Pressure washer system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11638935-B2
Application number	US-201916561954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2019
Priority date	Dec 19, 2018
Publication date	May 2, 2023
Grant date	May 2, 2023

Abstract

A pressure washer system includes a fluid pump having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A flow sensor is in fluid communication with one of the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. An internal combustion engine is in driving communication with the fluid pump. A control module is mounted to the fluid pump. The control module is configured to receive an indication of flow through the fluid pump and to control a starting operation of the internal combustion engine to start the internal combustion engine in response to receiving the indication of flow through the fluid pump when the internal combustion engine is not running.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pressure washer system comprising:
a fluid pump having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
a flow sensor in fluid communication with one of the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, wherein the flow sensor comprises
a sensor chamber having a fluid inlet associated with a lower region of the sensor chamber and a fluid outlet associated with an upper region of the sensor chamber to define a fluid pathway through the sensor chamber;
a blocking element disposed within the sensor chamber, the blocking element resting adjacent the lower region of the sensor chamber in a no-flow condition and raised toward the upper region of the sensor chamber during flow of fluid through the sensor chamber; and
a sensing assembly including an optical transmitter and an optical receiver defining an optical pathway through the sensor chamber, the blocking element at least partially obstructing the optical pathway in the no-flow condition and the blocking element at least partially outside of the optical pathway during flow of fluid through the sensor chamber;

an internal combustion engine in driving communication with the fluid pump; and
a control module mounted to the fluid pump, the control module configured to receive an indication of flow through the fluid pump and to control a starting operation of the internal combustion engine to start the internal combustion engine in response to receiving the indication of flow through the fluid pump when the internal combustion engine is not running.

2. The pressure washer system according to claim 1 , wherein the control module is mounted to the fluid pump by one or more vibration isolating members.

3. The pressure washer system according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more vibration isolating members include respective rubber bushings attached to a control module mounting bracket about an exterior of the rubber bushings, and a compression sleeve extending through a generally central portion of the rubber bushings for receiving fasteners affixing the control module mounting bracket to the fluid pump.

4. The pressure washer system according to claim 1 , wherein the control module is disposed within a cavity of a control module housing, the control module housing further comprising a battery interface for removably mechanically coupling a battery to the control module housing, and removably electrically coupling the battery to the control module.

5. The pressure washer system according to claim 1 , wherein the upper region of the sensor chamber includes one or more channels to facilitate passage of fluid through the fluid outlet of the sensor chamber during flow of fluid through the sensor chamber.

6. The pressure washer system according to claim 1 , wherein the blocking element has a specific gravity of between about 1.09 to about 1.20.

7. The pressure washer system according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensor calibration module configured to:
provide power to the optical transmitter causing the optical transmitter to generate an optical signal based upon the power;
measure an output of the optical receiver in response to receiving the optical signal; and
adjust the power to the optical transmitter to achieve the output of the optical receiver having one or more of a predefined threshold and a predefined threshold range.

8. The pressure washer system according to claim 7 , wherein the sensor calibration module is configured to adjust the power to the optical transmitter based upon, at least in part, historically measured outputs of the optical receiver in response to receiving the optical signal.

9. The pressure washer system according to claim 7 , wherein the control module comprises the sensor calibration module.

10. The pressure washer system according to claim 1 , wherein the control module comprises a processor and a memory coupled with the processor, the processor configured to execute computer program code comprising instructions for:
monitoring one or more system characteristics;
defining a plurality of discrete operating states of the pressure washer system; and
transitioning the pressure washer system between the plurality of discrete operating states based upon, at least in part, one or more of the one or more system characteristics, and one or more user interactions with the pressure washer system.

11. The pressure washer system according to claim 10 , wherein the one or more system characteristics include one or more of:
flow through the flow sensor;
engine speed of the internal combustion engine;
battery voltage of a battery coupled with the control module;
battery current of the battery coupled with the control module;
ambient temperature of the control module; and
temperature of the battery coupled with the control module.

12. The pressure washer system according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of discrete operating states comprise one or more of:
an idle state;
a ready state;
a run state;
an off state;
a fault state; and
an event state.

13. The pressure washer system according to claim 12 , wherein the idle state defines a state during which the control module is powered, one or more self tests are performed, and is awaiting a user input indicating an intent to begin operation of the pressure washer system.

14. The pressure washer system according to claim 12 , wherein the ready state defines a state during which the control module may start the internal combustion engine in response to receiving the indication of flow through the pump.

15. The pressure washer system according to claim 12 , wherein the run state defines a state during which the internal combustion engine is running.

16. The pressure washer system according to claim 12 , wherein the off state defines a state during which the control module is not actively controlling the pressure washer system.

17. The pressure washer system according to claim 12 , wherein the fault state defines a state during which the control module has detected a failure of one or more tested operating conditions.

18. The pressure washer system according to claim 12 , wherein the event state defines a state during which the control module has identified one or more actionable operating conditions.

19. The pressure washer system according to claim 1 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
provide power to a starter associated with the engine as a pulse width modulated signal having a first duty cycle at a first time period; and
provide power to the starter as a pulse width modulated signal having a second duty cycle at a second time period, the second duty cycle being greater than the first duty cycle, and the second time period being after the first time period.

20. The pressure washer system according to claim 19 , wherein providing the power at the second pulse width modulated duty cycle includes incrementally increasing the duty cycle over a period of time.

21. The pressure washer system according to claim 19 , wherein the control module is further configured to measure a current of the power provided to the starter during one or more of the first time period and the second time period comprising:
sampling the current of the power provided to the starter at a sampling frequency substantially greater than a cycle rate of the pulse width modulated signal;
storing a sample of the current;
iteratively comparing a subsequent sample of the current to the stored sample of the current; and
if the subsequent sample of the current is greater than

Assignees

• Fna Group Inc

Inventors

• Alexander Gus
• Alexander Christopher C
• Gilpatrick Richard J
• Dowd Robert E
• Denham Giles
• Joseph Peter D
• Hansen Michael C
• Kolisheski Paulo Rogerio Funk

Classifications

• H01M2220/30

  Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title

• H01M50/244

  Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method · CPC title

• B08B3/026

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

• F04B53/00

  Component parts, details or accessories not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B23/00 or F04B39/00 - F04B47/00 · CPC title

• F04B49/06

  Control using electricity (regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04) · CPC title