Portable generator including carbon monoxide detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10475319-B2
Application number	US-201916395171-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2019
Priority date	Feb 2, 2017
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

A generator includes an engine, an air-fuel mixing device coupled to the engine, where the air-fuel mixing device is structured to receive air from an air intake and combine the air with fuel to create an air/fuel mixture, an exhaust outlet positioned on a first side of the generator and coupled to the engine, wherein the exhaust outlet is structured to emit exhaust gases from the engine, and a carbon monoxide (CO) sensor positioned on a second side of the generator opposite the exhaust outlet, where the CO sensor is structured to detect CO concentration near the generator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A generator comprising:
an engine;
an air-fuel mixing device coupled to the engine, wherein the air-fuel mixing device is structured to receive air from an air intake and combine the air with fuel to create an air/fuel mixture;
an exhaust outlet structured to emit exhaust gases from the engine; and
a CO sensor structured to detect CO concentration;
a CO sensor controller coupled to the CO sensor and structured to control operation of the CO sensor, wherein the CO sensor controller comprises:
a shutdown circuit structured to:
determine an environment of the generator, the environment including at least an enclosed environment and an open environment;
determine a first predetermined threshold for the enclosed environment; and
determine a second predetermined threshold for the open environment; and

an alert circuit structured to receive an alert indication from the shutdown circuit and alert a user of the generator to the detected CO concentration.

2. The generator of claim 1 , wherein the CO sensor is positioned on an opposite side of the generator from the exhaust outlet.

3. The generator of claim 1 , wherein the shutdown circuit is further structured to complete a shutdown procedure upon determining that a maximum CO concentration threshold is exceeded, the maximum CO concentration threshold unrelated to the environment.

4. The generator of claim 1 , wherein the shutdown circuit is further structured to complete a shutdown procedure upon determining the generator is in the enclosed environment and the first predetermined threshold is exceeded.

5. The generator of claim 1 , wherein the shutdown circuit is further structured to complete a shutdown procedure upon determining the generator is in the open environment and the second predetermined threshold is exceeded.

6. The generator of claim 1 , wherein the shutdown circuit determines the environment of the generator by calculating a slope of a variance of output values from the CO sensor.

7. A method of shutting down a generator including an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
determining, by a CO sensor controller, an environment of the generator, the environment comprising at least one of an enclosed environment and an open environment;
determining, by the CO sensor controller, a first predetermined threshold for the enclosed environment and a second predetermined threshold for the open environment; and
completing, by the CO sensor controller, a shutdown procedure upon determining the generator is in the enclosed environment and the first predetermined threshold is exceeded.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving, by the CO sensor controller, an alert indication, the alert indication including a determination that the first predetermined threshold and the generator is in the enclosed environment; and
prior to completing the shutdown procedure, generating, by the CO sensor controller, an alert alerting a user of the generator to the detected CO concentration.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the shutdown circuit is further structured to complete a shutdown procedure upon determining the generator is in the open environment and the second predetermined threshold is exceeded.

10. A generator comprising:
an engine;
an air-fuel mixing device coupled to the engine, wherein the air-fuel mixing device is structured to receive air from an air intake and combine the air with fuel to create an air/fuel mixture;
an exhaust outlet structured to emit exhaust gases from the engine; and
a CO sensor structured to detect CO concentration;
a CO sensor controller coupled to the CO sensor and structured to control operation of the CO sensor, wherein the CO sensor controller comprises:
a shutdown circuit structured to determine an environment of the generator and complete a shutdown procedure upon determining that a maximum CO concentration threshold is exceeded, the maximum CO concentration threshold unrelated to the environment; and
an alert circuit structured to receive an alert indication from the shutdown circuit and alert a user of the generator to the detected CO concentration.

11. The generator of claim 10 , wherein the CO sensor is positioned on an opposite side of the generator from the exhaust outlet.

12. A generator comprising:
an engine;
an air-fuel mixing device coupled to the engine, wherein the air-fuel mixing device is structured to receive air from an air intake and combine the air with fuel to create an air/fuel mixture;
an exhaust outlet structured to emit exhaust gases from the engine; and
a CO sensor structured to detect CO concentration;
a CO sensor controller coupled to the CO sensor and structured to control operation of the CO sensor, wherein the CO sensor controller comprises:
a shutdown circuit structured to determine an environment of the generator by calculating a slope of a variance of output values from the CO sensor; and
an alert circuit structured to receive an alert indication from the shutdown circuit and alert a user of the generator to the detected CO concentration.

13. The generator of claim 12 , wherein the CO sensor is positioned on an opposite side of the generator from the exhaust outlet.

Assignees

• Briggs & Stratton Corp

Inventors

• Janscha Ryan D
• Procknow David W
• Nigh Brandon
• Willer Mark David

Classifications

• H02K7/1815

  structurally associated with reciprocating piston engines (general aspects of generating sets, e.g. housing, F02B63/04) · CPC title

• G01N33/004

  CO or CO2 · CPC title

• G08B5/224

  Paging receivers with visible signalling details · CPC title

• G08B3/00

  Audible signalling systems, e.g. audible personal calling systems · CPC title

• G08B17/117 Primary

  by using a detection device for specific gases, e.g. combustion products, produced by the fire (G08B17/103, G08B17/11 take precedence) · CPC title