Two-stroke engines are generally lighter, simpler, and less expensive than four-stroke or diesel engines. Therefore, many devices utilize two-stroke engines. For instance, radio-controlled toys, small outboard boat motors, jet skis, off-road motorcycles, and lawn and garden equipment (e.g., chain saws, leaf blowers, and weed trimmers) typically employ a two-stroke engine. Although the above-mentioned advantages lead to the widespread use of two-stroke engines, these engines possess disadvantages as well. For instance, in a four-stroke engine, the crankcase is completely separate from the combustion chamber, so the crankcase can be filled with oil to lubricate the engine. On the other hand, a two-stroke engine includes no separate oil chamber. To lubricate a two-stroke engine, oil must be mixed into the fuel that is introduced into the engine. Without the proper amount of oil in the fuel-oil mixture, a two-stroke engine will quickly seize and malfunction. Consequently, great care must be taken to ensure that the proper ratio of fuel to oil is in the mixture that is introduced into the engine.
In most cases, fuel and oil are maintained in separate containers, and then manually metered into and mixed in a third container. This task not only requires multiple containers, but it can also be messy and difficult. Such difficulty in mixing the fuel and oil for a two-stroke engine is exacerbated by the fact that many people own more than one device that employs a two-stroke engine. Since each two-stroke engine generally requires its own particular ratio of fuel to oil, owners of more than one device using a two-stroke engine must repeat the aforementioned mixing process for each device.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a fuel and oil mixing device that allows a user to accurately and quickly mix the proper amounts of fuel and oil for multiple devices employing a two-stroke engine.
The present invention is a fuel and oil mixing device that holds a quantity of fuel and oil and allows a user to easily select the ratio of fuel to oil in the mixture that exits the device, thus allowing a single device to be used to fill multiple two-stroke engines.
An exemplary fuel and oil mixing device includes a fuel reservoir for holding a quantity of fuel, with this fuel reservoir defining an opening for exit of the fuel. An oil reservoir is secured to and supported by the fuel reservoir, and holds a quantity of oil. The oil reservoir includes an opening which allows oil to exit from the oil reservoir through a generally S-shaped oil trap, which defines as a pathway for oil from the oil reservoir to the remaining components of the device, as is further described below.
A fuel control valve is generally cylindrical in shape and defines a fuel conduit, that, when assembled with the remaining components of the fuel and oil mixing device, is in registry with the opening through which fuel exits the fuel reservoir. A mixing chamber is then connected to the fuel control valve, such that fuel will flow through the fuel control valve and into the mixing chamber via a generally U-shaped fuel trap. The fuel control valve is secured to the fuel reservoir through the use of a collar, which is assembled around the fuel control valve, engaging an integral circumferential lip of the fuel control valve, with the collar including internal threads for mating with external threads on the fuel reservoir.
The mixing chamber is generally cylindrical in shape and defines an internal volume. The mixing chamber also defines a fuel intake opening, an oil intake opening, and a screw-receiving boss. Finally, the mixing chamber defines an outlet, which is in registry with a conduit defined by a spout, with the fuel-oil mixture exiting the device through the spout. The spout is secured to the mixing chamber through the use of another collar. This collar is assembled around the spout and includes internal threads for mating with external threads on the mixing chamber.
The generally U-shaped fuel trap connects the conduit defined by the fuel control valve and the fuel intake opening of the mixing chamber. In other words, the fuel trap defines a pathway for delivering fuel from the fuel control valve to the mixing chamber.
The oil control valve is mounted on the mixing chamber for controlling oil flowing to the internal volume through the oil intake opening. The oil control valve defines an opening in registry with the screw-receiving boss of the mixing chamber to receive a screw or a similar fastener to secure the oil control valve to the mixing chamber. The oil control valve defines multiple orifices, each having a different diameter that corresponds to a flow of oil for a predetermined fuel-to-oil ratio. The oil control valve is also fan-shaped and designed to pivot about the axis defined by the screw, such that a user can selectively place any of the orifices defined by the oil control valve in registry with the oil intake opening defined by the mixing chamber. As such, a pathway is defined for oil from the oil reservoir, through the oil trap and the conduit defined through the fuel control valve, through a selected orifice of the oil control valve, and then into the mixing chamber via the oil intake opening.
