General-purpose internal combustion engine

• US 7,826,955 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2008
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Shinogi, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US12/079,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20080243359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 123478-480, 123/196.R, 123/196.S, 123/198.D, 340/438, 340/439, 340/459, 701/36, 701101-103, 701/114, 701/115, 702182-185, 731/140.1, 731/141.3, 731/145.6, 731/145.7, 200/1.R, 290/1.A, 290/40.R
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/02 for hand-held tools
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/228 Warning displays
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/023 Temperature of lubricating oil or working fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/06 Small engines with electronic control, e.g. for hand held tools
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/006 for maximum speed control
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/00 Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents F02D43/00 takes precedence ; control of engine starters F02N11/08, electrical control of engine ignition timing F02P5/145
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/26 using computer, e.g. microprocessor

Abstract

In a general-purpose internal combustion engine connectable to operating machines such as a snowplow, a washing machine and a wood chipper having an electronic control unit that controls operation of the operating machine when connected, there are provided a signal output terminal that is installed in the electronic control unit and outputs a signal generated by the electronic control unit to the operating machine and a signal selector constituted by a personal computer that selects a signal to be outputted by the signal output terminal from among signals in response to manipulation by an operator. The engine can be easily connected with any operating machine without a complicated electronic control unit, thereby improving versatility and convenience.

Claims

1. A general-purpose internal combustion engine connectable to an operating machine and having a cylinder in which a piston reciprocates to rotate a crankshaft in a crankcase where lubricant oil is retained and a throttle valve for regulating air to be sucked into the cylinder, comprising:

an electronic control unit that controls operation of the operating machine when connected;

a signal output terminal that is installed in the electronic control unit and outputs a signal generated by the electronic control unit to the operating machine; and

a signal selector that selects a signal to be outputted by the signal output terminal from among signals in response to manipulation by an operator;

wherein the signals include an oil alert signal outputted when level of the oil is equal to or less than a predetermined level, an engine start signal outputted when an instruction to start the engine is inputted, and an overload signal outputted when opening of the throttle valve is equal to or greater than a predetermined throttle opening limit.

2. The engine according to claim 1, wherein the signal selector comprises a computer and a display.

3. The engine according to claim 1, wherein the operating machine is one from among a snowplow, a washing machine and a wood chipper.

4. The engine according to claim 1, further including:

a limit changer that changes the predetermined throttle opening limit in response to manipulation by the operator.

5. The engine according to claim 4, wherein the limit changer comprises a computer and a display.

6. The engine according to claim 4, wherein the signal selector comprises a programmed computer, and the programmed computer also functions as the limit changer.