Patent Application
20140000546
This disclosure relates to a system for starting an engine. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus for enabling an engine to be more easily started by a user.
Small internal combustion engines are in wide use throughout the world. These engines can be used to power such things as lawn mowers, leaf blowers, go-carts, outboard motors, and even lightweight aircraft. Unlike larger engines, which use an electric starter, small internal combustion engines are typically started via a recoil starting mechanism. Recoil starting mechanisms, also known as pull start mechanisms, include a rip cord and a handle. The cord is coiled around the end of a crank shaft. The cord must be rapidly pulled to turn the crank shaft and start the engine. If the cord is pulled with sufficient velocity, a fly wheel spins to start the engine. Once the engine is started, a coil spring inside an associated reel mechanism reverses direction and recoils the cord. Such recoil type starting mechanisms are used in a variety of different engines, such as two or four stroke engines.
One downside to recoil starting mechanisms is that a user must expend a great deal of energy in order to start the motor. The user must pull the cord with a sufficient amount of velocity to rotate the crank shaft and start the motor. If the cord is not pulled with enough force, the engine will not start. After a series of failed attempts, the engine can become flooded and unusable for a period of time. Failed attempts may also result in the cord becoming tangled about the crank shaft. Users can also become injured during repeated attempts at starting the motor. Many times these injuries take the form of a pulled shoulder muscle or, worse yet, a torn rotator cuff.
One way to avoid the problems associated with a recoil type starting mechanism is to employ an electric starter. Electric starting mechanisms are in common use in connection with larger engines, such as automobile engines. Electric starters, however, require the use of an electric battery. This, in turn, unduly increases the size, cost, and weight of the resulting engine. This may not be a realistic possibility for smaller engines. Thus, there exists a need in the art for a mechanism to more easily and effectively activate a recoil starting mechanism. There is likewise a need in the art to allow internal engines to be more easily and effectively started. The system and apparatus of the present disclosure is aimed at fulfilling these and other objectives.
One of the advantages of the disclosed system is that it allows a user to easily and effectively activate a recoil starting mechanism and thereby start an associated internal combustion engine.
Another advantage of the disclosed system is that it gives a user a more effective lever arm as a means for pulling the rip cord associated with a starting mechanism.
A further advantage is that the disclosed system allows a user to start an internal combustion engine with his or her foot, thereby avoiding the use of the hands, arms, shoulder and back.
Another advantage is realized by providing a starting mechanism that can be folded into a flat configuration for storage and transport.
Various embodiments of the disclosed system may have none, some, or all of these advantages. Other technical advantages of the disclosed system will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art.
For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following descriptions, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The present disclosure relates to a system and apparatus for starting an engine. The apparatus includes a stand that can be erected in a folded configuration above the engine to be started. A lever arm is pivotally secured to the bottom portion of the stand. A cord extends from the engine, over the stand, and connects to the lever arm. A pulley may be used to route the cord over the stand. This allows the user to push down upon the lever arm to pull the cord and start the engine. The various details of the present invention, and the manner in which they interrelate, will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
Turning now to
Apparatus 8 includes a stand 22. As depicted, stand 22 has a proximal end 24 that is adjacent the engine 12 to be started and a distal end 26 that is more remote from engine 12. In the depicted embodiment, stand 22 has an “A” shape and is defined by first and second legs (28 and 32). Legs 28 and 32 are pivotally interconnected to one another at a pivot point 34. Pivot 34 can comprise a link or bolt that is received within the ends of first and second legs (28 and 32) and that permits their relative rotation to one another. A pulley wheel 36 is secured via a rotatable connection to the first leg 28 at a location adjacent to pivot point 34.
Apparatus 8 also includes a lever arm 38 that is interconnected to stand 22. Lever arm 38 includes a proximal end 42 adjacent stand 22 and a distal end 44 that is remote from stand 22. As illustrated in
The starting apparatus 8 includes a pulley cord 48. Pulley cord 48 is defined by first and second ends (52 and 54) and an intermediate extent 56. First end 52 of pulley cord 48 is removeably coupled to handle 18 of recoil starting mechanism 14. This can be accomplished in the most simple embodiment by forming a small loop at the second end 54 of pulley cord 48 and securing it about handle 18. The second end 54 of pulley cord 48 is secured to the distal end 44 of lever arm 38. Distal end 44 may include a cleat for the purpose of securing end 54. As depicted, pulley cord 48 is routed over pulley 36. Accordingly, when lever arm 38 is pushed downwardly, pulley cord 48 moves over pulley 36 to actuate rip cord 16 of internal combustion engine 12. Apparatus 10 also includes a jaw 58 that is pivotally secured to stand. As depicted in
In operation, the user can secure clamp 64 to internal combustion engine 12. This may be done by adjusting the pivotal angle of jaw 58 with respect to stand. Once the appropriate angle is achieved, wing nut 62 can be used to tighten jaw 58. Thereafter, the user can insert his or her foot into footrest 46. The user then presses downwardly on footrest 46 to, in turn, push lever arm 38 downwardly. This has the effect of pulling pulley cord 48 and the attached rip cord 16.
Apparatus 8 essentially forms a type III lever. The user's foot is used to apply a downward force to lever arm 38. This force is used to increase the speed with which rip cord 16 is pulled. As a result, starting mechanism 14 can be more efficiently activated. Apparatus 8 has the benefit that the user's leg is used to supply the necessary starting force. The user, therefore, can avoid having to use his arms or shoulders to start the engine 12. This, in turn, lessens the possibility of injury, such as rotator cuff injuries. It also helps users avoid becoming fatigued via repeated attempts at activating starting mechanism 14.
When not in use, footrest 46 can be collapsed against lever arm 38. This is accomplished via hinged interconnections for all sides of the footrest 46. First and second legs (28 and 32) are also preferably channel shaped. Furthermore, arm 38 and first leg 28 preferably have widths that permits them to fit within the channel formed by second arm 32. This arrangement allows the entire apparatus 8 to be flattened for storage and transport.
Although this disclosure has been described in terms of certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.
