

• US 7,762,787 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Inagawa, Toshinori, Kawakami, Toshiaki, Wakitani, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer; Devon C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weinstein; Leonard J
• Application Number:
  US11/060,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20050191183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,985 Days
• Field of Search: 239/284.1, 239/533.3, 239/525, 239/526, 239/527, 239/528, 417/12, 417/13, 417/16, 417/34, 417/374, 417/411, 417/313
• US Class Current: 417/34
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/02 Stopping, starting, unloading or idling control

Abstract

In an engine drive washing machine, a discharge switch 10 is provided in a jet gun 5. When the switch 10 is turned off, an engine 1 is stopped. When the switch 10 is turned on, the engine 1 is started up to drive a pump 2. When an outlet pressure of the pump 2 is not lower than a predetermined value, a water-discharge valve in the gun 5 is opened to cause the water to be discharged. When the switch 10 is not turned off for a long time, the engine 1 is stopped. When an operator takes up the gun 5 to start the operation, the engine 1 is started up. The engine-drive type of washing machine is provided with a battery 13 for a starter motor, and the battery 13 is charged by a generator function of a starter-motor generator 3 during the operation of the engine 1.

Claims

1. An engine driven type of working machine which has a pump driven by an internal combustion engine and a discharge device for discharging liquid ejected from the pump, the engine driven type of working machine comprising:

a starter-motor generator which is coupled to the internal combustion engine, the starter-motor generator acting as a starter motor driven by an electricity supplied with a battery during startup of the internal combustion engine, the starter-motor generator acting as a generator for charging the battery during operation of the internal combustion engine;

a switch configured to be actuated by an operator which generates an operation standby state and an operation state of the discharge device;

a unit which detects the operation standby state and the operation state of the discharge device; and

a control unit provided with a microcomputer which stops the internal combustion engine from operating while in the standby state in which said liquid is not discharged, and starts up the internal combustion engine while in the operation state to drive the pump to eject said discharging liquid therefrom,

wherein the switch is a standby switch which is configured to generate the operation standby state when the standby switch is at a position corresponding to a predetermined holding position, and to generate the operation state when the standby switch is at a position moved off the predetermined holding position, and

wherein the starter-motor generator acts as the starter motor to start up the internal combustion engine responsive to the position of the standby switch.

2. An engine driven type of working machine according to claim 1, further comprising a battery-voltage decision unit which generates a detection signal when a voltage of the battery becomes lower than a predetermined value, wherein the starter-motor generator acts as the generator responsive to the detection signal of the battery-voltage decision unit.

3. An engine driven type of working machine as in any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein a water-discharge device is provided as the discharge device, and the pump is configured to eject washing water as the liquid to act as a washing machine.

4. An engine driven type of working machine which has a pump driven by an internal combustion engine and a discharge device for discharging liquid ejected from the pump, the engine driven type of working machine comprising:

a starter-motor generator which is coupled to the internal combustion engine, the starter-motor generator acting as a starter motor driven by an electricity supplied with a battery during startup of the internal combustion engine, the starter-motor generator acting as a generator for charging the battery during operation of the internal combustion engine;

an operation switch, configured to be actuated by an operator, which generates an operation standby state and an operation state of the discharge device, the operation switch being configured to generate the operation standby state when said operation switch is in a first position, and being configured to generate the operation state when said operation switch is in a second position;

a unit which detects the operation standby state and the operation state of the discharge device;

a control unit controlling said internal combustion engine and said starter-motor generator and provided with a microcomputer which stops the internal combustion engine from operating when said operation switch generates the operation standby state in which said liquid is not discharged, and which starts up the internal combustion engine when said operation switch generates the operation state to drive the pump to eject said discharging liquid therefrom, and

a main switch which provides electric power to said control unit.

5. An engine driven type of working machine according to claim 4, further comprising:

a pressure detection unit which generates a detection output when a pressure on an outlet side of the pump is increased to a predetermined pressure,

wherein a valve provided in a liquid discharge path of the discharge device is configured to be opened responsive to the detection output of the pressure detection unit.

6. An engine driven type of working machine according to claim 4, further comprising:

a timer unit which measures a time interval when the operation switch is continuously turned off and ends the time measurement when the time interval exceeds a predetermined value,

wherein the internal combustion engine is configured to be stopped responsive to the end of the time measurement.

7. An engine driven type of working machine as in any one of claims 4, 5 and 6, wherein a water-discharge device is provided as the discharge device, and the pump is configured to eject washing water as the liquid to act as a washing machine.