Generator including a fuel shutoff valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9291114-B2
Application number	US-201313781522-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2013
Priority date	Feb 28, 2013
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A generator including an enclosure, an internal combustion engine provided within the enclosure, an alternator provided within the enclosure and driven by the internal combustion engine, a fuel supply line for providing fuel to the internal combustion engine, a valve for selectively closing the fuel supply line, the valve biased to a normally closed position, a controller configured to provide a signal to maintain the valve in an open position, and a temperature responsive device configured to interrupt the signal from the controller to the valve upon exposure to a threshold temperature, thereby resulting in the closing of the valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A generator, comprising:
an enclosure;
an internal combustion engine provided within the enclosure;
an alternator provided within the enclosure and driven by the internal combustion engine;
a fuel supply line for providing fuel to the internal combustion engine;
a valve for selectively closing the fuel supply line, the valve biased to a normally closed position, wherein the valve is provided outside of the enclosure;
a controller configured to provide a signal to maintain the valve in an open position; and
a temperature responsive device configured to interrupt the signal from the controller to the valve upon exposure to a threshold temperature, thereby resulting in the closing of the valve.

2. The generator of claim 1 , wherein the valve is a solenoid valve.

3. The generator of claim 1 , wherein the temperature responsive device is provided within the enclosure proximate the fuel line.

4. The generator of claim 3 , wherein the temperature responsive device is a thermal fuse.

5. The generator of claim 4 , wherein the temperature responsive device is electrically connected in series between the valve and the controller.

6. The generator of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises a hollow in which the valve is disposed.

7. The generator of claim 6 , further comprising an opening formed through the enclosure;
wherein the fuel supply line passes through the opening.

8. A fuel shut-off system for a generator, comprising:
a generator enclosure
a normally closed valve disposed along a fuel supply line, the valve configured to selectively close the fuel supply line, wherein the valve is provided outside of the generator enclosure;
a controller configured to provide a signal to maintain the valve in an open position; and
a temperature responsive device proximate the fuel supply line and disposed within the generator enclosure;
wherein the temperature responsive device is configured to interrupt the signal from the controller to the valve upon exposure to a threshold temperature, thereby resulting in the closing of the valve.

9. The fuel shut-off system of claim 8 , wherein the temperature responsive device is a thermal fuse.

10. The fuel shut-off system of claim 8 , wherein the temperature responsive device is electrically connected in series between the valve and the controller.

11. The fuel shut-off system of claim 10 , further comprising a second temperature responsive device electrically connected in series between the controller and the valve and electrically connected in parallel with the first temperature responsive device.

12. The fuel shut-off system of claim 8 , further comprising a second normally closed valve disposed along the fuel line and configured to selectively close the fuel supply line.

13. The fuel shut-off system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to provide a signal to maintain the second valve in an open position; and
wherein the temperature responsive device is configured to interrupt the signal from the controller to the second valve upon exposure to a threshold temperature, thereby resulting in the closing of the second valve.

14. The fuel shut-off of claim 8 , wherein the temperature responsive device comprises a temperature sensor.

15. A fuel shut-off system for an engine, comprising:
an engine enclosure;
an internal combustion engine disposed within the engine enclosure;
a fuel supply line for providing fuel to the internal combustion engine;
a valve for selectively closing the fuel supply line, the valve biased to a normally closed position;
a controller configured to provide a signal to maintain the valve in an open position, wherein the valve is provided outside of the engine enclosure; and
a sensor configured to interrupt the signal from the controller to the valve upon exposure to one of a threshold temperature and a threshold gas concentration, thereby resulting in the closing of the valve, wherein the sensor is disposed within the engine enclosure.

16. The fuel shut-off system of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is a thermal fuse that is configured to interrupt the signal from the controller to the valve upon exposure to a threshold temperature.

17. The fuel shut-off system of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is a gas sensor that is configured to interrupt the signal from the controller to the valve upon exposure to a threshold gas concentration.

Assignees

• Briggs & Stratton Corp

Inventors

• Jungmann Richard Heinz

Classifications

• F02M21/0242

  Shut-off valves; Check valves; Safety valves; Pressure relief valves · CPC title

• F02M21/0293

  Safety devices; Fail-safe measures · CPC title

• F02D29/06

  peculiar to engines driving electric generators · CPC title

• F02D41/042 Primary

  for stopping the engine · CPC title

• F02M37/0023

  Valves in the fuel supply and return system · CPC title