Claims
- 1. An internal combustion engine comprising:
an engine housing; a crankshaft mounted for rotation within said engine housing; a flywheel mounted to said crankshaft for rotation therewith in a starting direction during startup and operation of said engine; a spring housing rotatably mounted to said engine housing; an energy storing mechanism including at least one elastic member housed within said spring housing, said elastic member being loaded in response to said spring housing rotating in a loading direction, and said spring housing rotating in an unloading direction opposite said loading direction in response to unloading of said elastic member; a spring loading mechanism including at least one roller movable into and out of engagement between said spring housing and one of said crankshaft and said flywheel, such that rotation of said crankshaft and flywheel in said starting direction is converted through said at least one roller into rotation of said spring housing in said loading direction; an engine starting mechanism converting rotation of said spring housing in said unloading direction into rotation of said crankshaft and flywheel in said starting direction to start said engine; and a control system for releasing said spring from a loaded state to cause rotation of said spring housing in said unloading direction.
- 2. The engine of claim 1, wherein said at least one roller includes a first roller movable into and out of engagement with said flywheel and a second roller movable into and out of engagement with said spring housing, said first and second rollers being coupled for rotation together such that rotation of said flywheel in said starting direction is converted through said first and second rollers into rotation of said spring housing in said loading direction.
- 3. The engine of claim 2, further comprising an overwind clutch operatively disposed between said first and second rollers to couple said first and second rollers for rotation together, but permitting relative rotation between said first and second rollers when a threshold torque is achieved between said first and second rollers.
- 4. The engine of claim 2, wherein said first and second rollers rotate about a common axis of rotation, and wherein said flywheel and said spring housing include beveled edges to interface with said first and second rollers, respectively.
- 5. The engine of claim 1, wherein said engine starting mechanism includes a helically threaded member interconnected with said spring housing, and a starter pinion threaded onto said helically threaded member, such that rotation of said spring housing in said unloading direction causes said starter pinion to move into engagement with said flywheel, said starter pinion converting rotation of said spring housing in said unloading direction into rotation of said crankshaft and flywheel in said starting direction to start said engine.
- 6. The engine of claim 5, wherein said starter pinion includes a beveled edge, and wherein said flywheel includes a beveled edge complimentary to said beveled edge of said starter pinion to facilitate engagement of said starter pinion and flywheel.
- 7. The engine of claim 5, wherein said starter pinion has an axis of rotation and includes a toothed edge, and wherein said flywheel includes a toothed edge complimentary to, and in meshing engagement with, said toothed edge of said starter pinion to facilitate converting rotation of said spring housing in said unloading direction into rotation of said flywheel in said starting direction to start said engine.
- 8. The engine of claim 1, further comprising a biasing member biasing said spring loading mechanism toward engagement between said spring housing and one of said crankshaft and said flywheel.
- 9. The engine of claim 1, wherein said spring loading mechanism includes first and second brackets mounted to said engine housing, a pivotable bracket member pivotably mounted between said first and second brackets, and a shaft mounted to said pivotable bracket member, said at least one roller being mounted for rotation on said shaft between said first and second bracket members.
- 10. The engine of claim 9, wherein said control system includes a cable interconnected between at least one of said pivotable bracket members and a remote bail handle such that said pivotable bracket pivots said at least one roller into and out of engagement between said spring housing and one of said crankshaft and said flywheel in response to actuation of said bail handle.
- 11. The engine of claim 1, wherein the axis of rotation of said spring housing is non-parallel with respect to the axis of rotation of said crankshaft.
- 12. The engine of claim 11, wherein said axis of rotation of said spring housing is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said crankshaft.
- 13. The engine of claim 1, further comprising an arbor extending inside and supporting said spring housing, and a one-way clutch interconnecting said elastic member with said arbor when said spring housing rotates in said loading direction, said one-way clutch disengaging said elastic member from said arbor when said elastic member has become substantially entirely unloaded.
- 14. The engine of claim 1, further comprising:
an arbor extending inside and supporting said spring housing, said elastic member being fixed to said arbor and fixed to said spring housing; and a one-way clutch mounted in a portion of said engine housing, said one-way clutch supporting said arbor, wherein said one-way clutch resists rotation of said arbor in said loading direction such that said elastic member is loaded in response to said spring housing rotating in said loading direction, and wherein said one-way clutch permits rotation of said arbor in said unloading direction such that said arbor and spring housing rotate in said unloading direction together once said elastic member is substantially unloaded.
- 15. An internal combustion engine comprising:
an engine housing; a crankshaft supported within said engine housing and rotatable in a starting direction during startup and operation of said engine; a flywheel mounted to said crankshaft and rotatable therewith; a spring housing; an elastic member within said spring housing, said spring housing being rotatable in a loading direction to load said elastic member, and said spring housing rotating in an unloading direction in response to unloading of said elastic member; a spring loading mechanism including an arm pivotally supported by said engine housing, and a roller rotatably mounted to said arm; and an engine starting mechanism converting rotation of said spring housing in said unloading direction into rotation of said crankshaft and flywheel in said starting direction to cause startup of said engine; wherein said arm is pivotal between an engaged position in which said roller interengages said spring housing with at least one of said crankshaft and flywheel, and a disengaged position in which said roller is disengaged from at least two of said spring housing, crankshaft, and flywheel; wherein said roller converts rotation of said crankshaft and flywheel into rotation of said spring housing in the loading direction when said arm is in said engaged position, to thereby load said elastic member; and wherein said elastic member is selectively unloaded to activate said engine starting mechanism.
- 16. The engine of claim 15, wherein said spring housing is rotatable about an axis of rotation, and wherein said pivot arm is pivotable about a pivot axis that is non-collinear with said spring housing axis of rotation.
- 17. An internal combustion engine comprising:
an engine housing; a crankshaft supported within said engine housing and rotatable in a starting direction during startup and operation of said engine; a flywheel mounted to said crankshaft and rotatable therewith; a spring housing; an arbor extending into said spring housing to support said spring housing; an elastic member within said spring housing and surrounding said arbor, a portion of said elastic member being interconnected with said spring housing; a one-way clutch interconnecting a portion of said elastic member with said arbor; a spring loading mechanism causing said spring housing to rotate in a loading direction in response to rotation of said crankshaft and flywheel; and an engine starting mechanism starting said engine in response to said spring housing rotating in a unloading direction in response to said elastic member unloading; wherein said one-way clutch permits said elastic member to wind around said arbor in response to said spring housing rotating said loading direction, and wherein said one-way clutch uncouples said elastic member from said arbor once said elastic member has become substantially unloaded.
- 18. The engine of claim 17, wherein said one-way clutch includes an eyelet on said arbor and a hook on said elastic member.
- 19. The engine of claim 17, wherein said one-way clutch includes a sleeve surrounding said arbor, and a plurality of bearings between said sleeve and said arbor, wherein said elastic member is affixed to said sleeve, and wherein said bearings permit rotation of said sleeve about said arbor in said unloading direction only.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. application No. 09/709,859 filed Nov. 10, 2000, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/183,425 filed Oct. 30, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,678. The entire contents of both prior applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09709859 |
Nov 2000 |
US |
Child |
09940032 |
Aug 2001 |
US |