Systems and methods for fuel level monitoring in an engine-driven generator

• US 10,596,652 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2014
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Trinkner, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Michael G
• Application Number:
  US14/540,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20160136747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,958 Days
• Field of Search: 219133
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/013 Arc cutting, gouging, scarfing or desurfacing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1006 Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/173 and of a consumable electrode
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/32 Accessories earthing connections H01R
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/048 Portable engine-generator combinations
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0625 Fuel consumption, e.g. measured in fuel liters per 100 kms or miles per gallon
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 33/003 Controlling the feeding of liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus control of electrical fuel pumps F02D41/3082, controlling fuel flow to a common rail F02D41/3845; Failure or leakage prevention; Diagnosis or detection of failure; Arrangement of sensors in the fuel system; Electric wiring; Electrostatic discharge
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/005 Arrangement of electrical wires and connections, e.g. wire harness, sockets, plugs; Arrangement of electronic control circuits in or on fuel injection apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/00 Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/008 where the other variable is the flight or running time

Abstract

An engine-driven welding generator that monitors fuel level is provided. The engine-driven welding generator comprises a fuel level monitoring system configured to measure a remaining fuel level in a fuel tank of the engine-driven welding generator, determine a rate of fuel usage of an engine of the engine-driven welding generator, and calculate a remaining run time of the engine based on the remaining fuel level and the rate of fuel usage of the engine.

Claims

1. An engine-driven welding generator comprising:

an engine;

a generator configured to be driven by the engine;

a fuel tank configured to supply fuel to the engine; and

a fuel level monitoring system comprising;

a memory configured to store a fuel usage map comprising a list of generator outputs or engine outputs, each generator output or engine output being correlated with a fuel usage rate;

a clock;

a fuel sensor configured to measure a remaining fuel level in the fuel tank and store the remaining fuel level in the memory with a corresponding timestamp determined by the clock; and

a processor configured to;

determine a rate of fuel usage using the fuel usage map and an output of the generator or the engine, and

calculate a remaining run time of the engine based on the remaining fuel level and the rate of fuel usage.

2. The engine-driven welding generator of claim 1, comprising a display configured to display the remaining run time of the engine calculated by the fuel level monitoring system.

3. The engine-driven welding generator of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the output of the generator or engine using a generator output sensor or an engine output sensor.

4. The engine-driven welding generator of claim 1, further comprising an alarm, wherein the fuel level monitoring system is configured to activate the alarm when the remaining run time of the engine falls below a predetermined threshold.

5. The engine-driven welding generator of claim 4, wherein the alarm comprises one or more of a visual alarm and or an auditory alarm.

6. A method, comprising:

measuring, via a fuel sensor, a remaining fuel level in a fuel tank of an engine-driven welding generator;

storing the remaining fuel level with a corresponding time stamp in a memory;

measuring an output of a generator or engine of the engine-driven welding generator via a generator output sensor or an engine output sensor;

determining, via a processor, a rate of fuel usage of the engine-driven welding generator using the output and one or more fuel usage rates of a fuel usage map, wherein the fuel usage map comprises a list of generator outputs and engine outputs, and wherein each generator output and engine output is correlated with a fuel usage rate; and

calculating, via the processor, a remaining run time of the engine-driven welding generator based on the remaining fuel level and the rate of fuel usage of the engine-driven welding generator.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising displaying the remaining run time of the engine-driven welding generator on a display of the engine-driven welding generator.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising actuating an alarm of the engine-driven welding generator when the remaining run time of the engine-driven welding generator falls below a predetermined threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the alarm comprises one or more of a visual alarm and or an auditory alarm.

10. A system, comprising:

an engine-driven welding generator, comprising;

a fuel level monitoring system comprising;

a memory configured to store a fuel usage map comprising a list of generator outputs and engine outputs, each generator output and engine output being correlated with a fuel usage rate;

a clock;

a fuel sensor configured to measure a remaining fuel level in the fuel tank and store the remaining fuel level in the memory with a corresponding timestamp determined by the clock; and

a processor configured to;

determine a rate of fuel usage of the engine-driven welding generator using the fuel usage map and an output of a generator or engine of the engine-driven welding generator, and

calculate a remaining run time of the engine based on the remaining fuel level and the rate of fuel usage.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the engine comprises an electronically fuel injected engine.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the engine-driven welding generator comprises a display configured to display the remaining run time of the engine.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising an alarm, wherein the fuel level monitoring system is configured to activate the alarm when the remaining run time of the engine falls below a predetermined threshold.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the alarm comprises one or more of a visual alarm or an auditory alarm.