Mounting arrangement for wireless communication board for a portable generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10651539-B2
Application number	US-201715585534-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2017
Priority date	May 4, 2016
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A portable generator is disclosed including a mounting arrangement for positioning a wireless communication device on a control panel of the portable generator. The mounting arrangement includes a mounting platform formed from a composite material where the mounting platform is secured to a rear surface of a front panel of the control panel assembly. The front panel includes a transmission cutout. The mounting platform includes a transmission window such that a wireless antenna of the wireless communication device can be aligned with the transmission cutout. The portable generator further includes a fuel sensing device that generates both a visual indication and an output signal indicative of the level of fuel in a fuel tank. The output signal can be transmitted by the wireless communication device to a remote location for remote fuel monitoring.

First claim

I claim:

1. A mounting arrangement for positioning a wireless communication device on a control panel of a portable generator, comprising:
a removed transmission cutout formed in the control panel;
a mounting platform supported on a back surface of the control panel and formed from a plastic material, the mounting platform including a transmission window aligned with the transmission cutout;
a circuit board supported on the mounting platform; and
a wireless antenna mounted to the circuit board for transmitting wireless signals from the portable generator, wherein the mounting platform is supported on the control panel such that the wireless antenna is aligned with the transmission cutout.

2. The mounting arrangement of claim 1 wherein the mounting platform is mounted behind the control panel of the portable generator.

3. The mounting arrangement of claim 2 wherein the control panel is formed from a metallic material.

4. The mounting arrangement of claim 3 wherein the control panel is mounted to a rear cover to define a sealed enclosure.

5. The mounting arrangement of claim 4 wherein the circuit board and wireless antenna are both contained within the sealed enclosure.

6. A portable generator, comprising:
a wireless communication device;
a control panel assembly including a front panel formed from a metallic material and having a removed transmission cutout;
a mounting platform formed from a plastic material and mounted to a back surface of the front panel for positioning the wireless communication device behind the front panel of the control panel assembly, the mounting platform including a transmission window aligned with the transmission cutout;
a circuit board supported on the mounting platform; and
wherein the wireless communication device includes an antenna mounted to the circuit board and in alignment with the transmission cutout, the wireless communication device being operable to communicate wireless signals from the portable generator.

7. The portable generator of claim 6 wherein the control panel assembly includes a rear cover, wherein the front panel is mounted to the rear cover to define a sealed enclosure.

8. The portable generator of claim 7 wherein the circuit board and wireless communication device are both contained within the sealed enclosure.

Assignees

• Briggs & Stratton Corp

Inventors

• Janscha Ryan D

Classifications

• H01Q1/12

  Supports; Mounting means · CPC title

• H01Q1/225 Primary

  used in level-measurement devices, e.g. for level gauge measurement · CPC title

• H04B7/24

  for communication between two or more posts (wireless communication networks H04W) · CPC title

• G01F23/38 Primary

  using magnetically actuated indicating means · CPC title