Electric starting system for an internal combustion engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10024292-B2
Application number	US-201815859852-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 2, 2018
Priority date	Nov 4, 2011
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

An electric starting system for an internal combustion engine is provided. The starting system includes a rechargeable battery including two voltage output terminals and an enable terminal, a battery receiver including a battery receptacle configured to receive the rechargeable battery, two voltage output terminals, and an enable terminal, a starter motor configured to start the internal combustion engine, and a continuous duty electrical load. The voltage output terminals of the lithium-ion battery and the battery receiver are configured to connect to complete a circuit between the rechargeable battery and the continuous duty electrical load when the rechargeable battery is attached to the battery receptacle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric starting system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
a rechargeable battery including two voltage output terminals and an enable terminal;
a battery receiver including a battery receptacle configured to receive the rechargeable battery, two voltage output terminals, and an enable terminal;
a starter motor configured to start the internal combustion engine; and
a continuous duty electrical load;
wherein the voltage output terminals of the lithium-ion battery and the battery receiver are configured to connect to complete a circuit between the rechargeable battery and the continuous duty electrical load when the rechargeable battery is attached to the battery receptacle.

2. The electric starting system of claim 1 , wherein the continuous duty electrical load comprises a lamp.

3. The electric starting system of claim 1 , wherein the continuous duty electrical load comprises a radio.

4. The electric starting system of claim 1 , wherein the continuous duty electrical load comprises a heater.

5. The electric starting system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a switch provided in series between one of the voltage output terminals of the battery receiver and the enable terminal of the battery receiver to allow a user to selectively enable and disable the battery.

6. The electric starting system of claim 1 , wherein the continuous duty electrical load is connected in parallel with the starter motor.

7. The electric starting system of claim 1 , wherein the terminals of the rechargeable battery comprise female terminals and the terminals of the battery receiver comprise male terminals.

8. The electric starting system of claim 1 , wherein the rechargeable battery is configured to be selectively attached to and removed from the battery receiver without tools.

9. An electric starting system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
a rechargeable battery including two voltage output terminals and an enable terminal;
a battery receiver including a battery receptacle configured to receive the rechargeable battery, two voltage output terminals, and an enable terminal;
a starter motor configured to start the internal combustion engine; and
an external battery control module including an electrical control circuit and a switch coupled in series between the enable terminal of the battery receiver and one of the voltage output terminals of the battery receiver to selectively enable and disable the rechargeable battery;
wherein the voltage output terminals of the lithium-ion battery and the battery receiver are configured to connect to complete a circuit between the rechargeable battery and the starter motor when the rechargeable battery is attached to the battery receptacle and the switch is closed; and
wherein the enable terminal of the rechargeable battery must be connected with the enable terminal of the battery receiver for the rechargeable battery to receive an enable signal to allow the rechargeable battery to provide power to the starter motor to start the internal combustion engine.

10. The electric starting system of claim 9 , wherein the switch comprises a low current electronic switching device.

11. The electric starting system of claim 9 , wherein the switch is configured to be controlled automatically with a control input.

12. The electric starting system of claim 11 , wherein the control input comprises an engine RPM input and the switch is configured to open when the engine RPM input indicates that the engine has reached a predetermined RPM threshold, thereby disabling the battery to stop the starter motor.

13. The electric starting system of claim 9 , wherein the external battery control module is mounted on an engine.

14. The electric starting system of claim 9 , wherein the external battery control module is mounted to the battery receiver.

15. The electric starting system of claim 9 , wherein the terminals of the rechargeable battery comprise female terminals and the terminals of the battery receiver comprise male terminals.

16. The electric starting system of claim 9 , wherein the rechargeable battery is configured to be selectively attached to and removed from the battery receiver without tools.

17. A lawn mower, comprising:
an internal combustion engine;
a blade coupled to the engine;
a rechargeable battery including two voltage output terminals and an enable terminal;
a battery receiver including a battery receptacle configured to receive the rechargeable battery, two voltage output terminals, and an enable terminal;
a starter motor configured to start the internal combustion engine; and
an external battery control module including an electrical control circuit and a switch coupled in series between the enable terminal of the battery receiver and one of the voltage output terminals of the battery receiver to selectively enable and disable the rechargeable battery;
wherein the voltage output terminals of the lithium-ion battery and the battery receiver are configured to connect to complete a circuit between the rechargeable battery and the starter motor when the rechargeable battery is attached to the battery receptacle and the switch is closed; and
wherein the enable terminal of the rechargeable battery must be connected with the enable terminal of the battery receiver for the rechargeable battery to receive an enable signal to allow the rechargeable battery to provide power to the starter motor to start the internal combustion engine.

18. The lawn mower of claim 17 , wherein the switch is configured to open when an engine RPM input indicates that the engine has reached a predetermined RPM threshold, thereby disabling the battery to stop the starter motor.

19. The lawn mower of claim 17 , wherein the external battery control module is mounted on the engine.

20. The lawn mower of claim 17 , wherein the external battery control module is mounted to the battery receiver.

Assignees

• Briggs & Stratton Corp

Inventors

• Koenen Robert
• Markowski Matthew
• Meyer Michael
• Nommensen James

Classifications

• B08B3/026

  Cleaning by making use of hand-held spray guns; Fluid preparations therefor · CPC title

• F02N11/12 Primary

  Starting of engines by means of mobile, e.g. portable, starting sets · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• F02N11/0803

  characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop (F02N11/0814 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02N11/0862

  characterised by the electrical power supply means, e.g. battery · CPC title