To use the exemplary fuel and oil mixing device, a user places a predetermined amount of fuel and oil in the respective reservoirs. The user then adjusts the oil control valve such that the orifice with the proper diameter for achieving the desired fuel-to-oil ratio is in registry with both the oil intake opening in the mixing chamber and the oil conduit defined by the fuel control valve. To assist the user in adjusting the oil control valve, the oil control valve preferably includes an extension that serves as a knob or control for facilitating rotation of the oil control valve by a user. To further assist the user in selecting the proper setting, each orifice of the oil control valve preferably includes a marking that is viewable by the user and corresponds to its particular fuel-to-oil ratio. The oil control valve may also be rotated into a position such that the oil intake opening is completely blocked, so that only fuel will be introduced into the mixing chamber, allowing the device to be used as a traditional fuel dispenser.
In any event, when the fuel and oil mixing device is in a generally horizontal orientation, oil and fuel do not flow. As the user tilts the device, the S-shape of the oil trap prevents oil from prematurely flowing through the oil trap to the internal volume of the mixing chamber. Likewise, the U-shape of the fuel trap prevents fuel from prematurely flowing through the fuel trap to the internal volume of the mixing chamber.
As the tilt angle becomes greater, oil travels through the oil trap and the conduit defined through the fuel control valve until it reaches the oil control valve. As the oil passes through the selected orifice of the oil control valve, the diameter of the orifice regulates the flow of oil into the internal volume of the mixing chamber. Simultaneously, fuel flows from the fuel reservoir through the conduit in the fuel control valve. The conduit is sized to appropriately restrict the flow of fuel traveling to the fuel trap. The fuel travels through the fuel trap and into the internal volume of the mixing chamber. The fuel trap is configured such that the fuel flowing from the fuel reservoir into the internal volume of the mixing chamber is coordinated with the flow of oil into the internal volume of the mixing chamber so the proper amounts of fuel and oil are delivered into the spout, notwithstanding the amount of fuel or oil remaining in each respective reservoir.
As the tilt angle increases further still, the fuel-oil mixture flows out of the outlet of the mixing chamber into the spout. The spout is corrugated to create turbulence for continued mixing of the oil and fuel and to allow for increased flexibility of the spout.
Thus, the fuel and oil mixing device of the present invention allows a user to easily select the ratio of fuel to oil in the mixture that exits the device, thereby allowing a single device to be used to fill multiple two-stroke engines.
The present invention is a fuel and oil mixing device that holds a quantity of fuel and oil and allows a user to easily select the ratio of fuel to oil in the mixture that exits the device, thus allowing a single device to be used to fill multiple two-stroke engines.
Referring now to
Referring now to
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In any event, a conduit 39 is also defined through the fuel control valve 18 for the passage of oil from the oil trap 38. In this regard, the fuel control valve 18 includes a protrusion 18b in registry with the conduit 39, so that the distal end of the oil trap 38 can be pressed over and into engagement with the protrusion 18b.
Finally, the fuel control valve 18 is secured to the fuel reservoir 12 through the use of a collar 31. The collar 31 is assembled around the fuel control valve 18, engaging an integral circumferential lip 18c of the fuel control valve 18, with the collar 31 including internal threads for mating with external threads (not shown) on the fuel reservoir 12, much in the same manner that a spout is secured to a common, prior art fuel reservoir or container. Specifically, the fuel reservoir 12 includes an angled or chamfered surface on the inner circumference of the opening 13. Thus, when the collar 31 is assembled around the fuel control valve 18, the circumferential lip 18c of the fuel control valve 18 is pressed into engagement with the angled or chamfered surface to form a leak-proof seal.
Referring now to
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In any event, when the fuel and oil mixing device 10 is in a generally horizontal orientation as in
As the tilt angle, α, becomes greater, as in
As the tilt angle, α, increases further still, as in
Thus, the fuel and oil mixing device 10 of the present invention allows a user to easily select the ratio of fuel to oil in the mixture that exits the device 10, thereby allowing a single device to be used to fill multiple two-stroke engines.
One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that additional embodiments are also possible without departing from the teachings of the present invention. This detailed description, and particularly the specific details of the exemplary embodiment disclosed therein, is given primarily for clarity of understanding, and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modifications will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/803,268 filed on May 26, 2006, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
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