Claims
- 1. A device comprising:
an internal combustion engine; an engine control device manually operable to stop operation of the engine; a fuel tank that provides fuel to the engine; and a fuel vent closure device automatically and electrically operable in response to the manual operation of the engine control device to substantially seal the fuel tank when the engine is stopped.
- 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the fuel vent closure device is a valve.
- 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the fuel vent closure device is electrically actuated via an electrical actuator.
- 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the electrical actuator is a stepper motor.
- 5. The device of claim 3, wherein the electrical actuator is a wax motor.
- 6. The device of claim 3, wherein the electrical actuator is a solenoid.
- 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the engine control device is also manually operable to permit start-up of the engine, and wherein the fuel vent closure device is automatically and electrically operable in response to the manual operation of the engine control device to vent the fuel tank.
- 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the engine control device is coupled to the ignition circuit and is operable to stop operation of the engine by grounding the ignition circuit.
- 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the engine control device is remote from the engine and wherein the manual operation of the engine control device causes remote actuation of the vent closure device.
- 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a lawnmower.
- 11. The device of claim 10, further including:
a blade rotatable by the engine; and a brake automatically operable in response to the manual operation of the engine control device to substantially stop rotation of the blade when the engine is stopped.
- 12. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a pressure washer.
- 13. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a portable generator.
- 14. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is an automatic backup power system.
- 15. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is at least one of a tractor and a riding lawnmower.
- 16. The device of claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine is a multi-cylinder engine.
- 17. The device of claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine is a single-cylinder engine.
- 18. The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a fuel shutoff device automatically and electrically operable in response to the manual operation of the engine control device to substantially block the supply of fuel to the engine when the engine is stopped.
- 19. The device of claim 18, wherein the fuel shutoff device is a valve.
- 20. The device of claim 18, wherein the fuel vent closure device and the fuel shutoff device are combined into a single assembly.
- 21. The device of claim 18, wherein the engine control device is also manually operable to permit start-up of the engine, wherein the fuel vent closure device is automatically and electrically operable in response to the manual operation of the engine control device to vent the fuel tank and permit engine start-up, and wherein the fuel shutoff device is automatically and electrically operable in response to the manual operation of the engine control device to unblock the supply of fuel to the engine and permit engine start-up.
- 22. The device of claim 18, wherein the engine control device is remote from the engine and wherein the manual operation of the engine control device causes remote actuation of the vent closure device and the fuel shutoff device.
- 23. A device comprising:
an internal combustion engine; an engine control device manually operable to stop operation of the engine; a fuel tank that provides fuel to the engine; a fuel shutoff valve automatically and electrically operable in response to the manual operation of the engine control device to substantially block the supply of fuel to the engine when the engine is stopped, and a fuel vent closure valve automatically and electrically operable in response to the manual operation of the engine control device to substantially seal the fuel tank when the engine is stopped; wherein the fuel shutoff valve and the fuel vent closure valve are combined into a single housing.
- 24. The device of claim 23, wherein at least one of the valves is a rotary valve.
- 25. The device of claim 24, wherein at least one of the valves is an axial-sealing rotary valve.
- 26. The device of claim 24, wherein at least one of the valves is an eccentric-wheel valve.
- 27. The device of claim 23, wherein at least one of the valves is a sliding-spool directional-flow valve.
- 28. The device of claim 23, wherein the at least one of the valves is a poppet valve.
- 29. The device of claim 23, further comprising an electrical actuator coupled between the engine control device, the fuel vent closure valve, and the fuel shutoff valve for electrically operating the fuel vent closure valve and the fuel shutoff valve in response to the manual operation of the engine control device.
- 30. The device of claim 29, wherein the electrical actuator is a stepper motor.
- 31. The device of claim 29, wherein the electrical actuator is a wax motor.
- 32. The device of claim 29, wherein the electrical actuator is a solenoid.
- 33. The device of claim 23, wherein the device is a lawnmower.
- 34. The device of claim 33, further including:
a blade rotatable by the engine; and a brake automatically operable in response to the manual operation of the engine control device to substantially stop rotation of the blade when the engine is stopped.
- 35. The device of claim 23, wherein the device is a pressure washer.
- 36. The device of claim 23, wherein the device is a portable generator.
- 37. The device of claim 23, wherein the device is an automatic backup power system.
- 38. The device of claim 23, wherein the device is at least one of a tractor and a riding lawnmower.
- 39. The device of claim 23, wherein the internal combustion engine is a multi-cylinder engine.
- 40. The device of claim 23, wherein the internal combustion engine is a single-cylinder engine.
- 41. A method of automatically and substantially preventing vapor emissions from a fuel tank communicable with an internal combustion engine, the fuel tank and engine being interconnected with a device having an engine control device operable to stop operation of the engine, the method comprising:
operating the engine; and manually activating the engine control device to stop operation of the engine and to electrically and substantially seal the fuel tank.
- 42. The method of claim 41, wherein the engine control device is interconnected with the ignition circuit and wherein manually activating the engine control device stops operation of the engine by grounding the ignition circuit.
- 43. The method of claim 41, further comprising:
after stopping the engine, manually activating the engine control device to allow operation of the engine and to vent the fuel tank.
- 44. The method of claim 41, wherein manually activating the engine control device includes automatically and electrically activating a fuel vent closure device via an electrical actuator coupled to the engine control device.
- 45. The method of claim 44, wherein the electrical actuator is a stepper motor.
- 46. The method of claim 44, wherein the electrical actuator is a wax motor.
- 47. The method of claim 44, wherein the electrical actuator is a solenoid.
- 48. The method of claim 44, wherein manually activating the engine control device further includes automatically and electrically activating a fuel shutoff device via an electrical actuator coupled to the engine control device.
- 49. The method of claim 48, wherein the electrical actuator is a stepper motor.
- 50. The method of claim 48, wherein the electrical actuator is a wax motor.
- 51. The method of claim 48, wherein the electrical actuator is a solenoid.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/279,284 filed Mar. 28, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60279284 |
Mar 2001 |
US |